JPWO2022135806A5 - - Google Patents

Claims (15)

A personal care device comprising an RF signal generator for generating one or more RF drive signals in a frequency range from 3 kHz to 30 GHz for use in operation in driving a plurality of RF electrodes according to a driving scheme. The personal care device is
monitoring one or more electrical characteristics of the RF signal generator during operation, the one or more electrical characteristics being related to a functional status of the RF electrode; ,
comparing the electrical characteristics to one or more predetermined criteria;
and triggering a response action in response to the electrical characteristic meeting the one or more predetermined criteria. A personal care device. The personal care device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined criterion is configured to indicate the occurrence of a short between at least two RF electrodes of the plurality of RF electrodes. the predetermined criterion is a change in the one or more electrical characteristics of the RF signal generator during one operating session of the RF signal generator, the predetermined criterion being a change in magnitude or rate of change of a threshold value; 3. A personal care device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a change. 4. A personal care device according to any preceding claim, wherein the predetermined criterion comprises a threshold value for at least one of the one or more electrical characteristics. 5. A personal care device according to any preceding claim, wherein the responsive action comprises generating a data output and/or comprising generating a sensory output to alert a user. the one or more response measures include changing the drive scheme of the RF electrode, and/or the one or more response measures include changing the driving scheme of the RF electrode of at least one of the plurality of RF electrodes. 6. A personal care device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising selectively deactivating. further comprising a cleaning and/or treatment section, the cleaning and/or treatment section comprising the plurality of RF electrodes extending outward from a surface of the cleaning and/or treatment section, and the RF signal generator: 7. A personal care device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, arranged to supply the RF drive signal to the plurality of RF electrodes of the cleaning and/or treatment section. The cleaning and/or treatment section comprises one or more spatial groupings of cleaning filaments extending outwardly from the surface of the cleaning and/or treatment section, each spatial grouping extending outwardly from the surface of the cleaning and/or treatment section. 8. Covering areas, each of said RF electrodes being positioned to extend from one of said areas covered by one or more spatial groupings of said cleaning filaments. personal care devices. The cleaning and/or treatment section comprises a plurality of spatial groupings of RF electrodes, each of the spatial groupings being individually addressable by the RF signal generator, and the responsive action being performed on a plurality of spatial groups of RF electrodes. 9. A personal care device according to claim 7 or 8, comprising selectively activating or deactivating different spatial groups of the spatial groups. further comprising a pressure sensor arranged to sense such pressure at the irrigation and/or treatment section, one or more pressure sensors, wherein triggering the response action is related to an output signal from the pressure sensor. 10. A personal care device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, further based on predetermined criteria. each of the RF electrodes comprising a conductive element, each of the RF electrodes comprising a passive thermal activation element, the passive thermal activation element being disposed in thermal communication with at least a portion of the conductive element; 11. A personal care device according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the personal care device performs a response action upon activation. 12. The personal care of claim 11, wherein the passive thermal activation element provides a visual indicator upon thermal activation, and/or the passive thermal activation element provides a mechanical response action upon thermal activation. device. At least a portion of the electrically conductive element is exposed, and the passive thermally activated element is disposed in thermal communication with the exposed portion, and the passive thermally activated element is configured to conduct a first activation upon thermal activation. 13, wherein the thermally activated element covers the exposed portion of the electrically conductive element. A personal care device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs. personal care, comprising controlling an RF signal generator of a personal care device to generate one or more RF drive signals in a frequency range from 3 kHz to 30 GHz to drive a plurality of RF electrodes according to a drive scheme; A method, the personal care method comprising:
monitoring one or more electrical characteristics of the RF signal generator, the electrical characteristics being related to a functional status of the RF electrode;
comparing the electrical characteristics to one or more predetermined criteria;
triggering a response action in response to the electrical characteristic meeting the one or more predetermined criteria; and detecting a degraded functional state of the RF electrode. A personal care method. 15. A computer program product comprising computer program code that, when executed on a processor, causes the processor to perform the personal care method of claim 14.