SKIN TREATING APPLIANCE

• US 3,699,952 A
• Filed: 02/03/1971
• Issued: 10/24/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Albert S. Spohr, Robert S. Waters
• Original Assignee: Albert S. Spohr, Robert S. Waters
• Inventors: Waters, Robert S., Spohr, Albert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trapp, Lawrence W.
• Application Number:
  US05/112,371
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 128/24.2,44-46,48,49,52,62,62A 15/22 310/80,83 74/47,50,17.8,43
• US Class Current: 601/18
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/005 hand-held

Abstract

An electrically operated appliance for treating skin utilizing an orbitally driven brush, massaging or skin conditioning instrument. The appliance is operated by means of a switch which is energized upon engagement of the brush or implement against the skin of the user. Control means are provided to immobilize the implement supporting shaft and prevent actuation of the operating switch when the brush or massage instrument is attached or removed from the implement supporting shaft. The sealed housing of the appliance encloses a battery operated mechanism having a motor at one end of the enclosure connected to an elongated drive lever which straddles the rechargeable battery and is arranged to produce an elliptical, orbital motion at the end of the implement mounting shaft.

Claims

1. A hand-held motor operated appliance comprising an elongated housing enclosing a motor and a battery connected to energize said motor, said motor having a rotating output shaft, an implement supporting shaft mounted in a shaft bearing at one end of said housing, one end of said supporting shaft extending outside of said housing for detachably supporting an implement, the other end of said supporting shaft being positioned adjacent to said output shaft, means drivingly interconnecting said output shaft with said inner end of said implement supporting shaft to move said inner end orbitally in a fixed plane, said bearing supporting said implement supporting shaft for oscillating and axial reciprocating movement, said means drivingly interconnecting said shafts including a pinion gear on said output shaft drivingly engaging a face gear supported for rotation on an axis perpendicular to said output shaft, said face gear having a cam extending axially thereon into an opening in said inner end of said implement supporting shaft, means independent of said face gear and cam restraining said inner end of said supporting shaft to movement in a plane as it is driven by said face gear and cam, said one end of said supporting shaft being movable in a direction perpendicular to said plane.

2. The hand held appliance of claim 1 wherein said motor comprises a cup shaped housing closed by a frame, said frame having spaced legs extending outwardly from said cup shaped housing for supporting a shaft on which said face gear is mounted for rotation, said frame including spaced parallel walls, a guide portion on said inner end of said supporting shaft, said guide portion being received between said walls for restraining said inner end to movement in a plane parallel to said walls.

3. The hand held appliance of claim 1 wherein said motor includes a cup shaped housing which is closed at the open end by a die cast frame, said frame having means for supporting said implement supporting shaft and said means drivingly interconnecting said shafts, integrally formed spaced walls projecting from said frame outwardly from said motor housing, a shaft extending between said walls to journal said face gear and cam, a shaft bearing support mounted on projections formed integrally with said Frame, said shaft bearing support being coextensive with the portion of said implement supporting shaft extending from said bearing to said inner end.

4. The hand held appliance of claim 3 wherein said frame includes a guide wall positioned between said spaced walls and in parallel closely spaced relation to one of said spaced walls, said inner end of said supporting shaft having a guide portion slidably received between said guide wall and said one of said spaced walls to guide said inner end for coplanar movement.

5. The hand held appliance of claim 4 wherein said guide portion comprises a thickened rib on said inner end extending transversely to the length of said implement supporting shaft.

6. A manually operated personal care appliance comprising an elongated tubular housing which is sealed against the entrance of moisture and which encloses a motor and a rechargeable battery connected to drive said motor, an implement supporting shaft having an inner end and an outer end, said shaft positioned partly within said housing with its outer end extending outwardly therefrom through a flexible sealing member mounted in said housing, a shaft bearing for said implement supporting shaft within said housing, power transmission means drivingly interconnecting the motor and the end of said shaft within said housing, said motor having frame means for supporting said transmission means and said shaft bearing, said frame means including spaced parallel walls and a guide wall positioned between said spaced walls and in parallel closely spaced relation to one of said spaced walls, said inner end of said supporting shaft having a guide portion slidably received between said guide wall and said one of said spaced walls to guide said inner end for coplanar movement.

