KR102548972B1 - Muscle strengthening device for companion animals - Google Patents

Abstract

A muscle strengthening device for companion animals according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a low frequency generating module generating a low frequency signal to provide electric stimulation for muscle strengthening to companion animals, a band formed to surround the area around the patella of the companion animal, and the above It is configured to include a Velcro for fixing the band, and includes a protection unit to which the low frequency generation module is mounted at one point of the band, and the low frequency generation module contacts the skin of the companion animal to transmit the low frequency signal to the companion animal. It may be provided with at least two or more electrodes for transmitting electrical stimulation by. The electrode unit may include an electrode in which a plurality of protrusions made of rubber protrude from a rubber pad contacting the skin of the companion animal.

Description

Muscle strengthening device for companion animals}

The present invention relates to a muscle strengthening device based on electrical stimulation for companion animals.

Patellar luxation is a frequent occurrence in domestic pets, especially dogs. In the case of companion animals, especially companion dogs, there is a small bone called the patella in the knee joint, and when the bone is not in its proper position in the pulley groove and falls to the side, it is called patella dislocation. The patella is a bone that facilitates the movement of the knee joint and moves back and forth along the pulley groove according to the movement of the muscles. At this time, the patella, which should move only in the groove of the pulley, falls to the side, resulting in patella dislocation, which causes the pet to feel pain and limp.

Since such dislocation of the patella rarely heals naturally, it must be corrected surgically, and patella dislocation surgery is very difficult because the surgical site involves a joint.

The best response to patella dislocation in pets is to prevent it, and it is known that strengthening the muscles through methods such as increasing the amount of exercise is helpful.

In particular, if the muscles in the patella area are intensively strengthened through electrical stimulation based on low-frequency signals, it is expected to be very effective in preventing such dislocation of the patella. However, the conventional method for preventing patella dislocation in companion animals is focused on wearing a protector, and in the case of companion animals, it is difficult to attach electrodes that provide electrical stimulation due to hair, so strengthening the muscles around the patella based on electrical stimulation is needed. This method is not widely popularized.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2022-0036551 (joint care device for companion animals)

Embodiments of the present invention are designed to provide a muscle strengthening device having an electrode having excellent adhesion to the skin of a companion animal having hair.

Embodiments of the present invention are designed to prevent problems due to poor contact of the device or error of the device while using the muscle strengthening device for companion animals whose intentions are not clear.

The objects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects and advantages of the present disclosure not mentioned above can be understood by the following description and will be more clearly understood by the embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations indicated in the claims.

A muscle strengthening device for companion animals according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a low frequency generating module generating a low frequency signal to provide electric stimulation for muscle strengthening to companion animals, a band formed to surround the area around the patella of the companion animal, and the above It is configured to include a Velcro for fixing the band, and includes a protection unit to which the low frequency generation module is mounted at one point of the band, and the low frequency generation module contacts the skin of the companion animal to transmit the low frequency signal to the companion animal. It may be provided with at least two or more electrodes for transmitting electrical stimulation by. The electrode unit may include an electrode formed by protruding a plurality of protrusions made of rubber from a rubber pad contacting the skin of the companion animal.

At this time, the low-frequency generation module stores the low-frequency generator for generating a low-frequency signal, a plurality of mode information for which the output condition of the low-frequency signal is specified, and controls the conditions for the intensity and duration of the low-frequency signal according to the specified mode. and a communication unit receiving a user command for setting a mode of a low frequency signal through communication with a user terminal. The low-frequency generating module may include a current measuring unit for measuring a value of an externally supplied current for a preset time as the low-frequency signal starts to be generated, and a display unit for displaying information related to the generation of the low-frequency signal.

In addition, when the control unit determines that the value of the current measured by the current measurement unit does not correspond to a preset normal range, the control unit determines that the electrode unit is not in contact with the skin of the companion animal and stops generating a low-frequency signal, A notification requesting reattachment of the electrode unit may be provided through the display unit.

A system including a muscle strengthening device for a companion animal according to various embodiments of the present invention is a muscle strengthening device that generates a low frequency signal and transmits electrical stimulation to the skin of the companion animal, and a user command for mode setting of the low frequency signal from the user. It may include a user terminal for receiving and transmitting to the muscle strengthening device.

