Patent Description:
In the sector of beauty treatments, among the technologies most used nowadays, electro stimulation, ultrasound, and laser radiation take on particular importance.

Each one of the aforementioned technologies brings specific benefits relating to the reduction of body imperfections.

In particular, electrostimulation works via the emission of electric pulses, through pairs of electrodes which are applied on the body and are subjected to voltages with modulated waveforms at a frequency that can generally vary between <NUM> and <NUM>. Such action induces muscle and tissue toning which improves the oxygenation and revitalization of the tissues, so favoring metabolic exchange and the elimination of toxins.

Ultrasound on the other hand produces a mainly massaging effect. In particular, as is known, ultrasound is efficiently transmitted by the stagnant liquids of the body, making them vibrate and as a consequence inducing a draining effect. Furthermore, the impact of ultrasound on human tissue produces a localized metabolic effect by virtue of the dissipation of heat. The multiplicity of vibrations increases the permeability of the cellular membrane, favoring extracellular exchanges so as to improve the physiological conditions of the cell. Overall, the action of ultrasound makes it possible to remodel localized adipose deposits, to render tissues smoother and more compact, so combating blemishes such as "orange-peel" skin.

Laser treatments are performed by irradiating chosen regions of the body with laser beams that have a preset wavelength depending on the type of treatment to be carried out and, as a consequence, on the desired effect, which can be to mobilize adipose deposits and firm the surrounding skin tissue, or a toning effect, or other correlated effects.

Although it is known to combine the action of electro stimulation with that of ultrasound and laser in a single device to be applied to the user being treated, thus far difficulties have been encountered with maximizing the effectiveness of the three above-mentioned treatments in the known combined apparatuses.

Such difficulties are due to the fact that the three technologies mentioned above require specific technical contrivances which in some cases can be in conflict with each other, or have side effects that can compromise the reliability of the system, as in the case of the heating caused by the ultrasound returning to the electronic components inside the device. With particular regard to this latter aspect, as is well known to the person skilled in the art, the risk of overheating is one of the factors that currently limits the duty cycle of the square wave normally used to produce ultrasound. As a consequence, in the current applications, the duty cycle usually does not exceed <NUM>%, even if it is actually desirable to increase it in order to increase the efficacy of the treatment. <CIT> discloses a device for delivering light and ultrasound across a skin surface, wherein the device has a layered structure comprising a light source and an ultrasonic transducer.

<CIT> discloses an applicator hand-piece used for therapeutic and cosmetic treatments, has head that has piezoelectric transducer and shaped plates for receiving electrical signals used to generate shock waves and diathermic currents for zone to be treated.

The aim of the present invention therefore is to provide an electronic apparatus for the treatment of body imperfections that is capable of combining, in a single device, the treatments of electrostimulation, ultrasound and laser irradiation, more effectively and reliably than in known solutions.

The above aim and other objects, which will become clearer from the description that follows, are achieved by an electronic apparatus having the characteristics recited in the appended claim <NUM>, while the appended dependent claims define other characteristics of the invention which are advantageous, although secondary.

Now the invention will be described in greater detail, with reference to a preferred but not exclusive embodiment thereof, which is illustrated for the purposes of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

With reference to the figures, an electronic apparatus for the treatment of body imperfections, generally designated by the reference numeral <NUM> in the block diagram in <FIG>, comprises at least one device <NUM> which is provided with:.

The electronic board <NUM> is connected to a programmable control unit CU (only shown schematically in the block diagram of <FIG>) in order to vary the parameters for driving at least one among the plate-like electrode <NUM>, the piezoelectric transducer <NUM> and the laser sources <NUM>.

The laser sources <NUM> can be conventional diodes and, advantageously, the device <NUM> comprises six such diodes. In this embodiment, in which the plate-like electrode <NUM> has an oval profile, the six laser sources <NUM> are arranged in two groups of three along the mutually opposite long sides of the oval.

