KR100842040B1 - An apparatus for treating skin - Google Patents

Abstract

A skin therapeutic is provided to allow rapid and intensive therapeutic effect on skin and to minimize damage to dermis by cooling the generated heat to appropriate temperature, about 5 degrees Celsius. A skin therapeutic device comprises: a housing(32) with hollow shape; front, rear, left, and right high frequency electrode pairs(34,100) to generate high frequency energy by supplying electric current; a laser unit(38) to generate laser, which is established in the housing; an optical guide(40) to guide the laser; multiple infrared lamps to generate infrared ray, which are established on marginal side of the housing; a first cooling water block(44) to cool the heat generated by the laser down; a thermo-element to absorb and discharge heat generated by the high frequency electrode and the optical guide; a heat transfer member to transfer the heat discharged from the thermo-element to the outside; and a second cooling water block(50) which allows heat exchange between the thermo-element and the heat transfer member by circulation of cooling water.

Description

Skin treatment device {AN APPARATUS FOR TREATING SKIN}

The present invention relates to a skin treatment apparatus, and more particularly, to be configured to irradiate high-frequency energy, optical energy, and infrared rays to the treatment area of the skin at the same time, which is generated from a high-frequency electrode and a laser unit using a thermoelectric element and circulating coolant. The present invention relates to a skin treatment apparatus capable of rapidly cooling heat to an optimal state so that the temperature of the skin surface is maintained at 5 ° C. during treatment, thereby minimizing damage to the epidermal layer and at the same time effectively treating the dermal layer.

As appearance becomes an important evaluation criterion in various social activities, the desire to maintain unhealthy, healthy, elastic and clean skin is increasing.

It protects our body from external stimuli such as sunlight, wind, heat, chemical gas, and bacteria in the human body, and acts as a protective film to prevent moisture and nutrients essential for maintaining the human body out of the body. In addition to controlling the body temperature, the skin that performs various sensory functions such as pain, hotness, itching, burning, etc. is the epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous fat, skin appendages (hair, nails, toenails, Sebaceous glands, sweat glands, etc.).

On the other hand, the skin of the human body is soft, elastic and durable because collagen fibers made of collagen protein and the elastic fibers made of elastin are intertwined in the dermis. As aging progresses or is exposed to a lot of ultraviolet rays, collagen fibers and elastic fibers decrease, and the skin loses its elasticity and wrinkles occur.

As the aging progresses, wrinkles occur while losing elasticity from the muscles and skin around the eye where there is a lot of exercise. In some cases, the eyelids are drooped, and fat is bulging out under the eyes, and melanin pigment under the influence of ultraviolet rays. When the calmness, blemishes, spots such as freckles, spots, etc. will be generated.

Recently, the skin is managed by applying a sunscreen to prevent the skin from being exposed to ultraviolet rays during outdoor activities, or by applying a moisturizer to prevent skin drying and supplying moisture to the skin. There is a limit to keep healthy yet clean, wrinkles, blemishes, freckles, black mushrooms, etc. that occur once, there is a problem that is not easily removed naturally.

Accordingly, in order to prevent melanin pigments from being formed in recent years, and to remove melanin pigments already deposited, AHAs for removing melanin pigments already deposited on keratin and the like and whitening ingredients such as arbutin and kojic acid, which inhibit melanin pigments from forming, Various whitening creams and essences containing ingredients such as BHA and retinoids have been developed and marketed.

However, if the skin is too dark, there is a problem that it is difficult to recover the original bright and clean color with only the whitening cream, and accordingly, the ointment containing the hydroquinone ingredient, which has a very strong whitening effect, or removes spots and blemishes is removed. There is a problem that can cause irreversible damage to the skin if the dermabrasion surgery using chemicals to do so.

In addition, facial spots and freckles can be removed relatively simply with laser surgery. Freckles and freckles are often performed after the first laser surgery, and often require treatment again.

Recently, laser dermabrasion using laser has been proposed due to the above problems, but laser dermabrasion regenerates the skin widely but has a high risk, is difficult to treat, and causes side effects that require long-term treatment and recovery time. have.