Since an embodiment of the present invention utilizes electrodes made of rubber material including protrusions, it is possible to provide a muscle strengthening device having electrodes with excellent adhesion to the skin of a companion animal.

Embodiments of the present invention can measure the degree of electrical stimulation provided and determine that the skin of the companion animal is not properly contacted, and accordingly, the contact state can be quickly improved.

1 and 2 are views showing the appearance of a muscle strengthening device for companion animals according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 to 4 are views showing the appearance of a low frequency generation module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 and 6 are diagrams showing an electrode unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a low frequency generation module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a muscle strengthening system for companion animals according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods of achieving them, will become clear with reference to the detailed description of the following embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, only these embodiments are intended to complete the disclosure of the present invention, and are common in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

Terminology used herein is for describing the embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, singular forms also include plural forms unless specifically stated otherwise in a phrase. As used herein, "comprises" and/or "comprising" does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements other than the recited elements. Like reference numerals throughout the specification refer to like elements, and “and/or” includes each and every combination of one or more of the recited elements. Although "first", "second", etc. are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms, of course. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. Accordingly, it goes without saying that the first element mentioned below may also be the second element within the technical spirit of the present invention.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification may be used with meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. In addition, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly specifically defined.

The term "unit" or "module" used in the specification means a hardware component such as software, FPGA or ASIC, and "unit" or "module" performs certain roles. However, "unit" or "module" is not meant to be limited to software or hardware. A "unit" or "module" may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium and may be configured to reproduce one or more controls. Thus, as an example, a “unit” or “module” may refer to components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, processes, functions, properties, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays and variables. Functions provided within components and "units" or "modules" may be combined into smaller numbers of components and "units" or "modules" or may be combined into additional components and "units" or "modules". can be further separated.

The spatially relative terms "below", "beneath", "lower", "above", "upper", etc. It can be used to easily describe a component's correlation with other components. Spatially relative terms should be understood as including different orientations of elements in use or operation in addition to the orientations shown in the drawings. For example, if you flip a component that is shown in a drawing, a component described as "below" or "beneath" another component will be placed "above" the other component. can Thus, the exemplary term “below” may include directions of both below and above. Components may also be oriented in other orientations, and thus spatially relative terms may be interpreted according to orientation.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are views showing the appearance of a muscle strengthening device for companion animals according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The muscle strengthening device 10 (hereinafter referred to as muscle strengthening device) for companion animals according to an embodiment of the present invention combines a low frequency generating module 200 that generates low frequencies and the low frequency generating module 200, and the legs of the companion animal. It may be configured to include a protection unit 100 formed of a flexible material so as to cover the area.

At this time, the protector may be implemented to have the same shape as a conventional knee protector for companion animals.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the protection unit includes a band 120 formed to surround the area around the patella of the companion animal and Velcros 111 and 112 for fixing the band to the leg of the companion animal. can be configured to include

At this time, the band 120 may be made of a flexible material (eg, leather, cloth, etc.) to cover the legs of the companion animal.

In addition, the Velcro may include a first Velcro for fixing the band 120 to the leg of the companion animal by being worn to surround the body of the companion animal. The first Velcro may be designed to adjust the tightening range of the companion animal's torso, and may serve to fix the height of the band 120 so that it does not flow down in the direction of gravity.

In addition, the Velcro may include a second Velcro 112 for fixing the band 120 to the leg of the companion animal by tightening it in a form surrounding the leg of the companion animal. The second Velcro 112 may tighten the leg area of the companion animal in a form surrounding the outer surface of the band 120 . In addition, the second Velcro 112 may tighten the circumference of the band 120 so that the band 120 is properly fitted to the leg size of the companion animal.

In addition, the low frequency generation module 200 that generates low frequencies to strengthen the muscles of companion animals may be coupled to one area of the band 120 of the protection unit 100 .

At this time, a method in which the low frequency generation module 200 is coupled to the band 120 of the protection unit 100 may vary.

