JP2015091532A - Interference low frequency treatment equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve interference low frequency stimulation that is less likely to cause habituation and has high treatment effect by generating a plurality of interference low frequencies to perform complex biostimulation, with a small number of electrodes.SOLUTION: Multiple systems of output units are provided having: a carrier wave generation unit for generating a carrier wave of frequency f; a treatment wave generation unit for generating a treatment wave; a converter for changing a phase or frequency of the carrier wave generated by the carrier wave generation unit in a predetermined range; an adder input level adjuster for adjusting an output level of the carrier wave generation unit and an output level of the converter to input to an adder; the adder for adding the inputted output to output an internal interference low frequency; an amplifier for amplifying an output of the adder to a desired value, and outputs of the multiple systems of output units are simultaneously supplied to an organism.

Description

   The present invention relates to an interference low frequency treatment device.

The interference low-frequency treatment device is configured to cause a plurality of currents having slightly different frequencies to flow through a living body at the same time and perform stimulation with the interference low-frequency current generated in the living body.
Conventional low-frequency treatment devices supply a current having a frequency of 1000 Hz or less, usually tens of Hz or less, to a living body via an electrode attached to the skin surface. However, the skin has an electrical equivalent circuit composed of resistance components R and r and a capacitance component C as shown in FIG. 3, and its impedance is as large as several kilohms. As a result, there is a problem that a current having a desired magnitude cannot be supplied and a sufficient therapeutic effect cannot be obtained.
In order to solve this problem, an interference low frequency treatment device has been developed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the interference low frequency treatment device supplies two currents (carrier waves) having slightly different frequencies to the living body at the same time, generates an interference low frequency having a frequency difference between the two carrier waves, and stimulates the living body (muscles). (Shrink).
A carrier wave having a frequency f of several kHz (usually around 4000 Hz) is used. Since this frequency is about an order of magnitude higher than that of a conventional general low-frequency treatment device, the skin impedance is about 1/10 and there is almost no sense of electrical stimulation. For this reason, larger energy than conventional can be supplied. However, muscle contraction cannot be obtained with a current of about 4000 Hz alone.
Therefore, two carrier waves having slightly different frequencies are used, and muscle contraction is obtained by the interference low frequency generated in the living body. A current of several to several tens Hz can effectively obtain muscle contraction.
In this way, in the interference low frequency treatment device, by using a high frequency carrier wave, there is no sense of unpleasant electrical stimulation, and it is possible to supply a larger amount of electric energy than before, and the two carrier waves interfere with each other. Thus, the muscle contraction can be effectively obtained at the interference low frequency generated.
In this way, the interference low-frequency treatment device can solve the problems of the conventional low-frequency treatment device and obtain a high therapeutic effect.

   In the above description, the interference low frequency treatment device that supplies two carrier waves with slightly different frequencies to the living body at the same time and generates the interference low frequency in the living body has been described. A similar interference low frequency can be generated (for example, Patent Document 1). An example of the block diagram is shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an interference low-frequency treatment device that generates a low-frequency interference by controlling the phase. The apparatus includes a carrier wave generation unit 61, a converter 63, amplifiers 65a and 65b, a control unit 66, and electrodes 68a, 68b, 69a and 69b. The carrier wave generated by the carrier wave generating unit 61 is amplified by the amplifier 65a and supplied to the living body via the electrodes 68a and 68b, while the carrier wave generated by the carrier wave generating unit 61 is phase-controlled by the converter 63, and the amplifier Amplified at 65b and supplied to the living body via the electrodes 69a and 69b.
At this time, when the phase of the carrier wave is linearly changed with the period δf by the converter 63, an interference low frequency in which the carrier frequency is f and the frequency of the interference low frequency is δf can be obtained. The same interference low frequency can be obtained.
Reference numeral 66 in FIG. 6 denotes a control unit that can control the carrier wave generation unit 61 and the converter 63 to control the frequency of the carrier wave, the waveform and frequency of the interference low frequency, and the like.
The amplification factors of the amplifiers 65a and 65b depend on the operation amount of the output regulator provided on the operation panel of the apparatus.
Operate the output regulator and use it so that the appropriate stimulation intensity (muscle contraction and stimulation sensation is appropriate).

