Electro-magnetic therapeutic system and method

Claim 2

An electro-magnetic low-frequency therapeutic system comprising a magnetization coil for creating an electro-magnetic field, means to secure said coil in a predetermined fixed position, generator means for feeding said coil with predetermined treatment signals to obtain a desired magnetic field characteristic, control circuit means for selecting desired characteristics of said treatment signals, said control circuit means having (i) circuit control means for controlling the peak intensity of said desired magnetic field, (ii) frequency control means to select the frequency of said treatment signals to obtain a selected type of a plurality of treatment signals, (iii) adjustment means to preset the duration time of said treatment signals and said electro-magnetic field, said desired magnetic field characteristics being predetermined from a magnetic field pattern chart representative of the parameters of the field of said magnetization coil in the surrounding environment of said coil whereby to obtain a desired range of intensity of said field and a desired orientation thereof relative to a position of said coil.

Claim 3

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said generator means is a sinusoidal signal generator and wherein said circuit control means further comprises demagnetization control means to preselect a demagnetization time of said electro-magnetic field.

Claim 4

A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said circuit control means further comprises demagnetization mode selection means to preselect the mode of attenuation of said electro-magnetic field.

Claim 5

A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said demagnetization mode is selectable between a linear or quasi-exponential demagnetization characteristic.

Claim 6

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said generator means is a pulse generator including a pulse shaping circuit comprising essentially two alternating switches for charging and discharging a capacitor, said capacitor discharging through a damping resistance R L including the resistance of said coil, and a specific coil inductance to produce a desired current pulse shape having a critical damping defined by the following equations: where C = capacitance of capacitor being discharged into the treatment coil through a damping resistor R Damping L = inductance of the treatment coil; R = total series resistance in the discharging circuit of the capacitor; R L is equal to the sum of the damping resistor R Damping and the D.C. electrical resistance r L of the treatment coil winding; t m = time lapse between beginning of the current pulse and the time corresponding to the maximum current i m , as illustrated in FIG. 8 herein; m t i = period of time from the beginning of the current pulse to the time where the second derivative of the current in this pulse is equal to zero (we have shown that t i = t m /2); (see FIG. 8 herein); i = maximum current flowing through the treatment coil; Vo = initial voltage across the capacitor C, before discharging it into the treatment coil; e = 2.7182818..., being the limit approached by the expression (1 + 1) n as n approaches n infinity, also called the "base" of natural or neperian logarithm.

Claim 7

A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control means for controlling the intensity of said magnetic field is an adjustable auto-transformer provided in a high voltage circuit which includes said pulse shaping circuit, said transformer having a winding fed by an A.C. current supply and having a tap connection to said charging capacitor connected to said coil to produce said current pulse of selected intensity, said pulse being generated at the frequency of said A.C. supply and having a repetition rate being controlled by a frequency circuit.

Claim 8

A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said frequency circuit comprises said frequency control means to provide a predetermined delay between said discharge pulses in accordance with a desired value preset by an adjustable control member whereby to obtain a series of said pulses on a continuous or periodically interrupted basis.

Claim 9

A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein there is further provided a detector circuit to detect the zero signal crossings of said alternating charging circuit, said detector circuit synchronizing said frequency circuit.

Claim 10

A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein during said attenuation of said electromagnetic field the peak intensity of said field is automatically varied in accordance with said selected mode by means of an amplitude circuit feeding a mode circuit, and a motor control circuit controlled by said mode circuit and an initiating circuit, said motor control circuit controlling a variable auto-transformer provided in a high voltage circuit.

Claim 11

A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said high voltage circuit includes said circuit control means to adjust the peak amplitude of the current fed by said auto-transformer by controlling an adjustable tap setting of a second auto-transformer connected to an A.C. supply, said auto-transformer being connected to said coil to produce a current signal therein.

Claim 12

A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said high intensity current signal is interrupted in accordance to the desired interruption rate of said magnetic field by means of a switch controlled by a frequency circuit.

Claim 13

A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said frequency circuit comprises said frequency control means to provide said desired interruption rate of said current signal in accordance with a value preset by an adjustable control member.

Claim 14

A system as claimed in claim 10 wherein said motor control circuit operates an adjustable tap on said first auto-transformer to demagnetize said coil in accordance with a selected one of said demagnetization modes.

Claim 15

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is further provided switch means to initiate said electro-magnetic field and timer circuits associated with said control circuit means, and indicator means to indicate the presence of said electromagnetic field.

Claim 16

A system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said switch means is connected to an initiating circuit, said initiating circuit controlling the operation of an audible tone circuit, said indicator means being a visual indicator lamp connected in a current monitor circuit.

Claim 17

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said field pattern chart comprises displays of the orientation of isomagnetic field lines of said coil to define the pattern of the intensity, and displays of the direction of said magnetic field in space, said field lines being relative to a scale with respect to said coil.

