INTEGRATED DEVICE FOR THE NON-INVASIVE PERSONALISED TREATMENT OF SKIN BLEMISHES AND ASSOCIATED MULTI-STEP METHOD

Abstract

Integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes includes: a handpiece for performing a percussive treatment on the body/face, causing a microtrauma on the wrinkle furrow, facilitating the natural recovery and the reduction of the wrinkle depth; a handpiece for carrying out an ablative micro-vibration treatment on the body, suitable to expand or compact the cutaneous tissue by alleviating wrinkles, stretch marks and scars with an exfoliating effect; a handpiece for performing a compressive micro-vibration treatment on the face, expanding the pores of the epidermis; a device for adjusting the rotation and vibration of the handpieces; an electric energy absorption sensor for each handpiece, communicating the detected data to a control unit which acts on the frequency adjustment devices obtaining a variation in the rotation and vibration frequency of the rotors, depending on the mechanical strength of the skin tissue; a communication interface.

Claims

1. Integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, suitable to be operated by an operator in order to perform a treatment on the body and/or on the face of a patient for the reduction of muscle contractures, cellulite, stretch marks, wrinkles and others blemishes, said device comprising a portable console, provided, at the upper part, with a plurality of recesses each suitable to house a corresponding handpiece suitable to be grasped by said operator in order to perform a step of a pre-established treatment on the body and/or on the face of said patient; said handpieces comprising: a first handpiece suitable to perform a percussion treatment on the body and/or on the face of a patient by means of a rotor comprising a plurality of rotating elements installed on a corresponding plurality of equidistant semi-axes on the circumference of a ring nut; said rotor being installed between a movable head, tilted according to an angle of 10°, provided with spot laser and with micro-camera, with said first handpiece and an angular support; said head being provided with an elastic membrane suitable to allow to perform the percussion, avoiding the direct contact between the rotating elements and the epidermis of the patient; said angular support being fitted, by means of a suitable insert, on an electric motor which controls the percussion frequency of said rotor; said electric motor being power supplied by a special cable, connected to said first handpiece by means of common connection means, connected to said console; said angular support, said insert, said electric motor and said connection means being arranged in a pair of semi-handles suitable to be mutually engaged in order to form the handle for grasping said first handpiece; said first handpiece being suitable to cause a micro-trauma at the wrinkle furrow, thus facilitating the natural recovery and hence a reduction of the wrinkle depth; a second handpiece suitable to perform an ablative micro-vibration treatment on the body of the patient by means of a rotor comprising a plurality of rotating elements suitable to vibrate and rotate in a mutually converging or diverging direction depending on the arrangement of a plurality of pins on which said rotating elements are fitted; said pins extending from an upper ring nut to a middle ring nut and from said middle ring nut to a lower ring nut; the rotation of said middle ring nut by said operator being suitable to modify the configuration of said pins in order to ensure that said rotating elements converge or diverge toward or from said middle ring nut; said rotor being suitable to rotate, at a pre-established frequency, around an upper semi-axis and a lower semi-axis; said rotor being inserted into a shell provided with an open side and with a closed side; said open side allowing the contact between said rotating elements and the body of said patient; said closed side being directed toward the operator and comprising a pair of light indicators suitable to signal to the operator the converging or diverging direction of the rotating elements on the body of the patient; said rotor being connected, at the top part by means of a pin, to a bearing and finally to an upper cap of said second handpiece; said rotor being connected, at the lower part, to an electric motor integrated in a handle; said electric motor being suitable to determine the rotation and vibration frequency of said rotor and being power supplied by a special cable, connected to said second handpiece by means of common connection means included within a lower cap connected to said handle, said power supply cable being connected to said console; said second handpiece being suitable to expand or compact the skin tissue, alleviating blemishes, also obtaining an exfoliating effect called “stretching”; a third handpiece suitable to perform a compressive micro-vibration treatment on the face of a patient by means of a rotor comprising a plurality of rotating elements suitable to vibrate and rotate around a plurality of pins on which said rotating elements are fitted; said pins extending from an upper ring nut to a lower ring nut; said rotor being suitable to rotate, at a pre-established frequency, around a rotation axis; said rotor being inserted into a shell provided with an open side and with a closed side; said open side allowing the contact between said rotating elements and the body of said patient; said closed side being directed toward the operator and comprising a light pressure indicator suitable to signal to the operator the pressure with which he/she is pressing the handpiece on the face of the patient; said rotor being connected, at the upper part by means of a pin, to a bearing and finally to an upper cap of said third handpiece; said rotor being connected, at the lower part by means of a joint, to an electric motor integrated in a handle; said electric motor being suitable to determine the rotation and vibration frequency of said rotor and being power supplied by a special cable, connected to said third handpiece by means of common connection means included within a lower cap connected to said handle, said power supply cable being connected to said console; said third handpiece being suitable to expand the pores of the epidermis of the patient; at least one rotation and vibration adjustment device, integrated in each handpiece, suitable to control the frequency of said rotations and vibrations of said rotors of said handpieces; at least one electric energy absorption sensor for each handpiece, suitable to detect the amount of electric energy absorbed by each handpiece in order to obtain the desired rotation and vibration of the relative rotors; said electric energy absorption sensor being suitable to communicate the detected data to a control unit programmed with a dedicated software suitable to process the data coming from said electric energy absorption sensors and to consequently act, in real time, on said frequency adjustment devices of each handpiece in order to obtain an immediate variation of the rotation and vibration frequency of said rotors, within a pre-established range comprised between 20 Hz and 700 Hz, depending on the mechanical strength provided by the skin tissue of the patient at contact with one of said handpieces; a communication interface, suitable to allow an operator to receive in real time the information regarding the treatment underway and to set the desired parameters, including the frequency of the vibrations and of the rotations to be administered to the patient through said handpieces.

2. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 1, further comprising at least one fourth handpiece suitable to perform a treatment for the vibrio-transportation of active ingredients deep into the body and/or on the face of a patient by means of a head suitable to vibrate by exploiting square-wave electrical pulses, at a pre-established frequency driven by an electric motor inserted into a handle connected, at the upper part, to a support from which said vibrating head projects above; said electric motor being power supplied by a special cable, connected to said fourth handpiece by means of common connection means included within a lower cap connected to said handle, said power supply cable being connected to said console.

3. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 2, wherein said fourth handpiece comprises an active ingredient reservoir suitable to release the desired amount of cream, gel, or mousse on the body of the patient upon pressing a suitable key by said operator.

4. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 1, wherein said handpieces are provided with an internal resistor suitable to heat the portion of said handpiece that is at contact with the body or with the face of the patient when said handpiece is in use, up to a pre-established temperature.

5. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 1, wherein each recess is provided with an internal resistor suitable to heat the corresponding handpieces before they are placed at contact with the body or with the face of the patient.

6. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 1, wherein each handpiece is provided with a temperature sensor suitable to communicate, to the control unit of said device, the temperature variation of the skin tissues of the patient from the start of the treatment, said control unit communicating the value of said variation by means of said communication interface.

7. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 1, further comprising means for retaining said handpieces suitable to release the constraint between a recess and the corresponding handpiece only in the order pre-established by the therapy that is being performed.

8. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 1, wherein said rotating elements of said handpieces consist of balls, ovoids or cylinders, arranged to form a honeycomb-like or V-like shape; said rotating elements being made of non-allergenic silicone or of gel with hardness comprised between 5 shore and 100 shore.

9. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 1, wherein said rotating elements of said handpieces have the outer surface provided with a plurality of spherical cap-shaped recesses, suitable to create a suction effect when pressed on the epidermis of the patient; the outer surface of said rotating elements being provided with a surface treatment suitable to obtain a predetermined surface roughness in order to obtain the desired exfoliating effect on the epidermis of the patient.

