WO2006101295A1

WO2006101295A1 - Portable skin stimulator

Info

Publication number: WO2006101295A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/003269
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ki Won Kim
Original assignee: Ki Won Kim
Priority date: 2005-03-22
Filing date: 2005-10-04
Publication date: 2006-09-28

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable skin stimulator with which a user can apply combined stimulus by ultrasound and low-frequency to the desired areas of body and in which the stimulus intensity, frequency etc. are automatically regulated depending on the characteristics of the user's body through detection of the impedance of skin and ingredients of body. The skin stimulator comprising an ultrasonic vibrator to apply ultrasonic stimulation to the skin, a first electrode mounted around said ultrasonic vibrator in insulated manner, said first electrode being exposed outward to be brought into contact with a user's skin; and a low-frequency generating section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the first electrode to provide a low-frequency stimulation to the user.

Description

Description PORTABLE SKIN STIMULATOR

Brief Description of the Drawings

[1] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[2] The present invention relates to a portable skin stimulator and more particularly to a portable skin stimulator with which a user can apply combined stimulus by ultrasound and low-frequency to the desired areas of body and in which the stimulus intensity, frequency etc. are automatically regulated depending on the characteristics of the user's body through detection of the impedance of skin and ingredients of body.

[3]

[4] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[5] Generally, the ultrasonic skin stimulus is known to promote the decomposition of subcutaneous fat, enable the effective transfer of moisture to the skin and help cure the articulations. Further, the skin stimulus by low-frequency or medium-frequency is also known to have the effect of massaging the muscle, helping promotion of the blood circulation and contraction of cells, by directly vibrating physically the muscular cells in over-nourished state or the tissue cells in corpulent state.

[6] Incidently, the conventional skin stimulators were classified in the ultrasonic stimulators and the low-frequency stimulators so that they may appropriately be used for corresponding different uses. As the result, the users had to purchase both stimulators to cause them to cost extra money. Additionally, the need for using respective stimulators separately resulted in tediousness and inconvenience.

[7] Specially, the low-frequency stimulators are of structure wherein stimulation is conducted through a pad attached to a certain area of body, so that the pad electrode should be first washed before re-attachment or otherwise should be replaced by a new one, when other areas are to be stimulated. Therefore, there was a problem of being tedious and inconvenient, particularly because stimulation was impossible unless pads were attached.

[8] On the other hand, the intensity of stimulation needs to be appropriately regulated, because the physical characteristics such as dermal state and physical ingredients are different for every individual. To this end, the conventional stimulators were also provided with the function of regulating the intensity of stimulation. However, because the intensity of stimulation should be regulated through manual operation directly by the user, the intensity adjustment was not only inconvenient but also optimizing the stimulation intensity was almost beyond non-specialized ordinary persons, leading to insufficient stimulation effect.

[9] [10] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[11] To resolve the problems of the conventional art, the present invention is intended to provide a portable skin stimulator which can, as a single device, provide simultaneously an ultrasonic stimulation and a low-frequency stimulation and can be continuously moved for stimulation to desired physical areas, and in which the intensity and frequency of stimulation is automatically controlled on the base of the skin condition and physical ingredients for the user to meet the individual physical characteristic.

[12] The suggested object of the invention is achieved according to an aspect of the invention by a portable skin stimulator of ultrasonic type with the front tip of body to be in contact with user's skin, comprising an ultrasonic vibrator mounted on the front tip of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with a user's skin, said ultrasonic vibrator being connected to an ultrasound generating section provided in the body to apply ultrasonic stimulation to the skin, said ultrasonic vibrator also serving as an electrode; a first electrode mounted around said ultrasonic vibrator in insulated manner, said first electrode being exposed outward to be brought into contact with a user's skin; and a low-frequency generating section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the first electrode to provide a low-frequency stimulation to the user.

[13] Preferably, the skin stimulator according to the invention includes a second electrode which is mounted on the grip part of the body to expose outward, and which is connected to the ultrasonic vibrator or the first electrode through the low-frequency generating section to provide a stimulation to the skin of a user.

[14] Furthermore, the skin stimulator according to the invention can include further an impedance measuring section connected to the first electrode and the ultrasonic vibrator to measure the skin impedance of a user and can include further a physical ingredient measuring section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the second electrode or to the first electrode and the second electrode to measure the physical ingredients.

[15] Preferably, the skin stimulator according to the invention further includes a control means connected to the impedance measuring section or the physical ingredient measuring section to regulate the intensity or frequency of the ultrasound or low- frequency, said intensity or frequency of ultrasound or low-frequency being output depending on the measured values for the skin impedance or physical ingredients of a user.

