JP7463659B2 - Electrical Stimulation Device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical stimulation device for use in treatment, rehabilitation, examination, massage, or cosmetic applications.

So-called physical therapy, which applies physical energy from the outside to a necessary part such as an affected part to perform treatment, massage, diagnosis, or cosmetic treatment, has attracted attention, and many medical devices, diagnostic devices, training devices, and cosmetic devices that realize these treatments have been put to practical use. In this specification, the physical energy used in treatment, cosmetic treatment, or diagnosis, such as current, voltage, or power having an AC component or frequency component such as low frequency or high frequency, is collectively referred to as a pulse, or each of them is also referred to as a therapeutic wave, electrical stimulation, or electrical signal. Furthermore, the electrical signal may be a pulse train of rectangular pulses or a pulse train of composite pulses, and may be a sine wave, triangular wave, sawtooth wave, or impulse train. Furthermore, a composite wave generated by the interaction of multiple pulses is also referred to as a pulse or composite pulse, and a composite wave generated by a sine wave is simply referred to as a pulse or composite pulse.

Hereinafter, in this specification, treatment devices, medical devices, massage machines, diagnostic devices, and beauty devices that use electrical stimulation are collectively referred to as electrical stimulation devices. Treatment or diagnosis using an electrical stimulation device, massage, or treatment using a beauty device that uses electrical stimulation are each or collectively referred to as treatment. A person who performs treatment or massage using an electrical stimulation device, a person who performs diagnosis using an electrical stimulation device, or a person who performs beauty treatment using an electrical stimulation device is referred to as a user, and a person who receives treatment is referred to as a patient. Furthermore, a part of the human body to which treatment using electrical stimulation is performed is referred to as an affected area. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the description of an electrical stimulation device does not exclude massagers, diagnostic devices, or beauty devices, and the description of a patient does not only mean a person who has an injury or disease, but also includes a person who is examined or a person who receives a beauty treatment. Similarly, the description of an affected area does not only mean a part that is injured or diseased, but also indicates a part of the body to be examined or a part of the body to which a beauty treatment is performed. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, a pulse used for treatment does not exclude a pulse used for massage, diagnosis, or beauty, and also means a sine wave or electromagnetic wave.

Nowadays, electrical stimulation devices are in practical use that use two or three pairs of electrodes, i.e. four or six electrodes, arranged to sandwich the affected area, supplying electrical signals of different frequencies from each electrode pair to the affected area, generating interference waves within the body to provide treatment. Treatment using interference waves has the advantage that it can provide effective treatment even if the affected area is deep below the body surface.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-112362

When the frequency of the electrical signal supplied to the affected area increases, it reaches a deeper area. In the technology described in the above Patent Document 1, the part to which the electrical stimulation reaches (hereinafter referred to as the depth of reach) can be changed by changing the frequency. However, if the same pulse is continuously used on the affected area, the affected area becomes less responsive to the pulse, and the treatment effect tends to decrease. Therefore, the decrease in the treatment effect can be prevented by changing the frequency of the pulse used. However, when two pulses are used, if only one of the two frequencies of the electrical signal is changed, the other frequency is kept constant, so there is a problem that the effect of preventing the decrease in treatment efficiency is not sufficient. Furthermore, the purpose of treatment is not limited to simply recovering damage to muscle tissue due to injury, etc., but is diversified, such as relieving pain and muscle tension. However, these treatments usually only achieve one effect at a time, and in order to achieve multiple effects, pulses must be applied at regular intervals and treatment must be performed one by one in order, which takes a long time and does not improve the treatment efficiency. In addition, as the frequency increases, the response of the affected area tends to become slower, so even if sufficient power is supplied to the affected area in the low-frequency range, for example 5 kHz, the therapeutic effect may not be sufficient when the frequency increases to 10 kHz, and a larger current value may be required on the high-frequency side to achieve the same therapeutic effect as in the low-frequency range. The present invention aims to solve these problems and provide an electrical stimulation device with high therapeutic efficiency.

(1) In order to achieve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention has taken the following measures. That is, an electrical stimulation device having at least a first electrode pair, a second electrode pair , and a third electrode pair , the electrical stimulation device has a first generating unit that generates a first electrical signal supplied to the first electrode pair, a second generating unit that generates a second electrical signal supplied to the second electrode pair, and a third generating unit that generates a third electrical signal supplied to the third electrode pair, and the frequency of the first electrical signal changes in a first period, the difference between the frequency of the first electrical signal and the frequency of the second electrical signal changes in a second period, the frequency of the first electrical signal and the frequency of the third electrical signal are different, and the output of the first electrical signal is controlled based on the frequency of the first electrical signal.

(2) Furthermore, the electrical stimulation device of the present invention is characterized in that the output of the second electrical signal is controlled based on the frequency of the second electrical signal.

The present invention provides an electrical stimulation device that can provide physical therapy that provides multiple effects at once and requires little training, allowing for high therapeutic efficiency.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a main body of the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an electrode pad used in the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an electrode pad used in the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an electrode pad used in the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a control device for an electrical stimulation device according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a parameter setting screen of the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. 4A to 4C are cross-sectional views illustrating frequency control of the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating frequency control of the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating frequency control of the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating frequency control of the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating frequency control of the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating frequency control of the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating frequency control of the electrical stimulation device of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart of output control of the electrical stimulation device of the present invention.

1(a) is a perspective view of the main body 11 of the electrical stimulation device 1 used in the description of the present invention in this embodiment. FIG. 1(b) shows a bottom view of the main body 11, and FIG. 1(c) shows a rear view of the main body 11. A display unit 17, a CH1 encoder 18 for channel 1, a CH2 encoder 19 for channel 2, and a stop switch 120 are provided on the front of the main body 11 of the electrical stimulation device 1, and a CH1 connector R121 for channel 1 and a CH2 connector R124 for channel 2 are provided on the right side of the main body 11. On the left side, a CH1 connector L122 for channel 1 and a CH2 connector L125 for channel 2 are provided at positions corresponding to the right side, but the right side and left side have the same shape, so their description is omitted. On the back, a main power supply 12, a power connector 13, and an exhaust port 14 that is forcibly exhausted by a fan (not shown) are provided. The fan draws outside air into the intake port 15 through a gap formed under the bottom surface 123 by the four feet 16 on the bottom surface, and exhausts it through the exhaust port 14, cooling the inside of the main body 11.

Figure 2(a) shows the electrode pad R201, which is a conductor connected to the main body 11 for use. The figure shows the surface of the electrode pad R201 that comes into contact with the patient's skin. As shown in the figure, the first electrode RA202, the second electrode RB203, and the third electrode RC204 are arranged on an elastic thin plate, for example, a silicon substrate 205. Each of these electrodes is provided with a conductive adhesive layer 207, and the electrode pad R201 is attached to the patient by attaching each adhesive layer 207 to the patient during treatment. During treatment, pulses are supplied to the patient through the adhesive layer 207 used as the electrodes RA202, RB203, and RC204 to perform treatment. Hereinafter, electrodes that supply pulses to the patient during treatment, such as the electrodes RA202, RB203, and RC204, are referred to as treatment electrodes.

