JP7517977B2 - Treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a skin temperature adjustment device and a treatment device equipped with the same.

Healthy, beautiful skin is one of the important external features that brings out the attractiveness of a person, regardless of gender. Therefore, in order to maintain beautiful skin for a long time, it is advisable to take care of your skin on an ongoing basis, and it is even more desirable to do so using effective methods.

Traditionally, various techniques and devices have been offered by cosmetics manufacturers, electronics manufacturers, beauticians, and others to revitalize the skin and provide it with nutrients and moisture. Many of these have been developed to provide effective and convenient daily skin care.

One example of such a device is an iontophoresis device for introducing beauty ingredients. For example, with a handy iontophoresis device that can be easily used in an ordinary home, cotton soaked in lotion is placed on the surface of the electrode, and by placing it against the cheek and passing an electric current through it, the beauty ingredients in the lotion can be effectively absorbed into the skin according to the electric field gradient, allowing for efficient skin care.

In addition, when caring for the skin, a process of warming the skin in advance may be performed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a handy iontophoresis device that can warm the skin before treatment. By warming and activating the skin in advance with this preliminary heating process, it is possible to improve the effectiveness of the subsequent treatment.

JP 2011-041705 A

However, the conventional treatment devices mentioned above heat the skin to a preset temperature that is determined primarily to prevent burns and provide comfort, and heat the skin to that target temperature, but do not provide appropriate heating in response to differences in individual skin conditions before heating.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and provides a treatment device equipped with a skin temperature regulating device that can appropriately heat or cool the skin depending on the purpose of regulating the skin temperature and the differences in individual skin conditions before heating or cooling.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the treatment device of the present invention provides a treatment device comprising: (1) a temperature change unit which heats and/or cools the skin in contact with the temperature change unit; a control unit which controls the temperature change unit so that the skin reaches a predetermined temperature; a skin condition measurement unit which measures a predetermined element appearing on the skin before heating or cooling by the temperature change unit; and a target temperature determination means which determines a target temperature suitable for the purpose of regulating the skin temperature in accordance with the measurement result by the skin condition measurement unit, the control unit being a skin temperature regulation device which controls the temperature change unit with the target temperature as the predetermined temperature ; and a treatment unit which performs multiple types of treatments for the purpose of regulating the skin temperature, The unit is a plurality of head sections that are detachable from the treatment device main body that constitutes the treatment device, are provided for each of the plurality of treatments, and are each equipped with a unique marking means, and is equipped with a purpose recognition means that recognizes the purpose of the skin temperature adjustment by identifying the head section attached to the treatment device main body based on the marking means, and the determination of the target temperature suitable for the purpose of skin temperature adjustment is performed by determining the target temperature in accordance with the measurement result from a target temperature group consisting of a plurality of temperatures suitable for the purpose of skin temperature adjustment corresponding to the purpose of skin temperature adjustment recognized by the purpose recognition means, out of a plurality of target temperature groups provided for each purpose of skin temperature adjustment .

The treatment device according to the present invention is also characterized in the following respects.
(2) The marking means has an electric resistance that is different for each of the plurality of head portions.
( 3 ) Providing a skin temperature monitoring means for monitoring the temperature of the skin while the temperature changing unit is being controlled by the control unit.
( 4 ) The control unit is provided with an environmental temperature correction means for performing control according to the temperature of the operating environment.
( 5 ) The predetermined element measured by the skin condition measuring unit is at least one selected from skin temperature, skin moisture, skin sebum amount, and skin surface condition .

According to the present invention, the treatment device includes a temperature change unit that heats and/or cools the skin that is in contact with the temperature change unit, a control unit that controls the temperature change unit so that the skin reaches a predetermined temperature , a skin condition measurement unit that measures a predetermined element appearing on the skin before the skin is heated or cooled by the temperature change unit, and a target temperature determination means that determines a target temperature suitable for the purpose of regulating the skin temperature in accordance with the measurement result by the skin condition measurement unit, and the control unit is a skin temperature regulation device that controls the temperature change unit with the target temperature as the predetermined temperature , and a treatment unit that performs multiple types of treatments for the purpose of regulating the skin temperature, and the treatment unit that performs the multiple types of treatments is detachable from a treatment device main body that constitutes the treatment device and is provided for each of the multiple types of treatments and has a unique function. The treatment device has a plurality of head units each equipped with an indicator means, and a purpose recognition means for recognizing the purpose of the skin temperature adjustment by identifying the head unit attached to the treatment device main body based on the indicator means, and the target temperature suitable for the purpose of the skin temperature adjustment is determined by determining a target temperature according to the measurement results from a target temperature group consisting of a plurality of temperatures suitable for the purpose of skin temperature adjustment corresponding to the purpose of skin temperature adjustment recognized by the purpose recognition means, out of a plurality of target temperature groups provided for each purpose of skin temperature adjustment.Therefore, it is possible to provide a treatment device equipped with a skin temperature adjustment device that can appropriately heat or cool the skin according to the purpose of skin temperature adjustment and differences in the individual skin conditions before heating/cooling.

In addition, if a skin temperature monitoring means is provided to monitor the temperature of the skin while the temperature changing unit is being controlled by the control unit, it is possible to capture the different ways in which the skin warms and cools depending on the user, and provide more appropriate heating or cooling.

In addition, if the control unit is provided with an environmental temperature correction means for controlling the device according to the temperature of the environment in which the device is used, the device can appropriately heat or cool the skin according to the respective environmental temperatures, even when the environmental temperatures of the device are different, such as in winter and summer.

Furthermore, if the specified element measured by the skin condition measuring unit is at least one selected from skin temperature, skin moisture, skin sebum amount, and skin surface condition, it is possible to more appropriately control the adjustment of skin temperature according to skin condition.

In addition, if the target temperature suitable for the purpose of regulating the skin temperature is determined by selecting a target temperature group consisting of multiple temperatures suitable for a specific purpose of regulating the skin temperature based on the measurement results, the target temperature for appropriate heating or cooling of the skin according to the purpose can be freely selected from multiple target temperatures, and heating or cooling can be performed more appropriately according to the differences in individual skin conditions.

If a purpose recognition means is provided for recognizing the purpose of the skin temperature regulation, and the target temperature suitable for the purpose of the skin temperature regulation is determined by determining the target temperature from among a plurality of target temperature groups provided for each purpose of the skin temperature regulation, which corresponds to the purpose of the skin temperature regulation recognized by the purpose recognition means, according to the measurement results, the target temperature for appropriate heating or cooling of the skin can be selected from a plurality of purposes according to a specific purpose, and further from a plurality of target temperatures with a degree of freedom.

In addition, the treatment device according to the present invention is equipped with a skin temperature adjustment device and a treatment section that performs treatment for the purpose of regulating skin temperature, so it is possible to provide a treatment device that can perform pre-heating or pre-cooling according to differences in individual skin conditions when performing treatment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the treatment device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the treatment device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a treatment device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an internal configuration of the treatment device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the treatment device according to the first embodiment. 4 is a flow chart showing a main process of the treatment device according to the first embodiment. 11 is a flow chart showing an interrupt process of the treatment device according to the first embodiment. 4 is a flow chart showing a skin temperature adjustment mode process of the treatment device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of a skin temperature regulating device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a skin temperature regulating device according to a second embodiment. 13 is a flow diagram showing a part of a skin temperature adjustment mode process of a skin temperature adjustment device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a treatment device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal structure of the head portion. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal structure of the head portion. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal structure of the head portion. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a treatment device according to a third embodiment. 13 is a flow diagram showing a part of a skin temperature adjustment mode process of a treatment device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of a skin temperature regulating device according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a skin temperature regulating device according to a fourth embodiment.

The present invention relates to a skin temperature regulation device and a treatment device equipped with the same, and in particular to a skin temperature regulation device, it provides a skin temperature regulation device equipped with a temperature change unit that heats and/or cools the skin in contact with the device, and a control unit that controls the temperature change unit so that the skin reaches a predetermined temperature.

Here, skin temperature regulation not only means directly regulating the skin temperature, but also includes regulating the temperature of the heating means or cooling means disposed in the temperature change section described below, and thus indirectly regulating the skin temperature. Note that this does not prevent the applicant from limiting the meaning of skin temperature regulation when granting a patent for this application.

Skin temperature regulation devices also include devices that preliminarily warm or cool the skin before treatment, as well as devices in which warming or cooling the skin is itself a form of treatment.

In addition, in the skin temperature regulation device according to this embodiment, the skin that is in contact with the device is heated or cooled by a temperature changing unit.

