Hybrid epilator

Abstract

To provide a hair removal device capable of more efficiently removing hair. [Solution] The hybrid epilator 10 includes a photoepilation unit 14 having an irradiation unit 20 that irradiates light onto the hair in the area to be epilated, and an electric epilation unit 12 that passes an electric current through an epilation needle 42 inserted into a hair follicle. In addition, the output value of the irradiation unit 20 is set to increase when the number of irradiations by the irradiation unit 20 is increased to a predetermined threshold value or less.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hybrid epilator. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the number of people who want to remove unwanted hair has been increasing. Types of hair removal devices include electric hair removal (needle hair removal), photoepilation (light hair removal), and laser hair removal.

[0003] As an example of technology related to the present invention, Patent Document 1 discloses an optical hair removal device that removes hair by irradiating the skin surface with pulsed light emitted from a hair removal light source located inside the main body, and is characterized by comprising a cooling means for cooling a light-transmitting plate installed in an exit window through which the pulsed light is emitted, a heat sink attached in contact with the cooling means for dissipating heat from the cooling means, an electric board on which electrical elements including a drive circuit for the hair removal light source are mounted, and an air blowing means for simultaneously cooling the heat sink and the electric board by generating an air flow. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2024-34294 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Electrolysis has the advantage of being able to remove not only black hair but also gray hair, but it is very painful and takes time as it treats each pore one by one. Light hair removal is less painful and can treat a specific area in a short time, but is said to be less effective than electrolysis. Laser hair removal is more painful than light hair removal but is more effective. However, laser hair removal can only be performed at a medical institution. Each hair removal method has its pros and cons.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a hair removal device that can remove hair more efficiently. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The hybrid epilator according to the present invention comprises a light epilator having an irradiation unit which irradiates light onto the hair in the area to be epilated, and which can be used in a short time with little pain, and an electric epilator which passes an electric current through an epilation needle inserted into a hair follicle, and which can treat gray hairs but is painful, and is used after the light epilator. The light epilator irradiates light onto the hair in the area to be epilated, which is desired by the client, and the electric epilator inserts the epilator needle of the electric epilator into a gray hair follicle remaining in the area to be epilated and passes an electric current through the epilator needle. and when the number of irradiations by the irradiation unit increases and the output value of the irradiation unit falls below a predetermined threshold, the output value of the irradiation unit is increased by extending the irradiation time by the irradiation unit. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, hair removal can be performed more efficiently. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a hybrid epilator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the number of irradiations by the light hair removal unit and the output value in the hybrid hair removal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a medical record of a hybrid epilator according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, the same elements in all the drawings are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. In addition, in the explanation in the text, the reference numerals previously described will be used as necessary.

[0014] Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a hybrid epilator 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the number of irradiations and the output value by the light epilation unit 14 in the hybrid epilator 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Fig. 2(a) is a table showing the relationship between the number of irradiations by the light epilating unit 14 and the output value in the hybrid epilating device 10 of the embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 2(b) is a line graph showing the relationship between the number of irradiations by the light epilating unit 14 and the output value in the hybrid epilating device 10 of the embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a medical record of the hybrid epilating device 10 of the embodiment according to the present invention.

[0016] The hybrid epilator 10 includes an electrical epilator unit 12, a photoepilator unit 14, a control unit 18, and a storage unit 19. The hybrid epilator 10 is a device that combines the advantages of both photoepilation and electrical epilation to efficiently perform hair removal.

[0017] The electric hair removal unit 12 has a hair removal needle unit 43 having a hair removal needle 42, and a high-frequency generator 40, and has the function of passing an electric current through the hair removal needle 42 inserted into a hair follicle.

[0018] When an activation switch (not shown) is turned on, the control unit 18 outputs a high-frequency output control signal to the electric hair removal unit 12, and based on this control signal, a high-frequency output current is applied from the high-frequency generator 40 to the hair removal needle 42 inserted into the hair follicle for a specified application time and timing. This allows a weak current to flow inside the hair follicle, stopping the hair growth function.

[0019] The electric cable 13 houses a signal line for transmitting various signals between the device main body 11 and the epilation needle unit 43 and a power line for supplying power to the epilation needle 42. One end of the electric cable 13 is connected to the connector unit, and the other end is connected to the epilation needle unit 43.

[0020] The photoepilation unit 14 includes an irradiation unit 20 that irradiates light onto hair in the area to be removed, and a refrigerant cooling unit 30 that cools the heat generated by the light emitted from the xenon tube 22 of the irradiation unit 20.

[0021] The irradiation unit 20 is a part for emitting pulsed light to a hair removal target area. The irradiation unit 20 includes a xenon tube 22, an irradiation window 24, an irradiation button 26, an irradiation counter 28, and an irradiation heat absorption unit 32.

[0022] The xenon tube 22 functions as a light source of pulsed light. When a high voltage is instantaneously applied to the xenon tube 22, light that reacts with the melanin pigment in the hair root and generates heat is generated as pulsed light.

