EP1690465B1 - Apparatus in form of a tunnel for hardening nail enamel and UV lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

The ultraviolet tunnel hardening unit (1), includes a UV lamp inside its casing (2). The lamp holder is coded in its formation, such that only use with a matching, correspondingly-coded lamp formation is permitted. The UV wavelength is 380 nm. Various forms of matching, coded formations are described, one example being a holder projection fitting into a matching lamp recess or vice versa. A suitable lamp is also claimed.

Description

The use of UV light curable nail gels is known for beautifying the fingernails. Also known for this purpose are so-called tunnel hardening devices, which essentially comprise a housing with a housing opening and accommodated in the interior of the housing, emitting UV light electric lamps, for example gas discharge lamps.

For the purposes of the invention, nail gel or nail polish is to be understood as meaning a plastic material which is applied to nails and then crosslinked under the action of UV light, so that the gel forms a natural nail covering and reinforcing cosmetic coating.

Known is a device for curing nail gel using UV light ( US-A-5,130,551 ). This known device consists essentially of a shaped as a handle housing, which can be overlapped by the respective user with one hand and on which a UV lamp is provided in parallel and spaced from a gripping surface of the housing on which the user's fingers Curing the nail gel rest. The UV lamp consists of a tube-like lamp body made of glass forming the gas discharge gap with two lamp sockets provided at each end of the lamp body, which engage in a respective device-side lamp socket.

Also known is a screwed into a lamp mount starter device for a detachably connected to this device gas discharge lamp (energy saving lamp). This is embodied on a lamp cap with a projection which can be introduced into a recess of the starter device, which in turn has a recess forming an encoding into which a projection provided in the recess of the starter device engages when the gas discharge lamp is connected to the starter device. A tunneling device for curing nail gels and a suitable for such a device UV lamp are not described.

To harden the gel applied to the fingernails, the corresponding hand is introduced through the housing opening into the device or into an irradiation space formed by the interior of the housing, so that the gel then hardens after switching on the UV lamps.

The object of the invention is to show a tunnel device, which allows an optimal curing of a nail gel or nail polish without the risk of injury to the user.

To solve this problem, a tunnel hardening device according to the patent claim 1 is formed. A UV lamp for such a device is the subject of claim 9.

In the invention, the tunnel hardening apparatus for the at least one UV lamp on a lamp socket, which is provided with a socket-side coding, so that only suitable for this device UV lamps can be used. The at least one UV lamp of the tunnel curing apparatus, for example, designed so that the light emitted by the UV lamp light has a wavelength of 380 nanometers (nm), that is in a wavelength range, the optimal curing of nail gel or without the risk of damage to health Nail polish effect, in a minimized curing time.

• 
  dass die fassungsseitige Kodierung und/oder die lampenseitige Kodierung von einem Vorsprung und die passende lampenseitige Kodierung und/oder fassungsseitige Kodierung von einer Öffnung oder Ausnehmung gebildet ist, und/oder
• 
  dass die fassungsseitige Kodierung und die lampenseitige Kodierung jeweils in einer Ebene vorgesehen sind, zu der die Öffnung der Fassung und/oder der Sockel der Lampe spiegelsymmetrisch ausgebildet ist, und/oder
• 
  dass die fassungsseitige Codierung von in die Öffnung der Lampenfassung hineinragenden Wandabschnitten gebildet ist, und/oder
• 
  dass die lampenseitige Codierung an einem in eine Öffnung der Fassung (6a) passend einsetzbaren zapfenartigen Sockelabschnitt (15) gebildet ist, der an einer das freie Ende des Sockeabschnittes bildenden Teilabschnitt (15.2) eine von dem restlichen Sockelabschnittes (15.1) abweichenden, allerdings innerhalb der Umfangskontur des restlichen Sockelabschnittes (15.1) liegenden Querschnitt besitzt,
  und/oder
• 
  dass die die lampenseitige Codierung bildende Teillänge des Sockelabschnittes einen polygonalen, insbesondere einen achteckigen Querschnitt aufweist, der beispielsweise so ausgebildet ist, dass zwei senkrecht zueinander orientierte sowie jeweils senkrecht zu zwei Querschnittsseiten orientierte Achsen eine unterschiedliche Länge aufweisen,
  und/oder
• 
  dass die die lampenseitige Codierung bildende Teillänge eine axiale Länge aufweist, die wenigstens etwa gleich der Länge der stiftförmige Lampenkontakte ist,
  und/oder
• 
  dass die Fassung (6a) zur Bildung der fassungsseitigen Codierung für den zapfenartigen Sockelabschnitt (15) einen Öffnungsabschnitt (17.1) bildet, dessen Querschnitt an den Querschnitt der die lampenseitige Codierung bildenden Teillänge (15.2) angepasst sind,
  und/oder
• 
  dass der Sockelabschnitt (15) des Lampensockels (8a) außerhalb der die lampenseitige Codierung bildenden Teillänge (15.2) einen rechteckförmigen Querschnitt aufweist.

