Beauty devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a beauty device that allows the functional part to move smoothly across the skin surface, while minimizing irritation to the skin surface when the functional part is moved, resulting in a pleasant user experience. [Solution] In a beauty device based on a device body 1 having a main body case 2 made of a hollow body and a functional part 3 integrally provided on the main body case 2 and in contact with the skin surface, the outer casing of the device body 1 is formed as an outward-convex quadratic curved surface as a whole, or as a combination of an outward-convex quadratic curved surface and a single plane, and a part of the outer casing of the device body 1 is made up of the functional part 3.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a beauty instrument that contacts a functional part with the user's skin surface to impart a beauty effect to the skin surface.

Background Art

[0002] A beauty instrument that supplies an electric current to the skin surface to impart a beauty effect is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. The beauty instrument of Patent Document 1 includes a main body case formed in an oval shape and held by the user's hand, and a myoelectric electrode (working electrode) that is provided integrally with the main body case and contacts the skin surface to constitute a functional part. The myoelectric electrode is formed in a disc shape protruding downward from the bottom portion of the main body case. A grip electrode (skin electrode) for forming an electrical closed loop between the beauty instrument and the human body is formed on the outer surface of the upper half of the main body case. The outer contour of the instrument body is formed in a shape in which a disc (myoelectric electrode) protrudes from an oval shape, and a power source or the like for supplying an electric current to each electrode is housed inside the main body case. When the flat bottom surface of the myoelectric electrode is brought into contact with the skin surface coated with a beauty liquid while holding the main body case by hand, a closed loop is established between the beauty instrument and the human body, and the myoelectric electrode and the grip electrode are electrically connected through the human body, so that the beauty components in the beauty liquid are introduced into the skin, or the dirt in the pores is removed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the beauty device described in Patent Document 1, the outer surface of the upper half of the egg-shaped main body case serves as the grip electrode. Therefore, by simply gripping the main body case with the user's hand to use the beauty device, a secure contact state between the grip electrode and the human body can be established. However, when the device is moved with the bottom surface of the cylindrical skin electrode in contact with the skin surface of the face, the edge portion of the skin electrode (the right-angled protruding corner formed by the bottom surface and peripheral surface of the disc-shaped skin electrode) tends to catch on the skin surface, making it difficult to move the skin electrode smoothly on the skin surface. Furthermore, if the edge portion catches on the skin surface, it causes unnecessary irritation to the skin surface, resulting in a poor feel of the skin electrode and an unsatisfactory user experience.

[0005] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a beauty device that allows the functional part to move smoothly on the skin surface, while suppressing irritation to the skin surface when the functional part is moved, thereby providing a good user experience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to a beauty device based on a device body 1 having a main body case 2 made of a hollow body and a functional part 3 integrally provided on the main body case 2 and in contact with the skin surface. The outer casing of the device body 1 is formed as an outward-convex quadratic curved surface. Furthermore, a part of the outer casing of the device body 1 is made up of the functional part 3.

[0007] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a beauty device based on a device body 1 having a main body case 2 made of a hollow body and a functional part 3 integrally provided on the main body case 2 and in contact with the skin surface. The outer casing of the device body 1 is formed by a combination of an outward-convex quadratic curved surface and a single flat surface. The flat portion forming the outer casing of the device body 1 is characterized by being composed of the functional part 3.

[0008] The outer casing of the device body 1 is formed in the shape of a spheroid or egg with a major axis L, and the functional part 3 is arranged in the outer casing portion of the device body 1 where the radius of curvature is relatively smallest.

[0009] The functional unit 3 consists of skin electrodes 4 that supply electric current to the skin surface. Grip electrodes 5, which are paired with the skin electrodes 4, are provided on the outer surface of the main body case 2. The grip electrodes 5 come into contact with the surface of the hand, and the skin electrodes 4 also come into contact with the skin surface, thereby forming a closed loop between the beauty device and the human body.

[0010] The grip electrode 5 is configured to allow the surface temperature to be changed.

[0011] The grip electrode 5 is positioned on the outer casing portion of the device body 1 where the skin electrode 4 is formed, with a relatively larger radius of curvature than the outer casing portion.

[0012] The main body case 2 is provided with a switch button 28 for controlling the operation of the beauty device. The switch button 28 is positioned opposite the grip electrode 5, with the long axis L of the device body 1 in between.

[0013] The electrode area of ​​skin electrode 4 is set to be smaller than that of grip electrode 5.

[0014] The average radius of curvature of the electrode surface of grip electrode 5 is set to be larger than the average radius of curvature of the electrode surface of skin electrode 4.

[0015] A rod-shaped battery 11, which powers the beauty device, is housed inside the main case 2. The battery 11 is positioned in the center of the main case 2 such that its longitudinal direction coincides with the long axis L of the device body 1, which has an outer casing formed in a rotating ellipse shape or an egg shape.

[0016] The grip electrode 5 is positioned on an outer casing portion of the device body 1 that has a relatively larger radius of curvature than the outer casing portion on which the skin electrode 4 is formed. Inside the main body case 2, a temperature control unit 14 is provided adjacent to the battery 11 to change the surface temperature of the grip electrode 5. The temperature control unit 14 has a temperature control head 10 that comes into contact with the skin surface, and a part of the outer casing of the device body 1 is formed by the temperature control head 10, which also serves as the grip electrode 5.

[0017] The main unit case 2 is equipped with a switch button 28 for controlling the operation of the beauty device. The switch button 28 is located on the opposite side of the temperature control unit 14, with the battery 11 in between.

[0018] The longitudinal dimension of the battery 11 is formed to be larger than the maximum diameter of the device body 1 in a plane perpendicular to the major axis L of the device body 1.

[0019] The battery 11 is held in an inner case 19 fixed inside the main case 2. The inner case 19 has a support shaft 61 that protrudes toward the inner surface of the skin electrode 4, and an electrode plate 60 that supplies current to the skin electrode 4 is disposed at the base of the protruding support shaft 61. A compression coil spring 62 is installed between the inner surface of the skin electrode 4 and the electrode plate 60, and is inserted through the support shaft 61.

[0020] The temperature control unit 14 is equipped with a Peltier element 40 that serves as a heat source for heating or cooling.

[0021] The temperature control unit 14 is equipped with a heat sink 41 that dissipates the heat or cold generated by the Peltier element 40.

[0022] The temperature control unit 14 is equipped with a blower fan 42 that supplies heat exchange air to the heat sink 41.

[0023] The heat sink 41 comprises a sink base 44 having a flat surface 47 and a group of rib-shaped fins 45 that promote heat exchange. A blower fan 42 and the group of fins 45 are arranged side by side on the flat surface 47.

[0024] The air outlet 54 of the blower fan 42 is provided in a state facing a group of fins 45. The extending direction of the rib-shaped fins 45 coincides with the feeding direction of the heat exchange air blown out from the air outlet 54.

[0025] When the direction orthogonal to the flat surface portion 47 is defined as the height direction, the blower fan 42 includes a casing 50 that is flat and hollow rectangular box-shaped in the height direction, and an air outlet 54 is formed on the wall surface facing a group of fins 45. The dimension of the fins 45 in the height direction is set larger than the dimension of the air outlet 54 in the height direction.

[0026] An exhaust hole 57 for exhausting the air after heat exchange with the heat sink 41 to the outside is provided in the main body case 2. The exhaust hole 57 is opened in the main body case 2 facing the downstream side in the feeding direction of the blower fan 42.

[0027] A strap hole 67 through which a hanging tool R is inserted is formed in the main body case 2. The strap hole 67 is disposed between the switch button 28 and the myoelectric electrode 4 in the main body case 2.

