BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electrotherapy device that outputs an AC (alternating-current) current of a specific frequency.

Description of the Related Art

An electrotherapy device that outputs a current of a predetermined frequency to a pair of pad electrodes attached to a human body has been known. The electrotherapy device of this type is operated by attaching the pad electrodes to a body surface, and then, setting a frequency, output time, and an output voltage.

The existing electrotherapy device however has the problem that when a frequency is desired to be changed in the middle, it takes time and labor because a process of once stopping the operation, selecting a frequency to which the frequency is desired to be changed, and then, operating the electrotherapy device is restrated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumferences and an object thereof is to provide an electrotherapy device that can continuously output AC currents of a plurality of different frequencies.

In order to solve the above-described problem, an electrotherapy device according to an aspect of the present invention “includes:

a storage unit that stores code data in which a plurality of output frequencies are aligned in order of output and to which a code number is assigned and course data in which the code numbers are aligned in order of a plurality of the pieces of code data to be output and to which a course number is assigned;

an input operation unit with which the course number is input by an operation by a user;

an output unit including an output circuit that outputs AC currents; and

a controller that extracts the course data from the storage unit based on the course number input from the input operation unit, extracts the pieces of code data based on the code numbers forming the extracted course data, and controls the output unit to output the AC currents of the output frequencies in order based on the pieces of extracted code data,

wherein the output unit includes a switch configured to switch the output circuit to any one of a first output circuit that outputs the AC currents of the output frequencies to at least either of a pad electrode or a mat in which a conductive wiring is arranged and a second output circuit that outputs the AC currents of the output frequencies to a probe having a pin electrode by an operation by the user.

With this configuration, when the course number is input from the input operation unit, the course data related to the course number and the pieces of code data related to the code numbers forming the course data are extracted from the storage unit. The AC currents are output in the order of the code numbers forming the course data and the order of the output frequencies forming the code data of each of the code numbers. Accordingly, unlike the existing technique, AC currents of a plurality of different frequencies can be continuously output easily with no need of stopping the operation and inputting the output frequency every time the output frequency is switched.

The output circuit can be switched between the first output circuit that outputs the AC currents to at least either of the pad electrode or the mat in which the conductive wiring is arranged and the second output circuit that outputs the AC currents to the probe having the pin electrode. Accordingly, the electrotherapy device can meet a requirement for an electrotherapy device capable of executing varieties of treatments by one device.

In addition to the above-described configuration, in the electrotherapy device in the aspect of the present invention,

“an output voltage of the output frequencies is capable of being set by an operation by the user,

the controller increases the output voltage to a set value from zero at a constant increase rate regardless of a magnitude of the set value when controlling the output unit to start output of the AC currents of the output frequencies, and

the controller lowers the output voltage to zero from the set value at a constant lowering rate regardless of the magnitude of the set value when controlling the output unit to stop the output of the AC currents of the output frequencies.”

With this configuration, when the output of the output frequency is started, the output voltage is gradually increased to the set value from zero whereas when the output thereof is stopped, the output voltage is gradually lowered to zero from the set value. The body of the user therefore receives less stimulation with change in the magnitude of the output voltage.

In addition, the output voltage change rates (the increase rate and the lowering rate) are made constant regardless of the magnitude of the set value of the output voltage. The user therefore receives constant stimulation with the change in the output voltage.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

As described above, an electrotherapy device that can continuously output AC currents of a plurality of different frequencies can be provided as an effect of the present invention.

