AU2001290175A1

AU2001290175A1 - Apparatus for skin absorption enhancement

Info

Publication number: AU2001290175A1
Application number: AU2001290175A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Gian Franco Bernabei
Original assignee: Mattioli Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: Mattioli Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 2001-04-06
Filing date: 2001-08-07
Publication date: 2003-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 2021-08-07

Description

APPARATUS FOR SKIN ABSORPTION ENHANCEMENT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A . FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to application of both electrical pulses and

mechanical vibrations to the skin at the same time in a controlled manner, in

order to increase the absorption of substances applied previously on the skin.

B. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

[ooo2] It is known that a mechanical vibration applied to the skin is useful in order

to increase the absoφtion of a substance previously applied to the skin. Such a

substance may be a liquid, a gel, a lotion, or a cream, for example.

[ooo3] It is desired to provide an apparatus and a method to increase the

absoφtion of a substance previously applied to the skin, in order to obtain an

increased (e.g., moisturizing) affect of the substance applied to the skin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[ooo4] The present invention is directed to an apparatus and a method for

enhancing the absoφtion of the skin of substances previously applied on the skin.

[0005] To accomplish this, the present invention uses a sequence of electrical

pulses (between 20 and 200V peak to peak, preferably, and between 50 and

15,000 Hz preferably) provided to electrodes that are placed in contact with the

skin (with the substance provided between the electrodes and the skin). There is

also provided a corresponding surface vibration to the skin, by application of a

mechanical vibration to the skin. The mechanical vibration is preferably of the

same frequency and phase as the electrical pulses applied to the skin. The

mechanical vibration is provided by way of a vibrating plate that also contains the

electrodes (which provide the electrical stimulus to the skin at the same time the

mechanical vibration is provided to the skin).

[ooo6] The substance to be absorbed by the skin is applied between the skin and

the plate. Such a substance may be a cream, liquid or gel (for example,

collagen, or cocoa butter, or suntan oil, or other types of skin enhancement

lotions),

[ooo The method according to the invention includes: [0008] 1) The application of a liquid, a gel, a lotion, or a cream on the skin.

[ooo9] 2) An apparatus which includes the following elements to perform the

preceding treatment:

[ooιo] a) a vibrating plate.

loon] b) an array of electrodes on the plate.

[ooi2] c) a pulse generator connected to the array of electrodes.

[ooi3] 3) The application on the skin of the apparatus in order to enhance the

natural absoφtion of the substance previously provided on the skin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[ooi4] The foregoing advantages and features of the invention will become

apparent upon reference to the following detailed description and the

accompanying drawings, of which:

[0015] Figure 1A is a side view of a vibration mechanism that is disposed within

an apparatus according to the present invention;

[ooi6] Figure IB is a front view of the vibration mechanism of Figure 1A;

[ooi7] Figure 2A shows an array of electrodes provided on an outer surface of the

vibration plate that faces the skin, according to a first embodiment of the

invention; [0018] Figure 2B shows an array of electrodes provided on an outer surface of the

vibration plate that faces the skin, according to a second embodiment of the

invention;

[ooi9] Figure 2C shows an array of electrodes provided on an outer surface of the

vibration plate that faces the skin, according to a third embodiment of the

invention;

[0020₁ Figure 3 shows a side view of a head of a probe that is used to provide

both electrical and mechanical stimulation to the skin, in order to have a

substance previously applied to the skin to be absorbed better, according to the

invention;

[0021₁ Figure 4 shows an electrical diagram of a pulse generator that provides

electrical pulses to an array of electrodes disposed on a vibrating plate provided

at a head-end of the probe, according to one possible configuration of an

apparatus according to the invention;

[0022₁ Figure 4A shows a train of square-wave pulses that are input to the pulse

generator of Figure 4;

[0023] Figure 4B shows a train of exponential pulses that are output from the

pulse generator of Figure 4; [0024] Figure 5 shows one configuration of a hand-held probe that is used to

provide both electrical and mechanical stimulation to the skin, according to the

invention;

