Miniature electrical equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a small-sized electrical device, which further improves the use convenience of the small-sized electrical device with a tiltable function head. A small-sized electrical device is provided with a main body case (1) which also serves as a clamp, and a functional head (2) which is connected to one end of the main body case (1). The functional head (2) is configured so as to be tiltable with respect to the main body case (1) between one stroke end and the other stroke end. In addition, at least three positions including the two stroke ends are provided with posture holding mechanisms for holding the functional head (2) so that the functional head (2) cannot tilt.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a handheld skincare beauty device and other small electrical devices. Background Technology

[0002] Regarding this type of small electrical device, the applicant previously filed a patent application, Patent Document 1. The small electrical device in Patent Document 1 comprises: a functional head including a skin electrode that supplies current to the skin surface; and a vertically elongated main body housing supporting the functional head. A clamping electrode, paired with the skin electrode, is provided in the clamping portion of the main body housing. The functional head is fixed to the main body housing in a non-displaceable manner, or connected to the main body housing in a tilting manner.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-111442

[0005] When the functional head is configured to tilt up and down relative to the main body housing, the user of the small electrical device (beauty device) can change the posture (angle) of the functional head according to the location of the skin surface in contact with the skin electrode, thus improving the ease of use of the small electrical device. However, the fixed position of the functional head relative to the main body housing is limited to two parts at the two ends of the tilting stroke, so there is a limit to the improvement in ease of use. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to further improve the ease of use of small electrical devices with tilting functional heads.

[0007] The present invention relates to a small electrical device having a main body housing 1 that also serves as a clamping member and a functional head 2 connected to one end of the main body housing 1. The functional head 2 is configured to tilt relative to the main body housing 1 between one stroke end and the other stroke end. The device is characterized in that it has a posture holding mechanism at at least three locations including the two stroke ends to hold the functional head 2 in a position that prevents it from tilting.

[0008] The main body housing 1 is formed to be elongated vertically. The upper half of the main body housing 1 constitutes the functional part 4 that supports the functional head 2, and the lower half of the main body housing 1 constitutes the clamping part 5 suitable for the user to hold. A tilting operating body 27, which is operated to tilt the functional head 2, is provided on the surface of the functional part 4.

[0009] The tilting operation body 27 intersects with the imaginary surface that divides the functional part 4 into two parts.

[0010] One stroke end of the functional head 2 is disposed on the front surface side of the main body housing 1, and the other stroke end of the functional head 2 is disposed on the front surface side or the upper surface side of the main body housing 1. The tilting operating body 27 is disposed on the rear surface side of the main body housing 1.

[0011] A drive operating body 8, which is operated to switch the drive state of small electrical equipment, is provided on the surface of the clamping part 5.

[0012] The tilting actuator 27 and the driving actuator 8 are disposed on different walls on the front, back, left, and right sides of the main body housing 1.

[0013] The wall of the main housing 1 with the tilting operating body 27 is opposite to the wall of the main housing 1 with the driving operating body 8 in front of and behind or left and right.

[0014] A tilting operating body 27 is provided on the surface of the main housing 1 to tilt the functional head 2. A worm gear pair 28, including a worm 29 and a worm wheel 30, is provided between the tilting operating body 27 and the functional head 2, thereby enabling the tilting operation of the functional head 2 via the tilting operating body 27 and the worm gear pair 28. The self-locking function of the worm gear pair 28 constitutes the posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2.

[0015] The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes a retaining rod 45 that can engage and disengage relative to the functional head 2, and a locking spring 46 that applies force to the retaining rod 45 in the direction of engagement with the functional head 2. Under normal conditions, the retaining rod 45, under the force of the locking spring 46, engages with the functional head 2, restricting the tilting of the functional head 2. A tilting operating body 27 is provided on the surface of the main housing 1, which is operated to tilt the functional head 2. The tilting operating body 27 is configured to overcome the force of the locking spring 46 and disengage the retaining rod 45 from the functional head 2.

[0016] The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes a first clamping body 57 and a second clamping body 59 that cooperate in clamping the tilting base end of the functional head 2. A tilting operating body 27 is provided on the surface of the main body housing 1 to be operated to tilt the functional head 2. The tilting operating body 27 is configured to move the first clamping body 57 away from the second clamping body 59.

[0017] A pinion shaft 68 parallel to the tilting center axis is inserted into the functional head 2. The pinion 69 of the pinion shaft 68 meshes with an arc-shaped rack 70 provided on the main body housing 1. A tilting operating body 27 is provided on the surface of the main body housing 1 to tilt the functional head 2. One end of the pinion shaft 68 is connected to the tilting operating body 27.

[0018] The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes a plurality of retaining recesses 44 arranged in the functional head 2 and a retaining rod 45 that is elastically applied toward the retaining recesses 44. By engaging the retaining rod 45 with any of the retaining recesses 44, the tilting of the functional head 2 is restricted.

[0019] A clamping piece 81 capable of being pressed inward is provided on the surface of the clamping part 5 of the main housing 1. The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes: a captured band 83, which is provided on the functional head 2; a capturing piece 84 capable of capturing the captured band 83; and a pressing mechanism 85, which, in conjunction with the inward pressing of the clamping piece 81, presses the capturing piece 84 onto the captured band 83.

[0020] One end of the worm 29 is connected to the tilting operating body 27, and the tilting operating body 27 and the worm 29 are rotated integrally. The worm wheel 30 is formed at the tilting base end of the functional head 2 and meshes directly with the worm 29.

[0021] The tilting operation body 27 is formed in the shape of a button, and the locking spring 46 applies force in the direction of protruding from the main body housing 1.

[0022] The operating screw 55 is composed of a stepped screw. The operating screw 55 integrally includes an operating head constituting a tilting operating body 27, a stepped portion constituting a first clamping body 57, a tilting shaft 22 at the tilting base end of the shaft support functional head 2, and a threaded shaft 58 composed of external threads. The second clamping body 59 is composed of a threaded boss that is threadedly engaged with the threaded shaft 58.

[0023] The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes a holding pin 63 disposed on one side of the main body housing 1 and the opposing surface of the functional head 2, a plurality of holding grooves 64 disposed on the other side, and a locking spring 65 that applies force to the holding pin 63 in the direction of engaging with the holding grooves 64.

[0024] A sliding knob 73 is provided on the surface of the main housing 1, which is slidably operated to switch the on / off state of a small electrical device. The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes a limiting body 77 that is displaced in conjunction with the sliding operation of the sliding knob 73. The limiting body 77 is configured to restrict the disengagement of the holding rod 45 when the small electrical device is on, and allow the disengagement of the holding rod 45 when it is off.

[0025] A skin electrode 3 is provided on the surface of the functional head 2, and a clamping electrode 9 paired with the skin electrode 3 is provided on at least a portion of the clamping piece 81.

[0026] The effects of this invention are as follows.

[0027] The small electrical device according to the present invention includes a posture holding mechanism that prevents the functional head 2 from tilting relative to the main body housing 1. This posture holding mechanism can prevent the functional head 2 from tilting at least three locations, including one stroke end and another stroke end. That is, according to the present invention, compared with conventional devices where the fixed position of the functional head is limited to two locations at two stroke ends, the number of fixed positions can be increased, thus improving the ease of use of the small electrical device. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal sectional side view of the main part of the small electrical device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a side view of the small electrical device.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a longitudinal sectional side view of the main part of the small electrical device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 4 It is an enlarged representation Figure 3 A portion of the image.

[0032] Figure 5 These are two side views of a small electrical device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Sectional view along line AA in the diagram.

[0034] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional top view of the main part of the small electrical device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 BB line section view.

[0036] Figure 9 This is a side view of a small electrical device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 10 This is a longitudinal sectional side view of the main part of the small electrical device.

[0038] Figure 11 This is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the state in which the functional head can tilt.

