Personal care appliance

• US 10,058,351 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Todd Beauty, LP
• Original Assignee: Michael Todd Beauty, LP
• Inventors: Hendler, Lewis, Xu, NengFei, Zhan, XuShan
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS, RICHARD G
• Application Number:
  US15/073,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20160270821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/008 Disc-shaped brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/102 Brush specifically designed for massaging the skin or scalp A46B2200/1026 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/104 Hair brush bristles arrangements for hair brushes A46B9/023
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/54 Chiropodists' instruments , e.g. pedicure chiropractic devices A61H1/008
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00747 Dermatology
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00752 Hair removal or transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00761 Removing layer of skin tissue, e.g. wrinkles, scars or cancerous tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320004 abrasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320012 Brushes

Abstract

A personal care appliance includes a housing, a drive assembly provided in the housing, and a workpiece member. The drive assembly includes a stator and an armature adjacent the stator, wherein the stator, when energized, is structured to cause the armature to oscillate back and forth. The personal care appliance further includes a mounting assembly having a pivot arm having a shaft member and first and second mounting members. The workpiece member is coupled to the first end portion of the shaft member such that oscillation of the armature causes the workpiece member to oscillate relative to the housing.

Claims

1. A personal care appliance, comprising:

a housing;

a drive assembly provided in the housing, the drive assembly including;

a stator;

an armature adjacent the stator, wherein the stator, when energized, is structured to cause the armature to oscillate back and forth;

a first mounting member secured to the housing, the first mounting member having a first hole extending through the first mounting member and forming part of a first bearing member;

a pivot arm member including a first arm, a second arm, and a shaft member provided between the first arm and the second arm, the shaft member having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein a first end of the first arm is coupled to the armature assembly and a second end of the first arm is coupled to a first side of the shaft member, wherein a first end of the second arm is coupled to a second side of the shaft member opposite the first side of the shaft member, and wherein a second end of the second arm is coupled the first mounting member; and

a second mounting member secured to the first mounting member, the second mounting member having a second hole aligned with the first hole and extending through the second mounting member and forming part of a second bearing member, wherein the first end portion of the shaft member is received through the first hole and the second end portion of the shaft member is received through the second hole; and

a workpiece member coupled to the first end portion of the shaft member such that oscillation of the armature causes the workpiece member to oscillate relative to the housing.

2. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of the shaft member is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first arm and a longitudinal axis of the second arm.

3. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first mounting member includes a base member having a plurality of screw cylinders extending upwardly therefrom, each of the screw cylinders being fit over and secured to a respective peg members provided as part of the housing, wherein the base member includes a mounting arm coupled to a first one or more of the screw cylinders, and wherein the second end of the second arm is coupled to the mounting arm.

4. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, wherein the second mounting member is secured to a second one or more of the screw cylinders.

5. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a first elastomeric insert provided in the first hole and forming part of the first bearing member and a second elastomeric insert provided in the second hole and forming part of the second bearing member.

6. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece member is selectively attachable to and detachable from the first end portion of the shaft member.

7. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece member comprises a brush head assembly having a plurality of bristles extending therefrom.

8. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece member comprises one or more components made with an antimicrobial material that is both (i) safe for use on the skin, and (ii) resists and/or inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, fungus and/or bacteria.

9. The personal care appliance according to claim 8, wherein the workpiece member comprises a brush head assembly having a plurality of bristles extending therefrom, wherein the bristles include the antimicrobial material as an additive thereto and/or are coated with the antimicrobial material.

10. The personal care appliance according to claim 9, wherein the antimicrobial material includes silver ions.

11. The personal care appliance according to claim 9, wherein the antimicrobial material includes essential plant oils and/or essential minerals.

12. The personal care appliance according to claim 9, wherein the antimicrobial material includes a bacteria resistant polymer.

13. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a handle portion, and wherein the handle portion is provided with a number of overlay portions structured to prevent the personal care appliance from slipping during use.

14. The personal care appliance according to claim 13, wherein the overlay portions are made of a rubber material.

15. The personal care appliance according to claim 14, wherein the overlay portions include a plurality of protruding members extending outwardly therefrom.

16. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, further comprising control electronics structured to control operation of the stator and armature such that the armature is caused to oscillate back and forth in a pulse mode wherein the armature is caused to move back and forth between a first lateral maximum position and a second lateral maximum position with a pause at each of the first lateral maximum position and the second lateral maximum position before initiating movement in an opposite direction.

17. The personal care appliance according to claim 16, wherein the pause is at least 300 milliseconds.

18. The personal care appliance according to claim 16, wherein the control electronics are structured to cause the Armature to oscillate back and forth at least one of 240 cycles/second, 220 cycles/second, and 200 cycles/second.

19. The personal care appliance according to claim 18, wherein the control electronics are structured to cause the armature to oscillate back and forth at 240 cycles/second, 220 cycles/second, and 200 cycles/second as selected by a user.

20. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

(i) a power source for providing AC current, the AC current comprising a plurality of complete cycles, each complete cycle having a first half cycle and a second half cycle, (ii) control electronics structured to control operation of the stator and armature by providing only the first half cycle of each of the complete cycles to the stator to energize the stator and not providing any of the second half cycles of each of the complete cycles to the stator.

21. The personal care appliance according to claim 20, wherein the control electronics are structured to cause the armature to oscillate back and forth at 200 cycles/second or greater.

22. The personal care appliance according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece member includes a hexagonal female attachment member structured to receive the first end portion of the shaft member, the first end portion comprising a hexagonal male member.