Personal-care apparatus comprising a capacitive on/off switch
First Claim
1. A personal-care apparatus including means for being held by a user, comprising:
- first and second supply terminals for receiving an alternating voltage;
a load;
a switch coupled to the load for activating and deactivating the load by controlling the alternating voltage to the load, the load and the switch being coupled in series between the first and the second supply terminals;
a rectifying circuit having third and fourth supply terminals, for converting the alternating voltage into a direct voltage and for supplying the direct voltage across the third and fourth supply terminals; and
a safety circuit coupled between the third and fourth supply terminals for receiving the direct voltage, the safety circuit including (i) a capacitive sensor for detecting the presence of a human body part in proximity to the personal-care apparatus, and (ii) means for controlling the switch such that the load is activated if the capacitive sensor senses a user holding the personal-care apparatus and the load is deactivated if the capacitive sensor senses that the user is no longer holding the personal-care apparatus, regardless of the orientation of the personal-care apparatus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A personal-care apparatus comprises a load (LD) and a switch (SW), which load (LD) and which switch (SW) are coupled in series between a first (1) and a second (2) supply terminal for receiving an alternating voltage, the personal-care apparatus further comprising a rectifying circuit (RC) for converting the alternating voltage into a direct voltage, and a safety circuit (SC), which is coupled between a third (3) and a fourth (4) supply terminal for receiving the direct voltage and which comprises a capacitive sensor (CS) for the detection of the presence of a part of a human body in the proximity of the personal-care apparatus, the safety circuit being adapted to control the switch (SW) in response to said detection.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A personal-care apparatus including means for being held by a user, comprising:
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first and second supply terminals for receiving an alternating voltage; a load; a switch coupled to the load for activating and deactivating the load by controlling the alternating voltage to the load, the load and the switch being coupled in series between the first and the second supply terminals; a rectifying circuit having third and fourth supply terminals, for converting the alternating voltage into a direct voltage and for supplying the direct voltage across the third and fourth supply terminals; and a safety circuit coupled between the third and fourth supply terminals for receiving the direct voltage, the safety circuit including (i) a capacitive sensor for detecting the presence of a human body part in proximity to the personal-care apparatus, and (ii) means for controlling the switch such that the load is activated if the capacitive sensor senses a user holding the personal-care apparatus and the load is deactivated if the capacitive sensor senses that the user is no longer holding the personal-care apparatus, regardless of the orientation of the personal-care apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A safety circuit for use in a personal-care apparatus including (i) means for being held by a user, (ii) first and second supply terminals for receiving an alternating voltage, (iii) a load, (iv) a switch coupled to the load for activating and deactivating the load by controlling the alternating voltage to the load, the load and the switch being coupled in series between the first and the second supply terminals, and (iv) a rectifying circuit having third and fourth supply terminals, for converting the alternating voltage into a direct voltage and for supplying the direct voltage across the third and fourth supply terminals, the safety circuit being coupled between the third and the fourth supply terminals and comprising:
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a capacitive sensor for detecting the presence of a human body part in proximity to the personal-care apparatus; and means for controlling the switch such that the load is activated if the capacitive sensor senses a user holding the personal-care apparatus and the load is deactivated if the capacitive sensor senses that the user is no longer holding the personal-care apparatus, regardless of the orientation of the personal-care apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A personal care apparatus including means for being held by a user, comprising:
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first and second supply terminals for receiving an alternating voltage; a load; a switch coupled to the load for activating and deactivating the load by controlling the alternating voltage to the load, the load and the switch being coupled in series between the first and the second supply terminals; a rectifying circuit having third and fourth supply terminals, for converting the alternating voltage into a direct voltage and for supplying the direct voltage across the third and fourth supply terminals; and a safety circuit coupled between the third and the fourth supply terminals for receiving the direct voltage, the safety circuit including (i) a capacitive sensor for detecting the presence of a human body part in proximity to the personal-care apparatus, (ii) a first oscillator having an output and including the capacitive sensor, for oscillating at a first frequency and supplying a first signal to its output if the capacitive sensor senses a human body part in proximity to the personal-care apparatus, and for oscillating at a second frequency and supplying a second signal to its output if the capacitive sensor does not sense a human body part in proximity to the personal care apparatus, and (iii) a frequency-to-control-signal converter coupled to the first oscillator for receiving the first and second signals and for converting the first and second signals to a first and a second control signal respectively, which control signals control the switch such that the alternating voltage is supplied to the load if the first control signal is generated by the frequency-to-control signal converter which indicates the user has picked up the personal care apparatus, and for causing the alternating voltage to be removed from the load if the second control signal is generated by the frequency-to-control signal converter which indicates the user is no longer holding the personal care apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A portable personal-care apparatus including means for being held by a user, comprising:
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a first and a second supply terminal for receiving a alternating voltage; a load; a switch, the load and the switch being coupled in series between the first and the second supply terminals; a rectifying circuit having third and fourth supply terminals, for converting the alternating voltage into a direct voltage and for supplying the direct voltage between the third and fourth supply terminals; and a safety circuit coupled between the third and fourth supply terminals for receiving the direct voltage, the safety circuit including a capacitive sensor for detecting the presence of a human hand and being adapted to control the switch so as to enable activation of the apparatus when the apparatus is picked up by a user and so as to deactivate the apparatus when the user is no longer holding the apparatus, regardless of the orientation of the apparatus.
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Specification