Light irradiation device

Abstract

To efficiently cool a light irradiation device.SOLUTION: A light irradiation device includes: a head part including a light emission surface capable of abutting on a human skin; an optical system installed to the head part, including one or more light sources, a first filter, and a second filter, and emitting light from the one or more light sources through the first filter and the second filter to the outside from the light emission surface; a first cooling medium thermally connected to the first filter; and a second cooling medium thermally connected to the second filter and separated from the first cooling medium.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a light irradiation device. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART There is known a technique that can promote hair removal and promote whitening of hair after hair removal by applying pulses of light from a light source to the skin. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-246760 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-described conventional techniques have a problem in that it is difficult to efficiently cool the light irradiation device.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to efficiently cool a light irradiation device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect, the light source includes: a head portion having a light emitting surface that can be brought into contact with human skin; an optical system provided in the head unit, including one or more light sources, a first filter, and a second filter, and configured to emit light from the one or more light sources to the outside from the light exit surface via the first filter and the second filter; a first cooling medium thermally connected to the first filter; A light irradiation device is disclosed that includes a second cooling medium separate from the first cooling medium and thermally connected to the second filter. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to efficiently cool the light irradiation device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a light irradiation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a head portion. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a head portion of the light irradiation device according to the present embodiment in a plan view. [Figure 4] 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams illustrating characteristics of light that can be output from the light irradiation device of the present embodiment. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the wavelength distribution of the xenon tube itself. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a control system of the light irradiation device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a blemish detection process performed by a control unit of the present embodiment. [Figure 7] 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for executing the blemish detection process of FIG. 6 using a touch sensor. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a light source control process based on a blemish detection result by a smart blemish sensor. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams of a light source control process based on a blemish detection result. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In this embodiment, a light irradiation device 1 is provided with two xenon tubes and two optical filters, and irradiates light by reflecting it off a reflector.

[0010] Each embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a basic light irradiation device 1. The light irradiation device 1 generates light that can be irradiated onto human skin. The light may have a beauty-related effect. In this case, the beauty-related effect is arbitrary and may include hair removal, skin beautification, elimination of sagging, firming, fat burning, lifting, facial slimming, improvement of skin firmness, radiance, and moisture, or any combination of one or more of the above. Furthermore, the beauty-related effect may be a quantifiable effect or a non-quantifiable effect.

[0012] Although the light irradiation device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a portable type that can be held by the user's hand, it may also be applied to a movable type that is movably supported on a fixed device via an arm or the like.

[0013] The light irradiation device 1 includes a grip portion 2 and a head portion 3. In this case, a user can locally irradiate the desired portion with light from the light irradiation device 1 by holding the grip portion 2 and pointing the light emitting surface 3a of the head portion 3 toward the desired portion on the user's face or body.

[0014] The grip part 2 has a shape that allows it to be easily held by a user's hand. The grip part 2 may include an input part 20 including various buttons such as a power on / off button, a mode switching button, an intensity adjustment button, etc. The various buttons may be mechanical buttons or touch switches. The grip part 2 may also be provided with a display part (not shown) that displays the status of the light irradiation device 1, etc.

[0015] The head portion 3 is provided at the end of the grip portion 2. The head portion 3 may be fixed to the grip portion 2, may be detachable, or may be movable relative to the grip portion 2.

[0016] The head unit 3 may have a light exit surface 3a that is substantially flat (including a curved surface with a relatively large radius of curvature). The shape of the light exit surface 3a when viewed from the front (the shape when viewed perpendicularly to the light exit surface 3a) may be any shape, such as rectangular, circular, elliptical, or polygonal. The light exit surface 3a may be made of any material that can transmit light, such as glass. The light exit surface 3a may also be in the form of a lens.

[0017] 1 etc., three mutually orthogonal directions, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction, are defined. In the following description, the side closer to the light exit surface 3a in the Z direction is referred to as the "front side," and the side farther from the light exit surface 3a in the Z direction is also referred to as the "rear side."

[0018] Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the head unit 3. The light exit surface 3a may be separated into two parts corresponding to the two light sources 61, 62 (and the two optical filters 71, 72). In the example shown in Fig. 1, the light exit surface 3a includes a portion 31 that faces or contacts the optical filter 71 in the Z direction, and a portion 32 that faces or contacts the optical filter 72 in the Z direction. The portions 31, 32 each function as a cooling medium.

[0019] The light exit surface 3a may be made of any highly transparent material, preferably sapphire glass. In this case, the sapphire glass can provide a cooling effect on the skin. If the sapphire glass forming the light exit surface 3a is as thin as about 3 mm, it will be difficult to maintain a cooling sensation when placed against the skin, and if it is too thick, such as 13 mm or more, the cost will increase. Therefore, the thickness of the light exit surface 3a is preferably 5 mm to 12 mm.

