Shock wave device
A device for shock wave production to treat a patient's body comprises a base with a condenser as power supply, an applicator having a pad, at least one piezo-element configured to generate a shock wave in response to a pulse of electric current having a pulse width, an acoustic lens configured to focus the shock wave, and a coil configured to increase the pulse width of the pulse of electric current.
1. A device for shock wave production to treat a patient's body, comprising:
a condenser and a switch configured to discharge a pulse of electric current with a voltage in a range from 2 kV to 50 kV;
an applicator comprising:
an applicator cell providing a cavity;
at least one coil;
a conductive plate;
a single piezo-element coupled to the conductive plate and attached to the applicator cell at a bottom of the cavity;
a dielectric material positioned in the cavity, fixing the single piezo-element in the cavity; and
an acoustic lens attached to the applicator cell below the single piezo-element;
wherein the single piezo element is configured to generate at least one shock wave pulse having a duration in a range from 200 ns to 30 μs in response to the pulse of electric current;
wherein the applicator is configured to provide pressure to the patient's body in a range from 5 MPa to 250 MPa;
wherein the dielectric material has a dielectric constant in a range from 1.0005 to 2000 and dielectric strength in a range from 1 kV·mm −1 to 90 kV·mm −1 ;
wherein the single piezo-element has a volume in a range from 1.5 cm 3 to 600 cm 3 ; and
wherein the at least one coil and the conductive plate are separated by a spacing distance.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one coil has an inductance in a range from 1 μH to 6 mH.
3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one coil has an adjustable inductance.
4. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one coil comprises a plurality of coils; and
wherein the applicator is configured such that individual coils from the plurality of coils may be connected or disconnected in the circuit.
5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pulse of electric current is in a range from 10 A to 1 kA.
6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the pulse of electric current has a full width at half maximum in a range from 0.05 μs to 30 μs.
7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material has a flexural strength in a range from 10 MN·m −2 to 500 MN·m −2 .
8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material has a tensile strength in a range of 10 MN·m −2 to 300 MN·m −2 .
9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material has an acoustic impedance in a range of 0.9·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 to 6·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 .
10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the spacing distance is in the range from 0.5 mm to 5 cm.
11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the rise time of the at least one shock wave pulse is in a range from 50 ns to 2000 ns.
12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the single piezo-element has a diameter of 1 cm to 20 cm.
13. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the single piezo-element is configured to generate the shock wave with a focus volume having a maximum horizontal focus volume cross-sectional dimension in a range from 0.1 mm to 100 mm.
14. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one shock wave pulse has a focus volume having a maximum vertical focus volume cross-sectional dimension in a range of 0.1 mm to 100 mm.
15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material has a flexural strength in a range from 10 MN·m −2 to 500 MN·m −2 ;
wherein the dielectric material has a tensile strength in a range of 10 MN·m −2 to 300 MN·m −2 ; and
wherein the dielectric material has an acoustic impedance in a range of 0.9·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 to 6·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 .
16. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic lens has an acoustic impedance in a range from 10·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 to 46·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 .
17. The device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the applicator cell, the cavity, the conductive plate, the single piezo-element or the acoustic lens is exchangeable.
18. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic lens has a radius of curvature in a range of 30 mm to 350 mm.
19. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the acoustic lens comprises at least one V-shaped protrusion having an angle α in a range of 90° to 20°.
20. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the acoustic lens comprises at least one protrusion, and wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to extend a horizontal focus volume area of the shock wave.
21. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the cavity is filled with the dielectric material surrounding the piezo-element and the conductive plate, configured to increase durability of the piezo-element.
22. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the single piezo-element has a volume in a range from 3.5 cm 3 to 35 cm 3 .
23. A device for shock wave production to treat a patient's body, comprising:
a condenser and a switch configured to discharge a high voltage pulse of electric current;
an applicator comprising:
an applicator cell comprising a cavity;
a coil positioned inside the cavity and configured to be coupled to the condenser and the switch on an input of the coil;
a conductive plate positioned inside the cavity and connected to an output of the coil;
a large piezo-element having a diameter in a range of 1 cm to 20 cm positioned inside the cavity and coupled to the conductive plate and attached to the applicator cell at the bottom of the cavity;
wherein the cavity is filled with a dielectric material having a dielectric constant in a range from 1.0005 to 2000 and dielectric strength in a range of 1 kV·mm −1 to 90 kV·mm −1 configured to fix and increase durability of the large piezo-element inside the cavity;
wherein the applicator cell is configured to provide a shock wave in response to the high voltage pulse of the electric current passing through the coil to the conductive plate and the large piezo-element, with a duration of created shock wave pulse in a range of 200 ns to 30 μs; and
an acoustic lens having an acoustic impedance in a range from 10·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 to 46·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 and configured to be attached to the applicator cell below the single piezo-element and configured to focus the shock wave pulse to the patient's body such that a pressure delivered to the patient's body is in a range from 5 MPa to 250 MPa.
24. The device of claim 23 , wherein the large piezo-element has a volume in a range from 1.5 cm 3 to 600 cm 3 .
25. The device of claim 23 , wherein the high voltage pulse is in a range of 10 A to 1 kA with a voltage in a range from 2 kV to 50 kV.
26. The device of claim 25 , wherein the high voltage pulse of electric current has a full width at half maximum in a range from 0.05 μs to 30 μs.
27. The device according to claim 23 , wherein the large piezo-element is configured to generate the shock wave with a focus volume; and
wherein the energy of the shock wave in at least part of the focus volume is in a range from 0.01 mJ·mm −2 to 20 mJ·mm −2 .
28. A device for shock wave production to treat a patient's body, comprising:
a base comprising a condenser and a switch configured to discharge a pulse of electric current;
an applicator configured to be coupled to the base, the applicator comprising:
an applicator cell with a cavity, the inside of the cavity comprising:
a single piezo-element having a volume in a range of 1.5 cm 3 to 600 cm 3 and attached to the applicator cell at the bottom of the cavity;
a conductive plate attached to the single piezo-element; and
a coil configured to be electrically connected in a series with the conductive plate and the switch,
wherein the single piezo-element is configured to provide a shock wave in response to the pulse of the electric current passing through the coil to the conductive plate based on a piezoelectric effect;
wherein the cavity is filled with a dielectric material having a flexural strength in a range from 10 MN·m −2 to 500 MN·m −2 and a tensile strength in a range of 10 MN·m −2 to 300 MN·m −2 , configured to fix and to protect the single piezo-element inside the cavity; and
an acoustic lens having a radius of curvature in a range of 30 mm to 350 mm attached to the applicator cell below the single piezo-element and configured to focus the shock wave pulse to the patient's body;
wherein the shock wave has a full width at half maximum in a range of 0.1 μs to 30 μs and is configured to deliver a pressure to the patient's body in a range from 5 MPa to 250 MPa.
29. The device of claim 28 , wherein a repetition frequency of delivery of the shock wave is in a range of 1 Hz to 40 Hz.
30. The device of claim 28 , wherein the single piezo-element is configured to generate the shock wave with a focus volume, and wherein a width of the focus volume at a horizontal maximum focal volume cross section is in a range from 0.1 mm to 100 mm.
31. The device of claim 28 , wherein the dielectric material has an acoustic impedance in a range of 0.9·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 to 6·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 ; and
wherein the acoustic lens has an acoustic impedance in a range from 10·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 to 46·10 6 kg·m −2 ·s −1 .
32. The device of claim 28 , configured to produce first and second shock waves generated by one excitation electric pulse; and
wherein a maximal pressure value of the second shock wave is greater than a maximal pressure value of the first shock wave.