The temperature changing unit that heats and/or cools the skin includes those that are equipped only with a heat generating means for heating, those that are equipped only with a cooling means for cooling, and those that are equipped with both a heat generating means and a cooling means. For example, it includes those that are equipped with a heater for heating but not with a configuration for cooling, those that are equipped with a Peltier element for cooling but not with a configuration for heating, and those that are equipped with both a heater for heating and a Peltier element for cooling. The heat generating means is used when the skin temperature is lower than the target temperature, and the cooling means is used when the skin temperature is higher than the target temperature.

Similarly, the temperature change unit that heats and/or cools the skin includes a heater for heating and a Peltier element for cooling, and the operation of the temperature change unit includes a state in which only the heater is supplied with power and only heating is performed, a state in which only the Peltier element is supplied with power and only cooling is performed, a state in which power is alternately supplied to the heater and the Peltier element and heating and cooling are performed alternately, and a state in which power is supplied to both the heater and the Peltier element and heating and cooling are performed simultaneously. Note that the description of the configuration and operation of these temperature change units does not prevent the applicant from limiting the configuration and operation to any one of them when patenting this application.

The treatments include electrical and mechanical treatments such as iontophoresis, as well as treatments performed by a person such as massage with the fingers, and also cases where the heating or cooling performed by the skin temperature regulating device according to this embodiment is itself a treatment.

From another perspective, the skin temperature regulating device and treatment device according to this embodiment can be broadly categorized according to whether or not they have a treatment section, and whether or not they are dedicated products with a specific purpose of use (the purpose of regulating skin temperature) (multi-purpose products, products with unlimited uses), and any of these can be skin temperature regulating devices and treatment devices according to this embodiment.

For example, an example of a dedicated product with a treatment unit and a specific purpose is a treatment device that has an iontophoresis unit equipped with an iontophoresis electrode as the treatment unit, and further has a skin temperature adjustment device for pre-warming or pre-cooling the skin when performing iontophoresis treatment.

An example of a dedicated product with a specific purpose that does not include a treatment unit is a skin temperature adjustment device that heats or cools the skin for a specific cosmetic product that is commercially available, in order to improve the effects of the ingredients contained in the cosmetic product. One idea is to sell such a skin temperature adjustment device as a set with the specific cosmetic product.

An example of a treatment device that is equipped with a treatment unit and is not dedicated to a single purpose (i.e., one with multiple purposes) is a treatment device that is composed of a skin temperature adjustment device for pre-warming or pre-cooling the skin, and multiple types of treatment units that can be attached to and detached from the skin temperature adjustment device. The treatment units are replaceable, for example, with an iontophoresis unit, vibration massage unit, low-frequency massage unit, etc., and the device recognizes the type of treatment unit attached by detecting the electrical information and physical connector shape unique to each treatment unit, i.e., recognizes the treatment purpose (purpose of skin temperature adjustment), and the temperature change unit heats or cools the skin accordingly.

Examples of devices that do not have a treatment section and are not dedicated to a single purpose (those with multiple purposes) include skin temperature adjustment devices that allow the user to use a dial to select from multiple heating and cooling purposes, such as pre-warming or pre-cooling before makeup application, pre-warming or pre-cooling for massage, pre-warming or pre-cooling for iontophoresis, and pre-warming or pre-cooling for skin revitalization.

In addition, for those intended for treatment through heating or cooling, the skin temperature adjustment device itself serves as the treatment section, and can be considered a dedicated treatment device for the purpose of providing heating and cooling treatment.

The skin temperature regulation device according to this embodiment is characterized by having a skin condition measurement unit that measures a predetermined element present on the skin before heating or cooling by the temperature change unit, and a target temperature determination means that determines a target temperature suitable for the purpose of regulating the skin temperature based on the measurement results by the skin condition measurement unit, and the control unit controls the temperature change unit with the target temperature set to the predetermined temperature.

The specified elements manifested on the skin include elements that substantially affect the temperature suitable for that treatment on the skin (optimum treatment temperature) when the purpose of skin temperature regulation, such as the purpose of heating/cooling or the purpose of use, is preliminary skin temperature regulation for a later treatment, or the temperature suitable for the purpose of heating/cooling on the skin (optimum heating/cooling temperature) when no later treatment is to be performed and the purpose of skin temperature regulation is heating/cooling itself. Note that in the following explanation, the optimal treatment temperature and the optimal heating/cooling temperature are collectively referred to as the target temperature.

To give a specific example, the predetermined elements manifested in the skin can be, for example, skin temperature, skin moisture, amount of sebum on the skin, skin surface condition, etc., and further, at least one selected from among these may be adopted.

The target temperature may be a target temperature for making the skin reach a predetermined temperature (target skin temperature), or a target temperature for making the heating means or cooling means reach a predetermined temperature (target heating (cooling) means temperature). In other words, the target temperature may be the skin, or the heating means or cooling means.

As mentioned above, the purpose of regulating skin temperature may be a dedicated product with a specific purpose, or it may be a product intended for multiple uses.

A skin temperature regulation device having such a configuration can provide a skin temperature regulation device that can appropriately heat or cool the skin depending on the purpose of skin temperature regulation and the individual differences in the condition of the skin before heating or cooling.

The skin temperature regulating device according to this embodiment may also be provided with a skin temperature monitoring means for monitoring the skin temperature while the temperature varying unit is being controlled by the control unit.

For example, by using a contact or non-contact temperature sensor to monitor the temperature of the skin itself rather than using a heating means such as a heater or a cooling means such as a Peltier element, it is possible to not only cut off the power supply or switch to rapid cooling if the temperature exceeds a set temperature to prevent burns, but also to analyze how easily the skin warms up and adjust the skin temperature according to that tendency, thereby allowing for more appropriate skin temperature adjustment.

The control unit may also include an environmental temperature correction means for controlling the temperature of the environment in which the device is used. This configuration allows the device to control the skin temperature in accordance with the temperature of the environment in which the device is used, and thus allows for more appropriate skin temperature regulation.

In addition, the target temperature suitable for the purpose of skin temperature regulation in the skin temperature regulation device of this embodiment may be determined by determining the target temperature from a group of target temperatures consisting of multiple temperatures suitable for a specified purpose of skin temperature regulation according to the measurement results.

To explain this in more detail with an example, a skin temperature regulating device may, for example, store data pairs (hereinafter referred to as element measurement value-target temperature data pairs) that associate the measurement values of specific elements measured by the skin condition measuring unit with target temperatures suitable for the purpose of skin temperature regulation in the form of functions, tables, etc. for a number of element measurement values, and select one element measurement value-target temperature data pair according to the measurement value (measurement result) of the skin condition measuring unit as a target temperature group to determine the target temperature.

With this configuration, it is possible to freely select one target temperature from among multiple target temperatures based on the results of the measurement by the skin condition measurement unit, and it is possible to more appropriately adjust the temperature according to the differences in individual skin conditions.

The skin temperature regulation device according to this embodiment may further include a purpose recognition means for recognizing the purpose of skin temperature regulation, and the target temperature suitable for the purpose of skin temperature regulation may be determined by determining the target temperature from among a plurality of target temperature groups provided for each purpose of skin temperature regulation, the target temperature corresponding to the purpose of skin temperature regulation recognized by the purpose recognition means, in accordance with the measurement results.

To explain this with an example, for example, the multipurpose skin temperature adjustment device mentioned above, that is, a skin temperature adjustment device that allows the user to use a dial to select from multiple skin temperature adjustment purposes, such as pre-temperature adjustment before makeup application, pre-temperature adjustment for massage, pre-temperature adjustment for iontophoresis, pre-warming for skin revitalization, and cooling for skin tightening.

In such a multipurpose skin temperature adjustment device, multiple target temperature groups are stored, such as a target temperature group for preliminary temperature adjustment before makeup application, a target temperature group for preliminary temperature adjustment for massage, a target temperature group for preliminary temperature adjustment for iontophoresis, and a target temperature group for preliminary temperature adjustment for skin activation. An example of an embodiment is one in which the selection dial for the purpose of skin temperature adjustment functions as a purpose recognition means for the skin temperature adjustment device to select the target temperature group for the purpose of skin temperature adjustment set by the dial, and further select one element measurement value-target temperature data pair according to the measurement value (measurement result) of the skin condition measurement unit to determine the target temperature.

With this configuration, the target temperature for appropriate skin temperature regulation can be freely selected from among multiple objectives according to a specific purpose, and from among multiple target temperatures.

