JP2024082286A - Beauty Device - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To create a brush-shaped beauty device with an excellent structure for exerting an electrical beauty effect, and to provide a technology that can be used for various applications. [Solution] A beauty device 1 is provided, which comprises a plurality of flexible pins 21, a base body 23 that serves as a common base for the plurality of pins 21, and a circuit board 26, in which the pins have a substantially cylindrical columnar portion 24 standing upright from the base body 23 and a conductive tip portion 22 provided at the tip of the columnar portion, and further comprises a conductive elastic body 25 provided along the longitudinal direction within the cylinder of the columnar portion 24, and a contact point is provided on the circuit board 26 in accordance with the position of the elastic body 25, one end of the elastic body 25 is compressed to contact the contact point, and the other end of the elastic body 25 is electrically conductive with the tip portion 22. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a beauty device that exerts a cosmetic effect on the target area of the user, such as the face or head, and in particular to a technology that exerts an electrical cosmetic effect from the pin body of a brush provided in the beauty device.

Conventionally, beauty devices have been known that pass pulsating electricity through the skin and cause muscles to contract (EMS: Electrical Muscle Stimulation) to promote lymphatic flow and perform treatments such as fatigue recovery or muscle strengthening.

Patent document 1 also discloses a vibrating hairbrush that stimulates the scalp through vibrations while brushing. This vibrating hairbrush developed by the present applicant is capable of stimulating the scalp from various directions and can also vibrate at high frequencies, providing a variety of effects.

Although Patent Document 2 is not intended for the scalp, it does disclose a pin head for a massager in which multiple pins make uniform contact with the soft skin and muscle contours of the cheeks, etc., and can provide comfortable vibrations and electrical stimulation without any sense of discomfort, thereby relieving fatigue, etc.
In the present invention, a coil spring is provided which surrounds the base ends of the multiple pins and biases each of the multiple pins outwardly.

The head of the cosmetic device disclosed in Patent Document 3 includes a head, an elastic insert, and an electrical connection part that is electrically connected to an external circuit structure, and a conductive structure is formed within the head. The elastic insert has both ends in the direction of elasticity, one end of which is inserted into the head and electrically connected to the conductive structure, and the other end of which is electrically connected to the electrical connection part.

Patent documents 4 to 6 disclose a configuration in which a coil spring is provided at the base of each pin of a hairbrush.

JP 2013-188250 A Patent No. 5789064 No. 3226151 Publication No. 3036599 JP 2000-140131 A JP 2000-262637 A

The above-mentioned prior art describes inserting a coil spring into the base of the pin body of the brush, allowing the pin body to retract, and passing electricity through this coil spring. However, this type of structure creates areas of different rigidity between the base and the pin body, which can lead to the pin body breaking, or the pin body not being able to bend flexibly, resulting in a poor usability.

In addition, in a configuration in which an electrode area is provided at the tip of the pin body, it is necessary to stably supply sufficient power to the electrode area, but even if a coil spring is provided at the base and electricity is passed through it, it is not possible to ensure a current path to the tip.

Furthermore, conventional brush-shaped beauty devices have been designed to provide electrical beauty effects using electrodes at the tips of the pins, but they do not offer the functionality of a normal hairbrush or a simple configuration that can accommodate a variety of beauty effects, nor do they offer a configuration that can be used on areas other than the scalp and hair.

The present invention aims to create a brush-shaped beauty device with an excellent structure for providing electrical beauty effects, and to provide technology that can be used for a variety of purposes.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following beauty device.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a beauty device is provided, comprising a plurality of flexible pins, a base body that serves as a common base for the plurality of pins, and a circuit board, wherein the pins have an approximately cylindrical columnar portion standing up from the base body and a conductive tip portion provided at the tip of the columnar portion, and further comprises a conductive elastic body provided along the longitudinal axis direction within the tube of the columnar portion, and a contact point is provided on the circuit board in accordance with the position of the elastic body, one end of the elastic body is compressed to contact the contact point, and the other end of the elastic body is conductive with the tip portion.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, one end of the elastic body may be exposed from the back surface of the base body.

