Light-emitting unit

Abstract

To enable fitting a light-emitting unit for projecting light to an irradiation object to an existing dryer.SOLUTION: A light-emitting unit 100 has a housing as the body. The housing stores an LED 16 emitting light in a blowing direction of a dryer, and an electric circuit 12 for supplying power to the LED 16. The electric circuit 12 controls light emission of the LED 16, and incorporates a secondary battery. A specific power code is unnecessary in the light-emitting unit 100 due to that the secondary battery is provided. The light-emitting unit 100 has such a configuration that it is tightened to the tip of the dryer when the housing is fitted to the dryer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a light-emitting unit that can be attached to a hair dryer, particularly a hair dryer. [Background technology]

[0002] It is said that in Japan alone, 17 million men and 5 million women are concerned about thinning hair. The applicant has been conducting joint research on hair growth and regrowth using light and wind for several years with Dr. Kazuhiko Yoshizawa, director of Yotsuya Rose Clinic, a hospital specializing in hair growth, and the results of this research were published by Dr. Yoshizawa in November 2019 as "Effectiveness of Thinning Hair Care and Hair Care Using LED Light and Warm Air Using a Hair Dryer Equipped with a Red LED: A Study in Mice and Humans" (Diagnostics and New Drugs 2019; 56: 737-747).

[0003] In this research, a light-emitting unit was attached to a commercially available hair dryer, and it was demonstrated that LEDs of a specific wavelength and wind can promote hair growth, promote hair care, and improve hair growth. Sufficient procedures were followed, including mouse testing, human sensory testing, and human clinical trials. During this research, the applicant obtained Patent No. 6129392. In the patent specification (Patent Document 1), a hair care device in which a light-emitting unit is attached to the tip of the hair dryer was proposed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6129392 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The dryer described in Patent Document 1 has a light-emitting unit that can be attached and detached to the tip, and naturally employs a special structure for attaching the light-emitting unit.

[0006] On the other hand, considering that hair dryers are durable consumer goods and are not replaced frequently, it can be said that measures to utilize existing hair dryers are necessary in addition to promoting the spread of dedicated hair dryers.

[0007] The present invention was made in consideration of this problem, and its object is to provide a light-emitting unit that can be attached to existing hair dryers and has the same effect as that of Patent Document 1. Another object of the present invention is to provide a light-emitting unit that can be attached to existing hair dryers and does not impair the usability of the hair dryer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The light-emitting unit of the present invention comprises an annular portion that surrounds at least a portion of the tip of the dryer, a plurality of LEDs attached to the annular portion and facing the airflow direction of the dryer, an electrical circuit that supplies power to the plurality of LEDs, and a fixing portion that fixes the annular portion to the tip of the dryer in three or more directions, the electrical circuit comprising a secondary battery and a light-emitting control unit that controls the power supply from the secondary battery to the plurality of LEDs, and the fixing portion has structural margin to absorb changes in the diameter of the tip of the dryer.

[0009] The "annular" shape can be not only a circle, an ellipse, or other curved shape, but also a square or other shape that includes straight lines. It doesn't have to be closed 360 degrees; even if there are gaps, it is enough to surround the tip of the hair dryer.

[0010] Another aspect of the light-emitting unit of the present invention has a housing attached to the tip of a hair dryer as the main body, and this housing contains an LED that emits light in the direction of airflow from the hair dryer and an electrical circuit that supplies power to the LED, and the electrical circuit includes a secondary battery and a light-emitting control unit that controls the supply of power from the secondary battery to the LED.

