JP3104124U - Low frequency treatment device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a good remedy for patients and their families because ordinary rehabilitation such as sequelae of stroke is very difficult, and a good remedy such as senile dementia and urinary incontinence is also desired. I was
SOLUTION: The low-frequency transmitter capable of generating a frequency of less than 1HZ and having at least two output terminals and two electrodes electrically connectable to the two output terminals, respectively, wherein the two electrodes Is a woven fabric in which conductive yarns are woven, and a low-frequency therapeutic device, which is a woven fabric electrode in which the conductive yarns are partially exposed on the surface, is very effective for the above problem.
[Selection diagram] FIG.

Description

  The present invention relates to a low-frequency treatment device that is effective for sequelae of stroke and the like. It stimulates cranial nerves by electrical nerve stimulation to peripheral nerves, induces changes in cerebral blood flow, and obtains a therapeutic effect.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a low-frequency treatment device has been used for treating stiffness such as stiff shoulders and pain, and many products have been sold. These low-frequency therapeutic devices are used in such a manner that an opposing electrode is attached to a part of the body or attached thereto, and a metal sheet or the like is used as the electrode.

  As described in JP-A-11-309219, a cloth electrode is known on the one hand, and as described in Utility Model Registration 3091848, this cloth electrode is formed into a special shape and used for a low frequency treatment device. It is described that it is good for improvement such as stiff shoulders.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-282370 describes that conductive fibers, particularly carbon fibers, are used as electrodes and are used in combination with a high potential generator to reduce stiffness and pain.

  These conventional treatment devices are not intended for use in rehabilitation or for improving sequelae, such as stroke, because the treatment purpose is limited. Therefore, their use is inconvenient for non-intended use.

  There has been a demand for an excellent therapeutic device suitable for the purpose of treatment such as improvement of sequelae of stroke, rehabilitation, etc., which can be used easily and simply, and the emergence of such a therapeutic device has been eagerly desired.

  As a result of repeated studies, the present inventors have found that, for example, certain types of electrical stimulation of the entire hand activate the primary somatosensory and motor areas, and the local blood flow of the secondary somatosensory, As a result, there is an effect on the problem, which is further capable of generating a frequency of at least 1 HZ or less, and having a low-frequency transmitter having at least two output terminals and the two output terminals, as claimed in claim 1. And two electrodes that can be electrically connected to each other. The two electrodes are woven fabrics each woven with a conductive yarn, and the woven fabric has the conductive yarn partially exposed on the surface. Using an electrode, a low-frequency therapeutic device, has been found to be very effective.

  That is, it has been found that the combination of a specific electrode and a specific low-frequency transmitter is useful and significant for rehabilitation, as opposed to simply eliminating stiff shoulders.

  By applying the present invention to peripheral nerves such as the palm, the blood flow to the primary somatosensory cortex and the secondary somatosensory cortex is significantly increased compared to when the blood is stable, and the stimulation activates nerve cells in the brain. It has the potential to activate and repair neural circuits in the brain, and is very effective in rehabilitating patients with sequelae of stroke and senile dementia. The treatment is comfortable and comfortable.

  Furthermore, the treatment can be performed without giving the patient a feeling of crispness, and the used woven fabric electrode can be washed and reused to give a clean feeling, and can be used at a low cost, thereby reducing the cost burden on the patient. be able to. In addition, infection between patients can be avoided.

  In the present invention, the embodiment of the present invention described in claim 1 is preferable, but in the embodiment of the present invention, the woven fabric electrode faces the two electrodes via an insulating woven fabric. It is preferable that a cloth bag is formed and an insulating elastic member is packed in the cloth bag. Further, the insulating elastic member is preferably a collection of light resin particles. A low-frequency therapeutic device in which the surface of the woven electrode is integrated with a part of the undergarment so that the surface is on the inside and the two electrodes are separated in an insulating state is also preferably used. In the present invention, two woven fabric electrodes are generally used by being electrically coupled to two terminals of different poles of a low-frequency transmitter. In the case of a low-frequency transmitter having three terminals, each of the three woven fabric electrodes can be electrically coupled to each terminal. At this time, the two electrodes have the same polarity. For example, they are arranged in the target system with the woven fabric electrodes of different polarities sandwiched therebetween, and are applied to the stimulating unit.

  The woven fabric used for the woven fabric electrode used in the present invention is a yarn, for example, a synthetic yarn in which silver is plated with silver, or a conductive yarn in which silver is deposited and woven with another yarn. The other yarn is preferably a hygroscopic, more preferably a moisturizing and hygroscopic cotton thread, silk thread or the like. More preferably, a woven method called knit knitting is used. As a modification, the woven fabric electrode can be manufactured by sewing the conductive thread into a hygroscopic nonwoven fabric.

