JP2011200309A - Beauty appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a beauty appliance capable of smoothly moving an electrode along the skin surface while securing the contact area between the electrode and the skin.SOLUTION: The beauty appliance is configured to vibrate when a high-frequency current is applied. The vibration relieves the frictional resistance against the skin when a treating surface of the beauty appliance or two electrodes 14 and 15 are moved along the skin. As a result, the beauty appliance can be easily moved along the surface of the skin, so that the convenience of the beauty appliance is improved. Further, as the two electrodes 14 and 15 are flat, the area of the electrodes and the area of contact between the electrodes and the skin can be easily secured, and therefore, the two electrodes 14 and 15 can be brought into contact with the skin on planes not at points or in lines. With this structure, the expected beauty effects can be easily achieved.

Description

  The present invention relates to a beauty device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a cosmetic device that applies a high-frequency current to skin through a plate-like electrode while moving the electrode along the skin is known. However, in this cosmetic device, when the electrode is slid in contact with the skin, smooth movement of the electrode may be hindered due to frictional resistance between the electrode and the skin. In this case, since a part of the electrode is separated from the skin and the contact area between the electrode and the skin is not sufficiently secured, high-frequency current is concentrated and supplied to the skin through a slight contact part between the electrode and the skin. There is a risk of being. Under such circumstances, it may be difficult to obtain the expected beauty effect.

  Further, a beauty device as described in Patent Document 1, for example, has also been proposed. As shown in FIG. 5A, the beauty device includes a cylindrical electrode 52 that is rotatably provided with respect to the housing 51. During the treatment, the electrode 52 is moved along the skin in a manner that the electrode 52 is rotated. Since the electrode 52 moves on the surface of the skin while rotating, the frictional resistance between the electrode 52 and the skin becomes smaller than when the flat electrode is slid against the skin. Therefore, the electrode 52 can be smoothly moved along the skin.

JP 2007-289562 A

  However, the beauty device of Patent Document 1 has the following problems. That is, as shown in FIG. 5B, the contact state between the cylindrical electrode 52 and the skin tends to be a point contact state or a line contact state. In this case, since the contact area between the electrode 52 and the skin is not sufficiently secured, the high-frequency current is generated through the slight contact portion between the electrode 52 and the skin, as in the case where the flat electrode described above is employed. There is a risk of being concentrated on the skin. As described above, the beauty device of Patent Document 1 has a side face that it is difficult to secure a contact area with the skin as compared with the planar electrode, although a certain degree of usability can be obtained by adopting the cylindrical electrode.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and its purpose is to provide a beauty that can smoothly move the electrode along the surface of the skin while ensuring a contact area between the electrode and the skin. To provide an apparatus.

  The present invention provides a cosmetic device for applying a current to skin through a plurality of plate-like electrodes provided on a treatment surface of a housing, a vibration mechanism that is fixed inside the housing and generates a vibration, and the current The gist of the present invention is that it includes a control device that operates the vibration mechanism to apply vibration to the skin.

  The vibration mechanism includes, for example, a motor fixed inside the housing and a weight provided eccentrically with respect to the output shaft of the motor. Here, when adopting a configuration in which the plurality of electrodes are respectively fitted in the recesses formed on the treatment surface, the electrodes fitted in the recesses are arranged on the treatment surface along the treatment surface. It is preferable to provide an elastic member for urging the spring.

  It is also conceivable that the vibration mechanism adopts the following configuration. That is, the vibration mechanism includes a horn that extends in a direction intersecting the treatment surface, and a vibrator that generates ultrasonic vibrations when supplied with electric power. The first end of the horn is fixed to a portion where the treatment surface of the housing is formed, and the vibrator is fixed to a second end opposite to the first end. .

  Here, it is preferable that the first end portion is provided so as to protrude from the treatment surface, and the protrusion height with respect to the treatment surface is set to be the same as the height of the plurality of electrodes with respect to the treatment surface. In addition, when the beauty device is viewed from the treatment surface side, the first end portion may be provided so as to be positioned between the plurality of electrodes.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the said electrode can be smoothly moved along the surface of skin, ensuring the contact area of an electrode and skin.

