HK1216623B - Hand-held device for electrically powered skin treatment - Google Patents

Description

Hand-held device for electric skin care

Technical Field

The invention relates to a hand-held device for electrical skin treatment, comprising:

a first external electrode which is in contact with the hand when the device is held by the user for use,

a second external electrode, which may be placed on the skin site to be treated,

a battery, during operation of the device, a pole of the battery being electrically connected to the electrode,

a compartment for accommodating a battery, whereby the compartment is covered by a shell-like housing cover, the outside of which forms a part of the outer area of the device housing.

Background

One such device is described in WO 2005/087308 a 1. To use the device, the user picks up the device and places a cover, which serves as a second electrode, over the skin site to be treated. Conductive contact is made with the hand by means of the first electrode and with the skin site to be treated by means of the second electrode. Since both electrodes are connected to one pole of the electrical energy source, respectively, an electrical circuit is created which comprises the body of the user, wherein a positive or negative current flows from the cover into the skin site to be treated, depending on the polarity.

This can be used to improve the efficacy of the treatment and cleaning creams, since the active ingredients of the treatment cream are transferred to the skin by the current and, when the polarity is reversed, dirt is transferred from the skin to the cleaning cream.

The known device is battery powered. Generally, the batteries used do not have a very high capacity, since a larger capacity battery increases the weight of the device, which means that additional load is added to the user when using the device.

Basically, battery chargers are known which provide such devices with a rechargeable battery and provide for charging the battery. However, such battery chargers are often lost, resulting in not being readily available to the user when desired.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention is therefore based on the object of modifying the known device so that it is always usable, whereby no comfort is lost when using the device.

In order to solve the problem, the invention proposes:

the battery is a rechargeable battery and the battery is,

a charging circuit is arranged on the power supply device,

the compartment for accommodating the batteries is covered by a removable compartment cover, the inner side of which is directed towards the batteries in the compartment and on the outer side of which a connector socket having at least two poles is arranged, an

The compartment cover is located within the housing cover.

By using the mentioned means, the effect is achieved that the battery can be charged by connecting it to the power supply via the connector socket, whereby the built-in charging circuit controls the charging process. To this end, the housing cover is removed, thereby exposing the connector receptacle for connecting it with the charging cable.

The connector socket allowing the supply of electric current is a connector socket according to the USB standard. This is particularly common in the computer field. Thus, the device can be easily connected to a computer via a USB cable to charge the battery.

In order to protect the battery from moisture and still provide easy access to the connector socket, the invention proposes: the upper end of the compartment is formed by a circumferential web; the housing cover has on its inner side circumferentially opposite webs of the same contour as the webs, whereby the opposite webs enclose the webs on their outer side; and a compartment cover is disposed inside the opposing webs.

Furthermore, it is intended to use a compartment cover to fix the battery also in the compartment. To this end, the invention proposes: the compartment cover abuts the inside of the housing cover.

A particularly simple arrangement is achieved if the compartment cover has an outer contour corresponding to the inner contour of the web, so that the compartment cover is located inside the compartment.

If the compartment cover is formed with a connector housing on its outside, the connector housing is open towards the underside of the compartment cover and has a housing opening in one of its side walls; a connector board with a connector socket is inserted into the connector housing, whereby the opening for the connector is located in front of the housing opening, and the two-pole connector socket or the USB connector socket, respectively, is received in a space-saving manner.

The charging circuit may be arranged on the connector board.

The device has a user-operated switching device which makes electrical connection of the power supply to the electrodes and is arranged on a main board inside the device. Therefore, as an alternative embodiment, the charging circuit may also be accommodated on the motherboard.

In order to keep the battery charging interval as long as possible, it must be ensured that the power consumption of the device is minimized to the greatest possible extent. This is particularly critical if the device comprises a vibrator for vibrating a second electrode placed on the skin site to be treated.

In order to minimize the power consumption of the device, in which the vibrator is arranged near the second electrode, the invention proposes:

the driver of the vibrator is switchably connected to the battery,

and provides:

means for detecting the current flowing through the second electrode,

a switch connecting the driver of the vibrator to the battery, an

A control device for the switch, wherein the control device is designed such that the switch is closed only when a current flows through the second electrode.

