Handpiece stand and shock wave device

Abstract

The present invention provides a support stand that allows a shock wave handpiece to be placed in nearly the same position, and a shock wave apparatus equipped with the support stand. [Solution] The support stand 4 has a body part receiver 4a that receives the main body part 9 of the handpiece 3, and at the front end of the body part receiver 4a, a recess 4c corresponding to the larger diameter part 9a of the handpiece 3 is provided on the bottom surface of the body part receiver 4a. A movement prevention part (tip protrusion 4d) is provided on the body part receiver 4a to prevent the handpiece 3, which is placed on the support stand 4 so that the larger diameter part 9a of the handpiece 3 is positioned in the recess 4c of the body part receiver 4a, from moving forward.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cradle for a handpiece for applying shock waves to a subject to be treated and a shock wave device.

Background Art

[0002] Non-Patent Document 1 describes a pneumatic massager. A handpiece used for stimulating and massaging the muscle structure of the body is placed on a cradle provided on the side surface of the main body of the massager. The handpiece includes a handle for gripping the handpiece, a shaft provided forward in the vicinity of the upper end of the handle, and a transmitter attached to the tip of the shaft. A large-diameter portion having a larger diameter than the rear end portion is provided at the front end portion of the shaft. The cradle for the handpiece in Non-Patent Document 1 is shown in FIGS. 7(a) and (b). FIG. 7(a) is a photograph of the cradle 20 viewed from above, and FIG. 7(b) is a photograph of the cradle 20 viewed from the front end 20c side to the rear end 20d side. An arch-shaped anti-drop member 20a for preventing the handpiece from falling off the cradle 20 is provided at the front end portion of the cradle 2.. The bottom surface 20b of the cradle 20 is substantially flat. When the handpiece is placed on the cradle 20 as in the photograph described in the <Appearance> item in the left column on page 1 of Non-Patent Document 1, usually the transmitter and the large-diameter portion protrude forward from the front end 20c of the cradle 20, and at least a part of the handle contacts the rear end 20d of the cradle 20.

Prior Art Documents

Non-Patent Documents

[0003]

Non-Patent Document 1

[0004] In conventional designs, the position of the front end of the handpiece placed on the support stand 20 is not restricted. When placing the handpiece on the support stand 20, the part of the handle that contacts the rear end 20d of the support stand 20 is not always the same. Therefore, the orientation of the handpiece placed on the support stand 20 is expected to change depending on how the handpiece is positioned. For example, the longitudinal direction of the shaft may be almost parallel to the bottom surface 20b of the support stand 20 (Case A), or the longitudinal direction of the shaft may be inclined relative to the bottom surface 20b of the support stand 20, with the front end of the shaft positioned lower than in Case A (Case B). As in these Cases A and B, the orientation of the handpiece placed on the support stand 20 is not fixed, making it difficult to place the handpiece on the support stand 20 in almost the same orientation.

[0005] This invention was made to solve these problems, and aims to provide a support stand that allows a handpiece to be placed in almost the same position, and a shock wave device equipped with the support stand. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The present invention is a support stand for receiving a handpiece that generates shock waves, wherein the handpiece has a grip portion for the therapist to hold, and a main body portion to which an applicator that delivers shock waves to the patient is attached at the front end and the rear end is connected to the grip portion, the front end of the main body portion is provided with a larger diameter portion which is thicker than the rear end, the support stand has a main body portion support for receiving the main body portion, the front end of the main body portion support has a recess portion on the bottom surface of the main body portion support which corresponds to the larger diameter portion of the handpiece, and the main body portion support is provided with a movement prevention portion which prevents the handpiece, which is placed on the support stand such that the larger diameter portion of the handpiece is positioned in the recess portion of the main body portion support, from moving forward.

[0007] According to this design, when the handpiece is placed on the support, if the larger diameter portion of the handpiece is positioned in the recess of the main body support, the movement prevention mechanism prevents the handpiece from moving further forward. Therefore, the placement of the handpiece is restricted, allowing it to be placed on the support in almost the same orientation. Furthermore, since the main body support has a recess corresponding to the larger diameter portion of the handpiece, the stability of the handpiece when placed on the support is improved.

