Abstract:
A system used in the deconditioning of compulsive fingernail biting includes motivating behavior at timed intervals. A method of negative feedback using positive responses is in most cases is curative of the compulsion. The timing interval between behavior motivation sessions can be adjusted for best effects in a given habitué. One version has no electronics and is used as a decoy finger for biting thus sparing the natural ones.

Description:
CROSS-SECTION TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/668,343, filed Apr. 5, 2005, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to personal health and hygiene. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods for reducing or stopping the undesirable behavior of nail biting.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Behaviors that compel individuals to act in certain ways are essential to life and social participation. The need to sleep, eat, bathe, dress and attend work or school at certain hours is essential for normal growth and success in life. Individuals may not want these things to become needed, but various pressures require them. However, certain compelling behavior, obsessive-compulsions or habits, almost always learned earlier in life, may be a nuisance and interference with preferred or normal behavior in later childhood or adult life. It is estimated that as much as 2% of our population has undesirable compulsive habits, where women are slightly more likely to be affected than men. When severe, such disorders become a form of mental illness where the person seems possessed by intrusive thoughts (called obsessions) or feels bound to repetitive performance of behavior patterns (compulsions) and is unable to control them. Like all psychological conditions, mild and severe, all humans experience elements of borderline or frank mental aberrations at times, usually triggered by unusual circumstances like severe stress. On occasion the undesirable ideation or performance persists to become a true abnormality where the person finds the disturbing thoughts or actions interfere with normal daily functions of social interaction, employment, outside activities or schoolwork.  
         [0004]     Although a great number of such persons realize their affliction, they are powerless to deal with them. This is generally quite unlike the severe mental disorders where the person is unaware of, or lacks insight into, the problem, thereby interfering with possible treatment. To the compelled person the behavior is primarily a secret ritual that begs or demands attention and satisfaction, often on a constant basis that may interfere with normal behavior or have undesirable outcomes.  
         [0005]     Treatments for the more difficult forms of these disorders rely on psychotherapy, medication, or both. Behavior modification is quite important and is employed in a variety of ways, such as response intervention—where the precipitating thoughts, circumstances or influences are artificially presented and the patient is protected or withdrawn from the threat, instantly altering his ordinary compelled reaction. As one example, computer generated artificial reality employs this dramatic method. Another form of exposure-prevention would be to present a precipitating situation and then disallow the patient from performing his usual compelled behavior. This creates anxiety and tension against which the therapist then works. Such methods are prolonged and often complex but may be quite successful. Habits are generally milder but may be indistinguishable from compulsions.  
         [0006]     Habits also are acts arising from experience and are generally regularly and automatically performed. They include repetitive mannerisms such as motions of face, hands and limbs, but also cravings such as smoking or overeating, characteristic reading of selected topics such as magazines or pornography, motion picture attendance, video game playing or watching certain TV performances. Their basis is learned and represents problems needing treatment when they disrupt a person&#39;s well-being or preferred social interactions. Classical Freudian psychoanalysts considered habits as expressions of erotic and aggressive impulses, as they did much abnormal behavior. Clearly, when repressed, such impulses may find outlets through other counterproductive behaviors including habit formation. Much more practically, the evidence is less theoretical and indicates that habituation is a matter of learned response conditioning and reinforcement over which the person has little control and is usually sustained by circumstances or cues that are quite different from those upon which the habit was initially established. Indeed, any action, good or bad, that is well rewarded is likely to become habituating, yielding its own reward in time.  
         [0007]     Importantly, most habits have components of which the habitué may be quite unaware. The habituated person is aware of the outcome of this undesirable, even potentially dangerous problem, but the actual performance is usually beneath their consciousness. When habitués are unaware of and thus do not suppress the importance of the acts, they do not go away. An important method for eliminating conditioned habits and compulsions is that of counter conditioning or deconditioning or awareness recognition. These can be performed successfully in two ways: (1) the reward aspect is purposely thwarted by giving a bad or absent reward which helps to extinguish the behavior, or (2) the regular occurrence of the habit is forced into being a conscious act over which the individual can then exert a controlling influence.  
