Phototherapy system and device

• US 20040068305A1
• Filed: 10/07/2002
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Natus Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Natus Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Flaherty, Bryan, Bansal, Vineet, Chung, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 7,131,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0642 Irradiating part of the body at a certain distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0663 Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0621 Hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice treatment

Abstract

A phototherapy system and device is disclosed, including an array of light sources arranged so as to achieve substantially uniform distribution of light on a subject. The light sources can be arranged in a number of configurations, including but not limited to distributions in which the density of lights sources is greater in the periphery than in the center. The present invention also includes a light diffusing panel to increase exposure uniformity, and a targeting mechanism to ensure that the device is properly aligned over the subject.

Claims

1. ) A phototherapy system, comprising

a plurality of light sources for exposing a subject to light;

a rigid enclosure holding said light sources; and

means for diffusing light from said light sources, said means placed

between said light sources and said subject.

2. ) The system according to claim 1 wherein said means for diffusing light is a light diffusing panel.

3. ). The system according to claim 2 wherein said panel has surface features.

4. ). The system according to claim 2, wherein said panel has diffusing material embedded within it.

5. ). The system according to claim 2, wherein said light diffusing panel contains fibrous materials.

6. ). The system according to claim 2, wherein said said light sources are LEDs.

7. ). The system according to claim 6, wherein said LEDs emit light with a wavelength in the range of 400-520 nm.

8. ). The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for diffusing light is a curved mirror.

9. ) A phototherapy device, comprising a plurality of light sources distributed into an array, wherein the distribution of said light sources within said array is non-uniform.

10. ). The phototherapy device according to claim 9, wherein said array has a peripheral area with a first density of light sources, and a central area with a second density of light sources, and wherein the light sources are distributed so that said first density is higher than said second density.

11. ). The device according to claim 10, wherein said lights sources are LEDs.

12. ). The device according to claim 11, wherein said LEDs emit light with a wavelength in the range of 400-520 nm.

13. ). The device according to claim 9, wherein said light sources are arranged as shown in FIG. 9a.

14. ). The device according to claim 9, wherein said light sources are arranged as shown in FIG. 9b.

15. ). The device according to claim 9, wherein said light sources are arranged as shown in FIG. 9c.

16. ). The device according to claim 9, wherein said light sources are arranged as shown in FIG. 9d.

17. ) The device according to claim 9, wherein said light sources receive an electrical current, and wherein amount of said current varies within said array.

18. ). A phototherapy system comprising an array of light sources that provides substantially uniform distribution of phototherapeutic light over the exposed skin of a subject.

19. ) A phototherapy device, comprising

a first array of light sources;

and

a targeting mechanism for positioning said first array of light sources on a subject.

20. ) The phototherapy device according to claim 19, wherein said targeting mechanism comprises a subset of the light sources within said first array.

21. ). The phototherapy system according to claim 19, wherein said targeting mechanism comprises a second array of light sources.

22. ). The phototherapy system according to claim 21, wherein said first array emits lights of a first color, wherein said second array emits light of a second color, and wherein said first color is not the same as second color.

23. ). The phototherapy system according to claim 19, wherein said targeting mechanism comprises light sources arranged to form a cross-hair.

24. ). The phototherapy system according to claim 19, wherein said first array has a plurality of corners, and wherein said targeting mechanism comprises light sources placed at said corners.

25. ). The phototherapy system according to claim 19, wherein said array has a center, and wherein said targeting mechanism comprises light sources placed at said center.

26. ). The phototherapy system according to claim 19, wherein said targeting mechanism comprises an LED.

27. ). The phototherapy system according to claim 19, wherein said target mechanism comprises a laser.

28. ). The phototherapy system according to claim 19, wherein said targeting mechanism comprises:

a subset of the light sources within said first array, and

a switch to activate only said subset of the light sources.

29. ) A phototherapy device, comprising:

a plurality of light sources distributed into an array, wherein the distribution of said light sources within said array is non-uniform; and

means for diffusing light from said light sources, said means placed between said light sources and said subject.

30. ). The device according to claim 29, wherein said light sources are LEDs.

31. ). The device according to claim 30, wherein said LEDs emit light with a wavelength in the range of 400-520 nm.

32. ). A phototherapy device, comprising:

a plurality of light sources distributed into an array, wherein the distribution of said light sources within said array is non-uniform; and

a targeting mechanism for positioning said array of light sources on a subject.

33. ). The device according to claim 32, wherein said light sources are LEDs.

34. ). The device according to claim 33, wherein said LEDs emit light with a wavelength in the range of 400-520 nm.

35. ) A phototherapy device, comprising:

a plurality of light sources distributed into an array, wherein the distribution of said light sources within said array is non-uniform;

means for diffusing light from said light sources placed between said light sources and a subject; and

a targeting mechanism for positioning said array of light sources on said subject.

36. ). The device according to claim 35, wherein said light sources are LEDs.

37. ). The device according to claim 36, wherein said LEDs emit light with a wavelength in the range of 400-520 nm.

39. ) A phototherapy system, comprising:

a plurality of light sources distributed into an array, wherein the distribution of said light sources within said array is non-uniform;

means for light diffusing placed between said light sources and a subject;

a targeting mechanism for positioning said array of light sources on said subject.

40. ) The device according to claim 39, wherein said light sources are LEDs.

41. ). The device according to claim 40, wherein said LEDs emit light with a wavelength in the range of 400-520 nm.

42. ) A phototherapy method, comprising:

providing an array of light sources, said array held in a rigid enclosure;

diffusing light from said light sources; and

and exposing a subject to said light emitted from said light sources, said light having been first diffused.

43. ) The method according to claim 42, wherein said method is used to treat hyperbilirubinemia.

44. ). A phototherapy method, comprising exposing a subject to light emitted from a plurality of light sources organized into an array, wherein the distribution of light sources within said array is non-uniform.

45. ). The method according to claim 44, wherein said method is used to treat hyperbilirubinemia.

46. ) A phototherapy method, comprising:

positioning a subject under an array of light sources using a targeting mechanism; and

exposing said subject to light from said array.

47. ). The method according to claim 46, wherein said method is used to treat hyperbilirubinemia.

48. A phototherapy method, comprising:

providing a plurality of light sources organized into an array, wherein the distribution of light sources within said array is non-uniform;

positioning a subject under said array of light sources using a targeting mechanism;

diffusing light from said light sources; and

exposing said subject to said diffused light from said array.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein said method is used to treat hyperbilirubinemia.

50. ) A target light to aid in positioning a first light source, said target light comprising a second light source.

51. ) The target light according to claim 50, wherein said second light source comprises an array of LEDs.

52. ) The target light according to claim 50, wherein said second light source comprises a laser.

53. ) A target light for positioning an array of light sources, said target light comprising a subset of said light sources within said array.