7. The manually operated appliance of claim 6 wherein said motor includes a housing having a cup shaped housing member, said frame means including a die cast frame which forms a part of said motor housing and is a closure for said cup shaped member, said motor having an output shaft, said transmission means including a pinion gear on said output shaft in driving engagement with a face gear, said face gear being supported for rotation on a shaft mounted in said spaced walls of said frame, said face gear supporting shaft extending perpendicular to the axis of said output shaft, said face gear having an eccentric cam formed integrally therewith and extending into a recessed cam follower on the inner end of said implement supporting shaft to produce orbital motion at the inner end of said implement supporting shaft.

8. The manually operated appliance of claim 7 wherein a bearing support means is mounted on said die cast frame and extends within said sealed housing into supporting engagement with said shaft bearing.

9. The manually operated appliance of claim 8 wherein said shaft bearing is mounted for slidable movement along a line perpendicular to the plane of movement of the inner end of said implement supporting shaft, switch means connected in circuit with said motor and said battery, and means for closing said switch upon displacement of said shaft bearing.

10. The manually operated appliance of claim 6 including means for supporting said shaft bearing for movement along a line perpendicular to the plane of movement of the inner end of said implement supporting shaft, normally open switch means connected in circuit with said motor and said battery, means interconnecting said shaft bearing and said switch means to close said switch means upon displacement of said bearing, and means biasing said bearing to a position that maintains said switch means open until said bearing is displaced in opposition to said biasing means whereupon said switch means is closed.

11. A manually operable hand held appliance comprising an elongated tubular housing having an implement supporting shaft extending from one end thereof, said housing being sealed against the entrance of moisture and enclosing a motor and a batTery connected to power the motor, circuit means for recharging said battery including a transformer having primary and secondary coils, said secondary coil being sealed within said housing and positioned at the end thereof remote from said one end, said secondary coil including a bobbin of magnetically permeable material for supporting the windings thereon, said bobbin forming a permeable core having an axial hub connecting a cup shaped upper portion to a lower circular portion, the side walls of said cup shaped portion conforming closely to the inside walls of said housing, said lower circular portions conforming closely to the inside of a flat end wall of said housing, a stand for supporting said tubular housing in an upwardly facing recess, said primary coil being supported in said stand surrounding said one end of said housing when said housing is received in said recess.

12. The hand held appliance of claim 11 wherein said primary coil comprises an annular wound coil completely encapsulated with a central opening extending therethrough, said opening snugly receiving the said one end of said housing, said encapsulated coil being positioned at the bottom of said recess in said stand, the portions of said encapsulated coil surrounding said central opening defining the inner end of said recess.

13. The hand held appliance of claim 12 wherein said primary coil includes a magnetically permeable member which receives said encapsulated coil, said magnetically permeable member comprises side walls extending around said encapsulated coil and a bottom wall extending across the bottom of said encapsulated coil and joined to said side walls, said bottom wall is positioned in closely spaced relation to said lower circular portion of said secondary coil core to magnetically couple said coils when said housing is received in said recess.

14. A rechargeable battery operated appliance comprising an elongated tubular power handle having a sealed housing enclosing a motor which is connected to a rechargeable battery, said tubular housing having a secondary coil connected in circuit with said battery for the charging thereof, said secondary coil being positioned at one end of said housing adjacent a flat end wall thereof, a recharging stand for supporting said power handle in an upright position for recharging with the lower end positioned adjacent inductive means to provide power for recharging, said stand having an upper housing member and a lower housing member which together define an enclosure within which a primary coil is mounted, said primary coil having a hole extending vertically therethrough, said upper housing member being formed with a downwardly extending annular wall which engages said power handle and supports it in said upright position, said annular wall terminating at a lower edge which abuts against said primary coil, said annular wall and said hole forming a continuous passageway in which said power handle is received with said secondary coil nested within said primary coil, said coils being inductively coupled for charging purposes.

