Patent ID: 8529560
Filing Date: 2013-09-10
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A depilation device comprising: a) a housing having at least one active surface and sized and configured to be held by a human hand; b) at least one light source housed within said housing; c) at least one lens configured to modify light from said at least one light source to produce at least one beam each having a short, narrow beam waist of limited spatial extent, said at least one beam exiting said at least one active surface such that said beam waist occurs at a first specified distance range from said at least one active surface; d) a proximity sensor mounted in said housing and configured for detecting when said at least one active surface of said housing is within a second specified distance range from a skin surface and generating a sensor signal; e) control circuitry configured to process said sensor signal from said proximity sensor and generate a laser drive signal responsive to said sensor signal indicating that said at least one active surface is within said second specified distance range; and f) a light source driver configured to activate said at least one light source responsive to said laser drive signal; wherein said first specified distance range is less than said second specified distance range; and wherein said light source driver is configured to activate said at least one light source when said proximity sensor indicates that said at least one active surface is within about 50 and about 1000 μm of said skin surface.