KR20150142035A - Workpiece having exfoliating characteristics - Google Patents

Abstract

A workpiece in the form of a peel head having a polishing surface for use with a personal care tool is disclosed. Personal care devices are configured to vibrate the peel head to provide enhanced smoothing and peeling of the skin of the subject with or without prior application of the skin care formulation. The peeling head may be used to treat rough skin conditions such as hard flesh or nails formed on the patient's hands or feet. Examples of such workpieces with damping devices are also provided. The damping device damps potential undesired movements of the workpiece and allows tuning of the vibration motor system of the muscle resonance personal care device.

Description

[WORKPIECE HAVING EXFOLIATING CHARACTERISTICS]

As is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, when the palms or soles of the soles are at least partially keratinized by the frequent repeated contact of the hands or feet with various hard or rough surfaces over time, as generally known to those of ordinary skill in the art, A thick solid flesh or nail is formed on the soles or feet of the feet. For example, the hard flesh of a hand is often caused by the regular handling of objects that exert pressure on the hands, such as tools or sports equipment. Foot flesh and nails are often caused by pressure from shoes such as tight-fitting shoes, high-heeled shoes, loose shoes and thin-bottomed shoes. Repeated pressure from contact causes the skin to die and form a hard protective surface.

Hard flesh and nails can cause discomfort and can also be painful. Moreover, hard flesh or nails may be split by dry or cold weather, for example, and the dermis beneath the epidermis may be damaged. Therefore, it is often necessary to periodically remove such hard flesh or nails from the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet. Such removal of hard flesh or nails from the hands or feet is commonly referred to as "pedicure".

During the pedicure, the hard flesh and the dry, keratinized skin are peeled off or scraped from the bottom of the foot. Typically, a topical formula is applied to soak the feet in a warm bath and / or to soften the skin. Once the warm water and / or topical agent softens the skin of the foot, the bottom of the foot is covered with a pedicure sander, a callus rasp or a pumice stone consisting of an abrasive sanding pad attached to a durable plastic handle ) Is scrubbed by hand. Additionally, some engineers will use a nail and a corn and callus plane consisting of a stainless steel head with raised razor blade to cut thin, hard, hard flesh from the foot.

These conventional methods and devices for removing solid flesh are time consuming, laborious, inefficient, and often painful. Also, some of the conventional instruments are dangerous. In particular, hardened flesh planes may cause serious injury if used improperly. Accordingly, there has been an attempt to automate the process of removing skin imperfections from the feet and hands to reduce the risk and harmful effects of the manual process. For example, several electric rotating devices having a sandblasted contact surface have been devised for grooming hands and feet, and one such device is sold under the trade name "Pedi-Smooth ".

This description is provided to introduce the selection of concepts in the form of a brief description which will be further described in the detailed description. This is not intended to identify important features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

According to aspects of the present disclosure, a work piece is provided. The work piece may be used with a personal care appliance having a drive system. The workpiece includes a movable base portion configured to be operatively coupled to the drive system, and a disk plate mounted to the moving base portion. The disc plate includes an outwardly contacting surface with an abrasive disposed on the surface in some embodiments. The abrasive is configured to, in some embodiments, delaminate a partially keratinized region of the epidermis when placed in contact therewith.

In some embodiments, the abrasive comprises a plurality of abrasive elements. In some embodiments, the one or more abrasive elements may be characterized in any combination by one or more of the following features: one or more abrasive elements are about 0.003 inches (0.0762 millimeters) to about 0.008 inches (0.203 millimeters ); ≪ / RTI > Wherein at least one of the plurality of abrasive elements comprises a generally flat upper surface lying within a plane generally parallel to the contact surface; Wherein one or more abrasive elements of the plurality of abrasive elements include inwardly tapering sidewalls defining an upper surface and one or more cutting edges; The ratio of the cross-sectional area of the upper surface of the abrasive element adjacent the contact surface to the percentage of the cross-sectional area of the base is between 30% and 60% in some embodiments and between 48% and 52% in other embodiments; Wherein the at least one abrasive element comprises a base section adjacent the contact surface and an upper section adjacent to the base section, the upper section being adjacent to the upper section at cutting edges and also between the upper section Having side walls forming an angle less than or equal to < RTI ID = 0.0 > In at least one of the abrasive elements, the transition between the base section and the upper section is about 0.0005 inches (0.0127 millimeters) to about 0.002 inches (0.0508 millimeters) from the upper surface.

Additionally or alternatively, the contact surface further comprises a central region free of abrasive material in some embodiments.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the workpiece may additionally or alternatively include a damping device. The damping device may be carried by the movable base portion and configured to damp the motion of the workpiece when vibrated by the drive system. In some embodiments, the damping device is separate from the disc plate. In some of these embodiments, the movable base portion defines an inner cavity, and the damping device is disposed within the inner cavity. In one embodiment, the movable base portion includes a central boss extending into the inner cavity, and a damping device is mounted to the central boss.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the workpiece may additionally or alternatively include means for damping the workpiece motion and for tuning the drive system, the means being supported by the movable base portion And is separated from the disc plate.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the damping device or damping means comprises a flexible member. The flexible member may comprise or be characterized in any combination of one or more of the following features: the flexible member has a hardness value of from 10 Shore A to 100 Shore A; Wherein the flexible member comprises an elastomeric material having a hardness value from 10 Shore A to 100 Shore A; The flexible member comprising a central section and a plurality of vanes extending from the central section; Wherein the flexible member comprises a sheet and a plurality of spaced apart protrusions extend outwardly from the sheet; The flexible members are symmetrical along the X and Y axes.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a peeling system is provided. The peeling system includes: a mechanism having a drive motor configured to vibrate the drive shaft; And a brushless peeling head selectively attached to the mechanism. The brushless stripping head includes, in some embodiments, a moveable portion operatively coupled to the drive shaft to vibrate with the drive shaft in response to the drive motor. The moving part includes a generally flat outwardly contacting surface having a plurality of abrasive elements on the surface. Each abrasive element is configured to ablate the epidermis when positioned to contact the epidermis. In some embodiments, each abrasive element is configured to exfoliate a partially cornified area of the epidermis when placed in contact therewith.

