Skin care device using electrical stimulation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable skin care device using electrical stimulation, wherein the skin care device can easily be brought into contact with body parts, such as the face, having relatively narrow parts of contact and many curves, and the depth of the stimulation can be adjusted. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the portable skin care device using electrical stimulation applies electrical stimulation to the skin of a user, and comprises: a head part that is brought into contact with the skin of the user; and an electrode part comprising a first electrode, formed in a central area on the front of the head part, and a second electrode, formed along an edge region of the head part so as to surround the first electrode while being spaced a predetermined distance therefrom, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode have one or more regions in which the distance between the first and second electrodes is different. (Representative drawing: Figure 4)

Description

Skin care device using electrical stimulation

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable skin care device, and more particularly, to a portable skin care device using electrical stimulation that can easily contact a body part with a relatively narrow contact area and many curves, such as the face, can adjust the depth of stimulation, and can enhance the beauty or massage effect.

[0002] As people age, their skin loses elasticity, sags, and wrinkles form. When exposed to ultraviolet rays for a long time, dead skin cells thicken, making the skin unclear, reducing the skin's blood circulation, and preventing the skin from receiving sufficient moisture and nutrients.

[0003] To solve these problems, functional substances such as nutritional creams that provide nutrition to the skin are applied to the skin, or skin care or massage methods that provide physical stimulation to the skin to improve blood circulation are used.

[0004] Recently, it has been known that high-frequency electrical stimulation of the skin promotes the absorption of creams applied to the skin and promotes blood circulation by generating deep heat in the skin. Accordingly, various types of high-frequency electrical stimulators have been introduced.

[0005] Electrical stimulators that utilize electrical energy are broadly categorized into two types based on the configuration of the electrodes. For example, the high-frequency stimulation method applied to electrical stimulators is divided into the monopolar method, which contacts one electrode to the skin and allows electrical energy to circulate throughout the body along with the ground electrode, and the bipolar method, which contacts two electrodes to the skin and allows the electrical energy applied to one electrode to circulate to the other electrode placed side by side.

[0006] Monopolar therapy, where a single positive electrode contacts the target area and conducts current to other parts of the body, creates a wide electric field between the electrodes, allowing for deep penetration. However, it is not suitable for precise, localized, or sensitive skin applications. Conversely, bipolar therapy, where electrical energy does not circulate beyond the area between the two electrodes, prevents unnecessary tissue damage by not affecting tissues other than the treatment area, making it effective for use on sensitive, thin skin.

[0007] Bipolar electrical stimulators have been described in numerous papers as varying the range of electric field formation depending on the spacing between the electrodes, resulting in varying depths of electrical energy delivery. Furthermore, numerous patents have documented electrical stimulators that utilize this principle to control penetration depth by adjusting the spacing between invasive or non-invasive electrodes.

[0008] Figures 1 to 3 are drawings showing various electrode structures of an electric stimulator according to a conventional technology and the flow of electric energy accordingly.

[0009] The electrical stimulator (10) of Fig. 1 has three pairs of electrodes (A-A', B-B', C-C') arranged in parallel and facing each other. In the electrode structure of Fig. 1, when the three pairs of electrodes operate simultaneously, the electrical energy penetrates over three ranges, providing a wide range of application. However, this may cause unnecessary or excessive stimulation when applied to a facial area with thin skin (S). In addition, in the electrode structure of Fig. 1, when one pair of the three pairs of electrodes is selectively activated, the electrical energy cannot penetrate a narrow area of ​​skin to a desired depth due to the sequential arrangement of the electrodes, and it is also difficult to ensure that both electrodes are in complete contact with a facial area with many curves. This difficulty becomes more pronounced when the deepest penetration of electrical energy is required in a part of the skin consisting of a narrow area.

[0010] The electrical stimulator (20) of Fig. 2 has two ring-shaped electrodes (B, C) radially arranged around a disk-shaped electrode (A). In the electrode structure of Fig. 2, in order to apply electrical stimulation to the skin, the 'A' electrode located in the center must contact the skin, and this electrode structure is suitable for use on a relatively narrow area of ​​skin compared to the electrode structure of Fig. 1. However, the electrode structure of Fig. 2 has limitations in application to areas of the face with many curves because a sufficient contact area equivalent to the size of the electrode head must be secured in order to transmit stimulation to a deep penetration depth, and in order to stimulate at a shallow penetration depth, the use is limited by the area of ​​the electrode 'BC' section.