The lineblock diagram showing the outline of the beauty device of a 1st embodiment. (A) is a block diagram which expands and shows the electrode part of the beauty device of 2nd Embodiment, (b) is a bottom view of a beauty device similarly. (A) is the block diagram which shows the outline of the beauty apparatus of 3rd Embodiment, (b) is a block diagram which expands and shows the electrode part of a beauty apparatus similarly, (c) is the lower surface of a beauty apparatus similarly Figure. The block diagram which expands and shows the electrode part of a beauty apparatus similarly. (A) is a front view which shows the electrode part of the conventional beauty apparatus, (b) is a side view of an electrode part similarly.

<First Embodiment>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment embodying the beauty device of the present invention will be described. This beauty device is used by being gripped by a user.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a power supply circuit 12 that supplies operating power to each part of the device and a control device 13 that controls the device are provided inside a housing 11 of the beauty device. The power supply circuit 12 converts power from an internal power source such as a storage battery or an external power source such as a commercial power source into power suitable for each part of the beauty device such as the control device 13. Further, two electrodes 14 and 15 and a vibration mechanism 16 are connected to the control device 13.

  The two electrodes 14 and 15 are provided on the treatment surface 17 which is the lower surface of the housing 11 with a gap. Since the housing 11 is formed of a synthetic resin material having electrical insulation, the two electrodes 14 and 15 are electrically insulated.

  The vibration mechanism 16 includes a motor 18 that is fixed inside the housing 11 and a weight 20 that is eccentrically provided on the output shaft 19 of the motor 18. The center of gravity of the output shaft 19 and the center of gravity of the entire motor 18 are shifted by the weight 20. The motor 18 is provided with its output shaft 19 facing downward.

  When the control device 13 detects an operation of a power switch (not shown), the control device 13 converts power from the power supply circuit 12 into a high frequency voltage through a high frequency transmitter (not shown), and converts the converted high frequency voltage between the two electrodes 14 and 15. Apply. Further, when detecting the operation of the power switch, the control device 13 drives the motor 18 through a drive circuit (not shown).

<Operation of beauty device>
Next, the usage mode and operation of the beauty device configured as described above will be described.
When performing treatment using a beauty apparatus, first, the power switch is operated. Then, a high frequency voltage is applied between the two electrodes 14 and 15. In this state, by bringing the two electrodes 14 and 15 into close contact with the skin, a high-frequency current is generated between the electrodes 14 and 15. That is, when the two electrodes 14 and 15 are applied to the skin, the skin becomes an electrical resistance connecting the two electrodes 14 and 15. As a result, the high-frequency current supply circuit including the control device 13 and the two electrodes 14 and 15 is electrically closed to generate a high-frequency current in the circuit. Since skin exists between the two electrodes 14 and 15 constituting the circuit, a high-frequency current is applied to the skin. Then, since the electric energy is consumed as heat energy in the skin acting as an electric resistance, the skin (dermis or subcutaneous fat or the like) is warmed from the inside (high frequency Joule heat effect). The skin can be tightened by contraction of collagen or subcutaneous fat of the dermis. The user of the beauty device performs treatment on a desired part of the skin by moving the electrodes 14 and 15 along the surface of the skin while holding the housing 11 and bringing the two electrodes 14 and 15 into close contact with the skin. can do.

  At this time, the smooth movement of the electrodes 14 and 15 may be hindered due to frictional resistance between the two electrodes 14 and 15 and the skin. For example, when the beauty device is moved, it is assumed that the two electrodes 14 and 15 can be used on the unevenness of the skin. At this time, there is a concern that a part of the two electrodes 14 and 15 may be separated from the skin, so that a contact area between the electrodes 14 and 15 and the skin is not sufficiently secured. In this case, a high-frequency current may be locally supplied to the skin through a small portion where the electrode and the skin are in contact with each other. Under such circumstances, it may be difficult to obtain a desired beauty effect.