Effect of the Invention

[0029] [Figure 1] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing a beauty device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view of the beauty device. [Figure 3] This is a longitudinal front view showing the beauty device, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing the fan, heatsink, and Peltier element. [Figure 6] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing the temperature control unit. [Figure 7] This diagram shows a beauty device suspended using a suspension device. [Figure 8] The diagram shows six-view drawings (front view, back view, top view, bottom view, right side view, left side view) and an oblique view of the beauty device. [Figure 9] This is a side view showing the functional part of a beauty device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a side view showing the functional part of a beauty device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a side view showing a beauty device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This diagram shows a reference embodiment in which the configuration of the beauty device of the present invention is applied to a small electrical device, and is a side view showing the case where the small electrical device is an electric razor. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] (First Embodiment) Figures 1 to 8 show the first embodiment of the beauty device according to the present invention. In this embodiment, front and back, left and right, and up and down refer to the intersecting arrows shown in Figures 2 and 3 and the front and back, left and right, and up and down indications written near each arrow. The same applies to subsequent embodiments.

[0031] In Figure 2, the beauty device is based on a device body 1, which has a hollow body case 2 and a functional part 3 integrally provided on the body case 2 and in contact with the skin surface. The entire outer casing of the device body 1 is formed of an outward-convex quadratic curved surface, such as an elongated ellipse (spherical ellipse) or an egg shape, having a major axis L. Specifically, as shown in the six-view drawing of Figure 8 of this embodiment, the device body 1 has an elongated ellipse front section divided into two longitudinal sections and a hemispherical rear section, and its major axis L (see Figure 1) is formed in an egg shape along the front-back direction.

[0032] As shown in Figure 2, a portion of the outer casing of the oval-shaped device body 1 is composed of a functional part 3, which is located in the outer casing portion of the device body 1 where the radius of curvature is relatively small. Specifically, the functional part 3 is located at the tip (front end) of the front part of the device body 1, where the outer casing is formed in an elongated ellipse shape, and the functional part 3 consists of a skin electrode 4 that contacts the skin surface and supplies an electric current to the skin surface at the contact point. The skin electrode 4, made of metal and formed in a round dish shape, is circular in front view (see front view in Figure 8), and is paired with a grip electrode 5 provided on the outer surface of the main body case 2. The grip electrode 5 contacts the surface of the hand, and the skin electrode 4 also contacts the skin surface, so that a closed loop is formed between the beauty device and the human body.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, the grip electrode 5 is provided on the outer casing of the device body 1 where the skin electrode 4 is formed, in a part with a relatively larger radius of curvature than the outer casing of the device body 1. Specifically, the grip electrode 5 is positioned in the center of the lower surface of the main body case 2, spanning both the front and rear of the device body 1. In a bottom view, the grip electrode 5 has an elongated oval shape. (See bottom view in Figure 8) When comparing the surface areas of both electrodes 4 and 5, the electrode area of ​​the skin electrode 4 is set to be smaller than the electrode area of ​​the grip electrode 5. Furthermore, since the skin electrode 4 is provided on the outer casing of the device body 1 where the radius of curvature is relatively smallest, and the grip electrode 5 is provided on the outer casing of the device body 1 where the radius of curvature is relatively larger than the outer casing of the device body 1 where the skin electrode 4 is formed, the average radius of curvature of the electrode surface made up of the outer surface of the grip electrode 5 is set to be larger than the average radius of curvature of the electrode surface made up of the outer surface of the skin electrode 4.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the main body case 2 consists of an upper case 8 that forms the upper half of the device body 1 and a lower case 9 that forms the lower half of the device body 1. The lower half of the lower case 9 is composed of a temperature-adjustable temperature control head 10 that constitutes a temperature control unit 14, which will be described later. The upper case 8 and the lower case 9, which includes the temperature control head 10, are each formed in a roughly semi-eggshell shape, divided into two parts along the long axis L of the device body 1. The temperature control head 10 is made of metal, while the upper case 8 and the lower case 9, excluding the temperature control head 10, are made of resin. In this embodiment, the temperature control head 10 also serves as the grip electrode 5 that is paired with the skin electrode 4. The skin electrode 4 and the grip electrode 5 (temperature control head 10) are made of a metal that has conductivity and excellent corrosion resistance, such as titanium or stainless steel.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the main body case 2 houses a battery 11 consisting of a secondary battery that powers the beauty device, a control board 12 that controls the entire beauty device, a vibrator (vibration generating unit) 13 for vibrating the beauty device, and a temperature control unit 14 for changing the surface temperature of the temperature control head 10 (grip electrode 5). The battery 11 is formed in a long, cylindrical shape (rod shape) and is shrink-wrapped together with a protective board 17 that controls the charging and discharging of the battery 11 to form a battery pack 18. The battery pack 18 (battery 11) is positioned in the center of the main body case 2 with its longitudinal direction coinciding with the long axis L of the device body 1.

[0036] The longitudinal dimension (front-to-back dimension) of the battery 11 is larger than the maximum diameter of the device body 1 on a plane perpendicular to the major axis L of the device body 1. Specifically, assuming that the device body 1 is cut on a plane perpendicular to the major axis L, in the case of an egg-shaped device body 1, the diameter of the device body 1 is maximum at the cut surface at the boundary between the front and rear parts of the device body 1, and the length dimension of the battery 11 is larger than this maximum diameter. The battery pack 18, including the battery 11, is housed inside a box-shaped inner case 19 that opens upwards and backwards. This inner case 19 is fastened and fixed to the lower case 9 with a pair of screws 20 on the left and right.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the control board 12 is supported by the upper edge of the inner case 19, and is mounted to the case 19 by a pair of left and right engaging claws 21 provided on the left and right walls of the inner case 19 engaging with the upper surface of the control board 12. The control board 12 mounted in the inner case 19 covers the upper opening of the case 19. A sheet-like cushion body 22 is placed between the bottom wall of the inner case 19 and the battery pack 18, and a block-shaped cushion body 23 is placed between the control board 12 and the battery pack 18. The battery pack 18 is housed inside the inner case 19 in a positioned state by these cushion bodies 22 and 23.

[0038] On the upper surface of the control board 12, a changeover switch 26 for switching the operating state of the beauty device and an LED 27 consisting of a full-color light-emitting diode for displaying the operating state of the beauty device are fixed. The changeover switch 26 is a tact switch and can be operated by a switch button 28 that is mounted on the upper case 8 so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction. The switch button 28 is mounted on the upper part of the main body case 2, opposite to the grip electrode 5 related to the main body case 2, that is, the grip electrode 5 is located at the bottom of the main body case 2. A button recess 29 is formed as a downward recess on the upper part of the upper case 8, and the switch button 28 is mounted in a state where it is housed in this button recess 29. The switch button 28 constitutes part of the outer casing of the upper case 8.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, the switch button 28 is equipped with a rod-shaped operating rod 30 that extends downward from its lower surface. This operating rod 30 penetrates the bottom wall of the button recess 29, and its tip faces the changeover switch 26. In its normal state, the switch button 28 is fitted onto the operating rod 30 and is biased upward by a return spring 31 positioned between the switch button 28 and the bottom wall of the button recess 29. The upward movement of the switch button 28 is restricted at a predetermined upper end position by contact between a pair of restricting claws 32 provided on the left and right sides of the lower surface of the switch button 28 and restricting pieces 33 provided on the left and right sides of the inner surface of the button recess 29. When the switch button 28 is pressed downward against the return spring 31, the changeover switch 26 can be operated with the operating rod 30. When the pressing force on the switch button 28 is released, the biasing force of the return spring 31 returns the switch button 28 to its upper end position.

[0040] As shown in Figure 1, a rod-shaped light guide 34 is provided on the front side of the operating rod 30 so as to penetrate the bottom wall of the button recess 29. The light guide 34 is made of transparent resin and is positioned so that its lower end face faces the upper surface of the LED 27 and its upper end face faces the lower surface of the switch button 28. Light emitted from the LED 27 is directed onto the switch button 28 via the light guide 34, causing the switch button 28 to light up in the color of the LED 27.

[0041] As shown in Figure 3, the vibrator 13 comprises a motor 37 and an eccentric weight 38 fixed to the output shaft of the motor 37, and is fixed to the inner case 19. A downward-opening pocket 39 is provided on the outside of the left wall of the inner case 19, and the motor 37 is inserted into this pocket 39 from below, thereby fixing the vibrator 13 to the inner case 19. When the vibrator 13 is driven, its vibrations are transmitted to the main case 2 via the inner case 19, causing the entire beauty device to vibrate.