In a further development of the invention, for example, features listed below are possible individually or in any desired combination, namely

• 
  in that the socket-side coding and / or the lamp-side coding is formed by a projection and the matching lamp-side coding and / or socket-side coding by an opening or recess, and / or
• 
  that the socket-side coding and the lamp-side coding are each provided in a plane to which the opening of the socket and / or the Base of the lamp is mirror-symmetrical, and / or
• 
  in that the frame-side coding is formed by wall sections projecting into the opening of the lamp socket, and / or
• 
  in that the lamp-side coding is formed on a pin-like base section (15) which can be suitably inserted into an opening in the socket (6) and which differs from the rest of the base section (15.1) at a section (15.2) forming the free end of the socket section Peripheral contour of the remaining base section (15.1) has lying cross-section,
  and or
• 
  the partial length of the base section forming the lamp-side coding has a polygonal, in particular an octagonal cross-section, which is designed, for example, such that two axes oriented perpendicular to one another and each perpendicular to two cross-sectional sides have a different length,
  and or
• 
  that the partial length forming the lamp-side coding has an axial length which is at least approximately equal to the length of the pin-shaped lamp contacts,
  and or
• 
  the socket (6a) for forming the socket-side coding for the pin-like base section (15) forms an opening section (17.1) whose cross-section is adapted to the cross-section of the lamp-side coding forming partial length (15.2),
  and or
• 
  the base section (15) of the lamp cap (8a) has a rectangular cross-section outside the partial length (15.2) forming the lamp-side coding.

Fig. 1

in vereinfachter perspektivischer Darstellung ein Tunnelgerät zum Aushärten von Nagelgelen;

Fig. 2

in vereinfachter schematischer Darstellung einen Schnitt durch das Gehäuse des Gerätes der Figur 1;

Fig. 3

in vereinfachter Darstellung eine Lampenfassung zusammen mit einer UV-Lampe des erfindungsgemäßen Tunnelgerätes;

Fig. 4

eine Darstellung ähnlich Figur 3 bei einer weiteren möglichen Ausführungsform;

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf die Lampenfassung der Figur 4;

Fig. 6

eine Stirnansicht des Lampensockels.

Further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. The invention will be explained below with reference to the figures of embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1

in a simplified perspective view of a tunnel device for curing nail gels;

Fig. 2

in a simplified schematic representation of a section through the housing of the device of Figure 1;

Fig. 3

in a simplified representation of a lamp socket together with a UV lamp of the tunnel device according to the invention;

Fig. 4

a representation similar to Figure 3 in another possible embodiment;

Fig. 5

a plan view of the lamp socket of Figure 4;

Fig. 6

an end view of the lamp socket.

In the figures, 1 is a tunnel hardening device for curing nail gel using UV light. The device essentially consists of a housing 2 with a hood-like housing upper part 2.1 and a housing bottom 2.2 as well from the inside of the housing accommodated UV light emitting electric UV lamps or gas discharge lamps 3. At the front of the device 1, the upper housing part 2.1 forms an opening 4, through which, for example, provided with the gelled fingernails hand of a user can be introduced, namely such that when the device 1 is cured, the gel is protected, but the user is protected against harmful UV rays by the housing 2. To support the hand, a plate 5 is fixed to the bottom 2.2, which projects slightly beyond the opening 3 and forms a replaceable bottom element of the first type.

In FIG. 3, 6 shows a lamp holder for one of the UV lamps 3. In this lamp socket 6 and in the opening 7 of the base 8 of the corresponding UV lamp is inserted, for connecting the terminals 10 of the lamp 3 provided in the socket 6 contacts.

In order to prevent that for the curing device 1 not suitable UV lamps are used, the socket 6 and the base 8 have appropriate coding, which allow only the insertion of the appropriate UV lamps 3 in the lamp sockets 6. The coding is formed in the illustrated embodiment by a pin 11 at the bottom of the recess 7 and by a matching bore 12 on the end face of the base portion 9. In the illustrated embodiment, the bore 12 and the two pin-like terminals 10 of the lamp 3 are arranged in their axes in a common plane of the lamp 3. The same applies to the pin 11 and the corresponding mating contacts in the version 6, so that the insertion of the lamp 3 is facilitated in the respective version 6, since this insertion of the lamp 3 is possible in two rotated by 180 ° about the lamp longitudinal positions.

