GB2285929A

GB2285929A - Magnetic therapeutic apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2285929A
Application number: GB9401768A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Isamu Masuda
Original assignee: Nihon Kenko Zoushin Kenkyukai Corp; Nihon Kenkozoshin Kenkyukai Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nihon Kenko Zoushin Kenkyukai Corp; Nihon Kenkozoshin Kenkyukai Co Ltd
Priority date: 1994-01-31
Filing date: 1994-01-31
Publication date: 1995-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 2014-01-31
Also published as: CN1095298A; GB2285929B; AU662684B1; GB9401768D0

Abstract

Apparatus for exerting magnetic fields over a wide range of a human body for magnetic therapy, uses current flowing in electromagnetic solenoids. The apparatus comprises a bed 1 including a support face 2 for supporting a human body, and covers 3, 9 disposed above the bed. On the support face 2, a plurality of magnetic field generators 10 including electromagnetic solenoids as magnetic field generating sources are disposed and aligned with their magnetic pole faces orienting upward. On the lower surfaces of the covers 3, 9, a plurality of magnetic field generators 10 are disposed and aligned with their magnetic pole faces orienting downward. The solenoids may also produce heating and vibration effects, and the pole faces may be coated with infra-red radiation emitting material. <IMAGE>

Description

Magnetic Therapeutic Apparatus Technical Field The present invention relates to a magnetic therapeutic apparatus for magnetic therapy by exerting magnetic fields over a wide range of a human body.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a magnetic therapeutic apparatus which composes a mounting base and a plurality of magnetic field generators. These magnetic field generators include electromagntic solenoids as magnetic field generating sources respectively. and are disposed and aligned on the mounting base with their magnetic pole faces orienting in the same direction.

Said mounting base is, preferably, comprised of a bed including a support face for supporting a human body on which a plurality of said magnetic field generators being disposed and aligned with their magnetic pole faces orienting upward, and one or more covers being disposed above the bed each lower surface of which a plurality of magnetic field generators being disposed and aligned with their magnetic pole faces orienting downward.

In one preferred mode, the whole of said bed is formed integrally by a fibre reinforced plastic (called FRY), and a plural number of air holes being formed in said support face. Furthermore, a cooling fan may be installed inside the bed with a direction of air flow facing the support face.

As regards the covers, either of them is formed into a curved shape, the lateral center portion is high and both side ends are low, on the basis of the support face of the bed, in one aspect. And in other aspect, it is pivoted at one side end to a side end portion of said bed, and in another aspect, it is hanged on said bed by a support arm connected inclinably to the bed and by a support frame connected pivotally to the support arm.

The invention will be further described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a magnetic therapeutic apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a front view of a magnetic therapeutic apparatus shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a plan view of a magnetic therapeutic apparatus shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a left side view of a magnetic therapeutic apparatus shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a right side view of a magnetic therapeutic apparatus shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a support face of a bed, Fig. 7 is a plan view of magnetic field generating units, Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of magnetic field generating units, and Fig. 9 is a front view showing a configuration of an electromagnetic solenoid.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Fig. 1 to Fig. 5 show an entire configuration of a magnetic therapeutic apparatus which is one embodiment of the present invention.

The magnetic therapeutic apparatus shown is consisting of a bed 1 provided with support face 2 whereon the human body can lie, a cover 3, and a head cover 9 disposed above the bed 1, the entire bed 1 is supported by a pedestal 4. In addition, numeral 5 in the figure designates a wall mounted along one side edge of the bed 1.

The bed 1, pedestal 4 and wall 5 are formed integrally by FRP respectively, wherein proper portions between the pedestal 4 and the bed 1 and between the bed 1 and the wall 5 are fixed by screws.

