AU2004231261A1 - Hypertension descending device - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S):: AHN, Moon-Hwi AND AHN, Sang-Wuk ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 1 Nicholson Street, Melbourne, 3000, Australia INVENTION TITLE: Hypertension descending device The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5102 1 0 Technical Field z Cc The present invention relates to a hypertension descending device using a cooling device, and more particularly, to a hypertension descending device capable of curing a hypertension disease by stimulating a patient's acupuncture point Renying(or referred to as "carotid sinus") by repeated cold pressure vibration.

t", S Background Art 0 In general, we depend on medicinal therapy, such as use of internal medicines and/or injection, in an aspect of the Western medical science or on acupuncture therapy in an aspect of the Oriental medical science to cure hypertension. However, in case of the medicinal therapy of the Western medical science, such as internal use of antihypertensive agent, it is quite probable that medication gives rise to ill effects as a patient must take medicines almost through his/her life. Meanwhile, the acupuncture therapy of the Oriental medical science requires highly skilled technique and specialization, shows different curing effects little by little whenever the patient is treated, and may cause pain when the patient is treated.

In the Western medical science, the place for curing a hypertension disease is referred to as "carotid sinus", and a physician do a carotid sinus massage with fingers during makeshift measures of the patients related with heart's blood. The carotid sinus massage decreases systolic blood pressure during a short period of time, but can maintain the descended blood pressure only for several minutes.

The inventor of the present invention made a clinical test to a patients' meridian points, and as a result of the clinical test, it was confirmed that the hypertensive patient's blood pressure was descended and returned to normal blood pressure when low-temperature stimulation was applied to the "acupuncture point Renying (ST 9 acupoint)", which was classified in the Oriental medical science, located at the left side or right side(carotid sinus) of the patient's neck part for a predetermined period of time. Also, it was confirmed that a headache and fever were cured when low-temperature stimulation was applied to the other Spots on the body suitable for acupuncture( S i.e. the acupuncture point Hegu, the acupuncture point Quchi, the acupuncture point Taiyang, the CN acupuncture point Fengchi, the acupuncture point Baihui, the acupuncture point Zusanli, the 0 acupuncture point Taichong, the acupuncture point Yongquan, the acupuncture point Renzhong, fr^ the acupuncture point Dazhui, the acupuncture point Tongtian).

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a device capable of curing hypertension by stimulating the patient's carotid sinus(acupuncture point Renying) by repeated _cold pressure vibration in person with no ill effects.

C, To achieve the above object, a cooling device is in contact with the patient's carotid sinus(acupuncture point Renying) and stimulates it at a low temperature of -1 °C +5°C for about 4-10 minutes. The contact tip of the present invention maintains a temperature of 5 "C in case it does not contact a human's body.

FIG 1 shows a product invented by the inventor of the present invention. In the drawing, a heat sink made of metal material with a good heat conductivity includes a conical cooling pin having a number of miniaturized vibration motors arranged at regular intervals to emit heat to the outside easily, and a coupling slit formed in the front end thereof to couple a cap, and through holes formed in the side surface to draw out electric wires.

A thermo electric module(thermoelement) is mounted at the center of the upper end portion of the heat sink, and at this time, a heat generating surface of the thermo electric module is directed to the heat sink, and a cooling surface of the thermo electric module(hereinafter, called "T.E module") has a contact tip, which has a hemispheric magnet mounted at the top of the T.E module. Furthermore, the electric wires of the T.E module are drawn out of the lower end of the heat sink through the holes formed in the side surface of the heat sink.

The contact tip has the optimal volume to transmit cooling temperature, which is set by a user, to the patient's affected portion the fastest.

A cooling fan is mounted at the lower end portion of the heat sink to effectively remove heat emitted from the heat generating surface of the T.E module, thereby maximizing a cooling efficiency of the T.E module.

