Abstract
A plasma treatment device (1) designed to treat a surface with a dielectrically impeded plasma, having a base body (3) that has at least one flat treatment side (5) facing the surface to be treated, and having an electrode arrangement (9) that has at least one electrode (7) and having a dielectric that completely covers the at least one electrode (7) in the direction of the surface to be treated, and having a line arrangement comprising at least one high-voltage supply line (13, 13a, 13b), wherein the electrode (7) is connected to the line arrangement and is able to be supplied, via the high-voltage supply line (13, 13a, 13b), with a high-voltage signal able to be applied to the high-voltage supply line (13, 13a, 13b), and having a nub arrangement (15) arranged on the treatment side (5) of the base body (3) and that has a multiplicity of nubs (17), makes it possible to easily combine an effective plasma treatment with an effective mechanical treatment of the surface to be treated in that the at least one electrode (7) of the electrode arrangement (9) extends into at least one nub (17) of the nub arrangement (15).
Claims
1. A plasma treatment device designed to treat a surface with a dielectrically impeded plasma, comprising: a base body that comprises at least one flat treatment side facing the surface to be treated, an electrode arrangement that comprises at least one electrode, and a dielectric that completely covers the at least one electrode in a direction of the surface to be treated, and a line arrangement comprising at least one high-voltage supply line, wherein the at least one electrode is connected to the line arrangement for supply by the at least one high-voltage supply line, with a high-voltage signal able to be applied to the at least one high-voltage supply line, and a nub arrangement arranged on the at least one flat treatment side of the base body, wherein the nub arrangement has a multiplicity of nubs, wherein the at least one electrode of the electrode arrangement extends into at least one nub of the nub arrangement.
2. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the nub arrangement and the base body are formed partially or completely from the dielectric.
3. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nub arrangement is designed in one piece and/or the nub arrangement is designed in one piece with the base body.
4. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one electrode of the electrode arrangement consists of a castable plastic provided with conductive additives.
5. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one electrode of the electrode arrangement is flexible.
6. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electrode arrangement is partially embedded in the base body, wherein the at least one electrode of the electrode arrangement that extends into at least one nub of the nub arrangement protrudes from the base body on the treatment side.
7. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one electrode of the electrode arrangement comprises a plurality of finger-shaped electrodes that are surrounded by a dielectric layer and each of the plurality of finger-shaped electrodes extend into a separate nub of the multiplicity of nubs.
8. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one handle and/or at least one strap for holding the plasma treatment device on a side facing away from the surface to be treated.
9. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plasma treatment device is configured in a form of a curry comb.
10. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein plasma treatment device is designed as a body part support mat on which at least one body part is placed.
11. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base body is configured as a glove and has an insertion opening through which a human hand is able to be inserted into the glove.
12. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an electrically insulating housing in which at least part of the at least one high-voltage supply line of the line arrangement is arranged.
13. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the electrically insulating housing is arranged next to the nub arrangement on the treatment side of the base body, or is arranged on a side facing away from the surface to be treated.
14. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a high-voltage stage for generating high-voltage signals suitable for generating a plasma and that is connected at an output to the at least one high-voltage supply line of the line arrangement.
15. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one battery for providing a supply voltage required for the operation of the plasma treatment device.
16. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one electrode of the electrode arrangement comprises a plurality of electrodes, wherein the electrode arrangement has at least one electrically conductive distributor plate connected to the high-voltage supply line and plurality of electrodes, and wherein the at least one electrically conductive distributor plate is configured to distribute the high-voltage signal to one or more of the plurality of electrodes connected to the distributor plate.
17. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one high voltage supply line of the line arrangement comprises a plurality of high-voltage supply lines to which different high-voltage signals are able to be applied, and wherein the at least one electrode of the electrode arrangement comprises a plurality of electrodes that form a plurality of electrode groups that are electrically insulated from one another, wherein different electrode groups are connected to different high-voltage supply lines and are able to be supplied with different high-voltage signals.
18. The plasma treatment device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the at least one electrically conductive distributor plate includes a plurality of distributor plates, and wherein the electrode arrangement has the plurality of distributor plates electrically insulated from one another, and wherein the at least one electrode of the electrode arrangement comprises a plurality of electrodes that form a plurality of electrode groups that are electrically insulated from one another, wherein the electrodes of the different electrode groups are connected to different distributor plates and the different distributor plates are connected to different high-voltage supply lines.
