KR102580868B1 - Stimulating device for growth plate - Google Patents

Abstract

In the present invention, the light source not only promotes immediate cell activation by applying red light and infrared light, but also promotes immediate cell activation, as well as the femoral epiphysis region (first region), tibial epiphysis region (second region), and vascular region behind the knee (third region). area), so the highest efficiency light required for growth can be applied to the optimal location on the human body.
Accordingly, the growth plate stimulation device according to one aspect of the present invention transmits light of 600 to 900 nm to at least one of the femoral epiphysis region (first region), tibial epiphysis region (second region), and vascular region behind the knee (third region). It includes a light source that emits light directly.

Description

Growth plate stimulating device {STIMULATING DEVICE FOR GROWTH PLATE}

The present invention relates to a growth plate stimulation device, and more specifically, to a growth plate stimulation device using light.

Light therapy is a medical technology that has been used for a long time to treat various diseases. Using sunlight to treat skin diseases has been used for thousands of years in Egypt, India, and China.

Therapy using sunlight was reexamined by Niels Ryberg Finsen, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1903, and later gave birth to phototherapy using artificial light.

Recently, among the light sources for treating skin diseases, a method using an LED light source is emerging. LED light sources can effectively treat large areas of disease with appropriate light output, unlike high-power lasers that focus treatment on localized areas.

The LED light source has a narrow wavelength bandwidth and emits light of a specific wavelength, so it does not emit harmful ultraviolet rays (UV) or unnecessary visible light, so it has high energy efficiency and has low energy, so it has fewer side effects that damage tissues or eyes. For this reason, the U.S. FDA has approved treatment using LED light sources in the red and infrared ranges for use in humans.

The physical characteristics of the LED light source include its long lifespan, low power consumption, making it environmentally friendly, and its small size makes it easy to utilize space. However, most of the phototherapy technologies developed to date are limited to the skin, and development in other fields is very lacking.

In particular, there are virtually no growth plate stimulation devices commercialized to date, except for traditional physical massage devices. In addition, theoretically, devices that apply ultrasound waves are being developed, but they have not been commercialized due to side effects such as cell hemolysis.

In other words, although prior art document 1 discloses a handy growth promotion device equipped with ultrasonic waves and LED elements, the optical characteristics of LEDs are not disclosed at all, and as mentioned above, the side effects on growth plate cells when ultrasonic waves are applied are a problem; In this case as well, there is a problem in that it is difficult to achieve a detailed growth plate stimulation effect because the user must hold the device and directly stimulate the relevant part of the human body.

Korean Patent No. 10-0975595 (2010.8.13)

The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art described above. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a growth plate stimulation device that can continuously and effectively stimulate the growth plate non-invasively with optimal light while blocking cellular side effects.

The growth plate stimulation device according to one aspect of the present invention directly emits light of 600 to 900 nm to at least one of the femoral epiphysis region (first region), tibial epiphysis region (second region), and vascular region behind the knee (third region). It includes a light source unit.

At this time, it may further include a vibration unit that applies vibration to any one of the first to third areas.

Additionally, the light source unit may be applied to the first to third areas, and the vibration unit may be applied to the third area.

Additionally, red light and infrared light may be simultaneously applied to the first to third regions.

Additionally, the red light may be 630 to 730 nm, and the infrared light may be 750 to 900 nm.

Additionally, the application of vibration by the vibrating unit may be alternated with or simultaneously with the emission of light from the light source unit.

In addition, the light source unit includes first modules disposed in the first area and the second area, respectively, and a light source element is disposed in the first module, and the light source element is arranged so that the light emission amount at the top and bottom is greater than the center. You can.

In addition, the light source unit further includes a second module arranged to face the first module, a light source element is disposed in the second module, and the vibration unit connects the first module and the second module. It can be formed to do so.

Additionally, the growth plate stimulation device may be formed to continuously surround the first region, second region, and third region.

Additionally, the growth plate stimulation device may simultaneously apply light and vibration to the first to third regions.

In the present invention, the light source not only promotes immediate growth plate cell activation by applying red light and infrared light, but also promotes immediate growth plate cell activation, as well as the femoral epiphysis region (first region), tibial epiphyseal region (second region), and blood vessel region behind the knee ( By applying light to the third area, blood flow activity can be activated and the most efficient light required for growth can be applied to the optimal location in the human body without cellular side effects.

1 is a configuration diagram of a growth plate stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the light source unit in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the control unit in FIG. 1.
Figure 4 is a diagram explaining applying light to the first area and the second area.
Figure 5 is a diagram explaining applying light to the second and third areas.
Figures 6 and 7 are rendered images of a growth plate stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of wearing a growth plate stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice it. Since the present invention can be modified in various ways and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments will be described in detail by illustrating them in the drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

Terms containing ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

For example, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be named a first component without departing from the scope of the present invention. The term and/or includes any of a plurality of related stated items or a combination of a plurality of related stated items.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related technology, and unless explicitly defined in the present application, should not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal sense. No.

