A locally intelligent conformal flexible ultrasound penetration enhancing mask

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of intelligent wearing, and specifically provides a flexible ultrasonic penetration-promoting mask with local intelligent fitting, which comprises an outer shell and a flexible inner shell, the outer surface of the outer shell is a rigid or semi-rigid layer with a shape conforming to the overall contour of a face, the inner surface of the outer shell is a flexible layer, a local deformation unit is arranged in the corresponding concave area of the face of the outer shell, and the local deformation unit is used for actively adjusting the local curvature of the inner surface of the outer shell; the flexible inner shell is connected to the inner surface of the outer shell, the inside of the flexible inner shell is provided with an ultrasonic transducer array and a sensing unit; the ultrasonic transducer array is used for exciting ultrasonic waves to realize ultrasonic penetration promotion; the sensing unit is used for monitoring the fitting state of the flexible inner shell and the face in real time; the local curvature of the inner surface of the outer shell is adjusted by the local deformation unit according to the fitting state, and the flexible inner shell is pressed to fit the concave area of the face. Through the self-adaptive fitting mode of rigid-flexible combination and active compensation, the present application solves the problem of poor fitting of the existing equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of smart wearable technology, and in particular relates to a flexible ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask with localized intelligent fitting. Background Technology

[0002] With the growing demand for personalized medicine and skin care, wearable smart devices for the face have become a hot research topic. These devices typically employ ultrasound-enhanced percutaneous drug delivery technology to promote the absorption of nutrients from skincare products such as tranexamic acid, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid. While existing ultrasound-guided devices can help the skin absorb moisture and nutrients from skincare products, the face is a complex, three-dimensional, non-stretchable surface, and the skin has dynamic deformation characteristics. The biggest technical bottleneck for existing devices is that the contact surface between the device and the skin cannot maintain a uniform, close, and comfortable contact throughout the entire wearing process. For example, gaps may appear in recessed areas such as the nose wings and eye sockets, causing a sharp decrease in ultrasound transmission efficiency and long-term poor local facial condition. Traditional devices use the following fixation methods to ensure a close fit: First, mechanical pressure such as straps or headbands is used to bind the device to the face. This method not only fails to solve the problem of dead spots in localized fit but also leads to discomfort and prolonged pressure-induced ischemia in certain facial areas. Second, negative pressure suction is generated using a micro-pump. This method generates noise and may damage delicate skin. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide a flexible ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask with local intelligent fitting. The mask is divided into two parts: an outer shell and a flexible inner shell. The outer shell provides overall planar constraint, and local deformation units are set to provide targeted compensation for concave areas such as the nasal alar area, nasal bridge area, and eye socket area. Through the combination of rigidity and flexibility and adaptive fitting methods such as active compensation, the problem of poor fitting of existing equipment is solved, and the effect of ultrasonic permeation is improved.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution created by this invention is implemented as follows: This invention provides a locally intelligent, flexible, ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask, comprising: The outer shell and the flexible inner shell are provided. The outer surface of the outer shell is a rigid or semi-rigid layer that conforms to the overall contour of the face. The inner surface of the outer shell is a flexible layer. Local deformation units are provided between the outer and inner surfaces of the outer shell. The local deformation units are provided at least in the facial concave area to actively adjust the local curvature of the inner surface of the outer shell. A flexible inner cover is connected to the inner surface of the outer cover shell. The flexible inner cover is equipped with an ultrasonic transducer array and a sensing unit. The ultrasonic transducer array is used to excite ultrasonic waves to achieve ultrasonic permeation. The sensing unit is located at least in the facial depression area to monitor the fit between the flexible inner cover and the face in real time. Based on the fit, the local deformation unit is controlled to adjust the local curvature of the inner surface of the outer cover shell and squeeze the flexible inner cover to fit the facial depression area.

[0005] Preferably, the outer shell is provided with multiple male-end coded magnetic snaps, and the flexible inner shell is provided with multiple female-end coded magnetic snaps. The connection and conductivity between the outer shell and the flexible inner shell are achieved through the male-end coded magnetic snaps and the female-end coded magnetic snaps. The male-end coded magnetic snaps and the female-end coded magnetic snaps are connected one-to-one through coding to avoid incorrect connection between the outer shell and the flexible inner shell.