[0020] The head unit 3 has an optical system inside the case 30. The optical system includes two light sources 61 and 62, two optical filters 71 and 72 (or a single optical filter), and a reflector 80.

[0021] Light sources 61 and 62 may be any light source, such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or a halogen lamp. In the basic form of this embodiment, however, they are xenon tubes that emit light by electrical discharge. Specifically, light source 61 (and light source 62 as well) has electrodes (not shown) at both ends of a cylindrical glass tube filled with xenon gas. A high current is applied to a metal wire (not shown) attached to the outer surface of the glass tube (not shown), causing xenon ions to become electrically charged. When a high voltage is applied to the interior via an electrode (not shown), the charged xenon ions discharge in a chain reaction, causing instantaneous light emission. The emitted light is radially emitted. Instead of or in addition to the metal wire (not shown), a conductive material (formed, for example, by surface treatment) applied to the glass surface may be used.

[0022] The light sources 61 and 62 are arranged side by side in the Y direction, with their positions in the X and Z directions being the same. In this case, the light sources 61 and 62 are arranged with the central axes of the glass tubes oriented along the Y direction. In a modified example, the light sources 61 and 62 may be arranged side by side in the X direction, with their positions in the Y and Z directions being the same, and the arrangement of the light sources 61 and 62 is arbitrary.

[0023] The light sources 61 and 62 may have the same configuration except for their different arrangements. That is, the light sources 61 and 62 may be products with the same product number. Alternatively, the light sources 61 and 62 may be different products, taking advantage of the characteristics of each product.

[0024] The optical filters 71 and 72 are provided between the light sources 61 and 62 and the light exit surface 3a. The optical filter 71 is provided corresponding to the light source 61, and the optical filter 72 is provided corresponding to the light source 62. Specifically, the optical filters 71 and 72 are arranged side by side in the Y direction with their positions in the X and Z directions the same. In this case, the optical filter 71 faces the light source 61 in the Z direction, and the optical filter 72 faces the light source 62 in the Z direction.

[0025] The reflector 80 reflects light from the light sources 61 and 62 and guides the light to the light exit surface 3a. The reflector 80 includes a side reflector 82 and a rear reflector 84.

[0026] The side reflectors 82 are disposed between the optical filters 71, 72 and the light sources 61, 62 in the Z direction. The side reflectors 82 may be cylindrical and have a rectangular cross section when viewed in the Z direction. The rear reflectors 84 extend rearward beyond the optical filters 71, 72 in the Z direction. The rear reflectors 84 face the rear sides of the light sources 61, 62 in the Z direction and are disposed on both sides of the light sources 61, 62 in the Y direction. For example, the rear reflectors 84 may have an arc shape that follows the cross-sectional shape of the light sources 61, 62 when viewed in the X direction, and the opening side may abut against the optical filters 71, 72 (some optical filters are provided) in the Z direction. The rear reflectors 84 may be disposed close to the rear sides of the light sources 61, 62 so as to contact metal wires (not shown) of the light sources 61, 62.

[0027] The reflector 80 is configured so that light from the light source 61 is emitted uniformly from the entire light exit surface 3a through the optical filter 71. Similarly, the reflector 80 is configured so that light from the light source 62 is emitted uniformly from the entire light exit surface 3a through the optical filter 72. In this case, the entire light exit surface 3a can be shared by the light from the light source 61 and the light from the light source 62. There may be only one optical filter.

[0028] The head unit 3 has a cooling function within the case 30. Specifically, the head unit 3 has Peltier elements 51 and 52 and a heat sink 35 within the case 30.

[0029] The Peltier elements 51 and 52 are separate from each other and are arranged apart from each other. The Peltier element 51 is thermally connected to the optical filter 71, and the Peltier element 52 is thermally connected to the optical filter 72.

[0030] In this embodiment, the Peltier elements 51 and 52 are provided adjacent to the light emitting surface 3a. Specifically, the Peltier element 51 is provided adjacent to (facing or in contact with) the portion 31 of the light emitting surface 3a in the X direction, and the Peltier element 52 is provided adjacent to (facing or in contact with) the portion 32 of the light emitting surface 3a in the X direction. However, in a modified example, the Peltier elements 51 and 52 may be provided adjacent to the portions 31 and 32 in the Y direction instead of or in addition to the X direction. When the light emitting surface 3a is made of sapphire glass, the Peltier elements 51 and 52 can cool the skin.

[0031] In other embodiments, the Peltier elements 51 and 52 may be provided adjacent to each other in the X direction with respect to the space between the light emitting surface 3a and the optical filters 71 and 72. However, the Peltier elements 51 and 52 may also be provided adjacent to each other in the Y direction with respect to the same space. Note that when a light guide is provided in the same space, the Peltier elements 51 and 52 may be adjacent to the light guide.

