Brush with sponge or foam element

Abstract

The invention provides a body care device (1) for treating a skin, the body care device (1) comprising a housing (100) and a skin treatment head (200) associated with the housing (100), wherein the housing (100) further comprises an actuator (110) configured to rotate the skin treatment head (200) about an axis (A), wherein the skin treatment head (200) comprises a first region (210) comprising a plurality of bristles (211) and a second region (220) comprising a porous flexible material (221).

Claims

1. A body care device for treating a skin, the body care device comprising: a housing comprising: an actuator; and a skin treatment head associated with the housing, said skin treatment head comprising: a first region comprising a plurality of bristles; and a second region comprising a porous flexible material, wherein said plurality of bristles within said first region have a height (h1) extending from said skin treatment head closest to said second region being greater than a height (h2) of said porous flexible material, wherein said height (h1) of said plurality of bristles decreases to said height h2 as said plurality of bristles extend toward an edge of said treatment head, said plurality of bristles configured to: provide a pretreatment of said skin by contacting said skin prior to said porous flexible material contacting said skin; and flex away from the second region, while contacting said skin, as a pressure applied to said skin treatment head is increased to enable said porous flexible material of said second region to contact said skin, wherein said actuator is configured to: partly rotate the skin treatment head about an axis (A).

2. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein the porous flexible material comprises a sponge, said sponge comprising one or more of a natural sponge and a synthetic sponge.

3. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein the first region circumferentially surrounds the second region.

4. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein the first region occupies a first area size (A1) of the treatment head, the second region occupies a second area size (A2), and the first region and the second region have an area size ratio of the first area size to the second area size 0.1≤A1/A2≤100.

5. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein the height (h1) of said bristles from said treatment head and the height (h2) of said porous flexible material from said treatment head having a height ratio in a range of 1.0<h1/h2≤2.

6. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein the first region and the second region have a ratio of a first area size (A1) of the first region to a second area size (A2) of the second region of 0.2≤A1/A2≤5, and a height ratio of the bristle height (h1) to the porous flexible material height (h2) is in a range of 1.0<h1/h2≤1.5, and wherein the porous flexible material is impregnated with charcoal.

7. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein the bristle height (h1) relative to said treatment head is in a range of 4-30 mm, and wherein the bristles have a bristle thickness (d1) in a range of 20-300 μm, and the bristles comprise a polyamide.

8. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein the porous flexible material has a density selected from the range of 2-100 kg/m.sup.3, the porous flexible material has a compression strength at 40% at a pressure in the range of 1-15 kPa, and the porous flexible material comprises one or more of polyether (PE), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyester, poly urethane (PU), and cellulose.

9. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein the porous flexible material comprise a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) sponge or a poly urethane (PU) sponge.

10. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein said first region comprises: a first first region; and a second first region, wherein said bristles of the first region within said first first region have a bristle height (h11) and said bristles of the first region within said second first region have a bristle height (h12), wherein h11<h12.

11. The body care device according to claim 10, wherein the first first region circumferentially surrounds the second first region, and wherein the second first region circumferentially surrounds the second region.

12. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is further configured to vibrate the skin treatment head parallel to the axis (A).

13. The body care device according to claim 1, wherein the skin treatment head is detachable associated to the housing.

14. A method of treating a part of a skin using a body care device comprising: a housing; and a skin treatment head associated with the housing, said skin treatment head comprising: a first region comprising a plurality of bristles extending a height h1 from said skin treatment head, wherein said height of said plurality of bristles decreases to a height h2 as said plurality of bristles extend toward an edge of said skin treatment head; and a second region comprising a porous flexible material extending said height h2 from said skin treatment head, h1 being greater than h2, wherein said bristles within said first region provide a pretreatment of said skin and are configured to flex away from the skin to enable said porous flexible material of said second region to contact said skin, the method comprising: providing a soap to one or more of said part of said skin and said skin treatment head; applying the skin treatment head to the part of the skin using a first pressure to enable the plurality of bristles to contact said skin; applying a second pressure to said skin treatment head to allow said porous flexible material to contact said skin, said second pressure being greater than said first pressure; and rotating the skin treatment head as said skin treatment head is applied to said skin using one of: said first pressure and said second pressure.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: moving the skin treatment head over corresponding ones of the one or more parts of the skin.

16. A treatment device for treatment of a user's skin comprising: a skin treatment head comprising: a first region comprising a plurality of bristles extending from said skin treatment head a height h1, wherein said height of said plurality of bristles decreases to a height h2 as said plurality of bristles extend toward an edge of said skin treatment head; and a second region, positioned within said first region, comprising a skin treatment element extending from said skin treatment head said height, h2, wherein said height, h1 of said plurality of bristles within said first region closest to said second region is greater than said height, h2; and an actuator removably attached to the skin treatment head, wherein said actuator is configured to rotate the skin treatment head.

17. The treatment device of claim 16, wherein said skin treatment element within said second region is one of: a plurality of bristles and a porous material.

18. The treatment device of claim 16, wherein said first region and said second region are concentric, with the first region surrounding the second region.

19. The treatment device of claim 16, wherein the first region is positioned adjacent the second region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically depicts an embodiment of the body care device; and

(3) FIGS. 2a-2f schematically depicts some embodiments and variants of the treatment head.

(4) The schematic drawings are not necessarily to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIG. 1 schematically depicts an embodiment of the device, indicated with reference 1, especially for use in cleansing the skin, such as the skin of a face. Here, the device, especially for treating the skin, comprises a housing 100 and a skin treatment head 200 rotatably associated with said housing 100. The housing 100 encloses an actuator 110 configured to rotate said skin treatment head 200. Further, the housing includes in this embodiment a rechargeable battery 321. Yet further, the housing 100 may comprise one or more LED indicators 323 and a user interface 324. Further, the housing may include a means 322 for receiving electrical power for charging the battery, such as a socket known in the art.

