WO2024080480A1

WO2024080480A1 - Glove for ameliorating carpal tunnel syndrome

Info

Publication number: WO2024080480A1
Application number: PCT/KR2023/008158
Authority: WO
Inventors: 고재웅
Original assignee: 주식회사 피넬로피
Priority date: 2022-10-12
Filing date: 2023-06-14
Publication date: 2024-04-18
Also published as: KR20240050772A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a glove for ameliorating carpal tunnel syndrome and, more specifically, to a glove for ameliorating carpal tunnel syndrome by providing frequency stimulation to a dorsal portion, a palm portion, and a wrist portion of the glove to rapidly ameliorate the carpal tunnel syndrome condition through non-surgical treatment, and by interlocking a plurality of haptic sensors disposed on the glove with a wearable device, to induce active engagement in exercise rehabilitation content. To address the tasks, the glove for ameliorating carpal tunnel syndrome according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a dorsal portion, a palm portion, and a wrist portion, wherein the glove includes a radiofrequency wave generator that is attached to and installed on the dorsal portion and generates and transmits radiofrequency waves to a hand.

Description

Gloves for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease

The present invention relates to a glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease, and more specifically, to a glove that can quickly improve carpal tunnel syndrome disease through non-surgical treatment by providing frequency-based stimulation to the back, palm, and wrist of the glove. It is about a glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease that encourages active participation in exercise rehabilitation content by linking multiple haptic sensors placed in the glove with wearable devices.

As computer technology develops in modern society, more and more people are using computers to work. The use of computers has the advantage of increasing work efficiency, but it can also cause VDT syndrome caused by electromagnetic waves emitted from computer monitors and keyboards, herniated discs in the back and neck caused by working in a fixed position for long periods of time, and prolonged use of the keyboard and mouse. This exposes you to arthritis in your fingers and shoulders.

In particular, housewives who do a lot of housework such as wringing dishcloths or mops, office workers who use computer keyboards a lot, construction workers, or occupational groups that use vibrating machines a lot, suffer from carpal tunnel due to pain, numbness, or paresthesia in the palms, fingers, and wrists. Syndrome symptoms may develop.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, also called carpal tunnel syndrome, is a nerve compression disease that occurs when the median nerve that passes through the wrist is compressed by the carpal ligament for various reasons. In mild cases, this can be improved with simple injections, drug therapy, or fixing a splint on the wrist, but in severe cases, surgical methods are used.

The surgical method aims to cut the carpal ligament that is compressing the median nerve at the wrist. Previously, the common method to cut the carpal ligament was to cut a wide area from the palm to the top of the wrist, open it, expose the carpal ligament, and cut the carpal ligament.

However, although this method has the advantage of ensuring that the nerve is not compressed, it has the disadvantage of having a wide incision and a long recovery period. Recently, endoscopic surgery using an endoscope has been used. However, although the surgical method using an endoscope has the advantage of leaving small surgical scars, it has the problem of being cumbersome and having no significant advantages due to the risk of damage to nerves or blood vessels due to poor visibility during the procedure.

If carpal tunnel syndrome is severe, it can be treated through surgery, but if it is an early symptom, sufficient improvement can be expected with non-surgical fertilizer methods.

As a representative non-surgical treatment method for carpal tunnel syndrome, symptoms can be improved by fixing the wrist using a fixator to stabilize it, or by using ligament strengthening injections, manual therapy, rehabilitation exercises, and high-frequency therapy.

As a technology related to treatment using frequency during the non-surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, a wrist guard-type low-frequency stimulation device and a control method thereof for treating carpal tunnel syndrome were disclosed in Publication No. 10-2018-0086827.

The technology includes a wrist guard that includes a stimulation member that delivers low-frequency stimulation to the wrist; and a low-frequency stimulator that generates low-frequency stimulation and delivers it to the stimulation member of the wrist guard.

However, the technology uses only low frequencies and has the disadvantage of being insufficient to alleviate or improve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

As another technology related to non-surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, a wrist traction device for alleviating carpal tunnel syndrome was disclosed in Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2309743.

The above technology is characterized by fixing the arm fixation unit and the hand fixation unit around the wrist, respectively, and then increasing the length so that they can be fixed while the wrist is pulled in both directions.

However, the above technology simply extends the wrist and maintains the tensioned state, which has the disadvantage of making manual work using the wrist difficult while wearing the device.

The present invention was created to solve the problems of the prior art as described above. The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease that can improve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome through high and low frequencies in a non-surgical manner. is to provide.