According to a third embodiment of the present invention, the substrate may further include a reinforcing plate provided on the surface opposite the circuit board, and the reinforcing plate may have a structure in which holes are opened corresponding to the positions of the columnar portions.

According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the elastic body may be a coil spring.

According to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the contacts may be integrally formed on the circuit board.

The present invention, with the above-mentioned configuration, provides the following effects.
By providing a conductive elastic body inside the pin body along the axial direction, the pin body has a flexible flexibility, and by passing electricity through the elastic body to the electrode region, a stable power supply is achieved.
At the same time, the present invention can maximize the cosmetic effect at each active site by optimizing the current flow mode.

In addition, by providing a beauty device consisting of a main body and a brush attachment that can be attached and detached to the main body, it is possible to provide a variety of functions by replacing the brush attachment. At the same time, the structure of the brush attachment of the present invention allows power to be supplied from the main body to the pin body in a reliable and simple configuration.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beauty device according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of a pin body of the beauty device. FIG. 2 is a front view of the beauty device according to the present invention. FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an embodiment of a brush attachment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a detachable portion of the brush attachment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a first embodiment of an electrode. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a second embodiment of the electrode.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on examples shown in the drawings. However, the embodiments are not limited to the following. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cosmetic device (1) according to the present invention. The cosmetic device is composed of a roughly rod-shaped main body (10) with a gripping portion (11) on one side that is held by the user, and a brush-shaped brush portion (12) on the other side that exerts a cosmetic effect.

In this embodiment, the brush attachment (20) is configured to be detachable from the brush portion (12), and the brush attachment can be freely replaced depending on the type of cosmetic treatment and the area to be treated.
However, the brush part (12) in the present invention may be directly provided with a brush-like body, and is not necessarily limited to a detachable configuration. The brush attachments described below may all be configured to be fixed to the brush part (12).

The brush attachment (20) has a pin body (21) with many pins. The tip of the pin body (21) has a tip portion (22) which is an electrode area that can pass electricity to the user's area of action. The tip portion (22) is made of metal, but may also be made of conductive resin or the like.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view explaining the structure of the pin body of the beauty device. In this embodiment, the pin body (21) is composed of a base body (23) which serves as a common base for multiple pin bodies, and a roughly cylindrical columnar part (24) made of silicone resin standing up from the base body (23). The pin with the current-carrying area consists of a tip part (22) and a columnar part (24).

A coil spring (25) is inserted into the cylindrical columnar portion (24) as an elastic body. The outer diameter of the coil spring (25) is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the columnar portion (24), and the tension of the coil spring (25) provides an appropriate degree of flexibility when the columnar portion (24) bends. At the same time, the coil spring (25) also contributes to improving the durability of the columnar portion (24).

Conventionally, a coil spring has been provided at the base of the columnar portion. In such cases, the coil spring is configured to elastically support the protrusion and retraction of the columnar portion. On the other hand, in the present invention, the coil spring is installed inside the columnar portion (24) over almost the entire length, thereby simultaneously realizing elasticity in the bending direction and reinforcement.

The cylindrical columnar portion (24) penetrates the thickness of the base body (23), and the coil spring (25) is inserted through the thickness. The end (25a) of the coil spring (25) is exposed from the back surface of the base body (23).

The outer diameter of the coil spring (25) at the end (25a) of the coil spring (25) is made larger than the inner diameter of the columnar portion (24). Therefore, the coil spring (25) is not pulled into the columnar portion (24) and remains exposed.

Furthermore, this end (25a) is in electrical contact with the circuit board (26) on the rear side. The circuit board (26) is provided with contacts aligned with the position of the coil spring (25), and electricity is supplied from an electrical circuit (not shown) provided in the main body (10). As is well known, the electrical circuit is made up of a power source that supplies power, such as a rechargeable battery, a battery, or a power adapter, and a control circuit that controls the current, voltage, and other aspects. Note that in the present invention, the electrical circuit is not necessarily limited to being provided in the main body (10), and may be provided in the brush attachment (20). Also, only the power source may be provided in the main body (10), or part of the control circuit may be distributed between the main body and the brush attachment.

