SKIN TREATMENT APPARATUS

• US 20160058509A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: VAN DE WOUW, DOORTJE, KHARIN, ALEKSEY ANATOLIEVICH
• Granted Patent: US 10,143,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00075 Motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2025 with a pilot laser

Abstract

A skin treatment device (100) comprises:—a housing (101);—a treatment action performer (110) arranged within the housing (101) for performing a treatment action on the user'"'"'s skin (2) through an output window (103);—a speed sensor (120) for sensing a relative speed between the housing and the user'"'"'s skin;—a control device (140) provided with an associated memory (141) containing information defining a desired displacement speed, the control device receiving an output signal from the speed sensor;—an optical speed deviation indicator system (400; 600) comprising a position reference (411; 101) and means for generating an optical spot (412; 612) of variable position with respect to the position reference. The control device controls the optical speed deviation indicator system on the basis of the output signal received from the speed sensor and the information in its memory.

Claims

1. Skin treatment device, comprising:

a housing the shape and size of which are such that it can suitably be held by a human hand, the housing having a skin-side to be directed to a user'"'"'s skin and an output window arranged on the skin-side,

a treatment action performer arranged within the housing for performing a treatment action on the user'"'"'s skin through the output window

a speed sensor for sensing a relative speed between the housing and the user'"'"'s skin in a device displacement direction (X) parallel to the skin;

an optical speed deviation indicator system comprising a position reference and means for generating at least one optical spot of variable position with respect to the position reference;

a control device provided with an associated memory containing information defining a desired displacement speed or a desired displacement speed range, the control device being coupled to receive an output signal from the speed sensor and being coupled to provide a control signal to the optical speed deviation indicator system;

wherein the control device is adapted to control the optical speed deviation indicator system such as to vary the position of the optical spot on the basis of the output signal received from the speed sensor and the information in the memory.

2. Skin treatment device according to claim 1, wherein said optical spot is displaceable with respect to said position reference in a direction parallel to said device displacement direction (X);

wherein the control device is adapted to control the optical speed deviation indicator system such that the optical spot is located in front of the position reference relative to the displacement direction (X), if the output signal from the speed sensor indicates that a momentary device displacement speed is below the desired displacement speed or displacement speed range;

and wherein the control device is adapted to control the optical speed deviation indicator system such that the optical spot is located behind the position reference relative to the displacement direction (X), if the output signal from the speed sensor indicates that the momentary device displacement speed is above the desired displacement speed or displacement speed range.

3. Skin treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the control device is adapted to control the optical speed deviation indicator system such that a distance between said optical spot and said position reference, measured in the direction parallel to said device displacement direction (X), is proportional to a speed difference between the momentary device displacement speed and the desired displacement speed.

4. Skin treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is adapted to change the colour of the optical spot in conjunction with the position of the optical spot.

5. Skin treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the optical spot is projected on the user'"'"'s skin, while preferably two optical spots are projected on opposite sides of the housing.

6. Skin treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the speed deviation indicator system comprises:

an indicator light beam generator arranged within the housing, for generating an indicator light beam;

an indicator window in the housing for allowing the indicator light beam to pass such as to exit the housing;

wherein the indicator window is located proximate to the output window (103) such that, in use, the indicator light beam will meet the skin of the user to produce said optical spot;

wherein a direction of the indicator light beam is varied such as to vary the position of the optical spot.

7. Skin treatment device according to claim 6, wherein the indicator light beam generator comprises one or more LEDs.

8. Skin treatment device according to claim 6, wherein the speed deviation indicator system comprises at least one movable optical component, for instance a rotatable minor controlled by the control device for changing the direction of the indicator light beam.

9. Skin treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the optical spot is produced on the housing, while preferably two optical spots are projected on opposite sides of the housing.

10. Skin treatment device according to claim 9, wherein the speed deviation indicator system comprises:

a display located on the housing, preferably on a side surface of the housing;

and a reference mark arranged on the housing, preferably on said side surface.

11. Skin treatment device according to claim 10, wherein the display comprises a row of LEDs which can be switched on or off individually, while the control device decides which LED to switch on, based on the output signal from the sensor.

12. Skin treatment device according to claim 10, wherein the display comprises a partially transparent projection screen, and a projection device arranged within the housing and controlled by the control device for projecting a light beam on the projection screen.

13. Skin treatment device according to claim 10, comprising two of said displays in opposite side faces of the housing.

14. Skin treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is adapted to control the treatment action performer on the basis of the output signal received from the speed sensor and the information in the memory, such that an intensity of the treatment action performed by the treatment action performer reduced if the output signal from the speed sensor indicates that a momentary device displacement speed is below the desired displacement speed or displacement speed range.

15. Optical epilation device comprising a skin treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the treatment action performer comprises a device for illuminating the user'"'"'s skin with continuous light or with a scanning light beam or with high-frequency light flashes.