19. The plasma treatment device of claim 10 wherein the body part is at least one foot or at least one hand, and the body support mat is a floor mat or hand support mat, respectively.
20. The plasma treatment device of claim 11 wherein the glove has fingers.
Description
[0081] The invention is intended to be explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. In the figures:
[0082] FIG. 1a shows a side view of a first embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention, in which the plasma treatment device is in the form of a curry comb;
[0083] FIG. 1b shows a view of a treatment side of the first embodiment of the plasma treatment device;
[0084] FIG. 1c shows a view of an upper side of the first embodiment of the plasma treatment device;
[0085] FIG. 1d shows a further side view of the first embodiment of the plasma treatment device;
[0086] FIG. 1e shows a horizontal section along the line B-B in FIG. 1d;
[0087] FIG. 1f shows a vertical section along the line A-A in FIG. 1e;
[0088] FIG. 1g shows a horizontal section along the line C-C in FIG. 1f;
[0089] FIG. 2a shows a side view of a second embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention, in which the plasma treatment device is in the form of a curry comb;
[0090] FIG. 2b shows a horizontal section along the line B-B in FIG. 2a;
[0091] FIG. 2c shows a vertical section along the line A-A in FIG. 2b;
[0092] FIG. 2d shows a horizontal section along the line C-C in FIG. 2c;
[0093] FIG. 2e shows a horizontal section along the line D-D in FIG. 2c;
[0094] FIG. 3a shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention, having a base body designed in the form of a glove;
[0095] FIG. 3b shows a sectional illustration of the third embodiment in the form of a vertical section along the line A-A in FIG. 3c;
[0096] FIG. 3c shows a sectional illustration of the third embodiment in the form of a horizontal section along the line B-B in FIG. 3b;
[0097] FIG. 4a shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention, having a base body designed in the form of a glove;
[0098] FIG. 4b shows a sectional illustration of the fourth embodiment in the form of a vertical section along the line A-A in FIG. 4c;
[0099] FIG. 4c shows a sectional illustration of the fourth embodiment in the form of a horizontal section along the line B-B in FIG. 4b;
[0100] FIG. 4d shows a sectional illustration of the fourth embodiment in the form of a vertical section along the line E-E in FIG. 4e;
[0101] FIG. 4e shows a sectional illustration of the fourth embodiment in the form of a horizontal section along the line B-B in FIG. 4d;
[0102] FIG. 5a shows a side view of components of the third embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention;
[0103] FIG. 5b shows a view of a treatment side of the components of the third embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention;
[0104] FIG. 6a shows a side view of components of the fourth embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention;
[0105] FIG. 6b shows a view of a treatment side of the components of the fourth embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention;
[0106] FIG. 7a shows a view of a treatment side of a fifth embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention, in which the plasma treatment device is in the form of a floor mat;
[0107] FIG. 7b shows a side view of the fifth embodiment of the plasma treatment device;
[0108] FIG. 7c shows a further side view of the fifth embodiment of the plasma treatment device;
[0109] FIG. 7d shows a horizontal section along the line A-A in FIG. 7c;
[0110] FIG. 7e shows a further view of a treatment side of the fifth embodiment of the plasma treatment device;
[0111] FIG. 7f shows a vertical section along the line B-B in FIG. 7e.
[0112] In the figures, the same reference signs are used for elements that correspond to one another.
[0113] The exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1a shows a side view of a first embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1 according to the invention, which is designed to treat a surface with a dielectrically impeded. Further details of the structure of this first embodiment may be derived from FIGS. 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f and 1g.
[0114] In this first embodiment, the plasma treatment device is in the form of a curry comb and may be used, in this form, in particular to treat the hide of an animal.
[0115] It may be seen in FIG. 1a that the plasma treatment device 1 has a base body 3 that has a flat treatment side 5 facing the surface to be treated. In this exemplary embodiment, the base body 3 has a circular cross section and is made of an electrically insulating plastic.