[0042] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the temperature control unit 14 consists of a temperature control head 10 which also serves as the grip electrode 5, a Peltier element 40 which is a heat source for heating or cooling, a heat sink 41 which dissipates the heat or cooling generated by the Peltier element 40, a blower fan 42 which supplies heat exchange air to the heat sink 41, and a spacer 43 which is placed between the temperature control head 10 and the heat sink 41. The temperature control head 10 also serves as the grip electrode 5 and is part of the lower case 9. Since the temperature control head 10, which is part of the lower case 9, forms part of the outer casing of the appliance body 1, the outer surface of the temperature control head 10 is exposed to the outside of the main case 2. The temperature control unit 14 is installed adjacent to the lower side of the battery 11 (battery pack 18) and is positioned by being sandwiched between the bottom wall of the inner case 19 and the resin part of the lower case 9.

[0043] As shown in Figure 5, the Peltier element 40 is a vertically flattened, rectangular block-shaped thermoelectric conversion element with its upper and lower surfaces acting as working surfaces. When one working surface is the heat-absorbing surface (low temperature side), the other working surface becomes the heat-dissipating surface (high temperature side). The heat-absorbing and heat-dissipating surfaces can be changed by switching the polarity of the voltage applied to the Peltier element 40. The lower working surface of the Peltier element 40 is in close contact with the approximate center of the upper surface of the temperature control head 10, which is formed in the shape of an egg-shaped flat dish when viewed from below.

[0044] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the heat sink 41 is made of aluminum, which has good thermal conductivity, and comprises a sink base 44 that is roughly egg-shaped in plan view and flattened in the vertical direction, a group of fins 45 provided to increase the surface area of ​​the heat sink 41 and promote heat exchange, and a volume-increasing block 46 provided to increase the volume of the heat sink 41 and increase its heat capacity. The upper surface of the sink base 44 is a flat section 47, and a group of fins 45 is erected facing upward in the rear half of the flat section 47. The blower fan 42 is fixed to the front half of the flat section 47, and the blower fan 42 and the group of fins 45 are arranged side by side in the front-to-back direction on the flat section 47. Each fin 45 is formed in a rib shape that extends in the front-to-back direction, and a number of fins 45 are arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction with a predetermined gap between adjacent fins 45. The volume-increasing block 46 consists of a fan-shaped block in plan view and is provided on the left and right sides of the group of fins 45. The upper working surface of the Peltier element 40 is in close contact with the approximate center of the lower surface of the sink base 44.

[0045] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the blower fan 42 is a sirocco fan consisting of a vertically flattened rectangular box-shaped casing 50, a centrifugal fan 51 housed inside the casing 50, and a motor 52 that rotates the centrifugal fan 51. As shown in Figure 5, an air intake port 53 is provided on the upper wall of the casing 50 to draw air into the casing 50, and this air intake port 53 is a circular opening. In addition, an air outlet 54 for air supplied by the centrifugal fan 51 is provided on the rear wall (circumferential wall) of the casing 50 facing a group of fins 45, and this air outlet 54 is a horizontally elongated rectangular opening. The direction in which the heat exchange air blown out from the air outlet 54 by the centrifugal fan 51 is directed towards the rear, and coincides with the direction of extension of the rib-shaped fins 45. Here, when the vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the planar section 47, is defined as the height direction, the height dimension of the fin 45 is set to be larger than the height dimension of the air outlet 54 (see Figure 6).

[0046] The spacer 43 is provided for the purpose of heat conduction and insulation between the temperature control head 10 and the heat sink 41, and also plays a role in positioning the Peltier element 40. To assemble the temperature control unit 14, first, the spacer 43 is placed over the top surface of the temperature control head 10, and the Peltier element 40 is placed in the element opening 55 made in the spacer 43. Next, the heat sink 41 is placed over the top surfaces of the spacer 43 and the Peltier element 40. These temperature control head 10, spacer 43, and heat sink 41 can be integrally bonded together with an insulating adhesive or the like. Finally, the blower fan 42 is placed on the front half of the flat section 47, and screws 56 are screwed into the heat sink 41 from above the blower fan 42 to fasten and fix the blower fan 42 to the heat sink 41. Thus, each component constituting the temperature control unit 14 can be assembled.

[0047] As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the main case 2 is provided with exhaust vents 57 for discharging air that has undergone heat exchange with the heat sink 41 to the outside. The exhaust vents 57 are vertically elongated rectangular openings when viewed from the rear, with multiple exhaust vents 57 arranged side by side in the left-right direction (see rear view in Figure 8), and are located in the lower case 9 facing the downstream side in the air supply direction of the blower fan 42. The air blown out from the outlet 54 of the blower fan 42, which has undergone heat exchange while passing through the gaps between the fins 45, is smoothly exhausted to the outside of the main case 2 through the exhaust vents 57 in the lower case 9.

[0048] As shown in Figure 1, an electrode plate 60 for electrically connecting the control board 12 and the skin electrode 4 is provided on the front surface of the front wall of the inner case 19. The skin electrode 4 and the front wall of the inner case 19 are positioned opposite each other front to back, and a support shaft 61 protruding forward is provided on the front wall of the inner case 19. The electrode plate 60 is formed in a flat plate shape and is arranged so that the support shaft 61 penetrates the plate surface. The electrode plate 60 and the skin electrode 4 are electrically connected by a conductive compression coil spring 62. The compression coil spring 62 is installed between the skin electrode 4 and the electrode plate 60 with the support shaft 61 inserted through it, the front end of the compression coil spring 62 is in close contact with the inner surface of the skin electrode 4, and the rear end of the compression coil spring 62 is in close contact with the front surface of the electrode plate 60. Note that the battery pack 18, electrode plate 60, grip electrode 5 (temperature control head 10), Peltier element 40, and blower fan 42 are electrically connected to the control board 12 by lead wires, but these lead wires are omitted from the illustrations in each figure.

[0049] In this embodiment, the beauty device has a battery 11 (battery pack 18) arranged along the long axis L of the device body 1, and a temperature control unit 14 arranged adjacent to the lower side of the battery 11. Of the components of the beauty device, the battery 11 is the heaviest, and the temperature control unit 14 is the next heaviest. Due to the arrangement of the battery 11 and the temperature control unit 14, the center of gravity of the beauty device is located on the side of the temperature control unit 14 relative to the long axis L of the device body 1. In other words, it is located on the lower half side of the device body 1. Therefore, when the beauty device is placed on a horizontal table surface (placement surface) S as shown in Figure 2, the long axis L of the device body 1 approaches a horizontal state, and the center of gravity is located between the long axis L of the device body 1 and the table surface S, so that the temperature control unit 14 is placed below the battery 11 and the device is stably placed. The aforementioned switch button 28 is located on the opposite side of the temperature control unit 14, with the battery 11 in between, that is, on the opposite side of the long axis L of the device body 1 with respect to the center of gravity of the beauty device. When the beauty device is not in use and placed on a horizontal table surface S, the switch button 28 is located in the upper half of the device body 1, and the exhaust vent 57 is located in the lower half of the device body 1.

[0050] As shown in Figure 2, the battery 11 is a rechargeable secondary battery, and the beauty device is provided with a secondary terminal (power receiving socket) 64 into which a primary terminal (power supply plug) 63 for supplying power to the battery 11 is inserted. As shown in Figure 1, the secondary terminal 64 is fixed to the control board 12 and is exposed to the outside through the vertical portion of a notch 65 formed in an L-shape when viewed from the side at the rear of the upper case 8. In the normal state, a terminal cover 66 is attached to the notch 65, which is formed to be smoothly continuous with the outer casing of the upper case 8 (device body 1) around the notch 65. When charging the beauty device, this terminal cover 66 is removed and the primary terminal 63 is inserted into the secondary terminal 64 to charge the battery 11. In the beauty device of this embodiment, the outer casing of the device body 1 is formed by the main body case 2, the functional part 3 (skin electrode 4), the temperature control head 10 (grip electrode 5), the switch button 28, and the terminal cover 66.

