Abstract:
A device and method for increasing the number and type of ions in a hydrotherapy treatment to assist in removing unwanted chemicals from the body. A battery-powered array is submerged into a liquid foot bath to generate ions through electrolysis. The array has at least two electrodes, one containing copper and/or zinc, the other steel. The device can be run in two modes, thereby creating different types of ions and enabling the removal of different types of chemicals. The device uses a current and voltage regulator to deliver a regulated amount of current into the array regardless of the conductivity of the liquid, and electrical circuitry is used to control the duration and mode of the treatment. Excessive heat is dissipated with a heat sink.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to hydrotherapy and particularly for the use of electrolysis of water to increase the number and types of ions available to assist in removing unwanted chemicals from the body.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Warm baths, mineral hot springs, and other forms of hydrotherapy have been known throughout the ages to aid in healing. The warm water relaxes muscles and opens the pores of the skin to enable unwanted chemicals to be released from the body and desired chemicals to be absorbed through the skin. Herbs, other botanicals, and salts are commonly added to the water to create ions that help draw the unwanted chemicals from the body and then bond with the undesirable chemicals to prevent reabsorption into the body.  
           [0003]    For example, metals may exert toxicity on cells by interfering with cell metabolism. Some metals form a complex with enzymes, and the resulting metal-enzyme complex may change the catalytic functional characteristics of the enzyme and thereby block the metabolic process within the cell. The stronger electronegative metals (such as copper, mercury and silver) bind with various groups of enzymes, thus blocking enzyme activity. Another mechanism of action of some heavy metals (gold, cadmium, copper, mercury, lead) is to combine with the cell membranes, altering membrane permeability. Other undesirable chemicals displace elements that are important structurally or electrochemically to cells, which then can no longer perform their biologic functions. Drawing the undesirable metals from the body and preventing them from being reabsorbed through ionic, covalent, chelating, metal-complexing and other chemical reactions with other chemicals may improve healing and health.  
           [0004]    Electrolysis is the process of passing electric current through an electrolyte, thereby causing negative and positive ions to migrate to the positive and negative electrodes, respectively. Ions are created in at least two ways during the electrolytic reaction in water. Ions are formed as intermediaries as oxygen and hydrogen gases are formed from the water. Simultaneously, if proper metals are used for the anode and cathode, metal ions are released into the water as the anode and cathode degrade due to the ion exchange.  
           [0005]    Several electrolytic devices are known in the art that increase the number of ions available in the water to draw out and bond with the undesirable metals and thereby remove them from the body. These device place an anode and a cathode in a bath of water and deliver current to the water, thereby creating ions. These prior art devices suffer several disadvantages, however, such as potential electrical shock hazard and severe overheating. Because the devices are powered by standard AC current during treatment, there is some risk that the patient would be shocked as a result of transient current spikes. The overheating is caused, in part, by high levels of salts or minerals in the water. These salts and minerals dissolve into their constituent ions, which increase the flow of current through the electrodes to an unsustainable level as the treatment proceeded. Elaborate fans and other moving parts have been devised to dissipate the heat.  
           [0006]    Early devices had no control over the duration, polarity or intensity of the treatment, other than to pull the plug from the power supply. Thus, a treatment was limited in duration and control, and the devices burned out frequently. The current and voltage spikes common to commercial AC power supplies exacerbated the burn-out problem.  
