RF DEVICE WITH THERMO-ELECTRIC COOLER

• US 20070265614A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thermage Incorporated (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thermage Incorporated (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Weber, Bryan, Stern, Roger, Levinson, Mitchell
• Application Number:
  US11/765,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20070265614A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/22 Face shaping devices, e.g. chin straps; Wrinkle removers, e.g. stretching the skin skin stretchers for shaving A45D27/38
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00488 Esophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0066 without feedback, i.e. open loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1495 Electrodes being detachable from a support structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/02 Devices for expanding tissue, e.g. skin tissue implements for holding wounds open, surgical tractors A61B17/02; implantable mammary prosthesis A61F2/12; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0021 : Female breast
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 : with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/001 : without substantial movement between the skin and the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/005 : Pneumatic massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0071 : by localized pressure, e.g. air streams or jets
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3606 : cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0468 : Specially adapted for promoting wound healing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 : Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 : for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/28 : Apparatus for applying thermoelectric currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/30 : Apparatus for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body, or cataphoresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/328 : for improving the appearance of the skin, e.g. facial toning or wrinkle treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 : Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 : for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0645 : Applicators worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/04 : Radiators for near-field treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 : Skin treatment other than tanning

Abstract

An RF device includes a support structure. An RF electrode is coupled to the support structure and includes conductive and dielectric portions. A thermoelectric cooler is coupled to the support structure and is configured to cool a back surface of the RF electrode.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A RF device for non-invasively treating tissue using RF energy, the RF device comprising:

a support structure;

an RF electrode coupled to the support structure, the RF electrode including a dielectric portion and a conductive portion disposed on the dielectric portion, and the dielectric portion adapted to be positioned between the conductive portion and a skin surface, when the RF electrode is positioned at the skin surface, such that RF energy is capacitively coupled from the conductive portion into the tissue by transmission through the dielectric portion; and

a non-volatile memory mechanically coupled to the RF electrode.

35-55. -55. (canceled)

56. An RF device for non-invasively treating tissue using RF energy, the RF device comprising:

a support structure; and

an RF electrode coupled to the support structure and including a conductive portion and a dielectric portion, the RF electrode configured to capacitively couple RF energy with the tissue when at least a portion of the RF electrode is in contact with a skin surface, the conductive portion including a perimeter and a plurality of voids defined as non-conductive areas within the perimeter, and the dielectric portion adapted to be positioned between the conductive portion and the skin surface when the RF electrode is positioned at the skin surface.

57. The RF device of claim 56, further comprising:

a flex circuit coupled to the RF electrode.

58. The RF device of claim 56, further comprising:

a backplate back plate coupled to the support structure; and

a plurality of electrical contact pads coupled to the back plate.

59. The RF device of claim 56, wherein the support structure includes first and second engagement members that are configured to provide engagement and disengagement with a handpiece support structure.

60. The RF device of claim 56, further comprising:

a sensor coupled to the RF electrode.

61. The RF device of claim 60, wherein the RF electrode has a back surface, and the sensor is positioned at the back surface.

62. The RF device of claim 61, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a temperature of the back surface.

63. The RF device of claim 56, further comprising:

a non-volatile memory coupled to the RF electrode.

64-83. -83. (canceled)