GB2160444A - Hydrotherapy - Google Patents

Abstract

A therapeutic apparatus using liquid jets essentially comprises at least one nozzle 3 capable of spurting liquid, a device 5 for adjusting the speed at which the liquid is spurted through the nozzle, and a device 2 for intermittently delivering the liquid as pressurized to the speed adjusting device. This therapeutic apparatus brings about its effect by using liquid jets for direct bombardment of one or more vital points in a patient's body which are recognised to manifest curative response to the dermal stimulation. The liquid may be supplied alternatively from hot and cold pipes 4a, 4b by device 6. The liquid may contain a germanium compound which penetrates the skin, or a mentha solution. The nozzles may be located in a box to hold a standing or sitting patient, or beneath water level in a bath. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Therapeutic apparatus using liquid jets This invention relates to a therapeutic apparatus using liquid jets. It is aimed at providing a novel physiotherapeutic apparatus for directly bombarding at least one point on the skin of a patient with a thin powerful liquid jet for periods varying between several seconds and some tens of munites.

Therapy by moxacautery has been in practice from time immemorial. This therapy is based on the principle that acute stimulus given to one point (vital point) of the skin produces a therapeutic effect in affected regions separated from the point of stimulation or throughout the entire system. What produces this thecapuetic effect defies elucidation by modern medicine.

As methods heretofore available for the aforementioned local stimulation of the selected point of the skin called the "vital point", there can be mentioned moxacautery which heats the vital point by burning moxa directly on the point and acupuncture which pierces the vital point with a fine needle of noble metal penetrated through the skin.

As modifications of these time-honored methods, there have been recently introduced a method which passes electric current to the vital point through the fine needle so plunged through the skin, a method which applies a high- or low-frequency electrode to the skin over the vital point, and a method which massages the vital point with a vibrator.

The inventor has continued a diligent study with a view to developing an apparatus which has a better therapeutic effect than these conventional devices and which is capable of administering the treatment readily and speedily to a number of patients. He has consequently perfected this invention.

An object of this invention is to provide a physiotherapuetic apparatus which is capable of producing far more effective stimulation of the vital point on the skin than any of the threapeutic apparatuses of this kind known to the art.

To accomplish the object described above, this invention provides a therapeutic apparatus which effects direct bombardment of one or more vital points recognized to manifest the effect of dermal stimulation with thin powerful liquid jets for periods varying between several seconds and some tens of minutes. Specificaliy, this therapeutic apparatus by the use of liquid jets comprises one or more nozzles for spurting liquid jets against the aforementioned one or more vital points, a device for adjusting the speed at which the Liquid jets are spurted through the nozzles, and a device for intermittently delivering liquids as pressurized to the nozzles. The idea of providing the aforementioned device for intermittent delivery of pressurized liquid with a device adapted to switch hot and cold liquids is also embraced by the present invention.

Another object of this invention is to provide a therapeutic apparatus by the use of liquid jets which, for the purpose of permitting direct bombardment of one or more vital points of the skin with thin powerful liquid jets for periods varying between several seconds and some tens of minutes, comprises one or more jet nozzels directed to the aforementioned one or more vital points of the skin, a device for adjusting the speed at which the liquid jets are spurted through the nozzles, a device for delivering an aqueous solution of germanium to the jet nozzles, a device for recovering and filtering the aqueous solution of germanium used as the liquid jets, and a device for returning the recovered aqueous solution to the aforementioned device for the delivery.

Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of one embodiment of this invention.

Figures 2, 3, and 4 are explanatory diagrams illustrating the conditions in which large-scale versions of the therapeutic apparatus of this invention are used.

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a typical group of jet nozzles of this invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another typical group of jet nozzles of this invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a large therapeutic apparatus of this invention which is capable of accommodating two or more persons.

