Phototherapy Systems And Methods

• US 20070276455A1
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ledeep LLC
• Original Assignee: Ledeep LLC
• Inventors: Fiset, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/91
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/066 Bleaching devices; Whitening agent applicators for teeth, e.g. trays or strips
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0629 Sequential activation of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0653 Organic light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0661 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0614 Tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0617 Hair treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery

Abstract

The invention relates to a skin tanning chamber, the improvement comprising at least one light emitting diode emitting a UVA light, such as a UVA LED that emits essentially only UVA. Additionally, multiple LEDs of varying types with various characteristic wavelengths are controlled independently to produce an arbitrary light pattern in an arbitrary sequence over time. The chamber can be rigid or flexible. It can be a bed, booth or incorporated into a flexible form, such as a garment or cloth. In one embodiment, the chamber further comprises at least one LED emitting a UVC light, whereby the UVC light sanitizes the chamber surface. Preferably the LED emitting the UVA light is under independent control from the LED emitting UVC light.

Claims

1-57. -57. (canceled)

58. A system, comprising:

a chamber; and

a light emitting device disposed in the chamber;

wherein;

the light emitting device comprises a nanostructure light emitting device or a light emitting diode (LED); and

the light emitting device emits;

a) light in a UV wavelength range suitable for performing lupus phototherapy;

b) light in a UV wavelength range suitable for performing psoriasis phototherapy;

c) light in a UV wavelength range suitable for inducing hair growth;

or

d) light in a UV or blue wavelength range suitable for performing tooth whitening phototherapy in conjunction with a tooth whitening agent.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the chamber comprises a bed or a booth.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein the light emitting device comprises at least one of a nanoparticle or a nanowire nanostructure UV light emitting device.

61. The system of claim 60, further comprising a UV excitation source which is positioned to provide UV excitation radiation of a first peak wavelength onto the nanostructure UV light emitting device to cause the nanostructure UV light emitting device to emit UV light having a second UV peak wavelength longer than the first peak wavelength.

62. The system of claim 58, wherein the light emitting device comprises a LED.

63. The system of claim 58, wherein the light comprises light with a wavelength of about 340 nm to about 400 nm suitable for performing lupus phototherapy.

64. The system of claim 58, wherein the light has an emission peak at or between 312 and 311 nm and a full width half maximum of about 0.1 to about 2 nm suitable for performing psoriasis phototherapy.

65. The system of claim 58, wherein the light is suitable for inducing hair growth in conjunction with a hair growth assistance chemical which undergoes a hair growth stimulating reaction when exposed to the light.

66. The system of claim 58, wherein the light comprises light in the UV or blue wavelength range suitable for performing tooth whitening phototherapy in conjunction with a tooth whitening agent.

67. The system of claim 58, wherein the light emitting device is adapted to provide light having an adjustable wavelength range.

68. A method for conducting phototherapy, comprising:

providing UV light from a light emitting device comprising a nanostructure light emitting device or a light emitting diode onto a human subject;

wherein;

a) the light is provided onto a skin of the human subject having lupus, and the light emitting device emits UV light in a wavelength range suitable for performing lupus phototherapy;

b) the light is provided onto a skin of the human subject having psoriasis, and the light emitting device emits UV light in a wavelength range suitable for performing psoriasis phototherapy;

c) the light is provided onto a skin of the human subject desiring hair growth, and the light emitting device emits UV light in a wavelength range suitable for inducing hair growth;

or

d) the light is provided onto a tooth of the human subject which has been at least partially coated with a tooth whitening agent, and the light emitting device emits at least one of UV or blue light in a wavelength range suitable for performing tooth whitening phototherapy in conjunction with the tooth whitening agent.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the chamber comprises a bed or a booth.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein the light emitting device comprises at least one of a nanoparticle or a nanowire nanostructure light emitting device.

71. The method of claim 70, further comprising:

providing UV excitation radiation of a first peak wavelength from a UV excitation source to the light emitting device; and

emitting the UV light having a second UV peak wavelength longer than the first peak wavelength from the light emitting device in response to the provided UV excitation radiation.

72. The method of claim 68, wherein the light emitting device comprises a light emitting diode.

73. The method of claim 68, wherein the light is provided onto the skin of the human subject having lupus, and the light emitting device emits UV light in a 340 nm to 400 nm wavelength range suitable for performing lupus phototherapy.

74. The method of claim 68, wherein the light is provided onto the skin of the human subject having psoriasis, and the light emitting device emits UV light having an emission peak at or between 312 and 311 nm and a full width half maximum of about 0.1 to 2 nm suitable for performing psoriasis phototherapy.

75. The method of claim 68, wherein:

the light is provided onto the skin of the human subject desiring hair growth;

the skin is coated with a hair growth assistance chemical;

the light emitting device emits UV light in the wavelength range suitable for inducing hair growth; and

the hair growth assistance chemical stimulates hair growth upon exposure to the UV light.

76. The method of claim 68, wherein the light is provided onto the tooth of the human subject which has been at least partially coated with a tooth whitening agent, and the light emitting device emits at least one of the UV or blue light in the wavelength range suitable for performing tooth whitening phototherapy in conjunction with the tooth whitening agent.

77. The method of claim 68, further comprising adjusting the wavelength range of the light during the phototherapy.