The treatment device according to this embodiment can include a skin temperature regulating device according to any of the aspects described above, and a treatment section that performs treatment for the purpose of regulating skin temperature. Note that when the skin temperature regulating device and the treatment section are integrated into the treatment device, the skin temperature regulating device can also be considered as a skin temperature regulating unit that constitutes part of the treatment device.

With this configuration, it is possible to provide a treatment device that can perform preliminary temperature adjustments according to the individual differences in skin condition during treatment.

The skin temperature adjustment device and treatment device according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment
1 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the treatment device A1 according to the first embodiment. The treatment device A1 functions as a heating unit as a temperature changing unit by executing a heating process for warming the skin by a control unit described later, and functions as an iontophoresis unit as a treatment unit by executing an iontophoresis process. That is, the treatment device A1 described in the first embodiment is a dedicated product that includes a heating unit and a treatment unit, and the purpose of heating by the heating unit is specified as preliminary heating for iontophoresis treatment by the iontophoresis unit.

As shown in FIG. 1(a), the treatment device A1 has a roughly elongated rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and a thick plate-like shape that curves slightly backward from the bottom to the top. Its circumference is large enough to be held in the palm of the hand, and its vertical length is large enough that the top part extends beyond the hand when the housing is held.

As shown in FIG. 1(b), the treatment device A1 is composed of a treatment device main body 12 and a clamping body 13.

The treatment device body 12 is the main part of the treatment device A1, which is equipped with a heating section that warms the skin and an iontophoresis section, and has a truncated cone-shaped contact section 14 protruding from the upper front surface.

The contact portion 14 is a portion that comes into direct or indirect contact with the skin to be heated or treated, and is made of a conductor such as metal so that when the heating portion is functioning, the heat generated by the heating element is efficiently transferred to the skin, and when the iontophoresis portion is functioning, it functions as one electrode for forming a potential gradient.

The clamping body 13 is a member for clamping the cotton 15 placed on the contact portion 14 between the treatment device body 12 as shown by the dashed line.

The clamping body 13 is pivotally supported at the lower end of the treatment device body 12 so as to be swingable between the closed position shown in Fig. 1(a) and the open position shown in Fig. 1(b) with the axis extending in the left-right direction. In addition, the clamping body 13 has an exposure hole 13a formed at the opposing position, through which the contact portion 14 is exposed when the clamping body 13 is in the closed position.

Then, by closing the clamping body 13 and directly contacting the contact portion 14 with the skin while the heating portion is functioning, the skin is heated to a temperature appropriate for the subsequent iontophoresis treatment, depending on the skin's condition.

In addition, by opening the clamping body 13 once, placing cotton 15 soaked in cosmetics or the like on the upper surface 14a of the contact portion 14, and then shifting the clamping body 13 to a closed position, the cotton 15 can be clamped between the clamping body 13 and the treatment device main body 12. In this state, by operating the iontophoresis unit described below and passing electricity through the cotton 15 to the skin against which the contact portion 14 is in contact, it is possible to perform iontophoresis of a specific component contained in the cosmetics or the like. Note that the reference numeral 16 shown in FIG. 1 denotes a gripping portion side electrode 16 for forming a potential gradient between the contact portion 14 and the gripping portion 12.

Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the rear side of the treatment device A1. As shown in Figure 2, an operation unit 17 is arranged on the rear side of the treatment device A1, and allows the user to input instructions to the control unit 30 housed inside the treatment device main body 12.

The operation unit 17 is provided with a power button 17a, a skin temperature adjustment button 17b, and a treatment button 17c, and each button is electrically connected to the control unit 30.

The power button 17a is a button for starting up the treatment device A1 or for turning it off. When the power button 17a is pressed before start-up, power is supplied from the power source (battery 18 in this embodiment) to the control unit 30, and the heating unit and iontophoresis unit are placed in a standby state. When the power button 17a is pressed after start-up, power to the control unit 30 is cut off and the treatment device A1 returns to the state before start-up.

The skin temperature adjustment button 17b is a button for activating the temperature changing section, and in the case of the treatment device A1 according to the first embodiment, it is a button for activating the heating section. Specifically, power is supplied to the heater, sensor, etc. that constitute the heating section, and the skin in contact with the contact section 14 is heated.

The treatment button 17c is a button for operating the iontophoresis unit. Specifically, power is supplied to the pulse current supply circuit 49 (described later) that constitutes the iontophoresis unit, and ions are introduced into the skin that is in contact with the contact unit 14 via the cotton 15.

The operation unit 17 is also provided with a display unit 17f. This display unit 17f is for displaying various temperature information such as the target temperature, the current skin temperature, and the temperature of the heater and Peltier element to inform the user, and is electrically connected to the control unit 30 described below.

An indicator lamp 17d is also provided at the top of the operation unit 17. The indicator lamp 17d is turned off before the treatment device A1 is started, and turns on after it is started to indicate the start-up state of the treatment device A1. The indicator lamp 17d is also made of a so-called multi-color LED, and uses different colors to inform the user whether the state of the treatment device A1 is in the skin temperature adjustment mode or the iontophoresis mode, which will be described later.

Next, the internal configuration of the treatment device A1, particularly the internal configuration in the vicinity of the contact portion 14, will be described. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the vicinity of the contact portion 14 on the front side of the treatment device A1, and in addition to the configuration visible from the outside, Figure 3 also shows the arrangement positions of the configuration housed inside the contact portion 14 that cannot be seen from the outside, using dashed lines and shading.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the contact portion 14 has a heater 19, shown as a shaded circular area, disposed on the inner side facing the upper surface 14a.

In addition, as a configuration that can be seen from the outside, a skin temperature measuring unit 20 is arranged in the center of the upper surface 14a, and a heat insulating unit 21 is formed between the arrangement area of the heater 19 and the skin temperature measuring unit 20. Therefore, the heater 19, heat insulating unit 21, and skin temperature measuring unit 20 are arranged concentrically.

Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the X-X cross section in Figure 3. The contact part 14 has a metal contact cup 22 that forms its exterior, and is configured by arranging a base 24, a support 23, a heat insulating part 21, a heater 19, and a skin temperature measuring part 20.

The contact cup 22 is a member made of a metal with good electrical and thermal conductivity, and is a part that transfers heat from the heater 19 to the skin in the skin temperature regulation mode and functions as an electrode in the iontophoresis mode.

In addition, an exposure hole 22b is formed in the center of the bottom of the contact cup 22, i.e., the part that becomes the upper surface 14a of the contact part 14, so that the insulation part 21 and the skin temperature measuring part 20 described below can be placed in an exposed state.

The base 24 and support 23 are members for supporting the insulation section 21 and heater 19 arranged inside the contact cup 22.

The heat insulating section 21 is disposed approximately in the center of the support 23. The heat insulating section 21 is made of a material that has low thermal conductivity and is not altered by the heat of the heater 19, and serves to prevent the heat of the heater 19 from propagating to the surrounding areas.

The heater 19 is a part that generates heat to be supplied to the skin when the treatment device A1 is in skin temperature adjustment mode. The heater 19 is arranged with its upper surface in contact with the rear surface of the contact cup 22, so that the generated heat is smoothly transferred to the contact cup 22. In addition, the underside of the heater 19 is supported by a support body 23 and a heat insulating part 21, which prevents the heater 19 from falling off the contact cup 22 and prevents the heat of the heater 19 from escaping to other parts and being lost.

The heater 19 is electrically connected to a control board 26 arranged inside the treatment device main body 12 by wiring (not shown), and is configured so that the amount of heat generated can be changed under the control of a control unit 30 constructed on the control board 26.

The heater 19 is also provided with a heater temperature sensor 19a. This heater temperature sensor 19a is used to measure the temperature of the heater 19, and the temperature information obtained by the heater temperature sensor 19a is supplied to the control board 26 (control unit 30) via wiring (not shown).

The skin temperature measuring unit 20 is one of the components that, together with the control unit 30, constitutes a skin condition measuring unit that measures the skin temperature as a predetermined element expressed on the skin before heating by the heater 19 or the like, and is disposed in the center of the upper surface 14a of the contact part 14, i.e., in the recess 21a of the insulating part 21 exposed from the exposure hole 22b of the contact cup 22. The skin temperature measuring unit 20 is a part that generates information according to the skin temperature (skin temperature information) and supplies it to the control board 26 (control unit 30), and is composed of a cap body 20a and a skin temperature sensor 20b.

The cap body 20a is a metal cover that comes into direct contact with the skin and transmits heat to the skin temperature sensor 20b.

