ES2396253T3 - Method of cosmetic hair removal as well as device for hair removal - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of cosmetic hair removal, in which the hair (20) to be removed is seized by elements (5) to grip in the form of a cyclically actuated clip and is at least partially removed from the skin by a movement of the elements (5). ) of grip, in which the grip elements (5) separate from each other, move towards the skin, approach each other and separate from the skin cyclically, characterized in that the shaft (20) grasped by the elements (5) The grip is stretched by separating it from the skin in multiple passages, between which the gripping elements (5) separate from each other and, to perform the grip again, move back towards the skin and approach each other again.

Description

Cosmetic hair removal method as well as device to remove hair.

The present description refers to a method of cosmetic hair removal and a device for carrying out the method.

Numerous types of devices for hair removal have been proposed. In addition to the classic shave, in which the hair is cut or sectioned as close as possible to the surface of the skin, hair removal devices are used for long-term hair removal; To obtain the longest possible duration of hair density reduction, hair removal devices are intended to start the hair with the root. The success with which the root part is removed with the hair depends largely on the speed of the boot and, especially, also on the direction of the boot. Conventionally, hair removal devices include rotating hair removal rollers that support clamp-like fasteners in their circumference, which are first opened to grab the body of the hair and then pass into a holding position for that the hair held by the fasteners be torn off by the rotary movement of the hair removal roller. Such a hair removal device is described, for example, in DE-10 2004 047 875 A1, which proposes a three-dimensional rib structure of the clamp-shaped fasteners to hold the hair to be plucked more firmly but not abrupt With the fastening of the hair to be started, the rotary movement of the hair removal roller makes the starting direction not vertical, but at an angle to the skin surface. This can cause hair breakage instead of the desired start with all or most of the root.

In addition, performing the cyclic separation and bringing the clamp-shaped fasteners together is a mechanically complex process, since it is necessary that changes in the position of the fasteners occur in addition to the rotary movement of the hair removal roller.

The use of ultrasound has also been proposed in order to obtain a hair removal without pain as much as possible and with a prolonged effect. Therefore, in US-4,646,756, US-4,556,070, US-6,200,326, WO 25 02/09813 and WO 00/21612 propose ultrasound treatments for the hair with the aim of destroying the root of the hair. In this case, it is anticipated that the application of ultrasound will cause a temperature increase in the root area, which contributes to the desired destruction of the hair root. Also, JP-8154728, JP-2001029126 and JP-2279107 propose the use of ultrasound to reduce pain in hair removal. In this case, the ultrasound is applied on the hair to be removed and / or on a starter tool, while the starter tool is used

30 to pluck hair. The use of ultrasound is expected to reduce the pain associated with hair pulling, although, of course, a suitable ultrasonic generator is necessary in the hair removal device. US5133722 and WO 01/13757 describe two additional methods of cosmetic hair removal and two additional devices.

Taking into account the previous background and starting point, the purpose of this description is

35 in conceiving an improved method of cosmetic hair removal and an improved device of cosmetic hair removal of the type described generally above, said method and device avoiding the inconveniences of the prior art and, advantageously, improving the state of The technique. Specifically, it is planned to disclose a device with a simple structure that allows an effective hair removal with minimal pain, exerting a tension on the hair to be removed, the tension being perpendicular with respect to the surface of the

40 skin as much as possible.

According to the present description, this problem is solved by a method according to claim 1 and a hair removal device according to claim 6. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

In this case, in a variant of the embodiment used in the past, in which the hair was once seized and was

45 removed by a continuous traction pass, it is proposed not to pull the hair only once, but to use multiple successive "micro-pass" starting movements to first detach the hair root and then gradually pull the corresponding hair and extract it According to the present description, the hairs grasped by the gripping elements are pulled and separated from the skin in multiple passes, between which the gripping elements separate from each other and move again closer to the skin to grab again

50 the hair, approaching each other again below. Advantageously, the successive grip occurs so quickly that the hair, which has been stretched a small distance, does not have the opportunity to retract a significant distance due to the viscoelastic fixation of the hair root, so that the hair does not return to its original position in any case. The successive grip is repeated so quickly that the hair cannot retract quickly enough to its initial position, but is then removed. An advantage of this withdrawal from

55 hair in multiple “micropasses” is that it is possible to greatly reduce the associated pain and it is possible to increase the amount of hair root included in the withdrawal. Additionally, it is even possible to grab very short hairs, since the grip elements are applied to the skin many times. According to the present description, in order to achieve hair removal in multiple passes, referring to the technology of the device, it has been proposed that the device for actuating the gripping elements be configured so that, in the movement cycle, the height in passing of the closed gripping elements is smaller than the displacement necessary to finish the hair pulling. Therefore, the pass height of the drive device is limited, so that the gripping elements are reopened before a hair grabbed by them is completely torn off.