  In this respect, in this example, when the power switch of the beauty device is operated, not only the high frequency voltage is applied between the two electrodes 14 and 15, but also the motor 18 is driven. Then, since the center of gravity of the weight 20 is unbalanced, an eccentric motion (eccentric vibration) is generated on the motor 18 side, and this is transmitted to the housing 11, whereby the entire beauty device vibrates. This vibration is transmitted to the skin via the treatment surface 17 or the two electrodes 14 and 15. Thereby, the frictional resistance with the skin when moving the two electrodes 14 and 15 along the skin is relieved. For example, when the skin vibrates or waves, the two electrodes 14 and 15 easily get over the unevenness of the skin. That is, since it becomes easy to move the two electrodes 14 and 15 along the surface of the skin, it is possible to prevent the electrodes 14 and 15 from being used in the moving direction. As a result, since the two electrodes 14 and 15 are also prevented from being separated from the skin, a high frequency current is not locally applied to the skin. Therefore, when a high frequency current is applied to the skin in a state where the contact area between the two electrodes 14 and 15 and the skin is ensured, an expected beauty effect can be easily obtained.

In addition, by applying vibration to the skin, blood circulation inside the skin is increased and heat is easily released. For this reason, the overheating of the skin by a high frequency current is suppressed, and a suitable thermal effect is obtained.
Further, since the two electrodes 14 and 15 are formed in a flat plate shape, it is advantageous in securing an electrode area and, consequently, a contact area with the skin. Here, as the electrode area is increased, there is a concern that the frictional resistance when the electrode is slid while being in surface contact with the skin increases. However, during the treatment, the aforementioned vibration is transmitted to the skin, so that the frictional resistance between the electrode and the skin can be reduced. For this reason, even if the electrode is in surface contact with the skin, it can be smoothly moved along the surface of the skin. By ensuring the contact area between the electrode and the skin, it is easy to obtain a beauty effect.

<Effect of Embodiment>
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The cosmetic device is vibrated when a high frequency current is applied. By this vibration, the frictional resistance with the skin when the treatment surface 17 of the beauty device or the two electrodes 14 and 15 are moved along the skin is alleviated. For this reason, it becomes easy to move a beauty apparatus along the surface of skin, and usability improves. In addition, since the two electrodes 14 and 15 are flat, it is easy to ensure an electrode area, and hence a contact area between the electrode and the skin. Therefore, the two electrodes 14 and 15 can be easily brought into contact with the skin by a surface instead of a point or a line. Therefore, the expected beauty effect can be easily obtained.

  (2) In addition, a skin massage effect can be obtained by vibrating the skin through the beauty device. That is, blood circulation in the skin increases and heat is easily released. For this reason, the overheating of the skin by a high frequency current is suppressed, and a suitable thermal effect is obtained.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The present embodiment basically has the same configuration as the beauty device shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the two electrodes 14 and 15 are detachably attached to the lower surface of the housing 11. That is, two concave portions 21 and 22 are formed on the treatment surface 17 with a gap in the left-right direction in the drawing. Further, a communication recess 23 is provided between the recesses 21 and 22. The communication recess 23 communicates between the two recesses 21 and 22. Two electrodes 14 and 15 are held in the two recesses 21 and 22, and an elastic member 24 is held in the communication recess 23. The elastic member 24 is formed in a rectangular plate shape from an electrically insulating material such as rubber and a synthetic resin material. The elastic member 24 is held by the two electrodes 14 and 15 in a compressed state in the left-right direction in the figure. The two electrodes 14 and 15 are urged toward opposite sides by the elastic force of the elastic member 24 and are held in a state of being pressed against the inner surfaces of the recesses 21 and 22.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the effects (1) and (2) of the first embodiment.
(3) In the beauty device in which the two electrodes 14 and 15 are fitted and fixed to the housing 11, the two electrodes 14 and 15 may fall off the housing 11 due to vibrations by the motor 18. In this regard, in this example, the elastic member 24 is interposed between the two electrodes 14 and 15 in a compressed state. As a result, the two electrodes 14 and 15 are biased to the opposite sides and are pressed against the inner side surfaces of the recesses 21 and 22. For this reason, even when the beauty device vibrates by the vibration mechanism using the motor 18, the two electrodes 14 and 15 are well maintained in the state of being fitted in the housing 11. Further, by suppressing the displacement of the two electrodes 14 and 15 with respect to the housing 11 or the falling off from the housing 11, it is possible to suitably apply a high-frequency current to the skin over a long period of time.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the mechanism for generating vibration, and basically has the same configuration as the beauty device shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the vibration mechanism 31 of this example includes a horn (amplitude expander) 32 and an ultrasonic transducer 33.
The horn 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in a direction intersecting the treatment surface 17. The first end 32 a of the horn 32 is fixed in a state of penetrating the bottom wall of the housing 11. As shown in FIG. 3 (b), the protruding height of the outer end surface (lower end surface) of the horn 32 relative to the treatment surface 17 is set to be smaller than the height of the two electrodes 14, 15 relative to the treatment surface 17. . Further, as shown in FIG. 3C, the horn 32 (more precisely, the first end portion 32 a) is disposed between the two electrodes 14 and 15. In other words, the two electrodes 14 and 15 are located around the first end portion 32a.