As described above, the conventional interference low frequency treatment device treats two carriers of the carrier 1 and the carrier 2 that controls the frequency or phase of the carrier 1 through the living body and treats with the interference low frequency generated in the living body. It is to do.
The conventional interference low-frequency treatment device using two carrier waves having slightly different frequencies solves the problems of the conventional low-frequency treatment device, and provides effective treatment with less discomfort. However, since the muscle stimulation is performed only by the interference low frequency of the frequency δf, there is a problem that the stimulation becomes relatively monotonous and the habituation occurs.
In view of this, a technique has been disclosed in which three carrier waves having different frequencies are output to obtain three interference low frequencies to perform muscle stimulation with more variety (for example, Patent Document 2).

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of Patent Document 2. In FIG. The apparatus generates a carrier wave having a frequency α by a frequency generation unit (reference numeral 11 in the figure), generates a therapeutic wave having a frequency β by a frequency setting part (reference numeral 15 in the figure), and generates two frequency converters (in the figure). 15B and 15C), two carrier waves having frequencies α + β and α + 2β are generated, and these three carrier waves are amplified by three output units (14A, 14B, and 14C in the figure) and supplied to the living body. However, two kinds of interference low frequencies β and 2β are obtained to stimulate the living body.
For this reason, in the conventional interference low frequency treatment device, muscle stimulation is performed with one type of interference low frequency (frequency is δf). However, according to Patent Document 2, muscle stimulation is performed with two types of interference low frequencies of β and 2β. Can be stimulated with more variety. In the electrical stimulation, there is a problem that the body becomes accustomed to the stimulation while continuing the treatment and the therapeutic effect is reduced. However, Patent Document 2 reduces the familiarity with the electrical stimulation and obtains a higher therapeutic effect. be able to.

Published Patent Showa 53-30270 Japanese Patent No. 4208988

As described above, the interference low-frequency treatment device of Patent Document 1 and the like has no unpleasant irritation compared to the conventional general low-frequency treatment device, and can supply a large amount of electric energy to the living body. Is expensive. However, since the living body is stimulated with one interference low frequency, there is only a relatively monotonous stimulation, and there is a problem that the habituation occurs and the therapeutic effect is reduced.
Since Patent Literature 2 stimulates a living body by generating three interference low frequencies, a more varied stimulation is effective than a conventional interference low frequency treatment device, and thus a higher therapeutic effect is expected. it can.
However, since the device of Patent Document 2 requires three sets of six electrodes, when treating a small part such as an extremity, there is a problem that a space for attaching electrodes cannot be taken and the features cannot be utilized.
An object of the present invention is to solve these problems and to provide a new type of interference low frequency treatment device capable of performing more effective treatment with fewer electrodes.

Therefore, in the first aspect of the present invention,
A carrier wave generator for generating a medium frequency carrier wave having a frequency f;
A therapeutic wave generator for generating a therapeutic wave;
A converter that changes the phase or frequency of the carrier wave generated by the carrier wave generator in a predetermined range;
An adder input level adjuster that adjusts an output level of the carrier wave generation unit and an output level of the converter and inputs the adjusted signal to an adder;
An adder that outputs an internal interference low frequency having a frequency that causes the muscles to contract sufficiently by adding the input outputs;
An amplifier for amplifying the output of the adder to a desired value;
A plurality of interference low frequency output units having
At least one of the outputs of the plurality of interference low-frequency output units supplied to the living body is an internal interference low-frequency generated by the adder.
Moreover, in invention of Claim 2 of this invention, in invention of Claim 1,
It is characterized in that n (n-1) / 2 interference low frequencies are generated in the living body with respect to the n internal interference low frequencies.
Moreover, in invention of Claim 3 of this invention, in invention of Claim 1 thru | or 2,
The waveform or frequency set in the therapeutic wave generation unit, the phase or frequency set in the converter, the frequency set in the carrier wave generation unit,
By changing at least one of them, various waveforms are generated in the interference low frequency generated in the living body.