         [0008]     Habitual biting of nails is one type of conditional habit or compulsion, which can cause serious infections, deformity and cosmetically undesirable changes in otherwise normal fingers. Such impaired fingers and nails may interfere with occupational activities as well. Habitual biters are almost universally ashamed of their condition but are generally unable to stop without assistance. A common method to discourage nail biting is to apply artificial nails, which when decorated can be expensive such that a financial incentive not to destroy the nails exists. When severe and unalterable, extended psychotherapy, medication and behavioral modification have been successful in treating this disorder from becoming a potential mental illness. However, such techniques can be costly. Counter conditioning or deconditioning nail biting may involve a negative or punitive reward such as blaming or punishing, coating the involved fingers with evil tasting or blistering materials, or electric shocks to the mouth in contact with the fingers. These methods have been shown to have even more undesirable side effects in some persons, especially children, commonly resulting in a refusal to use the device. As such, a need exists for a new approach to the deconditioning of undesirable behavior, such as nail biting.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0009]     One aspect of the present invention relates to treating the habit of compulsive fingernail biting by establishing an awareness of the act, thereby rendering the performance a conscious act. The act then no longer is unconsciously operating and a positive competitive act is added. In one embodiment, the positive competitive act results from biting an artificial nail or biting an end of a prosthesis body to turn on or off an alarm or other prompting device. This act is closely akin to classical Pavlovian conditioning.  
         [0010]     By making the act conscious, the individual learns to control it himself within time. In another aspect of the present invention, the nail biting and prompting device, such as an alarm, should be paired to accelerate a deconditioning process, but not at the expense of deformation of natural fingers. In one embodiment, no punitive negative reward is given, such as the pain of biting the “quick” of a nail. Instead, a positive competitive act, such as switching off of a prompting device, such as a barely perceptible, but annoying alarm is achieved by biting an artificial nail, or otherwise actuating a switch.  
         [0011]     Actually removing substance by biting the artificial nail is not necessary, but means for such is incorporated into some embodiments of the present invention. In embodiments without such means, it is only the act of commencing to bite that counts. Another aspect of the present invention relates to reasonable social and occupational acceptance, wherein the artificial finger not only has a reasonable look and feel of a natural finger, but also allows performance of occupational tasks like keyboard typing, operating button-controlled devices, eating, dressing and other acts of daily living.  
         [0012]     In this respect, embodiments of the invention are designed to provide adequate aesthetic appearance of a relatively normal, although shorter, finger firmly strapped to the hand between the thumb and index fingers. This position provides needed physical and tactile feedback to the habitué as though a normal finger and a rewarding sensation as though biting a normal nail while the act is being deconditioned. In one embodiment, the comforting components of the artificial finger are then rudely interrupted by a tactile alarm that is not externally obtrusive. This alarm can be stopped by biting the artificial nail or the buried switch in the artificial finger&#39;s tip, turning the device off until the next preset time.  
         [0013]     Other aspects of the present invention relate to a prosthesis assembly configured to be strapped into a space between a thumb and an index finger and from there tightly around a wrist. In one embodiment, the prosthesis body is shorter than either natural finger. In some embodiments, the prosthesis body is waterproof, sanitary, and/or easily cleaned. In some embodiments, acrylic or polyethylene or similar polymer nails are replaceably employed, with or without flavors applied. In other embodiments, a simple disc silver oxide battery is used with a two-part alarm consisting of a gentle piezoelectric vibrator and a visible LED indicator. A pressure-operated switch placed near the biting end is gently bitten to turn the alarm off. A second pressure-operated switch operates the contained waterproof replaceable battery circuit. In some embodiments, the prosthesis body or finger has a molded flesh colored outer washable shell of a soft skin-like vinyl, polypropylene or silicone rubber to which adjustable self fixating flesh colored hook and loop straps provide stability of the novel device when removably attached to either right or left hand and wrist.  
         [0014]     Other aspects of the present invention relate to a method of deconditioning. In one embodiment, when the habitué is biting the replaceable artificial nail, the prosthesis body lies inside the two natural fingers, which can then firmly touch a face of a user around a mouth of the user further giving a feeling of normal anatomical and mechanical feedback and a familiar comfort while nail biting. The system is applied at any conscious time, when at leisure or avocational activities. In one method of deconditioning, the prosthesis is worn during a training cycle to learn its proper operation. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     Embodiments of the invention will be described with respect to the figures, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a deconditioning system according to principles of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a prosthesis assembly of the deconditioning system of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 3A  is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of  FIG. 2 , taken along the lines A-A.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of  FIG. 2 , taken along the lines B-B.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3C  is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of  FIG. 2 , taken along the lines C-C.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3D  is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of  FIG. 2 , taken along the lines D-D.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a circuit diagram illustrating one embodiment of deconditioning circuitry useful with the deconditioning system of  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0023]     In the following Detailed Description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as “dorsum,” “back,” “palmar,” “front,” “tip,” or “distal,” “base,” “proximal,” etc. is used with reference to the orientation of the Figure(s) being described. Because components of embodiments of the present invention can be positioned and/or operated in a number of different ways, structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.  