In other words, the vibrator is only switched on when the second electrode is placed on the skin site to be treated and the current flows through the skin via the second electrode. The flow of this current is detected and used by the control means to activate the switch.

The apparatus may be implemented electronically. This means that the switches are designed as transistors.

The described features of the switching operation of the driver for the vibrator can also be used with devices that do not have means for loading the battery, in which case the battery is accommodated in a different manner than described above. Thus, the feature of the switching operation of the driver for the vibrator forms an independent modification.

Drawings

The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to exemplary embodiments.

Fig. 1 shows two perspective views (front and side) of a device according to the invention comprising a hand-held base and a cover to be laid on the skin to be treated with a platform;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view through the battery compartment, compartment cover, and housing cover over the compartment cover of the device;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view through a compartment cover for a compartment with a USB connector receptacle; and

fig. 4 shows a circuit for controlling a vibrator driver.

Detailed Description

Reference is first made to fig. 1. As shown in the two views in fig. 1, the device 1 according to the invention is almost as large as the palm of a hand and has a flat rectangular design. The device comprises a base 2 and a cover fitted on the base, which cover serves as a second electrode 3 in contact with the skin. A compartment 4 for accommodating a battery, which in the present exemplary embodiment serves as an energy source for operating the device 1, is located at the lower short end of the base 2.

The exchangeable cover 3 fits over the opposite, upper short end of the base 2, which end is narrower than the lower end. A button 5 for selecting care items is arranged on the front side of the base 2, the selected care items being displayed on a display 6 positioned above the base. A first electrode 7 with a large surface area is located on the rear side and above this is a key 8 for actuating a chuck by which the cover 3 is held on the base 2.

The two tongues 10, 11 are formed on the upper edge of the cover 3 and together form a platform 13, which platform 13 is inclined to the base 12 of the cover 3. The upper side of the platform 13 forms a continuous surface which can be placed on the skin and is provided with ribs 14.

As shown in fig. 2, the housing of the device 1 comprises two half-shells 70, 71, which half-shells 70, 71 are put together to form a closed housing, wherein a bottom area of the housing is substantially formed by an edge portion of one of the half-shells 70. At this edge, access to the compartment 72 is provided, in which compartment 72 the rechargeable battery 73 is inserted. The compartment 72 is formed by a circumferential web 74 on an edge portion of the half shell 70. In the compartment 72, the batteries 73 are placed side by side and anti-parallel to each other.

A housing cover 75 in the shape of a half shell covers the compartment 72. To this end, the housing cover 75 also comprises, on its inner side, circumferentially opposite webs 76, which opposing webs 76 are fixed to the webs 74 on the half-shells 70. In this arrangement, the outer contour of the housing cover 75 is shaped to form a smooth transition to the outer contour of the half shells 70, 71.

In the compartment 72 itself, a compartment cover 77 is also provided, which compartment cover 77 rests on the battery 73, for which purpose it comprises a groove-like indentation 78 on its inner side and a recess forming a connector housing 79 on its outer side. The connector housing 79 rests on the inside of the housing cover 75, so that in this way a retaining force is exerted on the battery 73 when the housing cover 75 with its opposing web 76 is fixed to the circumferential web 74.

As can be seen from fig. 3, the connector housing 79 is hollow and open towards the underside of the compartment cover 77. On the wall of the connector housing 79, there is a housing opening 80. A connector board (81) having a USB connector receptacle 82 is inserted in the connector housing 79 such that the opening for the connector is located in front of the housing opening 80. The connector board 81 or a connector socket 82 on the connector board 81 is connected via a cable 83 with the battery 73 or with a main board (not shown here) in the base 2, on which control circuitry for the device 1 is arranged.

The cable 83 is of sufficient length so that, when the rechargeable battery is connected via a USB cable to a power source, such as in a computer or laptop, for charging the battery, the compartment cover 77 may be removed for insertion and repositioning of the rechargeable battery 73 and also for access to the connector housing 79. The USB standard is one that allows not only the transfer of data streams, but also the transfer of currents up to 100 mA (and also rates up to 900 mA according to the new USB-3 specification), the voltage of the power supply of a particular device connected to the USB connector being 5V.

