The present disclosure relates to an electrode plate which is used for contacting a body and can receive or transmit electrophysiological signals, and especially relates to a thermal signal transmission patch with an intelligent determination system and used for electrotherapy apparatus or measuring physiological signals.
It is known that currently the common sport injuries, degeneration or other problems, with the use of 3C electronic products leading to many bad postures, result in physical pain, such as soreness, pain, numbness and other symptoms due to prolonged bowing and hunchback causing muscle imbalance. Patients will firstly use patches, anti-inflammatory pain relievers or massages to relieve pain once these symptoms occur. However, these methods may not completely cure these symptoms, so patients will seek professional treatment from a physical therapist, or under the evaluation of the physical therapist, patients can purchase physical therapy instruments or apparatuses to use electrotherapy or thermotherapy by themselves.
Taiwan Patent Certificate number M596618 discloses a patent of a third medicine electrical skin-friendly sheet and electrical connection apparatus, which is an example of the current electrotherapy or thermotherapy apparatus. Taiwan Patent Certificate number M596618 provides a physical warm moxibustion skin-friendly sheet and related electrical connection apparatus with dual-function physiotherapy of hot compress and electric shock touching human skin; a flexible sheet that has insulating, thermal conductivity properties and can be bent according to the surface of the human body is used; a thermal circuit and a conductive film layer are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the flexible sheet by plating; the conductive film layer is connected to a superimposed skin-friendly conductive layer; the thermal circuit and the conductive film layer are respectively connected to electricity through a relay terminal, so that the thermal circuit generates thermal temperature; a low frequency pulse current is outputted from the conductive film layer and transmitted to the electricity area which contacts the skin; moreover, the relay terminal is conductive through a conductive button and an opposite button which are dry-typed fastened; the inner circular surfaces of the conductive button and the opposite button are respectively provided with eccentric multi-route electrical conduction structures, which provide a design for connecting power at a multi-angle position; the patch made by the features mentioned above has the function of using both electrotherapy and thermotherapy, but does not have intelligent (namely, without determination function) control for the temperature, and it will heat up endlessly, resulting in burns.
The main object of the present disclosure is to solve the conventional deficiencies.
In order to achieve the object mentioned above, the present disclosure provides a thermal signal transmission patch with an intelligent determination system. The thermal signal transmission patch is electrically connected to an external controller, an external electronic component or an external signal source. The thermal signal transmission patch includes a substrate and a loop layer. The substrate is a sheet-shaped body. The loop layer is arranged on one side of the substrate. The loop layer at least includes a first loop layer and a second loop layer. The first loop layer includes a first contact, a second contact and a third contact. The second loop layer includes a fourth contact, a fifth contact and a sixth contact. Moreover, an electrical connection mode of the first contact, the second contact, the fourth contact and the fifth contact of the loop layer electrically connected to the external controller or the external electronic component is changed (namely, an electrical connection between the external controller (or the external electronic component), the first contact, the second contact, the fourth contact and the fifth contact is changed; for example, the external controller is configured to change an electrical connection between the first contact, the second contact, the fourth contact and the fifth contact), and the third contact and the sixth contact are electrically connected to the external signal source, so as to achieve (namely, perform) a fast switching between an electrotherapy and a thermotherapy.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first loop layer includes a first outer line segment and a first inner line segment which is electrically connected to the first outer line segment. The first outer line segment is C-shaped. One end of the first outer line segment is electrically connected to one end of the first inner line segment. The first inner line segment includes two first straight-line segments and a first C-shaped line segment which is electrically connected between the two first straight-line segments. The other end of the first outer line segment fails to be directly connected to the other end of the first inner line segment; the first contact is formed at the other end of the first outer line segment; the second contact is formed at the other end of the first inner line segment. The third contact is formed where the first outer line segment and the first inner line segment are electrically connected.