JP2012040102A - Electrotherapeutic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrotherapeutic apparatus which can reduce power consumption, extend battery life, is economical, and has no problem on the environment without giving uncomfortable feeling to a user.SOLUTION: The electrotherapeutic apparatus 1 includes heating means 34a, 34b, 35a, 35b for heating an affected part of a human body by electric power supplied from an external electric power source 8 or a battery 10. The electrotherapeutic apparatus 1 is characterized by including: an electric power supply source discrimination means 5 to discriminate which supply source of the external electric power source 8 and the battery 10 supplies the electric power; and a heating output control means 5 to control the output from the heating means 34a, 34b, 35a, 35b to be smaller than a case the electric power supply source discrimination means 5 discriminates the electric power is supplied from the external electric power source 8 when the electric power supply source discrimination means 5 discriminates the electric power is supplied from the battery 10.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrotherapeutic device, and more particularly, to an electrotherapeutic device provided with a heating means for heating an affected part of a human body with electric power supplied from an external power source or a battery.

  Conventionally, an electrotherapy device that attaches an electrode provided with a heater as a heating means to an affected part of a human body, passes a current through the electrode with electric power supplied from an external power source or a battery, warms the affected part of the human body, and performs low-frequency treatment or the like Is known.

  Generally, in this type of electrotherapy device, the power consumption when the heater is used increases, and therefore, if power is supplied to the heater by a battery, the battery is consumed rapidly, and the time that the electrotherapy device can be used is shortened. The heater can be used only when an external power source such as an AC adapter is connected (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-128368

  However, in the above-described conventional electrotherapy device, when the battery is used as a power supply source, the heater cannot be used, so that the user may feel an uncomfortable feeling of cold when the electrode is applied to the affected part of the human body. There was a problem.

  In addition, in a conventional electrotherapy device using a battery, a battery spring is provided at both ends of the battery housing so as to be in contact with the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery, but power loss in this battery spring is ignored. Since it is too large, the battery life is shortened, and there is a problem that it is not preferable from an economical and environmental point of view.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. The present invention aims to reduce power consumption and extend battery life without causing discomfort to the user, and is economical and has no environmental problems. The object is to provide an electrotherapy device.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides an electrotherapy device including a heating means for heating an affected part of a human body with electric power supplied from an external power source or a battery, wherein the power is either the external power source or the battery. Power supply source identifying means for identifying whether the power is supplied from the power source; and when the power supply source identifying means identifies that the power is supplied from the battery, the power is supplied from the external power source. And a thermal output control means for controlling so that the output from the thermal means becomes smaller than when the power supply source identifying means identifies.

  In the electrotherapy device according to the present invention, when the power supply source identification unit identifies that the power is supplied from the battery, the thermal output control unit determines that the output temperature from the thermal unit is It is preferable to perform PWM control so that the temperature is about the same as the body temperature.

  The electrotherapy device according to the present invention includes a battery storage portion that can store the battery, and battery springs are provided at both ends of the battery storage portion so as to be in contact with the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery. The battery spring is preferably formed of a wire spring having a wire diameter of 0.6 to 0.7 mm and a volume resistivity of 2 to 6 μΩcm.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electrotherapeutic device that is economical and has no environmental problems while reducing power consumption and extending battery life without causing discomfort to the user.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the electrotherapy apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the external appearance of the main body of the electrotherapy device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the battery accommodating part and battery spring attached to this battery accommodating part of the electrotherapy apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the battery accommodating part and battery spring attached to this battery accommodating part of the electrotherapy apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the battery spring of the electrotherapy apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows another type of battery spring of the electrotherapy apparatus based on embodiment of this invention. It is a circuit diagram which shows the drive circuit of the thermal means of the electrotherapy device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of control of the thermal means of the electrotherapy apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention, (a) shows the example of control in case an electric power supply source is an AC adapter, and is a strong setting, (b) is electric power supply A control example when the source is an AC adapter and weak setting is shown, and (c) shows a control example when the power supply source is a battery.