The charging circuit may be arranged on the connector board if possible, but it may also be arranged on the main board.

A rechargeable battery is particularly advantageous if, in addition to supplying power to the electrodes, the device also has a vibrator for vibrating the second electrode 3 (cover) to be placed on the skin.

In order to reduce the power consumption of the device, an electronic circuit is provided as shown in fig. 4, with which the driver of the vibrator is switched on only when the current is passed through the second electrode 3.

As can be taken from fig. 4, the driver 90 of the vibrator is connected in series with the collector/emitter/path of the transistor 91. A control voltage is applied to the base 92 of the transistor 91. If the control voltage is present, the transistor is turned on and thus, a current flows through the driver. If there is no voltage at base 92, transistor 91 blocks and driver 90 is therefore turned off.

The switching voltage at the base 92 is supplied by a control circuit which detects whether current is flowing to the second electrode by a detector.

This can be achieved in a simple way, for example by placing a resistor in the current loop of the second electrode, whereby the voltage drop at this resistor is used to generate the voltage signal for the base 92 of the transistor 91.

List of reference numerals

1 apparatus

2 base

3 second electrode/cover

4 compartments

5 push button

6 display

7 first electrode

8 push-button

10 tongue

11 tongue

12 base of closure

13 platform

14 Ribs

70 half shell

71 half shell

72 Compartment

73 cell

74 Web plate

75 casing cover

76 opposed webs

77 Compartment lid

78 indentation

79 connector shell

80 housing opening

81 socket board

82 connector socket

83 Cable

90 driver

91 transistor

92 base electrode

Claims (10)

1. A hand-held device for electrical skin treatment, comprising:

a first electrode (7), the first electrode (7) being in contact with a hand of a user when the device is held in the hand for use,

a second electrode (3), the second electrode (3) being placeable on an area of skin to be treated,

a battery, poles of the battery being electrically connected to the first and second electrodes during operation of the device,

a compartment (72) for accommodating the battery, whereby the compartment is covered by a shell-like housing cover (75), the outside of which forms a part of the outer area of the device housing,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the battery is a rechargeable battery (73),

a charging circuit is arranged on the power supply device,

the compartment (72) is covered by a removable compartment cover (77), the inner side of which is directed towards the battery (73) in the compartment and on the outer side of which a connector socket having at least two poles is arranged, and

the compartment cover (77) is located within the housing cover (75).

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the connector receptacle is a connector receptacle (82) according to the USB standard.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper end of the compartment (72) is formed by a circumferential web (74); the housing cover (75) has on its inner side a circumferentially opposite web (76) of the same contour as the web (74), whereby the opposite web (76) surrounds the web (74) on its outer side; and the compartment cover (77) is arranged inside the counter web (76).

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the compartment cover (77) abuts the inner side of the housing cover (75).

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the compartment cover (77) has an outer contour corresponding to the inner contour of the web (74), so that the compartment cover (77) is located inside the compartment (72).

6. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the compartment cover (77) forms a connector housing (79) on its outer side, the connector housing (79) being open towards the lower side of the compartment cover (77) and having a housing opening (80) in one of its side walls; and inserting a connector board (81) having the connector receptacle (82) in the connector housing (79), whereby the opening for the connector is located in front of the housing opening (80).

7. The arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the charging circuit can be arranged on the connector board (81).

8. A device according to claim 6, characterized in that the device has user-operated switching means which enable electrical connection of the power supply to the first electrode (7) and the second electrode (3) and which are arranged on a main board inside the device; and the charging circuit is disposed on the motherboard.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2,

in the device, a vibrator is arranged in the vicinity of the second electrode (3), whereby a driver of the vibrator is switchably connected to the battery;

means are provided for detecting the current flowing through the second electrode (3),

a switch is provided to connect the driver of the vibrator to the battery (73), an

A control device for the switch is provided, wherein the control device is designed such that the switch is closed only when a current flows through the second electrode (3).

10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the switch is designed as a transistor (91).