GB2148717A - Portable electro-acupuncture belt - Google Patents

Abstract

A readily portable belt 12 comprises an electrical circuit 18, including a transformer, and a battery 17 and at least one electrode 13, 14 which is in the form of a pad with a concave surface so as to readily adapt to the specific place where treatment is required. One electrode may be movable along a track 15. The belt 12 fits snugly around any area of a patient's body and is readily adjusted in length by one end (11) passing through a loop (16) at the other end. In use electrical pulses are transmitted from the contact surface and, when adjusted to sufficient magnitude per unit area of said surface, are felt by the patient as pressure in the manner of finger massage, or, where a small point contact is used, in the manner of acupuncture. In other embodiments (figs. 4-6) a number of pressure contacts are provided to give a sequence of pulses and a particularly effective treatment. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Portable electro-acupuncture belt This invention relates to a portable belt which comprises a voltage source and an electrical circuit adapted to provide electrical pulses and which is intended for use as a physical electro-acupuncture apparatus.

Since ancient times, acupuncture using needles has been widely practised in China as a special medical treatment for alleviation of human disease and as an alternative to drug therapy which, as is well known, often has undesirable medical sideeffects. The practice of acupuncture has increased over the years but it must be carried out by experts, otherwise it is ineffective.

Furthermore when each needle pierces a patient's skin the patient usually feels a painful prick.

Recently the practise of so-called "electroacupuncture" has developed based on the principle of electrical point discharge which gives the patient the same sensation of pain as the needle.

Additionally, there is the allied treatment of socalled finger massage whereby pressure is applied by hand to specially designated points on the human body. Although with this treatment the patient does not feel the same pain as with the application of needles, its practice still relies upon a skilled massagist with the inconvenience to the patient of having to attend at a designated time and place.

Electro-acupuncture makes use of a low frequency oscillator to produce low frequency high intensity pulses and positively or negatively charged contacts are connected to particular points of human body for excitation in order to obtain the same results as with the traditional acupuncture or finger massage. However, the instruments hitherto proposed for carrying out electro-acupuncture must be operated by hand, so it is not only inconvenient but also tiresome for the patient. A bandage-type instrument for electro-acupuncture has been proposed which is separated from the main electrical equipment. The bandage is intended to be wrapped around the patient's body and connected to the electrical equipment for electrical signals when it is in use.The patient's body must be kept quite still when these instruments are used and normal daily activities are not possible.

For the low frequency high intensity pulses needed in electro-acupuncture it is necessary to have conductors possessing electrical resistance in contact with specific points on the patient's body for excitation of same. There are two kinds of contact, namely point-type contact and plane-type contact.

With point-type contact, the patient who is receiving the treatment has a pricking sensation. With planetype contact, because of curvature of the skin surface of most patients close contact with the body is often not properly achieved so the contact is, in effect, still a point contact which still gives the patient a pricking sensation.

In acupuncture specific places of the patient's body are suitable for treatment by pulses applied at a single point only whereas other places e.g. the eyes and the knuckles, are best treated by circulating pulse intensity, that is to say a succession of pulses distributed overthatarea of the body. The known instruments cannot be effectively used in the latter manner.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a portable electro-acupuncture belt which does not have any of the aforesaid defects.

With this object in view, the invention provides a portable acupuncture belt operative to supply electrical pulses and comprising a transformer, an electrical circuit and a battery as well as at least one contact surface formed by a pad having a concave surface which can be moved, such that when in use the belt can be adjusted in length and the concave contact surface be steadily fitted to a specific point on a patient's body so as to transmit pulses thereto.

The belt is adjustable in length and incorporates all of the necessary equipment for its functioning so that it can be taken out for use at any time. Its contact surface is made in concave shape to ensure close contact with the patient's body.

Furthermore, the belt may be constructed for contact with the patient's body at two points in a similar manner to two-finger massage pressure for single point contact in a similar manner to thumbonly massage pressure for sequential point contacts (in a similar manner to all-finger massage) depending upon the location on the body where treatment is required.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 (a) is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the acupuncture belt of the present invention; Fig. 1 (b) is a diagrammatic view of the inner structure of the belt shown in Fig. 1 (a); Fig. 2 is a rear view and a side view of a contact pad of the belt of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the inner structure of a second embodiment of the belt of the invention having a single effective pulse point; and Figs. 4(a), 4(b), 5, 6(a) and 7(b) are diagrammatic views of the inner structure of further embodiments of the belt of the invention, each being constructed for sequential transmission of pulses from a number of points.

In a first embodiment of the acupuncture belt of the invention, as shown in Fig. 1, abattery 17, other electrical equipment 18 including a transformer and a controller, contact surfaces provided by conductive pads 13, 14 and appropriate connections therebetween are all incorporated in the belt 12. One of the conductive pads 13, in this case the cathode, is fixed while the other conductive pads 14, in this case the anode, can be moved along a rail or track 15. One end 11 of the belt 12 can be inserted into a hoop 16 at the other end. The length of the belt 12 is thus adjustable when it is slipped over the head of a patient or applied to any other part of the patient's body.

