Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2001608
SPECIFICATION
Magnetic field generating apparatus for medical treatment
with a timer
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a magnetic field
5 generating apparatus for medical treatment which relieves a
disease condition such as stiffness by acting a magnetic
field on a human body, and specifically, the present inven-
tion relates to a magnetic field generating apparatus for
medical treatment with a timer which comprises a timer for
10 setting an operation time.
Technical Background
Formerly, this applicant completed as a product a
magnetic field generating apparatus for medical treatment
which has a construction that a plurality of synthetic resin
15 case bodies are connected wherein a magnetic field generator
that a coil bobbin is disposed on an iron core is housed.
This apparatus is such that the magnetic field generator
generates an alternating magnetic field when the coil bobbin
is energized, and an effect of magnetic treatment is obtained
20 in a manner that one of plate surfaces of the case body is
brought in contact with the surface of the human body, and
the above-mentioned alternating magnetic field is made to act
on exterior from this plate surface.
In this magnetic field generating apparatus for medical
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treatment, the operation time is set by a timer, and after a
lapse of the set time, the operation is stopped automatically
to terminate the medical treatment. This lapse of the set
time (for example, the residual time is displayed on a
5 numeric display, and the user can devote himself to the
medical treatment while making sure of the numeric value on
the numeric display as required.
Then, in the above-mentioned magnetic field generator,
the surface temperature is raised by energizing the coil
10 bobbin, and this heat can be utilized effectively also for
thermal therapy by transmitting it to the case body. However,
a rise in the surface temperature of the magnetic filed
generator higher than required due to successive use for a
long time or the like generates a risk of burn, and as a
15 countermeasure for it, the operation of the magnetic field
generator is forcedly stopped when the above-mentioned
surface temperature rises higher than a predetermined value,
and the generator is dame to wait until a proper temperature
state is restored.
However, in this kind of magnetic field generating
apparatus for medical treatment, when the operation of the
apparatus is stopped in the midst of medical treatment due to
a rise in the temperature, the used might misunderstand that
the apparatus has gone out of order, or might be mistaken
25 that the operation has been stopped after the set time has
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elapsed. To avoid such a misunderstand or mistake, a rise in
the temperature can be notified by incorporating an alarm
buzzer or an alarm lamp, but this has problems of necessi-
tating a special alarm component, increasing the number of
5 parts and raising the manufacturing cost of the apparatus.
The present invention has been achieved in light of the
above-mentioned problems, and purposes to provide a magnetic
field generating apparatus for medical treatment with a timer
which can inform a rise in the temperature without using a
10 special alarming component by informing a rise in the tem-
perature by effectively utilizing a numeric display dis-
playing the lapse of time.
Disclosure of the Invention
The present invention is of a magnetic field generating
15 apparatus for medical treatment with a timer comprising a
magnetic field generator wherein coils are installed on an
iron core and a timer for setting the operation time of the
magnetic field generator which is provided with a temperature
sensor the detecting an unusual temperature disposed on the
20 magnetic field generator, a time setting unit for setting the
time of count by the timer, a display control unit which
changes-over the display operation of the residual time by a
numeric display to the blinking operation of predetermined
numerals when the temperature sensor detects an unusual
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temperature and changes-over the above-mentioned blinking
operation to the display operation of the residual time when
the temperature sensor detects clearance of the unusual
temperature, and a start button for starting the timer.
In accordance with the present invention, the numeric
display displays the residual time of the set time during the
operation of the magnetic field generating apparatus for
medical treatment, but when the temperature sensor is turned
on, the display operation of the residual time is changed-
10 over to the blinking operation of predetermined numerals, and
therefore the user can grasp a rise in the temperature of the
magnetic field generator higher than a predetermined value by
watching this display.
Accordingly, an unusual temperature can be informed
15 without using a special alarm component such as an alarm
buzzer on an alarm lamp for informing a rise in the tem-
perature, and there is no fear of incurring an increase in
the number of parts and a rise in the cost.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a partly-broken perspective view showing a mat
whereto the present invention is applied.
Fig. 2 is a partly, broken perspective view showing
another example of using the mat in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a first attachment
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member attached to the mat.
Fig. 4 is a front view showing a magnetic field generat-
ing apparatus for medical treatment incorporated in the first
attachment member.
Fig. 5 is horizontally-cut cross-sectional view of the
magnetic field generating apparatus for medical treatment.
Fig. 6 is a plan view showing one of half-bodies of case
as viewed from inside.
Fig. 7 is a front view showing an external appearance of
10 a magnetic field generator.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing part of the first
attachment member in a magnified fashion.
