US2842135A - Electrical body treating device - Google Patents

Description

y 1958 w. J. BROWNER ELECTRICAL BODY TREATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Ncev. 26. 1956 a R m@ u uov 4.0.

I I ,0 19b 35 INVENTOR, WILLIAM J- BROWNEH Alla/0g W. J. BROWNER ELECTRICAL BODY TREATING DEVICE July 8, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26. 1956 INVENTOR.

WILL/AM J- BROWNER Afforngy United Statesv Patent 2,842,135 p l V ELECTRICAL'BODY TREATING DEVICE William'J. Browner, San Mateo, Calif., assignor to Rejlaxacizor, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California V Application November 26,1956, Serial No.'624,245 Claims. 01.128-422 This invention relates in generalto electrical devices treatment are noticeably accelerated. It has been 'demonstrated that by use of the present invention the flow of blood through the tissues being electrically treated" is markedly increased, with" theresult that the toning, tightening and reduction in size ofthe muscular and connective tissues-occurs in a shorter length oftime than" is required where ordinary muscleg'contractingelectrical equipment is employed. I

It is a further object of the invention to provide means for electrical therapy whereinthe electrodes and the heating means'are carried by a unitary supporting member arranged to be secured on the patientsbody so that both electrical current and heat are simultaneously ap plied to' the'body 'tissues,,the electrodes being so posi tionedthat they are brought 'into proper positions on the body as the result of the supporting means. 1 a

It is a further object 'ofthe invention-to providean' electrical therapy device ofthe character described in peutic current, this generator including resistance ele ments which are supported upon the'patient s body so that the heat therefrom will be transmitted through the body tissues during the electrical treatment thereof. The electrical resistance elements therefore serve two separate purposes or functions,'one of which is in the operation of the generator, and the other which is to supply heat in the unit which is secured upon the patients body. I

A further object of the consisting of areas of electro-conductive sheet material moisture. e v

A further object of the invention is to provide an elecwhich is flexible and at the same time impervious to placement of the unitary-- invention i s-to provide means for delivering thetherapeutic current to selected skin areas comprising a unitary support having electrodes 1 '45 the foregoing having an electricalgenerator of the there-' trode for bodily contact comprisinga sheet of elect-oconductive flexible plastic material and means for connecting the sheet tofan'electrical.conductor.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a bodyengaging electrode which has a skin engaging portion comprising a sheet of electro-conductive rubber compound.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be brought out in the following part of the specification wherein the description of relatively small details is for competence of disclosure, without intending to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the accompanying claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. l is a schematic elevational view showing one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an inner face view of the electrode and heating element'support shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged schematic sectional view taken' as indicated by the'line'3--3 of Fig. 2;

"Fig. 4 is an electrical diagram of the device for elec trical therapy shown in the preceding figures;

Fig. 5 is a schematic. view showing a form of the invention for electrical treatment of another part of thebody; and

Fig.6 is a schematic view of still another form of the invention.

' As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the device includes anelectrode holder 10 which is in the general form of a flat pad adapted to be secured upon the body of the .patient'. The particular device disclosed in Figs.

1 to 3 is for the purpose of reducing the size of the hips and buttocks .and for firming and toning the muscles thereof. It has two pairs of electrodes, each pair consisting of an electrode 11 and anelectrode 12. i The electrodes 11, consist of easily flexible sheets of electroconductive plastic material, as shown in Fig. 1, are positioned so as to lie adjacent the gluteus maximus areas, andelectrodes 12 are positioned so as to cover the lateral areas. of the hips, adjacent to and extending downwardly 'frorn theiliac crests. .Specifically, each of the electrodesll and 12 comprises a rectangular sheet of flexible electro-conductive compound which will conform readi- 1y to the contacted body part.

As shownin Figs. 2 and 3, thesupport 10 "haselongated rectangularsheets 14 and 15 of flexible maten'a'l secured together by edge stitching .16, withstraps 17 and 18 extending from the ends of the assembly, for

securing thesupport 10 around the hips of a patient, as,

shown in Fig.1., v

.The front flexible. sheet 14' is of plastic waterproof material, to, provide a waterproof separation between.

the bare skin of the patient and a heating and resistance means 19 which is disposed between the inner or front sheet 14and the back or outerflexible sheet 15. They electrodes 11 and Rare secured to thesheet 14 by.

stitches20.

The resistance means 19 is in duplicate. That is to say, it consists of tworectangular sections 19a and 19b,= An oscillator 22: is provided havingcables 23 and '24 extended therefrom a as indicated-in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

to thesupport 10, to conduct therapeutic electric current to theelectrodes 11 and .12 and to conduct electric current to theresistanceelements 19a and 19b to producev heat contiguous to :the body tissues which are being electrically treated.

' Asv shown in Fig. 4, theoscillator 22 includes anelectronic tube 23 and an associated circuit which includes theresistance elements 19a and 19b. Acapacitor 24 is bridged across thecathode 25 and theplate 26 of thetube 23 by conductor means 27. A winding 28-is connectedby conductor means, 29 in series with thecathode 25 and-thegrid 30 of thetube 23. A winding 31 istconnected-into the plate; circuit of theplate 23 ,by,-,

a circuit which includes aconductor 32, theresistance element 19b and aconductor 33.