In order to improve such a problem, techniques for improving skin treatment effects by adding radio frequency energy to skin treatment technology using optical energy generated from lasers have recently been proposed.

In the above-described treatment technique using high frequency energy, when a high frequency current of 0.3 MHz to 0.8 MHz is alternately applied to a living tissue, ions in cells move from cathode to anode and generate tremendous frictional heat. As a treatment technology using, the procedure is simple and the immediate effect can be obtained within a relatively short time, and it is applied to a wide range of fields such as wrinkle removal, skin care, dark circle treatment, obesity management because there is no pain and no side effects during the procedure. It is known to be possible.

A skin treatment apparatus for treating skin by simultaneously irradiating such high frequency energy and optical energy generated from a laser diode has been proposed in US Pat. No. 6,702,808.

1 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a conventional skin treatment apparatus using high frequency energy and optical energy.

Referring to this, the conventional skin treatment apparatus 10 is provided with a bipolar high-frequency electrode 12 for generating high-frequency energy in accordance with the application of a current to the center of the front end portion of the housing 11, the inside to generate optical energy The light source 13 is installed, and the high frequency electrode 12 is provided between the light guide 14 for guiding the beam irradiated from the light source 13, and the housing 11 inside the high frequency electrode 12 ) And a coolant circulation pipe 15 for cooling the heat generated from the light source 13 and the light guide 14, and during treatment, the high frequency electrode 12 is brought into contact with the skin corresponding to the treatment site. At the same time as the temperature is raised, the beam generated from the light source 13 can be irradiated to the treatment site through the light guide 14.

However, in the case of the conventional skin treatment apparatus 10 using the high frequency energy and the optical energy, as shown in the graph shown in FIG. 2, the high frequency electrode 12 and the light source 13 and the light guide 14 are generated. Since the heat is simply configured to be cooled by the coolant, the cooling rate of the high frequency electrode 12, the light source 13, and the light guide 14 by the coolant depends on the cooling rate of the contact surface between the high frequency electrode 12 and the skin. There is a problem that can not go.

Accordingly, during the treatment, the high frequency electrode 12 is removed from contact with the skin until the high frequency electrode 12 is cooled to the optimum temperature (5 ° C.), cooled to the optimum temperature, and then the high frequency electrode 12 is again removed. The operation of contacting the skin of the treatment site must be repeated frequently, and thus, the impedance matching between the high frequency electrode 12 and the skin in the state where the contact between the high frequency electrode 12 and the skin is not made continuously. ) Will increase skin resistance.

As such, when the skin resistance is increased, the temperature of the skin epidermal layer is increased, which may cause unexpected damage of the epidermal layer, and there is a serious problem that the treatment is not performed efficiently.

In addition, in the conventional skin treatment apparatus, even when the high frequency electrode is not in contact with the skin and impedance matching between the high frequency electrode and the skin is not smoothly performed, there is a problem that high frequency current and optical energy are irradiated, which is very dangerous.

In order to solve this problem, the applicant has proposed an improved skin treatment apparatus through Patent Application No. 10-2006-0040550.

That is, the applicant for the skin treatment device 30, the applicant of the present application is connected to the system main body 60 so that the power is applied and at the same time the coolant is circulated in the first coolant block 44 and the second coolant block 50. Holding the handle 32a in one state and operating the operation switch 52 in which the tip of the high frequency electrode 34 is in close contact with the skin of the patient, the laser light is generated from the laser unit 38. Afterwards, the temperature of the dermal layer of the area to be treated is increased through the light guide 40.

At the same time, while the current is applied to the high frequency electrode 34, the high frequency current is treated while intensively stimulating the dermal layer of the region to be treated.

At this time, the laser unit 38 is irradiated with the laser light of 910 ~ 920nm wavelength, the high frequency electrode 34 is irradiated with a high frequency current of 0.8 ~ 1.2MHz, when the laser light and the high frequency current is irradiated at the same time The light serves as a guide for the high frequency current to flow intensively into the target tissue.

