JPH0657263B2 - Low frequency therapy device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a small low-frequency therapeutic device capable of providing required biostimulation in spite of a small power source, and more particularly to a pulse current for stimulation. The structure that controls the strength of the.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a power supply battery, an electronic circuit that generates a low-frequency stimulating pulse current, and an electrode for outputting to a human body are provided in one body,
Many small low-frequency therapy devices that obtain the required biostimulation by boosting the battery voltage and accumulating a high voltage in a capacitor and outputting it as a stimulating pulse have the strength and speed of the stimulating pulse current, that is, The structure was such that the frequency could not be adjusted, and only a single stimulus could be obtained. However, if the strength and the like cannot be adjusted in this way, it is inconvenient because proper stimulation cannot be obtained.

Further, conventionally, for example, a low-frequency treatment device that boosts a battery voltage by a step-up transformer to obtain required biostimulation is known. However, in a conventional low-frequency treatment device of this type, a step-up transformer and an output electrode are used. A variable resistor was connected between the two, and the variable resistor directly controlled the electric current applied to the human body so that the intensity of stimulation could be adjusted. By the way, in general, a variable resistor has a mechanical sliding portion and thus has a limit in durability, and due to wear or the like, the relationship between the position of the slider and the resistance value is limited during long-term use. It will change. Therefore, even in the low-frequency treatment device, as the use is prolonged, the relationship between the position of the knob linked to the slider and the strength of stimulation changes from the one initially set to cause an error, and accurate control is performed. become unable.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the conventional low-frequency therapeutic device in which the intensity of stimulation can be adjusted, the current supplied from the output electrode to the human body is directly controlled by the variable resistor. Due to the structure, there is a problem that accurate control cannot be performed over time due to wear of the mechanical sliding portion of the variable resistor.

The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and in a low-frequency therapeutic device for obtaining a required biostimulation by charging / discharging a capacitor, it is possible to adjust the intensity of the stimulation and to use it for a long period of time. The aim is to enable accurate control of the intensity of stimulation at all times.

[Structure of Invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a low-frequency therapeutic device including a battery, an electronic circuit for generating a low-frequency stimulation pulse current, and an output electrode connected to the electronic circuit, In order to achieve the above object, the electronic circuit includes a high-voltage generating / accumulating unit that boosts a battery voltage to generate a boost pulse and temporarily accumulates a high voltage in a capacitor serving as a power source of the stimulation pulse current. A voltage value setting means for variably setting the voltage value, a voltage comparing means for comparing the set voltage value set by the voltage value setting means with the charging voltage value of the capacitor, and an output from the voltage comparing means. According to the above, there is provided an oscillation control means including a microcomputer for stopping the boosting pulse to the capacitor when the charging voltage value exceeds the set voltage value.

(Operation) In the low-frequency treatment device of the present invention, the high-voltage generating / accumulating means boosts the battery voltage to generate a boosting pulse to temporarily store the high voltage in the capacitor, and the high voltage is passed through the output electrode. Is intermittently output to the human body, and a low-frequency stimulating pulse current flows through the human body to perform treatment. At that time, the voltage comparison means compares the variable set voltage value set by the voltage value setting means with the charging voltage value of the capacitor, and the oscillation control means sets the set voltage value to the above-mentioned set voltage value according to the output from the voltage comparison means. When the charging voltage value exceeds, the boosting pulse to the capacitor is stopped. Therefore, by changing the set voltage value, the final charging voltage value of the capacitor changes, the output voltage to the human body changes, and the intensity of stimulation is adjusted.

(Embodiment) Hereinafter, a configuration of an embodiment of a low frequency treatment device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, 11 is a treatment device main body, and at least the outer shell of the treatment device main body 11 is made of an insulator, and has a flat casing shape. Although not shown, the treatment device main body 11 has a small battery, which is a small power source, and an electronic circuit that generates a low-frequency stimulating pulse current. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, on the bottom surface of the treatment device main body 11, a pair of positive and negative output electrodes 12a,
12b is provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, an open / close button of a tact switch 13, which is an operation switch for adjusting the speed, that is, the frequency and intensity of the stimulation pulse current, is provided on the top surface of the treatment device main body 11. An opening / closing knob of the power switch 14 and a light emitting diode (not shown) as a display are provided.

Next, the configuration of the electronic circuit will be described with reference to FIG.

A central control unit (CPU) is a 4-bit one-chip microcomputer 21 such as NEC μPD755.
It consists of four. This microcomputer 21
It incorporates AM, ROM, PC, ALU, SP, etc., and has a large number of input / output ports. The tact switch 13 is connected to this input port as a switch input.