15. The rechargeable battery operated appliance of claim 14 wherein said primary coil comprises an encapsulated annulus received in a cup shaped member of magnetically permeable material, said cup shaped member having a flat portion which extends across said passageway defining a bottom end to said passageway, said flat end wall of said power handle housing engaging said flat portion to position said secondary coil closely coupled inductively to said primary coil.

16. The rechargeable battery operated appliance of claim 14 wherein said primary coil comprises an encapsulated annular member received within magnetically permeable means having a bottom wall extending beneath said annular member and a cylindrical upstanding side wall surrounding said member, said encapsulated member and said magnetically permeable means being clamped between said annular wall and said lower housing member.

17. The rechargeable battery operated appliaNce of claim 15 wherein said secondary coil includes a bobbin of magnetically permeable material to improve the inductive coupling between said primary and secondary coils, said bobbin having a cup shaped upper portion and a circular lower wall connected together by a solid core extending axially with respect to said secondary coil, said cup shaped portion having cylindrical side walls conforming closely to the inside walls of said power handle housing, said circular lower wall lying against said flat end wall of said power handle housing and being spaced from said bottom wall only by said end wall.

18. The rechargeable battery operated appliance of claim 14 wherein said primary and secondary coils are positioned coaxially when said power handle is supported in said charging stand, said secondary coil having a bobbin with a core and spaced end walls of magnetically permeable material, said primary coil being at least partially enclosed by a magnetically permeable member including a wall extending across the bottom of said primary coil in closely spaced relation to one of said bobbin walls, said bobbin and said magnetically permeable member providing a low reluctance flux path for flux coupling said primary and secondary coils.

19. A skin treating appliance comprising an elongated housing suitable for being gripped in the hand of a user, a motor mounted within said housing, an implement driving shaft extending from one end of said housing, gear means interconnecting said motor and shaft to reciprocate said shaft, a rechargeable battery supported in said housing, said housing forming a sealed enclosure for said motor and battery, induction charging means for said battery, said charging means including a primary coil mounted within a charging stand and having a center opening to receive the sealed end of said housing, a magnetically permeable enclosure surrounding said primary coil and having an opening corresponding with said coil opening, a secondary coil in said housing at the end remote from said one end, said secondary coil being connected in circuit with said battery, said secondary coil having a magnetically permeable core with a cup shaped upper wall having side walls which are in closely spaced relationship with said magnetically permeable enclosure when said housing is in said charging stand.

20. The appliance of claim 19 wherein said motor is controlled by switch means positioned within said sealed enclosure, a support bearing for said shaft positioned adjacent said one end of said housing, a movable carrier supporting said bearing, said switch means being positioned to be actuated by said carrier, spring means biasing said carrier to a position in which said switch is open, said carrier being movable to a switch closing position by the application of force to said implement so as to overcome said spring biasing force.

21. A hand held motor operated appliance comprising an elongated implement supporting lever, a motor drivingly interconnected with said lever to actuate said lever with respect to a supporting bearing, means supporting said bearing for limited rectilinear movement in a direction perpendicular to the length of said lever, switch means connected in circuit with said motor and positioned to be actuated by said means supporting said bearing, resilient means biasing said means supporting said bearing to a position in which said switch is open, said means supporting said bearing being movable to a switch closing position by the application of force to said implement.

22. A hand held motor operated appliance comprising an implement supporting lever, a motor drivingly interconnected with said lever to oscillate said lever about a supporting bearing and to reciprocate said lever axially, a carrier supporting said bearing for limited rectilinear movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of oscillation of said lever, switch means connected in circuit with said motor and positioned to be actuated by said carrier, spring means biasing said carrier To a position in which said switch is open, said carrier being movable to a switch closing position by the application of force to said implement.

23. The appliance of claim 22 including a housing supporting and enclosing said motor and carrier, an implement detachably supported on said lever, a lever immobilizing means for holding said lever against deflecting said carrier to a switch closing position during the assembly and disassembly of said implement to and from said lever.

24. The appliance of claim 23 wherein said lever immobilizing means comprises a member extending through said housing and providing exposed portions which may be utilized to push the member to either of two positions, in one of said positions said lever is unrestrained while in the other position said lever is restrained against deflecting said carrier to a switch closing position.