Claim 18

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnetization coil is one of two hollow cylinder coils having a different desired maximum field intensity, or a core coil having a further desired maximum field intensity, said coils being interchangeable and having substantially the same inductance.

Claim 19

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means for controlling the intensity is an adjustable control element positionable at ten different positions to vary said intensity in increments of 10% per positions.

Claim 20

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frequency control means is an adjustable control element selectively positionable to provide a desired interruption of a desired one of a plurality of treatment signals of the magnetic field.

Claim 21

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adjustment means to preset the duration time includes an adjustable control element to select a desired time lapse for feeding said coil with said treatment signals.

Claim 22

A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said adjustment means further includes an adjustable control element to select a desired demagnetization time period of said desired time lapse for demagnetizing said coil in a selected one of a linear or quasi-exponential mode.

Claim 23

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coil is mounted on an articulatable arm, an articulated joint member interconnecting said coil and said arm, said joint member comprising a holding plate securable to said coil, a holding rod secured to said plate and supporting a holding cylinder member, a fastener member in threaded engagement with an end of said rod protruding through said cylinder member, said cylinder member having a retention bore to secure an end of said arm therein.

Claim 24

A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein said retention bore is a hole extending transverse to an arcuate side wall of said cylinder member, a slot in said cylinder member extending in a portion of said side wall across said bore, securing means applying pressure across said slot to compress wall sections of said bore when tightened to frictionally secure said end of said arm in said bore.

Claim 25

A system as claimed in claim 23 wherein a friction disc is provided about said holding rod intermediate said holding plate and an adjacent end face of said cylinder member, said fastener member adjusting the orientation of the longitudinal axis of said arm and fixing its position stationary when in threaded engagement against an opposed end face of said cylinder member to apply clamping pressure.

Claim 26

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coil is a core coil, said coil being maintained in said fixed position in a U-shaped box-like support, said coil having a treatment end which is adjustable in height by adjustable support means insertable under said treatment end, and a cushion member secured forwardly of said box relative to said treatment end.

Claim 29

A method as claimed in claim 26 wherein said step (iv) comprises a) selecting the peak intensity of said desired magnetic field by adjustable control means; and b) selecting the interruption frequency of said treatment signals by further adjustable control means.

Claim 30

A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said treatment signals are sinusoidal signals, said step (iv) further comprising the steps of a) selecting a demagnetization time of said desired magnetic field by further adjustable control means, and b) selecting a demagnetization mode from a linear or quasi-exponential characteristic.

Claim 31

A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said step (iv) comprises generating treatment pulses by charging and discharging a capacitor to produce discharge pulses having a critical or nearly critical damping characteristic, and controlling the interruption rate of said discharge pulses by a frequency circuit controlled by step (b).

Claim 32

A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein said step of charging said capacitor comprises (a) feeding an auto-transformer with an A.C. signal voltage, (b) feeding the voltage at a tap on said winding of said transformer to said capacitor and (c) activating alternating switches to charge and discharge said capacitor.

Claim 33

A method as claimed in claim 30 wherein said step (c) comprises detecting the zero signal crossings of said A.C. signal voltage, and controlling said switches in accordance with a selected one of said interruption rate.

Claim 34

A method as claimed in claim 26 wherein there is further provided the step of indicating the presence of said treatment signals generating said magnetic field. '

Claim 35

An electro-magnetic low frequency therapeutic system comprising a magnetization coil for creating an electro-magnetic field in response to a preselected treatment signal whereby said magnetic field has a desired treatment characteristic, said magnetic field having an adjustable intensity set by adjustable control means, said control means also having (i) circuit means for controlling the peak amplitude of the field for achieving a specific modulation of said peak amplitude in a given time, (ii) means to select the orientation and/or direction with respect to a tissue to be treated, (iii) circuit means to select the repetition frequency, either pulsating or sinusoidal, fed to the magnetization coil to obtain a selected one of different therapeutic signals, (iv) means to select a desired treatment time: automatic demagnetizing means responsive to a preselected demagnetizing time and mode for attenuating said field in a desired manner to terminate a magnetic field treatment.

Claim 36

An electro-magnetic low frequency therapeutic system comprising a magnetization coil for creating an electro-magnetic field in response to a preselected treatment signal whereby said magnetic field has a desired treatment characteristic, said magnetic field having an adjustable intensity set by adjustable control means, said control means also having (i) circuit means for controlling the peak amplitude of the field for achieving a specific modulation of said peak amplitude in a given time, (ii) means to select the orientation and/or direction with respect to a tissue to be treated, (iii) circuit means to select the repetition frequency, either pulsating or sinusoidal, fed to the magnetization coil to obtain a selected one of different therapeutic signals, (iv) means to select a desired treatment time: automatic demagnetizing means responsive to a preselected demagnetizing time and mode for attenuating said field in a desired manner to terminate a magnetic field treatment.