[0025] Figure 6 shows a current generator connection according to a fourth

embodiment of the invention;

[0026] Figure 7 shows elements provided at the head portion of a probe,

according to a fifth embodiment of the invention; and

[0027] Figure 8 shows a front view of the head portion of the probe according to

the fifth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail below,

with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] Based on experimental tests on the skin, it has been found by the inventor

that after one or more pulses are applied between two points on the skin,

transpiration (or absoφtion) in the area between the two points on the skin

increases. The pulses that give optimal results are exponential pulses that are

generated by a charged capacitor discharged on two points on the skin. [0030] These experimental results have been utilized by the inventor in order to

develop an apparatus and method that maintains the transpiration of the skin at a

high level, so that the skin can readily absorb a gel, liquid, lotion, or cream

previously applied to the skin.

[0031] The apparatus according to the present invention applies a sequence of

pulses over an area or skin, by using an array of electrodes that are placed in

contact with the skin. The array of electrodes are provided on a vibrating plate at

the head of a probe, such as a hand-held probe 500 as shown in Figure 5. The

array of electrodes may be a configured as shown in Figure 2A in a first

embodiment, whereby odd rows of electrodes are electrically connected to each

other, and thereby to a pulse generator 400 (see also Figure 4) via a first

electrical connection. The even rows of electrodes are electrically connected to

each other, and also to the pulse generator 400 via a second electrical connection.

The array of electrodes on the vibrating plate may alternatively be configured as

shown in Figure 2B in a second embodiment, whereby odd rows of round

electrodes are electrically connected to each other, and thereby to the pulse

generator 400 via a first electrical connection. The even rows of round

electrodes are electrically connected to each other, and thereby to the pulse

generator 400 via a second electrical connection. [0032] The increase of the transpiration of the skin that is obtained by way of the

present invention has the effect of increasing the absoφtion of liquids, creams,

lotions, or gels that have been previously provided on the skin in the area

between where the electrodes are applied to the skin.

[0033] The electrical pulses that are applied on the skin in order to enhance the

transpiration of the skin are pulses obtained by a discharge of a capacitor on the

skin. A square-wave pulse input to a primary winding of the transformer 410 of

Figure 4, with an output of the secondary winding of the transformer 410 being

coupled to the skin, provides the same effect as a discharging capacitor. The

exponential pulses are generated during the rising edge and falling edge of each

square-wave input pulse, and have opposite sign (positive for the rising edge,

negative for the falling edge). With the use of such a pulse generator as shown in

Figure 4, it is possible to apply a burst of separate pulses (e.g. , around 1000 per

second) to the skin, which provides a transpiration effect better than just

providing one pulse to the skin.

[oo34i Normally, when a square wave is applied to the skin, due to the capacitive

effect of the skin, it is possible to obtain about a three microsecond time constant

exponential delay current. This is what happens when a square wave voltage is

applied to a circuit that corresponds to a resistor in parallel with a capacitor. With such a circuit, only the peak current is enhanced , charging to a maximum

allowable voltage the skin capacitance by applying an electrical energy equal to

the magnetic energy of the transformer 410. This effect most like provides for

the opening of the cell membranes of the skin (to achieve the transpiration effect)

only during the time when each pulse is applied to the skin.

[0036] The effect of applying the probe to the skin is that the skin vibrates due to

the electrical pulses applied by way of the array of electrodes. The electrical

pulses are preferably applied at a fixed frequency between 200 and 10,000 Hz

(optimally at a frequency value between 2,500 to 3,000 Hz), and are grouped in a

burst. The ON time of each burst is a fixed value between 5 to 50 milliseconds,

and the OFF time between two consecutive bursts is a fixed value between 5 to

50 milliseconds (the preferred burst ON time is 10 milliseconds and the preferred

OFF time between consecutive bursts is 10 milliseconds).

