Abstract A non-invasive thermotherapy technique for relieving pain and obtaining other beneficial effects. In this technique, the skin surface of a patient overlying a problem region such as an arthritic joint is scanned by a corona discharge beam emanating from a discharge electrode to which is applied periodic bursts of radio-frequency energy whose repetition rate is at a sonic frequency and whose peak amplitude is such as to cause a corona discharge. This energy is derived from a radio-frequency carrier generator whose operating frequency is preferably in the range of 100 to 300 KHz. This carrier is overmodulated in amplitude at a sonic rate, whose frequency is preferably in the 3000 to 5000 Hz range, so that the carrier is interrupted periodically to produce the bursts.
Inventors
👤 Alfonso Di Mino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-30 22:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A non-invasive thermotherapy technique for relieving pain in a problem region of the human body and obtaining salutary effects, said technique comprising the steps of: A. continuously generating a radio-frequency carrier; B. overmodulating said carrier with a sonic frequency signal to produce periodic bursts of radio-frequency energy whose repetition rate is determined by the sonic frequency; C. applying said bursts to a discharge electrode to produce a corona discharge beam; and D. directing said beam to impinge on the skin surface of a patient overlying the problem region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
A non-invasive thermotherapy technique for relieving pain in a problem region of the human body and obtaining salutary effects, said technique comprising the steps of: A. continuously generating a radio-frequency carrier; B. overmodulating said carrier with a sonic frequency signal to produce periodic bursts of radio-frequency energy whose repetition rate is determined by the sonic frequency; C. applying said bursts to a discharge electrode to produce a corona discharge beam; and D. directing said beam to impinge on the skin surface of a patient overlying the problem region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A technique as set forth in claim 1, wherein said carrier is in the low-frequency radio range.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A technique as set forth in claim 2, wherein said carrier frequency is about 200,000 Hz.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A technique as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sonic frequency lies in the range of 3000 to 5000 Hz.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A technique as set forth in claim 1, wherein said radio-frequency carrier is produced by generating a carrier whose power is about 10 watts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A technique as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bursts are applied to an electrode which is a pointed wire to create a single corona discharge beam.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A technique as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bursts are applied to an electrode constituted by a cluster of pointed wires to create multiple corona discharge beams.