Light therapy bandage with imbedded emitters

1 . A light therapy bandage for delivering light energy to treat medical conditions in tissues comprising:

a plurality of flexible sheet circuitry, each of which is fabricated with a serpentine pattern and each of which is provided with one or more surface mounted light emitting devices that emit said light energy, wherein said flexible sheet circuitry is assembled into a substrate;

a flexible transparent material included within said substrate, which is applied such that said surface mounted light emitting devices are imbedded in said flexible transparent material;

a semi-permeable transparent membrane attached to said flexible transparent material, which controls the flow of moisture and moisture vapor to and from said tissues;

a plurality of vapor channels which extend from said semi-permeable transparent membrane and through said substrate; and

wherein said light energy passes through said substrate and said semi-permeable membrane to be incident to said tissues, and wherein said moisture vapor passes through said semi-permeable membrane and said vapor channels and into the surrounding environment.

2 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said semi-permeable transparent membrane is a polyurethane based thin film.

3 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said semi-permeable transparent membrane is removable.

4 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said semi-permeable membrane minimizes the passage of bacteria and controls the rate of moisture vapor transmission.

5 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said vapor channels are nominally orthogonal to a plane nominally common with said flexible sheet circuitry.

6 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said surface mounted light emitting devices emit red light, infrared light from the spectral range of 700-1300 nm, or some combination thereof.

7 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said surface mounted light emitting devices are LEDs, laser diodes, SLDs, or other compact light emitting devices, or combinations thereof.

8 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said flexible sheet circuitry is fabricated with an encapsulating polymer material, such as a polyamide, and wherein said flexible sheet circuitry has outer surfaces which are roughened by appropriate means, such as mechanical abrasion or chemical etching.

9 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein an outer surface of said substrate, which is oriented closest to said surrounding environment, has a layer of polyester (mylar) film applied to it.

10 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said substrate further comprises an arrangement of reinforcement threads to improve the mechanical integrity of said light therapy bandage.

11 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said flexible transparent material comprises a solid sheet like polymer material, such as a polyurethane.

12 . A light therapy bandage as in claim i wherein said flexible transparent material comprises either a foam or a gel.

13 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 12 wherein a surface of said foam in proximity to said semi-permeable transparent membrane is processed to be nominally smooth and continuous.

14 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 12 wherein a thin polymer sheet is applied to between said gel and said semi-permeable membrane, to seal said gel within said light therapy bandage.

15 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 12 wherein said gel is a water absorbing gel, such as a hydrocolloid gel.

16 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein an optical diffuser, or a volume with optical diffusing properties, is provided within said substrate, between said surface mount light emitting diodes and said semi-permeable transparent membrane.

17 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 which further comprises a thermal control means for said light therapy bandage, comprising, either individually or in combination, the use of remote current limiting resistors, thermal vias within said flex circuitry for extracting heat from said surface mounted light emitting devices, and low duty cycle operation of said surface mounted light emitting devices.

18 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein an intermediate bandage portion is attached to said substrate as an interface between said substrate and a controller.

19 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein operation of said bandage in provided by a controller.

20 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said surface mount light emitting diodes are connected by said flex circuitry to facilitate localized spatial pattern control of said light energy application.

21 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein an intermediate bandage portion is attached to said substrate as an interface between said substrate and a controller.

22 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said light therapy bandage is used as a primary dressing or bandage for treatment of said medical condition.

23 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 1 wherein said light therapy bandage is a secondary dressing or bandage, which is used in conjunction with a primary dressing or bandage for treatment of said medical condition.

24 . A light therapy bandage for delivering light energy to treat medical conditions in tissues comprising:

a plurality of flexible sheet circuitry, each of which is provided with one or more surface mounted light emitting devices that emit said light energy, wherein said flexible sheet circuitry is assembled into a substrate;

a flexible transparent material included within said substrate, which is applied such that said surface mounted light emitting devices are imbedded in said flexible transparent material;

a semi-permeable transparent membrane attached to said flexible transparent material, which controls the flow of moisture and moisture vapor to and from said tissues;

a plurality of vapor channels which extend from said semi-permeable transparent membrane and through said substrate;

wherein said light energy passes through said substrate and said semi-permeable membrane to be incident to said tissues, and wherein said moisture vapor passes through said semi-permeable membrane and said vapor channels and into the surrounding environment; and

wherein said flexible transparent material comprises an optically clear foam or gel.

25 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 24 wherein said flexible sheet circuitry is fabricated with a serpentine pattern.

26 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 24 which further comprises a thermal control means for said light therapy bandage, comprising, either individually or in combination, the use of remote current limiting resistors, thermal vias within said flex circuitry for extracting heat from said surface mounted light emitting devices, and low duty cycle operation of said surface mounted light emitting devices.

27 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 24 wherein said gel is a water absorbing gel, such as a hydrocolloid gel.

28 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 24 wherein said semi-permeable transparent membrane is a polyurethane based thin film.

29 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 24 wherein said semi-permeable membrane minimizes the passage of bacteria and controls the rate of moisture vapor transmission.

