Light Treatment Device With Rotatable Mask And Magnetic Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current light treatment devices for conditions like Psoriasis Vulgaris often treat large areas, including healthy skin, leading to side effects such as hyperpigmentation, and lack precision in targeting specific skin sites.
Innovation Solution
A light treatment device with a rotatable mask and magnetic coupling system that allows for adjustable positioning and size of the treatment area, preventing stray light emission, and maintaining hygiene by separating the positioning and treatment parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If full body light treatment is used to treat psoriasis, then treatment coverage is improved, but healthy skin is unnecessarily treated causing side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the treatment system into two separate parts: a positioning part (carrier with opening) that contacts the skin and defines the treatment area, and a treatment part (light emitter) that provides light therapy. This segmentation allows the treatment area to be precisely defined by the carrier opening while the light emitter remains separate, treating only the intended area and avoiding healthy skin.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier acts as an intermediary between the light emitter and the skin. It positions the light emitter at a specific distance from the skin and defines the treatment area through its opening, ensuring that light is emitted only to the intended target area and not to surrounding healthy skin.
2Reliability
If the treatment device components are separated into positioning part and treatment part, then hygiene is improved by reducing contamination, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a positioning part (carrier) and a treatment part (light emitter assembly). The positioning part can be easily removed and cleaned, while the treatment part remains separate. This segmentation allows the positioning part to be sterilized independently, preventing cross-contamination between patients and maintaining hygiene without requiring complete disassembly of the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment part (light emitter) is extracted from the positioning part (carrier), allowing the carrier to be easily cleaned and sterilized without handling the sensitive light emitter components. This extraction maintains hygiene by preventing contamination of the treatment part while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a rotatable mask with multiple holes is used, then treatment area selection flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is designed to be rotatable, allowing the treatment area to be dynamically changed by rotating the mask to different positions. Each position reveals a different pattern of holes or transparent panels, enabling selection of various treatment areas without requiring multiple separate masks or complex adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
A single rotatable mask provides multiple treatment area configurations through its different rotational positions. The mask serves multiple functions: it defines the treatment area, allows adjustment of treatment zone size and shape, and can be rotated to select different treatment patterns, all within one component.
4Loss of information
If the carrier opening is made transparent or translucent, then viewing of treatment area is improved, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent or translucent panel in the carrier acts as an intermediary that allows viewing of the treatment area while preventing direct contact between the skin and the treatment part. The panel maintains optical transparency for viewing purposes but physically separates the skin surface from the light emitter, reducing contamination risk.
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
Enables precise targeting of treatment areas, minimizing side effects on healthy skin and maintaining hygiene by allowing only the positioning part to come into contact with skin flakes and ointments, thus reducing contamination and improving cleaning efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The coupling for coupling the positioning part and the treatment part together may comprise a magnetic coupling
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a light treatment device (1). The device (1) comprises a carrier (11) having an opening (5) for positioning over and viewing a treatment area and a light emitter (6) for providing treatment light to the treatment area. There is also provided an attachment (3) for attaching the carrier to a patient. The device is useful as the opening can be positioned over an area where light therapy is desired, whilst viewing the area, and then held in position with the attachment. Light therapy can then be administered to the area and treatment of areas where light therapy is not desired can be avoided.