Device and method for treating skin disorders with thermal energy

• US 20060074468A1
• Filed: 09/23/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph Neev
• Original Assignee: Joseph Neev
• Inventors: Neev, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,313,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0047 Upper parts of the skin, e.g. skin peeling or treatment of wrinkles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1807 using light other than laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/007 characterised by electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning

Abstract

A device and a method for thermal treatments of target material with various thermal interactions are disclosed. A preferred treatment includes Thermal Heat Shuttle that transports a predetermined known quota of energy to the target surface. In particular, the launching of thermal energy quanta from various energy sources in lumps of energy quanta and leading to the treatment and healing of a variety of skin conditions are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device for treating skin by delivering a controlled amount of thermal energy to the skin comprising:

a flash lamp for emitting optical energy;

a reflector for directing the optical energy emitted from the flash lamp;

a circuit to deliver a predetermined amount of energy to the flash lamp;

an absorbing layer being placed between the flash lamp and the skin and capable of absorbing the optical energy discharged by the flash lamp and converting it into thermal energy.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the absorbing layer comprises a pattern of absorbing and transmitting regions.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the absorbing layer is supported on a transparent substrate.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the absorbing layer is made of absorbing metal

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the absorbing layer is made of absorbing insulator.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a power source electrically coupled to a capacitor of the circuit, wherein the capacitor is charged by the power source and discharged by a user-operated external trigger.

7. A device for treating skin by delivering a controlled amount of thermal energy to the skin comprising:

a plurality of flash lamps for emitting optical energy;

a reflector for directing the optical energy emitted from the flash lamps;

a circuit to deliver a predetermined amount of energy to the flash lamps;

at least one partially or fully absorbing layer being placed in front of at least one of the flash lamps forming a thermal energy heating window, the absorbing layer being capable of absorbing the optical energy discharged by the flash lamp and converting it into thermal energy;

wherein the thermal energy heating window and the optical energy emitting window can be sequentially brought into contact with the skin to be treated.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising an electrical heating film forming an electrical heating window.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising an optical energy emitting window for emitting optical energy directly on the skin, wherein the thermal energy heating window, the optical energy emitting window, and the electrical heating window are respectively brought into contact with the skin.

10. The device of claim 7, comprising a plurality of thermal energy heating windows, each of the thermal energy heating window includes one flash lamp coupled with one absorbing layer.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the movement of the thermal energy heating window and the optical energy emitting window is achieved through by a conveyer belt or a rotating plate.

12. The device of claim 8 further comprising a layer placed between the electrical heating film and the surface of the skin, which allows thermal energy to be conducted into the skin but not electrical current.

13. A method for treating skin conditions comprising:

providing a circuit for releasing a pre-determined amount of energy to a flash lamp;

providing an absorbing substance capable of absorbing at least some of the optical energy emitted from the flash lamp and converting it to thermal energy;

directing the optical energy emitted from the flash lamp to the absorbing substance to heat up the absorbing substance;

bringing the absorbing substance close to the skin to be treated to heat a predetermined upper layer of the skin to a temperature in the range from about 50°

C. to about 400°

C.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the layer below the epidermal dermal junction remains below 50°

C.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the layer below the mid-reticular dermis remain below about 50°

C.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the layer below the dermal epidermal junction remains below about 50°

C. and at least some changes in the opening at the skin surface occurs.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

disengaging the absorbing substance from the skin; and

emitting optical energy directly onto the skin.

18. A device for treating the skin by delivering a controlled amount of energy to tissue comprising:

an energy source designed to direct its energy towards a target skin surface, a circuit to allow release of a predetermined amount of energy form said energy source, means to activate and trigger the circuit so that said energy results in enlarging the opening on the skin surface.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein said energy from the energy source is electromagnetic energy which is converted to thermal energy prior to interaction with the target skin surface.

20. The device of claim 18 wherein said energy source comprises electric energy source which is converted to heat energy prior to interacting with the target skin surface and when interacting with the target skin surface resulting in enlarging opening at the skin surface

21. The device of claim 20 wherein said heat energy is moved from the energy source to the target skin surface by means of a mechanical energy shuttle.