  Hereinafter, an electrotherapy device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, when the present invention is applied to a thermal interference wave treatment device that performs treatment by crossing two currents having different frequencies in the human body and stimulating the affected part of the human body by the interference wave generated at this time Will be described as an example.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electrotherapy device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a main body 2, first conductors 3 a and 3 b and second conductors 4 a connected to the main body 2. 4b.

  The main body 2 has, for example, a length of 180 mm, a width of 85 mm, a thickness of 30 mm, a weight of 265 g, is formed so as to be portable, and has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 5 such as a microcomputer. In order to connect the first output channel 6 for connecting the first conductors 3a and 3b, the second output channel 7 for connecting the second conductors 4a and 4b, and an external power source such as the AC adapter 8. Power jack 9, battery 10 such as four AA alkaline batteries, power switch (SW) 11 for turning on / off the external power source and battery 10, and mode selection switch for switching the operation mode (SW) 12, an output increase / decrease switch (SW) 13 for simultaneously increasing or decreasing the outputs of the first output channel 6 and the second output channel 7, and a timer 14 A liquid crystal display (LCD) 15 for displaying the power source, operation mode, output state, remaining time of the timer 14, the remaining amount of the battery 10, and a ROM (Read Only) for storing various programs And a storage unit 37 such as a memory (RAM) and a random access memory (RAM).

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a battery storage portion 16 capable of storing the battery 10 is provided inside the main body 2, and battery springs are supported at both ends of the battery storage portion 16, respectively. Portions 17 and 18 are formed. In the battery spring support portions 17 and 18, four insertion grooves 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d and 18a, 18b, 18c, and 18d are formed side by side.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the insertion grooves 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d of one battery spring support portion 17, a battery spring 19 (+) for a positive electrode and a battery for a negative electrode are sequentially formed from the left side in the figure. A battery spring 20 (−), a battery spring 21 (+) for a positive electrode, and a battery spring 22 (−) for a negative electrode can be inserted from the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. In FIG. 3, parts of the battery springs 20 (−) and 22 (−) for the negative electrode are omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the positive electrode battery spring 19 (+) and the negative electrode battery spring are provided in the insertion grooves 18 a, 18 b, 18 c and 18 d of the other battery spring support 18. 20 (−), battery spring for positive electrode 21 (+), battery spring for negative electrode 22 (−), and negative electrode battery spring 19 (−), plus The battery spring 20 (+) for electrodes, the battery spring 21 (−) for negative electrodes, and the battery spring 22 (+) for positive electrodes can be inserted from the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. Thereby, each battery spring 19 (+), 19 (-), 20 (+), 20 (-), 21 (+), 21 (-), and 22 (+), 22 (-) are stored in the battery housing portion. 16 can be brought into contact with the positive electrode or the negative electrode of the four batteries 10 housed in the battery 16, respectively. In FIG. 4, a part of the battery springs 19 (-) and 21 (-) for the negative electrode is omitted.

