IL95282A - Device for effecting electrostatic treatment - Google Patents

Description

DEVICE FOR EFFECTING ELECTROSTATIC TREATMENT The present invention relates to a device for effecting electrostatic treatment to selected points on a living body.

In the U.S. Patent No. 4,915,110 there are disclosed electrode devices for making contact with a living body surface comprising an electrical current conductive element configured to have a surface with a restricted cross-sectional area and including a current insulating material affixed to the surface and an electrical terminal means affixed to the element, an electrical current conductive member having a first surface and a second surface, a current insulating material affixed to the first surface and an electrical terminal means located on the second surface, and means for supporting the element and the member in proximity to each other with the insulating material forming a surface adapted for body contact with selected points on the living body surface.

There is also proposed to use a plurality of such devices for the simultaneous treatment of different disorders by embedding or otherwise, permanently affixing, such devices to a body-part shaped covering. The devices are strategically positioned to exactly fit selected points on the body when the covering is worn. Electrical wires are drawn from each of the devices to a central operating unit.

Experience has shown that the preparation of body-part shaped coverings fitting the sizes and configurations of a plurality of patients facilitating convenient usage thereof, was difficult to achieve and thus, there has risen the need to develop an assembly especially useful as a homecare apparatus for placing a multiplicity of electrodes on selected locations or points on a user's body.

It is therefore a broad object of the present invention to provide an assembly for affecting electrostatic therapy to one or more selected points on a living body surface, wherein the user can choose the exact locations where it is desired to apply electrostatic fields and removably affix devices for producing and inducing the desired fields, onto a flexible support, which support is adapted, in turn, to be affixed on a body-part of the living body.

In accordance with the present invention there is therefore provided an electrode assembly for making contact with a living body surface, comprising a first current conducting element having electrical terminal means; a second current conducting element having electrical terminal means; means for affixedly interengaging said first and second elements, and means for supporting said elements in body contact with selected points on said living body surface, wherein said means for supporting said elements is a layer of flexible material having a plurality of perforations made therein and at least a portion of one of said elements is adapted to pass through one of said perforations prior to being engaged by the other of said elements to facilitate the assembly of the electrodes and supporting means.

There is also provided an electrode assembly for making contact with a living body surface, comprising a first electrical current conductive element configured to have a surface with a restricted cross-sectional area and including a current insulating material affixed to said surface and an electricl terminal means affixed to said element, a second electrical current conductive element having a first surface and a second surface, a current insulating material affixed to said first surface and an electrical terminal means located on said second surface, means for supporting said elements with said insulating material adapted for affixedly interengaging said first and second elements, wherein said means for supporting said elements is a layer of flexible material having a plurality of perforations made therein and at least a portion of one of said elements is adapted to pass through on one of said perforations prior to being engaged by the other of said elements to facilitate the assembly of the electrodes and supporting means.

With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the electrode assembly according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of electrode supporting means, drawn in a reduced scale.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown an electrode assembly for making contact with a living body surface, for effecting electrostatic therapy to selected points of a body part. The assembly essentially consists of a first current conductive element 2, a second current conductive element 4, interengageable with the first element and means 6 for supporting the elements. The first element 2 is in the form of a tack having a current conductive disc portion attached to one end of a pin-like portion 10. To the lower surface of the disc p_ortion 8 there is affixed an electrical terminal 12 configured as an annular pad. Both the upper surface of the disc portion 8, as well as the pin-like portion 10 are covered with a layer of insulating material 14. For the purpose of interengagement between the two elements 2 and 4, the insulating material surrounding the pin-like portion 10 is made with a wedged ring 16 press-fitting with a complementary groove 18 formed in a cylindrical body 20 located at the centre of the conducting aperture disc 22 forming the electrically active portion of the second element 4. A similar aperture disc, however of a smaller diameter, constituting an electrical pad terminal 24 of the second element, is attached to the inner surface of the conducting disc 22 around the body 20.

The elements' supporting means 6 is made of a flexible, advantageously transparent, sheet material 26, e.g. transparent plastic. The sheet material is perforated with a plurality of apertures 28. The size of the apertures 28 is such that the body 20 of the second element 4 can pass therethrough with clearance, as can be seen in Fig. 1. The sheet material 26 is fitted with current conductive strips 30 longitudinally extending along both sides thereof.

