KR20240061069A - Stimulation apparatus for vagus nerve - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vagus nerve stimulation device, which includes a stimulator that is worn on the user's head and includes electrodes that provide electrical stimulation by contacting the user's skin, and a controller that controls the stimulator, and the stimulator is inserted into the external auditory canal. It includes a first electrode that contacts the user's cymba concha, and the controller includes a display unit that displays information to the user and a mounting unit that can hold the stimulator.
In the present invention, the controller separate from the stimulator is provided with a display unit and a mounting unit, so that the device is easy to use and the stimulator can be safely mounted and stored when not in use.
Additionally, by providing a headphone-type stimulator, there is an effect in that the electrodes can be easily contacted to the user's ears.

Description

Vagus nerve stimulation device {STIMULATION APPARATUS FOR VAGUS NERVE}

The present invention relates to a vagus nerve stimulation device, and more specifically, to a device that applies electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve through the human ear.

The vagus nerve is one of the cranial nerves and corresponds to the 10th cranial nerve. The vagus nerve emerges from the brain and is distributed throughout the face, chest, and abdomen. It is a mixed nerve containing parasympathetic nerve fibers and is involved in the regulation of the parasympathetic nerves that act on the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. It is the longest and most complex of the 12 pairs of cranial nerves, and contains both sensory and motor nerve fibers.

It is known that vagus nerve stimulation devices for the treatment of epilepsy and depression have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and they target the cervical branch located in the neck. However, this electrical stimulation of the cervical branch of the vagus nerve involves making a direct incision in the skin, exposing the cervical branch of the vagus nerve, wrapping an electric coil around the outside, and installing a microchip, so it cannot be used in the area of self-treatment by the general public. I can't.

The vagus nerve stimulation device for the treatment of epilepsy and depression affects the brain by controlling nerve signals entering the brain, and is a device based on neuromodulation. Neuromodulation is the physiological process by which a given neuron uses one or more chemicals to modulate a diverse population of neurons, and differs from synaptic transmission in which neurotransmitters are released from axon terminals by targeting fast-acting receptors on one specific partner neuron. there is. Methods of applying electrical or chemical stimulation to the nervous system are being studied as a method to improve nervous system function or reduce chronic pain using neuromodulation. The vagus nerve stimulation device and deep brain stimulation device discussed earlier have very limited applications because the device that applies electrical stimulation to the nerves is directly attached to the nerves inside the human body.

Meanwhile, the human ear is the main path through which the vagus nerve passes, and because the vagus nerve is located close to the skin, it is considered a body part where electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve can be applied from the outside. In Oriental medicine, acupuncture on the ear is used to treat diseases. The ear is where the auricular branch of the vagus nerve is distributed, so stimulation of the vagus nerve can be seen as being used for treatment. However, there is a problem with using acupuncture that the general public cannot apply it.

Accordingly, technology has been developed to apply electrical stimulation by contacting electrodes to the ear, but it has the disadvantage of being difficult to wear or manufactured in a form that is not comfortable to wear in order to contact the electrodes to the ear, and making it inconvenient to operate the controller for controlling the device.

Republic of Korea registered patent 10-0596540 Republic of Korea Public Patent No. 10-2019-0088300 Republic of Korea registered patent 10-0596540

The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and its purpose is to provide a vagus nerve stimulation device that is convenient to use and is configured to easily stimulate the vagus nerve located in the ear.

The vagus nerve stimulation device according to the present invention for achieving the above object includes a stimulator that is worn on the user's head and includes an electrode that contacts the user's skin to provide electrical stimulation, and a controller that controls the stimulator, The stimulator includes a first electrode inserted into the external auditory canal and a second electrode in contact with the user's cymba concha, and the controller includes a display unit that displays information to the user and a holder on which the stimulator can be mounted. It is characterized by

It is preferable that the stimulator and the controller are connected wired or wirelessly to exchange electrical signals.

The stimulator is preferably formed in the shape of a headphone that includes two bodies located near the user's ears, in which electrodes are formed, and an elastic connector connecting the two bodies.

It is preferable that the first electrode or the second electrode is detachable from the body.