         [0024]     Referring now to the drawings which are not to scale and which illustrate preferred forms of embodiments in accordance with the present invention.  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a deconditioning system  10  in accordance with the present invention applied to a user&#39;s hand  12 . Details on various components of the deconditioning system  10  are provided below. In general terms, however, the system  10  includes a prosthesis assembly  14  and an attachment device  16 . The prosthesis assembly  14  includes a prosthesis body  18  housing or maintaining various components described below, and defining a base  20  to which the attachment device  16  is secured. With this in mind, the user&#39;s hand  12  is spread open with the deconditioning prosthesis body  18  attached thereto. The hand  12  includes a thumb  22  and an index finger  24 . As shown, the prosthesis body  18  is positioned in an anatomical valley defined between the thumb  22  and the index finger  24 . The attachment device  16  is provided for attaching the prosthesis body  18  to the hand  12 . As shown in one embodiment, the attachment device  16  comprises adjustable strap(s) including hook and loop fasteners (not shown) forming part of the palmar extensions of the straps and configured to permit firm positioning and easy removal of the prosthesis assembly  14 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is plan view of the prosthesis assembly  14 . In general terms, the prosthesis assembly  14  includes the prosthesis body  18 , an artificial fingernail  26 , and deconditioning circuitry  28  (referenced generally). The artificial fingernail  26  is mounted to, and extends exteriorly from, the prosthesis body  18 . The deconditioning circuitry  28  is disposed within the prosthesis body  18  and, as described below, is adapted to perform one or more deconditioning operations.  
         [0026]     In one embodiment, the prosthesis body  18  defines a physical texture and structural aesthetics resembling a normal human finger, and includes various structures within the prosthesis body  18  for maintaining other components of the prosthesis assembly  14 . An internal structure of the prosthesis body  18  has an extension  30  of firm material imitating a natural subsurface soft bone of a natural human finger. With additional reference to  FIG. 3A , a predominate inside mass  32  of the prosthesis body  18  is made, in one embodiment, of molded, semi-firm elastomers, such as polyurethane. In some embodiments, an outer skin material  34  is applied over the mass  32  and provides the prosthesis body  18  with a more natural looking appearance and can have a desired color.  
         [0027]     With continued reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 A, in one embodiment, the artificial fingernail  26  is removably maintained by the prosthesis body  18  by sliding of the artificial fingernail  26  edges into channels  36  defined by the prosthesis body  18  until the fingernail  26  firmly engages a retaining clip  38 , this clip  38  being made integral with the two side guide channels  36 .  
         [0028]     The deconditioning circuitry  28  can assume a wide variety of forms, and in one embodiment, includes a power source (e.g., battery)  40 , circuitry  42  (referenced generally in  FIG. 2 ), a switch  44 , and one or more prompting devices, for example the prompting devices  46  and  48   a ,  48   b . As described below, the power source  40  powers the components  42 - 48   b , with the circuitry  42  controlling operation of the prompting devices  46 ,  48   a ,  48   b , based, in some embodiments, upon signals received from the switch  44 . The switch  44  is a “bite” switch, adapted to effectuate a change in state (e.g., on-to-off or off-to-on) when subjected to a certain level of pressure or compression indicative of a biting force generated by a human jaw. The prompting devices  46 ,  48   a ,  48   b  can assume a variety of forms including, for example, lights, vibrators, audible alarms, etc. In one embodiment, the prompting device  46  is an LED light and the prompting devices  48   a ,  48   b  are sonic vibrators. In other embodiments, an audible alarm device (not shown) is further provided. Alternatively, however, only one of the prompting devices  46 ,  48   a , and/or  48   b  need be included.  
