Peeling apparatus for removing surface portions of human tissue with purging arrangement

A peeling apparatus for removing surface portions of human tissue by superficial abrasion caused by a stream of a mixture of air with at least one granular abrasive substance striking on the surface portion of the human tissue to be removed, wherein the peeling apparatus includes a purging arrangement includes a first and a second switch. The first switch includes a control switch valve connected at the first air dust, for regulating the compressed air flowing from the air filtering outlet member of the collection reservoir to the suction pump normally, and being selectively switched to cut off the connection between collection reservoir and the air inlet of the suction pump while instantaneously connecting the air outlet of the suction pump to the air filtering outlet member instead, so as to deliver the air output from the air outlet of the suction pump reversely to the air filtering outlet member for purging a clogged condition thereof The second switch is adapted for normally ensuring the air outlet of the suction pump connected to outside and selectively switching to instantaneously connect the air outlet of the suction pump to the fresh substance outlet member of the abrasive substance supply so as to deliver the air output from the air outlet of the suction pump reversely to the fresh substance outlet member for purging a clogged condition thereof.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
 The present invention relates to peeling apparatus for controlled removal
 of surface portions of human tissue, and more particularly to a purging
 arrangement incorporated with the peeling apparatus, which is adapted to
 instantaneously purge the clogged air circuit safely in low cost without
 complicating the system structure.
 BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
 In order to remove the metabolic dead tissue on skin surface for skin care
 and restoration purposes, a peeling apparatus is commonly used to effect a
 controlled application of reducing substances onto human tissue, for
 example the skin, for the purpose of obtaining a superficial abrasion of
 adjustable magnitude. For example, this abrasion could be of minimum
 value, known in general as "pealing" and consisting essentially in a
 removal of the outermost layers of the epidermis, or else of maximum value
 and consisting in a deep abrasion which could also involve the dermis.
 The conventional peeling apparatus generally comprises a compressor
 conveniently generating compressed air, an abrasive or reducing substance
 supply means, supplying, for example, microcrystals of quartz, metal, dust
 or derivatives of aluminum, such as corundum, possibly having different
 grain size diameters, a suction means which is generally constituted by a
 suction pump and a collection reservoir connected to it, and a tool
 constituting the instrument manipulated by the medical operator to remove
 the portions of tissue.
 The compressor maintains under pressure air contained within a reservoir, a
 pressure regulator connected in series with an output from the reservoir,
 and a solenoid valve which allows the air under pressure to flow out along
 a duct. The suction means comprises a reservoir connected to the duct by
 means of a flow regulator and a solenoid valve.
 However, moisture and crystal quality can produce a clog that will quickly
 shut down the entire apparatus. In other words, the microcrystals may clog
 the outlets of the supply reservoir and used crystal reservoir, wherein
 when either the outlet of the supply reservoir which is connected to the
 tool or the outlet of the used crystal reservoir which is connected to the
 compressor is clogged, the air circuit of the peeling apparatus is broken
 and the ejection of crystal will be shut down too.
 SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
 The main object of the present invention is to provide a peeling apparatus
 for removing surface portions of human tissue comprising a purging
 arrangement adapted to instantaneously purge the clogged air circuit
 safely in low cost without complicating the system structure.
 Another object of the present invention is to provide a purging arrangement
 adapted to be equipped in a peeling apparatus, which is easy to operate
 and which does not require for its construction the use of complicate
 components.
 Another object of the present invention is to provide a purging arrangement
 adapted to be equipped in a peeling apparatus, which substantially
 increases the performance of the peeling apparatus by removing the clogged
 condition easily and rapidly.
 Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present
 invention provides a peeling apparatus for removing surface portions of
 human tissue by superficial abrasion caused by a stream of a mixture of
 air with at least one granular abrasive substance striking on the surface
 portion of the human tissue to be removed, wherein the peeling apparatus
 comprises:
 an abrasive substance supply means supplying granular abrasive substances,
 such as microcrystals of quartz, metal, dust, or derivatives of aluminum,
 which comprises a supply reservoir storing a predetermined amount of fresh
 abrasive substance therein, and a fresh substance outlet member extended
 into the supply reservoir;
 a peeling tool, which is an instrument adapted to be manipulated by a
 medical operator to remove the surface portions of the human tissue,
 having an input opening, a delivery hole and an output opening, wherein
 the input opening is connected to the fresh substance outlet member of the
 supply reservoir;
 a suction means for providing a negative air pressure environment within
 the supply reservoir so as to cause a stream of a mixture of air and the
 granular abrasive substance traveling from the fresh substance outlet
 member to the peeling tool through the input opening thereof, wherein the
 suction means comprises a collection reservoir having a used substance
 inlet member connected to the output opening of the peeling tool and an
 air filtering outlet member, and a suction pump having an air outlet and
 an air inlet connecting with the air filtering outlet member of the
 collection reservoir through a first air duct,
 wherein by keeping in contact the delivery hole with the surface portion of
 the human tissue to be subjected to treatment, the steam of the mixture of
 the compressed air and the abrasive substances traveling through the
 delivery hole is caused to strike the surface portion of the human tissue
 facing the delivery hole, wherein after striking the surface portion of
 the human tissue, a mixture of the compressed air and used abrasive
 substances containing the abrasive substances and tissues removed from the
 surface portion is collected in the collection reservoir via the output
 opening of the peeling tool and the used abrasive substance inlet member
 of the collection reservoir, wherein the air filtering outlet member of
 the collection reservoir filters the used substances and stores in the
 collection reservoir while sucking the compressed air by the suction pump
 via the first air duct; and
 a purging arrangement comprising
 a first switch means, which comprises a control switch valve connected at
 the first air dust, for regulating the compressed air flowing from the air
 filtering outlet member of the collection reservoir to the suction pump
 normally, and being selectively switched to cut off the connection between
 collection reservoir and the air inlet of the suction pump while
 instantaneously connecting the air outlet of the suction pump to the air
 filtering outlet member instead, so as to deliver the air output from the
 air outlet of the suction pump reversely to the air filtering outlet
 member for purging a clogged condition thereof, and
 a second switch means for normally ensuring the air outlet of the suction
 pump connected to outside and selectively switching to instantaneously
 connect the air outlet of the suction pump to the fresh substance outlet
 member of the abrasive substance supply means so as to deliver the air
 output from the air outlet of the suction pump reversely to the fresh
 substance outlet member for purging a clogged condition thereof

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a peeling apparatus for removing surface
 portions of human tissue according to a preferred embodiment of the
 present invention is illustrated. The peeling apparatus is adapted for
 removing surface portions of human tissue by superficial abrasion caused
 by a stream of a mixture of air with at least one granular abrasive
 substance striking on the surface portion of the human tissue to be
 removed, wherein the peeling apparatus comprises an abrasive substance
 supply means 10, a peeling tool 20, a pressurized fluid generating means
 30, a suction means 40, and a purging arrangement 50.
 The abrasive substance supply means 10 is adapted for supplying granular
 abrasive substances 11, such as microcrystals of quartz, metal, dust, or
 derivatives of aluminum, which comprises a supply reservoir 12 storing a
 predetermined amount of the fresh abrasive substance 11 therein and a
 fresh substance outlet member 13 having one end extended to disposed at a
 bottom portion inside the supply reservoir.
 The peeling tool 20, which is an instrument adapted to be manipulated by a
 medical operator to remove the surface portions of the human tissue, has
 an input opening 21, a delivery hole 22 and an output opening 23, wherein
 the input opening 21 is connected to the fresh substance outlet member 13
 of the supply reservoir 12.
 The pressurized fluid generating means 30, such as a compressor, for
 generating compressed air delivering to the abrasive substance supply
 means 10 so as to maintain under pressure air within the supply reservoir
 12 so as to provide a stream of compressed air to mix with the granular
 abrasive substance 11 to enhance the delivering the abrasive substances 11
 from the fresh substance outlet member 13 to the peeling tool 20 through
 the input opening 21 thereof.
 The suction means 40 is adapted for providing a negative air pressure
 environment within the supply reservoir so as to cause a stream of a
 mixture of air and the granular abrasive substance traveling from the
 fresh substance outlet member to the peeling tool through the input
 opening thereof.
 The suction means comprises a collection reservoir 41 having a used
 substance inlet member 411 connected to the output opening 23 of the
 peeling tool 20 and an air filtering outlet member 412, and a suction pump
 42 having an air outlet 421 and an air inlet 422 connecting with the air
 filtering outlet member 412 of the collection reservoir 41 through a first
 air duct 43.
 The suction means 40 may further comprises a first filter 44 and a second
 filter 45 connected at the first air duct 43 near the air filtering outlet
 member 412 and the air inlet 422 of the section pump 42 so as to further
 prevent any abrasive substance entering the section pump 42.