           [0007]    Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a device for increasing the number of ions available in a treatment to bond with undesirable chemicals and make them unavailable for reabsorption. It is also an object of this invention to provide a device for electrolytic hydrotherapy that reduces the potential electrical shock hazard. It is another object to provide a device that does not overheat under normal operation. It is a further object to provide a device that has control over the duration, polarity and intensity of the treatment.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention is a device and method for increasing the number and type of ions in a hydrotherapy treatment to assist in removing unwanted chemicals from the body. A battery-powered array is submerged into a liquid foot bath to generate ions through electrolysis of the electrolyte. The array has at least two electrodes, one containing copper and/or zinc, the other steel. The device can be run in two polarity modes, thereby creating different types and quantities of ions and enabling the removal of different types of chemicals. The device uses a current and voltage regulator to deliver a regulated amount of current into the array regardless of the conductivity of the liquid, and electronic circuitry is used to control the duration, polarity and intensity of the treatment. Excessive heat is dissipated with a heat sink. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the array.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2. is an exploded view of the array.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the array along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 1.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 illustrates the batteries and heat sink inside the bottom of the control box.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a front view of the control box.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the device in operation, with a patient&#39;s feet in a footbath straddling the array. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Referring to FIGS.  1  -  6 , there is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the present invention, designated generally as  10 , which is used to increase the number of ions available in a hydrotherapy treatment. FIG. 1 illustrates the array  11  used to electrolyze an electrolytic solution and thereby increase the number of ions in the solution. FIG. 2 illustrates the components of the array  11 . A cap  21  and a base  22  form a housing to hold a first electrode  23  and a second electrode at a fixed distance from each other. The cap  21  and the base  22  have apertures in the array&#39;s top, bottom and sides through which the electrolytic solution can flow. Specifically, the solution should be able to freely flow between the first electrode and the second electrode, which is optimally achieved with side vents  17  on the base  22 .  
         [0016]    The first electrode  23  is connected to or integral with a rod  28 , which is connected to a direct current source. The first electrode  23  is preferably tubular stainless steel, such as a stainless steel tube or stack of stainless steel washers. The second electrode has two components, a tubular winding  25  and a post  26 . The winding  25  has a first end and a second end. The first end of the winding  25  is connected to the post  26  with a fitting  27 , and the second end is connected to a direct current source. The winding is preferably an actual winding of copper wire, but the tubular shape may also be achieved with a copper tube. Preferably the cap  21 , the winding  25 , the first electrode  23 , and base  22  are substantially concentric around the post  26 , as shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0017]    The control box  50  houses the direct current source, a heat sink  42 , circuitry for regulating current and voltage to the array  11 , and circuitry for setting various parameters of the therapy. The direct current source preferably provides a maximum of 24V DC and draws less than 2 amps, which can be provided by battery or AC power supply converted to DC with the appropriate transformer. Preferably the direct current source is a set of four 6V rechargeable batteries, such as sealed lead acid batteries  41 . FIG. 4 shows the batteries  41  seated in the bottom  40  of the control box  50  , which are typically held in place with two large nylon or polypropylene battery holders (not shown). The batteries are connected in series with fuses  44  between adjacent cells, preferably 5 amp fuses. The fuses serve to prevent any inadvertent short-circuiting of the batter power source; a failure of the internal electronic circuitry or any internal wiring will blow a fuse, thereby preventing further power from being drawn from the batteries. Furthermore, any internal failure of the individual batteries themselves or failure of the insulating materials used within will also blow a fuse, thereby preventing any catastrophic damage to the device or the batteries themselves. The batteries can be recharged with standard AC current. Preferably, the control box  50  has a charge port  52  which is connected to AC current with an appropriate transformer or battery charger (not shown). The present device is not connected to AC power during use; instead, the device powered solely by direct current, preferably batteries.  
         [0018]    A heat sink is housed in the control box  50  to dissipate any heat that may be generated. Preferably an aluminum heat sink  42  is used. The heat sink  42  comprises a series of aluminum plates, spaced apart to allow air flow between the plates.  
         [0019]    The control box  50  also houses circuitry to regulate power to the array and control the treatment parameters of the device. Further, the circuitry provides the ability to store and recall several treatment protocols. Preferably the circuitry is digital, which is immune to drift or timing variations due to temperature changes and generates little heat. In the preferred embodiment, regulating circuitry regulates current and voltage to the array. This circuitry includes a current limiter  45  connected to the battery  41  which further serves to limit the maximum amount of current, regardless of the conductivity of the water.  