[0011] In this configuration, when the housing is attached to the dryer: 1. The secondary battery is positioned so that its center of gravity is closer to the handle of the dryer than the LED. 2. The secondary battery is positioned so that the center of gravity of the secondary battery is closer to the handle than the central axis of the dryer's airflow in the axial direction of the handle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The light-emitting unit of the present invention can be attached to any dryer with a different tip diameter, making it applicable to multiple existing dryers. Furthermore, since it has a built-in secondary battery, there is no need for a power cord, which does not impair the usability of the dryer. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a light-emitting unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the light-emitting unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating how a dryer with a certain tip diameter is fixed. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating how a dryer with a different tip diameter is fixed. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electric circuit built into the light-emitting unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which the light-emitting unit according to the embodiment is attached to a hair dryer. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another modified example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, the same or equivalent components and members in each drawing will be given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate. In FIG. 1, when the light-emitting unit 100 is attached to a dryer (not shown), the x-axis indicates the direction of airflow from the dryer. The annular portion 10 is the main resin portion of the light-emitting unit 100 body, and has a large number of LEDs 16 embedded in it along the x-axis. An electric circuit 12 lights up the LEDs 16. A cable that supplies power to the electric circuit 12 is attached to and detached from the connector 14. At the end of the cable is an AC / DC adapter (not shown), and a DC voltage is applied to the connector 14.

[0015] First pad 18, second pad 24, and third pad 26 are resin components that secure ring-shaped portion 10 to the tip of the dryer. Because the tip of a dryer is generally ring-shaped, each pad has a gently concave surface. The surface that comes into contact with the dryer may be covered with urethane or other flexible or adhesive material. First pad 18 can be lifted up using knob 20. Switches SW1 and SW2 are used to turn on or off LED 16, as described below.

[0016] In Figure 2, the second pad 24 and the third pad 26 are supported by the second spring 34 and the third spring 36, which are free-standing compression coils, respectively. These are the type found in knock-type ballpoint pens, but we will use springs with a thicker wire diameter. They are general-purpose products and are readily available, making selection easy. The support 18a of the first pad 18 penetrates the annular portion 10 and has a knob 20 at its outer tip. A first spring 38, which is a compression coil, is wound around the support 18a and acts to pull the first pad 18 away from the inner circumference of the annular portion 10. The first pad 18, second pad 24, and third pad 26 are all at an angle of 120 degrees, and press down on the tip of the dryer from three directions.

[0017] In Figure 3, the outer periphery of the tip of the dryer (not shown) is denoted as S1, and its diameter as s1. Figure 3 shows an example where s1 is small. The x-axis is located at the center of the dryer's airflow, and this coincides with the central axis of the annular portion 10. Meanwhile, the inner diameter of the annular portion 10 is denoted as r0.

[0018] If r0 is 60 mm and s1 is 35 mm, the total thickness of first pad 18 and the length of first spring 38 is 25 mm. The same is true for second pad 24 and third pad 26. If the thickness of each pad is 4 mm, the length of all three springs is 60 - 35 - 4 = 21 mm. If these springs have a free height of 30 mm, the force compressing them to 21 mm can secure tip S1 of the dryer from three directions.

[0019] Figure 4 shows an example in which the diameter s2 of the outer periphery S2 of the dryer tip is large. As in Figure 3, r0 is set to 60 mm. If s2 is set to 50 mm, the total thickness of the first pad 18 and the length of the first spring 38 is 10 mm. The same is true for the second pad 24 and the third pad 26. If the thickness of each pad is set to 4 mm, the length of the three springs is 60 - 50 - 4 = 6 mm. If the free height of these springs is 30 mm, the force compressing this to 6 mm can secure the dryer tip S1 from three directions. This value is achievable because there are many compression coils whose free height is five times the solid height. According to measurements by the inventors, s1 and s2 are the lower and upper limits, respectively, of a range that covers many popular dryers on the market.

[0020] Figure 5 shows the internal blocks of the electrical circuit 12. The LEDs 16 are divided into a first group 16a and a second group 16b, each connected in series. The DC voltage passing through the connector 14 is applied to a charging control unit 56, which controls the charging of the secondary battery 60 using a known method. The output voltage of the secondary battery 60 is applied to a light-emission control unit 62, which applies voltage to the first group 16a and the second group 16b based on instructions given by switches SW1 and SW2, thereby controlling the light emission.