[0006] Preferably, the flexible inner cover is made of silicone or ecoflex material.

[0007] Preferably, the rear end of the outer casing is provided with an adjustable-length Velcro strap.

[0008] Preferably, the facial depression area includes at least one of the nasal alar area, nasal bridge area, and eye socket area.

[0009] Preferably, the ultrasonic transducer array includes multiple piezoelectric ceramic arrays and a flexible circuit. The flexible circuit includes a positive electrode layer and a negative electrode layer. An insulating layer is attached to both sides of the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer. Multiple pad units connected to the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer are provided on the outer surface of the flexible circuit. Each piezoelectric ceramic array is soldered onto a pad unit.

[0010] Preferably, each piezoelectric ceramic array includes type A piezoelectric ceramics and type B piezoelectric ceramics with opposite polarization directions.

[0011] Preferably, the local deformation unit is a shape memory alloy wire mesh, which is expanded or contracted by electrical excitation, thereby squeezing the flexible inner cover to fit the facial depression area.

[0012] Preferably, the local deformation unit is a micro-actuator array, which includes multiple micro-piezoelectric actuators fixed inside the outer casing. Each micro-piezoelectric actuator push rod end is controlled by an electrical signal to squeeze the flexible inner cover to fit the facial concave area.

[0013] Preferably, the sensing unit is a pressure sensor array or a distance sensor array.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects: This invention designs an ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask as two parts: an outer shell and a flexible inner shell. The outer shell constrains the surface shape of the flexible inner shell, which to some extent solves the problem of severe non-fitting in traditional purely flexible masks. Furthermore, it designs targeted sensing units and local deformation units for facial concave areas such as the nasal alar area, nasal bridge area, and eye socket area to obtain the fit state between the flexible inner shell and the face. The local deformation units provide targeted compensation for facial concave areas, which can adapt to various facial contours and avoid local blind spots.

[0015] Furthermore, the outer shell and flexible inner cover of this invention are installed and conduct electricity through magnetic attraction, making installation simple. The flexible inner cover can be disassembled and cleaned, solving the problem of traditional one-piece masks being difficult to clean. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of the invention are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the composition of a locally intelligently fitted flexible ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask provided according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the outer casing provided according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a partial schematic diagram of the flexible circuit of the ultrasonic transducer array provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] The reference numerals in the figures include: Outer housing 1, flexible inner housing 2, rigid or semi-rigid layer 11, flexible layer 12, Velcro 13, ultrasonic transducer array 21. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by associated similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, some operations related to the invention are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of the invention with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; the relevant operations can be fully understood based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0019] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this invention can be combined to form various implementations. Furthermore, the order of the steps or actions in the method description can be changed or adjusted in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various orders in the specification and drawings are merely for the clear description of a particular embodiment and do not imply a mandatory order, unless otherwise stated that a particular order must be followed.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0023] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of the present invention, a flexible ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask with local intelligent fit is provided, comprising: an outer shell 1 and a flexible inner shell 2, wherein the outer surface of the outer shell 1 is a rigid or semi-rigid layer 11 whose outer surface conforms to the overall contour of the face, the inner surface of the outer shell 1 is a flexible layer 12, and a local deformation unit is provided between the outer surface and the inner surface of the outer shell 1, wherein the local deformation unit is provided at least in the facial depression area for actively adjusting the local curvature of the inner surface of the outer shell 1; The flexible inner cover 2 is connected to the inner surface of the outer cover shell 1. The flexible inner cover 2 is equipped with an ultrasonic transducer array 21 and a sensing unit. The ultrasonic transducer array 21 is used to excite ultrasonic waves to achieve ultrasonic permeation. The sensing unit is at least located in the facial depression area to monitor the fit between the flexible inner cover 2 and the face in real time. Based on the fit, the local deformation unit is controlled to adjust the local curvature of the inner surface of the outer cover shell 1 and squeeze the flexible inner cover 2 to fit the facial depression area.