  Examples of the conductive yarn used in the woven fabric include a silver-coated polyester fiber called SILFIBER (trademark) manufactured by Mitsubishi Materials Corporation and a silver-plated yarn manufactured by Toyo Service Co., Ltd., such as polyester, acrylic, and nylon. Woven fabrics using silver-plated yarns on amide fibers. These platings are also made of nickel or copper, and woven fabrics using these materials can also be used. Furthermore, as the silver-plated yarn, METAX (trademark) of Diabon Co., Ltd., Sandaron (trademark) of Nippon Silk Wool Dyeing Co., Ltd. and the like are used.

  In order to manufacture an electrode using the woven fabric, the electrode can be configured as described in Utility Model Registration 3091848. For example, when used in the form of being gripped by the palm, two woven fabric electrodes are placed on a bag (for example, 2 to 6 cm in height, 5 to 10 cm in width, and 10 in length) via a normal woven fabric (insulating). Approximately 15 centimeters in the shape of a square prism), and then insulative sponge, rice husk, resin (eg, nylon) granules having a diameter of about 2 to 6 mm, preferably about 4 mm, etc. What is packed with the degree of filling so that the shape can be freely changed is used. When used on the sole of the foot, each woven fabric electrode can be used as a bag, and two bags filled with the same can be connected to the electrodes of each low-frequency transmitter.

  Alternatively, it is also effective for treatment of urinary incontinence and the like, but in this case, it is possible to sew two woven fabric electrodes on underwear such as pants while separating them, or to sew them through an elastic member such as sponge. it can. Alternatively, it can be made so that the conductor is drawn out of the braided electrode directly in the undergarment. The woven fabric electrode has a terminal for leading a conductor from the conductor to the low-frequency transmitter or a lead wire for the conductor.

  The woven fabric electrode further preferably bends a waterproof layer (eg, a thin urethane film, preferably two thin urethane films), preferably via a water retention layer (eg, a woven fabric formed by circular knitting of cotton yarn) thereunder. A layer of soft woven fabric (eg, nylon tricot) is layered through a number of point-adhesive waterproofing layers of appropriate hardness, eg, about 3 cm to 10 cm long and about 10 cm wide. Those having a size of 5 cm to 15 cm, preferably about 6 cm in length and about 10 cm in width are used.

  In this case, preferably, the conductive hooks are sewn at the ends so as to be integrated as a whole, and are configured so as to have a feel of a soft, slightly thick cloth as a whole, and are caulked on the back surface and the front surface. An electrode terminal can be formed, so that the electrode portion directly touches the skin, for example, by temporarily fastening, or a hook used for ordinary clothes is provided with a male portion on the woven fabric electrode and a female portion on the underwear, It can be detachably attached to the underwear. In any case, the woven fabric electrode is arranged such that the woven fabric electrode is located inside the underwear so as to directly contact the skin, for example, inside the underwear, a mesh portion of a conductive yarn is created, In addition, a woven fabric electrode having the water retention layer or the like can be held so that the electrode portion and the mesh portion are in contact with the mesh portion.

  In the same woven fabric electrode, the conductive yarns are preferably in electrical contact with each other. For this purpose, for example, a conductive yarn can be used for not only the warp but also the weft. However, depending on the hygroscopicity of the conductive yarn, a conductive yarn for electrical connection of the conductive yarn may be used for the warp or weft only at the end of the cloth, depending on the hygroscopicity of the conductive yarn in order to obtain appropriate moisture absorption. Then, it is desirable to electrically couple the main conductive yarn and to use a hygroscopic yarn in other parts.

  The low-frequency transmitter used in the present invention preferably has a transmitting function of 100 HZ or less, and more preferably has a transmitting function of 80 HZ or less, among those currently used in low-frequency therapeutic devices. In particular, those having a transmission function of less than 1 Hz are used, and the frequency to be used can be changed stepwise and / or continuously. In clinical trials, the best therapeutic effect has been obtained at 1HZ or less. However, depending on the type of treatment or in the case of repeated treatment, the frequency is changed, for example, 5HZ or 50HZ provides a sufficient or desirable effect. Therefore, it is desirable that the low frequency transmitter has a function capable of freely setting the frequency.

  Further, the low-frequency transmitter preferably has a random generation circuit. This may be less effective if the treatment is repeated at the same frequency, and it may be desirable to change the frequency. Although it is possible to change the frequency manually, the random generator is useful for preventing regularity, saving the trouble of memorizing the used frequency, and preventing erroneous treatment. The time required for one treatment is about 1 minute to 30 minutes, and is selected depending on symptoms and purpose, but generally about 10 minutes to 15 minutes may be sufficient. During the treatment, the random generation circuit randomly selects the frequency at a specific time, for example, a frequency between 0.1 HZ and 80 HZ, and instructs the frequency generation circuit to generate the selected frequency. May be used, or when starting treatment, first, the frequency selected by the random generation circuit may be instructed to the frequency generator, or these two types of instructions may be used. It can also be used in a combination of methods.