The display unit is connected to the mounting unit through a connection part, and the connection unit is preferably capable of changing the angle of the display unit.

The display unit can control the stimulator through a touch screen.

The mounting unit may include an ultraviolet lamp capable of performing ultraviolet sterilization on the electrodes of the mounted stimulation unit.

The mounting portion may perform a charging function of charging the mounted magnetic pole portion.

In the present invention configured as described above, the controller separate from the stimulator is provided with a display unit and a mounting unit, so that the device is easy to use and the stimulator can be safely mounted and stored when not in use.

Additionally, by providing a headphone-type stimulator, there is an effect in that the electrodes can be easily contacted to the user's ears.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a vagus nerve stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of the controller included in the vagus nerve stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

However, the embodiments of the present invention may be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. The shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clearer explanation, and elements indicated by the same symbol in the drawings are the same element.

And throughout the specification, when a part is said to be "connected" to another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly connected," but also the case where it is "electrically connected" with another element in between. In addition, when a part is said to "include" or "have" a certain component, this does not mean excluding other components, unless specifically stated to the contrary, but rather means that it can further include or be provided with other components. .

Additionally, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to distinguish one component from another component, and the scope of rights should not be limited by these terms. For example, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be named a first component.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a vagus nerve stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a side view of a controller included in the vagus nerve stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the vagus nerve stimulation device of this embodiment consists of a stimulator 100 and a controller 200.

The stimulator 100 is worn on the user's head and includes electrodes that provide electrical stimulation by contacting the user's ears. Specifically, it may include a first electrode 120 inserted into the external auditory canal and a second electrode 110 in contact with the user's cymba concha.

In this embodiment, the stimulator 100 is manufactured in the shape of a headphone for convenience of use. The headphone shape includes two bodies located on both ears and a connector connecting the bodies, and the connector generally has elasticity. The first electrode 120 inserted into the external auditory canal and the second electrode 110 in contact with the user's concha are formed on each of the two bodies, and the two bodies come into close contact with both ears due to the elastic force of the connection body, and the first electrode (120) is inserted into the external auditory canal and the second electrode (110) is in contact with the concha concha. The stimulator 100 may include a sound generating unit, and it is preferable that a through hole for sound transmission is formed in the first electrode 120 inserted into the external auditory canal.

If the part of the body where the electrodes are formed is made of an elastic material, the positions of the first electrode 120 and the second electrode 110 can be slightly moved and positioned at the correct position according to the shape of the user's ears.

At this time, if the first electrode 120 and/or the second electrode 110 are configured to be detachable from the body, convenience of use is improved. In the case where the electrode is detachable, electrode parts of various sizes and shapes can be provided and used interchangeably, so that an appropriate electrode can be used according to the shape of the user's ear. Additionally, when the electrodes are detachable, there is an advantage that cleaning and disinfection can be performed by separating the electrodes. Furthermore, durability may be a problem due to the nature of the electrodes in contact with the user's ears, but by replacing only the electrodes, the service life can be increased at a lower cost compared to replacing the entire stimulator 100.

The stimulator 100 is preferably configured to operate both wired and wirelessly, and wires for wired connection can be configured to be connected and used only when necessary.

The controller 200 is a component for controlling the operation of the stimulator 100 and includes a display unit 210 and a mounting unit 220.

The display unit 210 displays information and shows it to the user, and the mounting unit 220 is formed with a mounting groove 221 on which the stimulator 100 can be mounted. The display unit 210 is connected to the mounting unit 220 through a connection unit 212, and the connection unit 212 is preferably configured to change the installation angle of the display unit 210.

The display unit 210 can display a video, and can display images or shapes for meditation.

The display unit 210 is not particularly limited, but may be configured as a touch screen so that the user can control the stimulator 100 by directly touching the display unit 210.

The mounting portion 220 is configured to have a mounting groove 221 that matches the external shape of the stimulator 100 so that the stimulator 100 can be mounted easily and stably. It is preferable to install a sterilizing lamp 222 in the portion where the body of the headphone-shaped stimulator 100 is located to perform ultraviolet sterilization of the body and electrodes. When the stimulator 100 is mounted on the mounting unit 220, the sterilizing lamp 222 operates automatically, and the sterilizing lamp 222 may be configured to automatically turn off after operating for a predetermined period of time.

