APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ACOUSTIC/MECHANICAL TREATMENT OF EARLY STAGE ACNE

• US 20080097355A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: Pacific Bioscience Laboratories Incorporated (L'Oreal SA)
• Inventors: Pilcher, Kenneth, Meginniss, Stephen, Giuliani, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,740,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/289
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/54 Chiropodists' instruments , e.g. pedicure chiropractic devices A61H1/008
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00747 Dermatology
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320012 Brushes

Abstract

The apparatus includes at least two skin-contacting elements, the elements having narrow end faces and a mounting assembly for holding the elements closely adjacent to each other. A driving assembly reciprocally moves one element relative to the adjacent element(s) at a frequency that produces an action on the pores of the skin to loosen sebaceous plugs present in the pores, by permitting their ready removal from the skin.

Claims

1. A method for treatment of skin, comprising the steps of:

a first step of deforming the skin from a neutral position to a first deformed position at which point the skin has reached approximately its elastic limit;

a second step permitting the skin to return to said neutral position; and

repeating the first and second steps within a frequency range of 20 Hz to 1 KHz, to produce an action on the skin which results in the cleansing of the skin, including removal of undesired material from skin pores.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the undesired material is a sebum plug.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the frequency range is 80-200 Hz.

4. A method of claim 1, including a third step of stretching the skin to a second deformed position in a direction opposite to that in the first step, and a fourth step of permitting the skin to return to said neutral position, the third and fourth steps being accomplished prior to the step of repeating.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the deformation of the skin is accomplished by a shear strain action.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the deformation of the skin is accomplished by a tension/compression action.

7. A method of claim 1, including a step of applying a fluid to the skin to assist in the cleansing thereof.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the steps of the method are carried out for predetermined times for specific skin areas on the face of a user.

23. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contacting elements comprise, respectively, rows of bristle tufts, and wherein the rows of bristle tufts comprise a plurality of straight rows, alternating ones of which move in opposing directions.

24. An apparatus of claim 23, including a further row of fixed bristle tufts surrounding the plurality of straight rows.

9. An apparatus for treatment of acne, comprising:

at least two contacting elements having end faces in substantially the same plane, wherein at least one contacting element is a moving contacting element;

a mounting assembly for holding the contacting elements close to each other; and

an assembly for positively moving said at least one moving contacting element bi-directionally about a neutral position relative to at least one other close contacting element, to produce alternating tension and compression of the skin, wherein when the apparatus is positioned so that the end faces of the contacting elements contact the skin an action on the skin in the plane of the skin area to be treated for acne is produced to remove sebum plugs from skin pores, permitting ready removal thereof from the skin.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the movement of the of the contacting element places the skin in alternating shear, which assists in loosening the sebaceous plugs from the skin pores in which they are located, and wherein the movement of the moving contacting element is reciprocally linear in nature.

11. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the contacting elements comprise a rigid material.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, in which the contacting elements have a contacting surface with a roughness in the range of 5-20 microinches.

13. An apparatus of claim 12, in which the roughness is approximately 10 microinches.

14. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the ratio of peak amplitude of movement of the moving contacting element is within a range of 15%-120% of the distance between adjacent contacting elements moving with respect to each other.

15. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein said ratio is approximately 60%.

16. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the contacting elements comprise a compliant material.

17. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the contacting elements comprise an elastomeric solid material.

18. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the contacting elements comprise a foam material.

19. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the peak amplitude of movement of any moving contacting element is a linear displacement with respect to a point on a close contacting element, and where said linear displacement is in the range of 10% to 60% of the distance between the close contacting elements when in their neutral position.

20. An apparatus of claim 19, wherein said linear displacement is approximately 40%.

21. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the contacting elements comprise, respectively, rows of bristle tufts, and wherein the rows of bristle tufts comprise a plurality of straight rows, alternating ones of which (a) move and (b) remain fixed in position.

22. An apparatus of claim 21, including a further row of fixed bristle tufts surrounding the plurality of straight rows

25. An apparatus of claim 9, Wherein the contacting elements comprise, respectively, rows of bristle tufts, and wherein the rows of bristle tufts comprise a plurality of circular rows, alternating ones of which move in opposing directions.

26. An apparatus of claim 25, including a further row of bristle tufts surrounding the plurality of circular rows.

27. An apparatus for treatment of acne, comprising:

at least one moving contacting element having an end face for contacting the skin of a user, wherein the contacting element comprises a rigid material; and

an assembly for positively moving said contacting element bi-directionally about a neutral position to produce alternating tension and compression of the skin, such that when the apparatus is positioned so that the contacting element end face contacts the skin, an action on the skin in the plane of the skin area to be treated for acne is produced to remove sebum plugs from the skin pores, permitting ready removal thereof from the skin.

28. An apparatus of claim 27, wherein the contacting element has a roughness within a range of 5-20 microinches.

29. An apparatus for treatment of acne, comprising:

at least one moving contacting element having an end face for contacting the skin of a user, wherein the contact element comprises a single row of bristle tufts, the single row of bristle tufts being in a straight line; and

an assembly for positively moving said contacting element bi-directionally about a neutral position to produce alternating tension and compression of the skin, such that when the apparatus is positioned so that the contacting element end face contacts the skin, an action on the skin in the plane of the skin area to be treated for acne is produced to remove sebum plugs from the skin pores, permitting ready removal thereof from the skin.

30. An apparatus for treatment/cleansing of the skin, comprising:

at least two contacting elements having end faces in substantially the same plane, wherein at least one contacting element is a moving contacting element and wherein the contacting elements have a contacting surface with a roughness range of 5-20 microinches;

a mounting assembly for holding the contacting elements close to each other; and

an assembly for positively moving said at least one moving contacting element bi-directionally about a neutral position relative to at least one other close contacting element, to produce alternating tension and compression of the skin, wherein when the apparatus is positioned so that the end faces of the contacting elements contact the skin, an action in the plane of the skin area to be treated for acne produces a cleansing action on the skin, including removal of foreign material from skin pores.