저주파 플라이백 스위칭회로를 이용한 고성능 자기자극기

Abstract

Medical magnetic stimulator generates strong magnetic field pulses. Clinical applications of the magnetic pulse are the stimulation of nervous system and the contraction of muscle. The unique source of the strong magnetic pulse is a capacitor-inductor resonator and this inductor generates a strong sinusoidal magnetic pulse by discharging the capacitor with high initial voltage. Continuous muscle contraction needs sequential generation of the magnetic pulses. However, to keep the magnitude of sequential pulses identical, an expensive high-voltage power supply have to support voltage drop of the capacitor between the pulses. A protection circuit between the supply and the resonator is necessary to protect the supply from reverse current caused by capacitor voltage reversal. In this paper, a new circuit structure of the magnetic stimulator adopting a low-frequency fly-back switching is proposed. The new circuit supports sequential pulse generation and allows the reverse current without damage. Performance of the new circuit is examined and a low-cost magnetic stimulator for urinary incontinence therapy is being developed using the presented method.