As treatment electrodes, electrodes RA202, RB203, and RC204 may be composed of only a conductive adhesive layer, or may be composed of a conductive adhesive layer 207 disposed on the surface of a thin metal plate such as aluminum or stainless steel, or a conductive rubber plate. Furthermore, they may be non-adhesive, and may be composed of a thin metal plate or a conductive rubber plate, or may be composed of a conductive layer that is conductive but not adhesive. In the case where the treatment electrodes are not adhesive, the treatment electrodes may be fixed to the patient using a separate belt (not shown), or a suction cup that can fix the electrodes to the patient by generating negative pressure in the cup.

Figure 2 (b) shows the surface of electrode pad R201 that is not in contact with the human body. Electrode terminals 206 are provided at positions corresponding to electrodes RA202, RB203, and RC204. Each electrode terminal 206 is electrically connected to electrode RA202, electrode RB203, and electrode RC204, respectively.

Figure 2(c) shows a cross section of electrode pad R201. In particular, electrode RA202 and its vicinity are shown, and other electrodes RB203 and RC204 have the same configuration. As shown in the figure, an adhesive layer 207 is disposed on one side of substrate 205 as electrode RA202. An electrode terminal 206 is provided on the opposite side of substrate 205 and is electrically connected to electrode RA202.

Figure 3 shows how the electrode pad R201 is connected to the cable 302. The cable 302 is a collection of harnesses 303 connected to each electrode, and is connected to the CH1 connector R121 of the main body 11 by a connector terminal 304. Each harness 303 is connected to each electrode terminal 206 by a snap 301. In this embodiment, the connection between the harness 303 and the electrode terminal 206 uses a snap, but is not limited to this, and the connection may be made by a clip or a jack. Alternatively, the harness 303 may be fixed to the electrode terminal 206 by soldering.

Figure 4 shows electrode pad L401 used together with electrode pad R201. This figure corresponds to Figure 2 (a). Electrodes similar to electrodes RA202, RB203, and RC204 are arranged on electrode pad L401, including electrode LA402, which is a first electrode, electrode LB403, which is a second electrode, and electrode LC404, which is a third electrode. The configuration of each electrode is similar to that of electrode pad R201, and a description thereof will be omitted. During treatment, the electrode pad R201 and electrode pad L401 are positioned to sandwich the affected area and each electrode is placed in contact with the patient to perform treatment. Electrode pad L401 is also connected to CH1 connector L122 of main body 11 by harness 303. In addition, electrodes RA202 and LA402 are referred to as the first electrode pair, electrodes RB203 and LB403 are referred to as the second electrode pair, and electrodes RC204 and LC404 are referred to as the third electrode pair.

The main body 11 of this embodiment has two channels so that two locations can be treated at the same time. When using two channels simultaneously, prepare another set of electrode pads R201 and L401 and cable 302, and connect the cable 302 connected to the electrode pads R201 to the CH2 connector R124, and connect the cable 302 connected to the electrode pads L401 to the CH2 connector L125. For simplicity, this embodiment will be described using an example in which only channel 1 is used, but the same description can be applied to the cases in which only channel 2 is used and the cases in which both channels 1 and 2 are used, so the description of the cases in which only channel 2 is used and the cases in which both channels 1 and 2 are used will be omitted.

Before starting treatment, the user attaches the electrode pad R201 and the electrode pad L401 to the affected area or in the vicinity thereof. The electrode pad R201 and the electrode pad L401 are arranged in the orientation shown in FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 4 so as to sandwich the affected area. By arranging the electrode pad R201 and the electrode pad L401 in this way, applying a pulse A, which is a sine wave having a frequency FA, which is a first frequency, to the electrodes RA202 and LA402, applying a pulse B, which is a sine wave having a frequency FB, which is a second frequency, to the electrodes RB203 and LB403, and applying a pulse C, which is a sine wave having a frequency FC, which is a third frequency, to the electrodes RC204 and LC404, a pulse (hereinafter referred to as a composite pulse) is generated in which the pulses interact with each other at the affected area or in the vicinity thereof. For example, a composite pulse AB having a frequency FAB, which is a fourth frequency, is generated by the pulse A and the pulse B. Similarly, a composite pulse AC having a frequency FAC, which is a fifth frequency, is generated by the pulse A and the pulse C. In the present invention, the electrode arrangement is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 4, and the electrodes RA202, RB203, and RC204, the electrodes LA402, LB403, and LC404 may be arranged in various positions, provided that the composite pulse AB and the composite pulse AC are generated. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electrodes RA202 and LA402, the electrodes RB203 and LB403, and the electrodes RC204 and LC404 are paired to form three pairs of electrodes, that is, a configuration using six electrodes, but this is not limited to this, and a configuration using four pairs of eight electrodes, or more, may be used. In this embodiment, the configuration is such that the frequencies of the pulse B and the pulse C are controlled to have a predetermined frequency difference with the pulse A as a reference, and the reference pulse in this case is referred to as a reference pulse. Therefore, the pulse A will be described as a reference pulse, but this is not limited to this, and other pulses may be controlled with the pulse B and the pulse C as a reference. That is, pulses B and C can be used as reference pulses.

In this embodiment, an example is described in which sine waves are used as pulse A, pulse B, and pulse C. However, this does not mean that the present invention is limited to sine waves, but also applies to sawtooth waves, triangular waves, and pulse trains. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to waveforms that are symmetrical in positive and negative, but may have an asymmetric waveform or an offset value. Alternatively, the pulse may be a rectangular pulse, a stepped pulse, or a composite pulse train or impulse train that combines various pulses.

5 is a block diagram of the control device 501 that is built into the main body 11 and mainly controls the main body 11. In addition to the control device 501, a power supply unit (not shown) and the like are built into the main body 11, but since they are not directly related to the present invention, their description will be omitted. The operation unit IF 502 in the figure is connected to the display unit 17 having a touch panel, and notifies the control unit 503 of information indicating what settings the user has made to the main body 11 or how the user has operated it. The control unit 503 notifies the display unit IF 504 of information for displaying settings, operating status, etc. according to the information from the operation unit IF 502. The display unit IF 504 is also connected to the memory 505 and the display unit 17, and reads out necessary information from the memory 505 according to the information, sends it to the display unit 17, and displays the necessary information on the display unit 17. In addition, the control device 501 is equipped with a timer 507 that manages the treatment time, a treatment waveform A generating unit 508 that outputs pulse A, a treatment waveform B generating unit 510 that outputs pulse B, and a treatment waveform C generating unit 511 that outputs pulse C. The treatment waveform A generating unit 508, the treatment waveform B generating unit 510, and the treatment waveform C generating unit 511 constitute a signal supply unit.

Figure 6 shows the parameter setting screen for the pulse used in channel 1. The user may first set the parameters of the reference pulse A. The frequency of pulse A can be a constant frequency mode in which it is output at a constant frequency, or an oscillation mode, which is the first control for changing the frequency within a predetermined range. In this mode, the frequency FA of pulse A is changed from a predetermined lower limit frequency to a predetermined upper limit frequency, and then this control of changing to the lower limit frequency is repeated in a first cycle.