Disclosure of Invention CI Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it 0 is an object of the present invention to provide a hypertension descending device capable of Cc stimulating a patient's carotid sinus(acupuncture point Renying) at a low temperature, which includes a temperature sensor for sensing a cooling temperature of a contact tip contacting with the patient's carotid sinus(Acupuncture point Renying), and which compares a temperature of the

INO

contact tip set by a user with a temperature of the contact tip sensed by the temperature sensor to automatically control the temperature of the contact tip according to the temperature difference, Sthereby automatically setting the cooling temperature of the contact tip according to the patients' physical constitutions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hypertension descending device capable of stimulating a patient's carotid sinus(Acupuncture point Renying) at a low temperature, which includes a heat sink and a cooling fan mounted at the lower portion of a Thermo electric module(hereinafter, called "T.E module") for cooling down the contact tip substantially, thereby improving cooling efficiency of the T.E module.

To achieve the above objects, the contact tip protrudes to the upper end portion of a case to be in contact with the patient's carotid sinus(Acupuncture point Renying) portion, and the T.E module is disposed on the lower end of the contact tip to cool down the temperature of the contact tip to the temperature set by the user.

Brief Description of Drawings Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a structure of a cooling device according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a photograph of a hypertension descending device according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a view of a structure and a circuit diagram of a controlling device; FIG. 4 is a view showing designs of the outward pattern of the hypertension descending device; N FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the hypertension descending device; 0 FIG. 6 is a view showing the outward pattern of the hypertension descending device; SFIG. 7 is a view of an anatomized structure of a human's carotid sinus; FIG 8 is a view of the position of a human's carotid sinus; and FIG. 9 is a view of the position of a human's Acupuncture point Renying, showing a state in which the hypertension descending device is in contact with the Acupuncture point C Renying.

SFIG. 10 is a view of the position of a human's Spots on the body suitable for acupuncture.

FIG. 11 is a view of the anatomical chart showing a human's Spots on the body suitable for acupuncture.

FIG. 12 is a view of the position of a human's Acupuncture point Renying(ST 9 acupoint).

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention The present invention will now be described in detail in connection with preferred enmbodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG 6 shows a case, which is the outward appearance of a hypertension descending device using low temperature according to the present invention. A contact tip to be in contact with a patent's carotid sinus(Acupuncture point Renying) portion protrudes upwardly from the upper end portion of the case.

As shown in FIG 2, a thermo electric module(hereinafter, called "T.E module") is mounted at the lower end portion of the contact tip to cool the contact tip to a cooling temperature set by the user according to input current. At this time, as shown in FIG 1, the T.E module has a cooling surface formed on the upper surface thereof, which is in contact with the contact tip, and a heat generating surface formed on the lower surface thereof, which is in contact with a heat sink.

The heat sink is mounted on the lower portion of the T.E module, and has a cooling fan mounted at the lower end thereof for discharging heat emitted from the heat sink to the outside CI so as to improve a cooling efficiency of the T.E module.

S g Therefore, when the T.E module is operated, the cooling fan is also operated, and then, a ¢3 great deal of heat is removed fast through the heat sink being in contact with the heat generating surface of the T.E module using forced convection, so that the T.E module shows more improved cooling efficiency.

INO

Meanwhile, the present invention includes a controlling device for maintaining the cooling temperature of the contact tip set by the user. The controlling device includes a key Sinput part(switch) for starting and terminating operation, an LED for displaying the present status, and a buzzer for informing start and termination of operation to the user.

The operation of the present invention having the controlling device(see FIG 5) will be described as follows.

First, when a user supplies power source by manipulating the key input part, the buzzer informs the user of start of operation by a continuous sound of "buzz-, buzz-", and the LED emits light to show application of power source. The controlling device controls strength of electric current supplied to the T.E module according to supplied control signal, and the T.E module cools the contact tip according to the electric current supplied from the controlling device.

At this time, a temperature sensor mounted on the contact tip senses the present cooling temperature of the contact tip and transmits it to a temperature controller, and the temperature controller compares the present cooling temperature sensed by the temperature sensor with the temperature of the contact tip set by the user. After that, the temperature controller outputs control signal, which is modulated in pulse width corresponding to the temperature difference between the set temperature and the present cooling temperature, to a current controller. The current controller controls the strength of electric current supplied to the T.E module according to the pulse width modulated control signal inputted from the temperature controller, so that the cooling temperature of the contact tip can be maintained at the cooling temperature set by the user.

Furthermore, when the T.E module is operated, the cooling fan is also operated, and smoothly emits heat emitted from the heat generating surface of the T.E module through the heat C sink to improve the cooling efficiency of the T.E module, so that the contact tip can reach a 0 desired cooling temperature faster.

z Cc Meanwhile, FIG 5 is a simple circuit diagram showing the controlling device applied to the present invention.

