# US 12,758,800 B2 · Skin treatment apparatus using high-intensity focused ultrasound, control method thereof, and skin treatment method using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,758,800 B2 - Document ID: US12758800B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/911,969 - Filed: 2021-12-21 - Published: 2024-06-27 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-15 - Assignees: Lutronic Corporation - Applicants: Lutronic Corporation - Inventors: Kwangchon Ko; Jaewon Choi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12758800B2 ## CPC - A61N 7/02: Localised ultrasound hyperthermia - A61N 1/06: for high-frequency therapy - A61N 1/328: {for improving the appearance of the skin, e.g. facial toning or wrinkle treatment} - A61N 2007/0034: {Skin treatment} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract The skin treatment apparatus using high-intensity focused ultrasound according to the disclosure, the control method thereof, and the skin treatment method using the same, it is possible to shorten treatment time because a wide area is first heated and a target position is then heated to be remodeled when tissue is heated. Further, it is possible to have an improved recovering effect because activity of cells is enhanced. Further, it is possible to have effects on securing operation stability because a transducer is movable by magnetic force while environments inside a cartridge are independently maintained. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A skin treatment apparatus using high-intensity focused ultrasound, comprising: a handpiece; a cartridge provided at an end portion of the handpiece and facing toward a first side; and a cartridge mounting unit configured to couple the cartridge to the handpiece, wherein the cartridge comprises: a transducer configured to generate ultrasound to be focused in a treatment area through a tip of the cartridge; and at least one electrode provided in the tip and configured to transmit radio frequency (RF) energy to the treatment area, wherein the at least one electrode is configured to heat the treatment area at a first temperature to improve an efficiency of transmitting the ultrasound, wherein the apparatus further comprises a controller configured to transmit the RF energy to the at least one electrode without transmitting the ultrasound to be focused in the treatment area until a temperature of the treatment area reaches the first temperature, and the first temperature is below a temperature at which tissue denaturation occurs, wherein the controller is further configured to, after the transmitting the RF energy has been complete, transmit the ultrasound to the treatment area without transmitting the RF energy until the temperature of the treatment area increases to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and the second temperature comprises a temperature at which coagulation occurs in the treatment area, wherein the cartridge mounting unit includes a first magnet and the cartridge further comprises a second magnet, the first magnet and the second magnet are magnetically coupled to each other to make the transducer reciprocate in a specific direction, and the first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart from each other by a separation film that prevents liquid leakage, wherein the cartridge mounting unit further includes a mounting-unit housing, a first shaft, a guide unit, and a holding magnet, wherein the first shaft has opposite ends connected to the mounting-unit housing, the guide unit is configured to reciprocate on the first shaft in the specific direction, the first magnet is provided in a lower portion of the guide unit, and the holding magnet is provided in an upper portion of the guide unit, wherein the cartridge further comprises a cartridge housing, a second shaft, and a transducer holder, and wherein the second shaft is disposed in the cartridge housing, and the transducer holder is configured to move on the second shaft in the specific direction and is provided with the second magnet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The skin treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrode is adjacent to an ultrasound passing area in the tip. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The skin treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes, and comprises a bipolar electrode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The skin treatment apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transducer is configured to be adjusted in position inside the cartridge. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The skin treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cartridge further includes an actuator configured to adjust the position of the transducer inside the cartridge by making the transducer reciprocate in a specific direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The skin treatment apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the specific direction is parallel to the ultrasound passing area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The skin treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the transducer is configured to reciprocate between the plurality of electrodes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The skin treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the RF energy transmitted heats a first area and the ultrasound to be focused by the transducer heats a second area, and wherein the transducer is configured to move inside the cartridge such that the second area is formed within the first area. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The skin treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first temperature is 45° C., and the second temperature is 70° C. ### Claim 10 A control method of a skin treatment apparatus using high-intensity focused ultrasound, the control method comprising: transmitting radio frequency (RF) energy to at least one electrode provided in a tip of a cartridge of a handpiece; and transmitting energy to a transducer provided in the cartridge to generate ultrasound, wherein the transmitting the RF energy is performed without performing the transmitting energy to generate the ultrasound until a temperature of a treatment area reaches a first temperature that is below a temperature at which tissue denaturation occurs, and, wherein, after the transmitting the RF energy has been complete, the transmitting the energy to generate the ultrasound is performed without transmitting the RF energy until the temperature of the treatment area increases to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and the second temperature comprises a temperature at which coagulation occurs in the treatment area, wherein the skin treatment apparatus comprises: the handpiece; the cartridge provided at an end portion of the handpiece and facing toward a first side; and a cartridge mounting unit configured to couple the cartridge to the handpiece, wherein the cartridge comprises: the transducer configured to generate ultrasound to be focused in a treatment area through a tip of the cartridge; and the at least one electrode provided in the tip and configured to transmit radio frequency (RF) energy to the treatment area, wherein the at least one electrode is configured to heat the treatment area at a first temperature to improve an efficiency of transmitting the ultrasound, wherein the apparatus further comprises a controller configured to transmit the RF energy to the at least one electrode without transmitting the ultrasound to be focused in the treatment area until a temperature of the treatment area reaches the first temperature, and the first temperature is below a temperature at which tissue denaturation occurs, wherein the controller is further configured to, after the transmitting the RF energy has been complete, transmit the ultrasound to the treatment area without transmitting the RF energy until the temperature of the treatment area increases to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and the second temperature comprises a temperature at which coagulation occurs in the treatment area, wherein the cartridge mounting unit includes a first magnet and the cartridge further comprises a second magnet, the first magnet and the second magnet are magnetically coupled to each other to make the transducer reciprocate in a specific direction, and the first magnet and the second magnet are spaced apart from each other by a separation film that prevents liquid leakage, wherein the cartridge mounting unit further includes a mounting-unit housing, a first shaft, a guide unit, and a holding magnet, wherein the first shaft has opposite ends connected to the mounting-unit housing, the guide unit is configured to reciprocate on the first shaft in the specific direction, the first magnet is provided in a lower portion of the guide unit, and the holding magnet is provided in an upper portion of the guide unit, wherein the cartridge further comprises a cartridge housing, a second shaft, and a transducer holder, and wherein the second shaft is disposed in the cartridge housing, and the transducer holder is configured to move on the second shaft in the specific direction and is provided with the second magnet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control method according to claim 10, further comprising identifying whether the temperature of the treatment area reaches the first temperature based on a value detected by a sensor after the transmitting the RF energy. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control method according to claim 11, wherein the transmitting the RF energy to the electrode comprises using a plurality of electrodes disposed around and adjacent to an ultrasound passing area in which the ultrasound generated by the transducer passes through the cartridge. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control method according to claim 12, wherein the transmitting the RF energy to the electrode is performed by transmitting bipolar RF energy.