         [0020]    The control box  50  also houses circuitry for controlling the parameters of the treatment, including the duration, mode and intensity. The parameter control circuitry includes an on/off switch that controls the delivery of power from the batteries  41  to the array  11 ; a timer for controlling the length of time the power is applied to the array; a switch for reversing which electrode the power is applied to; and a switch for varying the amount of power delivered to the array. The present device thereby allows an unlimited variation of positive and negative ion generation. The parameters are changed via a keypad  54  accessible from the front of the control box  50 . Information is displayed on a display, preferably an liquid crystal display (LCD)  55 , as is known the art. The device also includes a master on/off key switch  53 . As with the current limiter, the timers and switches are electrical components known in the art, as individual components or in integrated circuits.  
         [0021]    The quantity and type of ions determines the quantity and type of unwanted chemicals that can be drawn from the body. In the preferred embodiment, the first electrode is steel, a modified form of Fe, often containing many other constituent elements, as is known in the art. Preferably the first electrode  23  is tubular stainless steel, the steel being a low grade steel so as to erode during operation of the device and easily create ions in solution. The rod  28  is typically the same material as the first electrode, and preferably is low grade stainless steel. The winding  25 , post  26  and fitting  27  may be made of the same material such as copper or zinc, however preferably the winding  25  is Cu and the post  26  is Zn. Preferably the fitting  27  that connects the winding and post together is brass, which is an alloy of mainly Cu and Zn.  
         [0022]    In use, the array  11  is submerged in an electrolytic solution contained in a vessel big enough to accommodate the desired part of a patient&#39;s body that is to be treated, or the entire body, if desired. FIG. 6 illustrates the preferred embodiment in which a patient&#39;s feet  41  are submerged in a foot bath  12  filled with water  14 . The array  11  is attached to the control box  50  by inserting male plug  29  into a female port  51 , thereby accessing the direct current source. Direct current is applied to the array  11  to electrolyze the water  14  which produces hydrogen gas bubbles at the positively charged electrode and oxygen gas bubbles at the negatively charged electrode. The polarity of treatment may be reversed, by switching the direct current source from one electrode to the other, thereby changing the polarity of the electrodes. Ions of at least Cu and Zn are formed in the water during the electrolysis as the electrodes degrade. The life of the electrodes will depend on many factors, including the duration and intensity of the treatments, the composition of the electrodes, and the composition of the electrolyte. For example, adding salts to the water may increase the number of ions in solution and decrease the life of the electrodes.  
         [0023]    Various treatment protocols are employed, depending on the patient&#39;s needs. In Example 1, a patient&#39;s feet are submerged in a tap water bath along with the array. The system is programmed to apply 5 minutes of direct current at 1.5 amps to the first electrode (positive mode) and 5 minutes of current at 1.5 amps to the second electrode (negative mode). In Example 2, regular table salt, NaCl, is added to the electrolytic solution and a lower current is applied for a longer period of time than in Example 1. Examples 3-4 illustrate additional protocols.  
       Example 1  
       [0024]    [0024]                                                   Electrolyte   tap water                           Positive duration   5 minutes at               1.5 amps           Negative duration   5 minutes at               1.5 amps                        
       Example 2  
       [0025]    [0025]                                                       tap water with           Electrolyte   table salt added                           Positive duration   12 minutes at               0.75 amps           Negative duration   12 minutes at               0.75 amps                        
       Example 3  
       [0026]    [0026]                                                   Electrolyte   tap water                           Positive duration   15 minutes at               1.5 amps           Negative duration    2 minutes at               1.5 amps                        
       Example 4  
       [0027]    [0027]                                                       tap water with           Electrolyte   sea salt added                           Positive duration   20 minutes at               1.5 amps           Negative duration    0 minutes                        
         [0028]    While there has been illustrated and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.