Peeling apparatus for removing surface portions of human tissue with purging arrangement

• US 6,183,483 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2000
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Henry Ping Chang
• Original Assignee: Henry Ping Chang
• Inventors: Chang, Henry Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robert, Eduardo C.
• Application Number:
  US09/541,652
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 606/131, 606/132, 606/133, 433/88, 433/92
• US Class Current: 606/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/545 using a stream or spray of abrasive particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320004 abrasive

Abstract

A peeling apparatus for removing surface portions of human tissue by superficial abrasion caused by a stream of a mixture of air with at least one granular abrasive substance striking on the surface portion of the human tissue to be removed, wherein the peeling apparatus includes a purging arrangement includes a first and a second switch. The first switch includes a control switch valve connected at the first air dust, for regulating the compressed air flowing from the air filtering outlet member of the collection reservoir to the suction pump normally, and being selectively switched to cut off the connection between collection reservoir and the air inlet of the suction pump while instantaneously connecting the air outlet of the suction pump to the air filtering outlet member instead, so as to deliver the air output from the air outlet of the suction pump reversely to the air filtering outlet member for purging a clogged condition thereof The second switch is adapted for normally ensuring the air outlet of the suction pump connected to outside and selectively switching to instantaneously connect the air outlet of the suction pump to the fresh substance outlet member of the abrasive substance supply so as to deliver the air output from the air outlet of the suction pump reversely to the fresh substance outlet member for purging a clogged condition thereof.

Claims

1. A peeling apparatus for removing a surface portion of a human tissue by abrasion caused by a stream of a mixture of air with at least one granular abrasive substance striking on said surface portion of said human tissue to be removed, wherein said peeling apparatus comprises:

an abrasive substance supply means supplying granular abrasive substances, which comprises a supply reservoir storing a predetermined amount of fresh abrasive substance therein, and a fresh substance outlet member extended into said supply reservoir;

a peeling tool, which is an instrument adapted to be manipulated to remove said surface portion of said human tissue, having an input opening, a delivery hole and an output opening, wherein said input opening is connected to said fresh substance outlet member of said supply reservoir;

a suction means for providing a negative air pressure environment within said supply reservoir so as to cause a stream of a mixture of air and said granular abrasive substance traveling from said fresh substance outlet member to said peeling tool through said input opening thereof, said suction means comprising

a collection reservoir having a used substance inlet member connected to said output opening of said peeling tool and an air filtering outlet member, and

a suction pump having an air outlet and an air inlet connecting with said air filtering outlet member of said collection reservoir through a first air duct,

wherein by keeping in contact said delivery hole with said surface portion of said human tissue to be subjected to treatment, said steam of said mixture of said air and said abrasive substances traveling through said delivery hole is caused to strike said surface portion of said human tissue facing said delivery hole, wherein after striking said surface portion of said human tissue, a mixture of said air and used abrasive substances containing said abrasive substances and tissues removed from said surface portion is collected in said collection reservoir via said output opening of said peeling tool and said used abrasive substance inlet member of said collection reservoir, wherein said air filtering outlet member of said collection reservoir filters said used substances and stores in said collection reservoir while sucking said air by said suction pump via said first air duct; and

a purging arrangement, comprising

a first switch means, which comprises a control switch valve connected at said first air dust, for regulating said compressed air flowing from said air filtering outlet member of said collection reservoir to said suction pump normally, and being selectively switched to cut off said connection between collection reservoir and said air inlet of said suction pump while instantaneously connecting said air outlet of said suction pump to said air filtering outlet member instead, so as to deliver said air output from said air outlet of said suction pump reversely to said air filtering outlet member for purging a clogged condition thereof; and

a second switch means for normally ensuring said air outlet of said suction pump connected to outside and selectively switching to instantaneously connect said air outlet of said suction pump to said fresh substance outlet member of said abrasive substance supply means so as to deliver said air output from said air outlet of said suction pump reversely to said fresh substance outlet member for purging a clogged condition thereof.

2. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein said control switch valve is a first control switch valve which includes a first normal section, a first purge section, and a first resilient means for normally maintaining said collection reservoir communicated with said suction pump via said first normal section which provides a first passage connect a first section of said first air duct extended from said air filtering outlet member with a second section of said first air duct extended from said air inlet of said suction pump, and that said first normal section further provides a second passage connecting to atmosphere.

3. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 2, wherein said second switch means comprises a second control switch valve which includes a second normal section, a second purge section, and a second resilient means for normally maintaining said air output of said suction pump communicated with said first normal section of said first switch means via said second normal section, wherein said second normal section provides a normal passage to connect said air outlet of said suction pump with said second passage of said first normal section of said first control switch valve, so as to exhaust said air from said air outlet of said suction pump to said atmosphere via said second control switch valve and said first control switch valve.

4. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 3, wherein said second switch means further comprises a flow valve, which is a single way three-end valve only enabling air flowing from said suction pump to said supply reservoir and said peeling tool but blocking any air flowing in reverse direction to said section pump.

5. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 3, wherein said first purge section of said first control switch valve comprises a first purge passage and a second purge passage, and that said second purge section of said second control switch valve comprises a purge passage.

6. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 4, wherein said second switch means further comprises a flow valve, which is a single way three-end valve only enabling air flowing from said suction pump to said supply reservoir and said peeling tool but blocking any air flowing in reverse direction to said suction pump.

7. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 6, wherein said first control switch valve further has a first, a second and a third air terminal provided at a first end thereof, and a fourth and a fifth air terminal provided at a second end thereof, said first air terminal and said third air terminal being connected to said atmosphere, said second air terminal being connected to said air filtering outlet member via said first section of said first air duct, said fourth air terminal being connected to said air inlet of said suction pump via said second section of said first air duct, said fifth air terminal being connected with said second input terminal of said second control switch valve via a third air duct.

8. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 7, wherein said first normal section of said first control switch valve is maintained by said resilient means to position between said first, second and third air terminals and said fourth and fifth air terminals, wherein said first air terminal is blocked, said second air terminal is connected with said fourth air terminal via said first passage, and said third air terminal that is extended to said atmosphere is connected with said fifth air terminal via said second passage, therefore when said peeling apparatus is normally functioned, said filtered air output from said air filtering outlet member of said collection reservoir is sucked by said suction pump to flow through said first passage of said first normal section into said air inlet of said suction pump, and said air exhausted from said air outlet of said suction pump is delivered to said atmosphere via said second air duct, said normal passage, said third air duct, and said second passage;

whereby by switching said first control switch valve to a purging position where said second purge section thereof is positioned between said first, second and third air terminals and said fourth and fifth air terminals, said first air terminal is connected with said fourth air terminal via said first purge passage so as to connect said air inlet of said suction pump with said atmosphere, wherein said third air terminal is blocked and said second air terminal is connected to said fifth air terminal via said second purge passage so as to deliver said exhaust air from said air outlet of said suction pump to said air filtering outlet member of said collection reservoir, therefore said exhaust air reversely flows from said suction pump to blow off said used abrasive substances clogged thereon back in said collection reservoir and purge said air filtering outlet member for normal functioning again;

moreover by switching said second control switch Valve to a purging position where said second purge section thereof is positioned between said first and second output terminals and said input terminal, wherein said second output terminal is blocked and said first output terminal is connected with said input terminal via said purge passage 532A so as to connect said air inlet of said suction pump to said flow valve, so that said exhaust air from said air outlet of said suction pump is delivered to said fresh substance outlet member, so as to provide a reverse flow of said exhaust air from said suction pump 42 to blow off said abrasive substances 11 clogged at said nozzle 201 and said fresh substance outlet member 13 back in said supply reservoir 12.

9. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 6, wherein said flow valve has a first end connected to said fresh substance outlet member of said abrasive substance supply means via a first connecting tube, a second end connected to said input opening of said peeling tool via a second connecting tube, and a third end connected to a first output terminal provided at a first end of said second control switch valve.

10. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 9, wherein said second control switch valve further has a second output terminal provided at said first end of said second control switch valve and an input terminal provided at a second end of said second control switch valve for connecting with said air outlet of said suction pump via a second air duct.

11. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 10, wherein said first control switch valve further has a first, a second and a third air terminal provided at a first end thereof, and a fourth and a fifth air terminal provided at a second end thereof, said first air terminal and said third air terminal being connected to said atmosphere, said second air terminal being connected to said air filtering outlet member via said first section of said first air duct, said fourth air terminal being connected to said air inlet of said suction pump via said second section of said first air duct, said fifth air terminal being connected with said second input terminal of said second control switch valve via a third air duct.

12. The peeling apparatus, as recited in claim 11, wherein said first normal section of said first control switch valve is maintained by said resilient means to position between said first, second and third air terminals and said fourth and fifth air terminals, wherein said first air terminal is blocked, said second air terminal is connected with said fourth air terminal via said first passage, and said third air terminal that is extended to said atmosphere is connected with said fifth air terminal via said second passage, therefore when said peeling apparatus is normally functioned, said filtered air output from said air filtering outlet member of said collection reservoir is sucked by said suction pump to flow through said first passage of said first normal section into said air inlet of said suction pump, and said air exhausted from said air outlet of said suction pump is delivered to said atmosphere via said second air duct, said normal passage, said third air duct, and said second passage;

whereby by switching said first control switch valve to a purging position where said second purge section thereof is positioned between said first, second and third air terminals and said fourth and fifth air terminals, said first air terminal is connected with said fourth air terminal via said first purge passage so as to connect said air inlet of said suction pump with said atmosphere, wherein said third air terminal is blocked and said second air terminal is connected to said fifth air terminal via said second purge passage so as to deliver said exhaust air from said air outlet of said suction pump to said air filtering outlet member of said collection reservoir, therefore said exhaust air reversely flows from said suction pump to blow off said used abrasive substances clogged thereon back in said collection reservoir and purge said air filtering outlet member for normal functioning again.