Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Device with applicator having specific movement
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-24
2001-05-08
Yu, Justine R. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Device with applicator having specific movement
C601S097000, C601S101000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06228042
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention involves the field of medical devices. More particularly, it involves the field of medical devices used in chiropractic. Even more particularly, it relates to chiropractic adjustment tools used to move bones and relieve muscle spasms and stress.
2. Prior Art
As is well-known in the chiropractic art, the spines or other bones of humans sometimes go out of alignment or are otherwise mis-adjusted. This can lead to discomfort and, sometimes, additional physical symptoms. In such cases, an adjustment of the spine or other bone to a healthy alignment can have substantial therapeutic effects.
Several attempts have been made to provide hand-held or other small devices to assist in adjusting a patient's spine or other bone by the use of impacts against the bone. However, each of these devices provides only a single impact per application, as described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,873, issued Apr. 12, 1977 to Anderson, is entitled “PNEUMATIC IMPACTER.” The patent teaches a pneumatic gun-type device with an impact cylinder which is released when a trigger is squeezed. The impact cylinder, when released by the trigger, is extended under pressure until it makes contact with a surface. The pressure is adjustable to permit the user of the device to set the pressure desired for a specific treatment. The device provides one impact per pull of the trigger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,464, issued Feb. 12, 1985 to Morgan, Jr., is entitled “CHIROPRACTIC INSTRUMENT.” The patent teaches a manually-operated instrument used to provide an impact to a specific surface of a body. The instrument has a plunger or cylinder-type device with a striking surface. The cylinder is movable within a hand-held chamber. The movement of the cylinder is controlled by a spring, which is contained within the chamber, and permits an adjustment of the tension applied by the cylinder. In use, a user of the device manually strikes it against a patient's body. The spring adjustment permits the user to determine the impacting pressure the person wishes to make on the patient's body. The device provides one impact per application.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,454, issued Jun. 2, 1987 to Shamos, is entitled “PERCUSSING CHIROPRACTIC DEVICE HAVING ADJUSTABLE SPRING FORCE.” The patent teaches a body-impact device similar to the Morgan device discussed above. The device consists of a hand-held chamber having an anvil at one end and a spring-biased hammer mounted in the chamber. An elongated spindle is connected to the hammer for drawing the hammer away from the anvil into a loaded position in which the spring is compressed. Upon release of the spring, the hammer strikes the anvil, which strikes the patient's body. The level of tension is adjustable to provide impacts of varying strength to a patient's body. The device provides one impact per application.
As can be seen from the above, the prior art has provided several single-impact chiropractic devices. However, the prior art has not disclosed a multiple-impact device for providing therapeutic pressure to a patient's body. Multiple impacts are desirable because of the cumulative effect of the treatment provided therewith. The present invention is directed to this shortcoming in the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a chiropractic adjustment tool or tapper, which, generally, comprises:
(a) a housing, the housing having an open end;
(b) a striker assembly disposed within the housing and secured thereto, the striker assembly comprising a power source, the power source providing operational power to the striker assembly; and
(c) a plunger disposed externally to the housing and secured thereto, the plunger being in communication with the striker assembly through the open end in the housing.
The striker assembly comprises a reciprocating striking rod. A power source, such as a pneumatic motor, electric motor, solenoid arrangement, or the like, provides power through a series of gears and springs to move the striking rod in reciprocating fashion.
The plunger comprises a plunging rod that is slidable within a body. Once each cycle, the striking rod strikes the plunging rod, which moves away from the striking rod and strikes the patient's body. Upon striking the patient's body, a spring retracts the plunging rod until it once again contacts the striking rod and is again forced against the patient's body. A typical rate of impact is thirty impacts per second, though other rates of impact are available and can be efficacious as well. Both the speed and the force of impact are adjustable to provide optimal therapeutic effects.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference characters refer to like parts through the several views, in which:
REFERENCES:
patent: 1340959 (1920-05-01), Jones
patent: 3837335 (1974-09-01), Teranishi
patent: 3945076 (1976-03-01), Sung
patent: 3984890 (1976-10-01), Collis
patent: 4088128 (1978-05-01), Mabuchi
patent: 4495940 (1985-01-01), Takaishi
patent: 4513737 (1985-04-01), Mabuchi
patent: 4549535 (1985-10-01), Wing
patent: 4716890 (1988-01-01), Bichel
patent: 4841955 (1989-06-01), Evans et al.
patent: 5300095 (1994-04-01), Salazar
patent: 5626615 (1997-05-01), Keller et al.
LandOfFree
Chiropractic adjusting tool does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Chiropractic adjusting tool, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Chiropractic adjusting tool will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2537442