JPH09234251A - Low frequency therapeutic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a sufficient voltage even if the frequency of electric pulse stimulation is high, by equipping a plurality of coils and selecting a specific number of coils to be used by a second switching means to switch the output voltage of the step-up pulse. SOLUTION: A microcomputer 4 selects one or a several number from output terminals (a)-(d) according to a prescribed program by inputting a switch 2. For instance, the output terminal (b) is turned on/off upon inputting switch 2 for high power output switching means to turn a transistor 9 on/off. Thus, the current from a built-in battery 1 to a step-up coil 5 is intermittently flown to generate intermittent step-up pulses. The generated step-up pulses are stored in a capacitor 11 through a diode 10. At that time, the output terminal (a) is turned off. Inductance of the step-up coil 5 is made larger than that of a step-up coil 6. Thus, a higher output voltage is stored in the capacitor 11 with a same number of step-up pulse generation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a low-frequency therapeutic device for relieving atrophy of a muscle of a human body by applying electrical stimulation to the muscle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A low-frequency treatment device of this type has been proposed, which has a built-in microcomputer and is constructed so that the output frequency and output voltage of electrical stimulation pulses can be adjusted (Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-4096). Gazette).

The low-frequency therapy device stores the boosting pulse, a boosting pulse generating means for intermittently exciting the exciting current to the boosting coil based on the first output pulse of the microcomputer, and outputting a boosting pulse generated at the intermittent time. Storage means (capacitor) for switching the electric energy stored in the storage means on the basis of a second output pulse (low frequency pulse) from the microcomputer, and switching means for outputting the electric energy as an electrical stimulation pulse. Equipped with a stimulation pulse generator.

The operation of this electrical stimulation pulse generator is shown in FIG.
A description will be given based on the output waveform shown in.

In FIG. 4, (A) shows the first output pulse output from the microcomputer, and the frequency of the first output pulse is usually several kHz to several tens kHz.
(B) shows a boost pulse output from the boost coil based on the first output pulse. (C) is a voltage waveform between the terminals of the capacitor in which the boosting pulse is accumulated. When the battery voltage is 1.5 to 3V, the voltage between the terminals of the capacitor is, for example, about 50 to 100V. (D) shows the second output pulse output from the microcomputer, and its frequency is usually several Hz to several kHz. (E) shows the electrical stimulation pulse discharged from the capacitor based on the second output pulse.

The output voltage of the electrical stimulation pulse can be adjusted by the pulse width, the pulse interval of the first output pulse or the pulse interval of the second output pulse.

In the conventional example using the configuration of the low frequency treatment device, a strength volume for adjusting the output voltage of the electrical stimulation pulse is provided, and the voltage level input to the microcomputer is changed by adjusting the volume. Based on this, the output voltage is adjusted by changing the pulse width or pulse interval of the first output pulse.
In general, a limiter is installed on the strength volume by hardware to output an output voltage at a level lower than the limiter in the normal power output mode, and release the limiter in the high power output mode to obtain an output voltage at a higher level. .

[0008]

In the above conventional example,
When boosting is performed by the boosting pulse generating means using one boosting coil, when the output frequency of the electrical stimulation pulse is low (that is, when the pulse frequency of the second output pulse is low),
Since a sufficient charge time with the capacitor can be obtained, a predetermined output voltage can be obtained, but when the output frequency of the electrical stimulation pulse becomes high (that is, the pulse frequency of the second output pulse becomes high), the charge time in the capacitor increases. Is insufficient and sufficient boosting cannot be performed, resulting in a low output voltage, resulting in a weak electrical stimulation pulse.

In view of the above points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a low frequency treatment device which can obtain a sufficient output voltage even when the frequency of the electrical stimulation pulse is high.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there are provided: (1) boosting pulse generating means for generating a boosting pulse by intermittently flowing a current flowing through a coil, accumulating means for accumulating the boosting pulse, and the accumulating means. First for intermittently storing accumulated electric energy and outputting it as an electric stimulation pulse
In the low frequency treatment device including the electrical stimulation pulse generating means including the switching means, a plurality of coils are provided as the coils, and one or two of the plurality of coils are used by the second switching means. The present invention relates to a low frequency treatment device in which the above coils are selected and the output voltage of the boosting pulse is switched.

Further, the present invention relates to (2) the low frequency treatment device according to (1), wherein the plurality of coils are connected in parallel.

Further, the present invention relates to (3) the low frequency treatment device according to the above (1), wherein the plurality of coils are connected in series.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As described above, the boosting pulse generating means is provided with a plurality of coils, and the second switching means selects one or more coils to be used from the plurality of coils. However, by switching the output voltage of the boosting pulse, even if the output frequency of the electrical stimulation pulse is high, by using a coil or a combination of coils with high inductance, the same output frequency is sufficient. It becomes possible to boost the voltage, and as a result, it becomes possible to obtain a high power output, and the effect of electrotherapy is improved.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of the external appearance of the low frequency treatment device of the present invention.

<First Embodiment> In this embodiment, two coils having different inductances are connected in parallel, and which coil is used can be selected by the second switching means. It is an example that has been done.

By outputting a first output pulse from the microcomputer 4 according to a predetermined program, turning on / off its output terminal a and turning on / off the transistor 8, a current flowing from the built-in battery 1 to the booster coil 6 is generated. The boost pulse is generated intermittently by intermittently. The generated boosting pulse is stored in the capacitor 11 through the diode 7.

