US2444173A - Electronic epilator - Google Patents

Description

je 299 3.43. H. E. 5T. PEERRE ELECTRNIC EPILTOR Filed July 27, 1945 Patented June 29, 1948 UNITED y STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.444,173 mi .''F' am.

Appllcatlonjuly 27, 1945, Serial No. 607,383

8 Claims. (Cl. 12s-355) The present invention relates to improvements in an electronic epilator wherein controlled high frequency oscillations and a stabilized and balanced direct current, separately or superimposed one upon the other and connected to a single active electrode or needle, operate in conjunction with a high frequency inductive pad or electrode and a dispersive electrode, to coagulate and decompose a hair follicle by electrolysis for permanent epilation of superfluous hair.

In the use of electronic devices for diathermy and particularly as an epilator, extensive apparatus is usually required. The power output must be regulated so that the action will accomplish the result without injury to the patient or leaving noticeable scar tissue, but when so regulated, the percentage of hair killed is less per area treated per treatment than that accomplished by the present invention, and requires repetitive treatment to accomplish the same percentage of liair killed accomplished by a single treatment disclosed herein. It has been found that by the use of apparatus of the present invention, speed of treatment has been accomplished and the percentage of kill per individual treatment has been greatly increased without any sacrifice of `safety to the patient or damage to the skin and with a minimum of discomfort and scar tissue. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electronic epilator for the safe and speedy permanent removal of superfluous hair.

Another object is to provide a new and improved device of the character set forth having a greatly simplified and economically operated construction for quickly and harmlessly destroying hair follicles or bulb roots by electrolysis, coagulation and desiccation.

The use of high frequency currents provides the speed of result desirable in the operation, but is painful to the patient and is very apt to leave extensive scar tissue if a high percentage of hair kill is maintained. It has been found that by using both controlled high frequency oscillations and a stabilized and balanced direct current (which may be regulated independently) through a single needle only, the operator may give much closer attention to the operation than is possible with multiple needles, without any sacrifice of speed. 'Ihe result is fast and safe for the patient. A further object, therefore, is to provide an electronic epilator wherein a diathermy type of high frequency generator and a direct current power supply are interconnected upon or blended with the other so that either or both are available to a single active electrode operating in conjunction with a high frequency inductive electrode, or a dispersive electrode, or both, to permanently kill hair in the first treatvment in more than three-fourths of the subject follicles, and to provide such an instrument which willoperate without undue injury or discomfort to a patient and without noticeably permanently scarring the adjacent cuticle. No other known devices can be operated to produce such a high percentage of kill per treatment with such speed I and safety.

It has likewise been found in the use of devices of the lpresent invention wherein high frequency generators and a direct current power supply may be controlledindependently or blended at will, and where they are interconnected to a common active electrode, that no charring or cauterization ensues. Thus it is a further object to providea new electronic epilator for high frequency and direct currents sc interconnected one with the other that the several benefits of each may be simultaneously or alternately applied for the maximum removal or kill of superfluous hair per treatment, without undue injury to the adjacent cuticle or discomfort to a patient.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity and ease of assembly and such further objects, advantages, and capabilities as will appear from the device and invention described herein. The invention further resides in the conventional construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings. and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the same is merely illustrative of the invention and that the invention is capable of modification and change and comprehends other details of construction and arrangements without departing from the spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings:

The single figure of the drawings shows two circuits set oil in dotted rectangles, the high frequency generator being indicated by the rectangle A and the direct current circuit being indicated by the dotted rectangle B. The high frequency generator indicated as A comprises a diathermy type of circuit in which I and 2 represent the line wires or source of energy leading to a filament voltage source from a 110 volt transformer 3, connected inductively to high frequency transmitter tubes l and i, which are.

to allow the output of one to be superimposed in turn, connected to a combination of a coil l and a condenser I0. This combination of inductance and capacitance operates as an oscillator 'and produces an oscillatory circuit to inductively excite a vario coupler i2, one side of which is connected to an active electrode or needle I4, while the other side is directly connected to an insulated diathermy pad Il forI inductive coupling to .a patient.

To. further. balance and stabilize this current,

lines It and Z lead from the .transmitters or wave r'ectifying tubes 4 and 6, after transposition to nullify undue reactance, to opposite portions of een s, each une la and 2n being further dampened, preferably by mica condensers 22 and 2l, respectively. This highly stabilized and'balanced oscillatory current may ybe controlled through a power supply input 28 and the-cir,-

cuit may lie-'grounded as at 2l.

checking said direct current.

The alternating current rectifier within the dotted rectangle B also has lead-in wires 30 *and 32 from-110 volt alternating current source to a step-.up transformen, coupled to a full#v wave rectifying tube 36," producing a stable and lwell rectified direct current. -The output of this .unitA is controllable independently of the high vfrequency circuit and hasthe positive side dia line 52 leads through a high frequency choke ..54, preferably an air-choke, to the active electrode or needle I4.

yFurther stabilizing of the direct current is accomplished by the filter condensers 55 and Si between the transformer 34 and the dispersive electrode 38 and arranged to control the direct current output to the active electrode or needle V14 with which it is directly connected.

In operation, either the insulated diathermy or inductive pad I6 or the direct dispersive pad 38, or both, may be applied to a patient, after which the point of the active electrode or needle H .is introduced into the hair follicle (not shown) of the hair to be removed. This completes a stabilized and highly balanced high frequency ycircuitA superimposed upon and blended with or modified by'the direct generator B so that' the sudden development of heat within the subcutaneous area immediately adjacent, which normally causes the undue discomfort and perhaps permanent injury to a patient, will -be prevented, while the very small area of the hair follicle or hair bulb (not shown) will be instantly coagulated to an extent which will permanently destroy the hair growth. The pickoii I2 of the high frequency generator A operated independently or in conjunction with the rheostat 4l will at all times operate to'alter and controlthe superimposed and blended or balanced currents to meet varying conditions required for the various individual patients.

I claim: i

l. An epilator comprising a source of high frequency electrical current; a generator producing a stabilized direct current; and an electrode common to said high frequency and stabilized direct current.

'4. An epilator comprising a source of high 4frequency electrical oscillations; means for controlling the output of said oscillations; a generator producing a stabilized direct current;

separate controlling means for said direct current; an active needle electrode connected to said oscillations` and direct current; an insulated diathermy pad connected to the high frequency oscillations for inductive coupiingto a patient; and a dispersive electrodev connected to the direct current. y

5. An I'epilator comprising a high frequency current; condenser means in said high frequency current; inductance means with high frequency pick-off operatively connected with said :high frequency current; an insulated diathermy-pad. for inductive coupling to a patient, connected on one side of said pick-off; an active needle electrode connected `to the opposite side of said pick-off; a generator for producing a highly stabilized direct current connected to said active needle electrode; control means for-regulating the output of said direct current; and a dispersive electrode connected to said direct current. 6. In the method of removal of superfluous hair, thev step of superimposing-a stabilized' direct current upon a high frequency current leading to a single active electrode. 7. A diathermic method including the step o controllably blending the output bf a stabilized direct currentwith a source of high frequency oscillations, both in circuit with a common active electrode.

8. In the method of removal of superuous ,A hair the step of controllably blending a stabilized direct current with a source of high frequency oscillations, the output of both leading to a com'- mon active electrode.v

HENRI E. Syri-Enna. REFERENCES crrrln.

The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,155,036 Brooks Sept. 28,- 1915 2,024,624 Bryne Dec. 17, 1935 2,238,344 Schuler Apr. 15, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date'l 583,414 Germany Sept: 2, 1933

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