Hair removal according to the present description also includes a hair cutting process. In a method of hair cutting, the hair is stretched and separated from the skin in at least two successive "micropasses" without completely tearing it off, and then the hair is cut, especially by pinching or cutting, so that the root of the hair is not extracted, but after the hair is released from the gripping elements, the rest of the hair retracts into the hair canal, advantageously, so that the rest of the hair no longer extends over the surface of the skin.

Especially, the cycle consisting of re-grabbing the gripping elements by their separation, returning in the opposite direction to the starting direction and re-gripping means that the same gripping elements grab multiple times a hair to start, without at the same time Other grip elements grab that hair. Unlike the situation that occurs with a rotating hair removal roller, there are no different grip elements that continuously pass through a hair to be treated (and its associated skin areas) one after the other, but the same elements of grip reciprocally move oscillatingly.

Advantageously, in this movement, the gripping elements move outward and backward, generally perpendicularly with respect to an extreme functional surface of the device, whereby the device is mobile on the surface of the skin or on the surface. same. This allows a very small starting angle to be obtained with respect to the longitudinal direction of the hair root, allowing the removal of a larger part of the root than with conventional hair removal systems using hair removal rollers. In this regard, there is no need for the passing movement of the gripping elements to be an oscillating translational movement along a perpendicular axis with respect to the imaginary functional surface mentioned above. In a specific feature of the description, the passing movement of the gripping elements occurs at an angle between 30 ° and 150 °, especially between 60 ° and 120 °, preferably between 75 ° and 105 °, with respect to the surface of the skin or the extreme functional surface of the device whereby the device is mobile against or above the skin's surface. In a configuration according to this angular range, the starting is preferably carried out in the direction of hair growth. In this case, there is still no need for the entire passing movement to be in the recommended angular range, especially if the passing movement is not purely of translation along an axis of oscillation. However, preferably, the essential part of the pass movement, especially at least 2/3 of the pass height, is produced in the described angular range. Alternatively, the starter unit may be integrated in a roller, the starter unit being started in a perpendicular direction, although the roller is rotatably mounted, so that the start occurs in a direction that represents the movement superimposed on the roller and the starter unit, which can correspond to the direction of hair growth, which differs from the perpendicular direction with respect to the skin surface.

In a specific feature of the description, in order that, during new successive grips by the gripping elements, the viscoelastic fixation of the hair root does not have sufficient time to retract the hair towards its original position, the gripping elements they are operated with a pass frequency greater than 500 Hz. Preferably, the actuation frequency of the gripping elements is greater than 1 kHz. With these frequencies, the new grip by the grip elements occurs so fast that the hair does not have the opportunity to retract a significant distance during the period in which they are not grasped by the grip elements.

According to a specific feature of the description, in order to facilitate such high frequency placement and repositioning of the gripping elements, the opening and closing movements of the gripping elements occur in the plane of the passing movement of the gripping elements. Therefore, it is sufficient that the gripping elements are mounted to be mobile only along two axes and / or design the drive means to be biaxial. Even though a three-dimensional movement is possible that involves a third axis of movement, this is not necessary.

According to an especially advantageous embodiment of the description, the passing movement of the gripping elements can be practically elongated ellipse, the longitudinal axis of the elliptical path being advantageously at least twice that of the transverse axis. It should be noted that it is not necessary that the trajectory of the movement be exactly elliptical in the mathematical sense, but that a similar oval or elongated trajectory is acceptable; and the trajectory may even have a component of less than three dimensions, that is, perpendicular to the ellipse.

According to a specific preferred feature of the description, the drive means are configured so that the two grip elements of each pair of coordinated grip elements are driven in opposite directions, in paths that are generally elliptical, as described above. In this case, the parallel movement component with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elliptical path creates the pass movement, while the parallel movement component with respect to the transverse axis of the

Ellipse creates the gripping movement of the gripping elements by approaching each other. It should be noted that the actual movement path of a given grip element will not be strictly elliptical, at least in the segments in which the two grip elements are pressed together. Alternatively to such an opposite movement of the two gripping elements of a pair of cooperative gripping elements, a movement path of these two elements in which they move in the same direction is also essentially possible, so that Advantageously, the movement centers of the two movement paths are separated far enough from each other so that the gripping elements execute a gripping movement approaching and moving away from each other.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the description, the actuator of the gripping elements can be a piezoelectric actuator. Specifically, it is possible to use piezoelectric actuators so that the gripping elements can be operated by a suitable high frequency movement. Instead of piezoelectric actuators, it is possible to use linear motors or other high frequency positioning systems as actuators. Alternatively, it is possible to use two actuators by "elliptical" movement.

According to a specific feature of the description, the gripping elements may be attached to support elements, preferably in the form of a plate, which are mobile at least biaxially, independently of each other. Each support can have multiple grip elements of different pairs of grip elements attached thereto. For example, each left grip element may be attached to a support element, while each right grip element of a pair of grip elements may be attached to a second respective support element.

