GB2287883A

GB2287883A - Magnetic therapeutic apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2287883A
Application number: GB9405676A
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: 1994-03-22
Filing date: 1994-03-22
Publication date: 1995-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-22
Also published as: GB9405676D0; GB2287883B

Abstract

In a magnetic therapeutic apparatus, operating times of respective electromagnetic therapeutic portions (A, B, C, D) including solenoids are separately and variably set by timers (57A, B, C, D). The elapsed times of operation of the respective therapeutic portions are timed and when an elapsed time reaches the set time, the operation of the corresponding therapeutic portion (A, B, C, D) is made to stop. Furthermore, by displaying elapsed time and operating conditions of the respective therapeutic portions separately using lamps (LA, LB, LC, LD and L1 - L8) the operating times and the portions operating are confirmed at a glance. Therapy may include vibration and heat as well as magnetic fields. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION 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 the human body, and especially relates to a magnetic therapeutic apparatus providing a plurality of electromagnetic therapeutic portions for exerting magnetic fields on different portions of a human body, such as the head, the chest, the back, the legs, and so on.

Disclosure of the Invention The present invention provides a magnetic therapeutic apparatus that comprises a plurality of electromagnetic therapeutic portions for exerting magnetic fields on different portions of a human body, time setting means for separately and variably setting operating times of the respective electromagnetic therapeutic portions, time rasping or counting means for timing elapsed times of operat o..s of the respective electromagnet;c therapeutic portions, and operation control means for stopping operation of each electromagnetic therapeutic portion when elapsed time by said time grasping means reaches the set time by said time setting means, to set operating time of each electromagnetic therapeutic portions separately and optionally.

Furthermore, the invention provides magnetic therapeutic apparatus comprising means for displaying elapsed times grapsed by said time grapsing means, and means for separately displaying operating states of the respective electromagnetic therapeutic portions, in addition to the above configuration.

The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a magnetic therapeutic apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view showing the magnetic therapeutic apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the magnetic therapeutic apparatus of rig.

Fig. 4 1.5 a left side iew showing the magnetic therapeutic apparatus of Fig.

Fig. 5 s a right side view showing the magnetic therapeutic apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a supporting face on the bed.

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing a magnetic therapeutic unit.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the magnetic therapeutic unit.

Fig. 9 is a front view showing a structure of an electromagnetic solenoid.

Fig. 10 is a front view showing a configuration of a control board.

Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the magnetic therapeutic apparatus.

Fig. 12 - 15 are flow charts showing control procedures by CPU.

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

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.

The air holes 6 are designed to accelerate the air flow for cooling magnetic therapeutic 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 2E 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 2E of the support face 2, a suitable number of magnetic therapeutic units 10 each of which constituted by connecting five magnetic field generators 15 in a row are disposed, An electromagnetic therapeutic portion A for curing a head (hereinafter called "head therapeutic portion") is formed by a plurality of magnetic therapeutic units 10 disposed on the head support portion 2A, an electromagnetic therapeutic portion B for curing a back (hereinafter called "back therapeutic portion") is formed by a plurality of magnetic therapeutic units 10 disposed on the back support portion 2B and the arm support portion 2E, and an electromagnetic therapeutic portion C for curing legs (hereinafter called "leg therapeutic portion") is formed by a plurality of magnetic therapeutic units 10 disposed on the leg support portion 2C.

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 the 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 AC current is conducted to the coils 37, 38, 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 above magnetic therapeutic 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 2E.

A crotch-shaped portion 7 is projected at the lateral center portion of the leg support portion 2C, and one set of magnetic therapeutic 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 therapeutic 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 therapeutic unit 10 is supported on internal faces of each support plate 8.

A curve-shaped head cover 9 which can be open and closed up and down is 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 therapeutic 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 therapeutic 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, a lateral center portion is high and both side ends are low, on the basis of the support face 2 of the bed 1. On the undersurface of the cover 3, a plurality of magnetic therapeutic units 10 are attached and fixed there in parallel, with their magnetic-pole faces facing downward, thereby an electromagnetic therapeutic portion D for curing a chest and an abdomen (hereinafter called "chest therapeutic portion")is formed.

The magnetic therapeutic units 10 on the cover 3 and the magnetic therapeutic units 10 on the bed 1 are electrically connected in parallel. Operations of the head therapeutic portion A, back therapeutic portion B, leg therapeutic portion C and the chest therapeutic portion D are respectively controlled by a control board 40 provided on said wall 5.