A reinforcing resin plate (27) is placed on the surface of the base body (23) opposite the circuit board (26), resulting in the base body (23) being sandwiched between the circuit board (26). The reinforcing resin plate (27) not only prevents the base body (23) from deforming, but also reinforces the base of the columnar portion (24) with its thickness. The reinforcing resin plate (27) supports the pins so that they do not bend from the base, thereby preventing breakage such as snapping. The reinforcing resin plate (27) is a flat resin with holes opening in positions corresponding to the positions of the columnar portions (24).

An extension (22a) at one end of the tip (22) is inserted a predetermined length into the inner circumference of the other end (25b) of the coil spring. The extension (22a) is a rod-like extension with a smaller diameter than the tip (22) and is in electrical contact with the coil spring (25). This forms an electrical path from the circuit board (26) through the coil spring (25) to the tip (22).

In other words, in the present invention, the coil spring (25) not only simultaneously realizes elasticity and reinforcement in the bending direction, but also acts as an electrical path from the circuit board (26) to the tip (22), which is the electrode area. In this regard, when the columnar portion (24) bends, a general electric wire has the disadvantage that it is prone to poor contact due to disconnection. On the other hand, in the configuration of the present invention, the coil spring (25) is compressed and inserted, so that even if the pin bends significantly, it expands and electrical contact at both ends is maintained, and naturally there is no risk of disconnection, and an electrical path with low resistance can be realized.

In the present invention, any member other than the coil spring (25) can be used as the elastic body. For example, a rod-shaped body made of conductive resin or a metal leaf spring can also be used.

A locking portion (22b) with a diameter larger than the small diameter rod-like portion is formed at a midpoint of the extension (22a) of the tip portion (22). The locking portion (22b) engages with a groove (24a) provided in a corresponding portion of the columnar portion (24). During manufacturing, silicon resin is poured into a mold with the tip portion (22) set in a predetermined position, and the locking portion (22b) is molded with the locking portion engaged with the groove (24a). The protrusion of the locking portion (22b) and the recess on the tip side provide a stable fixation to the columnar portion (24).

The tip portion (22) and the columnar portion (24) may be integrally formed by injection molding or the like so that no gaps are formed. This prevents liquid from penetrating into the interior through the gap between the tip portion (22) and the columnar portion (24). Even when using the product after applying a liquid such as a beauty serum to the scalp, corrosion of the contact between the coil spring (25) and the tip portion (22) can be prevented, and an increase in electrical resistance can be prevented, so that stable effects can be obtained over a long period of time.

In this embodiment, the length of the extension (22a) beyond the locking portion (22b) is 3 mm, and the length of the electrode region of the tip (22) is 4.6 mm. The length of the extension (22a) is preferably 1 to 10 mm, and more preferably 2 to 6 mm. The length of the electrode region is preferably about 2 mm to 6 mm, and particularly 3 mm to 5 mm, so that the columnar portion (24) continues to contact the skin surface even if it is significantly bent.

Figure 3 is a front view of the cosmetic device according to the present invention, and Figure 4 is a right side view of the same. As shown in the figure, the brush attachment (20) of this embodiment is composed of three rows of vertically arranged pins, with the central row being linear and the rows on both sides being arranged with each side angled outward halfway. Low and medium frequency electrical stimulation is applied from the tip (22) to exert the cosmetic effect of EMS.

As shown in Figure 4, the brush attachment (20) shown in this embodiment is configured with higher pins on the upper and lower sides and a relatively lower pin in the center. The imaginary line connecting the tips of the pin body (21) is concave in a bowl shape, so that when it is placed against the face, the tip (22) can be made to abut evenly along the surface.

Figure 4 shows the main body (10) standing on the charging stand (13). The charging stand (13) charges the rechargeable battery inside the main body (10) and supplies the necessary power.

