Abstract: An electronic stimulation system for treating a patient suffering from a tinnitus disorder in which the patient hears ringing or other sounds originating in the ear. The system includes an electrodynamically-actuated diaphragm and probe assembly acting as an applicator to which is applied a complex signal in the sonic range to cause the probe to vibrate in accordance with the signal and the diaphragm to audibly reproduce the signal. The probe is placed at a site on the patient in proximity to the cochlea of the inner ear whereby the probe vibrations are transmitted to the cochlea to stimulate this organ and thereby alleviate the tinnitus disorder. Because the patient who hears the internally-generated tinnitus sounds, also hears the reproduced complex signal he is able to adjust the generator of the complex signal so that its frequency components act to mask the frequencies of the tinnitus sounds.

Abstract: A non-invasive therapeutic technique for treating neuro-cerebral disorders such as multiple sclerosis that are characterized by internal lesions in brain tissue. In this technique, directed toward an external site on the body of the subject to be treated adjacent the internal lesions is a pulsatory corona discharge beam which impinges on the site and bombards the lesions with ions to alleviate the disorder. The beam is produced by an energy-generating unit in which a radio-frequency carrier is modulated by an audio frequency signal that is chopped into pulses. In the course of an operating period having a brief duration, such as one minute, the pulses have a progressively stepped up repetition rate, resulting in corresponding bursts of radio-frequency energy. The bursts of energy yielded by the unit are applied to the discharge electrode of an applicator from which the corona discharge beam is projected toward the site.

Abstract: A computer-controlled, servo-mechanism associated with a system for treating a subject having a neuro-cerebral disorder characterized by internal lesions, the system including an applicator that projects a corona discharge beam toward an external site on the subject adjacent the lesions. The servo-mechanism is adapted to position the applicator to cause the beam projected therefrom to trace a pattern of movement on the site in accordance with a program entered into the computer controlling the mechanism, whereby all areas on the lesions are subjected by the beam to ion bombardment that acts to alleviate the disorder. To maintain the site steady during treatment, the subject is seated in and confined to a jig chair behind whose back rest is installed the servo-mechanism.

Abstract: A non-invasive therapeutic technique for treating neuro-cerebral disorders that are characterized by internal lesions, such as multiple sclerosis. In this technique, directed toward an external site on the body of the subject to be treated adjacent the internal lesions is a pulsatory corona discharge beam which scans the site and bombards the lesions with ions for a period sufficient to alleviate the disorder. The beam is produced by an energy-generating unit in which a radio-frequency carrier is modulated by an audio frequency signal that is cyclically chopped into pulses which in the course of each cycle having a one minute duration, the pulses have a progressively stepped up repetition rate, resulting in corresponding bursts of radio-frequency energy. The bursts of energy yielded by the unit are applied to the discharge electrode of an applicator from which the corona discharge beam is projected.

Abstract: An electronic stimulation system for treating a patient suffering from a tinnitus disorder in which the patient hears ringing or other sounds originating in the ear. The system includes an electronically actuated probe to which is applied a complex signal in the auditory range to cause the probe to vibrate in accordance with the signal. The probe is placed at a site on the patient in proximity to the cochlea of the inner ear whereby the probe vibrations are transmitted to the cochlea to stimulate this organ and thereby alleviate the tinnitus disorder. In this system, use is made of two adjustable audio-frequency oscillators, one operating in a low frequency range whose upper limit is about 400 Hz, the other operating in a high-frequency whose upper limit is about 1000 Hz. The outputs of these oscillators are combined and amplified to produce the complex signal applied to the probe.

Abstract: A corona discharge beam therapy system adapted to project the beam onto the skin surface of a living body overlying a problem region, the beam serving to relieve pain and to obtain other beneficial effects. The system includes an energy-generating unit in which a radio-frequency carrier is overmodulated by a sonic signal to produce periodic bursts of radio-frequency energy whose repetition rate corresponds to the frequency of the signal. The output of the unit is fed to a tank circuit tuned to the carrier frequency and housed within the barrel of a portable applicator gun. Supported within the barrel and coupled to the tank circuit is a discharge electrode whose tip is adjacent the mouth of the barrel whereby a corona discharge beam is projected from the tip. The tank circuit which includes a tank coil and an output coil coupled to the tank coil is formed by a series of Pie sections in spaced relation mounted on an insulating tube having ventilating slots in the spaces between the sections.