[0116] It may furthermore be seen in particular in FIGS. 1a and 1b that a nub arrangement 15 is arranged on the treatment side 5 of the base body 3 and has a multiplicity of nubs 17. In this exemplary embodiment, the nub arrangement 15 is produced in one piece and formed completely from the dielectric 11. All of the nubs 17 of the nub arrangement 15 in this case have a circular cross section and are designed to be substantially circular-cylindrical with a rounded tip. The nubs 17 are of elongate design, wherein the ratio of the respective length L of the nubs to the longest dimension D of their respective cross section is greater than 3. In this first embodiment, the nub arrangement 15 and in particular the nubs 17, just like the dielectric 11 from which the nub arrangement 15 is formed, are designed to be flexible. This is achieved in that the dielectric 11—and thus the nub arrangement 15—are made from a flexible silicone.
[0117] It may furthermore be seen in particular in FIGS. 1a and 1c that the plasma treatment device 1 in this first embodiment has a handle 19, designed as a hand-operated handle, for holding the plasma treatment device 1 on a side facing away from the surface to be treated, specifically on a side opposite the treatment side 5. In this first embodiment, the plasma treatment device 1 is therefore particularly well-suited to manual treatment of an animal body and in particular to caring for and/or cleaning the hide of an animal.
[0118] It may furthermore be seen in particular from FIGS. 1a and 1c that the plasma treatment device 1 in this first embodiment has an electrically insulating housing 23 that is arranged on a side facing away from the surface to be treated, specifically on a side opposite the treatment side 5. The housing 23 is in this case designed in two parts and has a lower housing part 23a as well as an upper housing part 23b in the form of a cover and that is placed on the lower housing part 23a. In this exemplary embodiment, the lower housing part 23a is formed in this case by the base body 3 of the plasma treatment device 1.
[0119] FIG. 1e shows a sectional illustration of the first embodiment in the form of a horizontal section along the line B-B plotted in FIG. 1d, and thereby provides a view into the interior 37 of the housing 23. It may be seen in this case that the plasma treatment device in this exemplary embodiment has a high-voltage stage 25 arranged in the housing 23 and that is connected at output to a high-voltage supply line 13 that is likewise arranged in the housing 23. A battery 27, designed as a rechargeable battery (accumulator), is furthermore arranged in the housing 23 and is configured to provide a supply voltage required for the operation of the plasma treatment device 1. The plasma treatment device 1 in this exemplary embodiment—as in all of the following illustrative exemplary embodiments—is designed as a wireless device and is therefore able to be used in a particularly mobile and flexible manner. The housing 23 furthermore contains an electronic controller 31 and an inverter stage 29, by way of which an AC voltage signal is generated from a DC voltage supplied by the battery 27, which AC voltage signal is converted into a high-voltage signal in the form of an AC high-voltage signal by way of the high-voltage stage 25.
[0120] For this purpose, the electronic controller 31 controls the inverter stage 29 by way of which an AC voltage having an increased peak voltage is generated from the DC voltage of the battery 27 in a manner known per se, this peak voltage being able to be for example between 50 V and 500 V. The inverter stage 29, via its output, feeds the high-voltage stage 25, in which for example high-voltage pulses of 13 kV to 15 kV are generated.
[0121] FIG. 1f shows a vertical section along the line A-A in FIG. 1e. An electrode arrangement 9 that has a plurality of electrodes 7 is able to be seen here. In this exemplary embodiment, the electrodes 7 are of finger-shaped design and are surrounded by a dielectric layer of the dielectric 11. The dielectric 11 completely covers the electrodes 7 in the direction of the surface to be treated. The finger-shaped electrodes 7 each extend into a nub 17, formed from the dielectric 11, of the nub arrangement 15. In this exemplary embodiment, the electrodes 7 of the electrode arrangement 9 are designed to be flexible and the electrodes 7 are each partially embedded in the base body 3, wherein the electrodes 7 extending into a respective nub 17 protrude from the base body 3 on the treatment side 5 and protrude into a respective nub 17.
[0122] It may furthermore be seen from FIG. 1f that the electrode arrangement 9 comprising a plurality of electrodes 7 has an electrically conductive distributor plate 33 in this exemplary embodiment. The distributor plate 33 is connected firstly to the high-voltage supply line 13 of the line arrangement and connected secondly to all of the electrodes 7 of the electrode arrangement 9 and is configured to distribute the high-voltage signal to the electrodes 7 connected to the distributor plate 33. The electrodes 7 are thereby connected to the line arrangement comprising the high-voltage supply line 13 and are able to be supplied, via the high-voltage supply line 13, with the high-voltage signal able to be applied to the high-voltage supply line 13.