[0051] The beauty device has a strap hole 67 formed in the main body case 2 through which a suspension device R, such as a neck strap, is inserted. The strap hole 67 is opened in a left-to-right through manner in the upper case 8 between the skin electrode 4 and the switch button 28, which are located on the upper front side of the device body 1. Since the strap hole 67 is located on the opposite side of the long axis L of the device body 1 from the center of gravity of the beauty device, and slightly forward of the front-to-back center, when the beauty device is suspended from the neck by the suspension device R with the switch button 28 facing the user, the center of gravity of the beauty device is located below the strap hole 67 through which the suspension device R, which acts as the fulcrum, is inserted. As shown in Figure 7, the long axis L of the device body 1 is held in a forward-tilted position relative to the vertical line. At this time, the switch button 28 is pointed diagonally upward and backward.

[0052] The beauty device according to this embodiment has four modes: an "ion export mode" and an "ion import mode" in which both electrodes 4 and 5 are driven, and a "heat mode" and a "cold mode" in which the temperature control unit 14 is driven. When the switch button 28 of the beauty device is pressed while it is off, the "heat mode" is selected, and each subsequent press of the switch button 28 switches the mode in the order of "ion export mode," "ion import mode," and "cold mode." When the switch button 28 is pressed in "cold mode," the beauty device returns to the off state.

[0053] When using the beauty device on the skin of the face, the user first applies the beauty serum to the skin. After applying the serum to the skin, the user holds the beauty device in their hand and presses the switch button 28 to switch to "heat mode". When "heat mode" is selected, the control board 12 drives the Peltier element 40 so that the lower working surface of the Peltier element 40 becomes the heat dissipation surface (high temperature side), and also drives the blower fan 42 to heat the temperature control head 10 that it is in contact with. At this time, the cold heat generated on the upper working surface of the Peltier element 40, which is the heat absorption surface (low temperature side), is conducted to the heat sink 41 and dissipated. In "heat mode", the user can warm and soften the skin surface by bringing the temperature control head 10 into contact with the skin surface to which the beauty serum has been applied, making it easier to remove dirt and other impurities from pores.

[0054] Next, the user presses the switch button 28 to switch to "ion export mode". When "ion export mode" is selected, the control board 12 stops the power supply to the Peltier element 40, and then controls the grip electrode 5 to come into contact with the surface of the hand, and the skin electrode 4 to come into contact with the skin surface, establishing a closed loop between the beauty device and the human body, and supplying a negative polarity current to the skin electrode 4. In "ion export mode", the user can bring the skin electrode 4 into contact with the skin surface that has been warmed and softened in "heating mode", thereby drawing dirt and other impurities towards the skin electrode 4 and removing dirt from inside the pores.

[0055] Next, the user presses the switch button 28 to switch to "ion introduction mode". When "ion introduction mode" is selected, the control board 12 controls the device so that the grip electrode 5 makes contact with the surface of the hand, and the skin electrode 4 makes contact with the skin surface, establishing a closed loop between the beauty device and the human body, and supplying a positive current to the skin electrode 4. In "ion introduction mode", the user can effectively penetrate the ingredients of the beauty serum into the pores and skin surface by bringing the skin electrode 4 into contact with the skin surface after removing dirt and other impurities in "ion export mode". Before "ion introduction mode", that is, after "ion export mode" is completed, the user can wipe off any dirt that has surfaced on the skin surface, and then apply the beauty serum to the skin surface again to allow the ingredients of the beauty serum to penetrate into the skin in a clean state.

[0056] Next, press the switch button 28 to switch to "cooling mode". When "cooling mode" is selected, the control board 12 stops the power supply to both electrodes 4 and 5, and then drives the Peltier element 40 so that the lower working surface of the Peltier element 40 becomes the heat-absorbing surface (low temperature side), and also drives the blower fan 42 to cool the temperature control head 10 that is in contact with it. At this time, the heat generated on the upper working surface of the Peltier element 40, which is the heat-dissipating surface (high temperature side), is conducted to the heat sink 41 and dissipated. In "cooling mode", the user can enhance the beauty effect by bringing the temperature control head 10 into contact with the skin surface and cooling and tightening the pores and skin surface into which the beauty liquid has been absorbed. After all of the above modes are completed, press the switch button 28 to switch the beauty device to the off state.

[0057] In "heating mode" and "cooling mode," the blower fan 42 is driven and air is discharged from the exhaust port 57. However, in Figure 2, the direction of air discharged from the exhaust port 57 is directed backward relative to the temperature control head 10 (grip electrode 5) located on the underside of the device body 1. Therefore, even when the grip electrode 5 is in contact with the skin surface of the face, the air discharged from the exhaust port 57 is discharged in a direction different from the face, so the air discharged from the exhaust port 57 is not blown onto the face.

[0058] In this embodiment, the beauty device is configured to operate in four modes: "ion export mode," "ion import mode," "heat mode," and "cold mode." However, it is also possible to operate the "ion export mode" and "heat mode" simultaneously, or the "ion import mode" and "cold mode" simultaneously. Alternatively, it may be configured to operate in just two modes: "ion import mode" and "cold mode." A massage mode in which the vibrator 13 is driven independently can also be provided.

[0059] The vibrator 13 can be driven when each of the above modes is being executed. In the "heating mode" and "cold mode," the vibrator 13 can be driven at predetermined intervals from the time the mode is selected, thereby notifying the user of the elapsed time in these modes through vibration. In the "ion export mode" and "ion import mode," the vibrator 13 can be driven when a closed loop has been established between the beauty device and the human body, thereby notifying the user that a closed loop has been established through vibration. In the "ion export mode" and "ion import mode," the vibrating skin electrode 4 is brought into contact with the skin surface, thereby promoting the effects of ion export and ion import. Furthermore, when a closed loop has not been established, the vibrator 13 can be driven for a short time at predetermined intervals, so that when the beauty device is placed on, for example, a table surface S in the "ion export mode" or "ion import mode," the beauty device vibrates, notifying the user that the beauty device is not in the off state.

[0060] LED27 lights up in each of the above modes to indicate that the beauty device is in operation. For example, LED27 lights up red in "heating mode," green in "ion export mode," orange in "ion import mode," and blue in "cold / heating mode." When LED27 lights up, the emitted light is directed to the switch button 28 via the light guide 34, causing the switch button 28 to light up in the respective color. The vibration of the vibrator 13 and the illumination of LED27 can also be used to indicate the remaining battery level and charging status of the battery 11. For example, when the vibrator 13 is used to notify the user that the battery 11 needs to be charged, the vibrator 13 can emit vibrations with a different rhythm than when the elapsed time was previously indicated, prompting the user to charge. Also, when the LED27 is used to notify the user that the battery needs to be charged, the lighting color for each mode and a different lighting color from the four modes mentioned above can be alternately illuminated to prompt the user to charge. The charging status of the battery 11 can be indicated by flashing the LED 27.

[0061] When the beauty device is placed on the table surface S with the vibrator 13 running, the vibrations generated by the vibrator 13 cause the beauty device to rotate slowly around a vertical axis passing through the contact point between the egg-shaped device body 1 and the table surface S. Specifically, when the beauty device is placed on the table surface S, the temperature control head 10 (the curved surface on the lower side of the device body 1) is in contact with the table surface S due to the position of its center of gravity (see Figure 2). At this time, the vibrator 13, which is the vibration source, is located on the outside of the left side wall of the inner case 19 that holds the battery 11 (battery pack 18) which is located on the long axis L of the device body 1, and is therefore positioned away from directly above the contact point. With this configuration, vibrations generated by the vibrator 13, which is positioned horizontally off-center from directly above the contact point, are transmitted to the contact point, generating a moment acting around the vertical axis passing through the contact point, and this moment causes the beauty device to rotate slowly around the vertical axis.

