GB2280848A - Skin treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A skin treatment apparatus includes a machine base 3 holding a turbine vane 5 and a mist generator 4 comprising an oscillator, a housing 1 supported on the machine base 3 to hold a water trough 14, an extension tube 2 mounted on the housing and communicated with the water trough 14, and an electronic circuit controlled by a timer to turn on the mist generator 4 and the turbine vane 5. The mist generator 4 stirs up cold water into a mist and the turbine vane 5 blows the mist out of the extension tube 2 for application to the skin of a person. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Skin Treatment Apparatus The present invention relates to a skin treatment apparatus.

In beauty treatment, it is known to apply a steam heated cloth to the skin. However, the temperature of the steam heated cloth will drop drastically once it is removed from the heat and applied to the skin. In order to eliminate this problem, it is known to use a steam apparatus which ejects a continuous current of steam for application to the skin to be treated. However, using steam to treat the skin is not always practical. It is harmful to treat an aged, dry skin with steam. Further, black colouring may be induced if the skin is frequently treated with steam.

The present invention provides an improved apparatus for the treatment of the skin.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a skin treatment apparatus comprising a housing including a water trough, a mist generator comprising an oscillator arranged to create a cloud of fine drops of water from water in said trough, an extension tube mounted on said housing and in fluid communication with said water trough via a flow guide drum, means for generating a turbulent flow of air for blowing said cloud of fine drops of water through said extension tube for application to the skin of a person, and an electronic circuit controlled by a timer, wherein said extension tube comprises an elongate tube body and a socket, said socket having an inlet opening in a base portion rotatably connected to said flow guide drum, and a lateral outlet opening, and said elongate tube body is connected at one end thereof to said outlet opening and terminates at the other end thereof in a jet nozzle.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the mist generator is controlled to generate ultrasonic waves in water of temperature 2O0-220C to generate very fine drops of water which drops of water ejected through the extension tube does not irritate the skin, but greatly helps the circulation of blood.

Additives such as facial softening lotion may be added to the cold water for softening horny substances, relaxing the muscles and skin, increasing the flexibility of the skin, preventing freckles, etc.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the extension tube comprises a socket and an elongate tube body. The elongate tube body terminates in a concave surface portion having a jet nozzle. The concave surface portion guides condensed water back into the housing of the apparatus.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, the extension tube extends obliquely from the socket with its free end disposed higher to allow condensed water to be guided back into the housing.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of a cold water skin treatment apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an electronic block diagram showing the operation of the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an extension tube forming part of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the extension tube shown in Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 5, a preferred embodiment of the cold water skin treatment apparatus of the present invention generally comprises a housing 1, an extension tube 2, a base 3, a mist generator 4, and a turbine vane 5.

The housing 1 comprises a water intake 6 and a water outlet 7 spaced apart at the bottom. A rotary cap 8 is fastened to the water intake 6 by a screw joint. A hopper-like water stopper 9 is coupled to a substantially T-shaped stem 10 inserted through a coil spring 12 and supported on a locating ring 11 inside the water outlet 7. A flow guide drum 13 is disposed within the housing 1 at a suitable location for guiding very fine drops of water out of the housing 1 through the extension tube 2. A flow guide 15 is disposed in the open bottom end of the flow guide drum 13. The extension tube 2 is connected to the flow guide drum 13, and can be turned through 3600 angle.

The machine base 3 comprises a water trough 14 on the top thereof at one side. Inside the water trough 14 there are provided an upright rod 22, a partition wall 19, a bus 17, a float 18, an opening 16, and an exhaust pipe 20. The bus 17 is to buffer the flow of water filled from the water outlet 7 of the housing 1, so as to increase the working efficiency of the mist generator 4. The housing 1 is mounted on the machine base 3 at the top.

As the housing 1 is supported on the machine base 3, the upright rod 22 stops against the stem 10 to push the water stopper 9 upwards from the locating ring 11 for allowing intake water to flow into the water trough 14, and the water guide 15 inserts into the opening 16. The mist generator 4 comprises an oscillator 21 disposed below the opening 16. As the mist generator 4 is turned on, the oscillator 21 produces ultrasonic waves to stir up water in the water trough 14 into a cloud of very fine drops of water.

