Light irradiation method with automatic limiting of light output

Abstract

To provide a light irradiation method that automatically limits laser output when a needle part is gripped after being invaded into the skin. [Solution] The method includes the steps of: turning on the power; operating the display unit; determining whether a connection is detected by a contact detection sensor in the connection unit of the main body; determining whether a first connection unit is connected if it is determined that a connection is detected; determining whether an optical output signal is input by a control unit if it is determined that the first connection unit is connected to the connection unit; generating and outputting light by a light generation unit of the main body if it is determined that an optical output signal is input; detecting the amount of reflected light received by a sensor unit of the main body in real time, and a determination unit of the control unit calculating the amount of received light; determining whether the calculated amount of received light exceeds N%; and stopping the light output if it is determined that the detected amount of received light exceeds N%.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of light irradiation methods, and more particularly, to a light irradiation method capable of automatically limiting output when gripping a needle portion to the skin.

Background Art

[0002] Laser acupuncture is a non-drug treatment, which has advantages of being safe, non-contact, painless, and non-bleeding for patients. Since it does not use physical metal needles, there is no concern about infection from other diseases, and it has a great advantage of being able to give comfort and relief to patients at the same time.

[0003] In the 1990s, it was reported that irradiating low-power lasers into blood vessels has useful effects on nervous system diseases such as ischemic cerebrovascular disorders, cardiovascular system diseases, urinary system diseases, respiratory system diseases, ophthalmic diseases, diabetes, skin diseases, and arthritis.

[0004] Since then, the method of treating by irradiating low-power lasers into blood vessels has come to be called low-level laser therapy (LLLT).

[0005] In the initially developed laser acupuncture treatment, the beam emitted from the laser was directly irradiated onto the affected area, or irradiated using a beam guide and a condenser lens attached to the end thereof. However, in recent years, devices using optical fibers have become mainstream, and a method is adopted in which the laser beam is condensed onto the optical fiber and directly delivered to the affected area without light loss. In particular, the advantage of this structure is that since the laser beam is transmitted inside the optical fiber, the operator does not need to be close to the laser acupuncture driving device, and the laser beam can be naturally irradiated onto the affected area of the subject. However, in order to make the beam from the laser enter the optical fiber, it is necessary to frequently perform optical alignment, and for this purpose, it is necessary to incorporate a condenser lens and an optical alignment device inside the system.

[0006] Acupuncture is a medical practice that uses thin, sharp needles or acupuncture needles and instruments to stimulate specific parts of the human body, thereby regulating the body's vital energy (qi, blood, and bioenergy) and treating illnesses.

[0007] The effects of acupuncture and moxibustion are said to include both physical and chemical effects. Physical effects include mechanical and electrical stimulation, while chemical effects include changes in the treated area, changes in the blood, hormone secretion, changes in serum substances, and changes in drugs.

[0008] Recently, electroacupuncture (EA), also known as electroacupuncture therapy, is sometimes used to reduce pain and alleviate symptoms by inserting needles into acupoints and applying positive and negative electrical pulses to them. Unlike traditional acupuncture, it may also stimulate the muscles or areas between the pair of inserted needles. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0103811 (August 24, 2021) [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] To solve the above problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a light irradiation method that enables automatic output limiting, which allows the laser output to be automatically limited when the needle portion is inserted into the skin and then grasped. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an automatic output limiting light irradiation method that may include the steps of: turning on the power; turning on the power to the device and, when the power is turned on, the control unit operates the display unit; when the display unit operates, determining whether a connection has been detected by the contact detection sensor of the coupling part of the main unit; if, in the step of determining whether a connection has been detected by the contact detection sensor of the coupling part of the main unit, it is determined that a connection has been detected, determining whether a first coupling part is connected; if, in the step of determining whether a first coupling part is connected, it is determined that the first coupling part is connected, the control unit determines whether an optical output signal has been input; if, in the step of determining whether an optical output signal has been input, it is determined that an optical output signal has been input, the light generation unit of the main unit generates and outputs light; when the light generation unit generates and outputs light, the sensor unit of the main unit detects the amount of reflected light received in real time, and the determination unit of the control unit calculates the amount of light received; determining whether the calculated amount of light received exceeds N%; and if it is determined that the detected amount of light received exceeds N%, stopping the optical output.

