Temperature-dependent adhesion between applicator and skin during cooling of tissue

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020100935-A1
Application number	US-201916693273-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 23, 2019
Priority date	Jan 7, 2016
Publication date	Apr 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and apparatus in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention includes applying adhesive onto skin of a human subject. An applicator is then brought into contact with the adhesive such the adhesive is disposed between the applicator and the subject's skin. The applicator is activated to cool a tissue region via the subject's skin, via the heat-transfer surface of the applicator, and via the adhesive. While the tissue region cools, the adhesive also cools, thereby reversibly strengthening adhesion between the subject's skin and the heat-transfer surface and forming a strong bond therebetween. The strengthened adhesion inhibits any movement of the applicator relative to the skin. After cooling the tissue region, the adhesive is warmed, thereby weakening the adhesion which allows the heat-transfer surface of the applicator to be easily separated from the skin.

First claim

1 .- 27 . (canceled)

28 . A composite structure for use with an applicator, the composite structure comprising:
an adhesive including—
a modified or unmodified saccharide, and
a viscosity-reducing agent,
wherein the adhesive has a first level of tensile adhesion to human skin at 20° C., the adhesive has a second level of tensile adhesion to human skin at −10° C., and the second level of tensile adhesion is greater than the first level of tensile adhesion by a factor of at least 1.25; and
an absorbent substrate carrying the adhesive.

29 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the second level of tensile adhesion is greater than the first level of tensile adhesion by a factor of at least 2.

30 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the modified or unmodified saccharide is a modified or unmodified monosaccharide.

31 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the modified or unmodified saccharide is modified or unmodified fructose.

32 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the modified or unmodified saccharide is modified or unmodified glucose.

33 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein:
the saccharide is a first saccharide; and
the adhesive includes a modified or unmodified second saccharide different than the first saccharide.

34 . The composite structure of claim 33 wherein the first saccharide is fructose, and wherein the second saccharide is glucose.

35 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the adhesive contains less than 3% w/w water.

36 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the viscosity-reducing agent is a glycol.

37 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the viscosity-reducing agent is glycerol.

38 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein a viscosity of the adhesive at −10° C. is greater than a viscosity of the adhesive at 20° C. by at least 1,000% on a centipoise scale.

39 . The composite structure of claim 38 wherein the viscosity of the adhesive at −10° C. is greater than the viscosity of the adhesive at 20° C. by at least 10,000% on a centipoise scale.

40 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the adhesive has a glass transition temperature colder than −20° C.

41 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein a thermal conductivity of the adhesive at 20° C. is less than a thermal conductivity of the adhesive at −10° C.

42 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein a thermal conductivity of the adhesive at −5° C. and a thermal conductivity of the adhesive at −20° C. differ by less than 2% on a watts-per-meter-kelvin scale.

43 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the substrate is a stretchable fabric including either metal fibers or carbon fibers.

44 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the substrate is a stretchable fabric including fibers having a thermally conductive coating.

45 . The composite structure of claim 28 , further comprising a moisture impermeable package containing the adhesive and the substrate.

46 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the adhesive includes a gelling agent.

47 . The composite structure of claim 46 wherein the gelling agent is either a polysaccharide or a protein.

48 . The composite structure of claim 28 wherein the adhesive includes thermally conductive particles having an average effective diameter greater than 100 nanometers, and wherein the adhesive is a suspension at room temperature.

49 . The composite structure of claim 48 wherein the particles are configured to be magnetically shifted in situ to increase a thermal conductivity of the adhesive.

50 . A system for cooling a tissue region of a human subject having skin to damage tissue at the tissue region, the system comprising:
an applicator having a heat-transfer surface, wherein the applicator is configured to cool the tissue region via its heat-transfer surface and via the subject's skin to damage tissue at the tissue region; and an adhesive configured to be disposed between the heat-transfer surface of the applicator and the subject's skin when the applicator is operably positioned for cooling the tissue region, wherein the adhesive includes a modified or unmodified saccharide and a viscosity-reducing agent.

51 . The system of claim 50 wherein the modified or unmodified saccharide is a modified or unmodified monosaccharide.

52 . The system of claim 50 wherein the modified or unmodified saccharide is modified or unmodified fructose.

53 . The system of claim 50 wherein the modified or unmodified saccharide is modified or unmodified glucose.

54 . The system of claim 50 wherein:
the saccharide is a first saccharide; and
the adhesive includes a modified or unmodified second saccharide different than the first saccharide.

55 . The system of claim 54 wherein the first saccharide is fructose, and wherein the second saccharide is glucose.

56 . The system of claim 50 wherein the adhesive contains less than 3% w/w water.

57 . The system of claim 50 wherein the viscosity-reducing agent is a glycol.

58 . The system of claim 50 wherein the viscosity-reducing agent is glycerol.

59 . The system of claim 50 wherein the adhesive has a glass transition temperature colder than −20° C.

60 . A system for cooling a tissue region of a human subject having skin, the system comprising:
an applicator having a heat-transfer surface, wherein the applicator is configured to cool the tissue region via its heat-transfer surface and via the subject's skin; and an adhesive configured to be disposed between the heat-transfer surface of the applicator and the subject's skin when the applicator is operably positioned for cooling the tissue region, wherein the adhesive has a viscosity less than 500,000 centipoise at 20° C., a viscosity greater than 3,000,000 centipoise at −15° C., and a glass transition temperature colder than −20° C.

61 . The system of claim 60 wherein the adhesive has a first level of tensile adhesion to human skin at 20° C., the adhesive has a second level of tensile adhesion to human skin at −10° C., and the second level of tensile adhesion is greater than the first level of tensile adhesion by a factor of at least 1.25.

62 . The system of claim 60 wherein the adhesive has a first thermal conductivity at 20° C., the adhesive has a second thermal conductivity at −10° C., and the second thermal conductivity is greater than the first thermal conductivity.

63 . The system of claim 60 wherein the adhesive has a first thermal conductivity at −5° C., the adhesive has a second thermal conductivity at −20° C., and the first and second thermal conductivities differ by less than 2% on a watts-per-meter-kelvin scale.

64 . The system of claim 60 wherein the adhesive includes a gelling agent.

65 . The system of claim 64 wherein the gelling agent is either a polysaccharide or a protein.

66 . The system of claim 60 wherein the adhesive includes thermally conductive particles having an average effective diameter greater than 100 nanometers, and wherein the adhesive is a suspension at room temperature.

67 . The system of claim 6

Assignees

• Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc

Inventors

• Debenedictis Leonard C
• Zeng Like
• Frangineas Jr George
• Jimenez Lozano Joel N

Classifications

• A61F2007/0009

  Throat or neck · CPC title

• A61F2007/0056

  for cooling · CPC title

• A61F2007/029

  Fat cell removal or destruction by non-ablative heat treatment · CPC title

• A61F2007/0239

  using vacuum · CPC title

• A61F2007/0226

  adhesive, self-sticking · CPC title