RF Treatment Handpiece With Gaseous Refrigerant Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radio frequency (RF) treatment devices face issues with burns due to high heat generation, leading to potential skin damage and handpiece weight due to separate cooling devices, which cause operator fatigue.
Innovation Solution
A RF treatment handpiece design incorporating a gaseous refrigerant system that cools both the treatment area and internal components, eliminating the need for separate cooling devices, using a valve and actuator to control refrigerant flow and distribute it evenly across the electrode tip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a separate cooling device such as a fan is installed to remove heat from components, then heat removal is improved, but the handpiece becomes heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling function for both the treatment area and internal components into a single integrated refrigerant circulation system. The refrigerant flows through channels in the electrode tip to cool the treatment area, then continues through channels in the housing to cool internal components like the circuit board, eliminating the need for separate cooling devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant circulation system performs multiple cooling functions simultaneously - it cools the treatment area through the electrode tip and also cools internal components through the housing channels. This multi-functional approach replaces what would traditionally require separate cooling mechanisms.
2Temperature
If water or a liquid refrigerant is used for cooling, then cooling effect is improved, but the handpiece becomes heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the refrigerant from liquid to gas. By using gaseous refrigerant instead of liquid refrigerant or water, the system achieves effective cooling while significantly reducing the weight of the handpiece, as gases are much less dense than liquids.
3Reliability
If radio frequency energy is applied to induce thermal damage, then skin regeneration is improved, but burns may occur in the epidermis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cooling to the treatment area before and during RF energy application. The refrigerant flows through channels in the electrode tip to pre-cool the skin surface and continuously remove excess heat during treatment, preventing thermal damage to the epidermis while allowing controlled thermal effects in the deeper dermis.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant acts as an intermediary cooling medium between the RF electrode and the skin. It absorbs excess heat from the treatment area and transports it away, mediating the thermal interaction to achieve the desired effect in the dermis while protecting the epidermis from burns.
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 design provides effective cooling, reducing handpiece weight and operator fatigue, enabling prolonged use without burns, by utilizing a gaseous refrigerant system that evenly distributes cooling across the electrode tip and internal components.
Implementation Method 1
heat from various components, including electrodes, is removed by supplying a low-temperature gaseous refrigerant to prevent burns when radio frequency waves are generated on skin and allowing the gaseous refrigerant that has undergone heat exchange to flow inside the handpiece
Implementation Method 2
a solenoid valve configured to communicate with the valve supply channel and to control flow of the gaseous refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
an actuator installed in a backside of the first containing space and coupled to the electrode assembly so as to vibrate the electrode assembly according to a control signal
Implementation Method 4
an RF electrode for generating radio frequency waves by electric power applied thereto
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is a radio frequency treatment handpiece including a handpiece housing having a first containing space therein and a circuit board installed in the first containing space to operate the handpiece, and having a frontside thereof being open, an electrode tip having a nozzle portion that is detachably coupled to the handpiece housing and provided with an RF electrode for generating radio frequency waves, an electrode assembly installed in the first containing space, provided with a valve supply channel that receives a gaseous refrigerant from a second containing space and a main body, and includes a power distributer for applying electric power to the electrode tip and a solenoid valve configured to communicate with the valve supply channel and to control flow of the gaseous refrigerant, and an actuator coupled to the electrode assembly to vibrate the electrode assembly according to a control signal.