Surgery – Magnetic field applied to body for therapy
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-26
2002-10-22
Lacyk, John P. (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Magnetic field applied to body for therapy
Reexamination Certificate
active
06468199
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance medical treatment device for applying magnetism to the body of a patient to thereby treat a disease or improve the patient's health condition. The invention also relates to a method for magnetism variation control adapted to control magnetism generated by a magnetism generator such as the magnetic resonance medical treatment device.
BACKGROUND ART
Generally, low-frequency medical treatment device, infrared medical treatment device, and magnetic medical treatment device are available as medical treatment device for easing or medically treating bodily disorders, such as stiff shoulders or lower back pain, through application of external stimulus to the body.
Among these apparatus, low-frequency medical treatment device and infrared medical treatment device may involve a bodily shock caused by application of electricity or heat during medical treatment, as well as the inconvenience of removing clothing for provision of treatment, since, for example, an electrode having a cord must be applied directly to an affected part of the body.
By contrast, in recent years, magnetic medical treatment device employing a permanent magnet, such as magnetic bands or magnetic stomach bands, have come into frequent use, since they do not involve a bodily shock as mentioned above and enable provision of treatment with no need for removing clothing. Also, a medical treatment performed through affixing of a small permanent magnet on an affected part of the body is well known.
Such magnetic medical treatment device employing a permanent magnet usually cannot vary the intensity of a magnetic force. Conventionally, therefore, clinical facilities use clinical magnetic medical treatment device in which the intensity of a magnetic force is varied; for example, through periodical alternation of the N-pole and the S-pole of a probe effected by periodically reversing current which flows to the coil of a magnetism generator contained in the probe.
Meanwhile, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a magnetic medical treatment device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 8-252331. As shown in
FIGS. 8 and 9
, the magnetic medical treatment device includes an N-probe
5
, an S-probe
6
, and a control unit
7
which controls magnetism generated by the N-probe
5
and S-probe
6
. The N-probe
5
and the S-probe
6
each include magnetism-generating means
3
—which includes a bar core
1
of, for example, iron and a conductor
2
wound on the bar core
1
—and a frame
4
of, for example, synthetic resin adapted to contain the magnetism-generating means
3
.
The direction of winding the conductor
2
of the magnetism-generating means
3
is reversed between the N-probe
5
and the S-probe
6
. A tip portion of the N-probe
5
is magnetized to the N-pole, whereas a tip portion of the S-probe
6
is magnetized to the S-pole.
The N-probe
5
and the S-probe
6
each have a pointed pressing portion
8
, which is a portion of the core
1
having an overall conical shape and projecting from the tip portion thereof. The pointed pressing portion
8
is adapted to press, for example, an effective point of the body. The N-probe
5
and the S-probe
6
are connected to the control unit
7
through spiral cords
9
and pin jacks
10
.
The control unit
7
includes magnetism regulation means for regulating the intensity of magnetism generated by the N-probe
5
and the S-probe
6
, switching means for varying the period with which magnetism is generated in the form of pulses, and duty ratio regulation means for varying the duty ratio of pulsed magnetism, whereby diversified pulse currents (including a direct current) can be supplied.
The thus-configured magnetic medical treatment device of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 8-252331 is used, for example, in the following modes: the distance between the body skin and the probes is varied; the distance between the N-probe
5
and the S-probe
6
is varied while the probes are positioned in the vicinity of the body; the intensity of magnetism, frequency, and duty ratio of at least either the N-probe
5
or the S-probe
6
are varied while the N-probe
5
and the S-probe
6
are applied to predetermined positions; and the pointed pressing portions
8
are applied to effective points of the body so as to stimulate the points.
As described above, through regulation of the intensity of the magnetic forces generated by the N-probe
5
and the S-probe
6
, the magnetic medical treatment device of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 8-252331complements magnetic balance within the body or, on the contrary, intentionally disturbs magnetic balance within the body so as to induce the balancing capability of a human being. Such medical treatment can be effectively carried out in addition to a conventional treatment. Further, weak current can be caused to flow within the body to thereby activate neural functions. Also, in addition to electromagnetic force, electromagnetic induction, and electrodynamic force, optimum pulsed magnetism produces a massaging effect, so that blood circulation is promoted. Further, through appropriate stimulation of effective points of the body or muscles by means of the pointed pressing portions, bodily stiffness can be eased.
However, the magnetic medical treatment device of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 8-252331 leaves room for further improvement of control means for varying magnetism applied to the body.
In view of the foregoing, the applicant of the present invention has achieved the present invention, and an object of the invention is to provide a magnetic medical treatment device capable of effecting diversified magnetic medical treatments, such as diversified variation of magnetic balance within the body through more diversified variation of magnetism applied to the body, or activation of neural functions through promotion of flow of weak current within the body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for magnetism variation control in order to control diversified magnetism generated by a magnetism generator such as the magnetic medical treatment device.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In order to achieve the above objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic resonance medical treatment device characterized by comprising a director which contains two magnetism generators, each comprising a bar core and a conductor wound on the bar core, and a magnetism regulator connected to the director and adapted to individually regulate the intensities and directions of magnetic forces generated by the magnetism generators.
Through employment of the above configuration, the two magnetism generators fixedly contained in the director can be resonated, for example, by applying current to the conductors such that a core tip portion of one magnetism generator is magnetized to the N-pole, while a core tip portion of the other magnetism generator is periodically alternatingly magnetized to the N-pole and the S-pole (phase alternation). Accordingly, diversified magnetic medical treatments are enabled. Also, since variation of a magnetic field effected by resonance of the two magnetism generators can be superposed on variation of intensity of magnetic forces generated by the two magnetism generators, magnetic medical treatments which can be practiced are further diversified to include those which utilize a three-dimensional magnetism variation.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic resonance medical treatment device according to the first aspect, characterized in that, of the two magnetism generators, one magnetism generator has a core in a cylindrical shape, and the other magnetism generator is disposed within a hollow portion of the core.
Through employment of the above configuration, a magnetic field generated by the two magnetism generators can be varied, since on
Sakano Kazuhito
Satou Kiyoshi
Lacyk John P.
Michaelson Peter L.
Michaelson & Wallace
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