The mechanism for attaching and detaching the brush attachment (20) will now be described.
2, the brush attachment (20) is separated from the brush unit (12) at the position of the dashed line (A). The brush attachment (20) comprises a base body (23), a circuit board (26), and an attachment base (28) on the rear side thereof.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the form of the brush attachment, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the attachment/detachment portion of the brush attachment.
As shown in Fig. 5, the present invention allows multiple brush attachments to be used interchangeably. In addition to the facial brush attachment (20) shown in the above embodiment, it can also be replaced with a brush attachment (30) for scalp care.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a detachable portion of the brush attachment.
The brush portion (12) of the main body (10) has a generally elliptical recess (120), into which the attachment bases (28) and (38) are fitted.
A magnetic material is provided so that the recess (120) and the attachment bases (28) (38) are magnetically attracted to each other, and when they are brought close to each other to a certain extent, the brush attachment is attached with a click.

Furthermore, the recess (120) is provided with body side electrodes (121), (122), (123), and the attachment base (28) is provided with attachment side electrodes (280), (281), (282), which together form an electric current conducting portion.
Electric power is supplied from the main body (10) to the electrode area of the pin body (21) through the current-carrying portion.

Light-emitting diodes (124) are provided on both the left and right sides of the recess (120). By irradiating the skin surface with light, for example red light, using the light-emitting diodes, it is possible to achieve beauty effects such as promoting blood circulation.

Furthermore, the recess (120) of the main body (10) is provided with a vibration mechanism. The vibration mechanism is configured by incorporating a general vibration motor and transmitting the vibration to the brush attachment (20).
The vibration mechanism may be provided on the brush attachment side. In this case, power is supplied through the above-mentioned conductive part to drive the vibration motor in the brush attachment.

As described above, the present invention can achieve various cosmetic effects by changing the brush attachment. For example, Figure 7 shows a brush attachment (30) for use on the scalp. The attachment is used to care for the scalp by brushing the hair up like a hairbrush.

In this embodiment, the number of pins with electrode regions is reduced, and a low-hardness silicone brush that is soft and in close contact with the scalp is used. The silicone resin pin body has a diameter of about 4 mm, and a diameter in the range of 3 to 6 mm is preferable.
In the present invention, the pin body of the brush attachment does not necessarily need to be provided with a conductive elastic body depending on the application.

Iontophoresis can also be performed by passing a weak current through the tip electrodes (32) (32) to the scalp. Also, to perform stretching, a pulse wave of 30V to 50V can be passed through the skin surface. As shown in the figure, a pair of adjacent tip electrodes (32) are treated as a positive pole and a negative pole, and a current is passed between the electrodes. As an example, adjacent tip electrodes (32) have opposite polarities. In practice, the device may be divided into right and left halves, upper and lower halves, etc.
At the same time, it is preferable that the vibrating mechanism applies vibration to the scalp.

On the other hand, the brush attachment (20) shown in Figure 8 has a cosmetic effect on the muscles of the face and décolleté. For example, the pin body is placed on the temporalis muscle, which spreads from the cheekbone to the side of the head, to massage. When the temporalis muscle becomes tense and stiff, it pulls the face sideways, making it appear larger and the jawline protruding. By relaxing the zygomatic major and zygomatic minor muscles along with the temporalis muscle, the face becomes smaller and tighter, and a lift can also be achieved.

In this embodiment, the central row of the tip portion (22) is a negative pole, and the rows on both sides are a positive pole (indicating how to divide the polarity when applying an alternating current). By grouping the same polarity by area in this way, the user's physical sensation can be strengthened.
Of course, the polarities may be arranged arbitrarily, and may be alternated, or divided into right and left halves, upper and lower halves, etc.

To suit such facial areas, the brush attachment (20) employs a pin body (21) with flexible pins, and applies a current suitable for EMS while in soft contact. The current passed through the EMS can be a low frequency such as 10 Hz to 100 Hz, a medium frequency such as 1 kHz to 10 KHz, and in particular an alternating current of 1 kHz. Microcurrents may also be passed through the muscles in combination with or instead of EMS.

The grip portion (11) of the cosmetic device (1) is equipped with operation buttons (14) (15) for operation. The upper operation button (14) can be used to change the level of the cosmetic effect, such as the intensity of the cosmetic effect. For example, the applied voltage of the EMS can be changed to 30 V at level 1, 40 V at level 2, and 50 V at level 3.