In addition, another problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease that allows manual work to be performed smoothly by preventing the movement of the wrist and fingers from being hindered even while wearing the glove.

A glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease according to an embodiment of the present invention to solve the above problem is a glove including the back of the hand, the palm, and the wrist, which is attached and installed on the back of the hand and generates high frequencies to improve the hand. It includes a high-frequency generator that transmits high frequencies.

Here, in another embodiment of the glove, a first low frequency generator is attached to the palm and generates low frequencies and transmits the low frequencies to the hand; And it may further include a second low frequency generator attached to the wrist and generating low frequencies and transmitting the low frequencies to the hand.

In addition, a first mode for operating one generator selected from the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, and the second low frequency generator; a second mode for operating two generators selected from the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, and the second low frequency generator; And it may be configured to operate in a third mode in which all of the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, and the second low frequency generator are operated.

In addition, another embodiment of the glove further includes a haptic sensor disposed on one or more finger joints of the glove, wherein the haptic sensor is a virtual reality or augmented reality wearable device that improves carpal tunnel syndrome disease. It can be configured to be connected to a wearable device through short-range wireless communication.

In addition, when the glove further includes a haptic sensor disposed on one or more selected finger joints, the device is selected from the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, or the second low frequency generator based on the sensor value detected by the haptic sensor. It may be configured to operate in a fourth mode that operates more than one.

Additionally, the finger end of the glove may be configured as an open type with at least one finger removed.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage in that carpal tunnel syndrome disease can be improved by irradiating an appropriate frequency to at least one part of the back of the hand, palm, or wrist.

In addition, the improved glove according to the present invention has no difficulty in performing manual tasks such as keyboard and mouse while wearing the improved glove during daily life for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, and furthermore, it is wirelessly linked with the improved glove. There is an advantage in being able to participate in a more systematic rehabilitation program through a separate wearable device.

Figure 1 shows a glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease according to Example 1 of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a high-frequency generator applied to a glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease according to Example 1 of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing a glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease according to Example 2 of the present invention.

Figures 4 and 5 are diagrams showing a glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease according to Example 3 of the invention. Figure 4 is a glove shown centered on the back of the hand, and Figure 5 is a glove shown centered on the palm part.

Figure 6 shows the configuration of a low-frequency generator applied to a glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease according to Example 3 of the invention.

Figure 7 shows the glove 3 according to Example 4 of the present invention, and Figure 8 illustrates a scene of use of the system for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease according to Example 4.

Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

When a component is said to be “connected” or “connected” to another component, it is understood that it may be directly connected to or connected to that other component, but that other components may exist in between. It should be.

On the other hand, when it is mentioned that a component is “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

The terms used in this specification are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, processes, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but are not intended to indicate the presence of one or more other features. It should be understood that this does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of elements, numbers, processes, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related technology, and should not be interpreted as having an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless explicitly defined in the present application. No.

The term MODULE as used herein refers to a unit that processes a specific function or operation, and may mean hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

Terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as limited to their common or dictionary meanings, and the inventor may appropriately define the concept of terms in order to explain his or her invention in the best way. Based on the principle that there is, it must be interpreted with a meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention. In addition, if there is no other definition in the technical and scientific terms used, they have meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and the gist of the present invention is summarized in the following description and accompanying drawings. Descriptions of known functions and configurations that may be unnecessarily obscure are omitted. The drawings introduced below are provided as examples so that the idea of the present invention can be sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the drawings presented below and may be embodied in other forms. Additionally, like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification. It should be noted that like elements in the drawings are represented by like symbols wherever possible.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease regenerates nerve tissue related to carpal tunnel syndrome by facilitating blood circulation and relieving muscle tension through high-frequency nerve stimulation on the hands of patients showing symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. It is intended to relieve pain associated with carpal tunnel syndrome by promoting blood circulation and stimulating muscles through low-frequency nerve stimulation.

The present invention relates to a glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease, which can improve carpal tunnel syndrome disease through non-surgical treatment by providing stimulation using frequency to the back, palm, and wrist of the glove.

Referring to the attached Figure 1, the glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease (1, hereinafter referred to as 'glove') according to Example 1 of the present invention includes a back part 11 covering the back of the hand, and the back part (11) of the hand covering the back of the hand. 11), a palm portion 12 connected to face the palm and covering the palm, and a wrist portion 13 and the back of the hand 11 connecting the back of the hand 11 and the palm 12 to cover the wrist in a rounded manner; It includes a finger portion 14 that connects the ends of the palm portion 12 and covers the fingers in a round shape.