In the drawing, the temperature sensor 26 includes a thermister 26a and resistances and R6, which have resistance values varied according to a temperature change of the I surroundings.

STherefore, when the temperature of the contact tip is changed, the temperature controller 28 can sense the present cooling temperature of the contact tip while the resistance value of the thermister 26a is varied.

The key input part 27 includes a number of switches SW1 SW4 and resistances R1 R4 for allowing the user to input a desired setting temperature. In the drawings, unexplained reference numeral 27a is a buzzer.

The current controller 29 is to control electric current supplied to the T.E module 23 according to the pulse width modulated control signal, which is outputted from the temperature controller 28. The current controller 29 includes a smoothing filter 29b, which has resistances R7 and R9 and a capacitor C1, and which converts the pulse width modulated control signal outputted from the temperature controller 28 into DC signal of a predetermined level, and a transistor Q for varying strength of electric current supplied to the T.E module 23 according to signal outputted from an arithmetic amplifier 29a.

That is, the current controller 29 receives the control signal, which is supplied from the temperature controller 28, from the smoothing filter 29b, and converts it into DC signal of the predetermined level. The DC signal of the predetermined level outputted from the smoothing filter 29b is supplied to the transistor Q after being amplified in the arithmetic amplifier 29a.

The transistor Q supplies electric current corresponding to inputted voltage to the T.E module, so that the cooling operation of the T.E module 23 can be realized.

The level of DC signal outputted from the smoothing filter 29b is varied according to pulse width of control signal outputted from the temperature controller 28, and the strength of electric current supplied to the T.E module 23 is varied according to the level of DC signal C outputted from the smoothing filter 29b, so that the cooling temperature of the contact tip can be 0 controlled.

z As described above, after the operation is started, when the user contacts the cooled contact tip onto the patient's carotid sinus(Acupuncture point Renying) shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 for 4-10 minutes, hypertension can be descended effectively.

As a result of stimulating the patient's carotid sinus(Acupuncture point Renying) portion CI with cold pressure using the present invention, the numerical value of hypertension was lowered, for example, 60 patients, who had blood pressure of about 170mmHg, were stimulated at a low temperature of about 20 30 for 4-10 minutes every day for about 3 months, and thereby, the blood pressure of the hypertensive patients was descended to about 40mmHg. At this time, duration time of hypertension descending was about 6-8 hours.

As described above, it was confirmed that the cooling temperature was harmless to the human body as the cooling temperature was descended by the human body's temperature, namely, body temperature, even though the low-temperature stimulation was applied to the patient's carotid sinus(Acupuncture point Renying) portion.

Experimental Example I. Subject and Method of Study 1. Subject To observe a hypertension descending effect of the hypertension descending device according to the present invention, 120 hypertensive patients, who live in Seosan from October to December of 2002 year, were divided into an HDD group and a control group without regard to age and sex distinction. The HDD group, which used the hypertension descending device, had 60 members, and the control group, which used antihypertensive agent, also had 60 members.

The members of the HDD group and the control group were selected on the basis of patients who were in similar age and disease condition and the same sex distinction. Moreover, the patients, who participated in this experimental test, were all adults and had blood pressure exceeding normal range, which was measured three times within a predetermined period of time.

CI 2. Measuring Method O The HDD group did not take antihypertensive agent at all during the experimental Cc duration, and used only the hypertension descending device according to the present invention.

The contact tip of the hypertension descending device was in contact with the patient's Acupuncture point Renying located at the left side or the right side of the human body's neck \0 cI portion.

C The experimental duration was about 3 months by 5 minutes every day, and during the Sabove duration, blood pressure was measured before medical cure, directly after the medical cure, and after 30 minutes from the medical cure.

The control group took antihypertensive agent according to a physician's prescription.

The experimental duration was about 3 months, and blood pressure was measured once every day.

To measure blood pressure, an automatic blood pressure measuring device manufactured by the JAWON Medical Co., Ltd. was used.

3. Search Method To select the HDD group and the control group, the standard(see Table 1) defined by JNC-VI(1997) and WHO/ISH(1999) was applied, and persons who had blood pressure exceeding the normal range were prescribed as hypertensive patients.