According to one embodiment, the low frequency generation module 200 may have a ring-shaped part on one surface of the main body, and the band 120 has a line or ring shape that allows the ring to be caught. configuration can be provided. Accordingly, the low-frequency generation module 200 may be coupled to the band 120 in such a way that the loop of the low-frequency generation module 200 is caught on the line or ring-shaped configuration of the band 120 .

In addition, the low frequency generation module 200 may be fixed to the band 120 in such a way that it is placed in a pocket provided on one surface of the band 120 . In addition, the low frequency generation module 200 may be attached to one side of the band 120 through Velcro. In addition, the low frequency generation module 200 may have a protruding electrode part, and the low frequency generation module 200 may have one surface of the band 120 in such a way that the electrode part passes through a groove provided on one surface of the band 120. can be coupled to

And as shown in FIG. 2 , the electrode area of the low frequency generation module 200 may be configured to pass through the surface of the band 120 in contact with the companion animal's skin. Accordingly, in the muscle strengthening device 10 of the present invention, the screen, physical keys, etc. of the low frequency generation module 200 are exposed on the outer surface of the band 120 (the outer surface that does not touch the companion animal's skin), and the low frequency generation module ( 200) may be designed to be in contact with the skin of a companion animal.

Hereinafter, the external configuration of the low frequency generation module 200 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 .

3 to 4 are views showing the appearance of a low frequency generation module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the low frequency generation module 200 may be configured to include a physical key 250, a screen 251, a body housing 252, and an electrode unit.

The low frequency generation module 200 may receive user input for operations such as power ON/OFF, start of low frequency generation operation, change of low frequency generation mode, and temporary stop through the physical key 250 .

In addition, the low-frequency generation module 200 displays information related to the low-frequency generation operation, such as the input status of the physical key 250, currently set mode information, and the remaining time until the running low-frequency generation operation ends, through the screen 251. can do. According to various embodiments, the screen 251 may include a touch panel, and in this case, the touch panel receives various user inputs related to the low-frequency generating operation instead of or in combination with the physical key 251. can do.

The electrode unit includes a first electrode 260 made of a material whose conductivity is equal to or higher than a reference value, and a second electrode 270 that is an electrode attached to the protruding surface 261 of the first electrode 260 in contact with the electrode. can include The second electrode 270 may be implemented in a form in which a protrusion made of rubber is formed on one surface of a pad made of rubber.

And in FIG. 4, when the body housing 252 is at the bottom and the electrode protrudes upward, the area of the top surface 261 may be made to match the area of the bottom of the second electrode 270, The surface 261 of the first electrode and the bottom surface of the second electrode 270 may be attached so as to come into contact with each other.

According to various embodiments, the bonding method between the first electrode and the second electrode 270 is not limited thereto, and the second electrode 270 may be attached in a form surrounding the entire surface where the first electrode 260 protrudes. may be

Hereinafter, the electrode unit will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 .

5 to 6 show an electrode unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 illustrates a state in which the second electrode 270 is attached to the first electrode 260 viewed from the side.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the second electrode 270 may be attached to make contact with the protruding surface of the first electrode 260 . Further, the second electrode 270 may include a plurality of protrusions 271 formed on the protruding directional surface. In addition, the electrode part may include an additional connection part 262 to help the surface of the second electrode 270 opposite to the surface where the protrusion 271 is formed and the protruding surface of the first electrode 260 bind together. Accordingly, one surface of the first electrode 260 is in contact with and adhered to one surface of the connection part 262, and a surface opposite to the one surface of the connection part 262 has no protrusion of the second electrode 270 formed thereon. It can be bonded to the surface. Also, a screw for coupling with the second electrode 270 may be provided at the center of a surface of the connection part 262 in contact with the second electrode 270 .

An adhesive component may be included on the surface of the second electrode 270 so as to have adhesive strength when in contact with the skin of a companion animal.

6 shows the appearance of the second electrode.

Also, as shown at 610 in FIG. 6 , the second electrode 270 may have a shape in which a plurality of protrusions 271 made of rubber are formed on a rubber pad at a predetermined distance from each other.

