KR100745748B1 - Apparatus and method for heat treatment being capable of controling the amount of heat injected - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a thermal therapy apparatus and method capable of thermal dosage control. The device for administering heat to a living body to be treated includes a heat dispensing unit for administering heat having a variable energy level to the living body in response to a heat control signal, and sensing and detecting an internal temperature of the living body heated by the administered heat. And a temperature sensing unit for outputting the internal temperature, and a controller for comparing the internal temperature with a predetermined temperature and generating a thermal control signal according to the compared result. Therefore, since heat is administered to the living body while controlling the amount of heat to be administered inside the living body, it is possible to more accurately, quickly and efficiently treat a living body that can be treated using heat, such as pain relief, anti-inflammatory or tissue adhesion.

Description

Apparatus and method for heat treatment being capable of controling the amount of heat injected}

1 is a block diagram of a heat treatment apparatus capable of controlling a heat dose according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a heat treatment method according to the present invention performed in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

3 is a block diagram of an embodiment according to the present invention of the heat administration shown in FIG.

4 is a block diagram of an embodiment according to the present invention of the temperature sensing unit shown in FIG.

5 is a diagram illustrating a coupling relationship between an antenna and a heat conversion unit.

6 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention of the control unit shown in FIG. 1.

The present invention relates to a field for treating a living body using heat, and in particular, a heat treatment apparatus capable of controlling a heat dosage that can administer heat to a living body while adjusting heat dosage by sensing heat generated inside the human body; It is about a method.

In general, by using ultrasonic waves in the frequency band of 1 MHz to 3 MHz, heat is generated in muscles or joints located 2 cm to 3 cm deep from the epidermis to physically treat analgesic, anti-inflammatory or tissue adhesion. The treatment of the human body using such ultrasound has been actively used since the 1960s, and is widely used in large and small physical therapy rooms in Korea.

However, when using a conventional ultrasonic therapy device, it is very difficult to determine whether the amount of heat generated in the human body is precisely controlled by precisely controlling the amount of the ultrasonic wave administered to the human body or by administering the ultrasonic wave. This is because the ultrasonic absorption coefficient varies depending on the organs of the human body. For example, the fat, muscle, or bone tissue has different ultrasonic absorption coefficients, and thus the degree of absorption of ultrasonic waves is different, and the amount of heat generated inside the human body by the ultrasonic waves is also changed according to the degree of reflection at the tissue interface. For example, conventional ultrasound therapy devices, depending on their respective mechanical properties, are difficult to establish clinically standardized ultrasound dosages and cannot confirm whether sufficient treatment has been achieved.

The output of the conventional ultrasonic therapy device is 1 to 3 w / cm, and is set to be applied to the human body for 5 to 15 minutes. However, this is based on the electrophysical and animal experiments of the 1960s, which do not accurately reflect the response of living organisms. In addition, the sensory nerves that sense temperature changes in the human body are not as sensitive as the skin, so the patient's conscious thermal sensation is unreliable, and the immediately visible skin temperature reflects the change in the internal temperature appropriately. You can't. Because of this, when treating a patient using conventional ultrasound therapy devices, complaints may be heard from the patient.

After all, the conventional ultrasound therapy device has been used very widely for the treatment of heart fever, but there is a problem that can not determine the clinically accurate dosage to suit the individual, and can not confirm the achievement of the treatment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a heat treatment apparatus capable of controlling a heat dose by radiating heat to a living body by an appropriately controlled dose so as to efficiently treat a living body.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat treatment method performed in a heat treatment apparatus capable of controlling the heat dose.

In order to achieve the above object, the heat treatment device capable of controlling the heat dose according to the present invention for administering heat to a living body to be treated is configured to administer the heat having a variable energy level to the living body in response to a heat control signal. A heat dosing unit, a temperature sensing unit which senses an internal temperature of the living body heated by the heat to be administered, outputs the sensed internal temperature, and compares the internal temperature with a predetermined temperature, and the heat corresponding to the result of comparison It is composed of a control unit for generating a control signal.

