Focused ultrasonic treatment device and treatment method using same

Abstract

The invention provides a focused ultrasound therapy apparatus and a therapy method using the same. The invention discloses a focused ultrasonic treatment device. The focused ultrasonic treatment device comprises a driving unit, a supporting plate, a traction unit and a tracking unit. The traction unit moves in a spiral shape along the guide groove to realize focal length adjustment, so that surface irradiation can be performed. Through the simplification of the structure, the production efficiency can be improved, the cost and the failure rate are reduced, and the treatment range can be expanded through the miniaturization of the device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation and a treatment method using the same. It generates power through a separately configured drive device and employs a delivery structure that moves the ultrasound output device along a helical path under physical action. This not only allows for changing the focus of the ultrasound to achieve surface irradiation, but also, through structural simplification, promises more efficient manufacturing processes and a relatively reasonable unit price, while significantly reducing the failure rate. Furthermore, with the ability to miniaturize the device, the range of treatment sites can be expanded more widely. Background Technology

[0002] Traditionally, a technique associated with an ultrasound generating device is known, which utilizes focused ultrasound generated by focusing ultrasound waves produced by the ultrasound generating device to achieve skin cosmetic and therapeutic treatments.

[0003] Typically, ultrasonic generating devices are designed with a handle and a cartridge separately. The handle is the main body of the ultrasonic generating device, designed for easy gripping by the user, while the cartridge is a component that houses the ultrasonic transducer that generates ultrasonic waves and the necessary elements to drive the ultrasonic transducer, and is connected to the handle.

[0004] As research and development have progressed on ultrasonic generating devices consisting of such handles and tubes, which are designed to irradiate large areas of the skin with focused ultrasound, their structures have been diversified and modified. Corresponding treatment methods have also spread rapidly in the medical and beauty industries.

[0005] That is, for conventional transducers, various techniques for achieving surface irradiation of ultrasound using multiple linear delivery devices (rather than a simple linear delivery device with a single structure) have been disclosed.

[0006] However, the aforementioned prior art requires more than two drive devices (such as motors), which leads to structural complexity, increased cost, and larger device size.

[0007] In particular, the large size of the device limits its application to treating large areas of the body, such as the abdomen, while making it difficult to treat relatively small areas, such as the face, thus restricting its use.

[0008] Therefore, the demand for skin beauty / treatment devices based on focused ultrasound is increasing. The technology used achieves surface irradiation through a relatively simple structure, and can be expected to have efficient manufacturing processes and reasonable production costs. Furthermore, the miniaturization of the device due to its simplified structure allows for a wide range of treatment areas.

[0009] Existing technical documents

[0010] Patent documents

[0011] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1712024 (Invention Title: Medical Device Utilizing High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) Summary of the Invention

[0012] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention

[0013] Therefore, this invention addresses the aforementioned problems by providing a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation and a treatment method using the same. Power is generated by a separate drive device, and a delivery structure is employed to move the ultrasound output device along a helical path under physical action. This not only allows for changing the focus of the ultrasound to achieve surface irradiation, but also, through structural simplification, enables more efficient manufacturing processes and a relatively reasonable unit price, while significantly reducing the failure rate. Furthermore, with the miniaturization of the device, the range of treatment sites can be expanded more broadly.

[0014] However, the technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those described above. From the following description, those skilled in the art will clearly understand some other unmentioned technical problems.

[0015] Technical solution

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention, as a technical solution for achieving the above-mentioned objectives, provides a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation. This device is used to irradiate focused ultrasound waves and includes: a body; a drive unit disposed within the body for generating arbitrary rotational force; a support plate with a helical guide groove formed on one side, the support plate being fixed within the body, and one side of the drive unit penetrating and supported on the support plate; a traction unit coupled to the penetrating side of the drive unit, the traction unit rotating in response to the rotational force generated by the drive unit and movably coupled to the guide groove of the support plate, thereby being pulled during rotation and able to move along the guide groove in a helical path; and a tracking unit coupled to one side of the traction unit, the tracking unit tracking the traction movement of the traction unit while outputting focused ultrasound waves.

[0017] Additionally, the body may include: a first housing; and a second housing, which is detachably coupled to the first housing.

[0018] Alternatively, the first housing may be a handle housing, and the second housing may be a cylindrical housing that can be replaced from the handle housing. The drive unit, the support plate, and the traction unit may be disposed in the first housing, and the tracking unit may be disposed in the second housing.

