JPH0464265B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Industrial Application Field The present invention uses, for example, a thermoelectric element that is controlled at high and low temperatures by the Peltier effect to
The present invention relates to a thermoelectric therapy device used for various cold and hot treatments such as slimming cosmetics to remove excess fat from calves and other local areas, alleviation of bruises, sprains, lower back pain, neuralgia, muscle pain, and activation of internal organ functions.

(b) Conventional technology Conventionally, thermoelectric therapy devices used to remove excess fat from the abdomen, thighs, etc. have been made by placing a large number of thermoelectric elements in a row on a flexible substrate, which are controlled at high and low temperatures by the Peltier effect. There is a thermoelectric treatment device in which the outer surfaces of a large number of thermoelectric elements are covered and protected with a soft jacket.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, since the thermoelectric treatment device described above is mainly worn on the user's abdomen or thigh, it is relatively long, and it takes time to cool the thermoelectric elements inside the treatment device. As a means of achieving this, an air passage is formed between the thermoelectric element and the soft outer skin, and an air cooling device such as a blower is built into the treatment device, so the treatment device itself becomes thick and bulky, making it difficult to handle. It is difficult to attach the device along joints such as the knees and knees, and other localized areas, making it unsuitable for localized treatment.

In addition, in order to efficiently air-cool the heated thermoelectric element, an intake hole is opened on one side of the air passage, and an exhaust hole is opened on the other side to improve ventilation through forced ventilation. If one or both of these are blocked by the user's clothes, etc., the air blowing to the intake and exhaust holes will be obstructed, reducing the amount of air blown to the air passage, impeding the good air blowing effect, and causing damage to the thermoelectric element. There was a problem that the cooling effect deteriorated.

The purpose of this invention is to be able to fit well and be attached to local areas such as shoulders, knees, and elbows, and to be able to use the device for cold and hot treatment of those areas, and to make the main body of the treatment device thinner and smaller. An object of the present invention is to provide a thermoelectric therapy device that can reduce costs by using water cooling, and can also obtain a good cooling effect by water cooling.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems This invention provides a method for attaching one thermoelectric element to each of at least both ends of a linear or cross-shaped flexible substrate constituting the main body of the treatment device with the outer surface exposed. , a plurality of heat sinks and a single cooling chamber are formed inside each of the cooling cases that cover each of the thermoelectric elements, and a cooling liquid for cooling the thermoelectric elements is supplied in a divided manner to the cooling chamber of each of the cooling cases. A single flow divider is connected to the cooling case, and the flow divider is attached to the flexible substrate approximately at the center of the mutual arrangement position of the cooling cases, and the interior of the flow divider is divided into two upper and lower stages. One side is set as a diversion chamber, and the other is set as a confluence chamber, and the outlet side of the diversion chamber is connected to the inlet side of each of the cooling cases through a flexible tube, and the outlet side of each of the cooling cases is connected to the inlet side of each of the cooling cases. It is characterized by being a thermoelectric treatment device connected to the inlet side of the merging chamber via a flexible tube.

(E) Effect According to the present invention, the main body of the thermoelectric treatment device is curved and fitted to a local area such as the shoulder, knee, elbow, etc., and each thermoelectric element is attached to a flexible substrate. By switching the application of DC power to each thermoelectric element between positive and negative with a cloth such as underwear interposed between the body and the private part, each thermoelectric element is heated and cooled by the Peltier effect, and this repeated cooling and heating action causes By stimulating the local area and promoting blood circulation and sweating, it removes excess fat, relieves pain, and activates internal functions.

On the other hand, during cold treatment, for example, the coolant supplied from a cooling device connected to the thermoelectric treatment device is connected to a flow divider to prevent the coolant before heat exchange and the coolant after heat exchange from interfering with each other. The flow is divided and supplied to each cooling chamber of each cooling case that covers each thermoelectric element, and each heated thermoelectric element is rapidly cooled to a predetermined temperature for cold treatment.

(F) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, each thermoelectric element heated to a predetermined temperature is cooled by the cooling liquid supplied to the cooling chamber of each cooling case, so unlike the conventional example, there is no need to use the air passage or blower. There is no need to incorporate an air cooling device, and the main body of the treatment device can be made thinner and smaller.

Furthermore, the linear or cross-shaped flexible substrate constituting the main body of the treatment device has at least one thermoelectric element at each end, a cooling case covering the element, and a mutual arrangement of these cooling cases. The thermoelectric treatment device can be fitted well along joints such as knees, shoulders, elbows, and other localized areas because it has a small and easy-to-bend structure by attaching a flow divider located approximately in the center of the body. It has the effect of being wearable, and allows localized cold and hot treatment to be performed with a single treatment device.

