Hand-held light therapy apparatus and method

• US 20040249423A1
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Savage, Kent W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,252,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/084 Supporting bases, stands for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0627 Dose monitoring systems and methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0655 Tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0618 Psychological treatment

Abstract

A light therapy apparatus is provided for delivering ocular light to a subject to treat disorders that are responsive to ocular light therapy, including a power supply and a hand-held light output device. The light output device includes a plurality of light sources powered by the power supply. A method of light therapy is provided, wherein ocular light is administered to a subject to treat disorders that are responsive to ocular light therapy. The method includes delivering the light to the eyes of a subject by a hand-held light source operated by a power supply.

Claims

1. A light therapy apparatus for delivering ocular light to a subject to treat disorders that are responsive to ocular light therapy, comprising:

(a) a power supply; and

(b) a hand-held light output device, wherein the light output device includes a plurality of light sources powered by the power supply.

2. The light therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hand-held light output device comprises a plurality of cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) tubes powered by the power supply.

3. The light therapy apparatus of claim 2, wherein the power supply is a portable battery unit.

4. The light therapy apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of CCFL tubes are parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other to direct therapeutic light to the subject.

5. The light therapy apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of reflectors, each reflector being positioned behind a CCFL tube to enhance the direction of light to the subject.

6. The light therapy apparatus of claim 5, wherein each reflector is a parabolic reflector, one of the CCFL tubes being disposed at the focal point of each parabolic reflector.

7. The light therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hand-held light output device comprises a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) devices powered by the power supply.

8. The light therapy apparatus of claim 7, wherein the power supply is a portable battery unit.

9. The light therapy apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of LED devices are arranged in a matrix to direct therapeutic light to the subject.

10. The light therapy apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a lens between the LED devices and the subject to diffuse the therapeutic light.

11. The light therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power supply is a portable battery unit that is external to the hand-held light output device.

12. The light therapy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power supply is a portable battery unit that is integral with the hand-held light output device.

13. The light therapy apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an inverter coupled to the power supply and the hand-held light output device.

14. The light therapy apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a processor for controlling the inverter and communicating with the inverter.

15. The light therapy device of claim 14, further comprising a display coupled to the processor for displaying data and messages from the processor.

16. The light therapy device of claim 14, further comprising a data input device coupled to the processor to provide data to the processor.

17. The light therapy device of claim 13, further comprising a dimmer and ramp device coupled to the inverter and light source to modulate the amount of power from the inverter to the light source.

18. The light therapy device of claim 1, further comprising a manual timer device connected to the power supply for manually operating the light therapy device for a selected period of time.

19. The light therapy device of claim 1, wherein the light delivered to the eyes of the subject covers substantially the full visible spectrum of light.

20. The light therapy device of claim 1, wherein the light delivered to the eyes of the subject emphasizes a selected range of wavelengths.

21. A light therapy device for delivering ocular light to treat disorders that are responsive to ocular light therapy, comprising:

(a) a power supply; and

(b) a light source, wherein the light source includes a plurality of cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) tubes.

22. The light therapy device of claim 21, further comprising a parabolic reflector adjacent to the CCFL tubes to reflect the light of the tubes towards and intended user.

23. The light therapy device of claim 22, wherein the parabolic reflector comprises a plurality of parabolic units, each CCFL tube being disposed substantially at the focal point of one of the parabolic units.

24. The light therapy device of claim 21, and further comprising an inverter coupled to the power supply and the CCFL tubes.

25. The light therapy device of claim 24, and further comprising a processor for controlling the inverter and communicating with the inverter.

26. A method of light therapy wherein ocular light is provided to a subject to treat disorders that are responsive to ocular light therapy, comprising delivering the light to the eyes of a subject by a hand-held light source operated by a power supply.

27. The method of light therapy of claim 26, wherein the power supply is a portable battery unit which is either integral or external to the hand-held light source.