In order to achieve the above another object, a heat treatment method capable of controlling a heat dose according to the present invention for administering heat to a living body to be treated includes the steps of (a) administering the heat to the living body; (B) detecting an internal temperature of the living body heated by heat; determining (c) whether the detected internal temperature reaches a predetermined temperature; and if it is determined that the internal temperature does not reach the predetermined temperature. Preferably, the energy level of the heat administered to the living body is adjusted, and the step (d) proceeds to the step (a).

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings the configuration and operation of the heat treatment apparatus capable of controlling the heat dose according to the present invention, and the heat treatment method as follows.

1 is a block diagram of a heat treatment apparatus capable of controlling the heat dose according to the present invention, and includes a heat doser 10, a temperature detector 12, and a controller 14.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a method for treating heat according to the present invention, which is performed in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, in which heat is administered until the internal temperature of the body to which the heat is administered reaches a predetermined temperature (see FIG. 30 to 36 steps).

The heat dispensing unit 10 shown in FIG. 1 administers heat to a living body (not shown) (for example, all parts of the human body, such as a thigh, and a large portion of the muscle) through the output terminal OUT1. (Step 30). Here, the heat administration unit 10 may administer heat to a living body (not shown) in the form of ultrasound, infrared, near infrared or radiation. When the heat is administered to the living body in the form of radiation, the heat administration unit 10 may be implemented as a hot pack that can control the dosage. As such, when heat is administered to a living body, heat is generated by a micro massage effect on muscles or joints located at a depth of 2 cm to 3 cm from the epidermis of the living body, thereby increasing local blood circulation, causing analgesia, anti-inflammatory, edema, Reduction of inflammation or prolonged fixation of the joints results in a primary therapeutic effect that relieves the connective tissue around the joints to increase the range of motion of the joints. In addition, there is a secondary therapeutic effect, such as relieving sympathetic nerves to relieve muscle tension caused by pain.

After the thirtieth step, the temperature detector 12 detects the internal temperature of the living body heated by the heat administered from the heat dispenser 10 through the input terminal IN1, and outputs the detected internal temperature to the controller 14 ( Step 32). Here, the sensed internal temperature corresponds to the core temperature generated in the subcutaneous muscles or joints.

After the thirty-second step, the controller 14 determines whether the internal temperature input from the temperature sensor 12 reaches a predetermined temperature stored by itself or input from the outside through the input terminal IN2 (step 34).

If it is determined that the internal temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, the heat treatment method shown in FIG. 2 ends. That is, when it is determined that the internal temperature has reached the predetermined temperature, the control unit 14 controls the heat administration unit 10 to administer the heat to the living body so that the internal temperature reached to the predetermined temperature is continuously maintained. However, if it is determined that the internal temperature has not reached the predetermined temperature, the energy level of the heat administered to the living body is adjusted so that the internal temperature can reach the predetermined temperature, and the process proceeds to step 30 (step 36). To this end, the controller 14 outputs a heat control signal to the heat dispensing unit 10 according to a result of comparing the internal temperature with a predetermined temperature, and the heat dispensing unit 10 controls the energy level of the heat administered to the living body. In response to the heat control signal input from (14), heat, which is variable and has a variable energy level, is administered to the living body through the output terminal OUT1.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the configuration and operation of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention of each part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be described as follows.                     

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment 10A according to the present invention of the heat dispensing unit 10 shown in FIG. 1, which includes a heat source 50, a thermal cutoff switch 52, a variable drive unit 54, and a heat conversion unit. It consists of 56.

The heat source 50 of the heat dispensing unit 10A shown in FIG. 3 performing the 30th and 36th steps shown in FIG. 2 generates a heat signal, and outputs the generated heat signal to the thermal cutoff switch 52. do. At this time, the heat source 50 varies the frequency of the heat signal in the range of 1 MHz to 3 MHz, which is a microwave region, in response to the heat control signal C1 generated from the controller 14, The thermal signal having can be output to the thermal cutoff switch 52. The thermal cutoff switch 52 shown in FIG. 2 selectively outputs a thermal signal input from the heat source 50 to the variable driver 54 in response to the cutoff control signal C2 input from the controller 14.