[0123] Between the nubs 17 of the nub arrangement 15 are air spaces in which the plasma is able to form during the treatment.
[0124] FIG. 1g shows a sectional illustration of the first embodiment in the form of a horizontal section along the line C-C in FIG. 1f. It may once again be seen in this case that the plasma treatment device 1 has a plurality of electrodes 7 having a circular cross section, which are covered by a dielectric layer of the dielectric 11 and thus shielded from the surface to be treated. The electrodes 7 each extend into a nub 17 of the nub arrangement 15. The nubs 17 and the electrodes 7 extending into the nubs are distributed over the circular cross section of the base body 3 and are in the process arranged on concentric circles.
[0125] It may be seen in this case from FIG. 1g that the electrodes 7 of the electrode arrangement 9 extend into a plurality of nubs 17 of the nub arrangement 15, but not into all of the nubs 17 of the nub arrangement 15. In this first embodiment, the nub arrangement 15, as shown by the horizontal section in FIG. 1g, specifically has both nubs 17 into which an electrode 7 of the electrode arrangement 9 extends and nubs 17 into which no electrode 7 extends. Those nubs 17 into which a respective electrode extends are in this case arranged in a manner distributed over the cross section of the base body 3 on concentric circles different from those nubs 17 into which no electrode 7 extends. The concentric circles containing nubs 17 into which electrodes 7 extend are in this case arranged alternately with concentric circles containing nubs 17 into which no electrodes 7 extend.
[0126] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1a to 1g, as in all of the exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures, the electrode arrangement 9 of the plasma treatment device 1 is configured such that the surface to be treated is used as counter-electrode.
[0127] FIG. 2a shows a side view of a second embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1 according to the invention, in which the plasma treatment device 1 is likewise in the form of a curry comb. Further details of the structure of this second embodiment may be derived from the sectional illustrations shown in FIGS. 2b, 2c, 2d and 2e.
[0128] The second embodiment shown here corresponds largely to the first embodiment, explained above, of the plasma treatment device 1. In contrast thereto, the line arrangement of the second embodiment shown here, as may be seen from FIG. 2b, however comprises a plurality of high-voltage supply lines, specifically a first high-voltage supply line 13a and a second high-voltage supply line 13b, to which different high-voltage signals are able to be applied. In this second embodiment, as is clear from FIGS. 2c and 2e, the electrode arrangement 9 furthermore comprises a plurality of electrodes 7 that form a plurality of electrode groups that are electrically insulated from one another. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, these are the two electrode groups 35a, 35b that are electrically insulated from one another. The electrodes 7 of the two electrode groups 35a, 35b are in this case arranged over the circular cross section of the base body 3 such that the electrodes 7 of the first electrode group 35a are arranged on a first cross-sectional half and the electrodes 7 of the second electrode group 35b are arranged on a second cross-sectional half. The two cross-sectional halves in this case each have the shape of semicircular surfaces and do not overlap. The electrodes 7 of the two electrode groups 35a, 35b may however also be arranged in a differently distributed manner in other exemplary embodiments.
[0129] It may furthermore be seen from the horizontal section shown in FIG. 2e that the electrode arrangement 9, in the second embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1, has a plurality of distributor plates that are electrically insulated from one another, specifically a first distributor plate 33a and a second distributor plate 33b. The electrodes 7 of the first electrode group 35a are in this case connected to the first distributor plate 33a and the electrodes 7 of the second electrode group 35b are connected to the second distributor plate 33b, as may be seen in the vertical section illustrated in FIG. 2c. The first distributor plate 33a is furthermore connected to the first high-voltage supply line 13a and the second distributor plate 33b is connected to the second high-voltage supply line 13b. The different electrode groups 35a, 35b are thereby able to be supplied with different high-voltage signals, that is to say the first electrode group 35a is able to be supplied with a first high-voltage signal via the first high-voltage supply line 13a and the second electrode group 35b is able to be supplied with a second high-voltage signal via the second high-voltage supply line 13b, wherein the second high-voltage signal may be different from the first high-voltage signal. For this purpose, the high-voltage stage 25 shown in FIG. 2b is configured to generate two different high-voltage signals that are each suitable for generating the plasma. For this purpose, the high-voltage stage 25 is connected at output firstly to the first high-voltage supply line 13a and secondly to the second high-voltage supply line 13b. The first high-voltage signal with which the first electrode group 35a is supplied and the second high-voltage signal with which the second electrode group 35b is supplied are in this case, in this exemplary embodiment, in the form of AC high-voltage signals that are in phase opposition to one another and that have a substantially identical amplitude.