At this time, the protrusion 271 may be provided on the second electrode 270 to allow the second electrode 270 to more easily contact the skin surface of the companion animal and to easily transmit low-frequency stimulation. . Due to the characteristics of companion animals, it may not be easy to access the electrodes to the skin surface due to fur, etc., and as a result, it may be difficult to adhere the second electrode 270 to the companion animal's skin surface. Considering this point, the protrusion 271 can help penetrate deep into the pet's fur and make contact with the skin surface. And, accordingly, the second electrode 270 can more easily transmit electrical stimulation to the skin surface of the companion animal.

Further, 620 of FIG. 6 shows a state in which the protrusion 271 of the second electrode 270 is positioned toward the floor. As shown in 620 above, the bottom surface of the second electrode 270 may include a groove 272 dug to a certain depth in the center. A screw provided at the center of a surface of the connection part 262 in contact with the second electrode 270 may be inserted into the groove 272, and the connection part 262 and the Binding of the second electrode 270 may be strengthened.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the low-frequency generation module 200 of the muscle strengthening device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7 .

7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a low frequency generation module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, the low frequency generation module 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a control unit 210, a display unit 220, a current measurement unit 230, a communication unit 240 and a low frequency generation unit 245. It can be configured to include.

First, the controller 210 may control the low frequency generator 245 to request generation of a low frequency signal. Through this, the controller 210 can transmit electrical stimulation by the low-frequency signal to the skin of the companion animal and provide stimulation to the muscles of the companion animal, thereby helping the muscles around the patella of the companion animal to be strengthened.

In addition, the control unit 210 may control the display unit 220 to display information related to the occurrence condition of the operated low-frequency signal. Specifically, the controller 210 may control the display unit 220 to display whether an operation starts or ends, and displays information on a mode in which a low-frequency signal is generated (eg, muscle strengthening mode, massage mode, etc.) can do. The mode includes the duration of low-frequency signal generation, the strength of the low-frequency signal (which can be confirmed by the value of the output frequency), the interval between occurrences of the low-frequency signal (e.g., 5 seconds of rest during 1 minute operation, It may be set differently corresponding to the case of having 3-second rest periods eight times, etc.).

In addition, the control unit 210 may check the value of the current capacity per unit time generated by the low frequency generation module measured by the current measurement unit 230 and provided to the outside. Through this, the control unit 210 can detect when the electrodes do not touch the companion animal's skin due to the companion animal's hair, etc., and automatically cut off electric muscle stimulation (EMS), and conversely, excessive current It detects the flow of current and blocks the operation when overcurrent occurs, so that the equipment can be used safely.

Specifically, the control unit 210 determines whether the electrode unit is properly attached to the companion animal's skin and whether the stimulation is properly transmitted based on the degree of the externally supplied current capacity value measured through the current measurement unit 230. can judge

At this time, the current measuring unit 230 includes a circuit for measuring the current, and can measure the current by converting it to an ADC. As the final electrode stage passes through a current measurement circuit to emit EMS (Electric Muscle Stimulation) by generating a low-frequency signal, the ADC measures the value within the normal range for a preset time (eg, 1 minute) after stimulation begins If not, the controller 210 may end the operation.

Specifically, the control unit 210 may check information on an appropriate range of a predetermined amount of current supply, and the amount of current supplied to the outside measured by the current measuring unit 230 is an excessive capacity to the extent that it exceeds the appropriate range. If it is determined that, it can be determined as an abnormal operation of the low frequency generation module 200.

In addition, when the controller 210 determines that the amount of current supplied to the outside measured by the current measuring unit 230 is less than an appropriate range, the controller 210 determines that the electrode is not in contact with the skin of the companion animal, and A notification prompting the user to check the state of the contacted electrode may be provided. In this case, the notification may be provided to the user terminal 20 in the form of a push notification or may be provided through the display unit 220 of the low frequency generation module 200 .

Also, the low frequency generation module 200 may include the communication unit 240 . The communication unit 240 may support communication with the user terminal 20 and the server 30 .

Various operations performed by the communication unit 240 through communication with the user terminal 20 and the server 30 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 8 .

8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a muscle strengthening system for companion animals according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The system may include a muscle strengthening device 10 , a user terminal 20 and a server 30 .