[0012] The first connection unit may further include a storage unit for storing a unique number, and the first connection unit may be connected or not by matching this unique number with data stored in the control unit of the main unit to determine whether or not it is a genuine product.

[0013] In the step of determining whether the calculated amount of received light exceeds N%, the amount of reflected light changes depending on the amount of light generated by the main unit, so the amount of received light may be any of 0.1% to 8%.

[0014] If it is determined that the detected amount of received light exceeds N%, in the step of stopping the light output, a notification may be sent to the display unit indicating that the needle portion is not in an invasive state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] With these features, in order to directly irradiate light beneath the skin, the light output can be automatically limited when the needle is grasped after the procedure is completed, thereby preventing accidents where light is exposed to the air and dispersed, directly irradiating the eyes or skin of the practitioner or patient.

[0016] Furthermore, if light is continuously emitted when the needle is lifted away from the skin due to the movements of the practitioner or patient, the light will be exposed to the air and dispersed, preventing accidents where it is directly irradiated into the eyes or skin of the practitioner or patient. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the apparatus configuration of a light irradiation method capable of automatic output limiting according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of a light irradiation method capable of automatic output limiting according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart of a light irradiation method with automatic output limiting according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, so that those with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily implement it. However, the present invention can be realized in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described below. In addition, in order to clearly illustrate the present invention, parts that are not relevant to the description have been omitted from the drawings, and similar parts throughout the specification are denoted by similar reference numerals.

[0019] Throughout the specification, when a part is "connected (joined, contacted, coupled)" to another part, this includes not only the case where it is "directly connected", but also the case where it is "indirectly connected" with other elements interposed therebetween. Also, throughout the specification, when a part "includes" a certain component, this means, unless otherwise specified, that it does not exclude other components and may further include other components.

[0020] The terms used in this specification are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly gives a different meaning. In this specification, terms such as "comprising (including)" or "having" specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood not to preclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0021] Next, referring to the attached FIGS. 1 and 2, a light irradiation method capable of automatic output limitation according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a device configuration diagram of a light irradiation method capable of automatic output limitation according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a device of a light irradiation method capable of automatic output limitation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the device of the light irradiation method capable of automatic output limitation of the present invention includes a main body 100 that controls the overall operation, a first connection part 200 that is detachably connected to the main body 100, and a second connection part 300 that is detachably connected to the first connection part 200.

[0024] The main unit 100 further comprises a power supply unit 110 that supplies power, a control unit 120 that controls the overall operation by applying power from the power supply unit 110, a display unit 130 that outputs the operating status to the practitioner or patient under the control of the control unit 120, a light generation unit 140 that generates light by applying power from the power supply unit 110, a light transmission unit 150 that transmits the light generated by the light generation unit 140, a sensor unit 160 that is coupled to one side of the light transmission unit 150 and detects reflected light, and a coupling unit 170 for connecting the first connection unit 200 to the main unit 100.

[0025] The control unit 120 controls the operation of the light generation unit 140 according to the value input from the display unit 130.

[0026] Furthermore, the control unit 120 is configured to include a determination unit (not shown) that compares the amount of light generated by the light generation unit 140 and output via the light transmission unit 150 with the amount of light detected by the sensor unit 160.

[0027] The optical transmission section 150 further comprises a first optical transmitter 151 extending to the coupling section 170, and a second optical transmitter 152 configured to branch off from one side of the first optical transmitter 151.

[0028] The first light transmitter 151 is configured to connect to the coupling section 170 and transmits the light generated by the light generation section 140 to the coupling section 170. At this time, the transmitted light is transmitted to the first connection section 200 and then to the second connection section 300.

[0029] The second optical transmitter 152 is configured to branch off from one side of the first optical transmitter 151, and a sensor unit 160 is coupled to one end of the second optical transmitter 152.

[0030] The coupling portion 170 may be composed of 1 to 20 ports, but is not limited thereto. In this invention, a coupling portion 170 composed of one port will be described as an example.

[0031] The coupling portion 170 is configured to be hollow so that one side of the first light transmitter 151 is exposed and light is transmitted.