When treatment is to be applied to a specific point of the head, the belt 12 should be adjusted in the above-mentioned manner so that the conductive pad 13 is in contact with one specific point or area to which treatment is to be applied. The pad 14 can then be adjusted to contact another specific point.

As shown in Fig.2, each conductive pad 13, 14 has a contact surface 21 of concave shape so that it is closely pressed to the specific point of the body being treated when the belt is fastened properly.

In use, the power to the circuit is switched on and the magnitude of the electrical pulses is adjusted.

The patient can then enjoy a comfortable pulse pressure (the pulses are felt by the patient as points of pressure) and can continue to work. The belt has been found to be particularly convenient for long distance drivers and people who have to perform monotonous work who can use it while continuing such work.

In further embodiments of the belt in accordance with the invention, the pattern of pulses may vary depending on the construction of the belt. In Fig. 3, the main parts including the transformer, the electrical circuit and the battery, from which the low frequency high intensity pulse is produced, are designated as a whole by reference numeral 30. A contact surface 31 is a non-pressure contact that is to say it is not felt by the patient, as will be explained later, whereas another contact surface 32 does function in this way. A point contact of a acupuncture type is designated by reference numeral 33. The effect of the electrical pulse on the patient's body is in inverse ratio to the contact area.

In other words, the larger the contact area is, the lower the electrical discharge per unit area is. Conversely, the smaller the contact area is, the greater or more intense is the electrical discharge is.

Accordingly, the pressure felt by the patient is slight in the former instance and intense in the latter instance. The general known electro-acupuncture instrument has a constant electrical discharge per unit area because it has a set contact surface size.

With the belt of the present invention, one of the contact surfaces can be of large area while the other is of small area. The electrical discharge from the smaller contact surface can be increased so that the patient feels the pulse pressure like thumb pressure in massage. Conversely, the discharge from the larger surface can be decreased so that it is not felt at all by the patient. Accordingly, to increase the effect of the pulses, a structure such as 32, is used and to obtain an effect of acupuncture, a structure such as 33 is used.

Figs. 4(a), 4(b), 5, 6(a) and 6(b), indicate various examples of contact surface which permit sequential pulses from different places or points. In Fig. 4, the main part of the equipment is designated by reference numeral 40 and a contact surface 41 giving a pulse which cannot be felt is connected to one pole of that main part 40. The other pole is individually connected to other contact surfaces 42, 43,44,45,46. The number of contact surfaces may be increased or decreased as needed. The discharge pulses from these contact surfaces may be in a straight sequence of 42-4344-45-46 or in irregular sequence such as 42-45-43-44-42. Any such sequence is controlled by a controller in the main part 40. Also a discharge can be effected at two or more points at the same time.In Figs. 4(a) and (b) the structures shown are similar but in Fig. 4(b) large contact surface 41 in Fig. 4(a) which is not felt is substituted by a contact point 47 which is felt. Fig.

4(b) also shows the case where discharge may occur at two points at the same time.

In Fig. 5, two components are constructed in the form of spectacles and the other components including the contact surfaces 51 to 56 are as in Fig.

4. This embodiment of belt can be used to alleviate myopia and far-sightedness or fatigue of eyes. The non-pressure contact point 51 and the pressure contact points 52 to 56 are respectively connected to the main part 50.

In Figs. 6(a) and 6(b), the circular arrangement of contacts is changed to a linear arrangement to be applied to the specific area of the patient's body, such as the shoulder or the foot, where special treatment is needed. A non-pressure contact point 62 and pressure-applying contacts points 63 to 65 are provided as well as main electrical equipment 60. In Fig. 6(b) there is a non-pressure contact point 66 and pressure contact points 67, 68 and 69 which can be felt by the patient.

As mentioned above, the belt of the present invention has the same therapeutic effect as acupuncture by a professional expert and has no irritating or painful pricking sensation. It also has the advantage of an adjustable belt which can be fitted snugly to any specific point in the human body in an easy manner.

It can be used at any time and at any place without hindrance to the daily life of the patient and the magnitude of pulse can be regulated to obtain comfortable pulse acupuncture.

Up until now, the general known electrical acupuncture instrument has been limited to a discharge of both poles and was not suitable for the treatment of special points of the patient's body.

The present invention proposes an improved contact surface. Furthermore, it can be used for sequential or circulating point massage in automatic manner to increase the curative effect of the acupuncture.

Claims (3)

1. A portable acupuncture belt operative to supply electrical pulses and comprising a transformer, an electrical circuit and a battery as well as at least one contact surface formed by a pad having a concave surface which can be moved such that when in use the belt can be adjusted in length and the concave contact surface be steadily fitted to a specific point on a patient's body so as to transmit pulses thereto.

2. An acupuncture belt as claimed in claim 1 wherein the contact surface or surfaces is/are so arranged as to allow transmission of pulses at two separate places, or at a single place, or automatic sequential transmission of pulses from a plurality of places.

3. An acupuncture belt substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in Figs. (a) and 1(b), or Fig. 3, or Fig.4(a), or Fig. 4(b) or Fig. 5, or Fig.6(a), or Fig. 6(b) of the accompanying drawings.