As shown in Fig. 3, said support face 2 of the bed 1 is consisting of a head support portion 2A, a back support portion 2B and a leg support portion 2C, among which the back support portion 2B is, as shown in Fig. 6, formed into a curved surface whose lateral center portion is low and both sides are high, and provided with a large number of air holes 6. And air holes 6 are designed to accelerate the air flow for cooling magnetic field generating units 10 to be described later. In this embodiment, in order to improve the cooling effect further, a cooling fan 14 is installed inside the bed 1 with its direction of air flow directing toward the back support portion 2B of the support face 2. The air holes 6 are formed not only in the back support portion 2B, but also in the head support portion 2A and the leg support portion 2C. In Fig. 3 and Fig. 6, a reference character 2D designates arm support portions formed on both sides of the back support portion 2B.

On the head support portion 2A, back support portion 2B, leg support portion 2C and arm support portion 2D of the support face 2, a suitable number of magnetic field generating units 10 each of which constituted by connecting five magnetic field generators 15 in a row are disposed respectively, so as to apply magnetic fields generated by the magnetic field generating units 10 to the entire body.

As shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, each magnetic field generator 15 is constituted by disposing electromagnetic solenoids 17 in case 16 made of synthetic resin. Each of the cases 16 is formed by facing the open end faces of a pair of partial cases 16a, 16b and fixing a plural positions by screws 16c. On side end faces of each case 16, either protruded axes 18a, 18a or bearing holes 18b, 18b are formed, thereby the adjacent cases 16, 16 are pivotally connected with each other by engaging protruded axes 18a into the respective bearing holes 18b.

As shown in Fig. 9, said electromagnetic solenoid 17 is consisting of a laminated iron core 20 including leg portions 22, 23 at opposite ends of a base portion 21, and coil bobbins 31, 32 engaged to the leg portions 22, 23. The coil bobbins 31, 32 are constructed by winding coils 37, 38 around spools 35, 36 made of synthetic resin and having collars 31, 32 at opposite ends respectively.

When an AC current is applied to the coils 37, 38, an alternating magnetic fields are generated from the ends of the leg portions 22, 23.

The electromagnetic solenoid 17 is fixed inside the case 16, with the end faces of the leg portions 22, 23 facing one partial case 16a, thereby an external face of the partial case 16a serves as a magnetic-pole face 11 generating the magnetic field.

In addition, on the magnetic-pole face 11 of the partial case 16a, a radiation coating film 19 may be formed, as required, by coating the face with a far infrared radiating material such as zirconia, zircon, titania, alumina, cordierite, quartzite and so on. The above far infrared radiating materials radiate the far infrared rays when excited by heating. Besides coating the surface of the case 16 with the far infrared radiating materials, they may be mixed into the molding materials of the case 16.

The magnetic field generating units 10 are disposed on the support face 2 with their magnetic-pole faces 11 facing upward as follows, two sets on the head support portion 2A, 6 sets on the back support portion 2B and each one set on both sides of the arm support portions 2D.

A crotch-shaped portion 7 is projected at the lateral center portion of the leg support portion 2C, and one set of magnetic field generating unit 10 is disposed on each side face of the crotch-shaped portion 7 with its magnetic-pole faces 11 facing outward respectively. Also on each side on the leg support portion 2C, one set of magnetic field generating unit 10 is disposed with its magnetic-pole faces 11 facing upward. Furthermore, at the left and right end positions of the leg support portion 2C, a pair of support plates 8 are disposed movably lengthwise on both sides of the bed 1, and one set of magnetic field generating unit 10 is supported on internal faces of each support plate 8.

The head cover 9 which is formed into a curved shape, can be open and closed up and down being disposed at the head support portion 2A. The head cover 9 is pivoted at one side end so as to be open upward by a handle 12 provided on the other side end. On the head cover 9, two sets of magnetic field generating units 10 are fixed in a curved state with their magnetic-pole faces 11 facing downward.

At the end portion of the head support portion 2A.

one set of magnetic field generating units 10 are fixed by fixing metal 13 with their magnetic-pole faces 11 facing inside the bed 1.