In addition, since a plurality of heat sinks are formed within the cooling case, it is possible to improve the heat exchange efficiency between the exhaust heat from the thermoelectric element and the coolant.

Furthermore, the cooling efficiency is higher than that of conventional air-cooled systems, and even if the entire body of the treatment device is covered by the user's clothes, the cooling effect is not hindered in any way, allowing each thermoelectric element to be efficiently and rapidly cooled. The time required to change from heating state to cooling state is shortened, and the repeated action of rapid temperature changes stimulates the local area, promotes blood circulation and sweating, removes excess fat, and relieves pain. It is possible to alleviate this and activate the built-in functions, and it is possible to further enhance the heat absorption and heat dissipation effects of each thermoelectric element.

Moreover, the interior of the above-mentioned flow divider is divided into two stages, upper and lower, and one of the divided parts is set as a flow division chamber, and the other is set as a merging chamber, so that the cooling liquid and heat before heat exchange with the thermoelectric element are There is no thermal interference caused by mixing of the coolant after exchange, and there is an effect that a single flow divider can efficiently perform branch supply and combined collection to a plurality of cooling cases.

(F) Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below based on the drawings.

The drawing shows a thermoelectric treatment device used for localized cold and hot treatment of shoulders, knees, elbows, etc. In FIG.
It consists of.

On the front side of the control unit 2 described above, there is a frequency selector 4 that selects a frequency between 60Hz and 50Hz in accordance with the power supply frequency, and a dial-type timer switch 5.
, multiple second setting switches 6, 7, 8, and cooling/
Heating automatic changeover switch 9 and multi switch 10
, a cooling switch 11, a heating switch 12,
A temperature adjustment knob 13 is disposed on the rear surface of the control unit 2, and a power cord 15 connected to a power supply section 14 inside the unit, which will be described later, is provided on the rear surface of the control unit 2.
A connection tube 16 for connecting to a treatment device main body 3, which will be described later, is attached.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the treatment device main body 3 described above includes a flexible rubber substrate 1 formed in a cross shape.
7 is opened at the center, and each cooling case 20 made of die-cast aluminum alloy or the like is fitted onto the upper surface side of each opening 19. Each flange 20a formed on the side surface of each opening 19...
The cooling case 20 is adhesively fixed to the periphery of the upper surface thereof, and a plurality of heat dissipating plates 20b are erected in parallel at predetermined equal intervals in the inside corresponding to the lower surface of each cooling case 20.

Each thermo module 21 is fitted into the lower surface of each of the cooling cases 20 described above, and the lower surface of each thermo module 21 is adhesively fixed to the bottom surface of the flexible rubber substrate 17 in an exposed state. ing.

At the center of the upper surface of the flexible rubber substrate 17, a cooling liquid C such as water supplied from a cooling device 22, which will be described later, is applied to each cooling chamber 20c in each cooling case 20.
A single flow divider 23, a so-called water divider, is adhesively fixed thereto for supplying a separate flow and collecting a combined flow.

This flow divider 23 has an interior divided into upper and lower two stages to form a flow division chamber 24 and a merging chamber 25, and each flexible tube 26 connected to the outlet side of the upper partial flow chamber 24 is connected to each cooling case. 20... to supply the cooling liquid C supplied from the cooling device 22 in a divided manner to each cooling case 20..., and on the other hand,
Each flexible tube 27 connected to the inlet side of the lower merging chamber 25 is connected to the outlet side of each cooling case 20 . The cooling liquid C before heat exchange with the exhaust heat of the thermo module 21 and the coolant C after heat exchange are prevented from mixing and causing thermal interference, A single flow divider 23 is configured to perform branch supply and combined collection to each of the plurality of cooling cases 20 .

FIG. 4 shows a coolant circulation system diagram of the cooling device 22, in which a flexible tube 28 connected to the outlet side of the merging chamber 25 in the branching chamber 23 is connected to the liquid storage tank 2.
9 to the inlet side of this liquid storage tank 29.
A circulation pump 31 is interposed between the outlet side of the cooling coil 30 and the inlet side of the cooling coil 30 to connect them to each other, and a fan 32 for cooling the coil is disposed near the cooling coil 30. A flexible tube 33 connected to the outlet side is connected to the inlet side of the diversion chamber 24.

