WO1995029652A1

WO1995029652A1 - Thermal skin treatment device

Info

Publication number: WO1995029652A1
Application number: PCT/EP1995/001267
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Lenke
Original assignee: D & P Cosmetics Ag
Priority date: 1994-04-28
Filing date: 1995-04-06
Publication date: 1995-11-09
Also published as: JPH10504731A; EP0758876A1; AU2257095A; BR9507555A; DE9407101U1; CA2188775A1; CN1149248A

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermal skin treatment device with a hand-held instrument fitted with a heating device to heat an externally accessible heating section and a cooling device for cooling an externally accessible cooling section. The invention also relates to a cooling unit separate from the hand-held device to accept the heating section.

Description

description

Thermal skin treatment device

The invention relates to a thermal skin treatment device. Such skin treatment devices are used for the cosmetic and / or therapeutic treatment of human skin and are generally equipped with a cold and a warm side. The desired therapeutic / cosmetic effect can be achieved by optionally changing the cold and heat treatment of the skin several times during a treatment session.

In order to achieve the desired working temperature of the warm side (warm section) and the cold side (cold section), a heating and cooling device is available which can cause the required thermal gradient between the cold and warm side.

On the basis of such a device design, the object of the invention is to create a thermal skin treatment device whose temperature controllability is improved.

This object is achieved with the features mentioned in claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

In the skin treatment device according to the invention, in addition to the hand-held device, an additional heat sink for receiving the heating section of the hand-held device is thus present. The user thus has the option of is placed on the heat sink with its warm side, so that it is possible to slow down the heating of the warm side during the heating phase or to cool the hot side as desired during operation.

According to the invention, it was namely recognized that after the skin treatment device is switched on, the heating section can be heated to its desired target temperature more quickly than the cooling section can be cooled to its desired temperature. There is therefore the danger that when the cooling section has reached its target temperature of, for example, 4 to 5 ° C., the heating section has already heated up above the target heating section temperature of, for example, 39 ° C. and thus no longer has the optimum temperature therapeutic / cosmetic effect achieved or even uncomfortably high heat sensations. If, on the other hand, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a temperature control device with a temperature sensor for the heating section is provided and both the heating and the cooling device are switched off when the heating section reaches its desired temperature, the cooling section cannot reach the desired low temperature, for example 4 cooled down to 5 ° C. The temperature difference between the cold section and the warming section then does not correspond to the expected difference, so that the cosmetic or therapeutic treatment success can also be reduced.

With the invention it is now possible in a simple manner to place the handheld device with its heating section on the heat sink during the initial phase after the device is switched on, ie during the heating process. phase onto the heat sink. As a result, the temperature rise of the heating section slows down considerably, since the thermal energy generated by the heating device now serves not only to heat the heating section but also to heat the heat sink which is in physical contact with it. As a result of this slowing down of the heating up, it takes correspondingly longer until the heating section reaches its target temperature and the heating and cooling device is switched off. As a result of this extended heating interval, the cooling interval for the cold section is correspondingly extended, so that the cold section can cool down to a correspondingly lower value, which is preferably around 4 to 5 ° C.

The configuration according to the invention thus makes it possible to control the heating and cooling device jointly and simultaneously by means of a simple control, so that the control outlay that would otherwise be required for separate control of the cooling device is significantly reduced. Furthermore, it is now also possible, not only during the initial heating and cooling phase after switching on the hand-held device, but also during an ongoing treatment, to place the hand-held device on the heat sink with its heating section, so that thermal energy is withdrawn from the heating section. This is of advantage if the temperature section of the heating section is to be subsequently reduced, and is particularly useful if the temperature of the cooling section is to be reduced further. Since the heating section is cooled due to the withdrawal of thermal energy, the heating and cooling device is continuously activated again, so that a significant decrease in temperature of the refrigeration section results.