If the heat treatment apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is not used or in an emergency, in response to the cutoff control signal C2 generated from the controller 14, the heat cutoff switch 52 may generate a heat signal generated from the heat source 50. Is blocked from being transmitted to the variable driver 54. In addition, the control unit 14 automatically measures the matching between the heat conversion unit 56 and the skin epidermis using the internal temperature input from the temperature sensing unit 12, and the heat signal is maintained only in a state of good matching. The blocking control signal C2 may be generated to be transmitted to the variable driver 54.

At this time, the variable driver 54 varies the level of the thermal signal provided from the thermal cutoff switch 52 in response to the thermal control signal C3 input from the controller 14, and has a thermal signal having a variable level. Is output to the heat conversion unit 56. In addition, the variable driver 54 may determine a period of outputting a thermal signal having a variable level to the thermal converter 56 in response to the thermal control signal C3 input from the controller 14.

According to the present invention, the heat dispensing unit 10A shown in FIG. 3 may not provide the heat cutoff switch 52. In this case, the heat source 50 outputs the generated heat signal to the variable driver 54, and the variable driver 54 varies the level of the heat signal input from the heat source 50 instead of the heat cutoff switch 52. .

The thermal converter 56 shown in FIG. 3 converts a thermal signal of an electrical form input from the variable driver 54 into a thermal form, and converts the converted result into a column having a variable energy level and outputs the biological signal through the output terminal OUT1. To administer.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment 12A of the temperature sensing unit 12 shown in FIG. 1 according to the present invention, and includes an antenna 70 and a temperature calculating unit 80.

The antenna 70 of the temperature sensing unit 12A performing the 32nd step shown in FIG. 2 is emitted from the inside of the living body heated by the administered heat, that is, the weak electromagnetic wave signal having a frequency of 1 kHz to 3 kHz band. (thermal radiation) is received through the input terminal IN1, and the received electromagnetic wave signal is output to the temperature calculator 80.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a coupling relationship between the antenna 120 and the heat converter 122. The antenna 120 corresponds to the antenna 70 shown in FIG. 4, and the heat converter 122 is shown in FIG. Corresponds to the illustrated thermal converter 56.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the heat conversion unit 122 and the antenna 120 are integrated to form a probe, and the formed probe contacts the epidermis of the living body 124. Can be. In this case, the antenna 120 and the heat converter 122 are provided at the same position of the biological epidermis. As such, when the heat conversion unit 122 and the antenna 120 are integrated, the temperature generated from the inside of the living body may be measured while applying heat to the living body in real time.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the antenna 70 shown in FIG. 4 and the heat converter 56 shown in FIG. 3 are provided at the same position of the biological skin, but the antenna 70 is a heat converter. It may be provided in close proximity to the biological epidermis, in which 56 is provided. Here, the wavelength in the air of the electromagnetic wave having a frequency of 1 kHz to 3 kHz decreases depending on the dielectric constant of the living body as 10 cm to 30 cm, and when the living body is the human body, the antenna 70 attenuates to about 1/8. The electromagnetic wave signal emitted from the inside of the 1.2 cm to 3.8 cm deep from the skin of the living body can be received.

At this time, the temperature calculator 80 calculates the internal temperature of the living body from the electromagnetic wave signal received from the antenna 70, and outputs the calculated internal temperature to the controller 14 through the output terminal OUT2. To this end, as shown in FIG. 4, the temperature calculator 80 includes a selection switch 82, a frequency converter 84, a low pass filter 86, a clock generator 88, and a synchronization detector 90. It can be implemented as.

First, the selection switch 82 selects one of an electromagnetic wave signal or a predetermined reference signal received from the antenna 70 in response to a clock signal input from the clock generator 88, and selects the selected signal from the frequency converter 84. Will output                     

