Devices and Methods for Radiation-Based Dermatological Treatments

• US 20120283803A1
• Filed: 04/10/2012
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Channel Investments, LLC
• Original Assignee: TRIA Beauty Incorporated (Channel Investments, LLC)
• Inventors: Liu, Harvey I-Heng, Beale, John P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,220,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00154 pulsed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00769 Tattoo removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00458 Deeper parts of the skin, e.g. treatment of vascular disorders or port wine stains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0047 Upper parts of the skin, e.g. skin peeling or treatment of wrinkles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00476 Hair follicles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00648 using more than one sensed parameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00732 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20351 Scanning mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20361 with redirecting based on sensed condition, e.g. tissue analysis or tissue movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20554 Arrangements for particular intensity distribution, e.g. tophat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/049 against light, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 using laser light
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details

Abstract

A self-contained, hand-held device for providing a dermatological treatment includes a handheld device body, a radiation source supported in the device body, an automated scanning system, an application end, and a displacement control system. The automated scanning system is configured to receive an input beam generated by the radiation source and scan the received input beam to provide a series of output beams for delivery to the skin via the application end of the device to form a pattern of treatment spots on the skin. The application end is configured to be manually moved across the surface of the skin during a treatment session. The displacement control system includes a displacement sensor configured to determine a displacement of the device relative to the skin, and electronics configured to control at least one operational parameter of the device based on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin.

Claims

1. A self-contained, hand-held device for providing a dermatological treatment, the device comprising:

a device body configured to be handheld by a user;

a radiation source supported in the device body;

an automated scanning system configured to receive an input beam generated by the radiation source and scan the received input beam to provide a series of output beams for delivery to the skin to form a pattern of treatment spots on the skin;

an application end at which the output beams are delivered to the skin, the application end configured to be manually moved across the surface of the skin during a treatment session; and

a displacement control system including;

a displacement sensor configured to determine a displacement of the device relative to the skin; and

electronics configured to control at least one operational parameter of the device based on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin.

2. The device of claim 1, comprising electronics configured to control at least one operational parameter of the radiation source based at least on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin.

3. The device of claim 2, comprising electronics configured to interrupt or delay operation of the radiation source based at least on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin.

4. The device of claim 3, comprising electronics configured to interrupt or delay pulsing of the radiation source based at least on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin.

5. The device of claim 1, comprising electronics configured to control at least one operational parameter of the automated scanning system based at least on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin.

6. The device of claim 5, comprising:

a motor associated with the an automated scanning system; and

electronics configured to control at least one operational aspect of the motor associated with the an automated scanning system based at least on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the displacement control system is programmed to prevent or reduce the likelihood of over-treatment of a location on the skin.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the displacement control system is programmed to prevent or reduce the likelihood of treatment spots overlapping each other.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the automated scanning system is configured to repeatedly scan the received input beam, each scan of the input beam creating an array of output beams for delivery to the skin to form a corresponding array of treatment spots on the skin; and

the displacement control system is programmed to provide a defined minimum spacing between adjacent arrays of treatment spots in a direction of manual movement of the device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein:

each scan of the input beam creating a row of output beams for delivery to the skin to form a corresponding row of treatment spots on the skin; and

the displacement control system is programmed to provide the defined minimum spacing between adjacent rows of treatment spots in the direction of manual movement of the device.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the displacement control system is configured to:

analyze signals from the displacement sensor to identify skin features in the skin;

count the number of identified skin features; and

control one or more operational aspects of the device based on the counted number of identified skin features.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the displacement control system is configured to control the radiation source based on the counted number of identified skin features.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the displacement control system is configured to enable the radiation source only if the counted number of identified skin features reaches a predetermined minimum number of skin features.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the device does not detect or determine a speed of movement of the device.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the displacement sensor is a single-pixel displacement sensor.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the single-pixel displacement sensor is a lensless sensor including:

a light emitter configured to deliver light toward the skin;

a light detector configured to detect light reflected and/or remitted from the skin, and generate a signal; and

control electronics for analyzing a signal from the detector.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the displacement sensor is a multi-pixel imaging displacement sensor.

18. The device of claim 1, further including a control system for:

determining a delimiting value of a delimiting parameter for a treatment session;

monitoring the delimiting parameter during the treatment session; and

automatically terminating the treatment session upon reaching the delimiting value of the delimiting parameter.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the delimiting parameter comprises either a total number of treatment spots or a total amount of delivered energy for the treatment session.

20. A self-contained, hand-held device for providing a dermatological treatment, the device comprising:

a device body configured to be handheld by a user;

a radiation source supported in the device body;

an automated scanning system configured to receive an input beam generated by the radiation source and scan the received input beam to provide a series of output beams for delivery to the skin to form a pattern of treatment spots that are spaced apart from each on the skin to provide a fractional treatment;

an application end at which the output beams are delivered to the skin, the application end configured to be manually moved across the surface of the skin during a treatment session; and

a displacement control system including;

a displacement sensor configured to determine a displacement of the device relative to the skin; and

electronics configured to control at least one operational parameter of the device based on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin, to prevent or reduce the likelihood of treatment spots overlapping each other.

21. The device of claim 20, comprising electronics configured to interrupt or delay operation of the radiation source based at least on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin.

22. The device of claim 20, comprising:

a motor associated with the an automated scanning system; and

electronics configured to control at least one operational aspect of the motor associated with the an automated scanning system based at least on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein:

the automated scanning system is configured to repeatedly scan the received input beam, each scan of the input beam creating a row of output beams for delivery to the skin to form a corresponding row of treatment spots on the skin; and

the displacement control system is programmed to provide a defined minimum spacing between adjacent row of treatment spots in a direction of manual movement of the device.

24. A self-contained, hand-held device for providing a dermatological treatment, the device comprising:

a device body configured to be handheld by a user;

a radiation source supported in the device body;

an automated scanning system configured to receive an input beam generated by the radiation source and repeatedly scan the received input beam to provide a repeating series of scanned arrays of output beams for delivery to the skin, each scanned array of output beams forming a row of treatment spots on the skin;

an application end at which the output beams are delivered to the skin, the application end configured to be manually moved across the surface of the skin during a treatment session; and

a displacement control system including;

a displacement sensor configured to determine a displacement of the device relative to the skin; and

electronics configured to control at least one operational parameter of the device based on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin to provide a defined minimum spacing between adjacent rows of treatment spots on the skin.

25. A self-contained, hand-held device for providing a dermatological treatment, the device comprising:

a device body configured to be handheld by a user;

a radiation source supported in the device body;

one or more displacement sensors, each configured to detect a displacement of the device relative to the skin;

one or more skin contact sensors, each configured to detect contact with the skin; and

a control system including electronics configured to;

receive signals from the one or more displacement sensors and the one or more skin contact sensors, and

control at least one operational parameter of the device based on the signals from the one or more displacement sensors and the one or more skin contact sensors.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the control system is further configured to:

enable the radiation source to initiate operation if a first condition is met based on signals received from the one or more displacement sensors and the one or more skin contact sensors; and

after operation of the radiation sources is initiated, enable the radiation source to continue operation if a second condition is met based on signals received from the one or more displacement sensors and the one or more skin contact sensors;

wherein the second condition is less stringent than the first condition.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein:

the first condition for initiating operation of the radiation source requires positive independent detections by all of the displacement sensors and skin contact sensors; and

the second condition for continuing operation of the radiation source requires positive independent detections by less than all of the displacement sensors and skin contact sensors.