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second loop layer includes a second outer line segment and a second inner line segment which is electrically connected to the second outer line segment. The second outer line segment is C-shaped. One end of the second outer line segment is electrically connected to one end of the second inner line segment. The second inner line segment includes two second straight-line segments and a second C-shaped line segment which is electrically connected between the two second straight-line segments. The other end of the second outer line segment fails to be directly connected to the other end of the second inner line segment; the fourth contact is formed at the other end of the second outer line segment; the fifth contact is formed at the other end of the second inner line segment. The sixth contact is formed where the second outer line segment and the second inner line segment are electrically connected.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first contact and the second contact of the first loop layer and the fourth contact and the fifth contact of the second loop layer are electrically connected to the external controller.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the external controller is an active component or a passive component.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the active component is a proportional integral derivative controller.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the proportional integral derivative controller is a microcontroller, a control chip or a temperature control chip.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the passive component is an environmental sensor.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the environmental sensor is a thermistor or a relay.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the third contact of the first loop layer and the sixth contact of the second loop layer are electrically connected to an electrotherapy-and-hot-compress therapy apparatus.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first contact is connected to the second contact, and the fourth contact is connected to the fifth contact, so that a first loop-circuit of the first contact and the second contact is a first pole, and a second loop-circuit of the fourth contact and the fifth contact is a second pole, so as to perform the electrotherapy.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first contact is connected to the fourth contact, and the second contact is connected to the fifth contact, to form two loop-circuits in parallel for performing the thermotherapy.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first loop layer and the second loop layer are connected to form a parallel loop-circuit; the first contact of the first loop layer is connected to the fourth contact of the second loop layer; the second contact of the first loop layer is connected to the fifth contact of the second loop layer; the thermal signal transmission patch further includes a first thermistor; the second contact and the fifth contact are electrically connected to the first thermistor; the third contact of the first loop layer and the sixth contact of the second loop layer are connected to the external signal source.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the thermal signal transmission patch further includes a third loop layer, a first thermistor and a second thermistor; the third loop layer includes a first innermost line segment and a second innermost line segment. The first loop layer, the second loop layer and the third loop layer are connected to form a parallel loop-circuit; the first contact of the first loop layer is connected to the fourth contact of the second loop layer; the second contact of the first loop layer is connected to the fifth contact of the second loop layer; the second contact and the fifth contact are electrically connected to the first thermistor; a seventh contact of the first innermost line segment is formed at one end of the first innermost line segment; an eighth contact of the second innermost line segment is formed at one end of the second innermost line segment; the seventh contact is connected to the eighth contact; the seventh contact and the eighth contact are electrically connected to the second thermistor; the other end of the first innermost line segment is electrically connected to the third contact of the first loop layer and the external signal source; the other end of the second innermost line segment is electrically connected to the sixth contact of the second loop layer and the external signal source.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first innermost line segment and the second innermost line segment are two oppositely arranged arcuate shapes.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the thermal signal transmission patch further includes an adhesive layer arranged on the one side of the substrate. The adhesive layer and the loop layer are arranged on the same one side of the substrate.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate is an adhesive bandage.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate is non-adhesive.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the substrate is a bandage.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the loop layer is a conductive cloth.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the conductive cloth is a silver fiber cloth, nanometer silver wires or a conductive paste.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the conductive paste is a thermal-transfer-type conductive gel.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the thermal signal transmission patch is a flexible printed circuit board, a flexible line-circuit board, a soft circuit board, a soft line-circuit board, a flexibility line-circuit board or a soft board.
Besides, the present disclosure uses the conductive cloth to manufacture the loop layer of the patch, and achieves a fast switching between electrotherapy and thermotherapy by changing the electrical connection of each contact on the loop layer. With the design of the loop layer, the heating temperature may be controlled under a specific temperature state during electrotherapy and thermotherapy.