The heat sink itself can be provided with a temperature control device for generating a defined heat sink temperature, but is preferably only designed as a simple solid heat sink without any control components and consequently very simply.

In a preferred embodiment, the heat sink has a recess for receiving the heat section exposed on the outside, so that a defined positioning of the heat section is achieved. In addition, the inclusion of the heat section in the depression means that heat can be dissipated not only over the bottom area of the depression, but also over the depression side walls, so that the thermal energy can effectively and quickly pass into the heat sink.

In an advantageous embodiment, the recess of the heat sink can have an oblique bottom surface. This leads to the fact that the handheld device with its heating section inserted into the recess due to gravity is imprinted with a movement component which leads to the heating section automatically sliding into a predetermined desired position which enables optimum heat transfer. The extent of the heat transfer from the heat section to the heat sink is thus always defined, even if the hand-held device should be inserted into the recess with a slightly different initial position. In a preferred embodiment, the heat section or a wall section adjacent to it has a step on at least one side and the recess has an abutment shoulder on the edge. The step and the abutment shoulder are designed in such a way that the heat section, after being introduced into the depression, lies in a shape-fitting manner on the shoulder. As a result, a stop is formed so that the handle with its heat section can always assume a defined position in the recess. The shoulder preferably starts at the deepest point of the inclined recess bottom surface, so that the stop can also serve to limit any slipping movement of the heating section along the inclined bottom surfaces. In addition, an additionally defined heat transfer surface is formed via the form-fitting contact between the heat section and recess in the area of the step and the contact shoulder, which contributes to the effective heat transfer from the heat section to the heat sink.

In an advantageous embodiment, an outer surface of the heating section can also extend obliquely to the central plane of the hand-held device. This is in particular the outer surface which, when the hand-held device is placed on the heat sink, faces the bottom surface of the recess. Since both the bottom surface of the depression and the support surface of the heating section each run obliquely, the hand device is increasingly impressed with a tendency to slip in the direction of the desired position, so that it is ensured that the desired desired position can always be assumed in the heat sink. Furthermore, there is the advantage that the handle, which runs obliquely to this contact surface of the heating section, has a greater distance from the base, on which the heat sink is placed, so that there is no danger that the handle comes into contact with this standing surface and thereby the heat section is at least partially lifted off the bottom surface of the depression.

A particularly effective heat transfer can be achieved if the depression and the outer contour of the heating section are adapted to one another in terms of shape.

In an advantageous embodiment, a recess adapted to the handle of the hand-held device can be present in the heat sink, in which the handle comes to rest when the heating section is inserted into the recess. This effectively supports the handle and thus the entire handheld device.

In a preferred embodiment, the heating and cooling device is formed by a single element, namely a Peltier element, the heat-emitting side of which is connected to the heat section and the heat-absorbing side of which is connected to the cooling section. A very good energy balance can be achieved by using a Peltier element, since the heat extracted from the cold section can contribute to heating the warming section, so that the energy requirement of the heating and cooling device can be relatively low. In addition, the Peltier element can be made relatively flat, so that the space required for the heating and cooling device is very small and, furthermore, the cold and warm side of the hand-held device can be directly opposite one another, which is important when handling the device during treatment is advantageous. Furthermore, the Peltier element can be controlled very easily since only a power supply line is required.

A temperature control device with a temperature sensor is preferably provided, which controls the switching on and off of the heating and cooling device. In this case, a single temperature sensor, which detects the temperature of the heating section, is preferably sufficient. The temperature control device switches on the heating and / or cooling device, preferably the Peltier element, until the desired target temperature of the heating section is reached, which is preferably significantly above the skin temperature and can in particular be approximately 39 ° C. As soon as this target temperature has been reached, the Peltier element is switched off and only switched on again when the temperature of the heating section has dropped to a further limit value, for example 38 ° C. As a result, the temperature of the heating section can be kept relatively constant with simple controllability. Since, when a Peltier element is used, its cold side is also activated when it is activated, the cold section is also cyclically cooled and can therefore be kept essentially at its target temperature, which can preferably be around 5 ° C.

