US2102790A - Therapeutic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 21, 1937. H. B, DRQLUNGER 2,102,790

THERAPEUT I C APPARATUS Filed Aug. 20, 1954 'NRM/5mg ATTORNEY.

"3 each of the electrodes, so as to protect the patient Patented Dec. 271, 1937 i f i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Howard B. Drollinger, South Pasadena, Calif. Application August 20, 1934, Serial No. 740,693 10 Claims. (Cl. 12S-1.5)

This invention is a therapeutic apparatus, and Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on the lines 2-2 has for its object to provide an extremely sim and 3-3 respectively of Fig. 1. ple and compact assembly whereby an electric Fig. 4 is a Wiring diagram. current may be supplied to a patient for elec- The electrotherapeutic appliance comprises a 5 trotherapeutic treatment, or an electric coil may pair of electrodes I which are adapted to be apbe applied to the patient, e. g. for thermal treatplied to a. patient and which are terminals for ment, or the electrotherapeutic appliance and the an electric Circuit which is Completed through electric coil may be conveniently used at the same the bOdy 0f a patient and Whieh may be energized time. y by usual commercially available alternating sin- 10 More particularly it is the object of the inusoidal current, such as 50 or 60 cycle, 110 volt lo Vention to provide an electric coil having a usual current supplied fOr dOnleStiC uSeS- supply cable which may be readily plugged into A variable resistance is provided in the circuit a Source of current for completing a circuit for the electrodes, and is arranged as a so-called through the coil, with lead wires for electrodes potentiometer resistance, ie. the terminals 2-3 l5 adapted for quick-detachable plugging into the 0f its IeSiStOr 4 are COIineCted by lead WireS 5 0 15 casing of the coil for connection to the electric to a supply circuit, and the adjustable contact circuit so that current may be supplied to o, 1 of the variable resistance is connected by wires patient via the electrodes, and with a resistance 3-30 t0 One 0f the eleCtrOdeS l, While Wires 9-902 for the circuit through the electrodes housed lead from the terminal 3 of the resistor to the 20 within the casing of the electric coil. By plugother electrode l. By this shunt arrangement 20 ging in the supply cable at a usual outlet box, of the resistance, the supply circuit may apply the electric coilis thus adapted for use with or a fixed potentiel difference between the termi- Without using the electrodes, depending upon nalS 2-3 0f the IeSiStOrI and any desired inwhether or not the lead wires for the electrodes termediate potentialv diierenoe may be obtained' o5 are plugged into the casing of the electric coil, between the terminals 'l-3 fOl regulating the 25 and by plugging the lead wires for the electrodes Current Whieh iS Supplied t0v the bOdy 0f the into the casing of the electric coil, Current may patient via the shunt circuit which includes the be supplied to a patient Via the electrodes and electrodes. Y

at the same time the electric coil may be used or A iiXed resistance is preferably provided in this not as desired, with the electric coil, in either shunt circuit and npreetiee this resistance e0m- 3o event, providineaconvenient connection for supprises o resistance element l0 in each of the plying current to the electrodes and also proe Wires 8-9, so as to protect a patient and the viding a convenient support for the resistance apparatus against eXeeSSiVe Current resulting which is included in the electrode Circuit, from accidental contactof either of the elecvide a variable resistance for the electrode cir- In practice ther variable resistance may proeut whereby any desired potential may be ap- Vide a maximum resistance of from 15,000 to plied to the electrodes, With the variable resist- 25,000 Ohms, and the I'eSiStanCeS l0 may be each o ance mounted in the casing for the electric coil, 0f 2i000 Ohms, S0 that When lead Wires 5-5 are .4o and having its adjusting means projecting to connected to usual commercially supplied sinuo the exterior of the casingwhere it is readily ac- Soma] alternating current 0f 110 Volts the our' cessible. Y rent passing through the patient viar electrodes It is a still further object of the invention to I may be regulated to provlde any deslred our' rent within the range of therapeutic value. provlde a' xed resistance m the Wlre lea'dmg to The electrotherapeutic appliance is arranged '4o whereby its parts may be conveniently supported and the apparatus against excessive current reand it may be readily Connected to a source of Sumng from the accdentafl contat of either of current, and the arrangement is preferably such the electrodes or the patient with a grounded that the electrotherapeutic appliance may be 50 Conduction l t optionally used in connection with a usual elec- 50 Further oblects of the invention will bevreadlly tric coil. The electric coil is shown as having a understood from the following description of the eamo projecting from its casing whereby it may accompanying drawing, in Whieh be connected to a usual outlet box for commer- Fig. 1 is a plan View of the apparatus, partly clally suppliedV electric' current, and preferably 35 broken away. i i houses the variable resistance for the electro- 55 5 It is a further object of the invention to protrodes or the patient With a grounded conductor. 35

