US 12,440,422 B2
Devices, systems and methods for auricular acupuncture
Peter G. Marinakis, Edgewater, MD (US); and Paul Jorgensen, Annapolis, MD (US)
Assigned to ADAPTOGENICS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Annapolis, MD (US)
Appl. No. 17/058,256
Filed by ADAPTOGENICS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Annapolis, MD (US)
PCT Filed May 30, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/034568
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 24, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/232157, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 5, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/678,682, filed on May 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0196565 A1, Jul. 1, 2021
Int. Cl. A61H 39/00 (2006.01); A61H 39/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61H 39/002 (2013.01) [A61H 39/086 (2013.01); A61H 2201/1207 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5048 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5082 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5097 (2013.01); A61H 2205/027 (2013.01); A61H 2230/06 (2013.01); A61H 2230/08 (2013.01); A61H 2230/505 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of treating a medical condition or a presenting symptom in a patient, comprising:
creating an ear retention device via:
a. inserting a molding compound against an auricular surface of the patient's ear, wherein the auricular surface is an inner surface of the patient's ear facing away from the patient's head, to form a molded auricular structure, and creating a plurality of energy output sites in the molded auricular structure to create the ear retention device;
b. engaging the auricular surface of the patient's ear with an auricular acupuncture device, including:
i. the ear retention device that conforms with the physical anatomy and scale of the auricular surface of the patient's ear and directly abuts against the auricular surface of the patient's ear, the ear retention device including the plurality of energy output sites corresponding to a plurality of auricular acupuncture points of the patient's ear, wherein the energy output sites substantially contact, within about a 2 mm distance to, the auricular surface of the patient's ear;
ii. an energy interface module, including at least an optical energy source optically coupled to the ear retention device and an electrical energy source electrically coupled to the ear retention device;
iii. a device control module, electrically coupled to the energy interface module;
iv. a support structure for maintaining the ear retention device adjacent the auricular surface of the patient's ear and the energy output sites substantially contacting, within about the 2 mm distance to, the auricular surface of the patient's ear; and
v. a compliance detection element for determining that the auricular acupuncture device is correctly engaged, associated with the ear retention device or the support structure,
c. initiating an optical energy signal or an electrical energy signal from the energy interface module; and
d. passing the optical energy signal or the electrical energy signal through the ear retention device through the 2 mm distance to the auricular acupuncture points on the auricular surface of the patient's ear in sufficient levels to penetrate tissue of the patient's ear and directly stimulate or impact the auricular acupuncture points.