The preferably plate-shaped supports for the gripping elements may be mounted to be biaxially movable on their own. Alternatively or additionally, the support elements can also be bent elastically, so that the gripping and passing movements of the gripping elements are generated by the elastic deformation of the support elements. Specifically, the elastic support elements can generally be deformed in wave form by means of piezoelectric actuators, so that the gripping elements attached thereto approach and move away from each other and also in the direction of movement of the pass.

These and other features, advantages and possibilities of application of the present description will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which all the described and / or illustrated features constitute the object claimed from the present description, individually or in any possible combination or sub-combination, regardless of the manner in which they are described in the claims and references between the claims.

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the principle of the operation cycle of the gripping elements of a hair removal device according to a preferred embodiment of the present description, in which the various segments of a movement cycle are shown in six drawings;

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the support means and of the actuation of the gripping elements of Fig. 1 according to an advantageous embodiment of the present description; Y

Fig. 3 is a general schematic view of a hair removal device according to an embodiment of the present description to show the directions of movement of the gripping elements.

The depilation device 1 shown schematically in Fig. 3 includes (in general) a handpiece 2, in a cubic form, in which control means, an electricity supply (for example in the form of a rechargeable battery) may be present ) and a drive device, and which further includes a functional head 3 in the form of an accessory 4 (which can be attached to the handpiece 2) in which a plurality of gripping elements 5 are arranged, said elements 5 being described more detailed below. As shown in Fig. 3, the functional head 3 defines with its end face 6 an imaginary functional plane or functional surface 7 in which the hair removal device 1 and its gripping elements 5 are guided on the surface 8 of the skin of part 9 of the body that undergoes the treatment or on it.

As can be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, a plurality of gripping elements 5 are connected to two plate-shaped support elements (10, 11), the gripping elements being arranged in pairs, with a gripping element of a pair of gripping elements arranged in the support element 10 and with the other grip element of this pair of grip elements arranged in the support element 11.

The gripping elements 5 generally have a clamp-shaped design and, advantageously, they are as thin as possible for reasons of inertia and to obtain a high integration density; for example, the elements 5 can be generally plate-shaped metal bodies. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the gripping surfaces 12 of the gripping elements 5, facing each other, advantageously have sharp edges (or, if necessary, have a more blunt configuration) in order to exert a Stretching force high enough on the hair. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the clamping surfaces 12 may have protruding clamping edges 13 that preferably have a sharp design. With this configuration, if a certain pressure force between the gripping elements is exceeded, it is possible to cut a hair by pinching.

The projecting ends of the grip elements 5 mentioned above are oriented towards the extreme functional surface 7 mentioned above (Fig. 3).

In the embodiment shown, the drive device 14 for moving the grip elements 5 includes piezoelectric actuators 15 that operate in two dimensions and are connected to the plate-shaped support elements (10, 11). The support elements (10, 11) are mounted to be movable in two dimensions, in the direction of the x and z axes (Fig. 2), therefore, perpendicularly with respect to the imaginary functional surface 7 mentioned above of the device 1 of depilation and perpendicularly with respect to the holding plane 16 defined by the two gripping elements 5 which are pressed together, said plane being defined by the z and y directions of Fig. 2. Alternatively to a strictly biaxial mobile assembly of the elements (10, 11) of plate-shaped support, these support elements can be elastically deformable, for example, they can be made of metal plates that are thin enough so that the support elements (10, 11) are deformable by the wave-shaped piezoelectric actuators 15, to produce specific drive movements of the gripping elements 5, described below.

Specifically, the piezoelectric actuators 15 can cause the support elements (10, 11) and, therefore, the gripping elements 5 attached thereto, to move in opposite directions to each other in a movement path 17 generally elliptical or oval, with its longitudinal axis 18 generally perpendicular with respect to the aforementioned functional surface 7 of the hair removal device and with its transverse axis 19 generally parallel with respect to the functional surface 7 mentioned above and perpendicular with respect to the holding plane 16 of the grip elements 5.