[0062] As described above, in the beauty device of this embodiment, the outer casing of the device body 1, which is the base of the beauty device, is formed as an outward-convex quadratic curved surface, with the device body 1 having a hollow body case 2 and a functional part 3 integrally provided on the body case 2 and in contact with the skin surface, and a part of the outer casing of the device body 1 being composed of the functional part 3. Since a part of the outer casing of the device body 1, which is the base of the beauty device, is composed of the functional part 3, the protrusion of the functional part 3 from the device body 1 is eliminated, and no edge portion is formed on the device body (functional part) as in conventional beauty devices. Therefore, with the beauty device of this embodiment, the edge portion does not catch on the skin surface, and the functional part 3 can be moved smoothly on the skin surface. In addition, since irritation to the skin surface when moving the functional part 3 can be reduced, it is possible to make the beauty device feel good to use.

[0063] The outer casing of the device body 1 is formed in an egg shape with a long axis L, and the functional part 3 is positioned at the outer casing portion of the device body 1 where the radius of curvature is relatively small (the front end of the device body 1 in this embodiment). This allows the functional part 3 to accurately contact recessed facial skin surfaces such as around the eyes and at the border between the cheeks and nose.

[0064] The functional unit 3 consists of skin electrodes 4 that supply current to the skin surface, and grip electrodes 5 paired with the skin electrodes 4 are provided on the outer surface of the main body case 2. The grip electrodes 5 come into contact with the surface of the hand, and the skin electrodes 4 also come into contact with the skin surface, thereby forming a closed loop between the beauty device and the human body. This configuration allows for improved contact between the hand and both electrodes 4 and 5 by arranging the skin electrodes 4 and grip electrodes 5 on the quadratic curved surface that forms the outer casing of the device body 1, which is shaped like a rotating ellipse or an egg.

[0065] Since the grip electrode 5 is configured to allow the surface temperature to be changed, in addition to the beauty effects obtained by supplying electric current to the skin surface, beauty effects derived from cooling or heating the skin surface can be obtained by bringing the grip electrode 5 into contact with the skin surface. Furthermore, by giving the grip electrode 5 the function of an electrode paired with the skin electrode 4 and the function of cooling or heating the skin surface, it is possible to reduce the cost of the beauty device and prevent the structure of the beauty device from becoming complicated due to the sharing of parts.

[0066] Since the grip electrode 5 is positioned on the outer casing of the device body 1, which has a relatively larger radius of curvature than the outer casing where the skin electrode 4 is formed, it is easier to fit the hand to the device body 1 compared to the outer casing with a relatively smaller radius of curvature. This makes it possible to reliably establish contact between the grip electrode 5 and the hand, reduce the contact resistance between the grip electrode 5 and the hand, and supply a current of appropriate strength from the skin electrode 4 to the skin surface.

[0067] The switch button 28, which controls the operation of the beauty device, is positioned opposite the grip electrode 5, with the long axis L of the device body 1 in between. This allows the user of the beauty device to, for example, hold the main body case 2 with one hand while placing their thumb on the switch button 28, and without conscious effort, make contact with the grip electrode 5 with any of their other fingers. Furthermore, by positioning the switch button 28 in a part with a relatively large radius of curvature, that is, in a position where the hand easily fits the device body 1, the operation of the switch button 28 can be made easier.

[0068] The electrode area of ​​the skin electrode 4 was set to be smaller than that of the grip electrode 5. In addition, the average radius of curvature of the electrode surface of the grip electrode 5 was set to be larger than that of the skin electrode 4. As a result, when supplying current to the skin surface, the skin electrode 4 can be made to contact the skin surface with pinpoint accuracy, and when cooling or heating the skin surface with the grip electrode 5, the grip electrode 5 can be made to contact a wider area of ​​the skin surface.

[0069] A rod-shaped battery 11, which powers the beauty device, is housed inside the main case 2. The battery 11 is positioned in the center of the main case 2 such that its longitudinal direction aligns with the long axis L of the device body 1, which has an egg-shaped outer casing. This allows a longer battery 11 to be housed inside the main case 2. By positioning the longitudinal direction of the battery 11 along the long axis L of the device body 1, other components can be neatly arranged around the battery 11.

[0070] The grip electrode 5 is positioned on the outer casing of the device body 1, where the skin electrode 4 is formed, and has a relatively larger radius of curvature than the outer casing of the device body 1. Inside the main case 2, a temperature control unit 14 is provided adjacent to the battery 11 to change the surface temperature of the grip electrode 5. Furthermore, the temperature control unit 14 has a temperature control head 10 that comes into contact with the skin surface, and the temperature control head 10 forms a part of the outer casing of the device body 1, so that the temperature control head 10 also serves as the grip electrode 5. This allows the center of gravity of the beauty device to be positioned on the temperature control unit 14 side with respect to the long axis L of the device body 1. As a result, even when a beauty device with an egg-shaped outer casing is placed on a horizontal table surface S, the center of gravity of the beauty device can be positioned between the long axis L of the device body 1 and the table surface S, allowing it to be placed stably and preventing the beauty device from rolling over unintentionally. Furthermore, by having the temperature-regulating head 10 come into contact with the desk surface S, the heat (cold or warm) from the temperature-regulating head 10 after using the beauty device is conducted to the desk surface S, allowing the temperature-regulating head 10 to quickly return to room temperature.

[0071] The switch button 28 that controls the operation of the beauty device is positioned on the opposite side of the temperature control unit 14, with the battery 11 in between. This allows the switch button 28 to be positioned above the long axis L of the device body 1 when the beauty device is placed on a horizontal table surface S, enabling the user to operate the switch button 28 while visually viewing it from a plan view of the beauty device. Conversely, if the switch button 28 is positioned below the long axis L of the device body 1, there is a risk that the switch button 28 may come into contact with the table surface S and be accidentally operated. However, as in this embodiment, by positioning the switch button 28 above the long axis L of the device body 1, accidental operation of the switch button 28 can be prevented.

[0072] Since the longitudinal dimension of the battery 11 is made larger than the maximum diameter of the device body 1 in a plane perpendicular to the major axis L of the device body 1, the capacity of the battery 11 can be increased, thereby extending the operating time of the beauty device.

[0073] An inner case 19 fixed inside the main case 2 to hold the battery 11 has a support shaft 61 that protrudes toward the inner surface of the skin electrode 4, and an electrode plate 60 that supplies current to the skin electrode 4 is disposed at the base of the protruding support shaft 61. Furthermore, a compression coil spring 62 inserted through the support shaft 61 is installed between the inner surface of the skin electrode 4 and the electrode plate 60, so that the compression coil spring 62 makes electrical contact between the inner surface of the skin electrode 4 and the electrode plate 60, and the compression coil spring 62 can be supported by the support shaft 61. The biasing force of the compression coil spring 62 ensures electrical contact between the inner surface of the skin electrode 4 and the electrode plate 60, and a stable current can be supplied from the electrode plate 60 to the skin electrode 4. In addition, since the electrode plate 60 and the compression coil spring 62 are supported by the inner case 19, the internal structure of the main case 2 can be simplified compared to when a dedicated support member is provided.

[0074] The temperature control unit 14 is equipped with a Peltier element 40 that serves as a heat source for heating or cooling, so that heating or cooling can be easily obtained by driving the Peltier element 40, which is a thermoelectric conversion element, with the battery 11. It is also advantageous in that the temperature control head 10 can be cooled or heated simply by reversing the polarity of the voltage applied to the Peltier element 40.

[0075] The temperature control unit 14 is equipped with a heat sink 41 that dissipates the heat or cold generated by the Peltier element 40. Since the Peltier element 40 is an element in which the temperature difference between the heat absorption surface and the heat dissipation surface is kept constant, the surface temperature of the temperature control head 10 can be made lower or higher by releasing the heat or cold through the heat sink 41.