10. Multi-step method for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, performed by an operator by means of an integrated device according to claim 1, in order to perform a treatment on the body and/or on the face of a patient for the reduction of muscle contractures, cellulite, stretch marks, wrinkles and others blemishes, said method comprising: first step of setting the parameters, in which an operator sets, by means of a communication interface of the treatment device, an admissible frequency range for the rotations and vibrations based on the characteristics of the tissue of the patient, on his/her age and on his/her musculature; the frequency of the vibrations being comprised between 20 Hz and 700 Hz; second test step, in which, by grasping a handpiece of said treatment device, and placing the relative rotor thereof at contact with the body or with the face of the patient, an electric energy absorption sensor of said handpiece sends the detected data to a control unit integrated in the treatment device; said control unit, comparing the electric energy absorption data and the data of the vibration and rotation frequency set by the operator, communicates by means of the communication interface the correctness or lack of correctness of the vibration and rotation frequency range set by said operator; third step of administration of the therapy, in which said operator covers the areas of the body or of the face of the patient to be treated with a handpiece, applying a predetermined pressure perpendicular to the skin tissue of the patient; during said third step of administration of the therapy, if the electric energy absorption sensor of the handpiece in use detected a zone of greater mechanical strength, e.g. said control unit that processes the data sent by said electric energy absorption sensor, sends a command to increase the frequency of the vibrations and of the rotations to a frequency adjustment device of the handpiece in use, up to detecting a lower mechanical strength; said handpieces being used by the operator according to a pre-established sequence; fourth step of monitoring the uniformity of the treatment over the entire area affected by the skin disorder or blemish, said step being suitable to be performed by means of visual analysis of the skin reddening due to the vascularization of the tissue induced by the treatment, by the operator, or said step being suitable to be performed by means of monitoring the increase of skin temperature, due to the vascularization of the tissue induced by the treatment, performed by the control unit which processes the temperature data detected by the temperature sensor of the handpiece in use.

11. Multi-step method for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, performed by an operator by means of an integrated device according to claim 2, in order to perform a treatment on the body and/or on the face of a patient for the reduction of muscle contractures, cellulite, stretch marks, wrinkles and others blemishes, said method comprising: first step of setting the parameters, in which an operator sets, by means of a communication interface of the treatment device, an admissible frequency range for the rotations and vibrations based on the characteristics of the tissue of the patient, on his/her age and on his/her musculature; the frequency of the vibrations being comprised between 20 Hz and 700 Hz; second test step, in which, by grasping a handpiece of said treatment device, and placing the relative rotor thereof at contact with the body or with the face of the patient, an electric energy absorption sensor of said handpiece sends the detected data to a control unit integrated in the treatment device; said control unit, comparing the electric energy absorption data and the data of the vibration and rotation frequency set by the operator, communicates by means of the communication interface the correctness or lack of correctness of the vibration and rotation frequency range set by said operator; third step of administration of the therapy, in which said operator covers the areas of the body or of the face of the patient to be treated with a handpiece, applying a predetermined pressure perpendicular to the skin tissue of the patient; during said third step of administration of the therapy, if the electric energy absorption sensor of the handpiece in use detected a zone of greater mechanical strength, said control unit that processes the data sent by said electric energy absorption sensor, sends a command to increase the frequency of the vibrations and of the rotations to a frequency adjustment device of the handpiece in use, up to detecting a lower mechanical strength; said handpieces being used by the operator according to a pre-established sequence; fourth step of monitoring the uniformity of the treatment over the entire area affected by the skin disorder or blemish, said step being suitable to be performed by means of visual analysis of the skin reddening due to the vascularization of the tissue induced by the treatment, by the operator, or said step being suitable to be performed by means of monitoring the increase of skin temperature, due to the vascularization of the tissue induced by the treatment, performed by the control unit which processes the temperature data detected by the temperature sensor of the handpiece in use; wherein said third step of administration of the therapy comprises a final step of administration of at least one active ingredient, in form of gel, cream or mousse, by means of a fourth handpiece according to claim 2.

12. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 2, wherein said handpieces are provided with an internal resistor suitable to heat the portion of said handpiece that is at contact with the body or with the face of the patient when said handpiece is in use, up to a pre-established temperature.

13. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 3, wherein said handpieces are provided with an internal resistor suitable to heat the portion of said handpiece that is at contact with the body or with the face of the patient when said handpiece is in use, up to a pre-established temperature.

14. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 2, wherein each recess is provided with an internal resistor suitable to heat the corresponding handpieces before they are placed at contact with the body or with the face of the patient.

15. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 3, wherein each recess is provided with an internal resistor suitable to heat the corresponding handpieces before they are placed at contact with the body or with the face of the patient.

16. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 2, wherein each handpiece is provided with a temperature sensor suitable to communicate, to the control unit of said device, the temperature variation of the skin tissues of the patient from the start of the treatment, said control unit communicating the value of said variation by means of said communication interface.

17. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 3, wherein each handpiece is provided with a temperature sensor suitable to communicate, to the control unit of said device, the temperature variation of the skin tissues of the patient from the start of the treatment, said control unit communicating the value of said variation by means of said communication interface.

18. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 4, wherein each handpiece is provided with a temperature sensor suitable to communicate, to the control unit of said device, the temperature variation of the skin tissues of the patient from the start of the treatment, said control unit communicating the value of said variation by means of said communication interface.

19. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 5, wherein each handpiece is provided with a temperature sensor suitable to communicate, to the control unit of said device, the temperature variation of the skin tissues of the patient from the start of the treatment, said control unit communicating the value of said variation by means of said communication interface.

20. The integrated device for the non-invasive personalised treatment of skin blemishes, according to claim 2, further comprising means for retaining said handpieces suitable to release the constraint between a recess and the corresponding handpiece only in the order pre-established by the therapy that is being performed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] The invention will be described hereinafter in at least one preferred embodiment, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of the device in a three-recess embodiment 1.1-1.2-1.3. Also shown is the fourth handpiece 7, optionally present.

[0056] FIG. 2(a) illustrates an exploded view of the first handpiece 2.

[0057] FIG. 2(b) shows, in detail, an exploded view of the rotor 2.11 of the first handpiece 2.

[0058] FIG. 3(a) shows an exploded view of the second handpiece 2.

[0059] FIG. 3(b) shows a three-dimensional view of the rotor 3.10 of the second handpiece 3.

[0060] FIG. 3(c) shows an exploded view of the aforementioned rotor 3.10.

[0061] FIG. 4(a) illustrates an exploded view of the third handpiece 4.

[0062] FIG. 4(b) shows an exploded view of the rotor 4.9 of the third handpiece 4.

[0063] FIG. 4(c) shows an exploded view of the shell 4.4 of the third handpiece 4.

[0064] FIG. 4(d) shows a three-dimensional view of the aforementioned rotor 4.9.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the fourth handpiece 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0066] Now, the present invention will be illustrated purely by way of non-limiting or non-binding example, with reference to the figures illustrating some embodiments regarding the present inventive concept.

[0067] With reference to FIG. 1, shown in its entirety is the device subject of the present invention in which there is a portable console 1 containing a control unit (not visible) provided with a communication interface 5 and with three recesses 1.1-1.2-1.3, preferably heated, each of which is suitable to house a corresponding handpiece 2-3-4.

[0068] Depending on the patient's disorder, the operator selects a vibrations and rotations frequency range that the rotors 2.11-3.10-4.9 of the handpieces 2-3-4 will perform when placed on the patient's skin.

[0069] The correctness of such range is verified immediately by virtue of the fact that each handpiece 2-3-4 is provided with electric energy absorption sensor which communicates the detected data suitable to detect the amount of electric energy suitable to communicate the detected data to said control unit programmed with a dedicated software suitable to process the data coming from said electric energy absorption sensors, possibly combined with pressure or motor revolutions sensor, and to consequently act, in real time, on the frequency adjustment devices of each handpiece 2-3-4 in order to obtain an immediate variation of the rotation and vibration frequency of said rotors 2.11-3.10-4.9, within a pre-established range comprised between 20 Hz and 700 Hz, preferably between 40 Hz and 355 Hz, depending on the mechanical strength provided by the skin tissue of the patient at contact with one of said handpieces 2-3-4;

[0070] Subsequently, the operator can proceed with the therapy by covering the areas of the patient's body or face to be treated with a handpiece 2-3-4 at a time, for a pre-established time interval, applying a predetermined pressure perpendicular to the patient's skin tissue. In the recesses 1.1-1.2-1.3 of the console 1, there are retention means which release the handpieces 2-3-4 only in the order pre-established by the therapy being carried out, preventing any possibility of error.