[0023] The generated pulsed light can be emitted with a width of, for example, 20 ms to 1500 ms. Furthermore, the xenon tube 22 emits simmer light by passing a weak current through it even when it is not lit, so that it can emit light at high speed during irradiation.

[0024] The irradiation window 24 is a window for guiding the pulsed light generated by the xenon tube 22 to the outside of the main body, and is disposed on the bottom surface of the irradiation unit 20 facing the area to be depilated. The irradiation window 24 will be described here as being configured as a light guide tube made of sapphire.

[0025] The irradiation unit 20 is also provided with an irradiation button 26 and an irradiation counter 28. The irradiation button 26 is a button for causing the irradiation unit 20 to emit pulsed light when pressed by the user at any timing.

[0026] The irradiation counter 28 is a portion that displays the number of times the pulsed light is emitted. The irradiation counter 28 displays the cumulative number of irradiations based on a counter value stored in a predetermined storage area of ​​the control unit 18 or the storage unit 19.

[0027] Further, a current carrying cable 15 for connecting to the device body 11 is extended from the irradiation unit 20 .

[0028] The current-carrying cable 15 houses a signal line for transmitting various signals between the device body 11 and the irradiation unit 20, a power line for supplying power to the xenon tube 22, and a cooling water pipe for circulating cooling water between the device body 11 and the irradiation unit 20. One end of the current-carrying cable 15 is connected to the connector unit, and the other end is connected to the irradiation unit 20 through the grip unit.

[0029] The refrigerant cooling unit 30 is a device for cooling heat generated by light emission from the xenon tube 22 of the irradiation unit 20, and is built into the device body 11. The refrigerant cooling unit 30 is configured by connecting the refrigerant heat absorption unit 32 built into the irradiation unit 20 via a cooling water pipe built into the current-carrying cable 15.

[0030] The refrigerant cooling section 30 includes a Peltier unit 36, a cooling water tank 38 for replenishing and storing cooling water as the refrigerant, and a water pump 40.

[0031] The Peltier unit 36 ​​is a water-cooling cooling device that uses a Peltier element, which is a thermoelectric element that utilizes the Peltier effect, and cools water supplied from a cooling water tank 38. The cooled water is sent out by a water pump 40 via the cooling water connector of the connector portion.

[0032] A cooling water pipe is connected to the cooling water connector, and the delivered cooling water passes through an outgoing cooling water pipe housed within the current-carrying cable 15 , enters the irradiation section 20 , and reaches the refrigerant heat absorption section 32 .

[0033] The refrigerant heat absorption section 32 includes an irradiation window cooling pipe arranged to remove heat from the irradiation window 24, a xenon tube cooling pipe arranged to remove heat from the xenon tube 22, and a connecting pipe for supplying cooling water discharged from the irradiation window cooling pipe to the xenon tube cooling pipe.

[0034] The cooling water supplied to the refrigerant heat absorption section 32 cools the emission window 24 in the emission window cooling pipe, is introduced into the xenon tube cooling pipe via the connecting pipe, cools the xenon tube 22 , and is discharged from the refrigerant heat absorption section 32 .

[0035] The cooling water that has passed through the refrigerant heat absorption section 32 enters the device body 11 through a return cooling water pipe housed in the current-carrying cable 15, and is circulated by reaching the Peltier unit 36 ​​in the refrigerant cooling section 30, where it is cooled again. In this manner, the refrigerant cooling section 30 cools the xenon tube 22 and the irradiation window 24 provided in the irradiation section 20.

[0036] The control unit 18 includes an internal CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and is capable of executing programs necessary for the operation of the hybrid epilator 10.

[0037] The control unit 18 has a function of setting the output value of the irradiation unit 20 to increase when the number of irradiations (number of shots) by the irradiation unit 20 increases and the output value of the irradiation unit 20 falls below a predetermined threshold value. For example, the relationship between the number of irradiations (number of shots) and output (J) of the irradiation unit 20 is shown, and the "Setting value" on the right side shows the setting by the control unit 18, including the frequency (Hz), irradiation (seconds), and interval (seconds).

[0038] In this way, the number of shots is 3.3 million, and the average output (J) is 39.6 J, so the output is decreasing, and the control unit 18 controls the irradiation time to be extended from 10 seconds to 15 seconds, and the interval to be extended from 5 seconds to 10 seconds. As a result, the average output (J) at 340,000 shots is increased to 44.0 J.

[0039] In addition, the control unit 18 has a function of storing in the memory unit 19 the hair removal target area, the output value of the irradiation unit 20, and the number of irradiations of the irradiation unit 20 for each client.

[0040] The memory unit 19 is a storage device that stores the area to be depilated, the output value of the irradiation unit 20, the number of irradiations of the irradiation unit 20, and the like.

[0041] The operation unit 50 is a terminal for operating the hybrid epilator 10. The operation unit 50 can communicate with the device body 11 via Wifi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like using a smartphone, tablet terminal, or the like.