Fig. 9 is a front view showing a configuration of an
operation board.
Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of circuit
configuration of a control unit.
Fig. 11 is a flow chart showing controlling procedures
by the control unit.
Fig. 12 is a partly-broken perspective view showing
20 another example of the mat whereto the present invention is
applied.
The Best Form for Embodying the Invention
Fig. 1 shows a mat for magnetic therapy whereto a
present invention is applied. This mat has a structure that a
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mat main body 1 is covered with a cloth cover 2, and on one
of the side end surfaces, a power cord 4 provided with a plug
3 at the tip thereof and a lead-out wire 6 provided with an
operation board 5 at the tip thereof are installed.
The whole of the mat main body 1 is constituted with a
cushion member 7 such as urethane foam, and a tip part lb can
be folded onto a main body part la. The main body part la
supports the human body ranging from the head to the waist
and legs, and the tip part lb supports the tips of feet of
10 the human body. A metal pipe 8 forming the frame of the mat
is embedded in the cushion member 7 of the main unit part la,
and a publicly known joint mechanism (not illustrated)
capable of angular adjustment is installed at the center part
of the metal pipe 8, and thereby a joint part lc is formed.
In the cushion member 7 of the main body part la, a
recession 9 which is open upward and whose plane shape is
rectangular is formed at the position corresponding to the
back-touching part, and a first attachment member 10 is
fitted into this recession 9, and is constituted so as to be
20 able to be replaces with a second attachment member 11 as
shown in Fig. 2 as required.
Each of the first and the second attachment members 10
and 11 has a shape corresponding to the recession 9, and in
the fitted state into the recession 9, the top surface of
25 each of the attachement members 10 and 11 and the top surface
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of the cushion member 7 make the same plane.
The second attachment member 11 consists only of a
cushion member 12, and for this cushion member 12, the same
material as the cushion member 7 of the main body part la is
5 desirably used to eliminate a feel of incongruity.
The first attachment member 10 has a structure that
plural sets of magnetic field generating apparatuses for
medical treatment 14 are embedded in a cushion material 13,
and as shown in Fig. 3, a die-hole part (not illustrated) is
10 installed between a cushion base member 15 and a cushion lid
member 16, and plural sets of magnetic field generating
apparatuses for medical treatment 14 are fitted into and
supported by this part, and the magnetic field acting surface
(as described later) of each magnetic field generating
15 apparatus for medical treatment 14 is exposed above the
cushion lid member 16. The cushion base member 15 and the
cushion lid member 16 are formed with rubber or urethane
foam, but for the cushion lid member 16, the same material as
the cushion member 7 of the main unit part la is desirably
20 used to eliminate a feel of inconguity given to the human
body.
The above-mentioned each magnetic field generating
apparatus for medical treatment 14, as shown in Fig. 4
through Fig. 6, as a structure that a magnetic field
25 generator 20 is disposed in each of a plurality of synthetic
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resin cases 21, and the respective case bodies are pivot-
connected in one line in a manner capable of bending
mutually.
Each case body 21 is formed in a manner that the open
5 surfaces of paired half-bodies of case 22 and 23 are made to
butt against each other and are fixed at a plurality of
positions by screws 24. On the side end surfaces of each case
body 21, either protruded shafts 25 and 25 in the up-down
direction or bearing holes 26 and 26 are formed, and
10 protruded shaft 25 is engaged with the bearing hole 26
between the adjacent case bodies 21 and 21, and thereby the
adjacent case bodies 21 and 21 are pivot-connected in a
manner capable of bending and rotating mutually.
As shown in Fig. 7, the above-mentioned magnetic field
15 generator 20, consists of a laminated iron core 30 provided
with legs 28 and 29 at the both ends of a base 27 and coil
bobbins 31 and 32 fitted to the legs 28 and 29. Each of the
coil bobbins 31 and 32 has a structure that coils 37 and 38
are wound around the peripheral surfaces of spools 35 and 36
20 having collars 33 and 34 at the both ends thereof, and when
an alternating current flows through each of the coils 37 and
38, an alternating magnetic field is generated from the tips
of the legs 28 and 29.
As shown in Fig. 6, on the inner surface of the above-
25 mentioned one of the half-bodies of case 23, positioning
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pieces 39 and 39 for positioning the magnetic field generator
20 and a protruded rod 40 for supporting the magnetic field
generator 20 are formed integrally in a protruded fashion,
and the bottom surface of the base 27 is supported by the
5 protruded rod 40.