[0032] In this manner, according to this embodiment, the Peltier elements 51 and 52 are thermally connected separately to the optical filters 71 and 72, respectively, and therefore can efficiently cool the optical filters 71 and 72. The effect of this will be described in detail later.

[0033] In this embodiment, the Peltier elements 51 and 52 are provided independently, but may be provided in combination with a metal plate or the like.

[0034] In this embodiment, a partition 70 is provided to separate the light exit surface 3a into portions 31 and 32, but the partition 70 may extend in the Z direction to separate the optical filters 71 and 72. The partition 70 may be made of a material with high thermal conductivity or a material with high thermal insulation properties. The partition 70 may function as a light guide or as a reflector.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing, in plan view, the head unit 3 of the light irradiation device 1 according to this embodiment.

[0036] The head unit 3 according to this embodiment differs from the head unit 3 according to the above-described embodiment in that it additionally includes a smart blemish sensor 114 for detecting blemishes. In a modified example, the smart blemish sensor 114 may be used to detect skin conditions other than blemishes, such as redness, dullness, skin brightness, and skin color.

[0037] The smart stain sensor 114 may be disposed outside the light emitting surface 3 a. That is, the smart stain sensor 114 may be disposed in the vicinity of the light emitting surface 3 a at a position that does not block the light emitted from the light emitting surface 3 a.

[0038] In this embodiment, the smart blemish sensor 114 includes two skin color sensors 1141. The two skin color sensors 1141 are arranged on either side of the light emission surface 3a in the short-side direction of the head unit 3. The short-side direction of the head unit 3 typically corresponds to the direction in which the user moves the light irradiation device 1 while holding the head unit 3 against their skin. In a modified example, the smart blemish sensor 114 may include only one skin color sensor 1141, or may include three or more skin color sensors 1141.

[0039] The skin color sensor 1141 may be an image sensor that detects skin color, that is, a color sensor that generates color information of the imaging range.

[0040] An example of a method for detecting blemishes using the smart blemish sensor 114 will be described later.

[0041] Optical filter 71 passes light in a wavelength range of 200 nm or less in an embodiment that includes a wavelength of 505 nm, and preferably passes light in a wavelength range of 150 nm or less in an embodiment that includes a wavelength of 505 nm. Optical filter 72 passes light in a wavelength range of 560 nm or less in an embodiment that includes a wavelength of 830 nm, and passes light in a wavelength range of 400 nm or less in an embodiment that includes a wavelength of 830 nm.

[0042] In this embodiment, the optical filters 71 and 72 have the following characteristics. That is, the optical filter 71 is a bandpass filter that passes substantially only light in a wavelength range of 500 nm to 650 nm (an example of a first wavelength range), and the optical filter 72 is a bandpass filter that passes substantially only light in a wavelength range of 640 nm to 1200 nm (an example of a second wavelength range). Note that in this embodiment, the optical filters 71 and 72 are filters that pass both light in the range from 640 nm to 650 nm, but this overlapping range may be eliminated or may remain as a relatively narrow range (for example, a 10 nm range as in this embodiment).

[0043] The optical filters 71 and 72 may be in the form of glass filters. In this case, the glass filters may be made of kneaded colored glass, or a filter film may be formed by vapor deposition.

[0044] In this embodiment, the optical filters 71 and 72 are provided separately from the light sources 61 and 62. However, the optical filters 71 and 72 may also be provided integrally with the light sources 61 and 62. For example, the filter films for the optical filters 71 and 72 may be formed by painting the xenon tubes associated with the light sources 61 and 62. In this case, a paint that exhibits the above-described characteristics may be selected. Alternatively, the filter films for the optical filters 71 and 72 may be formed by performing a vapor deposition process on the xenon tubes as one type of painting. In such a case, the glass filter components may be omitted, reducing the number of components and simplifying assembly. Note that the coating may not be able to completely block ultraviolet light depending on the vapor deposition material or vapor deposition film thickness. In such cases, a high-pass kneaded glass filter that blocks ultraviolet light may be added.

[0045] As another method for realizing the optical filters 71 and 72, it is also possible to combine them as shown in the following (1) to (4).

[0046] (1) A combination of glass filters such as a glass filter (optical filter 71) that transmits 500 nm to 650 nm and a high-pass glass filter (optical filter 72) that transmits 640 nm to 1200 nm in a xenon tube.

[0047] (2) A combination of a filter (optical filter 71) made of a xenon tube coated with a material that transmits light from 500 nm to 650 nm and a high-pass glass filter (optical filter 72) that transmits light from 640 nm to 1200 nm.

[0048] (3) A combination of a filter (optical filter 71) in which a xenon tube is coated with a material that transmits light from 500 nm to 650 nm, and a filter (optical filter 72) in which a xenon tube is coated with a material that transmits light from 640 nm to 1200 nm.