[0011] The electric stimulator (30) of Fig. 3 is structured such that two ring-shaped electrodes (A-A', B-B') face each other while being separated at the center. The electrode structure of Fig. 3 has a disadvantage in that an electric field is formed only in the area (C, C') where each electrode faces each other, so that the electric stimulation is formed very shallowly and thus efficient stimulation is not achieved.

[0012] In general, portable beauty devices or massage devices using high-frequency electrical stimulation for home use should be able to be used effectively even on areas with many curves or extremely narrow contact areas, such as the face, and should be able to adjust the intensity of stimulation to an appropriate level desired by the user for areas where stimulation is not necessary.

[0013] However, the conventional bipolar high-frequency electrical stimulator with the above electrode structure cannot be effectively applied to the face, which has thin skin thickness and various curves that are deformed within a narrow area, and the user cannot arbitrarily adjust the intensity of the stimulation.

[0014] [Prior Art Literature]

[0015] [Patent Document]

[0016] (Patent Document 1) 1. KR 10-2023-0019432 A

[0017] (Patent Document 2) 2. KR 10-2022-0155220 A

[0018] (Patent Document 3) 3. KR 10-1503081 B1

[0019] (Patent Document 4) 4. KR 10-2022-0119220 A

[0020] (Patent Document 5) 5. US 8948838 B2

[0021] (Patent Document 6) 6. JP 4102031 B2

[0022] [Non-patent literature]

[0023] (Non-patent Document 1) 1. Elman M, Vider I, Harth Y, Gottfried V, Shemer A. Non-invasive therapy of wrinkles and lax skin using a novel multisource phase-controlled radio frequency system. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2010 Apr;12(2):81-6. doi: 10.3109 / 14764171003706133. PMID: 20331345.

[0024] (Non-patent Document 2) 2. Royo de la Torre J, Moreno-Moraga J, Munoz E, Cornejo Navarro P. Multisource, Phase-controlled Radiofrequency for Treatment of Skin Laxity: Correlation Between Clinical and In-vivo Confocal Microscopy Results and Real-Time Thermal Changes. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2011 Jan;4(1):28-35. PMID: 21278896; PMCID: PMC3030214.

[0025]

[0026] The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and its object is to provide a portable skin care device that can be effectively used even on areas with many curves or extremely narrow contact areas, such as the face.

[0027] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a portable skin care device that can adjust the intensity of stimulation to an appropriate level desired by the user for areas where stimulation is unnecessary.

[0028] One embodiment for solving the above problem is a device for applying electrical stimulation to a user's skin, comprising: a head portion that comes into contact with the user's skin; and an electrode portion comprising a first electrode formed in a front central region of the head portion and a second electrode formed along an edge region of the head portion to surround the first electrode while being spaced apart from the first electrode by a predetermined distance, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode have at least one region having a different width of the spaced apart interval.

[0029] Another embodiment for solving the above problem is a device for applying electrical stimulation to a user's skin, comprising: a head portion that comes into contact with the user's skin; and an electrode portion comprising a first electrode formed in a central area of ​​the front surface of the head portion and a second electrode formed along an edge area of ​​the head portion to surround the first electrode while being spaced apart from the first electrode by a predetermined distance; wherein the head portion has a circular front surface that comes into contact with the skin and has at least one corner portion.

[0030] Additionally, the second electrode may be formed to include the front edge and side edge regions of the head portion.

[0031] Additionally, the corner portion can be formed to have an internal angle of 150° or less.

[0032] In addition, the head portion may have a polygonal structure on the front surface that comes into contact with the skin.

[0033] The present invention, having the above configuration, has electrodes formed on the side of the head and has one or more corners, so it can be effectively used even on areas with many curves or a narrow contact area, such as the face.

[0034] In addition, the present invention allows electric energy to penetrate to various depths depending on the position of the electrode, so that the user can adjust the electric stimulator to apply stimulation to an appropriate depth desired by the user by turning or tilting it, thereby greatly improving the convenience of use.

[0035]

[0036] Figure 1 is a drawing showing an example of an electrode structure of an electric stimulator according to a conventional technique and an electric energy flow;

[0037] Figure 2 is a drawing showing another example of the electrode structure of an electric stimulator according to the prior art and the flow of electric energy;

[0038] Figure 3 is a diagram showing another example of the electrode structure of an electric stimulator according to the prior art and the flow of electric energy.

