KR101150372B1 - Medical apparatus capable of providing electric and thermotheraphy stimulations - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device that can sense the temperature of the human body in real time through an infrared sensor, and can provide or simultaneously provide a medical cold stimulator, a warm stimulator and an electrical stimulus using a thermoelectric element.

Medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device according to the present invention comprises a medical electrode for receiving electrical power to deliver the electrical stimulation to the human body; A thermoelectric element contacting a rear surface of the medical electrode and supplying cold air or heat to the medical electrode; An infrared sensor for detecting infrared rays generated from the human body and generating a first electrical signal corresponding to the temperature of the human body; A control module for supplying the power to the medical electrode and the thermoelectric element and controlling the temperature of the power and the medical electrode supplied to the thermoelectric element according to the first electrical signal corresponding to the temperature of the human body; And a temperature control module for controlling the temperature of the thermoelectric element according to the control of the control module.

Description

MEDICAL APPARATUS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING ELECTRIC AND THERMOTHERAPHY STIMULATIONS}

The present invention relates to a medical electrical and cold stimulus generating device, in particular, to detect the temperature of the human body in real time through the infrared sensor, using the thermoelectric element to provide or simultaneously provide the medical cold stimulator, on-stimulator and electrical stimulation, respectively. The present invention relates to a medical electrical and cold stimulus generating device.

As medical equipment, there is a medical electrical stimulation treatment device that applies electrical stimulation to the human body. The medical electrical stimulation therapy device uses electrical electrodes (also referred to as ceramics) to apply electrical electricity to the tissue to stimulate the body. Medical electrodes stimulate the muscles and nerves using medical currents to physically exercise the muscles and nerves to gently release the muscles, thereby relieving pain and applying high-frequency currents to biological tissues to generate joule heat in the tissues, thereby producing microvascular vessels. There is a high frequency deep diathermy (high frequency stimulator) that relieves pain through dilation and tissue activation.

Among medical devices are cold or warm stimulators. In general, the heat and inflammation of the lesion (treatment site) destroys the cells and delays the treatment process. The cold stimulator treats the lesion by applying cold stimulation.

Cold stimulation constricts blood vessels in limited areas, causing blood cells to temporarily decrease in size, which reduces the amount of blood flowing to the wound. This action temporarily suppresses neurotransmission, relieves pain, and minimizes cell destruction at the wound site, thereby reducing edema and inflammation. The fact that cold stimulation is more effective than electrical stimulation to facilitate the absorption of drugs is described in the 2002 paper "FARMACOTERAPIA A LOCALIZZAZIONE MIRATA MEDIANTE" CRIOELETTROFORESI "NELLE PATOLOGIE ARTICOLARI E MUSCOLARI by A. Aloisi, M. Matera, R. Potenza. It is. According to the above paper, it can be seen that the absorption of the drug is most smooth when the temperature is maintained at -5 ° C to 0 ° C using ice or the like.

The thermal stimulation treatment device is a device for treating by applying a thermal stimulus to an abnormal site.

An iontophoretic device is an device that effectively infiltrates drugs such as vitamins useful for living tissues into skin or living tissues using electro-ionophoresis.

As an element used in a cold / hot stimulation treatment device, there is a thermoelectric element. The thermoelectric device includes a thermistor, which is a device using a temperature change of electrical resistance, a device using the Seebeck effect, a phenomenon in which electromotive force is generated by a temperature difference, and a device using a Peltier effect, a phenomenon in which heat is absorbed (or generated) by current. Phosphor Peltier element and the like. Thermistors are a kind of semiconductor device whose electrical resistance changes greatly with temperature.Thermal temperature coefficient thermistor (NTC) whose electrical resistance decreases with the increase of temperature, and the constant temperature coefficient thermistor (PTC) whose resistance increases with the temperature rise. positive temperature coefficient thermistor). Thermistors are made by sintering oxides such as molybdenum, nickel, cobalt, and iron in plural components and used for stabilizing circuits and detecting heat, power, and light.

The Seebeck effect is a phenomenon in which electromotive force is generated when two ends of two kinds of metals are connected and the temperature of both ends is different, and it is applied to temperature measurement using a thermoelectric pair.

The Peltier effect is a phenomenon in which two types of metal ends are connected and a current flows therethrough, whereby one terminal absorbs heat and the other terminal generates heat according to the current direction. By using semiconductors such as bismuth (Bi) and tellurium (Te), which have different electric conduction methods, instead of the two kinds of metals, a Peltier element having an efficient endothermic and heat generating action can be obtained. It is possible to switch the endotherm and the heat generation in accordance with the current direction, and the endotherm and the heat generation amount are adjusted in accordance with the amount of current, and thus it is applied to the manufacture of a refrigerator having a small capacity or a precise thermostatic chamber near room temperature.

