Magnetic coil for pulsed electromagnetic field

• US 6,174,276 B1
• Filed: 09/01/1999
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• 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:
  US09/387,517
• Time in Patent Office: 503 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 PEMF 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 method for applying an electromagnetic field to a patient comprising the steps of,

a) applying one or more therapeutic coil to an injured area of a patient'"'"'s body;

and

b) conducting a periodic electric current to the one or more therapeutic coil to generate an electromagnetic field, wherein said one or more therapeutic coil comprises a core comprising an insulted material and a magnetic shielding material, an electrically conductive wire wrapped a plurality of turns around said core to form a coil.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying further comprises the step of placing a plurality of electrically connected coils to the injury to optimize the magnetic field between coils at the injury.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein

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

4. The method of claim 3 wherein

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