[0039] Figure 12 This is a side view of a small electrical device according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 13 yes Figure 12 The CC line section view.

[0041] Figure 14 It is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the functional head is allowed to tilt.

[0042] Figure 15 This is a longitudinal sectional side view of the main part of the small electrical device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 16 This is a rear view of the ball joint of the small electrical device.

[0044] Figure 17 This is a side view of a small electrical device according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 18 This is a side view of a small electrical device according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 19 This is a longitudinal sectional side view of the main part of the small electrical device.

[0047] In the diagram: 1—Main housing, 2—Functional head, 3—Skin electrode, 4—Functional part, 5—Clamping part, 8—Drive operating body, 9—Clamping electrode, 22—Tilting shaft, 27—Tilting operating body, 28—Worm gear pair, 29—Worm, 30—Worm gear, 44—Retaining recess, 45—Retaining rod, 46—Locking spring, 55—Operating screw, 57—First clamping body (stepped part), 58—Threaded shaft, 59—Second clamping body (threaded boss), 63—Retaining pin, 64—Retaining groove, 65—Clamping spring, 68—Pinary gear shaft, 69—Pinary gear, 70—Rack, 73—Sliding knob, 77—Limiting body, 81—Clamping piece, 83—Captured belt, 84—Capture piece, 85—Pressing mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0048] (First Implementation)

[0049] Figure 1 and Figure 2 This describes a first embodiment of the small electrical device of the present invention. The small electrical device of this embodiment is a handheld beauty device for skincare of a user's face, etc., comprising a hollow, elongated main body shell 1 that also functions as a clamping member, and a functional head 2 that is tiltably connected to the upper end of the main body shell 1. A skin electrode 3, which presses against the skin of the user, is provided on the surface of the functional head 2. The upper half of the main body shell 1 forms a functional part 4 that supports the functional head 2, and the lower half of the main body shell 1 forms a clamping part 5 suitable for the user to hold.

[0050] The surface of the clamping part 5 is provided with a drive operating body 8 for the user to switch the drive state of the beauty device, and a clamping electrode 9 that is in close contact with the palm of the user holding the clamping part 5. The drive operating body 8 consists of three push-button switches 10 to 12 arranged vertically and is disposed on the front wall 5a of the clamping part 5, and the clamping electrode 9 is disposed on the back side of the drive operating body 8, i.e., the rear wall 5b of the clamping part 5.

[0051] The clamping part 5 houses a rechargeable battery 15, which serves as the power source for the beauty device, and a control board 16, which controls the driving state of the beauty device. The front surface of the control board 16 is equipped with a power switch 17 operated by pressing the upper switch button 10, a mode switch 18 operated by pressing the central switch button 11, and an intensity switch 19 operated by pressing the lower switch button 12. That is, when the user presses the upper switch button 10, the beauty device can be alternately switched between an on and off state; when the central switch button 11 is pressed while the device is on, the direction of the current flowing through the skin electrode 3 and the clamping electrode 9 can be switched; and when the lower switch button 12 is pressed while the device is on, the intensity of the current supplied to the two electrodes 3 and 9 can be switched.

[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, a horizontal tilting shaft 22 supporting the functional head 2 is provided on the upper part of the functional section 4. The tilting shaft 22 is formed as a round rod extending in the left-right direction and is disposed at the front-rear center of the functional section 4. The functional head 2 includes a head body 23 supported by the tilting shaft 22 and a skin electrode 3 supported by the head body 23. A circular shaft hole 24 for the tilting shaft 22 to be inserted is formed at the tilting base end of the head body 23, and the skin electrode 3 is fixed to the tilting front end face of the head body 23. The functional head 2 is configured to tilt around the tilting shaft 22 in a range of approximately 90° between the first stroke end (one stroke end) of the skin electrode 3 facing forward as shown by the solid line and the second stroke end (the other stroke end) of the skin electrode 3 facing upward as shown by the imaginary line. Furthermore, as described later, it is held in a position between the two stroke ends and cannot tilt.

[0053] The tilting operation of the functional head 2 is performed via a tilting operating body 27 disposed on the surface of the functional section 4 and a worm gear pair 28 built into the functional section 4. The worm gear pair 28 consists of an elongated worm 29 orthogonal to the tilting axis 22 and extending in the front-rear direction, and a worm wheel 30 disposed around the shaft hole 24 of the head body 23. The worm 29 is supported by the front wall 4a and the rear wall 4b of the functional section 4 so that it can rotate (self-rotate) about the axis of the worm 29. The rear end of the worm 29 passes through the rear wall 4b, and a dial-type tilting operating body 27 is connected to the rear end. When the tilting operating body 27 is rotated, the worm 29 rotates integrally with the tilting operating body 27.

[0054] In this embodiment, the tilting operation body 27 is disposed at the upper and lower center of the outer surface of the rear wall 4b of the functional part 4, intersecting with the imaginary plane that divides the functional part 4 into two parts. The tilting operation body 27 and the driving operation body 8 are disposed on different wall surfaces of the main body housing 1. More specifically, the wall surface of the main body housing 1 on which the tilting operation body 27 is disposed is opposite to the wall surface of the main body housing 1 on which the driving operation body 8 is disposed.

[0055] The worm gear 30 is formed concentrically with the shaft hole 24 and has a larger diameter than the worm 29, and meshes with the worm 29. Therefore, when the tilting operating body 27 is operated and the worm 29 rotates, the rotational power of the worm 29 is transmitted to the worm gear 30, and the functional head 2, including the worm gear 30, tilts about the tilting shaft 22. More specifically, if the tilting operating body 27 is rotated in one direction, the functional head 2 tilts towards the first stroke end; if the tilting operating body 27 is rotated in another direction, the functional head 2 tilts towards the second stroke end.

[0056] Furthermore, when the rotation of the tilting operating body 27 stops, the functional head 2 remains stationary (locked) in that position regardless of its current position. Even if a large external force is applied to the functional head 2 in the tilting direction, the worm gear 30 and the worm 29 will not rotate relative to each other, and the functional head 2 will not move. This is due to the known self-locking function of the worm gear pair 28, therefore, an explanation of its principle is omitted. The worm gear pair 28 of this embodiment constitutes the posture holding mechanism of the present invention. In the beauty device of this embodiment, the functional head 2 can be held at any position between the first stroke end and the second stroke end, and the user can steplessly adjust the posture (angle) of the functional head 2.

[0057] As a variation of this embodiment, one or more gears can be clamped between the worm 29 and the worm wheel 30. Similarly, one or more gears can also be clamped between the tilting operating body 27 and the worm 29. Alternatively, the worm wheel 30 can be separated from the head body 23 of the functional head 2, and one or more gears can be clamped between the worm wheel 30 and the head body 23. The worm wheel 30 does not need to be formed around the entire circumference of the shaft hole 24; it only needs to be formed as an arc shape that is equal to or longer (with a larger central angle) in the circumferential direction than the tilting stroke of the functional head 2.

[0058] (Second Implementation)

[0059] Figure 3 as well as Figure 4This second embodiment of the small electrical device of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in the structure of the head body 23 and posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2. The head body 23 of this embodiment includes: a bearing portion 36 supported by a tilting shaft 22; an electrode base 37 supporting the skin electrode 3; and a ball joint 38 that freely tilts the electrode base 37 relative to the bearing portion 36. The ball joint 38 includes a ball socket 39 continuously disposed with the bearing portion 36, a ball head pin 40 erected on the back of the electrode base 37 as viewed from the skin electrode 3, and a return spring 41 wound around the shaft portion of the ball head pin 40. The ball portion at the front end of the ball head pin 40 is held by the ball socket 39. With this ball portion as the center, the electrode base 37 (skin electrode 3) can freely tilt in any three-dimensional direction relative to the bearing portion 36. The return spring 41 is composed of a compression helical spring. By pressing the electrode base 37 away from the bearing portion 36, the electrode base 37 in its normal state is held in its initial position (the center of the tilting range), and the electrode base 37 tilted by external force is returned to its initial position.

[0060] In this embodiment, the functional head 2 as a whole can also tilt within a range of approximately 90° around the tilting axis 22 between the first stroke end of the skin electrode 3 facing forward and the second stroke end of the skin electrode 3 facing upward. The posture holding mechanism that keeps the functional head 2 from tilting consists of a plurality of (three or more) holding recesses 44 provided in the bearing portion 36 of the head body 23, a holding rod 45 that can engage with any of the holding recesses 44, and a locking spring 46 that applies force to the holding rod 45 in the direction of engaging with the holding recess 44.

[0061] The outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion 36 facing the retaining rod 45 is formed as a semi-cylindrical shape concentric with the shaft hole 24, and a plurality of retaining recesses 44 are arranged circumferentially along this outer peripheral surface. The retaining rod 45 is axially supported within the functional portion 4 of the main body housing 1 and is able to swing about a swing axis 47 parallel to the tilting axis 22. A locking protrusion 48 is provided at one end of the retaining rod 45, which can engage with the retaining recesses 44. The locking protrusion 48 is embedded in any one of the retaining recesses 44, and the faces of the two recesses 44 and 48 facing each other in the aforementioned circumferential direction are in close contact with each other, thereby restricting the tilting of the head body 23 about the tilting axis 22.

[0062] In this embodiment, seven retaining recesses 44 are equally spaced on the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion 36, and the central angle of the arc from the retaining recess 44A located at one end of the row of retaining recesses 44 to the retaining recess 44B located at the other end of the row is set to approximately 90°. That is, when the functional head 2 is located Figure 3At the first stroke end, the retaining rod 45 engages with the retaining recess 44A at one end of the row of retaining recesses 44. When the functional head 2 tilts approximately 90° from the first stroke end and moves to the second stroke end, the retaining rod 45 engages with the retaining recess 44B at the other end of the row. To facilitate the entry of the engaging protrusion 48 into the retaining recesses 44, the opening edge of each retaining recess 44 is chamfered significantly, and the opening size of the chamfered portion is set to be sufficiently larger than the adjacent spacing of the retaining recesses 44 (the circumferential length dimension of the portion sandwiched between adjacent retaining recesses 44).

[0063] An operating shaft 49 extending rearward is connected to the other end of the retaining rod 45. An inwardly recessed operating recess 50 is formed on the rear wall 4b of the functional part 4 of the main housing 1, and the operating shaft 49 passes through the bottom wall of the operating recess 50. A button-shaped tilting operating body 27, matching the opening size of the operating recess 50, is provided at the protruding end (rear end) of the operating shaft 49. A locking spring 46, composed of a compression coil spring, is wound around the operating shaft 49 within the operating recess 50. The locking spring 46 presses against the bottom surface of the operating recess 50 and the inner surface of the tilting operating body 27, applying force to the tilting operating body 27 and the operating shaft 49 in the direction protruding from the functional part 4, i.e., rearward. Furthermore, the retaining rod 45, connected to the front end of the operating shaft 49, is also subjected to force... Figure 3 The locking protrusion 48 is oscillating counterclockwise, that is, in the direction that it approaches the bearing portion 36. That is, when the locking spring 46 is in its normal state, the locking protrusion 48 of the retaining rod 45 engages with either of the retaining recesses 44, restricting the tilting of the functional head 2 about the tilting axis 22. In addition, at this time, the protruding end of the tilting operating body 27 protrudes from the operating recess 50.

[0064] like Figure 4As shown, when the tilting operating body 27 is pressed inward along with the operating shaft 49 against the force of the locking spring 46, the retaining rod 45 swings clockwise, and the engaging protrusion 48 disengages from the retaining recess 44. This allows the functional head 2 to tilt around the tilting shaft 22. In other words, when the user of the beauty device has the tilting operating body 27 pressed in, they can grasp the functional head 2 and tilt it to the desired position, then remove their finger from the tilting operating body 27. This allows the functional head 2 to stop (lock) at that position and prevent it from tilting further. As described above, since the opening size of the retaining recess 44, including the chamfered portion, is sufficiently larger than the adjacent spacing of the retaining recesses 44, when the user's finger leaves the tilting operating body 27, the engaging protrusion 48 of the retaining rod 45 is aligned with any one of the retaining recesses 44 with a sufficiently high probability and is directly engaged with that retaining recess 44 by the force applied by the locking spring 46. That is, the frequency at which the engaging protrusion 48 fails to engage with any retaining recess 44 (the engaging protrusion 48 is directly opposite the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion 36 where no retaining recess 44 exists) can be sufficiently reduced. In the beauty device of this embodiment, the posture (angle) of the functional head 2 can be adjusted in multiple levels (7 levels) between the first stroke end and the second stroke end. Everything else is the same as in the first embodiment, therefore the same reference numerals are used for the same parts and their descriptions are omitted. The same applies to the third embodiment and thereafter.

[0065] (Third implementation method)

[0066] Figure 5 as well as Figure 6 This third embodiment of the small electrical device of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in the structure of the tilting shaft 22 and posture holding mechanism of the shaft support functional head 2. In this embodiment, the tilting shaft 22 is configured as part of the operating screw 55, which traverses the main body housing 1 laterally. The operating screw 55 is a stepped screw, and from the operating head side, which functions as the tilting operating body 27, it integrally comprises a stepped portion 57, the tilting shaft 22, and a threaded shaft 58. The stepped portion 57 has a sufficiently large diameter compared to the tilting shaft 22, and the threaded shaft 58 has approximately the same diameter as the tilting shaft 22.

[0067] The operating head of the operating screw 55, i.e., the tilting operating body 27, is disposed on the outer surface of the first side wall 4c of the functional part 4, and the stepped portion 57 penetrates through the first side wall 4c. A cylindrical threaded boss 59 for screwing in a threaded shaft 58 is provided protruding from the inner surface of the second side wall 4d of the functional part 4, which is positioned to the left and right of the first side wall 4c. The outer diameter of the threaded boss 59 is sufficiently larger than the diameter of the tilting shaft 22 and approximately equal to the diameter of the stepped portion 57. A washer 60 is provided between the tilting operating body 27 and the first side wall 4c to prevent the operating screw 55 from loosening. When the threaded shaft 58 of the operating screw 55 is screwed into the threaded boss 59 until the washer 60 is pressed against the tilting operating body 27 and the first side wall 4c, the stepped portion 57 and the threaded boss 59 cooperate to open from the opening edge of the shaft hole 24 of the left and right clamping head body 23. Furthermore, the frictional force generated between the opening edge, the stepped portion 57, and the threaded boss 59 restricts the tilting of the head body 23 around the tilting axis 22. The posture holding mechanism of this embodiment consists of a first clamping body and a second clamping body. The first clamping body is formed by the stepped portion 57 of the operating screw 55, and the second clamping body is formed by the threaded boss 59.

[0068] When the operating screw 55 is loosened by rotating the tilting operating body 27, the clamping state of the stepped portion (first clamping body) 57 and the threaded boss (second clamping body) 59 on the head body 23 is released, and the head body 23 can tilt relative to the tilting axis 22. That is, after the user of the beauty device has the operating screw 55 loosened, tilts the functional head 2 to the desired position, and then tightens the operating screw 55 again, thereby stopping (locking) the functional head 2 in that position so that it cannot tilt. In the beauty device of this embodiment, the functional head 2 can be held at any position between the first stroke end and the second stroke end, and the user can steplessly adjust the posture (angle) of the functional head 2.

[0069] In this embodiment, the drive operating body 8 consists of three switch buttons 10 to 12 arranged in a triangular shape, and is disposed on the second side wall 5d of the clamping part 5, which is continuous below the second side wall 4d of the functional part 4. On the other hand, as described above, the tilting operating body 27 is disposed on the first side wall 4c of the functional part 4. That is, in this embodiment, the tilting operating body 27 and the drive operating body 8 are disposed on different wall surfaces of the main body housing 1. More specifically, the wall surface of the main body housing 1 on which the tilting operating body 27 is disposed is opposite to the wall surface of the main body housing 1 on which the drive operating body 8 is disposed.

[0070] (Fourth Implementation)

[0071] Figure 7 as well as Figure 8This fourth embodiment of the small electrical device of the present invention differs from the third embodiment in its structure, including the posture holding mechanism. The posture holding mechanism of this embodiment comprises a holding pin 63 provided in the head body 23 of the functional head 2, multiple (three or more) holding grooves 64 provided in the inner wall of the functional portion 4 of the main body housing 1, and a engaging spring 65 that applies force to the holding pin 63 in a direction that engages with the holding groove 64. A guide recess 66 is provided around the shaft hole 24 of the head body 23 to hold the holding pin 63 so that it can move radially forward and backward along the shaft hole 24. The engaging spring 65 is disposed at the bottom of the guide recess 66 and applies force to the holding pin 63 in a direction that protrudes from the guide recess 66. When viewed from the skin electrode 3, the holding pin 63 is positioned on the back side of the shaft hole 24, and the skin electrode 3 and the holding pin 63 tilt upward and downward or forward and backward about the tilting axis 22.

[0072] Multiple retaining grooves 64 are arranged circumferentially along the tilting trajectory of the front end of the retaining pin 63. The head body 23 is restricted from tilting about the tilting axis 22 by engaging with any one of the retaining grooves 64. The front end of the retaining pin 63 is hemispherical, and each retaining groove 64 is formed as a circular groove consistent with the front end. In this embodiment, 10 retaining grooves 64 are arranged at equal intervals, and the central angle of the arc from the retaining groove 64A at one end of the column to the retaining groove 64B at the other end of the column is set to approximately 90°. That is, when the functional head 2 is located... Figure 8 When the first stroke end is shown, the retaining pin 63 engages with the retaining groove 64A at one end of the column of retaining grooves 64. When the functional head 2 tilts about 90° from the first stroke end and moves to the second stroke end, the retaining pin 63 engages with the retaining groove 64B at the other end of the column.

[0073] Viewed from the retaining pin 63, a pinion shaft 68 parallel to the tilting shaft 22 is disposed on the back side of the tilting shaft 22. The pinion shaft 68 is inserted into the head body 23 in a way that allows it to rotate (rotate about its own central axis). Pinions 69 are respectively mounted on the left and right ends of the pinion shaft 68 protruding from the head body 23. Corresponding to these left and right pairs of pinions 69, a pair of left and right racks 70 that mesh with the pinions 69 are provided on the inner surface of the functional part 4. Each rack 70 is formed into an arc shape concentric with the tilting shaft 22. One end of the pinion shaft 68 passes through the first side wall 4c of the functional part 4 and is connected to the tilting operating body 27 disposed on the outer surface of the first side wall 4c.

[0074] When the tilting operating body 27 is rotated, the pinion shaft 68 and pinion 69 connected to it rotate as a whole. A force is applied to the pinion 69, which meshes with the rack 70, to induce a curved motion along the extension direction (circumferential direction) of the rack 70. This force causes the functional head 2, including the pinion shaft 68, to tilt around the tilting axis 22. More specifically, if the tilting operating body 27 is rotated in one direction, the functional head 2 tilts towards the first stroke end; if the tilting operating body 27 is rotated in another direction, the functional head 2 tilts towards the second stroke end.

[0075] During the rotational operation of the tilting operating body 27, the previously described posture-holding mechanism, such as the retaining pin 63, acts as a resistance. That is, in order for the functional head 2 to tilt, the retaining pin 63 needs to disengage from the retaining groove 64. To do this, the retaining pin 63 needs to be pushed back into the guide recess 66 by overcoming the force of the engaging spring 65. Therefore, the functional head 2 will not tilt unless the user unconsciously touches the tilting operating body 27.

[0076] As described above, when the tilting operating body 27 is rotated, circumferential power is applied to the entire functional head 2, including the pinion shaft 68. This power is also transmitted to the retaining pin 63, which is redirected towards retraction by the arcuate surface of the retaining groove 64. If the radial force exceeds the force of the engaging spring 65, the retaining pin 63 disengages from the retaining groove 64, and the head body 23 tilts. Furthermore, when the tip of the retaining pin 63 reaches the adjacent retaining groove 64, the retaining pin 63 moves in and out of the guide recess 66 and engages with the retaining groove 64 by the force exerted by the engaging spring 65. At this time, the user operating the tilting operating body 27 can obtain a clicking sensation.

[0077] As described above, in this embodiment, the tilting of the functional head 2 stops whenever the retaining pin 63 moves to the adjacent retaining groove 64, in other words, whenever the functional head 2 tilts about 10° around the tilting axis 22. The posture holding mechanism of this embodiment also functions as a control mechanism that provides a clicking sensation each time the functional head 2 moves a small amount. In the beauty device of this embodiment, the posture (angle) of the functional head 2 can be adjusted in multiple levels (10 levels) between the first stroke end and the second stroke end. Furthermore, as a variation of this embodiment, the arrangement of the retaining pin 63, etc., and the retaining groove 64 can be reversed. That is, the retaining pin 63, etc., can be provided on the inner surface of the functional part 4 of the main body housing 1, and multiple retaining grooves 64 can be provided on the head body 23 of the functional head 2.

[0078] (Fifth Implementation)

[0079] Figures 9 to 11This fifth embodiment of the small electrical device of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in its structure of the drive operating body 8 and the posture holding mechanism. In this embodiment, instead of the switch button 10 used for the power switch 17, a sliding knob 73 is provided at the upper and lower center of the front surface of the main body housing 1. A horizontal sliding rod 74 is provided on the inner surface of the sliding knob 73, extending through the front wall of the main body housing 1 and inward (rearward), and is configured to slide up and down integrally with the sliding knob 73. In addition, the sliding rod 74 integrally has an upwardly extending pawl arm 75, and a pair of upper and lower pawl recesses 76 are provided on the inner surface of the front wall of the main body housing 1 facing the front end of the pawl arm 75.

[0080] The power switch 17 is a momentary switch and is disposed on the inner surface of the rear wall of the main housing 1. When the sliding knob 73 is in the upper ON position, the front end (rear end) of the sliding rod 74 presses the power switch 17, and the beauty device is in the ON state. At the same time, the front end of the pawl arm 75 engages with the upper pawl recess 76A (76), and the sliding knob 73 is held in the ON position. On the other hand, when the sliding knob 73 is in the lower OFF position, the front end of the sliding rod 74 does not contact the power switch 17, and the beauty device is in the OFF state. At the same time, the front end of the pawl arm 75 engages with the lower pawl recess 76B (76), and the sliding knob 73 is held in the OFF position.

[0081] The posture holding mechanism comprises a plurality of (three or more) holding recesses 44 provided around the shaft hole 24 of the head body 23, a holding rod 45 capable of engaging with any of the holding recesses 44, and a limiting body 77 that prevents the holding rod 45 from disengaging from the holding recesses 44. The outer peripheral surface of the head body 23 facing the holding rod 45 is formed into a semi-cylindrical shape concentric with the shaft hole 24, and a plurality of holding recesses 44 are arranged circumferentially along the outer peripheral surface. The holding rod 45 has engaging protrusions 48 capable of engaging with the holding recesses 44, and is configured to be elastically deformable in the front-rear direction with the lower end of the support block 78 fixed in the functional part 4 as a fulcrum.

[0082] In this embodiment, seven retaining recesses 44 are arranged at equal intervals, and the central angle of the arc from the retaining recess 44A located at one end of the column of retaining recesses 44 to the retaining recess 44B located at the other end of the column is set to approximately 90°. That is, when the functional head 2 is located Figure 9 When the first stroke end is shown, the retaining rod 45 engages with the retaining recess 44A at one end of the column of retaining recesses 44. When the functional head 2 tilts about 90° from the first stroke end and moves to the second stroke end, the retaining rod 45 engages with the retaining recess 44B at the other end of the column.

[0083] A reinforcing wall 79, spaced apart from the rear, is provided on the inner surface of the rear wall 4b of the functional part 4, directly opposite the holding rod 45. A limiting body 77, constituting the posture holding mechanism, is continuously provided upwards from the front end of the sliding rod 74 and is configured to slide up and down integrally with the sliding rod 74. Figure 10 As shown, when the sliding knob 73 is in the upper engaged position, the limiting body 77 enters between the retaining rod 45 and the reinforcing wall 79, with its upper front surface abutting against the retaining rod 45 and its upper rear surface abutting against the reinforcing wall 79. In this state, the retaining rod 45 is reliably supported from the rear by the limiting body 77 and the reinforcing wall 79, thus limiting the elastic deformation of the retaining rod 45 rearward, i.e., its disengagement from the retaining recess 44. The reinforcing wall 79, together with the support block 78 supporting the retaining rod 45, also functions as a guide for the vertical sliding of the limiting body 77. Furthermore, the reinforcing wall 79 does not need to be integral with the main housing 1; it can also be constructed from a separate metal plate or the like.

[0084] like Figure 11 As shown, when the sliding knob 73 is in the lower open position, the limiting body 77 disengages from between the retaining rod 45 and the reinforcing wall 79, creating a space behind the retaining rod 45 that allows for elastic deformation. Even with this space, because the engaging protrusion 48 of the retaining rod 45 elastically engages with the retaining recess 44, the retaining rod 45 will not disengage rearward from the retaining recess 44, for example, when the user lightly touches the functional head 2, and therefore the functional head 2 will not tilt. However, if the user intentionally tilts the functional head 2, the elasticity of the retaining rod 45 can overcome the elasticity, causing the engaging protrusion 48 to disengage rearward from the retaining recess 44, thus tilting the functional head 2.

[0085] When the engaging protrusion 48, disengaged from the retaining recess 44, reaches the adjacent retaining recess 44, the retaining rod 45 exerts a spring force in the forward reset direction, and the engaging protrusion 48 engages with the retaining recess 44. At this time, the user performing the tilting operation on the functional head 2 can obtain a clicking sensation. In addition, in this embodiment, whenever the engaging protrusion 48 moves to the adjacent retaining recess 44, in other words, whenever the functional head 2 tilts about 15° around the tilting axis 22, the tilting of the functional head 2 stops. The posture holding mechanism of this embodiment also functions as a control mechanism that provides a clicking sensation each time the functional head 2 moves a small amount. In the beauty device of this embodiment, the posture (angle) of the functional head 2 can be adjusted in multiple levels (7 levels) between the first stroke end and the second stroke end. Furthermore, as a variation of this embodiment, as in the previous second embodiment, a force can be applied to the retaining rod 45 using a spring or the like, which is separate from it.

[0086] (Sixth Implementation Method)

[0087] Figures 12 to 14This sixth embodiment of the small electrical device of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in the structure of the clamping electrode 9 and the posture holding mechanism. In this embodiment, the clamping electrode 9 is composed of metal clamping plates 81 respectively disposed on the first sidewall 5c and the second sidewall 5d of the clamping portions 5 facing left and right. Each clamping plate 81 is exerted force by a pair of upper and lower clamping springs 82 protruding outward.

[0088] The posture holding mechanism consists of a capture belt 83 disposed around the shaft hole 24 of the head body 23, a capture plate 84 capable of capturing the capture belt 83, and a pressing mechanism 85 for pressing the capture plate 84 against the capture belt 83. The capture belt 83 is composed of a cylindrical spur gear concentrically disposed with respect to the shaft hole 24 integrally disposed in the head body 23. The capture plate 84 is disposed below the capture belt 83 in a manner that allows it to contact and separate from the capture belt 83, and one or more gear teeth are formed at the front end (upper end) of the capture plate 84 directly opposite the capture belt 83 to mesh with the capture belt 83. In addition to the combination of the spur gear and gear teeth described above, the capture belt 83 and the capture plate 84 (front end) can also be made of, for example, high-friction rubber.

[0089] The capturing plate 84 is forced downwards, away from the captured band 83, by the separating spring 86, which is composed of a tension coil spring. Therefore, when the beauty device is not in use and is removed from the user's hand, the captured band 83 is not captured by the capturing plate 84 (see reference). Figure 14 Therefore, the functional head 2 can tilt freely relative to the main housing 1. The pressing mechanism 85, which will be described next, is provided to push the capturing plate 84 upward to overcome the force of the separating spring 86, so that the gear teeth at its front end engage with the captured belt 83.

[0090] The pressing mechanism 85 consists of a pair of left and right linkage mechanisms 89. Each linkage mechanism 89 consists of a vertical upper linkage 90 that pushes the lower surface of the capturing plate 84, a horizontal lower linkage 91 disposed on each clamping plate 81, and a connecting linkage 92 that connects the two linkages 90 and 91. The lower linkage 91 extends inward from the inner surface of the clamping plate 81 through the side walls 5c and 5d. When the clamping plate 81 is pressed in against the force of the clamping spring 82, the lower linkage 91 and the clamping plate 81 move inward together towards the clamping part 5.

[0091] The connecting rod body 92 can swing freely around a horizontal connecting rod axis 93, and has a first connecting rod piece 94 connected to the lower end of the upper connecting rod body 90 and a second connecting rod piece 95 connected to the inner end of the lower connecting rod body 91. When the clamping piece 81 is pressed in and the lower connecting rod body 91 moves inward, the second connecting rod piece 95 swings inward around the connecting rod axis 93, and the first connecting rod piece 94 swings upward along with it, pushing the upper connecting rod body 90 up. Moreover, the upper connecting rod body 90 pushes up the capturing piece 84, and the gear teeth at its front end mesh with the captured belt 83, thereby restricting the tilting of the head body 23 around the tilting axis 22.

[0092] That is, when the user of the beauty device removes their hand from the clamping plate 81, after tilting the functional head 2 to the desired position, they can grasp the clamping part 5 and press it into the clamping plate 81, thereby stopping (locking) the functional head 2 in that position so that it cannot tilt. By pressing either side of the clamping plate 81 in, the functional head 2 can be stopped (locked) in a way that prevents it from tilting. In the beauty device of this embodiment, the posture (angle) of the functional head 2 can be adjusted steplessly (circular distance) between the first stroke end and the second stroke end. Furthermore, as a variation of this embodiment, the clamping electrode 9 can be provided only on a portion of the clamping plate 81.

[0093] (Seventh Implementation)

[0094] Figure 15 as well as Figure 16 This seventh embodiment of the small electrical device of the present invention differs from the second embodiment in the structure of the head body 23 and the like of the functional head 2. In this embodiment, the head body 23, instead of the bearing portion 36 inserted into the tilting shaft 22, has a spherical ball shaft portion 51 that is supported by the functional portion 4 of the main body housing 1 and is capable of tilting. A partially spherical holding wall 52 is provided on the front wall 4a of the functional portion 4, which holds the ball shaft portion 51 in a manner that prevents it from being separated from the main body housing 1. That is, in this embodiment, the entire functional head 2 can tilt relative to the main body housing 1 in any three-dimensional direction with the ball shaft portion 51 as the center. Furthermore, similar to the previous second embodiment, the ball shaft portion 51 is connected to the electrode base 37 via a ball-and-socket connector 38, and the electrode base 37 (skin electrode 3) can tilt freely relative to the ball shaft portion 51 in any three-dimensional direction with the ball portion of the ball head pin 40 as the center.