The optimal EMS modes for the beauty device are shown below. The beauty device has two modes: scalp mode, which targets the scalp, and face mode, which targets the face and décolleté, which can be switched by combining levels 1 to 3 mentioned above. A vibration mode is also included, which activates the vibration mechanism. By using vibration in combination, it is possible to provide appropriate stimulation in both scalp mode and face mode.

The lower operation button (15) can be used to turn the power on and off and to switch modes. Modes can be switched according to the part of the body, such as a mode suitable for use on the head, a mode suitable for the face, and a mode suitable for the décolleté, or the mode can be switched according to the cosmetic effect, such as EMS, microcurrent, light irradiation, and vibration.

In the present invention, the main body (10) may automatically supply an appropriate current depending on the attached brush attachment. For example, the brush attachment may have an IC chip in which the current supply conditions such as voltage and frequency are stored, and the control circuit of the main body (10) may read the information from the IC chip and supply current accordingly.

Alternatively, the brush attachment may be provided with contacts according to its type, and the control circuit of the main body (10) may determine the type of brush attachment installed based on the position of the contacts and whether or not there is electrical continuity, and then supply electrical current appropriate to that type.
When the type of brush attachment is automatically determined, the operation buttons (14) and (15) may be switched according to the type.

Not only can the brush attachment be easily attached and detached, but the appropriate electrical current is automatically applied, making it easy for anyone to use without the need for knowledge or experience.

As mentioned above, the specifications of the pulse wave are 100V or less, especially low voltages of 30V to 50V or less, and in the case of microcurrents with a current value of less than 1mA, there is almost no muscle contraction. Therefore, it has the advantage of being easy to use for users who are not good with electrical stimulation by EMS.

In addition, the present invention can also pass the following current. That is, by applying a weak current of less than about 1 mA from the tip electrodes (32) (32) and setting the voltage at no load within the range of 200V to 800V, the sensation of the weak current can be enhanced, allowing the treatment area to be felt while being treated. Also, low frequency waves can be used to promote muscle contraction, resulting in effects such as a tightening effect and muscle promotion. A mode for electrical stimulation using general EMS can also be provided.

If the voltage is lower than 100V, the sensation is no different from that of a typical microcurrent, but if it exceeds 800V, the stimulation becomes too strong. Therefore, a range of 200V to 800V, particularly 400V to 800V, is preferable.
Furthermore, according to the applicant's experiments, it is preferable to use pulse waves in the range of 12.5 to 50 Hz for both the scalp and the face and décolleté.

By using a relatively high voltage, you can feel a physical sensation and stimulation similar to that of low-frequency electrical stimulation, allowing for an effective massage that doesn't tire you out.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Cosmetic device 10 Main body 11 Grip portion 12 Brush portion 120 Recess 13 Charging stand 14 Operation button 15 Operation button 20 Brush attachment 21 Pin body 22 Tip portion 23 Base body 24 Column portion 25 Coil spring 26 Circuit board 27 Reinforcing resin plate 28 Attachment base 30 Brush attachment 32 Tip portion

Claims (5)

A plurality of flexible pins;
a base body that serves as a common base for the plurality of pins;
A circuit board;
Equipped with
the pin has a substantially cylindrical columnar portion standing on the base body and a conductive tip portion provided at a tip of the columnar portion,
The cylindrical member further includes a conductive elastic body provided along a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical member,
The circuit board is provided with a contact point aligned with the position of the elastic body,
One end of the elastic body is compressed and in contact with the contact point,
The other end of the elastic body is electrically connected to the tip portion. The cosmetic device according to claim 1 , wherein the one end of the elastic body is exposed from a rear surface of the base body. The circuit board further includes a reinforcing plate provided on a surface of the base body opposite to the circuit board,
The cosmetic device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcing plate has holes formed therein that correspond to the positions of the columnar portions. The cosmetic device according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic body is a coil spring. The cosmetic device according to claim 1 , wherein the contacts are integrally formed on the circuit board.

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