The skin temperature sensor 20b generates and stores, as skin temperature information, an electrical element (e.g., a voltage according to temperature, a resistance value according to temperature, etc.) that changes in response to the skin heat transmitted through the cap body 20a. The skin temperature sensor 20b is connected to the control board 26 (control unit 30) via wiring (not shown), and the skin temperature information is supplied to the control unit 30.

Another feature of the contact portion 14 is that an insulating portion 21 is disposed between the heater 19 and the skin temperature measuring portion 20, so that the heat from the heater 19 is prevented from affecting the measurement of the skin temperature by the skin temperature measuring portion 20 as much as possible.

In particular, as can be seen by focusing on the surface structure of the upper surface 14a, a partition wall 21b of the insulating section 21 is interposed between the heater 19 and the contact cup 22 that receives the heat from the heater 19 and the skin temperature measuring section 20, so that the skin temperature measuring section 20 is thermally insulated as much as possible, enabling accurate measurement of the skin temperature as a specific element expressed on the skin.

Next, the electrical configuration of the treatment device A1 will be described. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the treatment device A1.

The control unit 30 constructed on the control board 26 includes a CPU 45, a ROM 46, a RAM 47, an RTC 48, etc., and is capable of executing the programs necessary to operate the treatment device A1.

Specifically, the ROM 46 stores the programs and other information required for processing by the CPU 45, and the RAM 47 functions as a temporary storage area when executing those programs and other information.

For example, a specific area of ROM 46 stores programs for implementing the processing, as well as an environmental temperature correction table that is referenced when control unit 30 functions as an environmental temperature correction means. This environmental temperature correction table stores data for eliminating the effect of environmental temperature on skin temperature prior to referencing the element measurement value-target temperature table described below.

The ROM 46 also has a purpose-specific memory area in which target temperatures are stored according to the purpose of skin temperature regulation. In the treatment device A1 according to this embodiment, a specific address range within the purpose-specific memory area is assigned as a memory area for iontophoresis, in which an iontophoresis element measurement value-target temperature table is stored as a target temperature group.

The treatment device A1 according to this embodiment is a dedicated device whose purpose of skin temperature regulation (purpose of heating) is specified as pre-heating before iontophoresis, so only the iontophoresis memory area is allocated to the purpose-specific memory area, and the iontophoresis element measurement value-target temperature table is stored therein. However, in the case of the multi-purpose device described above, the purpose-specific memory area is allocated a memory area according to each purpose, and a target temperature group for each purpose (for example, the element measurement value-target temperature table for each purpose) is stored in each area. In addition, the treatment device A1 according to this embodiment can be configured with a multi-purpose purpose-specific memory area, and can be configured to only access the iontophoresis memory area in terms of hardware or software.

The ROM 46 also stores a first color value, which is the setting value of the light color of the indicator lamp 17d in the skin temperature adjustment mode, and a second color value, which is the setting value of the light color in the iontophoresis mode.

For example, a specified area of the RAM 47 stores a mode value indicating the current mode of the treatment device A1, a current pattern value for instructing the pulse current supply circuit 49 (described below) on the pulse current pattern to be supplied to the contact cup 22, an emission color value for instructing the indicator drive circuit 50 (described below) on the emission color of the indicator lamp 17d, a target temperature value for heating control by the control unit 30, etc.

The RTC (Real Time Clock) 48 generates clock pulses that serve as a reference for executing the interrupt processing described below. Even when the CPU 45 is executing a process, it suspends the process and executes the interrupt processing in response to clock pulses generated by the RTC 48 at a predetermined cycle (e.g., 2 milliseconds).

The control unit 30 also includes a pulse current supply circuit 49 and an indicator drive circuit 50.

The pulse current supply circuit 49 is a circuit for supplying a predetermined current in a predetermined pattern to the contact cup 22 based on the power supplied from the power supply unit 31 (battery 18). The pulse current supply circuit 49 monitors the current pattern value of the RAM 47, and supplies a current in a pattern corresponding to the current pattern value to the contact cup 22.

The indicator drive circuit 50 is a circuit for making the indicator lamp 17d emit light in a predetermined color. The indicator drive circuit 50 monitors the emission color value in the RAM 47, and makes the indicator lamp 17d emit light in a color that corresponds to the value corresponding to the predetermined color.

The control unit 30 is also connected to a power button 17a, a skin temperature adjustment button 17b, a treatment button 17c, a heater temperature sensor 19a, a skin temperature sensor 20b, an indicator lamp 17d, a contact cup 22, a heater 19, and a display unit 17f, and is configured to be referenced and controlled according to the execution status of the program in the control unit 30.

For example, the control unit 30 monitors the power button 17a, the skin temperature adjustment button 17b, and the treatment button 17c, and when each button is pressed, it rewrites the value at a specific address in the RAM 47 to record that each button has been operated by the user of the treatment device A1.

For example, the control unit 30 also monitors the heater temperature sensor 19a and the skin temperature sensor 20b. The temperature information obtained from the heater temperature sensor 19a and the skin temperature sensor 20b is sequentially stored in a predetermined address of the RAM 47. Note that the indicator lamp 17d, the contact cup 22, the heater 19, and the display unit 17f are as described above, and will not be described here.

Next, the processing executed by the control unit 30 will be described with reference to Figs. 6 to 8. Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing the main processing executed by the CPU 45 of the control unit 30, Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing the interrupt processing, and Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing the skin temperature adjustment mode processing.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the main process, the CPU 45 first refers to a predetermined address in the RAM 47 and determines whether the mode value is 0, i.e., whether the user has specified a standby state (step S11). If it is determined that the mode value is 0 (step S11: Yes), the CPU 45 returns the process to step S11. On the other hand, if it is determined that the mode value is not 0 (step S11: No), the CPU 45 moves the process to step S12.

In step S12, the CPU 45 determines whether the mode value is 1, i.e., whether the skin temperature adjustment mode has been instructed by the user. If it is determined that the mode value is 1 (step S12: Yes), the CPU 45 proceeds to step S13.

In step S13, the CPU 45 executes the skin temperature adjustment mode process. When the skin temperature adjustment mode process ends, the CPU 45 returns the process to step S11.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S12 that the mode value is not 1 (step S12: No), the CPU 45 proceeds to step S14.

In step S14, the CPU 45 determines whether the mode value is 2, i.e., whether the iontophoresis mode has been instructed by the user. If it is determined that the mode value is 2 (step S14: Yes), the CPU 45 moves the process to step S15.

In step S15, the CPU 45 sets the emission color value to a second color value (e.g., a value indicating red), and refers to the current pattern value stored in a specific address in the RAM 47, and proceeds to step S16.

In step S16, the CPU 45 instructs the pulse current supply circuit 49 to apply current and performs ion introduction treatment on the skin in contact for a predetermined time. After the predetermined time has elapsed, the mode value and emission color value are set to 0, putting the treatment device A1 into standby mode. Note that by executing steps S15 and S16 by the CPU 45, the control unit 30, contact unit 14, etc. function as a treatment unit in an integrated manner. After completing step S16, the CPU 45 returns the process to step S11.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S14 that the mode value is not 2 (step S14: No), the CPU 45 proceeds to step S17.

In step S17, the CPU 45 sets the mode value stored in a specific address in the RAM 47 to 0, and enters a standby state, and also sets the target temperature value to a null value and the emission color value to 0, and enters a standby state. After completing step S17, the CPU 45 returns the process to step S11.

Next, interrupt processing will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The CPU 45 may suspend a process and execute an interrupt process even when the process is currently being executed. The following interrupt processing is executed in response to a clock pulse generated by the RTC 48 at a predetermined cycle (e.g., 2 milliseconds).

In the interrupt process, the CPU 45 refers to a specific address in the RAM 47 and determines whether or not the user has operated the skin temperature adjustment button 17b. If it determines that the skin temperature adjustment button 17b has been pressed (step S21: Yes), the CPU 45 sets the mode value stored in the RAM 47 to 1 and the emission color value to the value of the first color (step S22), and returns the process to the address before the branch. On the other hand, if it determines that the skin temperature adjustment button 17b has not been pressed (step S21: No), the CPU 45 moves the process to step S23.

In step S23, the CPU 45 refers to a specific address in the RAM 47 and determines whether or not the user has operated the treatment button 17c. If it is determined that the treatment button 17c has been pressed (step S23: Yes), the CPU 45 sets the mode value stored in the RAM 47 to 2 and the emission color value to the value of the second color (step S24), and returns the process to the address before the branch. On the other hand, if it is determined that the treatment button 17c has not been pressed (step S23: No), the CPU 45 moves the process to step S25.