In some embodiments, one or more of the abrasive elements may be characterized in any combination of one or more of the following features: one or more of the abrasive elements are formed from 0.003 inches (0.0762 mm) to about 0.008 inches Lt; / RTI >millimeters); Wherein at least one of the plurality of abrasive elements comprises a generally flat upper surface lying within a plane generally parallel to the outwardly contacting surface; The ratio of the cross-sectional area of the upper surface of the abrasive element adjacent to the contact surface to the percentage of the cross-sectional area at the base is 30% to 60%.

Additionally or alternatively, the drive motor and drive shaft are configured to oscillate the moveable portion in some embodiments with a frequency of about 100-190 Hz and an amplitude of about 12-18 degrees. In some embodiments, the drive motor and drive shaft are configured to oscillate the movements at a frequency of about 168-178 Hz and an amplitude of about 12-18 degrees.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided for peeling skin from the epidermis of a subject. The method includes vibrating a peeling head having an outer surface with abrasive elements on the surface, via a motorized drive system. The abrasive elements are configured to exfoliate the partially keratinized areas of the epidermis of the subject. The method also includes applying abrasive elements to a portion of the epidermis of the subject. In some embodiments, the method also includes moving the peeling head over sections of the epidermis of the subject, with the polishing elements applied to the epidermis of the subject.

In some embodiments, vibrating the peeling head includes vibrating the peeling head through a selected angle of 12-18 degrees at a selected frequency of 100-190 Hz. In other embodiments, the range of selected frequencies is 168-178 Hz.

Additionally or alternatively, applying the abrasive elements comprises applying abrasive elements to the partially cornified area of the epidermis of the subject in some embodiments.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a workpiece is provided. Wherein the workpiece is a body having an upper section and a bottom section, the bottom section being configured to be coupled to a vibration drive motor; A treatment applicator comprising an abrasive, said treatment applicator being, in some embodiments, a peel disc; And a damping device carried by the body and configured to damp the motion of the body when vibrated by the vibration drive motor. The damping device is separate from the treatment applicator. In some embodiments, the abrasive is configured to exfoliate the partially cornified region of the epidermis when placed in contact therewith.

In some embodiments, the abrasive comprises a plurality of abrasive elements. The one or more abrasive elements may be characterized in some combinations in any combination of one or more of the following features: one or more of the abrasive elements of the plurality of abrasive elements are spaced from the contact surface by about 0.003 inches (0.0762 millimeters) Extended outward to a height of 0.008 inch (0.203 mm); One or more abrasive elements of the plurality of abrasive elements include generally planar upper surfaces lying within a plane generally parallel to the contact surface and inwardly tapering sidewalls defining the upper surface and one or more cutting edges; The ratio of the cross-sectional area of the upper surface of the abrasive element adjacent to the contact surface to the percentage of the cross-sectional area of the base is 30% to 60%.

Additionally or alternatively, the body defines an internal cavity disposed between the upper section and the bottom section in some embodiments. The damping device is disposed in the inner cavity. In some additional embodiments, the body includes a central boss extending into the inner cavity, and a damping device is mounted on the central boss.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the damping device includes a flexible member. The flexible member may comprise or be characterized in any combination of one or more of the following features: the flexible member has a hardness value of from 10 Shore A to 100 Shore A; Wherein the flexible member comprises an elastomeric material having a hardness value from 10 Shore A to 100 Shore A; The flexible member includes a central section and a plurality of vanes extending from the central section; Wherein the flexible member comprises a sheet and a plurality of spaced apart protrusions extend outwardly from the sheet; The flexible members are symmetrical along the X and Y axes.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a powered skin care device is provided. The device comprising: a powered handle having a vibrating motor system; And a workpiece mounted to the powered handle and configured to be moved by the vibration motor system in resonance or near resonance. In some embodiments, the workpiece is a body having an upper section and a bottom section, the bottom section being configured to be coupled to the vibration motor system; A treatment applicator disposed in the upper section and including an abrasive; And means for damping the motion of the workpiece and for tuning the vibration motor system. In some embodiments, the means is carried by the body and is separate from the treatment applicator.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the damping means comprises a flexible member. The flexible member may comprise or be characterized in any combination of one or more of the following features: the flexible member has a hardness value of from 10 Shore A to 100 Shore A; Wherein the flexible member comprises an elastomeric material having a hardness value from 10 Shore A to 100 Shore A; The flexible member includes a central section and a plurality of vanes extending from the central section; Wherein the flexible member comprises a sheet, and a plurality of spaced apart projections protrude from the sheet; The flexible members are symmetrical along the X and Y axes.