From the first output unit, the first internal interference low frequency of the carrier wave frequency f and the interference low frequency δf1 is output,
From the second output unit, the second internal interference low frequency of the carrier wave frequency f and the interference low frequency δf2 is output,
From the n-th output unit, the carrier wave frequency is f and the interference low-frequency frequency δfn is output, and the n-th internal interference low-frequency is output.
A living body is stimulated by n internal interference waves output from each output unit.
When this is simultaneously supplied to the living body, the internal interference low frequency output from each output unit interferes with the internal interference wave output from the other output units, and n (n-1) / 2 interferences in the living body. Low frequency is generated and stimulates the living body.

For this reason, a total of n + n (n−1) / 2 interference low frequencies of n internal interference low frequencies output from each output system and n (n−1) / 2 interference low frequencies generated in the living body. Stimulate the living body with frequency.
For example, when the number of output systems is two in the present invention, two internal interference waves with frequencies a and b are output, and an interference low frequency with a frequency ab is generated in the living body. Stimulate the living body with low frequency interference.
In the conventional interference low frequency treatment device of Patent Document 1 using two sets of currents, stimulation is performed with one interference low frequency. Interfering low frequency treatment devices have a higher therapeutic effect than conventional general low frequency treatment devices, but because they are relatively simple stimuli due to a single interference low frequency, habituation occurs and treatment effects are reduced. Had the problem.
On the other hand, in the present invention, since more complex stimulation can be performed with the same number of electrodes, there is less habituation, and therefore a higher therapeutic effect than that of Patent Document 1 can be obtained.

In the conventional interference low frequency treatment device of Patent Document 2 using three sets of currents, stimulation is performed by generating three interference low frequencies in a living body. For this reason, the irritation | stimulation which is more complicated than patent document 1, and is less accustomed is possible, Therefore The therapeutic effect higher than patent document 1 is acquired.
On the other hand, in the present invention, the same number of interference low-frequency stimulations as in Patent Document 2 can be performed using two sets of electrodes instead of the three sets of electrodes disclosed in Patent Document 2. A therapeutic effect equivalent to that of Patent Document 2 can be expected. In addition, since only two sets of electrodes are required in the present invention, it is possible to treat a small affected area where an electrode that cannot be treated in Patent Document 2 cannot be applied. That is, the applicable range of the present invention is wider than that of Patent Document 2.
When the number of outputs is n, as described above, biostimulation is performed with n + n (n-1) / 2 interference low frequencies, so that complex and less accustomed stimulation can be performed, and the therapeutic effect is improved. Can be made.

   Hereinafter, the present invention will be described focusing on an embodiment in which two output systems are used.

The present invention
A carrier wave generator for generating a medium frequency carrier wave having a frequency f;
A converter that changes the phase or frequency of the carrier wave generated by the carrier wave generator at a desired frequency;
An adder input level adjuster that adjusts an output level of the carrier wave generation unit and an output level of the converter and inputs the adjusted signal to an adder;
An adder that adds the input outputs and outputs an interference low frequency;
An amplifier for amplifying the output of the adder to a desired value;
A control unit for controlling the converter,
A plurality of interference low-frequency output units having,
It is an interference low frequency treatment device provided with an electrode for simultaneously supplying the outputs of the plurality of interference low frequency output units to the living body.

An embodiment of the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment in which the interference low-frequency output unit of the present invention has two systems.
The apparatus includes a carrier wave generator 1, a treatment wave generator 2a, a frequency converter 3a, a regulator 7a, an adder 4a, an amplifier 5a, and an electrode 8 and a first output system (interference low frequency output unit). A second output system (interference low-frequency output unit) composed of a carrier wave generator 1, a treatment wave generator 2b, a frequency converter 3b, a regulator 7b, an adder 4b, an amplifier 5b, and an electrode 9.
A control unit 6;
Consists of.

