US1967815A - Diathermy apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 24, 1934. M. FRIEBERG DIATHERMY APPARATUS Filed March 25, 1935 INVENTOR Parenteel July 24, 1934 r 1,967,815

STATES PATENT orrlcs 1,967,815 DIATHERMY APPARATUS Max Frieberg, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 25, 1933, Serial No. 662,658

3 Claims. (Cl. 174-89) This invention relates to new and useful imstood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. provements in medical appliances and more par- The invention. will be clearly understood from ticularly it pertains to medical appliances of an the accompanying drawing illustrating the ineiectrical nature, and while I have herein illusvention in its preferred form and the following 5 'tr-ated my invention as embodied in an appadetailed description of the constructions therein 60 ratus especially adapted for performing diathershown. mic operations in the oral cavity, the principles In the drawing: and advantages thereof are readily adaptable to Figurel is a sectional view illustrating the apparatus for use in other locations of the body. manner in which a device constructed in accord- I am aware that apparatus have been heretoance with the present invention is used, 65

fore devised for the purpose of applying special Figure' 2 is a perspective view of the device, treatments to portions of the oral cavity, but all Figure 3 is a view in rear elevation cf the such devices with which I am familiar, have at device, least two very serious disadvantages. First, all Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially such apparatus with which I am familiar, have on the line 4 4 of Figure 3, 7@

an electrode of a nxed size which electrode sub- Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken subjects the entire area covered thereby to the treatstantially on the line 5--5 of Figure 3, and; ment which in some instances is undesirable since Figure 6 is a detail perspective View of the in some cases a more confined or local treatment contact element of the device.

is desired. Second, all such devices have their The device of the present invention comprises 75 electrode permanently attached to a body portion a main body portion which in the present emof insulating material preferably soft pliable rubbodiment includes two wing-like members 12 ber which forms an insulator for portions of the which are spaced from each other as best illusarea adjacent the area being treated. In such trated in Figures 2 and 3. Projecting from the devices perfect sterilization, which is highly debody portion at a point between the wing-like 30 sirable where the same device is used by many members 12, there is an extension 13 which patients, is ahnost impossible of attainment. preferably increases in thickness in the direction A feature of the present invention resides in of its free end 14. Adjacent its free end, the the provision of a 'novel apparatus wherein the extension may be provided with a groove 15 upon electrode is of such character that it may be used each of two opposite faces, the purpose of which 85 in any size desired thereby providing a device will be hereinafter referred to. This extension by which the treatment may be restricted to rela- 13 is also provided with a passage 11 which extively small areas when desired. tends preferably entirely therethrough.

A further feature of the invention resides in The device is formed from a non-conducting a novel construction wherein the electrode is material, preferably rubber, and said material is 90 readily removable and of such a nature that it of very pliant or flexible nature in order that it is used upon but a single patient, the electrode may readily conform to the contour of any being discarded or disposed of after each use, irregularities in the area to be treated and to each patient being treated by a new and unused which it is applied. electrode. The body portion of the device preferably con- 95 The removable electrode above mentioned is sists of two members 16 and 17, the member 16 preferably in the form of a sheet of thin pliable being secured to the member 17 throughout a metal of which foil is one very good example. portion only of its area by a suitable adhesive, This foil has electrical contact with a contact vulcanizing, or in any other suitable manner. In element and another very important feature of securing the member 16 to the member 17, the 100 my invention resides in a novel construction entire lower portion of the member 16 is left free whereby this contact element may be removed in Order that this pOItOIl 0f the member 16 may from the body ef the device te thereby provide be folded back upon itself for a purpose to be for eective sterilization of all parts which are hereinafter described. Also, the members 16 and used in more than one operation. 17 are unattached at the point designated 18 and 105 Other features of the invention relate to certhe Spa@ IJIOVided by this n0ll-atta0hment 0f the tain novel and improved constructions, arrangemembers 16 and 17 at the point 18, has comments and combinations of parts hereinafter demunication with the passage 11 of the extenscribed and particularly pointed out in the claims, sion 13. the advantages of which will be readily under- The member 17 is recessed as at 19 which re- H0 cessed portion is dened by a flange 20. The member 16 is of such size and shape that it conforms to the recess 19 and when in position therein, its outer face will be flush with the outer face of the flange 20 to present a smooth outer surface upon the rear face of the device.