[16] Further, a portable skin stimulator of ultrasonic type with the front tip of body to be in contact with user's skin is provided, which comprises an ultrasonic vibrator mounted on the front tip of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin, said ultrasonic vibrator being connected to an ultrasound generating section provided in the body to apply ultrasonic stimulation to the skin, said ultrasonic vibrator also serving as an electrode; a second electrode mounted on the grip part of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin; and a low-frequency generating section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the second electrode to provide a low-frequency stimulation to the user.

[17] Still further, a portable skin stimulator of ultrasonic type with the front tip of body to be in contact with user's skin is provided, which stimulator comprises an ultrasonic vibrator or first electrode mounted on the front tip of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin; a second electrode mounted on the grip part of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin; a physical ingredient measuring section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the second electrode or to the first electrode and the second electrode to measure the physical ingredients of the user; and a control means connected to the physical ingredient measuring section to regulate the intensity or frequency of the ultrasound or low-frequency, said intensity or frequency of ultrasound or low-frequency being output depending on the measured values for the physical ingredients of the user.

[18] Furthermore, a portable skin stimulator of ultrasonic type with the front tip of body to be in contact with user's skin is provided, which stimulator comprises an ultrasonic vibrator mounted on the front tip of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin, said ultrasonic vibrator being connected to an ultrasound generating section provided in the body to apply ultrasonic stimulation to the skin, said ultrasonic vibrator also serving as an electrode; a first electrode mounted around said ultrasonic vibrator in insulated manner, said first electrode being exposed outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin; an impedance measuring section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the first electrode to measure the impedance of the user; and a control means connected to the impedance measuring section to regulate the intensity or frequency of the ultrasound or low-frequency, said intensity or frequency of ultrasound or low-frequency being output depending on the measured impedance value of the user.

[19]

[20] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[21] Fig. 1 shows the front view of a embodiment according to the invention,

[22] Fig. 2 shows the rear view of the embodiment

[23] Fig. 3 shows the arrangement in block description of the embodiment

[24]

[25] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[26] The object, characteristic and advantage of the invention will be clearer through the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment by referring to the ac- companying drawings.

[27] Fig. 1 shows the front view of a skin stimulator according to the invention, Fig. 2 the rear view and Fig. 3 the arrangement in block description. The skin stimulator according to the invention as shown has the head part of body 1 in the form of conventional ultrasonic stimulator, which head portion is provided with a circular ultrasonic vibrator 10 and an annular first electrode 20, the second electrode 30 being provided on the grip part 3 of the body 1. The ultrasonic vibrator 10 and the first electrode 20 are insulated by an isolator 25 made of silicon. In the interior of the body 1, there are provided an ultrasound generator 60, low-frequency generator 70, dermal impedance measuring section 80, physical ingredient measuring section 90 and CPU 50 for controlling these constituting parts, which are respectively connected to the ultrasonic vibrator 10, first electrode 20 and second electrode 30 through a relay switch 95.

[28] The ultrasonic vibrator 10 is composed of an ultrasonic vibrating element like a ceramic piezoelectric element enclosed by a housing made of electroconductive metal like stainless steel. This vibrator 10 which is connected to the ultrasonic generating section 60 can apply a stimulation through ultrasonic vibration to the skin of user and further can be connected to a low-frequency generator 70, dermal impedance measuring section 80 or physical ingredient measuring section 90 through the relay switch 95 under the control of the CPU 90 so as to serve as the electrode for low- frequency stimulus, dermal impedance measurement, physical ingredient measurement or the like.

[29] The first electrode 20 which should be contacted to therapeutic area on the skin of user together with the ultrasonic vibrator 10 is preferably made of a stainless steel. This first electrode 20 is either connected to the low-frequency generator 70 or dermal impedance measuring section 80 together with the ultrasonic vibrator 10 to enable the low-frequency stimulation or measurement of skin dermal impedance, or is connected to the low-frequency generator 70 or physical ingredient measuring section 90 together with the second electrode 30 in order to conduct low-frequency stimulus or to measure physical ingredients.

[30] The second electrode 30, which is brought into contact with a hand of user when the user holds the body 1, conducts the corresponding functions, wherein the second electrode 30 is connected to the low-frequency generator 70, dermal impedance measuring section 80 or physical ingredient measuring section 90 together with the ultrasonic vibrator 10 or first electrode 20.

[31] Additionally, a selective input section 40, which is provided with a number of buttons such that the desired kind of stimulation, switching on/off of power or the like can be input, is positioned on the rear side of the body 1. [32] The use of the skin stimulator according to the invention, constructed as above, makes it possible not only to apply an ultrasonic stimulation through an ultrasonic vibrator 10 but also, in accordance to the user's selection, to provide one of those kinds of ultrasonic stimulations generated across the first electrode 20 and ultrasonic vibrator 10, the second electrode 30 and ultrasonic vibrator 10, or the first electrode 20 and second electrode 30. The part of the body 1 where the ultrasonic vibrator 10 and the first electrode 20 are installed can be moved along while being in contact with the skin to provide the desired stimulation to the desired physical area.