[0130] For the rest, with regard to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a to 2e, reference may be made to the explanations with regard to the first embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 1a to 1g.
[0131] FIG. 3a shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1 according to the invention. In this third embodiment, the base body 3 is designed in the form of a glove, specifically in the form of a glove with fingers. It is possible to see a nub arrangement 15, which is arranged on the treatment side 5 of the base body 3 designed as a glove, is formed from the dielectric 11 and has a multiplicity of nubs 17 formed from the dielectric 11. In this exemplary embodiment too, the nub arrangement 15 is formed completely from the dielectric and is produced in one piece from a flexible silicone. The nub arrangement 15 is in this case produced as a separate part and is affixed to the base body 3 on the treatment side 5 with the production of a substance-to-substance bond, specifically by welding.
[0132] It may furthermore be seen from FIG. 3a that the plasma treatment device, in the third embodiment shown here as well, has an electrically insulating housing 23 that is made of a stable plastic and is arranged on a side opposite the treatment side 5. The housing 23 is connected to the nub arrangement 15 via a connecting piece 39 made of an insulating material and in which a high-voltage supply line 13 runs.
[0133] FIG. 3b shows a sectional illustration of the third embodiment of a vertical section along the line A-A in FIG. 3c. It is clear from the sectional illustration that the plasma treatment device, in this third embodiment as well, has an electrode arrangement 9 having a plurality of finger-shaped electrodes 7, wherein the electrodes 7 each extend into a nub 17 of the nub arrangement 15. The electrodes 7 are completely covered by the dielectric 11, from which the nubs 17 are formed, in the direction of the surface to be treated. The electrodes 7 are furthermore able to be supplied, via a high-voltage supply line 13 that runs in the connecting piece 39 and that is part of a line arrangement, with a high-voltage signal able to be applied to the high-voltage supply line 13.
[0134] The housing 23 is, in this embodiment as well, designed in two parts and has a lower housing part 23a and an upper housing part 23b in the form of a cover and that is able to be placed on the lower housing part 23a.
[0135] In this third embodiment, as may be seen for example in FIG. 3b, the base body 3, designed as a glove with fingers, furthermore has an insertion opening 21 through which a human hand is able to be inserted into the glove. To perform the treatment, a hand is inserted into the glove-shaped base body 3, and the plasma treatment device 1 is guided over the surface to be treated by way of the hand inserted into the base body 3.
[0136] Further details of the third embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1 according to the invention may be seen from the sectional illustration, shown in FIG. 3c, in the form of a horizontal section along the line B-B in FIG. 3b. It may be seen in particular that the plasma treatment device 1 has at least one battery, specifically three batteries 27 that are arranged in the housing 23, designed as accumulators and configured to provide a supply voltage required for the operation of the plasma treatment device 1. In the same way as the exemplary embodiments of the first and second embodiments explained above, the plasma treatment device furthermore has an electronic controller 31 arranged in the housing 23, an inverter stage 29 and a high-voltage stage 25. To this end, owing to the similarities in this regard, reference may be made to the explanations with regard to the exemplary embodiments of the first and second embodiment, which are shown in FIGS. 1a to 1 g and 2a to 2e.
[0137] FIG. 4a shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention. Further details of this fourth embodiment may be derived from the sectional illustrations shown in FIGS. 4b, 4c, 4d and 4e.
[0138] In this fourth embodiment as well, the base body 3 is designed in the form of a glove with fingers. For the rest as well, the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 4a to 4e largely corresponds to the previously explained third embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1 according to the invention. In this respect, reference may therefore be made to the explanations with regard to the third embodiment explained above.
