Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1095798
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BACXGROUND OF THE IN~JENTION
The present invention relates to novel magneto-
therapeutic devices, and more particularly to a very
convenient magneto-therapeutic device having magnetic effects
and pressure-stimulation effects useful for therapeutic
purposes.
Therapeutic devices recently proposed for curing
stiffness in the shoulder or pains in the wai~t and muscles
include those incorporating metal granules and those
utilizing magnetism. The devices of the former type comprise
a granule of metal (usually gold or silver because of its
re~istance to corrosion) having a diameter of about 1 mm.
and adhered to an approximately 5 mm. square piece of
adhesive plaster. Such devices are affixed to a painful or
s-tiff portion or effective spots of the human body, causing
the metal granule to produce a mechanical stimulus on the
; body for the treatment of stiffnes~ in the shoulder or pain.
~lowever, the device of this type has the drawback of failing
to achieve a ~ufficient therapeutic efficacy unless it is
~o held affixed to the body for a prolonged period of time
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because the granule is extremely small and is therefore
unable to give a great stimulus, Additionally the plaster
sheet, which is also too small, is inconvenient to handle.
Among the magneto-therapeutic devices of the latter type,
magnetic bands are well known which are made from a solid
ferrite magnet. When the magnet band is worn on the wri5t,
the wrist is subjected to a magnetic field, which affords
improved blood circulation and produces a therapeutic effect
on stiff shoulders and pains, Thus the device gives an
indirect efficacy only, It has therefore been desired to -
provide a magneto-therapeutic device with a magnetic field
which w-ill act directly on the affected part of the body to
achieve enhanced therapeutic effectiveness.
For the same therapeutic uses as described above,
devices are also known which comprise a base member of wood
or synthetic resin and a permanent magnet embedded in the
base member or which comprise an adhe~ive plaster
incorporating magnetic particles, but the devices of the
former type are not usable for a prolonged period of time
or at all times, whereas those of the latter type have the
drawbacks of having no pressure-stimulation effects,
possessing weak magnetism and being unable to apply the
magnetism concentrically to ef`fective spots or af'fected
part of the human body,
=~ .
An object of the present invention is to provide a
novel magneto-therapeutic device,
Another object of the invention is to provide a
magneto-therapeutic device comprising a hard disc-~haped
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permanent magnet of ferrite and capable of achieving
improved therapeutic efficacies on stiffness in the shoulder
and pains in the waist, muscles and the like by concentrating
the magnetic effects and pressure-stimulation effects of
the magnet directly on the affected part or effective spots
of the h~an body.
Still another object o~ the invention is to
provide a magneto-therapeutic device which is easy to
handle and usable for a prolonged period of time.
These and other objects of the invention will
become apparent from the following deæcription with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a magneto-
therapeutic device embodying the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a view in section taken along the
line A-A in Fig. l;
Fig. ~ is a sectional view showing another
magneto-therapeutic device embodying the invention;
Fig. 4 i9 a sectional view showing another
magneto-therapeutic device embodying the invention;
Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the device of the
invention while a release sheet is being peeled off
therefrom; and
; Fig. 6 is a ectional view illustrating the deYice
of the invention while it i5 applied to the human body.
.
DETAI~ED DESCRIPTION
The present inventor has found that the foregoing
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objects can be readily fulfilled by providing a magneto-
therapeutic device comprising an adhesive base sheet, a
hard disc-shaped permanent magnet of ferrite having a
magnetic field with an intensity of 500 to 1,000 oersteds
and adhered to the base sheet in the center of its adhesive
face, and a release sheet affixed to the adhesive face o~
the base sheet except the center portion thereof,
With reference to the drawings, embodiments of
the present invention will be described below, ~igs, 1 and
2 show a circular adhesive plaster or like adhesive base
sheet 1, a hard disc-shaped ferrite permanent magnet 2
adhered to the base sheet 1 in the center of its adhesive
face, and a release sheet 3 affixed to the adhesive ~ace of
the base sheet 1 except the center portion thereof, The
release sheet 3 has a cut portion 4, The hard disc-shaped
permanent magnet 2 measures, for instance, about 5 mm. in
diameter and about 2,5 mm, in thickness and has a flat top
face. The magnetic field of the magnet 2 has an intensity
of about 500 to about 1,000 oersteds, The above-mentioned
size of the permanent magnet 2, about 5 mm. in diameter and
about 2.5 mm. in thickness, is determined by fulfilling, to
the best advantage, the requirement that the area of
contact between the magnet and the human body be reduced
to the greatest possible extent within an allowable limit
to ensure increased pressure-stimulation effects and the
opposing requirement that the contact area be maximized
within a permissible range to assure the effective magnetic
function of the magnet, The release sheet 3 serves to
protect the adhesive face of the base sheet 1 from staining
until the device is placed into u~e, Suitable materials
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for the release sheet 3 are paper, cellophane and
polyethylene or like film. The cut portion 4 is provided
to facilitate the removal of the release sheet 3 for use.
For application, the release sheet 3 is removed
from the present device and the device is then affixed to
a painful or stiff portion or an effective spot of the
body. The device will produce the following effects.
