Large Area Body Shaping Applicator Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skin treatment systems require significant effort and time to reposition applicators across large skin segments, leading to non-uniform treatment, inefficiency, and decreased quality due to caregiver fatigue and difficulty in maintaining consistent movement and timing.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus utilizing an array of skin treatment units with vacuum pressure and energy application elements that allow for automated massaging and energy delivery, featuring adjustable movement capabilities and synchronized vacuum and air pressure control to ensure uniform energy distribution and efficient treatment across large skin areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual massage or mechanical aids are used to treat skin segments, then treatment can be applied to targeted tissues, but significant effort and attention are required and treatment time increases due to repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The applicator is divided into multiple treatment heads arranged in an array, each capable of independent vacuum control. This segmentation allows simultaneous treatment of multiple skin segments, eliminating the need for sequential repositioning and reducing total treatment time while maintaining consistent treatment quality across all segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual repositioning action is replaced by an automated array system with programmable vacuum control. The system uses electronic control to sequence vacuum application across multiple heads, substituting the mechanical repositioning process with an automated control system that maintains treatment consistency while reducing time.
2Area of stationary object
If a single applicator is repositioned across large skin segments, then treatment energy can be applied to different areas, but treatment uniformity decreases due to caregiver fatigue and difficulty in maintaining consistent movement
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment area is divided into multiple zones covered by separate treatment heads in the array. Each head maintains a stationary position while the vacuum control system activates heads in sequence, allowing coverage of large skin areas while preserving treatment uniformity through controlled sequential activation rather than manual repositioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces dynamic control of vacuum pressure across multiple stationary heads. By programmatically controlling the timing and pressure of vacuum application in each head, the system adapts treatment delivery to maintain uniformity across large treatment areas without requiring physical repositioning, thereby preserving precision while expanding coverage.
3Area of stationary object
If manual repositioning is used to treat large skin segments, then all areas can be covered, but caregiver effort and attention requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The array system performs self-positioning through automated vacuum control. Once the array is placed on the skin, the system autonomously sequences vacuum activation across multiple heads to treat the entire skin segment, eliminating the need for continuous manual repositioning and significantly reducing caregiver effort while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual repositioning operation is replaced by an automated control system that manages vacuum activation across the array. The electronic control system handles the complexity of coordinating multiple heads, substituting the caregiver's manual repositioning effort with automated programming that achieves the same coverage with minimal human intervention.
4Ease of operation
If vacuum pressure is applied to draw skin into cavities, then massaging movement is generated, but additional components and control mechanisms are required
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum pressure mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it draws skin into cavities for treatment energy application, generates massaging movement through pressure differential, and provides automated control for sequencing treatment across multiple heads. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components while achieving automated massaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses vacuum pressure (pneumatic force) as the primary actuation mechanism to draw skin into cavities and generate massaging movement. By utilizing pressure differential rather than mechanical actuators, the system achieves automated massaging with simpler control mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient and uniform application of skin treatment energy, reducing caregiver effort and improving treatment homogeneity, while allowing for varied energy patterns and protocols to enhance aesthetic treatments like adipose tissue reduction and skin rejuvenation.
Implementation Method 1
Vacuum pressure is applied in a desired sequence to the cavities of the skin treatment units. Suction produced by the vacuum pressure draws volumes of skin into the cavities
Implementation Method 2
venting the cavity with atmosphere or air releases the volumes of skin from the cavities. A valve capable of switching between vacuum and atmosphere or a source of air pressure facilitates evacuating air from the cavity to draw the volume of skin therein and drawing air into the cavity so that the volume of skin is released
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus that affect vacuum to massage a volume of the skin and one or more types of skin treatment energies coupled to the massaged volume to treat the skin and subcutaneous adipose tissue and produce a desired treatment effect. The method and apparatus are based on coupling an array or a number of arrays being an assembly of skin treatment units with each skin treatment unit including a hollow cavity and a number of different energy to skin applying elements operative to receive skin treatment energy from a source of such energy and couple or apply the received energy to a treated segment of skin.