During the experimental duration, the members of the HDD group did not take antihypertensive agent at all, and used only the hypertension descending device manufactured by the JAWON Medical Co., Ltd. On the other side, the members of the control group took antihypertensive agent.

[Table 1] Standard of hypertension defined by .INC-VI(1997) and WHO/ISIH(1999) L Division Systolic state (mmHg) Atonic state (mmHg) Optimal <120 <80 Normal <130 High normal 130-139 85-89 Hypertension Grade 1 (light case) Borderline hypertension i- Grade 2 (middle case) Grade 3 (serious case) Isolated systolic hypertension Borderline 140-159 140-149 160-179 >180 >140 140-149 90-99 90-94 100-109 >110 4. Criterion of Curing Result A criterion of curing effect was divided into three stages according to the descending level of systolic blood pressure, and the curing effect was judged by percentage using an Excel program by the Microsoft corporation.

A. Excellent: in case of that systolic blood pressure more than 20mmHg was descended.

B. Good in case of that systolic blood pressure of about 10-20mmHg was descended.

C. Poor in case of that systolic blood pressure of about 10mmHg or less was descended.

II. Result 1. Age and Sex distinction of HDD group The subject members for study were all 120 people, including the HDD group having members and the control group having 60 members. The HDD group had 25 males and females, and its average age was 58.9 (see Table 2).

[Table 2] Distribution of Age in i'IDD and Control Group Ae Male N.

40-495 )9~ 60-69 1~( 70-791 Iowla2 Fe-iiiak l N. Ioul! 101 111 21 6i 28 0 1 '35 N: Number of patient 2. Age and Sex distinction of Control group The control group had 60 members including 28 males and 32 females, and its average age was 58.2 (see Table 3).

[Table 3] Distribution of Sex in l-IDD and Control Group Age Male N.

19 ,70-9 0/ '1'otal__28_ Femnale N.

4 16C 0I Tota I 6) '24 0 3. Grade Distribution of Subject Patient The 60 members of the HDD group were classified into 18 persons of hypertension grade 1, 37 persons of hypertension grade 2, and 5 persons of hypertension grade 3. The 0 members of the control group were classified into 18 persons of hypertension grade 1, 32 C1 persons of hypertension grade 2, and 10 persons of hypertension grade 3 (see Tabe 4).

O [Table 4] SGrade Distribution of Hypertention \1-1 )D Control Group I otal

CN

1l y perten tion (;rade.l 18 18 36 SI-lvIypierntion Grade2 37 32 69 Syperitention (;Grde3 5 10 C Total 60 60_ 120 4. Curing Effect of Hypertension Grades 1 and 2 In the HDD group, the hypertensive patients of hypertension grades 1 and 2 were total persons, wherein 25 persons(45.5%) obtained an excellent curing effect, 23 persons(41.8%) obtained a good curing effect, and so, total 48 persons(87.3%) obtained an effective curing result, but only 7 persons(12.7%) obtained a poor curing result.

Meanwhile, in the control group, the hypertensive patients of hypertension grades 1 and 2 were total 50 persons, wherein 23 persons(46.0%) obtained an excellent curing effect after taking antihypertensive agent, 21 persons(42.2%) obtained a good curing effect, and so, total 44 persons(88.0%) obtained an effective curing result, but only 6 persons(12.0%) obtained a poor curing result (see Table In case of the hypertension grades 1 and 2, there was little difference between the HDD group and the control group.

[Table Result in hypertention grade 1 and 2 I:Excellent Good Poor Total Effect I-IDD Control Groupl 25( 45.5% 23( 46.0%) 23(41.8%) 21(42.0%) 7(12.7%) 6(12.0%) 55 48/55(87.3%) 44/50(88.0%) Curing Effect of Hypertension Grade 3 There were 5 hypertensive patients of hypertension grade 3 in the HDD group, wherein the 5 hypertensive patients of hypertension grade 3 obtained little curing effect by the hypertension descending device as blood pressure descending of the 5 hypertensive patients was about 1 OmmHg or less.

There were 10 hypertensive patients of hypertension grade 3 in the control group, wherein 7 persons(70%) of the hypertensive patients obtained an excellent curing effect after taking antihypertensive agent, and 3 persons(30%) obtained a poor curing effect (see Table 6).