(6) The skin treatment head 200 comprises bristles 211 associated with the treatment head 200. The bristles 211 may be configured in tufts, see also below.

(7) The actuator 110 is especially configured to rotate the skin treatment head 200 about an axis A (axis of rotation). This axis may be parallel, but is not necessary parallel to a body axis of the device. The skin treatment head 200 comprises a first region 210 comprising a plurality of bristles 211. The skin treatment head 200 also comprises a second region 220 comprising a porous flexible material 221. The porous flexible material 221 may comprises a sponge 222, such as a natural sponge or a synthetic sponge.

(8) Reference 201 indicates a treatment head surface. The bristles 211 extend from this surface.

(9) FIG. 2a schematically depicts an embodiment of the treatment head 200, in top view, wherein the first region 210 circumferentially surrounds the second region 220. Of course, other configurations are also possible. Here, the indication of the axis A coincides with the center, indicated with C, of the treatment head 200.

(10) In general, the treatment head 200 will have a circular cross-section.

(11) FIG. 2b schematically depicts an embodiment of the treatment head 200 in cross-sectional view. The first region 210 occupies a first area size A1 of the treatment head 200 and the second region 220 occupies a second area size A2. In variants, the first region 210 and the second region 220 have an area size ratio of the first area size to the second area size 0.1≤A1/A2≤100, such as 0.2≤A1/A2≤10, like especially 0.2≤A1/A2≤5.

(12) Further, the bristles 211 have a bristle height hl relative to the treatment head surface 201. The porous flexible material 221 has a sponge height h2 relative to said treatment head surface 201. In variants, the bristles 211 and the porous flexible material 221 have a height ratio of the bristle height to the sponge height 0.5≤h1/h2≤2.

(13) The porous flexible material 221 may have a larger height h2 than the height h1 of adjacent bristles, indicated with reference 211′ (which are bristles configured closest to the porous flexible material). In yet other embodiments, the porous flexible material 221 may have a smaller height h2 than the height h1 of adjacent bristles 211′ (as schematically indicated in FIG. 2b). The edge of the treatment head 200 is indicated with reference E.

(14) FIG. 2c schematically depicts in a cross-sectional view an embodiment of the treatment head 200 comprising two or more first regions 210, wherein a first first region 210a and a second first region 210b have bristles 211 having different bristle heights h1. The first first region 210a includes bristles having a bristle height h11. The bristles 211 of the second first region 210b have a bristle height h12. In variants, h11<h12; in other variants, as schematically depicted here, h11<h12. In further variants, h11<h12<h2. In other variants, as schematically depicted here, h11<h12<h2.

(15) More than two first regions may be available. FIG. 2d schematically depicts an embodiment with the heights varying from the center to the edge.

(16) The area A1 of the first region is especially the sum of the areas occupied by all bristles 211, irrespective of their specific first regions. The treatment head 200 including the bristles 211 may also be indicated as “brush”.

(17) FIG. 2d schematically depicts an embodiment wherein the treatment head 200 has curved treatment head surface 201. In the schematically depicted embodiment of FIG. 2d, the bristles 211 are configured to provide a curved brush.

(18) Embodiments described herein may especially include a centrosymmetrical arrangement of the first region 210 and the second region 220, see e.g. FIG. 2a, but also FIGS. 1, 2b, 2c may refer to such embodiments. Would FIG. 2d schematically depict a treatment head 200 having a centrosymmetrical configuration, then the treatment head surface 201 may be curved in two directions. In FIGS. 2c radially more distant bristles have a larger height (than radially less distant bristles), whereas in FIG. 2d radially more distant bristles have a smaller height (than radially less distant bristles). The bristles 211 closest to the edge E are configured radially most distant (from the center C).

(19) FIG. 2e, however, schematically depicts an embodiment of a non-centrosymmetrical configuration of the first region 210 and the second region 220. Of course, other configurations may also be possible.

(20) FIG. 2f schematically depicts a top view of a variant as schematically depicted in FIG. 2c.

(21) The term “substantially” herein, such as in “substantially consists”, will be understood by the person skilled in the art. The term “substantially” may also include embodiments with “entirely”, “completely”, “all”, etc. Hence, in embodiments the adjective substantially may also be removed. Where applicable, the term “substantially” may also relate to 90% or higher, such as 95% or higher, especially 99% or higher, even more especially 99.5% or higher, including 100%. The term “comprise” includes also embodiments wherein the term “comprises” means “consists of”. The term “and/or” especially relates to one or more of the items mentioned before and after “and/or”. For instance, a phrase “item 1 and/or item 2” and similar phrases may relate to one or more of item 1 and item 2. The term “comprising” may in an embodiment refer to “consisting of” but may in another embodiment also refer to “containing at least the defined species and optionally one or more other species”.

(22) Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

(23) The devices herein are amongst others described during operation. As will be clear to the person skilled in the art, the invention is not limited to methods of operation or devices in operation.

(24) It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb “to comprise” and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The article “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The invention may be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements, and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

(25) The invention further applies to a device comprising one or more of the characterizing features described in the description and/or shown in the attached drawings. The invention further pertains to a method or process comprising one or more of the characterizing features described in the description and/or shown in the attached drawings.

(26) The various aspects discussed in this patent can be combined in order to provide additional advantages. Further, the person skilled in the art will understand that embodiments can be combined, and that also more than two embodiments can be combined. Furthermore, some of the features can form the basis for one or more divisional applications.