[0019] Additionally, the drive unit may include: a motor, separately disposed within the first housing; and a motor shaft, passing through and supported at the center of the support plate and rotated by the drive of the motor.

[0020] Additionally, the traction unit may include: a first frame, which is coupled to the end of the through motor shaft and extends near the edge of the support plate, and the first frame rotates with respect to the motor shaft as the motor shaft rotates; a second frame, which is coupled to the first frame through a guide hole formed along the extension direction of the first frame in a manner that allows it to slide in a state perpendicular to the first frame; a guide, which is formed from one end of the second frame in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first frame in a manner corresponding to the guide groove of the support plate, thereby being movably inserted into the guide groove; and a traction shaft, which is disposed at the other end of the second frame with its axis parallel to the motor shaft, and when the first housing and the second housing are coupled, the traction shaft contacts a portion of the tracking unit.

[0021] Additionally, the guide can be configured to generate stress between the surface of the first frame and the guide hole surface of the second frame while rotating along the guide groove in a helical path as the first frame rotates, thereby pulling the second frame to slide along the surface of the first frame. The traction shaft can be configured to be integrally pulled by the guide along the second frame when the second frame is pulled, ultimately pulling a portion of the tracking unit in contact along the same helical path as the guide.

[0022] Additionally, the tracking unit may include: a transducer assembly comprising a support and an ultrasonic transducer, the support being pulled by contact with and tracked by the traction shaft of the traction unit, the ultrasonic transducer being coupled to the support and configured to face the end portion of the second housing for contact with the skin of the treatment subject, and the ultrasonic transducer outputting focused ultrasonic waves of a predetermined frequency; a sealing member made to be elastic, the sealing member supporting the transducer assembly in a manner that allows the transducer assembly to move while it is separated from the inner side of the second housing, and the sealing member sealing within the second housing in a manner that forms a sealed space for accommodating the ultrasonic transducer of the transducer assembly; an acoustic fluid filling the sealed space for transmitting ultrasonic waves output from the ultrasonic transducer to the end portion of the second housing and reducing heat generated with the ultrasonic wave output from the ultrasonic transducer; and a transmission membrane disposed at the end portion of the second housing for transmitting ultrasonic waves transmitted through the acoustic fluid to the outside.

[0023] In addition, the center of the transmission film can be aligned with the motor shaft located at the center of the support plate, and the second frame can be bent toward the axis of the motor shaft to make the axis of the traction shaft closer to the center of the support plate for correction.

[0024] Additionally, the traction shaft protrudes in a form that becomes narrower as it approaches the bracket and has a protrusion with a built-in magnet. The bracket may include a receiving groove that is correspondingly formed to accommodate the protrusion of the traction shaft, and the surface of the receiving groove is made of a magnetic material, so that it interacts with the magnet of the protrusion when the first housing and the second housing are separated and joined, thereby enabling magnetic assembly and disassembly of the traction shaft.

[0025] Furthermore, as an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned objective, a treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation, the treatment method may include: step a), a drive unit generating an arbitrary rotational force; step b), a traction unit being rotated and pulled in response to the rotational force generated by the drive unit in step a), thereby enabling the traction unit to move along a helical guide groove formed in a support plate in a helical path; and step c), a tracking unit outputting focused ultrasound while tracking the traction movement of the traction unit in step b.

[0026] Additionally, the treatment method may also include: step a'), prior to performing step a), constructing a body by combining a first housing and a second housing selectively configured with the drive unit, the support plate, the traction unit and the tracking unit.

[0027] Additionally, the configuration in step a') may refer to the drive unit, the support plate, and the traction unit being located in the first housing, and the tracking unit being located in the second housing; the combination in step a') may refer to the first housing and the second housing being able to separate from each other.

[0028] Additionally, the first housing in step a') can be a handle housing, and the second housing in step a') can be a cylindrical housing that can be replaced from the handle housing.

[0029] Additionally, step a) may include: step a-1), the motor drive of the drive unit; and step a-2), the motor shaft of the drive unit rotating while generating arbitrary rotational force through the drive of the motor. The motor in step a-1) may be separately installed in the first housing, and the motor shaft in step a-2) may be supported in a state that passes through the center of the support plate.