First, the muscle strengthening device 10 may communicate with the user terminal 20 through a communication unit to provide various measurement values measured by the muscle strengthening device 10 to the user terminal 20 . The user terminal 20 may drive an app capable of performing data processing based on the measurement value measured by the muscle strengthening device 10, and the app may be supported by the server 30. .

For example, the muscle strengthening device 10 may provide the server 30 or the user terminal 20 with data on the amount of current supplied to the outside. Accordingly, the user terminal 20 may determine the degree of electrical stimulation provided to the companion animal. Based on this, the user terminal 20 can predict the amount of muscle strengthening of the companion animal, and the user can numerically check the muscle strengthening phenomenon that occurred in his or her companion animal. This may inspire the user's desire to strengthen the muscles of the companion animal through the muscle strengthening device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

At this time, in detail, the user terminal 20 determines the electrical stimulation provided to the companion animal based on the total sum of the capacity per unit time of the externally provided current measured by the low frequency generation module 200 and the time the electrical stimulation is provided. An operation determination unit for determining the total amount may be included. The user terminal 20 may include a prediction unit that provides a prediction value for the amount of muscle strengthening of the companion animal in response to the total amount of electrical stimulation provided.

The muscle strengthening device 10 may also transmit data to the user terminal 20 when the low frequency generation operation is stopped due to overcurrent or poor contact. At this time, the muscle strengthening device 10 has a code name when the low-frequency operation is stopped due to overcurrent emission, and a time determined as a contact failure (eg, when it is determined that the amount of current is not emitted) is a reference value (eg , 1 minute), the code name when the low-frequency generation operation is stopped may be set differently, and each code may be provided to the server 30 or the user terminal 20 when each situation occurs. .

The user terminal 20 may determine the number and frequency of operation interruption due to overcurrent generated by the muscle strengthening device 10 and the number and frequency of operation interruption due to poor contact through the app.

According to various embodiments, the user terminal 20 is configured to improve the contact state, such as requesting to adjust the degree of tightening of the Velcro, when the frequency at which the operation is stopped due to poor contact of the electrode with the skin of the companion animal is higher than the reference value. Guide information may be provided to the user.

In addition, when estimating the amount of muscle strengthening of the companion animal, the user terminal 20 may perform an arithmetic operation in consideration of information on the number of times the operation is stopped due to poor contact. When the operation is stopped due to poor contact, since the EMS operation for muscle strengthening is not continuously performed, the muscle strengthening amount can be estimated at a low value in preparation for the case where electrical stimulation is continuously performed.

According to various embodiments, the user terminal 20 may set a mode. At this time, the modes may be differentiated based on output values of various types of low-frequency signals, such as a muscle strengthening mode and a massage mode. Further, in the mode, a recommended value may be set based on information related to the physical characteristics of the companion animal, such as the weight of the companion animal, the height of the companion animal, and the breed of the companion animal.

Accordingly, the user terminal 20 may request input of basic information such as the weight, height, breed, and age of the companion animal from the user, and may transmit the corresponding information to the server 30 upon input.

In addition, the user terminal 20 may receive input of environmental information capable of inferring a muscle generation state, such as a companion animal's usual meal amount and exercise amount, from the user, and transmit the received environment information to the server 30 .

The server 30 may calculate information on an appropriate amount of muscle mass in the region around the patella currently required for the companion animal based on basic information and environment information of the companion animal and provide the information to the user.

In addition, the server 30 may provide mode information suitable for the companion animal based on basic information and environmental information of the companion animal.

Electric stimulation at the level of massage and electric stimulation for muscle strengthening may be different for each companion animal, depending on the weight of the companion animal, the amount of muscles possessed, and the like. For example, if there are A to E modes, and the amount of electrical stimulation increases from A to E mode, for some companion animals A is a massage mode and for some companion animals C is a muscle strengthening mode. For animals, C is also a massage mode, and E may correspond to a muscle strengthening mode. As such, even if the electrical stimulation for the same purpose can be set differently according to the physical characteristics of the companion animal, the server 30 determines the physical and environmental characteristics of the companion animal input through the user terminal 20 and It is possible to input related information and check mode setting information suitable for the user's companion animal through the result calculated by the server 30 . In addition, according to various embodiments, the server 30 calculates the mode information (information setting the degree of electrical stimulation for each mode) based on the basic information and environment information of the companion animal input from the user terminal 20 as described above. It can be transmitted to the muscle strengthening device 10 and supported so that it can be updated.