[0024] The outer shell 1 mainly comprises two layers: a rigid or semi-rigid outer layer 11 and a flexible inner layer 12. The rigid or semi-rigid layer 11 is made of a moderately rigid and lightweight material, such as ABS or rigid TPU, and its shape roughly conforms to the average contour of the human face, forming a basic load-bearing frame. The design of the rigid or semi-rigid layer 11 allows for the overall shaping of the flexible ultrasound permeation mask, constraining the shape of the flexible inner mask 2 to ensure it fits the wearer's face as closely as possible. Since the inner surface of the outer shell 1 is close to the human face, using a rigid material would reduce wearing comfort. Therefore, a flexible layer 12 is bonded to the inside of the rigid or semi-rigid layer 11, forming a cavity between the rigid or semi-rigid layer 11 and the flexible layer 12, which can accommodate necessary electrical components and local deformation units. Furthermore, a power interface is provided on the upper edge of the outer shell 1 for power input. At least four male-end coded magnetic snaps are provided on the inner surface of the outer housing 1, and multiple corresponding female-end coded magnetic snaps are provided on the outer surface of the flexible inner housing 2. The male and female-end coded magnetic snaps are connected in a one-to-one correspondence through coding. The male and female-end coded magnetic snaps can be used to quickly connect and disconnect the outer housing 1 and the flexible inner housing 2. In addition, the male and female-end coded magnetic snaps can also serve as electrical transmission interfaces between the outer housing 1 and the flexible inner housing 2. Furthermore, since the male and female-end coded magnetic snaps are all coded to achieve a one-to-one correspondence, incorrect connection of the outer housing 1 and the flexible inner housing 2 can be avoided, such as the flexible inner housing 2 being installed backwards or upside down.

[0025] In addition, the rear end of the outer shell 1 is provided with an adjustable-length Velcro 13, which allows the flexible ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask to be worn and fixed on the face, and the adhesive position of the Velcro 13 can be adjusted according to the wearer's head circumference. Openings are made in the outer shell 1 at the positions corresponding to the ears to avoid pressure on the ears during wear.

[0026] The flexible inner cover 2 is the main working unit. Existing ultrasound permeation devices typically only have components equivalent to the flexible inner cover 2 in this embodiment of the invention, employing this purely flexible design. This design suffers from severe adhesion dead zones, resulting in poor fit between the ultrasound permeation device and the face in areas such as the nasal wings, bridge of the nose, and eye sockets, affecting the ultrasound permeation effect. The flexible mask can be removed from the outer shell 1 for cleaning. The flexible inner cover 2 is made of flexible materials, such as silicone or ecoflex. Silicone or ecoflex has excellent deformability and is a biocompatible material, allowing it to be safely applied to the facial skin. Under the constraint of the outer shell 1, the flexible mask can fit as closely as possible to the face, greatly increasing the contact area between the flexible mask and the face.

[0027] Because the flexible inner cover 2 needs to have properties such as stretching, torsion, and folding, its internal ultrasonic components have also been specially designed. For example... Figure 3 As shown, an ultrasonic transducer array 21 is provided inside the flexible inner cover 2. The ultrasonic transducer array 21 is used to excite ultrasonic waves to achieve ultrasonic permeation. It is mainly composed of multiple piezoelectric ceramic arrays and flexible circuits. Each piezoelectric ceramic array includes 4 piezoelectric ceramics. These 4 piezoelectric ceramics can be divided into two categories according to their polarization direction, specifically, type A piezoelectric ceramics and type B piezoelectric ceramics with opposite polarization directions. There are two type A piezoelectric ceramics and two type B piezoelectric ceramics. Any one of the type A piezoelectric ceramics is electrically connected to one of the type B piezoelectric ceramics. Both Type A and Type B piezoelectric ceramics are soldered onto corresponding flexible circuits. The flexible circuits include a positive electrode layer and a negative electrode layer, with insulating layers attached to both sides of each layer. Specifically, the circuits sequentially include a first insulating layer, a positive electrode layer, a second insulating layer, a negative electrode layer, and a third insulating layer. Openings are designed in either the first or third insulating layer to form pad units on its surface. Each pad unit includes four pads, corresponding to the four piezoelectric ceramics in each array. Two pads are electrically connected to the positive electrode layer, and the other two are electrically connected to the negative electrode layer. Each pad is 1mm x 1mm in size, and the spacing between adjacent pads is 0.35mm. Each piezoelectric ceramic array is soldered onto one pad unit. External power is supplied through the interface on the outer casing 1, and then transmitted to the flexible circuit inside the flexible inner casing 2 via the male and female coded magnetic snap fasteners. The flexible circuit powers the piezoelectric ceramic array, which employs an island-bridge structure design: multiple independent piezoelectric ceramics are arranged in an array, with adjacent piezoelectric ceramics connected by the circuit bridge of the flexible circuit. This design allows the entire array to withstand tensile deformation without damage. Power supply control enables the ultrasonic transducer array 21 to excite ultrasonic waves, supporting full-array uniform excitation mode, zoned independent control mode, and focused scanning mode, enabling targeted ultrasonic permeation of different areas and intensities on the face.