Hereinafter, a growth plate stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a growth plate stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the light source unit in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the control unit in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 This is a diagram explaining applying light to the first area and the second area, and Figure 5 is a diagram explaining applying light to the second area and the third area.

Referring to the drawings, the growth plate stimulation device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a light source unit 100 and a control unit 200, and may further include a vibration unit 300.

At this time, the light source unit 100 emits LED light or laser light, and is directed to at least one of the femoral epiphysis area (first area, A1), tibial epiphyseal area (second area, A2), and vascular area behind the knee (A3). Apply light. Preferably, the light source unit 100 applies light to the first area A1 and the second area A2 at the same time. Since the blood vessel areas of the first area (A1) and the second area (A2) are separated into upper and lower areas, the balance of growth factor expression in the upper and lower areas may be disrupted when only one light is applied. .

Furthermore, the light source unit 100 may also emit light to the third area A3, which connects the separated first area A1 and the second area A2 through vascular circulation. The third area (A3) is a blood vessel area behind the knee, and is connected to the first area (A1) and the second area (A2), so when light is applied to the first area (A1) and the second area (A3), When light is applied to area 3 (A4), the expression frequency of growth factors significantly increases. That is, when stimulating the growth plate of the knee, among other growth plates, it is most desirable to simultaneously stimulate the first region, the femoral epiphysis region, and the second region, the tibial epiphysis region, and at the same time stimulate the blood vessels behind the knee connected to both.

Meanwhile, the light source unit 100 is composed of a visible light emitting device 110 and an invisible light emitting device 120. In the prior art literature mentioned in the prior art, it is stated that it is advantageous to use infrared light, which has a much deeper skin penetration depth. However, if infrared light is continuously applied to growth plate cells alone, the photoinhibition phenomenon worsens. Not desirable. Additionally, when red visible light is used, the activation effect of cartilage, a component of the growth plate, is further enhanced. Therefore, the growth plate stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention uses infrared and red visible light in parallel to enhance cell recovery and regeneration functions and can stimulate the growth plate more effectively.

Therefore, the light source unit according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a visible light emitting device 110 that emits red light, and the red light emits light of 630 to 730 nm.

When light of 630 to 730 nm is irradiated to the skin, it is absorbed into the mitochondria and promotes ATP production and intracellular energy metabolism, thereby promoting cell growth and cell regeneration. However, since there is high absorption into hemoglobin, which is mainly distributed in vascular cells, it is difficult to transmit photons to deeper growth plate cells in areas with many blood vessels.

However, the light source unit 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to the knee, and the depth to the cartilage where the knee joint and growth plate are placed is only about 5 mm, and unlike other parts of the body, photon transmission by hemoglobin Interference occurs with very low frequency. Therefore, the red light with the minimum wavelength around 630 nm is also sufficient to reach the cartilage growth plate like infrared light.

Furthermore, the light source unit 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can further emit light of 750 to 900 nm. This is to directly stimulate the chondrocyte activation of the growth plate and the blood vessels connected to the growth plate and the vascular area behind the knee. In other words, applying infrared light in this wavelength range can penetrate deeply while avoiding the aforementioned interference with hemoglobin absorption, and directly stimulate growth plate cells to further increase the frequency of growth factor expression.

When wavelengths in this range are emitted together, complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) acts as a photo-receptor in the mitochondrial respiratory chain within cells in response to stimulation by light, promoting ATP production. In addition, it initiates the secondary cell messenger signaling pathway, which ultimately activates energy metabolism and enhances cell viability, preventing apoptosis in ischemic areas and enhancing nerve regeneration mechanisms.

Through this mechanism, cell growth and cell regeneration are promoted, and it also affects undifferentiated mesodermal cells that will differentiate into osteoblasts or osteocytes, which are growth plate cells, thereby playing a useful function in the regeneration of bone tissue. As a result, the production of collagen, a cartilage material, is promoted, and the differentiation of osteoblasts and osteocytes is promoted, directly inducing growth.

As such, the growth plate stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention not only promotes immediate cell activation by the light source unit applying red light and infrared light, but also promotes immediate cell activation, as well as the femoral epiphysis region (first region) and tibia epiphyseal region (second region). Since it is applied together to the area (area 2) and the blood vessel area behind the knee (area 3), the light with the highest efficiency required for growth can be applied to the optimal location on the human body.