 It is worth to mention that since the filtering function provided by the
 air filtering outlet member 412 is mainly relied on a filter head 413
 extended into the collection reservoir 41, when moisture and crystal
 quality produce a clog at such a filter head 413 made of dense foaming
 material, the entire system will quickly shut down.
 By keeping in contact the delivery hole 22 with the surface portion SP of
 the human tissue to be subjected to treatment, as shown in FIG. 3, the
 steam of the mixture of the compressed air and the abrasive substances 11
 traveling through the delivery hole 22 is caused to strike the surface
 portion SP of the human tissue facing the delivery hole 22.
 After striking the surface portion SP of the human tissue, a mixture of the
 compressed air and used abrasive substances 11A containing the abrasive
 substances 11 and tissues removed from the surface portion is collected in
 the collection reservoir 41 via the output opening 23 of the peeling tool
 20 and the used substance inlet member 411 of the collection reservoir 41,
 wherein the air filtering outlet member 412 of the collection reservoir 41
 filters the used abrasive substances 11A and stores in the collection
 reservoir 41 while sucking the compressed air by the suction pump 42 via
 the first air duct 43.
 The purging arrangement 50 comprises a first switch means 51 and a second
 switch means 52.
 The first switch means 51, connecting at the first air dust 43, for
 regulating the compressed air flowing from the air filtering outlet member
 412 of the collection reservoir 41 to the suction pump 42 normally, and
 being selectively switched to cut off the connection between collection
 reservoir 41 and the air inlet 422 of the suction pump 42 while
 instantaneously connecting the air outlet 421 of the suction pump 42 to
 the air filtering outlet member 412 instead, so as to deliver the air
 output from the air outlet 421 of the suction pump 42 reversely to the air
 filtering outlet member 412 for purging a clogged condition thereof.
 The second switch means 52 for normally ensuring the air outlet 421 of the
 suction pump 42 connected to outside and selectively switching to
 instantaneously connect the air outlet 421 of the suction pump 42 to the
 fresh substance outlet member 13 of the abrasive substance supply means 10
 so as to deliver the air output from the air outlet 421 of the suction
 pump 42 reversely to the fresh substance outlet member 13 for purging a
 clogged condition thereof.
 According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention as
 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first switch means 51 comprises a first
 control switch valve which includes a first normal section 511, a first
 purge section 512, and a first resilient means 513 for normally
 maintaining the collection reservoir 41 is communicated with the section
 pump 42 via the first normal section 511 which provides a first passage
 511A connect a first section 43A of the first air duct 43 extended from
 the air filtering outlet member 412 with a second section 43B of the first
 air duct 43 extended from the air inlet 422 of the suction pump 42. The
 first normal section 511 further provides a second passage 511B connecting
 to atmosphere.
 Moreover, the second switch means 52 comprises a second control switch
 valve 53 which includes a second normal section 531, a second purge
 section 532, and a second resilient means 533 for normally maintaining the
 air output 421 of the section pump 42 is communicated with the first
 normal section 511 of the first switch means 52 via the second normal
 section 531. The second normal section 531 provides a normal passage 531A
 to connect the air outlet 421 of the section pump 42 with the second
 passage 511B of the first normal section 511 of the control switch valve
 51, so as to exhaust the air from the air outlet 421 of the suction pump
 42 to the atmosphere via the second control switch valve 53 and the first
 control switch valve 51, as shown in FIG. 1.
 The first purge section 512 of the first control switch valve 51 comprises
 a first purge passage 512A and a second purge passage 512B. Also, the
 second purge section 532 of the second control switch valve 53 comprises a
 purge passage 532A.
 The second switch means 52 further comprises a flow valve 54, which is a
 single way three-end valve only enabling air flowing from the suction pump
 42 to the supply reservoir 12 and the peeling tool 20 but blocking any air
 flowing in reverse direction to the section pump 42.
 The flow valve 54 has a first end 541 connected to the fresh substance
 outlet member 13 of the abrasive substance supply means 10 via a first
 connecting tube 14, a second end 542 connected to the input opening 21 of
 the peeling tool 20 via a second connecting tube 24, and a third end 543
 connected to a first output terminal 53A provided at a first end of the
 second control switch valve 53.
 The second control switch valve 53 further has a second output terminal 53B
 provided at the first end of the second control switch valve 53 and an
 input terminal 53C provided at a second end of the second control switch
 valve 53 for connecting with the air outlet 421 of the section pump 42 via
 a second air duct 423.