In an advantageous embodiment, the heat sink can have a substantially spherical section-shaped outer contour, so that on the one hand it is designed to be aesthetically pleasing and on the other hand it has a relatively large mass which can effectively absorb the heat given off by the heat section.

The heat sink can furthermore have an elongated projection, which is in particular separated from the ball. section-shaped outer contour protrudes outwards and runs below the handle when the handheld device is inserted into the recess. The elongated projection visually signals the target positioning of the handle and also protects the handle and thus the handheld device in the placed state, at least on the underside, against unintentional bumping and displacement of the handheld device on the heat sink.

In an advantageous embodiment, the heat sink can consist of die-cast zinc and thus have a high heat absorption capacity, with high stability being guaranteed at the same time. In another advantageous embodiment, the heat sink can also consist of ceramic, which is also distinguished by a high heat absorption capacity.

The heat sink can also be provided with an electrical ground connection, so that the voltage-free connection of the heat sink is always reliably guaranteed. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the hand-held device is designed as a low-voltage device, so that only completely non-contact voltages occur in the hand-held device. In order to still be able to operate the hand-held device from a conventional mains socket, there is preferably a mains transformer through which the hand-held device is supplied with electricity.

The invention is described below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings. Show it:

1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the skin treatment device according to the invention with handheld device and heat sink, FIG. 2 shows a top view and a sectional view as well as side views of the heat sink according to FIG. 1,

3 shows a top view and a side view of the hand-held device according to FIGS. 1 and

4 shows details of the hand-held device according to FIGS. 1 and 3.

1 shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the thermal skin treatment device. The skin treatment device comprises a hand-held device 1 and a heat sink 2. In the illustration according to FIG. 1, the hand-held device 1 is placed on the heat sink 2, i.e. is in the position which it occupies during the initial heating and cooling phase and also, if appropriate, during treatment breaks during the treatment cycle.

2 shows the heat sink 2 in larger details and is shown both in a top view without a handheld device 1 and in the form of a sectional view partially superimposed on the top view along the longitudinal center plane. The heat sink 2 is constructed symmetrically or in the longitudinal center plane and has a main part 3 with an outer contour essentially in the form of a spherical section and an elongated section (elongated projection) projecting from the spherical outer contour 4. The part 3 in the form of a spherical section has a base 5 enclosed, which also forms the elongated projection 4.

From FIG. 2 it can be seen that in the center in the upper side of the part 3 in the form of a spherical section, a deepening fung 6 is formed with straight, vertically upwardly directed side surfaces 7 and a bottom surface 8. As indicated at 9, the base surface is curved in the shape of an arc and the course of its curvature is adapted to the outer contour of the heating section of the hand-held device 1, which will be described in more detail later.

As can be seen from the cross section of FIG. 2 shown below, the bottom surface 8 runs obliquely downwards in such a way that the deepest point of the recess 6 faces the heat sink projection 4. The bottom surface 8 curves at its lowest point into a vertically upward end wall 10, which forms an edge-side contact shoulder for the heating section of the handheld device 1.

In the extension of the depression 6, a recess 11 is provided in the upper side of the spherical segment-shaped part 3 of the heat sink 2 on the side facing the projection 4. The recess 11 has a bottom surface 12 which is parallel to the bottom surface of the heat sink 2 and which, according to the rotated illustration in FIG. 2, as illustrated by the arcuate line 13, is curved in the form of a circular section. The recess 11 extends to the outside of the spherical segment-shaped part 3 and merges stepwise into the end face 10 on the inside. The recess forms a receptacle for the handle of the handheld device 1, so that it is held in a stable manner when it is placed on the heat sink 2. The width of the recess 11 corresponds to the width of the recess 6 and is approximately 39 mm in the exemplary embodiment. The bottom surface 12 is at a greater distance from the bottom surface of the base 5 than the bottom surface 10. In the exemplary embodiment, the diameter of the spherical segment-shaped section 3 is approximately 122 mm, while the largest diameter of the base 5 (on its base surface) is approximately 145 mm. The width of the projection 4 is approximately 60 mm, while its height and thus the height of the base 5 can be approximately 18 mm. The length of the projection 4, measured from the center of the spherical segment-shaped section 3, is approximately 150 mm. However, the stated dimensions may vary depending on the specific exemplary embodiment and may fluctuate by +/- 50%, for example.