  Each battery spring 19 (+), 19 (-), 20 (+), 20 (-), 21 (+), 21 (-), and 22 (+), 22 (-) is made of phosphor bronze, for example. It is formed of a wire spring plated with nickel, and preferably has a wire diameter of 0.6 to 0.7 mm (more preferably 0.7 mm) and a volume resistivity of 2 to 6 μΩcm (more preferably 2 μΩcm). It is formed to become.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the positive electrode battery springs 19 (+) are bent at opposite corners so as to face each other at close positions (for example, a separation distance of 1 mm) on the same plane. 2 and a pair of bent portions 26 and 27 having 24 and 25, and the bent portions 26 and 27 are connected on the same plane by a half-circular connecting portion 28 bent in a U-shape. The positive electrodes of the battery 10 can contact the portions 24 and 25.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the negative electrode battery spring 20 (−) and the positive electrode battery spring 21 (+) are integrally formed, and the negative electrode battery spring 20 (−) In a spiral shape, the total number of turns is preferably 5 or less (more preferably 4.5). Further, the battery springs 21 (+) for the positive electrodes are parallel to each other on the same plane at positions close to each other (for example, a separation distance of 2.8 mm) along the insertion direction of the battery springs 21 (+) into the insertion grooves 17c. A parallel extending portion 29 is provided so that the plus electrode of the battery 10 can contact the substantially central portion of the parallel extending portion 29. In FIG. 5, a part of the negative electrode battery spring 20 (−) is omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the negative electrode battery spring 22 (−) has a spiral shape whose winding direction is opposite to that of the negative electrode battery spring 20 (−). The number of turns is 5 or less (more preferably, 4.5). In FIG. 6, a part of the negative electrode battery spring 22 (−) is omitted.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the negative electrode battery spring 19 (−) and the positive electrode battery spring 20 (+), and the negative electrode battery spring 21 (−) and the positive electrode battery are provided. The battery springs 22 (+) are integrally formed, and are formed so as to be symmetrical with the battery spring 20 (−) for the negative electrode and the battery spring 21 (+) for the positive electrode.

  Referring to FIG. 1 again, a pair of first adhesive pads 30a, 30b and second adhesive pads 31a, 31b are attached to the tips of the first conductors 3a, 3b and the second conductors 4a, 4b, respectively. The first adhesive pads 30a, 30b and the second adhesive pads 31a, 31b are provided with first electrodes 32a, 32b and second electrodes 33a, 33b, respectively, and a first heater as a heating means. 34a, 34b and second heaters 35a, 35b are provided.

  The main body 2 is provided with a drive circuit 36 for PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control of the first heaters 34a and 34b and the second heaters 35a and 35b. As shown in FIG. 7, the drive circuit 36 includes a PNP transistor Q1, an NPN transistor Q2, and resistors R1, R2, R3, and R4. By applying the pulse voltage to the input unit, the power output to the first heaters 34a and 34b and the second heaters 35a and 35b, which are heating means, is finely controlled.

  Next, the operation of the electrotherapy device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described.

  First, the user turns on the power with the power switch 11, and then the operation mode of the electrotherapy device 1 and the outputs of the first output channel 6 and the second output channel 7 from the mode selection switch 12 and the output increase / decrease switch 13. When the desired operation mode or output is set, a medium frequency pulse is output as a sine wave from the CPU 5 using the AC adapter 8 or the battery 10 as a power supply source. This pulse is sent to the first adhesive pads 30a, 30b and the second adhesive pads 31a, 31b via the first output channel 6 and the second output channel 7, respectively, and the first electrodes 32a, 32b and the second electrodes 33a, In 33b, the output of the level desired by the user is made and interferes with each other.

  At this time, whether the power is supplied from the AC adapter 8 or the battery 10 depends on the difference in voltage supplied from the AC adapter 8 and the battery 10 by the CPU 5 (for example, the AC adapter 8 is 10 .5V, battery 10 is identified by detecting 6.0V).

  As a result, when the CPU 5 recognizes that the power is supplied from the AC adapter 8, it is shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B according to the settings from the mode selection switch 12 and the output increase / decrease switch 13. As described above, the CPU 5 performs PWM control so that the temperature of the first adhesive pads 30a and 30b and the second adhesive pads 31a and 31b is 43 ° C. (for weak setting) to 50 ° C. (for high setting). Is done.

  On the other hand, when the CPU 5 identifies that the power is supplied from the battery 10, the case where the power is identified as being supplied from the AC adapter 8 as shown in FIG. PWM control is performed by the CPU 5 so that the duty ratio is about 50% of the high setting (see FIG. 8A). Thereby, the temperature of 1st adhesion pad 30a, 30b and 2nd adhesion pad 31a, 31b will be about 35 degreeC which is comparable as body temperature.