Besides, another object of the present disclosure is that the patch made by this method can reduce product risk, and can control the temperature through a low-cost and simple control system during thermotherapy. The present disclosure has an active system or passive system for switching between electrotherapy and thermotherapy, which improves user experience and reduces use hazards; flexibility/softness is increased; the flexibility/softness of a single layer must be higher than that of multiple layers. The present disclosure can be applied to warped areas or body parts with larger curvature. The present disclosure can be used in a single layer or multiple layers for switching between electrotherapy system and thermotherapy system.
Regarding the technical contents and detailed descriptions of the present disclosure, it is now described with the drawings as follows:
The substrate 1 has no signal transmission function. The patch 10 further includes an adhesive layer 11 arranged on one side of the substrate 1, so that the substrate 1 adheres to the patient's skin surface. In the figures, the substrate 1 is a sheet-shaped body, such as an adhesive bandage material which is the stretchable tape type, while the patch material of the adhesive bandage is a nonwoven cloth with good air permeability, stretchability and flexibility. Besides, the substrate 1 may be a non-adhesive bandage.
The loop layer 2 is arranged on the one side of the substrate 1 with the adhesive layer 11. The loop layer 2 at least includes a first loop layer 21 and a second loop layer 22. The first loop layer 21 includes a first outer line segment 211 and a first inner line segment 212 which is electrically connected to the first outer line segment 211. The first outer line segment 211 is C-shaped. One end of the first outer line segment 211 is electrically connected to one end of the first inner line segment 212. The first inner line segment 212 includes two first straight-line segments 2121 and a first C-shaped line segment 2122 which is electrically connected between the two first straight-line segments 2121. The other end of the first outer line segment 211 fails to be directly connected to the other end of the first inner line segment 212; a first contact 21a is formed at the other end of the first outer line segment 211; a second contact 21b is formed at the other end of the first inner line segment 212. A third contact 21c is formed where the first outer line segment 211 and the first inner line segment 212 are electrically connected. The second loop layer 22 includes a second outer line segment 221 and a second inner line segment 222 which is electrically connected to the second outer line segment 221. The second outer line segment 221 is C-shaped. One end of the second outer line segment 221 is electrically connected to one end of the second inner line segment 222. The second inner line segment 222 includes two second straight-line segments 2221 and a second C-shaped line segment 2222 which is electrically connected between the two second straight-line segments 2221. The other end of the second outer line segment 221 fails to be directly connected to the other end of the second inner line segment 222; a fourth contact 22a is formed at the other end of the second outer line segment 221; a fifth contact 22b is formed at the other end of the second inner line segment 222. A sixth contact 22c is formed where the second outer line segment 221 and the second inner line segment 222 are electrically connected.
The loop layer 2 mentioned above in the figures is a conductive cloth. The conductive cloth is a carrier with conductive function such as a silver fiber cloth, nanometer silver wires or a conductive paste (such as a thermal-transfer-type conductive gel) printing. The conductive cloth is processed and designed as a specific loop to achieve a single-piece single-layer which can perform thermotherapy treatment and which has the function of simple intelligent temperature control system, wherein the single-layer refers to a layer with a transmission function; other layers without electric signal transmission function may also be laminated on the other end of the main functional layer for modification, but do not affect the main functional layer. The intelligent temperature control refers to a temperature control system that has a determination function and can change due to changes in the external environment; for example, if the temperature of the product reaches 40 degrees, the system determines that the temperature is too high, and the product has other further operations to reduce harm.
In terms of electrotherapy, there are two independent circuits/loops for circuit requirements; for example, the first contact 21a is connected to the second contact 21b, and the fourth contact 22a is connected to the fifth contact 22b, so as to perform the electrotherapy; at this time, a first loop-circuit of the first contact 21a and the second contact 21b is a first pole, and a second loop-circuit of the fourth contact 22a and the fifth contact 22b is a second pole; the electric signal output voltage for electrotherapy is about 40V˜100V pulses, and the output current is 80 mA.
