EP2363539A1 - Device and method for use in bodily hygiene, in particular showering, bathing or washing hands - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has a capsule inserted into the device, and a piston pump (11) for conveying substances e.g. shampoo, shower gel and soap, stored in the capsule. The capsule has chambers for storing the respective substances, and a chamber is connected with an outlet of the device. A capsule holder supports the capsule in a rotatable manner, and an opening device opens the capsule. An upper wall and/or a lower wall of the capsule is made from plastic or metal i.e. aluminum. The upper wall or lower wall has a circular-cross section, where the capsule has height smaller than 3 cm or 2 cm. An independent claim is also included for a method for body caring during showering, hand washing and bathing.

Description

The invention relates to a device for use in personal hygiene, in particular when showering, bathing or washing hands, a related method, and a capsule.

Shower or shower systems are typical components of modern bathrooms.

Conventional shower or shower systems make it possible to "sprinkle" a person using the shower or shower system with cold, warm or hot water.

The water is usually supplied to the respective shower system via a mixer tap or mixing fitting.

As a mixer or mixer tap technical devices are referred to in which by one or more handles operated valves mixing of liquids or gases, so in the case of shower systems, the mixing of hot and cold water.

The sprinkling with water in a shower system is used especially for body care, but also for relaxation and well-being.

Showering today, to a certain extent, replaces bathing. Many apartments no longer have a bathtub but a shower cubicle.

There are free-standing shower cubicles with a small tub, but also showers that are integrated into bathtubs.

Today's showers often have massage showers that are fed with hot and / or cold water from a single-lever or single lever mixer tap.

Common accessories for showering, bathing or washing hands are soap, shampoo, shower gel, balm, etc.

A particular disadvantage is that conventional containers for soap, shampoo, shower gel, balm, etc. are relatively large, ie, that in them a relatively large amount of the respective desired ingredient (soap, shampoo, shower gel, balm) is stored.

In order to prevent a waste of soap, shampoo, shower gel, balm, etc., the respective user of the soap, shampoo, shower gel, balm, etc. will usually use a new soap, shampoo, shower gel, balm, etc. when the particular old soap, shampoo, shower gel, balm, etc. is completely or almost completely used up.

This leads to a very limited flexibility when showering, bathing or washing hands.

The invention has for its object to provide a novel device, a novel capsule, and a novel method for use in personal care, especially when showering, bathing or washing hands.

It achieves this and other objects by the subject-matter of claims 1, 8, 12, 13.

Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for use in personal care, in particular when showering, bathing or washing hands, which is designed and arranged such that a capsule can be inserted into the device.

The capsule may have a single chamber to provide a single ingredient - e.g. a particular shampoo, and / or shower gel, and / or balm, and / or soap - to store, or - particularly advantageous - several chambers.

Furthermore, the capsule, in particular, for example, when its ingredient is used up, may be replaced with a new capsule, i. be replaced.

Fig. 1

eine schematische beispielhafte Darstellung eines DuschSystems, bei dem die Vorrichtung zur Verwendung zur Körperpflege gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung verwendet werden kann;

Fig. 2

eine schematische beispielhafte Darstellung einer in eine Vorrichtung zur Verwendung zur Körperpflege einsetzbaren Kapsel;

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Detailansicht einer Vorrichtung zur Verwendung zur Körperpflege gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung im montierten Zustand;

Fig. 4

eine perspektivische Detailansicht der in Figur 3 gezeigten Vorrichtung zur Verwendung zur Körperpflege im demontierten Zustand;

Fig. 5

eine Schnittansicht der in Figur 4 gezeigten Vorrichtungs-Teile; und

Fig. 6

eine schematische Darstellung einer nach dem Konzept einer Wasserstrahlpumpe arbeitenden Vorrichtung.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to several embodiments and the accompanying drawings. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1

a schematic exemplary illustration of a shower system in which the device for use for personal care according to an embodiment of the present invention can be used;

Fig. 2

a schematic exemplary representation of a usable in a device for use in personal care capsule;

Fig. 3

a detailed perspective view of a device for use for personal care according to an embodiment of the present invention in the assembled state;

Fig. 4

a detailed perspective view of in FIG. 3 shown apparatus for use for personal care in the disassembled state;

Fig. 5

a sectional view of in FIG. 4 shown device parts; and

Fig. 6

a schematic representation of a working according to the concept of a water jet pump device.

FIG. 1 shows schematically and by way of example a shower system 10 in which a body care appliance 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be used.

The personal care appliance 1 may, in principle, be used in any shower system 10, e.g. in a shower system with shower cubicle, in a walk-in shower, in a large-capacity shower, etc.