[0049] (4) A combination of a filter (optical filter 71) made by coating a xenon tube with a material that transmits light from 500 nm to 650 nm, a filter (optical filter 72) made by coating a xenon tube with a material that transmits light from 640 nm to 1200 nm, and a high-pass glass filter that transmits light from 640 nm to 1200 nm.

[0050] Furthermore, the light sources 61 and 62 are not limited to IPLs (Intense Pulsed Lights), but may be formed by LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), lasers, halogen lamps, or the like.

[0051] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the characteristics of light that can be output from the light irradiation device 1 of this embodiment.

[0052] 4, the horizontal axis represents wavelength and the vertical axis represents output (intensity), and characteristics C91 and C92 of two types of light are shown. Characteristic C91 represents the characteristics of light emitted through optical filter 71, and characteristic C92 represents the characteristics of light emitted through optical filter 72. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing the characteristics of the IPL alone, which is light source 61, 62 (i.e., the characteristics when no optical filter is provided).

[0053] According to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, two types of light with different characteristics can be emitted through the light emitting surface 3a. This allows for a more efficient configuration than, for example, a comparative example (not shown) in which light with different characteristics is emitted from two separate light emitting surfaces. That is, the space required for providing two separate light emitting surfaces is eliminated, allowing for a more compact head unit 3. Furthermore, when two types of light are to be applied to the same skin area, it is sufficient to simply abut the light emitting surface 3a against the area. In the comparative example, when two types of light are to be applied to the same skin area, it is necessary to abut separate light emitting surfaces against the area. In contrast, according to this embodiment, multiple types of light with different characteristics can be emitted through the light emitting surface 3a, allowing for multiple types of light with different characteristics to be applied to a single area without moving the light irradiation device 1. Therefore, not only can the light irradiation device 1 be made more compact, but the user's operation efficiency (treatment efficiency) of the light irradiation device 1 can also be improved.

[0054] Here, light with characteristic C91 is expected to improve blemishes and dullness when it hits the skin. Also, light with characteristic C92 is expected to improve skin in a comprehensive way when it hits the skin. In addition, because it contains red wavelengths, it acts deeply and has an anti-aging effect.

[0055] Furthermore, the inventor's tests have revealed that when light having characteristic C91 and light having characteristic C92 are applied to the skin simultaneously or in a time-shared manner, skin moisturization is improved compared to when only one of the two types of light is applied to the skin. The following three cases were compared: In the first case, only light having characteristic C91 is applied to the skin at a predetermined output; in the second case, only light having characteristic C92 is applied to the skin at a predetermined output; and in the third case, the output ratio of the light having characteristic C91 to the light having characteristic C92 is set to 3:2, and the sum of the outputs of both is set to a predetermined output, and the light having characteristic C91 and light having characteristic C92 are applied to the skin simultaneously. In this case, the effect of the third case (the effect related to skin moisturization) was more pronounced than in the first and second cases. This also demonstrates the usefulness of the light irradiation device 1, which can simultaneously apply light having characteristic C91 and light having characteristic C92 to the skin via the light exit surface 3a.

[0056] Hereinafter, the light output of the characteristic C91 will also be referred to as "blemish filter output," and the light output of the characteristic C92 will also be referred to as "skin softening filter output."

[0057] In a modified example, any bandpass filter that passes light with a wavelength of 505 nm, such as a bandpass filter that passes a wavelength range of 490 nm to 525 nm, a bandpass filter that passes a wavelength range of 500 nm to 550 nm, or a bandpass filter that passes a wavelength range of 500 nm to 650 nm, may be used as optical filter 71. Furthermore, any bandpass filter that passes light with a wavelength of 800 nm, such as a bandpass filter that passes a wavelength range of 800 nm to 1200 nm, may be used as optical filter 72.

[0058] Next, with reference to FIG. 5, a control system of the light irradiation device 1 of this embodiment will be described.

[0059] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the control system of the light irradiation device 1 of this embodiment.

[0060] 5, the light irradiation device 1 includes a control unit 150 electrically connected to the above-described input unit 20 and light sources 61 and 62. The control unit 150 may include, for example, a computer such as a microcomputer and a drive circuit.

[0061] The control unit 150 controls the light sources 61, 62, etc. of the light irradiation device 1 by executing a computer program stored in, for example, an internal storage device or an accessible external storage device. Note that the processing performed by the light irradiation device 1 may be realized by additionally or alternatively using a hardware circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA.

[0062] In this embodiment, a skin treatment device is included that controls a plurality of light sources each configured to emit light of a different wavelength.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 150 of this embodiment is further connected to a smart stain sensor 114 and a touch sensor 116.

[0064] In this embodiment, the control unit 150 realizes a blemish detection function that detects blemishes based on sensor information from the smart blemish sensor 114, and a light source control function that controls the light sources 61 and 62 based on the blemish detection results.