[0095] like Figure 15As shown, if the position of the functional head 2 when the skin electrode 3 is not subjected to external force and is facing straight ahead is defined as the tilt center, then the range in which the functional head 2 can tilt around the ball shaft portion 51 is approximately 45° from this tilt center in any direction. When the functional head 2 tilts approximately 45° from the tilt center in any direction, the outer surface of the ball socket 39 of the ball socket connector 38 is blocked by the front wall 4a of the functional portion 4, limiting further tilting of the functional head 2. In this embodiment, the position where the functional head 2 can be tilted to its limit in any direction is defined as the first stroke end, and the position symmetrical to the first stroke end with the tilt center as the center is defined as the second stroke end. That is, the functional head 2 can tilt around the ball shaft portion 51 within a range of approximately 90° between the first stroke end and the second stroke end.

[0096] The posture holding mechanism comprises a plurality of holding recesses 44 recessed into the rear surface of the ball joint portion 51, a holding rod 45 capable of engaging with any of the holding recesses 44, and a locking spring 46 applying force to the holding rod 45 in the direction of engaging with the holding recess 44. A group of holding recesses 44 are distributed around the holding recesses 44C that engage with the holding rod 45 when the functional head 2 is located at the tilt center. Specifically, a plurality of holding recesses 44 are provided at equal intervals along two concentric circles centered on the central holding recess 44C. When the functional head 2 is located at the first stroke end or the second stroke end, the holding rod 45 engages with any of the holding recesses 44 on the larger diameter concentric circle.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, similar to the previous second embodiment, to facilitate the entry of the engaging protrusion 48 into the retaining recess 44, the opening edge of each retaining recess 44 is significantly chamfered, and the opening size of the chamfered portion is set to be sufficiently larger than the adjacent spacing of the retaining recesses 44 (the length dimension along the spherical surface of the portion sandwiched between adjacent retaining recesses 44). Therefore, when the user's finger leaves the tilting operating body 27, the engaging protrusion 48 of the retaining rod 45 is aligned with any retaining recess 44 with a sufficiently high probability and is directly engaged with the retaining recess 44 by the locking spring 46. That is, the frequency of the engaging protrusion 48 not engaging with any retaining recess 44 (the engaging protrusion 48 being aligned with the spherical surface of the ball bearing portion 51 where there is no retaining recess 44) can be sufficiently reduced.

[0098] The beauty devices (small electrical devices) described in the above embodiments include skin electrodes 3 and clamping electrodes 9, supplying current to the user's skin surface for iontophoresis or iontophoresis. However, in addition to this, the present invention can also be applied to beauty devices with built-in ultrasonic or RF (radio wave) generators in the functional head 2, and to EMS beauty devices with built-in microcurrent generators for stimulating muscles. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to small electrical devices other than beauty devices, such as the massager shown in the eighth embodiment and the electric shaver shown in the ninth embodiment.

[0099] (Eighth Implementation)

[0100] Figure 17 The eighth embodiment of the small electrical device of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in that the functional head 2 is a massager equipped with a vibrator 97 instead of the skin electrode 3. The vibrator 97 is composed of a motor 98 driven by a battery 15 and an eccentric hammer 99 mounted on the output shaft of the motor 98, and is built into the head body 23.

[0101] (Ninth Implementation)

[0102] Figure 18 as well as Figure 19 This ninth embodiment of the small electrical device of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in that the functional head 2 is an electric shaver equipped with a cutting blade 101 instead of a skin electrode 3. The head body 23 of the functional head 2 includes: a bearing portion 36 supported by a tilting shaft 22; a cylindrical blade holder 102 supporting the cutting blade 101; and a ball joint 38 that freely tilts the blade holder 102 to the bearing portion 36. The cutting blade 101 consists of a dome-shaped outer blade 103 fixed to the surface of the blade holder 102 and multiple inner blades 104 that are rotatably driven along the inner surface of the outer blade 103 within the blade holder 102. The multiple inner blades 104 are fixed circumferentially at equal intervals on a disc-shaped inner blade base 105. The inner blade base 105 is driven by a motor 106 powered by a battery 15 to rotate integrally with the inner blades 104 around the central axis of the outer blade 103.

[0103] The ball joint 38 includes: a disc-shaped ball socket 39 continuously disposed with the bearing portion 36; a ball head pin 40 erected on the back of the cutter support 102 when viewed from the cutting blade 101; and a plurality of return springs 41 disposed on the opposing surfaces of the ball socket 39 and the cutter support 102, surrounding the ball head pin 40, with the ball portion at the front end of the ball head pin 40 held by the ball socket 39. Centered on this ball portion, the cutter support 102 (cutting blade 101) can tilt freely in any three-dimensional direction relative to the bearing portion 36. The return springs 41 are composed of compression coil springs, which, by pressing the cutter support 102 away from the bearing portion 36, hold the normally tilted cutter support 102 in its initial position (center of the tilting range) and return the cutter support 102 tilted by external force to its initial position.

[0104] In addition, as variations of this embodiment, examples include reciprocating electric shavers in which the inner blade 104 is reciprocated along the inner surface of the outer blade 103, rotary electric shavers in which the cylindrical inner blade 104 is rotated along the inner surface of the outer blade 103, and electric shavers in which the cutting blade 101 is composed only of a rotary blade.

[0105] In embodiments other than the seventh embodiment described above, the functional head 2 is supported by a tilting shaft 22 disposed on the main housing 1. However, the tilting shaft 22 may also be disposed on the functional head 2 and supported by a bearing shaft disposed on the main housing 1. The small electrical device of the present invention can contribute to Goal 3 (health and well-being for all) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocated by the United Nations.

[0106] As described above, the small electrical device according to the above embodiment includes a posture holding mechanism that prevents the functional head 2 from tilting relative to the main body housing 1. This posture holding mechanism can prevent the functional head 2 from tilting at least three locations, including one stroke end and another stroke end. That is, according to this embodiment, compared with conventional devices where the fixed position of the functional head is limited to only two locations at the two stroke ends, the number of fixed positions can be increased, thereby improving the ease of use of the small electrical device.

[0107] Since the tilting operation body 27, which is operated to tilt the functional head 2, is provided on the surface of the functional part 4, which is the upper half of the main body housing 1, it is possible to prevent the user holding the clamping part 5 of the lower half of the main body housing 1 from accidentally touching the tilting operation body 27, thereby preventing the functional head 2 from tilting against the user's will.

[0108] Since the tilting operation body 27 intersects with the imaginary surface that divides the functional unit 4 into two parts, i.e., the tilting operation body 27 is located at the upper and lower center of the functional unit 4, the user can easily visually confirm the tilting operation body 27 and operate it.

[0109] One stroke end of the functional head 2 is disposed on the front surface side of the main body housing 1, and the other stroke end of the functional head 2 is disposed on the front surface side or the upper surface side of the main body housing 1. On the other hand, the tilting operating body 27 is disposed on the rear surface side of the main body housing 1. In this way, since the tilting operating body 27 is disposed on a different surface from the functional head 2, the user can easily visually confirm the tilting operating body 27 and operate it. In particular, in small electrical devices where the tilting operating body 27 temporarily releases the posture holding mechanism and allows direct tilting operation of the functional head 2 by releasing the posture holding mechanism, the user can check the posture (angle) of the functional head 2 from the side while grasping the functional head 2 to perform tilting operation without being obstructed by the fingers operating the tilting operating body 27.

[0110] Compared to the functional part 4, where the tilting operation body 27 is located in the upper half of the main body housing 1 as described above, the drive operation body 8, which is operated to switch the drive state of small electrical devices, is located in the clamping part 5, which is the lower half of the main body housing 1. Therefore, the tilting operation body 27 and the drive operation body 8 can be distributed in the upper and lower parts of the main body housing 1. As a result, when the user operates one of these operation bodies 27 and 8, it is possible to effectively prevent the user from accidentally touching the other.

[0111] In addition to dispersing the tilting operating body 27 and the driving operating body 8 vertically towards the main body housing 1, these operating bodies 27 and 8 are also arranged on different walls of the front, back, left, and right sides of the main body housing 1, thus more reliably preventing adverse situations such as the user's hand swinging to the other side.

[0112] Furthermore, since the wall of the main housing 1 equipped with the tilting operating body 27 is positioned front-to-back or side-to-side opposite the wall of the main housing 1 equipped with the driving operating body 8, these operating bodies 27 and 8 can be distributed not only vertically but also horizontally in front-to-back or side-to-side in addition to vertically in the main housing 1. This further reliably prevents undesirable situations such as the user's hand coming into contact with the other operating body.

[0113] A worm gear pair 28, comprising a worm 29 and a worm wheel 30, is provided between the tilting operating body 27 and the functional head 2. The functional head 2 is tilted via the tilting operating body 27 and the worm gear pair 28, allowing the user to steplessly adjust the posture (angle) of the functional head 2 between the two stroke ends by simply operating the tilting operating body 27. Furthermore, since the worm gear pair 28 is positioned between the tilting operating body 27 and the functional head 2, the functional head 2 tilts slightly each time, making fine-tuning of the functional head 2's posture easy. Moreover, since the posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 can be constructed using the self-locking function generally present in the worm gear pair 28, the number of parts in the small electrical device can be reduced, simplifying the internal structure compared to using dedicated parts for this mechanism. The posture holding mechanism with a self-locking function is also superior in that no special release operation is required when the user adjusts the posture of the functional head 2.

[0114] The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes a retaining rod 45 that can engage and disengage from the functional head 2, and a locking spring 46 that applies force to the retaining rod 45 in the direction of engagement with the functional head 2. Under normal conditions, the retaining rod 45, which is forceped by the locking spring 46, engages with the functional head 2, restricting the tilting of the functional head 2. The tilting operating body 27 on the surface of the main body housing 1 is configured to overcome the force of the locking spring 46 and disengage the retaining rod 45 from the functional head 2. According to the above structure, the user can disengage the retaining rod 45 from the functional head 2 by operating the tilting operating body 27, thereby eliminating the resistance that hinders the tilting of the functional head 2 and allowing the functional head 2 to tilt rapidly. In the structure described above, where the functional head 2 and the tilting operating body 27 are connected via a worm gear pair 28, the functional head 2 can only tilt slightly at a time. However, in this structure, the functional head 2 can be displaced from one end of its stroke to the other end of its stroke in one go.

[0115] The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes a first clamping body 57 and a second clamping body 59 that clamp the tilting base end of the functional head 2. Thus, the tilting of the functional head 2 is restricted by the frictional force generated between the tilting base end of the functional head 2 and the two clamping bodies 57 and 59. Furthermore, since the tilting operating body 27 on the surface of the main housing 1 moves the first clamping body 57 away from the second clamping body 59, the user can move the first clamping body 57 away from the second clamping body 59 by operating the tilting operating body 27, thereby eliminating friction between the tilting base end of the functional head 2 and the two clamping bodies 57 and 59, allowing the functional head 2 to tilt freely between the two stroke ends. That is, similarly as described above, the functional head 2 can be moved from one stroke end to the other in one instant.

[0116] A pinion shaft 68 parallel to the tilting center axis is inserted into the functional head 2. The pinion 69 on the pinion shaft 68 meshes with an arc-shaped rack 70 provided on the main body housing 1. Furthermore, one end of the pinion shaft 68 is connected to a tilting operating body 27 on the surface of the main body housing 1. That is, when the tilting operating body 27 is rotated, the pinion shaft 68 and the pinion 69 connected to it rotate together. A force is applied to the pinion 69 meshing with the rack 70, causing it to move in a curved path along the extension direction of the rack 70. This force causes the functional head 2, including the pinion shaft 68, to tilt as a whole. Based on this structure, the user can tilt the functional head 2 slightly each time by rotating the tilting operating body 27. In other words, the posture (angle) of the functional head 2 can be easily fine-tuned.

[0117] The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes a plurality of holding recesses 44 arranged in the functional head 2 and a holding rod 45 that is elastically applied toward the holding recesses 44. The tilting of the functional head 2 is limited by engaging the holding rod 45 with any of the holding recesses 44. According to this structure, whenever the functional head 2 is tilted by moving the adjacent spacing of the holding recesses 44, the holding rod 45 can elastically engage with the holding recesses 44, stopping the tilting of the functional head 2. Simultaneously, a clicking sensation is provided to the user who tilted the functional head 2. That is, according to this structure, the posture holding mechanism also functions as a control mechanism, improving the user's operating experience.

[0118] A clamping piece 81 capable of being pressed inward is provided on the surface of the clamping part 5 of the main housing 1. The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes: a capture band 83 disposed on the functional head 2; a capture piece 84 capable of capturing the capture band 83; and a pressing mechanism 85 that, in conjunction with the inward pressing of the clamping piece 81, presses the capture piece 84 onto the capture band 83. According to the above structure, after tilting the functional head 2 to the desired position, the user can simply hold the clamping part 5 and press the capture piece 84 onto the capture band 83 via the pressing mechanism 85, stopping the functional head 2 in that position so that it cannot tilt (locking). That is, no special operation is required to operate the posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2, which improves user convenience.

[0119] One end of the worm 29 is connected to the tilting operating body 27, and the tilting operating body 27 and the worm 29 are rotated integrally. Furthermore, a worm gear 30 is formed at the tilting base end of the functional head 2 and directly meshes with the worm 29. Based on this structure, gears other than the worm 29 and worm gear 30 are not required between the functional head 2 and the tilting operating body 27, further reducing the number of components in small electrical devices.

[0120] Because the tilting operation body 27 is shaped like a button and is protruding from the main housing 1 by the locking spring 46, the user can disengage the retaining rod 45 from the functional head 2 simply by pressing the tilting operation body 27 in. Furthermore, by continuously pressing it in, the user can maintain the state where the retaining rod 45 is disengaged, i.e., the functional head 2 can tilt. After tilting the functional head 2 to the desired position, the user can easily remove their finger from the tilting operation body 27, causing the locking spring 46 to engage the retaining rod 45 again, thus locking the functional head 2 in that position so that it cannot tilt (locking).

[0121] The operating screw 55 integrally comprises an operating head constituting the tilting operating body 27, a stepped portion constituting the first clamping body 57, a tilting shaft 22 supporting the tilting base end of the functional head 2, and a threaded shaft 58 composed of external threads. The second clamping body 59 is composed of a threaded boss that is threadedly engaged with the threaded shaft 58. Based on this structure, the user can easily release the clamping state of the stepped portion (first clamping body 57) and the threaded boss (second clamping body 59) on the functional head 2 by simply rotating the tilting operating body 27 to release the operating screw 55, allowing the functional head 2 to tilt. Furthermore, after tilting the functional head 2 to the desired position, the user can easily re-clamp the functional head 2 by simply rotating the tilting operating body 27 to screw in the operating screw 55, causing the stepped portion (first clamping body 57) and the threaded boss (second clamping body 59) to clamp the functional head 2 again and lock it in that position, preventing tilting.

