RU2234907C2 - Device for carrying out thermopuncture examination - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medical engineering.

SUBSTANCE: device has holder handle, temperature treatment element manufactured as thin-walled cylindrical metal surface having high heat conductance coefficient with thermoelectric element arranged inside. The first thermoelectric unit junction makes heat contact to lower base of thin-walled cylindrical surface and the second one to heat-balancing plate shaped as disk and set at the same level with the upper base of the thin-walled cylindrical surface having hole in the center which diameter is slightly greater than one of the heat-balancing plate. The rest of thin-walled cylindrical surface volume is filled with heat-insulating substance.

EFFECT: simplified design and production process; high level of irritation caused to biologically active skin areas.

2 dwg

Description

The invention relates to medicine, in particular to devices for the controlled stimulation of biologically active skin areas.

A device for influencing biologically active points [1], in which the exposure element is made in the form of a miniature semiconductor thermistor.

A device for reflexology [2] is known, containing an element of temperature influence in the form of a thermoelectric semiconductor device, one of which is “hot” or “cold” junction is applied to a biologically active point.

A disadvantage of the known devices is the inaccurate localization of the temperature effect, since not only biologically active points, but also adjacent skin areas are heated (cooled) due to heat transfer, as a result of which the effectiveness of reflexology is significantly reduced.

A device is described in [3]. The device contains a temperature effect element in the form of a thermoelectric module mounted on the handle-holder, the “hot” and “cold” junctions of which are made in the form of alternating concentric rings of p- and p-type semiconductor, interconnected by metal rings-junctions. “Hot” and “cold” junctions of the thermoelectric module are equipped with temperature sensors, the signal from which is fed to the control unit. The control unit monitors the temperature using sensors, maintaining a predetermined temperature difference between the junctions of the thermoelectric module, thereby localizing the temperature effect on a specific area of the skin, and the temperature is regulated both at the point of exposure and in the adjacent area.

The disadvantages of the device are the complexity of manufacturing, associated with the complexity of manufacturing a thermoelectric module with concentric branches and junctions, as well as a low level of annoyance due to the use of one single thermocouple for its implementation.

The technical result of the invention is the localization of temperature effects on a specific area of the skin, as well as simplifying the manufacture of the device.

To achieve this goal, a device is proposed, a schematic representation of which is shown in figure 1.

The device contains a temperature influence element 1 connected to the handle-holder 2, two temperature sensors 3 and 4 located on the temperature influence element 1, connected to a control device 5, which provides power to electric energy and controls the operation of the temperature influence element 1.

The temperature element 1 is shown in figure 2. The temperature influence element 1 is made of thin-walled, cylindrical, metal with a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, the lower base of which has thermal contact with the first junction of the thermoelectric module 6, and the upper base has a hole in the center, the diameter of which slightly exceeds the diameter of the heat-equalizing plate 7 in the form of a disk located flush with the upper base and brought into thermal contact with the second junction of the thermoelectric module 6. Additionally, the element of the temperature effect 1 s filled with heat-insulating substance 8.

The device operates as follows.

For medical procedures, it is necessary to install the device in the working position by pressing the temperature-control element 1 against the active point on the skin surface using the handle-holder 2 and supply it with electric energy by the control unit 5. When feeding electric energy to the thermoelectric module 6, which is the working component of the element temperature exposure 1, between its first and second junctions a temperature difference will occur, proportional to the magnitude of the flowing electric current. This temperature difference will be maintained between the upper base of the element of the temperature effect 1 and the heat-leveling plate 7 having thermal contact with the first and second junctions of the thermoelectric module 6, respectively. The localization of the temperature effect on a specific skin area will be achieved by maintaining a constant temperature gradient at the interface between the heat-equalizing plate 7 and the upper base of the temperature effect element 1. Maintaining a constant temperature gradient during an irritating effect on the skin area is carried out using the control unit 5, which changes the value electrical energy supplying the thermoelectric module 6, in accordance with the signals received from ermodatchikov 3 and 4.

The use of heat-insulating substance 8 in the element of the temperature effect 1 is necessary to eliminate heat transfer from its side surface to the thermoelectric module 6.

Literature

1. A.S. USSR No. 1397039, A 61 H 39/06, 1988.

2. A.S. USSR No. 1333337, A 61 H 39/06, 1987.

3. RF patent No. 2146511, A 61 H 39/06, 2000.

Claims (1)

A device for thermopuncture, containing a handle-holder, on which there is a temperature exposure element, in which there is a thermoelectric module, powered by a control unit connected to temperature sensors installed on the temperature influence element, characterized in that the temperature influence element is made of thin-walled, cylindrical, of metal with a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, the lower base of which has thermal contact with the first junction of the thermoelectric module, and the upper base s has a center hole whose diameter is slightly greater than the diameter teplovyravnivayuschey plate in disc form, situated on a level with the upper base and provided in thermal contact with the second junction of the thermoelectric module further temperature impact element filled with heat insulating material.

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