When the stimulator 100 and the controller 200 are connected wirelessly, they may be connected using Bluetooth.

While wearing the stimulator 100, a wearing test can be performed to evaluate the state in which the first electrode 120 and the second electrode 110 are in contact with the skin. A wearing test can be performed according to the explanation displayed on the display unit 210, and a wearing test can be performed to check the contact state of the electrodes by applying electrical stimulation to the first electrode 120 and the second electrode 110. Additionally, in the case of the first electrode 120, adhesion to the external auditory canal can be confirmed through a sound test. Taking advantage of the fact that when the first electrode 120 is in close contact with the external auditory canal, the sound transmitted into the ear through the through hole of the first electrode 120 does not leak out, the stimulator 100 transmits a sound wave signal. A wearing test of the first electrode (0) can be performed by checking whether a sound wave signal is received from the microphone installed in the stimulator 100 or the controller 200.

If a separate rechargeable battery is built into the stimulator 100, charging can be performed while the stimulator 100 is mounted on the holder 220. An LED that displays the remaining battery power of the stimulator 100 may be installed in the stimulator 100 and/or the controller 200, and the display unit 210 may display the remaining battery power of the stimulator 100. The charging method is not particularly limited, and charging may be performed by contacting charging terminals formed on each of the stimulator 100 and the controller 200, or charging may be performed using a wireless charging method without a terminal. The user can confirm whether the stimulator 100 is mounted in a rechargeable state through a notification sound or a notification display. Conversely, a separate sensor may be provided to detect whether the stimulator 100 is mounted, so that when the stimulator 100 is mounted but is not in a rechargeable state, the device may be configured to warn the user through an alarm sound or a notification display.

When the stimulator 100 is mounted on the holder 220, the power to the stimulator 100 is cut off, and the stimulator 100 is separated from the holder 220. Energy is saved by configuring the power to be applied to the stimulator 100. You can save. If the remaining battery power of the stimulator 100 is low, the user can be warned through a warning sound or notification display and encouraged to charge.

The controller 200 can store the product instruction manual and display the product instruction manual through the display unit 210.

Through the controller 200, the user can adjust the intensity of the electrical stimulation or the volume of the sound and select a sound source. Additionally, the intensity of electrical stimulation or the volume of sound applied from the left and right sides can be adjusted individually. In this way, it is also possible to select one of a plurality of predetermined treatment courses without individually adjusting the electrical stimulation and sound. These treatment courses may be added through continuous updates.

The present invention has been described above through preferred embodiments, but the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative examples of the technical idea of the present invention, and various changes are possible without departing from the technical idea of the present invention. Anyone with ordinary knowledge will be able to understand. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted based on the matters stated in the patent claims, not the specific embodiments, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of the present invention.

100: Stimulator
110: second electrode
120: first electrode
200: controller
210: display unit
212: connection part
220: Holder
221: Holding home
222: Sterilization lamp

Claims (7)

A stimulator worn on the user's head and including a first electrode that is inserted into the user's external auditory canal to provide electrical stimulation and a second electrode that contacts the user's cymba concha to provide electrical stimulation;
A vagus nerve stimulation device comprising a controller that controls the stimulator and includes a display unit that displays information to the user and a mounting unit that can hold the stimulator.
In claim 1,
A vagus nerve stimulation device, wherein the stimulator and the controller are connected by wire or wirelessly to exchange electrical signals.
In claim 1,
The stimulator is a vagus nerve stimulation device characterized in that it is formed in the shape of a headphone including two bodies located near the user's ears with electrodes and an elastic connector connecting the two bodies.
In claim 3,
A vagus nerve stimulation device, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is detachable from the body.
In claim 1,
The display unit is connected to the mounting unit through a connection part, and the connection unit is capable of changing the angle of the display unit.
In claim 1,
A vagus nerve stimulation device, wherein the display unit consists of a touch screen.
In claim 1,
A vagus nerve stimulation device, characterized in that the mounting unit can charge the mounted stimulation unit.

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