ELECTRONIC MOXA CAUTERY FOR A VEHICLE USE
Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic moxibustion appliance, and more particularly to an electronic moxibustion appliance usable in an automobile, which can be operated by means of a battery of the automobile.
Background Art
Moxa cautery is an oriental therapy which can eliminate coolness from and warm up ki (a kind of energy similar to vital energy, defined in the oriental medical science) in the human body, thereby facilitating blood circulation in the human body, curing various diseases, and having a sthenia effect on the human body by enabling the human body to have increased resistance to disease and to recover vitality.
In the original moxa cautery treatment at first, a shred of wormwood is directly ignited and placed on a predetermined portion of a patient's body. Nowadays, various moxa cautery treatments utilizing an electronic moxibustion appliance, in which heating terminals of the electronic moxibustion appliance, containing extract of moxa or wormwood, are attached to and operated to heat predetermined portions of a patient's body, are being developed and used widely.
However, there is great restriction in time and place in receiving the moxa cautery treatment as described above.
Therefore, the current situation is that the moxa cautery treatment is served mostly to patients having spare time or old men.
Disclosure of the Invention
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic moxibustion appliance usable in an automobile, which utilizes a battery of the automobile as its electric power source. It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic moxibustion appliance usable in an automobile, which is connected to a battery of the automobile through a cigarette lighter of the automobile.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic moxibustion appliance usable in an automobile, in which the heating temperature can be controlled.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic moxibustion appliance usable in an automobile, in which the moxibustion temperature is indicated. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic moxibustion appliance usable in an automobile, the electronic moxibustion
appliance comprising an electric power supply section for supplying electric power to the electronic moxibustion appliance by utilizing a battery of the automobile.
In this case, the electric power supply section comprises an electric power connection section which can be connected with a cigarette lighter socket of the automobile so that the electric power connection section is electrically connected with the battery.
Further, the electric power supply section comprises a voltage transformation section for transforming a first voltage of the battery into a second voltage capable of operating the electronic moxibustion appliance.
Preferably, the electric power supply section comprises a voltage changing section for changing an operation voltage of a moxibustion heat-generating section of the electronic moxibustion appliance, according to a temperature value set by a temperature control key for adjusting a heating temperature of the moxibustion heat- generating section. More preferably, the electric power supply section comprises a display section for displaying a heating temperature of the moxibustion heat-generating section, according to a temperature value set by the temperature control key for adjusting the heating temperature of the moxibustion heat-generating section.
Also, the display section comprises an LED driving section for enabling a light-emitting diode to emit light
with a color corresponding to the heating temperature of the moxibustion heat-generating section.
Brief Description of the Drawings The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a power supply section of an electronic moxibustion appliance usable in an automobile, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a state in which the power supply section shown in FIG. 1 is disposed adjacent to a car audio system installed in an automobile;
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a moxibustion heat-generating section of an electronic moxibustion appliance according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the moxibustion heat- generating section of FIG. 3 in an assembled state; and
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line I-I in FIG. 4.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of an electric power supply section of an electronic moxibustion appliance usable in an automobile, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the electric power supply section includes a cigarette lighter socket 20, a cigarette lighter plug 30, a DC/DC conversion section 40, a control section 41, and a light- emitting diode (LED) driving section 42. The cigarette lighter socket 20 is connected with positive and negative terminals of an automobile battery 15, and the cigarette lighter plug 30 is inserted in the cigarette lighter socket 20. The DC/DC conversion section 40 is electrically connected through an electric power cord 31 to the cigarette lighter socket 20 and converts the voltage of the automobile battery 15 to a predetermined voltage. The control section 41 outputs a control signal corresponding to a temperature value set by a temperature control key 410 which is operated by a user. According to the control signal from the control section 41, the LED driving section 42 outputs a driving signal for enabling a light-emitting diode (LED) to emit light of a predetermined color.
According to the control signal from the control section 41, the DC/DC conversion section 40 converts the voltage of the automobile battery 15 to a voltage corresponding to the temperature value set by the temperature control key 410. The voltage converted by the DC/DC conversion section 40 is applied to a moxibustion
heat-generating section 430.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a state in which a power supply section of an electronic moxibustion appliance according to the present invention is disposed adjacent to a car audio system installed in an automobile. The DC/DC conversion section 40, the control section 41, and the LED driving section 42 are contained in a housing 400. The temperature control key 410 is disposed at a middle portion of a front surface of the housing 400, so as to enable a user to control the temperature of the moxibustion heat- generating section 430 while the user is driving the automobile. The temperature control key 410 enables the temperature of the moxibustion heat-generating section 430 to be selected from among high, middle, and low temperatures, and has a sliding construction in the present embodiment .
An LED 420 indicating the temperature of the moxibustion heat-generating section 430 is disposed at the housing 400. The LED 420 is lighted by the LED driving section 42 and emits lights of different colors according to the temperature of the moxibustion heat-generating section 430. Power supply jacks 40a, 40b, and 40c for supplying an electric power to the moxibustion heat- generating section 430 are disposed at a lower portion of the housing 400.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the moxibustion heat-generating section 430 of an electronic
moxibustion appliance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the moxibustion heat-generating section 430 of FIG. 3 in an assembled state, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line I-I in FIG. 4.
As shown, the moxibustion heat-generating section 430 includes: a power supply plug 4 connected with the power supply jacks 40a, 40b, and 40c; electrodes 2a and 2b electrically connected with the power supply plug 4 through an electric wire 3; and a heat-generating body 1 connected with the electrodes 2a and 2b and heated to a predetermined temperature.