[0008] (2) In a preferred embodiment of the support stand of the present invention, the movement prevention portion is provided at the tip of the main body support and is a tip projection that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the main body support. With this, when the handpiece is placed on the support stand, the tip of the main body of the handpiece comes into contact with the tip projection, which restricts the position in which the handpiece is placed, and the handpiece can be placed on the support stand in substantially the same position.

[0009] (3) In a preferred embodiment of the support stand of the present invention, the upper surface of the tip projection has an inclined surface on the rear side that is located further inward of the main support than on the front side. With this, when pulling the handpiece out of the support stand, applicators with a larger outer diameter are more likely to hit the tip projection of the support stand and get caught, but because an inclined surface is formed on the tip projection, the handpiece can be pulled out smoothly even if the applicator hits the tip projection.

[0010] (4) In a preferred embodiment of the support stand of the present invention, a fall prevention member is formed on the support stand that extends at least a portion of the circumference of the main body of the handpiece placed on the support stand, in order to prevent the handpiece from falling off the support stand, the tip of the fall prevention member is not parallel to the bottom surface of the support stand, and the rear side is configured to be further away from the bottom surface of the support stand than the front side, and when the main body of the handpiece is brought into contact with the back surface of the tip of the fall prevention member and moved along the back surface, the applicator is configured to pass through the opening at the tip of the support stand. According to this, the fall prevention member formed on the support stand can prevent the handpiece from falling off the support stand. When pulling the handpiece out of the support stand, moving the handpiece with the main body along the back surface of the tip of the fall prevention member makes it less likely for the applicator attached to the front end of the handpiece to get caught on the tip of the support stand, making it easier to pull out.

[0011] (5) In a preferred embodiment of the support stand of the present invention, a trigger switch for controlling the output of the shock wave is provided on the grip portion of the handpiece, and a rear support portion is provided behind the main body support portion to support the grip portion and / or the main body portion of the handpiece, wherein the rear support portion supports a position away from the trigger switch when the handpiece is placed on the support stand such that the larger diameter portion of the handpiece is positioned in the recess of the main body support portion. This prevents the trigger switch from being accidentally pressed by hitting the support stand when the handpiece is placed on the support stand such that the larger diameter portion of the handpiece is positioned in the recess of the main body support portion. Furthermore, the rear support portion allows the handpiece to be placed on the support stand more stably.

[0012] (6) The shock wave device of the present invention is characterized by comprising a support stand as described in any of (1) to (5), a handpiece for generating shock waves, and a device body having a drive unit for the handpiece. This makes it possible to provide a shock wave device equipped with a support stand that allows the handpiece to be placed in substantially the same position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a support stand that allows a handpiece to be placed in substantially the same position, and a shock wave device equipped with the support stand. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a front view of a shock wave device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a partial cross-sectional view of the base and handpiece of the shock wave device. [Figure 3] This is a view of the support stand in Figure 1, seen from the rear. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the movement involved in removing the handpiece from its stand. [Figure 5] This is a partial cross-sectional view of a handpiece and a stand according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 6] This figure shows a handpiece and a support stand according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 7] (a) and (b) are photographs of conventional support stands. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] (Embodiment 1) Figure 1 shows a shock wave therapy device for treating patients by applying shock waves. The shock wave therapy device 1 consists of a main unit 2 and a handpiece 3, the handpiece 3 being placed on a support 4 provided on the side of the main unit 2. The handpiece 3 generates shock waves by being driven by compressed air, which is supplied to the handpiece 3 from a compressor (drive unit) (not shown) located inside the main unit 2. The main unit 2 is equipped with a touch panel 5 and a dial 6. The touch panel 5 allows input of settings such as treatment conditions, and can also display treatment history and treatment conditions. The dial 6 allows the value of the treatment condition (e.g., stimulation intensity by shock waves) to be increased or decreased. The cord connection part 3a of the handpiece 3 and the main unit 2 are connected by a cord (not shown). Power and compressed air are supplied from the main unit 2 to the handpiece 3 via the cord, and electrical signals are exchanged between the main unit 2 and the handpiece 3.