 According to the preferred embodiment, the first control switch valve 51
 further has a first, a second and a third air terminal 51A, 51B and 51C
 provided at a first end thereof, and a fourth and a fifth air terminal
 51D, 51E provided at a second end thereof The first air terminal 51A and
 the third air terminal 51C are connected to the atmosphere. The second air
 terminal 51B connected to the air filtering outlet member 412 via the
 first section 43A of the first air duct 43. The fourth air terminal 51D is
 connected to the air inlet 422 of the section pump 42 via the second
 section 43B of the first air duct 43. The fifth air terminal 51E is
 connected with the second input terminal 53B of the second control switch
 valve 53 via a third air duct 55.
 As shown in FIG. 1, normally, the first normal section 511 of the first
 control switch valve 51 is maintained by the resilient means 513 to
 position between the first, second and third air terminals 51A, 51B, 51C
 and the fourth and fifth air terminals 51D. 51E, wherein the first air
 terminal 51A is blocked, the second air terminal 51B is connected with the
 fourth air terminal 51D via the first passage 511A, and the third air
 terminal 51C that is extended to the atmosphere is connected with the
 fifth air terminal 51E via the second passage 511B. Therefore, the peeling
 apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 is normally functioned, where the filtered
 air output from the air filtering outlet member 412 of the collection
 reservoir 41 will be sucked by the section pump 42 to flow through the
 first passage 511A of the first normal section 511 into air inlet 422 of
 the section pump 42. The air exhausted from the air outlet 421 of the
 suction pump 42 is delivered to the atmosphere via the second air duct
 423, the normal passage 531A, the third air duct 55, and the second
 passage 511B.
 However, as shown in FIG. 2, when the air filtering outlet member 412 is
 clogged, the entire system will shut down. By means of the purging
 arrangement 50 of the present invention, the operator can release the
 clogged condition and put the apparatus in normal function again by
 pushing and maintaining the first control switch valve 51 to a purging
 position where the second purge section 512 thereof is positioned between
 the first, second and third air terminals 51A, 51B, 51C at one end of the
 first control switch valve 51 and the fourth and fifth air terminals 51D,
 51E at another end of the first control switch valve 51. At this purging
 position, the first air terminal 51A is connected with the fourth air
 terminal 51D via the first purge passage 512A so as to connect the air
 inlet 422 of the section pump 42 with the atmosphere. The third air
 terminal 51C is blocked. The second air terminal 51B is connected to the
 fifth air terminal 51E via the second purge passage 512B so as to deliver
 the exhaust air from the air outlet 421 of the suction pump 42 to the air
 filtering outlet member 412 of the collection reservoir 42. Therefore, the
 reverse flow of the exhaust air from the suction pump 42 will blow off the
 used abrasive substances 11A clogged thereon back in the collection
 reservoir 41 and purge the air filtering outlet member 412 for normal
 functioning again.
 Practically, the operator has to switch the first control switch valve 51
 to the purging position as shown in FIG. 2 for one to two seconds,
 thereafter the resilient means 513 will rebound the first control switch
 valve 51 to return to its normal condition as shown in FIG. 1
 automatically when the pushing force of the operator is released.
 As shown in FIG. 3, the moisture and quality of the abrasive substances 11
 will also produce clog condition at the fresh substance outlet member 13
 and even an emit nozzle 201 provided adjacent the delivery hole 22 of the
 peeling tool 20. By means of the purging arrangement 50 of the present
 invention, the operator can release such clogged condition and put the
 apparatus in normal function again by pushing and maintaining the second
 control switch valve 52 to a purging position where the second purge
 section 532 thereof is positioned between the first and second output
 terminals 53A, 53B at one end of the second control switch valve 52 and
 the input terminal 53C at another end of the second control switch valve
 52. At this purging position, the second output terminal 53B is blocked
 and the first output terminal 53A is connected with the input terminal 53C
 via the purge passage 532A so as to connect the air inlet 422 of the
 section pump 42 to the flow valve 54. So that the exhaust air from the air
 outlet 421 of the suction pump 42 is delivered to the fresh substance
 outlet member 13 and even the emit nozzle 201 of the peeling tool 20, so
 as to provide a reverse flow of the exhaust air from the suction pump 42
 to blow off the abrasive substances 11 clogged at the nozzle 201 and the
 fresh substance outlet member 13 back in the supply reservoir 12.
 Practically, the operator has to switch the second control switch valve 52
 to the purging position as shown in FIG. 3 for one to two seconds,
 thereafter the resilient means 523 will rebound the second control switch
 valve 52 to return to its normal condition as shown in FIG. 1
 automatically when the pushing force of the operator is released.