Here, the finger portion 14 can be divided into a form in which only the thumb is separated and the remaining four fingers are worn together (e.g., a mitten), or a form in which five fingers can be inserted.

The glove 10 is made of at least one of fabric, artificial leather, rubber, flexible plastic, and vinyl.

Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome need to wear the glove 10 of the present invention for a long period of time during daily life for continuous frequency stimulation, so it is preferably made of mesh or cool fabric that provides sufficient breathability and lightness.

Among the above materials, fabrics made of cool-sensitive materials are advantageous for the production of summer rehabilitation gloves because the temperature control materials (Phase Change Materials, PCM) contained in the cool-sensitive materials automatically lower the surface temperature of the skin when they come into contact with the skin.

A high frequency generator 20 is attached and installed on the back of the hand 11.

The high frequency generator 20 generates high frequencies and delivers high frequencies to the hand (back of the hand), thereby selectively changing nerve transmission in C nerve fibers or expressing intermediate early genes (IEG) by the electric field generated during high frequency stimulation. It is intended to treat and regenerate nerve tissue related to carpal tunnel syndrome through neuromodulation effects such as changes in the pain transmission path caused by c-fos protein, an expression product of the IEG.

The high frequency generated from the high frequency generator 20 is above the audible frequency, and the high frequency band in the present invention is a frequency in the 20,000 to 500,000 Hz (20 to 500 kHz) band, including the frequency band in the ultrasonic (20 to 100 kHz) region. means.

Referring to the attached FIG. 2, the high-frequency generator 20 includes a high-frequency power module 21, a booster module 22 that boosts the voltage of the high-frequency power module 21; A frequency oscillation module (23) that generates and outputs a predefined frequency using the power of the high frequency power module (21); A high frequency control module (24) that sets the frequency output from the frequency oscillation module (23); An amplification module (25) that amplifies the output of the signal output from the frequency oscillation module (23); a switching module (26) that operates with the signal generated by the amplification module (25) and converts the direct current power of the booster module (22) into a pulse signal; A high frequency output module (27) that outputs the voltage of the pulse generated by the switching module (26); And it is configured to include a high frequency electrode 28 that is connected to the output terminal of the high frequency output module 27 and oscillates high frequency to the outside.

The high frequency generator 20 may be configured to treat carpal tunnel syndrome disease by applying high frequency cream to the skin of the back of the hand and using the frequency output from the electrode.

Accordingly, the deep heat of 40 to 44 degrees Celsius generated by the friction of the frequency of the high frequency band between cells and blood increases the body temperature, relieves pain and circulatory disorders through blood flow, and thus treats carpal tunnel syndrome disease. In addition, high frequency uses high heat and has the advantage of having a high treatment range and deep effects.

For reference, the efficacy and clinical results of treating carpal tunnel syndrome disease through hand stimulation using high frequency waves have been presented in various papers.

*Paper 1

A study on rehabilitation treatment using a high-frequency pain therapy device (Journal of the Korean Society of Information, Electronics and Communication Technology (jkiiect)’20-6, Vol13 No3)

*Paper 2

Treatment experience using pulsatile radiofrequency surgery in patients with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (Anesth Pain Med 2012; 7: 114-116)

*Paper 3

Development of high-frequency pain therapy device and validation of pain relief (Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers Information and Control Conference, 2020. pp.431-432)

*In addition, the high frequency generator 20 may be configured to be detachable from/attached to the back of the hand 11 of the improvement glove 10.

Example 2 is a configuration in which the end of the finger portion 14 of the glove 1 of Example 1 is cut.

Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome need to wear the gloves (10) of the present invention for a long period of time during their daily lives for continuous frequency stimulation, and can perform daily tasks (e.g., keyboard/mouse/writing, etc.) while wearing the gloves. ), there may be inconvenience in manual work.

Accordingly, the finger end of the glove 1 may be configured as an open type with at least one finger removed.

In the attached FIG. 3, a 5-cut glove is shown with the ends of the 5 fingers cut, but according to the embodiment, in addition to the 5-cut glove, a 2-cut glove with the ends of the thumb and index finger cut; It may consist of one selected from a three-cut glove with the thumb, index finger, and middle finger ends cut.

Example 3 is a glove of Example 1 in which a first low-frequency generator and a second low-frequency generator are further added.