[0065] The control unit 150 has a predetermined storage area 160 in an internal storage device or an accessible external storage device. The function of the predetermined storage area 160 will be described later.

[0066] 5, Peltier elements 51 and 52 are further connected to the control unit 150 of this embodiment. Similar to the light sources 61 and 62, the control unit 150 can control the Peltier elements 51 and 52 independently of each other.

[0067] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of blemish detection processing by the control unit 150 of this embodiment.

[0068] In step S01, it is determined whether or not there is a stored value of the white reference value in the predetermined storage area 160. If there is a stored value of the white reference value in the predetermined storage area 160, the process proceeds to step S03. If there is no stored value of the white reference value in the predetermined storage area 160 (i.e., if it is in an initialized state), the process proceeds to step S05.

[0069] In step S03, a skin color data reading process is performed to read sensor information data from the smart blemish sensor 114. In step S05, a skin color data white reference value is stored in the predetermined storage area 160, and the process ends. In this case, the stored white reference value may be a predetermined initial value.

[0070] Next, in step S07, it is determined whether the skin color at the detected location is black or brown based on the read skin color data. If it is black or brown, the process proceeds to step S11. If it is not black or brown, the process proceeds to step S09.

[0071] In step S11, the blemish detection state is set to or maintained at "2," and the process then ends.

[0072] In step S09, it is determined whether the read skin color data is a numerical value whiter than the stored value of the white reference value in the predetermined storage area 160. If the numerical value is whiter than the stored value of the white reference value, the process proceeds to step S13. If the numerical value is not whiter than the stored value of the white reference value, the process proceeds to step S15.

[0073] In step S13, the blemish detection state is set to or maintained at "0," and the stored value of the white reference value in the predetermined storage area 160 is updated with the current white value (overwritten if there is an area with a lighter skin color). Even if calibration is performed, the base skin color and the darkness of blemishes vary from person to person. Therefore, to enable automatic operation without the need for calibration before irradiation, the target predetermined storage area 160 is updated when a white color is detected regardless of the direction of irradiation. This eliminates individual differences (differences between people) in the reference value for blemish detection, and improves the accuracy of blemish detection. Then, the process ends.

[0074] In step S15, if the difference from the stored value of the white reference value in the predetermined storage area 160 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold and the color is black, it is detected as a blemish. The predetermined threshold is arbitrary, but may be a variable value that reflects individual differences. In this case, the blemish detection status is set to or maintained at "1". Then, the process ends.

[0075] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for executing the blemish detection process of Fig. 6 using the touch sensor 116. The touch sensor 116 may be provided in the head unit 3. The touch sensor 116 generates a different electrical signal depending on whether or not the head unit 3 touches the skin.

[0076] First, in step S02, it is determined whether or not the light irradiation device 1 has detected touching of the skin based on sensor information from the touch sensor 116. If touching of the skin is detected, the process proceeds to step S04. If it is determined that touching of the skin has not occurred, the process proceeds to step S06.

[0077] In step S04, the blemish detection process of FIG. 6 is executed and the process ends. In step S06, the stored value of the white reference value in the predetermined storage area 160 is initialized. By performing such initialization, it is possible to avoid a problem. That is, if white (complete white) is read even once, and initialization is not performed thereafter, a situation will continue in which any color will be erroneously detected as a blemish. This is to avoid this situation.

[0078] Such a blemish detection function can detect blemishes and moles, as well as detect blemishes that match individual differences in skin color.

[0079] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a light source control process (light source control process by the control unit 150) based on the blemish detection result by the smart blemish sensor 114.

[0080] In S20, it is determined whether the blemish detection status is "2". If the blemish detection status is "2", the light sources 61, 62 do not output light or emit light at a low intensity (S22). Specifically, the light is not emitted so as to touch the skin, or to emit light at a low intensity on skin that is brown or darker. Accordingly, the cooling capacity of the Peltier elements 51, 52 is set to 0 or a minimum value (S23). The cooling capacity of the Peltier elements 51, 52 may be achieved by changing the output of the Peltier elements 51, 52 themselves and / or by changing the output of the fan that cools the heat sink 35.

[0081] If the blemish detection state is not "2," it is determined whether the blemish detection state is "0" (S24). If the blemish detection state is "0," the skin-beautifying filter output (the output of light with a wavelength of 640 nm to 1200 nm passed through the optical filter 72) is output stronger than the blemish filter output (the output of light with a wavelength of 500 nm to 650 nm passed through the optical filter 71) (S26). In this case, if the skin-beautifying filter output is "100," the blemish filter output is less than "100," preferably "50" or less. Accordingly, the cooling capacity of the Peltier element 52 is increased, and the cooling capacity of the Peltier element 51 is decreased (S27). This allows for efficient cooling, taking into account that the amount of heat generated on the optical filter 72 side is greater than that on the optical filter 71 side.