Additionally or alternatively, the body defines an inner cavity disposed between the upper section and the bottom section in some embodiments, and a central boss extending into the inner cavity. In some embodiments, the means is disposed within the inner cabin and mounted to the central boss.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing aspects of the disclosed subject matter and many of the attendant advantages will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.

1 is a perspective view of an example of a workpiece, such as a peel head, in accordance with aspects of the present invention.
2 is an exploded view of the peeling head of Fig.
3 is a top view of a peeling head such as the peeling head of Fig.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the peel head of Figure 1 adapted to be connected to parts of a drive motor system.
Figure 5 is a partial side view of an example of a surface having abrasive elements on a surface in accordance with aspects of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a partial side view of another example of a surface having abrasive elements on a surface in accordance with aspects of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a partial side view of another example of a surface having abrasive elements on a surface in accordance with aspects of the present invention.
8 is a perspective view of an example of a personal care mechanism equipped with the peeling head of Fig.
Fig. 9 is a side view of the personal care mechanism of Fig. 8 with the peeling head disassembled. Fig.
Figure 10 is a functional block diagram of various components of the personal care appliance of Figure 8;
Figure 11 is an exploded view of another example of a work piece, such as a peel head, having a damping device in accordance with aspects of the present invention.
12 is a perspective view of the work piece of Fig. 11 without a peel disc;
13 is a perspective view of an example of a damping device for use in the workpiece of FIG.
14 is a perspective view of an example of a damping device for use in the workpiece of FIG.
15 is a perspective view of an example of a damping device for use in the workpiece of FIG.

The following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, is intended to describe various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and is not intended to be exhaustive of the embodiments. Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided as an example only or an example and should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The illustrative examples provided herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed subject matter to the precise forms disclosed.

The following discussion provides examples of systems, devices and / or methods for treating skin. In the examples described herein, work pieces are provided that are suitable for use with personal care equipment. In some examples described herein, the personal care device vibrates the workpiece to treat an area of interest, e.g., skin. In these and other embodiments, the workpiece includes a treatment applicator that provides enhanced smoothing and exfoliation of the skin of the subject with or without prior application of the skin care formulation.

As will be described in more detail below, the vibrating action of the workpiece may be rotational (e.g., angular), translational, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, techniques are provided for damping workpiece motion. In these and other embodiments, there is provided a technique for adjusting a vibration motor assembly that drives a workpiece.

In use, a personal care device vibrates a workpiece, such as a peel head, over the skin of the subject to remove keratin from the epidermis of the subject. In some embodiments, the peeling head is used to treat rough skin conditions such as hard flesh or nails formed on the patient's hands or feet. For example, the peel head allows the user to make a rough skin condition a smooth, glazed skin surface.

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more embodiments of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without some or all of the specific details. In some instances, well known process steps are not described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the various aspects of the present disclosure. It will also be appreciated that embodiments of the present disclosure may employ any combination of the features described herein.

Referring now to Figure 1, an example of a workpiece in the form of a peel head 20 formed in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The peeling head 20 is suitable for use with a personal care appliance such as the appliance 22 shown in Figs. As will be described in more detail below, the peeling head 20 includes a surface 58 having a polishing section 60 that can be vibrated on the skin of the subject to remove keratinocytes from the epidermis. In addition, as will be described in greater detail below, some embodiments utilize sonic motion to vibrate the head 20, which provides improved control and precision in sculpting and callus removal . As will be described in more detail below, such sonic motion can be damped and / or tuned according to its intended application.

Before describing the head 20 in more detail, an example of a personal care device 22 that may be employed to impart vibratory motion to the head 20 is described in some detail. Although the personal care appliance 22 is one type of appliance that can be implemented with the embodiments of this disclosure, the head 20 is suitable for use with a wide range of oscillatory or vibratory motion generating devices .

8 and 9, an example of personal care mechanism 22 is shown. The personal care appliance 22 includes a body 24 having a handle portion 26 and a head attachment portion 28. The head attachment portion 28 is configured to selectively attach a head such as the peeling head 20 to the mechanism 22. [ The mechanism body 24 accommodates the operating structure of the mechanism. 10, in one embodiment, the operating structure includes a drive motor assembly 30, a power storage source 32, such as a rechargeable battery, and a power storage source 32, to drive motor assembly 30 And a drive control unit 34 having an on / off button 36 (see Fig. 8) arranged and arranged to selectively transmit power. In some embodiments, the drive control 34 is coupled to power control or mode control buttons 38 (such as a microcontroller or processor) connected to a control circuit, such as a programmed microcontroller or processor (which is configured to control the transmission of power to the drive motor assembly 30) (See FIG. 8). The drive motor assembly 30 includes an electric drive motor 40 that drives an attached head, such as the release head 20, via a drive shaft or armature 42, in some embodiments.

The drive motor assembly 30 is configured to impart motion to the head 20 when a workpiece, such as the peeling head 20, is mounted to the head attachment 28. The drive motor assembly 30 is configured to oscillate the peeling head 20 back and forth within an angular range of, in particular, 8-26 degrees, to operate the peeling head 20 at sonic frequencies typically in the range of 90-300 Hz . In some embodiments, as described in more detail below, the peeling head 20 operates at a frequency of about 100 Hz to 190 Hz at an amplitude or range of about 12-18 degrees. In other embodiments, the peeling head 20 operates at a frequency of about 168 Hz to 178 Hz, an amplitude of about 12-18 degrees, and a duty cycle of about 36-48%.