At this time, the frequency converter 84 converts the frequency of the electromagnetic wave signal or the predetermined reference signal selected by the selection switch 82 into the intermediate frequency region, and outputs the signal having the converted frequency to the low pass filter 86. . To this end, the frequency converter 84 may be implemented as a radio frequency (RF) amplifier 100, a mixer 102, and an intermediate frequency (IF) amplifier 104. Here, the radio frequency amplifier 100 amplifies the electromagnetic wave signal or the predetermined reference signal selected by the selection switch 82 and outputs the amplified result to the mixer 102. At this time, the mixer 102 multiplies the intermediate frequency signal input through the input terminal IN3 and the result amplified by the radio frequency amplifier 100 and outputs the multiplied result to the intermediate frequency amplifier 104. The intermediate frequency amplifier 104 amplifies the result multiplied by the mixer 102 and outputs the amplified result to the low pass filter 86 as a signal having a frequency converted into the intermediate frequency region. At this time, the signal output from the intermediate frequency amplifier 104 is a modulated form of the electromagnetic wave signal received from the antenna 70 and the reference signal.

The low pass filter 86 filters the low pass component of the signal input from the frequency converter 84, and outputs the filtered result to the synchronization detector 90. The synchronization detector 90 detects only the electromagnetic wave components due to the rise of the temperature of the living body in response to the clock signal in the result filtered by the low pass filter 86, and controls the detected result through the output terminal OUT2 as an internal temperature. Will output That is, the synchronization detector 90 detects only the electromagnetic wave signal component received through the antenna 70 from the low pass filtered result. To this end, the clock generator 88 generates a clock signal and outputs the generated clock signal to the selection switch 82 and the synchronization detector 90, respectively.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, as described above, the temperature calculator 80 includes a selector switch 82, a clock generator 88, and a synchronization detector 90, so that the temperature calculator 80 itself. The gain is very high, and when the gain is changed due to the surrounding environment, the error of the internal temperature caused by the gain change can be reduced.

However, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the temperature calculator 80 may not include the selection switch 82, the clock generator 88, and the synchronization detector 90, as shown in FIG. 4. . In this case, the frequency converter 84 converts the frequency of the electromagnetic wave signal received from the antenna 70 into the intermediate frequency region instead of the result selected by the selection switch 82, and converts the electromagnetic wave signal having the converted frequency into a low pass filter. Output to (86). In addition, the result filtered by the low pass filter 86 is output to the control unit 14 as an internal temperature through the output terminal OUT2, as shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an embodiment 14A of the control unit 14 shown in FIG. 1 according to the present invention, which includes an analog to digital converter (ADC) 140 and a control signal generator 142. , A key pad 144, a display unit 146, and a storage unit 148.

The analog / digital converter 140 of the controller 14A performing the 34th step illustrated in FIG. 2 converts the internal temperature detected by the temperature detector 12 and input through the input terminal IN4 into a digital form, and then converted. The internal temperature of the digital form is output to the control signal generator 142. At this time, the control signal generator 142 compares the internal temperature input from the analog-to-digital converter 140 with a predetermined temperature previously stored or input from the outside, and generates a thermal control signal in accordance with the comparison result, The generated heat control signal is output to the heat dispensing unit 10 through the output terminal OUT3. At this time, the controller 14A may further provide a keypad 144 that is operated by an external user through the input terminal IN5 and outputs the operated result to the control signal generator 142 as a predetermined temperature. In addition, the controller 14A may further include a display unit 146 that displays the predetermined temperature and the internal temperature input from the control signal generator 142 to the outside. To this end, the control signal generator 142 outputs a predetermined temperature stored in advance or input through the keypad 144 to the display unit 146, and displays the internal temperature of the digital form input from the ADC 140. )

The controller 14A shown in FIG. 6 may further include a storage unit 148 for storing a control program such as a temperature control program or a user interface for controlling the temperature. In this case, the storage unit 148 may be implemented as a flash memory or an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), and the control signal generator 142 stores the stored control program. It can also be updated with a new control program entered from).

As described above, the heat treatment apparatus and method capable of controlling the heat dose according to the present invention, because the heat is administered to the living body while controlling the amount of heat administered inside the living body, such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory or tissue adhesion adhesion It has the effect of treating the body that can be treated more accurately, quickly and efficiently.