[0039] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a skin care device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Fig. 5 is a drawing showing the head electrode structure of the skin care device of Fig. 4.

[0041] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the electric energy flow of the skin care device of Fig. 4;

[0042] FIG. 7 is a drawing showing various examples of a head portion of a skin care device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] The technical objectives achieved by the present invention and its implementation will be made clear by the preferred embodiments described below. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be examined in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0044] It should be understood that the differences between the embodiments described below are not mutually exclusive. That is, it should be understood that specific shapes, structures, and characteristics described in one embodiment may be implemented in another embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and that the positions or arrangements of individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be changed. In the drawings, similar reference numerals denote the same or similar functions throughout, and lengths, areas, thicknesses, and the like, as well as their shapes, may be exaggerated for convenience.

[0045] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a skin care device according to the present embodiment, FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a head electrode structure of the skin care device of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a drawing showing an electric energy flow of the skin care device of FIG. 4, and FIG. 7 is a drawing showing various examples of the head of the skin care device according to the present embodiment.

[0046] The skin care device according to the present embodiment is used for purposes such as beauty or massage by applying electrical stimulation to the epidermis or deep part of the skin, and as illustrated in FIG. 4, includes a handle (100) provided so that a user can hold the skin care device, a head (200) provided at one end of the handle (100), and an electrode (300) provided at the front of the head (200). In addition, although not illustrated, various components for driving the skin care device are installed in the internal space of the handle (100) and the head (200).

[0047] The handle (100) is configured as a housing having a predetermined diameter and length so that the user can easily hold it by hand, and provides a space for installing driving elements inside. In addition, one surface of the handle (100) may be provided with a control button (110) for user operation and a display panel (120) for displaying operating information of the skin care device.

[0048] The head portion (200) is configured to come into contact with the user's skin and is provided at one end of the handle portion (100). The head portion (200) may be configured as a housing integrally formed with the handle portion (100) or as a separate housing coupled to the handle portion (100). The head portion (200) brings the electrode portion (300) formed on the surface into contact with the skin. The front of the head portion (200) may be circular, and the specific configuration of the head portion (200) will be described later.

[0049] The electrode unit (300) is formed on the surface of the head unit (200) and generates deep heat inside the skin by transmitting high-frequency electric signals from the driving elements while in contact with the skin. The electrode unit (300) can apply various types of electric signals, such as medium-frequency, low-frequency, or microcurrent, as needed. The electrode unit (300) includes a first electrode (310) and a second electrode (320).

[0050] The skin care device according to the present invention is a bipolar device, and when the first electrode (310) and the second electrode (320) come into contact with the skin, the electrical energy applied to one of the first electrode (310) and the second electrode (320) is refluxed to the other electrode, thereby applying an electrical stimulus to the skin.

[0051] The first electrode (310) is formed in the front central area of ​​the head portion (200), and the second electrode (320) is formed along the periphery of the first electrode (310) while being spaced apart from the first electrode (310) by a predetermined distance. Accordingly, the first electrode (310) can have a circular shape or a ring shape, and the second electrode (320) has a ring shape.

[0052] In addition, the second electrode (320) is formed along the edge region of the head portion (200), and is formed in the edge region including the front and side of the head portion (200). Specifically, the second electrode (320) is composed of a second electrode (321) in the front region formed along the front edge of the head portion (200) and a second electrode (322) in the side region formed along the side edge. Therefore, the skin care device can apply electrical stimulation to the skin that comes into contact with the side of the head portion (200), and thus can apply electrical stimulation to curved areas or corner areas of the face.

[0053] The electrode unit (300) generates deep heat within the skin between the first electrode (310) and the second electrode (320). At this time, the depth at which the deep heat is generated varies depending on the gap between the first electrode (310) and the second electrode (320). Considering this, the first electrode (310) and the second electrode (320) of the present embodiment include regions having different gaps.

[0054] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the gap (w1) between the first electrode (310) and the second electrode (320) on one side, the gap (w2) between the first electrode (310) and the second electrode (320) on another position, and the gap (w3) between the first electrode (310) and the second electrode (320) on another position may have different widths (w3>w2>w1). Accordingly, in an area (w1) where the gap between the electrodes is narrow, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the electric energy penetrates into the skin (S) at a shallow depth (D), and in a relatively wide area (w3), the electric energy penetrates into the skin (S) at a deep depth (D').

