Therapeutic vibration device

Abstract

A device is described for delivering a therapeutic vibration to a body. The device may include at least two motors in a housing with unbalanced masses coupled to their axles, such that vibration of the masses causes the two motors and housing to vibrate at a beat frequency. The motors and housing may be coupled to the body via a platform which places the motors and housings at or near a resonant structure in the body, creating a coupled oscillation between the platform and the body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for the application of a therapeutic vibration to a body of a user, comprising:
 at least one first motor, wherein the at least one first motor comprises an axle rotating at a first frequency, and at least one asymmetric mass coupled to the axle, wherein the asymmetric mass is coupled to the axle at a point offset from its center of mass, such that the asymmetric mass produces a vibration in the at least one first motor, and   at least one second motor rotating at a second frequency with at least one second asymmetric mass, wherein the second motor is mechanically coupled to the first motor, defining at least one coupled motor pair wherein the coupled motor pair generates a beat mode based on the first and second frequencies, the beat mode having a characteristic frequency and amplitude, which defines the therapeutic vibration.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first motor and the at least one second motor are mechanically coupled together by attachment to a mechanically competent member, such that the at least one first motor, at least one second motor define at least one motor pair assembly which vibrates based on the beat mode. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the beat mode at least partially overlaps a frequency associated with a naturally occurring mammalian physiological rhythm. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one motor pair assembly is coupled to a naturally occurring mammalian resonant structure which resonates with the naturally occurring mammalian physiological rhythm, such that the motor and naturally occurring mammalian resonant structure form a resonant coupled system. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one motor pair comprises a plurality of motor pairs generating a plurality of different beat modes in a range of frequencies. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of motor pairs are located adjacent to one another with one motor of the pair on one side of a centerline of the body and the other motor on the other side of the centerline of the body, and the plurality of motor pairs each generate a beat mode frequency. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one motor of a pair couples to another motor of the pair through the body. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the beat mode has a characteristic frequency in the range of 0.01 to 100 Hz. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one motor pair assembly comprises a plurality of motor pair assemblies and these motor pair assemblies are positioned in locations adjacent to at least one naturally occurring resonant physiological structure and with the naturally occurring resonant physiological structure and the at least one motor pair assembly defining coupled oscillators. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of motor pair assemblies is disposed on a platform, wherein the platform comprises at least one of garment, a chair, a mattress, a hat, a headband, an earring, and a cushion. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the platform is a reclining chair with elevated foot support and a plurality of motor pair assemblies are coupled through the reclining chair to the body of the user, with the plurality of motor pair assemblies spanning the centerline of the body. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the platform is a cushion with a motor pair assembly that couples to the user's body when sat on, laid on, or otherwise compressed against the body. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein inside edges of adjacent ones of the plurality of motor pair assemblies are spaced between 0.25 inches and 7 inches apart from each other. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the beat mode has a variable frequency within a range of frequency that overlaps the naturally occurring physiological rhythm. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the range of frequencies spans a naturally occurring physiological frequency, wherein the naturally occurring physiological frequency comprises at least one of a heart rate (0.5-3 Hz), respiration rate (0.03-0.3 Hz), eye blinking rate (0.05-0.5 Hz), cerebral fluid volume change rate (0.3-0.7 Hz), neuronal activity rates in the brain (0.05-100 Hz), gastric activity rate (0.02-0.08 Hz) and harmonics and sub-harmonics of these naturally occurring physiological frequencies. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein each motor pair produces a vibration whose frequency or amplitude varies sinusoidally to be faster or slower than the naturally occurring physiological frequency. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein each of the adjacent motor pairs each generates an increasing or decreasing beat mode to produce a vibration wave traveling up or down the body of the user at a rate overlapping the naturally occurring physiological frequency, wherein the naturally occurring physiological frequency is related to at least one of heartbeat, respiration, heart rate variability and a harmonic thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the device further comprises at least one of a source of auditory stimulation, a source of visual stimulation, a source of heat that warms the body and a source of cooling that cools the body of the user. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first motor has an axle which rotates in a countercyclical sense relative the axle in the at least one second motor. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising: a controller, which is programmed to control the beat mode of the plurality of motor pairs, in order to execute an algorithm of vibrational behaviors by the plurality of motor pairs disposed in a plurality of locations on the body.