Magnetic stimulators and stimulating coils

Abstract

A stimulating coil for use in the magnetic stimulation of neuro-muscular tissue comprises a self-supporting but flexible conductor in a flexible insulating sheath which can be adjusted by hand to conform the coil to the contours of a selected part of the human body. The coil is provided with a cooling system which includes a conduit disposed adjacent or within the coil and a pump for driving coolant through the conduit.

1 . A magnetic stimulating coil for the magnetic stimulation of neuro-muscular tissue, the stimulating coil comprising a flexible conductor enclosed in a flexible tube, the flexible tube for allowing the passage of coolant, the stimulating coil being in a flexible, insulating sheath having a generally flat shape which can be adjusted by hand to conform the coil to the contours of a selected part of the human body, said flexible conductor and flexible tube being wound into a multiple turn coil in which the turns are disposed to lie generally in a common plane and are supported by said flexible sheath in that plane. 
   
   
       2 . A coil as in  claim 1  wherein said sheath includes at least one sensor for sensing the temperature of the coil, and said sensor is coupled to prevent current flow through the coil on the detection of a temperature above a limit. 
   
   
       3 . A coil as in  claim 1  wherein said coolant is a liquid of high thermal conductivity and low electrical conductivity. 
   
   
       4 . A coil as in  claim 1  wherein said coolant comprises water. 
   
   
       5 . A coil as in  claim 1  wherein said sheath is plastically flexible. 
   
   
       6 . A coil as in  claim 1  wherein said sheath is elastically flexible. 
   
   
       7 . A coil as in  claim 1 , wherein separate flexible tube portions are wound into separate multiple turn coils one disposed radially outwardly of the other in which the turns are disposed to lie generally in a common plane, providing one coolant flowpath for cooling the inner turns and a separate coolant flowpath for cooling the radially outer turns. 
   
   
       8 . A coil as in  claim 1 , wherein the flexible sheath includes a lead in/lead out zone positioned on the circumference of the coil and accommodating the lead in/lead out parts of the flexible conductor and flexible tube enabling electrical and coolant connection of the stimulating coil to an external electrical and coolant supply via the lead in/lead out zone. 
   
   
       9 . A magnetic stimulating coil for the magnetic stimulation of neuro-muscular tissue, the stimulating coil comprising a flexible conductor disposed in a flexible, insulating sheath having a generally flat shape which can be adjusted by hand to conform the coil to the contours of a selected part of the human body, said flexible conductor being wound into a multiple turn coil in which the turns are disposed to lie generally in a common plane and are supported by said flexible sheath in that plane, the coil being provided with a flexible coolant flow path internally of the flexible insulating sheath for cooling the coil, the flexible sheath including a lead in/lead out zone positioned on the circumference of the coil and accommodating the lead in/lead out parts of the flexible conductor and also the coolant flow path enabling electrical and coolant connection of the stimulating coil to an external electrical and coolant supply via the lead in/lead out zone.