[0030] Additionally, step b) may include: step b-1), where the first frame of the traction unit rotates in response to the rotational force generated in step a-2; step b-2), where, as the first frame rotates through step b-1), the guide of the traction unit rotates along the guide groove in a helical path, causing stress to be generated between the guide hole surface formed in the second frame of the traction unit and the surface of the first frame, thereby pulling the second frame to slide along the surface of the first frame; and step b-3), where, as the second frame is pulled through step b-2), the traction shaft of the traction unit is pulled integrally with the second frame by the guide, thereby ultimately pulling a portion of the tracking unit along the same helical path as the guide.

[0031] Additionally, the configuration in step a') may refer to the transmission film of the tracking unit and the support plate being arranged in a concentric structure, and the traction shaft being pulled in step b-3) may refer to the traction shaft being corrected by a second frame that bends towards the axis of the motor shaft so that the axis of the traction shaft is close to the center of the support plate before being pulled.

[0032] Additionally, in step a'), when the first housing and the second housing are combined, the traction shaft of the traction unit can contact and be tightly fixed to the bracket of the tracking unit. The traction shaft in step a') can be formed with a protrusion that is narrower as it gets closer to the bracket and has a built-in magnetic body. The bracket in step a') can include a receiving groove that is correspondingly formed to accommodate the protrusion of the traction shaft, and the surface of the receiving groove is made of a magnetic material so that it interacts with the magnetic body of the protrusion, thereby enabling it to be attached and detached from the traction shaft through magnetism.

[0033] Beneficial effects

[0034] The focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to the present invention and the treatment method using the same have the following effects: by generating power through a separate drive device and employing a transport structure in which the tracking unit for outputting ultrasound waves moves along a helical path under the physical action of the support plate and the traction unit, not only can the focus of the ultrasound waves be changed to achieve surface irradiation, but also, through the simplification of the structure, more efficient manufacturing processes and relatively reasonable unit prices are expected, while significantly reducing the failure rate. Furthermore, with the ability to miniaturize the device, the treatment target sites can be expanded more widely.

[0035] Furthermore, according to the present invention, structurally, by bending the second frame, which is offset relative to the support plate, toward the axis of the motor shaft located at the center of the support plate, the traction shaft located at the bent end of the second frame can be corrected to near the center of the support plate. This has the advantage of preventing the transducer assembly that tracks the movement of the traction shaft from detaching from the transmissive area of ​​the transmissive membrane concentric with the support plate, thereby ensuring higher reliability in terms of effectiveness based on the degree of ultrasonic irradiation.

[0036] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by employing a magnetically detachable structure between the traction shaft of the traction unit and the support of the tracking unit, which are respectively arranged in the first housing and the second housing constituting the main body, a more secure and tighter fit can be achieved when the first housing and the second housing are combined, thereby ensuring higher reliability in terms of accuracy under traction and tracking action.

[0037] However, the effects that can be obtained by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Those skilled in the art should be able to clearly understand other effects not mentioned above from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the overall configuration of a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 2 It is shown separately under magnification according to Figure 1 A plan view of the support plate of the focused ultrasound therapy device.

[0040] Figure 3 It is shown separately under magnification according to Figure 1 A perspective view of the traction unit of the focused ultrasound therapy device.

[0041] Figures 4A to 4C It shows the effect based on Figure 1 The diagram shows the motion state of the traction unit on the support plate of the focused ultrasound therapy device.

[0042] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of performing helical path surface irradiation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0044] 100: Focused ultrasound therapy device; 110: Body; 111: First housing; 112: Second housing; 120: Drive unit; 121: Motor; 122: Motor shaft; 130: Support plate; 131: Guide groove; 140: Traction unit; 141: First frame; 142: Second frame; 142a: Guide hole; 143: Guide; 144: Traction shaft; 144a: Magnetic body; 150: Tracking unit; 151: Transducer assembly; 151a: Support; 151b: Ultrasonic transducer; 152: Sealing member; 153: Acoustic fluid; 154: Transmission membrane; S100: First housing and second housing joining step; S200: Drive unit driving step; S300: Traction unit rotation and helical path traction step; S400: Tracking unit tracking and ultrasonic output step. Detailed Implementation

[0045] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, enabling those skilled in the art to readily implement the invention. However, since the description of the present invention is merely for illustrating the structure or function of the embodiments, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. That is, embodiments can be modified in various ways and can have various forms; therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood to include equivalents that can realize the technical concept. Furthermore, since the purposes or effects presented in the present invention do not imply that a particular embodiment must include all or only these effects, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto.

[0046] The terms used in this invention should be understood to have the following meanings.