         [0029]     With the above general explanation of the deconditioning circuitry  28  in mind, in one embodiment, the compression ‘bite’ switch  44  is imbedded within the prosthetic body  18  near the outermost portion of the fingernail  26 . In one embodiment, the imbedded LED lamp  46  is visible through the translucent, replaceable polymeric fingernail  26 . An inside pocket holds the replaceable battery  40  having a removable end cap. The sonic vibrators  48   a ,  48   b  lie near a battery compartment wall  50  in position at the end of the prosthesis body  18  and, upon assembly to the user&#39;s hand  12 , abut the valley defined between the thumb finger  22  and the index finger  24  ( FIG. 1 ). Thus, in one embodiment, the bite switch  44  and indicator LED  46  are located near the distal tip of the prosthesis body  18 , near a tip of a nail bed of the prosthesis body  18 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view approximately mid-body of the prosthesis body  18  showing the battery  40  and the surrounding battery compartment wall  50 .  FIG. 3C  is a cross-sectional view near the lower, proximal end of the prosthesis body  18  illustrating the plurality of vibratory transducers of the sonic vibrators  48   a ,  48   b  in close proximity to the battery compartment wall  50 , as well as the circuitry  42 . The circuitry  42  is described in greater detail below, but is generally formed as a flex circuit (e.g., on a flexible substrate) and assembled to the prosthesis body  18  in the curved manner shown in  FIG. 3C .  
         [0031]      FIG. 3D  is a cross-sectional view at the base  20  of the prosthesis body  18  as it sits on the skin web fold between the thumb  22  ( FIG. 1 ) and index finger  24  ( FIG. 1 ). The battery compartment wall  50  and the removable watertight battery cap having a Philips-head slot  52  (in accordance with one embodiment) for easy removal are also illustrated. In one embodiment, a gap  54  is defined by the base  20 . The gap  54  allows the base  20  to straddle the skin web between the thumb  22  and the index finger  24 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a circuit diagram of a one of several possible configurations of the deconditioning circuitry  28 , and diagrammatically represents the battery  40 , the circuitry  42 , the switch  44 , and the prompting devices  46 ,  48   a ,  48   b . The circuitry or circuit board  42  includes, in one embodiment, first and second resets  60 ,  62  (e.g., op-amp A and op-amp B), first and second timers  64 ,  66  (e.g., op-amp C and op-amp D), and a time selector switch  68 . The relationships and interaction between these components are described below. However, in other embodiments, a variety of other possible circuits can be employed, capable of achieving similar functions as the circuit board  42  shown.  
         [0033]     In one embodiment, the system  10  remains ‘off’ until the bite switch  44  at the distal end of the prosthesis  18  ( FIG. 1 ) is compressed by biting the prosthesis body&#39;s tip or the distal end of the artificial nail  26  ( FIG. 2 ). This action energizes op-amps D and A, which then energizes op-amp B. An output pulse passes through the time selector toggle  68  triggering either of two timing interval conditions for op-amp C. The interval selected, starting at either 15 or 30 minutes, is alterable by a time preset control  70 , the access to which is provided on the circuit board  42  ( FIG. 3C ).  
         [0034]     The trigger output from op-amp C then sends a single or dual pulse, depending on the shorter or longer interval selected through the op-amp D simultaneously into the vibrators  48   a ,  48   b  and LED  46  to confirm whether the interval is the shortest or longest selected by a wearer otherwise operating the time selector toggle switch  68 .  
         [0035]     In one embodiment, these pulses last only two seconds and are perceived as light from the wearer by the LED  46  visible through the artificial fingernail  26  ( FIG. 2 ) and the perceived through tingling from the vibrator(s)  48   a ,  48   b . At the end of the preset interval (15 or 30 minutes or other intervals as preset), a behavior motivator such as an audible, visual, or tactile alarm or combinations thereof is activated. In one embodiment, ‘alarm pulse(s)’ alerts the wearer to bite the fingernail bite switch  44  on command. Alarm amplitude can be set so as not to be noticeable by an outside person. If after the alarm pulses, a responsive bite is not received within 2 minutes, the system  10  shuts down to conserve battery power and remains off until restarted again by a new bite.  