The oscillating means 22 functions as a generating program in the microcomputer 21 in this embodiment. But,
Oscillation means may be provided separately from the microcomputer 21, and the microcomputer 21 may turn on / off the oscillation. Further, the oscillating means 22 is connected to a high voltage generating / accumulating means 23 for temporarily accumulating a high voltage by boosting the battery voltage in the form of a boosting pulse by utilizing the oscillation of the oscillating means 22. ing. Further, the output port of the microcomputer 21 and the high voltage generation / accumulation means 23 are connected to the output means 24 for controlling the discharge of the high voltage generation / accumulation means 23, and the output means 24 is for the output. It is connected to a conductor output section 25 composed of electrodes 12a and 12b.

A voltage value setting means 26 is connected to the output port of the microcomputer 21. Further, the voltage value setting means 26 and the connection point of the high voltage generating / accumulating means 23 and the output means 24 have a voltage value at this connection point and a set voltage value variably set by the voltage value setting means 26. It is connected to a voltage comparison means 27 for comparing with. Further, the voltage comparison means 27 is connected to an input port of the microcomputer 21 having a function of oscillation control means for turning off the oscillation means 22 when the voltage value at the connection point exceeds the set voltage value. There is.

Further, the conductor output section 25 includes the output electrodes 12a, 12
It is connected to a human body detecting means 28 for detecting whether or not b is attached to the human body. And this human body detecting means 28
Is a switching means for adjusting the frequency of the operation of the tact switch 13 when the output electrodes 12a and 12b are not attached to the human body and the strength of the output electrodes 12a and 12b when attached to the human body in accordance with the output signal. It is connected to the input port of the microcomputer 21 having a function.

Next, a specific configuration of the electronic circuit will be described with reference to FIG.

The power switch 14 is connected to the battery 31 having an electromotive force of V _D. The power switch 14 connects or disconnects the positive electrode of the battery 31 and the electronic circuit.

The positive electrode of the electrolytic capacitor 32 connected between both electrodes of the battery 31 is connected to the power supply port of the microcomputer 21, and the port of this microcomputer 21 is connected to the negative electrode of the battery 31. The connection point of the electrolytic capacitor 33 and the resistor 34, which are connected in series between both electrodes of the battery 31, is connected to the reset signal input port of the microcomputer 21. That is, this port is normally LOW, but when the power supply is turned on, the voltage value at the connection point rises, so that the port is temporarily set to HIGH and reset. Further, a resistor 35 for adjusting the oscillation frequency of the oscillator built in the microcomputer 21 is connected between the ports of the microcomputer 21.

The positive electrode of the battery 31 is a normally open tact switch.
It is connected to the input port of the microcomputer 21 via 13, and a resistor 36 and a capacitor 37 are connected between the connection point of the switch 13 and the port and the negative electrode of the battery 31.

A choke coil 42 is connected between the positive electrode of the battery 31 and the collector of the NPN transistor 41. The transistor 41 has an emitter connected to the negative electrode of the battery 31 and a base via a resistor 43. It is connected to the output port of the microcomputer 21. And
A diode 44 and a capacitor 45 are connected in series between the transistor 41 and the negative electrode of the collector battery 31.
Further, the emitter of a PNP transistor 47 is connected to a connection point of the diode 44 and the capacitor 45 via a resistor 46, and the collector of the transistor 47 is connected to one output electrode 12a. The base of the PNP transistor 47 is connected to the collector of an NPN transistor 49 via a resistor 48.
In 49, the emitter is connected to the negative electrode of the battery 31, and the base is connected to the output port of the microcomputer 21 via the resistor 50. Further, a capacitor 51, a diode 52 and a resistor 53 are connected in parallel between the other output electrode 12b and the negative electrode of the battery 31.

Further, a resistor 56 is connected to a connection point between the diode 44 and the capacitor 45, and the resistor 56 has resistors 57,
The collectors of NPN transistors 60, 61 and 62 are connected via 58 and 59. And these transistors 6
The emitters of 0, 61, and 62 are connected to the negative electrode of the battery 31, and the bases thereof are connected to the output port of the microcomputer 21 via resistors 63, 64, and 65. Also, the resistor 56 and the resistors 57, 58, 59
A connection point with is connected to the base of an NPN transistor 67 which is a switching element via a Zener die auto 66, and the emitter of this transistor 67 is connected to the negative electrode of the battery 31. The collector of the transistor 67 is connected to the positive electrode of the battery 31 via the resistor 68 and the input port of the microcomputer 21.

Further, the other output electrode 12b is connected to the NP via the resistor 71.
It is connected to the base of an N-type transistor 72, and the emitter of this transistor 72 is connected to the negative electrode of the battery 31. The collector of the transistor 72 is connected to the positive electrode of the battery 31 via the resistor 73 and the input port of the microcomputer 21.

