Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Thermal applicators
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-13
2003-08-12
Gibson, Roy D. (Department: 3739)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Thermal applicators
C607S096000, C607S100000, C601S019000, C601S020000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06606520
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new type hyperthermo-radiative apparatus, more particularly, a roller type hyperthermo-radiative apparatus designed to minimize friction resistance of the apparatus upon horizontal movement thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention relates to improvements on the invention disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 1999-26985 entitled “a treatment mat” (which was filed on Jan. 14, 2000 in U.S.A. and issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,609 on Jun. 5, 2001).
FIG. 1A
shows the conventional mat for hot compress and acupressure, and
FIG. 1B
shows a sectional view of the conventional hyperthermo-radiative apparatus. As shown well in
FIG. 1A
, the conventional mat for hot compress and acupressure comprises a backing plate
50
formed on a lower side corresponding to a longitudinal groove at the center thereof, rails
51
installed on the left and right sides of the backing plate
50
, a hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
moving horizontally along the rails
51
, a horizontal moving means for causing the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
to move horizontally, a control panel
58
for controlling the horizontal moving means, and an operating unit
59
for controlling the position of the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
. Further, the horizontal moving means includes a motor
55
installed on one side of the mat for hot compress and acupressure, a pulley
54
connected directly with the motor
55
, and a rope
52
for transmitting driving force from the motor
55
to the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
through the pulley
54
. Here, the mat for hot compress and acupressure is covered with a mat cloth (not shown) that can sufficiently cover the longitudinal groove located at the center of the mat. Thus, the external appearance of the mat can be protected and the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
can be prevented from coming into direct contact with a vertebral region of a user.
Furthermore, the conventional hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
that has been used in the mat for hot compress and acupressure is schematically shown in FIG.
1
B. That is, the conventional hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
comprises a supporting stand
61
fixed to a supporting plate
56
for supporting the entire portion of the apparatus, a lamp
62
installed on the supporting stand
61
, and a cap
65
for transferring heat generated from the lamp
62
and protecting the lamp
62
. Here, the cap
65
is constructed in such a manner that an upper portion thereof is hemispherical, a central portion thereof is hollow cylindrical, and a lower portion thereof is provided with an outwardly flared flange
66
. The upper portion of the cap is formed with a plurality of small holes
67
to emit the heat.
Therefore, when a user who wishes to obtain the effects of the hot compress and acupressure intends to utilize the conventional mat for hot compress and acupressure constructed as such, the user first lies down on the mat and presses down a button on the operating unit
59
. Then, the motor
55
is actuated during a time when the button continues to be pressed down. Thereafter, the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
is pulled through the pulleys
53
,
54
and the rope
52
, and is conveyed horizontally on the rails
51
in a longitudinal direction. When the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
is completely moved to one side of the rails
51
, a reverse switch (not shown) installed on a distal end of the rails
51
causes the flow direction of current applied to the motor
55
to be changed in the opposite flow direction. Thus, the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
comes to stop temporarily, changes its direction of movement, and then moves again in the opposite direction. That is, at least while the user presses down the button on the operating unit
59
, the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
advances completely in one direction and then in the opposite direction again. During the horizontal movement, the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
emits the heat from the lamp
62
installed therein, and the heat reaches the vertebral region of the user through the small holes
67
. Consequently, a hot compress effect can be obtained. At the same time, while the hemispherical cap
65
located at an uppermost end of the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
moves along the rails
51
in a straight line, the vertebral region of the user lying down on the mat is caused to (et acupressure in the straight line.
However, in case of the conventional mat for hot compress and acupressure, while the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
is moved, the cap
65
should be moved in a state where it is pressed down by the vertebral region of the user lying down on the mat for hot compress and acupressure. Thus, friction resistance is generated in the mat cloth (not shown) positioned between the user and the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus, and causes the protective cloth to be easily damaged. In addition, the user feels a pain on his/her vertebral region due to the friction resistance. Further, it was difficult to manufacture the conventional hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
since the protective cap
65
thereof should be machined in the form of the hemisphere. The difficulty in manufacturing the apparatus was aggravated since the cap was made thinner in order to accomplish more rapid heat transfer.
Furthermore, the conventional mat for hot compress and acupressure has required more power in moving the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
due to friction resistance between the user and the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
. Consequently, the large motor for generating high driving force was used, and thus, consumption of unnecessary electric power was incurred. In addition, when the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
is moved in the conventional mat for hot compress and acupressure, excessive load is produced due to the friction resistance. If the load cannot be overcome, the rope
52
slips onto the pulley
53
. Thus, there was a problem in that the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus
60
cannot be normally moved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the present invention is conceived to solve the aforementioned problems in the prior art and is directed to a new type hyperthermo-radiative apparatus for use in a mat for hot compress and acupressure.
An object of the present invention is to provide a roller type hyperthermo-radiative apparatus, which can minimize friction resistance generated when the apparatus moves horizontally within a central portion of the mat for hot compress and acupressure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a roller type hyperthermo-radiative apparatus, which can enhance effects of the hot compress and acupressure on a user
According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the objects, there is provided a roller type hyperthermo-radiative apparatus, a backing plate with wheels fixedly supported at four corners thereof; a plurality of pairs of supporting means mounted on the backing plate; roller type rotating members rotatably installed between respective pairs of the supporting means and with cylindrical empty spaces formed therein; heating members inserted into the empty spaces of the rotating members from both ends of the spaces; socket portions connected to the heating members for supplying external electric power; and bearing members for fixedly supporting the socket portions to the supporting means and for rotatably coupling the rotating members thereto.
According to the present invention, it is preferred that the roller type rotating members of the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus for generating far infrared radiation be made of inorganic mineral, and the roller type rotating members of the hyperthermo-radiative apparatus be also formed such that outer portions thereof are smoothly curved with respect to their own rotation axes while inner portions thereof have empty cylindrical spaces. Thus, the roller type rotating members can be spontaneou
Ceragem International, Inc.
Gibson Roy D.
Lee & Hong
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