Disposable Phototherapy Hand Probe for Targeted Light Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional treatments for neuropathic and other types of pain yield limited results and often cause discomfort, necessitating the development of more effective and accessible pain management solutions.
Innovation Solution
The development of handheld phototherapy devices with disposable, cleanable, and/or sterilizable components that deliver targeted photobiomodulation therapy, utilizing fiber optic cables, diffusing light assemblies, and reflective ends to provide precise light delivery to patient tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional pain treatment methods are used, then treatment coverage is broad, but therapeutic effectiveness is limited and discomfort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the light delivery system into multiple independent components: a reusable handle containing the light source and a disposable probe tip containing the diffusing assembly. This segmentation allows the probe tip to be sterilized or discarded, ensuring hygiene and consistent therapeutic performance while enabling targeted delivery of light energy to specific tissue areas, thereby improving therapeutic effectiveness without causing discomfort
Solution Approach 2:
The diffusing light assembly acts as an intermediary between the coherent light source and the target tissue. It transforms the concentrated coherent light into diffused light that can be safely and effectively delivered to tissue, mediating the energy transfer to achieve therapeutic effects while minimizing discomfort and damage to surrounding tissues
2Reliability
If reusable phototherapy components are used, then device functionality is maintained, but contamination risk and sterilization complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The probe tip containing the diffusing light assembly is designed as a disposable component that can be discarded after a single use or after sterilization. This eliminates the need for complex sterilization processes for the entire device, reduces contamination risk, and ensures that each patient receives treatment with a sterile probe tip, thereby improving hygiene safety while simplifying the overall device management
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the device into reusable and disposable segments, the sterilization complexity is reduced to only the disposable probe tip, which can be pre-sterilized during manufacturing. The reusable handle does not require sterilization between patients, significantly simplifying the sterilization requirements while maintaining hygiene safety
3Manufacturing precision
If precise light delivery is achieved through complex optical systems, then therapeutic precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device replaces complex mechanical optical systems with a simpler diffusing light assembly that uses optical diffusion principles rather than complex lenses or mirrors. The diffusing assembly uniformly distributes light across the treatment area through material properties rather than complex optical mechanisms, achieving precise and uniform light delivery while significantly reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost
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
These devices offer improved therapeutic outcomes for pain management with minimal discomfort, enhancing accessibility and safety in treatment delivery across various applications.
Implementation Method 1
a fiber optic cable extends through the handle and is configured to transmit a beam of coherent light through the diffusing light assembly
Implementation Method 2
transmit a beam of coherent light through the diffusing light assembly
Implementation Method 3
The beam reflective end is configured to receive the diffused light passed through the beam transmission tube and to reflect the diffused light in a non-axial direction
Implementation Method 4
The transparent tube is at least partially transparent to allow the diffused light reflected in the non-axial direction off of the beam reflective end to pass therethrough
Data Source
AI summary
A handheld therapy device includes a handle having a fiber optic cable and a diffusing light assembly. The handheld therapy device further includes a beam transmission tube attached to the handle. The beam transmission tube is configured to receive diffused light from the diffusing light assembly and allow the diffused light to pass through the beam transmission tube in an axial direction. The handheld therapy device further includes a beam reflective end configured to receive the diffused light passed through the beam transmission tube and to reflect the diffused light in a non-axial direction. The handheld therapy device further includes a transparent tube removably attached to the handle and at least partially enveloping the beam transmission tube. The transparent tube is at least partially transparent to allow the diffused light reflected in the non-axial direction off of the beam reflective end to pass therethrough.