Further, a resistor 76 and a light emitting diode 77 are connected in series between the positive electrode of the battery 31 and the output port of the microcomputer 21. The microcomputer 21
When the output electrodes 12a, 12b are not attached to the human body according to the output signal from the human body detecting means 28, the light emitting diode 77 is blinked at the same frequency as the frequency of the stimulating pulse current and is attached to the human body. It has a function of display control means for turning off the light when it is on.

The correspondence with the block diagram of FIG. 2 is shown by a chain line in FIG.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

First, the usage method will be described. After the power switch 14 is operated to turn it on, and before the treatment device main body 11 is attached to the human body, the tact switch 13 is pressed to adjust the speed or frequency of the stimulation pulse current. At this time, since the light emitting diode 77 blinks at the same frequency as this frequency, adjustment is performed with reference to this blinking. Next, the output electrode 12a
, 12b are brought into contact with the skin, and the treatment device main body 11 is attached to a desired position such as a pot of a human body. Where the tact switch
Operate 13 to adjust the strength of the stimulation pulse current. Here, adjustment is performed according to the actual feeling of stimulation. Then, a pulse current is applied to the human body through the output electrodes 12a and 12b to give a stimulus, so that the stiff shoulder, myalgia, etc. are treated. After the treatment, the treatment device main body 11 is removed from the human body, and the power switch 14 is turned off.

Next, the details of the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the power switch 14 is turned on, the microcomputer
A reset signal is input to the port 21 to reset the microcomputer 21. As processing on the software of the microcomputer 21, after resetting, initialization is performed and A = 0 is set (step). Here, A indicates the presence / absence of an input from the tact switch 13, and A = 1 when there is a switch input, and A = 0 when there is no switch input. After that, the switch input waiting state (step) is entered, but when the tact switch 13 is pressed and there is an input to the port, a low voltage is applied to the output electrode 12a (step). This voltage is relatively low so that the output electrodes 12a and 12b are not felt by the human body even if they are attached to the human body. The process for producing this weak output is the same as that at the time of treatment described later.

Then, while the weak output is being output, the microcomputer 21 determines the state of the input port and determines whether or not the output electrodes 12a and 12b are attached to the human body based on this state (step). Output electrodes 12a, unless 12b is already mounted in the body, the electrodes 12a, because 12b is non-conductive, transistor 72 is off, the state of the input port is HIGH (P 3 _{= 0).} If P ₃ = 0, the frequency setting can be changed (step). Thus, every time the tact switch 13 is pressed while not being worn on the human body, the frequency setting is, for example, 3 Hz → 7 Hz → 10.
It changes cyclically from Hz to 3 Hz. At this time, there is output from the output port at the same frequency as the set frequency,
The light emitting diode 77 blinks.

On the other hand, if the output electrodes 12a and 12b are attached to the human body, both electrodes 12a and 12b become conductive through the human body,
Since the voltage of the base of the transistor 72 rises and this transistor 72 turns on, the state of the input port is LOW.
(P ₃ ≠ 0). If P ₃ ≠ 0, the port is always HIGH, the light emitting diode 77 is turned off, and the intensity of the stimulation pulse current, that is, the setting of the output voltage value to the human body is changed (step). This output voltage value is set by a combination of LOW and HIHG of the output port. If the resistance values of the resistors 57, 58 and 59 are set appropriately, 2 ³ = 8 different voltage values can be set. .

Then, the timer is turned on (step). This timer inserts an interrupt after the reciprocal of the set frequency, that is, 100 to 300 msec, for example, after turning on. Then, at the same time when the timer is turned on, a rectangular wave oscillation signal of about 10 kHz is output from the output port by the oscillation means 22 in the microcomputer 21 (step). Although the transistor 41 is turned on / off by this oscillation signal, a high voltage is generated by the counter electromotive force on the collector side of the transistor 41 immediately after the transistor 41 is turned off by the coil 42. In this way, the low battery voltage V _D is boosted to generate a high voltage as a boosting pulse, but the generated high voltage is gradually accumulated in the capacitor 45.

Then, the charging voltage value of the capacitor 45 is compared with the set voltage value set by the combination of HIGH and LOW of the three output ports (step). That is, the combination of the output ports determines the combination of on / off of the transistors 60, 61, 62, the division ratio of the resistors 56 and 57, 58, 59 is determined, and the charging voltage is divided by this division ratio. However, as long as the voltage at the connection point a between the resistor 56 and the resistors 57, 58, 59, which is the voltage dividing point, is lower than the Zener voltage of the Zener diode 66, the transistor 67
Is off and the input port is HIGH, so the microcomputer 21 determines that the voltage is below the set voltage value. In this case, it is determined whether or not the tact switch 13 has been operated (step), and if there is a switch input, A = 1 is set (step), the process returns to step, and the capacitor 45 is further charged.

