AU661624B1 - Magnetic therapeutic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

661624

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDAi-.3 PATENT Applicant: NIHON KENKO ZOUSHIN KENKYUKAI CORPORATION Invention Title: M(AGNETIC' THERAPEUTTIC APPAPATUS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best uiethod of performing it known to me/us:

SPECIFICATION

TITLE OF THE INVENTION Magnetic Therapeutic Apparatus TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a magnetic therapeutic apparatus intended to relieve stiffness and/or enhance blood circulation by applying alternating magnetic fields on the body.

BACKGROUND OF ART The applicant has, some time ago, proposed a magnetic therapeutic apparatus having a construction, *5 wherein magnetic field generators generating alternating magnetic fields are housed respectively in a plurality of cases which are pivotally connected in a line through a hinge mechanism, and connecting bands are attached to eeothe cases. both ends. When the magnetic therapeutic apparatus is fixed to the body such as legs, waist, arms, neck and so on by the connecting bands and the magnetic field generators in the cases are actuated, the alternating magnetic fields generated by the magnetic field generators act on respective parts of the body, 25 d ehaI\' blood' cCrcucib'o thereby, otiffncc iz rclio:vcd and-blood cir4ulatiS 2 In the magnetic therapeutic apparatus, as shown in Fig. 6, the magnetic field generator 5 in each case 4 is electrically connected to the magnetic field generator 5 in the adjacent case 4 through a lead wire 6, so the lead wire 6 is drawn out from a side wall of the case 4 and led into an inner portion of the adjacent case 4 after crossing the hinge mechanism 41 at a right angle.

When the magnetic therapeutic apparatus is mounted on the body, the hinge mechanism 41 is rotated to bend the apparatus between the cases 4, 4 and the lead wire 6 may be pulled forcibly or bent, or moveable portions of the hinge mechanism 41 may rub the lead wire 6 and damage a covering material, causing electrical accidents such as breaking of wires.

The present invention proposes to provide a magnetic therapeutic apparatus, wherein a compulsive force will never act on a lead wire and electrical accidents such as breaking of wires is completely prevented.

According to the present invention there is provided a magnetic therapeutic apparatus comprising a "plurality of cases connected together in which each case is provided with a magnetic field generator located internally within the case and each case is connected to an adjacent csie by a hollow hinge means, each magnetic field generator being electrically connected to an adjacent magnetic field generator by a lead wire passing through the hollow hinge means, the hollow hinge means comprising a first portion located on one side of the case and a second portion located on an opposed side of the case, said first and second portions being substantially complementary to and fittingly engageable with each other to form the hollow "hinge means, said first portion including a first pair of hollow protrusion means integrally formed at or toweards either end portions of the one side of the case i: spaced apart relationship to each other, said pair of hollow slafiridleeoWppat/57b/.94 1 7.5.95 IL ~11 I 2a protrusion means each being provided with guide holes so as to be opened to the interior of the case at respective one ends and being provided with bearing apertures at the respective other ends, said bearing apertures being open and being spaced apart and arranged to face each other, said second portion including a central hollow protrusion means integrally formed at or towards the centre of the opposed side of the case, said hollow protrusion means being provided with hollow pivot means protruding from each opposed side portion of the central hollow protrusion means so as to be in spaced apart relationship facing away from each other, said hollow pivot means being provided with guide holes so as to be open to the central hollow protrusion and to the interior of the case such that the respective hollow pivot means are reco=ivable in the respective bearing apertures to allow one case to move hingedly with respect to an adjacent case in use of the apparatus, wherein the electric lead wire is able to extend from one case internally through the hollow hinge means to an adjacent case by passing internally through the aligned first and second hinge means and guide holes including the first pair of hollow protrusion means and the central hollow protrusion means.

The magnetic therapeutic apparatus of the present 25 invention comprises a plurality of cases containing magnetic field generators in their inner portion respectively and being connected to each other through 00. 9 stafir;d/keep/aV57577,94 17.5.95 3 hinge mechanism, and lead wires connecting between the magnetic field generators electrically. Said hinge mechanism is constituted by hollow protrusions integrally formed on upper and lower end portions of the side edge of one of the cases to be connected leading to the inner portions of the case, bearing holes formed on the opposing faces of the protrusions, a hollow protrusion integrally formed at the center of the side edge of the other 'ase, and pivots protruding integrally on the top and bottom of the protrusion so as to support the upper and lower end portions of the pivots by the bearing holes, and guide holes leading to hollow portions of respective protrusions as well as leading to each other are formed in correspondence to the pivoting center inside the pivots and the bottom of respective bearing holes, and the lead wires are extended through the guide holes.