This invention provides a novel therapeutic apparatus for effecting direct bombardment of vital points with thin powerful liquid jets. The spurted liquid, while passing through the air, draws in air and undergoes comminution and, at the moment of impact on the skin, imparts to the skin a stimulus which differs from ordinary pressure of impact.

The therapeutic apparatus of this invention offers a number of advantages such as enabling the stimulation to be effected intermittently, causing the liquid jets to contain a substance of medicinal quality thereby allowing the bombarded skin to be impregnated with this substance, and suddenly switching high and low liquid temperatures thereby enhancing the intensity of stimulus imparted.

Now, the construction and operation of this invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents one embodiment of this invention, wherein just one liquid jet 1 is involved.

The principal object and consequently the principal operation of the therapeutic apparatus of this invention reside in directly bombarding one (vital) point Q recognized to manifest the effect of dermal stimulation with a thin powerful liquid jet 1 for a period ranging between several seconds and some tens of minutes. This vital point Q is not necessarily limited to the one on the wrist as illustrated.

The main component parts of the embodiment of Figure 1 are a jet nozzle 3 directed to one (or more) point(s) 0, a device 5 for adjusting the speed at which the liquid jet 1 is spurted through the jet nozzle 3, and a device for intermittent delivery of liquid in a pressurized state to the jet nozzle 3 by means of a reciprocating pump 2. Although a liquid tank is generally used as the source for the liquid jet, a faucet connected with a city water system may be used when desired.

In the device for intermittent delivery of the liquid in the illustrated embodiment, the pump 2 which serves as means for pressure application concurrently serves as means for intermittent delivery. When a rotary pump or a water head is utilized as the means for pressure application, an automatic switching valve may be separately incorporated as the source for intermittent delivery.

The magnitude of the pressure and the shape of the jet nozzle 3 are designed so that the liquid jet 1 spurted through the nozzle 3, on hitting the vital point of the skin causes the patient to feed pain when the device 5 for the adjustment of the speed of liquid jet is opened to its fullest extent.

The expression "fine powerful liquid jet 1" means that the liquid jet has as small a diameter as possible, say not more than 1 cm and usually of about 1 mm when it is on the verge of reaching the skin. Being so fine and powerful, as described above, the impact of the liquid jet imparts to the skin the sensation of pain or a sensation almost reaching the level of pain. When the pump 2 is used, the capacity of this pump 2 must be increased in proportion as the diameter of the orifice in the nozzle 3 is increased and the number of nozzles 3 is increased. The force of direct bombardment of the liquid jet increases in proportion as the diameter d of the liquid jet 1 immediately before its impingement on the skin decreases. Thus, the orifice of the nozzle 3 is desired to be as small as permissible within the range in which the liquid jet 1 acquires required force of direct bombardment.

This is because the volume of the liquid spurted through the jet nozzle 3 increases as the number of nozzles 3 is increased.

The capacity the pump is required to possess varies with the manner in which the therapeutic apparatus is put to use. And the pump pressure required varies with the distance the liquid jet 1 travels before reaching the surface of the skin and the direction of the travel. Ihe pressure of the pump may be lowered by using the apparatus so that the liquid jet 1 passes downwardly only a short distance.

The device for the intermittent delivery of pressurized liquid is satisfactory so long as it enables the jet nozzle 3 to impart desired pressure to the liquid jet 1 and delivers the liquid intermittently to the nozzle 3. For example, the aforementioned combination of a rotary pump with an automatic switching valve or the combination of a faucet or roof-top tank capable of delivering water of required pressure due to the head with an automatic switching valve may be adopted in place of the reciporcating pump, insofar as the combination is capable of producing the liquid jet at the prescribed speed.

When the liquid jet is caused to contain a substance capable of penetrating the skin and producing effects desirable from the standpoint of health and remedy, the therapeutic apparatus of this invention offers the physiotherapeutic effect of the liquid jet coupled with the medicinal effect of the substance. Generally, the liquid jet is formed of plain water. The substance added to the liquid jet may be a pharmaceutically accepted external medicine. Besides, a substance capable of producing a medicinal stimulus in place of the thermal stimulus given by the moxacautery may be used. A concrete example of such a substance is a mentha solution.

