Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/44—Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the integumentary system, e.g. skin, hair or nails
  • A61B5/441—Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B10/00—Instruments for taking body samples for diagnostic purposes; Other methods or instruments for diagnosis, e.g. for vaccination diagnosis, sex determination or ovulation-period determination; Throat striking implements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/0059—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence

Definitions

• the object of the present invention is an apparatus for determining the protection index of an anti-sun product as a function of the sensitivity of the skin of the skin.
• Tanned skin is generally considered a sign of good health, although prolonged exposure of the skin to the sun's ultraviolet radiation is dangerous. However, everyone is aware of the risk of burns they run and the need to use protective means.
• the protection index corresponds to the ratio of the exposure times, with and without the use of the protection product, so that exposure to the “sun deploys identical effects.
• the number 2 indicates that, by using the product, one can double the duration of exposure, while the number 3 means that one can triple this duration for identical effects.
• a device which takes these three parameters into account. Data corresponding to the skin type and the degree of protection of the sunscreen chosen previously are introduced into this device. By means of these two parameters the device determines the maximum duration of exposure to the sun and emits an audible signal at the end of this duration. To use this device it is therefore necessary to know your skin type, which is generally not the case.
• the sunscreen product having been arbitrarily chosen beforehand, this choice will determine the duration of exposure to the sun, a duration which may prove to be too short in the case, for example, of a professional obligation to stay in the sun.
• the sensitivity of the skin can also vary over time in the same individual.
• the present invention aims to provide the user with an apparatus enabling him to determine the protection index of the sunscreen product which he must use in order to be able to remain exposed to the sun without danger for a desired time, without she needs to know her skin type beforehand.
• the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises a current source, means for measuring the sensitivity of the skin, means for introducing the time of exposure to the sun, means for measuring the intensity of UV radiation, means for memorizing these parameters, a calculation electronic reader determining the protection index of the sunscreen product to be used as a function of the skin's sensitivity, the time of exposure to the sun and the intensity of UV radiation, display means making it possible to display at minus the exposure time and the protection index, and the means of selecting the functions.
• the user can successively measure the sensitivity of his skin, enter the duration of exposure to the sun and measure the intensity of UV radiation.
• the electronic computer previously programmed, calculates the protection index of the product to be used. If the sensitivity of the skin is also displayed, the device can be used in dermatology for the examination of the skin and in particular the examination of skin conditions.
• the means for measuring the sensitivity of the skin are produced by means of a light source and a photovoltaic cell measuring exclusively the light reflected by the skin. It has indeed been found that the ability of the skin to reflect light is directly related to its sensitivity, which makes it possible to measure this sensitivity relatively relatively simply.
• Figure 1 is an exterior view of the apparatus.
• Figure 2 is a block diagram of the apparatus.
• Figure 3 is a schematic explanatory view of the means for measuring the sensitivity of the skin.
• Figure 4 shows the electrical diagram of the device.
• the device shown in Figure 1 is in the form of a flat rectangular housing 1 having at one of its ends, lower, an orifice 2, surrounded by a slightly protruding bezel 3, intended to be applied to the skin for the measurement of the sensitivity thereof, and at its opposite upper end, a window 4 for the measurement of UV radiation.
• the housing On its large face, the housing has a function switch 5 constituted here by a slider which can occupy four positions O, A. B, C, position 0 corresponding to the triggered position of the device, position A to measure skin sensitivity, position B when entering the exposure time and position C when measuring UV radiation and displaying the protection index.
• the device comprises an LCD (liquid crystal) display 6.
• the device On the side, the device has a push button 7 intended to close a contact having two functions, the first to supply a light-emitting diode of the means for measuring the sensitivity of the skin, when the switch 5 is in position A, as will be described later, and the second to introduce the exposure time when the switch 5 is in the position B.
• the box 1 houses optoelectronic means, the block diagram of which is shown in FIG. 2.
• the heart of the device consists of a microprocessor 8 with which are associated on the one hand interfaces 9 and 10 by which the measured information is introduced and on the other hand an interface 11 for controlling the LCD display 6.
• the function switch 5 is symbolized by the four contacts 0, A, B and C mentioned above.
• the interface 9 is connected to a first photovoltaic cell 12 placed behind a UV filter 13 specially cut so as to allow the passage of UV rays with a wavelength of 311 nm.
• the interface 10 is connected to a second photovoltaic cell 14 intended to receive the light reflected by the skin 15 from a light source 16 consisting of a luminescent diode supplied directly by the battery of the device which is in this case a standard 9 V battery.
• a light source 16 consisting of a luminescent diode supplied directly by the battery of the device which is in this case a standard 9 V battery.
• the optical means for measuring the sensitivity of the skin are shown in more detail in FIG. 3.
