GB2170056A

GB2170056A - Electrical treatment device

Info

Publication number: GB2170056A
Application number: GB08515935A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Takeyoshi Yamaguchi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-12-26
Filing date: 1985-06-24
Publication date: 1986-07-23
Also published as: JPH0136526Y2; JPS61111447U; KR860004640A; KR870001474B1; GB8515935D0; CN85104986A; CN85104986B

Abstract

An electrical treatment device comprises a piezoelectric unit (4), a push member (3) operable to push an impact applier (4b) for the piezoelectric unit so as to cause it to generate a high voltage/current, and a discharge portion (1c) connected by conductors (5,6) to the piezoelectric unit. The high voltage current generated from the piezoelectric unit is passed through a human body by way of the discharge portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical treatment device The present invention relates to an electrical treatment device with a built-in piezoelectric unit operative to generate, under high voltage, a discharge current which stimulates a human body.

When a driver of a car or a student for an examination has been strained for a long time and becomes sleepy or when similar situations occur, it is frequently required to refresh the mind by giving a comfortable stimulus to the human body. Also, it is well known that curing effects similar to those of an acupunture treatment can be obtained by instantaneously discharging a high voltage/current to a portion of the body skin, especially a so-called moxocausis. In the past, however, there has been unavailable a means which can realize the electrical stimulus readily and steadily.

According to the present invention there is provided an electrical treatment device comprising: a piezoelectric unit; a push member operable to push an impact applier for said piezoelectric unit so as to cause it to generate a high voltage/current; and a discharge portion connected by conductors to said piezoelectric unit.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an electrical treatment device according to a first embodiment of the invention as viewed obliquely from the front and above; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the device as viewed obliquely from the rear and below; Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the device; Figure 4 is a side view showing a base plate of the device; Figure 5 is a plan view of the base plate; Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the base plate; Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a casing of the device; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a push member of the device; Figure 9 is a sectional side view showing an electrical treatment device according to a second embodiment of the invention;; Figure 10 is a similar view showing an electrical treatment device according to a third embodiment of the invention; and Figure 11 is a similar view of an electrical treatment device to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a base plate 1 is mounted with a box-like casing 2 having an upper opening into which a push member 3 is inserted.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the base plate 1 has, at its fore end upper surface, a projecting support 1a for a piezoelectric unit to be described later.

Formed in a rear wall surface of the support 1a is a hole 1 b in which a fore end of the piezoelectric unit is fitted. The base plate 1 has, at its fore end bottom surface, a projecting cylindrical stem 1c having a central through-hole 1d for passage of a conductor which extends vertically from the upper surface of the base plate 1. In front of the throughhole 1d, the base plate 1 and the stem 1c are bored to form a hole 1e for passage of a terminal lead (conductor). The hole 1e is opened outwards in an outer peripheral surface of the stem 1c. On each side of the base plate 1 is formed a projection 1f. Typically, a pair of projections 1f oppose each other and recesses formed in side inner walls of the casing 2 to be described later engage these projections.Two lateral projections 1h are respectively formed on a fore end surface of the support 1a and on a rear end surface of an upright edge 19 provided at a rear end of the base plate 1.

As best seen from Figure 7, the casing 2 is of a box-like configuration, having a bottom opening.

The casing 2 has an upper surface, almost half of which is removed to form an opening 2a into which the push member 3 to be described later is inserted. Formed in each side inner wall of the casing 2 is the recess 2b for engagement with a projection 1f of the base plate 1. The pair of recesses 2b oppose each other. The casing 2 has opposite end walls wherein two grooves 2c are respectively formed in a fore end inner wall and a rear end inner wall.

Turning to Figure 8, the push member 3 has a push surface 3a curved upwardly, and has at its fore end a contact surface 3b for engagement with an impact applier for the peizoelectric unit. A rear end of the push member 3 has an upper shoulder 3c for engagement with a rear end edge of the opening 2a of the casing 2, and an upper shoulder 2d at a fore end of the push member 3 engages a fore end edge of the opening 2a.