With reference to <FIG>, in the electronic apparatus <NUM> according to the invention the laser sources <NUM> (depicted overall by a single block in <FIG>) are connected in series to each other and in parallel with the piezoelectric transducer <NUM>, so that the laser sources <NUM> and the piezoelectric transducer <NUM> are driven by the same voltage signal. Advantageously, the characteristics of the voltage signal, in particular the frequency, the duty cycle and the peak voltage, are defined by the control unit CU, with the possibility for the user to adjust the duty cycle.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the piezoelectric transducer <NUM> is subjected to a voltage having a square waveform with a duty cycle equal or proximate to <NUM>%, preferably at least above <NUM>%, and, in order to forestall the risk of overheating of the internal components of the device <NUM>, particularly of the electronic board <NUM>, owing to the return of the ultrasound, the device <NUM> is provided with a heat sink <NUM> which is associated with the electronic board <NUM>.

According to a preferred embodiment, the electronic board <NUM> is supported parallel to the plate-like electrode <NUM> above the piezoelectric transducer <NUM>, and the heat sink <NUM> comprises a metallic lamina which in turn is supported above, and parallel to, the electronic board <NUM> in a position that is spaced apart from the latter, preferably by means of a pair of spacer columns <NUM>. It should be understood that in the present description and in the claims, terms like "above" or "below" should be understood to take the contact surface 12a of the plate-like electrode <NUM> as the lower reference point.

The plate-like electrode <NUM> receives a signal that arrives from the control unit CU and is filtered through the electronic board <NUM>. The waveforms that produce the electrostimulation can be square or sinusoidal, and the effect obtained (draining, reduction of cellulite blemishes, and other possible correlated effects) derives from the carrier frequency, which can be further modulated at other frequencies.

The device <NUM> is provided with a frame <NUM> made of transparent material, preferably plastic material such as ABS, which has a flat base <NUM>. The plate-like electrode <NUM> rests parallel on a lower surface 26a (<FIG>) of the flat base <NUM>, advantageously with the interposition of an annular gasket <NUM>. The laser sources <NUM> are soldered to the electronic board <NUM> and facing an upper surface 26b of the flat base <NUM>, preferably at respective calibrated recesses <NUM>, so that the respective laser beams are irradiated through the transparent material of the frame <NUM> from a lower flat annular surface 24a (<FIG>) of the latter, which surrounds the contact surface 12a of the plate-like electrode <NUM>. Advantageously, the lower flat annular surface 24a is substantially coplanar with the contact surface 12a.

The flat base <NUM> also has a central opening 26c which surrounds the piezoelectric transducer <NUM>.

A perimeter wall 26d provided with engagement openings <NUM> (<FIG>) rises from the outer edge of the flat base <NUM>.

A pair of threaded pegs 12c rise perpendicularly from the upper face 12b of the plate-like electrode <NUM>, opposite to the contact surface 12a. The threaded pegs 12c are inserted into respective first through holes 26e of the flat base <NUM> and second through holes 20e of the electronic board <NUM> (<FIG>). The frame <NUM> is sandwiched between the plate-like electrode <NUM> and the electronic board <NUM> and tightened with a pair of nuts <NUM> screwed onto the threaded pegs 12c above the electronic board <NUM>.

The device <NUM> is provided with a cover <NUM> molded from plastic material, which is adapted to be mounted on the frame <NUM> and, to this end, is provided with teeth <NUM> (<FIG>) which engage by snap action in the engagement openings <NUM>.

Advantageously, the control unit CU is not incorporated in the device <NUM> but is located in a remote position, in a manner that is per se known.

The device <NUM> is connected to the control unit CU by a wire <NUM> inserted into a gland <NUM> which has an annular support portion 40a which, in the assembled configuration, encircles the perimeter wall 26d and remains sandwiched between the frame <NUM> and the cover <NUM>.

When the cover <NUM> is applied, advantageously the contact surface 12a and the lower flat annular surface 24e of the frame <NUM> remain in view.