With this arrangement, the gripping elements 5 go through successive stages of a movement cycle (shown in Fig. 1): First, the gripping elements 5 are separated from each other, as shown in Fig. 1 (to). Next, there is a downward movement towards the surface 8 of the skin, in which the gripping elements 5 move practically perpendicularly with respect to the aforementioned functional surface 7 of the hair removal device 1, so that, At the end of this downward movement, the gripping elements 5 approach each other, causing them to contact a hair to be torn off and hold the hair between them (Fig. 1 (b)). Next, there is a passing movement opposite to the aforementioned downward movement, advantageously, essentially perpendicular to the surface 8 of the skin and the imaginary functional surface 7 of the hair removal device 1, with the gripping elements 5 withdrawing to the interior of the hair removal device 1. In this case, the passing movement is limited, so that the hair 20 that has been grasped is not fully removed, but is only slightly stretched. At the end of the passing movement, the gripping elements are separated from each other again (Fig. 1 (d)), marking the end of a movement cycle of the gripping elements 5. In this case, the operating frequency of the drive device 14 is high, so that the new descent and closing (Fig. 1 (e)) occurs so quickly that the hair 20 does not have time to withdraw itself to its initial position. The viscoelastic fixation of the hair root would tend to perform said retraction, since the hair has not been completely removed from its fixation in the first pass. The readjustment movement of the gripping elements 5 is adjusted to the duration of this reactive retraction by the fixing structure. Specifically, the new grip is so fast that hair retraction occurs only to a lesser extent or does not occur at all. As can be seen in Fig. 1 (f), after the closure another upward "micro pass" of the gripping elements 5 occurs, which results in an additional removal of the hair 20 seized at an additional distance. This "micropassing" is repeated until the hair has been completely removed. Therefore, the hair that is intended to be removed is successively removed in multiple "micro-passes", among which the gripping elements 5 open, move back to the skin and close again to grab the hair in a lower position of the hair.

Depending on the desired application, it may not be necessary to completely tear the hair. After a certain withdrawal distance, that is, after a certain number of "micropasses", it is also possible to interrupt the descent of the gripping elements 5 and cut the hair 20 in place by means of high frequency opening and closing movements of the gripping elements 5 or by an improved closing movement of the gripping elements 5. The result is not to grab the hair again, but to retract the hair by relaxing the tissue of the hair root. If the boot path has been large enough, this will cause the end of the hair to disappear below the surface of the skin.

In an alternative embodiment, the hair removal device is a combination of a hair removal device and a shaver. With this arrangement, the slightly removed hair (as described above) is pinched, trimmed or cut by a separate cutting element or blade or a long hair cutter. Then, the remaining hair residue with the hair root is removed inside the skin and, ideally, cannot be seen or touched.

Claims (12)

one.

A method of cosmetic hair removal, in which the hair (20) to be removed is grasped by clamp elements (5) in the form of a cyclically actuated clip and is at least partially removed from the skin by a passing movement of the elements (5) grip, in which the grip elements (5) separate from each other, move towards the skin, approach each other and separate from the skin cyclically, characterized in that the hair (20) seized by the grip elements (5) are stretched by separating it from the skin in multiple passes between which the grip elements (5) are separated from each other and, to perform the grip again, they move back towards the skin and approach each other again.

2.

The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the pass height of a single pass of the elements

(5) Grip is smaller than the distance of movement needed to completely tear a hair.

3.

The method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the period of time between two passes, in which time the gripping elements (5) perform the gripping again, is less than the period of time in which a hair (20 ) partially removed will return to its original position.

Four.

The method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping elements (5) are operated with a pass frequency greater than 0.5 kHz, preferably, greater than 1 kHz.

5.

The method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, in a second or subsequent pass, the hair is separated from a residue of hair that remains on the skin, especially by pinching or cutting.

6.

A hair removal device, especially a hair removal device, at least with a pair of movable gripper elements (5), a drive device (14) for generating a cyclic gripping movement of the elements (5 ) of grip approaching and moving away from each other and a cyclic passing movement of the gripping elements (5) for the at least partial removal of a hair (20) gripped; characterized in that the drive device (14) is configured so that, in a cycle of movement of the gripping elements (5), the pass height of the closed gripping elements (5) is smaller than the distance of movement necessary to completely tear a hair, and in which the gripping elements (5) can be actuated according to a reciprocal oscillating movement by the actuating device (14), so that the same pair of gripping elements (5) grips successively multiple times the hair (20) to be extracted without the intervention of other grip elements (5).

7.

The hair removal device according to the preceding claim, wherein the drive device (14) is configured such that a cycle segment between two successive passes of the gripping elements (5) is shorter than the period of time necessary for a partially torn hair to be removed to its original position.

8.

The hair removal device according to one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the device for actuating the gripping elements (5) has a pass frequency greater than 0.5 kHz, preferably greater than 1 kHz.

9.

The hair removal device according to one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the pass height of the closed gripping elements (5) is less than 5 mm, preferably less than 3 mm.

10.

The hair removal device according to one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the drive device (14) has an actuator (15) that operates in two dimensions.

eleven.

The hair removal device according to one of claims 6 to 10, wherein it is provided that the gripping elements (5) approach each other with a greater pressure force in the second or in a subsequent pass to cut the hair .

12.

The hair removal device according to one of claims 6 to 11, which has at least one cutting blade that can be controlled during operation of the device, so that, during the second or a subsequent pass, it separates the hair from a hair residue that remains on the skin by cutting.