As shown in Figure 3, the piezoelectric unit 4 has a fore end portion 4a which is fitted in the hole 1b formed in the support 1a of the base plate 1 to ensure that the piezoelectric unit 4 is fixed to the base plate 1 in an upwardly oblique positional relationship to the base plate 1. A conductor 5 connected to a positive pole of the piezoelectric unit 4 passes through the central through-hole 1d of the stem 1c to extend to a lower outlet of the throughhole 1d. A terminal lead (conductor) 6 connected to a negative pole of the piezoelectric unit 4 passes through the hole 1e and terminates in a tip end exposed near the outer peripheral surface of the stem 1c.

A metallic circular sleeve 7 is fitted on the stem 1c, and the tip end of the terminal lead 6 makes contact to an inner peripheral wall of the sleeve 7.

The casing 2 is securedly mounted to the base plate 1 through engagement of the pair of opposed projections 1f of the base plate 1 with the pair of opposed recesses 2b and through engagement of the lateral projections 1 h of the base plate 1 with the grooves 2c at the opposite ends of the casing 2.

The push member 3 is mounted to the casing 2 with the push surface 3a exposed exteriorly of the opening 2a of the casing 2, so as not to slip out of the casing 2 by the aid of the respective engage ments of the shoulders 3d and 3c with the fore and rear edges of the opening 2a. The contact surface 3b of the push member 3 engages a head of the impact applier 4b for the piezoelectric unit 4, and the fore end of the push member 3 is urged by a spring built in the piezoelectric unit toward the outside of the casing 2.

The base plate 1, casing 2 and push member 3 are made of non-conductive synthetic resin.

The operation of the device will now be described. When a fore end portion of the push surface 3a of the push member 3 is pushed down in a direction of arrow A as shown in Figure 3, the fore end of the push member 3 is turned about a pivotal centre at the rear end shoulder 3c so that the contact surface 3b pushes the impact applier 4b toward the piezoelectric unit 4 as shown by chained lines in Figure 3. Consequently, the piezoelectric unit 4 is activated to instantaneously generate a high voltage/current which is effective to cause a discharge to take place between the tip end of the conductor 5 and the tip end of the metallic sleeve 7 which form a discharge portion near the tip end of the stem 1c.When the push member 3 is released, the impact applier 4b recovers its original position by a bias force of the spring built in the piezoelectric unit 4, followed by recovery of the push member 3 to its original position.

As will be seen from the above, when the stem 1c of the electrical curer is applied on the human skin especially moxocausis and the device is operated, a discharge high voltage/current is passed through the human skin to stimulate a nerve and as a result, curing effects similar to those of an acupuncture treatment can be obtained to cure, for example, the stiffness in the shoulder or neuralgia.

The casing 2 securedly mounted to the base plate 1 without using adhesives can readily be dismounted as necessary. For example, in the event that the piezoelectric unit 4 is damaged when its ceramic part sensitive to external shocks is broken or electric charges are accumulated by idle operations, the piezoelectric unit 4 can readily be exchanged with a new one by removing the casing 2.

Figure 9 shows a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a hollow cylindrical casing 11 has a fore end portion to which an axially movable conductive cap 13 removably mounted by means of a holder ring to be described later. The cap 13 is connected by a terminal lead (not shown) to a negative pole of a piezoelectric unit 14. Inside the casing 11, the piezoelectric unit 14 is disposed with its positive pole conductor 16 extending forwardly and terminating in a terminal member 12 which opposes via a discharge gap a bottom surface of the cap 13 to form a discharge portion, and a push member 19 operable to push an impact applier 18 for the piezoelectric unit is movably mounted at the back of the impact applier.

With the device shown in Figure 9, when the casing 11 is held with the cap 13 applied on the human body and then a head of the push member 19 is pushed in opposition to a biasing force of the impact applier 18, this impact applier 18 is moved toward a piezoelectric device 15 to instantaneously generate a discharge high voltage/current which passes through the human body via the conductor 16, terminal member 12, discharge gap and cap 13.

The cylindrical casing 11, a holder ring 17 for the conductor 16, and a holder 20 for the cap 13 are made of insulating materials.

To obtain a strong stimulus, the cap 13 is axially moved by turning the holder ring 20 threaded on the holder ring 17 so that the terminal member 12 is almost brought into contact with the bottom surface of the cap 13. Conversely, to obtain a weak stimulus, the holder ring 20 is turned in the opposite direction so that the terminal member 12 is appreciably separated from the bottom surface of the cap 13.

