Magnetic coil for pulsed electromagnetic field

• US 5,997,464 A
• Filed: 03/09/1998
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Orthosoft LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Orthosoft LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blackwell, Lyman L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/035,900
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 600/9-15
• US Class Current: 600/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/007 characterised by electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/034 Flameless
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/02 using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets A61N2/12 takes precedence

Abstract

A portable electronic PEMF apparatus comprises a PEMF coil, power supply, and electronic switching means contained therein. The power supply along with the switching means provide periodic electric power to the PEMF coil. The PEME coil comprises multiple turns of a conductive wire around a core with an elongated cross section. The core comprises a magnetic shield layer of materials such as mu metal or soft iron. The power supply comprises a battery, a regulated voltage source and unregulated voltage source from the battery and electronic switching circuit, powered by the regulated voltage, for electrically connecting the unregulated voltage source to the coil. The electronic switching circuit is tuned to periodically provide power to the coil at a frequency to generate a non-inverting, varying electromagnetic field from the coil.

Claims

1. A therapeutic coil for pulsed electromagnetic fields comprising:

a core comprising an insulated material and a magnetic shielding material,

an electrical conductor wrapped a plurality of turns around said core to form a coil.

2. The therapeutic coil of claim 1 wherein

said core further comprises layers of said insulating material and layers of said magnetic shielding material.

3. The therapeutic coil of claim 1 wherein said magnetic shielding material is selected from the group consisting of soft iron, iron-silicon alloys, nickel iron alloys, magnet steel, chromium magnet steels, tungsten magnet steel, cobalt magnet steels, comol, indalloy, remalloy, alnico alloy, ceramic, mu metal, and combinations thereof.

4. The therapeutic coil of claim 1 wherein said core comprises a pliant material capable of conforming, to portions of a patient'"'"'s body.

5. The therapeutic coil of claim 1 wherein said electrical conductor comprises wire between about 18 gauge to about 40 gauge.

6. The therapeutic coil of claim 1 further comprising heating means for applying heat to a body part in proximity to said coil.

7. The therapeutic coil of claim 6 wherein the heating means is an electrical resistance heater.

8. The therapeutic coil of claim 6 wherein the heating means is a chemical heater.

9. A system for generating a pulsed electromagnetic field for a therapeutic coil, said system comprising:

a core comprising an insulated material and a magnetic shielding material,

an electrically conductive wire wrapped a plurality of turns around said core to form a coil,

a battery for causing a current to flow in said coil to generate a magnetic field,

a solid state switching circuit connected to said battery and said coil for controlling current flow from said battery and to said coil, and

a control circuit for operating said solid state switching circuit at a frequency.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein

said core further comprises layers of said insulating material and layers of said magnetic shielding material.