Patent Application
20190184202
The present invention relates in general to Medical Devices, and especially to Pain Management and Skin Treatment Devices.
The pain treatment in muscles and joints are a common issue for general public and more importantly for the elderly population. Typical treatments usually require a number of visits to pain specialist physicians and/or physiotherapists leading to a significant burden on health care systems, insurance companies and governments. One of the most successful technologies being used for muscles and joints pain management is therapeutic ultrasound, which typically makes use of ultrasonic waves with a frequency range of 0.5-5 MHz and with ultrasonic intensities of up to 2 W/cm2. All ultrasonic therapeutic devices that are currently commercially available in the market for muscle/joint pain management are AC power operated and office based with price tags of at least a few thousand dollars. Currently available devices that could generate the range of output acoustic powers (or intensities) required for ultrasonic physical therapy, i.e., up to 2 W/cm2, are all office based and bench topped. They are neither hand-held nor battery-operated.
A muscle/joint pain management ultrasonic device that is hand held, battery operated and inexpensive will open up a number of non-office based applications of the technology, e.g., in home and in the field.
There are many hand-held portable ultrasonic devices in the market with profiles similar to the present invention. However, they all produce very low level of ultrasonic power, which makes them ineffective in the area of muscle/joint pain management. These devices cannot generate more power due to the way the high frequency signal is generated. They use typical LC oscillators in which a piezo ceramic crystal is a part of the circuit, and needs a high-power transistor to drive and to generate high power ultrasonic energy. This driving electronic design either needs high levels of voltages above the safety range and /or large heat sinks with large cooling capacities, which makes it bulky, heavy, and expensive.
Moreover, all these devices, including the office based ones; lack a reliable warning mechanism to let the user know if the coupling between the transducer surface and the skin is good and if the ultrasonic energy is being effectively transferred to the tissue without any discernible risk of skin burn or damage.
The present invention is a portable and handheld battery-operated ultrasonic device that generates stepwise high resolution, high frequency microprocessor- based signal to drive piezoelectric-crystals for applying on the skin of the user. This stepwise signal enables to reduce the power loss in driving circuit leading to increase in the efficiency and allowing the device to operate even with a battery.
In addition, monitoring the amount of power delivered to a piezo-crystal enables the user to determine if there is a proper coupling, e.g., if it is in the air or if it is not delivering an appropriate energy to a tissue.
The present invention generates all combinations of acoustic intensities from 0 W/cm2 to 2 W/cm2 and with 80-85% efficiency (Piezo mechanical force/input electrical power). It is a lightweight device weighing less than 150 g without battery and less than 350 g with a battery. Pain specialist physicians, physical therapy and physiotherapy practitioners, dermatologists, sport medicine specialists, athletics, beauty salons, general people, and elderly people, can easily use the present device.
The present invention is able to auto tune itself with a piezo-crystal head and is able to detect if the power is not delivered to the tissue and can be programmed wirelessly by a physician/professional to be used at home or by a patient and to reduce the time and cost for them. The versatile electronic design along the capability of handling multi-head piezo-crystals enables it to be used for skin care as well.
One objective of the present invention is to provide a new technology to produce a high power hand-held ultrasonic device having therapeutically effective output, and being programmable to be used under physician supervision while at home.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device with a capability of handling multi-head piezo-crystals, enabling it to be used for skin care and other applications.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stepwise shape ultrasound signal with nanosecond pattern enabling to generate a semi Sinus wave form to drive the Piezo-crystal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that can track its operation history, and to determine if the patient has used the device properly.
Another object of the present invention is to resolve the prior art issues, relating to portability, low weight and being battery operated, which allows the present device to be used in places which other devices cannot be used, like in the fields.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a programmable device to program the power, pulse rate and time of operation, enabling physician to track the treatment process and gradually apply the amount of power needed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a significantly less expensive device as compared with devices currently available in the market with similar specs.
Embodiments herein will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the claims, wherein like designations denote like elements, and in which:
The figures are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed. It should be understood that the invention can be practiced with modification and alteration, and that the disclosed technology be limited only by the claims and equivalents thereof.
The technology disclosed herein, in accordance with one or more various embodiments, is described in detail with reference to the following figures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict typical or example embodiments of the disclosed technology. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader's understanding of the disclosed technology and shall not be considered limiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability thereof. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of illustration these drawings are not necessarily made to scale.
The piezo-crystals 100 and the transmitter 111 are integrated into a combined vibration mass, which is caused by the electric pulse to resonate for generating and applying the resonant ultrasound vibration to the skin 120. Preferably the device 10 is designed to generate the ultrasound having a wide range of operation from 100 KHz to 4 MHz with 1 KHz Resolution in MHz and its automatic frequency matching technique makes it very Power efficient 80-85% acoustic to electric power ratio. The device 10 further comprises of a display unit 13 to display a range of information thereon according to the present invention.
The present invention may provide a charging station 50 for charging a portable and hand-held battery-operated therapeutic ultrasonic device 10 wherein the charging station 50 is configured for a hand-held part of the device such that the hand-held part has a substantially vertical alignment when charging.
The main elements of the present invention are provided in
The driver 200 generates stepwise signals as well as measuring the power of the delivered signal to the piezo-crystals 100 and reports it to the processing unit 300.