In step S25, the CPU 45 determines whether the power button 17a has been pressed and held down. If it is determined that the power button 17a has been pressed and held down (step S25: Yes), the CPU 45 sets the mode value and the emission color value stored in the RAM 47 to 0 (step S26), and returns the process to the address before the branch. On the other hand, if it is determined that the power button 17a has not been pressed and held down (step S25: No), the CPU 45 returns the process to the address before the branch.

Next, the skin temperature adjustment mode processing will be described with reference to FIG. 8. In the skin temperature adjustment mode, the CPU 45 refers to a predetermined address in the RAM 47 and determines whether or not a target temperature has been set (step S31). If the target temperature value is null (step S31: No), the CPU 45 transfers the processing to step S32. On the other hand, if a value has been set for the target temperature value (step S31: Yes), the CPU 45 transfers the processing to step S37.

In step S32, the CPU 45 applies electricity to the contact cup 22 to determine whether the skin is in contact with the contact portion 14.

Next, the CPU 45 refers to the voltage and resistance value when electricity is applied, and if it determines that the skin is in contact with the contact portion 14 (step S33: Yes), it transfers the process to step S34. On the other hand, if it determines that the skin is not in contact (step S33: No), the CPU 45 returns the process to the address before the branch.

In step S34, the CPU 45 performs a skin condition measurement process. In the treatment device A1 according to this embodiment, the predetermined element that appears on the skin and is to be measured is the skin temperature, so the skin temperature is measured here. Note that when the CPU 45 executes this step S34, the control unit 30, skin temperature measurement unit 20, etc. function as a skin temperature measurement means.

Specifically, the CPU 45 refers to a specific address in the RAM 47 and calculates the skin temperature from the temperature information from the skin temperature sensor 20b. When this skin condition measurement process is completed, the CPU 45 proceeds to step S35.

In step S35, the CPU 45 executes an environmental temperature correction process. Specifically, the CPU 45 refers to the temperature of the environment in which the treatment device A1 is being used, such as room temperature, and an environmental temperature correction table pre-stored in the ROM 46, and corrects the skin temperature to eliminate the effect of the environmental temperature on the skin temperature. When the CPU 45 executes this step S35, the control unit 30 functions as an environmental temperature correction means. After completing this environmental temperature correction process, the CPU 45 moves the process to step S36.

In step S36, the CPU 45 executes a target temperature determination process. Specifically, it refers to the iontophoresis element measurement value-target temperature table stored in the iontophoresis memory area of the RAM 47, and obtains a target temperature corresponding to the corrected skin temperature (corrected skin temperature), which is the iontophoresis element measurement value, from among a plurality of iontophoresis element measurement value-target temperature data pairs defined in the table, and determines this as the control target temperature. Note that by the CPU 45 executing this step S36, the control unit 30 functions as a target temperature determination means. Upon completing this target temperature determination process, the CPU 45 moves the process to step S37.

In step S37, the CPU 45 supplies power to the heater 19 according to the control target temperature, causing the heater 19 to generate heat. At this time, the CPU 45 refers to temperature information from the heater temperature sensor 19a stored in a specific address in the RAM 47, and adjusts the power supplied to the heater 19 to control the amount of heat generated. Note that by the CPU 45 executing this step S37, the control unit 30, the heater 19, the heater temperature sensor 19a, etc. function integrally as a heating unit, which is a temperature changing unit that heats the skin that is in contact with the heater 19.

Next, the CPU 45 performs a skin temperature monitoring and control process in step S38. Specifically, the CPU 45 calculates the current temperature of the skin itself, rather than the temperature of the heater 19, from the temperature information of the skin temperature sensor 20b recorded at a specific address in the RAM 47, and monitors this over time to control the temperature according to the tendency of the user's skin to warm up easily.

For example, if the temperature rises slowly in response to the amount of heat applied to the skin by the heater 19, it is assumed that the user's skin metabolism is low, and processing such as increasing the amount of heat generated by the heater 19 is performed to optimize the skin temperature for subsequent iontophoresis.

Conversely, if it is determined that the skin is prone to warming, the skin is considered to have an active metabolic state, and processing is performed to suppress the amount of heat generated. Note that by the CPU 45 executing this step S38, the control unit 30, skin temperature measurement unit 20, etc. function as skin temperature monitoring means that monitors the skin temperature while the heating unit (temperature changing unit) is being controlled by the control unit 30. When this skin temperature monitoring control processing is completed, the CPU 45 returns the processing to the address before the branch.

As such, the treatment device A1 according to this embodiment has the configuration described above and operates as follows.

In other words, when the user presses the power button 17a located on the operation unit 17 of the treatment device A1, the treatment device A1 goes into a standby state and waits for the user to select the skin temperature adjustment mode or the ion introduction mode.

Next, when the user presses the skin temperature adjustment button 17b, the treatment device A1 transitions to skin temperature adjustment mode. In the skin temperature adjustment mode, before the heater 19 heats the skin, the skin temperature is measured, and after correction according to the environmental temperature, the target temperature is determined.

Here, the control unit 30 selects an element measurement value-target temperature table for iontophoresis stored in the ROM 46, in other words, an element measurement value-target temperature data pair corresponding to the corrected skin temperature from among a plurality of element measurement value-target temperature data pairs, and determines a target temperature that is suitable for iontophoresis and is also suitable for the user's current skin condition.

Therefore, unlike conventional treatment devices that heat the skin to a single predetermined target temperature regardless of the user's skin condition, it is possible to freely select an appropriate target temperature from multiple target temperatures according to the corrected skin temperature, making it possible to heat the skin appropriately according to the differences in the individual skin conditions before heating.

The control unit 30 then controls the power supplied to the heater 19 to control the target temperature, thereby providing appropriate heating to the skin.

At this time, the control unit 30 also executes a skin temperature monitoring and control process to capture the different ways in which the skin warms up depending on the user, and provide more appropriate heating.

Second Embodiment
Next, a skin temperature regulator A2 according to a second embodiment will be described. This skin temperature regulator A2 is similar to the treatment device A1 of the first embodiment in that the control unit 30 executes the heating process described above and functions as a heating unit, but differs in that it includes a Peltier element 25 that cools the skin in contact with the skin, the control unit 30 executes a cooling process and functions as a cooling unit, and does not include a configuration or processing corresponding to a treatment unit. That is, the skin temperature regulator A2 described in the second embodiment includes both a heating unit and a cooling unit as a temperature changing unit, but does not include a treatment unit, and is a dedicated product whose purpose of skin temperature regulation is limited to one specific purpose, and in particular, it will be described here as a skin temperature regulator A2 for regulating the skin temperature for a specific cosmetic product on the market in order to improve the beauty effect of the ingredients contained in the cosmetic product.

Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a sales image of the skin temperature regulating device A2 according to the second embodiment. The skin temperature regulating device A2 is a component of a beauty set S that is sold in a cosmetic box P together with cosmetics M.

Cosmetic M contains beauty ingredients whose effects on the skin vary depending on the skin's temperature and metabolic state, and the skin temperature adjustment device A2 has the role of warming the skin before using cosmetic M, or cooling and tightening the skin, so that the beauty ingredients can function effectively on the skin.

As shown in FIG. 9, the appearance of the skin temperature adjustment device A2 differs from that of the treatment device A1 in that it does not have a clamping body 13, but the rest of the configuration is generally similar.

Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the skin temperature adjustment device A2. The electrical configuration of the skin temperature adjustment device A2 is also roughly the same as that of the treatment device A1 described above, but it differs in that it does not have a configuration that functions as a treatment section as shown in Figure 10 and that it has a Peltier element 25.

Specifically, the treatment button 17c provided on the operation unit 17 of the treatment device A1 and the pulse current supply circuit 49 in the control unit 30 are not provided, and steps S14 to S16 of the main processing performed for iontophoresis and steps S23 and S24 of the interrupt processing are not executed.

In addition, in the skin temperature adjustment mode process, the heater is energized as necessary in step S37, and as shown in FIG. 11, in step S37-1 following step S37, current is applied to the Peltier element 25 as necessary, and the Peltier element energization process is executed to cool the contact cup 22 that is in contact with the cooling surface of the element.

In addition, the purpose-specific memory area of ROM 46 does not have a memory area for ion introduction, but is assigned a memory area for beauty ingredient penetration, which stores a beauty ingredient penetration element measurement value-target temperature table.

The skin temperature regulation device A2 according to this embodiment has the configuration described above and therefore operates as follows.

In other words, when the user presses the power button 17a to put the skin temperature adjustment device A2 into standby mode, and then presses the skin temperature adjustment button 17b, the skin temperature adjustment device A2 transitions to the skin temperature adjustment mode.