28. The method of light therapy of claim 26, wherein the light is delivered to the eyes of the subject by a plurality of CCFL tubes.

29. The method of light therapy of claim 28, further comprising reflecting the light from behind the CCFL tubes to enhance the delivery of light to the subject.

30. The method of light therapy of claim 29, wherein the light is reflected by a parabolic reflector behind each of the CCFL tubes.

31. The method of light therapy of claim 26, wherein the light is delivered to the eyes of the subject by a plurality of LED devices.

32. The method of light therapy of claim 31, wherein the light from the plurality of LED devices is diffused by a lens between the LED devices and the subject.

33. The method of light therapy of claim 28, further comprising introducing the use of a processor to determine the amount of light to deliver to the subject.

34. The method of light therapy of claim 32, further comprising inputting data to the processor indicative of the state of the subject, and calculating the amount and/or timing of light to be delivered to the subject.

35. The method of light therapy of claim 28, wherein the disorders treated comprise any of the following:

jet lag, circadian rhythm problems, seasonal affective disorders, depression, sleep disorders, shift-work disorders, post- and ante-partum depression, pre-menstral syndrome, late luteal phase dysphoric disorder (LLPDD), bulimia and eating disorders, and/or chronic fatigue.

36. The method of light therapy of claim 26, wherein the light delivered to the eyes of the subject covers substantially the full visible spectrum of light.

37. The method of light therapy of claim 26, wherein the light delivered to the eyes of the subject emphasizes a selected range of wavelengths.

38. The method of light therapy of claim 26, further comprising introducing the use of a timer to select an amount of time for the light to be delivered to the subject.

39. A method of light therapy wherein ocular light is provided to a subject to treat circadian rhythm problems, comprising delivering the light to the eyes of a subject by a hand-held light unit connected to a power supply, and using a data processor in the hand held unit to calculate the timing and/or period of time for the light to be delivered to the subject.

40. The method of light therapy of claim 39, wherein the light is delivered to the eyes of the subject by a hand-held light unit that is powered by a portable battery unit which is either integral with or external to the hand-held light unit.

41. The method of light therapy of claim 39, wherein the data processor includes hardware or software embedded in the processor to calculate the timing and/or the period of time for the light to be delivered to the subject.

42. The method of light therapy of claim 39, wherein the data process includes hardware to download software from a source external to the hand-held unit in order to calculate the timing and/or the period of time for the light to be delivered to the subject.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the circadian rhythm problems are caused by time shifts due to travel, comprising inputting data to the processor indicative of the status of the subject and the travel to be taken, and calculating output data indicative of the light therapy to be given to the subject.

44. The method of light therapy of claim 43, wherein the input data includes normal sleep routine data of the subject, the direction of travel and the time zones crossed during travel.

45. The method of light therapy of claim 43, wherein the output data includes the amount of time to deliver the light and the time of day for such delivery.

46. The method of light therapy of claim 43, wherein input data includes the step of selecting the time during which the light therapy is to be administered relative to the time of the travel.

47. The method of light therapy of claim 46, wherein the calculations of the processor are shifted relative to the selected time.

48. The method of light therapy of claim 43, wherein the step of inputting data regarding the status of the subject comprises inputting data that is representative of the time at which the core body temperature is at a minimum.

49. The method of light therapy of claim 48, wherein the step of inputting data regarding travel comprises inputting data to indicate whether the travel of the subject is eastbound or westbound.

50. The method of light therapy of claim 49, wherein the light is delivered to the eyes of the subject after the time that the core body temperature is at a minimum if the direction of travel is east-bound, and wherein the light is delivered to the eyes of the subject before the core body temperature is at a minimum if the direction of travel is west-bound.

51. The method of light therapy of claim 43, wherein the step of inputting data regarding the subject includes whether the subject is sleep delayed or sleep advanced.

52. The method of light therapy of claim 51, wherein the calculated output data differs for a subject that is sleep delayed from a subject that is sleep advanced.