Surgery – Instruments – Means for removal of skin or material therefrom
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-15
2002-08-13
Smith, Jeffrey A. (Department: 3732)
Surgery
Instruments
Means for removal of skin or material therefrom
Reexamination Certificate
active
06432114
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is to generally related to devices for making microabrasions on human tissue.
Presently known devices for human tissue microabrasion employ peculiar reducing substances in a pneumatic carrier. These known devices comprise a handle having an inlet passage and an outlet passage which communicate with an aperture provided in the handle and intended to be positioned on the surface to be treated, and supply means for the metered supply of reducing substances in a pneumatic carrier from a supply container of said reducing substances, connected to the inlet passage, to the aperture of the handle.
Such known devices are disclosed and illustrated in Italian patents IT-B-1184922 and IT-B-1218945 (corresponding to European patent EP-B2-0324448). Moreover, apparatuses reducing into practice the solutions according to the above mentioned two documents have been since long produced and marketed with success world-wide in connection with mainly aesthetical treatments, such as for instance for treating scars and stretch marks and even for partially or totally removing tattoos, and also in connection with medical treatments. The reducing substances employed during microabrasion treatments performed by these apparatuses are normally consisting of corundum micro-crystals, which are delivered to the aperture of the handle according to two different functional principles: in one case (corresponding to the apparatus discloses in Italian patent IT-B-1184922) the pneumatic carrier flow is under overpressure, while in the other case (corresponding to the apparatus according to the Italian patent IT-B-1218945) the flow is under vacuum. In the first case the pneumatic carrier flow is generated by an air compressor directly or indirectly (through an ejector system) connected to the supply container of the reducing substances, and a small low-power suction pump is provided, which is connected to the outlet passage of the handle for drawing the reducing substances along with the removed fragments of the human tissue. The action of the reducing substances onto the treated surface is anyhow operated under overpressure.
In the second case of the pneumatic flow of the reducing substances under vacuum is provided by a suction pump connected to a collecting container of the exhaust reducing substances and of the removed tissue particles, which is in turn connected to the outlet passage of the handle and then, through the inlet passage thereof, with the supply container of the reducing substances, whereby, in operation, the flow thereof subjected to the force which is necessary to perform microabrasion of the human tissue, takes place only as a result of the closure of the aperture of the handle against the surface to be treated. The supply container of the reducing substances is provided with an air-intake passage, and the air inlet through this intake passage can be adjusted for instance by changing the cross section of the air-intake passage.
Alternatively, in some apparatus of this type an air pressure source (normally a small low-power air compressor) can also be provided, which is connected to the supply container of the reducing substances so as to super charge air thereinto, and providing a swirling effect of the reducing substances within the supply container by virtue of which the amount of these reducing substances delivered to the handle is increased and, as a consequence, the abrasive action is enhanced. The pneumatic carrier flow of the reducing substances, i.e. the working force provided by the apparatus, is anyway even in this case always and solely under vacuum.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The general object of the present invention is to improve the above disclosed devices for making microabrasions on the human tissue.
A particular object of the present invention is to provide a device for making microabrasions on human tissue of the type referenced at the beginning, which is designed to enhance efficiency of the abrasive treatment and the related effects.
This object is achieved mainly by the fact that the human tissue microabrasion device according to the invention is characterised in that it is arranged for selective and controlled supply of a liquid onto the surface to be treated.
In general terms this liquid itself may provide the fluid carrier of the reducing substances towards the aperture of the handle, thus replacing the pneumatic flow, or can be combined with such a pneumatic flow either upstream the aperture of the handle or downstream the handle itself, or as well in correspondence of the aperture thereof intended to be positioned on the surface to be treated.
In the latter case the handle may include a second inlet passage for the selective supply of the liquid to said aperture of the handle.
According to a further alternative embodiment the liquid itself may constitute exclusively (i.e. without the presence of a pneumatic stream) the carrier of the abrasive substances, which in such a case shall consist not of a reducing powder but instead of reducing liquids. Accordingly the liquid itself shall autonomously provide an hydro-microabrasion of the human tissue.
This liquid may simply be water, possibly at a very low temperature or in a steam state, even mixed together with one or more substances selected within the following classes: anaesthetic, hemostatic and coagulative, nutritious, cicatrizing, slightly corrosive, regenerative, refreshing, lenitive and calmative, moistening, lubricating, hydrating and the like. In case the device be mainly intended for removing tattoos, stains and generally cutaneous defects, the liquid shall conveniently consist of a physiological solution possibly enriched with some ingredients such as sodium and derivatives thereof.
The invention contemplates several specific embodiment wherein, while the flow of the reducing substances in a pneumatic carrier is either under overpressure or under vacuum, respectively, the liquid may be supplied to the aperture of the handle according to alternative combinations either under overpressure or under vacuum.
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L.I.C.A. S.r.L.
Priddy Michael B.
Smith Jeffrey A.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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