In the skin temperature adjustment mode, before the heater 19 heats the skin and/or the Peltier element 25 cools the skin, the skin temperature is measured and corrected according to the ambient temperature before the target temperature is determined.

Here, the control unit 30 refers to the beauty ingredient penetration element measurement value-target temperature table stored in ROM 46, selects an element measurement value-target temperature data pair corresponding to the corrected skin temperature from among the multiple element measurement value-target temperature data pairs that make up the table, and determines a target temperature that is suitable for the penetration of beauty ingredients and is also suitable for the user's current skin condition.

Then, by executing step S37 or step S37-1 as necessary to reach the determined target temperature, a temperature changing section capable of heating and/or cooling is formed together with other components, and the temperature of the skin in contact is adjusted.

Therefore, unlike conventional treatment devices that heat or cool to a single predetermined target temperature regardless of the user's skin condition, it is possible to freely select an appropriate target temperature from multiple target temperatures according to the corrected skin temperature, making it possible to appropriately adjust the skin temperature according to differences in the individual skin condition before heating or cooling.

In addition, by executing various processes according to the flow of the skin temperature adjustment mode described above, other functions are also realized, similar to the previous treatment device A1.

Third Embodiment
Next, the treatment device A3 according to the third embodiment will be described. This treatment device A3 is similar to the treatment device A1 of the first embodiment in that the control unit 30 executes the above-mentioned skin temperature adjustment mode process and performs the function of a heating unit, which is a temperature changing unit, but a plurality of mechanical components corresponding to the treatment unit are prepared separately, and it is configured so that a plurality of types of treatment can be performed by replacing them. That is, the treatment device A3 described in the third embodiment has both a heating unit and a treatment unit, but a plurality of replaceable treatment units are prepared, and the purpose of heating is multiple, as many as the number of treatments that can be performed, so it can be said to be not a dedicated product used for a single purpose (a product related to multiple purposes).

In addition, the skin condition measuring unit and the specific elements measured by the skin condition measuring unit before heating the skin are the skin temperature measured by the skin temperature measuring unit 20 in the treatment device A1 and the skin temperature regulating device A2, but in the treatment device A3, the skin condition is confirmed by measuring the skin tone (reflectance of a specific wavelength of light) by the skin color measuring unit 65.

Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the treatment device A3 according to the third embodiment. The treatment device A3 has a similar external configuration to the previously described skin temperature adjustment device A2, but is characterized in that, as shown in Figure 12(a), it is configured by attaching a head unit 62 to a treatment device main body unit 61, and that the head unit 62 comes in three types: a low-frequency massage head 62a, a vibration massage head 62b, and a light treatment head 62c, which can be switched to perform multiple treatments.

The treatment device main body 61 is a part that mainly controls the treatment device A3. Depending on the type of the attached head unit 62, the treatment device main body 61 causes the treatment device A3 to function as a temperature changing unit (a heating unit that heats the skin in this third embodiment) that adjusts the skin temperature according to the treatment purpose, or to function as a treatment unit.

In addition, a head attachment portion 61a is formed at the upper end of the treatment device main body portion 61, and is configured to detachably connect the treatment device main body portion 61 and the head portion 62 while providing an electrical connection.

The head unit 62 contains components such as a heater 19 and a Peltier element 25 for regulating skin temperature (here, the heater 19 is a component for heating) and a component for performing treatment, and the components for performing treatment are different for each head unit 62. Of course, the components for regulating skin temperature may also be different for each head.

The head unit 62 is also provided with an indicator means for allowing the treatment device main body 61 to recognize which head unit 62 is attached. Such an indicator means is not particularly limited, but in the treatment device A3 in this third embodiment, it is realized by an electrical resistance with a different value for each head unit 62.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12(b), a terminal for identifying the labeling means is assigned to the electrical connector provided on the head attachment portion 61a of the treatment device main body portion 61, and the type of head portion 62 is determined by electrically identifying the unique resistance value assigned to each attached head portion 62 by the control portion 30 of the treatment device main body portion 61.

In addition, the control unit 30 recognizes the type of skin temperature adjustment (warming) before treatment by distinguishing the differences between each head unit 62. In other words, these components function as a purpose recognition means for recognizing the purpose of heating, along with executing a purpose recognition process in the control unit 30 described below.

Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the Y-Y cross section of the low-frequency massage head 62a shown in Figure 12 (a). The low-frequency massage head 62a is a head unit 62 for applying various patterns of low-frequency current to the skin via the contact cup 22 of the contact part 64, which functions as an electrode, to stimulate muscle contraction and perform a massage. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate components similar to the internal configuration of the contact part 14 of the treatment device A1 previously described with reference to Figure 4, and the description may be simplified or omitted.

The low-frequency massage head 62a includes a head body 71 that serves as the base of the head 62, and a contact portion 64 formed on the front side of the head body 71.

The head body 71 serves as the mounting base for the contact part 64 and also serves as the connection part with the treatment device body 61.

The contact part 64 has a support 23 and a heat insulating member 21 arranged inside the contact cup 22, and is equipped with a heater 19 that functions as a heat source for warming the skin and a heater temperature sensor 19a for monitoring the heater 19. The contact part 64 is different from the contact part 14 (see FIG. 4) of the treatment device A1 described in the first embodiment in that it is equipped with an optical skin color measuring unit 65.

The skin color measuring unit 65 is composed of a light emitting element 66, a light receiving element 67, an optical path forming body 68 that forms a V-shaped optical path from the light emitting element 66 to the light receiving element 67 together with the heat insulating member 21, and a lens 69 arranged in the exposure hole 22b of the contact cup 22. 66 and the light receiving element 67 are electrically connected to the control unit 30 in the treatment device main body 61 via the head attachment part 61a, and the light emitting element 66 emits test light toward the lens 69. This test light is reflected by the measured part of the skin surface that is in contact with the lens 69 and reaches the light receiving element 67.

The amount of reflected light at this time varies depending on the color of the user's skin, i.e., the amount of melanin. Specifically, for users with dark skin and a lot of melanin, the test light is absorbed relatively well by the skin surface, resulting in less reflected light. Conversely, for users with light skin and little melanin, the amount of test light absorbed is relatively low, resulting in more reflected light. Even when used by the same user, abnormal areas such as blemishes caused by melanin absorb more test light and reflect less light than normal areas without blemishes. Purple (380-430 nm) visible light is more easily absorbed by melanin than other colors of visible light with longer wavelengths, and as a result there is a large difference in the amount of reflected light when irradiated on normal and abnormal areas, making it excellent for detecting skin abnormalities.

The control unit 30 stores the output information from the skin color measurement unit 65, and determines that the skin metabolism is poor if the amount of reflected light is low (low reflectance) and the skin color is dull, or determines that the skin metabolism is good if the skin is bright and clear, and then performs heating according to the treatment.

The contact portion 64 is provided with a skin temperature measuring portion 20 equipped with a skin temperature sensor 20b. A partition wall 21b of the heat insulating portion 21 is interposed between the heater 19 or the contact cup 22 that receives heat from the heater 19 and the skin temperature measuring portion 20, so that the skin temperature measuring portion 20 is thermally insulated as much as possible, allowing accurate measurement of the skin temperature as a specific element expressed on the skin.

The contact cup 22 is also electrically connected to a low-frequency current generating circuit (not shown) constructed in the control unit 30 of the treatment device main body 61, which is described below, and allows a predetermined low-frequency current to be applied to the skin under the control of the control unit 30, thereby providing a low-frequency massage to the skin.

Figure 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the vibration massage head 62b. The vibration massage head 62b is a head unit 62 that vibrates the built-in vibration motor 72 to massage the skin that is in contact with it.

The vibration massage head 62b has a head body 71 that forms the base of the head 62, and a contact portion 73 formed on the front side of the head body 71.

The contact part 73 has a support 23 and a heat insulating member 21 arranged inside the contact cup 22, a heater 19 that functions as a heat source for warming the skin, a heater temperature sensor 19a for monitoring this, the contact cup 22 electrically connected to the control unit 30, and an optical skin color measuring unit 65. It has a similar configuration to the low-frequency massage head 62a, but it is different in that it has a vibration motor 72.

The vibration motor 72 has an eccentric weight 72c attached to the drive shaft 72b of the motor 72a, and vibrates with the power supplied from the treatment device main body 61 under the control of the control unit 30, vibrating the entire low-frequency massage head 62a to perform a vibration massage of the skin in contact with the upper surface 73a of the contact part 73.

Figure 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the light treatment head 62c. The light treatment head 62c is a head unit 62 that emits light with a wavelength that activates skin cells from the treatment LED 75 and treats the skin that is in contact with it.

The light treatment head 62c includes a head body 71 that serves as the base of the head 62, and a contact portion 74 formed on the front side of the head body 71.

The contact part 74 has a support 23 and a heat insulating member 21 arranged inside the contact cup 22, a heater 19 that functions as a heat source for warming the skin, a heater temperature sensor 19a for monitoring the heater 19, the contact cup 22 electrically connected to the control unit 30, and an optical skin color measuring unit 65. It has a similar configuration to the low-frequency massage head 62a, but it is different in that it is provided with a treatment LED 75 that can emit light of a predetermined wavelength to the skin.

The treatment LED 75 is connected to the control unit 30 in the treatment device main body 61 via the head attachment part 61a by wiring (not shown), and emits light using power supplied from the treatment device main body 61 under the control of the control unit 30, providing light treatment to the skin placed against the upper surface 74a of the contact part 74.

Figure 16 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the treatment device A3. The treatment device A3 is composed of a treatment device main body 61 and multiple head units 62, which are separate units, and the electrical configuration described in the treatment device A1 of the first embodiment is distributed to each of them, but the functions of each block are similar.

Simply put, the treatment device main body 61 is equipped with a control unit 30, which receives power from the power supply unit 31 via a CPU 45, ROM 46, RAM 47, RTC 48, and indicator drive circuit 50, enabling it to execute various programs, etc.

The control unit 30 is also connected to the power button 17a, skin temperature adjustment button 17b, treatment button 17c, and indicator lamp 17d as components of the treatment device main body 61.

On the other hand, each head unit 62 is provided with a contact cup 22, a heater temperature sensor 19a, a skin temperature sensor 20b, a light receiving element 67, a heater 19, and a light emitting element 66, and is capable of receiving information from each component and driving each component under the control of the control unit 30 via the head attachment unit 61a.

The treatment device A3 according to the third embodiment is also characterized in that the vibration massage head 62b is provided with a vibration motor 72, and the light treatment head 62c is provided with an LED 75, so that each component can be driven and energized under the control of the control unit 30.

Another feature of this treatment device A3 is that the purpose-specific memory areas of the ROM 46 are assigned a memory area for low-frequency massage, a memory area for vibration massage, and a memory area for light treatment, with the low-frequency massage memory area storing a low-frequency massage element measurement value-target temperature table, the vibration massage memory area storing a vibration massage element measurement value-target temperature table, and the light treatment memory area storing a light treatment element measurement value-target temperature table.

The control unit 30 also determines the type of head unit 62 attached via the head attachment unit 61a, and stores a value indicating the type at a specific address in the RAM 47.

Next, the processing executed by the CPU 45 will be briefly described. The CPU 45 executes processing that is substantially the same as the main processing, interrupt processing, and skin temperature adjustment mode processing previously described with reference to Figures 6 to 8, except that when the CPU 45 determines that the mode value is 2 in step S14 of the main processing (step S14: Yes), it executes the steps shown in Figure 17 instead of steps S15 and S16.

That is, in step S15-1, the CPU 45 references a specific address in the RAM 47 and acquires a value indicating the type of the attached head unit 62. Next, the CPU 45 executes treatment processing such as energization and control according to the acquired value, i.e., the attached head unit 62 (step S16-1). After completing this step S16-1, the CPU 45 returns the processing to step S11.

The treatment device A3 also executes the following processing for steps S34 to S36 of the skin temperature adjustment mode processing shown in FIG. 8.

That is, in step S34, the CPU 45 performs a skin condition measurement process. In the treatment device A3 according to the third embodiment, the predetermined element to be measured that appears on the skin is the skin tone, so the skin tone (reflectance of light of a predetermined wavelength) is measured.

Specifically, the CPU 45 refers to a specific address in the RAM 47 and calculates a value indicating the skin tone from the reflection intensity information from the light receiving element 67 of the skin color measurement unit 65. When this skin condition measurement process is completed, the CPU 45 proceeds to step S35.

In step S35, the CPU 45 executes an environmental temperature correction process. By referring to an environmental temperature correction table stored in advance in the ROM 46, the CPU 45 corrects the value indicating the skin tone so as to eliminate the effect of the environmental temperature on the skin tone. After completing this environmental temperature correction process, the CPU 45 moves the process to step S36.

In step S36, the CPU 45 executes a target temperature determination process. Specifically, it references a specific address in the RAM 47 to obtain the type of head unit 62 currently attached. It then references an element measurement value-target temperature table stored in a storage area corresponding to the attached head unit 62 among the storage areas for each purpose in the RAM 47, and obtains a target temperature corresponding to the value indicating the corrected skin tone, which is the element measurement value for that purpose, from among the multiple element measurement value-target temperature data pairs for that purpose defined in the table, and determines this as the control target temperature. When this target temperature determination process is completed, the CPU 45 moves the process to step S37.

In addition, in other steps, control is performed according to the type of head unit 62 currently attached.

The treatment device A3 according to this embodiment has the above-mentioned configuration and therefore operates as follows.

That is, before using the treatment device A3, the user attaches the head unit 62 for performing the desired treatment to the treatment device main body unit 61.

Next, when the user presses the power button 17a and then the skin temperature adjustment button 17b, the treatment device A3 transitions to skin temperature adjustment mode.

In the skin temperature adjustment mode, before the heater 19 heats the skin, the skin tone (reflectance of a specific wavelength of light) is measured, and a correction is made according to the ambient temperature before the target temperature is determined.

Here, the control unit 30 refers to the purpose-specific memory areas in the ROM 46 and selects the element measurement value-target temperature table stored in the memory area corresponding to the heating purpose from among the multiple memory areas provided for each individual purpose, i.e., in the case of the treatment device A3, the memory area for low-frequency massage, the memory area for vibration massage, and the memory area for light treatment.

Then, from among the multiple element measurement value-target temperature data pairs that make up the table, an element measurement value-target temperature data pair that corresponds to the correction value indicating the skin tone is selected, and a target temperature that is suitable for the subsequent treatment and is also suitable for the user's current skin condition is determined.

In addition, an element measurement value-target temperature table is provided for each heating purpose, i.e., for each treatment to be performed subsequently. Therefore, the control unit 30 selects an element measurement value-target temperature table from among multiple element measurement value-target temperature tables that corresponds to the type of head unit 62 attached, determines the target temperature based on information obtained from the light receiving element 67 that constitutes the skin color measurement unit 65, and heats the skin to a temperature suitable for the subsequent treatment.

Therefore, unlike conventional treatment devices that heat the skin to a single predetermined target temperature regardless of the user's skin condition, it is possible to freely select an appropriate target temperature from multiple target temperatures according to the corrected skin temperature, making it possible to heat the skin appropriately according to the differences in the individual skin conditions before heating.

In particular, the target temperature for appropriate skin heating can be freely selected from among a number of different purposes according to a specific purpose, and from among a number of different target temperatures.

Fourth Embodiment
Next, a skin temperature adjusting device A4 according to the fourth embodiment will be described. This skin temperature adjusting device A4 is similar to the treatment device A3 of the third embodiment in that the control unit 30 executes the above-mentioned heating process and performs the function of the heating unit as a temperature changing unit, but is different in that it includes a Peltier element 25 that cools the skin in contact with it, the control unit 30 executes the cooling process and performs the function of the cooling unit, and does not include a configuration or process corresponding to the treatment unit. That is, the skin temperature adjusting device A4 described in the fourth embodiment includes both a heating unit and a cooling unit as a temperature changing unit, but does not include a treatment unit, and has multiple purposes for skin temperature adjustment (purposes of heating), and is not a dedicated product used for a single purpose (a product related to multiple purposes). Note that the skin temperature adjusting device A4 is also different from the treatment device A3 in that the operation unit 17 does not include a display unit 17f.

Here, as an example of such a device, we will explain the skin temperature adjustment device A4, which is configured so that the user can select from multiple (four) skin temperature adjustment purposes using a switch: preliminary skin temperature adjustment (warming or cooling) before applying makeup, preliminary warming for massage, preliminary warming for skin revitalization, and cooling for skin tightening.

Figure 18 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation unit 17 of the skin temperature regulating device A4 according to the fourth embodiment. The skin temperature regulating device A4 has a similar external configuration to the previously described skin temperature regulating device A2, but differs in that it is provided with a purpose selection switch 17e as a means for the user to input the purpose of skin temperature regulation.