[0047] The terms "first" and "second" are used to distinguish one constituent element from another and should not be used to limit the scope of rights. For example, a first constituent element can be named a second constituent element, and similarly, a second constituent element can be named a first constituent element. When a constituent element is "connected" to another constituent element, it should be understood that it can be directly connected to the other constituent element, and there may be other constituent elements between them. Conversely, when a constituent element is "directly connected" to another constituent element, it should be understood that there are no other constituent elements between them. In addition, other expressions used to describe the relationship between constituent elements, such as "between ~" and "directly between ~", or "adjacent to ~" and "directly adjacent to ~", should also be interpreted in the same way.

[0048] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular expression should be understood to include the plural expression, and terms such as “comprising” or “having” are intended to specify the presence of the stated feature, number, step, action, constituent element, component, or combination thereof, but do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features or numbers, steps, actions, constituent elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0049] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in this specification shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries shall be interpreted as having the meaning consistent with the context of the relevant art, and shall not be construed as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless expressly defined herein.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the overall configuration of a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 It is shown separately under magnification according to Figure 1 A plan view of the support plate of the focused ultrasound therapy device. Figure 3 It is shown separately under magnification according to Figure 1 A perspective view of the traction unit of the focused ultrasound therapy device. Figures 4A to 4C It shows the basis Figure 1 The diagram shows the motion state of the traction unit acting on the support plate of the focused ultrasound therapy device. Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of performing helical path surface irradiation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, the focused ultrasound therapy device 100 capable of surface irradiation along a spiral path according to the present invention is a therapy device for irradiating focused ultrasound waves, and may include a body 110, a drive unit 120, a support plate 130, a traction unit 140, and a tracking unit 150.

[0052] The main body 110 covers all the components of the present invention, and is preferably formed in the shape of a cylinder or a polygonal column. It may also have an additional grippable handle (not shown), but is not limited thereto.

[0053] In this invention, the body 110 can be divided into a first housing 111 and a second housing 112 that is detachably combined with the first housing 111.

[0054] The first housing 111 is preferably a handle housing, and the second housing 112 is preferably a cylindrical housing that can be replaced from the handle housing. The handle and the cylinder mentioned herein employ generally known technology, so their specific descriptions will be omitted.

[0055] However, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first housing 111 is preferably provided with the drive unit 120, the support plate 130 and the traction unit 140, which will be described later, and the second housing 112 is preferably provided with the tracking unit 150, which will be described later.

[0056] The drive unit 120 is a power source component disposed within the body 110 and generating arbitrary rotational force. More preferably, it can be disposed within the first housing 111 of the body 110. More specifically, it can include a motor 121 and a motor shaft 122.

[0057] The motor 121 is preferably disposed separately in the first housing 111 and driven by an additional power supply unit (not shown) to generate rotational force. Various known drive devices can be used within the scope of the present invention.

[0058] The motor shaft 122 is a clearly defined structure on one side of the motor 121, and while being supported through the center of the support plate 130, it can be rotated by the drive of the motor 121.

[0059] The support plate 130 is a plate-shaped structure with a flat surface. According to the present invention, a spiral guide groove 131 is formed on one side of the support plate 130 and is preferably fixed in the first housing 111 of the main body 110, so that one side of the drive unit 120 passes through and provides support.

[0060] At this time, the direction of the expansion of the edge (surroundings) of the support plate 130 can be configured to be perpendicular to the length direction of the body 110, and the guide groove 131 can extend from the edge (surroundings) of the support plate 130 to the center or from the center to the edge (surroundings).

[0061] The dimensions of the support plate 130, the length and spacing of the guide grooves 131 can be modified in various ways by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention.

[0062] While the traction unit 140 is connected to the through side of the drive unit 120 and rotates in response to the rotational force generated by the drive unit 120, the traction unit 140 is movably connected to the guide groove 131 of the support plate 130, so that it is pulled during the rotation and can move along the guide groove 131 in a spiral path.

[0063] The traction unit 140 may include a first frame 141, a second frame 142, a guide 143, and a traction shaft 144.

[0064] The first frame 141 is coupled to the end of the through motor shaft 122 and extends near the edge of the support plate 130, and is configured to rotate with respect to the motor shaft 122 as the motor shaft 122 rotates.

[0065] The second frame 142 is preferably coupled to the first frame 141 by a guide hole 142a formed through the extension direction of the first frame 141 in a manner that allows it to slide in a state perpendicular to the first frame 141.

