초록

A handpiece has a handpiece assembly and includes a handpiece housing. An insert is detachably coupled to the handpiece housing. The insert includes an RF electrode with a conductive portion and a dielectric.

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What is claimed is: 1. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including an RF electrode with a conductive portion and a dielectric between the conductive portion and a skin surface when the RF el

What is claimed is: 1. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including an RF electrode with a conductive portion and a dielectric between the conductive portion and a skin surface when the RF electrode is positioned at the skin to provide for passage of energy through the dielectric to the skin surface; and a cooling fluidic medium dispensing assembly coupled to the insert and the handpiece housing, wherein the cooling fluidic medium dispensing assembly includes a fluid delivery member coupled to a cooling fluidic medium valve member and the cooling fluidic medium valve member is positioned in the insert. 2. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; and an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including an RF electrode with a conductive portion and a dielectric, the dielectric capacitively coupling energy from the RF electrode to a skin surface; and a force sensor coupled to the RF electrode, the force sensor configured to zero out gravity effects of the weight of the RF electrode. 3. The handpiece of claim 2, wherein the force sensor is configured to detect an amount of force applied by the RF electrode against a surface. 4. The handpiece of claim 2, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide an indication of RF electrode contact with a skin surface. 5. The handpiece of claim 2, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide a signal indicating that a force applied by the RF electrode to a contacted skin surface is below a minimum threshold. 6. The handpiece of claim 2, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide a signal indicating that a force applied by the RF electrode to a contacted skin surface is above a maximum threshold. 7. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; and an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including an RF electrode with a conductive portion and a dielectric, a tissue interface surface and a back surface; and a force sensor coupled to the RF electrode, wherein the force sensor is configured to zero out gravity effects of the weight of the RF electrode in any orientation of a front surface of the RF electrode relative to a direction of gravity. 8. A handpiece comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; and an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including an RF electrode with a conductive portion and a dielectric, a tissue interface surface and a back surface; a force sensor coupled to the RF electrode; and a tare button coupled to the force sensor. 9. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; and an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including an RF electrode with a conductive portion and a dielectric between the conductive portion and a skin surface when the RF electrode is positioned at the skin to provide for passage of enemy through the dielectric to the skin surface and wherein the RF electrode includes a flex circuit. 10. A handpiece comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; and an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including an RF electrode with a conductive portion and a dielectric between the conductive portion and a skin surface when the RF electrode is positioned at the skin, the RF electrode including a flex circuit; and wherein the flex circuit is configured to isolate flow of a cooling fluidic medium from a back surface of the RF electrode to the skin surface. 11. A handpiece comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; and an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including an RF electrode with a conductive portion and a dielectric between the conductive portion and a skin surface when the RF electrode is positioned at the skin, the RF electrode including a flex circuit; and wherein the flex circuit is configured to create a reservoir for a cooling fluidic medium that gathers at the back surface of the RF electrode. 12. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing; and an RF electrode at least partially positioned in the insert, the RF electrode including a flex circuit, the RF electrode having a conductive portion and a dielectric that is positioned between the conductive portion and a skin surface when the RF electrode is positioned at the skin surface, the dielectric positioned to provide for passage of energy through the dielectric to a tissue surface. 13. The handpiece of claim 12, further comprising: a cooling fluidic medium dispensing assembly coupled to the insert and the handpiece housing. 14. The handpiece of claim 13, wherein the cooling fluidic medium dispensing assembly includes a fluid delivery member coupled to a cooling fluidic medium valve member. 