[Table 6] Result in Hypertention Grade 3 ["Ace lel I Poor TotalI 0(0-1) 5(100%) Control Group 7(70) 0(0%) 3(30%) 6. Comparison of Curing Effect 48 persons(80.0%) of the total 60 hypertensive patients in the HDD group obtained an

I

effective curing result using the hypertension descending device according to the present 0 N invention, but 51 persons(85.0%) in the control group obtained the effective curing result after O taking hypertensive agent (see Table 7).

c[Table 7] Comparison of Effect between HDD and Control Group 0 11)1) Control (roup II. Conclusion To check a hypertension descending effect of the hypertension descending device according to the present invention, the hypertension descending device applied cold stimulation to the Acupuncture point Renying in relation with 120 hypertensive patients of hypertension grades 1, 2 and 3.

1. 87.3% of the hypertensive patients of hypertension grades 1 and 2 in the HDD group obtained the effective curing result by the hypertension descending device according to the present invention, and 88.0% of the hypertensive patients of hypertension grades 1 and 2 in the control group obtained the effective curing result after taking antihypertensive agent, and so, the HDD group and the control group showed similar curing effect.

2. The curing effect of the hypertensive patients of hypertension grade 3 in the HDD group was still less than that of the hypertensive patients of hypertension grade 3 in the control group.

3. The effective curing result of the total hypertensive patients in the HDD group was 80.0%, but that of the total hypertensive patients in the control group was 85.0%.

As you can see from the above, the hypertension descending effect of the hypertension descending device by the low-temperature stimulating device onto the patient's Acupuncture point Renying, and so, it can be used as substitution for antihypertensive agent for the hypertensive patients of hypertension grades 1 and 2, and help to prevent the progress from the hypertension grade 1 to the hypertension grade 2 or 3.

SAs described above, the hypertension descending device according to the present invention shows excellent effect in hypertension descent. A hypertensive patient of a light case 0 Z can make a living only by using the hypertension descending device without taking C€3 ri 5 antihypertensive agent. In addition, a hypertensive patient of a serious case can use the hypertension descending device and antihypertensive agent together. In this case, a use amount ND of antihypertensive agent can be largely reduced.

(Ni Industrial Applicability 0 As described above, the hypertension descending device according to the present invention is designed to allow common users to use it easily, and provides a good hypertension descent effect by stimulating the patient's carotid sinus(Acupuncture point Renying) portion while maintaining a uniform cooling temperature of the contact tip, which is in contact with the patient's carotid sinus(Acupuncture point Renying) portion.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims (3)

1. A hypertension descending device, which includes a contact tip protruding Z upwardly, a thermo electric module having a heat sink mounted at the lower portion thereof, and C 5 a cooling fan and a number of vibration motors mounted at the lower portion of the heat sink, the lower part of the hypertension descending device comprising: IDa temperature sensor having a thermister and resistances; C€ a temperature controller for checking a cooling temperature of the contact tip while a resistance value of the thermister is varied when the temperature of the contact tip is changed; C 0 a key input part having a number of switches and resistances for inputting a temperature- set by a user; and a current controller for controlling electric current supplied to the thermo electric module according to pulse width modulated control signal outputted from the temperature controller, the current controller having a smoothing filter and a transistor, the smoothing filter having resistances and a capacitor, the transistor for varying strength of electric current supplied to the thermo electric module according to signal outputted from an arithmetic amplifier, wherein the contact tip is in contact with a patient's carotid sinus(Acupuncture point Renying: about 10mm/DIA), which is located at the left side or the right side of the patient's neck portion, at the temperature of about 20 30 for 4-10 minutes and stimulates the patient's carotid sinus portion by cold pressure, so that a barorecepter for controlling blood pressure by the patient's autonomic nervous system descends the blood pressure by stimulating the central nervous system. 16

2. A hypertension device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings and/or examples.

3. The steps, features, compositions and compounds disclosed herein or referred to or indicated in the specification and/or claims of this application, individually or collectively, and any and all combinations of any two or more of said steps or features. DATED this TWENTY THIRD day of NOVEMBER,. 2004 AHN, Moon-Hwi AND AHN, Sang-Wuk by DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the applicant(s) 5108