A cap 7 covers over the entire upper and side surfaces of the heat-generating body 1 and has a wire hole formed through a side surface of the cap 7, through which the electric wire 3 is drawn out. The moxibustion heat- generating section 430 further includes a seating plate 5 for electrically connecting the heat-generating body 1 and the electrodes 2a and 2b with each other. The seating plate 5 facilitates the soldering job.
A first assembling button βa is formed at a central portion of a first heat-conducting member 6, and center holes la and 5a for guiding the first assembling button 6a are formed through the heat-generating body 1 and the seating plate 5, respectively. Therefore, the first assembling button 6a of the first heat-conducting member 6 can be guided and inserted through the center holes la and
5a, so that the first heat-conducting member 6 is assembled with the seating plate 5 and the heat-generating body 1 in sequence. As a result, the heat generated in the heat- generating body 1 can be transmitted to the first heat- conducting member 6.
A second assembling button 9a, which can be assembled with or separated from the first assembling button 6a, is formed at a central portion of a second heat-conducting member 9, and a center hole 8a for guiding the second assembling button 9a is formed through a rubber pad 8. Therefore, the second assembling button 9a of the second heat-conducting member 9 can be guided and inserted through the center hole 8a so that the second heat-conducting member 9 is assembled with the rubber pad 8. Then, the second assembling button 9a can be assembled with the first assembling button 6a of the first heat-conducting member 6 so that the heat can be transmitted to the second heat- conducting member 9 also.
The moxibustion heat-generating section 430 further includes a moxa extract-storage member 10 formed of a sponge film through which extract of moxa or wormwood can be injected. The moxa extract-storage member 10 is covered on the second heat-conducting member 9, and the moxa extract-storage member 10 and the second heat-conducting member 9 integrally attached to each other are covered and pressed by the rubber pad 8 attached to a human skin, so that the moxa extract-storage member 10 is in contact with
the human skin while being heated by the second heat- conducting member 9. Therefore, the moxa cautery or moxibustion treatment can be performed not only by the rubber pad 8 but also by the moxa extract contained in the moxa extract-storage member 10. In this case, the moxa extract-storage member 10 can be reused several times by repeatedly injecting a predetermined quantity of moxa extract into the moxa extract-storage member 10, or the moxa extract-storage member 10 may be manufactured as a disposable film. Further, in order to increase the adhesive force between the rubber pad 8 and the skin, an adhesive agent 11 may be applied on the surface of the rubber pad 8 which is attached to the human skin.
Hereinafter, the operation of the electronic moxibustion appliance having the above-mentioned construction according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.
First, when a user getting on an automobile, that is, a driver or passenger, plugs the cigarette lighter plug 30 into the cigarette lighter socket 20 of the automobile, the electric power of the battery of the automobile, which has a voltage of 12 volts (24 volts in the case of a bus) , is supplied through the cigarette lighter plug 30, which has been plugged in the cigarette lighter socket 20, and the electric power cord 31 to the DC/DC conversion section 40.
The control section 41 receives the temperature value set by the temperature control key 410 of the housing 400
as shown in FIG. 2, and outputs a control signal corresponding to the temperature value of the temperature control key 410.
The DC/DC conversion section 40 drops or boosts the direct current from the battery, which has the voltage of 12 volts, to a direct current having a predetermined voltage which corresponds to the control signal outputted from the control section 41. For example, the voltage converted by the DC/DC conversion section 40 when the temperature value set by the temperature control key corresponds to a high temperature is higher than a voltage converted by the DC/DC conversion section 40 when the temperature value set by the temperature control key corresponds to a low temperature. The power supply plug 4 of the moxibustion heat- generating section 430 is plugged in one of the power supply jacks 40a, 40b, or 40c. Then, the direct current having the voltage outputted from the DC/DC conversion section 40 is applied through the power supply plug 4 to the moxibustion heat-generating section 430, so that an electric current flows through the electrodes 2a and 2b and then through the heat-generating body 1. Then, the heat- generating body 1 is heated, and the moxa extract contained in the moxa extract-storage member 10 is melted. The melted moxa extract permeates into a predetermined portion of the human body onto which the moxibustion heat- generating section 430 is attached, so as to have an effect
of moxibustion treatment.
The control section 41 determines which temperature from among a high temperature of at lowest 45 °C, a middle temperature between 43 and 45 °C, and a low temperature of at highest 43 °C the temperature value inputted by the temperature control key corresponds to. The control section 41 outputs a control signal corresponding to a result of the determination to the LED driving section 42. In this case, the LED 420 may emit light of red, yellow, or green when the temperature value inputted by the temperature control key corresponds to the high temperature, middle temperature, or low temperature, respectively.
When the user operates the temperature control key so as to raise or lower the heating temperature of the moxibustion heat-generating •section 430, the control section 41 outputs a control signal corresponding to the temperature value raised or lowered by the temperature control key to the DC/DC conversion section 40 and the LED driving section 42. The DC/DC conversion section 40 and the LED driving section 42 are controlled again by the control signal.
Instead of forming the power supply jacks 40a, 40b, and 40c at the front surface of the housing 400 as described above, the power supply section may be installed to a vehicle frame of the automobile or disposed at a predetermined space in the automobile. In this case, the
space for installing the electronic moxibustion appliance can be minimized.
Industrial Applicability As can be seen from the foregoing, the present invention provides an electronic moxibustion appliance which enables a driver or passenger to receive a moxa cautery treatment in a simple and easy manner.
While this invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and the drawings, but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and variations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.