System for treatment of skin conditions using at least one narrow band light source in a skin brush having an oscillating brushhead

• US 9,554,963 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Pilcher, Kenneth A., Akridge, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xie, Dacheng
• Application Number:
  US14/157,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 606/9, 606/131, 607 88- 90
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0034 with a source of radiation, e.g. UV, IR, LASER, X-ray for irradiating the teeth and associated surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/102 Brush specifically designed for massaging the skin or scalp A46B2200/1026 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0153 hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0176 By stopping operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1215 Rotary drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1678 Means for angularly oscillating massage elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/022 Face
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/005 hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0626 Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/063 comprising light transmitting means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0645 Applicators worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0653 Organic light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0663 : Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0666 : for redirecting light to the treatment area
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 : Skin treatment other than tanning

Abstract

An apparatus and corresponding method for treatment of skin conditions which includes a brushhead member which comprises a first portion which includes a plurality of rings of bristle tufts, the first portion oscillating in operation through a selected angle at a selected frequency and a second portion which also includes a plurality of rings of bristle tufts concentric with the first portion, the second portion remaining stationary in operation. At least one monochromatic light source is included, providing light directed from the brushhead in a direction substantially the same as the bristle tufts, such that the light impinges on the area of skin of the user acted on by the oscillating brushhead.

Claims

1. An appliance for treatment of skin conditions, comprising:

a housing member for the appliance;

a head member having a center of rotation adapted to removably fit to the housing member, wherein the head member in operation rotates back and forth about a rest/neutral position through a selected angle and with a selected frequency;

a motor assembly for rotating the head member back and forth about the center of rotation; and

one or more rings of light sources located within the head member, the light sources spaced approximately equally around the circumference thereof or concentric with the circumference thereof, directed at an angle approximately 90°

to the circumference thereof, wherein the light sources have driving circuitry associated therewith in the housing member, the light sources having a wave length suitable for treatment of a selected skin condition, thereby permitting light to come into contact with the treatment area of the skin from different angles within a specified period of time, to provide treatment action, wherein the head member and the light sources move together and are removable together from the housing member.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the light is monochromatic.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the light sources all have the same wave length.

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the light sources have more than one wave length.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the light is continuous.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the light is pulsed.

7. An appliance for treatment of skin conditions, comprising:

a housing member for the appliance;

a head member having a center of rotation adapted to removably fit to the housing member, the head member rotating back and forth about a rest/neutral position through a selected angle and frequency;

a motor assembly for rotating the head member back and forth about the center of rotation; and

a plurality of spaced light pipes positioned in openings in the head member, and a plurality of light emitters located within the housing member, the light emitters being apart from the head member, wherein the light from the light emitters is transmitted to the light pipes directly or through an intermediate light pipe positioned in the housing member, wherein the light emitters have driver circuitry associated therewith located in the housing member, wherein the light emitters have a wave length suitable for treatment of a selected skin condition, permitting light to come into contact for the treatment area of the skin from different angles within a specified period of time, to provide treatment action, wherein the head member and the spaced light pipes move together and are removable together from the housing member.

8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the light is monochromatic.

9. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the light sources all have the same wave length.

10. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the light sources have more than one wave length.

11. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the light is continuous.

12. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the light is pulsed.