In the oscillation mode of pulse A, the lower limit is set to 5 kHz and the upper limit is set to 10 kHz, and the frequency is changed from 5 kHz to 10 kHz in sequence. When the frequency reaches 10 kHz, the frequency is returned to 5 kHz in sequence, and this frequency change is repeated in a 4-second cycle. That is, the frequency increases from 5 kHz to 10 kHz in 2 seconds, and then decreases from 10 kHz to 5 kHz in the next 2 seconds, and a series of frequency controls are repeated. Note that the present invention is not limited to this, and the range of the changed frequency may be wider or narrower. For example, the lower limit is not limited to 5 kHz, and may be 1 kHz, 3 kHz, or 7 kHz, and the upper limit may be any frequency higher than the lower limit. For example, the range of the changed frequency may be about 1 kHz to 10 kHz, about 4 kHz to 8 kHz, or about 2 kHz to 15 kHz. Furthermore, the configuration may be such that the lower limit and upper limit can be freely determined by the user. Alternatively, the configuration may be such that the user determines the lower limit value and then the upper limit value is determined based on the lower limit value, or the user determines the upper limit value and then the lower limit value is determined based on the upper limit value. The frequency change period is not limited to 4 seconds, and may be 4 seconds or less, for example 2 seconds, or conversely, may be 4 seconds or more.

In this embodiment, three types of frequencies, 5 kHz, 8 kHz, and 10 kHz, can be used as the constant frequency mode. The frequency is not limited to these, and may be set according to the purpose of treatment and the characteristics of the patient or the affected area. Furthermore, three types of frequencies, 5 kHz, 8 kHz, and 10 kHz, are prepared as the constant frequency mode, but the frequency is not limited to these, and one or two types, or four or more types, may be used. Alternatively, an arbitrary frequency may be selected and set by an encoder or other input means. Here, it is assumed that the user selects the oscillation mode as the frequency of pulse A. In this case, when the user taps "Oscillation" with his/her finger in the "Parameters of Pulse A" column in FIG. 6(a), "Oscillation" is inverted as shown in FIG. 6(b), indicating that the oscillation mode has been selected as the frequency of pulse A.

Next, when "output level" in FIG. 6(a) is tapped, "output level" is inverted and the encoder 18 is enabled, and the output level is displayed next to "output level" on the display unit 17 according to the operation of the encoder 18. The encoder 18 is used to set parameters for channel 1, and the encoder 19 is used when setting parameters for channel 2. In this embodiment, the output level can be set from 0 to 10. The output level 0 means that no output is generated, and the output level 10 means that the maximum output of 50 mA is output. The output level specifies the maximum output in one period of the pulse, and this value is called the output setting value. That is, the output level specifies the output setting value, and since a sine wave is used as the pulse in this embodiment, when the initial phase is 0, the output level corresponds to the peak current of the sine wave, that is, the output setting value corresponds to the current value at a phase of 90 degrees. For example, when the output level 4 is set as shown in the following example, the output setting value is set to 20 mA. This means that the output is set so that the current is 20mA when the phase is 90 degrees.

The output level is configured such that the output value increases linearly according to the output level value, such as the output setting value being 5mA, 10mA, 15mA, 20mA, 25mA, 30mA, 35mA, 40mA, 45mA, and 50mA each time the value increases by 1 from 1. Note that the present invention is not limited to this, and the output value may increase nonlinearly, for example, 10mA, 18mA, 24mA, 32mA, 39mA, 46mA, 50mA, 54mA, 58mA, and 50mA, as the output level value increases by 1 from 1. Alternatively, the output value may be freely set by the encoder 18. Furthermore, although the maximum output value is 50mA in this embodiment, it is not limited to this, and may be set according to the purpose of treatment. Here, it is assumed that output level 4 is selected, and FIG. 6(b) shows this state.

Next, the user sets the parameters for pulse B. The frequency FB of pulse B is controlled by the second control. The second control is a control that changes the frequency FB of pulse B so that the frequency FB of pulse B becomes ΔB, which is an arbitrary frequency difference with respect to the frequency FA of pulse A. In other words, the frequency FB of pulse B is output as FA+ΔB. ΔB is also set using the parameter setting screen in FIG. 6. In this embodiment, the second control includes a constant Δ mode in which ΔB is a constant value, and an oscillating Δ mode in which the frequency difference ΔB is changed within a predetermined range. The frequency FB of pulse B may be output as FA-ΔB or FA±ΔB. In this embodiment, it is output as FA+ΔB.

As described above, the oscillation Δ mode can be set as the second control for pulse B, in which ΔB is changed from a predetermined lower limit to a predetermined upper limit, and then the control of returning to the lower limit is repeated in a second cycle. In the oscillation Δ mode, the lower limit of ΔB is set to 0.1 Hz, the upper limit is set to 400 Hz, and the frequency difference is changed sequentially from 0.1 kHz to 400 Hz. When ΔB reaches 400 Hz, the frequency difference is controlled to be gradually reduced to 0.1 Hz, and this frequency control is repeated in a 28-second cycle. That is, the frequency of pulse B increases so that the frequency difference with pulse A becomes 0.1 Hz to 400 Hz in 14 seconds, and the frequency of pulse B is controlled so that the frequency difference with pulse A decreases from 400 Hz to 0.1 Hz in the next 14 seconds, and this series of frequency controls is repeated.

Note that the present invention is not limited to this, and the range of the frequency difference to be changed may be a wider range or a narrower range. The lower limit value is not limited to 0.1 Hz, and may be 1 Hz, 10 Hz, or 100 Hz, and the upper limit value may be a frequency higher than the lower limit value. For example, it may be about 0 Hz to 400 Hz, about 1 Hz to 400 Hz, or about 0.1 Hz to 500 Hz. Furthermore, a configuration may be adopted in which the user can freely determine the lower limit value and the upper limit value. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the user determines the lower limit value and the upper limit value is determined based on the lower limit value, or a configuration in which the user determines the upper limit value and the lower limit value is determined based on the upper limit value. Note that the frequency change period is not limited to 28 seconds, and may be 28 seconds or less, or conversely, may be 28 seconds or more, for example, 32 seconds.

As described above, in this embodiment, the constant Δ mode can be set as the second control, and in this mode, ΔB is constant. In this embodiment, three types of frequency differences, 100 Hz, 200 Hz, and 400 Hz, can be used as ΔB in the constant Δ mode. The frequency is not limited to these, and may be set according to the purpose of treatment. Furthermore, three types, 100 Hz, 200 Hz, and 400 Hz, are prepared as the constant Δ mode, but the frequency is not limited to these, and one or two types, or four or more types may be used. Alternatively, an arbitrary frequency difference may be selected and set by an encoder or other input means. Here, it is assumed that the user selects 400 Hz in the constant Δ mode as the frequency difference of pulse B. In this case, when the user taps "400 Hz" with a finger in the "Parameters of Pulse B" column in FIG. 6(a), "400 Hz" is inverted as shown in FIG. 6(b), indicating that the constant Δ mode of 400 Hz has been selected as the frequency difference of pulse B.

Next, when "Output level" is tapped in the "Parameters for Pulse B" column in FIG. 6(a), the "Output level" is inverted as shown in FIG. 6(b), the encoder 18 is enabled, and the output level is displayed next to the "Output level" on the display unit 17 according to the operation of the encoder 18. The relationship between the output level and the actual output and the setting method are the same as those of Pulse A. Note that the relationship between the output level and the actual output is the same as that of Pulse A, but is not limited to this, and the relationship between the output level and the actual output may be changed from that of Pulse A. Furthermore, the maximum output value is 50 mA, the same as that of Pulse A in this embodiment, but is not limited to this, and may be changed according to the purpose of treatment. Here, it is assumed that output level 4 is selected, and FIG. 6(b) shows this state.