Infrared rays irradiated from the infrared lamp according to the application of the current corresponds to the wavelength of 780 ~ 1500nm, infrared rays increase the temperature of the dermis layer of the area to be treated and serves to promote microvascular expansion and blood circulation, It penetrates deep into the skin to promote metabolism in the target area and to activate cellular function, thereby improving the therapeutic effect significantly.

Meanwhile, when the high frequency electrode 34 and the laser unit 38 are operated in this way, high temperature heat is generated, and heat generated by the laser unit 38 is exchanged with the cooling water circulated through the interior of the first coolant block 44. Cooled by action.

In addition, heat generated by the high frequency electrode 34 and the light guide 40 is primarily absorbed by the thermoelectric element 46, and then the second cooling water block 50 is installed to be in close contact with the thermoelectric element 46. As the heat is exchanged with the coolant circulated through the second coolant block 50, the high frequency electrode 34 and the light guide 40 are rapidly cooled to 5 ° C., which is an optimal skin surface temperature.

At this time, the heat absorbed by the thermoelectric element 46 is transferred to the second coolant block 50 through the thermoelectric element 46, but the heat transfer member 48 is installed in close contact with the outer surface of the thermoelectric element 46 The cooling rate is faster because it is delivered to the second cooling water block 50 through.

In this way, when the operation switch 52 is turned off, the operation is stopped.

On the other hand, when the high frequency electrode 34 is separated from contact with the skin during the treatment process, when the impedance matching between the high frequency electrode 34 and the skin is not smoothly performed, a weak current flows for several milliseconds. The contact between the skin and the high frequency electrode 34 is determined. When the high frequency electrode 34 is not in contact with the skin, the high frequency current and the laser light are not irradiated, thereby greatly improving stability during treatment.

As described above, in the case of the skin treatment apparatus pre- filed by the applicant, the first coolant block 44 may not only obtain an effect of effective skin treatment through the high frequency electrode 34, the light guide 40, and the laser unit 38. ) And the second cooling water block 50, the thermoelectric element 46, and the heat transfer member 48 have an advantage of obtaining an effective component cooling effect.

However, in the case of the skin treatment apparatus of the present applicant, it is true that the above-described effect is true, but there is a problem in that it is not sufficient to satisfy the desire of the patient who wants the effect of the faster treatment.

In addition, because the high-frequency current irradiated through the high-frequency electrode 34 arranged up and down is not irradiated to the skin area to be treated, but irradiated up and down, it is insufficient to intensively treat only the necessary part. .

The present invention was created in order to solve the problems of the present applicant, such as the skin treatment device, and created to solve the conventional problems, as well as to obtain a faster skin treatment effect as well as the site to be treated Its purpose is to provide a skin treatment apparatus that can be intensively treated.

In order to achieve the above object, the skin treatment apparatus according to the present invention comprises a housing having a predetermined shape with a handle provided at a lower portion thereof, and having an empty inside; The front part is installed so as to protrude outward from the center of the front end of the housing in a state in which the upper, lower and left and right front parts of the inside of the housing are coupled to each other, and generate high frequency energy according to the application of current. A high frequency electrode pair; A laser unit for irradiating a laser beam in response to the application of a current in a state of being mounted on a bracket separately provided inside the housing; A light guide for guiding the laser light generated from the laser unit to be irradiated in a state disposed between the pair of high frequency electrodes; A plurality of infrared lamps that generate infrared rays while being turned on in response to the application of current in a state in which they are protruded to the outside along a predetermined interval from a front end surface of the housing corresponding to a position away from the high frequency electrode; A first coolant block installed to surround a circumferential surface of the laser unit and allowing coolant flowing from the outside to circulate to cool the heat generated from the laser unit during operation; A thermoelectric element that absorbs heat generated from the high frequency electrode and the light guide in response to the application of a current in a state in which the inner front portion of the housing surrounds the circumferential surfaces of the high frequency electrode and the light guide; A heat transfer member installed in close contact with the outer surface of the thermoelectric element and transferring heat emitted from the thermoelectric element to the outside; A second coolant block installed in close contact with the thermoelectric element and the heat transfer member at a position corresponding to the laser unit and the thermoelectric element and allowing heat exchange with the thermoelectric element and the heat transfer member by the coolant circulated after being introduced from the outside; It is characterized by what was included.

