Portable applicator for pulsed signal therapy

Abstract

A portable applicator ( 20 ) for pulsed signal therapy comprises: an elastic supporting body ( 25 ), which can expand in a planar manner; at least two signal generating units ( 11, 12 ), which are arranged in or on the elastic supporting body ( 25 ) whereby being symmetric with regard to an axis of symmetry of the supporting body ( 25 ), and; a device for supplying a control signal ( 17, 18 ) to the signal generating units ( 11, 12 ).

1 . A portable applicator for pulsed signal therapy comprising:
 an elastic supporting body which can expand in a planar manner and be spread over a surface and during treatment lies in a U-shape around or on a body part to be treated, the supporting body being adapted to lie in a U-shape around a patient's organ, and being kidney-shaped or long-bone shaped;   at least two annular coils which are arranged in or on the elastic supporting body symmetrically to an axis of symmetry of the supporting body, one of the coils being arranged on one side of the axis of symmetry and the other one of the coils being arranged on the other side of the axis of symmetry, the annular coils being arranged in series forming a Helmholtz coil pair so that the applicator may be applied to different body parts; and   a device for supplying a control signal to the annular coils.   
   
   
       2 . (canceled) 
   
   
       3 . The applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the annular coils have a ferrite core. 
   
   
       4 - 5 . (canceled) 
   
   
       6 . The applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the annular coils have a radius of from 5 to 20 cm. 
   
   
       7 - 8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . The applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting body comprises fabric material and/or neoprene. 
   
   
       10 . The applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the annular coils are embedded in a protective body. 
   
   
       11 . The applicator according to  claim 10 , wherein the protective body is a synthetic resin sheath. 
   
   
       12 . The applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the annular coils are embedded in the elastic supporting body. 
   
   
       13 . The applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the annular coils generate a pulsated magnetic field with a field strength of less than 20 gauss. 
   
   
       14 . The applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the control signal is pulsed DC voltage with a rate of from 1 to 30 pulses a second, and has a rectangular pulse shape with an abruptly rising and abruptly falling voltage. 
   
   
       15 . A device for pulsed signal therapy comprising the applicator according to  claim 1  and a control device which supplies signals to the applicator. 
   
   
       16 . The device according to  claim 15  further comprising an external power supply unit connected to the control device. 
   
   
       17 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein the power supply unit is detachable from the control device. 
   
   
       18 . The device according to  claim 15 , wherein the control device is detachable from the applicator. 
   
   
       19 . The applicator according to  claim 1 , wherein the control signal is pulsed DC voltage with a rate of from 1 to 12 pulses a second, and has a rectangular pulse shape with an abruptly rising and abruptly falling voltage. 
   
   
       20 . A portable applicator for pulsed signal therapy comprising:
 an elastic supporting body which can be spread over a surface and during treatment lies in a U-shape around or on a body part to be treated, the supporting body being adapted to lie in a U-shape around a patient's organ;   at least two annular coils which are arranged in a soft synthetic resin sheath in the elastic supporting body symmetrically to an axis of symmetry of the supporting body, one of the coils being arranged on one side of the axis of symmetry and the other one of the coils being arranged on the other side of the axis of symmetry, the annular coils being arranged in series forming a Helmholtz coil pair so that the applicator may be applied to different body parts; and