According to the prior art, most electrical stimulation treatments involve heat and pain on the surface of the skin to be in contact, and electrical cramps may occur. In addition, burns can be caused by the level of energy used. This heat and pain reduces the therapeutic effect and causes side effects such as burns and skin damage. Especially in the case of deep diathermy, high-frequency current flows to the skin surface and not to the deep lesion of the human body.

In addition, the electrical stimulation therapy device, the cooling therapy device, and the thermal therapy device are not only separate equipments, but even if the hospital is equipped with the electrical stimulation therapy device, the cooling therapy device, and the thermal therapy device, the use of the electrical stimulation therapy device, the cooling therapy device, and the thermal therapy device at the same time is performed on the patient. Almost impossible. Therefore, there is a problem that the patient receiving treatment is difficult to receive efficient treatment.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention senses the temperature of the human body in real time through an infrared sensor, and medical electrical and cold temperature that can provide or simultaneously provide a medical cold stimulator, a warm stimulator and an electrical stimulation using a thermoelectric element, respectively. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stimulus generating device.

Medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device according to the present invention comprises a medical electrode for receiving electrical power to deliver the electrical stimulation to the human body; A thermoelectric element contacting a rear surface of the medical electrode and supplying cold air or heat to the medical electrode; An infrared sensor for detecting infrared rays generated from the human body and generating a first electrical signal corresponding to the temperature of the human body; A control module for supplying the power to the medical electrode and the thermoelectric element and controlling the temperature of the power and the medical electrode supplied to the thermoelectric element according to the first electrical signal corresponding to the temperature of the human body; And a temperature control module for controlling the temperature of the thermoelectric element according to the control of the control module.

In addition, the medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device according to the present invention preferably further comprises a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the medical electrode to generate a second electrical signal corresponding to the temperature of the medical electrode.

The temperature control module according to the present invention, the heat exchange block which is in contact with the surface opposite to the surface in contact with the medical electrode, and performs heat exchange using a fluid; It may include a pipe and pumping means connected to the heat exchange block for circulating the heat exchange liquid, the pumping means is preferably a circulation pump for circulating the heat exchange liquid.

The control module according to the present invention may change the heat absorbing surface and the heat generating surface of the thermoelectric element by switching the polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric element, and the thermoelectric element may be a Peltier element.

Medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device according to the present invention is capable of precise temperature control by providing the cold / hot stimulation and the electrical stimulation, respectively, or at the same time using a thermoelectric element, as well as the temperature of the human body under treatment using an infrared sensor By measuring in real time, the temperature effective for treatment can be kept constant.

In particular, by applying the electrical stimulation treatment and cold stimulation at the same time, it is possible to reduce the possibility of pain and burn by suppressing the heat of the skin surface and the non-adaptive stimulus generated during the treatment. In addition, by removing the hot burning sensation on the surface of the living body generated during deep diathermy treatment using high frequency electric stimulation through cold stimulation and increasing the impedance of the skin surface, the high frequency current is induced to penetrate deep deep lesions with low impedance. It can have a lowering effect and increase the amount of drug penetrated and the depth of penetration to increase the therapeutic effect.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

1 is a block diagram showing a medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device according to the present invention, Figure 2 is an assembly diagram showing the structure of the medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device according to the present invention.

1 and 2, the medical electrical and cold stimulus generating device according to the present invention includes a medical electrode 110, a thermoelectric element 120, an infrared sensor 130, a control module 140, and a temperature control module 150. ). In addition, the medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device according to the present invention may further include a temperature sensor (160).

Hereinafter, each component of the medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device according to the present invention will be described in detail.

Medical electrode 110 is supplied with power to generate an electrical stimulation to deliver to the human body. In addition, the medical electrode 110 transmits a cold or warm stimulus generated in the thermoelectric element 120 in contact with the rear surface to the patient.

The thermoelectric element 120 contacts the rear surface of the medical electrode 110 to supply cold air or heat to the medical electrode 110. Preferably, the thermoelectric element 120 receives power from the control module 140 to generate heat or endotherm.

Specifically, the control module 140 switches the polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric element 120 so that the thermoelectric element 120 properly supplies the cold stimulus and the warm stimulus to the medical electrode 110. The heat absorbing surface and the heat generating surface of the thermoelectric element 120 may be changed by changing the direction of the current applied to the device 120. Therefore, the thermoelectric element 120 may alternately provide a cold stimulus and a warm stimulus under the control of the user. In addition, the thermoelectric element 120 is preferably a Peltier element.

The infrared sensor 130 detects infrared rays generated from the human body, generates a first electrical signal corresponding to the temperature of the human body, and transmits the first electrical signal to the control module 140. The infrared sensor 130 preferably detects the temperature of the human body in real time, and the configuration of the infrared sensor 130 will be described in more detail together with the control module 140.

The control module 140 performs control of each component and the overall system of the medical electrical and cold stimulus generation device according to the present invention.