[0036] As described above, the electrical pulses applied to the skin by way of the

electrodes are preferably exponential pulses with peak-to-peak voltage of 160 V

at a fixed frequency between 2,500 to 3,000 Hz. One way of providing such

electrical pulses is by an electrical structure that corresponds to a pulse generator

400 as shown in Figure 4, in which a transformer 410 is used as an element. The transformer 410, as well as the other elements of the pulse generator 400,

are preferably housed within the probe 500 of Figure 5.

[0037] Referring back to Figure 4, the primary winding 420 of the transformer

410 is driven by a transistor 430 that is switched on and off, and the secondary

winding 440 of the transformer 410 is directly applied to the array of electrodes

(see Figures 1A or IB) with an electrical resistance 450 provided therebetween.

The electrical resistance 450 may be 200 Kohm or some value in that range (e.g.,

100 Kohm to 500 Kohm), and is provided in order to avoid high voltages when

the array of electrodes are not applied to the skin, so that in that case it operates

as an open circuit. In such a situation, the peak-to-peak voltage is 400 V or

thereabouts.

[0038] As described above, along with the electrical pulses applied to the skin, a

mechanical vibration is also provided to the skin in order to increase the

absoφtion of a substance previously applied on the skin.

[0039] The absoφtion effect is enhanced by the simultaneous increase of

transpiration, whereby the absoφtion effect is greatest when the mechanical

vibration is synchronized in phase and in frequency with the electric pulse

application. Thus, in the example discussed above, while the electrical burst of

pulses (at 2,200 Hz) are provided to the skin at a burst ON/OFF frequency, e.g. , 50 Hz, by way of an electrode array, the skin is also mechanically vibrated at the

same frequency, e.g. , 50 Hz, by way of the vibrating plate. The mechanical

vibration and the electrical burst application are also preferably provided in phase

with respect to each other, in order to increase the skin absoφtion effect. There

are several well known ways to achieve this frequency and phase

synchronization. In the preferred embodiments described herein, an optical

sensor (not shown) detects the movement of the eccentric of the motor, and gates

the burst of electrical pulses based on the detected movement.

[00 0] Thus, in the example discussed above, while the burst of electrical pulses

are provided to the skin by way of the electrode array, the skin is also

mechanically vibrated at the same frequency by way of the vibrating plate. The

mechanical vibration and electrical pulse application is also preferably provided

in phase with respect to each other, in order to increase the skin absoφtion

effect.

[oo4iι Moreover, the absoφtion effect is further enhanced when the mechanical

vibration is applied orthogonal to the surface of the skiri. An explanation of the

physical phenomena of the present invention is that, while the electrical pulses

"stretch" the skin, thus increasing periodically the diameter of the pores of the

skin, at the same time the mechanical vibration "pumps" the substances (gel, liquid or cream) inside the skin (through the opened pores). The mechanical and

electrical synchronization achieves the effect that the "pumping" action (due to

the mechanical stimulation of the skin) takes place at the same instant in time that

the pores are at their maximum "open" diameter (due to the electrical stimulation

of the skin).

[0042] The apparatus according to the present invention includes two main parts:

[oo43i A) a handle containing a power source (e.g., batteries) and a pulse

generator; and

[oo44i B) a vibrating head containing components for generating the vibration

and also containing an array of electrodes.

[00 5] The vibrating head, in the preferred configuration, includes a D.C.

electrical motor for generating vibrations to the skin. Figures 1A and IB show

two different views of the D.C. electrical motor 110, the rotating shaft of the

D.C. electrical motor 110 is an eccentric 120 to thereby provide eccentric

motion. The eccentric motion, during rotation of the D.C. electrical motor 110,

generates a vibration onto the vibrating plate 130 (that is directly coupled to the

D.C. electrical motor 110) that is at the same frequency of the rotation of the

D.C. electrical motor 110 (e.g. , 50 Hz or 60 Hz or some other desired

frequency). [0046] As explained earlier, Figure 4 shows circuitry for providing electrical

pulses to the array of electrodes shown in Figures 2 A and 2B. The circuitry of

Figure 4 corresponds to a pulse generator 400, and is preferably disposed within

the housing of the probe 500 of Figure 5. The electrical pulses generated by the

pulse generator 400, when those pulses are provided to the skin, preferably are

sinusoidal pulses with peak-to-peak voltage of 160 V at a frequency of between

2,500 Hz to 3,000 Hz. Of course, other peak-to-peak voltage values (e.g. , 100

V to 200 V) and operating frequencies (50 Hz to 15,000 Hz) may be employed,

while remaining within the scope of the invention as described herein.