Referring to the attached FIGS. 4 and 5, the glove 2 according to Example 3 includes a high frequency generator 20 installed on the back of the hand, a first low frequency generator 30 installed on the palm, and a first low frequency generator 30 installed on the wrist. Includes a second low frequency generator (40).

That is, the glove 2 according to Example 3 is attached to the palm portion 12 of the glove according to Example 1, and includes a first low frequency generator 30 and a glove 2 that generate low frequencies and transmit the low frequencies to the hand. It is attached to the wrist portion 13 and further includes a second low frequency generator 40 that generates low frequencies and transmits the low frequencies to the hand.

In the configuration of Embodiment 3, the description of the high-frequency generator 20 is the same as that of the high-frequency generator described in Embodiment 1, so its description is omitted.

The first low frequency generator 30 and the second low frequency generator 40 have the same configuration.

The low-

frequency generators

30 and 40, including the first low-frequency generator 30 and the second low-frequency generator 40, use the power module 31 (battery), which stores operating power, and the power of the power module 31. a low frequency control module 32 that generates a pre-stored low frequency, a low frequency output module 33 that outputs the low frequency generated by the low frequency control module 32, and a low frequency output from the low frequency output module 33 when in contact with the skin. It includes an adhesive pad 34 that applies to the skin.

The low frequency band generated and output from the

low frequency generators

30 and 40 may have a frequency range of 5 to 1,500 Hz. When applied to elderly patients, the low frequency band may have a frequency range of 5 to 1,000 Hz. It can be used.

In particular, low frequencies below 200Hz calm the nerves and promote blood circulation by repeatedly contracting and relaxing muscles, thereby treating stiffness and muscle pain. Clinical tests have been completed on its effectiveness through various papers.

*Paper 4

Effect of low-frequency electrical stimulation on abdominal central muscle activity and thickness (Journal of the Society of Rehabilitation and Welfare Engineering, Vol. 7, No. 2, Dec. 2013)

*Paper 5

Effects of high-frequency therapy (INDIBA) and low-frequency therapy (TENS/HOT PACK) on upper quadriceps muscle pain and muscle strength (Korean Society of Sports Physical Therapy, 2009, vol.5, no.1, pp. 1-10)

In the above configuration, the second low frequency generator 40 attached to the wrist 13 of the glove 10 is installed on the upper wrist connected to the back of the hand to prevent low frequencies from being directly transmitted to tendons and ligaments.

Although not shown in the drawing, the high frequency generator 20, the first low frequency generator 30, and the 22nd low frequency generator 40 are transceivers and external devices that exchange various control signals and status signals from external devices linked through short-distance wireless communication. It may be configured to include a controller that controls the signal generation circuit according to the control signal.

The transceiver can be linked to external devices through any one of the short-range wireless communication protocols: WiFi, Zigbee, Bluetooth, and infrared communication (IR).

In Example 4, the glove of Example 1 or the glove of Example 3 is further equipped with a plurality of haptic sensors, and the haptic sensors are linked to a wearable VR/AR device worn by the patient to detect various brain diseases run on the VR/AR device. It is about a brain disease rehabilitation assistance system that allows useful use of rehabilitation content.

Referring to the attached FIG. 7, the glove 3 of Example 4 includes a high frequency generator 20, and optionally further includes a first low frequency generator 30 and a second low frequency generator (not shown). You may. The high-frequency generator 20, the first low-frequency generator 30, and the second low-frequency generator 40 (see FIG. 5) are the same as those of Examples 1 and 3, so duplicate descriptions are omitted.

The haptic sensor 50 detects the movement displacement of the glove wearer's hand or each finger and transmits the displacement information converted into an electrical signal to a wearable VR/AR device that is pre-linked through a short-range wireless communication network.

The haptic sensor 50 may be placed on one or more finger joints of the glove 3, as shown in FIG. 7, or may be placed on various parts of the glove 3 not shown in the drawing.

The haptic sensor 50 may include a gyro sensor or an FSR sensor, and can precisely and quickly perform hand or finger movement movements of brain disease patients in virtual reality or augmented reality. Displacement information of the hand or fingers is transmitted to the wearable device (W) so that it can be tracked and gesture recognized.

The wearable device (W) can be one of augmented reality glasses (AR glasses), a virtual reality head mounting device (VR/MR/XR Head Mounting Device (HMD)), or a smart mobile phone.

The glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease according to the present invention configured as described above can be configured to operate in various modes for user convenience.