15. The handpiece of claim 14, wherein the cooling fluidic medium valve member is positioned in the handpiece assembly. 16. The handpiece of claim 14, wherein the cooling fluidic medium valve member is positioned in the insert. 17. The handpiece of claim 14, wherein the fluid delivery member is positioned in the handpiece housing. 18. The handpiece of claim 14, wherein the fluid delivery member is positioned in the insert. 19. The handpiece of claim 14, wherein the fluid delivery member includes a nozzle. 20. The handpiece of claim 14, wherein the fluid delivery member is configured to deliver a controllable amount of cooling fluidic medium to the RF electrode. 21. The handpiece of claim 14, wherein the fluid delivery member is configured to controllably deliver a cooling fluidic medium to a back surface of the RF electrode. 22. The handpiece of claim 14, wherein the cooling fluidic medium valve member is configured to provide a pulsed delivery of a cooling fluidic medium. 23. The handpiece of claim 14, wherein the cooling fluidic medium valve member includes a solenoid valve. 24. The handpiece of claim 12, wherein the insert includes a vent. 25. The handpiece of claim 12, further comprising: a force sensor coupled to the RF electrode. 26. The handpiece of claim 25, wherein the force sensor is configured to detect an amount of force applied by the RF electrode against a surface. 27. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing; and an RF electrode positioned in the insert, the RF electrode including a flex circuit and have a conductive portion and a dielectric, the dielectric positioned to provide for passage of energy through the dielectric to a tissue surface; a cooling fluidic medium dispensing assembly with a valve member and coupled to the insert and the handpiece housing; and wherein the dispensing assembly is configured to controllably deliver fluid to a backside of the RF electrode to evaporatively cool the RF electrode and conductively cool the skin surface in contact with a front side of the RF electrode; and wherein the flex circuit includes a dielectric and trace components. 28. The handpiece of claim 27, wherein the dispensing assembly is configured to controllably deliver the fluid to the backside of the RF electrode at substantially any orientation of the front side of the RF electrode relative to a direction of gravity. 29. The handpiece of claim 27, wherein the RF electrode is sufficiently sealed to minimize flow of a cooling fluidic medium the fluid from the back surface of the RF electrode to a skin surface in contact with the front surface of the RF electrode. 30. A handpiece comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing; and an RF electrode at least partially positioned in the insert, the RF electrode including a flex circuit; and a force sensor coupled to the RF electrode, wherein the force sensor is configured to zero out gravity effects of the weight of the RF electrode. 31. The handpiece of claim 30, wherein the force sensor is configured to zero out gravity effects of the weight of the RF electrode in any orientation of a front surface of the RF electrode relative to a direction of gravity. 32. The handpiece of claim 30, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide an indication of RF electrode contact with a skin surface. 33. The handpiece of claim 30, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide a signal indicating that a force applied by the RF electrode to a contacted skin surface is below a minimum threshold. 34. The handpiece of claim 30, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide a signal indicating that a force applied by the RF electrode to a contacted skin surface is above a maximum threshold. 35. The handpiece of claim 30, further comprising: a tare button coupled to the force sensor. 36. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing; and an RF electrode at least partially positioned in the insert, the RF electrode including a flex circuit; wherein the flex circuit is configured to isolate flow of a cooling fluidic medium from a back surface of the RF electrode to a front surface of the RF electrode. 37. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing; and an RF electrode at least partially positioned in the insert, the RF electrode including a flex circuit; wherein the flex circuit is configured to create a reservoir for a cooling fluidic medium that gathers at a back surface of the RF electrode. 38. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including a flex circuit and an RF electrode that includes a conductive portion and a dielectric positioned to provide capacitive coupling between the conductive portion and a tissue surface and provide for passage of energy through the dielectric to the tissue surface. 39. The handpiece of claim 38, wherein the RF electrode is sufficiently sealed to minimize flow of a cooling fluidic medium from a back surface of the RF electrode to a skin surface in contact with a front surface of the RF electrode. 40. The handpiece of claim 38, wherein the insert includes a vent. 41. The handpiece of claim 38, further comprising: a force sensor coupled to the RF electrode. 