Portable phototherapy system and methods of using the same

Abstract

The embodiments described herein relate to a phototherapy system including a garment shell configured to be worn by an infant and including a first pocket disposed on an inner surface thereof. The phototherapy system may include a light panel configured to be removably disposed in a first pocket. The garment may be configured to position and / or orient the light panel such that a first portion of the light panel aligns with a back of the infant and a second portion of the light panel aligns with a chest of the patient. The light panel may include a plurality of light sources arranged in a grid formation and coupled to a circuit board. The light panel and / or the circuit board may be disposed in a protective shell. The protective shell may include a plurality of cut outs which can reduce an overall weight of the light panel and / or impact at least one a light path or irradiance of the plurality of light sources. The phototherapy system can include a controller configured to adjust an output of the light panel in response to at least one of user input or data collected.

Description

Abstract This invention discloses a phototherapy system comprising a garment shell configured for wear by an infant and including a first pocket disposed on its inner surface. The phototherapy system may include a light-emitting panel configured to be detachably disposed in the first pocket. The garment may be configured to position and / or orient the light-emitting panel such that a first portion of the light-emitting panel is aligned with the infant's back and a second portion of the light-emitting panel is aligned with the patient's chest. The light-emitting panel may include multiple light sources arranged in a grid and coupled to a circuit board. The light-emitting panel and / or the circuit board may be housed within a protective housing. The protective housing may include multiple openings capable of reducing the overall weight of the light-emitting panel and / or affecting the light path or irradiance of at least one of the multiple light sources. The phototherapy system may include a controller configured to adjust the output of the light-emitting panel based on at least one user input or acquired data.

Claims

Claims1. An apparatus for delivering light therapy to an infant, the apparatus comprising: a garment shell configured to be opened such that the infant can be disposed inside the garment shell, the garment shell including: a first pocket disposed on an inner surface of the garment shell, the first pocket defining a space in which a light panel is configured to be removably disposed, the light panel including a plurality of light sources configured to emit light at a predetermined wavelength and intensity, the space of the first pocket extending from a back side of the garment shell to a front side of the garment shell such that when the infant is disposed inside the garment shell and the light panel is disposed in the first pocket, a first portion of the light panel is aligned with a back of the infant and a second portion of the light panel is aligned with a chest of the infant; a second pocket defining a space on the garment shell, the second pocket configured to hold a battery and a controller operatively coupled to the light panel; and a mesh forming a portion of the garment shell and configured to allow at least one of light or heat emitted by the light panel to exit the garment shell through the mesh.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment shell further includes: a first zipper extending along the front side of the garment shell, the first zipper configured to be actuated to open the garment shell such that the infant can be disposed inside the garment shell.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment shell further includes: a movable flap attached to a side of the garment shell, the movable flap having a first configuration in which the movable flap does not cover the mesh and a second configuration in which the movable flap covers the mesh to block light emitted by the light panel from exiting the mesh.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the movable flap is movable between the first configuration and the second configuration by a user holding the infant.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mesh at least partially aligns with a stomach of the infant when the infant is disposed in the garment shell.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light panel includes one or more sensors coupled thereto, the one or more sensors configured to monitor at least one of a biosignal of the infant or an environment inside the garment shell.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the biosignal of the infant may include a bilirubin level of the infant.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the environment inside the garment shell includes at least one of a location of the garment shell, a temperature inside the garment shell, a temperature of the light panel, or a humidity inside the garment shell.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment shell includes double-layered cotton.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first pocket includes a transparent material such that light emitted from the light panel reaches skin of the infant when the infant is disposed in the garment shell.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment shell further includes: a pair of arm holes configured to receive arms of the infant therethrough, a size of each of the pair of arm holes being adjustable such that outer edges of each of the pair of arm holes abut the arms of the infant to prevent light from escaping the inside of the garment shell through the pair of arm holes; and a neck hole configured to receive a head of the infant therethrough, wherein the neck hole includes a light shielding collar to prevent light from escaping the inside of the garment shell through the neck hole.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment shell is a swaddle.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources includes light emitting diodes (LEDs).