One example of a drive motor assembly 30 that may be employed by the mechanism 22 to vibrate the peeling head 20 is described and described in U.S. Patent 7,786,626. However, it is only one example of the construction and operation of such an apparatus, and the structure, operating frequency and vibration amplitude of such a mechanism may vary in part depending on the intended application and / or characteristics (inertia characteristics, etc.) I must understand. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the frequency range is selected to drive the attached head at near resonance. Thus, the selected frequency ranges are partly dependent on the inertia characteristics of the attached head. It will be appreciated that driving the attached head with muscle resonance offers many advantages, including the ability to drive the attached head at an appropriate amplitude under load conditions (e.g., when in contact with the skin). For a more detailed discussion of design parameters of an example of a mechanism, see U.S. Patent No. 7,786,626.

Now, referring to Figs. 2 to 4, an example of the peeling head 20 will be described in more detail. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the head 20 includes a generally cylindrical movable center portion 44. The movable central portion 44 is configured to connect directly or indirectly (e.g., via the drive boss 50) with the drive shaft or armature 42 of the drive motor assembly 30 at the first or inboard end 52. [ Section < / RTI > The base section 48 is shown in Fig. 4 as being composed of plastics such as nylon, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyethylene, etc., although other materials may be used including light metals such as aluminum, titanium,

The movable central portion 44 further includes a disc plate 54 fixedly attached to the base section 48 at the opposite second or outer end 56. In the illustrated embodiment, the disc plate 54 defines an outwardly facing surface 58 of the head 20 having one or more polishing sections 60. The disk plate 54 may be made of stainless steel, silver, zinc, brass, copper, aluminum, gold, etc., alloys thereof, and the like, although other materials including plastics such as nylon, polyurethane, polypropylene, ≪ / RTI > and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the disc plate 54 may comprise an outer core constructed from an inner core constructed from a more economical or lighter metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel, and a more biocompatible metal such as zinc, copper, gold or silver, have.

2 and 4, the base section 48 includes an open-ended cavity 62 (not shown) defined by an outer rim 64 extending circumferentially with a shoulder or stepped section 66 ). At the center of the cavity 62 is disposed a central boss 68 having an upper support surface 70 that is generally coplanar with the support surface 72 of the stepped section 66. The disc plate 54 is first positioned and supported by the boss 70 and the shoulder 66 to securely fix the disc plate 54 relative to the base section 48 in one embodiment. The rim 64 is then die-formed to catch the disc plate 54 between the shoulder 66 and the die-formed flange 74. In some embodiments, the die-formed flange 74 extends over and over a portion of the polishing sections 60. It will be appreciated that other fixing methods may be employed. For example, the disc plate 54 may be adhesively bonded to the base section 48.

Although the examples of the movable center portion 44 have been depicted and described as being individual base section 48 and disc plate 54, other configurations of the center section 44 are contemplated by this disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, the central portion 44 may be a unitary member of metal or plastic, and may be formed by casting, molding, co-molding, or other conventional techniques.

In some embodiments, the base section 48 may also include one or more additional features. For example, the peeling head 20 may be specially made for use in a resonant system. In this regard, it may be important to try to maintain the inertial properties of the head 20 during operation. Thus, one or more drain holes or slots 76 may be provided around the periphery of the inner cavity 72 to remove any fluid and / or solids that may approach the inner cavity 72. It will be appreciated that when the head 20 is designed for use with a sonic motion generator, the system (e.g., drive motor assembly 30 and head 20) may be designed to stop if excessive or detrimental release pressure is applied . Further, as will be described in further detail below in connection with the embodiment of FIG. 11, such vibratory motion can be damped and / or tuned according to its intended application.

Returning to Figures 2-4, the head 20 includes an optional outer retainer 78 in some embodiments. The outer retainer 78 includes a central opening 80 in the form of a cylinder. The opening 80 is constructed and sized to surround the sides of the movable center portion 44. The rim 82 extending around the upper periphery of the central opening 80 is coplanar with the outer surface 58 of the movable central portion 44 or is located slightly below or inwardly That is, toward the head attachment portion 28).

In some embodiments, the central portion 44 and the outer retainer 78 together comprise an attachment system configured to provide selective attachment of the head 20 to the head attachment portion 28 of the personal care appliance 22. When attached to the personal care mechanism 22 by the attachment system, the following occurs: (1) the movable central portion 44 is moved to the drive motor assembly 30 in such a manner as to provide a vibration motion, And (2) the retainer 78 firmly fixes the head 20 to the instrument 22. As shown in Fig. Thus, the attachment system provides a quick and easy technique for attaching and detaching the head 20 to the personal care device 22 in some embodiments. It will be appreciated that the attachment system allows other personal care heads to be attached to the handle and allows replacement release heads to be attached to the device 22 at any time.

One attachment system that can be implemented with the embodiments of the present disclosure is described in U.S. Patent No. 7,386,906. (20) to a personal care device, such as a device (22), in such a manner as to provide a vibratory motion to the central portion (44) of the drive motor assembly (30) It will be appreciated that other attachment systems may be employed to provide a technique with or without a tool for selectively attaching. For example, in some embodiments, the central portion 44 may include a vibratory drive shaft or an armature (not shown) of the associated drive motor assembly 30 in a manner that securely secures the center portion 44, 42), and the like). Thus, it should be understood that although the retainer 78 may provide certain advantages to some embodiments of the head 20, the retainer is optional and may be omitted if so desired.