[0066] The guide 143 is formed from one end of the second frame 142 in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first frame 141, corresponding to the guide groove 131 of the support plate 130, so that it can be inserted into the guide groove 131 in a movable manner.

[0067] The traction shaft 144 forms an axis parallel to the motor shaft 122 at the other end of the second frame 142, and is configured to contact a portion of the tracking unit 150 when the first housing 111 and the second housing 112 are combined.

[0068] For example, refer to Figures 4A to 4C According to the present invention, when the first frame 141 rotates, the guide 143 rotates along the guide groove 131 in a spiral path, while stress is generated between the surface of the first frame 141 and the surface of the guide hole 142a of the second frame 142, thereby pulling the second frame 142 to slide along the surface of the first frame 141.

[0069] When the second frame 142 is pulled, the traction shaft 144 is pulled integrally with the second frame 142 by the guide 143, and can eventually pull a part of the contacting tracking unit 150 along the same spiral path as the guide 143.

[0070] The tracking unit 150 is configured to be combined with one side of the traction unit 140 and output focused ultrasonic waves while tracking the traction motion of the traction unit 140. More specifically, it may include a transducer assembly 151, a sealing member 152, an acoustic liquid 153, and a transmission membrane 154.

[0071] The transducer assembly 151 preferably consists of a bracket 151a and an ultrasonic transducer 151b. The bracket 151a contacts and is pulled by the traction shaft 144 of the traction unit 140 and tracks the traction movement of the traction shaft 144. The ultrasonic transducer 151b is coupled to the bracket 151a and is configured to face the end portion of the second housing 112 for contact with the skin of the treatment subject. The ultrasonic transducer 151b outputs focused ultrasonic waves of a predetermined frequency.

[0072] The sealing member 152 is made to be elastic, and the sealing member 152 supports the transducer assembly 151 in such a way that the transducer assembly 151 can be moved while the transducer assembly 151 is separated from the inner side of the second housing 112, and the sealing member 152 achieves sealing within the second housing 112 in such a way as to form a sealed space for accommodating the ultrasonic transducer 151b of the transducer assembly 151.

[0073] Such sealing member 152 is preferably made in the form of a retractable bellows, but is not limited thereto.

[0074] The acoustic liquid 153 is an ultrasonic transmission medium that fills the sealed space to transmit the ultrasonic waves output from the ultrasonic transducer 151b to the end of the second housing 112, and also serves to reduce (cool) the heat generated by the ultrasonic waves output from the ultrasonic transducer 151b.

[0075] The transmission membrane 154 is disposed at the end of the second housing 112 and configured to transmit ultrasonic waves transmitted through the acoustic liquid 153 to the outside. More preferably, it may be located at the center of the end of the second housing 112.

[0076] In this invention, "center" refers to the center with the thickness direction of the body 110 as a reference, and the center of the transmission film 154 is preferably in a straight line with the motor shaft 122 located at the center of the support plate 130.

[0077] That is, the transmission film 154 can be concentrically configured with the support plate 130, wherein, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second frame 142 can be bent toward the axis of the motor shaft 122 to correct the axis of the traction shaft 144 from being close to the center of the support plate 130.

[0078] The bending shape of the second frame 142 prevents the traction shaft 144 from detaching from the transducer assembly 151 it pulls from the transmission functional area of ​​the transmission membrane 154, which is considered as the focus of the final output ultrasonic wave.

[0079] On the other hand, the traction shaft 144 is preferably formed in a form that becomes narrower as it gets closer to the bracket 151a and has a protrusion (not marked with reference numerals) with a built-in magnetic body 144a, and the bracket 151a preferably includes a receiving groove (not marked with reference numerals) that is correspondingly formed to receive the protrusion of the traction shaft 144, and the surface of the bracket 151a is made of a magnetic material such that it interacts with the magnetic body 144a of the protrusion when the first housing 111 and the second housing 112 are separated and joined, thereby enabling the traction shaft 144 to be attached and detached by magnetism.

[0080] Subsequently, the treatment method using the focused ultrasound therapy device 100, configured as described above, capable of helical path surface irradiation, can be referred to... Figure 5 The treatment method using a treatment device for irradiating focused ultrasound may include: step S200, the combination of the first housing and the second housing; step S200, the driving unit driving step; step S300, the rotation and helical path traction step of the traction unit; and step S400, the tracking unit tracking and ultrasound output step.