  As described above, as the low-frequency transmitter, a specific one is selected from commercially available and easily available ones. However, these transmitters are generally DC, a voltage of several volts, and a voltage of 100 volts. The pulse width is less than or equal to milliamps, and the pulse width generally has a center of about 0.2 millisecond, and can be preferably used in the present invention.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and is implemented within the scope of the present specification by appropriately considering the purpose of use and the like.

  FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a low-frequency treatment device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a low-frequency transmitter capable of transmitting from 0.1 Hz to 200 Hz, having a voltage of 3 V, a current of 100 mA (maximum), and a pulse width of 0.2 ms. The output of the low-frequency transmitter 1 is sent to the woven electrodes 2 and 3 via the conductors 4 and 5, respectively.

  FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a representative example of the woven fabric electrode 2 of the woven fabric electrodes 2 and 3 of the above embodiment. The woven fabric electrode 3 also has the same configuration. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the woven fabric electrode of FIG. 1 cut in a longitudinal direction, in which two conductive woven fabrics 21 are sewn in a bag shape by 22 and enclose an insulating sponge 23. The conductive wire 4 is electrically connected to the conductive yarn of the conductive woven fabric 21 at 24.

  The low-frequency therapeutic device of FIG. 1 configured as described above rides, for example, with both feet on the woven fabric electrodes 2 and 3, and activates the low-frequency transmitter. For example, a pulse of 5HZ was generated. As a result, the blood flow in the primary somatosensory cortex and the secondary somatosensory cortex significantly increased compared to when the blood flow was stable.

  FIG. 3 relates to another embodiment, which is suitable for stimulating a palm. The output from the low frequency transmitter (for example, that of FIG. 1) 1 is electrically coupled to the woven electrode 2 via a conductor 4 while being coupled to the woven electrode 3 via a conductor 5. The woven fabric electrodes 2 and 3 are sewn together with the insulating woven fabric 6 to form a bag. It is shaped like a small pillow, and its length, width and length are approximately 4 cm, 4 cm and 12 cm, respectively.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pillow-shaped bag cut in a longitudinal direction. The conductive woven fabrics 2 and 3 and the insulating woven fabric 6 are sewn in a bag shape at 6a, and nylon granules are packed therein. The size of the granular material is a sphere having an average particle diameter of about 4 mm. Just packed like a pillow. When the pillow was gripped by hand and repeatedly stimulated with 0.5 HZ for several minutes, it was very effective in improving sequelae after stroke.

  5 and 6 show examples of other woven fabric electrodes that can be used in the above embodiments. The nonwoven fabric 25 is, for example, a sewing machine using a conductive thread 26 as an upper thread and an insulating thread 28 as a lower thread. The conductive wire 4 is electrically connected to the end 27 of the conductive thread 26.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram in which the underwear is turned over, and is an example in which a woven fabric electrode is directly provided inside the underwear. For example, the woven fabric electrodes 2 and 3 having the water retention layer are provided on the abdomen of the pants 8 by temporary fastening, and are electrically connected to the low-frequency transmitter via the conductors 4 and 5, respectively. Things. Using this, repeated application of a 50 HZ stimulus for several minutes improved urinary incontinence.

  FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a low-frequency treatment device according to one embodiment of the present invention.   It is sectional drawing of the woven fabric electrode used in the said Example.   FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a low-frequency treatment device according to another embodiment of the present invention.   FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the woven fabric electrode used in FIG. 3.   It is a perspective conceptual diagram of other examples of a woven fabric electrode.   It is sectional drawing of the woven fabric electrode of FIG.   It is another example of the woven fabric electrode according to the present invention.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Low frequency transmitter 2 Woven electrode 3 Woven electrode 4 Conductor 5 Conductor 6 Insulating woven cloth 7 Nylon granular material

Claims (5)

  A low-frequency transmitter capable of generating a frequency of less than 1 Hz and having at least two output terminals and two electrodes electrically connectable to the two output terminals, respectively, wherein the two electrodes are electrically conductive. A low-frequency therapeutic device comprising a woven fabric electrode, wherein the conductive yarn is partially exposed on the surface.   2. The woven fabric electrode according to claim 1, wherein a cloth bag is formed so that the two electrodes face each other via an insulating woven fabric, and an insulating elastic member is packed therein. Frequency treatment device.   2. The low frequency treatment according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the woven fabric electrode is on the inside, is integrated with a part of the undergarment so as to contact the skin, and the two electrodes are insulated and separated from each other. vessel.   3. The low-frequency treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the insulating elastic member is a set of light resin particles.   2. The low-frequency treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the low-frequency transmitter has a random generation circuit that randomly generates a plurality of specific frequencies selected from frequencies from 0.1 Hz to 80 Hz.

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