Flash Lamp Cavity Ventilation for Hair Removal Device Heat Dissipation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hair removal devices using high power flash lamps face heat dissipation issues due to water cooling systems, leading to increased size, weight, and frequent lamp replacement, as well as pollution and loss of compactness.

Innovation Solution

A hair removal device with a compact design featuring a cavity adjacent to the flash lamp, ventilation orifices, and a movable member for effective heat dissipation without a water cooling circuit, utilizing natural convection or a small fan for cooling, and allowing the flash lamp to be an autonomous consumable.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a water cooling system is used for the flash lamp, then heat dissipation is improved, but the device size and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoiddevice weight
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the water cooling system (pump, radiator, sealed circuit) from the device and replaces it with air cooling through ventilation orifices. This extracts the harmful cooling liquid and complex sealing requirements, keeping only the essential heat dissipation function through simplified air flow paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from liquid cooling (hydraulic) to air cooling (pneumatic). The ventilation orifices create air flow through the housing that carries heat away from the flash lamp, using gas (air) instead of liquid (coolant) for thermal management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Temperature

If a water cooling system is used for the flash lamp, then heat dissipation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidcooling system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the complex water cooling subsystem including pump, radiator, sealed circuits, and pollution filtration systems. Only the essential heat dissipation function remains, achieved through simple ventilation orifices and natural or forced air convection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The device uses natural convection of air through the ventilation orifices for cooling, requiring no external cooling system components. The air flow is self-generated by temperature differences, and the housing structure itself serves as the cooling pathway.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Temperature

If a water cooling system is used for the flash lamp, then heat dissipation is improved, but the device loses compactness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoiddevice volume
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the bulky water cooling components (pump, large radiator, sealed circuit pathways) and replaces them with integrated air cooling channels formed directly in the housing. This extracts the volume-consuming elements while preserving the heat dissipation function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the cooling function with the housing structure itself. The ventilation orifices and air flow paths are integrated into the housing design, eliminating separate cooling system volumes and making the cooling system compact and inherent to the device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Temperature

If a sealed water cooling circuit is used, then heat dissipation is improved, but the risk of pollution and lamp aging increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidlamp longevity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the cooling liquid and sealed circuit from the system, eliminating the source of pollution that causes lamp aging. Only air cooling remains, with no liquid contact with the lamp.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adopts a disposable flash lamp approach where the lamp is replaced periodically without complex cooling maintenance. The simplified air cooling system reduces maintenance requirements, making the disposable lamp approach more economically viable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively limits heating, reduces bulk and cost, and simplifies handling, enabling single-person operation with reduced maintenance and improved ergonomics.

Implementation Method 1

emitting pulses of visible and/or infrared (V/IR) radiation, these pulses being generated by an incoherent electromagnetic energy source such as a flash lamp

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

A simple local fan of reduced format or even the diffusion by the natural convection can be enough to ventilate the surface of the filter between two flashes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNatural convection: Free Convection

Implementation Method 3

A simple local fan of reduced format or even the diffusion by the natural convection can be enough to ventilate the surface of the filter between two flashes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced convection: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentEP2092842B1Hair-removal device using pulsed electromagnetic radiation
Publication Date: 2016.12.21 BROTTIER YVES VINCENT
  • EP2092842B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~3
  • EP2092842B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~5B
  • EP2092842B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

The device has a flash bulb arranged at interior of a box i.e. case (18). The box has an opening through which electromagnetic energy issued for the bulb is transmitted towards a surface of a skin. The box has a cavity (C) formed adjacent to the bulb, and a mobile unit. The mobile unit is displaced between a ventilation position in which the cavity communicates with a ventilation hole, and a closed position in which the cavity is closed to limit the escapement of intense pulse light outside the opening.