Method and apparatus for focussing ultrasonic energy
OwnerMichael John Radley Young, Stephen Michael Radley Younginventors
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Abstract
An apparatus for treatment of subcutaneous tissue including ultrasonic, e.g. piezoelectric, generators to generate ultrasonic vibrations. Each generator has a lens to focus the ultrasonic vibration at a point within the tissue. The focal point may be moved so that the generated ultrasonic vibrations may be focussed exactly at a point within the tissue that requires treatment. The energy enters the surface of the body over a very wide area, and therefore causes minimum damage to healthy overlying tissue.
Claims14
A non-invasive apparatus for treatment of subcutaneous tissue of a patient, said non-invasive apparatus comprising:
- means for generating ultrasonic vibrations;
- a substantially plano-concave lens disposed immediately adjacent the means for generating ultrasonic vibrations to focus the ultrasonic vibrations at a focal point within the tissue;
- a chamber configured to be positioned on the patient and to at least partially enclose the means for generating ultrasonic vibrations and the substantially plano-concave lens and being uniformly pressurized therein during treatment, wherein the means for generating ultrasonic vibrations includes a plurality of generator means for generating ultrasonic vibrations, wherein each of the plurality of generator means is substantially equally spaced from an adjacent one along a substantially semi-circular plane, and wherein a focal plane of at least one generator means is transverse to a portion of the chamber;
- and
- means for moving the focal point.
A non-invasive apparatus for treatment of subcutaneous tissue of a patient, said non-invasive apparatus comprising:
- at least two ultrasonic generators configured to generate ultrasonic vibrations;
- at least one substantially piano-concave lens disposed immediately adjacent the at least two ultrasonic generators to focus the ultrasonic vibrations at a focal point within the tissue;
- a chamber configured to be positioned on the patient and to at least partially enclose the at least two ultrasonic generators and the at least one substantially plano-concave lens and being uniformly pressurized therein during treatment, wherein each of the at least two ultrasonic generators is substantially equally spaced from an adjacent one along a substantially semi-circular plane, and wherein a focal plane of the at least two ultrasonic generators is transverse to a portion of the chamber;
- and
- a mounting mechanism configured to mount the at least one substantially plano-concave lens and the at least two ultrasonic generators to be moveable together to move the focal point.
A method for treatment of subcutaneous tissue comprising the steps of:
- providing an apparatus including at least two ultrasonic generators configured to generate ultrasonic vibrations;
- at least one substantially plano-concave lens disposed immediately adjacent the at least two ultrasonic generators to focus the ultrasonic vibrations at a focal point within the tissue;
- a chamber configured to at least partially enclose the at least two ultrasonic generators and the at least one substantially plano-concave lens and being uniformly pressurized therein during treatment, wherein each of the at least two ultrasonic generators are substantially equally spaced from an adjacent one along a substantially semi-circular plane, and wherein a focal plane of the at least two ultrasonic generators is transverse to a portion of the chamber;
- and a mounting mechanism configured to mount the at least one substantially plano-concave lens and the at least two ultrasonic generators to be moveable together to move the focal point;
- applying said apparatus to a body in which lies the tissue to be treated;
- and
- moving the at least two ultrasonic generators and the mounting mechanism so that their effective distance from a body surface above the tissue to be treated is such that the focal point of the lens is coincident with the tissue to be treated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.