[0071] Each handpiece 2-3-4 has a rotor 2.11-3.10-4.9 consisting of rotating elements 2.11.4-3.10.5-4.9.5 or balls arranged in a honeycomb-like or V-like manner, made of anti-allergy silicone or gel with a hardness equal to 35 shore.

[0072] In greater detail, the first handpiece 2 is suitable to perform a percussive treatment on the patient's body and/or face. The balls 2.11.4 of the rotor 2.11 are installed on a corresponding plurality of semi-axes 2.11.2 equally spaced on the circumference of a ring nut 2.11.1. The rotor 2.11 is installed between a movable head which allows the movement of the membrane 2.2 and an angular support 2.5. Said head 2.2 is provided with an elastic membrane suitable to allow the execution of the percussion preventing the direct contact between the balls 2.11.4 and the epidermis of the patient. The angular support 2.5, on the other hand, is fitted, by means of a suitable insert 2.6 on an electric motor 2.7 which controls the percussion frequency of said rotor 2.11, power-supplied by a special cable, connected through common connection means 2.8, connected to said console 1. The angular support 2.5, the insert 2.6, the electric motor 2.7 and the connection means 2.8 are arranged in a pair of half-handles 2.9-2.10, which are suitable to engage each other so as to constitute the grip handle of said first handpiece 2.

[0073] The second handpiece 3, is suitable for carrying out an ablative micro-vibration treatment on the patient's body. The balls 3.10.5 of the rotor 3.10 vibrate and rotate in a convergent or divergent direction according to the arrangement of a plurality of pins 3.10.9 into which the balls 3.10.5 are fitted. More in detail, said pins 3.10.9 extend from an upper ring nut 3.10.2 to a middle ring nut 3.10.4 and from said middle ring nut 3.10.4 to a lower ring nut 3.10.6. The rotation of said middle ring nut 3.10.4 by said operator modifies the configuration of said pins 3.10.9 in order to cause the balls 3.10.5 to converge or diverge toward or from said middle ring nut 3.10.4. The rotor 3.10 rotates around an upper semi-axis 3.10.3 and a lower semi-axis 3.10.8 and it is inserted into a shell 3.4 provided with an open side and a closed side. The open side allows contact between the balls 3.10.5 and the patient's body while the closed side is directed toward the operator and comprises a pair of light indicators 3.3 suitable to signal to the operator the converging or diverging direction of the balls 3.10.5 on the patient's body. The rotor 3.10 is connected, at the upper part by means of a pin 3.10.1, to a bearing 3.2 and lastly to an upper plug 3.1 of the second handpiece 3. At the lower part, on the other hand, the rotor 3.10 is connected to an electric motor 3.5, integrated in the handle 3.6, power-supplied by a special cable, connected by common connection means 3.7 included in a lower cap 3.8.

[0074] The third handpiece 4, is suitable for carrying out a compressive micro-vibration treatment on the patient's face. The balls 4.9.5 of the rotor 4.9 vibrate and rotate around a plurality of pins 4.9.4 which extend from an upper ring nut 4.9.2 to a lower ring nut 4.9.6. The rotor 4.9 rotates, at a pre-established frequency, around a rotation axis 4.9.3 and it is inserted into a shell 4.4 provided with an open side and a closed side. The open side allows the contact between said balls 4.9.5 and the body of said patient; the closed side is directed toward the operator and it comprises a light pressure indicator 4.4.1 suitable to signal, to the operator, the pressure with which he/she is pressing the handpiece 4 on the patient's face. The rotor 4.9 is connected, at the upper part by means of a pin 4.9.1, to a bearing 4.2 and lastly to an upper cap 4.1, whereas at the lower part it is connected, by means of a joint 4.9.7, to an electric motor 4.6, integrated in a handle 4.5, power-supplied by a special cable connected through common connection means 4.8 included in a lower cap 4.7.

[0075] At the end of the treatment, the operator verifies whether each tissue was treated homogeneously by monitoring the increase of skin temperature, due to the vascularization of the tissue induced by the treatment, performed by the control unit which processes the temperature data detected by a temperature sensor of the handpiece 2-3-4 in use.

[0076] Lastly, it is clear that the invention described up to now may be subjected to modifications, additions or variants obvious to a man skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of protection outlined by the attached claims.