On the inner surface of the other half-body of case 22,
recessions (not illustrated) wherein each one of the collars
33 and 34 of the above-mentioned spools 35 and 36 is fitted
are installed, and the plate surface of the half-body of case
10 22 comprising these recessions functions as a magnetic field
acting surface 41.
The four magnetic field generators 20 are electrically
connected in parallel by a lead 19, and the four sets of
magnetic field generating apparatus for medical treatment are
15 electrically connected in parallel. As shown in Fig. 3 and
Fig. 8, an electrically connecting cord 42 thereof is led out
from one side surface of the cushion member 13, being further
led out to a terminal box 44 through a connector 43, and the
above-mentioned power cord 4 and lead-out wire 6 are led from
20 this terminal box 44. The above-mentioned connector 43 is for
connecting/disconnecting each magnetic field generating
apparatus for medical treatment 14 to/from the power supply
in attaching/detaching the first attachment member 10 to/from
the above-mentioned recession 9, and is positioned all the
25 time in a groove 46 installed between the recession 9 and a
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terminal box housing part 45, and the opening of the groove
is closed as required with a cushion lid (not illustrated).
Fig. 9 shows the operation board 5 at the tip of the
lead-out wire 6, and on the board surface thereof, a power
5 button 47 for turning on power, a start button 48 for start-
ing a timer, a time setting unit 49 for setting a time of the
timer, and a numeric display 50 for displaying a residual
time of the timer are disposed.
Fig. 10 shows an example of circuit configuration of a
10 control unit for controlling the operation of the above-
mentioned magnetic field generating apparatus for medical
treatment. This control unit is such that an overcurrent
sensor 53, temperature sensors 54 and 55, the power button
47, the start button 48, the numeric display 50, the time
15 setting unit 49, lamps 56, an electromagnetic relay 57 and
the like are connected electrically to a micro-processor 51
which is incorporated in the above-mentioned operation board
5 and is a main unit of control and arithmetic operation.
In Fig. 10, an oscillator 52 generates a clock signal,
20 and gives it to the micro-processor 51.
The overcurrent sensor 53 detects whether or not a
current larger than a rated value has flowed through this
magnetic field generating apparatus for medical treatment 14.
the whole temperature sensors 54 and 55 are, for example,
25 bimetals1 and one of the temperature sensors 54 are installed
-- 10 --
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at a proper place of the iron core 21 of each magnetic field
generator 20, and the other temperature sensor 55 is instal-
led at a proper place of the power transformer in the opera-
tion board 5, and these sensors detect that the surface
5 temperatures of the iron core 21 and the power transformer
have risen to predetermined temperatures, respectively. The
power button 47, the start button 48, the numeric display 50
and the time setting unit 49 are disposed on the board
surface of the operation board 5, and function respectively
10 as mentioned above. The lamps 56 are installed in the power
button 47 and the start button 48, and are lit by pushing
these buttons. An electromagnetic relay 57 is actuated when
the overcurrent sensor 53 or either of the temperature
sensors 54 and 55 is turned on, and opens a contact in the
15 passage circuit to each magnetic field generator 20 to stop
energizing.
Fig. 11 shows controlling procedures by the above-
mentioned micro-processor 51. As is obvious from the follow-
ing description, this micro-processor 51 has a function as a
20 timer 51A for counting the operating time of the magnetic
field generator 20 and a function as display control unit 51B
for controlling the displaying operation of the numeric
display 50.
In Fig. 11, in step 1 (shown by "STl" in the figure),
25 judgement is made on whether or not power button 47 has been
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pushed.
When this power button 47 is pushed, power is supplied
to the control unit, and the micro-processor 51 clears the
inner memory area for storing a residual time T (step 2).
5 Next, the micro-processor 51 reads a set time To from the
time setting unit 49, and stores it in the corresponding
inner memory area, and thereafter makes the numeric display
50 display the set time To as the residual time T (steps 3
and 4).
In the next step 5, an auxiliary timer that the micro-
processor 51 has as a function thereof starts, and in the
subsequent steps 6 and 6, check is made on whether or not the
start button 48 has been pushed before time expiration.
Steps 6, 7, and 8 show the state of waiting for a push-
15 ing operation of the start button 48, and if the auxiliarytimer expires, processing moves from step 6 to step 9, turns
off power, and returns to the initial waiting state.