  In the horn 32, an ultrasonic transducer 33 is fixed to a second end 32b opposite to the first end 32a. The ultrasonic transducer 33 is an element that converts electrical energy into ultrasonic mechanical vibration. For example, a magnetostrictive vibrator and an electrostrictive vibrator are employed as the ultrasonic vibrator. In either case, vibration is generated when AC power is applied. In this example, the operating power of the ultrasonic transducer 33 is supplied through a drive circuit (not shown) of the control device 13.

  The ultrasonic vibration generated by the ultrasonic vibrator 33 is transmitted to the horn 32. At this time, the first end portion 32 a of the horn 32 tends to vibrate at the same frequency as the ultrasonic vibration generated in the ultrasonic transducer 33. However, since the first end portion 32 a is fixed to the bottom wall of the housing 11, the horn 32 vibrates together with the housing 11. Although the vibration amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration obtained by the ultrasonic vibrator 33 is slight, the vibration amplitude is amplified by the horn 32, and the vibration having the amplified vibration amplitude is transmitted to the housing 11 or the like.

  During the treatment, ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted to the skin through the housing 11 or the two electrodes 14 and 15 together with the high-frequency current. Thereby, the frictional resistance with the skin when the treatment surface 17 of the beauty apparatus or the two electrodes 14 and 15 are moved along the skin is alleviated. As a result, the beauty device can be easily moved along the surface of the skin, improving usability.

  Moreover, the skin can be warmed from the inside by vibrating the cells existing inside the skin by ultrasonic vibration. That is, a part of the vibration energy of the ultrasonic wave is absorbed by the skin cells, and the cells can be activated by changing to thermal energy. In addition, pressure fluctuation is instantaneously applied to the surface of the skin and its cells by the fine vibration action of the ultrasonic waves. For this reason, a cell level massage can be performed. This massage action promotes the circulation of blood and lymph and activates the skin from deeper.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the protruding height of the horn 32 with respect to the treatment surface 17 of the housing 11 may be set to be the same as the height of the two electrodes 14 and 15 with respect to the treatment surface 17. That is, the surfaces of the two electrodes 14 and 15 and the outer end surface of the horn 32 are located on the same virtual plane F. In this way, when the two electrodes 14 and 15 are brought into contact with the skin, the outer end surface of the horn 32 also comes into contact with the skin. For this reason, the ultrasonic vibration is directly applied to the skin via the horn 32. In addition, since the surface of the two electrodes 14 and 15 and the outer end surface of the horn 32 are so-called flush with each other, the two electrodes 14 and 15 are moved along the skin while being in contact with the skin. The condition is good because it can be moved stably.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the effects (1) and (2) of the first embodiment.
(4) The horn 32, more precisely the first end 32a, is provided between the two electrodes 14,15. For this reason, the frictional resistance is similarly reduced regardless of the direction of movement of the beauty device on the skin. For example, when the horn 32 is provided so as to be offset toward the outside of the two electrodes 14 and 15, when the beauty device is moved toward the side where the horn 32 is not provided, the effect of reducing the frictional resistance with the skin is obtained. It becomes difficult to move along the skin.

  (5) When the protrusion height of the horn 32 with respect to the treatment surface 17 of the housing 11 is set to be the same as the height of the two electrodes 14 and 15 with respect to the treatment surface 17, the two electrodes 14 and 15 are brought into contact with the skin. At this time, the outer end surface of the horn 32 also comes into contact with the skin. For this reason, it becomes possible to apply ultrasonic vibration directly to the skin via the horn 32. The cosmetic effect is enhanced by applying ultrasonic energy directly to the skin. Also, in this case, the surface of the two electrodes 14 and 15 and the outer end surface of the horn 32 are so-called flush, so that the stability when moving the two electrodes 14 and 15 along the skin is improved. Increase.

