METHOD AND DEVICE FOR OBTAINING A SALT AEROSOL OF ADJUSTABLE CONCENTRATION AND PERSONAL HALOTHERAPHY

ASSEMBLY

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention belongs to the field of medical technology and it can be used to perform personal halotherapy at room temperature in personal halotherapy assembly or in salt chamber in the treatment and prophylaxis of respiratory tract diseases, allergies and psoriasis, carried out in spas, health centres, sanatoria, hotels as well as at home or in outpatient health institutions.

STATE OF THE ART

There are various salt chambers known in the art. The most known salt chambers allow a collective performance of salt procedures that exclude individual conditions of salt therapy prescribed to the patient by his/her doctor for the treatment of allergic diseases, such as asthma, psoriasis, etc.

There is a known method for obtaining a salt aerosol with predefined concentration, EE 00431 Ul, which is based on the dosing of raw salt before directing it to the instrument for the crushing of the crystalline structure.

At the formation of aerosol, two main components are used: crushed salt and air taken from outside the salt chamber. The formation of salt aerosol takes place at the mixing of the salt particles with air by the aid of the air compressor and the salt aerosol as a source ingredient is not used here.

The concentration of the salt aerosol exiting the generator and the indicators of the disintegration of the aerosol particles have been rigidly determined and cannot be adjusted from the control desk of the generator within the salt chamber.

There is a known device for preparing aerosol, the patent SU 1793932, and according to the method described in it, the salt aerosol is obtained with the help of a salt crusher. The salt crusher works periodically, being switched on and off according to the signals coming from the concentration sensors of the aerosol.

At the making of aerosol, the two main components are also used: crashed salt and air taken from outside the salt chamber.

During the working of the salt generator, the inflow of air from outside the closed salt chamber is needed, the generator is located outside the closed salt chamber and the salt aerosol is not used as a source component. The ensuring of the salt concentration with the amount given by the control desk in the salt chamber takes place automatically with the mediation of the salt concentration sensor.

Russian patent RU 2225187 describes a salt chamber with salt shields of a special profile installed on the interior surfaces. A salt dust blower has been added to the salt chamber, which, depending on the signals of the salt dust concentration sensor periodically sprays salt dust ground a lot earlier to the salt chamber.

The patients in the salt chamber are in the environment of passive salt dust. The main condition for halotherapy is the activated salt aerosol. This condition has not been used here.

There is a known patent RU 2190482. The object of the invention is the method of obtaining a spray, which is based on affecting the material being crushed by ultrasound vibrations. The source of vibrations, comprising a piezo element, has been produced in such a way that by changing the parameters of vibrations it is possible to change the size of aerosol particles.

During the work of the salt generator, it is necessary to have air inflow from outside the closed salt chamber, the generator is located outside the closed salt chamber and the salt aerosol is not used as a source component. Salt therapy takes place in the conditions of constant salt concentration and the concentration of salt cannot be changed from the beginning of the therapy procedure till the end of the procedure.

Russian patent RU 2025139 discloses a device for preparation of salt aerosol. The upper part of the case of the device has a spiral-shaped horizontal air channel; the air that gets into the device, by moving spirally, creates rarefied air. It is characteristic to the work of the device that the air given to the device is taken from outside the salt chamber and this causes air underpressure by moving in a spiral. The grinded salt particles are expelled from the mill due to centrifugal forces and partially due to rarefaction for example into the chamber with an artifical microclimate. During the work of the salt generator, it is necessary to have air inflow from outside the closed salt chamber, the generator is located outside the closed salt chamber and the salt

aerosol is not used as a source component. Salt therapy takes place in the conditions of constant salt concentration

There is a known patent US 5747002. The object of the invention is the method for preparing particles of sodium chloride mixture that are significantly similar in size and suitable for being inhaled by lungs. The method entails the grinding of coarse sodium chloride in a jet mill in one, two or more procedures by using pressurised air that enables to produce salt particles the fraction of which is smaller than 7 microns. Immediately after grinding, the particles are dried in vacuum to prevent agglomeration. The device for grinding the salt particles is located outside the closed salt chamber. Pressurised air, not aerosol, is used for obtaining salt aerosol.