The inventor was the first person in the world to demonstrate that germanium produces a medicinal effect upon the human body. During experiments with the liquid jet mentioned above, the inventor employed water which contained a water-soluble germanium compound. He has already demonstrated the remedial effect of solid germanium deposited on the skin in a number of experiments. He has secured a license to manufacture and sell the preparation formulatted to effect the deposition of solid germanium from the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japan. As of the time of filing of this patent application, this preparation is undergoing clinical test for verification of its efficacy at several physiotherapeutic departments of hospitals annexed to universities.The inventor has demonstrated that a small piece of germanium, when deposited on a vital point or a painful point, manifests a conspicuous effect against stiff shoulders and aching waists, promotes blood circulation, and improves appetite.

When the therapeutic apparatus of this invention is provided, in addition to the principal components described above, with a device capable of switching at fixed intervals between high and low temperature liquid jets directed to a fixed vital point, the skin under treatment is given alternate hot and cold stimuli. Thus, the therapeutic apparatus is capable of generating novel stimuli heretofore unattained by any of the conventional means for the stimulation of vital points. Nerve cells, capillary cells as well as other cells are stimulated more when they are exposed not merely to the impact of the bombardment of the liquid jet but also to the thermal stimulus than when they are exposed solely to the impact. This thermal stimulus is further enhanced by the fact that the skin alternately undergoes heating and cooling.Since the series of liquid jets is interrupted during the switchover between the hot liquid and the cold liquid, the effect of the intermission of the bombardment is also enhanced.

Liquid feed pipes 4a, 4b of the apparatus of Figure 1 are connected to tanks (not shown) for hot liquid and cold liquid. These liquid feed pipes 4a, 4b are connected through an automatic device 6 to a suction inlet 2b of the reciprocating pump 2. In the illustrated embodiment, a switch valve which constitutes the simplest possible swtich means is adopted as the switch device 6. In the switch device 6, a valve rod 6a is reciprocated at fixed intervals to allow the feed pipe 4a for hot liquid and the feed pipe 4b for cold liquid alternately to communicate with the interior of the pump 2. The reciprocation of the valve rod 6a is caused by the rotation of a crank by a motor. Thus, the therapeutic apparatus of the present embodiment is further provided with a motor start-stop switch 7 and a knob 8 for adjusting the rotational speed of the motor.

The knob 8, therefore, serves as means for the op eration of the aforementioned device for adjusting the swtiching intervals.

From the operational point of view, the device 5 for the adjustment of the speed of jet constitutes an important component. It is of a type having a laminar flow agitator directly inserted in the nozzle 3 as illustrated in the diagram. It may be otherwise of any of the known types such as, for example, a type which utilizes a throttle valve to decrease the flow volume of liquid and consequently lower the flow speed thereof.

The therapeutic apparatus 10 of Figure 1 is a portable household model intended to give the treatment sequentially to one vital point Q after another. It is provided at the portion near the pump 2 with a holder (not shown) adapted to enable the therapeutic apparatus to be moved in a vertical direction or in a horizontal direction or to be kept stationary to suit the purpose of the particular treatment.

First, the jet nozzle 3 is applied downwardly to the vital point Q and then pulled up and stopped at the position as illustrated. Now, the switch 7a of the pump 2 is pushed down. Consequently, the plunger 2c of the pump begins to reciprocate and deliver cold liquid intermittently from the feed pipe 4b to the jet nozzle 3. Thus, the liquid jet 1 bombards the vital point Q intermittently.

In the beginning, the knob of the device 5 for the adjustment of the speed of jet is kept at the position for causing turbulence of the flow of liquid and weakening the intensity of the liquid jet. After the liquid jet is started, the knob is gradually opened to increase its intensity.