<Other embodiments>
Each of the above embodiments may be modified as follows.
In each embodiment, the two electrodes 14 and 15 are provided, but three or more electrodes may be provided.

  In the second embodiment, the elastic member 24 is interposed between the two electrodes 14 and 15, but may be as follows. That is, the recess is formed larger than the electrode, and the electrode is fitted into the recess. An elastic member is fitted between the inner side surface of the recess and the electrode so as to be in a compressed state. Even in this case, the electrode fitted in the recess is urged in the direction along the treatment surface 17 by the elastic force of the elastic member and is pressed against the inner surface of the recess. For this reason, generation | occurrence | production of the position shift of the electrode by vibration or dropping-out is suppressed. The same applies to the case of providing three or more electrodes. This configuration can also be applied to the third embodiment.

  In each embodiment, the power supply circuit 12 and the control device 13 are provided inside the housing 11, but these may be provided separately from the housing 11. For example, the power supply circuit 12 and the control device 13 are provided as a main body of a stationary beauty device together with a power switch and the like. The two electrodes 14 and 15 and the vibration mechanism 16 are configured as probes that are used by being held by a user. This probe is connected to the body of the beauty device via a connection line. Various operations of the beauty device or application of a high-frequency voltage is performed via the beauty device body.

  -In each embodiment, you may change the shape of an electrode suitably. For example, not only a rectangular shape and a circular shape but also an elliptical shape or a semicircular shape may be possible. That is, the electrode should just be formed in the planar shape in the part which contacts skin.

  In each embodiment, the high frequency current is supplied to the skin through the electrodes, but a low frequency current may be applied to the skin. In this case, a stimulating action by current can be obtained. Further, DC power may be applied to the skin. For example, it is suitable for introduction of serum into the skin. Furthermore, any of a high frequency current, a low frequency current, and a direct current may be supplied. Beauty effects such as deep thermal effect by high-frequency current and stimulation action by low-frequency current can be obtained by a single beauty device.

<Other technical ideas>
Next, the technical ideas that can be grasped from the respective embodiments will be added below.
(A) The cosmetic device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the elastic member is held in a compressed state between two electrodes. If it does in this way, two electrodes will be urged | biased in the mutually opposite direction by the elastic force of an elastic member, and will be pressed on the inner surface of a recessed part. Thereby, generation | occurrence | production of the position shift of the electrode by vibration or dropping-out etc. can be suppressed.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Housing, 13 ... Control apparatus, 14, 15 ... Electrode, 16, 31 ... Vibration mechanism, 17 ... Treatment surface, 18 ... Motor, 19 ... Output shaft, 20 ... Weight, 21, 22 ... Recess, 24 ... Elastic member 32 ... Horn, 33 ... Ultrasonic vibrator.

Claims (5)

In a cosmetic device that applies current to the skin through a plurality of flat electrodes provided on the treatment surface of the housing,
A cosmetic device comprising: a vibration mechanism that is fixed inside the housing to generate vibration; and a control device that operates the vibration mechanism to apply vibration to the skin together with the current. The beauty device according to claim 1,
The vibration mechanism includes a motor fixed inside the housing, and a weight provided eccentrically with respect to the output shaft of the motor,
The plurality of electrodes are respectively fitted into recesses formed on the treatment surface, and the treatment surface is provided with an elastic member that urges the electrodes fitted into the recesses in a direction along the treatment surface. Beauty equipment. The beauty device according to claim 1,
The vibration mechanism includes a horn that extends in a direction intersecting the treatment surface, and a vibrator that receives ultrasonic power to generate ultrasonic vibration.
The first end of the horn is fixed to a portion where the treatment surface of the housing is formed, and the vibrator is fixed to a second end opposite to the first end. Beauty equipment. The beauty device according to claim 3,
The first end portion protrudes from the treatment surface, and a protrusion height with respect to the treatment surface is set to be the same as a height of the plurality of electrodes with respect to the treatment surface. In the beauty apparatus of Claim 3 or Claim 4,
When viewed from the treatment surface side, the first end portion is a cosmetic device provided between the plurality of electrodes.

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