therapeutic appliance, and has sockets on its casing whereby the Wires Ba-Ba for the electrodes I may be readily plugged in. The electric coil may thus be applied to a patient for any desired purpose, e. g. thermal treatment, with the wires Sar- 9a disconnected when it is not desired to use the electrotherapeutic appliance, and also provides convenient means for plugging in and using the electrotherapeutic appliancereither alone or at the same time that the electric coil is applied to a patient. ,Y

As an instance of this arrangement an annular electric coil I I may be housed within a flexible casing I2, and is preferably of a size whereby it may encircle a leg or the neck, and is preferably attened in cross-section at diametrically opposite points A A as shown at Fig. 3, so that Vit may be conveniently placed against Various parts of the body or laid upon by the patient. A cable I 3 projects from the casing I2 and at its outer end has a usual Contact plug I4 which is adapted for quick-detachable connection with a usual outlet box (not shown), such as ordinarily provided in homes and o'ces for supplying A. C. for lighting and domestic purposes. 'Ihe wires I5 I6 of the cable are connected to the terminals of coil I I; and the variable resistance for the electrotherapeutic appliance is mounted Within the casing I2 and is shunted across the wires I5 I6 by means of Wires 5 6, with the terminals 1 3 of the variable resistance con- Y nected by the Wires 8 9 Vto sockets I'I' which project from the casing I2 and which are adaptedV for quick-detachable engagement by cooperating pins I 8 at the ends of the wires 8a 9a. The resistances IU are preferablyhoused within the casing I2 and are inserted in the respective lead wires 8 9. The electrodes I, which are connected to wires 8a 9a, may be supplied in different sizes and shapes adapting them to be readily grasped in the hands or conveniently applied to any desired part of the patient.

The variable resistance for the electrotherapeutic appliance may be contained within a usual cylindrical housing 20 which is mounted in casing I2 and which has an axially projecting operating shaft 2| vprojecting outwardly beyond the casing I2. The strands of the annular coil II extend around the housing 20 and its projecting shaft 2|, with the shaft preferably enclosed in an insulating bushing 22. When Winding the coil II its strands may be wound around a core (not shown) extending radially through the annular coil and which is removed after the coil is Wound so as to provide a radial opening through the coil in which the housing 20 Aand its projecting shaft ZI with its insulating bushing 22 are then inserted; and the strands of the coil are compressed snugly around theV housing 20 and the bushing 22, as shown at Fig. 2, so as to maintain an approximately cylindrical cross-section of the electric coil at diametrically opposite points B B which 'are in quadrature Vto the points A A. 'Ihe coil may thus be ilattened out at the points A A to produceY the desired cross-sectional contour as shownV at Fig. 3, with the casing 20 embedded in the vcoil adjacent one of the points B where a substantially circular cross-section is maintained. A knob 23 lfor adjusting the Varialole'resistanceV is xed on the projecting end of the shaft 2| at the exterior of casing I2, preferably by a set screw 23a.

The invention thus provides a convenient and compact therapeutic apparatus, Ywhich when the pins I8 are disengaged fromV sockets I1 provides an electric coil of usual construction adapted to be plugged into a usual Ycurrent outlet box by means of cable I3, for use of the coil in usual manner, e. g. thermotherapeutic treatment, by applying it to the body of a patient. By inserting the pins I8 in the sockets I1 the electrodes I may be used for electrotherapeutic treatment, with the electric coil used or not at the same time, and with the electric coil providing a convenient means for connecting and supporting the Velectrotherapeutic appliance, and with any circuit which is completed through one or both of the electrodes, protected by the resistances which are provided in the respective wires leading to the electrodes.