At this time, the operation mode may be configured differently according to Embodiment 3 or Embodiment 4.

Example 3 is a glove of Example 1 in which a first low-frequency generator and a second low-frequency generator are further added, and its configuration includes a high-frequency generator (20), a first low-frequency generator (30), and a second low-frequency generator (40). It includes, and may be configured to operate in a first mode to a third mode.

The first mode operates one generator selected from the high frequency generator 20, the first low frequency generator 30, and the second low frequency generator 40.

For example, in the first mode, the high frequency generator 20 is operated according to the input signal, the operation of the first frequency generator 30 and the second frequency generator 40 is stopped, and the first low frequency generator is operated according to the next input signal. (30) is operated, the operation of the high frequency generator 20 and the second frequency generator 40 is stopped, and the second low frequency generator 40 is operated according to the next input signal, and the high frequency generator 20 and the first frequency generator It is configured to operate only one selected generator in such a way that the operation of (30) is stopped, and is configured to operate by repeating the above cycle according to the next input signal.

The second mode operates two generators selected from the high frequency generator 20, the first low frequency generator 30, and the second low frequency generator 40.

For example, in the second mode, the high-frequency generator 20 and the first low-frequency generator 30 are operated according to the input signal, the second self-frequency generator 40 is stopped, and the high-frequency generator 20 is operated according to the next input signal. (20) and the second low-frequency generator 40 are operated and the first frequent frequency generator 30 is stopped, and the first low-frequency generator 30 and the second frequent frequency generator 40 are operated according to the next input signal. The operation of the high frequency generator 20 is stopped, and the above cycle is repeatedly operated according to the next input signal.

The third mode operates all of the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, and the second low frequency generator.

For example, in the third mode, the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, and the second low frequency generator are all operated according to the input signal, and the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, and the second low frequency generator are all operated according to the next input signal. It is configured to stop and operate by repeating the above cycle according to the next input signal.

With this configuration, the user can quickly change the region by selecting the part of the hand they wish to receive treatment according to each mode.

Example 4 includes a plurality of haptic sensors in the glove of Example 1 or the glove of Example 3, and further includes a fourth mode.

At this time, when the glove of Example 1 includes a plurality of haptic sensors, the first to third modes may be omitted and only the fourth mode may be included, and the glove of Example 3 may include a plurality of haptic sensors. When included, a fourth mode may be further included in the first to third modes.

The description of the first to third modes is omitted, replacing it with the description of <Operation mode according to embodiment 3>.

The fourth mode is configured to operate one or more selected from the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, or the second low frequency generator based on the sensor value detected by the haptic sensor.

For example, motion displacement is detected from a haptic sensor, and if the detected value is less than the set value, it is judged that there is little movement and the output of the output frequency (high frequency and low frequency) is adjusted downward, and the detected value is lower than the set value. If it exceeds , it is determined that there is a lot of movement and is configured to adjust the output of the output frequencies (high and low frequencies) upward.

According to this, in the fourth mode, the output frequency is automatically varied and output according to the degree of movement of the user.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to several embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. You will understand that it can be modified and changed in various ways.

Claims

In a glove including the back of the hand, the palm, and the wrist,

A glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease, which is attached to the back of the hand and includes a high frequency generator that generates high frequencies and transmits the high frequencies to the hand.
In claim 1,

a first low frequency generator attached to the palm and generating low frequencies and transmitting the low frequencies to the hand; and

A second low-frequency generator that is attached to the wrist and generates low-frequency waves and transmits the low-frequency waves to the hand.

A glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease, comprising:
In claim 2,

A first mode for operating one generator selected from the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, and the second low frequency generator;

a second mode for operating two generators selected from the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, and the second low frequency generator; and

a third mode that operates all of the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, and the second low frequency generator;

A glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease, characterized in that it operates.
In claim 1 or claim 2,

Further comprising a haptic sensor disposed on one or more selected finger joints of the glove,

A glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome, characterized in that the haptic sensor is connected to a virtual reality or augmented reality wearable device that improves carpal tunnel syndrome disease through short-distance wireless communication.
In claim 2,

Further comprising a haptic sensor disposed on one or more selected finger joints of the glove,

A glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease, characterized in that it is operated in a fourth mode that operates one or more selected from the high frequency generator, the first low frequency generator, or the second low frequency generator based on the sensor value detected by the haptic sensor.
In claim 1,

A glove for improving carpal tunnel syndrome disease, characterized in that the finger end of the glove is configured as an open type with at least one finger removed.