Apparatus for treating the human or animal body with mechanical strokes

• US 10,667,986 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Storz Medical AG
• Original Assignee: Storz Medical AG
• Inventors: Swart, Stephan Gerhard, Di Maio, Carlo, Piontkowski, Ulrich, Novak, Pavel, Schulz, Johannes Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Quang D
• Application Number:
  US14/865,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20160089296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22004 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic shock waves A61B17/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2251 characterised by coupling elements between the apparatus, e.g. shock wave apparatus or locating means, and the patient, e.g. details of bags, pressure control of bag on patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2023/002 having a percussion element combined with a passive spacer element for bearing against the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0153 hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/123 Linear drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1246 by piston-cylinder systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/008 using shock waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/04 with hydraulic or pneumatic drive hydraulic or Pneumatic massages, A61H9/00; underwater massages, A61H33/00

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for treating a human or animal body by mechanical strokes, wherein an applicator for being placed on the patient'"'"'s body surface has a basically oblique front area portion in an angle between 30° and 60° to the stroke direction.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treating a human or animal body, comprising:

an applicator adapted to be placed on said body from outside said body,

a housing in which said applicator is held, and

an apparatus adapted to generate strokes of said applicator with respect to said housing in a stroke direction so that said strokes are adapted to be imparted into said body when said applicator is placed on said body,

wherein said applicator has a continuous front area having an oblique front area portion which amounts to at least 30% of said continuous front area of said applicator, lying in front with respect to said stroke direction, said oblique front area portion pointing outwards obliquely with respect to said stroke direction,

wherein said oblique front area portion has a rotational symmetry which is twofold at maximum with respect to a central longitudinal axis extending in said stroke direction, said oblique front area portion lies in a defined angle region having an angle between 30° and

60°

relative to said central longitudinal axis, and said oblique front area portion is free of edges with all radii of curvature being 2 mm at a minimum.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus adapted to generate said strokes comprises a projectile and an accelerator adapted to accelerate said projectile in such a way that said projectile hits said applicator and generates said strokes.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said oblique front area portion is planar or convex but is not concave.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said oblique front area portion has an overall area of 1.5 cm² at minimum.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said oblique front area portion comprises a portion of at least 80% of said continuous front area of said applicator and a radius of curvature of said oblique front area portion is 5 mm at minimum.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said oblique front area portion is formed on four sides at a maximum.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part of said applicator, which is adapted for being placed on said body, is made of one of metal, synthetic material, ceramics and wood.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said applicator is adapted for a travel of said strokes of 1 mm at minimum in said stroke direction relatively to said housing.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said continuous front area of said applicator comprises a semi-cylindrical shape, and

said applicator

has a substantially rectangular basic shape in a viewing direction opposite to said stroke direction,

has a semi-circular shape corresponding to said semi-cylindrical shape in a first viewing direction perpendicular to said stroke direction and

has a substantially rectangular shape in a second viewing direction perpendicular to said stroke direction.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said continuous front area of said applicator further comprises a second oblique front area portion, each oblique front area portion having an angle of 30°

to 60°

relative to said central longitudinal axis with a rounded transition in between,

two areas parallel to said stroke direction are provided between said oblique front area portions, and

said applicator

has a substantially rectangular basic shape in a viewing direction opposite to said stroke direction,

has a rounded-acute shape corresponding to said oblique front area portions with said rounded transition in a first viewing direction perpendicular to said stroke direction and

has a substantially rectangular basic shape in a second viewing direction perpendicular to said stroke direction.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said applicator has a pair of spaced flat side areas extending parallel to said stroke direction wherein said continuous front area of said applicator extends between said pair of spaced flat side areas.

12. An apparatus for treating a human or animal body, comprising:

an applicator adapted to be placed on said body from outside said body,

a housing in which said applicator is held, and

an apparatus adapted to generate strokes of said applicator with respect to said housing in a stroke direction so that said strokes are adapted to be imparted into said body when said applicator is placed on said body,

wherein said applicator has an oblique front area portion which amounts to at least 30% of a front area of said applicator, lying in front with respect to said stroke direction, said oblique front area portion pointing outwards obliquely with respect to said stroke direction, and

wherein said front area of said applicator comprises a semi-cylindrical shape, and

said applicator

has a substantially rectangular basic shape in a viewing direction opposite to said stroke direction,

has a semi-circular shape corresponding to said semi-cylindrical shape in a first viewing direction perpendicular to said stroke direction and

has a substantially rectangular shape in a second viewing direction perpendicular to said stroke direction, and

wherein said oblique front area portion has a rotational symmetry which is twofold at maximum with respect to a central longitudinal axis extending in said stroke direction.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said oblique front area portion is free of edges whereby all radii of curvature of said oblique front area portion are 2 mm at minimum.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said oblique front area portion comprises a portion of at least 80% of said front area of said applicator and a radius of curvature of said oblique front area portion is 5 mm at minimum.

15. An apparatus for treating a human or animal body, comprising:

an applicator adapted to be placed on said body from outside said body,

a housing in which said applicator is held, and

an apparatus adapted to generate strokes of said applicator with respect to said housing in a stroke direction so that said strokes are adapted to be imparted into said body when said applicator is placed on said body,

wherein said applicator has an oblique front area portion which amounts to at least 30% of a front area of said applicator, lying in front with respect to said stroke direction, said oblique front area portion pointing outwards obliquely with respect to said stroke direction, and

wherein said oblique front area portion has a rotational symmetry which is twofold at maximum with respect to a central longitudinal axis extending in said stroke direction;

wherein said front area of said applicator further comprises a second oblique front area portion, each oblique front area portion having an angle of 30°

to 60°

relative to a central longitudinal axis extending in said stroke direction with a rounded transition in between with two areas parallel to said stroke direction provided between said oblique front area portions, and

said applicator

has a substantially rectangular basic shape in a viewing direction opposite to said stroke direction,

has a rounded-acute shape corresponding to said oblique front area portions with said rounded transition in a first viewing direction perpendicular to said stroke direction and

has a substantially rectangular basic shape in a second viewing direction perpendicular to said stroke direction.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of said oblique front area portions is free of edges whereby all radii of curvature of each of said oblique front area portions are 2 mm at minimum.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of said oblique front area portions comprises a portion of at least 80% of said front area of said applicator and a radius of curvature of each of said oblique front area portions is 5 mm at minimum.