Abstract: A corona discharge beam thermotherapy system adapted to project the beam onto the skin surface of a living body overlying a problem region, the beam serving to relieve pain and to obtain other beneficial effects. The system includes an energy-generating unit in which a radio-frequency carrier is overmodulated by an audio frequency signal to produce periodic bursts of radio-frequency energy whose repetition rate corresponds to the frequency of the signal. The output of the unit is fed by a flexible coaxial cable to a tank circuit tuned to the carrier frequency and housed within the barrel of a portable applicator gun on whose grip is mounted a trigger switch operatively connected to the unit. Supported within the barrel and coupled to the tank circuit is a discharge electrode whose tip is adjacent the mouth of the barrel.

Abstract: A corona discharge beam thermotherapy system for veterinary applications adapted to project the beam onto the skin surface of an animal overlying a problem region, the beam serving to relieve pain and to obtain other beneficial effects. The system includes an energy-generating unit having a power in excess of 25 watts in which a radio-frequency carrier is overmodulated by an audio frequency signal to produce periodic bursts of radio-frequency energy whose repetition rate corresponds to the frequency of the signal. The output of the unit is fed by a flexible coaxial cable to a tank circuit tuned to the carrier frequency and housed within the barrel of a portable applicator gun. Supported within the barrel and coupled to the tank circuit is a discharge electrode whose tip is adjacent the mouth of the barrel. The electrode is formed by a helical wire, one end of which is coupled to the tank circuit, the other end defining the tip.

Abstract: A technique for treating a thick film resistor subsequent to manufacture to correct its value and at the same time enhance its electrical characteristics, such as its resistance stability. Use is made for this purpose of a generating unit in which a radio-frequency carrier is overmodulated by a sonic signal to produce periodic bursts of radio-frequency energy at a repetition rate determined by the frequency of the signal. Coupled to the unit is an UP probe whose tip when brought into contact with the surface of the resistor and scanned thereacross acts to bring about an increase in its ohmic value. Also coupled to the unit is a DOWN probe from whose tip is projected a corona discharge beam which when directed toward the resistor and scanned thereacross to irradiate the resistor acts to decrease its ohmic value.

Abstract: A system for trimming the ohmic value of a resistor included in a microelectronic chip to raise or lower its resistance without changing its physical dimensions. The system is provided with a self-contained unit which generates a low radio-frequency carrier overmodulated by a sonic frequency signal to yield at its output terminal pulsed radio-frequency energy. Coupled by an extension cable to the output terminal of the unit is a portable probe assembly whose position may be manipulated to bring the assembly into operative relation with the resistor to be trimmed. The assembly includes a tank circuit connected by the cable to the output terminal of the unit and tuned to the carrier frequency so that the pulsed energy is stored therein and not radiated. A "Down" probe is inductively coupled in step-up relation to the tank circuit to cause a corona discharge beam to be projected from the tip of this probe, which beam when directed toward a point on the resistor acts to reduce its ohmic value.

Abstract: A non-invasive thermotherapy technique for relieving pain and obtaining other beneficial effects. In this technique, the skin surface of a patient overlying a problem region such as an arthritic joint is scanned by a corona discharge beam emanating from a discharge electrode to which is applied periodic bursts of radio-frequency energy whose repetition rate is at a sonic frequency and whose peak amplitude is such as to cause a corona discharge. This energy is derived from a radio-frequency carrier generator whose operating frequency is preferably in the range of 100 to 300 KHz. This carrier is overmodulated in amplitude at a sonic rate, whose frequency is preferably in the 3000 to 5000 Hz range, so that the carrier is interrupted periodically to produce the bursts.