Dermatological device having a zoom lens system

• US 20080186591A1
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Palomar Medical Technologies Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Palomar Medical Technologies Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Erofeev, Andrei, Altshuler, Gregory B., Smirnov, Mikhail
• Application Number:
  US11/701,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186591A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/703
• 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 2018/20553 with special lens or reflector arrangement A61B2018/2255, A61B2018/2261, A61B2018/2266, A61B2018/2272, A61B2018/2277, A61B2018/2283 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/02 made of crystals, e.g. rock-salt, semi-conductors G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/024 comprising a light source, e.g. for viewing photographic slides, X-ray transparancies G02B27/023, and photographic, cine and overhead projectors G03B21/00 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/008 with means for compensating for changes in temperature or for controlling the temperature; thermal stabilisation

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention provides a dermatological device that comprises a optical mask that is adapted to receive a radiation beam, e.g., from an external radiation source via an optical fiber, and to transform the beam into a plurality of beamlets. A zoom lens system is optically coupled to the optical mask so as to receive the beamlets, wherein zoom lens system is capable of focusing the beamlets into a plurality of separate skin portions. The zoom lens system can provide adjustable magnification while substantially preserving the locations of the focused spots within the skin. By way of example, the zoom lens system can be a parfocal inverting optical system.

Claims

1. A dermatological optical device, comprising

at least one optical mask adapted to receive a radiation beam and to transform said beam into a plurality of beamlets, and

a zoom lens system coupled to said mask so as to receive said beamlets, said zoom lens system being capable of focusing said beamlets into a plurality of separated skin portions.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said zoom lens system provides an adjustable image magnification having an absolute value in the range of about 0.5 to about 5.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said zoom lens system provides said adjustable magnification while substantially preserving locations of said focused beamlets within the skin at different magnifications.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said optical mask comprises a plurality of microlenses.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein each of said microlenses generates one of said beamlets.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a holder in which said optical mask can be removably and replaceably placed so as to be in a path of the radiation beam.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said holder can be removably and replaceably coupled to a body portion of said device.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising one or more magnetic detents for coupling of the holder to the body portion.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said zoom lens system comprises two pairs of lenses, wherein said lens pairs are movable relative to one another so as to provide said magnification range.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said lens pairs are adapted to move relative to one another so as to substantially preserve locations of said focused beamlets in the skin while changing magnification provided by the zoom lens.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the lenses of said lens pairs are coupled to two ends of a cylindrical enclosure and the lenses of the other lens pairs are coupled to two ends of another cylindrical enclosure, wherein one of said cylindrical enclosures can be axially disposed within the other cylindrical enclosure.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising a rotational guide coupled to said cylindrical enclosures, said rotational guide being adapted to cause axial motions of said lens pairs in opposite directions at a relative rate adapted to change magnification of an image of said beamlets in the skin while substantially preserving location of said image.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising a detent mechanism coupled to said rotational guide to allow a plurality of discrete magnification settings of said zoom lens system.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said detent mechanism comprises a ring, a detent marker and a spring couple to said ring.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein said zoom lens comprises a parfocal inverting optical zoom system.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a radiation transmissive window adapted for contact with the skin through which the radiation is applied to the skin.

17. The device of claim 16, further comprising a handheld housing to which said optical mask, said zoom lens and said transmissive window are mounted.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein said handheld device comprises an end block to which said transmissive window is coupled, said end block comprising a plurality of passages for flow of a fluid thereof so as to extract heat from said window.

19. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one of said microlenses exhibits an aspherical profile characterized by a conic constant in a range of about 0 to about 10.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more electrically actuable elements coupled to said zoom lens system for adjusting magnification thereof.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said electrically actuable elements comprises one or more piezoelectric elements coupled to a plurality of lenses of said zoom lens system for causing axial motions thereof.

22. The device of claim 20, further comprising a sensor coupled to said zoom lens for providing information regarding position of at least one of said lenses relative to the others.

23. The device of claim 22, further comprising a controller in communication with said sensor and with at least one of said actuable elements, said controller effecting application of one or more signals to said actuable element based on information provided by said sensor.

24. The device of claim 7, wherein said body portion is adapted for interchangeably positioning said optical mask holder at least two different distances from the zoom lens system.

25. The device of claim 5, further comprising one or more electrically actuable elements coupled to the holder for moving thereof relative to the zoom lens system.

26. A handheld dermatological device, comprising

a optical mask adapted to receive a radiation beam,

a zoom lens system coupled to said optical mask to generate an image of the optical mask in the skin.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein said zoom lens provides adjustable magnification of said image while substantially preserving location of said image within the skin.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein said optical mask comprises a plurality of microlenses.

29. A handheld dermatological device, comprising

a port for receiving radiation from a radiation source,

a holder in which at least two optical masks can be disposed, said holder being adapted for interchangeably positioning one of said phases mask in a path of the radiation, and

a zoom lens system optically coupled to said optical mask so as to generate an image thereof in the skin.

30. The handheld device of claim 29, wherein said zoom lens provides adjustable magnification in a range of about 0.5 to 5.0 or −

0.5 to 5.0.

31. The handheld device of claim 29, wherein said zoom lens provides said adjustable magnification while substantially preserving a location of said optical mask image at different magnification values.

32. A handheld dermatological device, comprising

a handled housing, said housing including

a radiation source,

a optical mask for receiving radiation from said source, and

a zoom lens system in optical communication with said optical mask to generate an image of said optical mask in the skin.

33. The dermatological device of claim 32, wherein said zoom lens is adapted to provide adjustable magnification of said image while substantially preserving the image'"'"'s location.

34. The dermatological device of claim 32, wherein said radiation source comprises a solid state laser.

35. A handheld dermatological device, comprising

a handheld housing,

a radiation transmissive window coupled to said housing, said window being adapted for receiving radiation through a surface thereof and applying the radiation to the skin via an opposed surface,

a prism optically coupled to said window to facilitate viewing of a skin portion to which radiation is applied.

36. The dermatological device of claim 35, further comprising a light source coupled to said housing for illuminating the skin so as to facilitate viewing of the skin portion.

37. A handheld dermatological device, comprising

a handheld housing,

a radiation transmissive window coupled to said housing, said window having a surface adapted for contact with the skin,

a flexible indicator coupled to said surface to cause a transient impression on the skin so as to delineate a surface boundary of a skin portion to which radiation is applied.

38. The dermatological device of claim 37, wherein said indicator is formed of a soft polymeric material.