Fractional scanner for dermatological treatments

• US 8,366,703 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cutera Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cutera Incorporated
• Inventors: Davenport, Scott A., Gollnick, David A
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, III, Henry M
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRANDALL, LYNSEY P
• Application Number:
  US12/405,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254073A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 606/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00747 Dermatology
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20351 Scanning mechanisms

Abstract

A dermatological treatment device is disclosed for generating a matrix of two dimensional treatment spots on the tissue. A handpiece carrier a laser which generates a beam of laser pulses. The pulses are focused onto the tissue with a lens system. A diffractive element is positioned between the laser and the lens system for splitting the laser beam into a plurality of sub-beams. A scanner translates the beam over the diffractive element to generate the two dimensional spot pattern. The laser has a semi-monolithic resonator design with one integral end mirror defining the output coupler and a second, independent mirror for adjustment.

Claims

1. A laser handpiece for generating radiation for treating tissue comprising:

a housing;

an elongated laser rod located within the housing;

a laser resonator surrounding the rod;

a flashlamp for pumping the rod to generate a beam of laser radiation;

optics for focusing the beam onto the tissue wherein the optics include a diffractive optical element for splitting the beam into at least three spaced apart sub-beams and a lens assembly adjacent and closely spaced to the diffractive optical element without any beam steering elements therebetween, said lens system for directing the beams along separate paths and for focusing the sub-beams onto tissue in a linear array of spots; and

a reflective scanner positioned between the resonator and the diffractive optical element for varying the entry angle of the beam and for translating the beam to different positions on the diffractive optical element to cause the sub-beams to be directed to different locations on the tissue.