Further seen in Fig. 2 is a unit 32 containing programmable electric circuit for activating the elements 2 and 4. The unit 32 is of the type described in the U.S. Patent 4,915,110, which is incorporated herein by reference. The unit 32 is provided with electrical connectors 34 for making electrical contact with the conductive strips of the supporting means 6.

The manner of using the assembly can now be readily understood. The user is provided with, or prepares himself, a piece of flexible sheet material 26 sized to cover a surface of a body portion which is to be treated. The piece of material can be provided with a unit 32 and connectors 34 already attached to the conductive strips, or alternatively, the user himself can perform these simple tasks provided that suitable connectors, per se known, are available.

The points on the body surface to which the electrode elements are to be applied are then determined and accordingly the cylindrical bodies 20 of the electrode elements 4 of each pair of electrodes are passed through the apertures 28 which superpose or are located closely adjacent to the selected points. The pin-like portions 10 of elements 2 are then tacked into the bodies 20, thereby clamping the electrode elements 2 and 4 onto the supporting means 6 at the selected locations and simultaneously effecting electrical contacts between the pad terminals of the electrodes and the electrical conductive strips of the sheet material.

The pieces of sheet material may be provided with means for attaching same onto a body part, such as Velcro®-type connecting strips or any other arrangements.

As power in the unit 32 is turned on, there will be formed an electrostatic field between the tip of the element 2 and the inner periphery of the apertured disc 22 of the element 4, which field is induced in the body part located underneath thus effecting the desired treatment as controlled by the unit 32.

While the preferred embodiment described above shows integral current conductive strips extending on both sides of the sheet material, namely conductive strips which are formed during the maufacture of the sheet material or alternatively, which are permanently affixed to the sheet material prior to or after the perforation thereof, other types and forms of current conductors leading from the central operating and control unit 32 to the electrode elements 2 and 4 can be envisioned. For example, the strips may extend along a single surface of the sheet material while for making contact with one electrode element while the second electrode of each element is individually wired to the central unit.

- - It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims (12)

WHAT 18 CLAIMED IS:

1. An electrode assembly for making contact with a living body surface, comprising a first current conducting element having electrical terminal means; a second current conducting element having electrical terminal means; means for affixedly interen-gaging said first and second elements, and means for supporting said elements in body contact with selected points on said living body surface, wherein said means for supporting said elements is a layer of flexible material having a plurality of perforations made therein and at least a portion of one of said elements is adapted to pass through one of said perforations prior to being engaged by the other of said elements to facilitate the assembly of the electrodes and supporting means.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said layer of perforated flexible material includes electrical conductive strips for making electrical contact with at least the electrical terminal means of one of said elements.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein there are provided two sets of electrically conductive strips each set located on one surface of said layer.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electrical terminal means of at least one of said elements is in the form of a pad attached to said elements at a location for making contact with said strips when said elements are interengaged in their assembled state.

5. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first element is in the shape of a pin attached to a disc forming a tack-like element.

6. The assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein said second element is an apertured disc.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elements are provided with means for interconnection therebetween upon being positioned in a perforation of said material.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein body contacting surfaces of said elements are covered with insulating material.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a central operating and control unit attached to said layer and electrically connectable to said conductive strips.

10. An electrode assembly for making contact with a living body surface, comprising a first electrical current conductive element configured to have a surface with a restricted cross-sectional area and including a current insulating material affixed to said surface and an electricl terminal means affixed to said element, a second electrical current conductive element having a first surface and a second surface, a current insulating material affixed to said first surface and an electrical terminal means located on said second surface, means for supporting said elements with said insulating material adapted for affixedly interengaging said first and second elements, wherein said means for supporting said elements is a layer of flexible material having a plurality of perforations made therein and at least a portion of one of said elements is adapted to pass through on one of said perforations prior to being engaged by the other of said elements to facilitate the assembly of the electrodes and supporting means.

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 10 further comprising a central operating and control unit attached to said layer and electrically connectable to said conductive strips.

12. An electrode assembly, substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings. FOR THE APPLICANT