The shower system 10 may include a waterproof curtain ("shower curtain") and / or one or more sliding doors or hinged doors to isolate the shower system from the environment to protect it from splash water.

The shower system 10 may be e.g. to act a walk-in or floor-level shower. The wall and floor of the shower area are tiled or otherwise covered in a watertight manner; The floor is slightly inclined towards the drain. This design also allows use with wheelchairs or other walking aids. Other handicapped accessible additions may be seating and handholds.

Instead of a shower system 10, the body care device 1 may alternatively be used e.g. also be used in a system with a bath, in particular in a bathtub provided with a shower system, or e.g. also in a system with sink or bidet (seat sink), etc.

The o.g. Shower cabin, the o.g. walk-in shower, the o.g. Bathtub, the o.g. Open-plan shower, the o.g. Washbasin, bidet (sink etc.) may e.g. in a bathroom of an apartment or a residential building, or in any other place, e.g. in a public or private bathhouse, in a hotel, a motel, a pension, a restaurant, in a fitness club, in the shower rooms of a sports club, etc., etc.

As in FIG. 1 is shown, the above shower system 10 may have a mixer or mixer 2.

In principle, any mixer tap or mixing valve can be used as a mixer tap or mixing valve, eg according to FIG FIG. 1 a one-handed or Single-lever mixer tap with or without thermostat, or any other mixer tap, eg a mixer tap with sensor instead of lever control. The mixer can be arranged eg in the bathroom, or in any other place, eg in the basement.

In the mixer tap or mixing valve 2 can be introduced via a hot water connection correspondingly hot, and a cold water connection correspondingly cold water.

In the mixer tap or mixing valve 2, the mixing of the hot and cold water can be regulated via valves operated by one or more handles.

In this way, the temperature of the over the mixer tap or mixing valve 2 via a pipe or a hose 30a a shower head 30 supplied water can be adjusted according to the wishes of the user of the device 1, and / or the supplied amount of water.

Instead of the in FIG. 1 shown shower head 30 with a - removable from a fixed to the wall of the shower system 10 holder - hand shower can be used in principle any other shower head, for example, a fixedly attached to the wall or the ceiling of the shower shower head, etc.

In the FIG. 1 shown body care device 1 may be firmly connected to the shower system 10 (or the above-mentioned system with bath, sink, bidet, etc.), for example, in a detachable or non-detachable manner on a wall of the shower system or the shower cubicle (or a wall of the above-mentioned system with bathtub, washbasin, bidet, etc.), and / or on the above-mentioned hinged door, sliding door, curtain, etc., and / or any other door or wall, in particular on a near the above systems (shower system 10, system with bath, sink, bidet, etc.) located door or wall, such as a wall or door closer than 4m, in particular closer than 2m or 1 m to the respective Shower, bath, sink, bidet, etc. is arranged.

For example, the device 1 for use in personal care - in particular its housing 16 (see above) - may have one or more suction cups, with which the device 1 at the o.g. Wall / door / curtain etc. can be attached.

Alternatively, the body care device 1 - particularly its housing 16 (see above) - may also be adhesively bonded, e.g. using adhesive tape on the o.g. Wall / door / curtain etc. are attached.

In further alternative variants, the device 1 for use for personal care - in particular the housing 16 (see below) - by means of appropriate screw and / or plug connections with the above wall / door / curtain be connected, for example, by the fact that the above wall, door, etc. is provided with holes are inserted into the corresponding dowel, in the - the device 1 holding - screws are screwed.

Alternatively, the device 1 for personal care use may be e.g. also by means of nails at the o.g. Wall, door etc. can be attached, or in any other way.

In other variants can be dispensed with an attachment of the device 1 - for example, the device 1 can be placed on the floor or an edge of the corresponding shower or shower tray, bath, sink, bidet, or on a near the shower or shower tray , Bath, washbasin, bidet, etc. arranged fitting, furniture, etc. (especially on a piece of furniture, a fitting, etc., the / closer than 4m, in particular closer than 2m or 1 m to the respective shower, bathtub, sink, Bidet, etc. is arranged).

In other alternative embodiments, the device 1 may also be integrated into a mixer tap or mixing fitting, and / or in the above wall, and / or the above piece of furniture, and / or the above shower tray, the above bath, the above-mentioned washbasin, the above-mentioned bidet , Etc.

In FIG. 2 FIG. 2 shows a schematic exemplary representation of a capsule 7 which can be inserted into the device 1 for use in personal care.

As it turned out FIG. 2 gives the capsule 7 can be configured similar to a capsule used in a coffee machine for supplying coffee.