The weakness of all known methods for obtaining salt aerosol is that they are based on the use of air taken from outside the salt chamber, need the installation of the salt generator outside the salt chamber and do not provide the adjustment of the therapy mode in real-time during the treatment process.

From the patent UA 68964 there is known a method of halotherapy that presumes the use of two closed salt chambers.

The method provided with the present invention enables to achieve the same goal in one closed salt chamber as the parameters of the salt aerosol can be adjusted in real-time inside the salt chamber.

The so-called "energy capsules", "health cocoons", etc., that are known, can hold one patient and are used exclusively in water, sauna, aroma, infrared, massage, sound, light and other healing procedures carried out in a humid environment.

A combined personal therapy section is known, patent application US 2004260364 Al (in Estonia EE200500035 A), that is related to a closed personal therapy module and comprises a section used in personal therapy or as a sauna, that consists of a bunk resting on a base, and a cover with a support frame and a frame around a longitudinal axis. The cover starts at the foot of the base and reaches up to the shoulder area of the user. The device is intended for individual performance of a diverse range of healing and relaxing procedures, such as sauna, water, aroma, infrared, light, water massage, etc., procedures in the inner space of the so- called "energy capsule" with a wet environment and high temperature.

The capsule has a number of controls, luminaries, vibrators, heaters and other such auxiliary devices. The procedures are conducted in the high-temperature and humid part of the capsule whereas the head of the patient is outside the active procedure environment. The capsule does not have a device for production and saturation of a salt aerosol, thus excluding halotherapy.

There is a known sauna capsule, patent application US 2006213005 Al that is intended for creating the environment of a water steam bath at 6O ⁰ C in the closed capsule, and for stimulation of sauna procedures by an ultrasound vibrator. The therapeutic procedures are characterised by a high temperature and water humidity. The body of the patient is in the closed capsule. It is not possible to perform halotherapy in the device.

There is a known device for physiotherapy, invention EE 00359 Ul, that enables to use several types of thermal therapy in the capsule (steam sauna, infrared sauna), aroma therapy, water massage and light therapy whereas the patient is in a semisupine position in the capsule. In addition to the conventional parts of the capsule (a cover, base, control panel, wheels, a chair for the patient), the main components of the device comprise infrared radiators, lamps for light therapy, loudspeakers, etc.

The therapeutic procedures are performed in the high-temperature and humid part of the capsule whereas the head of the patient is outside the active procedure environment. Hence, it is not possible to perform salt therapy there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for obtaining an aerosol with the adjustable concentration of salt particles that are activated with kinetic energy, which is based on a closed process, i.e. process that does not need the taking of extra air from outside the salt chamber. Such a process enables to adjust the halotherapy process in real-time inside the closed salt chamber.

Thus, there is no need for an air compressor, the device for making salt aerosol is compact, portable, simple, cheap and reliable.

As after the creation of salt aerosol, the level of its charge with kinetic energy decreases, and to get a better therapeutic effect, fresh aerosol needs to be added constantly, i.e. the flow of salt aerosol in the salt chamber must not be interrupted.

The salt aerosol in the salt chamber is mixed in a continuous process with freshly crushed salt crystals, which causes the saturation of the salt aerosol with the salt particles activated with kinetic energy.

At the impact of the salt crushing instrument the crystalline structure of raw salt breaks, the salt particles created activate with kinetic energy and are mixed with the salt aerosol in the salt chamber in a continuous process. As a result of this, the salt aerosol of required concentration and therapeutic effect is created in the salt chamber.

