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US5224469A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Quantitative acupressure device

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1989-12-22
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Granted: 1993-07-06
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Expires: 2009-12-22
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Abstract

Abstract A device for applying therapeutic or analgesic pressure quantitatively which includes a sensor for continuously measuring the pressure on a patient's skin and underlying tissue. The instrument includes a hand-held force sensitive transducer having a blunt tip extending therefrom. When the blunt tip of the device is pressed against the skin thereby compressing the underlying tissue, the transducer yields an electrical signal proportional to the applied pressure. This signal is then fed to a resettable digital display. When the pressure applied to the skin reaches a threshold value, an actuator switch is actuated starting a timer which measures the elapsed time period during which the skin and underlying tissue is exposed to the measured pressure. An optional alarm indicates when the combination of pressure and elapsed time has reached a previously determined level.

Inventors

  • 👤 Michael A. Mocny

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 17:59
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61H; A61H39/00; A61H39/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim 121 words
A quantitative accupressure device for non-invasively applying therapeutic pressure to tissue underlying the skin of a patient, said device comprising: (a) a sensor portion, said sensor portion comprising, in combination, a handheld force transducer and a blunt-tipped probe, the blunt-tipped probe being incapable of puncturing the skin of the patient when the device is used to apply therapeutic pressure of the tissue underlying the skin, means connecting said transducer and said probe so that when the tip of the probe is pressed against the skin said transducer yields an output signal quantitatively related to the applied pressure; and (b) a readout device comprising means for converting said transducer output signal into a visual display of the magnitude of the applied pressure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 121 words
A quantitative accupressure device for non-invasively applying therapeutic pressure to tissue underlying the skin of a patient, said device comprising: (a) a sensor portion, said sensor portion comprising, in combination, a handheld force transducer and a blunt-tipped probe, the blunt-tipped probe being incapable of puncturing the skin of the patient when the device is used to apply therapeutic pressure of the tissue underlying the skin, means connecting said transducer and said probe so that when the tip of the probe is pressed against the skin said transducer yields an output signal quantitatively related to the applied pressure; and (b) a readout device comprising means for converting said transducer output signal into a visual display of the magnitude of the applied pressure.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1657765A Cited
US3841321A Cited
US4554930A Cited
US4641661A Cited
US4827914A Cited
US4976272A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-07-05 1997-01-04 1997-07-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-07-05 2001-01-04 2001-07-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-07-05 2005-01-04 2005-07-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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