A switch 14 can be provided in the center of the projection 4 of the heat sink 2, which switch can be actuated, for example, by the handle of the handheld device 1 placed on it and emits a signal to a control circuit (not shown) which indicates the presence or absence of the handheld device 1 the heat sink 2 signals. The control device can control the excitation of the handheld device 1 as a function of this signal. Furthermore, a channel 15 can be provided in the projection 4 for the exit of a cable connected to the switch 14 and / or to a ground connection of the heat sink 2, via which the heat sink 2 with the control device and / or with can be connected to an earth connection.

The design of the cable outlet opening 15 can be seen in greater detail from the side view shown on the far right in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the structure and design of the handheld device 1. The hand-held device 1 has an elongated shape with a handle 16 which, as can be seen from the upper illustration in FIG. is smoothly merges into a cooling section 17 with a rounded front edge. 4 that the handle 16 consists of two handle switch halves 19, 20, between which a plate 21 is held sandwich-like. The size of the plate 21 is designed such that it protrudes over the handle switch halves 19, 20 and serves not only to accommodate the electrical control components, but also as a holder and stabilizer for the cooling section 17 and the heating section 18 opposite it. The lateral outer edge of the plate 21 corresponds to the outer edge of the handheld device 1.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the cooling section 17 has a flat underside, with which it rests on the plate 21, and a curved, outwardly exposed upper side, which serves as a treatment surface. Viewed in the longitudinal direction of the hand-held device 1, the thickness of the cooling section 17 is essentially the same, with the exception of the rounded edge region.

In contrast, when viewed from the side, the heating section 18 is essentially wedge-shaped, with its end facing the handle shell half 20 having a significantly greater thickness than the opposite end. The angle of inclination of the outer surface of the heating section 18 seen in the longitudinal direction corresponds to the angle of inclination of the bottom surface 8 of the recess 6 of the heat sink 2, so that the handle 16, when the heat section 18 is inserted into the recess 6, essentially parallel to the standing surface of the heat sink 2 runs. The angle of inclination is preferably approximately 10 °. The lower grip shell half 20 has at its end facing the heat section 18 a downwardly projecting shoulder 22, the size and outer contour of which are designed such that the outer contour of the shoulder 22 connects continuously to the end face of the heat section 18 facing it. Furthermore, the projection 22 with the rounding of its outer edges is designed such that it bears in a form-fitting manner against the contact shoulder 10 when the hand-held device 1 is placed in the recess 6 of the heat sink. Since the outer contour of the heat section 18 is also adapted to the inner contour of the recess 6, the heat section 18 and the projection 22 are positively received on all sides by the recess 6 when the hand-held device 1 is placed on the heat sink 2, so that very effective heat transfer takes place . Furthermore, the curvature of the recess 11 is also matched to the curvature of the grip half 20, so that it rests in the recess 11 in a stable manner.

The curved course of the outer contour of the grip shell halves 19, 20, the cooling section 17 and the heating section 18 can be clearly seen from FIG. 3. Here, the side edges of the heat section 18 adjoining the plate 21 are flattened, so that there is a wedge-shaped shape of the heat section 18 with straight side surfaces, a flat contact surface on the plate 21 and a curved wedge surface opposite this contact surface.