[0047] Figures 1A and IB show the vibrating plate 130 that is physically coupled

to the D.C. electrical motor 110. The vibrating plate 130 preferably is 50 x 50

mm in size, where parallel metallic stripes are deposited on it as shown in Figure

2A, in order form the array of electrodes. The vibrating plate 130 is caused to

vibrate at the same phase and frequency as the electrical pulses provided to the

skin by way of the array of electrodes (disposed on the vibrating plate), in order

to enhance the skin absoφtion effect.

[oo48] As shown in Figure 2A, which shows a first embodiment of an electrode

array 210 that is provided on a skin-side surface of the vibrating plate 130, five

parallel metallic stripes 220 are provided, each preferably of a size of 50 mm x 4 mm. Each of the five electrodes 220 are preferably 6 mm apart from adjacently-

positioned electrodes. The electrodes 220 are alternately electrically connected

(e.g., the first, third and fifth row are electrically connected to each other by way

of electrical line 250; and the second and fourth rows are electrically connected

to each other by way of electrical line 260). Other electrode array configurations

are possible while remaining within the scope of the invention, such having a

number of electrodes greater than two, such as having seven or eight electrodes.

[0049] Figure 2B shows a second embodiment of an electrode array that is

provided on a skin-side surface of a vibration plate. In Figure 2B, there are

provided 25 round electrodes 230 each of 4 mm diameter, each separated at least

6 mm from adjacently-positioned round electrodes. The round electrodes 230 are

alternately electrically connected to each other (e.g. , the electrodes on the first,

third and fifth rows are electrically connected to each other by way of electrical

line 270; and the electrodes on the second and fourth rows are electrically

connected to each other by way of electrical line 280). The spacing between the

electrodes 230 shown in Figure 2B may vary between 1 to 20 mm and the size of

each of the electrodes 230 may vary between 1 to 20 mm in diameter,

[ooso] Figure 2C shows an array of electrodes provided on an outer surface of the

vibration plate that faces the skin, according to the third embodiment of the invention. In Figure 2C, there are provided electrodes 233 that are disposed on

the periphery of the vibration plate, which are electrically coupled to each other,

and which are electrically coupled to the pulse generator 400 by way of a first

electrical connection 235. In Figure 2C, there is also provided a centrally-

positioned electrode 237, which is not electrically coupled to any other of the

electrodes, and which is electrically coupled to the pulse generator 400 by way of

a second electrical connection 239.

[oo5i] Figure 3 shows a side view of a vibrating head 310 of a probe that is used

to provide both electrical and mechanical stimulation to the skin according to the

present invention, in order to have a substance previously applied to the skin be

absorbed better. As shown in Figure 3, the vibrating head 310 includes the array

of electrodes 320 provided on a skin-side surface thereof. The array of

electrodes 320 may be provided in a manner such as shown in either Figures 2A

or 2B, for example. Between the array of electrodes 320 and the skin 330 there

is provided a substance 340 to be absorbed, whereby the substance 340 has been

previously applied to the skin 330 (e.g. , applied to the skin between 30 seconds

to 2 minutes before the probe is to be applied to the skin 330). Application of

mechanical vibrations and electrical pulses enhances the absoφtion of the

substance 340 into the skin 330. [0052] Figure 5 shows one configuration of a hand-held probe 500 that may be

used to provide both electrical and mechanical stimulation to the skin, according

to the invention. The probe 500 is configured to be readily held by one hand of a

user. A bottom portion of the probe 500, at which a user's hand is gripped

thereon to thereby hold the probe 500, may include an outlet 510 for coupling an

electrical cable to an electrical outlet (e.g., wall outlet), so as to provide A.C.

voltage to the probe 500 in that manner. Alternatively, battery power may be

used, by way of batteries (not shown) disposed within the housing of the probe

500. Battery power may be utilized when A.C. power is not readily available.

Also, the pulse generator 400 of Figure 4 is preferably housed at the handle

portion of the probe 500.