[0081] The step of combining the first housing and the second housing (step S100) is a treatment preparation step, which constitutes the body 110 by combining the first housing 111, which is selectively configured with the drive unit 120, the support plate 130, the traction unit 140 and the tracking unit 150, with the second housing 112.

[0082] The configuration in the step of combining the first housing and the second housing (step S100) may refer to the drive unit 120, the support plate 130 and the traction unit 140 being located in the first housing 111 and the tracking unit 150 being located in the second housing 112. More preferably, the transmission film 154 of the tracking unit 150 and the support plate 130 are arranged in a concentric structure.

[0083] In addition, the joining step (step S100) of joining the first housing and the second housing may mean that the first housing 111 and the second housing 112 can be separated from each other.

[0084] Furthermore, in the step of combining the first housing and the second housing (step S100), the first housing 111 is preferably a handle housing, and the second housing 112 is preferably a cylindrical housing that can be replaced from the handle housing.

[0085] In the step of combining the first housing and the second housing (step S100), according to the present invention, when the first housing 111 and the second housing 112 are combined, the traction shaft 144 of the traction unit 140 can contact and be tightly fixed with the bracket 151a of the tracking unit 150.

[0086] At this time, in the step of combining the first housing and the second housing (step S100), the traction shaft 144 is preferably formed in a shape that becomes narrower as it gets closer to the bracket 151a and has a protrusion (not given reference numerals) with a built-in magnetic body 144a. The bracket 151a preferably includes a receiving groove (not given reference numerals) that is correspondingly formed to receive the protrusion of the traction shaft 144. The surface of the receiving groove is made of a magnetic material so that it interacts with the magnetic body 144a of the protrusion, thereby enabling it to be attached to and detached from the traction shaft 144 by magnetism.

[0087] The driving step (step S200) of the driving unit is the step in which the driving unit 120 generates arbitrary rotational force. More specifically, it may include: a motor driving step (not given reference numerals), in which the motor 121 of the driving unit 120 is driven; and a shaft rotation step (not given reference numerals), in which the motor shaft 122 of the driving unit 120 is rotated by the motor 121 and generates arbitrary rotational force.

[0088] In the motor driving step, the motor 121 can be separately installed in the first housing 111, and in the shaft rotation step, the motor shaft 122 can be supported in a state that passes through the center of the support plate 130.

[0089] In the rotation and helical path traction step (step S300) of the traction unit, the traction unit 140 is tractioned while rotating in response to the rotational force generated in the drive unit 120 by the drive step (step S200) of the drive unit, so that the traction unit 140 moves along the helical guide groove 131 formed in the support plate 130 in a helical path.

[0090] More specifically, the rotation and spiral path traction steps of the traction unit (step S300) may include a first frame rotation step (not assigned a reference numeral), a guide traction step (not assigned a reference numeral), and a tracking unit traction step (not assigned a reference numeral).

[0091] In the first frame rotation step, the first frame 141 of the traction unit 140 rotates in response to the rotational force generated in the shaft rotation step.

[0092] During the guide traction step, when the first frame 141 rotates through the first frame rotation step, the guide 143 of the traction unit 140 rotates along the guide groove 131 along a spiral path, and stress is generated between the surface of the guide hole 142a formed in the second frame 142 of the traction unit 140 and the surface of the first frame 141, thereby tractioning the second frame 142 to slide along the surface of the first frame 141.

[0093] In the tracking unit traction step, when the second frame 142 is tractioned by the guide traction step described above, the traction shaft 144 of the traction unit 140 is integrally tractioned by the guide 143 with the second frame 142, and finally, a portion of the tracking unit 150 is tractioned on the same spiral path as the guide 143.

[0094] When the traction shaft 144 is pulled in the traction step of the tracking unit, it is preferable to use a second frame 142 that bends toward the axis of the motor shaft 122 to correct the axis of the traction shaft 144 to be close to the center of the support plate 130 before pulling the traction shaft 144.

[0095] In the tracking and ultrasonic output step (step S400) of the tracking unit, the tracking unit 150 tracks the traction motion of the traction unit 140 through the above-mentioned traction step (step S300) of the rotation and spiral path of the traction unit, and outputs focused ultrasonic waves.