As described above, according to the skin treatment apparatus according to the present invention, heat generated in the laser unit is cooled by the first coolant block, and heat generated from the two pairs of high frequency electrodes and the laser guide is a thermoelectric element, a heat transfer member, and a second. Because of the coolant's action, it cools quickly to the optimal temperature of 5 ° C, so it is not necessary to remove two pairs of high-frequency electrodes from the skin for cooling during treatment, so that impedance matching between the high-frequency electrodes and the skin is smooth. As a result, skin resistance is eliminated, and the temperature is not raised at the skin surface, thereby preventing the epidermal layer from being damaged during treatment.

In addition, the high frequency current generated from two pairs of high frequency electrodes disposed at the top, bottom, left and right of the front end of the housing can be obtained to concentrate on the central part, thereby providing a quick and quick skin treatment effect.

In addition to the high-frequency electrodes and lasers, infrared rays are irradiated to the surrounding skin at the treatment site, activating the inside of the skin, and the therapeutic effect is significantly increased. By avoiding this, the safety of the treatment is greatly improved.

One preferred feature of the present invention is that the tip portion of the upper, lower and left and right high frequency electrode pairs is formed in a semicircular shape so as to flow intensively into the dermis layer.

Another desirable feature of the present invention is that the upper and lower high frequency electrodes form a rectangular cross-sectional shape having a long left and right lengths, and the left and right high frequency electrodes form a rod-shaped cross-sectional shape.

Another desirable feature of the present invention is that the left and right high frequency electrodes are installed to be elastically movable in and out with a spring interposed on the housing.

Such a characteristic configuration and the resulting effects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7 and 8 are perspective views of the skin treatment apparatus according to the present invention.

In the following, the present invention will be described with reference to the skin treatment apparatus previously applied by the applicant shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, and the same parts are given the same reference numerals.

As shown therein, the skin treatment apparatus 30 according to the present invention has a handle 32a provided at a lower portion thereof, and a housing 32 having a predetermined shape having an empty inside thereof is provided.

The upper, lower, left, and right front portions of the housing 32 generate high frequency energy in response to the application of current, and the upper and lower high frequency electrodes 34 and the left and right high frequency electrodes 100 are formed in the housing 32. It is fitted to protrude outward from the center of the tip.

In this case, the upper and lower high frequency electrodes 34 and the left and right high frequency electrodes 100 are formed in a semicircular shape so as to flow intensively into the dermal layer of the skin to be treated.

In addition, the upper and lower high-frequency electrodes 34 have a rectangular cross-sectional shape with long left and right lengths, while the left and right high-frequency electrodes 100 have a cross-sectional shape of rods.

In addition, when the left and right high frequency electrodes 100 are coupled to the housing 32 via the spring S, the left and right high frequency electrodes 100 are elastically movable inward and outward.

A separate bracket 36 is installed inside the housing 32, and a laser unit 38 for irradiating laser light according to the application of a current is installed on the bracket 36.

In addition, an optical guide 40 formed of a crystal material is installed between the high frequency electrodes 34 and 100 to guide the laser light generated from the laser unit 38, and corresponds to a position away from the high frequency electrodes 34 and 100 by a predetermined distance. On the front end surface of the housing 32, a plurality of infrared lamps 42 which are turned on in response to the application of current and generate infrared light are projected to the outside along a predetermined interval.

On the other hand, the circumference of the laser unit 38 is provided with a first coolant block 44 for cooling the heat generated from the laser unit 38 so that the coolant flowing from the outside is circulated.

In addition, around the high frequency electrodes 34 and 100 and the light guide 40 disposed in the inner front of the housing 32, heat generated from the high frequency electrodes 34 and 100 and the light guide 40 is absorbed according to the application of an electric current. A thermoelectric element 46 for dissipating heat is installed, and a heat transfer member 48 for transferring heat emitted from the thermoelectric element 46 to the outside is provided in close contact with the outer surface of the thermoelectric element 46.

