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» Obscure Patent
of the Week - 12/20/04
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Method and device stimulating the activity of hair follicles [ HTML ]
US Patent No. 6,666,878 - Issued December 23, 2003
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This invention is a method of stimulating the hair follicles through
the use of radiation. The radiation in question is a light source.
Performing the method essentially requires the arrangement of at
least two essentially parallel rows of light sources, which are then
moved repeatedly over the area of skin to be treated in order to
create a pulsating stimulation of the hair follicles. Apparently
shinning light on the head of an individual will cause blood to be
drawn to the are and then cause the hair follicles to be rejuvinated.
Perhaps this will become the latest rage in hair re-growth, but it
does seem a little too simple. If it is not useful as a hair
re-growth method perhaps it could be useful to burn the scalp of bald
people. In any event, whatever the utility, one would think that the
patent examiner could use the sun (i.e., the big star in the sky) as
a prior art reference.
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» Patent Abstract
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The present invention relates to a security mailbox. The mailbox
includes an inner and an outer sleeve which are slidably engaged with
one another. Each sleeve has an alternating pattern of an opaque
portion and a transparent portion. When the transparent portions are
aligned with one another, the user is able to view the contents of
the mailbox. The mailbox additionally includes a remote control for
activating the power source, which slides the inner sleeve underlying
the outer sleeve. In combination with a latch mechanism, this remote
control also enables the user to open the mailbox door from a
considerable distance away.
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» Guts of the Invention
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The Summary of the Invention says in part:
In particular the present invention demonstrates the construction and
use of such a device for the purpose of treating the scalp area of a
person. The invention includes the use of a carefully designed helmet
equipped with low power laser or light emitting diode devices which
are mounted singularly or in groups and move according to a
predetermined pattern as directed by the invention in order to
reactivate and improve hair production from the hair follicles of the
treated person. Similar devices, not intended for the scalp area and
constructed according to the principle of the invention may be used
to treat follicles in and in the vicinity of wounded skin in order to
accomplish faster healing of wounds and to assist healing of wounds
that have a tendency to heal slowly or not at all.
One embodiment of a device of the present invention utilized for the
treatment of the follicles of the scalp area comprises an outer
helmet and an inner helmet where the inner helmet is equipped with a
number of low power laser modules. The inner helmet is mounted on a
rail in such a way that it can move back and forth in one direction
or the other. The rail as described may be fixed, alternatively, it
is in itself movable in order to accomplish a non-linear path of
light for the lasers exposing the scalp area of a head positioned in
the helmet. Electric motors and electronic control circuits govern
the movement of the inner helmet in such a way that the scalp area
being under exposure receives an evenly distributed amount of laser
or light emitting diode light. It is essential to the invention that
it presents a way of using direct laser light exposure rather than
light which has been diverted through an array of optical fibers.
Furthermore the invention gives a guarantee that no single area is
more exposed to laser light than any other. While the rotation of the
inner helmet ensures that the complete scalp area is exposed to the
laser or light emitting diode light, the system also causes the scalp
area to be exposed in waves of light rather than constant exposure
which increases the stimulatory effect at the same time as it
decreases the risk for pain or discomfort to the person under
treatment. It is believed that the pulsation in itself triggers the
brain to give results.
The main purpose of the above embodiment of the invention is to
provide a helmet equipped with light sources such as laser modules or
light emitting diodes which can be used to expose the scalp area of a
person to such light in order to stimulate and reactivate production
of hair from the hair follicles of the scalp. This treatment in
itself is designed to increase the circulation of blood in the
follicle area and to cause nerve, muscle and other stimulation in
order to enhance and speed up the normal life and production cycle of
the follicles so exposed. The treatment is also aimed at assisting
the accomplishment of a natural hormonal balance and normal secretion
of the sebaceous glands.
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Obscure Patent
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