The operation of the present invention will be described below based on the block diagram of FIG. 1 and the explanatory diagram of the interference low frequency example of FIG.
The control unit 6 includes a carrier wave generator 1, therapeutic wave generators 2a and 2b, frequency converters 3a and 3b, adders 4a and 4b, amplifiers 5a and 5b, and an input of an operation unit of the device (not shown). And controls the entire apparatus including the display unit accordingly.
The carrier wave generator 1 is controlled by the controller 6 to generate a carrier wave having a predetermined frequency f. The frequency of the carrier wave can be controlled to a set value, but may be fixed.
The treatment wave generators 2a and 2b are controlled by the control unit 6 to generate a treatment wave frequency α of the first output system and a treatment wave frequency β of the second output system, respectively. In the treatment wave, not only frequency information but also waveform information can be given depending on the pattern in which the frequency is changed. The waveform information is a waveform of a therapeutic wave, such as a sine wave or a rectangular wave, and defines a waveform and frequency of an internal interference wave or an interference low frequency generated in a living body. Here, the treatment wave is described as an example of a sine wave. In this case, for example, if the frequency of the treatment wave is increased linearly with time and then decreased (changed to a triangular wave shape), the treatment wave is sinusoidal. Waves can be generated. Further, when the frequency of the treatment wave is set to α or β for the period T and then the frequency of the treatment wave is set to zero (changed in a pulse shape), a pulsed treatment wave can be obtained. When α or β is kept constant, a sinusoidal interference low frequency with a period of α or β is obtained. When the phase control is performed, the waveform and frequency of the interference low frequency can be controlled similarly to the frequency control.

The frequency converter 3a outputs a carrier wave having a frequency f + α from a carrier wave having a frequency f generated by the carrier wave generator 1 and a treatment wave having a frequency α generated by the treatment wave generator 2a.
The frequency converter 3b outputs a carrier wave having a frequency f + β from a carrier wave having a frequency f generated by the carrier wave generator 1 and a treatment wave having a frequency β generated by the treatment wave generator 2b.
The adjusters 7a and 7b are controlled by the control unit 6 and adjust the levels input to the adders 4a and 4b.
The adder 4a adds the output of the carrier wave generator 1 and the output of the frequency converter 3a to generate an interference low frequency having a frequency including a carrier wave having a frequency f. Since this interference low frequency is generated inside the apparatus, it is referred to as internal interference low frequency in the present invention. Since the frequency α is set to a frequency at which muscle contraction is possible, muscle contraction can be caused only by this low internal interference frequency.

Similarly, the adder 4b adds the output of the carrier wave generator 1 and the output of the frequency converter 3b to generate an internal interference low frequency having a frequency β including a carrier wave having a frequency f. Muscle contraction can be caused even by this low frequency of internal interference.
The internal interference low frequency generated by the first output system and the second output system is amplified to a desired value by the amplifiers 5a and 5b, and supplied to the living body through the electrodes 8 and 9.
In the living body, two internal interference low frequencies output from the two output systems interfere with each other, and an interference low frequency having a frequency of α-β including a carrier wave having a frequency f is generated.
As a result, the living body has an interference low frequency generated in the living body having the frequency α-β, an internal interference low frequency output by the first output system is α, and a frequency generated by the second output system is the inside of β. The living body is stimulated by a total of three interference low frequencies of interference low frequency, and muscle contraction is caused.

An embodiment of the invention according to claim 2 of the present invention will be described below.
Compared with the interference low-frequency treatment device as in Patent Document 1 treated with a single interference low-frequency, the interference low-frequency treatment device of the present invention can perform more complex stimulation, so It becomes less and the therapeutic effect is improved.
The point of treatment with three interference low frequencies is the same as in Patent Document 2 and has the same therapeutic effect. However, in the present invention, two sets of electrodes may be used, but Patent Document 2 requires three sets of electrodes. There may be no space for three sets of electrodes in a small region such as a limb. In such a part, since there is no use other than using an interference low frequency like Patent Document 1 which is inferior in effectiveness, treatment with inferior effect must be performed. However, in the present invention, since only two sets of electrodes are required, even a small portion can be treated as highly as in Patent Document 2.