The machine base 3 is covered with a bottom cover 31. The turbine vane 5 is mounted on the bottom cover 31 at a suitable location. The bottom cover 31 comprises vents 32 for ventilation, and a guideway 33 having one end connected to the output port of the turbine vane 5 and an opposite end connected to the exhaust pipe 20. As the turbine vane 5 is rotated to produce a turbulent flow of air, the turbulent flow of air is guided to the exhaust pipe 20. As the turbulent flow of air flows toward the exhaust pipe 20 the cloud of very fine drops of water produced by the oscillator 21 is simultaneously blown out of the-housing 1 through the flow guide drum 13 and the extension tube 2.

The extension tube 2 comprises an elongate tube body 46 and a socket 45. The socket 45 comprises a connecting portion 47 rotatably fitted to the top opening (not shown) on the flow guide drum 13, and a side hole 49 which receives the elongate tube body 46. The elongate tube body 46 has one end 48 fitted into the side hole 49 on the socket 45, and an opposite end 62 which terminates in a jet nozzle 61.

The float 18 floats on water in the water trough 14. As the level of the float 18 reaches the predetermined low limit, a detector (not shown) is immediately activated to give a signal to an electronic circuit, causing it to cut off power supply.

Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 1 again, AC power supply is sent through a fuse 36 and a push button switch 37 to a timer 38. The timer 38 is controlled by a knob 52 to set the operating time of the whole system. As the knob 52 is rotated to start the timer 38, a green indicator lamp 50 is immediately turned on. When the set time is up, the timer 38 automatically trips off to cut off power supply from the whole system, and the green indicator lamp 50 is extinguished. There is also provided a re-start setting knob 53 to set the system to start again. When the re-start time is reached, a red indicator lamp 51 is immediately turned on.

As the system is electronically connected, a power indicator lamp 39 is immediately turned on, and the turbine vane 5 is started to produce a turbulent flow of air. AC power supply is further treated through a transformer 40 to change the voltage, and then rectified through an electronic circuit 41. Treated electric current is then sent to the float detector and the mist generator 4. As the water level of the water trough 15 drops below the critical level, the float detector immediately sends a signal to the electronic circuit 41, causing it to cut off power supply.

The mist generator 4 is connected to an impedance regulator 43, which controls the output volume of the mist generated by the mist generator 4.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the extension tube 2 comprises an elongate tube body 46 and a socket 45. The socket 45 comprises a sloping top wall 60, a connecting portion 47 around a bottom hole 63 thereof rotatably fitted into a top opening (not shown) on the housing 1, and a side hole 49 which receives the elongate tube body 46. The elongate tube body 46 has one end 48 fitted into the side hole 49 on the socket 45, and an opposite end 62 which terminates in a concave surface portion 65 defining a jet nozzle 61. As the socket 45 has a sloping top wall 60, the induced mist is smoothly guided into the elongate tube body 46 and then blown out of the jet-nozzle 61. The concave surface portion 61 guides condensed water through guide grooves 64 on the inside wall of the elongate tube body 46 back into the water trough 14 of the machine base 3. The elongate tube body 46 is obliquely connected to the socket 45 with the rear end 62 disposed higher than the front end 48, so that condensed water can be smoothly guided back into the water trough 14 of the machine base 3. The rear end 62 of the elongated rod body 46 is formed into a sloping wall to guide the mist out of the jet nozzle 61.

Claims (7)

1. A skin treatment apparatus comprising a housing including a water trough, a mist generator comprising an oscillator arranged to create a cloud of fine drops of water from water in said trough, an extension tube mounted on said housing and in fluid communication with said water trough via a flow guide drum, means for generating a turbulent flow of air for blowing said cloud of fine drops of water through said extension tube for application to the skin of a person, and an electronic circuit controlled by a timer, wherein said extension tube comprises an elongate tube body and a socket, said socket having an inlet opening in a base portion rotatably connected to said flow guide drum, and a lateral outlet opening, and said elongate tube body is connected at one end thereof to said outlet opening and terminates at the other end thereof in a jet nozzle.

2. A skin treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elongate tube body is obliquely connected to said socket with its free end higher than the end connected to the socket.

3. A skin treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the free end of the elongate tube body has a closed end wall and there is provided a concave surface portion adjacent to said closed end wall on which said jet nozzle is formed.

4. A skin treatment apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said closed end wall on the free end of said elongate tube body slopes toward said concave surface portion for guiding said cloud of fine drops of water out of said jet nozzle.

5. A skin treatment apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said oscillator is an ultrasonic oscillator.

6. A skin treatment apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said means for generating a turbulent flow of air includes a turbine vane.

7. A skin treatment apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.