[0053] The head portion of the probe 500 is where the vibrating plate 130 (see

Figures 1A or IB) is provided, and also where the D.C. electrical motor 110 (see

also Figures 1 A or IB) that provides the mechanical vibrations to the vibrating

plate 130 is preferably provided housed within. The array of electrodes (see

Figures 2A or 2B) are provided on an outer surface of the vibrating plate 130,

thereby facing the skin of a user to be treated with the probe 500.

[0054] A typical application time of the probe to the skin may be on the order to

10s of seconds up to several minutes. [0055] In a fourth embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the output of the pulse

generator 400 (see also Figure 4) is connected to a D.C. current generator 610,

which induces a iontophoresis effect in addition to the previously described skin

absoφtion/transpiration effects. The iontophoresis effect is well known to those

skilled in the art, and several ionthophoresis electrical generators are currently

available in the market, either D.C. or D.C. pulsed. A D.C. current output by

the D.C. current generator 610 is applied between the electrodes of the probe and

a ground plate that is connected with the patient's body. Depending on the

substance to be absorbed into the patient's skin, the patient ground plate

connection is coupled to either the positive or the negative of the D.C. current

generator 610, in a manner known to those skilled in the art. Instead of using

continuous D.C. current, there can alternatively be provided D.C. current pulses

that have the same average current value as the continuous D.C. current case,

and which have a duty cycle between 5 and 50% and a frequency between 10 and

5000 Hz. In such a case, the peak current of the D.C. current pulses is higher

during the pulsed (ON) times.

[0056] In a fifth embodiment, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, a dispenser or

chamber 710, which is configured to hold liquid or cream or gel 720, is

integrated in the vibrating head of the probe. The dispenser or chamber 710 is provided between an array of electrodes 705 and the vibrating plate 130. The

burst of electrical pulses are applied by way of a conductive roller 740 that

dispenses the liquid, and by the array of electrodes 705. A D.C. current as in the

third embodiment can also be added between the array of electrodes 705 and the

patient's body, to induce a iontophoresis effect as well. While the vibrating head

is moved on the patient's skin, the roller 740 delivers the liquid or cream or gel

720 to the patient's skin.

[0057] The chamber 710 in which the roller 740 is disposed in the vibrating head

can be filled with a liquid, cream or gel substance 720 by way of a removable

cap (not shown). In particular, the cap is removed (e.g. , screwed off of the head

of the probe), and then a user fills the chamber 710, through the liquid inlet 760,

with the substance 720 to be provided to the patient's skin. The user then closes

the cap (e.g., screws it back onto the liquid inlet 760) to thereby keep the

substance 720 within the chamber 710 of the probe until it is ready to be applied

to the patient's skin by way of the roller 740.

[0058] Figure 8 shows a front view of the electrodes 705, which are shown as two

stripe electrodes that are electrically connected to each other by way of electrical

connection 820. Of course, other types of electrode arrays, such as those shown

in Figures 2A and 2B, can alternatively be used in this fifth embodiment. The exposed surface 830 of the roller 740 that applies the substance to the patient's

skin, is shown in Figure 8. Dispensing gaps 840 are also shown in Figure 8,

whereby these gaps 840 allow the liquid, cream or gel substance 720 in the

chamber 710 to gradually come out of the chamber 710 and thereby be applied to

the patient's skin by way of the roller 740.

