Living Body Stimulator Temperature Control via LED Brightness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High-power LEDs in living body stimulators cause excessive heat generation, leading to increased skin temperature and discomfort during use, and existing devices lack effective temperature control mechanisms to maintain stable treatment effects.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a temperature detection unit and brightness control unit to regulate the light source's brightness and irradiation period, ensuring the irradiation surface temperature remains below 42°C, along with a preheating control unit to maintain a comfortable skin temperature and prevent overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-power LEDs are used to increase light output, then treatment efficiency is improved, but the temperature of the irradiation surface increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by preheating the irradiation surface before light irradiation begins. The preheating unit raises the surface temperature to a comfortable level (around 37°C) before the high-power LEDs are activated, preventing the uncomfortable cold sensation that would otherwise occur when cold surfaces contact skin. This preparatory heating action resolves the temperature-related discomfort without reducing the effectiveness of subsequent high-power LED irradiation.
2Temperature
If the brightness of the light source is decreased to control temperature, then skin temperature is controlled, but the irradiation period must be extended to maintain treatment effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies continuity of useful action by extending the irradiation period when brightness is reduced. The control unit monitors the cumulative light dose and automatically extends the irradiation time to compensate for reduced brightness, ensuring that the total effective treatment dose remains sufficient. This allows temperature control through brightness reduction without compromising treatment effectiveness, as the extended duration maintains the required cumulative light exposure.
3Ease of operation
If the irradiation surface is preheated to prevent cold sensation, then user comfort is improved, but the temperature control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by integrating the preheating function with the existing temperature control system. The preheating unit is controlled by the same control unit that manages LED brightness and irradiation timing, and the temperature sensor monitors the same irradiation surface. This unified approach allows preheating to be coordinated with light irradiation phases, managing multiple temperature-related functions through a single control system rather than adding independent complex control mechanisms.
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 provides a stable treatment effect while preventing excessive skin temperature, reducing user discomfort and ensuring safe operation by maintaining the irradiation surface temperature below 42°C and allowing for extended irradiation periods when brightness is decreased.
Implementation Method 1
one or more LEDS as a light source 43 for irradiating a living body
Implementation Method 2
a significant increase in the power consumption of the heat-generating light source is expected to cause a temperature affecting a living body to rise
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a living body stimulator capable of bringing about a stable treatment effect through a light stimulation without increasing the temperature of an irradiation surface more than necessary. This invention is a living body stimulator for stimulating a living body through a light irradiation from a light source. This stimulator includes a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the irradiation surface in contact with the living body; and a brightness control unit for changing and controlling the brightness of the light source such that the temperature of the irradiation surface becomes not higher than 42° C., by receiving a detection output from the temperature sensor. The brightness control unit is capable of extending a period of irradiation from the light source in accordance with a decrease in the brightness thereof, when decreasing such brightness through a control regulation.