In this embodiment, when the output of pulse A is set, the output of pulse B is set to the output level of pulse A in conjunction with the setting. That is, when the output level of pulse A is set to 4, the output level of pulse B is also set to 4 in conjunction with the setting. Furthermore, the configuration may be such that the output of pulse B set in conjunction with pulse A can be adjusted. For example, when the output level of pulse A is set to 4, the output level of pulse B is also set to 4 in conjunction with the setting, but the setting value of pulse B may be changed to output level 3, output level 5, or other value. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the same output level as the output level of pulse A is set for pulse B, but this is not limited to this, and a configuration may be such that an output level different from that of pulse A is set, or that the output level can be changed.

Next, the user sets the parameters of pulse C. The frequency FC of pulse C is controlled by the third control. The third control is a control that changes the frequency FC of pulse C so that the frequency FC of pulse C becomes ΔC, which is an arbitrary frequency difference with respect to the frequency FA of pulse A. That is, the frequency FC of pulse C is output as FA+ΔC. ΔC is also set using the parameter setting screen of FIG. 6. In this embodiment, the third control includes a constant Δ mode in which ΔC is a constant value, and an oscillating Δ mode in which the frequency difference ΔC is changed within a predetermined range. The frequency FC of pulse C may be output as FA-ΔC or FA±ΔC. In this embodiment, it is output as FA+ΔC.

As described above, a swing Δ mode can be set as the third control for pulse C. In this mode, ΔC is changed from a predetermined lower limit value to a predetermined upper limit value, and then the control of changing to the lower limit value is repeated in a third cycle. In the swing Δ mode for pulse C in this embodiment, ΔC is changed sequentially from 0.1 Hz to 5 Hz, and when ΔC reaches 5 Hz, it is gradually decreased to 0.1 Hz, and this change in frequency difference is repeated in a 60-second cycle. That is, a series of frequency difference controls is repeated in which the frequency difference between pulse A and pulse C increases from 0.1 Hz to 5 Hz in 30 seconds, and then this frequency difference decreases from 5 Hz to 0.1 Hz in the next 30 seconds.

The present invention is not limited to this, and the range of the frequency difference to be changed may be wider or narrower. The lower limit is not limited to 0.1 Hz, and may be 0.5 Hz, 0.7 Hz, or 1 Hz, and the upper limit may be any frequency higher than the lower limit. For example, it may be about 0 Hz to 5 Hz, about 1 Hz to 7 Hz, or 0.1 Hz to 3 Hz. Furthermore, the configuration may be such that the user can freely determine the lower limit and the upper limit. Alternatively, the configuration may be such that the user determines the lower limit and then the upper limit is determined based on the lower limit, or the configuration may be such that the user determines the upper limit and then the lower limit is determined based on the upper limit. Furthermore, the period for changing the frequency difference is not limited to 60 seconds, and may be less than 60 seconds, or may be more than 60 seconds.

In this embodiment, a constant Δ mode is possible as the third control for the pulse C. For the pulse C, ΔC can be used at four different frequency differences: 0.1 Hz, 1 Hz, 3 Hz, and 5 MHz. The frequency is not limited to these and may be set according to the purpose of treatment. Furthermore, four types of constant Δ modes are provided: 0.1 Hz, 1 Hz, 3 Hz, and 5 MHz. However, the frequency is not limited to these, and may be one, two, three, or five or more. Alternatively, the frequency difference may be freely selected and set by an encoder, keyboard, or other input means. Here, it is assumed that the user selects the oscillation Δ mode as the frequency difference for the pulse C. In this case, when the user taps "oscillation" with a finger in the "parameters of pulse C" column in FIG. 6(a), "oscillation" is inverted as shown in FIG. 6(b), indicating that the oscillation Δ mode has been selected as the frequency difference for the pulse C.

Next, when "Output Level" is tapped, "Output Level" is inverted and the encoder 18 is enabled, and the output level is displayed next to "Output Level" on the display unit 17 according to the operation of the encoder 18. The relationship between the output level and the actual output and the setting method are explained as being the same as for pulse A or pulse B. The relationship between the output level and the actual output may be the same, but is not limited to this, and the relationship between the output level and the actual output may be changed for pulse A or pulse B. Furthermore, the maximum output value is 50 mA, the same as the maximum output value for pulse A and pulse B in this embodiment, but is not limited to this, and may be set according to the purpose of treatment. Here, it is assumed that output level 4 is selected, and FIG. 6(b) shows this state.

In this embodiment, when the output of pulse A is set, the output of pulse C is set to the output level of pulse A in conjunction with the setting. That is, when the output level of pulse A is set to 4, the output level of pulse C may be set to 4 in conjunction with the setting. Furthermore, the output of pulse C set in conjunction with pulse A may be adjusted. For example, when the output level of pulse A is set to 4, the output level of pulse C is also set to 4 in conjunction with the setting, but the set value of pulse C may be changed to output level 3, output level 5, or other value. In addition, in this embodiment, the same output level as the output level of pulse A is set for pulse C, but this is not limited to this, and a configuration in which an output level different from that of pulse A is set, or a configuration in which the output level can be changed may be used.

Next, the user sets the treatment time. In this embodiment, the user can select from 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and 20 minutes, as shown in FIG. 6(a). For example, to set the treatment time to 20 minutes, the user simply taps "20 minutes," and "20 minutes" is inverted, as shown in FIG. 6(b), indicating that the treatment time has been set to 20 minutes. Note that the treatment time is not limited to this, and other times may be adopted and selected, or an arbitrary time may be selected and set using an encoder, keyboard, or other input means.

When starting treatment, the user confirms that electrode pad R201 and electrode pad L401 are properly attached to or near the affected area and that the parameters for each pulse are set correctly, then taps "Start" in Figure 6(a). By tapping, all pulses of channel 1, namely pulse A, pulse B, and pulse C, are output, and the treatment time column changes to that shown in Figure 6(b), where the set 20 minutes is inverted and the elapsed time is displayed in minutes and seconds in the format "00:00". Furthermore, "Start" in Figure 6(a) changes to "Stop" in Figure 6(b). Tapping "Stop" stops the output of all pulses of channel 1, namely pulse A, pulse B, and pulse C.

When a user performs treatment, the electrical stimulation device 1 of this embodiment is operated as follows, and each part operates. First, when the user operates the main power supply 12 of the main body 11, the information is sent from the operation unit IF 502 to the control unit 503, and the control unit 503 issues an instruction to the display unit IF 504 to turn on the display unit 17 and display the initial screen. In response to this, power is supplied to the display unit 17, and data for displaying the initial screen is read from the memory 505 and sent to the display unit 17, and the initial screen is displayed on the display unit 17. After the initial screen is displayed, the control unit 503 instructs the display unit IF 504 to display a selection screen for selecting the channel to be used next, and the display unit IF 504 reads the data for the channel selection screen from the memory 505 and transmits it to the display unit 17, and the channel selection screen (not shown) is displayed.