In terms of thermotherapy, a parallel loop-circuit is required for circuit requirements; for example, the first contact 21a is connected to the fourth contact 22a, and the second contact 21b is connected to the fifth contact 22b, to form two loop-circuits in parallel; the electric signal output for thermotherapy is the constant voltage (commonly 5V/12V/24V, etc.), the constant current (0.7 A/1.0 A/1.5 A, etc.), or changes in voltage and current according to the heating temperature design, so that the heating temperature can meet the requirement.
Therefore, the electrical connection of the first contact 21a, the second contact 21b, the fourth contact 22a and the fifth contact 22b of the loop layer 2 connected to the external controller 20 is changed (pins jumping/changing), so as to achieve a fast switching between the electrotherapy and the thermotherapy, allowing the user to feel both the electrotherapy and the thermotherapy simultaneously, or switching between the electrotherapy and the thermotherapy. The users are also allowed to adjust the operation mentioned above by themselves.
In these two coils (loop-circuits), the inner loop-circuit resistance is smaller, the outer loop-circuit resistance is larger, while there is the first thermistor 201 in the inner loop-circuit, wherein if the temperature is higher than 40 degrees, the first thermistor 201 is the open circuit; if the temperature is lower than 36 degrees, the thermistor 201 changes back to the short circuit.
Because the temperature control range of the first thermistor 201 is not accurate enough and the first thermistor 201 is not sensitive enough, the dual-loop-circuit design is used to make the heating temperature of these two coils not too high and is used to avoid causing damage.
For example, when these two coils are used with a 5V, 1 A mobile power supply, the heating efficiency is 5 W, the inner loop-circuit resistance is 8.5 ohms, the outer loop-circuit resistance is 12 ohms, and the total resistance including the cable connecting the signal source is about 5 ohms.
The inner loop-circuit resistance is smaller, the line width is smaller, and the heating efficiency (the heat generated per unit area) is stronger, so the inner loop-circuit heats up fast, and the thermistor is triggered by the fast heating through the inner loop-circuit.
When the temperature reaches 40 degrees, the thermistor is cut off; at this time, only the outer loop-circuit continues to generate heat. The outer loop-circuit has a wider line width and a larger resistance; the overall heating efficiency is poor, and the temperature rise is slow, so that the overall system can maintain the temperature, and keep the temperature at 40 degrees (specific temperature).
With the design of the structure of the patch 10 of the present disclosure mentioned above, the patch 10 may be used in medical equipment, sport equipment or rehabilitation aids, such as compression stockings, compression garments, protectors and other highly elastic clothing combined with electrical stimulation (electrotherapy), thermotherapy, or elastic smart clothing (such as with input and output electric signal function or heating function), or thermotherapy products (such as heating eye masks, heating masks, heating blankets and heating clothing).
When this embodiment is used, the resistance value of the outermost layer coil connected as mentioned above is 25Ω (ohms), which is set as a temperature-maintaining coil.
The resistance value of the middle layer coil is 16.67Ω (ohms), which is set as a slow heating coil; with the first thermistor 201, an open circuit is formed when the temperature exceeds 45 degrees.
The resistance value of the innermost layer coil is 10Ω (ohms), which is set as a fast-heating coil; with the second thermistor 202, an open circuit is formed when the temperature exceeds 45 degrees.
Further, the patch 10 of the present disclosure may be manufactured with the flexible printed circuit (FPC) board, which is a special kind of the printed circuit board and is also known as a flexible line-circuit board, a soft circuit board, a soft line-circuit board, a flexibility line-circuit board or a soft board, and so on, so that the patch 10 of the present disclosure has the industrial practicability.
The descriptions mentioned above are only the embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, any equivalent changes made by using the contents of the descriptions or drawings of the present disclosure are equally included in the scope of the present disclosure.
This application is the National Phase of PCT International Application No. PCT/CN2020/111238 filed on Aug. 26, 2020. The entire disclosures of the above application are all incorporated herein by reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CN2020/111238 | 8/26/2020 | WO |