[0096] Therefore, the focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to the present invention, and the treatment method using it, generate power by separately setting the drive unit 120 and employing a transport structure in which the tracking unit 150 using the output ultrasound moves along the helical path under the physical action of the support plate 130 and the traction unit 140. Thus, not only can the focus of the ultrasound be changed to achieve surface irradiation, but also, through the simplification of the structure, more efficient manufacturing processes and relatively reasonable unit prices can be expected, while significantly reducing the failure rate. Furthermore, with the miniaturization of the device, the range of treatment sites can be expanded more widely.

[0097] Furthermore, according to the present invention, structurally, by bending the second frame 142, which is offset relative to the support plate 130, toward the axis of the motor shaft 122 located at the center of the support plate 130, the traction shaft 144 located at the bent end of the second frame 142 can be corrected to be near the center of the support plate 130. This allows the transducer assembly 151, which is capable of tracking the movement of the traction shaft 144, to avoid disengaging from the transmissive area of ​​the transmissive membrane 154 concentric with the support plate 130, thereby ensuring higher reliability in terms of effectiveness based on the degree of ultrasonic irradiation.

[0098] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by employing a magnetically detachable structure between the traction shaft 144 of the traction unit 140, which is respectively arranged in the first housing 111 and the second housing 112 constituting the main body 110, and the bracket 151a of the tracking unit 150, a more secure and tighter fit can be achieved when the first housing 111 and the second housing 112 are combined, thereby ensuring higher reliability in terms of accuracy under traction and tracking action.

[0099] The detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed above is provided to enable those skilled in the art to make and implement the present invention. Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and alterations can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art can utilize the various configurations described in the above embodiments in combination with each other. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown herein, but should have the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0100] This invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential features of the invention. Therefore, the detailed description above should not be construed as limiting in any way, but rather as exemplary. The scope of the invention should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all variations within the equivalent scope of the invention are included within its scope. The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown herein, but should have the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. Furthermore, for claims not expressly referenced in the claims, embodiments may be formed by combination, or incorporated as new claims through post-application amendments.

Claims

1. A focused ultrasound therapy device capable of surface irradiation along a spiral path, used for irradiating focused ultrasound waves, characterized in that, include: ontology; A drive unit, disposed within the main body, is used to generate arbitrary rotational force; A support plate has a spiral guide groove formed on one side. The support plate is fixed in the body, and one side of the drive unit passes through and is supported on the support plate. A traction unit is connected to one side of the drive unit. The traction unit rotates in response to the rotational force generated by the drive unit and is movable to engage with the guide groove of the support plate, so that it is pulled during the rotation and can move along the guide groove in a helical path. as well as A tracking unit is attached to one side of the traction unit, and the tracking unit outputs focused ultrasonic waves while tracking the traction motion of the traction unit.

2. The focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The body includes: First shell; and The second housing is detachably attached to the first housing.

3. The focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first housing is a handle housing. The second housing is a cylindrical housing that can be replaced from the handle housing. The drive unit, the support plate, and the traction unit are disposed in the first housing. The tracking unit is disposed in the second housing.

4. The focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 3, characterized in that, The driving unit includes: The motor is separately housed within the first housing; and The motor shaft passes through and is supported at the center of the support plate and rotates under the drive of the motor.

5. The focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 4, characterized in that, The traction unit includes: A first frame is coupled to the end of the through motor shaft and extends near the edge of the support plate, and the first frame rotates with respect to the motor shaft as the motor shaft rotates. The second frame is combined with the first frame in a manner that allows it to slide in a state perpendicular to the first frame, through a guide hole formed through the extension direction of the first frame. A guide, protruding from one end of the second frame in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the first frame, is formed to correspond to a guide groove in the support plate, thereby being movably inserted into the guide groove; and A traction shaft is positioned at the other end of the second frame such that its axis is parallel to the motor shaft, and when the first housing and the second housing are joined, the traction shaft contacts a portion of the tracking unit.

6. The focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 5, characterized in that, The guide is configured to: As the first frame rotates, stress is generated between the surface of the first frame and the surface of the guide hole of the second frame as it rotates along the guide groove in a helical path. This stress pulls the second frame to slide along the surface of the first frame. The traction shaft is configured as follows: When the second frame is pulled, a portion of the tracking unit that is integrally pulled by the guide along the same spiral path as the guide is pulled into contact.