Typically, during a session a plurality of devices <NUM> of the type described above can be applied simultaneously on the body of the user, e.g., sixteen or twenty-four devices distributed in pairs, each one of which is capable of simultaneously executing electrostimulation, ultrasound and laser irradiation treatments.

In particular, the plate-like electrode <NUM>, being placed against the piezoelectric transducer <NUM> with the interposition of only the sheet of mica <NUM>, ensures a high transmission of the acoustic wave of the ultrasound. To the foregoing is added the action of the laser sources <NUM> which, by virtue of their specific arrangement around the plate-like electrode <NUM> described previously, can simultaneously irradiate the same regions of the body that are already subjected to electrostimulation and to ultrasound. As the person skilled in the art will be able to appreciate, the action of the laser sources <NUM> arranged around the plate-like electrode <NUM> does not interfere with the electrostimulation and the ultrasound.

By virtue of the connection in parallel of the laser sources <NUM> (which are connected to each other in series) with the piezoelectric transducer <NUM>, the important advantage is obtained of using the same electric voltage to power different means of generation of output (in the example described herein, a piezoelectric transducer and six laser diodes) and obtain combined effects on the human body.

At the same time, the heating caused by the returning ultrasound, which is particularly high owing to the duty cycle substantially equal to <NUM>% of the square wave that drives the ultrasound and the laser, is effectively dissipated by the heat sink <NUM>, so as not to compromise the performance and reliability of the system.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, but obviously the person skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations within the scope of protection of the claims.

For example, the plate-like electrode <NUM> and the frame <NUM> can have different profiles from the oval profiles shown here for the purposes of example, e.g., circular profiles, rectangular profiles etc..

Furthermore it should be noted that, only for electrostimulation, in order to close the circuit it would be sufficient to associate the device <NUM> with an electrode of conventional type provided with its own electronics (generally designated by <NUM>' in <FIG>), although it is preferable to use a second, identical device in order to maximize the efficacy of the treatment.

The lower perimeter surface 24a could be slightly retracted instead of being coplanar with respect to the contact surface 12a.

It is also understood that the electronic apparatus described herein, although it is predominantly conceived for beauty treatments, could also be applied in other sectors, in particular in the electromedical sector.

Claim 1:
An electronic apparatus for the treatment of body imperfections, comprising at least one device (<NUM>) provided with:
- a plate-like electrode (<NUM>) made of an electrically conductive material, which is provided with a contact surface (12a) adapted to come into contact with the body of a user subjected to the treatment, and is subjected to a voltage with a modulated waveform for generating controlled electrical pulses by interacting with a closing electrode (<NUM>') which is also applied to the body of the user,
- a piezoelectric transducer (<NUM>) which is fixed to said plate-like electrode (<NUM>) on the opposite side with respect to said contact surface (12a) and is subjected to a voltage with a modulated waveform for generating ultrasound,
- means of electrical insulation (<NUM>) interposed between said plate-like electrode (<NUM>) and said piezoelectric transducer (<NUM>),
- a plurality of laser sources (<NUM>) subjected to a voltage with a modulated waveform for emitting respective laser beams having a predetermined wavelength depending on the type of laser treatment to be performed, and
- an electronic board (<NUM>), to which said plate-like electrode (<NUM>), said piezoelectric transducer (<NUM>) and said laser sources (<NUM>) are connected,
said electronic board (<NUM>) being connected to a control unit (CU) which is programmable to vary the driving parameters of at least one among said plate-like electrode (<NUM>), said piezoelectric transducer (<NUM>) and said laser sources (<NUM>), characterized in that said laser sources (<NUM>) are arranged externally to the perimeter of said plate-like electrode (<NUM>) at a position that does not interfere with the electro stimulation and the ultrasound, and are connected in series to each other and in parallel with said piezoelectric transducer (<NUM>), so that said laser sources (<NUM>) and said piezoelectric transducer (<NUM>) are driven by a same voltage signal.