On the other hand, when charging of the capacitor 45 progresses and the voltage at the point a becomes higher than the Zener voltage, the Zener diode 66 becomes conductive, the transistor 67 is turned on, and the input port becomes LO.
Since it becomes W, the microcomputer 21 determines that it is equal to or higher than the set voltage value. In this case, the oscillation signal is no longer output from the port, the boosting pulse to the capacitor 45 stops, and the charge accumulation in the capacitor 45 does not proceed any further,
The switch input waiting state (step) is entered. here,
If there is a switch input, A = 1 is set (step).

In this way, a high voltage is stored in the capacitor 45 corresponding to the combination of HIGH and LOW of the ports.

Then, when the time for one cycle of the pulse current for stimulation has passed after the timer was turned on, a timer interrupt is entered,
The output port that was LOW until then becomes HIGH (step). Then, the transistor 49 is turned on, the transistor 47 is turned on, and the electric charge accumulated in the capacitor 45 releases the energy of the human body as a resistor connected to the output electrodes 12a and 12b. At this time, it feels as a stimulus to the human body. The time when the output port becomes HIGH, that is, the pulse width of the stimulation pulse is about 0.1 msec. At that time, the strength of the stimulation changes depending on the charging voltage of the capacitor 45. Note that the charging voltage value of the capacitor 45 is the HIGH, LO
Even if the predetermined voltage value determined by the combination of W is not reached, the output port becomes HIGH if the timer that determines the period of the stimulation pulse current is interrupted.

Also, when the stimulation pulse current is output to the human body,
Whether or not the output electrodes 12a and 12b are attached to the human body is determined according to the state of the input port (step).
When it is worn on the human body, it is determined whether or not a switch input has been made within the time of one cycle so far (step). If A = 0, the process directly returns to the step. If A ≠ 0, A = When it is set to 0 (step), the process returns to the step and the setting of the output voltage value is changed. On the other hand, if it is not attached to the human body, that is, the treatment device main body 11
The computer has been removed from the human body,
21 becomes STOP mode (step).

Although not shown in the flowchart, a timer other than the above-mentioned timer is used to
Even if the treatment device main body 11 is attached to the human body, it is forced to enter the STOP mode. When the tact switch 13 is pushed in this state, the input port becomes HIGH, thereby returning from the STOP mode.

According to the above configuration, the voltage value setting means 26 and the voltage comparing means 27
Since the microcomputer 21 and the microcomputer 21 can change the voltage accumulated in the capacitor 45 that serves as a power supply for the stimulation pulse current, the strength of stimulation to the human body can be adjusted. And a capacitor that gives the output to the human body
Since the charging voltage of 45 is directly detected and the charging of the capacitor 45 is controlled based on the detection result, accurate control without error is possible, and a stimulus of a predetermined strength can always be obtained. Moreover, in the voltage value setting means 26, the connection relationship between the fixed resistance 56 and the fixed resistances 57, 58, 59 is switched by the transistors 60, 61, 62 and the microcomputer 21 instead of the variable resistor to make it variable. Since the set voltage value is determined, unlike the case where a variable resistor is used, there is no possibility that accurate control cannot be performed over a long period of use due to wear of the sliding part, high durability, accurate forever. It is possible to control the strength of various stimuli.

Further, when the variable resistor is used, the operation for adjusting the strength of the stimulation becomes a sliding operation, which causes a problem in operability. The strength can be adjusted and the operation is easy.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, the charging voltage value of the capacitor that is charged by the boosting pulse and serves as the power source of the stimulation pulse current is compared with the voltage value variably set by the voltage value setting means, and the charging voltage When the value exceeds the set voltage value, the oscillation control means stops the boosting pulse to the capacitor, so that the intensity of stimulation can be adjusted, and by controlling while detecting the charging voltage, accurate control without error can be performed. It is possible, and the intensity of stimulation can always be adjusted accurately even after long-term use.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of a low-frequency therapeutic device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the same as above, FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the same as above, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the main body of the therapeutic device above. [Fig. 4] is a bottom view of the main body of the therapeutic device. 12a, 12b ...... Output electrode, 21 ...... Microcomputer having a function as oscillation control means, 23 ...... High voltage generation / accumulation means, 26 ...... Voltage value setting means, 27 ...... Voltage comparison means, 31 ……battery.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A battery, an electronic circuit for generating a low-frequency stimulating pulse current, and an output electrode connected to the electronic circuit, wherein the electronic circuit boosts a battery voltage to generate a boosting pulse. High voltage generation / accumulation means for temporarily accumulating a high voltage in a capacitor which is generated and serves as a power source for the stimulation pulse current, voltage value setting means for variably setting a voltage value, and setting by this voltage value setting means Voltage comparing means for comparing the set voltage value and the charging voltage value of the capacitor, and a boosting pulse to the capacitor when the charging voltage value exceeds the setting voltage value according to the output from the voltage comparing means. And a control means for stopping the oscillation.