[0082] If the blemish detection state is not "0" (i.e., if the blemish detection state is "1"), the blemish filter output (the output of light with a wavelength of 500 nm to 650 nm that has passed through the optical filter 71) is output stronger than the skin-beautifying filter output (the output of light with a wavelength of 640 nm to 1200 nm that has passed through the optical filter 72) (S28). In this case, if the blemish filter output is "100", the skin-beautifying filter output is less than "100", preferably "50" or less. Accordingly, the cooling capacity of the Peltier element 51 is increased and the cooling capacity of the Peltier element 52 is decreased (S29). This allows for efficient cooling, taking into account that the amount of heat generated on the optical filter 71 side is greater than that on the optical filter 72 side.

[0083] In this way, according to this embodiment, light having characteristics corresponding to the blemish detection results for the skin area where the light exit surface 3a is applied can be irradiated onto the skin area. That is, by strengthening the blemish filter output for the area where blemishes are detected, the effect of the blemish filter output can be maximized. On the other hand, by strengthening the skin beautifying filter output for the area where blemishes are not detected, the effect of the skin beautifying filter output can be maximized.

[0084] 8, in the blemish detection state, the blemish filter output is uniformly strengthened, but the blemish filter output may be varied depending on the darkness of the blemish. That is, the darker the blemish, the stronger the blemish filter output. In this case, the darker the blemish, the weaker the skin beautifying filter output may be accordingly.

[0085] 9, for example, the blemish filter output and the skin softening filter output may be set to normal values ​​(reference outputs) for areas with light blemishes, and the blemish filter output may be increased relative to the normal value for areas with dark blemishes, while the skin softening filter output may be increased relative to the normal value for areas without blemishes. In this case, the sum of both outputs (i.e., the overall output of the two light sources 61, 62) may be constant or variable.

[0086] Alternatively, the following control may be implemented. For areas with dark spots, light with wavelengths of 500 nm to 650 nm may be increased above the normal value, and for areas with light spots, light with wavelengths of 640 nm to 1200 nm may be increased above the normal value. Furthermore, in spot mode (a mode suitable for localized areas where spots are noticeable), light with wavelengths of 500 nm to 650 nm may be increased above the normal value. Furthermore, for areas where redness is noticeable, light with wavelengths of 500 nm to 650 nm may be increased above the normal value. Furthermore, in skin beautification mode, light with wavelengths of 500 nm to 650 nm may be increased above the normal value. Furthermore, for areas where pores are noticeable, light with wavelengths of 640 nm to 1200 nm may be increased above the normal value. In these cases, the state of each area (such as the state of spots and redness) may be visually detected by the user, and mode switching may be implemented manually by the user, and / or may be implemented automatically based on information from various sensors including the smart spot sensor 114.

[0087] Here, if the blemish filter output and the skin beautifying filter output are simultaneously increased, the following inconveniences occur. That is, regardless of the skin condition, if the blemish filter output and the skin beautifying filter output are simultaneously increased, excessive irradiation and other strains are placed on the skin. In addition, heating by the light source and wavelength cutting by the filter can cause excessive heat generation in the filter, which can cause the device to heat up more than necessary. According to this embodiment, such inconveniences can be prevented.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the skin color sensors 1141 are provided on both sides of the light emitting surface 3a. Therefore, regardless of the direction in which the user moves the light irradiation device 1 (see arrows R81 and R82 in FIG. 3), the blemish detection function can be maintained by either one of the skin color sensors 1141. The number of skin color sensors 1141 may be other than two, and may be three or more (for example, four locations). When multiple skin color sensors 1141 are provided, data indicating darker colors may be used preferentially among the skin color data from each sensor.

[0089] In this embodiment, the irradiation method for each of the blemish filter output and the skin-beautifying filter output may be any method, for example, divided irradiation may be used. That is, the accumulated electrical energy may not be output in a single irradiation, but may be divided and irradiated at 10 msc or less to minimize damage to the skin. However, since the output becomes weaker if the irradiation is divided at a constant rate, the irradiation may be controlled to be divided and irradiated at a uniform intensity so as not to weaken the output. Furthermore, for example, when the blemish filter output is strengthened, the irradiation time and / or irradiation frequency of the light related to the blemish filter output may be increased.

[0090] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, efficient cooling by the Peltier elements 51, 52 can be achieved by adjusting the cooling capacity of the two Peltier elements 51, 52 in accordance with the distribution of the blemish filter output and the skin softening filter output. That is, according to this embodiment, by providing Peltier elements 51, 52 corresponding to the optical filters 71, 72, the optical filters 71, 72 can be efficiently cooled in accordance with the difference in the amount of heat generated by the optical filters 71, 72. This is particularly suitable for a configuration, like this embodiment, in which the distribution of the blemish filter output and the skin softening filter output is changed in accordance with the blemish detection result (and the amount of heat generated by each of the optical filters 71, 72 changes accordingly).