The circulation pump 31 and the fan 32 are driven and controlled by the power supply unit 14 and the control unit 34, which will be described later. By driving the circulation pump 31 and the fan 32 during cold and hot treatment, the liquid is stored by the liquid feeding action of the circulation pump 31. The coolant C collected in the tank 29 is sucked and sent to the cooling coil 30, and by the blowing action of the fan 32, the coolant C passing through the cooling coil 30 is air-cooled to about 10°C and sent to the treatment device main body 3. supply

The flexible tubes 28 and 33 described above and the connection cord 35 connected to the control section 34 inside the unit are assembled and inserted into the connection tube 16 connected to the back side of the control unit 2.
The connector 36 attached to the end of the flow divider 23 is inserted into the socket 37 fixed to the side surface of the flow divider 23, and the flow divider chamber 24 of the flow divider 23 and the cooling coil 30 are connected by the flexible tube 28, and the merging chamber 25 and Liquid storage tank 29
are connected by a flexible tube 33, and the control unit 34 and each thermo module 21... are connected by a connection cord 35.

The upper surface of the flexible rubber substrate 17 is covered with a cross-shaped cover 38 made of soft vinyl chloride or the like and formed into a bellows shape and having a size that covers each of the above-mentioned elements 20, 23, 26, and 27. The outer peripheral edge of this cover 38 is adhesively fixed to the outer peripheral edge of the upper surface of the flexible rubber substrate 17.

Further, each of the extending end portions 18 extending in all directions of the flexible rubber substrate 17 described above includes each of the extending end portions 18...
For example, a mounting belt 4 whose length is adjustable by fixing metal locking fittings 39 on three sides, respectively.
The hooks 41, 41 attached to both ends of 0 are removably locked.

Note that as the above-mentioned mounting belt 40, a stretchable rubber belt, a fabric belt with Velcro attached, or others may be used.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of the thermoelectric treatment device 1, in which a commercial alternating current (AC 100V) power supply circuit 42 constituting the power supply unit 14 is connected to the next stage of the power cord 15 by using, for example, a diode bridge, a smoothing capacitor, etc. By connecting a full-wave rectifier type rectifier circuit 43,
This rectifier circuit 43 is configured to convert commercial AC power into DC.

Further, a voltage control circuit 44 including the temperature adjustment knob 13 described above that constitutes the control section 34 is connected to the next stage of the rectifier circuit 43 described above, and this voltage control circuit 44 controls a DC power supply of rated 7V, 2A. In addition, the output voltage and output current of the voltage control circuit 44 are configured to be variably controlled by a volume or the like as a variable voltage means linked to the temperature adjustment knob 13 described above.

Furthermore, the output stage of the voltage control circuit 44 includes the aforementioned switches 9, 10, 11, 1.
The thermomodules 21 . . . are connected to the switching circuit 45 via the connection cords 35 described above.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned switching circuit 45 includes the above-mentioned timer switch 5 and a plurality of second setting switches 6,
A timer circuit 46 including circuits 7 and 8 is connected.

When the above-mentioned cooling switch 11 is turned on, the thermomodule 21 absorbs heat due to the Peltier effect, and the above-mentioned heating switch 12 is turned on.
When turned ON, the thermo module 21 generates heat, and when the above-mentioned automatic changeover switch 9 is turned ON, the thermo module 21 turns on the timer circuit 46.
The above-mentioned switching circuit 45 is configured to alternately generate and absorb heat at intervals of, for example, one minute.
It consists of

The illustrated embodiment is configured as described above,
The action will be explained below.

As shown in FIG. 6, for example, when performing local cold treatment on the user's knee area, each of the extending ends 18 of the treatment device main body 3 is curved so that each thermomodule 2
1 along the knee part from above the underwear, and each attachment belt 4 is locked to each locking metal fitting 39 of the treatment device main body 3.
The device position is fixed by a tightening force of 0...

Next, after rotating the temperature adjustment knob 13 of the control unit 2 to set an appropriate treatment temperature, each main part is automatically energized by rotating the timer switch 5 to set the treatment time. After that, when the automatic changeover switch 9 is turned ON, the changeover circuit 45 is turned on.
The current applied to each thermo module 21 is automatically switched, and each thermo module 21 is switched between a heating state (heat generation) and a cooling state (heat absorption) at predetermined time intervals, for example, one minute intervals. Repeat this alternately.

During cold and hot treatment, the circulation pump 31 constituting the cooling device 22 is driven to circulate the coolant C such as water, and the coolant C collected from the treatment device main body 3 into the liquid storage tank 29 and the coolant C are sent to the cooling coil 30. Then, the cooling liquid C flowing through the cooling coil 30 is cooled by the blowing action of the fan 32, and the cooling liquid C cooled to a predetermined temperature is again supplied to the flow divider 23 of the treatment device main body 3, and each cooling case 20... The heated thermomodules 21 are rapidly cooled.

As a result, temperature changes between cold and warm are repeatedly applied to the user's knee area, promoting blood circulation and sweating, which can alleviate pain and muscle fatigue in the knee area, and can be used for specific treatments such as subcutaneous fat removal. It is also extremely effective against.

