Low frequency ultrasound device with computer-controlled monitoring

• US 9,586,062 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eurocomponents, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eurocomponents, Inc.
• Inventors: Da Madice, Lorenzo, Da Madice, Dina
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweet, Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HIEN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US14/791,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20170007851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00761 Duration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0034 Skin treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0073 using multiple frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

An ultrasound device for therapeutic and aesthetic treatment is disclosed. Different types of hand probes used with the device produce different effects within biological tissues. The device can operate at low frequencies of around 20 KHz to 100 KHz. The device can be operated in continuous mode or pulsed mode with different duty cycles. Software and hardware is used to control power output of the hand probes; treatment time; to perform diagnostics of the hand probes; and to shut off ultrasound emissions in the case of abnormal or incorrect functioning of the hand probes.

Claims

1. A low frequency ultrasound device comprising:

a main unit;

two hand probe connection inputs; and

two hand probes each comprising a power cord and a power cord connector connected to the main unit; and

wherein the main unit comprises a display comprising information regarding one or both hand probes, a treatment protocol and performance parameters of the main unit,

wherein the main unit further comprises a first printed circuit board assembly and a second printed circuit board assembly, wherein the first printed circuit board assembly and the second printed circuit board assembly share information via a CAN BUS protocol, wherein the first printed circuit board assembly comprises a display circuit board assembly, wherein the second printed circuit board assembly comprises a power circuit board assembly, wherein the power circuit board assembly responds to requests for information from the display circuit board assembly, wherein each of the first printed circuit board assembly and the second printed circuit board assembly comprises a printed circuit board and one or more of resistors, capacitors, transistors, diodes, amplifiers, resistor arrays, logic gates, semiconductors, clocks, switches, microprocessors and memory and combinations thereof, wherein the second printed circuit board assembly is programmed to regulate if amperage is sent to the hand probes and how much amperage is send to the hand probes,

wherein each hand probe comprises an integrated circuit chip with readable memory and at least one piezoelectric element, and a contact surface, wherein the hand probe receives power via the power cord from the main unit as regulated by the second printed circuit board assembly, wherein each hand probe further comprises one sonotrode disposed at one end of the piezoelectric element and a steel plate disposed at the opposite end from the sonotrode of the piezoelectric element,

wherein information is stored in the hand probe by its manufacturer comprising hand probe manufacturer information, hand probe calibration information, emission type comprising continuous or pulsed, duty cycle, hand probe frequency parameters and treatment hours assigned to the hand probe,

wherein the power circuit board assembly is in communication with the hand probe,

wherein hand probe performance information as determined by the manufacturer is stored in the memory of the main unit,

wherein the low frequency ultrasonic device operates at about 20 KHz to about 100 KHz.

2. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 1 wherein the requests from the display circuit board assembly to the power circuit board assembly comprise hand probe manufacturer information stored in the integrated circuit chip inside each hand probe by its manufacturer, calibration information of each hand probe, emission type of each hand probe, duty cycle of each hand probe, power status of each hand probe, hand probe frequency parameters and treatment hours assigned to each hand probe.

3. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 2 wherein a maximum number of treatment hours is assigned to the hand probe and stored in the readable memory of the device, wherein the maximum number of treatment hours assigned to the hand probe is compared to an actual total treatment hours for that hand probe that has been stored in the memory of the main unit of the device, wherein if the actual total treatment hours for the hand probe is within twenty treatment hours of or exceed the maximum number of treatment hours assigned to the hand probe, power to the hand probe is cut-off by the main unit.

4. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 1 wherein the power circuit board assembly conducts a test of a performance of each hand probe, wherein the performance test comprises bringing each hand probe to between about 10% and 100% of its nominal power in 2% power increments and measuring 40 data points, wherein the second printed circuit board measures the amperage demand by the hand probe for each data point.

5. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 4 wherein power is cut to the hand probe by the main unit if the amperage demand by the hand probe as measured by the second printed circuit board exceeds a maximum amperage for the hand probe as stored in the integrated circuit of the hand probe by the manufacturer.

6. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 3 further comprising an alarm, wherein the alarm is activated if power to the hand probe is cut-off by the main unit.

7. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 5 further comprising an alarm, wherein the alarm is activated if power to the hand probe is cut-off by the main unit.

8. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 7 wherein the alarm is a visual alarm, an audible alarm or a combination thereof.

9. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 6 wherein the alarm is a visual alarm, an audible alarm or a combination thereof.

10. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 5 wherein amperage demand by the hand probe as measured by the second printed circuit board exceeds the maximum amperage for the hand probe as stored in the integrated circuit of the hand probe by the manufacturer due to the material on which the hand probe transducer contact surface is in contact.

11. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 1 wherein a failure in either the hardware or the software results in a cut of power to each hand probe.

12. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 1 wherein the transducer contact surface shape comprises flat, concave or convex.

13. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 1 further comprising a security feature that must be entered on the display to operate the main unit.

14. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 1 wherein a treatment protocol is programmed using the display unit, the treatment protocol comprising a time value and a power value, wherein the power circuit board assembly controls operation of each hand probe according to the treatment protocol.

15. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 14 wherein the treatment protocol further comprises continuous or pulsed emission, wherein the treatment protocol further comprises different duty cycles.

16. The low frequency ultrasound device of claim 1 wherein the display indicates a history of each hand probe, wherein the history comprises a number of hours or treatment left for the hand probe under the manufacturer'"'"'s guidelines.

17. An ultrasonic aesthetic treatment method comprising:

operating a touch screen display to turn on power to the main unit of an ultrasonic device;

conducting an inquiry to determine if one or more hand probes are attached to the ultrasonic device;

comparing the performance parameters of each hand probe according to stored information in a memory of the main unit to performance parameters that are stored within an integrated circuit chip disposed in each hand probe and programmed with hand probe parameters by the manufacturer of the hand probe, wherein the performance parameters comprise a maximum amperage for the hand probe as stored in the integrated circuit of the hand probe by the manufacturer;

reading from the memory of the main unit a maximum number of treatment hours assigned to each hand probe and reading from the memory of the main unit an actual number of treatment hours that each hand probe has been used;

thereafter if the actual number of treatment hours for each hand probe as stored in the memory unit of the main device are less than twenty hours of the maximum number of treatment hours assigned to each hand probe, thereafter conducting a performance test of each hand probe, wherein the performance test comprises bringing each hand probe to between about 10% and 100% of its nominal power in 2% power increments and measuring 40 data points, wherein the amperage demand by the hand probe is measured for each data point;

wherein if the amperage demand by each hand probe as measured does not exceed the maximum amperage for the hand probe as stored in the integrated circuit of the hand probe by the thereafter setting aesthetic treatment protocol parameters using the touch screen display;

wherein if the amperage demand by either hand probe as measured exceeds the maximum amperage for the hand probe as stored in the integrated circuit of the hand probe by the manufacturer thereafter cleaning the hand probe by the operator,

wherein if the hand probe is cleaned by the operator such that its performance test compares favorably to the maximum amperage for the hand probe as stored in the integrated circuit of the hand probe by the manufacturer, thereafter setting aesthetic treatment protocol parameters using the touch screen display;

thereafter providing power to one of the hand probes; and

continuously monitoring the performance of each hand probe for the actual number of treatment hours and the amperage demand, wherein if either of the actual number of treatment hours and the amperage demand exceed the assigned values, power is thereafter discontinued to the hand probe, wherein if both of the actual number of treatment hours and the amperage demand for each hand probe do not exceed the values assigned to each hand probe the aesthetic treatment protocol is completed,

wherein the ultrasonic device comprises the device of claim 1.

18. An ultrasonic therapeutic treatment method comprising:

operating a touch screen display to turn on power to the main unit of an ultrasonic device;

conducting an inquiry to determine if one or more hand probes are attached to the ultrasonic device;

comparing the performance parameters of each hand probe according to stored information in a memory of the main unit to performance parameters that are stored within an integrated circuit chip disposed in each hand probe and programmed with hand probe parameters by the manufacturer of the hand probe, wherein the performance parameters comprise a maximum amperage for the hand probe as stored in the integrated circuit of the hand probe by the manufacturer;

reading from the memory of the main unit a maximum number of treatment hours assigned to each hand probe and reading from the memory of the main unit an actual number of treatment hours that each hand probe has been used;

thereafter if the actual number of treatment hours for each hand probe as stored in the memory unit of the main device are less than twenty hours of the maximum number of treatment hours assigned to each hand probe, thereafter conducting a performance test of each hand probe, wherein the performance test comprises bringing each hand probe to between about 10% and 100% of its nominal power in 2% power increments and measuring 40 data points, wherein the amperage demand by the hand probe is measured for each data point;

wherein if the amperage demand by each hand probe as measured does not exceed the maximum amperage for the hand probe as stored in the integrated circuit of the hand probe by the manufacturer thereafter setting therapeutic treatment protocol parameters using the touch screen display;

wherein if the amperage demand by either hand probe as measured exceeds the maximum amperage for the hand probe as stored in the integrated circuit of the hand probe by the manufacturer thereafter cleaning the hand probe by the operator,

wherein if the hand probe is cleaned by the operator such that its performance test compares favorably to the maximum amperage for the hand probe as stored in the integrated circuit of the hand probe by the manufacturer, thereafter setting therapeutic treatment protocol parameters using the touch screen display;

thereafter providing power to one of the hand probes; and

continuously monitoring the performance of each hand probe for the actual number of treatment hours and the amperage demand, wherein if either of the actual number of treatment hours and the amperage demand exceed the values assigned to each hand probe, power is thereafter discontinued to the hand probe, wherein if both of the actual number of treatment hours and the amperage demand for each hand probe do not exceed the values assigned to each hand probe the therapeutic treatment protocol is completed,

wherein the ultrasonic device comprises the device of claim 1.