A depression of the switch button 7 starts alternate jetting of cold liquid and hot liquid. The intervals of this switching may be properly adjusted by the knob 8. Now that the status of normal operation has been established, the treatment is shifted to the next vital point Q after the first vital point has been bombarded for a prescribed period.

Desired inclusion of a germanium compound as a medicinal substance in the liquid jet necessitates additional provision of a tank for storing the compound and a valve adaptd to start and stop the delivery of the compound alternately.

The embodiment of Figure 1 provides the treatment sequentially to one vital point after another of the skin. If the treatment is given at the rate of 1 minute per vital point, the whole treatment given to one person consumes much time. To minimize the time so requierd, a plurality of jet nozzles 3 of the construction of Figure 1 may be arranged to cure a plurality of vital points Q at the same time.

In this case the capacity of the pump 2 should be proportionally increased.

Now, a large version of the therapeutic apparatus of this invention intended to enhance the efficiency of therapy will be described below with reference to Figure 2. This enlarged apparatus, despite its volume, is based on entirely the same operating principle as the apparatus of Figure 1.

Represented by Figure 2 is a system in which a person M subjected to treatment is made to lie down on a vertically movable waterproof bed 9 and a therapeutic apparatus 10 is horizontally movable along the upper side of the person. Although only one device 4 for the delivery of liquid and only one feed pipe 4a(b) are illustrated in the diagram, there may be disposed different tanks for storing hot liquid, cold liquid, mentha solution, and an aqueous solution of germanium and respective feed pipes and valves adapted to switch flow paths of the liquids from the tanks. An increase in the number of jet nozzle 3 may be coped with more desirably by proportionally increasing the number of pumps than by enlarging the capacity of one pump.

When the treatment is desired to be given simultaneously to a plurality of vital points on the skin, it becomes necessary for the individual jet nozzles 3 to be accurately opposed to the respective vital points. For this purpose, the embodiment of Figure 2 is provided at the discharge side of the pump 2 with a liquid distribution chamber 12. A plurality of hoses which issue from the distribution chamber 12 are connected at their respective leading ends of pressureproof hoses 11. The leading ends of the pressureproof hoses 11 are fitted into the jet nozzles 3.

In this particular arrangement, the jet nozzles 3 are allowed to be moved to desired positions. Any method may be used for securing the jet nozzles 3 at newly selected positions. Most simply, this shift of the jet nozzles may be accomplished by an operator taking hold of the jet nozzles 3 one by one, moving them to the newly selected positions, and setting them in the relevant spaces defined by longitudinal and lateral crosspieces, and fastening them to the crosspieces with clamps, for example.

Optionally, a positioning device may be automated so that the jet nozzles 3 may be located accurately in conformity with the particular build of the person under treatment as controlled by an electronic computer.

The illustrated embodiment is provided with a pattern panel 13 wherein holes are perforated at the positions conforming to the vital points in the lower, central, and upper parts of the body of a particular person. The jet nozzles are readily positioned in this embodiment simply by being dropped into the holes in the pattern panel.

Besides the embodiment of Figure 2 which necessitates the movement of the jet nozzles as described above, required alignment of the jet nozzles 3 with the vital points may be attained by a method of selecting from among a great multiplicity of jet nozzles 3, only those falling directly over the vital points, and opening these selected jet nozzles by a push-button operation of relevant solenoid valves while keeping the remaining jet nozzles closed or a method which comprises keeping all the jet nozzles 3 opened at all times and allowing the liquid jets spurted through the jet nozzles 3 to impinge upon the corresponding positions of the person's skin, no matter whether they are vital points or otherwise. The embodiments illustrated in Figure 3 and the following figures are based on such methods.

