Cold Plasma Treatment Devices and Associated Methods

Abstract

A cold plasma treatment device for delivery of a cold plasma to patient treatment area. Gas is fed to a gas compartment where it is energized by an electrode coupled to a pulse source to thereby generate a cold plasma. A dielectric barrier is sandwiched between the gas compartment and the electrode to form a dielectric barrier discharge device. The cold plasma exits the gas compartment via a bottom member having a plurality of holes. Gases that can be used include noble gases such as helium or combinations of noble gases.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cold plasma treatment device comprising:
 a body having a gas compartment therein, the gas compartment communicatively coupled to a gas inlet port;   a non-conductive bottom member having a plurality of openings, wherein the plurality of openings is communicatively coupled to the gas compartment;   a dielectric barrier discharge device formed by an electrode disposed adjacent to an insulating barrier, the insulating barrier in turn disposed adjacent to the gas compartment and the electrode coupled to a high voltage electrical input port; and   a unipolar multi-frequency power source coupled to the high voltage electrical input port.   
     
     
         2 . The cold plasma treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode and the gas compartment are on opposing sides of the insulating barrier. 
     
     
         3 . The cold plasma treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein a first surface of the non-conductive bottom member and a second surface of the insulating barrier share a common shape. 
     
     
         4 . The cold plasma treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein a first surface of the non-conductive bottom member, a second surface of the insulating barrier and a third surface of the electrode have a same surface area. 
     
     
         5 . The cold plasma treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the unipolar multi-frequency power source comprises a dual-resonant transformer, the dual-resonant transformer having a primary circuit resonance at a first frequency and a secondary circuit resonance at a second frequency. 
     
     
         6 . The cold plasma treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is flat. 
     
     
         7 . The cold plasma treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is flexible. 
     
     
         8 . The cold plasma treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is polygonal in shape. 
     
     
         9 . The cold plasma treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is oval in shape. 
     
     
         10 . The cold plasma treatment device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a manipulation element attached to the body, wherein the manipulation element is one of a handle, a semi-automatic manipulation actuator, and an automatic manipulation actuator.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving a gas into a gas compartment within a body, the gas received via a gas inlet port;   receiving electrical energy from a unipolar multi-frequency power source;   energizing the received gas within the gas compartment to generate a cold plasma by applying the electrical energy via a high voltage electrical input, port to an electrode adjacent to an insulating barrier, the insulating barrier sandwiched between the electrode and the gas compartment; and   outputting the cold plasma via a plurality of openings in a non-conductive bottom member, wherein the plurality of openings communicatively coupled to the gas compartment.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the electrode and the gas compartment are on opposing sides of the insulating barrier. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a first surface of the non-conductive bottom member and a second surface of the insulating barrier share a common shape. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a first surface of the non-conductive bottom member, a second surface of the insulating barrier and a third surface of the electrode have a same surface area. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein receiving electrical energy from a unipolar multi-frequency power source includes receiving electrical energy from a unipolar multi-frequency power source that comprises a dual-resonant transformer, the dual-resonant transformer having a primary circuit resonance at a first frequency and a secondary circuit resonance at a second frequency. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is flat. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is flexible. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is polygonal in shape. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the non-conductive bottom member is oval in shape. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 applying the cold plasma to a treatment area using a manipulation element, wherein the manipulation element is one of a handle, a semi-automatic manipulation actuator, and an automatic manipulation actuator.