COUPLABLE PORTABLE DEVICE FOR THE THERMAL MEDICAL TREATMENT OF SKIN

Abstract

A portable device for the thermal medical treatment of skin allows a treatment attachment to be coupled to a mobile data-processing unit, preferably a smartphone or a tablet, via an interface, wherein a housing of the treatment attachment which extends over the treatment attachment is provided with a heating element directly underneath the surface facing away from the data-processing unit in the coupled state, the heating element being coupled to a temperature sensor, wherein the heating element, with the interposition of a control unit, is connected to the electrically conductive interface or, via a Bluetooth connection, to the data-processing unit in such a way that the heating element is supplied with power via one or more rechargeable batteries integrated into the data-processing unit in such a way that the heating element can be heated to a temperature predefined via the control unit.

Claims

1. A portable device for thermal-medical treatment of the skin, comprising: an interface via which the portable device is coupled to a mobile data processing unit, which is designed as a smartphone or tablet, a housing that is provided with a heating element and a temperature sensor; and a control unit, wherein the heating element is coupled to the temperature sensor and, with the control unit interconnected, is connected via the interface to the mobile data processing unit in such a way that the heating element is supplied with current via one or more rechargeable batteries integrated into the mobile data processing unit in such a way that the heating element is heatable to a temperature controllable by the control unit; wherein the portable device in a coupled state is attached directly to the mobile data processing unit, so that for the purpose of treatment of the skin, a surface of the housing facing away from the mobile data processing unit, under which the heating element is arranged within the housing, can be placed by corresponding handling of the mobile data processing unit on a body part to be treated.

2. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises a resistor which heats up upon energizing, wherein the heating element is arranged within the housing directly adjacent to the temperature sensor directly below the surface of the housing of the portable device facing away from the mobile data processing unit in the coupled state, wherein both the temperature sensor and the resistor are connected via the power supply integrated into the interface to the rechargeable battery or to batteries of the connected mobile data processing unit.

3. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor has a data connection via the interface or via a Bluetooth connection to the mobile data processing unit.

4. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising an energy accumulator arranged in the housing.

5. The portable device according to claim 4, wherein the energy accumulator comprises a small-format energy accumulator.

6. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element and the temperature sensor are connected to the mobile data processing unit via the interface with an interconnected microcontroller.

7. The portable device according to claim 6, wherein the interface transmits electrical energy and comprises a data connection to the mobile data processing unit attached in the coupled state.

8. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the portable device is connected in the coupled state via the interface to a conventional connector of a mobile data processing unit.

9. The portable device according to claim 8, wherein the conventional connector is selected from the group consisting of a lightning connector, a USB connector and a comparable connector.

10. The portable device according to claim 8, wherein the portable device is connected to the mobile data processing unit via Bluetooth.

11. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the portable device is water-resistant or watertight and wherein the interface is provided with corresponding seal elements to form a watertight or water-resistant connection to the mobile data processing unit.

12. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is designed to be provided with parameters of the heat treatment by a software in the mobile data processing unit for operating and controlling the portable device.

13. A system with a mobile data processing unit designed as a smartphone or tablet, and a portable device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile data processing unit is usable via a software for operating and controlling the portable device and wherein parameters are pre-determinable via the software by corresponding inputs into the mobile data processing unit with the control unit interconnected.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the software is connected to a geo-tracking function of the mobile data processing unit, so that an emergency call in conjunction with a location specification can be placed either automatically upon occurrence of parameters predetermined in the control unit, or by a corresponding active operation of the software.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the mobile data processing unit is usable via a software for controlling a heat treatment by parameters of the heat treatment.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the parameters of the heat treatment comprise at least one of a utilized temperature and a duration of the heat treatment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In the figures:

[0029] FIG. 1: shows a treatment attachment in a cross-sectional view,

[0030] FIG. 2: shows a mobile data processing unit having connected treatment attachment, and