[0021] The inventors connected nine identical LEDs in series in each of the first and second groups 16a and 16b and confirmed their operation. The LEDs have a rated current of 60mA and a forward voltage of 2.5V, and the light-emission control unit 62 applies 24V to each of the first and second groups 16a and 16b when they are on using PWM control. Brightness is controlled by the PWM duty. The following combinations of LEDs are used in the first and second groups 16a and 16b.

[0022] 1. The same red LED According to the inventor's research, using LEDs with a wavelength of 620 to 670 nm (red), especially 638 nm red light, with a light intensity time product of 1 J (= W·s) to 1.5 J (= W·s) per square centimeter was effective in activating subcutaneous tissue. With the above LED specifications, when the assumed scalp location was 4 centimeters from the LED 16, irradiating one scalp location for 10 seconds met this condition and demonstrated effectiveness. The advantage of dividing the LEDs 16 into two groups is that the applied voltage from the light emission control unit 62 can be kept low, and even if one of the LEDs fails, the other group will still light up. The combinations of switches SW1 and SW2 are as follows:

[0023] (1) Switch SW1 turns the whole unit on and off, and switch SW2 turns the light intensity. When switch SW1 is turned on, both the first group 16a and the second group 16b light up. The brightness can be switched between two levels using switch SW2. (2) Switches SW1 and SW2 correspond to each group The first group 16a is turned on and off by turning on / off the switch SW1, and the second group 16b is turned on and off by turning on / off the switch SW2. Another switch may be provided to switch the brightness of the illuminated group.

[0024] 2. Red and blue LEDs Blue LEDs are said to suppress acne bacteria, which cause acne, and also have the effect of tightening pores. The first group 16a is made up of the red LEDs mentioned above, and the second group 16b is made up of blue LEDs with a wavelength of 410 to 450 nm. The combinations of switches SW1 and SW2 are as follows: (1) Switch SW1 turns the whole unit on and off, and switch SW2 turns the light intensity. When switch SW1 is turned on, both the first group 16a and the second group 16b light up. The brightness can be switched between two levels using switch SW2. Another switch may be provided to switch the brightness for each group. (2) Switches SW1 and SW2 correspond to each group The first group 16a is turned on and off by turning on / off the switch SW1, and the second group 16b is turned on and off by turning on / off the switch SW2. Another switch may be provided to switch the brightness of the illuminated group.

[0025] The power consumption of 18 LEDs at 60mA and 2.5V is 2.7W. If a 2700mAh nickel-metal hydride battery is used as the secondary battery 60, all the LEDs can be lit for an hour. Of course, there are efficiency issues, but 30 minutes can be secured. Once fully charged, it will last for several days, assuming you dry your hair once a day after a bath. 2700mAh batteries are commercially available with a volume equivalent to two or three AAA batteries, so there are plenty of options.

[0026] 6 shows the light-emitting unit 100 attached to the dryer 200. In the standard attachment position, the center of gravity G of the secondary battery 60 is closer to the handle 202 than the installation position of the LED 16 in the airflow direction (x-axis direction) of the dryer 200. The standard attachment position is clearly stated in the instruction manual or indicated by printing or the like on the light-emitting unit 100 itself. Because the secondary battery 60 is relatively heavy among the components of the light-emitting unit 100, it is placed closer to the handle 202 to reduce the moment during use and reduce the burden on the user.

[0027] Furthermore, in the axial direction (y-axis) of handle 202, the center of gravity of secondary battery 60 is positioned closer to handle 202 than the central axis (x-axis) of airflow of dryer 200. This also reduces the moment, and takes advantage of the fact that the lower part of the cylindrical part of dryer 200 is generally of simple design and is unlikely to interfere with the attachment of light-emitting unit 100.

[0028] Figure 7 shows another form of light-emitting unit 100. It does not have the first pad 18, second pad 24, or third pad 26, but instead has a thick ring 80 made of a sponge material such as urethane or foam polymer. The diameter of ring 80 is made smaller than the expected diameter of the tip of the dryer, but the optimal value depends on the flexibility and strength of ring 80 and can be determined through experimentation. Even with this structure, the tip of the dryer is secured from three or more directions, allowing for positioning. Alternatively, instead of ring 80, a balloon (not shown) can be attached to the inside of annular portion 10 like a life jacket, and the balloon can be inflated to secure the tip of the dryer after it is inserted.