[0028] Although the embodiments of the present invention constrain the shape of the flexible inner cover 2 through the outer shell 1 to make the flexible inner cover 2 fit as closely as possible to each area of ​​the face, there are significant differences in the facial curves of different wearers, especially in the concave areas of the face, such as the alar area, the bridge of the nose area, and the eye socket area. Therefore, a uniformly molded outer shell 1 cannot ensure that the flexible inner cover 2 fits perfectly to all wearers. Furthermore, to ensure wearer comfort, the size of the outer shell 1 is usually large to avoid squeezing the face of some wearers, which further leads to a significant misfit between the flexible inner cover 2 and the wearer in the concave areas of the face. To address this problem, the embodiments of the present invention also provide a local deformation unit between the outer and inner surfaces of the outer shell 1, and a sensing unit inside the flexible inner cover 2. Through the cooperation of the sensing unit and the local deformation unit, targeted compensation is provided for the concave areas of the face. Specifically, the local deformation unit is set inside the outer shell 1 at the position corresponding to the concave areas of the face, that is, at the positions corresponding to the alar area, the bridge of the nose area, and the eye socket area. The local deformation unit can actively adjust the local curvature of the inner surface of the outer shell 1. Alternatively, local deformation units can be installed at all locations within the outer casing 1. These local deformation units can be shape memory alloy mesh or micro-actuator arrays. For shape memory alloy mesh, it needs to be connected to a power supply circuit. When not powered (at low temperature), the shape memory alloy mesh is in a relatively compliant martensitic state, and the mesh is in its initial shape. When an excitation current is applied to a specific section, the Joule heating generated by the current raises the temperature of the alloy wire within that section above the austenitic phase transformation point. The shape memory alloy mesh expands or contracts. During this expansion or contraction, force transmission causes the protruding areas of the flexible layer 12 of the outer casing 1 to press against the flexible inner casing 2, causing the flexible inner casing 2 to conform to the recessed area of ​​the face.

[0029] As for the micro actuator array, it includes multiple micro piezoelectric actuators fixed inside the outer housing 1. Each micro piezoelectric actuator has a low-modulus, biocompatible flexible contact head connected to the end of its push rod. The push rod end of each micro piezoelectric actuator is controlled by an electrical signal to push the flexible layer 12 on the inner surface of the outer housing 1. The dot matrix thrust of the micro actuator array will cause the flexible inner cover 2 of the facial depression area to bulge, thereby achieving a perfect fit between the flexible inner cover 2 and the facial depression area.

[0030] To achieve intelligent sensing and automatic adjustment of the local deformation unit, a sensing unit is also installed inside the flexible inner cover 2. The sensing unit can be a pressure sensor array or a distance sensor array. The sensing unit can be designed entirely within the facial concave area or across the entire area, ensuring that the coverage area of ​​the local deformation unit and the sensing unit corresponds. When the sensing unit uses a pressure sensor array, a flexible thin-film piezoresistive sensor or a capacitive pressure sensor can be selected. The pressure sensor array is located close to the face and can measure and output the contact pressure between the flexible inner cover 2 and the face in real time, and provide feedback. Based on the pressure value, the fit between the flexible inner cover 2 and the facial concave area can be determined. If the fit is poor, the feedback control of the local deformation unit will compensate for the non-fitting facial concave area by squeezing the flexible inner cover 2 to make it fit perfectly with the facial concave area.