[0076] The temperature control unit 14 is equipped with a blower fan 42 that supplies heat exchange air to the heat sink 41. This promotes heat exchange between the air supplied by the blower fan 42 and the heat sink 41, thereby stably maintaining the surface temperature of the temperature control head 10.

[0077] The heat sink 41 comprises a sink base 44 having a flat surface 47 and a group of rib-shaped fins 45 that promote heat exchange. Since the blower fan 42 and the group of fins 45 are arranged side by side on the flat surface 47, the heat exchange air supplied by the blower fan 42 can be accurately delivered to the group of fins 45, thereby further promoting heat exchange between the heat sink 41 and the air.

[0078] The outlet 54 of the blower fan 42 is positioned directly opposite a group of fins 45, and the direction of extension of the rib-shaped fins 45 is aligned with the direction of supply of heat exchange air blown out from the outlet 54. This allows the heat exchange air supplied by the blower fan 42 to flow along the fins 45, further promoting heat exchange between the heat sink 41 and the air.

[0079] When the direction perpendicular to the planar section 47 is defined as the height direction, the blower fan 42 is equipped with a hollow, rectangular box-shaped casing 50 that is flattened in the height direction, and an outlet 54 is formed on the wall surface facing a group of fins 45. Furthermore, since the height dimension of the fins 45 is set to be larger than the height dimension of the outlet 54, the heat exchange air blown out from the outlet 54 can be supplied to the fins 45 without any loss, and heat exchange can be efficiently performed between the supplied air and the fins 45.

[0080] The main body case 2 is provided with an exhaust port 57 for exhausting air that has undergone heat exchange with the heat sink 41 to the outside. Since the exhaust port 57 is located on the main body case 2 (lower case 9) facing downstream in the direction of air supply from the blower fan 42, the air supplied by the blower fan 42 and after heat exchange with the fins 45 of the heat sink 41 can be smoothly discharged to the outside of the main body case 2 through the exhaust port 57. Furthermore, when the beauty device is placed on a horizontal table surface S, the exhaust port 57 can be positioned below the long axis L of the device body 1, effectively preventing dust and other debris from entering the inside of the main body case 2 from above.

[0081] Since a strap hole 67 formed in the main body case 2 through which the suspension device R is inserted is located between the switch button 28 and the skin electrode 4 in the main body case 2, when the beauty device is suspended from the neck by the suspension device R with the switch button 28 facing the user, the long axis L of the device body 1 is tilted forward relative to the vertical line, as shown in Figure 7. At this time, the switch button 28 is pointed diagonally upward and backward, so the user can easily operate the switch button 28 and start using the beauty device.

[0082] When the beauty device is placed on the table surface S, the secondary terminals 64 are provided on the upper case 8, which is the upper half of the device. This keeps the secondary terminals 64 away from the table surface S, and allows them to be visually seen from a plan view of the beauty device. This also allows the primary terminals 63 to be easily inserted into the secondary terminals 64 when charging the battery 11. Furthermore, since the secondary terminals 64 are positioned in the vertical portion of the notch 65, when the beauty device is placed on the table surface S, the direction of the opening of the secondary terminals 64 is approximately horizontal, effectively preventing dust and other debris from entering the secondary terminals 64 from above.

[0083] The above describes placing the skin electrode 4 in contact with the skin surface and the grip electrode 5 in contact with the hand, but it is also possible to place the skin electrode 4 in contact with the hand and the grip electrode 5 in contact with the skin surface. In this case, when the grip electrode 5 is in contact with the skin surface in ion export mode, the ingredients of the beauty serum can be effectively penetrated into the pores and skin surface. When the grip electrode 5 is in contact with the skin surface in ion import mode, dirt and other impurities can be drawn towards the grip electrode 5 and removed from inside the pores. By placing the grip electrode 5, which has a larger surface area than the skin electrode 4, in contact with the skin surface, the beauty effects can be exerted over a wider area.

[0084] The "heating mode" and "ion export mode" can be operated simultaneously. This means that the heating of the temperature control head 10 and the supply of a negative polarity current to the skin electrode 4 can be performed at the same time, allowing for alternating warming of the skin surface and removal of dirt from pores. Furthermore, the "cooling mode" and "ion import mode" can be operated simultaneously. This means that the cooling of the temperature control head 10 and the supply of a positive polarity current to the skin electrode 4 can be performed at the same time, allowing for pre-cooling of the temperature control head 10, which has been heated in the "heating mode," during the "ion import mode." As a result, the skin surface can be cooled by the sufficiently cooled temperature control head 10 when the "ion import mode" ends.

[0085] The skin electrode 4 can be used as a second temperature control head. In this case, the temperature control head 10, which also serves as the grip electrode 5, and the second temperature control head, which also serves as the skin electrode 4, can take on three configurations: both cooling, both heating, or one cooling and the other heating. In the configurations where both are cooling or both are heating, it is preferable to provide a temperature control unit 14 for each. In the configuration where one is cooling and the other is heating, it can be configured with a single temperature control unit 14. When the temperature control head 10 is used only for heating the skin surface, the temperature control unit 14 can be configured with a heater such as a film heater.

[0086] The beauty device described in the first embodiment above can be implemented in the following ways. A beauty device having a rotating ellipse or egg-shaped instrument body 1 with a major axis L, the entire outer casing of which is formed of an outward-convex quadratic curved surface, and a functional part 3 is disposed on a part of the instrument body 1, The device body 1 is equipped with a vibration generating unit 13 inside, and the vibration generating unit 13 is driven when the beauty device is in operation. The beauty device is characterized in that, when the beauty device is placed in a lateral position where the long axis L of the device body 1 approaches horizontal with respect to the mounting surface S, the vibration generated by the vibration generating unit 13 causes the device body 1 to rotate around a vertical axis passing through the contact point between the device body 1 and the mounting surface S. The position of the functional unit 3, which is installed in a part of the main body 1 of the device, is not particularly limited.

[0087] According to this, when the vibration generating unit 13 is driven and vibration is generated, the beauty device rotates on the mounting surface S, thus providing an interesting beauty device. Furthermore, if the functional unit 3 is, for example, an electrode that supplies current to the skin surface and does not emit sound or light when driven, when a user temporarily places the driven beauty device on the mounting surface S, the rotation of the beauty device can alert the user that the functional unit 3 is in a driven state. By alerting the user with the rotation of the beauty device in this way, it is possible to prevent the beauty device from being left unattended while the functional unit 3 is in a driven state, thereby reducing the consumption of unnecessary power.

[0088] The vibration generating unit 13 is positioned away from the point of contact between the main body of the device 1 and the mounting surface S.

[0089] According to this, vibrations generated by the vibration generating unit 13, which is positioned horizontally off-center from directly above the contact point between the device body 1 and the mounting surface S, are transmitted to the contact point. This generates a moment acting around a vertical axis passing through the contact point, and this moment allows the beauty device to rotate around the vertical axis. Since the generation of this moment is due to the positional relationship between the vibration generating unit 13 and the contact point, even a relatively small vibration generating unit 13 can rotate the device body 1, contributing to the miniaturization of the beauty device.

[0090] The vibration generating unit 13 includes a motor 37 and an eccentric weight 38 fixed to the output shaft of the motor 37. The axial direction of the output shaft of the motor 37 is parallel to the vertical axis passing through the contact point between the device body 1 and the mounting surface S. In this context, "parallel" refers not only to the case where the axial direction of the output shaft and the aforementioned vertical axis are perfectly parallel, but also to a state where one is slightly tilted relative to the other, resulting in a nearly parallel state.

[0091] According to this, since the vibration generating unit 13 can generate horizontal vibrations, a moment acting around the vertical axis passing through the contact point is more easily generated, and the beauty device placed on the mounting surface S can be reliably rotated. Furthermore, a beauty device equipped with a vibration generating unit 13 with a simple configuration consisting of a motor 37 and an eccentric weight 38 can be made more reliable by suppressing the occurrence of malfunctions.