30 . A light therapy bandage for delivering light energy to treat medical conditions in tissues comprising:

a plurality of flexible sheet circuitry, each of which is provided with one or more surface mounted light emitting devices that emit said light energy, wherein said flexible sheet circuitry is assembled into a substrate;

a flexible transparent material included within said substrate, which is applied such that said surface mounted light emitting devices are imbedded in said flexible transparent material;

a semi-permeable transparent membrane attached to said flexible transparent material, which controls a flow of moisture and moisture vapor to and from said tissues;

a plurality of vapor channels which extend from said semi-permeable transparent membrane and through said substrate;

a thermal control means for said light therapy bandage, comprising, either individually or in combination, remote current limiting resistors, thermal vias within flex circuitry for extracting heat from said surface mounted light emitting devices, and low duty cycle operation of said surface mounted light emitting devices; and

wherein said light energy passes through said substrate and said semi-permeable membrane incident to said tissues, and wherein said moisture vapor passes through said semi-permeable membrane and said vapor channels and into a surrounding environment.

31 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 30 wherein said flexible sheet circuitry is fabricated with a serpentine pattern.

32 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 30 wherein said semi-permeable transparent membrane is a polyurethane based thin film.

33 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 30 wherein said semi-permeable membrane minimizes passage of bacteria and controls a rate of moisture vapor transmission.

34 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 30 wherein said flexible transparent material comprises a solid sheet like polymer material, such as a polyurethane.

35 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 30 wherein said flexible transparent material comprises either a foam or a gel.

36 . A light therapy bandage for delivering light energy to treat medical conditions in tissues comprising:

a plurality of flexible circuits, each of which comprises one or more surface mounted light emitting devices that emit said light energy, wherein said flexible circuits are assembled into a substrate;

a flexible transparent material included within said substrate, wherein said surface mounted light emitting devices are imbedded in said flexible transparent material;

a thermal control means for said light therapy bandage, comprising, either individually or in combination, remote current limiting resistors, thermal vias within said flexible circuits for extracting heat from said surface mounted light emitting devices, and low duty cycle operation of said surface mounted light emitting devices; and

wherein said light energy passes through said substrate incident to said tissues.

37 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 36 wherein said flexible circuits are fabricated with a serpentine pattern.

38 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 36 wherein said flexible transparent material comprises a solid sheet like polymer material.

39 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 36 wherein said flexible transparent material comprises either a foam or a gel.

40 . A light therapy bandage for delivering light energy to treat medical conditions in tissues comprising:

a plurality of flexible sheet circuitry, each of which is provided with one or more surface mounted light emitting devices that emit said light energy, wherein said flexible sheet circuitry is assembled into a substrate;

a flexible transparent material included within said substrate, wherein that said surface mounted light emitting devices are imbedded in said flexible transparent material;

a semi-permeable transparent membrane attached to said flexible transparent material, which controls a flow of moisture and moisture vapor to and from said tissues;

a plurality of vapor channels which extend from said semi-permeable transparent membrane and through said substrate;

a thermal control means for said light therapy bandage to minimize a thermal load originating within said light therapy bandage; and

wherein said light energy passes through said substrate and said semi-permeable membrane incident to said tissues, and wherein said moisture vapor passes through said semi-permeable membrane and said vapor channels.

41 . A light therapy bandage as in claim 40 wherein said thermal control means comprises, either individually or in combination, remote current limiting resistors, thermal vias within said flex circuitry for extracting heat from said surface mounted light emitting devices, or low duty cycle operation of said surface mounted light emitting devices

42 . A light therapy bandage for delivering light energy to treat medical conditions in tissues comprising:

a plurality of light emitting devices, which are interconnected by drive circuitry, wherein said light emitting devices and said drive circuitry are assembled into a substrate;

a flexible transparent material included within said substrate, wherein that said light emitting devices are imbedded in said flexible transparent material;

semi-permeable transparent membrane attached to said flexible transparent material, which controls a flow of moisture and moisture vapor to and from said tissues;

a plurality of vapor channels which extend from said semi-permeable transparent membrane and through said substrate; and

wherein said light energy passes through said substrate and said semi-permeable membrane incident to said tissues, and wherein said moisture vapor passes through said semi-permeable membrane and said vapor channels.

43 . A light therapy device for delivering light energy to treat medical conditions in tissues comprising:

a substrate comprising a plurality of light emitting devices, imbedded in a flexible transparent material;

a semi-permeable transparent membrane attached to said flexible transparent material, which controls a flow of moisture and moisture vapor to and from said tissues;

a plurality of vapor channels which extend from said semi-permeable transparent membrane and through said substrate;

a controller which controls operation of said light therapy device;

a thermal control means for said light therapy device to minimize the thermal load originating within said light therapy bandage; and

wherein said light energy passes through said substrate and said semi-permeable membrane incident to said tissues, and wherein said moisture vapor passes through said semi-permeable membrane and said vapor channels and into the surrounding environment.

44 . A light therapy device as in claim 43 wherein said thermal control means comprises, either individually or in combination, remote current limiting resistors, thermal vias within said flex circuitry for extracting heat from said surface mounted light emitting devices, and low duty cycle operation of said surface mounted light emitting devices

45 . A light therapy device as in claim 44 wherein at least a portion of said current limiting resistors are located in said controller.