[0059] In a sixth embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for enhancing

absoφtion of the skin includes an array of electrodes, and a pulse generator that

is electrically coupled to the array of electrodes. The disposition of the array of

electrodes may be any of the dispositions shown in Figures 2A - 2C, for

example. In the sixth embodiment, electrical pulses outputted by the pulse

generator 400 to the array of electrodes are a sequence of exponential pulses,

such as the pulse train shown in Figure 4B. The exponential electrical pulses are

applied to the skin by way of the array of electrodes and are generated by the

secondary winding of a high voltage transformer with the primary winding driven

by a square wave voltage, as seen by Figures 4, 4 A and 4B.

[0060] In the sixth embodiment, unlike the previous embodiments, a vibrating

head is not utilized, but rather skin absoφtion enhancement is obtained just by

the providing of the electrical pulses to the skin by way of the array of

electrodes. The array of electrodes according to the sixth embodiment are provided on a plate at the head of the probe, whereby the head and the plate do

not vibrate. Thus, in the sixth embodiment, the structure as shown in Figures 1A

and IB would not be utilized, but rather just a plate for holding the electrodes in

place at the head of the probe would be needed.

[0061] In a seventh embodiment, a vibrating head is utilized, as in the first

through fifth embodiments, but where the vibrating head is capable of being

turned on or off, by way of a control (e.g., switch) provided on the probe. The

control can readily be manipulated by an operator of the probe, in order to treat a

patient.

[oo62i Different embodiments of the present invention have been described

according to the present invention. Many modifications and variations may be

made to the techniques and structures described and illustrated herein without

departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be

understood that the apparatuses described herein are illustrative only and are not

limiting upon the scope of the invention.

Claims

What is Claimed is:

1. An apparatus for enhancing absoφtion of skin, comprising:

a vibrating head;

an array of electrodes disposed on the vibrating head; and

an electric pulse generator that is electrically coupled to the array of

electrodes,

wherein electrical pulses are applied to the skin by way of the array of

electrodes, at a same time mechanical vibrations are provided to the skin by way

of the vibrating head, in order to enhance the absoφtion of a substance applied to

the skin.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical pulses are

exponentially-shaped pulses.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a roller disposed in the vibrating head,

wherein the substance is liquid or gel, and

wherein the substance is applied to the skin by way of the roller.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

an iontophoresis generator electrically connected to the electrodes,

wherein an iontophoresis effect is provided to the patient as a result.

5. An apparatus for enhancing absoφtion of skin, comprising:

a probe;

an array of electrodes disposed on a head of the probe; and

a pulse generator that is electrically coupled to the array of electrodes,

wherein electrical pulses output by the pulse generator are applied to the

skin by way of the array of electrodes.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the pulse generator

includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, and

wherein the electrical pulses output by the pulse generator are output from

the secondary winding as a result of square wave pulses applied to the primary

winding of the transformer.

7. A treatment method for enhancing absoφtion of substances provided

on a skin surface of a patient, comprising: a) applying a substance, that is intended to be absorbed on the skin;

b) applying a vibration to the skin of between 10 to 200 Hz, the

vibration being provided by way of a vibrating plate that is placed on the skin,

the vibrating plate being disposed on a hand-held probe; and

c) applying a sequence of bursts of electrical pulses at a frequency

between 50 to 15,000 Hz and peak voltage between 20 and 200 V to an array of

electrodes that are placed on the skin, the array of electrodes being disposed on

the vibrating plate,

wherein the sequence of bursts of electrical pulses and the vibration are

i provided to the skin at a same time in order to enhance absoφtion of the

substance applied to the skin.

8. The treatment method according to claim 7, wherein the electrodes

are parallel metallic stripes that are alternately connected to each other and that

are provided on an outer surface of the vibrating plate.

9. The treatment method according to claim 7, wherein the electrodes

are round electrodes alternately electrically connected to each other and that are

provided on an outer surface of the vibrating plate.

10. The treatment method according to claim 7, wherein a D.C. current

is applied between the electrodes and a ground plate connected to the patient.

11. The treatment method according to claim 7, wherein the applying

step a) is accomplished by dispensing of liquid or gel or cream or lotion by way

of a roller integrated in the probe.

12. The treatment method according to claim 11, wherein a D.C. current

) is applied between the electrodes and a plate connected to the patient.