After the output voltage is stored in the capacitor 11, when the second output pulse is output from the microcomputer 4 to turn on its output terminal c, the transistor 12 is turned on and the adhesive pad 14 attached to the human body is used. An electrical stimulation pulse is output. When the microcomputer 4 outputs the second output pulse to turn on its output terminal d, the transistor 13 turns on and the adhesive pad 14
An electrical stimulation pulse of the opposite polarity to that in the previous case is output. Normally, the transistors 12 and 13 are turned on and off.
Alternating F causes alternating electrical stimulation pulses to be of opposite polarity.

The strength of the electrical stimulation pulse to be output is set by the volume 3, and the value is set by the microcomputer 4
And the number of times the output terminal a of the microcomputer 4 is turned ON / OFF is increased / decreased (that is, the pulse width or pulse gap of the first output pulse is changed) to adjust the output voltage stored in the capacitor 11. .

The above is the description of the operation in the normal power output mode. Next, the operation in the high power output mode will be described.

When the microcomputer 4 detects that the switch 2 as the high power output switching means is input, it switches the boosting pulse generating means as follows.

By turning on / off the output terminal b of the microcomputer 4 and turning on / off the transistor 9 according to a predetermined program, the current flowing from the built-in battery 1 to the booster coil 5 is interrupted to intermittently raise the boosting pulse. Cause to. The generated boosting pulse is stored in the capacitor 11 through the diode 10. In this case, the output terminal a of the microcomputer 4 is turned off.

When the boosting coil 5 used in the boosting pulse generating means has a larger inductance than the boosting coil 6, the voltage of the boosting pulse also increases. Therefore, even when the number of times the boost pulse is generated is the same, the output voltage stored in the capacitor 11 becomes high,
The voltage required for high power output can be obtained.

<Second Embodiment> In this embodiment, two coils are connected in series, and by the second switching means,
To be able to select when to use one of two coils connected in series (two coils may have the same or different inductance) and when to use both of them. It is an example configured.

In the normal power output mode, the output terminal b of the microcomputer 4 is turned on and the transistor 9 is turned on so that the current does not flow in the boosting coil 5 as the boosting pulse generating means.

A first output pulse is output from the microcomputer 4 in accordance with a predetermined program, and its output terminal a is turned on / off and the transistor 8 is turned on / off to boost the voltage from the built-in battery 1 via the transistor 9. By intermittently flowing the current flowing to the coil 6, the boosting pulse is intermittently generated. The generated boosting pulse is stored in the capacitor 11 through the diode 7.

After the output voltage is stored in the capacitor 11 and the second output pulse is output from the microcomputer 4 to turn on its output terminal c, the transistor 12 is turned on and the adhesive pad 14 attached to the human body is used. An electrical stimulation pulse is output. When the microcomputer 4 outputs the second output pulse to turn on its output terminal d, the transistor 13 turns on and the adhesive pad 14
An electrical stimulation pulse of the opposite polarity to that in the previous case is output. Normally, the transistors 12 and 13 are turned on and off.
Alternating F causes alternating electrical stimulation pulses to be of opposite polarity.

The strength of the electrical stimulation pulse to be output is set by the volume 3, and the value is set by the microcomputer 4
And the number of times the output terminal a of the microcomputer 4 is turned ON / OFF is increased / decreased (that is, the pulse width or pulse gap of the first output pulse is changed) to adjust the output voltage stored in the capacitor 11. .

Next, the operation in the high power output mode will be described. When the microcomputer 4 detects that the switch 2 as the high power output switching means has been input, it turns off the output terminal b of the microcomputer 4,
The transistor 9 is turned off so that a current flows through the booster coil 5 as the boosting pulse generating means.

In this boosting pulse generating means, the boosting coil 5
By connecting the and the boosting coil 6 in series, the inductance increases and the voltage of the boosting pulse also increases. Therefore, even when the boost pulse is generated the same number of times, the output voltage stored in the capacitor 11 becomes high, and the voltage required for high power output can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, two coils are connected in parallel or in series, and they are selectively used by the second switching means. However, three or more coils are connected in parallel and / or in series, Can be selectively used by the second switching means to obtain three or more output level modes.

As in the above-mentioned conventional example, the first
By appropriately changing the pulse width or the pulse interval of the output pulse or the interval of the second output pulse, various modes such as tapping, rubbing, and vibration can be obtained.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the output frequency of the electrical stimulation pulse is high, it is possible to obtain a high output voltage even in an output pattern in which sufficient boosting cannot be performed, and it depends on the output pattern. It is possible to easily change the output voltage.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of the external appearance of a low frequency treatment device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing an output waveform at each stage in the electrical stimulation pulse generator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Battery 2 Switch 3 Volume 4 Microcomputer 5, 6 Coil 7, 10 Diode 8, 9, 12, 13 Transistor 11 Capacitor 14 Adhesive Pad a, b, c, d Microcomputer output terminal

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A step-up pulse generating means for generating a step-up pulse by interrupting a current flowing through a coil, a storage means for storing the step-up pulse, an electric energy stored in the storage means is intermittently provided, and an electric stimulation is performed. In a low-frequency treatment device provided with an electrical stimulation pulse generating means composed of a first switching means for outputting as a pulse, a plurality of coils are provided as the coils, and a second switching means is used to Use 1
A low-frequency treatment device in which one or more coils are selected and the output voltage of the boost pulse is switched. 2. The low frequency treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of coils are connected in parallel. 3. The low frequency treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of coils are connected in series.