Ultrasound Transducer Array Cooling for Skin Surface Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing skin treatment methods using high-intensity focused ultrasound energy often cause damage to the epidermis and dermis layers, and there is a need for a more precise and controlled method to stimulate collagen production without overheating the skin surface.
Innovation Solution
An applicator with an array of ultrasound transducers, each coated with a thin, electrically insulating and thermally conductive layer, is used to emit unfocused ultrasound energy, accompanied by a cooling module to prevent overheating, and temperature sensors to control thermal damage, allowing for targeted thermal ablation at specific tissue depths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If high-intensity focused ultrasound energy is used to thermally ablate tissue, then deep tissue lesions are formed to stimulate collagen production, but the epidermis and dermis surface layers are damaged due to overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasound applicator is divided into multiple independent transducer elements arranged in an array, each capable of being individually controlled. This segmentation allows selective activation of specific transducers to create targeted thermal lesions at controlled depths while avoiding cumulative overheating of the skin surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tissue are treated with different thermal intensities. The system applies high-intensity ultrasound locally to create discrete thermal lesions in the deeper tissue layers, while maintaining lower temperatures at the skin surface through selective transducer activation and pulse timing, thus achieving localized thermal ablation without widespread surface damage.
2Power
If high-intensity ultrasound energy is applied to create thermal lesions, then collagen production is stimulated, but the skin surface overheats causing thermal damage
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasound transducers are activated in periodic pulse sequences rather than continuous operation. Each transducer element is pulsed for brief intervals followed by cooling periods, allowing heat dissipation from the skin surface between pulses. This periodic activation pattern enables accumulation of thermal effects in deep tissue while preventing excessive surface temperature rise.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-cools the skin surface or uses a cooling mechanism before and during ultrasound application. Additionally, the treatment protocol may include preliminary low-intensity activation to prepare tissue while establishing thermal gradients that protect the surface before high-intensity lesion creation begins.
3Manufacturing precision
If focused ultrasound energy is used to treat deep tissue, then precise depth control is achieved, but the path through the epidermis and dermis is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful thermal effect is extracted or removed from the path through the epidermis and dermis by using unfocused or divergent ultrasound beams. Instead of focusing energy along a path that heats intermediate layers, the system uses multiple shallow-angle transducers whose beams converge at depth without significant heating along the propagation path, thus isolating the thermal effect to the target depth only.
Solution Approach 2:
The approach transitions from a single focused beam (one-dimensional depth control) to a multi-element array with varying angles (adding angular dimension). By controlling the angular distribution and activation sequence of multiple transducers, the system achieves precise depth targeting through geometric convergence of beams, while the distributed path reduces localized heating damage to intermediate layers.
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 applicator effectively heats tissue to stimulate collagen production while maintaining the epidermis temperature below 40°C, reducing thermal damage and ensuring precise control over the depth of thermal lesions, thereby promoting collagen and elastin generation without harming the skin's surface.
Implementation Method 1
emitting unfocused ultrasound energy suitable to thermally damage at least a portion of the tissue volume
Implementation Method 2
a cooling module configured to apply cooling via the transducers to prevent overheating of a surface of the tissue volume being contacted by the transducers
Implementation Method 3
each of the transducers comprising a coating thin enough so as not to substantially affect heat transfer via the coating to the tissue
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of the invention relate to an applicator for applying ultrasound energy to a tissue volume, comprising:an array comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducers, the transducers arranged side by side, the transducers configured to emit unfocused ultrasound energy suitable to thermally damage at least a portion of the tissue volume, each of the transducers comprising a coating thin enough so as not to substantially affect heat transfer via the coating to the tissue; anda cooling module configured to apply cooling via the transducers to prevent overheating of a surface of the tissue volume being contacted by the transducers.