42. The handpiece of claim 41, wherein the force sensor is configured to detect an amount of force applied by the RF electrode against a surface. 43. The handpiece of claim 41, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide an indication of RF electrode contact with the tissue surface. 44. The handpiece of claim 41, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide a signal indicating that a force applied by the RF electrode to the tissue surface is below a minimum threshold. 45. The handpiece of claim 41, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide a signal indicating that a force applied by the RF electrode to the tissue surface is above a maximum threshold. 46. The handpiece of claim 38, wherein the RF electrode is configured to be capacitively coupled to the tissue surface when at least a portion of the RF electrode is in contact with the tissue surface. 47. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including a flex circuit and an RF electrode that includes a conductive portion and a dielectric positioned to provide capacitive coupling between the conductive portion and a tissue surface; a force sensor coupled to the RF electrode; and wherein the force sensor is configured to zero out gravity effects of the weight of the RF electrode. 48. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including a flex circuit and an RF electrode that includes a conductive portion and a dielectric positioned to provide capacitive coupling between the conductive portion and a tissue surface; and a force sensor coupled to the RF electrode wherein the force sensor is configured to zero out gravity effects of the weight of the RF electrode in any orientation of a front surface of the RF electrode relative to a direction of gravity. 49. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including a flex circuit and an RF electrode that includes a conductive portion and a dielectric positioned to provide capacitive coupling between the conductive portion and a tissue surface; a force sensor coupled to the RF electrode; and a tare button coupled to the force sensor. 50. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including a flex circuit and an RF electrode that includes a conductive portion and a dielectric positioned to provide capacitive coupling between the conductive portion and a tissue surface; and wherein the flex circuit is configured to isolate flow of a cooling fluidic medium from a back surface of the RF electrode to a front surface of the RF electrode. 51. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including a flex circuit and an RF electrode that includes a conductive portion and a dielectric positioned to provide capacitive coupling between the conductive portion and a tissue surface; and wherein the flex circuit is configured to create a reservoir for a cooling fluidic medium that gathers at a back surface of the RF electrode. 52. An RF apparatus, comprising: a housing; and an RF electrode coupled to the housing, the RF electrode including a conductive portion and a dielectric portion that capacitively couples the conductive portion to a tissue surface; a flex circuit coupled the RF electrode; and wherein the dielectric is positioned to provide for passage of energy through the dielectric to the tissue surface. 53. The RF apparatus of claim 52, further comprising: a cooling fluidic medium dispensing assembly coupled to the housing. 54. The RF apparatus of claim 53, wherein the cooling fluidic medium dispensing assembly includes a valve member. 55. The RF apparatus of claim 54, wherein the valve member is positioned in the housing. 56. The RF apparatus of claim 55, wherein the cooling fluidic medium dispensing assembly includes a nozzle. 57. The RF apparatus of claim 53, wherein the dispensing assembly is configured to deliver a controllable amount of cooling fluidic medium to the RF electrode. 58. The RF apparatus of claim 53, wherein the dispensing assembly is configured to controllably deliver a cooling fluidic medium to a back surface of the RF electrode. 59. The RF apparatus of claim 52, further comprising: a force sensor coupled to the RF electrode. 60. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing; and an RF electrode positioned in the insert, the RF electrode including a flex circuit and have a conductive portion and a dielectric, the dielectric positioned to provide for passage of current through the dielectric and not directly to a tissue; and a cooling fluidic medium dispensing assembly with a valve member and coupled to the insert and the handpiece housing; and wherein the dispensing assembly is configured to controllably delivery fluid to a backside of the RF electrode to evaporatively cool the RF electrode and conductively cool a skin surface in contact with the front side of the RF electrode. 61. A handpiece, comprising: a handpiece assembly including a handpiece housing; an insert detachably coupled to the handpiece housing, the insert including a flex circuit and an RF electrode that includes a conductive portion and a dielectric positioned to provide capacitive coupling between the conductive portion and a tissue surface, the dielectric positioned to provide for passage of current through the dielectric and not directly to a tissue.