Figure 10 shows a third embodiment of the invention wherein a cylindrical casing 11, a terminal member 12, a piezoelectric unit 14, a conductor 16, a holder ring 17, an impact applier 18 and a push member 19 are identical to those of the second embodiment shown in Figure 9. In the third embodiment, however, an insulating holder ring 20' is threadedly engaged with a fore end portion of the casing 11, surrounding a conductive discharge pin 23' by way of which a discharge high voltage/current passes through the human body.

Figure 11 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention wherein a hollow cylindrical casing 21 has a fore end portion to which an axially movable permanent magnet cap 23, supported by a threaded holder ring 20" and having a substantially central through-hole 22, is removably mounted. Inside the casing 21, a piezoelectric unit 24 is disposed, a conductor 26 extends forwardly to terminate in a tip end surrounded by a discharge sleeve 27 which is received in the through-hole 22 of the cap 23, and a push member 29 operable to push an impact applier 28 for the piezoelectric unit 24 is movably mounted at the back of the impact applier 28.

With the device shown in Figure 11, when a head of the push member 29 is pushed in opposition to a biasing force of the impact applier 28 as in the second and third embodiments, this impact applier 28 is moved toward a piezoelectric device 25 to instantaneously generate a discharge high voltage/current which passes through the human skin via the discharge sleeve at the tip end of the conductor 26 and a discharge gap between the cap 23 and the discharge sleeve 27.

To obtain a strong stimulus, the cap 23 is thread- edly engaged deeply to position the tip end portion of the conductor 26 closely adjacent to the human skin, and to obtain a weak stimulus, the cap 23 is threadedly engaged shallowly to position the tip end portion of the conductor 26 remote from the skin.

Since the device of this embodiment the cap 23 coming into contact with the skin in use is made of a permanent magnet, a line of magnetic force generated from the permanent magnet can be applied to the human body to quicken the circulation of the blood concurrently with the application of an electrical stimulus to the skin excited through the con ductor 26. If the electrical stimulus is undesired, then this device can efficiently serve as a magnetic treatment device.

Claims

1. An electrical treatment device comprising: a piezoelectric unit; a push member operable to push an impact applier for said piezoelectric unit so as to cause it to generate a high voltage/current; and a discharge portion connected by conductors to said piezoelectric unit.

2. A device according to Claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric unit is removably mounted to a support projecting from an upper surface of a base plate; a conductor connected to a positive pole of said piezoelectric unit is inserted in a central through-hole formed in a stem projecting from a bottom surface of said base plate, extending to a lower outlet of said through-hole; a conductor connected to a negative pole of said piezoelectric unit is connected at its tip end to a metallic sleeve fitted on an outer peripheral surface of said stem; a casing is removably mounted to said base plate through engagements of at least fore and rear ends of said casing with fore and rear ends of said base plate; and said push member is mounted to said casing with its upper push surface exposed exteriorly of an upper opening of said casing so as not to slip out of said casing, and has a fore end surface which engages a head of said impact applier for said piezoelectric unit and which is urged by a spring built in said piezoelectric unit toward the outside of said casing, whereby when said push surface of said push member is pushed toward the inside of said casing, said push member is turned about a pivotal centre at the rear end of said casing so that said impact applier is pushed toward said piezoelectric unit to generate a high voltage/current which discharges across a tip end of said positive conductor and said metallic sleeve.

3. A device according to Claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric unit is disposed in a hollow cylindrical casing having a fore end portion to which an axially movable conductive cap is removably mounted; a conductor connected to said piezoelectric unit extends forwardly, terminating in a tip end which opposes a bottom surface of said cap to form said discharge portion; and said push member operable to push said impact applier for said piezoelectrical unit is movably mounted to said cylindrical casing at the back of said impact applier.

4. A device according to Claim 1 wherein said piezoelectric unit and said impact applier therefor are axially aligned inside a hollow cylindrical casing with said impact applier disposed near a rear end of said cylindrical casing, said cylindrical casing having a fore end portion to which an axially movable permanent magnet cap having a substantially central through-hole is removably mounted; a conductor connected to said piezoelectric unit extends forwardly, terminating in a tip end which is received in said through-hole of said cap to form said discharge portion; and said push member operable to push said impact applier for said piezoelectric unit is axially movably mounted to the rear end of said cylindrical casing.

5. An electrical treatment device, substantially in accordance with any example herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.