Patent GB-1320030-A (GB)
Title: Irradiation apparatus for thermotherapy
IPC: A61N5/06
Filed: 1970-11-24
Abstract: 1320030 Apparatus for thermotherapy J HOLZER 24 Nov 1970 [25 Nov 1969] 55808/ 70 Heading A5R [Also in Divisions F4 and H2] An irradiation apparatus for thermotherapy comprises one set of electric-light sources, or a plurality of sets each having an equal plurality of light sources, forming a plurality of lighting units each consisting of a respective light source from said one set or a respective source from each of said plurality of sets, the sources being mounted for placing selectively over a portion of a patient to be treated, a control circuit electrically coupled with said sources in order to switch on the lighting units one unit after another, or to switch on one group of units after another, each for a predetermined time to generate a light wave which travels in one operating cycle from a first to a last one of said units, and means for triggering a new operating cycle after one cycle has ended. One embodiment comprises two source sets 2, 3, Figure 1 on an adjustable frame 1, each set 2, 3 having three sections of three lamps, each section being mounted with a reflector 22, in which a filter shown), parallel to the length of frame 1, may be located, on a bar (18), Fig. 2 (not movable transverse to this length and pivotable about its own axis to alter the angle of irradiation. A second embodiment, Fig. 3 (not shown), has two outer panels (25), (27) pivoted to a centre panel (26), each panel carrying ten sets of lamps, the thirty sets forming nine lighting units of thirty lamps per unit. In other embodiments the lamps are in a circle or a spiral. The lamps may emit infra-red, visible or ultra-violet radiation. The control circuit, Fig. 6, for sequentially switching on lighting units 61 to 69 comprises a triac 70 to 78 triggered by a diac 70a to 78a respectively for switching on units 61 to 69 respectively. The diacs are rendered conductive sequentially via the cathode of cold cathode tubes 106, 107, 117 to 120 and 127 to 129. On pressing a push-button switch 104 tube 106 conducts, causing unit 61 to switch on and charging capacitor 198 until tube 107 conducts. Conduction of tube 107 causes unit 62 to switch on, and capacitor 199 to charge, until tube 117 conducts causing unit 63 to switch on and tube 106 to extinguish, thus switching off unit 61. Units 61 to 69 are thus switched on in sequence, two units at most being on together, until tube 120 extinguishes. If a switch 191 is closed, conduction of tube 131 causes a capacitor 197 to charge to cause tube 106 to conduct, thus restarting the cycle, the inter-cycle interval being determined by a potentiometer 193. The switch-on time of individual lighting units is determined by potentiometers 179 to 190. If switch 191 is left open the cycles may be initiated by a device including a switch shunted across switch 104 and closed in synchronisation with, for example, the pulse or respiratory cycle. Ganged switches 208 to 215 allow unit 69 to be on first and unit 61 last. Switches 88 to 96 allow the units to be switched out of the cycle. The circuit may be modified so that one or three units are on simultaneously instead of two as above.