[0055] By using the electrode unit (300) of this configuration, the user can selectively apply deep and shallow stimulation by arbitrarily selecting the contact position of the head unit (200), i.e., the electrode unit (300), by turning or tilting the stimulator while holding the skin care device. In addition, when using the skin care device, a tingling sensation sometimes occurs due to deep penetration of the electric stimulation. However, the user can prevent unnecessary stimulation such as tingling sensation by selecting the electrode unit (300) at a position where the gap between the electrodes is narrow and making contact with the skin.

[0056] Again, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the head portion (200) has a circular front portion and at least one corner portion (210). That is, the head portion (200) may have a circular shape and a corner portion (210) that is relatively sharp on one side and has a predetermined internal angle, thereby forming an overall teardrop shape. In general, a circular head portion is suitable for curved areas of the skin, and a triangular or square head portion has the advantage of being able to efficiently apply electrical stimulation to narrow areas such as corners or sunken areas of the skin. Therefore, the head portion (200) having a corner portion (210) as described above can be effectively applied to a face that has many curved areas, corners, or sunken areas, such as the face.

[0057] Specifically, the corner portion (210) allows the electrode portion (300) to easily contact the skin even in a curved area such as the face. On the human face, the area where the nostrils connect to the facial surface is curved and connected at a predetermined angle, and the area around the nostrils or the area around the eyes forms a relatively narrow area. The corner portion (210) allows the electrode portion (300) to adhere closely to the area where the nostrils connect to the facial surface, the area around the nostrils, or the area around the eyes without being lifted from the facial surface. That is, the user can efficiently apply electrical stimulation to these areas by contacting the electrode portion (300) to a curved or narrow area of ​​the face using the corner portion (210) as a tip. At this time, the first electrode (310) and the second electrode (320) may be formed with the widest gap at the corner portion (210).

[0058] The corner portion (210) may have an internal angle (α) of a predetermined size, and it is preferable that the internal angle have a size of 150° or less. That is, the corner portion (210) is formed so that the internal angle does not exceed 150°.

[0059] Meanwhile, when the head portion (200) has a circular shape, a separate corner portion (210) can be formed as in FIG. 5, but as in FIG. 7, the head portion (200) can have a polygonal shape such as a triangle or a square to form a corner portion. In this case, the three or four corner portions of the head portion (200) form the corner portion (210), and the gap between the first electrode (310) and the second electrode (320) in the corner portion (210) can be formed wider (w2>w1).

[0060] The detailed description of the present invention, as described above, has described specific embodiments. However, various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. The technical spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the claims but also by equivalents thereof.

[0061] [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 100: Handle

[0063] 200: Head

[0064] 210: Corner

[0065] 300: Electrode section

[0066] 310: First electrode

[0067] 320: Second electrode

Claims

1. A device that applies electrical stimulation to the user's skin. A head portion that comes into contact with the user's skin; and An electrode part comprising a first electrode formed in the front central area of ​​the head part, and a second electrode formed along the edge area of ​​the head part to surround the first electrode while being spaced apart from the first electrode by a predetermined distance; A skin care device using electrical stimulation, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode have at least one area having a different width of the spaced gap.

2. A skin care device using electrical stimulation, wherein the second electrode is formed to include the front edge and side edge areas of the head portion in the first paragraph.

3. In the second paragraph, the head portion is a skin care device using electrical stimulation, wherein the front surface that contacts the skin has a polygonal structure.

4. A device that applies electrical stimulation to the user's skin, A head portion that comes into contact with the user's skin; and An electrode part comprising a first electrode formed in the front central area of ​​the head part, and a second electrode formed along the edge area of ​​the head part to surround the first electrode while being spaced apart from the first electrode by a predetermined distance; A skin care device using electrical stimulation, wherein the head portion has a circular shape on the front surface that contacts the skin and has at least one corner portion.

5. A skin care device using electrical stimulation, wherein the second electrode is formed to include the front edge and side edge areas of the head portion in the fourth paragraph.

6. A skin care device using electrical stimulation, wherein the corner portion in the fourth paragraph is formed to have an inner angle of 150° or less.

7. In the fourth paragraph, the head portion is a skin care device using electrical stimulation, wherein the front surface that contacts the skin has a polygonal structure.

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