Specifically, the control module 140 supplies power to the medical electrode 110 and the thermoelectric element 120, and the temperature of the power and the medical electrode 110 supplied to the thermoelectric element 120 according to the temperature of the human body. To control.

That is, the control module 140 measures the temperature of the human body based on the first electrical signal received from the infrared sensor 130. When the temperature of the human body is too low or high by cold stimulation or warm stimulation, the temperature of the medical electrode 110 is controlled by controlling the power supplied to the thermoelectric element 120.

For example, it is assumed that the control module 140 controls the power supplied to the thermoelectric element 120 to deliver a cold stimulus to the human body so that the medical electrode 110 maintains a temperature of −5 ° C. which is the temperature most suitable for treatment. lets do it. Maintaining the temperature of the medical electrode 110 at −5 ° C. is possible by continuously monitoring the temperature of the medical electrode 110 through the temperature sensor 160. While transmitting the cold stimulus to the human body while maintaining the temperature of the medical electrode 110 at -5 ° C, when the temperature of the human body measured by the infrared sensor 130 is -1 ° C, the control module 140 is thermoelectric The temperature of the medical electrode 110 is lowered by controlling the power supplied to the device 120. As the temperature of the medical electrode 110 decreases, the cold stimulus transmitted to the human body increases, thereby lowering the body temperature. The control module 140 continuously monitors the body temperature through the infrared sensor 130 and when the body temperature reaches a proper temperature, the control module 140 supplies power supplied to the thermoelectric element 120 to maintain the proper temperature. To control.

The temperature regulation module 150 adjusts the temperature of the thermoelectric element 120 according to the control of the control module 140.

Preferably, the temperature control module 150 may include a heat exchange block 151, a pipe 153, and a pumping means 155.

The heat exchange block 151 is in contact with the surface opposite to the surface in contact with the medical electrode 110, and performs the heat exchange using the fluid.

Preferably, the heat exchange block 151 has a flow path through which the fluid flows, and heat exchange occurs while the fluid flows along the flow path, thereby controlling the temperature of the thermoelectric element 120. Specifically, the fluid introduced through the inlet port (not shown) is passed through the thermoelectric element 120 and flows out through the outlet port (not shown). Here, the fluid preferably contains an antifreeze liquid having a very low freezing point.

Pumping means 155 for circulating the fluid is connected to each of the outlet and the inlet of the heat exchange block 151 via a pipe 153. Here, the pumping means 155 is preferably a circulation pump for circulating the fluid.

The temperature sensor 160 senses the temperature of the medical electrode 110, generates a second electrical signal corresponding to the temperature of the medical electrode 110, and transmits the second electrical signal to the control module 140. The control module 140 controls the power supplied to the thermoelectric element 120 according to the temperature of the medical electrode 110 or controls the pumping means 155 to adjust the temperature of the medical electrode 110.

Although the configuration of the present invention has been described in detail, these are merely illustrative of the present invention, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. This will be possible.

Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present specification are intended to illustrate rather than limit the present invention, and the scope and spirit of the present invention are not limited by these embodiments. It is intended that the scope of the invention be interpreted by the following claims, and that all descriptions within the scope equivalent thereto will be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram showing a medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an assembly view showing an example of the structure of the medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device according to the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

110: medical electrode 120: thermoelectric element

130: infrared sensor 140: control module

150: temperature control module 151: heat exchange block

153: pipe 155: pumping means

160: temperature sensor

Claims (6)

Medical electrodes that receive power to deliver electrical stimulation to the human body; A thermoelectric element contacting a rear surface of the medical electrode and supplying cold air or heat to the medical electrode; An infrared sensor for detecting infrared rays generated from the human body and generating a first electrical signal corresponding to the temperature of the human body; A control module for supplying the power to the medical electrode and the thermoelectric element and controlling the temperature of the power and the medical electrode supplied to the thermoelectric element according to the first electrical signal corresponding to the temperature of the human body; And Temperature control module for adjusting the temperature of the thermoelectric element according to the control of the control module Medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device comprising a. The method of claim 1, And a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the medical electrode and generating a second electrical signal corresponding to the temperature of the medical electrode. The method of claim 1, The temperature control module, A heat exchange block in contact with a surface opposite to a surface in contact with the medical electrode and performing heat exchange using a fluid; And electrical piping and pumping means connected to the heat exchange block to circulate the heat exchange liquid. The method of claim 3, The pumping means is a medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device, characterized in that the circulation pump for circulating the heat exchange liquid. The method of claim 1, The control module is a medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device, characterized in that for changing the heat absorbing surface and the heat generating surface of the thermoelectric element by switching the polarity of the power supplied to the thermoelectric element. The method of claim 1, The thermoelectric device is a medical electrical and cold stimulation generating device, characterized in that the Peltier device.

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