[0016] Figure 2 is a side view of the handpiece 3 and base 4 in Figure 1, with the base 4 shown in a cross-sectional view (the cross-section is shown by line AA in Figure 1). As shown in Figure 2, the handpiece 3 has a grip portion 7 that is held by the therapist, and a roughly cylindrical main body portion 9 with an applicator 8 that delivers shock waves to the patient attached to its front end and connected to the grip portion 7 at its rear end. The applicator 8 is detachable from the main body portion 9 by a screw-in mechanism. Multiple types of applicators 8 with different outer diameters can be used, with the maximum outer diameter being, for example, 43 mm. The front end of the main body portion 9 is provided with a larger diameter portion 9a, which is wider than the rear end of the main body portion 9. The larger diameter portion 9a has an expanding portion 9a1 whose diameter increases towards the front, and a constant diameter portion 9a2 located in front of the expanding portion 9a1 with a constant diameter. The diameter of the constant diameter portion 9a2 is, for example, 44 mm. A trigger switch 10 is provided on the grip portion 7, and the trigger switch 10 is rotatable around the shaft 10a shown by the hidden line, and the switch can be operated by rotating it inward from the state shown in Figure 2 on the grip portion 7. The trigger switch 10 that has been rotated inward on the grip portion 7 is returned to the state shown in Figure 2 by a torsion coil spring (not shown) attached to the shaft 10a. The main body portion 9 is provided with a collision body (not shown) that can move in the front-back direction as shown by arrow F inside a cylindrical member (not shown), and by operating the trigger switch 10, compressed air is supplied into the cylindrical member to accelerate the collision body forward and cause it to collide with the piston 8a of the applicator, thereby generating a shock wave. An output adjustment switch 11 for adjusting the output of the shock wave (stimulation intensity by the shock wave) is provided on the upper end portion 7a of the grip portion 7.

[0017] Next, the receiving base 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 3 is a view of the receiving base 4 of FIG. 1 seen from the back side. The receiving base 4 has a main body receiving portion 4a for receiving the main body portion 9 of the handpiece 3, and members that are formed on the main body receiving portion 4a and prevent the handpiece 3 from falling off the main body receiving portion 4a. The members are arranged separately on the left and right and are the anti-falling members 4bL and 4bR. A recess 4c corresponding to the large-diameter portion 9a of the handpiece 3 is provided on the bottom surface of the main body receiving portion 4a. A tip convex portion 4d that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the main body receiving portion 4a is provided at the tip of the main body receiving portion 4a. A rear support portion 4e for supporting the grip portion 7 of the handpiece 3 is provided behind the main body receiving portion 4a and at the rear end of the receiving base 4. The rear support portion 4e contacts the grip portion 7 of the handpiece 3 throughout and supports the grip portion 7. The tip of the main body receiving portion 4a is an opening 4f through which the applicator 8 can pass.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3, the anti-falling members 4bL and 4bR are formed so as to approach each other as they go upward from the upper sides 4aL and 4aR of the main body receiving portion 4a. The tip portion 4b1 of the anti-falling member 4bL and the tip portion 4b2 of the anti-falling member 4bR are separated from each other with a gap through which the main body portion 9 of the handpiece 3 placed on the receiving base 4 cannot pass. For example, when the aforementioned cord connecting the handpiece 3 and the apparatus main body 2 is pulled downward and the main body portion 9 of the handpiece 3 on the receiving base 4 tries to lift upward, the movement of the main body portion 9 is restricted by the anti-falling members 4bL and 4bR, so that the handpiece 3 can be prevented from falling off the receiving base 4. Note that the tip portion 4b1 of the anti-falling member 4bL and the tip portion 4b2 of the anti-falling member 4bR may be connected. That is, the anti-falling members 4bL and 4bR extend at least partially around the main body portion 9 of the handpiece 3 so as to prevent the handpiece 3 from falling off the main body receiving portion 4a. As shown in FIG. 2, the tip portion 4b1 of the anti-falling member 4bL is not parallel to the bottom surface of the main body receiving portion 4a, and is configured such that the rear side is farther from the bottom surface of the main body receiving portion 4a than the front side. Similarly, the tip portion 4b2 of the anti-falling member 4bR is not parallel to the bottom surface of the main body receiving portion 4a, and is configured such that the rear side is farther from the bottom surface of the main body receiving portion 4a than the front side.