The user operates the display unit 17, which employs a touch panel, according to the screen displayed on the display unit 17 to select the channel to be used. In this embodiment, it is assumed that only channel 1 is selected. When channel 1 is selected by the display unit 17, the operation unit IF 502 notifies the control unit 503 of that information. The control unit 503 instructs the display unit IF 504 to display a setting screen for the parameters of the pulse to be used in channel 1 according to the information from the operation unit IF 502, and the display unit IF 504 reads the data for the parameter setting screen from the memory 505 and transmits it to the display unit 17, and the parameter setting screen is displayed.

As explained above, the user sets the parameters as shown in FIG. 6(b), for example. The set information is sent to the control unit 503 by the operation unit IF 502, and the control unit 503 transmits the set parameters to each unit. For example, the treatment waveform A generating unit 508 is sent information that the output level is 4 in oscillation mode for pulse A, the treatment waveform B generating unit 510 is sent information that the output level is 4 in constant Δ mode at 400 Hz for pulse B, and the treatment waveform C generating unit 511 is sent information that the output level is 4 in oscillation Δ mode for pulse C. Furthermore, the control unit 503 sends a counter value corresponding to 20 minutes to the timer 507 based on the fact that the treatment time is 20 minutes.

When the user taps "Start" in FIG. 6(a), that information is sent from the operation unit IF 502 to the control unit 503, and the control unit 503 sends start triggers to the treatment waveform A generation unit 508, the treatment waveform B generation unit 510, and the treatment waveform C generation unit 511 to instruct them to output each pulse. At the same time, the start trigger is also sent to the timer 507, and the timer 507, which has received the start trigger, starts timing. The treatment waveform A generation unit 508, the treatment waveform B generation unit 510, and the treatment waveform C generation unit 511, which have received the start trigger, output pulses based on the settings of each pulse obtained from the control unit 503. Pulse A is generated by the treatment waveform A generation unit 508, and is output from waveform output RA 512 and waveform output LA 513 and applied to electrode RA202 and electrode LA402. Similarly, pulse B is generated by treatment waveform B generation unit 510, output from waveform output RB514 and waveform output LB515, and applied to electrodes RB203 and LB403, and pulse C is generated by treatment waveform C generation unit 511, output from waveform output RC516 and waveform output LC517, and applied to electrodes RC204 and LC404. With this configuration, when the parameters of each pulse are set as shown in Figure 6 (b), the frequency of each pulse is controlled as follows.

Figure 7 shows the frequency control of pulse A, with the horizontal axis showing time and the vertical axis showing frequency. Pulse A is set to oscillation mode, so the frequency is controlled to increase from 5 kHz to 10 kHz over 2 seconds, and then controlled to decrease to 5 kHz over 2 seconds. This frequency control is repeated from 4 seconds onwards. In this embodiment, the frequency of pulse A is controlled nonlinearly in this way, but this is not limited to this and it may be controlled linearly. In addition, in a frequency range such as this embodiment, the reaction of the affected area tends to be slower as the frequency increases, so it is more efficient to control the frequency slowly in the low frequency range and quickly in the high frequency range.

Figure 8 shows the frequency control of pulse B, with the horizontal axis showing time and the vertical axis showing frequency. Pulse B is set to a constant Δ mode of 400 Hz, so in conjunction with the change in frequency of pulse A, the frequency of pulse B is also controlled to increase from 5.4 kHz to 10.4 kHz over two seconds, and then controlled to decrease to 5.4 kHz over two seconds. This frequency control is repeated from four seconds onwards.

The horizontal axis of the graph in Figure 9 is time, and the vertical axis is frequency, showing ΔB, the frequency difference between pulse A and pulse B. In this way, pulse B is controlled in conjunction with pulse A, but the frequency difference ΔB is controlled to always be 400 Hz, and remains constant even for periods of 4 seconds or more.

In this embodiment, pulse B is set to a constant Δ mode of 400 Hz, but the same applies to constant Δ modes of 100 Hz and 200 Hz. For example, when 10 Hz is set as the constant Δ mode, the frequency of pulse B is controlled between 5.01 kHz and 10.01 kHz. When 100 Hz is set as the constant Δ mode, the frequency of pulse B is controlled between 5.1 kHz and 10.1 kHz.

Figure 10 shows the frequency control of pulse C, with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing frequency, showing the frequency of pulse C. Pulse C is set to the oscillation Δ mode, so that whenever the frequency of pulse A is changed, the frequency of pulse C is changed in conjunction with pulse A, and the frequency difference ΔC between pulse A and pulse C is also changed. In this embodiment, ΔC, which is the frequency difference between pulse A and pulse C, is changed from 0.1 Hz to 5 Hz, so the frequency of pulse C can also be controlled from 5.0001 kHz to 10.005 kHz. However, since ΔC is changed over 60 seconds, for example, the frequency of pulse C immediately after the start of treatment is controlled from 5.0001 kHz to 10.0001 kHz, but 30 seconds after the start of treatment, the frequency difference between pulse A and pulse C becomes a maximum of 5 Hz, so the frequency of pulse C is changed from 5.005 kHz to 10.005 kHz.

In this embodiment, the frequency FC4 of the pulse C 4 seconds after the start of treatment is 5.0003 kHz to 10.0003 kHz. Similarly, the frequency FC8 of the pulse C 8 seconds after the start of treatment is 5.0005 kHz to 10.0005 kHz. The frequency FC12 of the pulse C 12 seconds after the start of treatment is 5.0007 kHz to 10.0007 kHz. The frequency FC16 of the pulse C 16 seconds after the start of treatment is 5.001 kHz to 10.001 kHz. The frequency FC20 of the pulse C 20 seconds after the start of treatment is 5.002 kHz to 10.002 kHz. The frequency FC4 of the pulse C 24 seconds after the start of treatment is 5.003 kHz to 10.003 kHz. The frequency FC28 of pulse C 28 seconds after the start of treatment is 5.005 kHz to 10.005 kHz. Following the example from 28 seconds after the start of treatment, control is then performed so that the frequency difference is reduced to ΔC of 0.1 Hz, and the frequency FC56 of pulse C 56 seconds after the start of treatment is 5.0001 kHz to 10.0001 kHz.

Figure 11 (a) shows ΔC in such control, with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing frequency. In this embodiment, ΔC is changed for each first period of the first control of pulse A, so that ΔC is stepped as shown in this figure. Note that the present invention changes ΔC, i.e., the frequency difference, for each first period of pulse A, which is the reference pulse, but is not limited to this, and the frequency difference may be changed for each predetermined period, for example, every two periods or every three or more periods. Alternatively, the frequency difference may be changed not every fixed period, but by changing the frequency difference after the first three periods, and then changing the frequency difference again after the next two periods, for example, by changing the frequency difference by a predetermined period. Furthermore, the change in the frequency difference is not limited to being performed in units of one period, but may be a control in which the frequency difference is switched in units of one period or less, such as a half period or a third period, and further, the frequency difference may be switched regardless of the first period of the reference pulse.

In addition, while FIG. 11(a) shows a case where ΔC is changed in stages, this is not limiting, and the frequency may be changed continuously as in FIG. 11(b). Furthermore, in both FIG. 11(a) and FIG. 11(b), the amount of change in ΔC immediately after the start of treatment is different from the amount of change in ΔC about 30 seconds after the start of treatment, that is, ΔC is changed nonlinearly. The present invention is not limited to this, and the frequency difference may be controlled linearly.