  In addition, when the CPU 5 identifies that the power is supplied from the battery 10 as described above, the first heater, which is a heating means, compared to the case where the power is determined to be supplied from the AC adapter 8. If it controls so that the output from 34a, 34b and the 2nd heater 35a, 35b may become small, it will not be limited to the above-mentioned control method.

  Thus, according to the electrotherapy device 1 according to the above-described embodiment, the first heaters 34a and 34b and the second heaters 35a and 35b can be used even when the battery 10 is used as a power supply source. Since the temperature of the first adhesive pads 30a, 30b and the second adhesive pads 31a, 31b is about 35 ° C., which is the same as the body temperature, the user attaches the first adhesive pads 30a, 30b and the second adhesive pads 31a, 31b. Comfortability can be improved without feeling uncomfortable cooling when affixed to the affected part of the human body.

  Also, each battery spring 19 (+), 19 (-), 20 (+), 20 (-), 21 (+), 21 (-), and 22 (+), 22 (-) is an electric resistance value. Is made of a small material, has a large wire diameter, and is formed by a short wire spring having a short overall length, and thus power loss can be suppressed. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, a battery spring 19 for a negative electrode is used by using a wire spring having a volume resistivity of 2 to 6 μΩcm and a wire diameter of 0.7 mm obtained by nickel-plating phosphor bronze. When the total number of turns of (−), 20 (−), 21 (−) and 22 (−) is 4.5, a hard steel wire having a volume resistivity of 10 to 20 μΩcm and a wire diameter of 0.6 mm is used. As compared with the conventional battery spring in which the total number of turns of the battery spring for the negative electrode is 6.25, the power loss in the battery spring can be reduced by 20%. Therefore, according to the electrotherapy device 1 according to the above-described embodiment, the power consumption can be reduced and the battery life can be extended, and an economical and favorable environment can be provided.

  In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the case where the electrotherapy device according to the present invention is applied to an interference wave therapy device has been described. However, this is merely an example, and the present invention is limited to this case. It is not something. That is, the present invention is not limited to, for example, a low-frequency treatment device that applies a low-frequency current to the affected area of the human body for treatment, or a training device that applies electrical stimulation to the muscles of the human body to improve exercise capacity. The present invention can be applied to devices other than a therapeutic device in a narrow sense for treating the above, and includes such devices.

1 electrotherapy device 5 CPU (power supply source identification means, thermal output control means)
8 AC adapter (external power supply)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Battery 16 Battery storage part 19 (+) Battery spring for positive electrodes 19 (-) Battery spring for negative electrodes 20 (+) Battery spring for positive electrodes 20 (-) Battery spring for negative electrodes 21 (+) Battery spring for positive electrode 21 (-) Battery spring for negative electrode 22 (+) Battery spring for positive electrode 22 (-) Battery spring for negative electrode 24 Corner 25 Corner 26 Bent 27 Bent 28 Connection Part 34a 1st heater (thermal means)
34b 1st heater (heating means)
35a Second heater (heating means)
35b Second heater (heating means)

Claims (3)

An electrotherapy device having a heating means for warming an affected part of a human body by an electric power supplied from an external power source or a battery,
Power supply source identification means for identifying whether the power is supplied from the external power source or the battery source;
When the power supply source identifying means identifies that the power is supplied from the battery, the heating means is greater than when the power supply source identifying means identifies that the power is being supplied from the external power source. Thermal output control means for controlling so that the output from
An electrotherapeutic device comprising:   When the power supply source identifying unit identifies that the electric power is supplied from the battery, the thermal output control unit performs PWM so that the output temperature from the thermal unit becomes a temperature similar to the body temperature. The electrotherapy device according to claim 1 to be controlled.   A battery housing portion capable of housing the battery is provided, and battery springs are provided at both ends of the battery housing portion so as to be in contact with the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery, and the battery spring has a wire diameter of 0.6. The electrotherapy device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrotherapy device is formed by a wire spring having a volume resistivity of 2 to 6 µΩcm and a volume resistivity of ~ 0.7 mm.

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