US 12,434,045 B2
Stimulation system including a multi-electrode ear shell and method of using the same
Valma Klein, Canyon Country, CA (US)
Assigned to THE ALFRED E. MANN FOUNDATION FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, Valencia, CA (US)
Filed by The Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research, Valencia, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 24, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/410,912.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/112,081, filed on Nov. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0143390 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. A61N 1/04 (2006.01); A61N 1/36 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 1/0456 (2013.01) [A61N 1/0476 (2013.01); A61N 1/36014 (2013.01); A61N 1/36036 (2017.08)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-electrode ear shell comprising:
an inner surface, an outer surface, and an ear canal opening as a through-hole surrounded by the multi-electrode ear shell extending from the inner surface to the outer surface, the inner surface corresponding to a surface of an ear and being configured to overlap a cymba and a cavum of the ear, the multi-electrode ear shell further comprising:
a first stimulation electrode comprising a header, a spring, and an electrode shaft extending from the header;
a first socket to removably receive the first stimulation electrode, the first socket comprising a rear wall and sidewalls defining an interior volume to removably receive the first stimulation electrode from the inner surface, the sidewalls of the first socket continuously extending from the outer surface of the multi-electrode ear shell, the rear wall of the first socket having a through-hole,
wherein the header of the first stimulation electrode is accommodated in the interior volume of the first socket, the spring is between the header and the rear wall of the first socket around the through-hole to press the header of the first stimulation electrode towards the surface of the ear, and the electrode shaft extends through the through-hole in the rear wall to be externally exposed; and
a second socket to removably receive a second stimulation electrode, the second socket comprising a rear wall and sidewalls defining an interior volume to removably receive the second stimulation electrode from the inner surface, the sidewalls of the second socket continuously extending from the outer surface of the multi-electrode ear shell.