Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Vibrator
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-19
2003-09-09
DeMille, Danton D. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Vibrator
C601S108000, C601S112000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06616621
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a massaging device, in particular a massaging device suitable for self-treatment.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of massaging devices are commercially available adapted to be used by both a lay person as well as by trained physical therapist. Such devices generally have an electric motor, a mechanical unbalanced mass (with or without gear shaft, crank gear, toothed gear or alike), a power supply or standard batteries or rechargeable batteries for supplying power, as well as one or several treatment heads, also referred to as actuators, adapted to introduce the mechanical oscillations produced by the motor in the tissue and/or the skin. In addition, larger devices frequently include a control unit that converts the high voltage to a low voltage and also includes electronics for producing the mechanical oscillations (motor control).
Examples of commercially available devices are: finger massaging devices, percussion massaging devices, vibrating massaging devices, neural-muscular stimulation devices, devices for matrix rhythm therapy (MRT), as well as a bio-mechanical stimulation devices.
The so-called finger massaging devices have the advantage of providing a gentle treatment, wherein the relatively small effective forces produce only a minimum depth effect. Accordingly, the therapeutic effect may be relatively small, requiring longer treatment times for each indication. Such finger massaging device is described, for example, in the catalog of the firm Proldee (Spring 2000).
Percussion massaging devices are available with oscillation amplitudes up to approximately 10 mm, producing an excellent depth effect. However, the oscillations cannot be introduced into the fibers of the muscle-tendon apparatus (MTA), preventing the muscle and tendon fibers from being intentionally passively extended and relaxed, nor can the activation and excitation dynamics of the MTA be influenced. In addition, the treatment heads are relatively large so that it is difficult to work in a small area, for example on body parts that provide only limited access.
Vibrating massaging devices are available with dome-shaped, cylindrical or curved vibrating heads and/or treatment heads. Random oscillations with a relatively small depth effect are produced. The oscillation frequency is typically the line frequency or a multiple thereof. Such massaging devices are available, for example, under the name “Massagekäfer” from the company Schupp.
Neural-muscular stimulation devices produced defined oscillations with a large depth effect. Such a device is described, for example, in DE 198 4 1 273.
DE 44 43 756 C1 describes a device for matrix rhythm therapy. However, such devices do not have enough power to allow successful targeted treatment under load, since the frequency cannot be controlled to remain constant when the massaging head is under load.
The design of bio-mechanical stimulation devices is similar to those for matrix rhythm therapy. Significantly different is the shape of the treatment head (the outside contour corresponds to an Archimedean screw). This, however, does not significantly affect the success of the treatment. The motion of the treatment head does not effectively target the tissue and/or the muscles, so that the therapeutic effect tends to be limited.
All these devices have in common that under load, i.e., when the treatment head is pressed onto the surface of the skin and the underlying tissue at an elevated pressure, the rotation speed of the motor and therefore also the frequency of the treatment head decreases. This makes the devices less efficient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a massaging device wherein the rotation speed of the motor and therefore also the frequency of the treatment have is maintained at a constant value within a narrow range even under load.
The massaging device according to the invention includes a motor integrated with a housing, a shaft for transmitting the motor motion, a treatment head attachable to the shaft, and means for directly measuring the rotation speed of the motor, with the means being part of a control circuit, wherein the means for directly measuring the rotation speed provides an actual value to the control circuit, wherein a means is provided on the housing for manually adjusting a setpoint of the rotation speed of the motor, and wherein the control circuit is designed so that the current supplied to the motor is controlled depending on the difference between the instantaneous actual value and the selected setpoint.
With a massaging device according to the invention, the frequencies produced by the motor and converted into oscillations can be effectively transmitted to the tissue. The control circuit, which for example consists of an electronic circuit, regulates the rotation speed of the motor very precisely. In other words, the rotation speed remains at the preset value independent of the value of the pressing force with which the treatment head of the massaging device is pressed against the skin. The measurement circuit of the control circuit is formed by a means for directly measuring the rotation speed and has therefore a very simple construction. A direct measurement of the rotation speed is superior to an indirect measurement of the motor rotation speed through secondary effects, for example by using the induced counter force in the electric motor, as described, for example, with reference to the neural-muscular stimulation devices disclosed in DE 198 41 273. The set motor speed of the massaging device according to the invention can be maintained within a range of +/−2.86%, referenced to the full-scale value. The device according to the invention is not only easy to handle, which is particularly appreciated by a lay person, but is also more effective for the therapy because the frequency remains constant under load. Hence, these defensive oscillations can produce a targeted stimulation in the tissue.
The means for directly measuring the rotation speed is preferably an angle encoder capable of measuring the actual rotation speed of the motor during the operation. Such an angle encoder or angle sensor essentially consists of a shaft and a disk to which a code pattern is applied. Depending on the type of code pattern, the angular velocity can be sensed by electric, optic or magnetic means. The angle encoder is also a simple and effective means for measuring the actual rotation speed of the motor during the operation.
According to a preferred embodiment, a gear is provided between the motor and the shaft for converting the rotation motion of the motor into a oscillatory motion. The motor revolutions are thereby converted into planar oscillation that can be effectively coupled into the tissue. Such a gear can be implemented, for example, by using only two components, namely a shaft and an eccentrically drilled sleeve. Due to the small number of components, this crank gear has a long lifetime. The massaging device with a gear of this type has therefore a total of two shafts, a drive shaft located between the motor and the gear, and a driven shaft adapted to receive a treatment head on the end facing away from the gear. The shaft and the treatment head can also be designed so as to provide a sizable friction between the two elements, thereby preventing the treatment head from inadvertently becoming detached during the treatment. Alternatively, a latching mechanism can be provided. Such mechanisms are known in the art and will therefore not be described in detail.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the means for adjusting a setpoint of the rotation speed of the motor can be a slider switch, a rotary switch or a pushbutton switch. Such a slider switch, rotary switch or pushbutton switch can also be used for switching the device ON and OFF and for selecting fixed frequencies. A slider switch with four positions has been found to be particularly suitable for home use, wherein one switch positi
Darby & Darby
DeMille Danton D.
Dr. Kohr GmbH & Co. Medizintechnik
Thanh Quang D
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