SONIC APPLICATOR FOR SKIN FORMULATIONS

• US 20090306577A1
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacific Bioscience Laboratories Incorporated (L'Oreal SA)
• Original Assignee: Pacific Bioscience Laboratories Incorporated (L'Oreal SA)
• Inventors: McEvoy, Christopher J., Giuliani, David, Reishus, Richard A., Pilcher, Kenneth A., Akridge, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,441,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/003 Portable hand-held applicators having means for dispensing or spreading integral media hand-held massage devices with liquid delivery A61H7/003
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0092 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic vibrations, e.g. phonophoresis

Abstract

The applicator includes a housing and a motor contained therewithin which includes an output member, such as a shaft, which in operation moves in a reciprocating manner. A contact member is mounted for operation and moves in response to the action of the output shaft, such that the contact element in operation repeatedly contacts a selected skin area, moving toward and away from the skin area, substantially perpendicularly thereto. The contact member moves at a frequency within the range of 50 Hz to 200 Hz and with an amplitude of 0.010 to 0.075 inches. The repeated tapping action of the contact member against the skin increases the absorption of a skin formulation into the skin area being contacted.

Claims

1. A formulation applicator for skin areas of the human body comprising:

a housing;

a motor contained within the housing having a output member portion which moves in a reciprocating manner; and

a contact member mounted on the output member, which in operation repeatedly impacts the skin area, the contact element moving in a frequency of 50 Hz to 200 Hz and an amplitude in the range of 0.010-0.075 inches, toward and away from the skin area, acting to increase the absorption of formulations into the skin area as the contact element impacts the skin area to which the formulation is being applied.

2. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact element is configured to hold a single dose or use of a selected formulation.

3. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact element is configured to hold less than or greater than a single dose:

or use of a selected formulation.

4. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact member moves substantially perpendicular to the skin area.

5. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the frequency range is between 110 Hz and 135 Hz, and the amplitude range is between 0.020 inches and 0.035 inches.

6. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the frequency range is between 110 Hz and 135 Hz.

7. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the amplitude range is between 0.020 inches and 0.035 inches.

8. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the applicator has an exterior configuration which can be conveniently held in the hand of a user.

9. The applicator of claim 8 wherein the applicator is sufficiently long and otherwise configured so that motor action does not produce significant vibrations to the housing.

10. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the motor comprises a stator assembly and an armature assembly, which includes an arm mounted on one end of a beam spring, the other end of which is mounted fixedly to a base member connected to the housing, wherein the contact assembly is mounted to the arm.

11. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact member extends outwardly from one end of the applicator.

12. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact member is replaceable.

13. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact member is permanently attached.

14. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact element comprises an elastomeric member having a Durometer value between Shore 00-30 to Shore A-5.

15. The applicator of claim 14, wherein the contact element is silicone gel.

16. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact member has a circular exterior configuration and a cupped central area in a contact surface for receiving the formulation.

17. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact member has a circular exterior configuration and a flat central area which is lower than the surrounding edge for receiving the formulation.

18. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact element is circular in outline and includes a contact surface having a circular groove therein for receiving the formulation.

19. The applicator of claim 11, including a circular groove located between the central area and the surrounding edge.

20. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact element has a substantially square outline and a contact surface central area which is lower than a surrounding edge for receiving the formulation.

21. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact element has a substantially square outline and a groove in a contact surface for receiving the formulation.

22. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the contact member has a contact surface which is flat.

23. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the motor comprises a shaft having a permanent magnet positioned therealong support members positioned on opposite sides of the permanent magnet and two springs which extend between the support members and opposing ends of the housing, the motor further comprises two coils which are wound around an exterior of the housing and a driving/contact system for energizing the coils with alternating current signals to move the shaft first in one longitudinal direction and then in an opposing longitudinal direction.

24. The applicator of claim 1, including a formulation reservoir assembly which is positionable at one end of the applicator assembly, wherein the reservoir assembly includes an exit member which is configured to dispense formulation onto the contact element when the reservoir assembly is positioned on the applicator assembly or when the reservoir is separated from the applicator assembly.

25. The applicator of claim 24, wherein the reservoir assembly includes a pusher plate therein and a control assembly which includes an element for moving the pusher plate within the reservoir and a member which is operable by a user to adjust the pusher plate within the reservoir to load a formulation amount through the exit member into the contact element.

26. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the formulation is a skin treatment formulation.

