The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 23, 2013
Filed:
Feb. 04, 2011
Anthony Schauer, Hudson, WI (US);
Kenneth E. Broen, Birchwood, MN (US);
Peter Wollenzien, River Falls, WI (US);
Anthony Schauer, Hudson, WI (US);
Kenneth E. Broen, Birchwood, MN (US);
Peter Wollenzien, River Falls, WI (US);
Contour Technology, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for muscle stimulation and control of muscle stimulators are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, an electrical muscle stimulator includes a belt having a plurality of stimulator pads, a pulse width modulator controlled by a feedback loop, the PWM providing output to control voltages of the stimulator pads, and a control unit to control the PWM and feedback loop. In various embodiments, the control unit monitors PWM output values during a rest phase of a cycle of the muscle stimulator, provides a contraction phase, and following a sag after the contraction phase, uses PWM values from the rest phase to set a voltage for a subsequent rest phase of a next cycle.