The pin 11 extends with its axis in an axial direction, in which the base 8 and the base portion 9 is inserted into the opening 7. The length of the pin 11 is chosen so that it enters the opening 12 before the lamp contacts 10 come into contact with the corresponding contacts of the socket 6, so that a non-matching lamp 3, which does not have the opening 12, not in the Version 6 can be used and not with their connections 10 with the corresponding mating connections or mating contacts of version 6 comes into contact.

FIG. 4 shows, in a representation similar to FIG. 1, a lamp socket 6a for the UV lamp 3a or, respectively, for the lamp socket 8a. The lamp base 8a is in turn made as a molded part made of plastic, with a two lamp contacts 10 having base portion 13, to which also connect the two, interconnected and the discharge path of the UV lamp 3a forming light tube sections 14 and from the pin-like base portion 15th together, which protrudes along with the pin-shaped lamp contacts 10 on the side facing away from the lamp tubes 14 side of the base portion 13 and is provided centrally between the two lamp contacts 10.

The base portion 15 is formed on its larger, adjoining the base portion 13 part length 15.2 with a substantially rectangular cross-section, in such a way that the cross-sectional sides are arranged with greater width in planes perpendicular to a longitudinal extension of the lamp contacts 10 enclosing plane are. Adjoining the free end of the base section 15 is a partial section 15.2, on which the base section 15 has an approximately octagonal cross-section, in the illustrated embodiment such that in each case two cross-sectional sides of the octagonal cross-section are flush or approximately flush with a narrower cross-sectional side of the rectangular section 15.1 and two cross-sectional sides of the octagonal cross-section are each flush with a narrower cross-sectional side of the section 15.2.

At the two narrower cross-sectional sides of the section 15.1 two locking lugs 16 are formed in the region of the transition to the section 15.2, with which the lamp cap 8a is additionally secured in the socket 6 by latching. The axial length of the partial section 15 is equal to or slightly larger than the length of the pin-shaped lamp contacts 10.

The lamp socket 6a likewise made as a molded plastic part in turn has an opening 17, in which the base portion 15 is inserted and laterally from the opening 17 two female contacts 18, in which when inserting the lamp 3a in the socket 6a each have a lamp contact 10 for supply the lamp 3a with the required operating voltage of 230 volts.

The opening 17 has adapted to the cross section of the section 15.1 a rectangular cross-section, with the two narrowing wall portions 19 defining the opening 17 and with the two, the opening 17 delimiting broader wall portions 20. The wall portions 19 are at least partially as counter-latches for the locking lugs 16 are formed. At the rear, the opening 17 is at least partially closed by a bottom 21. Wall-like projections 22 are formed on this floor as well as on the wall sections 20 and project from the floor 21 as well as from the wall sections 20 into the interior of the opening 17. The projections 22 are arranged in pairs, in each case two such projections starting from each wall portion 20. The projections 22 are provided opposite the planes of the wall portions 20 obliquely so as to define between them in the opening 17 a subspace 17.1, in which the Part 15.2 of the base portion 15 can be suitably accommodated.

Since the circumference of the subsection 15.2 is within the outer contour of the subsection 15.1, it is possible in this embodiment to insert the lamp 3a with its lamp base 8a into a lamp socket which has the rectangular opening 17 for the base section 15. In the lamp holder 6a but only lamps can be used, which have the subsection 17.2. By this appropriate coding of the lamp cap 8a and the lamp holder 6a ensures that in the curing device in question only those UV lamps 3a can be used, which are suitable for this device and thus permissible.

A special feature of the UV lamps 3 is that the UV light emitted by these lamps has a wavelength in the range of 380 nanometers. Of the The invention is based on the finding that just the wavelength of 380 nanometers on the one hand optimally chosen for curing the nail polishes or nail gels offered on the market, ie minimizes the curing of the nail polishes or nail gels offered on the market with this wavelength of UV light while at the same time avoiding the risk of damage to health.

