Devices And Methods For Treating Skin
Patent No. US11865287 (titled "Devices And Methods For Treating Skin") was filed by Us Bank Trust Company Na on Jan 9, 2023.
What is this patent about?
’287 is related to the field of skin treatment , specifically apparatuses and methods for treating a person's skin. Traditional methods like dermabrasion and microdermabrasion abrade the skin to smooth blemishes, but can be messy, painful, and may require anesthetics. Existing microdermabrasion techniques often remove moisture from the skin, requiring subsequent application of moisturizing creams.
The underlying idea behind ’287 is to provide a skin treatment system that can deliver multiple treatment fluids sequentially to a handpiece for treating skin. This is achieved through a manifold system within a console that can hold multiple fluid sources (e.g., bottles) and selectively deliver fluid from one or more of these sources to the handpiece. The handpiece also incorporates a vacuum to remove waste and treatment fluids.
The claims of ’287 focus on a system comprising a console, a handpiece, and a fluid control block . The console is configured to receive multiple fluid containers, and the fluid control block selectively draws fluid from these containers and delivers them sequentially to the handpiece. The handpiece is also connected to a vacuum source for waste removal. The system allows for the sequential delivery of different treatment fluids to the skin.
In practice, the system allows an aesthetician to select different treatment fluids (e.g., skin rejuvenation serum, salicylic acid serum, antioxidant serum) stored in separate containers within the console. The console's manifold system, controlled via a user input device, then directs the selected fluid to the handpiece. The handpiece, when applied to the skin, delivers the fluid while simultaneously applying a vacuum to remove waste, including dead skin cells and used treatment fluid.
This approach differs from prior art by enabling a more controlled and customizable skin treatment process. Instead of simply abrading the skin or applying a single moisturizing cream, the ’287 system allows for a sequence of treatments, each with a specific fluid designed for a particular purpose (e.g., exfoliation, hydration, antioxidant protection). The sequential delivery and vacuum-assisted waste removal provide a cleaner and potentially more effective skin treatment compared to traditional methods.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the mid-2000s when ’287 was filed, skin abrasion techniques were commonly implemented using either dermabrasion or microdermabrasion. At a time when systems commonly relied on mechanical rubbing to remove the outer layer of skin, efforts were being made to decrease the mess caused by process waste, such as removed skin and blood, by adding a suction element.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner indicated that claim 2 was amended to incorporate allowable subject matter from claim 3, which was cancelled. Claims 6-14 are dependent on claim 2 and are allowable over the prior art. Claims 15-25 were indicated as allowable in a previous office action, and double patenting rejections have been overcome by a terminal disclaimer. Claim 26 was amended to incorporate allowable subject matter from claim 29 and intervening claim 28, which were both cancelled. Claims 27, 30, and 31 are dependent on claim 26 and are allowable over the prior art. Claim 32 is newly presented and contains the limitations of allowable claim 7, intervening claim 6, and independent claim 2. Claim 7 was indicated as allowable in the previous office action. Claims 33-42 are dependent on claim 32 and are allowable over the prior art. Claim 43 is newly presented and contains the limitations of allowable claim 14, intervening claim 13, and independent claim 2. Claim 14 was indicated as allowable in the previous office action. Claims 44-51 are dependent on claim 43 and are allowable over the prior art.
Claims
This patent contains 45 claims, of which claims 1, 11, 22, 26, and 37 are independent. The independent claims generally focus on systems and apparatuses for treating skin using a console, handpiece, and multiple fluid containers to deliver treatment fluids. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features, components, and control mechanisms of the systems and apparatuses described in the independent claims.
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Date
Description
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US11865287
- Application Number
- US18094884
- Filing Date
- Jan 9, 2023
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Mar 29, 2026
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents