Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Ultrasonic
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-31
2001-01-23
Lateef, Marvin M. (Department: 3737)
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Ultrasonic
C601S001000, C601S034000, C604S022000, C604S023000, C128S098100, C310S316020, C600S437000, C606S041000, C606S042000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176840
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device, and more specifically, to an ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device for encouraging the permeation of cosmetics into the skin.
2. Description of Relevant Materials
Registered Utility Model (Japanese) Gazette No. 3013614 (published May 10, 1995) describes one example of a conventional ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device. This conventional device is intended to achieve the effect of promoting the permeation of the cosmetic into the skin with an application of ultrasound. That is, after a specified cosmetic is applied to the face (or other skin area), a probe is used to apply ultrasound to the area of cosmetic application. In the conventional device, ultrasound is constantly output from the probe, whether or not the skin-contacting surface of the probe is actually in contact with the skin.
However, in the conventional device, although ultrasonic vibrations are propagated if the skin-contacting surface of the probe is in contact with the skin, ultrasonic vibrations are not propagated if the probe is placed against the skin in an improper manner. Accordingly, when the probe is placed against the skin in an improper manner, the intended effect is not satisfactorily achieved. Furthermore, since ultrasound is emitted at the same output value (set by the user) whether the probe is in contact with the skin or not, the probe generates heat when it is not in contact with the skin. That is, when the probe is not in contact with the skin, the vibration-propagating portion of the probe (which is preferably formed mainly from metal) generates heat as a result of the vibration. The temperature of this portion rises, causing discomfort. Furthermore, even if the ultrasonic vibrator undergoes abnormal oscillation during the generation of ultrasound, the user is unaware of the abnormal oscillation until the probe is placed against the skin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide an ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device that suppresses unnecessary rise in the temperature of the portion of the probe that contacts the skin, e.g., when the probe is not in contact with the skin.
Another object of the invention is to provide a safe ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device, i.e., a device that prevents the application of abnormal ultrasound to the user's skin.
In order to achieve the abovementioned objects, according to one aspect of the invention, an ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device includes a probe having an application member with a skin-contacting surface. An ultrasonic vibrator is attached to the opposite side of the application member from the skin-contacting surface. Circuits are provided in a housing, including: an ultrasonic oscillation circuit having an oscillation output for driving the ultrasonic vibrator and a detection circuit that detects contact and non-contact of the application member with the skin. An oscillation control circuit lowers a level of the oscillation output in response to a change from contact to non-contact of the application member with the skin, and increases the level of the oscillation output in response to a change from non-contact to contact of the application member with the skin.
Preferably, the application member is formed from metal.
Consequently, when the application member is not in contact with the skin, the level of the ultrasound that is emitted from the ultrasonic vibrator via the application member is lowered. Unnecessary rise in the temperature of the application member which contacts the skin is thereby suppressed.
In one modification, when the change from contact to non-contact of the application member with the skin is detected by the detection circuit, the oscillation control circuit lowers a level of the oscillation output after a predetermined delay time has elapsed.
In this case, the level of the ultrasound that is emitted from the ultrasonic vibrator via the application member is lowered only in the case of non-contact for a period longer than a predetermined delay time. Accordingly, even if the contacting state of the application member with the skin varies frequently during use, unnecessary increase or decrease in the level of the ultrasound is prevented.
In another modification, the ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device also includes a display that displays the status of contact or non-contact of the application member of the probe with the skin in accordance with detection results obtained by the detection device. Preferably, the display switches from a status display of contact to one of non-contact after a predetermined delay time has elapsed since the change from contact to non-contact of the application member with the skin is detected by the detection circuit.
As a result, the user is informed by the display of the contact or non-contact of the application member with the skin.
Furthermore, if the display switches from a contact display to a non-contact display only in the case of non-contact for a period exceeding a predetermined delay time, unnecessary display switching is prevented, even in cases where the contacting state of the application member with the skin varies frequently during use.
In a further modification, the oscillation control circuit includes a pulse oscillation circuit that outputs a control pulse signal that controls the application time of the oscillation output from the ultrasonic oscillation circuit to the ultrasonic vibrator. In this case, the ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device preferably includes a device for stopping the oscillating operation of the ultrasonic oscillation circuit when abnormalities occur in the control pulse signal output by the pulse oscillation circuit.
Accordingly, when abnormalities occur in the control pulse signal, no ultrasound is emitted from the ultrasonic vibrator, so that the application of undesirable abnormal ultrasound to the skin is prevented.
In another aspect of the invention, an ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device for application to the skin includes an ultrasonic vibrator probe for contacting the skin. An ultrasonic oscillation circuit vibrates the ultrasonic vibrator probe, and a detection circuit detects contact of the ultrasonic vibrator probe with the skin. An oscillation control circuit changes a level of vibration of the ultrasonic vibrator probe when the detection circuit detects a change in contact of the ultrasonic vibrator probe with the skin. The ultrasonic vibrator probe preferably includes an application member attached to an ultrasonic vibrator.
In this case, the oscillation control circuit preferably lowers a level of the oscillation output in response to a change from contact to non-contact of the application member with the skin, and increases the level of the oscillation output in response to a change from non-contact to contact of the application member with the skin.
More specifically, the detection circuit detects a change in contact of the ultrasonic vibrator probe with the skin by detecting a change in oscillation level caused by a change in impedance of the ultrasonic vibrator probe upon contact with the skin. The detection circuit may compare an envelope voltage of the oscillation level with a reference voltage to detect a change in contact of the ultrasonic vibrator probe with the skin.
Thus, when the application member is not in contact with the skin, the level of the ultrasound that is emitted from the ultrasonic vibrator probe is lowered. Unnecessary rise in the temperature of the probe (which contacts the skin) is thereby suppressed.
In one development of this aspect of the invention, a delay circuit is provided between the detection circuit and the oscillation control circuit. The delay circuit delays a signal from the detection circuit to the oscillation control circuit by a predetermined delay time, the oscillation control circuit thereby changing the level of vibration of the ultrasonic vibrator probe at the expiration of the predetermined delay time after the detection circuit detects
Hayashi Masayuki
Nishimura Shinji
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Lateef Marvin M.
Lin Jeoyuh
Matsushita Electric & Works Ltd.
LandOfFree
Ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ultrasonic cosmetic treatment device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2513918