For example, the capsule 7 may be substantially cylindrical in shape, or in any other way, e.g. cube-shaped, etc. etc.

The lateral outer wall 7a of the capsule 7 may e.g. be made of plastic, and / or of a metal, e.g. Aluminum, etc.

Similarly, the upper wall 7b of the capsule 7, and / or the lower wall of the capsule 7 can also be made e.g. be made of plastic, and / or of a metal, e.g. Aluminum, etc.

According to FIG. 2 For example, the bottom wall, and / or the top wall 7b of the capsule 7 may have a circular cross-section (or any other cross-sectional shape, eg, elliptical, square, rectangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, etc.).

The capsule 7 is relatively small: For example, the height h of the capsule 7 may be less than 5cm or 4cm, especially less than 3cm or 2cm. Corresponding For example, the diameter d of the capsule 7 may be smaller than 6cm or 5cm, especially smaller than 4cm or 2cm, etc.

The total amount of ingredient (soap, and / or shampoo, and / or shower gel, and / or balm) stored in the capsule 7 is thus relatively small, e.g. less than 100ml or 50ml, especially less than 30ml or 10ml, etc.

In particular, the particular amount of ingredient is chosen so that it is sufficient for a single showering, and / or bathing, and / or hand washing, but not for several such operations.

Alternatively, the particular amount of ingredient may be chosen to be sufficient for only a relatively few showering, bathing, and / or hand washing operations, e.g. only for two to ten, in particular two to four, but not for several such operations.

The capsule 7 may have a single chamber to provide a single ingredient - e.g. a specific shampoo, and / or shower gel, and / or balm - to store.

Alternatively, the capsule 7 may have a plurality of chambers, for example 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 or more chambers.

In each chamber, an ingredient of different types may be stored, e.g. a shampoo in a first chamber, a shower gel in a second chamber, a balm in a third chamber, etc.

Alternatively or additionally, in each case two or more chambers, different ingredients of the same kind may be stored, e.g. in a first chamber a first shampoo, in a second chamber a second, different from the first shampoo shampoo, and / or in a third chamber a third, different from the first and second shampoo shampoo, and / or in another chamber a first shower gel, and / or in an additional chamber, a second, different from the first shower gel shower gel, and / or in yet another chamber, a third, different from the first and second shower gel shower gel, etc.

The chambers may all be of substantially equal size and / or each store substantially the same amount of ingredient; alternatively some chambers may be larger and other chambers smaller, with a larger chamber e.g. may be more than 10% or 20%, in particular more than 50% or 100% larger than a smaller chamber.

The above-mentioned different ingredients of the same type (eg the above-mentioned first and second and third shampoo, the above-mentioned first and second and third shower gel, etc.) may differ, for example, with regard to the respective fragrance note, or in any other way.

In order to produce the respective - possibly different - fragrance notes, the corresponding (different) shampoos, (different) shower gels, (different) balms, etc. can be suitably mixed with different soluble natural essences, e.g. added essential oils of vegetable and / or animal origin, and / or correspondingly different synthetically produced fragrances, e.g. synthetic essential oils or odoriferous substances, and / or in each case different amounts of the above-mentioned. or any other basic components, etc.

The respective (different) shampoos, (different) shower gels, (different) balms, etc. can thus by different proportions of o.g. Basic constituents each have different fragrance notes, e.g. corresponding flowery-feminine, masculine, oriental, fruity, powdery, citrus or classic-elegant scents, etc., etc.

Before inserting the eg in FIG. 2 shown capsule 7 in the example in FIG. 1 shown device 1 for use for personal care is the or the ingredients of the capsule 7 - for example, the above shampoo, and / or shower gel, and / or balm - tightly enclosed by the capsule walls, in particular the above-mentioned lateral outer wall 7a of the capsule 7, and the lower and upper walls 7b of the capsule 7.

In FIG. 3 is a perspective detail view of in FIG. 1 shown apparatus 1 for use in personal care in the assembled state shown, and in FIG. 4 a detailed perspective view of the device 1 in the disassembled state; FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the in FIG. 4 shown device parts.

Like from the Figures 3 - 5 As can be seen, the device 1, for example, a housing 16, a housing cover 12 with threaded connection, a piston pump 11 with dispenser outlet 11a, a capsule holder 14 with flow hole 14a, a selector lever 17, and an intermediate plate 13.

Will the in FIG. 2 shown capsule 7, or a correspondingly similar or constructed as described above capsule inserted into the device 1, for example in the in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 shown capsule holder 14 of the device 1, the capsule 7 can be put into operation.

