Abstract: A hand held tool 10 has a handle 14, a contact member 16, and an electric motor 12. The contact member has a contact surface portion 17 lying in a first plane. The motor 12 has a stator 23 and an armature 19. The armature 19 is able to move with non-rotary translational motion relative to the stator 23 in a second plane which is parallel to the first plane. One of the stator 23 and the armature 19 is attached to the handle 14, while the other is attached to the contact member 16. Relative motion of the stator 23 and armature 19 imparts relative motion between the handle 14 and the contact member 16. A resilient coupling 18 is coupled between the handle 14 and the contact member 16 and applies a bias against the relative motion between the handle 14 and contact member 16.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a vibratory transducer has an armature suspended in a magnetic field. The armature has a plurality of electrical conductive paths to provide electrical current flow in said armature to react with said magnetic field and cause movement in the armature controlled by variation in the electrical current flow. A contact surface is secured to the armature, with a surface area for frictionally coupling to a corresponding surface area of a patient for example. Movement of the vibratory transducer induces movement in the patient, and the transducer can produce movement in the contact surface in at least two dimensions simultaneously. In one embodiment the contact surface is flat, while in alternative embodiments the contact surface is incorporated in a toroidal structure so as to surround part of the patient. Medical application can include treatment of bone fractures, oedema, and in elastography, amongst other applications.

Abstract: A hand held tool (10) comprises a handle (14), a contact member (16), and an electric motor (12). The contact member has a contact surface portion 17 that lies in the first plane. The motor (12) has a stator (23) and an armature (19) where the armature (19) is able to move with non-rotary translational motion in a second plane relative to the stator (23), the second plane being parallel to the first plane. One of the stator (23) and the armature (19) is attached to the handle (14), while the other is attached to the contact member (16). Therefore, relative motion of the stator (23) and armature (19) is translated to relative motion between the handle (14) and the contact member (16). A resilient coupling (18) is coupled between the handle 14 and the contact member (16) and applies a bias against the relative motion between the handle (14) and contact member (16).

Abstract: The present disclosure provides in a method of treating muscle soreness or soft tissue oedema. The method comprises frictionally engaging a contact member of an apparatus with skin portions of a patient. The contact member of the apparatus is arranged to perform a substantially planar orbital motion along the skin portions. The method further comprises applying the substantially planar orbital motion along the skin portions of the patient so that soft tissue adjacent the skin portion is locally moved in a corresponding manner. The movement typically is a non-circular orbital movement having a base frequency and harmonics. The movement of the soft tissue results in a distortion of portions of lymph nodes located within the soft tissue whereby throughput of lymphatic fluid through lymph nodes is enhanced.

Abstract: An oscillatory machine (200) comprises a support (220) having a load carrying surface (222) and an opposite surface (224), an electric motor (21) having an air gap (218) through which lines of magnetic flux extend, an armature (214) coupled to the support, said armature provided with at least two electrically conductive paths [CA,CB,CC] each having at least one current carrying segment disposed in the air gap and substantially perpendicularly intersected by the lines of magnetic flux (FIG. 1) to produce thrust forces [TA, TB, TC] which act to move the armature and thus said support in two dimensions in a plane, a bearing support system (272) suspending said armature in the air gap, said bearing support system disposed between the said support and said armature.

Abstract: A grinding head (10) includes a grinding bowl (12) provided with a boss (14) fixed to a bottom wall (16) of the bowl (12) and projecting into the bowl (12). The head (10) also includes a grinder ring (18) that is locatable over the boss (14) and freely moveable within the bowl (12). A lid (30) closes the bowl to prevent the escape of a mineral sample during grinding.

Abstract: A core for a multi-phase transformer includes a body made of two or more rings having a common central axis. Each ring consists of a strip of magnetic permeable material wound about the central axis. The body is provided with a plurality of radially disposed windows, each window being bound by opposed axially extending legs and opposed circumferentially extending branches. The branches of each window are provided in respective axially adjacent rings, so that the branches and legs of each window define a closed magnetic circuit of substantially uniform magnetic permeability through which magnetic flux can circulate about the windows.

Abstract: An oscillatory machine comprises a support having a load carrying surface and an opposite surface. Also included is an electric motor having an airgap through which lines of magnetic flux extend, and an armature coupled to the support. The armature is provided with at least two electrically conductive paths, each having at least one current carrying segment disposed in the airgap and substantially perpendicularly intersected by the lines of magnetic flux to produce thrust forces which act to move the armature and the support in two dimensions in a plane. Finally, a bearing support system suspends the armature in the air gap and is disposed between the support and the armature.

Abstract: An electric motor includes a Cockcroft ring for producing a magnetic field having lines of flux extending in a first direction through an air gap. A disc capable of at least two-dimensional motion in a plane relative to the Cockcroft ring provides a plurality of conductive paths, each path having a segment that extends through the magnetic field in a second direction so that interaction with an electric current passing through a particular segment produces a thrust force acting on the disc via that segment. A multiphase toroid shaped transformer induces electric currents to flow in the conductive paths and thus through the corresponding segments. The direction and magnitude of the respective thrust forces and thus the motion of the disc relative to the Cockcroft ring can be controlled by varying the magnitude and/or phase relationship of the electric currents flowing through the segments.

Abstract: A core for a multi-phase transformer includes a body made of two or more rings having a common central axis. Each ring consists of a strip of magnetic permeable material wound about the central axis. The body is provided with a plurality of radially disposed windows, each window being bound by opposed axially extending legs and opposed circumferentially extending branches. The branches of each window are provided in respective axially adjacent rings, so that the branches and legs of each window define a closed magnetic circuit of substantially uniform magnetic permeability through which magnetic flux can circulate about the windows.

Abstract: An electric motor 10.sub.vi includes a Cockcroft ring 12 for producing a magnetic field having lines of flux extending in the first direction through an air gap 18. A disc 14 capable of at least two dimensional motion in a plane relative to the Cockcroft ring 12 provides a plurality of conductive paths C.sub.A -C.sub.E. Each path C.sub.A -C.sub.E has a segment 16.sub.A -16.sub.E respectively that extends through the magnetic field in a second direction so that interaction with an electric current passing through a particular segment 16.sub.A -16.sub.E, produces a thrust force acting on the disc 14 via that segment 16.sub.A -16.sub.E. A multi phase toroid shaped transformer 40 induces electric currents to flow in the paths C.sub.A -C.sub.E and thus through the corresponding segments 16.sub.A -16.sub.E. One of the segments, for example 16.sub.A is located relative to a second segment for example 16.sub.E, so that their respective thrust forces do not lie in the same axis.