IP Library Granted Patent US 7,530,978
Granted Patent B2
US 7,530,978 · App. 11/984,348 · Granted May 12, 2009

Optical hair removing device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,530,978
App. No.
11/984,348
Granted
May 12, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical hair removing device includes a light emitting unit for emitting a light and an irradiation unit for irradiating the light emitted from the light emitting unit to body hairs on a skin. Further, the optical hair removing device includes a control unit for controlling the light emission unit. The irradiation unit has a movement detection unit for detecting a movement of the irradiation unit on a skin and a contact detection unit for detecting a contact between the irradiation unit and the skin.

Claims (15)

1. An optical hair removing device comprising:

a light emitting unit for emitting light;

an irradiation unit for irradiating the light emitted from the light emitting unit to body hairs on a skin; and

a control unit for controlling the light emission unit,

wherein the irradiation unit has a movement detection unit for detecting a movement of the irradiation unit on the skin, a contact detection unit for detecting a contact between the irradiation unit and the skin, and a light detection unit for detecting the light emitted from the light emitting unit and light that enters from outside to the irradiation unit through a gap between the irradiation unit and the skin when the irradiation unit is made to contact with the skin, and

the control unit allows the light emitting unit to emit light if the light detection unit indicates that no light enters through the gap, when the light emitting unit is not emitting light.

2. The optical hair removing device of claim 1 , wherein the movement detection unit is a roller encoder.

3. The optical hair removing device of claim 1 , wherein the contact detection unit includes contact switches.

4. The optical hair removing device of claim 1 , wherein the light detection unit is a photoelectric sensor.

5. The optical hair removing device of claim 1 , wherein after the light detection unit detected the light emitted from the light emitting unit, the control unit allows the light emitting unit to emit light again if the movement detection unit detects the movement of the irradiation unit on the skin, and the contact detection unit detects the contact between the irradiation unit and the skin.

6. The optical hair removing device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the light emitting unit to emit light discontinuously.

7. The optical hair removing device of claim 5 , wherein the control unit does not check the movement detected by the movement detection unit when the light emitting unit lights for the first time.

8. The optical hair removing device of claim 1 , further comprising a switch for turning on the light emitting unit,

wherein after the light emitting unit emitted light, the control unit accepts a next turn on signal from the switch only if the movement detection unit detects the movement of the irradiation unit on the skin, or the contact detection unit detects a separation between the irradiation unit and the skin.

9. The optical hair removing device of claim 8 , wherein after the control unit accepted the next turn on signal from the switch, the control unit allows the light emitting unit to emit light if the contact detection unit detects the contact between the irradiation unit and the skin.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 28, 2009
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS, LTD.
To: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 022206/0574 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2007
From: OKAWA, KAZUMI
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS, LTD
Reel/Frame 020163/0566 →