Meanwhile, the growth plate stimulation device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a vibration unit 300 that applies vibration to any one of the first area (A1) to the third area (A3). . More preferably, the light source unit 100 applies the above-described light to the entire first area A1 to the third area A3, and the vibration unit 300 applies vibration to the third area A3. . The first area (A1) and the second area (A2) correspond to the sides of the knee, so the effect of applying vibration to the growth plate cells is minimal due to joint blocks, and the third area (A3) is a relatively wide blood vessel due to the skin. This is because the vibration in the form of a continuous wave or pulse wave applied due to the remarkable distribution stimulates the cells within the blood vessels. In this case, the application of vibration from the vibrating unit 300 may be alternated with or simultaneously with the light emission from the light source unit. In other words, by adding appropriate physical stimulation, a growth promotion effect is achieved through more efficient blood flow improvement.

For this purpose, the control unit 200 is equipped with a light emission control module 21 and a vibration control module 220, and is further equipped with a fatigue control module 230 that measures cell activation and cell fatigue according to the drive and controls the overall drive. You can. The fatigue control module can control the emission time when the light irradiation amount of the light source is 1 to 4 J/cm2, and is preferably set to within 20 minutes to maximize the cell stimulation effect. However, it is preferable that the fatigue control module 230 calculates the light intensity and irradiation time according to the total amount of irradiation energy.

Hereinafter, the growth plate stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail. Figures 6 and 7 are rendered images of the growth plate stimulating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 8 is a diagram explaining an example of wearing the growth plate stimulating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, the growth plate stimulator is equipped with two side pads 420 for attachment to the side housing 410, and a rear housing 430 and a rear pad 440 are connected between them. .

At this time, the light source unit 100 is composed of a first module 100_1 of the same configuration installed inside the side housing 410 and a second module 100_2 arranged to face the first module 100_1. This is to simultaneously stimulate the side of the knee where the growth plate is placed.

At this time, light source elements are disposed in both the first module (100_1) and the second module (100_2). The light source element simultaneously applies light to the above-described first area A1 and second area A2. At this time, in order to focus light on the growth plate A1s of the first area A1 and the growth plate A2s of the second area A2, the light source element may be arranged so that the amount of light emitted from the top and bottom is greater than the center. For example, referring to FIG. 6, it can be seen that no light source element is disposed between the first area and the second area. However, for design aesthetics, it goes without saying that the light source elements can be evenly disposed at the boundary between the first area and the second area.

In this case, the vibration unit 300 is disposed inside the rear housing 430 so that the first module 100_1 and the second module 100_2 are connected. Accordingly, light can be applied to the first area A1 and the second area A2 from the first module 100_1 and the second module 100_2, and vibration can be applied to the third area A3 at the same time. .

Furthermore, the growth plate stimulation device is formed to continuously surround the first, second, and third regions, and the front of the knee is formed with an open optical path. The front of the knee is surrounded by the patella, making it difficult for light to pass through, so the front of the knee is open to prevent power waste. However, a fixing member can be used to secure the front of the knee as well.

On the other hand, the application of light and vibration confirms the operation through an indicator 460 placed on the rear or other location of the housing, and a structure in which a cover 450 is attached for replacement and insertion of the power supply is exemplified, but the present invention It goes without saying that this is not limited to this.

Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of wearing a growth plate stimulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the growth plate stimulation device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention emits light simultaneously to the growth plate A1s in the first region, the growth plate A2s in the second region, and the third region A3. It can be confirmed that vibration is applied simultaneously in the third area (A3).

As described above, the specification and drawings disclose preferred embodiments of the present invention, and although specific terms are used, they are used only in a general sense to easily explain the technical content of the present invention and aid understanding of the invention. , it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein, other modifications based on the technical idea of the present invention can be implemented.

1000: Growth plate stimulation device
100: Light source unit
100_1: 1st module
100_2: 2nd module
110: Visible light emitting module
120: Invisible light emitting module
200: control unit
210: Light emission control module
220: Fatigue control module
300: Vibration unit
410: side housing
420: side pad
430: Rear housing
440: Rear pad
450: cover
460: indicator
A1: Area 1
A2: Area 2
A3: Area 3
A1s: growth plate of area 1
a2s: growth plate of area 2

Claims (3)

In the growth plate stimulation device,
It includes a light source unit that emits light of 600 to 900 nm to the femoral epiphysis region (first region), tibial epiphyseal region (second region), and vascular region behind the knee (third region),
A side housing in which a light-emitting element is disposed for emitting light to the first and second areas, and a rear housing in which a light-emitting element is disposed and has a shape different from the side housing to emit light in the third area. Contains more,
The rear housing has a width in the longitudinal direction that is narrower than the side housing, and the side housing has a rear pad that protrudes inward and supports the back of the knee when worn when the growth plate stimulator is worn. A growth plate stimulation device.
According to paragraph 1,
The growth plate stimulating device includes a first module or a second module that applies light to the side of the knee and a vibrator that applies light or vibration to the back of the knee.
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