[0042] The operation unit 50 can be, for example, a smartphone or tablet terminal owned by the owner of a hair removal salon or the like that introduces the hybrid epilator 10 as a commercial device.

[0043] Application software for operating the hybrid epilator 10 is installed in the operation unit 50, and when the application software is started, information on the client, such as the hair removal salon, can be input.

[0044] Information that can be input through the operation unit 50 includes, for example, the name of the hair removal salon, the client's name, gender, age, treatment date, treatment area and level during treatment, treatment time (treatment start time, treatment end time), skin color of the treatment area, number of treatment shots within the time, etc., as shown in FIG. 3.

[0045] Here, the area to be depilated, the output value of the irradiation unit 20, the number of irradiations of the irradiation unit 20, etc. may be automatically input based on information from the irradiation unit 20 and the control unit 18, etc. The information for each client stored in this manner can be used as a medical record.

[0046] Next, the operation of the hybrid epilator 10 having the above configuration will be described. In a hair removal salon that newly introduces the hybrid epilator 10, application software is installed on a smartphone or tablet terminal owned by the salon, and the operation unit 50 configured by the smartphone or tablet terminal and the device body 11 of the hybrid epilator 10 are made capable of communicating with each other.

[0047] When a client visits the salon, the salon staff uses the operation unit 50 to input the client's name, sex, age, treatment date, treatment area, etc.

[0048] First, the salon staff uses the photoepilation unit 14 to irradiate light onto the hair in the area desired by the client to be removed (S2). The salon staff operates the irradiation unit 20 so that the irradiation window 24 faces the area to be removed by the client, and presses the irradiation button 26 to perform hair removal.

[0049] After step S2, the epilation needle 42 of the electric epilation unit 12 is inserted into the hair follicle of the hair remaining in the area to be epilated, and an electric current is passed through the epilation needle 42 (S4). The salon staff operates the epilation needle unit 43 to insert the epilation needle 42 into the hair follicle and turns on the activation switch, causing a high-frequency electric current to pass through the epilation needle 42 and performing hair removal.

[0050] With the hybrid epilator 10, the area desired by the client to be epilated is first epilated by the light epilation unit 14, so the pain is low and a specific area can be treated, allowing for a short treatment time. However, the light epilation unit 14 cannot remove, for example, gray hair, so some hair may remain after treatment.

[0051] After achieving this state, the hybrid epilator 10 removes the hair by inserting the epilation needle 42 of the electric epilation unit 12 into the hair follicle and passing an electric current through the epilation needle 42. The electric epilation unit 12 can treat each hair follicle one by one, and can also remove gray hair.

[0052] Conventionally, electrical hair removal was highly effective but was painful and required a long time for the treatment, while photoepilation was less painful and could be completed in a short time, but had the problem that the hair removal effect was inferior to that of electrical hair removal. However, the hybrid hair removal device 10 combines two types of hair removal and can perform hair removal using an efficient procedure, which has the remarkable effect of improving hair removal effect with less pain in a short time.

[0053] In addition, according to the hybrid epilator 10, treatment information for each client is recorded as a chart in the memory unit 19 and can be displayed on the operation unit 50, etc., as necessary, so that salon staff can provide appropriate advice to clients.

[0054] Furthermore, according to the hybrid epilator 10, the number of shots of the light epilation unit 12 is increased, and if the output drops, the irradiation time and intervals are reset to increase the output, so there is an advantage that an efficient epilation effect can be maintained for a long period of time. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 10 Hybrid epilator, 11 Device body, 12 Electrical epilation unit, 13 Power cable, 14 Light epilation unit, 15 Power cable, 18 Control unit, 19 Memory unit, 20 Irradiation unit, 22 Xenon tube, 24 Irradiation window, 26 Irradiation button, 28 Irradiation counter, 30 Refrigerant cooling unit, 32 Refrigerant heat absorption unit, 36 Peltier unit, 38 Cooling water tank, 40 Water pump, 40 High frequency generator, 42 Epilation needle, 43 Epilation needle unit, 50 Operation unit.

Claims

[Claim 1] A light hair removal unit having an irradiation unit that irradiates light onto hair in a hair removal target area, and which can perform treatment in a short time with little pain; An electric hair removal unit that passes an electric current through a hair removal needle inserted into a hair follicle, which is painful but can also remove gray hair, and is used after the light hair removal unit; Equipped with The light hair removal unit irradiates light onto the hair in the hair removal target area desired by the client, The electric hair removal unit inserts the hair removal needle of the electric hair removal unit into a white hair follicle remaining in the hair removal target area and passes an electric current through the hair removal needle, A hybrid hair removal device characterized in that when the number of irradiations by the irradiation unit increases and the output value of the irradiation unit falls below a predetermined threshold value, the output value of the irradiation unit is set to increase by extending the irradiation time by the irradiation unit.

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