The invention relates to the field of magnetotherapy, in particular, to the structures of distributed magnetic inductors configured for the hydromagnetotherapy.

A device for the low-frequency pulsed hydromagnetotherapy disclosed in Eurasian Patent No. 011117 entitled "Method and Device for the Hydromagnetotherapy" and published 30.12.2008 is known from the prior art. As disclosed in the patent, the device includes a tank for a fluid medium adapted to the human body and comprises a controllable source of current pulses fed to a distributed set of inductors arranged on the tank surface in the areas adjoining to the human body.

Electromagnetic inductors in this device are arranged on the exterior surface of a plastic bath in the areas most closely adjoining to the vital organs of the human body. Respective organs are subjected to therapy mainly locally by magnetizing water which maintains this condition for a long period of time. The inductors also produce local effect. To use this method, the inductors should be mounted in a special manner on the bath surfaces. In addition, to generate an efficient magnetic field with induction of about ten Tesla, the inductors consume rather much electrical energy.

A hydromagnetotherapy device is disclosed in the US patent No. 5,741,317. According to claim 5, the apparatus for the submersible therapy includes the following components: a bath having a bottom, body walls and internal lining; a fluid medium filling the interior of the bath; magnetotherapy means comprising coils for generating a magnetic field when energized, with the coils for magnetotherapy being disposed within said body on the exterior wall of said bath having said coils for magnetotherapy arranged perpendicular to a target area defined in said bath, said coils for the magnetotherapy are sequentially distributed within the limits of said body wall to simultaneously generate the electromagnetic field in said fluid medium; with the body walls of said bath being made from a magnetic shielding material or a composite material to produce an effect of "reflection" from said body wall for the purpose of increasing continuity of the magnetic field directed toward the target body treatment zone defined in said bath; and additionally a microprocessor equipped with a patient's skin, muscles and adipose tissues impedance sensor which is configured to assist a physician to adjust the required quantity of energy to be applied to said patient.

This apparatus structure actually generates a more volumetric magnetic field in a beneficial effect zone, i.e. in the human organism and in a fluid surrounding it. However, the structure of this device is rather complicated and not suitable for domestic use, i.e. in typical apartments. In addition, this device also consumes rather much power. Furthermore, these structures are used exclusively in combination with plastic baths and may not be used in combination with steel or cast iron baths which are currently installed and still in use in the majority of the apartments.

The objectives of the invention are to reduce energy consumption, increase therapy efficacy and simplify the magnetotherapeutic procedure specifically for domestic use.

The objectives set are attained as hereinafter described.

According to one of the embodiments, a device for the hydromagnetotherapy comprises a tank for a fluid medium, a controllable source of current pulses, a switching unit and a set of inductors connected thereto. This embodiment provides the use of a tank made from a magnetically conductive material such as steel or cast iron baths, while conductors are arranged within a hydraulically and electrically insulated mat which may be disposed on the interior surface of the bath.

It is preferable that the inductors have a planar shape.

Technologically, it is most advantageous to make inductors in the form of spiral coils with a twin wire. The second embodiment is provided for use in combination with plastic or acrylic baths.

According to this embodiment, the device for the hydromagnetotherapy includes a controllable source of current pulses, a switching unit and a set of inductors connected thereto and distributed in a layer of a flexible material in the form of a mat for arranging in a bath and comprising hydraulically and electrically insulating enclosure, with a layer of the flexible magnetically conductive material being disposed on the mat surface facing the bath interior surface.

The main approach in this solution resides in the fact that a distributed magnetic therapeutic inductor is made from a set of planar electromagnetic inductors by arranging them within a mat so that the induced field is perpendicular to the mat plane, in addition, a magnetically conductive surface closing magnetic circuits of inductors to each other is made on the back side of the mat. In such a case, a volume surface pulsed magnetic field is generated on the upper side of the mat across the entire length thereof.

It has been found in the provided structure that the total level of magnetic induction across the entire operating surface significantly increases when a magnetically conductive layer is used on the opposite side of the mat. In this case, the total volume of the existing magnetic field increases multifold and a greater volume of tissues and organs in the region adjoining to this distributed inductor is exposed to the pulsed magnetic effect.

It should be noted that if the mat and magnetically conductive layer are made flexible, the body or part thereof may be wrapped therewith, thereby substantially increasing the treatment efficacy.

In addition, availability of the distributed magnetic conductor increases not only the field volume and power, but also improves efficiency of the device and substantially reduces power consumption.

Fig. 1 shows the structure of the device according to the first embodiment in which a steel or cast iron bath is used. Fig. 2 shows the structure of the device according to the second embodiment in which an acrylic bath and a mat with a magnetically conductive layer are used.

In the first embodiment, the device comprises a bath 1 made from steel or cast iron having magnetic properties and high magnetic permeability. The bath 1 is configured to be filled with water 2 or another solution used for therapeutic purposes, for instance, a saline or herbal solution. The bath is also configured for accommodating at least a part of a body of a patient 3 therein. A flexible mat 4 with planar coils of inductors 5 integrated therein is arranged on the bottom of the bath 1. Inductors 5 are hermetically built into the mat 4 and protected both from the moisture effect and current leakage. Rigidity of the mat is usually selected so that inductors 5 are not felt when the body load is applied thereto. On the one hand, this allows arrangement of inductors most closely to a disease-affected organ. On the other hand, inductors 5 are connected to a switching unit 7 and further to a current pulse generator 8 controlled by a controller or a processor 9.

The magnetotherapy is conducted in sessions subject to the physician- set parameters and algorithm. The volumetric pulsed magnetic field induced by inductors 5 propagates along the mat surface in the therapeutic volume of a body and a fluid acting directly on tissues and surrounding fluid changing the structure thereof. The induction along the mat changes in the range from 5 to 2 mT.

The device according to the second embodiment and operation thereof is similar to that of the first one. It is characterized in that the mat 4 additionally comprises a layer 6 of a magnetically conductive material arranged on the side of the mat facing the bath surface. The magnetically conductive surface may be made on the mat surface as a polymer layer with a magnetically conductive filler, a multilayer metallic foil and so forth; a Metalglas band (amorphous metal produced by high-rate cooling) was used as one of the examples. Such a mat may be used in any type of the bath both steel and acrylic. It may be also used independently in a "dry" state both as a substrate and for the wrapping procedure.

Therefore, the provided devices improve efficacy of the hydromagnetotherapy, extend potential and the sphere of use thereof from specialized doctor's offices to domestic applications. Reducing the power consumption promotes the use of portable power supply and control units. This, in its turn, also reduces the cost of equipment and operation thereof.