When the device is applied to the human body through which
the blood and body fluid are flowing, a magnetic field acts
on the portion where the device is applied, creating an
electromotive force which in turn generates an electric
current. Consequently ions are liberated within the body,
breaking the equilibrium established between the electrolyte
and ions in the body, and an ionization tendency will
result. This produces an influence mainly on the autonomic
nervous system, eventually leading to improved blood
; circulation to ease stiffness in the muscle. In this way,
the hard disc-shaped permanent magnet of ferrite, affixed
directly to an affected portion or effective spot, gives
a pressing stimulus thereto and produces a magnetic field
thereon and therefore affords enhanced therapeutic effects.
Since the base sheet has a size, e.g. a diameter of about
20mm., suitable for holding the disc-shaped permanent
magnet, the device is very convenient to handle.
Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention
in section. ~he illustrated embodiment includes a pad 5
made from foamed synthetic resin, such as polystyrene, in
the form of a doughnut and adhered to the center of an
adhesive base sheet 1, with a hard disc-shaped ferrite
permanent magnet 2 fitting in the inner periphery of the
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pad 5. Whereas an adhesive sheet or plaster, when applied
to the body, may possibly make the plastered portion itchy,
the provision of the pad 5 serves to reduce the area of
contact between the body and the adhesive base sheet l,
thus mitigating such a side effect.
Fig. 4 shows still another embodiment of the
invention in section comprising a hard disc-shaped ferrite
permanent magnet 2 having a convex top face. In the case
of such a magnet 2, lines of magnetic force concentrate
in the center of its top face, giving a higher magnetic
flux density, i.e. an increased magnetic force, to the
affected part or effective spot of the human body.
Accordingly the permanent magnet ~ exerts magnetic effects
concentrically on the affected part or effective spot to
achieve an enhanced therapeutic efficacy. In addition,
the permanent magnet of the shape described feels soft and
yet gives improved pressure-stimulation effects.
Fig. 5 shows the magneto-therapeutic device of
the invention while the release sheet 3 i8 being peeled
off the adhesive base sheet l. As is illustrated, the cut
portion 4 formed in the release sheet 3 greatly facilitates
the removal of the release sheet 3 for the application of
the device.
Fig. 6 iB illustrating the device of the present
invention while it is applied to the human body. As is
illustrated, the hard disc-shaped ferrite permanent magne~ 2
which is embedded in the skin of the human body 6, exerts
pressure-stimulation effects and magnetic effects there
about.
The hard disc-shaped permanent magnet of ferrite
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used in the device of the present invention is prepared
from ferrite particles comminuted to a size of about 1
micron by molding the particles to the desired dimensions
and shape at pressure of about 1 ton/cm? and sintering
the molded piece at about 1,200 C. The hard disc-shaped
permanent magnet thus prepared is as high as 500 to 1,000
oersteds in the intensity of its magnetic field, free of
demagnetization and corrosion, lightweight, inexpensive to
make and suited to quantity production.
When the side of the hard disc-shaped ferrite
permanent 2 which contacts with the adhesive base sheet 1
is magnetized as the N-pole, the opposite side, i.e. the
side which contacts with the human body is the S-pole.
The converse as to the magnetic pole is also adoptable,
For ease of handling, a plurality of the present
devices may be made available as a set, for instance, ten
in two rows~ as affixed to a release sheet having
perforations for the magnetic discs. A number of such sets
can be stored conveniently in layers if the permanent
magnets are all arranged with the same side exposed, for
instance, with the N-pole side adapted for oontact with
the human body.
As described above, the magneto-therapeutic
device of the pressent invention is simple in construction
and easy to handle and produces enhanced therapeutic effects,
for instance, on stiffness in the shoulder with the magnetic
and pressure stimuli given by the hard disc-shaped ferrite
permanent magnet in direct contact with an effective spot
or affected part of the body.
~0 ~he present inventisn will be described in
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greater detail with reference to the following Example.
EXAMP~
Magneto-therapeutic devices were prepared
according to the present invention, each compri~ing a sheet
of adhesive plaster 20 mm. in diameter, a hard disc-shaped
permanent magnet of ferrite (5 mm. in diameter and 2.S mm.
in thickness 9 with a convex top face as illuætrated in
Fig. 4) having a magnetic field of about 600 oersteds in
intensity and adhered to the plaster sheet in the center
of its adhesive face, and a release sheet affixed to the
adhesive ~ace of the plaster sheet except the center
portion thereof.
The devices were used by 30- to 70-year-old
patients with the symptoms listed in Table 1 below to
test the devices for therapeutic effects.
Table 1
_ ~ SVmptom ~umber of Patients
Stiffness in shoulder 338
~umbago 47
Neuralgia 58
Myalgia 47
. .
The device was separa-tèd from the release sheet,
held affixed to the painful spot of the patient for 6 days
and checked for its therapeutic effects. The results are
given in ~able 2 below.
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Table 2
Number of patients
Stiffness in Lumbago Neuraligia Myalgia
shoulder _ ~ ~
Effective~22 45 55 43
Inef~ective2 0 0
No answer14 2 ~ 3
Total338 47 58 47
The patients who found the device effective
were checked for when the effect appeared (to be referred
to simply as "time" below), with the results given
in Table 3.
Table 3
,
. Number of patients _
Time Stiffness in ~umbago Neuraligia Myalgia
shoulder
After a few
hours 69 6 1 7
After one day 94 10 14 9
After two day 95 15 13 18
After three day 47 5 14 4
After four day17 9 13 5
Total 322 45 55 43
None of the patient~ using the device felt itchy-
or had a rash, while many found that intercurrent headache,
arthritis, rheumatism or the like was also cured,
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