Figure 3 represents an embodiment wherein a person's body M is encircled by a spurting box 14 which contains numerous nozzle holes in the panels thereof opposed to the lateral sides, the front and rear sides, and the head of the person's body. The pump and other component parts are omitted from the diagram. For the person under treatment to assume a correct position relative to the panels of the box, the step disposed therein may be adapted to be moved freely in the vertical direction and the box provided therein with a gauge board designed to separate the person's body by a proper distance from the inner wall of the box, for example. Optionally, the spurting box may be designed so that the person will be kept seated instead of being kept standing, with the seat adapted to be raised or lowered freely to a height proper for the man to assume the correct posture within the box.

Figure 4 represents an embodiment which is mainly aimed at the medical effect of an aqueous solution of germanium. A bathtub type therapeutic base 15 is provided on the bottom thereof with a sled-like bed 16 adapted to keep a person's body M suspended. Through groups of jet nozzles 3 formed in the bottom wall and the lateral walls of the base, the person's skin is substantially completely bombarded directly with liquid jets containing germanium. Optionally, the base may be filled with a germanium-containing liquid W so that the penetration of the person's skin with germanium will be enhanced by combining the direct bombardment of liquid jets with the immersion of the person's body in the bath of the liquid.

A group of spurting tubes 17 disposed along each of the lateral walls, as illustrated in an silated form in Figure 5, consists of a box of distribution chamber 12 and several tubes each containing a series of spaced jet nozzles 3. It is adapted so as to have its vertical position freely adjusted by means of a handle 18 disposed above the therapeutic base 15. By this apparatus, liquid jets are allowed to bombard the person's skin substantially wholly including vital points.

The embodiment of Figure 4 embraces a function of recovering the germanium-containing liquid used in the bombardment. Specifically, a filter 20 is disposed outside a vent 19 formed in the bottom wall of the therapeutic base 15. To the filter 20 is connected a recovery unit which is adapted to allow the liquid which has passed the filter 20 to be forwarded through a circulating pump 21 to the liquid delivery device 4 which serves as the tank for the aqueous solution of germanium. The liquid thus returned to the device 4 is forwarded through tubes to the pumps 2' serving severally for the groups of nozzles.

Figure 6 represents an embodiment wherein a group of nozzles occupying a large area, unlike the group of nozzles using spurting tubes as illustrated in Figure 5, is formed by preparing a plurality of spurting boxes 14 proofed against pressure by incorporation therein of perpendicularly intersecting rows of crosspieces 22, providing these spurting boxes 14 each with a pump 2' of a suitable capacity, and arranging them neatly side by side. The spurting boxes of Figure 3 and Figure 7 have similar constructions.

Figure 7 represents a typical therapeutic apparatus designed to bombard the entire system of a person with an aqueous solution of germanium more for the improvement of his physical constitution than for the remedy of disease. When persons M desiring the treatment enter a compartment and are seated therein, a movable spurting box 14 is advanced toward the persons to close the entrances to the compartment. Then, through all the nozzles in the spurting boxes 14, 14' forming the vertical walls and the ceiling through only the nozzles falling within desired regions, or through the nozzles falling in alternating rows, liquid jets are spurted toward the persons. Of course, a recovery unit incorporating a filter 20 as illustrated in Figure 4 may be disposed in the bottom of the compartment for recycling use of the liquid. The persons may be clad in a thin garment inside the compartment.Since the garment serves as a cushion, the intensity of liquid jet may be increased proportionately.

This invention has been described with reference to a few working examples. It ought to be self-evident, therefore, to persons engaging in the therapy and in the design of machines and well versed in prior art that this invention admits of widely varied alterations and modifications to suit actual working thereof without departure from the spirit of the invention. The points of direct bombardment by liquid jets need not be limited to those long recognized as "vital" points but may include regions of tenderness, regions of inflammation, and even areas recognized to manifest effects of stimulation. The shape of the orifice in the jet nozzle may be selected freely. It may be circular, polygonal, or annular, for example.