Another aspect of this invention is to provide a device that makes use of the method described. The device is situated in a closed salt chamber, operates in the so-called ,,closed cycle", uses dry raw salt, saturates the salt chamber with salt particles with a size of 0,2-5 μm, activated with the energy of the salt aerosol, and enables to adjust the parameters of salt therapy: the concentration of the salt aerosol and the therapeutical activity of the salt particles that depends on the rotation speed of the disintegration device of the disintegrator. The device, hermetically sealed during the saturation process of salt aerosol, is situated in the salt chamber in a freely selected place, it does not require an influx of air and operates constantly in the environment of the salt aerosol in the salt chamber.

The saturated salt aerosol exiting the device is a mixture of the following two components that is achieved without an air compressor and without any additional air from outside the salt chamber (external air): - aerosol that is transferred from the salt chamber to the device by two ventilators,

- salt particles with a size of 2-5 μm that participate in the saturation process of the aerosol no later than after a lapse of 1-2 seconds since their creation in the course of disintegration of the crystal structure of raw salt of 0,5 -2,0 mm at the speed of the disintegration device of 8000 - 30000 rpm.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a personal halotherapy assembly, wherein the whole device, intended for saturation of a dry salt aerosol, may be, along with the patient, in a hermetically sealed capsule. In the course of a 10 to 45 minute salt procedure, there is an individually prescribed and uniformly distributed environment of a salt aerosol around the body of the patient whereas the environment consists of freshly ground dry salt crystals of NaCl with a size of 0,2-5 μm at concentration of 0,5 - 80 mg/m ³ .

The salt capsule assembly is a small hermetically sealed salt chamber or salt capsule that is equipped with a salt aerosol saturation device and is intended for one person or an adult and a child.

Unlike collective salt therapy in the salt chambers that are still used, in the case of an individual salt procedure, the patient may be naked that allows an intimate salt therapy of a dermatosis (psoriasis) that is of particular importance in the treatment of psoriasis.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The device for the saturation of the salt aerosol is placed into the closed salt chamber directly into the environment of dry aerosol, preferably in the middle of the salt chamber. The saturation of the salt aerosol is executed in a continuous process in the closed salt chamber. For obtaining the aerosol, the raw salt is sprinkled into container from which the raw salt is directed via doser of channel to the crushing instrument, which works with engine. Aerosol flow in the salt chamber moves with the help of the impeller of ventilator through the openings of the saturation cylinder to the crushing instrument and back to the salt chamber from there.

The salt aerosol flow moving back to the salt chamber is saturated with salt particles that are activated with kinetic energy.

The continuous outflow of salt aerosol from saturation cylinder is more saturated with salt particles than the aerosol flow constantly entering the saturation cylinder.

The dry salt aerosol in the salt chamber is saturated by crushing the raw salt by the aid of the salt chamber's crushing instrument and by mixing the freshly crushed salt crystals with the salt aerosol in the salt chamber into parts with the size of 0,5 - 5 μm; the saturation of salt aerosol is executed in a closed cycle without taking air from outside the salt chamber and the therapy mode is adjusted in real-time in the course of the therapy process in the salt chamber by the operator or the patient with the help of the control desk.

The described method enables to guarantee that the salt therapy (halotherapy) process in a closed cycle, without a compressor and intake of air from outside, corresponds to the therapy requirements in the salt chamber.

A device for saturation of dry salt aerosol with an adjustable concentration is characterised in that during the operation of the device, the raw salt constantly falls freely from the doser and passes through the salt disintegrator that is situated in a bottomless cylinder.

The air flow sucked by the ventilators picks up salt particles of 0,5-5 μm from around the salt disintegrator and takes them to the salt chamber.

The non-disintegrated, the so-called ,,macroparticles" fall into a special removable container of the operating space of the device whereas the container is situated at the bottom of the device. This provides a constant saturation of the salt aerosol in the salt chamber with ,,freshly" disintegrated salt particles that transport the energy gained in the course of disintegration of the crystal structure, and that, in turn, has an essential effect on the treatment process of an allergic disease in the salt chamber.