In addition, the server 30 may provide additional guide information for strengthening the companion animal's muscles to the user terminal 20 through an in-app screen or push notification. For example, food intake information required for muscle strengthening and appropriate rest information required for muscle synthesis after use of the muscle strengthening device 10 may be provided.

In addition, the user terminal 20 checks the time the companion animal took a break after using the muscle strengthening device 10 of the companion animal (the period it took for the muscle strengthening device to be used again), and determines the amount of rest the companion animal took. can be judged by time. In addition, the user terminal 20 may input information (amount of food, type of food) of food consumed by the companion animal after using the muscle strengthening device 10 by the user.

Accordingly, the user terminal 20 may obtain information about the rest time and food intake taken by the companion animal, and information on the use of the existing muscle strengthening device 10 (eg, the total amount of electrical stimulation provided to the companion animal). In addition, the amount of muscle reinforcement of the companion animal may be predicted by additionally considering the rest time and food intake information.

Specifically, the user terminal 20 may previously store information about an appropriate rest time and an appropriate amount of food intake corresponding to the total amount of electrical stimulation provided to the companion animal. At this time, the information on the appropriate rest time and food intake can be used to add points when calculating the predicted value of the companion animal's muscle strengthening amount. For example, the user terminal 20 may basically generate (intensity of electrical stimulation) * (duration of electrical stimulation) when calculating the amount of muscle strengthening of the companion animal, and in addition to this, appropriate rest By adding scores according to time or appropriate food intake, a muscle strengthening amount value can be calculated considering information on post-management. Accordingly, the value of muscle strengthening considering information on post-management is calculated as (intensity of electrical stimulation) * (duration of electrical stimulation) + (at least one of the score according to the appropriate rest time and the appropriate amount of food intake) It can be.

In this case, the score according to the appropriate break time may be set in proportion to the total amount of electrical stimulation provided to the companion animal. And the score according to the appropriate break time reaches the most suitable break time (eg, 24 hours) in response to the total amount of specific electrical stimulation (eg, the total amount of stimulation provided to the companion animal when the C mode is operated for 1 hour) The more points are added, the more points are added, and after exceeding the most suitable break time, a certain value decreases from the maximum score, and if it exceeds the preset standard (eg, 48 hours), the added score can be set to 0 points. there is. That is, according to this, when the companion animal takes a break as much as the break time determined to be most appropriate, the score added may be maximum.

The score for the appropriate amount of food intake may be set in proportion to the weight of the companion animal and the total amount of electrical stimulation provided. In addition, the points added according to the appropriate food intake amount increase as the intake amount judged to be most appropriate is reached, and after exceeding the intake amount judged to be most appropriate, the score added is set to the same maximum regardless of the amount of food intake. It can be.

In short, a muscle strengthening device for companion animals according to an embodiment of the present invention is a low-frequency generating module that generates a low-frequency signal to provide electrical stimulation for muscle strengthening to companion animals and a band formed to surround the region around the patella of the companion animal. and a velcro for fixing the band, and includes a protection unit in which the low frequency generation module is mounted at one point of the band, and the low frequency generation module is in contact with the skin of the companion animal to remind the companion animal It may include at least two or more electrode units that transmit electric stimulation by a low-frequency signal. The electrode unit may include an electrode formed by protruding a plurality of protrusions made of rubber from a rubber pad contacting the skin of the companion animal.

At this time, the low-frequency generation module stores the low-frequency generator for generating a low-frequency signal, a plurality of mode information for which the output condition of the low-frequency signal is specified, and controls the conditions for the intensity and duration of the low-frequency signal according to the specified mode. and a communication unit receiving a user command for setting a mode of a low frequency signal through communication with a user terminal. The low-frequency generating module may include a current measuring unit for measuring a value of an externally supplied current for a preset time as the low-frequency signal starts to be generated, and a display unit for displaying information related to the generation of the low-frequency signal.