[0031] FIG. 3: shows a block diagram of the function of the treatment attachment according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] According to the illustration in FIG. 1, the treatment attachment comprises a housing 6, under which an interface 5 extends for connection to a mobile data processing unit 7 (not shown in this figure). A heating element 2, in the immediate vicinity of which a temperature sensor 3 is additionally arranged, is arranged inside the housing 6 directly below the surface of the housing 6 facing away from the interface 5. As soon as the heating element 2 is energized, the surface of the housing 6 facing away from the interface 5 is accordingly heated, so that a heat treatment is executable using this heated section of the surface of the housing 6. The power supply of the heating element 2 takes place via an electrically conductive connection, which is connected by the interface 5 to the heating element 2 with a microcontroller 9 interconnected.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] FIG. 2 shows the treatment attachment 12 illustrated in FIG. 1 in direct contact with the mobile data processing unit 7, specifically in which the interface 5 is completely inserted into a suitable connector opening, i.e., for example, a lightning or USB connector of the mobile data processing unit 7, so that the treatment attachment 12 is directly connected to the data processing unit 7. In this case, the power and data supply of the heating element 2 and the microcontroller 4, and also of the temperature sensor 3 associated with the heating element, takes place via the interface 5.

[0034] As is also apparent from this figure, the treatment attachment 12 protrudes only slightly beyond the data processing unit 7 in the coupled position, so that, for the treatment of a skin irritation, the mobile data processing unit 7 is used at the same time for handling the treatment attachment 12, i.e., predominantly for the purpose of placing the surface of the treatment attachment 12 facing away from the mobile data processing unit 7 on the affected skin part for the purpose of the heat treatment.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram in simplified form, relating to the circuit arranged inside the treatment attachment 12. Firstly, this circuit shows that, via the interface 5, the circuit arranged in the housing is connected to the connected data processing unit 7 via a power supply 10, and via a data line 11 to the data processing unit 7.

[0036] In one specific design, the heating element 2 is a resistor. Both the temperature sensor 3 and also the heating element 2 are connected to the data processing unit 7 in this case with a microcontroller 9 interconnected.

[0037] It is not shown in the figure, but it is nonetheless possible and/or provided in the scope of the invention that a mobile application, i.e., in particular an app, which primarily permits the heating procedure to be started and suitable parameters to be specified, is installed on the data processing unit 7. The heating element 2 is then activated in dependence on these settings, wherein the procedure is controlled via the microcontroller 9, which moreover transmits defined data for visualizing and monitoring the treatment procedure to the mobile application installed on the data processing unit 7.

[0038] The microcontroller 9 is typically implemented as a component of the control unit 4, wherein the control unit 4 is typically additionally provided with a transistor circuit for the power regulation of the heating element.

[0039] Thus, for example, reaching a predetermined temperature or ending the treatment procedure can be transmitted to the data processing unit 7.

[0040] The temperature sensor which is also integrated into the housing 6 consists in one advantageous design of two sensors which are not thermally coupled to one another, wherein one sensor measures the temperature of the heating element, while the second sensor detects the skin temperature. The healing process can be accurately monitored and controlled on the basis of this arrangement.

[0041] The connection of the treatment attachment 12 to the mobile data processing unit, in particular in conjunction with the mobile application which is also installed on the data processing unit 7, enables the treatment procedure to be improved in that the mobile application is firstly equipped with data by the user himself, for example, relating to the health state of the user, which can then also be taken into consideration during the application of the treatment attachment 12. Moreover, the monitoring of the treatment process by the mobile application can also be used to make an emergency call if necessary, specifically, the parameters stored in the control unit 4 would be met, for example, if no further movement of the user occurs or other parameters make an emergency situation probable. In these cases, an emergency call with specification of the potential location of the user can be placed automatically via the mobile application.

[0042] A portable device for the treatment of skin irritations or small injuries, such as insect bites, effects of stinging plants or cnidarians, is thus described above, which is designed in a very small format and can therefore be carried along easily. Only a connector on a mobile data processing unit, which is typically currently carried along by everyone, is required to use the treatment attachment 12.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0043] 1 coupling unit [0044] 2 heating element [0045] 3 temperature sensor [0046] 4 control unit [0047] 5 interface to a digital data processing unit [0048] 6 housing [0049] 7 mobile data processing unit [0050] 9 microcontroller [0051] 10 data line [0052] 11 power supply [0053] 12 treatment attachment