25. The appliance of claim 24 wherein said member is provided with detent means to retain said member in either one or the other of said positions, said lever being operable to move said member from said other position to said one position when sufficient force is applied to said implement to overcome said detent means.

26. A skin treating appliance comprising an elongated housing suitable for being gripped in the hand of a user, a motor mounted within said housing at one end, an implement driving shaft extending from said housing at the other end thereof, gear means interconnecting said motor and shaft to reciprocate said shaft and to oscillate said shaft about a support bearing which engages said shaft intermediate its ends, a rechargeable battery supported in said housing between said motor and said bearing, said housing being sealed at the motor end thereof and unsealed at the end from which said implement shaft extends, intermediate sealing means within said housing adjacent said bearing providing a seal between said shaft and the interior of said housing thereby forming a sealed enclosure for said motor and battery.

27. A power driven skin massaging and brushing appliance comprising an elongated cylindrically-shaped housing which is tapered toward an implement mounting end, a skin treating implement detachably supported with respect to said housing and having a shank which overlaps the tapered end of said housing, a motor mounted within said housing at the end remote from said tapered end, a drive lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends within said housing with one end engaging said implement within said shank and the other end drivingly connected to said motor, said lever being completely enclosed by said housing and said implement shank, and a battery power supply for said motor mounted in said housing between said motor and the pivotal mounting for said lever.

28. The appliance of claim 27 wherein said implement comprises a brush having bristles the free ends of which lie in a plane parallel to the axis of said lever and which define an orbital area similar to the orbit through which said brush is driven by said lever.

29. The appliance of claim 27 wherein said motor drives said lever through gear and cam means which reciprocate said lever along its axis and oscillates said lever about said pivotal mounting, said reciprocation and oscillation of said lever causing said implement to move through an elliptical orbit, said implement comprising a brush having the bristles thereof arranged in an elliptical configuration similar to the orbit of movement of said implement.

30. The appliance of claim 27 wherein said implement includes a skin treating head carried on a short shank so that said head is supported closely adjacent the tapered end of said housing, said housing having a reduced diameter flange at the opening from which said lever extends out of said housing, said shank having a flange which overlaps said housing flange but is spaced radially therefrom to permit said implement to move through an elliptical orbit.

31. The appliance of claim 27 including a sealing gasket embracing Said lever adjacent its pivotal mounting and clamped at its periphery into sealing engagement with the interior of said housing, the end of said housing remote from said implement being sealed to provide a sealed enclosure for said battery and said motor.

32. The appliance of claim 31 wherein said lever includes a rod portion which is axially disposed within said housing and extends through said pivotal mounting into connection with said implement, said lever also including a connecting portion which extends from said rod portion into driving connection with said motor, said connecting portion being U-shaped and straddling said battery.

33. A hand held motor operated appliance comprising an elongated tubular housing, a motor and a battery both of cylindrical shape supported within said housing, a semicylindrical channel-shaped frame extending lengthwise in said housing and connected to said motor at one end and to a shaft bearing support at the other end, said battery being received within said frame between said motor and said bearing support, said motor being positioned at one end of said housing, an elongated lever drivingly connected to said motor at one end and having the other end extending the length of said housing and protruding from the housing end remote from said motor, said lever being carried by a bearing on said bearing support and being supported for pivotal and axial movement therein.

34. The appliance of claim 33 wherein said lever is formed by a rod portion extending from said bearing to the protruding end, said rod portion being axially disposed within said housing, said lever also including a displaced portion extending from the inner end of said rod portion adjacent said battery on the opposite side of said battery from said frame into driving connection with said motor.

35. A massage implement comprising a rigid molded plastic supporting head having a shank extending therefrom to couple the implement to a driving shaft, said head having a recess therein defined by a flat bottom and side walls extending perpendicular to said bottom, a blow-molded polyethelyne sealed container which is filled with a freezable liquid, said container being shaped to be snugly received in said recess with a smooth rounded portion extending outwardly from said head, a drawn aluminum cup-shaped member to fit snugly around said container with its peripheral side walls received in said recess and cemented to side walls of said recess.