[0032] The coupling portion 170 is further equipped with a contact detection sensor at its end, which allows for the detection (sensing) of the coupling with the first connection portion 200.

[0033] The first connection portion 200 is configured to include a first coupling member 210 that connects to the coupling portion 170, a third light transmitter 220 connected to one side of the first coupling member 210 and receiving light generated by the light generation portion 140 of the main body 100 via the first light transmitter 151 of the light transmission portion 150, a second coupling member 230 that can be coupled to the second connection portion 300, and a storage unit (not shown) that stores a unique number for determining whether the first connection portion 200 is a genuine product when coupled to the coupling portion 170 of the main body 100.

[0034] One side of the coupling portion 170 is exposed, and the first coupling member 210 of the first connection portion 200 is configured to be hollow in order to transmit light output from the first light transmitter 151, which transmits light, to the third light transmitter 220.

[0035] Furthermore, the second coupling member 230 is configured to be hollow in order to transmit the light from the third light transmitter 220 to the second connection part 300.

[0036] The second connection portion 300 is configured to include a third connecting member 310 that can be connected to the second connecting member 230 of the first connection portion 200, a fourth light transmitter 320 connected to one side of the third connecting member 310 and receiving light generated by the light generation portion 140 of the main body 100 via the first light transmitter 151 and the third light transmitter 220 of the light transmission portion 150, and a needle portion 330 connected to one side of the fourth light transmitter 320, having a hollow inside into which the fourth light transmitter 320 is inserted, and having one side of the fourth light transmitter 320 exposed at its end.

[0037] In this case, the length of the fourth light transmitter 320 is shorter than or equal to the length of the one side of the needle portion 330 that penetrates the skin.

[0038] In order to receive light irradiated from one side of the third light transmitter 220 which is coupled to the second coupling member 230, the third coupling member 310 of the second connection portion 300 is configured to be hollow.

[0039] In other words, when light is generated in the light generation unit 140 of the main body 100, one side of the first light transmitter 151 of the light transmission unit 150 is exposed to the coupling unit 170, and the coupling unit 170 and the first coupling member 210 of the first connection unit 200 are coupled, so that the light from the first light transmitter 151 is transmitted to the third light transmitter 220, and the second coupling member 230 coupled to one side of the third light transmitter 220 and the third coupling member 310 of the second connection unit 300 are coupled, so that the light from the third light transmitter 220 is irradiated to one side of the needle unit 330 via the fourth light transmitter 320.

[0040] The sensor unit 160 is connected to one side of the second light transmitter 152. The aforementioned sensor unit 160 As described above, when the light generated by the main unit 100 is irradiated through the needle part 330, a portion of the light is reflected back, and this reflected light is detected.

[0041] In the present invention, the first optical transmitter 151, the second optical transmitter 152, the third optical transmitter 220, and the fourth optical transmitter 320 preferably use optical fibers. In this case, due to the characteristics of the material, not all of the light can be transmitted, and a portion of the light is reflected. At this time, the portion of light that is reflected is detected by the sensor unit 160.

[0042] Furthermore, when the needle portion 330 is inserted into the human body, the amount of light that is partially reflected is less than the amount of light that is reflected when the needle portion 330 is exposed to the air in an uninvaded state.

[0043] Using the above characteristics, the determination unit of the control unit 120 compares the amount of reflected light detected by the sensor unit 160 with the amount of light generated by the main body 100 and irradiated onto the needle unit 330 to determine whether or not the needle unit 330 is invading.

[0044] When the needle portion 330 is being invasive, 0.1% to 2% of the light generated by the main body 100 is reflected, and when the needle portion 330 is not being invasive, 2% to 8% of the light generated by the main body 100 is reflected.

[0045] The first optical transmitter 151, the second optical transmitter 152, the third optical transmitter 220, and the fourth optical transmitter 320 may be any means of transmitting light, and in the present invention, it is preferable to use optical fibers, but is not limited thereto.

[0046] The control unit 120 is further configured to include a memory containing unique number data for the first connection unit 200, and matches it with the unique number of the first connection unit 200 connected to the coupling unit 170 to determine whether or not the first connection unit 200 is genuine.

