Ultrasonic wave cosmetic device

• US 7,022,089 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Masayuki, Nunomura, Mahito, Abe, Hideaki, Ooba, Takafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sullivan, Julianne M.
• Application Number:
  US10/155,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20020177792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 601 2- 4, 600/439, 606/169, 310311-324
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0245 with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0073 using multiple frequencies

Abstract

An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device for producing ultrasonic wave stimulation on the facial skin by a vibration unit having an ultrasonic wave vibration element. The ultrasonic wave cosmetic device includes a probe provided with a vibration unit where one surface of the vibration unit contacts the skin and another surface is structured by a horn connected to the ultrasonic wave vibration element, and a drive unit for driving the ultrasonic wave vibration element. The drive unit produces one of either a first fundamental frequency where a half-wave length thereof matches a thickness of the vibration unit, which is a sum of the ultrasonic wave vibration element and the horn, when propagating therethrough, or a first harmonic frequency which is an integer multiple of the first fundamental frequency, as a drive frequency for driving the ultrasonic wave vibration element.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device for providing ultrasonic stimulation to skin, comprising:

an ultrasonic wave vibration element for generating ultrasonic waves;

a probe provided with a vibration unit where one surface of the vibration unit is adapted to contact the skin and another surface is formed of a horn where the vibration unit is configured by the ultrasonic wave vibration element and the horn attached to one another; and

a drive unit for driving the ultrasonic wave vibration element;

wherein the drive unit produces at least one of a first fundamental frequency and a first harmonic frequency which is an integer multiple of the first fundamental frequency, as a drive frequency for driving the ultrasonic wave vibration element, where a half-wave length of the fundamental frequency matches a thickness of the vibration unit which is a sum of thickness of the ultrasonic wave vibration element and the horn.

2. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the drive unit produces at least one of a second fundamental frequency, where a half-wave length thereof matches the thickness of the ultrasonic wave vibration element and a second harmonic frequency which is an integer multiple of the second fundamental frequency, as a drive frequency for driving the ultrasonic wave vibration element.

3. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 2, wherein the drive unit produces at least one of the second fundamental frequency and third harmonic frequencies which are odd multiple of the second fundamental frequency, as a drive frequency for driving the ultrasonic wave vibration element.

4. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 3, wherein the drive unit produces one of the third harmonic frequencies as the drive frequency.

5. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 3, wherein the drive unit produces a plurality of frequencies of the second fundamental frequency and the third harmonic frequency as the drive frequencies, and has a frequency controller for switching between the plurality of drive frequencies.

6. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 5, wherein the drive unit includes a separately excited oscillator for generating the drive frequency.

7. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 5, wherein the drive unit includes a self-induced oscillator for generating the drive frequency.

8. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 5, wherein the drive unit includes a power controller for controlling a drive power of each of the plurality of drive frequencies.

9. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 8, wherein the drive unit includes a condition selector for selecting an switching order of the plurality of drive frequencies and a drive time of each of the drive frequencies;

and wherein the frequency controller switches the drive frequencies in response to operations of the condition selector.

10. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 9, wherein the drive unit includes a time selector for selecting a stop time during which a drive power of the drive frequency is stopped when the drive frequencies are switched;

and wherein the frequency controller switches the drive frequencies in response to operations of the condition selector and the time selector.

11. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 3, wherein the drive unit includes a frequency mixer for mixing a plurality of drive frequencies selected from the second fundamental frequency and the third harmonic frequency and for producing a frequency mixed wave which is used as the drive frequency.

12. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 11, wherein the drive unit includes output power adjustment means for adjusting an output power of each of the drive frequencies.

13. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the drive unit includes a separately excited oscillator for generating the drive frequency.

14. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the drive unit includes a self-excited oscillator for generating the drive frequency.

15. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the vibration unit is comprised of a single ultrasonic wave vibration element and the horn.

16. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the vibration unit is comprised of a plurality of ultrasonic wave vibration elements and the horn.

17. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 16, wherein the drive unit drives each of the plurality of ultrasonic wave vibration elements separately.

18. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 16, wherein the drive unit drives the plurality of ultrasonic wave vibration elements at the same time.

19. An ultrasonic wave cosmetic device as defined in claim 16, wherein the drive unit sequentially drives the plurality of ultrasonic wave vibration elements by sequentially switching ultrasonic wave vibration elements.