The lamp base 8a and the lamp socket 6a are symmetrical to a plane including the axis of the terminals 10, so that insertion of the lamp 3a into the respective socket 6a is facilitated, since this insertion is possible in two positions rotated through 180 ° about the lamp longitudinal axis ,

By choosing the spectral range of the ultraviolet light emitted by the UV lamps, the largest part of which energy has the wavelength of 380 nanometers, it is also possible, while maintaining a short curing time, to reduce the light output emitted by the UV lamps, which contributes to an additional improvement in the safety of the tunnel hardening device and to avoid damage to health.

By encoding the lamp sockets 6 and 6a and lamp base 8 and 8a it is ensured that in the UV curing device only those UV lamps 3 or 3a can actually be used, which emit UV light in the range of 380 nanometers and thus Even with a reduced performance still allow the curing of nail polish or nail gel in the desired short time.

The invention has been described above by means of exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the inventive idea underlying the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

UV curing device

2

casing

2.1

hood-like housing upper part

2.2

caseback

3, 3a

UV lamp

4

housing opening

5

small filing

6, 6a

version

7

Opening of the socket 6

8, 8a

lamp base

9

base section

10

lamp contact

11

head Start

12

opening

13

base section

14

Fluorescent tube body

15

base section

15.1, 15.2

Part or partial length

16

locking lugs

17

Opening in the lamp socket

18

contacts

19, 20

wall section

21

ground

22

head Start

Claims (14)

1. Tunnel hardening apparatus for hardening nail gels with a housing (2) with at least one UV-lamp (3a) which is mounted inside the housing and which is held replaceable in a lamp holder (6a) and which engages by a socket section (15) on the lamp side into a recess (17) of the lamp holder (6a) wherein the socket section (15) forms with a cross sectional area a coding on the lamp side, and wherein in the recess (17) of the lamp holder (6a) a coding (11) is formed on the holder side whose cross-sectional form corresponds to the coding on the lamp side and thus only allows the use of UV lamps (3) which are provided with a matching coding (12) on the lamp side , characterised in that the socket section (15) forming the coding on the lamp side has an octagonal cross-section on its outer surface.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the spectrum or the wave length of the UV light of the at least one UV lamp (3) is set at 380 nanometre.
3. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the coding (17.1) on the holder side forms a stop which prevents a socket section (15) of a non-matching lamp (3a) from being inserted into the opening of the holder (6a).
4. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the lamp socket (8a) and the lamp holder are formed mirror symmetrical relative to a plane enclosing the axes of the electrical connectors (10, 18).
5. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the coding on the holder side is formed by wall sections (22) projecting into the recess (17) of the lamp holder (6a).
6. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the coding on the lamp side is formed on a stud-type socket section (15) which can be inserted with close fit into the recess (17) of the holder (6a) and which has on a part (15.2) forming the free end of the socket section (15) the cross-section which deviates from the remaining socket section (15.1) but which lies within the peripheral contour of the remaining socket section (15.1) and forms the coding on the lamp side.
7. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the length part (15.2) forming the coding on the lamp side has an axial length which is at least approximately equal to the length of the pin-like lamp contacts (10) which form the electrical connectors.
8. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the socket section (15) of the lamp socket (8a) outside of the length part (15.2) forming the coding on the lamp side has a rectangular cross-section.
9. UV-lamp with a lamp body with a lamp socket (8a) which can be inserted with a socket section (15) into a close-fitting recess (17) of a lamp holder (6a) and which is provided on the socket section (15) with a lamp-side coding (15.2) which is designed to match a holder-side coding (17.1), characterised in that the socket section (15) has on an outside face of an area forming the lamp-side coding (15.2) an octagonal cross-section.
10. Lamp according to claim 9 characterised in that the lamp socket (8a) is formed mirror symmetrical to a plane enclosing the axes of the electrical connectors (10).
11. Lamp according to claim 9 or 10 characterised in that the lamp-side coding is formed on a stud-like socket section (15) which can be inserted with close fit into an opening (17) of the holder (6a) and which has on a part (15.2) forming the free end of the socket section a cross section which deviates from the remaining socket section (15.1) but which lies inside the peripheral contour of the remaining socket section (15.1) and forms the lamp-side coding.
12. Lamp according to one of the preceding claims 9 to 11 characterised in that the length part (15.2) forming the lamp-side coding has an axial length which is at least approximately equal to the length of pin-type lamp contacts (10).
13. Lamp according to one of the preceding claims 9 to 12 characterised in that the socket section (15) of the lamp socket (8a) outside of the part (15.2) forming the lamp-side coding has a rectangular cross section.
14. Lamp according to one of the preceding claims 9 to 13 characterised in that the UV light emitted by the UV lamp has a wave length of 380 nanometre.

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