Referring now to Figures 3, 5 to 7, aspects of surface 58 with polishing sections 60 are described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 5, the polishing sections 60 of the outward facing surface 58 include a plurality of spaced apart abrasive elements 84 that are configured to exfoliate the epidermis of the subject. In this regard, the abrasive elements 84 may be referred to herein as peel protrusions 84. As will be described in greater detail below, the abrasive elements 84 may have many configurations in accordance with the intended application in part.

In some embodiments, the plurality of abrasive elements 84 are configured to provide uniform exfoliation in areas of the body such as the hands, elbows, or feet. In other embodiments, the plurality of abrasive elements are configured to provide more aggressive engagement with the skin for sculpting and / or smoothing rough areas of the body, such as hard flesh, nails, or the like, such as hands or feet. In embodiments of the present disclosure, the abrasive elements 84 do not include bristles. Thus, the peeling heads of these embodiments can be referred to as brushless peeling heads.

Each of the abrasive elements 84 may have the same or similar configuration across the surface 58. Alternatively, the configuration of the abrasive elements 84 may vary across the surface 58 or between the polishing sections 60. The abrasive elements 84 of some embodiments may extend from the surface 58 of the disc plate 56 to a height of about 0.003 inches (0.0762 mm) to about 0.008 inches (0.203 mm), as will be described in more detail below. And protrudes outward. In some embodiments, the disk plate includes no more than 2200 abrasive elements per square inch in one or more sections of surface 58.

It will be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the abrasive elements 84 may be disposed in a random manner, while in other embodiments, the abrasive elements 84 may be disposed in more than one pattern. In these embodiments, the one or more patterns can be constant over most of the surface 58 or over a minor portion, or a majority, or a portion thereof. In the illustrated embodiments, the surface includes a centrally located section 86 without any polishing elements 84, although other configurations may be employed. In some embodiments, the section 86 has a smooth surface to help prevent premature stalling of the midsection 44 when crossing over a curved surface, such as a subject. In these embodiments, the smooth surface of the section 86 occupies at least about 10% of the surface 58.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, the abrasive elements 84 may be embedded, bonded, adhered, formed, disposed, or otherwise provided to the outward facing surface 58 via an additional process. In some embodiments, the abrasive elements 84 may comprise diamond chips or diamond dust, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, sand, such as silica, calcium carbonate, etc., alumina-zirconium, But are not limited to, small abrasive particles. In some embodiments, the average diameter of the abrasive particles is from about 45 microns to about 250 microns, or more.

In one of the simpler examples of additional processes that may be employed to form the abrasive elements 84, sandpaper or the like having a grit of between 60-300 is applied to the surface 58 of the disc plate 54 Can be adhesively bonded. Another additional process that may be employed in some embodiments is plating or coating. For example, in embodiments where the disc plate 54 is made of metal, a layer of a metal such as nickel, silver, gold, titanium, zirconium, chromium and / or oxides thereof, May be plated on the disc plate 54 using, in particular, electroless or electroless plating, vacuum deposition techniques such as chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, etc., sputter deposition, cathode arc deposition, plasma deposition.

In embodiments where the disk is plastic, the abrasive elements 84 may be secured thereto, for example, by first forming a thin base layer of, for example, silver or gold, using a vacuum deposition technique. Once the base layer is applied to the disc plate 54, a layer of a metal such as nickel, silver, gold, titanium, zirconium, chromium, and / or oxides, And may be plated on the base layer using an electric or electroless plating method. In addition to electrical or electroless plating, other techniques may be used, such as the use of adhesive bonding or plasma deposition to fix abrasive particles to a plastic disk plate. In other embodiments, the disc plate 54 may be co-molded with a plastic resin having abrasive particles disposed together.

In accordance with other aspects of the present disclosure, the abrasive elements 84 may be formed on the outward facing surface 58 through a subtractive process or otherwise provided. In some embodiments, a pulsed laser deposition process may be employed. In other embodiments, the abrasive elements 84 are chemically etched to be the surface 58 of the disk plate 54. In this regard, in some embodiments, the disc plate 54 is photoetched according to a predetermined pattern and etch protocol to form peel protrusions on the surface of the disc plate 54.

5 is a partial enlarged view of an example geometry of polishing elements 84 formed by an etching process in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. As best shown in the side view of Figure 5, the abrasive elements 84 are generally frusto-conical shapes, generally with a generally flat upper surface 90 defining the cutting edges 94. The diameter D1 of the top surface 90 is between about 30% and 60% of the diameter D2 of the base of the abrasive elements 84 in some embodiments, and about 48-52% in other embodiments. In various embodiments, the diameter D1 of the top surface 90 is 0.004 inches (0.0102 mm) to 0.008 inches (0.203 mm). Although illustrated or described as being generally frusto-conical, the abrasive elements 84 may be tapered inwardly, such as a truncated pyramid, and may have other geometric shapes (e.g., truncated pyramid shape, etc.).