[33] In addition, according to the inventive skin stimulator, the impedance of the user's skin is measured through the ultrasonic vibrator 10 and first electrode 20, and physical ingredients are measured across the second electrode 30 and ultrasonic vibrator 10, or across the second electrode 30 and first electrode 20, whereby in accordance with the numerical data thus obtained, the intensity and frequency of the low-frequency or ultrasonic stimulation are automatically controlled by the CPU. Accordingly, the invention has the advantage that the intensity and frequency of stimulation need not be controlled manually by the user to provide convenience in use and an optimized stimulation to meet the individual physical characteristic of the user can be provided.

[34] It will be obvious to the men skilled in the art that the invention as described above is not restricted to the foregoing embodiment and accompanying drawings but various replacements, alterations and modifications within the technical ideas of the invention are possible.

[35]

[36] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[37] The skin stimulator according to the invention as described above has the advantage in that the productivity is high, cost can be saved and convenience in use is excellent, because the functions that have been performed by the ultrasonic stimulator, low- frequency stimulator, skin instrument etc. separately in the conventional art are all integrated into one unit in the invention.

[38] Further, the skin stimulator according to the invention is improved in the convenience and can be minimized in the possible trouble during use, because the optimized intensity and frequency for stimulation can be applied to meet the physical characteristics of the user by measuring the skin condition and physical ingredients.

Claims

[1] A portable skin stimulator of ultrasonic type with the front tip of body to be in contact with user's skin comprising: an ultrasonic vibrator mounted on the front tip of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with a user's skin, said ultrasonic vibrator being connected to an ultrasound generating section provided in the body to apply ultrasonic stimulation to the skin, said ultrasonic vibrator also serving as an electrode; a first electrode mounted around said ultrasonic vibrator in insulated manner, said first electrode being exposed outward to be brought into contact with a user's skin; and a low-frequency generating section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the first electrode to provide a low-frequency stimulation to the user.

[2] A portable skin stimulator of claim 1, further includes a second electrode which is mounted on the grip part of the body to expose outward, and which is connected to the ultrasonic vibrator or the first electrode through the low- frequency generating section to provide a stimulation to the skin of a user.

[3] A portable skin stimulator of claim 1, further includes an impedance measuring section connected to the first electrode and the ultrasonic vibrator to measure the skin impedance of a user.

[4] A portable skin stimulator of claim 1, further includes a physical ingredient measuring section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the second electrode or to the first electrode and the second electrode to measure the physical ingredient

[5] A portable skin stimulator of claim 3 or 4, further includes a control means connected to the impedance measuring section or the physical ingredient measuring section to regulate the intensity or frequency of the ultrasound or low- frequency, said intensity or frequency of ultrasound or low-frequency being output depending on the measured values for the skin impedance or physical ingredients of a user.

[6] A portable skin stimulator of ultrasonic type with the front tip of body to be in contact with user's skin comprising: an ultrasonic vibrator mounted on the front tip of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin, said ultrasonic vibrator being connected to an ultrasound generating section provided in the body to apply ultrasonic stimulation to the skin, said ultrasonic vibrator also serving as an electrode; A second electrode mounted on the grip part of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin; and a low-frequency generating section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the second electrode to provide a low-frequency stimulation to the user.

[7] A portable skin stimulator of ultrasonic type with the front tip of body to be in contact with user's skin comprising: an ultrasonic vibrator or first electrode mounted on the front tip of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin; a second electrode mounted on the grip part of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin; a physical ingredient measuring section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the second electrode or to the first electrode and the second electrode to measure the physical ingredients of the user; and a control means connected to the physical ingredient measuring section to regulate the intensity or frequency of the ultrasound or low-frequency, said intensity or frequency of ultrasound or low-frequency being output depending on the measured values for the physical ingredients of the user.

[8] A portable skin stimulator of ultrasonic type with the front tip of body to be in contact with user's skin comprising: an ultrasonic vibrator mounted on the front tip of the body to expose outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin, said ultrasonic vibrator being connected to an ultrasound generating section provided in the body to apply ultrasonic stimulation to the skin, said ultrasonic vibrator also serving as an electrode; a first electrode mounted around said ultrasonic vibrator in insulated manner, said first electrode being exposed outward to be brought into contact with the user's skin; an impedance measuring section connected to the ultrasonic vibrator and the first electrode to measure the impedance of the user; and a control means connected to the impedance measuring section to regulate the intensity or frequency of the ultrasound or low-frequency, said intensity or frequency of ultrasound or low-frequency being output depending on the measured impedance value of the user.