Fig. 10 shows an example of a configuration of said control board 40, in which a power supply switch 51, a start switch 52, an operation display 53, an elapsed time display 54, and a time setting portion 55 are disposed.

Said power supply switch 51 turns on or off a power supply for the magnetic therapeutic apparatus, the start switch 52 turns on or off a power supply for the respective electromagnetic therapeutic portions. In addition, in the figure, LP is a power supply lamp, which lights by pushing the power supply switch 51. And Ls is a start lamp, which lights by pushing the start switch 52.

Said operation display 53 is for displaying operating conditions of the respective therapeutic portions, namely, the head therapeutic portion A, back therapeutic portion B, leg therapeutic portion C and the chest therapeutic portion D by lighting lamps. In the center of the display, a figure 56 of a human body is displayed and around the figure 56, a head portion lamp LA, back porion lamp LB, leg portion lamp Le and chest portion lamp Lo are disposed. Each lamp is made of light emitting diodes or a miniature lamp and disposed on a back of a panel configuring the control board 40.

Said elapsed time display 54 indicates, with a unit of 5 minutes, elapsed time after turning on the start switch 52 by lighting a plurality of lamps in order, and characters indicating the elapsed time and lamps L1 - L8 made of light emitting diodes or the like are alternately arranged.

Said time setting portion 55 is for separately and variably setting operating time of each magnetic therapeutic unit 10 constituting the head therapeutic portion A, back therapeutic portion B, leg therapeutic portion C and the chest therapeutic portion D by each time setter of a first 57A through a fourth 57D. The operating time can be optionally set up to the maximum 40 minutes by turning each knob of the time setters 57A 57D by a desired angle. In addition, each of the time setters 57A - 57D can employ ten-keys other than the knobs as are used in this embodiment.

Fig. 11 shows an electrical configuration of the magnetic therapeutic apparatus having the above structure.

In Fig. 11, a main timer T times elapsed time after pushing the start switch 52. Each of a first through a fourth timers TA - TD times elapsed time set by each of the time setters 57A - 57D. A fan switch 63 is for turning on or off said cooling fan 14.

CPU 60 for a main controller integrally controls operations of the respective portions according to programs. ROM 61 stores the above programs and fixed data, and RAM 62 is used as a work area.

Fig. 12 shows control procedures by the above CPU 60. Operations of the above magnetic therapeutic apparatus will be explained with reference to Fig. 12.

First, the cover 3 is pushed up to open, then a patient lies on the supporting face 2 of the bed 1, positioning the head on the head support portion 2A, the legs on the leg support portion 2C, and the back on the back support portion 2B respectively. Furthermore, if necessary, the cover 3 is positioned over the chest or the abdomen, or the head cover 9 is positioned over the head respectively, with placing the arms on the arm support portions 2E. Thereby, the whole of the human body is surrounded by the magnetic therapeutic units 10.

Next, time setting is performed by operating any of the first-fourth time setters 57A - 57D, for example, when desired to work only the back therapeutic portion B, only second time setter 57B is operated to set a desired working time.

Furthermore, when desired to simultaneously cure the back legs and the chest by operating the respective therapeutic portions B, C, and D except the head therapeutic portion A, desired operating times of the respective therapeutic portions are set by operating the respective time setters 57B, 57C and 57D except the first time setter 57A.

Thereafter, turning on the power supply switch 51, the power supply lamp Lp lights (steps 1, 2), successively turning on the start switch 52, the start lamp Ls lights and the main timer T starts timing (steps 3 - 5).

Now, assuming that the operating times are set by the respective second to fourth time setters 57B - 57D, a set value by the first time setter 57A is zero, thus decision of step 6 becomes "YES", and steps 7 - 9 are skipped. That is, the head portion lamp LA is left unlighted, and the first timer TA does not start, thus the respective magnetic therapeutic units 10 constituting the head therapeutic portion A are not electrically conducted.

Next, on step 10 whether second set value by the second time setter 57B is zero or not is decided, and in this case the decision is "NO", thus the back portion lamp LB lights, and the second timer Tg starts timing and currents are conducted to the respective electromagnetic solenoids 17 of the respective magnetic therapeutic units 10 constituting the back therapeutic portion B.