The use of the doser in the composition of the device allows to reach three goals: 1) constant fall of raw salt directly onto the disintegrator of salt crystals during salt therapy,

2) a possibility to adjust the concentration of the salt aerosol during the constant process,

3) saturation of the aerosol in the salt chamber with ,,freshly" disintegrated salt particles of 0,5-5 μm in order to raise the efficiency of the salt therapy process.

The possibility to adjust the speed of the salt integrator assembly of the device ensures a possibility to adjust the ,,therapeutical activity" of the saturated aerosol in the salt chamber.

The kinetic energy incidental to the salt particles is gained owing to the disintegration process of the crystal structure.

The treatment process in the salt chamber is ensured owing to the possibility of real-time adjustment of the main parameters of the aerosol in the salt chamber by means of the control desk:

- the concentration of the aerosol in the salt chamber,

- the intensity of saturation of the aerosol particles with kinetic energy.

The homogeneity of the salt aerosol in the salt chamber, the therapeutical efficacy of the salt particles and the concentration of the salt aerosol of 0,5 - 80,00 mg/m ³ are in conformity with the therapeutical requirements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below there is a detailed description of a preferred embodiments of the present invention, where:

Figure 1 shows a general view of one example embodiment of the dry salt aerosol saturation device,

Figure 2 shows a front view of this dry salt aerosol saturation device, Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the front view of the personal theraphy assembly with the dry salt aerosol saturation device,

Figure 4 shows a front cross-sectional view of the dry salt aerosol saturation device, Figure 5 shows an axionometric external view of the dry salt aerosol saturation device and Figure 6 shows a top view of an open therapy assembly with mother and child.

EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The dry salt aerosol saturation device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings comprises a raw salt container 2, doser 3, doser engine 4, digital control desk 5, parameters display 6, engine 7 of the raw salt disintegrator, ventilators 8, sockets 9 for power cables, residual salt container 12, bottomless cylinder 13, air channel 14, outlet channel 15 for the saturated salt aerosol, and has been placed into a hermetical housing.

The disintegrated salt particles move in direction 10 and the saturated salt aerosol exits the device in direction 11.

In the housing of the dry salt aerosol saturation device 1 placed into the closed salt chamber, into the environment of the salt aerosol to be saturated, there is the raw salt container 2 where dry raw salt NaCl with particles of 0,5-2 mm is scattered prior to the beginning to the salt therapy. Between the salt container 2 and the raw salt disintegrator there is a constant- effect doser 3 attached thereto, that directs the raw salt into the salt disintegrator and is based on the rotation of a spiral with a pitch of 4-8 mm driven by the engine 4.

The rotation speed of the doser engine 4 (2-12 rpm) can be adjusted by means of the digital control desk 5 and is indicated on the parameters display 6. The keys of the control desk 5 enable to adjust all the parameters of the device, such as the rotation speeds of the engines, duration of the session, the duration of ventilation of the salt chamber prior to the salt therapy, time (clock), etc.

The raw salt moves from the doser 3 to the bottomless cylinder 13 that houses the salt disintegrator (not shown in Figures), that is driven by the disintegrator engine 7, whereas the rotation speed of the disintegrator is 8 000 up to 30 000 rpm.

The rotation speed of the disintegrator engine 7 and salt disintegrator are likewise adjustable by means of the control desk 5. In the lower part of the bottomless cylinder 13, the disintegrated salt particles are separated:

The particles with a size of 2-5 μm move upwards, see directions 10 and 11; heavier "macroparticles" with a size above 5 μm that were left over after passing through the salt disintegrator, fall into the residual salt container 12 that is situated at the bottom of the housing.

Saturation of salt aerosol with new salt particles takes place inside the device by virtue of the work of ventilators 8 that are situated in air channel 14 and that suck the salt aerosol in the salt chamber through orifices from left as well as from right.

Disintegrated and activated salt crystals commingle with the outflow of aerosol directly under the raw salt disintegrator.

The flow of salt aerosol saturated with activated salt particles (with a size of 2-5 μm) exits the device in direction 11 through the outflow channel 15 of salt the aerosol. The channel 15 shown in Figures 1 and 2 has a triangular cross-section, but it may be also circular, elliptical or rectangular.

