Applicator for skin treatement with automatic regulation of skin protrusion magnitude

摘要

Described is an applicator for RF, ultrasound, and light skin treatment. The applicator allows a protrusion of skin to be formed within a cavity and maintained for a desired time, enables good coupling of the treatment energy with the skin and avoids negative pressure adversely affecting the skin.

主权项

1. An applicator for skin treatment, said applicator comprising:
a housing defining a cavity for receiving a section of skin to be configured as a protrusion, said cavity housing communicating with a vacuum source to provide negative pressure within the cavity, and a valve located in the interior of said cavity and being configured to control communication with said source of negative pressure; and one or more RF electrodes communicating with an RF energy generator; andwherein said valve also comprises:
a plate coupled with at least one guide, said plate configured to be displaced by positive pressure applied thereto by the protrusion of skin when drawn into the cavity; a gasket associated with the plate such at as the protrusion of skin is drawn into the cavity, the gasket contacts an inner surface of the cavity thereby sealing the cavity and disabling negative pressure from the vacuum source; and a spring configured to return the displaced plate towards its non-displaced position when the protrusion of skin recedes from the cavity due to air leaking into the cavity, whereby enabling negative pressure from the vacuum source.