The working examples cited above have been described as using a reciprocating pump for the spurting of liquid. When the opening and closing motions of a valve are relied on for the intermission of the spurting of liquid instead of the motion of the pump, since the ratio of the duration of spurting to that of interruption can be freely varied, the therapeutic apparatus is enabled to provide intermittent spurting of liquid at the optimum ratio of on-off periods empirically determinable by persons engaging in the therapy.

When switching between hot iquid and the cold liquid is periodically carried out, the therapeutic apparatus of this invention enables any person engaging in the therapy to display a high advanced skill simply by selecting the optimum ratio of the aforementioned periods and further selecting desirable temperatures for the hot and cold liquids.

The constructions in which the therapeutic apparatus of this invention comes are widely varied, ranging from a simplified version for household use to a computer-controlled general-purpose version intended for hospitals. In fact, it may be designed easily by any person skilled in design of therapeutic facilities in any desired grade or pattern to suit the nature of use of the amount of funds available.

The therapeutic apparatus of this invention causes thin poweful liquid jets to bombard directly the points of the skin of a person under treatment which are recognized to manifest effects of stimulation. Since the liquid jet, while passing through the air, draws in air and undergoes comminution, the direct bombardment of the skin with the fine liquid particles brings out special stimulation of "vital" points, intermediate between the stimulation attained by the conventional "acupuncture" and that attained by the conventional digital compression. Since the liquid jet is produced by spurting, it can be easily intermitted for the purpose of enhancing the effect of bombardment of the skin. By the incorporation of a medicinal substance in the liquid jet, desired combination of the effect of bombardment and the medicinal effect can be obtained. Since the medicinal substance is jetted at the skin in conjunction with the liquid, it is allowed to penetrate the skin with increased ease.

When germanium is caused to penetrate the skin, its medicinal effect lasts longer. This method of deposition of germanium, therefore, obviates the necessity for keeping solid germanium deposited on the skin for a long time.

This invention, thus offering a therapeutic apparatus using liquid jets, makes a modern addition to the conventional series of treatments such as acupuncture and moxacautery. The concentration of the various effects of intermittent bombardment of the skin, thermal stimulation, and penetration of a medicinal substance accomplished by the present invention is quite significant from the technical and medical points of view.

Claims (9)

1. A therapeutic apparatus for directly bombarding one or more points of the skin recognized to manifest the effect of stimulation with a thin powerful liquid jet for periods varying between several seconds and some tens of minutes, which therapeutic apparatus comprises at least one jet nozzle directed to said point of the skin, a device for adjusting the speed at which said liquid jet is spurted, and a device for intermittently delivering liquid as compressed to said jet nozzle.

2. A therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said device for the intermittent delivery of liquid under pressure is a reciprocating pump.

3. A therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said device for the intermittent delivery of liquid under pressure is an automatic switching valve incorporating means for pressure application.

4. Atherapuetic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said liquid jet contains a substance capable of penetrating the skin and effective for health and remedy of disease.

5. A therapeutic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said substance is a water-soluble germanium compound.

6. A therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said device for the intermittent delivery of liquid under pressure is provided with means for switching between hot and cold liquids.

7. A therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for switching between hot and cold liquids is attached to said device for the intermittent delivery of liquid under pressure through the medium of said automatic switching valve incorporating means for adjusting switching intervals.

8. A therapeutic apparatus for directly bombarding one or more points of the skin with at least one thin powerful liquid jet for periods varying between several seconds to some tens of minutes, which therapeutic apparatus comprises at least one jet nozzle directed to said point of the skin, a device for adjusting the speed at which said liquid jet is spurted, a device for delivering said liquid containing an aqueous solution of germanium, a device for recovering and filtering said liquid used for said bombardment, and a device for returning the filtered liquid to said feed device.

9. A therapeutic apparatus substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with reference to and/or as illustrated in any one of Figures 1 to 7 hereinbefore set forth.