The free portion of the member 16 is designated 21 and this portion of the member 16, together with the recess 19 of the member 17 forms a pocket which is adapted to be closed by thefree portion 21 of the member 16, which in effect forms a pocket closing flap.

In Figure 6, I have illustrated a contact element which is substantially T-shaped, having a stem 22 and arms 23. This contact element is formed from metal capable of conducting electricity and it is adapted to be positioned in the recess 19 beneath the portion 21 of the member 16, withV the stem 22 thereof extending through the passage 11 of the extension 13 as best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing. The stem of the contact element is longer than the extension 13 and in use, the free end of the stem is adapted to be bent into parallelism with one side face of the extension 13 as at 24 in Figure 1. A terminal clip 25 may be employed to electrically connect aconductor 26 with the contact element and in making the connection, one jaw of the terminal clip will force the bent over end 24 of the stem of the contact element into one of the grooves 15 of the stem thereby to prevent movement of the contact element between the two members 16 and 17.

The reference character 30 designates an electrode and this electrode is so positioned as to have a portion thereof exposed upon the rear face of the body portion of the device and at the same time have electrical contact with the contact element. This electrode is formed from a thin sheet of ductile metal of which foil is one very good example.

In positioning the electrode, a piece of foil is out to the desired size and shape depending of course upon the size and shape of the area to be treated. The electrode is then folded about the free edge of the pocket closing ap V21 with a portion thereof extending into the pocket 23 as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 and designated 31. This portion 31 of the electrode will always be of such size that when the pocket closing flap is in its closed position, the portion 31 will engage and have electrical contact with that portion of the Contact element which occupies a position in the pocket formed by the members 16 and 17.

In Figure 1, I have illustrated one manner of use of the device herein disclosed. In said gure, the device is positioned between the lip and gums of the patient being treated, the electrode 30 being positioned in contacting engagement withthe area to be treated. The conductor 26 is connected to one terminal of a suitable source of electric current supply, herein illustrated diagrammatically as a battery 35, the other terminal of said source of electric current supply being connected with the body of the patient as at 37 by a conductor 36 all in a manner commonly employed in the use of such devices.

After the treatment has been completed, the device is removed from mouth after which the electrode 30 may readily be removed and discarded. The terminal clip 25 may be removed after which upon folding back the free edge 21 of the portion 16, the contact element may be removed leaving the several parts separated in order that they may be separately subjected to suitable sterilization treatment. After sterilization, the contact element may be again positioned within the pocket between the members 16 and 17, a new electrode positioned as heretofore described and the device is again ready for use.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the present invention provides a new and improved apparatus so constructed and arranged that a sanitary device employing a new electrode Vis provided for each patient, thus greatly enhancing apparatus of this general character.

While the invention has been herein illustrated in its preferred form, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited vto the specific construction herein illustratedV and that it may be practiced in other forms which rightfully Vfall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thusdescribed the invention, what is claimed as newand what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a body portion of non-conducting material, said body portion having a contact element receiving pocket, apocket closing member, an electrical contact element mounted in said pocket, and an electrode foldable about a portion of the pocket closing member and extending into said pocket into engagement with the Contact element carried therein.

2. A device of the character described comprising a body portion of non-conducting material, Said body portion having a contact element receiving pocket, a pocket closing nap, a contact element removably carried in said pocket, and an electrode carried by said pocket closing flap and foldable about the free edge thereof in such a manner that when the ilap is in its closed position, a portion of the electrode will be exposed upon the outer face thereof with a portion of the electrode disposed behind the flap in contact with said contact element. Y

3. A device of the character described comprising a body portion having a contact receiving pocket, a iiap for closing said pocket, said pocket closing flap having its free edge positioned in spaced relation to the adjacent edge of the body portion when said flap is in pocket closing position, a contact element removably mounted in said pocket, and an electrode foldable about the free edge of said pocket closing flap Vand having substantial portions thereof disposed upon Aopposite sides of said flap with that portion at the rear of said flap contacting with the contact element.V

' MAX FRIEBERG.

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