Coherent imaging fiber based hair removal device

• US 9,474,576 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Original Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Inventors: Dhadwal, Harbans S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUAN, SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US12/246,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20090099559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,941 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00476 Hair follicles

Abstract

A photoepilation device including a compact hand piece applicator and a portable electronics module for use in a non-medical setting. The hand piece, which contains no electrical signals, allows the user to focus on individual hair follicles by observing a magnified image provided on a semiconductor display. The image from the hand piece is transported to a remote CCD through a coherent imaging fiber. which also delivers the therapeutic energy pulse from a remotely located source to the localized target. Destruction of pluripotential follicular stems cells found in the hair bulb and bulge regions is possible via a single low power laser diode. Control of pulse width and spot size attains a range of fluence levels up to 85 J·cm⁻².

Claims

1. A portable device comprising:

a coherent imaging fiber;

an optical switch;

a plurality of multimode optical fibers; and

an imaging microlens assembly,

wherein the coherent imaging fiber transports an image of a targeted hair follicle for viewing by a user of the portable device, and

wherein the coherent imaging fiber delivers laser energy to the targeted hair follicle.

2. The portable device of claim 1, wherein cellular structures of the targeted hair follicle are damaged by elevated temperature photo-induced by the laser energy.

3. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the coherent imaging fiber includes an outer ring comprising the plurality of multimode optical fibers for illumination of the targeted hair follicle.

4. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the optical switch modulates an optical signal to define ON/OFF states of the portable device.

5. The portable device of claim 1, further comprising a radially bi-focal lens providing disparate magnifications for the coherent imaging fiber and the plurality of multimode optical fibers.