EP2369069B1 - Device and method for use in bodily hygiene, in particular showering, bathing or washing hands - Google Patents

Description

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

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 tap or mixing fitting technical devices are referred to, in which controlled by one or more handles valves regulate the 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. The usual accessories for showering, bathing or washing hands are soap, shampoo, shower gel, balm.
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, the particular user of the soap, shampoo, shower gel, balm will usually only use a new soap, shampoo, shower gel, balm if the particular old soap, shampoo, shower gel , Balsam is completely or almost completely used up.

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

In the US 3,720,352 a device is described by means of which liquids such as oil, shampoo, soap can be added to a jet of water ejected from a shower head.

From the FR 2620470 a device for perfuming water is known.

In the JP 2000197575 a device is described with which a personal care product can be added to the shower water.

From the EP 2 210 986 a device is known in which a medium is stored in a capsule, and can be added to the shower water during showering. This document is relevant only to the question of novelty (Article 54 (3) EPC).

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

It achieves this and other objects by the subject matter of independent claim 1.

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.

Advantageously used as a capsule is a disposable disposable capsule, i. a disposable article - the device may comprise a capsule opening mechanism or means for opening the capsule with means for damaging a capsule wall to open the capsule.

The capsule opening mechanism or the means for opening the capsule or the means for damaging the capsule wall can e.g. be designed to belch the capsule wall, in particular for pushing a hole in the capsule wall, or in any other way.

Fig. 1

eine schematische beispielhafte Darstellung eines Dusch-Systems, 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; und

Fig. 5

eine Schnittansicht der in Figur 4 gezeigten Vorrichtungs-Teile.

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 may be used according to an embodiment of the present invention;

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; and

Fig. 5

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

FIG. 1 Fig. 2 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, or in a large shower.

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).

The above shower cubicle, the above-mentioned walk-in shower, the above-mentioned bath, the above-mentioned large-capacity shower, the above-mentioned washbasin, bidet (sink etc.) can be located eg in a bathroom of an apartment or a residential building, or at any other location, such as a public or private bathing establishment, a hotel, motel, boarding house, pub, health club, or a sports club shower room.

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 single-lever or single-lever mixer with or without a thermostat, or any other mixer, such as a mixer with sensor rather than 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 fitting 2 via a pipe or a hose 30 a a shower head 30 supplied Water can be adjusted according to the wishes of the user of the device 1, and / or the amount of water supplied.

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.

In the FIG. 1 The body care appliance 1 shown can be fixedly connected to the shower system 10 (or the above-mentioned system with bathtub, washbasin, bidet), 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 bath tub, washbasin, bidet), and / or on the above-mentioned hinged door, sliding door, curtain, and / or any other door or wall, in particular on one of the above-mentioned systems ( Shower system 10, system with bath, sink, bidet) located door or wall, for example, a wall or door that is closer than 4m, in particular closer than 2m or 1 m to each shower, bath, Waschbekken, Bidet.

For example, the device 1 for use for personal hygiene - in particular its housing 16 (see below) - have one or more suction cups, with which the device 1 can be attached to the above wall / door / curtain, etc.

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 to be attached.

In further alternative variants, the device 1 for use for personal care - in particular the housing 16 (s.u.) - Also by means of appropriate screw and / or plug connections with the o.g. Wall / door / curtain, e.g. in that the o.g. Wall, door, etc. is provided with holes in the appropriate dowels are inserted into 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 arranged armature, furniture, etc. (in particular on a piece of furniture, a fitting, etc.), which is arranged closer than 4m, in particular closer than 2m or 1 m to the respective shower, bath, washbasin, bidet ).

In further alternative embodiments, the device 1 may also be integrated in a mixer tap or mixing fitting, and / or in the o.g. Wall, and / or the o.g. Furniture, and / or the o.g. Shower tray, the o.g. Bathtub, the o.g. Washbasin, the o.g. Bidet.

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. cubical.

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

Correspondingly similar, the upper wall 7b of the capsule 7, and / or the lower wall of the capsule 7, for example, be made of plastic, and / or of a metal, for example aluminum.

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).

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. Accordingly, the diameter d of the capsule 7 may be e.g. be less than 6cm or 5cm, especially smaller than 4cm or 2cm.

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.

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 selected to suffice for only a relatively few showering, bathing, and / or hand washing operations, eg, only two to ten, more preferably two to four, but not multiple 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 comprise a plurality of chambers, e.g. 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.

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.

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 for example, a larger chamber may be greater than 10% or 20%, more preferably greater than 50% or 100% larger than a smaller chamber.

The o.g. different ingredients of the same kind (e.g., the above-mentioned first and second and third shampoos, the above-mentioned first and second and third shower gels) may e.g. differ in the particular scent, 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 ingredients.

The respective (different) shampoos, (different) shower gels, (different) balms, etc. can thus each have different scents by different proportions of the above basic components, for example corresponding flowery-feminine, masculine, oriental, fruity, powdery, citrus-fresh or classic-elegant scents.

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 - e.g. similarly as in the case of capsules used in automatic coffee machines, the case may be correspondingly opened after insertion of the capsule 7 into the device 1, for example by pushing a hole in one of the walls of the capsule 7, in particular e.g. in its upper wall 7b (or its lower wall, or its lateral outer wall 7a), 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 / pricked when closing the housing cover 12, for example, that is moved by the movement of the housing cover 12 when closing the above pin or the above nozzle in the direction of the capsule 7 (and / or the capsule. 7 in the direction of the pin / nozzle) until its tip penetrates the above-mentioned wall of the capsule 7.

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, ingredient is sucked out of the capsule 7, and e.g. through the o.g. the o.g. Wall of the capsule 7 penetrating nozzle, a through hole 14a provided in the capsule holder 14, a hole 13a in the intermediate plate 13, one or more tubes 11b moves in the piston pump 11 in the direction of the dispenser outlet 11a, and 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 and the capsule holder 14 and the capsule 7 inserted therein can 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 by the selector lever 17 (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 the piston pump 11) connected to the dispenser outlet 11a, or its second chamber (eg via a second flow hole in the capsule holder 14, the hole 13a in the intermediate plate 13, and the lines 11b in the piston pump 11), or its third chamber (eg via a third flow hole in Capsule holder 14, the hole 13a in the intermediate plate 13, and the lines 11 b in the piston pump 11).

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 balms.

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 additionally in a variety of other, similar or different like those in the FIGS. 1 . 3-5 Device shown configured devices can be used.

Claims (4)

1. A device (1) for use in personal hygiene, in particular during showering, bathing, or hand washing, wherein said device comprises an outlet (11 a), and wherein a capsule (7) that is exchangeable is inserted in said device (1), and wherein a pump (11) is provided by means of which an ingredient stored in said capsule (7) is supplied to said outlet (11 a) of said device without the addition of further liquids and/or gases, and means for piercing a wall of said capsule (7) after the insertion of said capsule in said device (1) so as to take it in operation.
2. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said capsule (7) comprises a plurality of chambers.
3. The device (1) according to claim 2, wherein, depending on the position of said capsule (7) in said device (1), a different chamber is in communication with said outlet (11 a) of said device (1).
4. The device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a shampoo and/or a shower gel and/or a lotion and/or a soap is stored in said capsule (7).

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