[0047] Figure 3 is a flowchart of a light irradiation method with automatic output limiting according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] A light irradiation method will be described in detail based on the configuration of a light irradiation device capable of automatic output limiting according to the above embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] First, turn on the power to the device (S100).

[0050] When the device is powered on (S100), the control unit activates the display unit 130 (S200).

[0051] When the display unit 130 is activated (S200), the contact detection sensor of the coupling portion 170 of the main unit determines whether or not a connection has been detected (S300).

[0052] In the step of determining whether a connection has been detected by the contact detection sensor of the coupling portion 170 of the main body, if it is determined that a connection has been detected, it is determined whether the first coupling portion 200 is connected (S400).

[0053] At this time, the first connection unit 200 further includes a storage unit that stores a unique number, and by matching this unique number with the data stored in the control unit 120 of the main body, it is determined whether or not the first connection unit 200 is connected.

[0054] In the step of determining whether the first connection part 200 is connected, if it is determined that the first connection part 200 is connected to the coupling part 170, the control unit determines whether an optical output signal is being input (S500).

[0055] In the step of determining whether or not the aforementioned optical output signal is input, if it is determined that the optical output signal is input, the light generation unit 140 of the main unit 100 generates and outputs light (S600).

[0056] When the light generation unit 140 generates and outputs light (S600), the sensor unit 160 of the main unit 100 detects the amount of reflected light received in real time, and the judgment unit of the control unit 120 calculates the amount of received light (S700).

[0057] It is determined whether the calculated amount of received light exceeds N% (S800). At this time, the amount of reflected light changes according to the amount of light generated by the main body, and is characterized in that the amount of received light is one of 0.1% to 8%. In one embodiment, assuming that the amount of light generated by the main body is 100, when the needle part 330 is being penetrated, 0.1% to 2% of the light generated by the main body 100 is reflected, and when the needle part 330 is not being penetrated, 3% to 5% of the light generated by the main body 100 is reflected.

[0058] In the embodiment described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, it is determined whether or not the calculated amount of light received exceeds N%.

[0059] If it is determined that the detected amount of received light exceeds N%, the light output is stopped (S900). A notification is sent to the display unit 130 indicating that the needle portion 330 is not in an invasive state.

[0060] If it is determined that the detected amount of received light does not exceed N%, the light output will continue.

[0061] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Various modifications and improvements by those skilled in the art, utilizing the basic concepts of the present invention as defined in the claims, also fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 100 Main Unit 110 Power supply section 120 Control Unit 130 Display section 140 Light generation section 150 Light transmission section 160 Sensor section 170 Joint 200 First connection part 300 Second connection section

Claims

1. When the light irradiation device used in low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is powered on, the control unit of the light irradiation device activates the display unit of the light irradiation device. When the display unit is activated by the control unit, the contact detection sensor at the coupling portion of the main body of the light irradiation device detects the connection of the coupling portion, In the step of detecting the connection of the coupling portion, if the connection of the coupling portion is detected by the contact detection sensor, the contact detection sensor detects the connection between the first connection portion of the light irradiation device and the coupling portion. In the step of detecting the connection between the first connection part and the coupling part of the light irradiation device, if the connection between the first connection part and the coupling part is detected by the contact detection sensor, the control unit determines whether or not a light output signal is input to the light irradiation device. In the step of determining whether or not a light output signal has been input to the light irradiation device, if the control unit determines that a light output signal has been input to the light irradiation device, the light generation unit of the main body generates and outputs light. When the light is emitted from the light transmitter, which is connected to the needle portion of the light irradiation device and whose tip is exposed from the needle portion, the sensor portion of the main body detects in real time the reflected light that a portion of the light has been reflected by the tip of the light transmitter, and the determination portion of the control unit calculates the amount of the reflected light detected by the sensor portion. The control unit performs the step of determining whether the amount of light calculated by the determination unit exceeds N% of the amount of light generated by the light generation unit, A light irradiation method capable of automatically limiting the output of light, characterized in that the control unit determines that the amount of light calculated by the determination unit exceeds N% of the amount of light generated by the light generation unit, and the control unit stops the light output of the light generation unit.

2. The light irradiation method according to claim 1, characterized in that the aforementioned N% is any of 0.1% to 8%.

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