Abstract:
An apparatus is provided for therapeutic treatment of a body part for example, adult human feet, utilizing ozonated water. The apparatus includes a container holding a quantity of ozonated water and sized to contain a body part, for example at least one adult human foot. The apparatus further includes a cover secured to the container, an ozonated water generating system mounted to the container and an ozone destruction assembly for reducing undissolved ozone released from the ozontaed water in the container. The ozonated water generating system includes an ozone gas generator positioned to pass ozone gas into a stream of water being drawn into a water pump. Mixing of ozone gas and water flowing through the pump occurs in the water pump and this therapeutic ozonated water mixture is passed into the container.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/527,972, filed Dec. 9, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this specific reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to systems for therapeutic treatment of a body part using ozone, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method adapted for the treatment of a body part, for example, but not limited to, treatment of a body part infected with fungi, bacteria, or other microorganism, using ozone as a disinfectant or for other therapies.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Fungal or bacterial infections are known to be problems in the human foot. Athletes&#39; foot is one such example of a prevalent foot fungus. Once infected, it is often rather difficult to rid the feet of the infection or fungus. While over the counter foot powders and ointments are available, and even several prescription products are on the market, however, such products have been known lose their effectiveness over time, prove costly, or may cause unwanted side effects.  
         [0004]     It has been known to use ozone to treat swimming pools, spas, hot tubs and the like to maintain the water therein in a sanitary manner. For example, in order to treat a spa for typical, non-acute, contamination the concentration of ozone used to sanitize the water is often in the range of about 0.1 to about 0.2 parts per million (ppm) based on the weight of ozone per volume of water.  
         [0005]     It has been discovered that the human foot, infected with fungi, bacteria or other microorganism, can be treated by contact with ozone in a liquid medium. Martin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,834,031, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, describes a method and apparatus for sanitizing a foot infected with fungi utilizing ozonized water. However, an alternative means for introducing ozone into a transportable bath, for therapeutic purposes, remains desirable.  
       SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The present invention provides apparatus and methods for therapeutic treatment of a body part, for example such as human feet, infected with fungi, bacteria or other microorganisms, utilizing contact of the foot with ozone dissolved in a liquid medium. The amount of ozone is sufficient to kill at least a portion of the infecting fungus, bacteria or other microorganism. The present invention provides for a very cost effective and efficient way to provide therapeutic relief to a body part, such as a person&#39;s foot, with few if any side effects. The treatment effectively reduces or eliminates the infection without staining or discoloring the foot. The system can be used repeatedly, over long time intervals with no reduction of its effectiveness or any undue detriment to the individual using the device.  
         [0007]     In one broad embodiment, the apparatus comprises a container, an ozone generator and a transfer assembly. The container is adapted to hold a quantity of liquid aqueous medium, for example, in the range of about 0.5 or about 1 gallon to about 3 or about 5 gallons or about 10 gallons, and is sized to permit only a portion of an adult human body to be placed in the container. The ozone generator is sized and adapted to produce sufficient ozone to effectively ozonate the liquid aqueous medium, that is to provide a concentration of ozone to destroy fungi, bacteria or other harmful microorganisms in the liquid aqueous medium in the container.  
         [0008]     Generally, the concentration of dissolved ozone in the liquid aqueous medium is sufficient to provide at least some therapeutic benefit to a user of the apparatus. For example, in some embodiments, the apparatus is structured to be effective to produce a liquid aqueous medium in the container that has an ozone concentration that will disinfect or sanitize a body part immersed in the liquid aqueous medium. In some embodiments of the invention, the apparatus is effective to produce a liquid aqueous medium in the container that has a dissolved ozone concentration effective to destroy fungus or destroy microbial infections on the body part immersed in the liquid aqueous medium. For example, the apparatus may be structured such that the container is sized to receive a human foot fully immersed in liquid aqueous medium in the container, and the transfer assembly and the ozone generator are effective to cause the liquid aqueous medium in the container to have a dissolved ozone concentration effective to treat a microbial infection on a human foot, for example, athlete&#39;s foot fungus on a human foot.  