Thereby, magnetic fields generate from the end faces of the leg portions 22 and 23 of the laminated iron core 20 and act on the back of the human body from the magneticpole faces 11. In addition, vibration and heat generate from the electromagnetic solenoid 17 and these vibration and heat act on the human body to give a massage effect and a warming effect.

Similarly, on step 14 whether third set value by the third time setter 57C is zero or not, and on step 18 whether forth set value by the fourth time setter 57D is zero or not are decided respectively. In this example, both the decisions are "NO", thus the leg portion lamp Le and the chest portion lamp LD light respectively (steps 15, 19), and the third and fourth timers Te and TD start timing (steps 16, 20), and currents are conducted to the respective magnetic therapeutic units 10 constituting the leg therapeutic portion C and the chest therapeutic portion D to generate magnetic fields (steps 17, 21).

On steps 22 - 25 of Fig. 13, how many minutes have elapsed after pushing the start switch 52 on the basis of time of the main timer T, is decided, and when 5 minutes have elapsed, the decision of step 25 becomes "YES", and when 10 minutes have elapsed, the decision of step 24 becomes "YES", in the same manner, the decision of step 23 becomes "YES" when 35 minutes have elapsed, and the decision of step 22 becomes "YES" when 40 minutes have elapsed respectively. On the following steps 26 - 29, whether the respective lamps Le - L1 for 40 minutes to 5 minutes have already lighted or not is decided, and if not yet lighted, unlighted lamps light at the following steps 30 - 33, if they already light, step 30 - 33 are skipped.

On the following steps 34, 35 of Fig. 14, whether a operating time set by the first time setter 57A has elapsed or not is decided, and in this example, the set value by the first time setter 57A is zero, thus the flow proceeds from step 34 to step 38 and steps 35 - 37 are skipped.

On the following steps 38, 39, whether a operating time set by the second time setter 57B has elapsed or not. First, on step 38 whether second set value by the second time setter 57B is zero or not is decided. In this example, the decision is "NO", then on the following step 39 whether a set time of the second timer Tn iS UP or not is decided. When the decision of step 39 is "NO", the flow proceeds to step 42, on the contrary when "YES", the back portion lamp Ln is turned off on step 40 and conduction of current to the respective magnetic therapeutic units 10 constituting the back therapeutic portion B is stopped on step 41.

Similarly, on steps 42, 43 whether third operating time set by the third time setter 57C has elapsed or not, and on steps 46, 47 whether a operating time set by the fourth time setter 57D has elapsed or not are decided respectively, and when confirmed that a set time of the third timer Tc is up on step 43, turning off of the leg portion lamp Le and stopping current conduction to the leg therapeutic portion C are executed (steps 44, 45).

And when confirmed that a set time of the fourth timer TD is up on step 47, turning off of the chest portion lamp LD and stopping current conduction to the chest therapeutic portion D are executed (steps 48, 49). In addition, both the timers Tc and TD are not time-up, steps 44, 45 and steps 48, 49 are respectively skipped.

Hereafter, the procedures from the above step 22 to 49 are repeated so long as the power supply switch 51 or the start switch 52 is not turned off.

When the power supply switch 51 or the start switch 52 is turned off during therapy or after therapy, the decision of step 50 or step 51 of Fig. 15 becomes "YES", and processes such as the followings are performed: turning off of the power supply lamp Lp (step 52); turning off of the start lamp Ls (step 53); turning off of the respective lamps L1 - L8, LA - LD (step 54); reset of all the timers T, TA - Tp (step 55); stop of all the therapeutic portions in working (step 56).

The present invention has been described above by way of example only, and modifications can be made within the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS

I. A magnetic therapeutic apparatus comprising: a plurality of electromagnetic therapeutic portions for exerting magnetic fields on different portions of a human body; time setting means for separately and variablY setting operating times of the respect ive electromagnetic therapeutic portions: time grasping means for timing elapsed times of operation of the respective electromagnetic therapeutic portions; and operation control means for stopping operation of each electromagnetic therapeutic portion when the time elapsed timed by said time grasping means reaches the time set for the respective electromagnetic therapeutic portion by the respective time setting means.
2. A magnetic theraDeutic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for displaying elapsed time grasped by said time grasping means; and means for separately displaying prating states of the respective electromagnetic Xherapeutic portions.
3. A magnetic therapeutic apparatus. substantially as herein described with reference =o the accompanying drawings.