[0092] (Second Embodiment) Figure 9 shows a second embodiment of the beauty device according to the present invention. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the skin electrode 4, which is the functional part 3, protrudes slightly from the outer casing of the device body 1. In Figure 9, the dashed line shows the outer casing of the device body 1 in the first embodiment, and in this embodiment, the skin electrode 4 protrudes from the outer casing of the device body 1 in the first embodiment by approximately the thickness dimension of the metal forming the skin electrode 4. In the present invention, the statement that "the outer casing of the device body 1 is formed as an outward-convex quadratic curved surface, and a part of the outer casing of the device body 1 is composed of the functional part 3" includes the case in which the functional part 3 protrudes slightly from the outer casing of the device body 1 as shown above. It also includes the case in which the functional part 3 is slightly recessed from the outer casing of the device body 1 shown by the dashed line. The rest is the same as in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used for the same components and their descriptions are omitted. The same applies to the following embodiments.

[0093] In the first and second embodiments described above, the skin electrode 4 (functional part 3) is positioned at the front tip of the device body 1, which has an egg-shaped outer shell (the outer shell portion of the device body 1 with the smallest relative radius of curvature). However, the skin electrode 4 can also be positioned at a portion with a larger radius of curvature than the portion where the skin electrode 4 is positioned, for example, at the rear tip of the device body 1. In this case, the skin electrode 4 can be positioned on a gentler curved surface, thereby increasing the contact area with the skin.

[0094] (Third Embodiment) Figure 10 shows a third embodiment of the beauty device according to the present invention. This third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the outer casing of the device body 1 is formed by a combination of an outward-convex quadratic curved surface and a single plane. The plane, which is part of the outer casing of the device body 1, is located at the tip (front end) of the front part of the device body 1 where the outer casing is formed in an elongated ellipse shape, and a functional part 3, which is a skin electrode 4 that contacts the skin surface and supplies an electric current to the skin surface at the contact point, is located on this plane. Since the outer casing of the device body 1 has a plane formed in conjunction with the outward-convex quadratic curved surface, the boundary between the curved surface and the plane is necessarily obtuse, and the skin contact at the boundary is smooth. It is preferable that the boundary between the curved surface and the plane be a quadratic curved surface with a large radius of curvature.

[0095] As described above, in the beauty device of this embodiment, the outer casing of the device body 1, which is the base of the beauty device, is formed by a combination of an outward-convex quadratic curved surface and a single plane, and the plane portion forming the outer casing of the device body 1 is composed of the functional portion 3. In this embodiment as well, since a part of the outer casing of the device body 1, which is the base of the beauty device, is composed of the functional portion 3, the protrusion of the functional portion 3 from the device body 1 is eliminated, and no edge portion is formed on the device body (functional portion) as in conventional beauty devices. Therefore, with the beauty device of this embodiment, the edge portion does not catch on the skin surface, and the functional portion 3 can be moved smoothly on the skin surface. In addition, since irritation to the skin surface when the functional portion 3 is moved can be suppressed, it is possible to make the beauty device feel good to use. In the second and third embodiments described above, the configuration of the beauty device of the first embodiment can also be applied, such as the arrangement of the battery 11, the configuration of the temperature control unit 14, and the energizing configuration between the skin electrode 4 and the electrode plate 60.

[0096] (Fourth Embodiment) Figure 11 shows a fourth embodiment of the beauty device according to the present invention. In this fourth embodiment, the device body 1 is formed of an outward-convex quadratic curved surface consisting of an elongated ellipse (rotational ellipse). The functional part 3, the skin electrode 4, is disposed at the tip of the front half of the device body 1, whose outer casing is formed in an elongated ellipse shape, and a switch button 28 is disposed at the tip of the rear half of the device body 1. Inside the main body case 2, the battery 11 is disposed below the long axis L of the device body 1, and the temperature control unit 14 is disposed above the long axis L of the device body 1. The temperature control head 10, which constitutes the temperature control unit 14 and also serves as the grip electrode 5, is disposed in the upper part of the main body case 2, i.e., the upper case 8. In the beauty device of this embodiment, since the heaviest component, the battery 11, is disposed below the long axis L of the device body 1, the center of gravity is also located on the battery 11 side of the long axis L. In this embodiment, when the beauty device is placed on the table surface S, the temperature control unit 14 is located in the upper half of the device body 1, and the temperature control head 10 (grip electrode 5) is located on the upper surface of the beauty device. As in this embodiment, the device body 1 is not limited to an egg shape, but may be formed as an outward-convex quadratic curved surface consisting of an elongated ellipse (rotational ellipse).

[0097] In each of the above embodiments, the outer casing of the device body 1 is formed in the shape of an elongated ellipse (rotating ellipse) or an egg shape. However, the outer casing of the device body 1 is not limited to the above embodiments, as long as it is formed by an outward-convex quadratic surface, or a combination of an outward-convex quadratic surface and a single plane. In each of the above embodiments, the functional unit 3 is composed of skin electrodes 4, and a pair of grip electrodes 5 are provided on the main body case 2. However, the functional unit 3 can also be composed of a temperature-regulating head 10, in which case the skin electrodes 4 and the electrode grip electrodes 5 are omitted.

[0098] (Reference Embodiment) Figure 12 shows a reference embodiment in which the configuration of the beauty device according to the present invention is applied to an electric razor, which is a small electrical device. In this embodiment, the functional unit 3 consists of a cutting blade 70 that shears beards, etc., and the skin electrode 4, grip electrode 5, and temperature control unit 14, etc., as in the above embodiments are omitted. The cutting blade 70 consists of an outer blade 71 made of a dome-shaped mesh blade supported by the main body case 2, and an inner blade 72 that is rotationally driven while sliding against the inner surface of the outer blade 71. The inner blade 72 is supported by a disc-shaped inner blade holder 73, and a plurality of inner blades 72 are supported at equally spaced positions in the circumferential direction of the inner blade holder 73.

[0099] Inside the main body case 2, a drive motor 74 is positioned below the battery 11 to rotate the inner blade holder 73. The output shaft of the drive motor 74 and the inner blade holder 73 are connected by a transmission belt 77 that is wrapped around a driving pulley 75 on the drive motor 74 and a driven pulley 76 on the inner blade holder 73, thereby transmitting the rotational power of the drive motor 74 to the inner blade holder 73. In this embodiment, the drive motor 74 is the second heaviest component after the battery 11, and the center of gravity of the electric shaver (small electrical device) is located on the drive motor 74 side of the long axis L of the device body 1. When the electric shaver is placed on a desk surface S, it is stably placed with the side where the drive motor 74 is located facing downwards. Note that the positions of the battery 11 and the drive motor 74 may be reversed.

[0100] The small electrical device described in the above reference embodiment can be implemented in the following ways. In a small electrical device based on a device body 1 having a main body case 2 made of a hollow body and a functional part 3 integrally provided on the main body case 2 and in contact with the skin surface, The device body 1 has a built-in battery 11 that serves as the power source. The outer casing of the device body 1 is formed in an oblong or oval shape with a major axis L, and the entire structure is formed as an outward-convex quadratic curved surface. The device is characterized in that its center of gravity is located at a position offset from the long axis L of the main body 1. The position of the functional unit 3 that constitutes the main body 1 of the device is not particularly limited.

[0101] According to this, when a small electrical device is placed on a horizontal desk surface S, the center of gravity of the device body 1 is located between the long axis L and the desk surface S, allowing the device to be placed stably, thus preventing the device from accidentally rolling over.

[0102] The main case 2 is provided with a switch button 28 for controlling the operation of small electrical devices. The switch button 28 is positioned on the opposite side of the center of gravity of the fixture body 1, with the long axis L in between.

[0103] According to this, when the small electrical device is placed on a horizontal desk surface S, the switch button 28 can be positioned above the long axis L of the device body 1, allowing the user to operate the switch button 28 while visually viewing it from a plan view of the beauty device. If the desk surface S and the switch button 28 are in contact, there is a risk that the switch button 28 may be accidentally operated when an external force is applied to the small electrical device. However, by positioning the switch button 28 above the long axis L of the device body 1, accidental operation of the switch button 28 can be prevented.

