Skin care device with a cleaning tool comprising a padding configuration consisting at least in part of a microfiber tissue

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6692505
  • Patent Number
    6,692,505
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, April 27, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 17, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A skin care device (1) includes a cleaning tool (18) which can be driven by a driving mechanism (8). The device also includes a drivable padding holder (19) and a padding configuration (31) retained by the padding holder (19). The configuration includes a padding interior (23), which is enveloped in a padding cover (24). The cover (24) may consist of a microfiber tissue material.
Description




The invention relates to a skin care device as defined in the preamble of claim


1


.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Such a skin care device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph is commercially available and is accordingly generally known. The housing of the known skin care device is of elongate shape, the cleaning tool being provided substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the housing, projecting therefrom, in a region of a housing end. The cleaning tool comprises a substantially circular padding holder which can be driven into rotation and to which a cleaning padding, which constitutes the padding configuration, is connected, which padding consists of a soft felt-type material. The cleaning padding is provided first and foremost for cleaning skin regions of a human face, which cleaning is advantageous in particular after a treatment of the facial skin with water vapor, for example by means of a so-called facial sauna. It was found with the known skin care device that skin particles detached from the skin and dirt particles detached from the skin penetrate comparatively deeply into the cleaning padding as a result of the felt-type nature of the cleaning padding in the case of a longer use of the skin care device, which has the result that it is at least very cumbersome to clean the cleaning padding to such an extent that it is restored to a perfect hygienic state again. In addition, it was found with the known skin care device that the padding material is comparatively strongly and quickly worn away, which is also undesirable.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The invention has for its object to avoid the problems described above and to improve a skin care device as mentioned in the opening paragraph by simple means and in a simple manner, so as to provide an improved skin care device with which a faultless cleaning function is maintained also after a longer period of use, while a comparatively strong pollution of the padding is avoided.




To achieve the above object, a skin care device is provided that is constructed for cleaning skin regions, in particular skin regions of a human face,




The measures according to the invention achieve in a very simple manner that a highly satisfactory cleaning of the skin is safeguarded at all times. It should be noted here that so-called microfiber tissues have proved their eminent suitability for cleaning purposes in the home for some time. The idea, however, to utilize such a microfiber tissue also for cleaning purposes in a skin care device has never before arisen. A further advantage of the cleaning tool with padding regions made of microfiber tissue for the purpose of making contact with skin regions lies in the fact that it is possible to carry out a so-called moisture treatment during operation of the skin care device, i.e. in that the microfiber tissue is moistened.




A skin care device according to the invention may be so constructed that the entire padding configuration consists of a microfiber tissue, which is preferably directly connected to the padding holder. It is particularly preferred, however, when the padding configuration comprises a padding interior and a padding cover, the padding interior is enveloped by the padding cover, and the padding cover is made from a microfiber tissue material. Such a construction is advantageously inexpensive. The use of a padding cover of a microfiber tissue in such a construction has the advantage, furthermore, that the penetration of dirt particles and/or skin particles into the region of the padding interior of the cleaning tool is reduced to an advantageously small amount, so that also a perfect cleaning of the cleaning tool is safeguarded at all time. Such a cleaning may take place, for example, in a washing machine.




In preferred embodiments of a skin care device according to the invention, a skin care device is provided in which




the padding configuration comprises a padding interior and a padding cover, and/or




the padding interior is enveloped by the padding cover, and the padding cover is made from a microfiber tissue material; and/or




the padding interior is made from a soft and compressible material, and the padding interior is held by the padding cover in a compressed operational state as compared with its non-compressed initial state; and/or




the padding interior is made of a foam material; and/or




the padding interior is made of a felt-type material; and/or




the padding interior comprises a pluratily of brushes; and/or




the padding cover of the padding configuration has an entrance region through which the padding interior and the padding cover can be joined together, and the said entrance region of the padding cover is closed off by the padding holder when the padding configuration is being retained by the padding holder. It is to be noted with reference to a soft and compressible padding interior that a particularly pleasant sensation or feeling is achieved during cleaning of facial skin regions by means of such a padding interior. It is quite possible, however, to provide a padding interior consisting of a comparatively hard material instead of a soft, compressible padding interior in a skin care device according to the invention, for example a padding interior of a synthetic resin material or a hard rubber which is enveloped in a padding cover of microfiber tissue.




The above and further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the description of an embodiment given below and are explained in more detail with reference to this embodiment.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The invention will now be explained in more detail below with reference to three embodiments shown in the drawings, and a further embodiment not shown in the drawings; however, the invention is by no means limited to these embodiments.





FIG. 1

is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a skin care device representing a first embodiment of the invention, which comprises a cleaning tool with a padding interior consisting of a foam material.