[0122] Since the posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes: a retaining pin 63 disposed on one side of the main body housing 1 and the opposing surface of the functional head 2; a plurality of retaining grooves 64 disposed on the other side; and a locking spring 65 that applies force to the retaining pin 63 in the direction of engaging with the retaining groove 64, whenever the functional head 2 is tilted by adjusting the adjacent spacing of the retaining grooves 64, the force of the locking spring 65 can be used to engage the retaining pin 63 with the retaining grooves 64, stopping the tilting of the functional head 2. At the same time, a clicking sensation can be provided to the user who tilts the functional head 2. That is, according to this structure, the posture holding mechanism also functions as a control mechanism, which can improve the user's operating feel. In addition, the posture holding mechanism of this structure is also excellent in that no special release operation is required when the user adjusts the posture of the functional head 2.

[0123] The posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2 includes a limiting body 77 that prevents the retaining rod 45 from disengaging when the small electrical device is in the on state. Therefore, during user operation of the small electrical device, the retaining rod 45 can be reliably maintained in an engaged state relative to the retaining recess 44, reliably preventing the functional head 2 from tilting against the user's will. Furthermore, if the limiting body 77 is configured to move in conjunction with the sliding operation of the sliding knob 73 for switching the on / off state of the small electrical device, the inconvenience of operating the sliding knob 73 and the limiting body 77 separately can be eliminated, improving user convenience.

[0124] A skin electrode 3 is provided on the surface of the functional head 2, and a clamping electrode 9, paired with the skin electrode 3, is provided on at least a portion of the clamping plate 81. As described above, the clamping plate 81, in conjunction with the pressing operation, causes the pressing mechanism 85, i.e., the posture holding mechanism of the functional head 2, to operate, thus ensuring a reliable and tight fit against the user's hand. Because the clamping electrode 9 is provided on the clamping plate 81, it can reliably fit against the user's hand, and the electrical connection between the small electrical device and the user's skin can be stabilized.

Claims

1. A small electrical device comprising: a main body housing (1) that also serves as a clamping member and a functional head (2) connected to one end of the main body housing (1). The functional head (2) is configured to tilt relative to the main body housing (1) between the stroke ends of one and the stroke ends of the other. The feature of this small electrical device is that, The device has a posture holding mechanism that keeps the functional head (2) in a non-tilting position at least three locations, including the two-stroke end.

2. The small electrical device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main shell (1) is formed to be longitudinally elongated vertically. The upper half of the main body shell (1) constitutes the functional part (4) supporting the functional head (2), and the lower half of the main body shell (1) constitutes the clamping part (5) suitable for the user to hold. A tilting operating body (27) is provided on the surface of the functional part (4) to tilt the functional head (2).

3. The small electrical device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The tilting operation body (27) intersects with the imaginary surface that divides the functional part (4) into two parts.

4. The small electrical device according to claim 2, characterized in that, A functional head (2) at one end of the stroke is disposed on the front surface side of the main body housing (1). The other end of the travel end, the functional head (2), is disposed on the front surface or the upper surface of the main body housing (1). The tilting operating body (27) is located on the rear surface side of the main body housing (1).

5. The small electrical device according to claim 2, characterized in that, A drive operating body (8) operated for switching the drive state of small electrical equipment is provided on the surface of the clamping part (5).

6. The small electrical device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The tilting manipulator (27) and the driving manipulator (8) are disposed on different walls of the front, back, left and right sides of the main body housing (1).

7. The small electrical device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The wall of the main body housing (1) with the tilting operating body (27) is opposite to the wall of the main body housing (1) with the driving operating body (8) in front of and behind or left and right.

8. The small electrical device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, A tilting operating body (27) is provided on the surface of the main housing (1) to be operated so as to tilt the functional head (2). A worm gear pair (28) with a worm (29) and a worm wheel (30) is provided between the tilting operating body (27) and the functional head (2). The functional head (2) is configured to be tilted via the tilting operating body (27) and the worm gear pair (28). The self-locking function of the worm gear pair (28) constitutes the posture holding mechanism of the functional head (2).

9. The small electrical device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The posture holding mechanism of the functional head (2) includes a retaining rod (45) that can engage and disengage relative to the functional head (2) and a locking spring (46) that applies force to the retaining rod (45) in the direction of engaging with the functional head (2). Under normal conditions, the retaining rod (45), which is held by the locking spring (46), engages with the functional head (2), restricting the tilting of the functional head (2). A tilting operating body (27) is provided on the surface of the main housing (1) to be operated so as to tilt the functional head (2). The tilting operating body (27) is configured to overcome the force of the locking spring (46) and disengage the retaining rod (45) from the functional head (2).

10. The small electrical device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The posture holding mechanism of the functional head (2) includes a first clamping body (57) and a second clamping body (59) that cooperate to clamp the tilting base end of the functional head (2). A tilting operating body (27) is provided on the surface of the main housing (1) to be operated so as to tilt the functional head (2). The tilting operation body (27) is configured to move the first clamping body (57) away from the second clamping body (59).

11. The small electrical device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, A small gear shaft (68) parallel to its tilting center axis is inserted into the functional head (2). The pinion (69) on the pinion shaft (68) meshes with the arc-shaped rack (70) provided on the main housing (1). A tilting operating body (27) is provided on the surface of the main housing (1) to be operated so as to tilt the functional head (2). One end of the pinion shaft (68) is connected to the tilting operating body (27).

12. The small electrical device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The posture holding mechanism of the functional head (2) includes a plurality of holding recesses (44) arranged in the functional head (2) and a holding rod (45) that is elastically applied toward the holding recesses (44). The tilting of the functional head (2) is limited by engaging the retaining rod (45) with any of the retaining recesses (44).

13. The small electrical device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, A clamping piece (81) that can be pressed inward is provided on the surface of the clamping part (5) of the main body shell (1). The posture holding mechanism of the functional head (2) includes: a capture strip (83) disposed on the functional head (2); a capture plate (84) capable of capturing the capture strip (83); and a pressing mechanism (85) that presses the capture plate (84) onto the capture strip (83) in conjunction with the inward pressing of the clamping plate (81).

14. The small electrical device according to claim 8, characterized in that, One end of the worm (29) is connected to the tilting operating body (27), and the tilting operating body (27) and the worm (29) are integrated and rotated together. The worm gear (30) is formed at the tilting base end of the functional head (2) and directly meshes with the worm (29).

15. The small electrical device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The tilting operation body (27) is formed in the shape of a button and is locked by a spring (46) which exerts force in the direction of protrusion from the main body housing (1).

16. The small electrical device according to claim 10, characterized in that, It has an operating screw (55) made of stepped screws. The operating screw (55) integrally comprises an operating head constituting a tilting operating body (27), a stepped portion constituting a first clamping body (57), a tilting shaft (22) at the tilting base end of the shaft support functional head (2), and a threaded shaft (58) composed of external threads. The second clamping body (59) is composed of a threaded boss that is threadedly engaged with the threaded shaft (58).

17. The small electrical device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The posture holding mechanism of the functional head (2) includes: a retaining pin (63) disposed on one side of the main body housing (1) and the opposing surface of the functional head (2); a plurality of retaining grooves (64) disposed on the other side; and a snap-fit ​​spring (65) that applies force to the retaining pin (63) in the direction of engaging with the retaining grooves (64).

18. The small electrical device according to claim 12, characterized in that, A sliding knob (73) is provided on the surface of the main housing (1) for switching the on and off states of small electrical devices. The posture holding mechanism of the functional head (2) includes a limiting body (77) that is displaced in conjunction with the sliding operation of the sliding knob (73). The limiting body (77) is configured to restrict the disengagement of the retaining rod (45) when the small electrical equipment is in the on state, and allow the disengagement of the retaining rod (45) when it is in the off state.

19. The small electrical device according to claim 13, characterized in that, A skin electrode (3) is provided on the surface of the functional head (2). At least a portion of the clamping piece (81) is provided with clamping electrodes (9) that are paired with the skin electrode (3).

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