Apparatus for implanting hair-roots, and a device for placing hair-roots on a conveyor belt for use in the apparatus

• US 5,782,843 A
• Filed: 10/23/1996
• Issued: 07/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olav L. Aasberg
• Original Assignee: Olav L. Aasberg
• Inventors: Aasberg, Olav L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US08/727,569
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 606/187, 606/133
• US Class Current: 606/133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00752 Hair removal or transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00969 used for transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/10 Hair or skin implants

Abstract

A system for the mechanical implanting of hair roots into the skin has a movable magazine for receiving skin grafts. A skin graft extraction apparatus has a frame that holds a piece of skin for the supply of skin grafts in a fixed and taut manner. A cooling device cools the piece of skin. A hollow drill rod is movable between a position in which the drill rod can drill and extract the skin grafts from the piece of skin when the piece of skin is held by the frame and a position in which the drill rod can deliver the skin grafts into the magazine. An implanting apparatus is capable of receiving the movable magazine therein such that the movable magazine can be advanced stepwise therein and successively implant the skin grafts into the skin. An incision member of the implanting apparatus makes an incision in the skin, and then transversely widens the incision in the skin such that the skin can receive one of the skin grafts. An actuator rod implants the skin grafts in the movable magazine into the incision in the skin by holding a skin graft in place while a receptacle of the movable magazine is retracted. In this way, the magazine can be rapidly and automatically advanced stepwise by rapid and successive operation of the incision member and the actuator rod, thus maintaining the skin grafts in the movable magazine in the cooled state until they are inserted into the skin.

Claims

1. A system for mechanical implantation of hair roots in skin by inserting skin grafts each comprising at least one hair root into the skin, said system comprising:

a movable magazine;

a means for extracting grafts from a piece of skin that has been surgically removed and placing the grafts in said movable magazine, said means for extracting and placing grafts comprising

a frame for fixing and tautening the piece of skin,

a cooling device for cooling the piece of skin, and

a hollow drill rod for extracting the grafts from the piece of skin cooled by said cooling device and being movable to deliver the grafts to said magazine; and

an implanting apparatus comprising an incision member and an actuator rod for successively conveying grafts from said movable magazine to an appropriate depth in the skin;

wherein said implanting apparatus is configured such that said incision member and said actuator rod can successively and repeatedly make an incision in the skin, transversely widen the incision and insert a cooled graft from said magazine, and such that said magazine can be rapidly and automatically advanced in a stepwise manner in said implanting apparatus such that each graft in said magazine is maintained in a cooled state until inserted in the skin.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said cooling device defines a means for cooling the piece of skin on said frame to a temperature where fat surrounding hair roots stiffens.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said cooling device defines a means for cooling the piece of skin to 4-5 degrees C.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said cooling device comprises at least one hose for supplying air to the piece of skin on said frame.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said incision member comprises two adjacent knife edges that are capable of being rapidly and automatically advanced, split apart and retracted.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said magazine comprises separate receptacles for each accommodating a graft, said receptacles being adapted to be advanced together with said actuator rod to be inserted into the skin while containing a graft therein together with said incision member and retracted prior to retraction of said actuator rod.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for extracting and placing grafts further comprises a center rod inside said hollow drill rod adapted to leave each graft in said magazine by stopping the graft in said magazine while said drill rod is retracted therefrom.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said frame is adjustable relative to said drill rod.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for extracting and placing grafts comprises an automatic system for successive positioning of said drill rod relative to the piece of skin on said frame, said automatic system including a computer having a video input.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for extracting and placing said grafts comprises an automatic system having a pre-programmed drilling pattern for successive positioning of said drill rod relative to the piece of skin on said frame.

11. A system for the mechanical implanting of hair roots in skin, comprising:

a frame for holding a piece of skin in a fixed and taut manner;

a cooling device positioned adjacent said frame for cooling the piece of skin;

a movable magazine for holding skin grafts therein;

a means for extracting the skin grafts from the piece of skin when the piece of skin is held in a fixed and taut manner by said frame and cooled by said cooling device and placing the skin grafts in said movable magazine, wherein said means for extracting and placing comprises a hollow drill rod that is movable to drill and extract the skin grafts from the piece of skin when the piece of skin is held by said frame and to deliver the skin grafts in to said magazine; and

an implanting apparatus capable of receiving said movable magazine such that said movable magazine is stepwise advancable therein, said implanting apparatus comprising a means for successively implanting the skin grafts in said magazine into an appropriate depth in the skin, said means for implanting comprising

an incision member capable of making an incision in the skin and transversely widening the incision in the skin such that the skin can receive one of the skin grafts, and

an actuator rod for implanting the skin grafts in said movable magazine into the incision in the skin,

whereby said magazine can be rapidly and automatically advanced stepwise by rapid and successive operation of said incision member and said actuator rod so as to maintain the skin grafts in said movable magazine in a cooled state until inserted into the skin.

12. A system for the mechanical implanting of hair roots into the skin, comprising:

a movable magazine for receiving skin grafts;

a skin graft extraction apparatus comprising

a frame for holding a piece of skin in a fixed and taut manner,

a cooling device positioned adjacent said frame for cooling the piece of skin, and

a hollow drill rod that is movable between a position in which said drill rod can drill and extract skin grafts from the piece of skin when the piece of skin is held by said frame and a position in which said drill rod can deliver the skin grafts in to said magazine; and

an implanting apparatus that is capable of receiving said movable magazine therein such that said movable magazine can be advanced stepwise therein and successively implanting the skin grafts in said magazine into an appropriate depth in the skin, said implanting apparatus including

an incision member capable of making an incision in the skin and transversely widening the incision in the skin such that the skin can receive one of the skin grafts, and

an actuator rod for implanting the skin grafts in said movable magazine into the incision in the skin,

whereby said magazine can be rapidly and automatically advanced stepwise by rapid and successive operation of said incision member and said actuator rod so as to maintain the skin grafts in said movable magazine in a cooled state until inserted into the skin.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said cooling device comprises a hose for supplying cooled air.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said incision member comprises two knife edges that are movable between a first position in which said edges are together, and in which said position the incision into the skin is made, and a second position in which said edges are apart from each other so as to be able to transversely widen the incision into the skin.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said movable magazine comprises a plurality of separate receptacles for holding respective skin grafts, said separate receptacles being capable of engaging said knife edges so as to move said knife edges between said first and second positions.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said movable magazine comprises a plurality of separate receptacles for holding respective skin grafts capable of being inserted into the skin from said movable magazine so as to move a skin graft into the skin and retracted so as to leave the skin graft in said skin, and wherein said actuator rod is separately and independently movable through said separate receptacles so as to be capable of maintaining the skin graft in place in the skin upon retraction of said receptacles.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said skin graft extraction apparatus comprises a means for relatively positioning said drill rod and the piece of skin held by said frame, a video camera and a computer connected to said video camera, said computer being connected to said means for relatively positioning.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said frame comprises means for adjusting the alignment of said frame relative to drill rod.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said skin graft extraction apparatus comprises a center rod inside said drill rod, said drill rod being longitudinally movable relative to said center rod.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein said skin graft extraction apparatus further comprises a means for automatically and successively positioning said drill rod relative to the piece of skin when the piece of skin is held by said frame so as to execute a pre-programmed drilling pattern.