• the light-emitting diode 16 and the photovoltaic cell 14 are mounted in an opaque envelope 17, the lower part of which has an opening closed by a flat glass 18 in glass or sapphire surrounded by the bezel 3 mentioned above, which projects approximately 0.1 mm under the crystal.
• the cell 14 and the diode 16 are mounted in cavities of an opaque body 19 so as to be totally optically isolated from each other.
• the photovoltaic cell 14 is furthermore arranged at the bottom of a rectilinear hole 20 the wall of which is not only black so as to minimize the reflection of light, but also provided with a thread 21 so as to further reduce the risks of propagation of light towards the cell by reflection on the wall. Thus, only the light arriving directly on the cell 14 is measured by this cell.
• the skin 15 has a complex and heterogeneous structure which modifies the path of the radiation by the conjunction of four elementary processes, which are the reflection due to the change in refractive index passing from one medium to another, the diffraction of each. layers, which is considerable for the horny layer 22 and the melanin layer 23, the transmission through the epidermal layers and the absorption. Reflections take place at the base of the horny layer 22 in the mucous body and in the melanic layer 23.
• the radiation which interests us in the example considered is the radiation reflected by the melanic layer 23. This reflection is in direct relation with the skin's sensitivity to UV rays.
• the position of the photovoltaic cell 14 and the orientation of the hole 20 are such that almost only the light reflected by the melanin layer 23 is captured by the cell 14.
• the thickness of the epidermis that is to say the depth of the melanin layer 23 varies from one individual to another.
• the determining depth for the measurement is an average which made it possible to achieve a standard.
• the light-emitting diode emits green light with a wavelength of 560 nm.
• the bezel 3 allows the enclosure 17 to be applied to the skin without letting in parasitic external light and the flat glass 18 makes it possible to flatten the surface of the skin so as to avoid differences in reflection originating from undulations of the skin , that is to say so as to ensure the repeatability of the measured.
• the enclosure 17 and the body 19 are preferably made of synthetic material.
• the bezel 3 can be made of metal or synthetic material.
• the electrical diagram of the apparatus is shown in FIG. 4.
• the circuit essentially comprises a microprocessor 8 with which is associated a clock circuit 24 comprising a quartz of 4 MHz.
• the switching of the functions is not done here by means of a slide switch, as shown in FIG. 1, but electronically, by the microprocessor. by pressing a push button P1.
• the function is displayed by the 2-digit LCD display 6 in the form of letters A, B, C or F1, F2, F3, for example.
• the light-emitting diode 16 is energized by a switch constituted by a transistor T1 controlled by the microprocessor 8 when the function A is selected and a second push button P2 is pressed.
• the extremely weak current delivered by the photovoltaic cell 14 is amplified by an operational amplifier A1 and this analog signal is transformed into digital signal by an analog-digital converter ADC to be applied to the microprocessor 8.
• the current delivered by the photovoltaic cell 12 measuring the UV radiation is also amplified using an A2 amplifier and the analog signal obtained is also converted into a digital signal by the ADC converter.
• the control of the LCD display is carried out in known manner by means of two interfaces 11a and 11b made up of conventional integrated circuits.
• a battery 25 delivers a voltage of + 9 V unregulated and a voltage of + 5 V regulated by means of a regulator-converter 26 consisting of an integrated circuit LM 76.
• the circuit further comprises resistors R1 to R14 and capacitors C1 to C6.
• the second P2 push button corresponds to the push button 7 in FIGS. 1 and 2. It therefore serves to measure the skin and to introduce the exposure time in steps of 0.1 h switched by the microprocessor 8.
• the device is used as follows: after selecting function A, apply window 2 against the skin and press push-button 7 (P1) to measure the sensitivity of the skin and save this measurement. Function B is then selected and using the push button 7 (PI), the chosen exposure time is entered. This time introduced in 0.1 hour steps from 0 to 9.9 hours. The time entered is displayed on the two-digit display 6. Then simply select function C by directing window 4 towards the sun so that the protection index of the product to be used appears on display 6.
• the device is of course capable of numerous variants, both in its form and presentation as in the switching and display means.
• the slide switch 5 could for example be replaced by a key switch or a rotary switch.
• the display 6, it could for example consist of a row of light-emitting diodes.
• the single push button 7 it would be possible to provide one push button per function.
• the display of the functions could be done by means of light-emitting diodes placed in front of an inscription clearly designating the selected function.
• the device can be produced with any light source, for example infrared or laser. We could also be content to measure the light reflected by the surface of the skin.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Dermatology (AREA)
• Measuring And Recording Apparatus For Diagnosis (AREA)
• Photometry And Measurement Of Optical Pulse Characteristics (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=4181963

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (10)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (4)

• 1987
  • 1987-01-22 CH CH218/87A patent/CH669325A5/fr not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1988
  • 1988-01-20 AU AU11045/88A patent/AU1104588A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1988-01-20 JP JP63500890A patent/JPH01501846A/ja active Pending
  • 1988-01-20 EP EP88900762A patent/EP0301042A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 1988-01-20 WO PCT/CH1988/000010 patent/WO1988005284A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1988-09-09 KR KR1019880701096A patent/KR890700330A/ko not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (4)

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