7. The focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 6, characterized in that, The tracking unit includes: The transducer assembly comprises a support and an ultrasonic transducer. The support is in contact with and pulled by the traction shaft of the traction unit and tracks the traction movement of the traction shaft. The ultrasonic transducer is coupled to the support and configured to face the end portion of the second housing for contact with the skin of the treatment subject. The ultrasonic transducer outputs focused ultrasound waves of a predetermined frequency. The sealing member is made to be elastic, the sealing member supports the transducer assembly in such a way that the transducer assembly can be moved while the transducer assembly is separated from the inner side of the second housing, and the sealing member achieves a seal within the second housing in such a way as to form a sealed space for accommodating the ultrasonic transducer of the transducer assembly. An acoustic fluid, filling the sealed space, is used to transmit ultrasonic waves output from the ultrasonic transducer to the end of the second housing and to reduce the heat generated during the ultrasonic wave output from the ultrasonic transducer. A transmission membrane, disposed at the end of the second housing, is used to transmit ultrasonic waves transmitted through the acoustic liquid to the outside.

8. The focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 7, characterized in that, The center of the transmission film is aligned with the motor shaft located at the center of the support plate. The second frame is corrected by bending towards the axis of the motor shaft so that the axis of the traction shaft is close to the center of the support plate.

9. The focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 7, characterized in that, The traction shaft is formed in a shape that becomes narrower as it gets closer to the bracket and has a protrusion with a built-in magnet. The support includes: A receiving groove is formed to accommodate the protrusion of the traction shaft, and the surface of the receiving groove is made of a magnetic material, so that it interacts with the magnetic body of the protrusion when the first housing and the second housing are separated and joined, thereby enabling magnetic assembly and disassembly with the traction shaft.

10. A treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation, the treatment method using a therapy device for irradiating focused ultrasound, characterized in that, include: Step a), the drive unit generates arbitrary rotational force; Step b), the traction unit rotates in response to the rotational force generated by the drive unit in step a) while being pulled, thereby enabling the traction unit to move along a helical path along a helical guide groove formed in the support plate; and Step c), the tracking unit outputs focused ultrasound while tracking the traction motion of the traction unit through step b.

11. The treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also includes: Step a') Before performing step a), the body is constructed by combining a first housing and a second housing, which are selectively configured with the drive unit, the support plate, the traction unit and the tracking unit.

12. The treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 11, characterized in that, The configuration in step a') refers to the drive unit, the support plate, and the traction unit being located in the first housing, and the tracking unit being located in the second housing. The combination in step a') means that the first housing and the second housing can be separated from each other.

13. The treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first housing in step a') is the handle housing. The second housing in step a') is a cylindrical housing that can be replaced from the handle housing.

14. The treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 13, characterized in that, Step a) includes: Step a-1), the motor drive of the drive unit, and Step a-2): The motor shaft of the drive unit rotates under the drive of the motor, generating arbitrary rotational force. The motor in step a-1) is separately housed within the first housing. In step a-2), the motor shaft is supported so that it passes through the center of the support plate.

15. The treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 14, characterized in that, Step b) includes: In step b-1), the first frame of the traction unit rotates in response to the rotational force generated in step a-2); Step b-2), when the first frame rotates through step b-1), the guide of the traction unit rotates along the guide groove in a helical path, causing stress to be generated between the guide hole surface of the second frame formed in the traction unit and the surface of the first frame, thus pulling the second frame to slide along the surface of the first frame; and Step b-3): When the second frame is pulled through step b-2), the traction shaft of the traction unit is pulled integrally with the second frame by the guide, thereby ultimately pulling a portion of the tracking unit along the same spiral path as the guide.

16. The treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 15, characterized in that, The configuration in step a') refers to the transmission film of the tracking unit and the support plate being arranged in a concentric structure. The traction of the traction shaft in step b-3) refers to the traction shaft being corrected by a second frame that bends towards the axis of the motor shaft so that the axis of the traction shaft is close to the center of the support plate before being pulled.

17. The treatment method using a focused ultrasound therapy device capable of helical path surface irradiation according to claim 15, characterized in that, In step a'), when the first housing and the second housing are combined, the traction shaft of the traction unit contacts and is firmly fixed to the bracket of the tracking unit. The traction shaft in step a') is formed with a protrusion that is narrower as it gets closer to the bracket and has a built-in magnet. The bracket in step a') includes a receiving groove, which is formed to accommodate the protrusion of the traction shaft, and the surface of the receiving groove is made of a magnetic material so as to interact with the magnetic body of the protrusion, thereby enabling it to be attached and detached from the traction shaft by magnetism.

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