FIG. 2

shows a cleaning tool which forms part of a second embodiment of a skin care device according to the invention and which comprises a padding interior consisting of a felt-type material.





FIG. 3

shows a cleaning tool which forms part of a third embodiment of a skin care device according to the invention and which comprises a padding interior consisting of a solid synthetic resin material.





FIG. 4

shows a cleaning tool which forms part of a third embodiment of the skin care device according to the invention and which comprises a padding interior with brush-type material.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS





FIG. 1

shows a skin care device


1


which is designed and constructed for the cleaning of skin regions, in particular skin regions of a human face. The skin care device


1


comprises a housing


2


which consists of a substantially tub-type lower housing part


3


and an also substantially tub-type upper housing part


4


. The upper housing part


4


is provided on the lower housing part


3


and is connected to the lower housing part


3


in a manner not shown in any detail. The upper housing part


4


comprises a substantially annular projecting housing region


5


which is closed off at its end facing away from the lower housing part


3


by means of a housing cover wall


6


. A passage


7


is provided in the housing cover wall


6


, the purpose of which will be explained further below. The housing


2


has a substantially elongate shape in its region adjoining the annular housing portion


5


, whose dimensions and shape are chosen such that the housing


2


can be comfortably held in one hand.




Drive means


8


for driving a cleaning tool are accommodated in the housing


2


. The drive means


8


comprise a motor


9


, indicated diagrammatically, and a first miter gear


11


which can be driven by the motor


9


by means of a drive shaft


10


of the motor


9


. A second miter gear


12


of the drive means


8


is in engagement with the first miter gear


1


I. The second miter gear


12


is journaled so as to be rotatable about an axis


13


and is connected to an output shaft


14


which is coaxial with the axis


13


and which comprises a recess


15


which is of a square shape as viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the axis


13


. A worm gear or a contrate gear may be provided instead of a miter gear.




Two rechargeable batteries


16


and


17


are provided in the housing


2


of the skin care device


1


for supplying the motor


9


, which batteries are electrically connected to the motor a in a manner not shown in any detail and which batteries are further electrically connected to charging contacts through which the two rechargeable batteries


16


and


17


can be charged by means of a charging device (not shown). Replaceable, non-chargeable batteries may be provided instead of the rechargeable batteries


16


and


17


.




The skin care device


1


is fitted with a cleaning tool


18


. The cleaning tool


18


can be driven by the drive means


18


, i.e. in this case can be driven into rotation in a single direction of rotation. Alternatively, however, means may be present for selecting either of two directions of rotation. The cleaning tool


18


comprises a drivable padding holder


19


. The padding holder


19


is provided with an input shaft


20


which extends through the passage


7


in the housing cover wall


6


and which comprises an extension


21


which has a square cross-sectional shape, as viewed perpendicularly to the axis


13


, corresponding to the square shape of the recess


15


in the output shaft


14


of the second miter gear


12


. The extension


21


is retained in the recess


15


by means of friction. By gripping the padding holder


19


and pulling the padding holder


19


in the direction of an arrow


22


, it is possible to pull the extension


21


from the recess


15


and thus to separate the padding holder


19


, and accordingly the entire cleaning tool


18


, from the remaining part of the skin care device


1


, for example for cleaning the cleaning tool


18


or replacing the cleaning tool


18


with another cleaning tool.




The cleaning tool


18


furthermore comprises a padding configuration


31


retained by means of the padding holder


19


. Highly advantageously, the padding configuration


31


consists of a microfiber tissue in those of its padding regions which are designed for making contact with regions of the skin. In the present case, the padding configuration


31


comprises a padding interior


23


of a foam material. The padding interior


23


is enveloped in a padding cover


24


in the skin care device


1


in a highly advantageous manner, said padding cover


24


advantageously consisting of a microfiber tissue material.




The padding interior


23


consists of a foam material, as noted above, i.e. a soft and compressible material. The padding interior


23


and the padding cover


24


are so designed here that the padding interior


23


is held inside the padding cover


24


in an operational state which is a compressed state as compared with its non-compressed initial state. This offers the advantage that the padding interior


23


always strives to extend its volume, which is counteracted, however, by the padding cover


24


, so that the padding cover


24


is always held in a state which offers a tensioned, homogeneously smooth surface. It is also safeguarded thereby that the padding interior


23


offers a somewhat increased mechanical resistance as compared with its non-compressed initial state, which has been found to be favorable for the cleaning of skin regions.




