Device and system for exercising and monitoring the pelvic floor muscles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12589280-B2
Application number	US-202418738016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2024
Priority date	Dec 12, 2019
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for exercising the pelvic floor muscles in women, which comprises a main component (A′), and a secondary element (D′), wherein the main component (A′) comprises a substantially cylindrical body (C′), an internal probe apparatus and a lid ( 12 ′). Component (A′) is directly related to pelvic floor muscle contraction exercise. Component (D′) restricts the movement of the main component (A′), preventing the rotation of said main component (A′) while being used by the user, which improves the performance of the exercise, and allows the user to adjust the length of the proximal portion ( 1 ′) of the body (C′) to be inserted, according to the user's anatomy and comfort needs. The internal probe apparatus is configured to establish wireless communications with an external computation device running a software program so that the user can monitor the contraction movement of the pelvic floor muscles during exercise. Thus, this invention falls within the technical field of mechanical functioning devices, with application to the medical area, for the treatment and/or prevention of pathological situations related to the alteration of the muscular function of the pelvic floor region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A device for exercising the pelvic floor muscles comprising a main component (A′), a secondary element (D′), and a set of weights (P′), wherein:
the main component (A′) comprises a body (C′), an internal probe apparatus and a lid ( 12 ′), in which:
the body (C′) comprises a substantially cylindrical and hollow shape, comprising a proximal portion ( 1 ′) comprising a rounded tip and a distal portion ( 2 ′) comprising an external surface having a longitudinal groove and a plurality of slits longitudinally positioned along the external surface of the body (C′), and further comprising an opening of the internal cavity of the body (C′);
the internal probe apparatus is located inside the internal cavity of the body (C′) and comprises a microcontroller ( 7 ′), an inertial measurement unit, a step-up converter ( 8 ′) and a power supply, wherein the power supply provides electrical power to the step-up converter ( 8 ′), the step-up converter ( 8 ′) is configured to adjust the electrical power and to distribute said electrical power to the microcontroller ( 7 ′) and to the inertial measurement unit, the inertial measurement unit is configured to measure orientation data of resistance forces applied to the body (C′), and the microcontroller ( 7 ′) is configured to process the orientation data measured by the inertial measurement unit; and
the lid ( 12 ′) is configured to cover the opening of the internal cavity of the body (C′);

the secondary element (D′) comprises an inner adapter ( 61 ′) having a hole (O) adapted to receive the body (C′) of the main component (A′), being configured to engage with the longitudinal groove and with the slits of the distal portion ( 2 ′) of the body (C′) of the main component (A′) to secure said inner adapter ( 61 ′) around the external surface of the body (C′) at a fixed distance to the rounded tip of the proximal portion ( 1 ′) of the body (C′) of the main component (A′), and an external adapter ( 62 ′) adapted to be fitted to the clothes of the user, the external adapter ( 62 ′) connected to the inner adapter ( 61 ′) by flexible connection means ( 63 ′); and
the set of weights (P′) comprises variable loads from 5 to 40 g;
wherein the resistance force applied to the body (C′) is performed in the perpendicular direction on the levator ani muscle and opposite to its contraction.

2 . The device according to claim 1 wherein the set of weights (P′) are located inside the internal cavity of the body (C′) of the main component (A′).

3 . The device according to claim 1 further comprising an external stem (H′) having a lower portion ( 3 ′), and an upper portion ( 4 ′), wherein the lower portion ( 3 ′) is configured to connect to the lid ( 12 ′) of the main component (A′).

4 . The device according to claim 3 , further comprising a handler ( 5 ′) configured to support the set of weights (P′), being the handler ( 5 ′) connected to the upper portion ( 4 ′) of the external stem (H′).

5 . The device according to claim 4 wherein the handler ( 5 ′) further comprises a visual force meter comprising light indicator means ( 11 ′) configured to produce light signals according to the data measured by the inertial measurement unit.

6 . The device according to claim 4 wherein the handler ( 5 ′) further comprises an auditory alert apparatus configured to produce sounds according to the data measured by the inertial measurement unit.

7 . The device according to claim 1 wherein the lid ( 12 ′) comprises at least two brackets configured to connect with the lower portion ( 3 ′) of the external stem (H′).

8 . The device according to claim 1 wherein the lid ( 12 ′) comprises at least two notches configured to provide a tight seal of the opening of the internal cavity of the body (C′).

9 . The device according to claim 1 wherein the lid ( 12 ′) comprises a power switch ( 10 ′) configured to turn on and/or turn off the internal probe apparatus.

10 . The device according to claim 9 wherein the lid ( 12 ′) further comprises light indicator means ( 11 ′) configured to emit a light signal according to the power state of the internal probe apparatus.

11 . The device according to claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a battery ( 9 ′).

12 . The device according to claim 1 wherein the lid ( 12 ′) comprises a charging port to provide power to the battery ( 9 ′).

13 . A method of using the device of claim 1 comprising the step of performing at least one pelvic floor muscle exercise with the device.

14 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device is configured for treatment and/or prevention of pathological situations related to the alteration of muscle function in the pelvic floor region.

15 . The device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the microcontroller ( 7 ′) is configured to establish wireless communications with an external computation device.

16 . The device according to claim 15 , characterized in that the wireless communications established by the microcontroller ( 7 ′) comprise Wi-Fi or Bluetooth Low Energy.

17 . A system for monitoring the contraction movement of the pelvic floor muscles comprising the device according to claim 15 and an external computation device running a software program, the external device configured to establish a wireless communication with the microcontroller ( 7 ′) of the main component (A′).

18 . A method of device the system according to claim 15 comprising the steps of:
performing at least one pelvic floor muscle exercise with the device;
monitoring the performance of the movement of the contraction of the pelvic floor muscle with the software program running in the external computation device.

19 . The system as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the device is configured for treatment and/or prevention of pathological situations related to the alteration of muscle function in the pelvic floor region.

Assignees

• Univ Do Porto

Inventors

• Da Costa Carvalhais Alice Maria
• Natal Jorge Manuel Renato
• Magalhães Mendes Joaquim Gabriel
• Da Costa Cerqueira Joana Patrícia

Classifications

• A63B23/20 Primary

  for vaginal muscles {or other sphincter-type muscles} · CPC title

• A63B2220/24

  Angular displacement · CPC title

• A63B2225/50

  Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry · CPC title

• A63B24/0087 Primary

  Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load · CPC title

• A63B2225/74

  with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights · CPC title