Said cover 3 is pivoted to an end of a support arm 41 by a support frame 42 at both sides in the longitudinal center portion, thereby the cover 3 is hanged horizontally in a balanced state. The base end of the support arm 41 is mounted inclinably on the upper surface of the wall 5 by a fixture 43, thereby the height of the cover 3 from the support face 2 can be set freely.

Said support arm 41 and said support frame 42 are connected pivotally, thereby the support frame 42 is pivotable horizontally to the support arm 41.

Said cover 3 is formed into a curved shape, the lateral center portion is high and both side ends are low, on the basis of the support face 2 of the bed 1, and on the lower surface thereof, a plural number of magnetic field generating units 10 are fixed in parallel with their magnetic-pole faces 11 facing downward.

The magnetic field generating units 10 in the cover 3 and 9, and those on the bed 1 are electrically connected in parallel. and are turned ON and OFF by a power switch on a control board 40 mounted to the wall 5.

On the control board 40, a plural number of time setting knobs 44 for setting the energizing time of the magnetic field generating units 10 for respective portions are provided.

When using the magnetic therapeutic apparatus having the above-mentioned configuration, first, after lifting and opening the cover 3, the user lies on the support face 2 of the bed 1 with the head positioning on the head support portion 2A, the legs on the leg support portion 2C and the back on the back support portion 2B. Then, the arms are placed on the arm support portions 2D, after covering the cover 3 over the chest to abdomen and the head cover 9 over the head. Thereby, the body is entirely surrounded by the magnetic field generating units 10.

Next, when the power switch is turned ON, the electromagnetic solenoids 17 of each magnetic field generating unit 10 are energized, thereby the magnetic fields are generated from the end faces of the legs 22.

23 of the laminated iron cores 20, and exerted on respective portions of the body from the magnetic-pole faces 11. Furthermore, the electromagnetic solenoids 17 also generate vibration and heat, which act on the body to give the massaging and warming effects.

In this case, since a large number of air holes 6 are formed in the support face 2 supporting the magnetic field generating units 10, a good permeability is obtained and the abnormal heating of the magnetic field generating units 10 is prevented. Besides, since air sent from the cooling fan 14 acts on the magnetic field generating units 10 through the air holes 6, the cooling effect is enhanced and the abnormal heating is further suppressed.

The present invention may be practiced or embodied in still other ways without departing from the spirit or essential character thereof. For instance, while in the illustrated preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a bed and covers being disposed above the bed, it may alternately be a cushion mat on the upper surface of which a plurality of magnetic field generators being disposed and aligned with their magnetic pole faces orienting upward. The preferred embodiments described herein are therefore illustrative and not respective, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims and all variations which come within the meaning of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

1. A magnetic therapeutic apparatus which exerts magnetic fields to a human body by flowing current in electromagnetic solenoids, the improvement comprising: a mounting base; and a plurality of magnetic field generators including electromagnetic solenoids as magnetic field generating sources respectively, being disposed on said mounting base with their magnetic pole faces orienting in substantially the same direction and being preferably aligned.

2. A magnetic therapeutic apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said mounting base is comprised of a bed including a support face for supporting a human body on which a plurality of said magnetic field generators are disposed and aligned with their magnetic pole faces orienting upward, and one or more covers being disposed above the bed on each lower surface of which cover a plurality of magnetic field generators are disposed and aligned with their magnetic pole faces orienting downward.

3. A magnetic therapeutic apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein substantially the whole of said bed or base is formed integrally by a fibre reinforced plastic, and a plural number of air holes being formed in said support face.

4. A magnetic therapeutic apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein a cooling fan is installed inside said bed or base with a direction of air flow facing the support face.

5. A magnetic therapeutic apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the cover is formed into a curved shape, the lateral centre portion is high and both side ends are low, on the basis of said support face of the bed.

6. A magnetic therapeutic apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the cover is pivoted at one side end to a side end portion of said bed.

7. A magnetic therapeutic apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the cover is hanged on said bed by a support arm connected inclinably to said bed and by a support frame connected pivotally to said support arm.

8. A magnetic therapeutic apparatus, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.