27. A formulation applicator for skin areas of the human body, comprising:

a housing;

a motor assembly having an output drive member which moves in a reciprocating manner; and

a cartridge assembly connectable to and removable from the motor assembly, containing a formulation reservoir, a contact assembly which includes a contact member and a fluid-directing assembly which moves fluid, in response to operation of an actuating member, from the reservoir to the contact member, wherein the contact assembly is moved by the motor assembly, the contact member impacting the skin area, moving at a frequency of 50 Hz to 200 Hz and with an amplitude in the range of 0.01-0.075 inches, toward and away from the skin area, acting to increase the absorption of formulation into the skin area.

28. The applicator of claim 27, wherein the actuating member for the fluid driving assembly can be operated and fluid moved to the contact member assembly while the motor assembly is operating and the contact member is moving.

29. The applicator of claim 27, including a feed path from the reservoir into the contact assembly, such that the formulation is presented to a forward surface of the contact member.

30. The applicator of claim 29, wherein the forward surface of the contact member is concave, sufficient to hold a single dose of formulation.

31. The applicator of claim 27, wherein the forward surface of the contact member is concave, able to hold less than or greater than a single dose of formulation.

32. The applicator of claim 27, wherein the contact assembly operates in a substantially linear fashion, the contact member moving toward and away from the skin, substantially perpendicular to the skin area.

33. The applicator of claim 27, including a spring member to return the contact member to a rest position in a recess in a top portion of the cartridge assembly when the cartridge assembly is not connected to the motor assembly.

34. The applicator of claim 27, including a first signal contact assembly, arranged to indicate the presence of the cartridge assembly in the applicator and a microprocessor which prevents the motor assembly from operating when a cartridge is not indicated to be present.

35. The applicator of claim 34, including a second signal contact assembly, arranged to indicate that fluid has been dispensed from the reservoir to the contact member, wherein the microprocessor prevents the motor from operating when fluid has not been indicated to have been so dispensed.

36. The applicator of claim 27, including a cartridge assembly contact system capable of recognizing different types of cartridge assemblies connected to the motor assembly, and further including a microprocessor which is programmed with different modes of operation involving frequency, amplitude and/or time of operation, depending upon the type of cartridge assembly recognized.

37. The applicator of claim 27, wherein the cartridge assembly is arranged and constructed to provide an indication to the user when fluid remaining in the reservoir reaches a point which is less than 50% of capacity.

38. A method of applying formulation to skin areas of a human body, comprising the step of:

tapping a skin formulation into a skin area with a mechanical applicator having a contact element with a solid end face at a frequency in the range of 50 Hz to 200 Hz and an amplitude in the range of 0.01-0.075 inches, wherein the tapping is toward and away from the skin area, substantially perpendicular thereto, the tapping acting to increase the absorption of formulation into the skin area.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the end face is concave.

40. The method of claim 38, including the further step of supplying the formulation to the end face of the mechanical applicator without interrupting the tapping.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the end face is configured to hold a single dose of formulation.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the end face is configured to hold less than or greater than a single dose of formulation.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the contact member comprises a silicon gel having a Durometer value between Shore 00-30 and Shore A-5.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of tapping the skin area is preceded by a cleansing of that skin area.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein the tapping of the skin is carried out by a hand-held applicator assembly which includes a cartridge assembly and motor assembly connectable thereto.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the applicator assembly includes a system for assuring that a cartridge is present and that fluid has been dispensed to the end face of the contact member prior to the motor assembly being enabled to carry out the tapping of the skin.

47. The method of claim 38, wherein the frequency, amplitude and/or time duration of the tapping are adjusted depending upon the particular skin condition being addressed.

48. A motor for application of a skin formulation to a skin area, comprising:

a housing;

an anchor member fixedly mounted to the housing;

an armature having a back iron member upon which is mounted a permanent magnet, assembly;

two spaced spring members which connect the anchor member and the armature;

a stator assembly positioned between the anchor member and the armature, the stator assembly including a coil, which when energized by an alternating current, produces a back-and-forth movement of the armature, and

an applicator assembly connected to one end of the armature, with a skin contact member at a free end thereof, such that in operation, the applicator assembly and the contact member move back and forth toward and away from a skin area of the user, contacting the skin in such a manner as to increase the absorption of formulation into the skin.

49. The motor of claim 48, wherein the contact member has a concave end surface.

50. The motor of claim 48, wherein the spring members are both leaf springs, positioned on opposite sides of the stator assembly.