As described above, in this embodiment, an example in which the constant Δ mode is selected for pulse B is described, but the oscillating Δ mode may also be selected. When the oscillating Δ mode is selected for pulse B, the same control is performed as when the oscillating Δ mode is selected for pulse C described above. The explanation for the oscillating Δ mode of pulse C can also be applied to the oscillating Δ mode of pulse B, and overlapping explanations will be omitted. However, the specific frequency control value is different. Here, when the oscillating Δ mode is used for pulse B, the frequency difference between the frequency FA of pulse A, which is the reference pulse, and the frequency FB of pulse B is controlled to be 0.1 to 400 Hz.

Figure 12 shows the frequency control of the oscillation delta mode of pulse B, and corresponds to Figure 10 used in the explanation for pulse C. As shown in the figure, FB4, FB8, FB12, FB16, FB20, and FB24 are 5.1 kHz to 10.1 kHz, 5.2 kHz to 10.2 kHz, 5.4 kHz to 10.4 kHz, 5.2 kHz to 10.2 kHz, 5.1 kHz to 10.1 kHz, and 5.0001 kHz to 10.0001 kHz, respectively.

In this embodiment, when the oscillation Δ mode is also used for pulse B, frequency control is performed for pulse B in a 28-second cycle, and frequency control is performed for pulse C in a 60-second cycle. In this embodiment, the cycle of pulse C is not an integer multiple of the cycle of pulse B. This is because, if the cycle of pulse C were an integer multiple of the cycle of pulse B, a state in which there is almost no frequency difference between the composite pulse AB and the pulse AC would overlap at the end of each cycle of pulse C, as in FC56 in FIG. 10 and FB24 in FIG. 12, and only a composite wave of 0.1 Hz would be generated in the affected area. In the present invention, the cycles of pulse B and pulse C are set so that the cycle of pulse C is not an integer multiple of the cycle of pulse B, so this situation can be easily avoided.

In this embodiment, the pulse is constant current controlled, and furthermore, in this embodiment, output correction is performed for the frequency. As described above, the response of the affected area tends to become slower as the frequency increases, so even if sufficient power is supplied to the affected area in the low frequency range, for example 5 kHz, the therapeutic effect may not be sufficient when the frequency increases to 10 kHz, and the current value required on the high frequency side to obtain the same therapeutic effect as in the low frequency range may be large. This is because the human body, such as the affected area, can be considered as an equivalent circuit composed of a parallel circuit of a capacitance component and a resistance component, and the impedance decreases when the frequency increases due to the capacitance component. In the present invention, when the frequency of the pulse supplied to the affected area increases, the output may be changed based on the frequency.

Figure 13 shows the correction of output with respect to frequency. The horizontal axis shows frequency, and the vertical axis shows output. In this embodiment, the output is controlled at a constant current, so the vertical axis shows the constant current value. In this figure, the output at 5 kHz, which is the lowest frequency that the main body 11 can output, is set to 100%, and the output is controlled to be 100% or more based on the frequency. For example, 100% is output from 5 kHz to 6 kHz, 102% from 6 kHz to 7 kHz, 104% from 7 kHz to 8 kHz, 106% from 8 kHz to 9 kHz, and 110% from 9 kHz to 10 kHz. In this embodiment, the output level is set to 4, that is, the output setting value is set to 20 mA, so that the maximum current at 5 kHz is 20 mA, but the output setting value increases with frequency, and at 10 kHz, a maximum of 110% of 22 mA is output, that is, the output setting value is set to 22 mA. The correction of the output may be set to be nonlinear in this way, but may also be set to be linear. The specific numerical value of the output correction value is not limited as long as the desired therapeutic effect is obtained. The specific value of the output correction value may be changed according to the purpose of the treatment (treatment of an injury, massage, etc.), the part (shoulder, thigh, etc.), or the patient (gender, age). The output may be controlled by such a constant current control, or may be controlled by a constant voltage.

In FIG. 13, the output value is changed every 1 kHz, so a step-like correction is performed, but this is not limited to this and it may be changed every 2 kHz. Alternatively, correction may be performed separately for the low frequency side and the high frequency side. For example, no correction may be performed from 5 kHz to 7.5 kHz, but 110% output may be used above 7.5 kHz. Alternatively, the output value may be changed continuously in conjunction with the frequency.

Furthermore, the output correction as shown in FIG. 13 should not be limited to one type, but may be configured so that the correction is different for each output level, or the same correction may be performed for multiple output levels. For example, output level correction as shown in FIG. 13 may be performed for output levels 1 to 5, but a different output correction may be performed for output levels 6 to 7, and yet another correction may be performed for output levels 8 to 10. Alternatively, a configuration may be used in which the correction as shown in FIG. 13 is performed for output levels 1 to 5, but no output correction is performed for output levels 6 and above.

In this embodiment, the output correction described above is applied to all pulses. However, this is not limited to this, and may be applied to only one pulse used, or to only two pulses, that is, a configuration in which correction is performed on at least some of the treatment waves may be used. In this case, different corrections may be performed on each pulse, or the same correction may be applied.

The output correction as described above, that is, the relationship between each frequency and output as shown in FIG. 13, is tabulated and recorded in a recording area (not shown) inside the treatment waveform A generating unit 508 etc. However, this is not limited to this, and the correction table may be recorded in the memory 505, and the control unit 503 may read out the correction table and transmit it to the treatment waveform A generating unit 508 etc.

Alternatively, the output correction may be configured such that a function or program is recorded and the correction value is calculated by the function or program. Here, the explanation is given assuming that it is programmed. There is no particular limitation on the method of realizing the calculation by the function or program, and the function or program may be recorded in an internal recording area (not shown) of the treatment waveform A generating unit 508, etc., and the correction value may be calculated by an internal processor (not shown) of the treatment waveform A generating unit 508, etc. Alternatively, the function or program may be recorded in the memory 505, and the control unit 503 may read the function or program, calculate the correction value, and transmit it to the treatment waveform A generating unit 508, etc., or the function or program may be recorded in the memory 505, but the control unit 503 may read the function or program and transmit it to the treatment waveform A generating unit 508, etc., and the correction may be calculated by an internal processor (not shown) of the treatment waveform A generating unit 508, etc. As the program, for example, the following correction is possible and may be used instead of the above correction.

Figure 14 shows an algorithm for calculating the correction. First, when treatment starts (step 1) and the frequency is the smallest, in this embodiment, the output voltage for pulse A at 5 kHz is monitored and recorded as the reference voltage. For example, when the initial phase is set to 0, the output voltage at a phase of 90 degrees is measured and recorded as the reference voltage V0 (step 2). However, the reference voltage is not limited to this, and the phase may be 45 degrees, 270 degrees, etc.

Next, it is determined whether the frequency of pulse A, which is the reference pulse, has been changed (step 3), and the voltage before correction after the change is recorded as the pre-correction voltage. In the present invention, the output voltage at a phase of 90 degrees a predetermined period, i.e., N periods, from the change in the frequency of the reference pulse is recorded as the pre-correction voltage V1 (step 4). The predetermined period may be set to 1, i.e., N=1, or it may be a value of two or more periods. In this embodiment, the measured value immediately after the frequency change is used, and the predetermined period is set to N=1.