A bridge amplifier is designed to provide a stepwise signal with nanosecond pattern, enabling the device to generate a semi Sinus waveform to drive the piezo-crystals 100. One embodiment of the preferred circuit is shown in
Each Piezo Crystal on separate head has a built in code which CPU can recognize the Typical Resonance frequency of the used Piezo (for example 400 Khz, 1 Mhz or 3 Mhz Piezo has different code). Resonance Frequency is set by changing the “c” by CPU and with getting feedback from voltage dropped across “R”. The voltage pattern is captured by bursting mani Piezo frequency with low burst signal (like 100 Hz), get the pick and form factor of the demodulated signal and transfer it through isolating amplifier to CPU. Then the CPU searches around the typical resonance frequency by resolution of around 0.2% and determine the actual resonance frequency which can be saved and be used later whenever the device is being on to check again.
Each piezo-crystal has a built in code on its head, which the CPU of the system can recognize. The code contains information on the resonance frequency of the piezo (for example, it can be 400 Khz, 1 Mhz or 3 Mhz). The resonance frequency is read by the CPU and the parameter “c” is adjusted to generate the initial resonance frequency. In operation, when a load is applied on the piezo, the CPU reads the voltage drop across “R” in
In addition, the signal is also optimized for more efficient operation. During the treatment, by measuring the feedback voltage across “R”, the ratio of “a” and “b” can be tuned by the CPU by changing the status of the switches. The waveform, which is like a staircase signal, is generated with the following pattern of switches: Step1: All switches are OFF. Step2: SW1 and SW4 are ON. Step3: All switches are OFF. Step4: SW2 and SW3 are ON. This switch pattern protects the switches and prevents two of them to stay ON simultaneously, thus preventing switch failure. It also can optimize the shape of the waveform and energy applied to the piezo.
The optimum resonance frequency is continuously determined and applied to the piezo-crystal, however, by controlling the amount of power, the bursts can be achieved at lower frequency signals. Parameters of this signal like the voltage level, the make and the brake interval can be set to apply desired power to piezo crystal.
The frequency can continuously be applied to the piezo-crystal. However, in the current method, by applying signal bursts, a low frequency signal (like 1 Khz) but very short duration can be applied (see
According to
The device 10 is designed to generate the ultrasound while the applicator head 12 is in contact with the skin 120.The load detecting circuit 203 detects whether a suitable load is applied to the skin and determines whether the transmitter 111 is loaded or not and restricts the generation of the ultrasound. The motion detecting circuit 202 is provided to enable the continuous ultrasound application when the applicator head 12 is moving at a suitable rate and otherwise disable or limit the ultrasound generation. This prevents the potential of hazard of causing a cold burn in the skin. In addition, the control circuit 207 includes a timer, which stops generating the ultrasound after the device is utilized over a preset time. The timer operates to continue generating the ultrasound over the preset time. In addition, after the preset time is elapsed, the control circuit 207 gives an instruction to stop providing the electric power to the driver 200, stopping the ultrasound generation.
According to
Referring to
The variable voltage or the switching power supply 500 is responsible to deliver the necessary voltage/power to the driver stage based on the request from the processor 300. Switching power supply is controlled by the main micro controller in to enable the system to generate any pattern, so for all scientific experiments can be implemented with the present device.
The user interface 600 comprises of switches and displays as well as a communication link between the device and external application on a smart phones/computers/Cloud. Communication link enables practitioner to set the power, period of use, record the usage by the patient, and check the usage. The device has wireless communication interface to wirelessly communicate with any external processor and computers.
In operation, after turning on a power switch, the stepwise signal driver 200 actuates the piezo-crystals 100 to start vibrating and generating the ultrasound. At this time, the temperature-sensing unit 204 starts sensing. The motion detection 202 and the load detection 203 operate in combination with each other based on the instruction given to the timer.
The applicator head 12 comprises of the piezo- crystals 100 and a transmitter 111. The piezo-crystals 100 are made of a ceramic and are preferably shaped into circular disks having a thickness. An upper electrode 112 and a lower electrode 113 is provided. The transmitter 111 is further shaped into preferably a circular disk having a uniform thickness. The electric pulse from the step-wise driver 200 is applied across the electrodes 112 and 113 and transmitted by the transmitter 111. The piezo-crystal 100 is secured to the transmitter 111 such that it is integrated into a combined vibration mass, which resonates with the electric pulse from the step-wise driver 200 to generate the ultrasound to be transmitted to the skin. The ultrasound effectively transmits to the user's skin.
Another advantage of the present device is that it can used for Sonophoresis (or phonophoresis). This is a technique in which therapeutic ultrasound energy, at certain exposure conditions, is used to increase the absorption of semisolid topical compounds and/or macromolecules through the skin (epidermis, dermis and skin appendages). The main biophysical mechanisms of action of sonophoresis are: (1) increasing the overall kinetic energy of molecules making up topical agents through ultrasound-induced radiation force, and (2) increasing the overall epidermis permeability through ultrasound-induced micro-vibrations and mild heating. The technique is generally used by mixing the topical compounds and/or macromolecules with an ultrasound coupling agent in a form of a gel, a cream, or an ointment. The present device is very effective for such application.
Sonophoresis for therapeutic applications including, but not limited, to enhancement of therapeutic oils and creams for pain and rejuvenation reasons using different therapeutic oils and creams including, but not limited, to cannabis CBD oils and creams.
The invention subject to this patent application possesses required technical features to allow it to be used in sonophoresis operations. This is due to the fact that the invention is capable of operating at output exposure parameters required for sonophoresis in terms of acoustic output power, and a wide range of output pulse sequencing (pulse width and pulse repetition frequency).
A variety of methods are used to restraining the vibrations for example providing an elastic on the upper electrode or provide a weight on the center of the upper electrode therefore restraining the undesired parasitic resonance on the applicator head.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum relationships for the parts of the invention in regard to size, shape, form, materials, function and manner of operation, assembly and use are deemed readily apparent and obvious to those skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