[0031] When the sensing unit uses a distance sensor array, the distance sensor array can measure and output the distance between itself and the skin of the facial depression area in real time to directly determine the fit. Similarly, based on the fit status feedback, the local deformation unit is controlled to compensate for the facial depression area that does not fit.

[0032] Specifically, taking the example of gaps appearing on both sides of the nose due to the curvature of the face during wearing, the sensing unit first detects the fit of the flexible inner cover 2 with the area. When a gap is detected, the local deformation unit of the nose area is controlled to compensate for the gap and achieve a tight fit, thereby improving the ultrasound penetration effect and avoiding the deterioration of the local facial condition due to poor ultrasound penetration over a long period of time.

[0033] In summary, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this specification and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this specification. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this specification should be included within the scope of protection of this specification.

[0034] The systems, apparatuses, modules, or units described in one or more of the above embodiments may be implemented by a computer chip or entity, or by a product having a certain function. A typical implementation device is a computer. Specifically, a computer may be, for example, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a cellular phone, a camera phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a media player, a navigation device, an email device, a game console, a tablet computer, a wearable device, or any combination of these devices.

[0035] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0036] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments.

Claims

1. A locally intelligent conformal flexible ultrasound penetration-boosting mask, characterized in that, It includes an outer shell and a flexible inner shell. The outer surface of the outer shell is a rigid or semi-rigid layer that conforms to the overall contour of the face. The inner surface of the outer shell is a flexible layer. A local deformation unit is provided between the outer surface and the inner surface of the outer shell. The local deformation unit is at least provided in the facial concave area and is used to actively adjust the local curvature of the inner surface of the outer shell. The flexible inner cover is connected to the inner surface of the outer cover shell. The flexible inner cover is equipped with an ultrasonic transducer array and a sensing unit. The ultrasonic transducer array is used to excite ultrasonic waves to achieve ultrasonic permeation. The sensing unit is located at least in the facial depression area to monitor the fit between the flexible inner cover and the face in real time. Based on the fit, the local deformation unit is controlled to adjust the local curvature of the inner surface of the outer cover shell and squeeze the flexible inner cover to fit the facial depression area. The local deformation unit is a shape memory alloy mesh, which expands or contracts through electrical excitation, thereby squeezing the flexible inner cover to fit against the facial depression area; or, the local deformation unit is a micro actuator array, which includes multiple micro piezoelectric actuators fixed in the outer housing, and controls the push rod end of each micro piezoelectric actuator to squeeze the flexible inner cover to fit against the facial depression area through electrical signals.

2. The locally intelligent conforming flexible ultrasonic penetration-boosting mask of claim 1, wherein, The outer shell is provided with multiple male-end coded magnetic snaps, and the flexible inner shell is provided with multiple female-end coded magnetic snaps. The connection and conductivity between the outer shell and the flexible inner shell are achieved through the male-end coded magnetic snaps and the female-end coded magnetic snaps. The male-end coded magnetic snaps and the female-end coded magnetic snaps are connected one-to-one through coding to avoid incorrect connection between the outer shell and the flexible inner shell.

3. The locally intelligent conforming flexible ultrasonic penetration-boosting mask of claim 1, wherein, The flexible inner cover is made of silicone.

4. The locally intelligent conforming flexible ultrasonic penetration-boosting mask of claim 1, wherein, The rear end of the outer casing is provided with an adjustable Velcro strap.

5. The locally intelligently fitted flexible ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask according to claim 1, characterized in that, The facial depression area includes at least one of the nasal alar area, nasal bridge area, and eye socket area.

6. The locally intelligently fitted flexible ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic transducer array includes multiple piezoelectric ceramic arrays and a flexible circuit. The flexible circuit includes a positive electrode layer and a negative electrode layer. An insulating layer is attached to both sides of the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer. Multiple pad units connected to the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer are provided on the outer surface of the flexible circuit. Each piezoelectric ceramic array is soldered onto a pad unit.

7. The locally intelligently fitted flexible ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask according to claim 6, characterized in that, Each piezoelectric ceramic array includes type A and type B piezoelectric ceramics with opposite polarization directions.

8. The locally intelligently fitted flexible ultrasonic permeation-enhancing mask according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensing unit is a pressure sensor array or a distance sensor array.

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