[0139] In contrast to the third embodiment explained above, the plasma treatment device according to the invention in the fourth embodiment shown here however has a plurality of electrodes 7 that form a plurality of electrode groups that are electrically insulated from one another, specifically form two electrode groups 35a, 35b that are insulated from one another. This may be seen in FIG. 4a in that the fourth embodiment, in contrast to the third embodiment, has not just one connecting piece 39 but two connecting pieces 39, in each of which one of two high-voltage supply lines 13a, 13b is arranged, different high-voltage signals being able to be applied to said high-voltage supply lines. The first electrode group 35a is in this case connected to the first high-voltage supply line 13a and the second electrode group 35b is connected to the second high-voltage supply line 13b. In this regard, reference may be made to the explanations with regard to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a to 2e.
[0140] FIGS. 5a and 5b respectively show components of the third embodiment of the plasma treatment device according to the invention in a side view and in a view of a treatment side. For the sake of illustration, the plasma treatment device 1 is in this case shown without the dielectric 11 covering the electrodes 7 in the direction of the surface to be treated and without the nub arrangement 15.
[0141] It is thereby possible to see the electrode arrangement 9, which has a plurality of finger-shaped electrodes 7 that extend into the nubs 17 (not shown).
[0142] It may furthermore be seen in particular from FIG. 5b that the electrode arrangement, in this third embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1 according to the invention as well, has an electrically conductive distributor plate 33 that is connected to the high-voltage supply line 13 and all of the electrodes 7. In the same way as the first and second embodiment explained above, the distributor plate 33 is configured to distribute the high-voltage signal generated by the high-voltage stage 25 to the electrodes 7 connected to the distributor plate 33. In order to allow the base body 3 to be flexibly adapted to the surface to be treated, the distributor plate 33 in this third embodiment, like the base body 3, is designed to be flexible.
[0143] FIGS. 6a and 6b, in an illustration form corresponding to FIGS. 5a and 5b, shows components of the fourth embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1 according to the invention. It may be seen in this case, as already previously explained above, that the line arrangement of the plasma treatment device 1 in this fourth embodiment not only comprises two high-voltage supply lines 13a, 13b to which different high-voltage signals are able to be applied, but that the electrode arrangement 9 furthermore comprises a plurality of electrodes 7 that form two electrode groups 35a, 35b that are electrically insulated from one another. In the same way as the previously explained second embodiment, the two electrode groups 35a, 35b are in this case connected to different high-voltage supply lines 13a, 13b and are able to be supplied with different high-voltage signals.
[0144] It may furthermore be seen from the illustration in FIGS. 6a and 6b that the electrode arrangement 9, in this fourth embodiment, has two distributor plates 33a, 33b that are electrically insulated from one another, wherein the electrodes 7 of the two different electrode groups 35a, 35b are connected to different distributor plates 33a, 33b and the different distributor plates 33a, 33b are connected to different high-voltage supply lines 13a, 13b. The structure of the plasma treatment device 1 in this fourth embodiment corresponds to the structure of the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a to 2e with regard to the plurality of high-voltage supply lines, the plurality of electrode groups electrically insulated from one another and the plurality of distributor plates electrically insulated from one another, meaning that, in this respect, reference may be made to the explanations in this regard.
[0145] FIG. 7a shows a view of a treatment side of a fifth embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1 according to the invention, in which the plasma treatment device 1 is designed as a floor mat on which at least one foot is placed. FIG. 7b shows a side view of this fifth embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1.
[0146] It may be seen in FIGS. 7a and 7b that the plasma treatment device 1, in this fifth embodiment as well, has a base body 3 that has a flat treatment side 5 facing the surface to be treated and on which a nub arrangement 15 having a plurality of nubs 17 is arranged. The nubs 17 of the nub arrangement 15 are arranged in a manner distributed over the treatment side 5 of the base body 3. The base body 3 is made of a flexible plastic. The nub arrangement 15, in this exemplary embodiment as well, is designed in one piece and formed completely from the dielectric 11. The dielectric 11, and therefore also the nub arrangement 15, are in this case made from a flexible silicone.
[0147] The plasma treatment device 1 in this fifth embodiment is furthermore designed to be placed on a surface with a bottom side 6, which is a side opposite the treatment side 5. The bottom side 6 of the plasma treatment device 1, which is formed by a bottom side of the base body 3 in this embodiment, is designed to be non-slip in this exemplary embodiment. It is thereby possible to place the plasma treatment device 1 in this fifth embodiment on a surface, which may be for example a floor surface, and to use the plasma treatment device 1 in the manner of a foot massage mat that is known per se. For this purpose, one or two feet of a human to be treated or of an animal to be treated may be placed on the treatment side 5 on the plasma treatment device 1. A plasma treatment of the at least one foot to be treated may thereby be combined with a mechanical treatment of the foot in order to achieve a massage effect that emanates from the nubs 17 of the nub arrangement 15.
