DIATHERMY DEVICE

Abstract

Diathermy device comprising a generator of alternating electric current and an electrode, the electrode and the generator being electrically connected, and characterised in that the electrode consists of a flexible glove comprising an inner layer of insulating material, an intermediate conducting layer connected to the generator and an outer layer made of an insulating material with a thickness of between 0.05 and 0.15 mm such that the outer layer has an impedance of less than 50 ohms for alternating electric currents with a frequency of between 100 kHz and 10 MHz, and in that the generator is configured to generate alternating electric currents at least at a frequency within said interval of 100 kHz and 10 MHz.

Claims

1. A diathermy device comprising: a generator of alternating electric current and an electrode, the electrode and wherein: the electrode and the generator are electrically connected, and the electrode consists of a flexible glove comprising: an inner layer of insulating material, an intermediate conducting layer connected to the generator and an outer layer made of an insulating material with a thickness of between 0.05 and 0.15 mm such that the outer layer has an impedance of less than 50 ohms for alternating electric currents with a frequency of between 100 kHz and 10 MHz, and in that the generator is configured to generate alternating electric currents at least at a frequency within said interval of 100 kHz and 10 MHz.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the outer layer has a thickness of between 0.05 and 0.1 mm.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the outer layer is a detachable independent layer.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the inner and intermediate layers are independent and can be separated from each other.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the aforementioned layers are joined permanently, forming a single part.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the outer layer is a detachable independent layer.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the inner and intermediate layers are independent and can be separated from each other.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein the aforementioned layers are joined permanently, forming a single part.

Description

[0026] For a better understanding, drawings of an embodiment of the subject-matter of the present invention are attached by way of explanatory but not restrictive example.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a glove belonging to a device according to the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section in the area of one of the fingers of the glove in FIG. 1, applied to the skin of a patient or person receiving treatment.

[0029] The figures show an embodiment of a glove 1 belonging to the device according to the present invention applied to the hand of a therapist. The glove is connected, via a suitable electrical cable 5, to a diathermy current generator, not shown in the figures. In particular, the diathermy current generator of the present invention will be configured so as to generate alternating electric current at a frequency of between 0.1 MHz and 10 MHz. The generator could be of a known type, and is therefore not shown in the figures.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the glove that is the subject-matter of the present invention, in the region of the therapist's finger 100. The drawing is schematic as regards the thickness of the layers and the location of the connection with the cable 5. As can be seen, the glove is composed of three layers, an inner, insulating layer 4, the purpose of which is to insulate the therapist from the currents, an intermediate, conducting layer 3 connected to the generator via the cable 5 and an outer layer 2 made of an insulating, but very thin, material. In particular, the thickness of the outer layer 2 will be between 0.05 and 0.15 mm, preferably less than 0.10 mm, for example 0.07 mm. Electrical capacitance is thus produced between the skin of the patient 200 and the intermediate layer 3. At the operating frequencies of the present invention, this means that the impedance of the outer layer is low enough (less than 50 ohms) for the thermal effect to be produced.

[0031] The insulating inner layer 4 is thicker, for example, between 0.5 mm and 1 mm, or more.

[0032] The glove can have the three layers 2, 3, 4 integrated, i.e. joined together, forming a single glove.

[0033] It is also possible for the inner layer 4 and intermediate layer 3 to be joined together, forming a single glove and for the outer layer 2 to take the form of an independent glove that can be disposed of after treatment.

[0034] It is also possible for each of the layers 2, 3, 4 to take the form of an independent glove layer. In this case, the therapist would first have to put on the glove corresponding to the inner layer 4, then the glove corresponding to the intermediate layer 3 and finally the glove corresponding to the outer layer 2.

[0035] The glove of the present invention has clear and unquestionable advantages for direct application by hand. [0036] The first is that the glove uses both the capacitive and resistive methods owing to the thickness of the outer insulator of the glove, and a greater and more noteworthy benefit is achieved, also with greater speed over time. [0037] Another advantage of the glove is that the heating of the hand is not bothersome, as happens with direct application; rather, the degree of heating on the hand can be selected. [0038] Finally, no handle or electrode needs to be supported. With the glove, the degree of heating of the hand can be regulated from feeling the same degree of temperature as the patient to not feeling anything.

[0039] Although the invention has been presented and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood that these are not restrictive of the invention, and therefore multiple structural or other details may vary, as may be obvious to experts in the sector after interpreting the matter disclosed in the present description, claims and drawings. Therefore, all variants and equivalents will be included within the scope of the present invention if they can be considered to be comprised within the most extensive scope of the following claims.