Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Ultrasonic
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-15
2001-02-06
Lateef, Marvin M. (Department: 3737)
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Ultrasonic
C310S316020, C310S317000, C310S320000, C310S321000, C310S328000, C600S437000, C600S439000, C601S046000, C601S080000, C604S022000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183426
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is directed to an ultrasonic wave applying apparatus for applying ultrasonic waves to a human body.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventional ultrasonic wave applying apparatus for applying ultrasonic waves to the human body are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-22518 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 3-63054. The conventional apparatus includes an applicator having a vibration element which is in contact with the human body to apply the ultrasonic waves, an oscillator circuit for providing ultrasonic waves to the vibration element, and a load detecting circuit which detect whether the vibration element is in contact with a load. In this apparatus, it is proposed to reduce the level of the ultrasonic vibration given to the vibration element upon detection of a no-load condition. The ultrasonic wave applying device of this kind has been developed mainly for diagnosis of internal organs of the human body by a specialist such as a doctor. Therefore, the load detecting circuit is enough by the specialist for effectively applying the ultrasonic waves to the human body. However, when the apparatus is utilized to apply the ultrasonic waves for the purpose of facial care or weight reduction, an user mostly of an amateur is difficult to utilize the apparatus in a safe and effective manner even with the load detecting circuit. Therefore, it becomes important to detect whether the apparatus is correctly moving along the skin. That is, in view of that there may arise a cold burn when the vibration element remains in contact with a portion over a long period, a measure is demanded to prevent the cold burn in addition to eliminating undue energy consumption at the no-load condition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above and has an object of providing an ultrasonic wave applying apparatus which is safe enough and convenient for use.
The ultrasonic wave applying device in accordance with the present invention includes an hand-held applicator having a vibration element which is, in use, contact with a skin of a user to apply ultrasonic waves to the skin, a power source providing a DC voltage, an oscillator circuit which is energized by the DC voltage from the power source to generate an oscillating output for driving the vibration element, and a load detecting circuit which monitors whether the vibration element is loaded such as by contact with the skin and provides a load detection signal when the vibration element is so loaded. Further, a motion detecting circuit is provided to monitor whether the vibration element is moving and give a motion detection signal when the vibration element is so moving. A control circuit is connected to the load detecting circuit and the motion detecting circuit for controlling the driving circuit to lower the oscillating output being fed to the ultrasonic vibration element when the load detection signal is not received within a predetermined first time period or when the motion detection signal is not continuous over a critical time duration within a predetermined second time period even in the presence of the load detection signal being detected within the first time period.
Thus, the apparatus can detect the motion of the vibration element whether it is moving in contact with the human body and is so made to apply the ultrasonic waves continuously only while the vibration element is so moving, thereby disabling to apply the ultrasonic waves to a portion of the human body over a long period which would otherwise incur cold burn.
Preferably, the apparatus may include a monitoring circuit which gives a single monitoring output indicative of the ultrasonic vibrations being effected by the vibration element and inclusive of a low frequency component which is caused by moving the vibration element and of which frequency is lower than that of the ultrasonic vibrations. The monitoring output is fed to the load detecting circuit as well as to the motion detecting circuit where it is processed to provide the load detection signal and the motion detection signal. The monitoring output including information as to the load condition as well as the motion of the vibration element can appear in a resonant system including the oscillator circuit for the vibration element. Therefore, simple electrical connection of the monitoring circuit to the resonant system can realize the load and motion detection in a simple circuit configuration without requiring an additional sensor for such detection.
For example, the monitoring circuit is arranged to detect an output of the oscillator circuit which includes a transformer with a primary winding and a secondary winding. The vibration element is in the form of a piezoelectric element connected across the secondary winding. The primary winding generates an oscillating voltage which in turn produces the oscillating output across the secondary winding for driving the vibration element. The monitoring circuit includes an auxiliary winding which is magnetically coupled to the transformer for providing the monitoring output in proportion to the output of the oscillator circuit.
Besides, for the same oscillator circuit including the transformer as above, the monitoring circuit may be configured as a rectifier circuit which is connected in parallel with the vibration element across the secondary winding of the transformer to rectify the oscillating voltage into the monitoring output.
Further, the monitoring circuit may be configured to provide the monitoring output based on a current flowing through the oscillator circuit including a resonant circuit. In this case, the oscillator circuit includes the transformer with the primary winding and the secondary winding across which the vibration element in the form of a piezoelectric element is connected. A capacitor is connected across the primary winding to form a parallel resonant circuit with the primary winding. A switching element is connected in series with the parallel resonant circuit across a DC voltage source and is driven to turn on and off for causing the resonant circuit to provide an oscillating voltage which in turn induces the oscillating output across the secondary winding. The monitoring circuit includes a current sensing resistor which is connected in series with the switching element and the parallel resonant circuit to provide the monitoring output in the form of a voltage.
In another version, the monitoring circuit has a transformer with a primary winding and a secondary winding. The primary winding is connected in series with the vibration element in the form of the piezoelectric element in an output path of the oscillator circuit so that the secondary winding provides the monitoring output.
The load detecting circuit is preferred to have a comparator which compares an amplitude of the monitoring output with a predetermined level to provide the load detection signal when the amplitude deviates from the predetermined level by a certain extent.
The motion detecting circuit is arranged to have a low-pass filter to derive the low frequency component from the monitoring output and a judging circuit which provides the motion detection signal to the control circuit when an amplitude of the low frequency component exceeds a predetermined level.
Further, the present invention discloses another arrangement which utilizes a sensor disk disposed adjacent the vibration element for making the load detection and the motion detection. The sensor disk is capable of deforming as a consequence of the vibration element being loaded and is made of pressure sensitive electroconductive rubber which varies its electrical resistance upon being deformed. The sensor disk is formed on its one surface with a single first electrode and on the opposite surface with a plurality of second electrodes. There are provided a plurality of voltage each of which applies a voltage between the first electrode and each of the second electrodes so as to provide a plurality of monitoring outputs each representing degree
Abe Hideaki
Akisada Shosuke
Hayashi Masayuki
Inoue Hiromitu
Kawai Kozo
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Lateef Marvin M.
Lin Jeoyuh
Matsushita Electric & Works Ltd.
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