The digital control desk 5 enables to determine the concentration of the salt aerosol in the salt chamber, the dispersion of the salt particles and the energy level thereof, the time parameters of salt therapy, etc. The housing of the device has sockets 9 for connecting power cables.

As shown in Figures 3 and 6 the personal halotherapy assembly is a special compact capsule (cocoon) that holds a dry salt aerosol saturation device.

The main components of the personal halotherapy assembly shown in Figure 3 and 6 are a lower part A, liftable cover B made of a unilaterally transparent material, a salt therapy space C thereunder, collection space D of the unsaturated aerosol, sluice E of the saturated salt aerosol, a partition wall 24, base bunk 25 of the halotherapy assembly that has outlet orifices 26 of the saturated salt aerosol, suction orifices 27 of the unsaturated salt aerosol, a raw salt loading hatch 28 with a cover, a joint 29 and fastener 30 of the cover.

By a base bunk 25 having the outlet orifices 26 of the saturated salt aerosol, suction orifices 27 of the unsaturated salt aerosol and a raw salt loading hatch 28, by partition wall 24 and by cover B have been made salt therapy space C, collection room D of the unsaturated aerosol and sluice E of the saturated salt aerosol, which are hermetical.

The dry salt aerosol saturation device 1 that is shown in Figures 3 to 5 is situated between the collection space D and sluice E under the bunk 25.

The dry salt aerosol saturation device 1 has an inlet orifice 16 for the salt aerosol to be saturated, outlet nozzles 17 with noise muffers, a raw salt container 2, control desk 5, accumulation chamber 18, prophylaxis chamber 19, doser housing 3, spiral 20, doser engine 4, cylindrical disintegration chamber 13, ventilators 8, a residual salt container 12, bottomless disintegrator 21, disintegrator engine 7 and aerodynamical profiles 22 for air guidance. There is an emission of a saturated dry salt aerosol 23 from the device 1.

The lower part A of the salt capsule assembly that holds the dry salt aerosol saturation device 1 can be mounted on wheels that make it easy to transport.

The cover B covers the whole lower part A in such a way that the person on the bunk 25 remains wholly under the cover B during the salt procedure.

The cover B is liftable and made of a unilaterally transparent material, and can be sealed hermetically by the joint 29 and fastener 30 to the lower part A.

The bunk 25 is hermetically sealed to the lower part A and the partition wall 24 is hermetically sealed to the bunk 25.

The sluice E of the saturated salt aerosol is situated between the partition wall 24 and the part of base bunk 25 provided with the outlet orifices 26 of the saturated salt aerosol.

Collection room D of the unsaturated salt aerosol is between the partition wall 24 and the part of base bunk 25 provided with the suction orifices 27 of the unsaturated salt aerosol.

The housing of the dry salt aerosol saturation device 1 that is shown in Figures 3 to 5 and that is situated between the collection space D and sluice E under the bunk 25 is hermetical and under atmospheric pressure. On the sides of the device, there are inlet orifices 16 of the salt aerosol to be saturated, through which the salt aerosol from the collection space D is sucked into the device 1. The emission of the saturated dry salt aerosol from the outlet nozzles 17 enters the sluice E and moves next through the orifices 26 to the salt therapy space C.

The salt therapy space C under the cover B is dimensioned so as to allow performance of an individual salt procedure at room temperature for one adult along with a child.

As shown in Figure 6, the patient (alone or along with a child) is lying on the bunk 25 of the therapy space C in the halotherapy assembly where he/she is provided with individual dry salt therapy (halotherapy) against asthma or psoriasis at room temperature and with individually determined parameters and at a freely selected time. During the salt procedure, the capsule is hermetically isolated from the surrounding environment and the saturation of the salt aerosol is performed autonomously.

In the case of the preferred embodiment, the head part of the bunk 25 is situated 10-20 degrees higher than the feet.