Next, α=V1÷V0 is calculated, and the output value multiplied by α from the calculated period is used as the correction value (step 5). That is, in this embodiment, the output is constant current controlled by a sine wave with an output set value of 20 mA, so the corrected output set value = 20 mA÷α is calculated, and the output waveform thereafter is constant current controlled by the corrected output set value. In FIG. 14, the configuration is such that correction by α is always performed, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the output may be corrected only when α falls below a certain value. The configuration may be such that correction is performed only when the difference between V0 and V1 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, regardless of the value of α.

Next, V1 is recorded as the new reference voltage V0 (step 6). Next, it is determined whether the treatment has ended (step 7), and if the treatment has not ended, steps 3 to 7 are repeated. Note that it is also possible to configure the system so that step 6 is not performed and the reference voltage V0 at the smallest frequency is always used.

In the program for correcting the output in FIG. 14, as described above, the output value is corrected based on the ratio of the reference voltage to the pre-correction voltage, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured to correct based on the difference between the reference voltage and the pre-correction voltage, or may be configured to correct by adding the value of V0-V1 to the output setting value. In other words, it is sufficient that the correction is made based on the pre-correction voltage, or based on the pre-correction voltage and the reference voltage. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the ratio or difference between the reference voltage and the pre-correction voltage as described above, and the correction may be made using a parameter β(f) that varies with frequency for the ratio or difference, or both the ratio and the difference may be used, or other parameters may be set and used for the correction.

Next, a case where the setting value of each pulse is changed during treatment will be described. Each parameter of the treatment waves, Pulse A, Pulse B, and Pulse C, may be changed during treatment. If the parameter changed during treatment is frequency or output level, the pulse supplied to the patient will be subjected to both changes due to the change in output level and correction of the output level related to frequency, and the patient may be subjected to a large unexpected change in output. Unexpected fluctuations in output not only place a large burden on the patient, but also cause various problems such as pain to the patient, burns and redness due to excessive current. However, the present invention avoids this problem as follows.

In this embodiment, when the parameters of the pulses used are changed, especially when treatment is being performed in the oscillation mode or oscillation Δ mode, first, the control of changing the frequency of each pulse is temporarily stopped. That is, the first control, the second control, and the third control are temporarily stopped. Then, after the parameters are changed, treatment is started at the newly set output level, and then the output is corrected by frequency as described above. When the control of changing the frequency is temporarily stopped, the lowest frequency used during treatment is applied as the frequency of the pulses, and in this embodiment, the output is continued at 5 kHz. More specifically, the output is maintained at 5 kHz for pulse A, 5.4 kHz for pulse B because 400 Hz is set as the constant Δ mode, and 5.0001 kHz for pulse C because the oscillation Δ mode is set. When the control of changing the frequency is temporarily stopped in this way, the lowest frequency of the frequencies used is output for the oscillation mode and oscillation Δ mode, and the set frequency difference is output for the constant Δ mode.

When the control of the frequency change is temporarily stopped, the output frequency may be the lowest frequency used in the treatment as described above, or the highest frequency, or it may be another frequency. However, since the lowest frequency is the one that the patient feels most strongly from the pulse, the lowest frequency is desirable as the output frequency when the control of the frequency change is temporarily stopped. For the sake of simplicity, let us take the case of outputting at the highest frequency as an example. If the output is adjusted using the highest frequency, even if the patient feels good at that frequency, when the frequency is at its lowest, the patient may feel stronger than expected, which is undesirable. On the other hand, by outputting at the lowest frequency, the maximum physical sensation felt by the patient when frequency control is performed can be known, so problems due to unexpected physical sensations do not occur, which is desirable. When the frequency control of the reference pulse is not in the oscillation mode, for example, when the frequency is changed during the constant frequency mode, the frequency control for pulses B and C may or may not be stopped even if other pulses, such as pulses B and C, are in the oscillation Δ mode. When the frequency is changed in this case, the changed frequency is immediately reflected in the output of pulse A, and the above-mentioned output correction is performed. When Pulse A is in low frequency mode and is changed to oscillation mode, the frequency of Pulse A starts to be output at the lowest frequency, which in this embodiment is 5 kHz.

As described above, in this embodiment, pulses AB and AC are generated inside the body. Pulses AB have a maximum of 400 Hz, and pulses AC have a maximum of 5 Hz, and different effects can be expected from each. For example, in this embodiment, pulses AB have a maximum of 400 Hz, which is relatively high for a frequency used in treatment and is two orders of magnitude higher than pulse AC. As a therapeutic effect of such frequencies, for example, a pain relieving effect can be expected. Furthermore, such frequencies have the effect of providing an immediate therapeutic effect.

On the other hand, Pulse AC has a maximum frequency of 5 Hz, which is relatively low compared to Pulse AB. Therapeutic waves with such low frequencies are expected to have muscle relaxation, promote blood circulation, and have a pain relieving effect. Furthermore, when the frequency is very low, the therapeutic effect has the characteristic of lasting for a long time.

Conventionally, when the affected area is deep, treatment using low-frequency pulses has been very inefficient because the pulses have difficulty reaching the affected area. For example, when the affected area is deep, frequencies of around 5 Hz or 100 Hz barely reach the affected area, making adequate treatment impossible.

However, this embodiment uses high frequencies of 5 kHz to 10 kHz, so even if the affected area is deep, the treatment waves can reach the affected area and sufficient treatment can be performed. Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to apply another treatment wave with a slightly different frequency, a composite pulse with a low frequency is generated at the affected area located deep inside. Since the composite pulse is on the order of several Hz or several hundred Hz, a frequency that would not normally reach the affected area located deep inside is generated at the required deep part and acts on the affected area, resulting in a good treatment effect.

Conventionally, even if the affected area was shallow, when performing treatments for different effects, it was necessary to first use high-frequency treatment to reduce pain, followed by low-frequency treatment to promote blood circulation and provide a massage effect, and so on, which made it difficult to improve treatment efficiency.

On the other hand, in the present invention, a relatively high frequency pulse AB and a relatively low frequency pulse AC are generated deep in the affected area, so that the relatively high frequency pulse AB provides an immediate pain relieving effect, while the relatively low frequency pulse AC provides muscle relaxation, blood circulation promotion, massage effects, etc., in a single treatment, resulting in extremely high treatment efficiency. Furthermore, a composite pulse using high frequency is generated deep in the area, making it possible to treat deep areas that could not be achieved with conventional treatment devices.

Furthermore, in terms of the analgesic effect, a pain-relieving effect can be obtained by both relatively high and relatively low frequencies, but while a relatively high frequency has an immediate effect, it is difficult to obtain a sustained effect. Conversely, the pain-relieving effect obtained by a relatively low frequency does not have an immediate effect, but tends to be sustained. In the present invention, since both pulses AB and AC are generated and used together at the same time, it is possible to ensure both an immediate analgesic effect by a relatively high frequency and a sustained analgesic effect by a relatively low frequency, making it possible to obtain both immediate and sustained pain relief with a single treatment.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the reference pulse is not of a constant frequency, but rather its frequency is controlled as in this embodiment. Conventionally, a constant frequency was used for the reference pulse, without frequency control as in the present invention. However, with a constant frequency, the affected area becomes accustomed to the treatment wave, and the treatment effect gradually becomes insufficient, and treatment efficiency cannot be maintained. However, in the present invention, the reference pulse is not of a constant frequency, but rather its frequency is controlled as in this embodiment, so the affected area does not become accustomed to the treatment wave, and good treatment efficiency using the reference pulse is maintained.