Other features of the abrasive elements 84 include a protruding height H of about 0.004 inches to 0.008 inches (0.203 millimeters) in some embodiments, and about 0.006 inches (0.152 millimeters ) And a height (H) of 0.008 inch (0.203 mm). In some embodiments, the disc plate 54 may be somewhat over-etched, thereby forming generally concave sidewalls 92 or portions thereof as best seen in the example of FIG. In other embodiments, more prominent tops or cutting edges 94 of the top surface 90 may be formed, as best seen in FIG. In this embodiment, the sidewalls of the abrasive elements 84 generally include a frusto-conical base section 96 and a generally cylindrical top section 98. In some embodiments, the sidewall transition T from the base section 96 to the upper section 98 is from about 0.0005 inches (0.0127 millimeters) to about 0.002 inches (0.0508 millimeters) from the top surface 90. In some embodiments, the angle [alpha] formed between the sidewalls of the upper section 98 and the upper surface 90 is preferably less than or equal to 90 degrees.

The geometric shape of one or more embodiments of the abrasive elements may be formed by an etching process. It will be appreciated, however, that polishing elements having one or more of these features may be obtained with other fabrication methods, including both additive and subtractive processes described herein. Furthermore, thin films of titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, chromium dioxide, gold, silver, copper, zinc and the like (for example, 0.0001 inches thick) can be deposited by conventional coating techniques, if desired, to improve the lubrication and / 0.00254 millimeters) may be coated on the abrasive elements 80.

11 shows another embodiment of a workpiece, such as the peel head 120, formed in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The peeling head 120 is substantially similar to the peeling head 20 described above in terms of construction, materials and operation except for the differences described below.

As described above, various embodiments employ vibration driven motor assemblies to apply vibratory motion to the head 20. In this regard, a drive motor assembly, such as drive motor assembly 30, typically operates the peeling head 20 at a sonic frequency of 90-300 Hz to drive the peeling head 20 within an angular range of, for example, Or may be configured to oscillate back and forth.

In such a system, the peeling head 20 can be classified as a "high Q" processing mechanism or workpiece. As a result, when operating at the above-mentioned frequencies with resonance or muscle resonance, undesired workpiece motion can be present. Particularly, when driven by the drive motor assembly 30, the motion of the non-concentric (i.e., torsionally) plane and / or the non-planar bending motion (e.g., the motion not in the main vibration plane of the head 20, (Which may be, for example, coplanar with the disc plate in some embodiments). As will be described in more detail below, techniques for tuning the vibrating motor system of a substantially resonant personal care device, such as drive motor assembly 30, and for damping unwanted potential motions of the head 20 Are provided.

In this regard, and in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, the peeling head 120 of FIG. 11 includes a damping device 180 that provides a means for damping the motion of the head 120 when actuated in a strong or near resonance . By providing the damping device 180, the vibration motor assembly 30 can be tuned to the desired operating frequency band.

11-13, the damping device 180 includes a flexible member 182 having a ring 184 and a plurality of vanes 186 from the ring extend radially do. The ring 184 defines a central bore 188 and the central bore is configured to receive the central boss 68 of the central portion 44 when assembled. As a result, the damping device 180 is mounted to the boss 68 as shown in Fig. Optional webbing (not shown) may be disposed between the one or more vanes 186 and may extend radially outward from the ring 182, or may extend radially outward from the ring 182 or between the tip of the vanes 186 and the ring 184 And may extend between radially outward positions. In some embodiments, the flexible member 182 is symmetrical along both the X and Y axes.

In some embodiments, the flexible member 182 is fabricated from an elastomeric material. The elastomeric material may have an appropriate hardness of from about 10 Shore A to about 100 Shore A. The flexible member 182 may be constructed by a variety of processes including, but not limited to, TPE injection molding, low pressure injection molding using silicon, casting, punching from a sheet of elastomeric material, and the like. In some embodiments, the vanes 186 may be comprised of metal having bending properties such as spring steel, piano wire elements. Fig. 14 shows another embodiment of the damping device 180 '. It will be appreciated that the thickness, length, and width of the vanes as well as the hardness values of the damping devices 180, 180 'for tuning the vibrating drive motor assembly 30 may vary.

Figure 15 is another embodiment of a damping device 280 formed in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The damping device 280 is suitable for use with the head 120 to provide damping to the motion of the head and to provide tuning to the vibrating drive motor assembly 30. As shown in FIG. 15, the damping device 280 includes a flexible sheet 282 of elastomeric material, and a plurality of ridges 284 and protrusions 286 extend outwardly from the flexible sheet. In the illustrated embodiment, the ridges 284 are spaced from one another and extend radially outward from the central bore 288 of the seat 282. [ In some embodiments, the protrusions 286 are grouped in a spaced manner between the ridges 284. In the illustrated embodiment, the sheet 282 has a generally octagonal shape, although other polygonal and non-square symmetrical shapes may be used. The height of the ridges 284 and protrusions 286 as well as the hardness value of the elastomeric material to damp the nose of the head 120 and to tune the vibrating drive motor assembly 30 Length, diameter, and the like) and position may vary.

The above examples of the peeling heads 20 and 120 may be used to peel the skin of the epidermis of the subject and in some embodiments have a rough skin condition caused by partially keratinized cells such as hard flesh or nails Can be used to reduce or eliminate. In this regard, the peeling head 20 or 120 is first attached to the personal care mechanism 22. Next, the personal care mechanism 22 is turned on, and the relevant release mechanism is operated at a frequency of 90-300 Hz to oscillate the release head back and forth within the range of 8-26 degrees. In some embodiments, the associated release head is operated at a frequency of about 100 Hz to 190 Hz at an amplitude or range of about 12-18 degrees. In other embodiments, the associated release head is operated at a frequency of about 168 Hz to 178 Hz, an amplitude or range of about 12-18 degrees, and a duty cycle of about 36-48%.