I claim: v

1. In combination, an electric coil adapted to be applied to the body of a patient, a contact plug adapted for quick-detachable connection to an outlet box for sinusoidal alternating electric current, conductors leading fromV the contact plug to the coil, a variable resistance mounted in the coil and comprising a resistor Vand a cooperating adjustable contact, an operating shaft for the adjustable contact projecting tothe exterior' of the coil, the resistor being shunted across the conductors, sockets at the exterior of the coil, conductors leading from the adjustable contact and from one terminal of the resistor to the respective sockets, a resistance in each of the last mentioned conductors, said resistances being mounted in the coil, pins adapted for quick-detachable engagement with the sockets, conductors Vleading from the respective pins, and an electrode connected to` each of said last mentioned conductors.

2. In combination, an electric coil adapted to be applied to the body of a patient, means for connecting the coil in an electric circuit, a variable resistance mounted in the coil and connected to the electric circuit, conductors leading from Ythe variable resistance and projecting outwardly beyond the coil, a resistance in each of the conductors, said resistances being mounted inthe coil, and an electrode connected to each of the conductors.

3. In combination, an electric coil adapted to be applied to the body of a patient, means for connecting the coil in an electric circuit, a Variable resistance mounted in the coil and connected to the electric'circuit, conductors leading from the variable resistance and projecting out- Vwardly beyond the coil, and an electrode con nected to each of said conductors. i

4. In combination, anelectricrcoil adapted to be applied to the body of a-patient, ymeans for connecting the coil in an electric circuit, a variable resistance mounted inthe coil and connected to the electric circuit, and means for completing a shunt circuit through the variable resistance and through a patient.

5. In combination, an electric coil adapted to be applied to thebody of a patient, means for connecting the coil in anelectric circuit, a Variable resistance mounted in the coil and shunted across the electric circuit, means for 4completing a shunt circuit through the variable resistance and through a patient, and a resistance in said trodes with the electric circuit, for use of the coil with or without the electrodes and for use of the electrodes with or Without using the coil.

7. In combination, an electric coil comprising a coiled Wire, a flexible casing enclosing the coiled wire, the enclosed coiled wire being flattened in cross-section at approximately diametrically opposite portions so as to increase its area of contact with any surface upon which it rests, the enclosed coiled Wire being substantially circular in cross-section at approximately diametrically opposite portions Which are approximately at right angles to its flattened portions, conductors for the electric coil projecting to the exterior of the enclosed coiled Wire, a variable resistance for the electric coil, ay housing for the variable resistance and a bushing projecting therefrom, the housing and bushing being embedded between strands of the coiled Wire at one of those portions of the enclosed coiled Wire which is substantially circular in cross-section, with the bushing extending to the flexible casing, an operating shaft for the variable resistance projecting from the housing through the bushing to the exterior of the enclosed coiled Wire, the Variable resistance comprising a resistor and .a cooperating adjustable contact mounted Within the housing, the resistor being shunted across the conductors, conductors leading from the adjustable contact and fromv one terminal of the resistor, the last mentioned conductors projecting to the exterior of the enclosed coiled Wire, a resistance in ,each of said last mentioned conductors embedded `between strands of the coiled wire, and an electrode connected to each of the last mentioned conductors at the exterior of the enclosed coiled wlre.

8. Means for portably mounting an electric coil and a pair of electrodes for selective use, comprising a coiled Wire forming an electric coil, conductors for the electric coil projecting to the exterior of the coiled wire, a variable resistance for the electric coil, a housing for the variable resistance embedded between strands of the coiled wire, an operating shaft for the Variable resistance projecting from the housing to the exterior of the coiled Wire, the Variable resistance comprising a resistor and a cooperating adjustable contact mounted Within the housing, the resistor being shunted across the conductors, conductors leading from the adjustable contact and from one terminal of the resistor, the last mentioned conductors projecting to the exterior of the coiled wire, a resistance in each of said last mentioned conductors embedded between strands of the coiled Wire, and an electrode connected to each of the last mentioned conductors at the exterior of the coiled Wire.

9. Means for portably mounting an electric coil and a pair of electrodes for selective use, comprising a coiled Wire forming an electric coil, conductors for the electric coil projecting to the exterior of the coiled Wire, a Variable resistance for the electric coil, the variable resistance being embedded between strands of the coiled Wire, means for operating the Variable resistance projecting to the exterior of the coiled Wire, the

variable resistance being shunted across the conductors, conductors projecting from the Variable resistance to the exterior of the coiled Wire, a resistance in each of said last mentioned conductors embedded between strands of the coiled wire, f

HOWARD B. DROLLINGER.

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