Since each thermo module 21 heated to a predetermined temperature is cooled by the cooling liquid C supplied to each cooling case 20, it has a built-in air cooling device such as an air passage and a blower like a conventional treatment device. There is no need to do this, and the treatment device main body 3 can be formed thin, and the treatment device main body 3 can be significantly downsized.

In addition, since a plurality of heat sinks 20b are formed inside the cooling case 20, the heat exchange efficiency between the exhaust heat from the thermo module 21 and the coolant C can be improved. be.

In addition, the above-mentioned flexible rubber substrate 17 and the same substrate 17
The treatment device main body 3 is made small and easy to bend due to the arrangement structure of each cooling case 20 attached to the body and the distribution chamber 23, so that the treatment device main body 3 can be easily moved along the joints of the knees, shoulders, elbows, etc. It has the advantage of being able to be fitted and worn, and a single thermoelectric treatment device 1 can perform localized cold and hot treatment.

Furthermore, when cooling each of the above-mentioned thermo modules 21..., for each cooling chamber 20c... of each cooling case 20... that covers each thermo module 21...
Since the cooling device 22 continuously circulates and supplies the cooling liquid C cooled to a predetermined temperature (for example, about 10°C), the cooling efficiency is higher than that of conventional air-cooling systems, and the cooling liquid C is cooled to a predetermined temperature (for example, about 10°C). Even if the entire thermomodule 21 is covered, the cooling effect is not hindered in any way, and each thermomodule 21 can be efficiently and rapidly cooled, and the transition from the heating state to the cooling state is The time is shortened, and repeated rapid temperature changes provide local stimulation to the shoulders, knees, etc., promoting blood circulation and sweating, removing excess fat, alleviating pain, and activating internal functions. Therefore, the heat absorption and heat dissipation effects of each thermo module 21 can be further enhanced.

Moreover, the above-mentioned flow divider 23 has an upper and lower part inside.
It is divided into stages, and one of the divided parts is placed in the diversion chamber 24.
Also, since the other one was set in the merging room 25,
The coolant C before heat exchange with the thermo module 21 and the coolant C after heat exchange do not mix with each other and cause any thermal interference, and a single flow divider 23 supplies a divided flow to a plurality of cooling cases 20. This also has the effect of efficiently performing combined collection.

Regarding the correspondence between the structure of the present invention and the above-described embodiments, the thermoelectric element of the present invention corresponds to the thermomodule 21 of the embodiment, and the flexible substrate corresponds to the flexible rubber substrate 17 in the same manner. Although both ends of the flexible substrate correspond to the extending ends 18, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment.

For example, the thermoelectric treatment device 1 of the present invention has the above-mentioned shoulder,
It can also be used for cold and hot treatments for areas other than knees and elbows, such as thighs and abdomen.

Further, in the above embodiment, the locking metal fittings 39 were provided on each of the three sides of the extending end portion 18, but the locking metal fittings 39 or the locking means may be provided only at necessary locations.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned mounting belt 40 may be of a detachable structure, or may be of a structure integrated with the treatment device main body 3.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the thermoelectric treatment device, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the treatment device main body with the cover removed, and FIG. 3 is the line shown in FIG. 1. 4 is a fluid circulation system diagram of the thermoelectric treatment device, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of the thermoelectric treatment device, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the usage state of the thermoelectric treatment device. be. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Thermoelectric treatment device, 2... Control unit, 3... Treatment device main body, 17... Flexible rubber substrate, 18... Extending end part,
20... Cooling case, 20c... Cooling chamber, 21... Thermo module, 23... Diversion device, 24... Diversion chamber, 2
5...Merge chamber, 26, 27...Flexible tube, C...Cooling liquid.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. One thermoelectric element 21 is attached to at least both ends of the linear or cross-shaped flexible substrate 17 constituting the treatment device main body 3 with the outer surface exposed, and each of the above-mentioned thermoelectric elements A plurality of heat sinks 20b... and a single cooling chamber 20 are provided inside each cooling case 20 that covers the cooling chamber 21.
A single flow divider 23 is connected to supply cooling liquid C for thermoelectric element cooling to the cooling chamber 20c of each cooling case 20, and the flow divider 23 is flexible. The flow divider 23 is installed approximately in the center of the cooling cases 20 and 20 on the board 17, and the interior thereof is divided into two stages, upper and lower, with one of the divided parts serving as the division chamber 24 and the other as a merging chamber. 25, the outlet side of the branch chamber 24 is connected to the inlet side of each cooling case 20 through a flexible tube 26, and the outlet side of each cooling case 20 is connected through a flexible tube 27. A thermoelectric treatment device connected to the inlet side of the merging chamber 25.