The second coolant block for heat exchange with the thermoelectric element 46 and the heat transfer member 48 by the coolant circulated after being introduced from the outside at a position corresponding to the laser unit 38 and the thermoelectric element 46 described above. 50 is provided in close contact with the thermoelectric element 46 and the heat transfer member 48.

The lower end of the handle 32a has a wire for electrically connecting the high frequency electrodes 32 and 100, the laser unit 38, and the infrared lamp 42 from the system main body 50, the first coolant block 44 and the second coolant. Guide hoses 54 are connected to guide the coolant circulation hose (not shown) connected to the block 50.

Meanwhile, when impedance matching between each of the high frequency electrodes 34 and the skin is not smoothly performed, a weak current flows for several milliseconds to determine whether the skin and the high frequency electrodes 34 and 100 are in contact. 34, 100) when the skin is not in contact with the high-frequency current and laser light may be configured not to be irradiated.

The operation of the present invention configured as described above performs the same operation as that of the above-described applicant for skin treatment.

However, since the high frequency electrodes 34 and 100 operated according to the application of the current are provided in two phases at the top, the bottom, and the left and the right, the high frequency current generated when the current is applied is concentrated at the center part.

Through this, it is possible to quickly and intensively treat the skin area to be treated.

That is, a large therapeutic effect can be obtained in a short time.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention claimed in the claims. Anyone can make a variety of variations.

1 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a conventional skin treatment apparatus.

Figure 2 is a graph showing the temperature change of the skin surface according to the treatment time in the conventional skin treatment apparatus.

3 to 6 is a view showing an embodiment of the skin treatment apparatus filed by the applicant.

7 and 8 are perspective views showing the main portion of the skin treatment apparatus according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing>

34,100: (up, down, left, right) high frequency electrode 38: laser unit

40: light guide 42: infrared lamp

44: first coolant block 46: thermoelectric element

48: heat transfer member 50: second coolant block

Claims (4)

A housing having a predetermined shape having a handle provided at a lower portion thereof, and having an empty inside; The front part is installed so as to protrude outward from the center of the front end of the housing in a state in which the upper, lower and left and right front parts of the inside of the housing are coupled to each other, and generate high frequency energy according to the application of current. A high frequency electrode pair; A laser unit for irradiating a laser beam in response to the application of a current in a state of being mounted on a bracket separately provided inside the housing; A light guide for guiding the laser light generated from the laser unit to be irradiated in a state disposed between the pair of high frequency electrodes; A plurality of infrared lamps that generate infrared rays while being turned on in response to the application of current in a state in which they are protruded to the outside along a predetermined interval from a front end surface of the housing corresponding to a position away from the high frequency electrode; A first coolant block installed to surround a circumferential surface of the laser unit and allowing coolant flowing from the outside to circulate to cool the heat generated from the laser unit during operation; A thermoelectric element that absorbs heat generated from the high frequency electrode and the light guide in response to the application of a current in a state in which the inner front portion of the housing surrounds the circumferential surfaces of the high frequency electrode and the light guide; A heat transfer member installed in close contact with the outer surface of the thermoelectric element and transferring heat emitted from the thermoelectric element to the outside; A second coolant block installed in close contact with the thermoelectric element and the heat transfer member at a position corresponding to the laser unit and the thermoelectric element and allowing heat exchange with the thermoelectric element and the heat transfer member by the coolant circulated after being introduced from the outside; Skin treatment apparatus comprising a. The method of claim 1, Skin treatment device, characterized in that the tip portion of the upper, lower and left, right radiofrequency electrode pair is made of a semi-circular shape to flow intensively into the dermis layer. The method of claim 1, The upper and lower high frequency electrodes form a rectangular cross-sectional shape with a long left and right sides, The left and right high frequency electrode is a skin treatment device, characterized in that forming a cross-sectional shape of the rod. The method according to claim 1 or 3, The left and right high frequency electrode is a skin treatment device, characterized in that it is installed to be able to move inward, outward through the spring on the basis of the housing.

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