         [0009]     Typically the concentration of ozone present in the liquid aqueous medium in the container is preferably greater than the concentration of ozone required to effectively sanitize water in a spa. For example, the concentration of ozone present in the liquid aqueous medium in the container is at least about 2 times greater, or 5 time greater, or 10 times greater, or at least about 50 times greater, and still more preferably at least about 100 times greater than the concentration of ozone to effectively sanitize water in a spa.  
         [0010]     The transfer assembly cooperates with the container and the ozone generator to pass ozone-containing gas produced by the ozone generator to the liquid aqueous medium in the container.  
         [0011]     In the preferred embodiment, the transfer assembly utilizes the suction capacity of the water pump to draw ozone-containing gas from the ozone generator and to pass this ozone-containing gas into the water pump, where the ozone is combined and mixed with an aqueous fluid, for example water, being provided to the pump, and this ozone-aqueous mixture is then introduced into the liquid aqueous medium in the container.  
         [0012]     The apparatus may further include a cover member structured to be secured, for example removably secured, to the container. The cover member may be integral with the container or separate from the container and is positioned so that it at least partially covers the container, preferably so that it at least partially covers the liquid aqueous medium in the container. The cover member is effective to reduce evaporation of the liquid aqueous medium and/or contain undissolved ozone-containing off-gas that may be released from the liquid aqueous medium. The cover member may include hole or opening to permit a body part, for example the feet of a human, to be placed in the container through the opening.  
         [0013]     An ozone destruction assembly may also be included in the present invention. The ozone destruction assembly is positioned relative to the liquid aqueous medium in the container so as to destroy ozone gas which may be released from the liquid aqueous medium in the container. The ozone destruction assembly includes an ozone destroying element and a mechanism for moving, for example drawing, air that may contain undissolved ozone gas, into contact with the ozone destroying element.  
         [0014]     In another aspect of the present invention are methods for therapeutic treatment of a body part, for example, but not limited to a body part infected with fungi, bacteria or other microorganisms, the method comprising contacting a body part to be treated with a liquid aqueous medium, for example, in a container of an apparatus disclosed herein. Dissolved within the liquid aqueous medium is a therapeutically effective amount of ozone, and the contacting is conducted at conditions, for example, for a period of time, at a temperature and the like, effective to therapeutically treat the body part, for example effective to kill at least a portion of the fungus, bacteria or other microorganism affecting the body part. Preferably ozone is the only or sole effective component present in the liquid aqueous medium. The concentration of ozone present in the liquid aqueous medium in the container is preferably greater, more preferably at least about 10 times or at least about 20 times and still more preferably at least about 50 times greater or at least about 100 times greater than the concentration of ozone to effectively sanitize water in a spa. In order to effectively treat the infection it is preferred that the contacting step be repeated at least once more preferably repeated as often, for example, one a daily, semiweekly, or weekly basis, or as needed, to treat the body part, for example, to eliminate the infection.  
         [0015]     It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for treatment of a body part using ozone dissolved in a liquid aqueous medium.  
         [0016]     Each and every feature described herein, and each and every combination of two or more of such features, is included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in such a combination are not mutually inconsistent.  
         [0017]     With these and other objects, advantage and features of the invention that may become hereinafter apparent, the nature of the invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, the claims, and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     The preferred embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures.  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a top front view, in perspective, of one embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention, with the cover shown separated from the container body for illustrative clarity;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a somewhat schematic illustration of an ozone generator and transfer assembly suitable for use in the present invention; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a partial view, partly in cross section, of an ozone destruction assembly of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1   
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]     Referring now to the drawings, and in particular  FIG. 1 , a treatment apparatus in accordance with the invention is shown generally at  10 . The apparatus includes a container  112 , a cover  114 , a first mounted member  116 , and may also include a second mounted member  118  and a water circulation system which is adapted to transfer an ozonated water stream from an ozone generator into the liquid aqueous medium  122  of the container body  112 . Both the first mounted member  116  and the second mounted member  118  are secured or mounted to the container  112  or the cover  114 . In general, all components of apparatus  10  are made of any suitable materials of construction, preferably materials of construction which are at least to some extent resistant to the oxidative properties of ozone. Particularly useful materials of construction for the container  112 , cover  114  and housings of the first and second mounted members  116  and  118  are polymeric materials, for example polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) polymers, polycarbonates and the like.  