[0148] It may furthermore be seen in FIGS. 7a and 7b that the plasma treatment device 1 has an electrically insulating housing 23 that is made of a stable plastic. In this fifth embodiment, the housing 23 is arranged next to the nub arrangement 15 on the treatment side 5 of the base body 3.
[0149] FIG. 7c shows a further side view of the fifth embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1, and FIG. 7d shows a sectional illustration of the fifth embodiment in the form of a horizontal section along the line A-A in FIG. 7c. It may be seen in the sectional illustration of FIG. 7d that the plasma treatment device 1, in this embodiment as well, has an electrode arrangement 9 having a multiplicity of electrodes 7 that are surrounded by the dielectric 11 forming the nubs 17, such that the dielectric 11 completely covers the electrodes 7 in the direction of the surface to be treated. Both the nubs 17 and the electrodes 7 have a circular cross section in this exemplary embodiment.
[0150] It may furthermore be seen in FIG. 7d that a battery 27 for providing a supply voltage required for the operation of the plasma treatment device, as well as an electronic controller 31, an inverter stage 29 and a high-voltage stage 25, are arranged in an interior 37 of the housing 23. The operation of these components in this case corresponds to the previously explained embodiments, such that reference may be made to the explanations in this regard. A respective part of two high-voltage supply lines 13a, 13b is furthermore arranged in the housing 23. The electrodes 7 are connected to the high-voltage stage 25 via the high-voltage supply lines 13a, 13b, such that the electrodes 7 are able to be supplied with high-voltage signals via the high-voltage supply lines 13a, 13b. In this regard too, reference may also be made for the rest to the explanations with regard to the other embodiments of the plasma treatment device 1 according to the invention, in particular to the explanations with regard to the second and fourth embodiment.
[0151] FIG. 7e shows a further view of a treatment side 5 of the fifth embodiment of the plasma treatment device 1, and FIG. 7f shows a sectional illustration of this fifth embodiment in the form of a vertical section along the line B-B in FIG. 7e.
[0152] It may be seen in this case in the sectional illustration of FIG. 7f that the electrodes 7 have a finger-shaped design and extend into the nubs 17 of the nub arrangement 15. The electrodes 7 are in this case surrounded by a dielectric layer of the dielectric 11 that shields the electrodes in the direction of the surface to be treated.
[0153] It may furthermore be seen from FIG. 7f that the electrodes 7 form two electrode groups 35a, 35b that are electrically insulated from one another and that the electrode arrangement 9 has two distributor plates 33a, 33b that are electrically insulated from one another. The first electrode group 35a is in this case connected to the first distributor plate 33a and the second electrode group 35b is connected to the second distributor plate 33b. The different distributor plates 33a, 33b are furthermore connected to different high-voltage supply lines 13a, 13b, such that the first distributor plate 33a is connected to the first high-voltage supply line 13a and the second distributor plate 33b is connected to the second high-voltage supply line 13b. The different electrode groups 35a, 35b are thereby connected to different high-voltage supply lines 13a, 13b and are thus able to be supplied with different high-voltage signals, for example with AC high-voltage signals in phase opposition to one another. In this regard, reference may likewise be made to the explanations with regard to the other embodiments, in particular to the second and fourth embodiment.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0154] 1 plasma treatment device [0155] 3 base body [0156] 5 treatment side [0157] 6 bottom side [0158] 7 electrode [0159] 9 electrode arrangement [0160] 11 dielectric [0161] 13, 13a, 13b high-voltage supply line [0162] 15 nub arrangement [0163] 17 nub [0164] 19 handle [0165] 21 insertion opening [0166] 23 housing [0167] 23a lower housing part [0168] 23b upper housing part [0169] 25 high-voltage stage [0170] 27 battery [0171] 29 inverter stage [0172] 31 electronic controller [0173] 33, 33a, 33b distributor plate [0174] 35a, 35b electrode group [0175] 37 interior of the housing [0176] 39 connecting piece [0177] L length of the nubs [0178] D longest dimension of the cross section of the nubs