[0091] Although each embodiment has been described in detail above, it is not limited to a specific embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims. It is also possible to combine all or a plurality of components of the above-described embodiments.

[0092] For example, in the above-described embodiment, any control method can be used for a plurality of light sources capable of emitting light with different characteristics. For example, optimal output adjustment is possible by controlling the output, irradiation intensity, emission timing, number of times, interval, etc. for each light source.

[0093] Furthermore, the optical filter 71 and / or the optical filter 72 may be attached to a member with a high cooling effect, such as sapphire glass. Furthermore, the optical filter 71 and / or the optical filter 72, which transmits only specific wavelengths, are prone to high temperatures, and are particularly susceptible to high temperatures of 4.0 J / cm 2 , 6.0J / cm 2 When using such high irradiation intensities, cooling of the skin surface significantly affects the user's experience. From this perspective, sapphire glass, which has a high cooling effect, is preferred.

[0094] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the number of light sources is not limited to two; light from one light source may be separated and incident on the optical filters 71 and 72. Alternatively, three or more light sources may be used, and in this case, it is preferable to configure the light source to emit multiple wavelengths by applying paint to the filters or light sources or by surface treatment to the irradiating unit. Furthermore, the power supply and capacitor may be housed in the main body, and the light irradiating unit may be configured as a probe. This allows for multiple light sources and a wide range of outputs, including high output, and allows for an output that is more suited to the irradiated area. In such a case, by housing all but the minimum elements, such as a cooling structure for cooling the heat generated by the light source of the light irradiating unit and a sensor, in the main body, a lightweight probe can be implemented, improving operability.

[0095] In the above-described embodiment, the number of optical filters 71 and / or 72 is not limited to two, but may be three or more, and multiple wavelengths can be irradiated. In order to prevent multiple optical filters from falling toward the reflector side, it is desirable to provide a support portion between optical filters 71 and 72 in the Y direction in the side reflector 82, so as to support optical filters 71 and 72.

[0096] The side reflector 82 and the rear reflector 84 may be configured as one unit, in which case the number of parts can be reduced and the number of assembly steps can be reduced.

[0097] In the above-described embodiment, two types of light with different characteristics are emitted through the light exit surface 3a. However, the two types of light with different characteristics may be emitted from separate light exit surfaces. The light exit surfaces that emit the two types of light with different characteristics may partially overlap. The degree of overlap of the light (the size, position, shape, etc. of the overlapping light exit surface area) can be adjusted as desired by adjusting the depth of the arc-shaped portion of the reflector 80 that conforms to the cross-sectional shape of the light sources 61 and 62, the positional relationship between the reflector shape and the light sources 61 and 62, and the like.

[0098] In the above-described embodiment, a space is provided between the light exit surface 3a and the optical filters 71 and 72, but a light guide or the like may be provided therebetween. In addition, if a space is provided, the space may be an airtight space or a space that communicates with the outside (i.e., a non-airtight space).

[0099] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, Peltier elements 51 and 52 are used as cooling devices. However, other cooling devices may be used instead of or in addition to Peltier elements 51 and 52. For example, a fan, a vapor chamber, a heat pipe, or the like may be used. In this case, instead of the material (sapphire glass) of portions 31 and 32, any refrigerant such as air or water may be used as the cooling medium. For example, portions 31 and 32 may be spaces, and a configuration may be adopted in which cool air is blown into the spaces. In this case, too, the cooling capacities for optical filters 71 and 72 can be individually controlled by adjusting the temperature and flow rate of the cool air that can be supplied separately to portions 31 and 32. In this case, the coolant, i.e., cool air, may be cooled by any method, such as cooling using a compressor or cooling by heat exchange.

[0100] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the adjustment of the cooling capacity of the Peltier elements 51, 52 is performed based on the blemish detection result, but equivalently, the adjustment may be performed based on the value of a parameter that can change depending on the blemish detection result (for example, the output level or power consumption of the light sources 61, 62). Alternatively, the adjustment may be performed based on the value of another parameter that correlates with the output level or power consumption of the light sources 61, 62 (for example, the temperature of the optical filters 71, 72).

[0101] In the above-described embodiment, the cooling capacity of the Peltier elements 51, 52 is adjusted based on the blemish detection result, but in a configuration in which blemish detection is not performed, the cooling capacity may be adjusted based on the temperature of the optical filters 71, 72 or the value of a parameter correlated therewith (for example, the output level or power consumption of the light sources 61, 62). In this case, each temperature sensor that directly detects the temperature of the optical filters 71, 72 may be used.