Between the cooling section 17 and the heating section 18 there is a heating and cooling device in the form of a Peltier element (not shown), the cool side of which is connected to the cooling section 17 and the heat-emitting side of which is connected to the heating section 18. The Peltier element is from the plate 21st held. On the plate 21 there are also a temperature control device (not shown) and a temperature sensor thermally connected to the heating section 18. The temperature control device is designed such that it switches off the Peltier element when the heating section 18 has reached the limit temperature of 39 ° C. and then switches the Peltier element on again when the temperature has dropped to 38 ° C. The temperature of the heating section 18 is thus kept relatively constant during the operation of the hand-held device 1. Since the heating section 18 can heat up much more quickly than the cooling section 17, despite its significantly larger volume compared to the cooling section 17, the cooling section 17 could advance its desired temperature of about 5 ° C. without a heat sink have clearly reached when the Peltier element would be switched off due to the rise in the heat section temperature to the limit temperature. This problem is solved by the heat sink 2, which dissipates the heat from the heat section 18 inserted into it and thus significantly slows down the heating of the heat section 18 during the initial switch-on phase or even during treatment breaks within a treatment cycle.

At its rear end, the hand-held device 1 is provided with a power connection cable 23, via which the necessary energy for the Peltier element and the control components is provided. Furthermore, on the upper side of the handle shell half 19 there is a plate 24 which serves as a holder for an on-off switch 25 and indicator lamps 26 for indicating the waiting state, standby state or the feeding state of the Peltier element during the standby phase. 4 that the intermediate plate 21 supports a circuit board 27 which is connected to the on / off switch 25 and the indicator lamps 26.

Claims

Expectations

1. Thermal skin treatment device with a hand-held device (1), which is provided with a heating device for heating an externally exposed heating section (18) and a cooling device for cooling an outside-exposed cooling section (17), characterized by a hand-held device (1) separate heat sink (2) for receiving the heating section (18).

2. Skin treatment device according to claim 1, characterized ge indicates that the heat sink (2) has a recess (6) for receiving the heating section (18).

3. Skin treatment device according to claim 2, characterized ge indicates that the recess (6) has an oblique bottom surface (8).

4. Skin treatment device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the heating section (18) or a wall part (22) connected thereto has a step on at least one side and the recess (6) has an edge-side, essentially upward-facing arrangement ¬ have a shoulder (10) and the step and the abutment shoulder rest against each other with the shape of the heat section (18) inserted in the heat sink (2).

5. Skin treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an outer surface of the heating section (18) extends obliquely to the longitudinal center plane of the hand-held device (1).

6. Skin treatment device according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the recess (6) and the outer contour of the heating section (18) are form-fitting.

7. Skin treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the heat sink

(2) there is a recess (11) which is adapted to a handle (16) of the hand-held device (1) and is designed to receive the handle (16) when the heating section (18) is inserted into the recess (6).

8. Skin treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating and cooling device are formed by a Peltier element, the heat-emitting side with the Wärmeab¬ section (18) and the heat-absorbing side with the cooling section (17) are connected.

9. Skin treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a temperature control device with at least one temperature sensor, which serves to control the switching on / off of the heating and / or cooling device when the skin treatment device is switched on.

10. Skin treatment device according to claim 9, characterized in that the temperature control device for switching off the heating and cooling device at one the first, preferably around 39 ° C., temperature limit value of the heating section (18) and for re-switching on the heating and cooling device at a second, preferably around 38 ° C., temperature limit value.

11. Skin treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling body (2) at least partially has a spherical section-shaped outer contour.

12. Skin treatment device according to claim 11, characterized in that the heat sink (2) has an elongated projection (4) which is arranged such that it is below the heat section (18) inserted into the recess (6) of the handle (16) of the handheld device (1).

13. Skin treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling body (2) consists of die-cast zinc or ceramic.

14. Skin treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat sink (2) is provided with an electrical ground connection.

15. Skin treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hand-held device (1) is designed as a low-voltage device and preferred as a power transformer is provided for connection to the handheld device.