[0104] The battery 11 is a rechargeable battery and is configured to be rechargeable via a primary terminal 63 attached to a secondary terminal 64 provided on the main unit case 2. When the direction perpendicular to the horizontal desk surface S is defined as the height direction, the secondary terminals 64 are arranged on the upper half of the main body 1 of the small electrical device placed on the desk surface S.

[0105] According to this, when the small electrical device is placed on the desk surface S, the secondary terminal 64 is kept as far away from the desk surface S as possible, and the secondary terminal 64 can be visually seen in a plan view of the small electrical device, so that the primary terminal 63 can be easily inserted into the secondary terminal 64 when charging the battery 11.

[0106] When the small electrical device is placed on the desk surface S, the secondary terminal 64 is open and oriented horizontally.

[0107] According to this, dust and other debris can be effectively prevented from entering the secondary terminal 64 from above.

[0108] In the above reference embodiment, an electric razor, which is a small electrical device in which the functional unit 3 consists of a hair shaving processing unit (cutting blade 70), was described. However, other small electrical devices besides electric razors include beauty devices having electrodes that supply current to the skin surface, as in the first to fourth embodiments described above, heating and cooling devices having a head that heats or cools the human body, and massage devices having a massage head that applies vibration or electrical stimulation to the surface of the human body. In beauty devices, the functional unit 3 is an electrode, in heating and cooling devices, the functional unit 3 is a head, and in massage devices, the functional unit 3 is a massage head.

[0109] As a configuration for a small electrical device, the configurations of the first embodiment, such as the arrangement of the battery 11, the configuration of the temperature control unit 14, and the energization configuration between the skin electrode 4 and the electrode plate 60, can be individually applied regardless of the external casing of the small electrical device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0110] 1. Main body of the device 2. Main unit case 3. Functional Section 4 Skin electrode 5 Grip electrodes 10 Temperature-controlled head 11 Batteries 14 Temperature control unit 19 Inner Case 28 Switch buttons 40 Peltier elements 41 Heatsink 42 Blower fan 44 sink base 45 fins 47 Plane part 54 Air outlet 57 Exhaust port 60 Electrode plate 61 Spindle 62 Compression coil spring 67 strap holes L Long axis of the main body of the device R Lifting device

Claims

1. In a beauty device based on a device body (1) having a main body case (2) made of a hollow body and a functional part (3) integrally provided on the main body case (2) and in contact with the skin surface, The outer casing of the main body of the device (1) is formed entirely of an outward-convex quadratic curved surface. A beauty device characterized in that a part of the outer casing of the main body (1) of the device is composed of a functional part (3).

2. In a beauty device based on a device body (1) having a main body case (2) made of a hollow body and a functional part (3) integrally provided on the main body case (2) and in contact with the skin surface, The outer casing of the main body of the device (1) is formed by a combination of an outwardly convex quadratic curved surface and a single flat surface. A beauty device characterized in that the planar portion forming the outer casing of the device body (1) is composed of a functional part (3).

3. The outer casing of the instrument body (1) is formed in a spheroidal or oval shape with a major axis (L), The beauty device according to claim 1, wherein a functional part (3) is disposed on the outer casing of the device body (1) where the radius of curvature is relatively small.

4. The functional unit (3) consists of skin electrodes (4) that supply electric current to the skin surface, and grip electrodes (5) that are paired with the skin electrodes (4) are provided on the outer surface of the main body case (2). The beauty device according to claim 3, wherein a closed loop is formed between the beauty device and the human body by the grip electrode (5) contacting the surface of the hand and the skin electrode (4) contacting the skin surface.

5. The beauty device according to claim 4, configured so that the surface temperature of the grip electrode (5) can be changed.

6. The beauty device according to claim 4, wherein the grip electrode (5) is disposed on an outer casing portion of the device body (1) on which the skin electrode (4) is formed, the outer casing portion having a relatively larger radius of curvature than the outer casing portion.

7. The main body case (2) is provided with a switch button (28) for controlling the operation of the beauty device. The beauty device according to claim 6, wherein the switch button (28) is positioned opposite the grip electrode (5) with the long axis (L) of the device body (1) in between.

8. The beauty device according to claim 4, wherein the electrode area of ​​the skin electrode (4) is set to be smaller than the electrode area of ​​the grip electrode (5).

9. The beauty device according to claim 4, wherein the average radius of curvature of the electrode surface of the grip electrode (5) is set to be greater than the average radius of curvature of the electrode surface of the skin electrode (4).

10. Inside the main case (2) is a rod-shaped battery (11) that powers the beauty device. The beauty device according to claim 4, wherein the battery (11) is disposed in the center of the main body case (2) such that the longitudinal direction of the battery (11) coincides with the long axis (L) of the device body (1), which has an outer casing formed in the shape of a rotating ellipse or an egg.

11. The grip electrode (5) is positioned on the outer casing portion of the device body (1) where the skin electrode (4) is formed, which has a relatively larger radius of curvature than the outer casing portion. A temperature control unit (14) for changing the surface temperature of the grip electrode (5) is provided inside the main body case (2) adjacent to the battery (11). The temperature control unit (14) has a temperature control head (10) that comes into contact with the skin surface, The beauty device according to claim 10, wherein a part of the outer casing of the device body (1) is composed of a temperature-regulating head (10), and the temperature-regulating head (10) also serves as a grip electrode (5).

12. The main body case (2) is provided with a switch button (28) for controlling the operation of the beauty device. The beauty device according to claim 11, wherein the switch button (28) is located on the opposite side of the temperature control unit (14) with the battery (11) in between.

13. The beauty device according to claim 10, wherein the longitudinal dimension of the battery (11) is formed to be larger than the maximum diameter of the device body (1) in a plane perpendicular to the major axis (L) of the device body (1).

14. The battery (11) is held in an inner case (19) fixed inside the main case (2). The inner case (19) has a support shaft (61) that protrudes toward the inner surface of the skin electrode (4), and an electrode plate (60) that supplies current to the skin electrode (4) is disposed at the protruding base of the support shaft (61). The beauty device according to claim 10, wherein a compression coil spring (62) inserted through a support shaft (61) is installed between the inner surface of the skin electrode (4) and the electrode plate (60).

15. The beauty device according to claim 11, wherein the temperature control unit (14) is equipped with a Peltier element (40) that serves as a heat source for heating or cooling.

16. The beauty device according to claim 15, wherein the temperature control unit (14) is equipped with a heat sink (41) that dissipates the heat or cold generated by the Peltier element (40).

17. The beauty device according to claim 16, wherein the temperature control unit (14) is equipped with a blower fan (42) that supplies heat exchange air to the heat sink (41).

18. The heat sink (41) comprises a sink base (44) having a flat surface (47) and a group of rib-shaped fins (45) that promote heat exchange. The beauty device according to claim 17, wherein a blower fan (42) and a group of fins (45) are arranged side by side on a flat surface (47).

19. The outlet (54) of the blower fan (42) is positioned to face directly opposite the group of fins (45). The beauty device according to claim 18, wherein the direction of extension of the rib-shaped fins (45) coincides with the direction of supply of heat exchange air blown out from the outlet (54).

20. When the direction perpendicular to the planar portion (47) is defined as the height direction, the blower fan (42) is equipped with a hollow, rectangular box-shaped casing (50) that is flattened in the height direction, and an outlet (54) is formed on the wall surface facing a group of fins (45). The beauty device according to claim 19, wherein the height dimension of the fin (45) is set to be greater than the height dimension of the air outlet (54).

21. The main body case (2) is provided with an exhaust vent (57) for exhausting the air that has undergone heat exchange by the heat sink (41) to the outside. The beauty device according to claim 19, wherein an exhaust port (57) is provided in the main body case (2) facing the downstream side in the air supply direction of the blower fan (42).

22. The main body case (2) has a strap hole (67) through which the hanging device (R) is inserted. The beauty device according to claim 12, wherein a strap hole (67) is disposed between the switch button (28) and the skin electrode (4) in the main body case (2).

Images