In particular, the capsule 7 - for example, similarly as in the case of capsules used in coffee machines - the case after inserting the capsule 7 into the device 1 are opened accordingly, for example, by a hole in one of the walls of the capsule 7 is pushed, in particular eg in its upper wall 7b (or its lower wall, or its lateral outer wall 7a, etc.), or in any other way.

The opening or piercing of the capsule 7 may e.g. by means of a pointed pen, or e.g. by means of a pointed nozzle, or in any other way.

For inserting the capsule in the device 1, for example, the housing cover 12 of the in FIG. 3 shown - closed - state are brought into an open state.

Then, the capsule 7 can be inserted into the capsule holder 14, and then the housing cover 12 is closed again, ie again in the in FIG. 3 shown state.

Advantageously, the capsule 7 is automatically opened / pierced when closing the housing cover 12, e.g. in that by the movement of the housing cover 12 when closing the o.g. Pen or the o.g. Nozzle is moved in the direction of the capsule 7 (and / or the capsule 7 in the direction of the pin / nozzle) until its or the tip of the o.g. Wall of the capsule 7 penetrates.

Thereafter, the ingredient stored in the capsule 7 can be removed, e.g. by actuating the piston pump 11, for example a pressure button formed there.

By actuating the piston pump 11, the substance is sucked out of the capsule 7 or pressed out, and, for example, through the above-mentioned wall of the capsule 7 penetrating nozzle, provided in the capsule holder 14 through hole 14a, a hole 13a in the intermediate plate 13, one or more pipes 11b in the piston pump 11 are moved in the direction of the dispenser outlet 11a, and conveyed out of an opening provided there.

The capsule 7 can be replaced by a new capsule, in particular if its ingredient is used up.

To replace the capsule 7 in the device 1, for example, the housing cover 12 of the in FIG. 3 shown - closed - state again be brought into an open state.

Then, the capsule 7 can be removed from the capsule holder 14, and a new capsule can be inserted into the capsule holder 14.

Then the housing cover 12 can be closed again, ie again in the in FIG. 3 shown state, where as explained above, the new capsule can be automatically opened / pierced.

As already mentioned above, the capsule 7 can have a single or, alternatively, a plurality of chambers.

How out FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 As can be seen, the capsule holder 14 may be rotatably mounted in the device 1, for example, such that the capsule holder 14 can be rotated about its central axis.

• Der Wählhebel 17 - insbesondere dessen unterer Teil 17a - kann z.B. (im montierten Zustand der Vorrichtung 1) durch eine Durchgangsöffnung 14b durch den Kapselhalter 14 hindurchgehend ausgebildet sein.

To rotate the capsule holder 14, the above-mentioned selector lever 17 (see FIG. Figures 3-5 ):

• The selector lever 17 - in particular its lower part 17a - may be formed, for example (in the mounted state of the device 1), through a through-opening 14b through the capsule holder 14.

When swiveling the selector lever 17 to the left or right (eg in the direction of in FIG. 3 shown arrow A) - since the lower part 17a of the selector lever 17 is arranged in the assembled state of the device 1 in the through hole 14b of the capsule holder 14 - the capsule holder 14 taken accordingly, that is, rotated to the left or right.

By turning the selector lever 17 or the capsule holder 14, the capsule 7 inserted therein can also be taken along accordingly (either directly, for example, directly through the capsule holder 14 (ie only indirectly by the rotational movement of the selector lever 17), and / or directly through the selector lever 17 (FIG. ie directly by the rotational movement of the selector lever 17)), ie, be turned to the left or right.

If the capsule 7 has a plurality of chambers, depending on the rotational position of the capsule 7, either its first chamber (eg via the throughflow hole 14a in the capsule holder 14, the hole 13a in the intermediate plate 13, and the lines 11b in FIG the piston pump 11) connected to the dispenser outlet 11a, or the second chamber (eg via a second flow hole in the capsule holder 14, the hole 13a in the intermediate plate 13, and the lines 11 b in the piston pump 11), or the third chamber (eg via a third flow hole in the capsule holder 14, the hole 13a in the intermediate plate 13, and the pipes 11b in the piston pump 11), etc., etc.

Thus, especially e.g. also during one and the same showering, bathing or hand washing operation - the user takes several different (each stored in different capsule chambers) ingredients from the capsule 7, e.g. various shampoos, and / or shower gels, and / or balsams, etc.

This allows a high degree of flexibility when showering, bathing or washing hands can be achieved.

Advantageously, the capsule 7 can be designed so that they take place in the in the FIGS. 1 . 3 - 5 shown device 1 in addition to a variety of others, similar or different to those in the FIGS. 1 . 3 - 5 Device shown ausgestaltet devices can be used, for example, as a capsule for in FIG. 6 - schematically - shown device 101, or for any other device.