[0029] Figure 8 shows yet another embodiment of light-emitting unit 100. Annular portion 10 is made of an elastic material, such as silicone, elastomer, or rubber, that can be pushed open by hand, and tip 11 is split for easy opening. Three spacers 90 made of a flexible material, such as silicone, are provided at 120-degree angles to secure the tip of dryer 200. Even in this embodiment, the material and inner diameter of annular portion 10 and the material and height of spacers 90 can be optimally determined through experimentation. In any case, it is sufficient to have a structure that can accommodate changes in the tip diameter of the dryer.

[0030] The above has been a description based on an embodiment of the present invention. While LEDs are used as light-emitting elements, other types of light-emitting elements, such as semiconductor laser diodes and organic EL elements, may also be used. While the annular portion 10 is circular, it may be semicircular or have two lines sandwiching the tip of the dryer, as long as the light is directed toward the scalp along with the air from the dryer. While the LEDs 16 are shown in a single row, they may of course be in multiple rows, or may be in an array or matrix.

[0031] Transformation technology. In the embodiment, the light-emitting unit 100 has multiple LEDs 16. However, when the inventors investigated commercially available high-power LEDs, they found that some LEDs can satisfy the light output required by a product with just one LED and consume the same amount of power as in the embodiment. Such LEDs 16 can be either discrete components as in the embodiment, or chip-type components. In the former case, only one hole is made in the light-emitting unit 100 and the LED 16 is embedded in it. In the latter case, no hole is required and the LED 16 can be mounted on the front surface of the unit 100. However, if there is only one LED 16, either red or blue can be selected, and the LED 16 can be turned on and off with switch SW1 and the light output can be changed with switch SW2.

[0032] When two LEDs 16 are mounted, if both are red, or one is red and one is blue, the usage described in the embodiment is possible. When there are only one or two LEDs 16, the light-emitting unit 100 does not necessarily have to be annular, and the LEDs 16 may be housed in a penlight-shaped housing (not shown) to form the light-emitting unit 100. In this case, a wide rubber belt may be attached to the housing, and this belt may be used to fasten the housing to the tip of the hair dryer.

[0033] The surface of the housing that is attached to the dryer can be made concavely curved to make it easier to fit it to the outer surface of the dryer. If the outer surface of the housing is made of the aforementioned soft material, it will be easier to fasten it to the dryer even if it is not made concave.

[0034] In the embodiments and modified techniques, if the LED 16 is a discrete component, its axis may be tilted toward the x-axis in Figure 1 so that light is concentrated in the x-axis direction. Alternatively, a reflector (not shown) may be placed on the outer periphery of the light-emitting unit 100 to concentrate light toward the x-axis. Concentrating light using a reflector is also useful when the LED 16 is a chip component. [Industrial Applicability]

[0035] The present invention relates to a light-emitting unit that can be attached to a hair dryer, particularly a hair dryer. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 10 annular portion, 12 electrical circuit, 16 LED, 16a first group, 16b second group, 18 first pad, 20 knob, 24 second pad, 26 third pad, 34 second spring, 36 third spring, 38 first spring, 60 secondary battery, 62 light emission control unit, 80 ring, 90 spacer, 100 light emission unit.

Claims

[Claim 1] The main body is a housing that is attached to the tip of the dryer. This housing is An LED that emits light in the direction of airflow from the dryer; and an electrical circuit that provides power to the LED. The electrical circuit is A secondary battery; a light-emitting control unit that controls power supply from the secondary battery to the LED, The storage position of the secondary battery is determined so that the center of gravity of the secondary battery is closer to the handle of the dryer than the position of the LED when the housing is attached to the dryer; The secondary battery has a capacity that can ensure a driving time of 30 minutes or more when all the LEDs are turned on, The housing has a structure that is fastened to the tip of the dryer when the housing is attached to the dryer, A light-emitting unit comprising at least one LED having a wavelength of 620 nm or more and 670 nm or less.

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