Once oscillated, the polishing surface of the peeling head 20, 120 is applied to and moved over rough areas of the body's skin, such as the feet or hands. The vibrating action of the polishing surface, operated at the above amplitude and frequency, provides a peeling effect, sculpting the rough areas of the skin, and removing or reducing nails, hard flesh, and the like. In some embodiments, the system is configured to halt the system if the user applies too much force to the skin. Once the area is sculpted by a desired amount, the polishing surface of the peeling head 20, 120 can be removed from the skin and the tool 22 can be turned off. Alternatively, the instrument 22 may be automatically turned off through a programmed operation.

Thus, in the exemplary process outlined above, using the examples of the peeling head 20, 120 as described above, in a particular frequency and amplitude range, improved control over skin sculpting and / or callus / And precision are obtained. In addition, additional advantages can be realized when peeling the skin with the peeling head 20, 120. For example, as a result of the vibratory motion imparted to the head, the skin can be removed with each directional change of the head 20, 120, thereby eliminating more skin with less force than conventional rotary powered devices or hand- .

The methods described above can be carried out without the use of a skin care formulation or the attempt to soften the skin by immersing the skin in warm water. However, any preparation of the skin area prior to exfoliation may be used as part of the method described above.

For purposes of this disclosure, the terms "top," "bottom," "vertical," "horizontal," "front," "back," "medial," " Front, "" rear," and the like, should be interpreted as describing rather than limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. Also, the use of "comprising", "comprising" or "having" and variations thereof herein is meant to include additional items as well as enumerated items and equivalents thereof. Unless otherwise limited, the terms "coupled," " coupled, "and " mounted, " and variations thereof, are used extensively and include direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings.

The principles, exemplary embodiments, and modes of operation of the present disclosure are set forth in the foregoing description. However, aspects of the disclosure to be protected should not be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed. Moreover, the embodiments described herein should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. It will be understood that variations and modifications may be made by equivalents employed and others, without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such modifications, variations, and equivalents be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as claimed.

Claims (53)