         [0023]     It is to be understood that although each of the components of the present system is shown and/or described individually, two or more components of apparatus  10  can be integrally formed. Furthermore, a great many configurations are suitable for the present apparatus, such as apparatus  10 . Each of these different configurations, for example, in which two or more of these components are integrally formed, are included within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0024]     The container  112  comprises a container body  113  defining a hollow space in which a quantity of liquid aqueous medium  122  is provided. The container body  112  is sized and adapted so that a body part of a human can be placed in the hollow space and be submerged or immersed in the liquid aqueous medium  122 , for example, a pair of adult human feet. The space in which the liquid aqueous medium  122  is placed is partially defined by the inner wall of the container body  112 . The container body  112  may have any suitable configuration, for example, the container body may have a square or rectangular top/bottom configuration with each side having a dimension in the range of about 10 inches to about 18 inches or about 20 inches with about 14 inches being particularly useful. The height of the liquid aqueous medium  122  in the container body  112  may be in the range of about 2 inches to about 6 inches or about 8 inches and up to about 10 inches or even about 12 inches. The container body  112  can effectively hold about 0.5 gallons to about 2.5 gallons or about 1.5 gallons of liquid aqueous medium  122 . Based on the present dimensions described herein, it is clear that the present apparatus  10  is substantially smaller than a swimming pool, spa, hot tub and the like.  
         [0025]     The cover  114  may include an opening  130  which extends from the first end of the cover and terminates well before the opposed second end of the cover  114 . This opening  130  is sized and adapted so that the desired body part, for example a pair of adult human feet, can be passed through the opening  130  and into the liquid aqueous medium  122  held in the container body  112 . The cover  114  is also configured, at least to some extent, to reduce an amount of off-gas, for example, air containing undissolved ozone gas that may be released from the liquid aqueous medium during use of the apparatus  10 .  
         [0026]     First mounted member  116  is shown secured to the outer wall of the container body  113 . Alternatively, first mounted member  116  may be secured to the inner wall of the container body  113  within the scope of the present invention. The securement can be accomplished in any suitable manner, for example, by means of screws, bolts, adhesive or the like.  
         [0027]     Turning now as well to  FIG. 2 , in the specific embodiment of the invention shown, first mounted member  116  includes a first member housing  122  which contains a transfer assembly  160  comprising a water pump  162  effective to pump an aqueous media, for example water, through an inlet conduit  172  and through an outlet conduit  186 . The first member housing  122  also contains an ozone generator  190  having an ozone gas conduit  192  that joins or provides fluid communication between an ozone generator  190  and the inlet conduit  172 . The suction of the water pump  162  causes a vacuum to occur at or near where the inlet conduit  172  and ozone gas conduit  192  connect. This vacuum is sufficient to pull ozone-containing gas through ozone gas conduit  192  and into the inlet conduit  172  and the transfer assembly is effective to combine the ozone-containing gas with aqueous media, for example water, being provided to the water pump  162  by means of inlet conduit  172 . The transfer assembly  160  may be structured such that the inlet line  172  provides fluid communication between the container  112  and the water pump  162  to facilitate circulation of the liquid aqueous medium in the container  112  through the water pump  162 . In other words, in the embodiment shown, the aqueous medium in inlet conduit  172  is an amount of liquid aqueous medium being drawn from the container  112  by means of the water pump  162 , which is ozonated, or further ozonated, when combined with ozone-containing gas from gas line  192  and further mixed in the water pump  124 . The combined ozone-aqueous mixture is then passed from the water pump  162  through the outlet conduit  186  and is introduced into the liquid aqueous medium  122  in container  112 . The outlet conduit  186  may be equipped with a jet nozzle or similar device (not shown) which can direct the ozone-aqueous mixture to a specific region of the container body  112 .  
         [0028]     In one embodiment, the vacuum or suction caused in the inlet conduit  172  is sufficient to pull atmospheric air  198  into ozone generator  194  so that the ozone generator  194  produces ozone-containing gas which then passes through ozone gas conduit  192  and into the inlet conduit  172  and into the water pump  124 .  
         [0029]     The ozone generator  194  can be of any conventional and/or well known design. For example, the ozone generator  194  may be connected to a transformer or ballast  202  and may include a sealed ultraviolet light lamp and/or electrode, both of which are known to produce ozone in the desired amounts. A specific ozone generator which is particularly useful in the present invention is an ozone generator sold by Del Industries under the trademark ZO-151. Another useful ozone generator is one that employs a relatively small size chip electrode in combination with a transformer to generate ozone from air using an electric discharge.  