The device 101 operates on the concept of a water jet pump, which in the following with reference to FIG. 6 is explained in more detail.

A water jet pump has two inputs, and one output, and consists in principle of two nested tubes 103, 104.

The tubes 103, 104 have different diameters.

With the tube 104 of larger diameter, a suction line 105 is connected.

The water inlet 101a of the device 101 acts as the first inlet of the water jet pump, and the outlet of the suction line 105, e.g. a corresponding vacuum outlet 105a.

The water outlet 101 b of the device 101 forms the output of the water jet pump.

As in FIG. 6 1, at the outlet of the pipe 103, a nozzle 103a ("blowing nozzle") is provided.

The diameter or the cross section A _{2 of} the nozzle 103 a is smaller than the diameter or cross section A _{1 of} the tube 103.

The first inlet of the aspirator, i. the o.g. Water connection 101 a supplied water is supplied via the nozzle 103 a of a mixing chamber 106 formed by the tube 104.

According to the so-called Venturi effect or the so-called Bernoulli equation, owing to the above-mentioned small diameter or cross section A _{2 of} the nozzle 103a, ie the constriction formed thereby, the flow velocity v _{2 of} the water there is higher than the flow velocity v _{1 of} FIG water in the tube 103, and the pressure p ₂ therein lower than the pressure p ₁ in the pipe 103 - at the location of the nozzle 103 (and thus also in the mixing chamber 106) creates a negative pressure _p2.

Due to the negative pressure is via the suction line 105 via the o.g. Capsule 7 provided medium ("suction medium") - here: the o.g. stored in the capsule 7 ingredient - sucked, which on the o.g. Outlet, in particular vacuum outlet 105 a of the suction line 105 of the mixing chamber 106 is supplied.

In the mixing chamber 106, turbulence occurs between the water flowing in quickly via the nozzle 103a and the surrounding medium supplied via the suction line 105; As a result, there is a mixing of the supplied via the suction line 105 medium, and the inflowing through the nozzle 103 a water. In this process, kinetic energy is transferred from the water jet to the surrounding medium, providing an effective delivery mechanism. Furthermore, it may alternatively as in conventional water jet pumps come to a nebulization process, so that then at the water outlet 101 b of the device 101, a corresponding - water, and the medium containing - exits spray (eg in accordance with other types of configuration of the water outflow 101 b) ,

In the FIG. 6 shown device 101 may, for example, on the in FIG. 1 shown manner or in any other way to the in FIG. 1 shown shower system 10, or any other shower system.

For example, the above-mentioned tube 30a of the shower system 10 may be connected to the water outlet 101b of the device 101, and the water connection 101a of the device 101 to the in FIG. 1 shown mixer tap or mixing valve 2 (which can supply the device 101 corresponding amounts of water with a correspondingly selected temperature).

Claims (14)

Device (1) for use in personal care,
especially when showering, bathing or washing hands, which designed so
and is arranged so that in the device (1) a capsule (7) can be inserted. The device (1) according to claim 1, further comprising: a pump (11) for conveying an ingredient stored in the capsule (7), and / or an outlet (11a). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: means for opening the capsule (7), and / or means (14), in particular a capsule holder for rotatably supporting the capsule (7). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the capsule (7) has a plurality of chambers. Device (1) according to claim 4, wherein, depending on the position of the capsule (7) in the device (1), another chamber is connected to an outlet (11a) of the device (1). Device (1) according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein by the pump (11) the stored in the capsule (7) ingredient without the addition of other liquids and / or gases to the outlet (11 a) of the device is promoted. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the capsule (7) a shampoo and / or a shower gel and / or a balm and / or a soap is stored. A capsule (7) which is designed and adapted to be inserted into a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and / or to a device (101) which differs therefrom. A capsule (7), in particular according to claim 8, which is designed and arranged to have a plurality of chambers. Capsule (7) according to one of claims 8 or 9, wherein in the capsule (7) a shampoo and / or a shower gel and / or a balm and / or a soap is stored. Capsule (7) according to one of claims 9 or 10, wherein in each chamber a different ingredient is stored. A system comprising: a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and a capsule (7) according to any one of claims 8 to 11. Method of use for personal care, especially when showering,
Bathing or washing hands, which has the steps: Insertion of a capsule (7) in a device (1), in particular in a device according to one of claims 1 to 8, and Conveying ingredient stored in the capsule. Method, further comprising the step of: Replacing the capsule (7) with a new capsule.

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