Specifically, the purpose selection switch 17e is a switch that can be switched depending on the purpose of skin temperature adjustment. In this case, if the purpose of skin temperature adjustment is preliminary skin temperature adjustment before makeup application, "1" is selected, if the purpose is preliminary heating for massage, "3" is selected, if the purpose is preliminary heating for skin activation, and "4" is selected, if the purpose is cooling for skin tightening.

Figure 19 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the skin temperature adjustment device A4. The electrical configuration of the skin temperature adjustment device A4 is roughly the same as that of the skin temperature adjustment device A2, but differs in that the purpose selection switch 17e is connected to the control unit 30 as shown in Figure 19.

The control unit 30 also determines the selected position of the purpose selection switch 17e and stores in a specified address of the RAM 47 a value indicating the purpose of skin temperature adjustment according to that selected position, for example, "1" for preliminary skin temperature adjustment before makeup, "2" for preliminary heating for massage, "3" for preliminary heating for skin activation, and "4" for cooling for skin tightening.

The same applies to the control processing; steps S14 to S16 of the main processing and steps S23 and S24 of the interrupt processing are not executed.

However, unlike the skin temperature adjustment device A2, the purpose of skin temperature adjustment is multiple, so the processing content in the skin temperature adjustment mode processing and the configuration of the purpose-specific memory area are similar to those of the aforementioned treatment device A3.

In other words, the purpose-specific memory areas of ROM 46 are assigned a memory area for pre-makeup pre-warming, a memory area for massage, a memory area for skin activation, and a memory area for skin tightening, and the memory area for pre-makeup pre-warming stores a pre-makeup pre-warming element measurement value-target temperature table, the massage memory area stores a massage element measurement value-target temperature table, the skin activation memory area stores a skin activation element measurement value-target temperature table, and the skin tightening memory area stores a skin tightening element measurement value-target temperature table.

Furthermore, the skin temperature adjustment device A4 executes the following process for step S36 of the skin temperature adjustment mode process shown in FIG. 8.

That is, in step S36, the CPU 45 executes the target temperature determination process, specifically, by referencing a predetermined address in RAM 47 to obtain the position of the purpose selection switch 17e (purpose of skin temperature adjustment). Then, of the storage areas for each purpose in RAM 47, the CPU 45 refers to an element measurement value-target temperature table stored in a storage area corresponding to the purpose of skin temperature adjustment, and obtains a target temperature corresponding to the corrected skin temperature (corrected skin temperature), which is the element measurement value for that purpose, from among the multiple element measurement value-target temperature data pairs for that purpose defined in the table, and determines this as the control target temperature. When this target temperature determination process is completed, the CPU 45 moves the process to step S37.

In the heater energization process in step S37, the CPU 45 energizes the heater as necessary. In addition, as shown in FIG. 11, in step S37-1 following step S37, the CPU 45 energizes the Peltier element 25 as necessary to cool the contact cup 22 that is in contact with the cooling surface of the Peltier element.

The skin temperature regulation device A4 according to this embodiment has the configuration described above and therefore operates as follows.

That is, before using the skin temperature adjustment device A4, the user selects the position of the purpose selection switch 17e to determine the purpose of skin temperature adjustment, i.e., the type of treatment for which the skin temperature will be adjusted to be effective later.

Next, when the user presses the power button 17a and then the skin temperature adjustment button 17b, the skin temperature adjustment device A4 transitions to the skin temperature adjustment mode.

In the skin temperature adjustment mode, before the heater 19 heats the skin and/or the Peltier element 25 cools the skin, the skin temperature is measured and corrected according to the ambient temperature before the target temperature is determined.

The control unit 30 then refers to the purpose-specific memory areas in the ROM 46 and selects the element measurement value-target temperature table stored in the memory area corresponding to the purpose of skin temperature regulation from among the multiple memory areas provided for each individual purpose, i.e., in the case of the skin temperature regulation device A4, the memory area for pre-makeup warming, the memory area for massage, the memory area for skin activation, and the memory area for skin tightening.

In addition, from among the multiple element measurement value-target temperature data pairs that make up the table, an element measurement value-target temperature data pair that corresponds to the corrected skin temperature is selected, and a target temperature that is suitable for the subsequent treatment and is also suitable for the user's current skin condition is determined.

Then, as necessary, the heater 19 is energized to heat the skin, or the Peltier element 25 is energized to cool the skin so that the skin reaches the target temperature.

Therefore, unlike conventional treatment devices that adjust the skin temperature to a single, pre-determined target temperature regardless of the user's skin condition, it is possible to freely select an appropriate target temperature from multiple target temperatures according to the corrected skin temperature, making it possible to appropriately adjust the skin temperature according to differences in the individual skin conditions before heating or cooling.

In particular, the target temperature for appropriately adjusting the skin temperature can be freely selected from among a plurality of objectives according to a specific objective, and from among a plurality of target temperatures.

As described above, the skin temperature regulation device and treatment device according to this embodiment include a temperature change unit that heats and/or cools the skin in contact with the skin, and a control unit that controls the temperature change unit so that the skin reaches a predetermined temperature. The skin temperature regulation device also includes a skin condition measurement unit that measures a predetermined element present on the skin before heating or cooling by the temperature change unit, and a target temperature determination means that determines a target temperature suitable for the purpose of skin temperature regulation according to the measurement result by the skin condition measurement unit. The control unit controls the temperature change unit with the target temperature set to the predetermined temperature, so that a skin temperature regulation device can be provided that can appropriately heat or cool the skin according to the purpose of skin temperature regulation and differences in individual skin conditions before heating or cooling.

Finally, the above-mentioned explanations of each embodiment are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Therefore, even if the embodiment is different from the above-mentioned embodiments, various modifications can be made depending on the design, etc., as long as they do not deviate from the technical concept of the present invention.

For example, the skin temperature regulating devices and treatment devices described above are capable of heating only, or both heating and cooling, but the present invention naturally also includes devices capable of cooling only.

As another example, the skin temperature adjustment device and treatment device described above can be electrically connected to other devices via wire or wirelessly, allowing communication and information sharing. Specifically, it is possible to include a specific wireless communication module (e.g., a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication module) connected to the control unit 30.

With this kind of configuration, for example, it would be possible to send and receive information between the device and a smartphone, and perform various displays and operations. Furthermore, if communication with a server on the Internet were to be performed via the smartphone, it would be possible to utilize the big data stored on the server, analyze history, and use this information as a basis for providing new services.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 14 Contact portion 19 Heater 19a Heater temperature sensor 20 Skin temperature measuring portion 20b Skin temperature sensor 21 Heat insulating member 22 Contact cup 30 Control portion 61 Treatment device main body 62 Head portion 65 Skin color measuring portion A1 Treatment device A2 Skin temperature adjustment device A3 Treatment device A4 Skin temperature adjustment device

Claims (5)

a temperature control unit that controls the temperature control unit so that the skin reaches a predetermined temperature; a skin condition measuring unit that measures a predetermined element appearing on the skin before the skin is heated or cooled by the temperature control unit; and a target temperature determining means that determines a target temperature suitable for the purpose of regulating the skin temperature according to the measurement result by the skin condition measuring unit , wherein the control unit controls the temperature control unit with the target temperature set to the predetermined temperature;
A treatment device including a treatment unit that performs multiple types of treatment for the purpose of regulating skin temperature,
The treatment unit for performing the plurality of types of treatments is a plurality of head units that are detachable from a treatment device main body constituting the treatment device, and are provided for each of the plurality of types of treatments, each of which is provided with a unique marking means;
a purpose recognition means for recognizing a purpose of the skin temperature regulation by identifying the head unit attached to the treatment device body based on the marking means;
This treatment device is characterized in that the target temperature suitable for the purpose of skin temperature adjustment is determined by determining a target temperature from a target temperature group consisting of a plurality of temperatures suitable for the purpose of skin temperature adjustment corresponding to the purpose of skin temperature adjustment recognized by the purpose recognition means, out of a plurality of target temperature groups provided for each purpose of skin temperature adjustment, in accordance with the measurement results . The treatment device according to claim 1, characterized in that the indicator means is an electrical resistance having a different value for each of the multiple heads. The treatment device according to claim 1, further comprising a skin temperature monitoring means for monitoring the temperature of the skin during control of the temperature changing unit by the control unit. The treatment device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit includes an environmental temperature correction unit for performing control in accordance with a temperature of an environment in which the treatment device is used. 2. The treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined element measured by the skin condition measuring unit is at least one selected from the group consisting of skin temperature, skin moisture, skin sebum amount, and skin surface condition.

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