The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for generating a pulsed magnetic field.
Low-energy magnetic fields are increasingly used for therapeutic purposes, such as the healing of fractures and ulcers. For example, pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) have been widely used in treating therapeutically resistant problems of the musculoskeletal system. In addition, PEMF is also used for sterilization of foods such as milk, fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, the application of PEMF is to metallurgy has recently been developing.
In particular, PEMF therapy has been used to treat non-union bone fractures and delayed union bone fractures. Non-union bone fractures are typically defined as injuries which have not satisfactorily healed within nine months or more after the fracture occurs. Delayed union fractures are typically considered injuries which have not satisfactorily healed within nine months or less after the fracture occurs. PEMF therapy has also been used for the treatment of corresponding types of body soft tissue injuries.
This “Discussion of the Background” section is provided for background information only. The statements in this “Discussion of the Background” are not an admission that the subject matter disclosed in this “Discussion of the Background” section constitutes prior art to the present disclosure, and no part of this “Discussion of the Background” section may be used as an admission that any part of this application, including this “Discussion of the Background” section, constitutes prior art to the present disclosure.
One aspect of the present disclosure provides an apparatus for generating a pulsed magnetic field.
An apparatus for generating a pulsed magnetic field according to this aspect of the present disclosure comprises an insulating body, an is electrical conductor positioned on the insulating body, and a ferromagnetic body having a hollow portion, wherein the insulating body and the electrical conductor are positioned in the hollow portion. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the electrical conductor has at least one gap separating the electrical conductor into at least two parts, thereby allowing a current to flow through the at least two parts in parallel to generate a magnetic field in the insulating body.
The embodiment of the present disclosure introduces the gap in the electrical conductor, and the width (Δx) of a utilizable field region can be increased without increasing the distance between the first segment and the second segment, i.e., without increasing the size of the entire apparatus.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description of the disclosure that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described hereinafter, which form the subject of the claims of the disclosure. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures or processes for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.
A more complete understanding of the present disclosure may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the Figures, where like reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout the Figures, and:
The following description of the disclosure accompanies drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, and illustrate embodiments of the disclosure, but the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments. In addition, the following embodiments can be properly integrated to complete another embodiment.
References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “exemplary embodiment,” “other embodiments,” “another embodiment,” etc. indicate that the embodiment(s) of the disclosure so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in the embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, is although it may.
The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for generating a pulsed magnetic field. In order to make the present disclosure completely comprehensible, detailed steps and structures are provided in the following description. Obviously, implementation of the present disclosure does not limit special details known by persons skilled in the art. In addition, known structures and steps are not described in detail, so as not to limit the present disclosure unnecessarily. Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in detail. However, in addition to the detailed description, the present disclosure may also be widely implemented in other embodiments. The scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the detailed description, and is defined by the claims.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the electrical conductor 30 has at least one gap 32 separating the first segment 31 of the electrical conductor 30 into at least two parts such that the current flows through the two parts in parallel to generate a magnetic field in the chamber 21 of the insulating body 20. For example, the first segment 31 is a plate, and the at least one gap 32 separates the first segment 31 into a first upper part 31A and a first lower part 31B; the second segment 33 is a plate, and the at least one gap 32 separates the second segment 33 into a second upper part 33A and a second lower part 33B.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the third segment 35 connects the first upper part 31A to the second lower part 33B; in addition, the third segment 35 further connects the first lower part 31B to the second upper part 33A. As a result, the electrical conductor 30 can conduct the current more uniformly so as to generate the magnetic field in the chamber 21 of the insulating body 20 in a more uniform manner.
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the input terminal 30A connects the first upper part 31A and the first lower part 31B, and the output terminal 30B connects the second upper part 33A and the second lower part 33B. Consequently, the electrical conductor 30 forms a one-turn coil on the insulating body 20 without circumferentially surrounding the insulating body 20.
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Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. For example, many of the processes discussed above can be implemented in different methodologies and replaced by other processes, or a combination thereof.
Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.