FOLLICLE EXTRACTION SYSTEM AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20170065291A1
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infuez LLC
• Original Assignee: Infuez LLC
• Inventors: Lewallen, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,448,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00752 Hair removal or transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320064 with tissue or sample retaining means

Abstract

A follicle container for transporting an extracted hair follicle from a follicle extractor and containing the hair follicle for future use includes a receptacle, a conduit coupleable with the follicle extractor, to convey the extracted hair follicle toward the receptacle; and an injector to aerosolize and inject an irrigant into the conduit while the extracted hair follicle travels toward the receptacle. The irrigant lubricates the interior wall of the conduit and thus reduces friction as the follicle travels in the conduit. The irrigant also washes the conduit and keeps the extracted follicle moist and thus viable and more flexible. Flexibility allows the follicle to more easily suffer without damage bumps with the wall of the conduit and/or other extracted follicles as the follicle travels in the conduit.

Claims

1. A system for transporting an extracted hair follicle from a follicle extractor and containing the hair follicle for future use, the system comprising:

a receptacle operable to hold a hair follicle extracted from skin by a follicle extractor;

a conduit, coupleable with the follicle extractor, and operable to convey the extracted hair follicle toward the receptacle; and

an injector operable to aerosolize and inject an irrigant into the conduit while the extracted hair follicle travels toward the receptacle.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the receptacle is coupled with a pump operable to move air through the conduit and receptacle to urge the extracted hair follicle to travel toward the receptacle.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the receptacle is coupled with a pump operable to move air through the conduit and receptacle to urge the extracted hair follicle to travel toward the receptacle, and

the receptacle is configured to trap the extracted hair follicle when the follicle enters the receptacle by allowing gravity to move the follicle out of the air moving through the receptacle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the receptacle is coupled with a pump operable to reduce pressure in the conduit and the receptacle to urge the extracted hair follicle to travel toward the receptacle.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the injector includes:

a first passage having a throat,

a second passage having a port disposed in the throat, and

wherein as the extracted hair follicle travels toward the receptacle;

the follicle travels through the throat of the first passage, and

the irrigant enters the first passage through the port in the throat.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the irrigant is aerosolized as the irrigant enters the throat of the second passage.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the throat of the first passage includes a longitudinal axis,

the port of the second passage includes a cross-sectional area located at the throat, and a port axis that is perpendicular to the cross-sectional area, and

the port is positioned in the throat such that the port axis is substantially perpendicular to the throat'"'"'s longitudinal axis.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the throat of the first passage includes a longitudinal axis, and

the port of the second passage includes a longitudinal axis and the port is positioned in the throat such that the port'"'"'s longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the throat'"'"'s longitudinal axis.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein:

the throat includes an entrance having a first cross-sectional area, an exit having a second cross-sectional area, and a intermediate region between the entrance and the exit having a third cross-sectional area, that is less than each of the first and second cross-sectional areas, and

the port is positioned in the intermediate region.

10. The system of claim 5 wherein the port includes an entrance having a cross-sectional area and an exit disposed in the throat and having a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of the port'"'"'s entrance.

11. A system for extracting and containing a hair follicle from skin, the system comprising:

a follicle extractor operable to extract a hair follicle from skin; and

a follicle container coupled with the follicle extractor, and operable to transport a hair follicle extracted by the follicle extractor, and hold the hair follicle for future use, wherein the follicle container includes;

a receptacle operable to hold the extracted hair follicle,

a conduit operable to convey the extracted hair follicle toward the receptacle, and

an injector operable to aerosolize and inject an irrigant into the conduit while the extracted hair follicle travels toward the receptacle.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the follicle extractor includes:

a first end having an edge operable to cut skin when the edge is moved across the skin,

a second end coupled with the injector, and

a bore extending from the first end to the second end and through which the hair follicle travels to reach the conduit of the follicle container.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the follicle extractor rotates about a longitudinal axis to extract the hair follicle.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein:

the injector includes;

a first passage having a throat through which the extracted hair follicle travels as the follicle travels toward the receptacle,

a second passage having a port disposed in the throat and through which the irrigant enters the throat, and

the follicle container includes a reservoir of irrigant coupled with the injector, and operable to release irrigant to flow toward the injector when the extracted hair follicle travels through the injector'"'"'s throat.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the follicle container includes:

a reservoir of irrigant coupled with the injector, and

a valve operable to control the flow of irrigant toward the injector.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the follicle container includes a reservoir to hold irrigant, and the reservoir includes a wall that is flexible so that ambient air pressure can urge the irrigant out of the reservoir and toward the injector.

17. A method for transporting and containing a hair follicle extracted from skin, the method comprising:

moving air through a conduit and a receptacle of a follicle container to urge an extracted hair follicle to travel toward the receptacle;

aerosolizing an irrigant; and

injecting the aerosolized irrigant into the conduit while the extracted hair follicle moves through the conduit toward the receptacle.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein moving air through the conduit and the receptacle includes reducing the pressure in the receptacle.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein aerosolizing the irrigant includes aerosolizing the irrigant as the irrigant is injected into the conduit.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein aerosolizing the irrigant includes increasing the speed of air through a throat of the conduit and injecting the irrigant into the faster moving air.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein injecting the irrigant includes increasing the speed of the irrigant as the irrigant travels through a port into the conduit.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein injecting the irrigant includes directing the irrigant into a throat of an injector'"'"'s first passage, in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the throat.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein aerosolizing the irrigant includes opening a valve to allow irrigant to flow toward an injector that aerolizes and injects the irrigant into the conduit.

24. A method for extracting a hair follicle from skin, the method comprising:

rotating an end of a follicle extractor to cut skin around a hair follicle;

reducing pressure inside the end of the follicle extractor to urge the hair follicle inside the end to move toward a receptacle that is coupled to the follicle extractor;

aerosolizing an irrigant;

injecting the aerosolized irrigant into a conduit that couples the follicle extractor with the receptacle, while the hair follicle moves through the conduit toward the receptacle.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the irrigant is aerosolized as the irrigant is injected into the conduit.