Claims (20)

In the heat treatment device for administering heat to the living body to be treated, A heat dispenser configured to administer the heat to the living body, the heat having a variable energy level in response to a heat control signal; A temperature sensor configured to sense an internal temperature of the living body heated by the heat to be administered, and output the detected internal temperature; And And a controller configured to compare the internal temperature with a predetermined temperature and generate the thermal control signal in response to the compared result. The heat treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat administration unit administers the heat in an ultrasonic form. The heat treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat administration unit administers the heat in an infrared form. The heat treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat dispensing unit administers the heat in a near-infrared form. The heat treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat administration unit administers the heat in the form of radiation. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat administration unit A heat source generating a heat signal; A variable driver configured to vary the level of the column signal in response to the column control signal and output the column signal having a variable level; And And a heat conversion unit configured to convert the heat signal of the electrical form input from the variable driving unit into the heat form and administer the converted result to the living body as the heat having the variable energy level. Heat treatment device capable of volume control. The method of claim 6, wherein the heat source is And a frequency of the thermal signal in response to the thermal control signal generated from the controller, and outputting the thermal signal having the variable frequency to the variable driver. The method of claim 6, wherein the variable drive unit And a period of outputting the heat signal having the variable level to the heat conversion unit in response to the heat control signal. The method of claim 6, wherein the heat administration unit And a thermal cutoff switch for selectively outputting the thermal signal input from the heat source to the variable driving unit in response to the cutoff control signal input from the controller. The method of claim 9, wherein the thermal cutoff switch Heat treatment capable of heat dose control, characterized in that when the heat treatment device is not used, the heat signal generated from the heat source is blocked from being transmitted to the variable drive unit in response to the cutoff control signal generated from the controller. Device. The method of claim 1 or claim 6, wherein the temperature sensing unit An antenna for receiving an electromagnetic wave signal emitted from the inside of the living body heated by the heat to be administered and outputting the received electromagnetic wave signal; And And a temperature calculator configured to calculate the internal temperature from the received electromagnetic wave signal and output the calculated internal temperature. The heat treatment apparatus of claim 11, wherein the heat conversion unit and the antenna are integrated to form a probe, and the probe is in contact with the epidermis of the living body. The method of claim 11, wherein the antenna The heat treatment device capable of controlling the heat dose is provided in close proximity to the living body provided with the heat conversion unit. The method of claim 11, wherein the antenna And a heat dose controllable heat treatment device for receiving the electromagnetic wave signal emitted from the interior 1.2 to 3.8 cm deep from the skin of the living body. The method of claim 11, wherein the temperature calculator A frequency converter for converting the frequency of the received electromagnetic wave signal into an intermediate frequency region and outputting the electromagnetic wave signal having the converted frequency; And And a low pass filter for filtering the low frequency component of the electromagnetic wave signal input from the frequency converter and outputting the filtered result as the internal temperature to the controller. The method of claim 15, wherein the temperature calculator A selection switch for selectively outputting one of the received electromagnetic wave signal or a predetermined reference signal to the frequency converter in response to a clock signal; A synchronization detector configured to detect only an electromagnetic wave component due to the temperature rise of the living body in response to the clock signal in the filtered result in the low pass filter, and output the detected result as the internal temperature to the controller; And A clock generator which generates the clock signal and outputs the generated clock signal to the selection switch and the synchronization detector; And the frequency converter converts the frequency of the result selected by the selection switch into the intermediate frequency region. The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit An analog / digital converter for converting the internal temperature detected by the temperature sensor into a digital form and outputting the converted internal temperature in digital form; And And a control signal generator configured to compare the internal temperature input from the analog / digital converter with the predetermined temperature and generate the thermal control signal according to the compared result. Device. The method of claim 17, wherein the control unit And a keypad for outputting the predetermined temperature input from the outside to the control signal generator. The method of claim 17, wherein the control unit And a display unit for displaying the predetermined temperature and the internal temperature to the outside. In the heat treatment method for administering heat to the living body to be treated, (a) administering the heat to the living body; (b) sensing the internal temperature of the living body heated by the heat administered; (c) determining whether the sensed internal temperature has reached a predetermined temperature; And (d) if it is determined that the internal temperature does not reach the predetermined temperature, adjusting the energy level of the heat administered to the living body, and proceeding to step (a). Controllable heat treatment method.

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