In addition, when it is confirmed that the value of the current measured by the current measuring unit does not correspond to a preset normal range, the control unit determines that the electrode is not in contact with the skin of the companion animal and stops generating a low-frequency signal, and the electrode A notification requesting re-attachment of may be provided through the display unit.

A system including a muscle strengthening device for a companion animal according to various embodiments of the present invention is a muscle strengthening device that generates a low frequency signal and transmits electrical stimulation to the skin of the companion animal, and a user command for mode setting of the low frequency signal from the user. It may include a user terminal for receiving and transmitting to the muscle strengthening device.

An electronic device (eg, a low frequency generation module, the user terminal 20) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a memory, a communication unit, and a control unit.

The memory may store various programs and data necessary for the operation of the electronic device. The memory may be implemented as a non-volatile memory, a volatile memory, a flash-memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), or a solid state drive (SSD).

The communication unit may perform communication with an external device. In particular, the communication unit may include various communication chips such as a Wi-Fi chip, a Bluetooth chip, a wireless communication chip, an NFC chip, and a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) chip. At this time, the Wi-Fi chip, the Bluetooth chip, and the NFC chip perform communication in a LAN method, a WiFi method, a Bluetooth method, and an NFC method, respectively. In the case of using a Wi-Fi chip or a Bluetooth chip, various connection information such as an SSID and a session key is first transmitted and received, and various information can be transmitted and received after communication is connected using this. The wireless communication chip refers to a chip that performs communication according to various communication standards such as IEEE, ZigBee, 3rd Generation (3G), 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

The controller may control overall operations of the user device using various programs stored in the memory. The control unit may include a RAM, a ROM, a graphic processing unit, a main CPU, first through n interfaces, and a bus. At this time, the RAM, ROM, graphic processing unit, main CPU, first to n interfaces, etc. may be connected to each other through a bus.

RAM stores O/S and application programs. Specifically, when the electronic device is booted, O/S is stored in RAM, and various application data selected by the user may be stored in RAM.

The ROM stores instruction sets for system booting. When a turn-on command is input and power is supplied, the main CPU copies the O/S stored in the memory 200 to the RAM according to the command stored in the ROM, and executes the O/S to boot the system. When booting is completed, the main CPU copies various application programs stored in memory to RAM, and executes the application programs copied to RAM to perform various operations.

The main CPU accesses the memory and performs booting using the OS stored in the memory. And, the main CPU performs various operations using various programs, contents, data, etc. stored in the memory.

The first through n interfaces are connected to the various components described above. One of the first through n interfaces may be a network interface connected to an external device through a network.

Meanwhile, the controller may control the artificial intelligence model. In this case, of course, the control unit may include a dedicated graphic control unit (eg, GPU) for controlling the artificial intelligence model.

The control unit may include one or more cores (not shown) and a graphic processing unit (not shown) and/or a connection path (eg, a bus) for transmitting and receiving signals to and from other components.

The control unit according to an embodiment performs the method described in relation to the present invention by executing one or more instructions stored in memory.

On the other hand, the control unit further includes a RAM (Random Access Memory, not shown) and a ROM (ROM: Read-Only Memory, not shown) that temporarily and/or permanently store signals (or data) processed in the control unit. can include In addition, the control unit may be implemented in the form of a system on chip (SoC) including at least one of a graphics processing unit, RAM, and ROM.

The memory may store programs (one or more instructions) for processing and control of the control unit. Programs stored in the storage unit may be divided into a plurality of modules according to functions.

Steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with an embodiment of the present invention may be implemented directly in hardware, implemented in a software module executed by hardware, or implemented by a combination thereof. A software module may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or It may reside in any form of computer readable recording medium well known in the art to which the present invention pertains.