An embodiment of the invention according to claim 3 of the present invention will be described below.
In the above description, the example which used the frequency converter for the converters 3a and 3b was described. However, in the present invention, phase shifters may be used for the converters 3a and 3b, and regulators 7a and 7b may be used between the converters 3a and 3b and the adders 4a and 4b.
In this case, the phase shifter is controlled by a pattern (the waveform and frequency of the treatment wave) created by the treatment wave generator, and the phase of the carrier wave having the frequency f generated by the carrier wave generator 1 is controlled. When the phase shifter output and the output of the carrier wave generator 1 are adjusted by the adjusters 7a and 7b and then added by the adder, the internal interference low frequency having the frequencies α and β can be generated.

When the number of output systems is four or more, more effective muscle stimulation can be performed with more interference and lower frequency, more complex, new stimulation feeling, less familiarity, and more.
In the present invention, the frequency of the carrier wave can be controlled. When the frequency of the carrier wave changes from about 1 kHz to about 10 kHz, for example, the muscle contraction force is different in each frequency region, and the electric stimulation feeling is also different, so that the change in frequency can be identified. For this reason, if the frequency of the carrier wave is changed greatly, it will become a novel stimulus by itself and prevent habituation.

   Furthermore, in this invention, the information which has arbitrary waveforms and frequency information can be output with a therapeutic wave generator. Therefore, the internal interference low frequency waveform and frequency, and the interference low frequency waveform and frequency generated in the living body can be set arbitrarily, and the interference low frequency waveform and frequency can be changed over time. is there. Usually, conventional interference low frequency treatment devices generate sinusoidal interference low frequency and rectangular burst waves. However, in the present invention, a pulse-like interference low frequency having an arbitrary waveform can be obtained, so that a waveform corresponding to the purpose, such as a narrow pulse suitable for nerve stimulation or a wide pulse suitable for promoting wound healing, Interference low frequency can be output. Furthermore, if the frequency of the carrier wave is changed, a difference in stimulation sensation depending on the frequency band of the carrier wave can be perceived, and stimulation with more variety is possible.

It is a block diagram of the Example of the two-system output of this invention. It is an example of the interference low frequency which generate | occur | produces in the living body of the output current of the Example of the two-system output of this invention. It is an electrical equivalent circuit of the human body as seen from the skin surface. It is a figure of the output and electrode arrangement | positioning of the interference low frequency therapeutic device described in patent document 1. FIG. This is an example of a conventional interference low frequency two carrier waves and interference low frequency generated in the body. It is an example of the block diagram of the conventional phase control type interference low frequency treatment device. 10 is a block diagram of Patent Document 2. FIG.

1, 61 Carrier wave generation unit 2a, 2b Treatment wave generation unit 3a, 3b, 63 Converter 4a, 4b Adder 5a, 5b, 65a, 65b Amplifier 6, 66 Control unit 7a, 7b Adder input level adjuster 8, 9 68, 69 electrodes

Claims (3)

A carrier wave generator for generating a carrier wave having a frequency f;
A therapeutic wave generator for generating a therapeutic wave;
A converter that changes the phase or frequency of the carrier wave generated by the carrier wave generator in a predetermined range;
An adder input level adjuster that adjusts an output level of the carrier wave generation unit and an output level of the converter and inputs the adjusted signal to an adder;
An adder that adds the input outputs and outputs internal interference low frequency;
An amplifier for amplifying the output of the adder to a desired value;
A plurality of interference low frequency output units having
An interference low-frequency treatment device, wherein at least one of the outputs from the plurality of interference low-frequency output units supplied to the living body is an internal interference low frequency generated by the adder. 2. The interference low-frequency treatment device according to claim 1, wherein n (n−1) / 2 interference low frequencies are generated in the living body with respect to the n internal interference low frequencies. The waveform or frequency set in the therapeutic wave generation unit, the phase or frequency set in the converter, the frequency set in the carrier wave generation unit,
The interference low-frequency treatment device according to claim 1, wherein various waveforms are generated in the interference low-frequency generated in a living body by changing at least one of them.

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