DUPLEX ULTRASOUND GENERATOR AND COMBINED ELECTRICAL MUSCLE STIMULATOR

• US 3,735,756 A
• Filed: 06/23/1971
• Issued: 05/29/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph M. Richards, Mark E. Degroff
• Original Assignee: Joseph M. Richards, Mark E. Degroff
• Inventors: Richards, Joseph M., DeGroff, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/155,823
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 128/24A,24.1-24.5,404,405,420,421,422,423
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0245 with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36034 specified by the stimulation parameters

Abstract

A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus comprising a pair of ultrasound generators connected to a common power source and keyed by a duplex keyer circuit, the output of which is connected to a transducer which converts the electrical oscillations into mechanical vibrations for application to the patient'"'"''"'"'s body to administer the ultrasonic medical therapy treatment. The apparatus also comprises an integrated electrical pulse generator having outputs connected to a pair of conductive pads to supply electrical muscle stimulation to the patient'"'"''"'"'s body simultaneously with the ultrasound treatment. The electrical pulse generator further serves as a driving function for the ultrasound duplex keyer circuit.

Claims

1. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus comprising in combination a power supply, a pair of ultrasound generators connected to the power supply for producing sound waves, keying means connected to the ultrasound generators for activating said ultrasound generators, a separate sound head applicator for each ultrasound generator and operably connected therewith for converting the sound waves into mechanical vibrations;

a low voltage electrical pulse generator connected to the power supply, pulse rate means connected to the pulse generator for varying the frequency of the output pulses from the pulse generator, a pair of electrode pads operably connected to the pulse generator for producing electrical stimulation for electro-therapy, and means connecting said pulse generator and keying means for providing mechanical stimulation alternately in one sound head applicator and then the other sound head applicator simultaneously with the electrical stimulations in each electrode pad.

2. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each sound head applicator comprises a ceramic transducer for converting the sound waves into the mechanical vibrations, and an electrode operably connected to the electrode pads whereby dual electrical and mechanical stimulation will be produced through each sound head applicator.

3. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each sound head applicator comprises a crystal transducer for converting the sound waves into the mechanical vibrations, and an electrode operably connected to the electrode pads whereby dual electrical and mechanical stimulation will be produced through each sound head applicator.

4. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the means for connecting the pulse generator and keying means comprises a bistable multivibrator means whereby each output pulse from the bistable multivibrator means is used to drive the keying means thereby alternately keying the first ultrasound generator and then the second ultrasound generator.

5. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus for comprising in combination a power supply, a pair of ultrasound generators connected to the power supply for producing sound waves, keying means connected to the ultrasound generators for activating said ultrasound generators, a pair of sound head applicators operably connected with the ultrasound generators, each of said sound head applicators having a crystal transducer for converting sound waves into mechanical vibrations, a low voltage electrical surge generator connected to the power supply, surge rate means connected to the surge generator for varying the duration of the output surge, voltage control means connected to the surge generator for varying the intensity level of each surge output, a pair of electrode pads operably connected to the low voltage generator for electrically producing stimulation for electro-therapy, and means connecting the surge generator to the ultrasound keying means for alternately keying the first ultrasound generator and then the second ultrasound generator thereby producing alternating surge outputs from the ultrasound generators simultaneously with the electrical stimulation surges in each electrode pad.

6. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein each sound head applicator also comprises an electrode operably connected to the electrode pads whereby dual electrical and mechanical stimulation will be produced through each sound head applicator.

7. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus comprising in combination a power supply, a pair of ultrasound generators connected to the power supply for producing sound waves, a pair of sound head applicators operably connected with the ultrasound generators, each of said sound head applicators having a crystal transducer for converting sound waves into mechanical vibrations, separate keying means for each ultrasound generator and operably connected thereto, separate keyer monostable multivibrators operably connected to each keying means for operating each keying means, a bistable multivibrator operably connected to both keyer monostable multivibrators for providing alternating inputs for each keyer monostable multivibrator, a triggering monostable multivibrator operably connected to the bistable multivibrator to provide triggering inputs to the bistable multivibrator;

a low voltage electrical generator connected to the power supply having a pulse mode of operation and a surge mode of operation, mode selector switching means connected to the electrical generator for selecting either the pulse or surge mode of operation, pulse rate means connected to the electrical generator for varying the frequency of the output pulses, surge rate means connected to the electrical generator for varying the duration of the output pulses, voltage control means connected to the electrical generator for varying the intensity in either the pulse or surge mode of operation, a pair of electrode pads operably connected to the low voltage electrical generator for producing electrical stimulation for electro-therapy and means for connecting the low voltage electrical generator to the triggering monostable multivibrator whereby each pulse or surge from the electrical generator will operate the triggering multivibrator which in turn will trigger the bistable multivibrator causing it to change states with each triggering input thereby alternately keying the first ultrasound generator and then the second ultrasound generator simultaneously with the electrical stimulations in each electrode pad.

8. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the electrical generator and mode selector switching means provide, in addition, a continuous mode whereby the electrical generator and the first ultrasound generator are simultaneously turned off and the second ultrasound generator produces a continuous ultrasound output.

9. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein a manually set timer is operably connected to the power supply such that the electrical and mechanical stimulations may be automatically turned off after a predetermined treatment dosage.

10. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein a safety switch and positive latching relay means are provided to preclude accidental switching to the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'continuous'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' mode of operation without manually closing the said safety switch.

11. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein calibration switching means is provided whereby the ultrasound intensity level may be preset prior to application to the patient to be treated.

12. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus comprising in combination a power supply, an ultrasound generator connected to the power supply for producing sound waves, a pair of sound Head applicators operably connected to the ultrasound generator, each of said sound head applicators having a transducer for converting sound waves into mechanical vibrations;

a low voltage electrical pulse generator connected to the power supply frequency adjustment means for varying the pulse rate, a pair of electrode pads operably connected to the low voltage generator for producing electrical stimulation for electrical therapy and means connecting said low voltage generator and ultrasound generator whereby mechanical vibrations will be provided alternately in one sound head applicator and then in the other simultaneously with the electrical stimulation in each electrode pad.

13. A duplex electro-ultrasonic medical therapy apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein the means connecting the low voltage generator and the ultrasound generator comprises a monostable multivibrator for conditioning the output pulses from the low voltage generator, a bistable multivibrator connected to the output of said monostable multivibrator, two high power capacity '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'and'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' gates operably connected to the dual outputs of the bistable multivibrator and to the output of the ultrasound generator such that the ultrasound signal is allowed to pass through the first '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'and'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' gate only when the bistable multivibrator is in a first state and said ultrasound signal is allowed to pass through the second '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'and'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' gate only when the bistable multivibrator is in its second state, the output of the first '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'and'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' gate being operably connected to one sound head applicator and the output of the second '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'and'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' gate being operably connected to the other sound head applicator.