As described above, the phenomenon in which treatment efficiency cannot be adequately maintained due to habituation to a constant frequency is independent of frequency and occurs even for frequencies such as the FAB and FAC frequencies. Therefore, in treatments with a constant reference pulse, the effect of the composite pulse tends to become gradually more difficult to obtain. On the other hand, in the present invention, the frequency of the pulse applied together with the reference pulse is controlled, so the frequency of the generated composite pulse changes, making it possible to suppress a decrease in treatment efficiency due to a constant frequency for the composite pulse.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the reference pulse is not of a constant frequency, but rather the frequency is controlled as in the present embodiment, and the area the reference pulse reaches also changes, so that the area where the composite pulse is generated changes as the range where the reference pulse reaches changes, and the area where the therapeutic effect is obtained by the composite pulse also changes. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the reduction in therapeutic efficiency due to a constant frequency for the composite pulse.

At the same time, in the present invention, the frequency of the reference pulse is also controlled as in this embodiment, so the depth of the reference pulse also changes, and the strength of the pulse obtained at the same position also changes. For example, at a deep area where a pulse of 5 kHz was insufficient, a pulse of 10 kHz will reach sufficiently, and the strength of the composite pulse generated at the same position will also differ between 5 kHz and 10 kHz. This changes the magnitude of the generated composite pulse, so the strength of the composite pulse generated by frequency controlling the reference pulse also changes in conjunction with the frequency control of the reference pulse. Therefore, the reduction in treatment efficiency due to a constant frequency of the composite pulse can be further suppressed, greatly improving treatment efficiency.

Another electrical stimulation device according to the present invention is an electrical stimulation device using a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, in which an electrical signal of a first frequency is supplied to the first electrode, an electrical signal of a second frequency is supplied to the second electrode, and an electrical signal of a third frequency is supplied to the third electrode, and the first frequency is controlled by a first control in which the frequency is changed in a predetermined first period, the second frequency is controlled by a second control in which a predetermined frequency difference is given to the first frequency controlled by the first control, and the third frequency is controlled by a third control in which a predetermined frequency difference is given to the first frequency controlled by the first control. Furthermore, the second control in the electrical stimulation device of the present invention is a control in which the second frequency is changed by a constant frequency difference with respect to the first frequency changed by the first control. Furthermore, the second control in the electrical stimulation device of the present invention is a control in which the second frequency is changed so that the frequency difference with the first frequency changed by the first control changes in a second period. Furthermore, the third control in the electrical stimulation device of the present invention is a control that changes the third frequency so that the frequency difference with the first frequency changed by the first control changes in a third period. Furthermore, the electrical stimulation device of the present invention is an electrical stimulation device that uses a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, and includes a signal supply unit that supplies an electrical signal of a first frequency to the first electrode, an electrical signal of a second frequency to the second electrode, and an electrical signal of a third frequency to the third electrode, and a control unit that performs a first control that changes the first frequency in a predetermined first period, a second control that sets the frequency obtained by giving a predetermined frequency difference to the first frequency controlled by the first control as the second frequency, and a third control that sets the frequency obtained by giving a predetermined frequency difference to the first frequency controlled by the first control as the third frequency.

When the frequency of the electrical signal supplied to the affected area increases, it reaches a deeper area. In the technology described in the above Patent Document 1, the part to which the electrical stimulation reaches (hereinafter referred to as the depth of reach) can be changed by changing the frequency. However, if the same pulse is continuously used on the affected area, the affected area becomes less responsive to the pulse, and the treatment effect tends to decrease. Therefore, the decrease in the treatment effect can be prevented by changing the frequency of the pulse used. However, when two pulses are used, if only one of the two frequencies of the electrical signal is changed, the other frequency is kept constant, so there is a problem that the effect of preventing the decrease in treatment efficiency is not sufficient. Furthermore, the purpose of treatment is not limited to simply recovering damage to muscle tissue caused by injury, etc., but is diversified, such as relieving pain and muscle tension. However, these treatments usually only achieve one effect at a time, and in order to achieve multiple effects, it is necessary to apply pulses at regular intervals and treat each one in turn, which takes a long time for treatment and does not improve treatment efficiency. The present invention aims to solve these problems and provide an electrical stimulation device with high treatment efficiency.

Another electrical stimulation device according to the present invention is an electrical stimulation device that uses a first electrode pair, a second electrode pair, and a third electrode pair, and has a first generating unit that generates a first electrical signal supplied to the first electrode pair, a second generating unit that generates a second electrical signal supplied to the second electrode pair, and a third generating unit that generates a third electrical signal supplied to the third electrode pair, and is characterized in that the frequency of the first electrical signal changes in a first period, the frequency difference between the frequency of the first electrical signal and the frequency of the second electrical signal changes, and the frequency of the first electrical signal and the frequency of the third electrical signal are different.

Furthermore, in the electrical stimulation device of the present invention, the difference between the frequency of the first electrical signal and the frequency of the third electrical signal changes in a third period.
Furthermore, the electrical stimulation device of the present invention is an electrical stimulation device having at least a first electrode pair and a second electrode pair, and has a first generating unit that generates a first electrical signal to be supplied to the first electrode pair, and a second generating unit that generates a second electrical signal to be supplied to the second electrode pair, wherein the frequency of the first electrical signal changes in a first period, the frequency difference between the frequency of the first electrical signal and the frequency of the second electrical signal changes in a second period, and the output of the first electrical signal is controlled based on the frequency of the first electrical signal.

11 Main body 12 Main power supply 13 Power supply connector 14 Exhaust port 15 Intake port 16 Foot 17 Display 18 CH1 encoder 19 CH2 encoder 120 Stop switch 121 CH1 connector R
122 CH1 connector L
123 Bottom surface 124 CH2 connector R
125 CH2 connector L
201 Electrode pad R
202 Electrode RA
203 Electrode RB
204 Electrode RC
205 Base material 206 Electrode terminal 207 Adhesive layer 301 Snap 302 Cable 303 Harness 304 Connector terminal 401 Electrode pad L
402 Electrode LA
403 Electrode LB
404 Electrode LC
501 Control device 502 Operation unit IF
503 Control unit 504 Display unit IF
505 Memory 507 Timer 508 Treatment waveform A generator 510 Treatment waveform B generator 511 Treatment waveform C generator 512 Waveform output RA
513 Waveform output LA
514 Waveform output RB
515 Waveform output LB
516 Waveform output RC
517 Waveform output LC
601 Screen

Claims (2)

An electrical stimulation device having at least a first electrode pair, a second electrode pair , and a third electrode pair ,
a first generating unit that generates a first electrical signal to be supplied to the first electrode pair;
a second generating unit that generates a second electrical signal to be supplied to the second electrode pair;
a third generating unit that generates a third electrical signal to be supplied to the third electrode pair;
With
the frequency of the first electrical signal varies with a first period;
a frequency difference between the frequency of the first electrical signal and the frequency of the second electrical signal changes in a second period;
the first electrical signal and the third electrical signal have different frequencies,
An electrical stimulation device in which the output of the first electrical signal is controlled based on a frequency of the first electrical signal. The electrical stimulation device according to claim 1 , wherein the output of the second electrical signal is controlled based on a frequency of the second electrical signal.

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