Components of the present invention may be implemented as a program (or application) to be executed in combination with a computer, which is hardware, and stored in a medium. Components of the present invention may be implemented as software programming or software elements, and similarly, embodiments may include various algorithms implemented as data structures, processes, routines, or combinations of other programming constructs, such as C, C++ , Java (Java), can be implemented in a programming or scripting language such as assembler (assembler). Functional aspects may be implemented as an algorithm running on one or more control units.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing examples, those skilled in the art may make alterations, changes, and modifications to the examples without departing from the scope of the present invention. In short, it is not necessary to separately include all the functional blocks shown in the drawings or follow all the steps shown in the drawings in the order shown in order to achieve the intended effect of the present invention, even if not, the technical skills of the present invention described in the claims Note that it may fall within the range.

10: muscle strengthening device
20: user terminal
30: server
200: low frequency generation module
210: control unit
220: display unit
230: current measuring unit
240: Ministry of Communication
245: low frequency generator

Claims (5)

In electronic devices for companion animals,
A low-frequency generation module that generates a low-frequency signal to provide electrical stimulation for muscle strengthening to companion animals; and
A protector comprising a band formed to surround the area around the patella of the companion animal and Velcro for fixing the band, and having the low frequency generation module mounted at one point of the band; includes,
The low frequency generating module
When the low frequency generation module is mounted on the protection unit, it protrudes from the surface of the main body of the low frequency generation module to pass through a groove provided in a band of the protection unit, and comes into contact with the companion animal's skin to protect the companion animal. At least two or more electrode units for transmitting electric stimulation by a low frequency signal;
the electrode part
a first electrode protruding from the surface of the main body of the low frequency generating module; and
a second electrode formed by protruding a plurality of protrusions made of rubber from a rubber pad in contact with the skin of the companion animal, and configured such that a surface opposite to the surface on which the protrusions are formed and the protruding surface of the first electrode are brought into contact with each other; Muscle strengthening device for companion animals, characterized in that it comprises a. delete ◈Claim 3 was abandoned when the registration fee was paid.◈ According to claim 1,
The low frequency generating module
a low frequency generator generating a low frequency signal;
a control unit for storing information on a plurality of modes in which output conditions of the low-frequency signal are specified, and controlling conditions for strength and duration of the low-frequency signal according to the specified mode; and
Communication unit for receiving a user command for mode setting of the low-frequency signal through communication with the user terminal; Muscle strengthening device for companion animals, characterized in that it comprises a. ◈Claim 4 was abandoned when the registration fee was paid.◈ According to claim 3,
The low frequency generating module
a current measurement unit measuring a value of current supplied to the outside for a predetermined time as the low-frequency signal starts to be generated; and
Including; a display unit for displaying information related to the generation of the low-frequency signal;
The control unit
When it is determined that the value of the current measured by the current measuring unit does not fall within the preset normal range, it is determined that the electrode unit is not in contact with the companion animal's skin, and generation of a low-frequency signal is stopped, and the electrode unit is reattached. A muscle strengthening device for companion animals, characterized in that for providing a notification requesting through the display unit. In a system including a companion animal muscle strengthening device,
A muscle strengthening device that generates a low-frequency signal and transmits electrical stimulation to the skin of the companion animal; and
A user terminal for receiving a user command for mode setting of a low-frequency signal from a user and transmitting it to the muscle strengthening device; Including,
The muscle strengthening device
A low-frequency generation module that generates a low-frequency signal to provide electrical stimulation for muscle strengthening to companion animals; and
A protector comprising a band formed to surround the area around the patella of the companion animal and Velcro for fixing the band, and having the low frequency generation module mounted at one point of the band; includes,
The low frequency generating module
When the low frequency generation module is mounted on the protection unit, it protrudes from the surface of the main body of the low frequency generation module to pass through a groove provided in a band of the protection unit, and comes into contact with the companion animal's skin to protect the companion animal. and at least two or more electrode units for transmitting electric stimulation by a low frequency signal.
the electrode part
a first electrode protruding from the surface of the main body of the low frequency generating module; and
a second electrode formed by protruding a plurality of protrusions made of rubber from a rubber pad in contact with the skin of the companion animal, and configured such that a surface opposite to the surface on which the protrusions are formed and the protruding surface of the first electrode are brought into contact with each other; Companion animal muscle strengthening system comprising a.

Images