Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Light application
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-23
2002-10-15
Dvorak, Linda C. M. (Department: 3739)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Light application
C607S094000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06464714
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an irradiation device for personal care which comprises a housing with a light source and with a wall manufactured from a translucent material, which wall has a first surface facing the light source and a second surface facing away from the light source.
Such an irradiation device is known from DE 197 14 234 A1.
In the known device, a wall manufactured from a translucent material with a first and a second surface is formed by a frosted plate which is fastened to a housing and which covers a light source, formed by UV lamps, in the housing. The first surface faces the UV lamps, the second surface faces away from the UV lamps. The frosted plate serves to counteract that bright light originating from the light source shines into the eyes of a user or bystander near the device and serves to counteract that components inside the housing come directly into view.
It is a disadvantage of the known device that light leaving the device through the wall manufactured from the translucent material is not very sparkling. Light rays are very strongly scattered by the frosted plate, which renders the light issuing from the device comparatively dull. Although on the one hand looking at the device during operation by a user or bystanders near the device should not be rendered unpleasant by bright light shining into their eyes, on the other hand the appearance of the device during operation should contribute to a user's perception that the irradiation function is adequately performed. Light of low brightness gives rise to the idea in a user that the irradiation function is performed less well, which is disadvantageous for the quality perception which the user has in relation to the irradiation device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph in which it is counteracted that bright light hits the eyes of a user or bystander, and it is counteracted that the components in the housing come directly into view, but where the light issuing from the device has a more sparkling appearance.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a device which is characterized in that at least one of the two surfaces has at least one area with a surface structure consisting of said material. The fact that at least one of the two surfaces has at least one area with a surface structure consisting of the material was found to make the scattering of the light rays originating from the light source sufficiently great for preventing them shining brightly into the eyes of the user or bystander and for rendering the components invisible, while on the other hand the scattering is limited to such an extent that the light issuing from the device is more sparkling. This benefits a comfortable viewing of the device and is favorable for the user's quality perception of the irradiation device. Since the surface structure consists of the translucent material itself and is accordingly integral with the wall, no additional components are required for achieving a more sparkling light.
It is favorable when at least one of the two surfaces has a number of areas which have a surface structure consisting of the translucent material. At least one of the areas screens off the light source in this embodiment, while other areas screen off, for example, further components of the irradiation device, such as the supply unit and electronic devices, so that the direct view of these components in the housing is also scattered and as a result taken away from the user or bystander. This gives the irradiation device an attractive appearance in operation and out of operation, while it offers the possibility of giving the interior of the device a comparatively less fine finish, which is less expensive, because it is not observed from the outside.
It is favorable furthermore when at least two of the areas have mutually differing surface structures. The surface structures can thus be adapted to the components which they cover. The areas screening off the light source have, for example, a first surface structure, while the remaining areas screening off further components have a second surface structure or several other surface structures. The choice of the various surface structures which are to cover various areas offers the further possibility of adapting the appearance of the wall and the sparkling quality of the radiated light to, for example, the size, the light source, and further components of the envisaged embodiment of the irradiation device. Various embodiments of the device according to the invention are possible. One embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterized in that it is a suntanning device.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4660561 (1987-04-01), Nielsen
patent: 4703184 (1987-10-01), Wolff
patent: 4829608 (1989-05-01), Stevens et al.
patent: 5303322 (1994-04-01), Winston et al.
Mewissen Jan Alfons Catharina
Schroor Marcel Thedoor Petrus
Bartlett Ernestine C.
Johnson H M.
Koninklijke Philips Electronics , N.V.
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