System and method for fractional treatment of skin

• US 9,038,640 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Viora Limited
• Original Assignee: Viora Limited
• Inventors: Tal, Gerard, Erez, Danny
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAH, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US13/435,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20120253416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 606/3, 606 8- 16, 607 88- 93, 607 96-112, 128/898
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00047 using Peltier effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00291 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0214 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0285 with Peltier elements
• 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 2201/1695 Enhanced pressure effect, e.g. substantially sharp projections, needles or pyramids
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5005 for controlling frequency distribution, modulation or interference of a driving signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2207/00 Anti-cellulite devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0057 Suction suction kneading A61H7/008
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/18 Applying electric currents by contact electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia

Abstract

A system and method for treatment of skin including a treatment surface having numerous small energy emitting points for fractional skin treatment as well as negative pressure outlets. During a treatment, negative pressure from the outlets may exert a pulling force on an opposing tissue surface to bring the tissue into contact with the energy points.

Claims

1. A method of treating human tissue, comprising:

applying a treatment surface to said tissue, said surface including a plurality of energy emission points and a plurality of negative pressure outlets;

exerting a pulling force from said negative pressure outlets against a tissue opposing said treatment surface; and

energizing a first group of said plurality of energy emission points before an energizing of a second group of said plurality of energy emission points;

wherein said pulling force from a first of said plurality of outlets pulls a first area of said tissue into contact with a first of said energy emission points, and said pulling force from a second of said plurality of outlets pulls a second area of said tissue into contact with a second of said energy emission points;

wherein the energy emission points have a diameter in the range of 100 microns to 1000 microns, to allow fractional treatment of the tissue and wherein said plurality of energy emission points are interspersed among said plurality of negative pressure outlets and said plurality of energy emission points are arranged in a first array on said surface and said plurality of said outlets are arranged in a second array on said surface, said first array overlapping said second array.

2. The method as in claim 1, comprising exerting said pulling force from said plurality of outlets, said pulling concurrently with emission of energy from said energy emission points.

3. The method as in claim 1, comprising capturing in a storage cavity behind said surface, debris released from said tissue by said negative pressure.

4. The method as in claim 1, comprising varying in a pulse, a level of energy emitted by a first group of said plurality of energy emission points.