-According to the present ient invention, since the lead wires are adapted to extend through the guide holes on i'.Q the pivoting center portions provided on the pivots and 0 6* athe bearing holes of the hinge mechanism respectively, even when the hinge mechanism is rotated, there is no possibility that any force acts on there 4 ad wire, and the lead wire are pulled or bent, or the surface of the lead wires is rubbed, preventing the electrical accidents completely. Besides, since the lead wires are extended through the case, inner hollow portions of the protrusions and the guide holes formed in the pivots and bearing holes, it is not exposed to the outside, thus it o ecCe4 by is not influc external factors and is completely protected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig.l is a front view showing an whole configuration of a magnetic therapeutic apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of Fig 1, o Fig. 3 is a plan View showing an inner portion of a *0 case showing a state wherein lead wires are extended 15 through, S Fig. 4 is a side view of a magnetic field generator, Fig. 5 is an explanatory view showing the using condition, Fig. 6 is a plan view showing an inner portion of a i*2 case of a conventional example 0T fe rtor A -BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Fig. 1-3 show an configuration of one embodiment of a therapeutic apparatus of the present invention. The magnetic therapeutic apparatus comprises a plurality of

;I

5 cases 1 containing magnetic generators 2 in their inner hollow portion respectively and being connected pivotally to each other in a line, and connecting members 11 and 12 such as a belt which can be connected to each other are attached to cases la and Ib located on both ends respectively. The magnetic field generator 2 in each case 1 is, as shown in Fig 4, constituted by engaging bobbins 22 respectively on respective leg portions of a U-shaped iron core 21 and winding coils 23 wound around the respective peripheries of bobbins 22. The magnetic field generators 2 are connected electrically by led wires 24, and when each coil 23 is energized through the lead wires 24, each magnetic field generator 2 generates alternating magnetic fields.

Each case 1 is formed by facing each opening of a pair of partial cases 10, 10 and fixing them in some positions with screws. On each case 1, a hollow protrusion 7 is formed integrally at the centre of one side edge and hollow protrusions 8A and 8B are formed on the upper and lower end portions respectively of the other side edge.

Pivots 13 protruding vertically are formed on the top and bottom of protrusion 7 of the centre portion, and bearing holes 14, 14 are provided on the protrusions 8A and 8B of "o the upper and lower end portions at positions opposing to 25 the positions of pivots 13. The pivots 13 are supported by the corresponding bearing holes 14 of the adjacent case I to constitute a hinge mechanism Inside the pivots 13 and on the bottom of the .bearing holes 14, guide holes 16a and 16b which lead to the 00 30 protrusions 8A and 8B and the protrusion 7 respectively as well as leading to each other are formed in correspondence to the centre of the pivoting position, and the lead wires 0"0 24 connecting between adjacent magnetic field generators 2, 2 in adjacent cases 1, 1 extend through the guide holes 16a and 16b.

stalh/idkep/pal57577.94 17.5.95 I rr 6 The above-mentioned case 1 is formed by joining two half cases 10, 10 in opposing face to face relationship so that the bearing holes 14 and the pivots 13 are formed about a central axis. At proper locations of the facing end portion of each partial case 10, protrusions 17 and depressions 18 are formed so that when the partial cases 10 are united in face to face relationship the protrusions 17 and the depressions 18 are engaged to the opposing depressions 18 and the protrusions 17. In Fig. 2, numeral 19 designates a contact portion which is disposed on the connecting portion of the case 1 for limiting rotation of the cases.

When using the magnetic therapeutic apparatus, as shown in Fig. 5, first, the magnetic therapeutic apparatus is mounted and fixed to affected parts 3 of stiffness and pains of the body in a manner surrounding the body. Then, when a timer 26 is set and a power switch 27 is turned on, the coil 23 of each magnetic field generator 2 is energized and superposed magnetic flux produced by the coils 23 acts on the affected parts 3 of the body from end faces of the leg portions of the iron core 21, thereby a certain therapeutic effect can be obtained, When winding the magnetic therapeutic apparatus around the body, the hinge mechanism 15 of the case 1 is rotated, but the lead wire 24 25 is never pulled nor bent, nor its surface rubbed by the hinge mechanism 15 since the lead wire 24 is extended internally through the guide holes 16a and 16b on the pivoting centre line of the hinge mechanism. Also, since the lead wire 24 is not exposed to the outside of the case 30 1, it is not adversely affected by any external factor and is completely protected.

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