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the garment shell includes an active heat dissipation mechanism including a fan.

15. An apparatus, comprising: a flexible circuit board; a plurality of light sources arranged in an ordered configuration, the plurality of light sources coupled to a first side of the flexible circuit board; and a flexible protective shell coupled to the flexible circuit board and the plurality of light sources, the protective shell disposed on a second side of each of the light sources of the plurality of light sources and the second side of the flexible circuit board, the flexible protective shell including a plurality of cut outs disposed between at least some adjacent light sources of the plurality of light sources, the plurality of light sources configured to be disposed near a surface of skin of an infant and emit light on the surface of the skin of the infant, the plurality of light sources having a viewing angle and being spaced from one another such that an intensity of light emitted from the plurality of light sources is above a predetermined threshold at the surface of the skin of the infant.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a viewing angle of each light sources of the plurality of light sources is in a range between 0 degrees and 180 degrees.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the protective shell includes at least one of silicone or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the protective shell includes a first layer and a second layer joined together, the first layer disposed on the second side of the light sources and the second layer disposed on the second side of the flexible circuit board, the first layer defining a first portion of the plurality of cut outs and the second layer defining a second portion of the plurality of cut outs.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the protective shell covering the second side of the plurality of light sources is transparent.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the protective shell further includes a light- reflective layer, the light-reflective layer disposed on the second side of the flexible circuit board such that stray light from the plurality of light sources is reflected back to the surface of the skin of the infant.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the protective shell further includes a lightabsorbing layer, the light-absorbing layer disposed on the second side of the flexible circuit board such that stray light from the plurality of light sources is absorbed.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the predetermined threshold of the intensity of light is at least 30 pW / cm2 / nm (microwatts per centimeter square per nanometer).

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is configured to be disposed in a swaddle that is fully portable, the circuit board is coupled to a controller and a battery each configured to be disposed in the swaddle.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of cut outs reduces a total weight of the protective shell.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the ordered configuration is a grid.

26. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cut outs are positioned outside of a light cone defined by the viewing angle of the light sources.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of light sources includes light emitting diodes (LEDs).

28. A system, comprising: a light panel configured to be disposed in a garment for an infant, the light panel configured to emit light as part of a light therapy session to treating a disease in the infant, one or more sensors disposed in the garment; and a controller operatively coupled to the light panel, the one or more sensors, and an external device, the controller configured to: receive, from the external device, information associated with a light therapy session; send a signal to the light panel to cause the light panel to emit light based on the information associated with the light therapy session; monitor, via the one or more sensors, one or more signals including at least one of a biosignal of the infant or a signal related to an environment inside the garment; determine whether the one or more signals crosses a predetermined threshold; and adjust an output of the light panel in response to at least one of the one or more signals crossing the predetermined threshold.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the information associated with the light therapy sessions includes at least one of a wavelength of light, an intensity of light, or a duration of the light therapy session.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the environment inside the garment includes at least one of a location of the garment, a temperature inside the garment, a temperature of the light panel, or a humidity inside the garment.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the controller is configured to automatically turn off the light panel in response to at least one of the temperatures inside the garment or the temperature of the light panel exceeding the predetermined threshold.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein disease is jaundice, and the biosignal of the infant includes a bilirubin level.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the controller is configured to adjust an intensity of the light emitted from the light panel according to the bilirubin level.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the one or more signals includes an amount of time the light panel has been emitting light.

35. The system of claim 28, wherein the controller is further configured to send information related to a completed therapy session to the external device to be stored.

36. The system of claim 28, wherein the external device is configured to receive a user input corresponding to the information associated with the light therapy session.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein the garment is a swaddle.

38. The system of claim 28, wherein the light panel includes an LED panel.

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