         [0036]     In one embodiment of a deconditioning method and with reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , the cleaned and sanitized deconditioning device is tested for battery power by compressing or biting the bite switch  44  and observing the brief pulse(s) of the LED  46  light in the finger&#39;s tip. This confirms that the battery  40  has sufficient reserve and which of the timing intervals has been set, there being one for the shorter period and two or more for longer ones. The prosthesis body  18  is then strapped to the hand  12  using attached, flesh-tinted stabilizing straps  16  having hook and loop fastener ends (or other attachment devices). The fit should be snug and stable; the user having been instructed to seek an optimal position and tightness. Of course, when occupied with activities that would be contrary to the use of the device, such as bathing or washing dishes or working in wet or greasy unclean environments, the prosthesis body  2  should not be applied or should be taken off and protected.  
         [0037]     When in position, the bite switch  44  is again engaged and usage begins. At each adjustable selected interval, such as every 15 or 30 minutes or other preselected intervals, the gentle tactile alarm perceptibly vibrates and the visible, faint LED light  46  illuminates for timed nail biting to take place.  
         [0038]     Biting or chewing on the artificial nail  26  or nibbling on the end of the prosthetic body  18  shuts off the alarm. If within 2 minutes (or some other desired interval) no response is given, the electronic circuit  28  shuts off. The user will accommodate to this routine quickly. After approximately one to three weeks of training, the prosthesis body  18  can be left off for a day or so to see if the deconditioning is progressing. When no inadvertent biting occurs during that test period, the rest period may be extended.  
         [0039]     However, it the unconscious biting returns, or the individual feels an anxious need to bite, the prosthesis body  18  is returned to the hand  12 . After prolonged successful abstinence from the use of the deconditioning system  10 , with amelioration of the problem, the use of the deconditioning system  10  may be discontinued to be used again if the habit were to reemerge under stressful or other circumstances.  
         [0040]     Routing daily maintenance consists of gently washing and drying the prosthesis body  18  and straps  16  while off the hand  12 . When the deconditioning system  10  has not had a bite within a certain period of time (e.g., 2 hours), the circuit automatically shuts off to preserve battery life. Access to adjustments and battery replacement is realized through an openable port in the base  20  of the prosthesis body  18 , away from the nail  26  and opposite end of the prosthesis body  18 . The entire prosthesis body  18 , and attachment device, or straps  16 , is water and saliva proof and easily sanitized. When the artificial nail  26  needs to be replaced, after it shows wear or is ragged, a new artificial nail  26  adapted from standard commercial artificial nails, trimmed by a pre-shaped clip unit provided to the wearer, readies the replacement to be attached. The old nail  26  is pulled out and the new one is slid onto the prosthesis body  18  along the side channels  36  to be held in position by the retaining friction clip  38  constructed, for example, of stainless steel and located at the nail  26  base upon final assembly. The retaining clip  38  is, in one embodiment, fabricated together with the side nail guides  36 .  
         [0041]     Thus, the two features  36  serve together to guide and stably but removably retain the nail  26  inside a dorsum of the prosthesis body  18 , near the position analogous to a natural nail base.  
         [0042]     Some advantages that can be achieved in some embodiments of the present invention include a socially and cosmetically acceptable, removable, adjustable and replenishable device that has the ability to eliminate an annoying and potentially dangerous habit using a gentle, negative feedback process that is positively rewarding. Cosmetic, tactile and positioning senses give the user a readily acceptable sensory substitute for a natural finger while a built-in structured deconditioning program continues, all of which is determined by simple electronics contained within the prosthesis body  18 . This device can accomplish what could otherwise be a far lengthier and expensive treatment program including medication and psychotherapy or behavioral modification. The construction of the deconditioning device is relatively simple and sanitary and should be inexpensive to manufacture in quantity from standard parts openly available. The waterproof outer ‘skin’  34  not only can be easily sanitized but can also be replaced if needed or if the device is shared among family members. Further the ‘skin’  34  can include various colors to suit racial color needs.  
         [0043]     In one embodiment, the deconditioning system  10  is used in the process of behavioral modification by the conscious application to the essentially unconscious habituation of undesirable behavior, such as fingernail biting. Embodiments of the deconditioning system  10  can also be made in a simpler, totally passive form, without the electronics or indication components as described. In these embodiments, the passive system or device serves to give the somewhat less addicted habitué a tangible means to satisfy the urge, but on an inanimate object, thereby sparing the habitué&#39;s natural fingers and nails. In another embodiment, the electronics consist of a simple preset time alarm and an on-off switch, where the responses to the alarm do not operate as a closed-loop feedback system, but an open-loop response to the timing stimulus.  
         [0044]     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.