[0019] Because the support base 4 is provided with a recess 4c, when the handpiece 3 is placed on the support base 4 as shown in Figure 2, the bottom surface of the main body support 4a is in almost contact with the main body 9 of the handpiece 3 over the entire length of the straight section 4a1, and a fixed portion 9a2 of the large diameter 9a of the handpiece 3 is in almost contact with the recess 4c. In this way, the handpiece 3 can be placed stably on the support base 4, and the stability when placing a handpiece 3 with a large diameter 9a on the support base 4 is improved compared to a support base without a recess 4c. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, when the handpiece 3 is placed on the support base 4, the weight of the handpiece 3 causes the fixed portion 9a2 to press against the tip protrusion 4d of the support base 4, further improving the stability when placing the handpiece 3 on the support base 4.

[0020] Next, the movement of the handpiece 3 when the therapist pulls out the handpiece 3 placed on the cradle 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the cradle 4 is shown as a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1. The handpiece 3 indicated by the solid line 12 shows a state in which the main body 9 is in contact with the back surface of the tip 4b1 of the anti-drop member 4bL of the cradle 4, and the large-diameter portion 9a is located near the opening 4f of the cradle 4. The imaginary lines 13a and 13b indicate the outer shape of the handpiece 3 and represent the movement of the handpiece 3 when it is pulled out from the cradle 4. When the therapist grips the grip portion 7 of the handpiece 3 in the state shown in FIG. 2 placed on the cradle 4 and lifts the handpiece 3 so that the main body 9 is along the back surface of the tip 4b1 of the anti-drop member 4bL, the state shown by the solid line 12 in FIG. 4 is reached. From the state of the solid line 12, while maintaining the state where the main body 9 is in contact with the back surface of the tip 4b1 of the anti-drop member 4bL, the therapist moves the handpiece 3 along the tip 4b1 so that the grip portion 7 moves away from the cradle 4. Through the state of the imaginary line 13a, it reaches the state of the imaginary line 13b, and the handpiece 3 can be pulled out from the cradle 4. In the state of the imaginary line 13a, the main body 9 of the handpiece 3 is in contact with and along the back surface of the tip 4b1 of the anti-drop member 4bL of the cradle 4. By pulling out the handpiece 3 in this way, the applicator 8 arranged at the front end of the handpiece 3 is less likely to be caught by the tip projection 4d of the cradle 4, and it becomes easier to pull out the handpiece 3 from the cradle 4. As can be seen from FIG. 4, when moving the handpiece 3 with the main body 9 in contact with the back surface of the tip 4b1 of the anti-drop member 4bL and along the back surface of the tip 4b1, the applicator 8 is configured to pass through the opening 4f of the main body receiver 4a of the cradle 4. In the above description using FIG. 4, the anti-drop member 4bL of the cradle 4 is used for the explanation. However, in this explanation, the same explanation can be made by replacing the anti-drop member 4bL and the tip 4b1 with the anti-drop member 4bR and the tip 4b2.

[0021] When a therapist holding the grip portion 7 places the handpiece 3 on the support base 4, the therapist moves the handpiece 3 so that the applicator 8 and the larger diameter portion 9a of the main body portion 9 pass through the space enclosed by the bottom surface of the main body portion support 4a of the support base 4 and the anti-drop members 4bL and 4bR, bringing the grip portion 7 closer to the support base 4. When the therapist moves the handpiece 3 further forward, the tip of the larger diameter portion 9a hits the tip protrusion 4d of the support base 4, or the grip portion 7 hits the rear support portion 4e of the support base 4, stopping the movement of the handpiece 3, and the therapist releases the grip portion 7, placing the handpiece 3 on the support base 4.