The oscillator is energized from theterminals 34 and 35 of a source of alternating current, such as volt alternating current distributing system. Aconductor 36 connects thesupply terminal 34 throughthermostat switches 37 with theresistance elements 19a and 19b, the

I Patented July 1958.

resistance elements 19a being connected by aconductor 38 with theheater 39 of thetube 23, theopposite terminal of theheater 39 being connected by aconductor 40 with the supply terminal 35. For effecting an intermittent operation of the oscillator 22 a tungsol intermittingswitch 41 connects thecathode 25 with theconductor 40. Thethermostat switches 37 are not intended as means for controlling the heat generated by theresistance elements 19a and 1911, but are safety devices which will open the circuits should temperatures be developed higher than those which are created in the normal operation of theresistance elements 19a and 19b.

Thewindings 28 and 31 form part of atransformer 45 having secondary oroutput windings 46 and 47 which are connected through dual potentiometers 48'andconductors 49 and 50 withelectrodes 11 and 12 which are situated in thesupport 10. At the ends of theconductors 49 and 50 there aremetal plates 52 which make electrical contact with theelectrodes 11 and 12. Theconductors 49 and 50 are extended through thecable 23, Fig. 1. Thecable 24 carries the conductors of the system which connect theresistance elements 19a and 19b of thesupport 10 with the remaining electrical parts of the user. The supporting member 1011 has in the lower central portion thereofelectrodes 62 and63 of flexible plastic electro-conductive sheet material, such as an electro-conductive rubber compound, through which the lower rectus abdominus muscles may be electrically energized. In the upper lateral portions thereof the supporting member 10:: haselectrodes 64 and 65 for energization of the lateral and oblique musculature of the abdomen. The supportingmember 10a is made in the manner described with relation to Fig. 3, and also supportsheating elements 19, diagrammatically indicated by dotted lines. The electrodes and the heating elements of the supportingmember 10a are connected to anoscillator 22 throughcables 23 and 24 in the manner described I with relation to Figs. 1 and 4. The harness shown in Fig. may be rotated 180 from the position in which it is shown so that theelectrodes 62 and 63 will lie over the upper portions of the rectus abdominus muscles and theelectrodes 64 and 65 will be positioned for energization of the waist muscles. I

Fig. 6 shows a supporting member b of generally triangular form for treatment of the muscles of the back for the purpose of correcting rounded shoulders, lifting of the thoracic cage and causing the patient to assume a more erect posture. The supportingmember 10a carries upper andlower electrodes 70 and 71 of the flexible plastic material hereinbefore described for energize.- tion of the trapezius muscles, and on opposite sides'thereof haselectrodes 72 and 73 of similar material for energization of the infra spinatus muscles. The supporting member 1012 is made in the manner described with relation to Fig. 3 and in addition to the electrodes 7073 carries resistance orheating elements 19, adapted to cooperate with other electrical components in an oscillator and also to furnish heat for accelerating the effects of the electrical treatment of the bodily tissues supplied by th electrodes shown in Fig. 6.

I claim:

,1. In an electrical body treating device: an electrical oscillator for producing a therapeutic current having electronic tube means and circuit means employing at least one resistance element connected to the remaining parts of the oscillator by conductor means; a plurality of electrodes adapted to deliver said therapeutic current to the patients body; and a unitary supporting means for supporting said electrodes and said resistance means of said oscillator on said patients body so that while bodily tissues are being treated by said therapeutic current heat from said resistance means will be passed to said bodily tissues to facilitate the electrical treatment thereof.

2. In an electrical body treating device: an electrical oscillator for producing a therapeutic current having electronic tube means and circuit means employing at least one resistance element connected to the remaining parts of the oscillator by conductor means; a plurality of electrodes adapted to deliver said therapeutic current to the patients body; a unitary supporting means for supporting said electrodes and said resistance means of said oscillator on said patient's body so that while bodily tissues are being treated by said therapeutic current heat from said resistance means will be passed to said bodily tissues to facilitate the electrical treatment thereof; and cable means for carrying said conductor means to electrodes and said resistance means.

3. An electrical body treating device as defined in claim 2 wherein said supporting means comprises a flexible sheet having said electrodes arranged in the inner face thereof so thatwhen said supporting means is secured from the patients body, said electrodes will face toward the patients skin, and having said resistance means supportedadjacent to the outer face thereof in overlying relation to said electrodes.v

.4. An electrical body treating device as defined in claim 2 wherein said supporting means comprises inner and outer sheets of flexible material, with said electrodes supported on said inner sheet and said resistance means supported between said inner and outer sheets.

5. An electrical body treating device as defined in claim 4 wherein said electrodes consist of. sheets of electro-conductive flexible plastic material.

6. An electrical body treating device as defined in claim 2 wherein said supporting means comprises an inner sheet of flexible moisture resistant material having said electrodes secured to the inner face thereof and said resistance means are supported against the outer face of said sheet, there being an outer sheet covering said resistance means.

7. In an electrical body treating unit: a flexible sheet adapted to be secured on the patients body; electrodes supported on the inner face of said sheet; resistance means supported by said sheet; means for delivering a therapeutic electrical current to said electrodes; and means for delivering electriccurrent to said resistance means to cause generation of heat thereby to heat the contiguous body tissues during the electrical treatment thereof.

8. A device asdefined in claim 7 wherein said electrodes consist of sheets of electro-conductive rubber compound.

9. In an electrical .body treating device: a flexible sheet adapted to be secured on the patients body and a thin, flexible electrode supported on said sheetfacing the patients body for contact therewith, said electrode comprising a flexible plastic material characterized by ability to conduct electricity to the contacted skin of the patient.

10. A device as defined in claim 9, wherein said plastic material is a rubber compound having a chemical constituency rendering it electro-conductive.

No references cited.

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