1. A workpiece for use with a personal care appliance having a drive system,
A movable base portion configured to be operatively coupled to the drive system; And
A disc plate mounted on a moving base portion, the disc plate comprising an outwardly contacting surface having an abrasive disposed on a surface, the abrasive comprising a partially keratinized region of the skin, The disc plate being configured to be detached when in contact with the disc plate
≪ / RTI > The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the abrasive material comprises a plurality of abrasive elements. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein at least one of the plurality of abrasive elements extends outwardly from the contact surface at a height of from about 0.003 inches (0.0762 mm) to about 0.008 inches (0.203 mm). The method according to claim 2 or 3,
Wherein at least one of the plurality of abrasive elements comprises a generally flat upper surface lying within a plane generally parallel to the contact surface. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the at least one abrasive element of the plurality of abrasive elements comprises inwardly tapering sidewalls defining the upper surface and one or more cutting edges. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the upper surface of the abrasive element adjacent to the contact surface to the cross-sectional area of the base is from 30% to 60%. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein said ratio is between 48% and 52%. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the at least one abrasive element of the plurality of abrasive elements includes a base section adjacent the contact surface and an upper section adjacent the base section,
Wherein the upper section has sidewalls adjacent the upper surface at cutting edges and also forming an angle of less than 90 degrees with the upper surface. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the transition between the base section and the upper section for each abrasive element is from about 0.0005 inches (0.0127 millimeters) to about 0.002 inches (0.0508 millimeters) from the upper surface. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
Wherein said contact surface further comprises a central region free of abrasive material. 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
A damping device configured to damp the motion of said workpiece when said workpiece is carried by said drive system and vibrated by said drive system;
Further comprising:
Wherein the damping device is separate from the disc plate. 12. The method of claim 11,
The movable base portion defining an inner cavity,
Wherein the damping device is disposed within the inner cavity. 13. The method of claim 12,
Wherein the movable base portion includes a central boss extending into the inner cavity. 14. The method of claim 13,
Wherein the damping device is mounted to the center boss. 15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14,
Wherein the damping device comprises a flexible member. 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
Means for damping the movement of the workpiece and for tuning said drive system
Further comprising:
Wherein said means is supported by said movable base portion and separated from said disk plate. 17. The method of claim 16,
Characterized in that said means comprises a flexible member having a durometer value of between 10 Shore A and 100 Shore A. 16. The method of claim 15,
Characterized in that the flexible member comprises an elastomeric material having a hardness value of 10 Shore A to 100 Shore A. 19. A method according to any one of claims 15, 17 or 18,
Wherein the flexible member comprises a central section and a plurality of vanes extending from the central section. 19. A method according to any one of claims 15, 17 or 18,
Wherein the flexible member comprises a sheet and a plurality of spaced apart protrusions extend outwardly from the sheet. 19. A method according to any one of claims 15, 17 or 18,
Wherein the flexible member is symmetrical along the X axis and the Y axis. A mechanism having a drive motor configured to vibrate the drive shaft; And
A brushless peeling head selectively attached to the mechanism, the brushless peeling head including a movable portion operatively coupled to the drive shaft to vibrate to the drive shaft in response to the drive motor, the movable portion having a plurality of Wherein the abrasive element comprises a generally planar outwardly contacting surface having abrasive elements on the surface thereof, each abrasive element being configured to ablate the epidermis when positioned to contact the epidermis,
. ≪ / RTI > 23. The method of claim 22,
Wherein each abrasive element is configured to exfoliate a partially cornified region of the skin when placed in contact therewith. 24. The method according to claim 22 or 23,
Wherein at least one of the abrasive elements extends outwardly from the surface to a height of from about 0.003 inches (0.0762 millimeters) to about 0.008 inches (0.203 millimeters). 25. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24,
Wherein at least one of the plurality of abrasive elements comprises a generally flat upper surface lying in a plane generally parallel to the outwardly contacting surface. 26. The method of claim 25,
Wherein the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the upper surface of the abrasive element adjacent to the contact surface to the cross-sectional area at the base is 30% to 60%. 27. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 26,
Wherein the drive motor and the drive shaft are configured to vibrate the moving part at a frequency of about 100-190 Hz and an amplitude of about 12-18 degrees. 28. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 27,
Wherein the drive motor and the drive shaft are configured to vibrate the moving part at a frequency of about 168-178 Hz and an amplitude of about 12-18 degrees. A method for peeling a skin from an epidermis of an object,
Vibrating a peeling head having an outer surface with abrasive elements on its surface, via a motorized drive system, said abrasive elements being configured to peel off partially cornified regions of the epidermis of the subject, Vibrating the head; And
Applying the abrasive elements to a portion of the epidermis of the subject
≪ / RTI > 30. The method of claim 29,
Moving the peeling head over the sections of the epidermis of the subject while the abrasive elements are applied to the epidermis of the subject
≪ / RTI > 32. The method according to claim 29 or 30,
Wherein vibrating the peeling head comprises vibrating the peeling head through a selected angle of 12-18 degrees at a selected frequency of 100-190 Hz. 32. The method of claim 31,
Wherein the selected frequency range is 168-178 Hz. 33. The method according to any one of claims 29 to 32,
Wherein applying the abrasive elements to the epidermis of the subject comprises applying the abrasive elements to the partially cornified area of the epidermis of the subject. A body having an upper section and a bottom section, the bottom section being configured to be coupled to a vibration drive motor;
A treatment applicator including an abrasive; And
A damping device configured to damp the motion of the body when carried by the body and vibrated by the vibration drive motor, the damping device comprising a damping device, separate from the treatment applicator,
≪ / RTI > 34. The method of claim 33,
Wherein the treatment applicator comprises a peel disc. 35. The method according to claim 34 or 35,
Wherein the abrasive material is configured to exfoliate the partially cornified region of the epidermis when placed in contact therewith. 37. The method according to any one of claims 34 to 36,
Wherein the abrasive material comprises a plurality of abrasive elements. 39. The method of claim 37,
Wherein one or more abrasive elements of the plurality of abrasive elements extend outwardly from the contact surface at a height of from about 0.003 inches to about 0.008 inches (0.203 millimeters). 39. The method of claim 37 or 38,
Wherein one or more abrasive elements of the plurality of abrasive elements
A generally flat upper surface lying within a plane generally parallel to the contact surface, and
The upper surface and the inwardly tapering sidewalls forming one or more cutting edges
≪ / RTI > 40. The method of claim 39,
Wherein the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the upper surface of the abrasive element adjacent to the contact surface to the cross-sectional area of the base is from 30% to 60%. 41. The method according to any one of claims 34 to 40,
The body defining an inner cavity disposed between the upper section and the bottom section,
Wherein the damping device is disposed within the inner cavity. 42. The method of claim 41,
Wherein the body includes a central boss extending into the interior cavity. 43. The method of claim 42,
Wherein the damping device is mounted to the center boss. 44. The method according to any one of claims 34 to 43,
Wherein the damping device comprises a flexible member. 45. The method of claim 44,
Characterized in that the flexible member comprises an elastomeric material having a hardness value of 10 Shore A to 100 Shore A. 46. The method according to claim 44 or 45,
Wherein the flexible member comprises a central section and a plurality of vanes extending from the central section. 46. The method according to claim 44 or 45,
Wherein the flexible member comprises a sheet and a plurality of spaced apart protrusions extend outwardly from the sheet. As a powered skin care device,
A powered handle having a vibrating motor system;
A workpiece mounted to the power-operated handle and configured to be moved by the vibration motor system in resonance or near resonance,
A body having an upper section and a bottom section, the bottom section being configured to be coupled to the vibration motor system;
A treatment applicator disposed in the upper section and including an abrasive; And
Means for damping movement of the workpiece and for tuning the vibrating motor system, the means being supported by the body and being separate from the treatment applicator,
≪ / RTI > 49. The method of claim 48,
Characterized in that said means comprise a flexible member having a hardness value of 10 Shore A to 100 Shore A. 50. The method of claim 49,
Characterized in that the flexible member comprises a plurality of vanes. 50. The method of claim 49,
Wherein the flexible member comprises a sheet of elastomeric material and a plurality of protrusions project from the sheet. 52. The method according to any one of claims 49 to 51,
Wherein the flexible member is symmetrical along the X and Y axes. 53. The method according to any one of claims 48 to 52,
The body defining an inner cavity disposed between the upper section and the bottom section and a central boss extending into the inner cavity,
Wherein the means is disposed in the inner cavity and is mounted to the center boss.

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