[0022] As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the upper surface of the tip projection 4d provided on the main body receiver 4a has an inclined surface 4d1 where the rear side is located further inward on the main body receiver 4a than the front side. When pulling the handpiece 3 out of the receiver 4, applicators 8 with larger outer diameters are more likely to hit and get caught on the tip projection 4d of the receiver 4. However, because the tip projection 4d has an inclined surface 4d1, even if the applicator 8 hits the tip projection 4d, the applicator 8 can easily move along the inclined surface 4d1, allowing the handpiece 3 to be smoothly pulled out of the receiver 4.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the tip projection 4d provided on the main body receiver 4a functions as a movement prevention part, preventing the handpiece 3 from moving forward when it is placed on the receiver 4 such that the larger diameter portion 9a of the handpiece 3 is positioned in the recess 4c of the main body receiver 4a. When the handpiece 3 is placed on the receiver 4, once the larger diameter portion 9a of the handpiece 3 is positioned in the recess 4c of the main body receiver 4a, the tip projection 4d prevents the handpiece 3 from moving further forward. As a result, the position in which the handpiece 3 is placed is restricted, making it easier to place the handpiece 3 on the receiver 4, and allowing the handpiece 3 to be placed on the receiver 4 in almost the same orientation.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the trigger switch 10 of the handpiece 3 placed on the support base 4 is configured so that it does not come into contact with the support base 4. In other words, the rear support portion 4e supports the handpiece 3 in a position away from the trigger switch 10 when the handpiece 3 is placed on the support base 4 so that the larger diameter portion 9a of the handpiece 3 is positioned in the recessed portion 4c of the main body support portion 4a, thereby preventing the trigger switch 10 from coming into contact with the support base 4 and being unintentionally pressed. Furthermore, by supporting the grip portion 7 of the handpiece 3 placed on the support base 4 with the rear support portion 4e, the handpiece 3 can be placed on the support base 4 more stably.

[0025] Next, an example of a therapist treating a patient using the shock wave device 1 will be described. The therapist sets the treatment conditions by operating the touch panel 5 and dial 6 on the device body 2. The treatment conditions can include the type of applicator 8, stimulation intensity (pressure of compressed air from the compressor), number of stimulations (number of shock waves generated from the start to the end of treatment), and frequency (frequency at which shock waves are generated). Once the treatment conditions have been set, the therapist touches the start button displayed on the touch panel 5, which changes the display to a stop button, and the device is ready to begin treatment. After that, the therapist pulls the handpiece 3 from the base 4, grasps the handpiece 3, presses the applicator 8 against the patient's affected area, and presses the trigger switch 10 on the handpiece 3, thereby applying shock waves to the patient's affected area and performing treatment according to the set treatment conditions. During treatment, the therapist can change the stimulation intensity by operating the output adjustment switch 11 on the handpiece 3. Once the set number of shock waves have been delivered and the shock wave output has stopped, the therapist removes the applicator 8 from the patient's affected area, ending the treatment. After the treatment is complete, the therapist places the handpiece 3 on the support stand 4. The therapist can also stop the shock wave output by touching the aforementioned stop button, allowing the treatment to be interrupted midway.

[0026] (Embodiment 2) In Embodiment 1, the case in which the grip portion 7 of the handpiece 3 is supported by the rear support portion 4e of the support base 4 was described. However, as shown in Figure 5, the main body portion 9 of the handpiece 3 may be supported by the rear support portion 4g. The support base 4A according to Embodiment 2 has a rear support portion 4g and a rear end portion 4h, and the other configurations are the same as the support base 4 according to Embodiment 1. The rear end portion 4h of the support base 4A is not in contact with the grip portion 7 of the handpiece 3. When the handpiece 3 is placed on the support base 4A such that the larger diameter portion 9a of the handpiece 3 is located in the recess portion 4c of the main body support 4a, the rear support portion 4g supports the handpiece 3 near the rear end portion of the main body portion 9, away from the trigger switch 10. In this case, the handpiece 3 can be placed on the support base 4A more stably with the rear support portion 4g compared to when the rear support portion 4g is not provided. In addition to the rear support portion 4g of the support base 4A supporting the main body portion 9 of the handpiece 3, the rear end portion 4h of the support base 4A may also be configured to support the grip portion 7 of the handpiece 3, as in the rear support portion 4e in Embodiment 1 (see Figure 2). That is, by providing rear support portions 4e and 4g behind the main body support 4a to support the grip portion 7 and / or the main body portion 9 of the handpiece 3, the handpiece 3 can be placed on the support base 4A more stably.

