Chattanooga Corporation

David B Bley

Ivan D Sarrell

David W Tibbets

A high voltage pulsed electrical stimulation apparatus is provided which is useful for a variety of therapeutic purposes, and which is operable in a number of different modes of operation, including a continuous mode wherein the current is continuously applied, a surge mode wherein the current is periodically interrupted, and a reciprocate mode wherein a continuous current is alternately directed to two separate electrodes. The apparatus includes provision for measuring and visually displaying the peak current of the pulses, which has been found to provide a very reliable indication of the effectiveness of the treatment. Also, the apparatus includes circuitry for balancing the current between the two electrodes in the reciprocate mode, and which does not interfere with the desired peak current measurement. Further, circuitry provided for effectively cushioning the initial application of current at the commencement of each surge of current when the apparatus is operated in the surge mode.

Electrical therapeutic apparatus

An apparatus is disclosed which is adapted to statically or intermittently apply a traction force to the body of a patient for therapeutic purposes. The apparatus includes a novel control means for cyclically reversing the direction of rotation of the wind-up drum upon predetermined minimum and maximum forces being present in the tension cord, and wherein the actual tension in the cord is monitored by a control circuit which provides an electrical output which is linearly proportional to the tension. The output signal is fed to a comparator circuit, where it is compared with independently selectable signals representing minimum and maximum tension forces, to control the wind-up and wind-down of the cord on the drum. The tension monitoring control circuit, and the controls for selecting the minimum and maximum forces, each incorporate a transducer, and a monitoring circuit is provided for detecting the failure of any one of the transducers and thereby precluding the continued operation of the drum in the wind-up direction to a dangerous force level.

Growing community of inventors

Chattanooga, TN, United States of America

David B Bley