[0102] Furthermore, the cooling capacity of Peltier elements 51 and 52 may be adjusted by utilizing the heat generation characteristics (known characteristics) of optical filters 71 and 72. For example, if optical filter 71 is a cut filter for 500 nm to 650 nm, only about 25% of the light is transmitted, and 75% is converted into heat by optical filter 71. On the other hand, if optical filter 72 is a filter for 650 nm to 1200 nm, about 44% is transmitted, and 56% is converted into heat by optical filter 72. Comparing the two, there is a 1.8-fold difference in the amount of heat. Therefore, by similarly increasing the output of Peltier element 51 by 1.8 times compared to Peltier element 52, the temperatures of optical filters 71 and 72 (and the temperatures of each part related to it) can be made uniform.

[0103] In the above-described embodiment, the Peltier elements 51 and 52 are provided separately, but a common Peltier element may be provided for the optical filters 71 and 72.

[0104] The number of optical filters and the wavelength ranges they transmit are also arbitrary. For example, three optical filters may be provided, each transmitting a wavelength in a 100 nm range. That is, the following three or more optical filters may be provided: a first filter that transmits wavelengths from 500 nm to 600 nm, a second filter that transmits wavelengths from 600 nm to 700 nm, and a third filter that transmits wavelengths from 700 nm to 800 nm. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 1 Light irradiation device 2 Grip part 3 Head 3a Light exit surface 31 parts (cooling medium) 32 parts (cooling medium) 6a Glass tube 6b Metal Wire 6c electrode 20 Input section 51 Peltier element (cooling device, first element) 52 Peltier element (cooling device, second element) 61 Light source (1st light source) 62 Light source (second light source) 71 Optical filter (first filter) 72 Optical filter (second filter) 80 Reflector 82 Side reflector 84 Rear reflector (first reflector, second reflector) 150 control unit (control device, output control unit, detection processing unit)

Claims

1. a head unit having a light emitting surface that can be brought into contact with human skin; an optical system provided in the head unit, the optical system including one or more light sources and a plurality of filters, and configured to emit light from the one or more light sources to the outside from the light exit surface via the plurality of filters; a first cooling medium thermally connected to a first filter of the plurality of filters; a second cooling medium that is separate from the first cooling medium and thermally connected to a second filter of the plurality of filters;

2. The light irradiation device according to claim 1 , further comprising a cooling device that cools the first cooling medium and the second cooling medium.

3. The light irradiation device according to claim 2 , wherein the cooling device is adjacent to the first cooling medium in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and adjacent to the second cooling medium in the second direction.

4. The cooling device includes a first element that cools the first cooling medium and a second element that cools the second cooling medium. a cooling control device that controls the first element and the second element; 4. The light irradiation device according to claim 2, wherein the cooling control device controls the first element and the second element individually based on a difference in heat generation characteristics between the first filter and the second filter or the respective values ​​of temperature-related parameters.

5. the first cooling medium faces or contacts the first filter in a first direction perpendicular to the light emitting surface; The light irradiation device according to claim 1 , wherein the second cooling medium faces or contacts the second filter in the first direction.

6. The light irradiation device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical system is capable of emitting two or more different types of light via the light exit surface, based on light from the one or more light sources, via the plurality of filters.

7. The first filter transmits light in a first wavelength range that is expected to have an effect of reducing skin blemishes, The light irradiation device according to claim 6 , wherein the second filter transmits light in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range.

8. a sensor provided in the head unit for detecting a condition of a person's skin; The light irradiation device according to claim 7 , further comprising an optical system control device that controls the optical system based on sensor information from the sensor.

9. The light irradiation device according to claim 8 , wherein the optical system control device controls the distribution of the output of the two or more types of light based on the sensor information.

10. the sensor includes a sensor for detecting color information; The optical system control device includes: a detection processing unit that detects a condition related to blemishes on the skin area where the head unit is in contact based on sensor information from the sensor; The light irradiation device according to claim 9 , further comprising an output control unit that controls an output of the light in the first wavelength range based on a detection result of the detection processing unit.

11. The light irradiation device according to claim 10 , wherein the sensor is provided on each side of the light emitting surface of the head portion.

12. The light irradiation device according to claim 10 , wherein the output control unit controls the output of the light in the first wavelength range and the output of the light in the second wavelength range in accordance with the density of the blemish based on the detection result of the detection processing unit.

13. The light irradiation device according to claim 10, wherein the output control unit increases the output of light in the first wavelength range and decreases the output of light in the second wavelength range when the stain has a first darkness compared to when the stain has a second darkness that is lighter than the first darkness.

14. the first filter transmits light in a wavelength range including a wavelength of 505 nm; The light irradiation device according to claim 13 , wherein the second filter transmits light in a wavelength range that includes a wavelength of 800 nm.

Images