[0027] (Embodiment 3) Figure 6 is a view from below of the handpiece 3 placed on the support base 4B according to Embodiment 3, along the longitudinal direction of the grip portion 7 of the handpiece 3. In Embodiment 1, the case in which the entire rear support portion 4e of the support base 4 is in contact with the grip portion 7 of the handpiece 3 was described, but as shown in Figure 6, the support base 4B may also have a rear support portion 4i instead of a rear support portion 4e. The rear support portion 4i supports the grip portion 7 by contacting it at two contact portions 14 located on the left and right sides, and is configured to support the grip portion 7 by partially contacting it. Even with this configuration, the rear support portion 4i of the support base 4B allows the handpiece 3 to be placed on the support base 4B more stably. In addition, the rear support portion 4g that supports the grip portion 7, as described in Embodiment 2, may also be provided on the support base 4B according to Embodiment 3. By providing rear support portions 4g and 4i, the handpiece 3 can be placed on the support base 4B more stably. [Industrial applicability]

[0028] This invention can be applied to a support stand for a handpiece used for treatment with shock waves, and to a shock wave device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0029] 1. Shock wave device 2. Main unit of the device 3 Handpieces 4, 4A, 4B support base 4a Main body support 4aL, 4aR upper edge 4a1 Straight section 4bL, 4bR Anti-detachment member 4b1, 4b2 Tip of the anti-detachment member 4c recessed area 4D tip protrusion 4d1 Slope 4e, 4g, 4i rear support 4f opening 4h Rear end 7. Grip section 8 Applicators 9 Main body 9a Large diameter part 10 Trigger Switches 12 Handpieces shown by solid lines 13a, 13b Handpieces shown by dashed lines 14 Contact area

Claims

1. A support stand for a handpiece that generates shock waves, The handpiece has a grip portion for the therapist to hold, and a main body portion to which an applicator that delivers shock waves to the patient is attached at the front end and the rear end is connected to the grip portion, and the front end of the main body portion is provided with a larger diameter portion which is thicker than the rear end. The support stand has a body support for receiving the main body, and at the front end of the body support, a recess corresponding to the larger diameter portion of the handpiece is provided on the bottom surface of the body support. The handpiece is placed on the support stand such that the larger diameter portion of the handpiece is positioned in the recessed portion of the main body support, and a movement prevention part is provided on the main body support to prevent the handpiece from moving forward. A support stand characterized by the following features.

2. The support stand according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement prevention portion is provided at the tip of the main body support and is a tip projection that protrudes inward from the inner surface of the main body support.

3. The support stand according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper surface of the tip projection has an inclined surface on the rear side that is located further inward of the main body support than on the front side.

4. To prevent the handpiece from falling out of the main body holder, a fall prevention member is formed on the main body holder, extending at least a portion of the circumference of the main body of the handpiece placed on the main body holder. The tip of the anti-detachment member is not parallel to the bottom surface of the main body holder, and is configured such that its rear side is further away from the bottom surface of the main body holder than its front side, and when the main body of the handpiece is brought into contact with the back surface of the tip of the anti-detachment member and moved along the back surface, the applicator is configured to pass through the opening at the tip of the main body holder. The support stand according to feature 1.

5. A trigger switch for controlling the output of the shock wave is provided on the grip portion of the handpiece. A rear support portion is provided behind the main body support that supports the grip portion and / or the main body portion of the handpiece. The support stand according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear support portion supports the position away from the trigger switch when the handpiece is placed on the support stand such that the larger diameter portion of the handpiece is positioned in the recessed portion of the main body support.

6. A shock wave device comprising a support base according to any one of claims 1 to 5, a handpiece for generating shock waves, and a device body having a drive unit for the handpiece.

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