The padding cover


24


comprises an upper region


25


facing away from the padding holder


19


and having a slightly convex shape, and a sleeve-shaped lateral region


26


which is integral with the upper region


25


. An annular lower region


27


is integral with the sleeve-shaped lateral region


26


. The lower region


27


is glued to the padding holder


19


. The provision of the annular lower region


27


achieves that the padding cover


24


has an entrance region


28


. The padding interior


23


and the padding cover


24


can be joined together by means of this entrance region


28


, i.e. in that the, padding interior


23


is introduced into the inner space of the padding cover


24


with a careful widening of the padding cover


24


in the region of its annular lower region


27


. The entrance region


28


of the padding cover


24


, however, by no means impairs the protective function of the padding cover


24


because the skin care device


1


is so designed that the entrance region


28


of the padding cover


24


is closed off by the padding holder


19


when the padding interior


23


is enveloped by the padding holder


19


.




The skin care device


1


achieves a particularly good cleaning effect by means of its padding cover


24


of a microfiber tissue material because such a microfiber tissue material has been found to be particularly advantageous for cleaning purposes, as has been known from other fields of application, for example in the kitchen. Furthermore, the provision of the padding cover


24


of microfiber tissue in the skin care device


1


advantageously provides a high degree of protection for the padding interior


23


of foam material: The padding cover


24


consisting of microfiber tissue also protects the padding interior


23


of foam material against excessive pollution, so that a comparatively simple cleaning of the cleaning tool


18


is safeguarded at all times.




It is noted with reference to the cleaning tool


18


shown in FIG.


2


and belonging to a skin care device which is not shown that this cleaning tool


18


comprises a padding interior


23


of a felt-type material, and that it is so designed that the upper region


25


is substantially planar in shape and extends substantially parallel to the padding holder


19


. It should also be noted with reference to the cleaning tool


18


of

FIG. 2

that the padding cover


24


of this cleaning tool


18


has a continuous lower region


29


which is, glued to the padding holder


19


.




The cleaning tool


18


shown in FIG.


3


and belonging to a skin care device which is not shown has the feature that this cleaning tool


18


comprises a padding interior


23


of a solid synthetic resin material, and that the padding interior


23


in this cleaning tool


18


is so designed that the upper region


25


of the padding cover


24


has a slightly concave shape. It should also be noted here that the padding cover


24


of the cleaning tool


18


of

FIG. 3

does not have a lower region, but instead the substantially sleeve-shaped lateral region


26


lies and is retained against the padding holder


19


at its end, an annular glue connection


30


being provided here for connecting the sleeve-shaped lateral region


26


to the padding holder


19


.




In a skin care device as shown in

FIG. 4

, the padding interior


40


enveloped by the microfiber tissue padding cover


26


is realized in the form of a plurality of brushes


40


. The brushes


40


are here retained in the padding holder


19


and project substantially perpendicularly from the padding holder


19


, said brushes being concentrated at their ends at


25


facing away from the padding holder


19


by means of the padding cover


24


into a narrower space than is the case at the side of the padding holder


19


.




The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, a skin care device according to the invention may alternatively be fitted with two or more cleaning tools, each of them comprising a padding interior which is coated with a padding cover of microfiber tissue. Furthermore, a skin care device according to the invention may also be so constructed that the padding holder, and accordingly the padding interior retained by the padding holder and enveloped in the padding cover of microfiber tissue, can be driven alternately in mutually opposed directions of rotation, so that then an alternatingly driven rotation of the padding configuration is obtained, which configuration in this case may be entirely formed by microfiber tissue material.



Claims
  • 1. A skin care deviceconstructed for cleaning skin regions, in particular skin regions of a human face, comprising a housing, comprising drive means in the housing for driving a cleaning tool, and fitted with a cleaning tool which can be driven by the drive means, which cleaning tool comprises a drivable padding holder and a padding configuration retained by said padding holder, wherein the padding configuration consists of a microfiber tissue material at least in padding regions which are designed to make contact with skin regions.
  • 2. A skin care device as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe padding configuration comprises a padding interior and a padding cover, the padding interior is enveloped by the padding cover, and the padding cover is made from a microfiber tissue material.
  • 3. A skin care device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the padding interior is made from a soft and compressible material, and in that the padding interior is held by the padding cover in a compressed operational state as compared with its non-compressed initial state.
  • 4. A skin care device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the padding interior is made of a foam material.
  • 5. A skin care device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the padding interior is made of a felt-type material.
  • 6. A si care device as claimed in claim 2, herein the padding interior comprises a plurality of brushes.
  • 7. A skin care device as claimed in claim 2, whereinthe padding cover of the padding configuration has an entrance region through which the padding interior and the padding cover can be joined together, and said entrance region of the padding cover is closed off by the padding holder when the padding configuration is being retained by the padding bolder.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
99890137 Apr 1999 EP
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Number Name Date Kind
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5041123 Oliveau et al. Aug 1991 A
5187827 Wei Feb 1993 A
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