         [0030]     Second mounted member  118 , shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , is an ozone destruction assembly that is an optional feature of the apparatus  10  of the present invention, and is effective to destroy undissolved ozone gas. Second mounted member  118  is shown to be secured, e.g., adhesively secured, to an inner surface of cover  114 . With specific reference to  FIG. 3 , second mounted member  118  includes second member housing  260 , a fan  262  and a quantity of activated carbon  264 . The fan  262 , powered by conventional electric motor  263  (which receives power through electric wire  265 ) is sized and adapted to urge ozone-containing off gases which is released from the liquid aqueous medium  122  in container body  112  to move toward the activated carbon  264 . The activated carbon  264  is positioned adjacent an aperture  266  in cover  114 . Thus, when the fan  262  is operating, the off-gases from liquid aqueous medium  122  pass through and come in contact with the activated carbon  264 . The product resulting from this contacting, which is largely oxygenated air is then exhausted through aperture  266  to the general environment surrounding apparatus  10 . As the ozone gas released from liquid aqueous medium  122  contacts the activated carbon  264 , the ozone is destroyed or otherwise rendered innocuous so that excessive amounts or concentrations of ozone are not admitted to the general atmosphere surrounding apparatus  10 .  
         [0031]     Apparatus  10  functions as follows. When it is desired to treat a portion of the human body, for example, the feet of an adult human, that are infected with fungi, bacteria or other microorganisms, the apparatus  10  is prepared for use. A suitable quantity of water, for example, tap water, distilled water, deionized water or the like, is placed in the container body  112 . This water should be at a suitable temperature, for example, in the range of about 20° C., or about 25° C. to about 35° C. or about 40° C., so that the human being placing his or her body part into the water is comfortable. The cover  114  is then applied to the container  112  and the water pump  162  and ozone generator  194  are started.  
         [0032]     The person then places the portion of his or her body to be therapeutically treated into through the opening  130  in cover  114  and into the liquid aqueous medium  122 . Ozone gas is continuously generated by the ozone generator and passed into the liquid aqueous medium  122 . Water pump  162  pulls water from the body of water in the container  112  where it is combined with ozone-containing gas. The ozone gas and the water are mixed and combined in the water pump which forces the ozone aqueous mixture out of the pump and into outlet line  186 . The ozone-aqueous mixture is introduced into the water held in the container  112 . This process continues for a desired time in which a concentration of ozone in the water is reached with will provide the disinfecting, sterilizing, or other treatment benefits to be achieved. In some embodiments a conventional timer, for example, in communication with the electric wires can be employed to control the time during which ozone is generated and passed into the liquid aqueous medium  122 . A timer may also be used to control the treatment period and to provide a signal at a predetermined time indicating that treatment is complete and may be concluded. The period of time for treatment is typically in the order of about 0.1 hour to about 0.5 hours or about 1 hour or about 2 hours, preferably in the range of about 0.1 hour to about 0.5 hours. After the proper time has elapsed, the ozone generator and pump are stopped and the treated body part may be removed from the liquid aqueous medium. The liquid aqueous medium is then removed from the container body  112  and the apparatus  10  is now available for another therapeutic treatment.  
         [0033]     The above-described treatment is preferably repeated at least once, and more preferably a plurality of times in order to achieve a desired treatment objective. For example, until a microbial infection is substantially reduced in severity or even eliminated.  
         [0034]     Among other therapeutic benefits, the present apparatus and methods are very effective for treating fungus, bacterial or microorganism infection on human skin, for example on human feet. The amount of ozone included in the liquid aqueous medium is effectively controlled and the time of treating the body part is also controlled so that the treatment achieves substantial antibiotic/antifungal effectiveness while at the same time, minimizing or even eliminating any detrimental side effects of such treatment. It is important that not all of the human body is exposed to ozone and, that the ozone in the off gases from the liquid aqueous medium in the container may be destroyed before being introduced into the general environment surrounding the apparatus. Thus, an effective therapeutic treatment for bacteria, fungi and other microorganism infection is obtained in a safe and cost effective manner.  
         [0035]     While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations are apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.