The housing of the hermetical and air-pressurized dry salt aerosol saturation device 1 shown in Figures 3 to 5 has the following orifices:

- two inlet orifices 16 of the aerosol to be saturated near the bottom,

- one to four outlet orifices for the saturated aerosol with noise muffling outlet nozzles 17, and

- the raw salt container 2. The dry salt aerosol saturation device 1 has two auxiliary sections with movable hatches: accumulation chamber 18 and prophylaxis chamber 19 for removal of the residual salt.

The control desk 5 of the device 1 has been duplicated to the base A of the halotherapy assembly as well as to the personal console of the patient in the salt therapy space C.

As shown in Figure 4, under the raw salt container 2 of the device 1 there is a doser that consists of the doser housing 3, spiral 20 and engine 4. There is a bottomless cylindrical disintegration chamber 13 attached to the bottom of the doser. In the disintegration chamber, there is also a bottomless disintegrator 21 attached thereto, the engine 7 of which operates at a speed of 10000-30000 rpm. Under the disintegrator, there is a residual salt container 12 at the bottom of the device. In the ceiling of the housing of the device 1, as shown in Figures 3 to 5 there are 1 up to 4 outlet orifices with noise muffling nozzles 17 attached thereto for emitting currents 23 of a saturated dry salt aerosol with required parameters.

The ventilators 8 are situated behind the orifices 16 and they are surrounded by aerodynamical air-guidance profiles 22 attached thereto. The ventilators 8 and aerodynamical profiles 22 are used for:

- constant suction of the unsaturated salt aerosol through the inlet orifices 16 of the unsaturated salt aerosol,

- creation of a vertical upward current of a salt aerosol,

- saturation of the salt aerosol with the salt particles exiting the bottomless disintegrator 21,

- upward movement of the air-pressurized saturated salt aerosol to the ceiling of the device 1 where there are special noise muffling outlet nozzles 17.

In the device 1, there are conditions for a constant vertically downward movement of raw salt consisting of salt particles with a size of 0,5 - 2,0 mm from the raw salt container 2 to the doser 3. After the doser 3, the constant free fall of the raw salt continues through the bottomless disintegration chamber 13 and the bottomless disintegrator 21.

The comminuted salt that exits the disintegrator consists, up to 90%, of salt particles with a size of 0,5-5 μm.

During the saturation of the salt aerosol to be saturated the salt particles are constantly separated. The non-disintegrated, the so-called "macroparticles" fall into the residual salt container 12 that is situated at the bottom of the device and is removable.

The currents 23 of the saturated dry salt aerosol that exit the nozzles 17 enter the sluice E of the saturated salt aerosol, thereafter moving through the outlet orifices 26 of the saturated salt aerosol to the salt therapy space C.

The bunk 25 of the personal halotherapy assembly has outlet orifices 26 of the saturated salt aerosol, suction orifices 27 of the unsaturated salt aerosol and a raw salt loading hatch 28 with a cover. In the therapy space C (FIG 3 and FIG 6) of the halotheraphy assembly there is a slow circulation of the salt aerosol from the sluice E through the saturated salt aerosol outlet orifices 26, and suction of the unsaturated salt aerosol through the orifices 27 to the collection space D.

Depending on the operation speeds of the engine preset by the control desk 5, the main parameters of salt therapy can be determined by the following parameters: - the concentration of the saturated salt aerosol: 0.5-80 mg/m ³ ,

- the size of the salt particles of the saturated salt aerosol: 0,5-5 μm,

- the emission speed of the salt aerosol through the nozzles: 0.5 — 10 1/min,

- the disintegrator operates in the range of 10000-30000 rpm that allows for different therapeutical effects of the salt aerosol, - the duration of a session is 10 - 45 min.

The protected scope of the invention is not restricted by the example embodiment given above, but it covers also the embodiments that differ from the invention described above by characteristics irrelevant in terms of the essence of the invention.

Modifications of its shape as well as details are possible without a divergence from the idea and field of the invention.