If the start button 48 is pushed before expiration of
the auxiliary timer, the auxiliary timer is reset in step 10,
20 and subsequently in step 11, judgement is made on whether or
not the residual time T is zero. In this case, the residual
time T has been cleared in step 2, and therefore the judge-
ment in the step 11 results in "YES n r and in the next step
12, the set time To is set in a predetermined area as the
25 residual time T, and in the next step 13, the timer that the
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micro-processor 51 has as a function thereof starts to count
time.
In the next step 14, judgement is made on whether or not
either of the temperature sensors 54 and 55 has been turned
5 on due to a temperature rise above a predetermined value, and
if the judgement results in "NO", in the next step 15, it is
made sure that the power button or not one minute has elapsed
is judged. Thus, when one minute has elapsed, the judgement
in step 16 results in "YES", and one minute is subtracted
10 from the residual time T, and the content of the numeric
display 50 is renewed (step 17 and 18). Subsequently in step
19, whether or not the residual time T is zero is checked,
and if it is not zero, processing returns to step 14, and
similar processing is repeated.
In addition, when the residual time T is judged to be
zero in step 19, processing proceeds to step 20, and zero is
displayed on the numeric display 50 for a certain time, and
thereafter processing returns to the initial waiting state.
Now, assuming the case where any one of the magnetic
20 field generators 20 excessively rises in temperature, the
corresponding temperature sensor 54 is turned on, and the
judgement in step 14 results in "YESn. In this case pre-
determined numerals (for example, "888") are displayed on the
numeric display 50, and the numerals blink to inform the user
25 of that the temperature has risen. When such a state takes
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place, the micro-processor 51 energizes the electromagnetic
relay 57 to open the contact, and thereby stops energizing of
each magnetic filed generator 20, and stops the counting
operation of the timer (step 22).
The temperature is reduced by stopping energizing, but
in steps 23 and 24, the micro-processor 51 waits for
restoration of the temperature sensor 54 to the original OFF
state due to this reduction in the temperature.
Thus, when the temperature sensor 54 is turned off, the
10 micro-processor 51 reads the residual time T in step 25, and
makes the numeric display 50 display the residual time T in
place of the blinking display in the subsequent step 26.
Thereafter it returns to step 5, and actuates the auxiliary
timer, and waits for a pushing operation of the start button
15 48 for successive operation before time expiration.
In addition, when the operation is continued, the
residual time T is not zero, and therefore the judgement in
step 11 results in "NOn, and step 12 is skipped over, and
processing proceeds to step 13.
Fig. 12 shows a second embodiment of the present
invention.
This embodiment has a structure that a sheet member 17
is superposed on the mat main body 1, and the whole thereof
is covered by the cloth cover 2, and on the above-mentioned
25 sheet member 17, permanent magnets 18 are disposed at the
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position corresponding to the magnetic field generating
apparatus for medical treatment 14. In accordance with this
embodiment, when the magnetic field generating apparatus for
medical treatment 14 is operated, the permanent magnets 18
5 are vibrated by the alternating magnetic field thereof, and
therefore it can give a moderate massaging action on the
human body.
In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a rise
in the temperature is notified by display a predetermined
10 numeric value or the numeric display 50 and making this
display blink, but this rise can be notified also by another
method such that the blinking operation is performed while
the residual time is displayed intact.
Utilizability in Industries
When the mat having the above-mentioned configuration is
used for medical treatment, the power-supplied state is set
by pushing the power button 47 on the operation board 5, and
a time of the timer is set by slide-operating the knob of the
time setting unit 47, and thereafter the respective magnetic
20 field generating apparatus for medical treatment 14 are
started all together. Thereby, an alternating magnetic field
is generated from each magnetic field generator 20 of each
magnetic field generating apparatus for medical treatment 14,
and this magnetic field acts on the human body on the mat.
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If the magnetic field generator 20 or the power trans-
former rises in temperature higher than a predetermined value
and the temperature sensor 54 or 55 is turned on, the
operation of the magnetic field generating apparatus for
5 medical treatment 14 is stopped, and the operation of the
numeric display 50 is changed-over from the displaying
operation of the residual time to the blinking operation of
predetermined numerals, and the user is informed of that the
unusual temperature state has taken place.
Thus, when the temperature is restored to a proper state
by stopping the operation, the medical treatment can be
resumed by operating the operation board 5, and thereafter,
when the set time has elapsed, the operation of each magnetic
field generating apparatus for medical treatment 14 is auto-
15 matically stopped, and the medical treatment is completed.
In addition, after completing the medical treatment, the
cover 2 is opened, the first attachment member 10 is taken
out from the recession 9 of the mat main body 1, and the
second attachment member 11 is fitted into it, and thereby
20 this mat can be used as a normal mat.
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