Patent ID: 12186580

MODES OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains to easily practice the present disclosure. The present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In order to clearly describe the present disclosure, parts unrelated to the description have been omitted from the drawings, and the same or similar elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

Patch-type skincare devices100and100′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may, in a state of being attached to the user's skin, irradiate the user's skin with light in a predetermined wavelength band, thereby obtaining effects of soothing skin, improving skin texture, soothing sensitive skin, improving facial contour, improving skin elasticity, restoring skin elasticity, tightening skin, improving skin radiance, etc.

Here, the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ may be attached to the user's skin without using a separate adhesive or a sticking agent and may maintain the attached state even on a curved attachment portion such as a face.

For example, the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ may be attached to the skin through a liquid or gel material such as a material contained in an ampoule or another cosmetic material that is applied to the user's skin.

To this end, as illustrated inFIGS.1and6, the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure include a light source unit110, a cover member120, and connection cables130and130′.

The light source unit110may irradiate light in a predetermined wavelength band using power supplied from the outside.

For example, the light source unit110may include a substrate member111and at least one light-emitting diode (LED)112mounted on one surface of the substrate member111.

Here, the substrate member111may be a plate-shaped member having a circuit pattern113formed on at least one surface thereof, may have substantially the same shape as the cover member120, and may be disposed inside the cover member120.

Accordingly, as illustrated inFIG.4, a plurality of LEDs112may be arranged in a predetermined pattern on the substrate member111, the plurality of LEDs112may be electrically connected to each other through the circuit pattern113, and light irradiated from the plurality of LEDs112may be irradiated onto the user's skin over a wide area.

Here, the substrate member111may be made of a material having flexibility. Accordingly, even when one surface of the cover member120is attached to a curved portion such as the face, the substrate member111may be deformed corresponding to the curved portion, and thus the cover member120may maintain a state in close contact with the attachment portion.

For example, the substrate member111may be formed as a nanofiber web having micropores.

As a specific example, as illustrated inFIG.5, the substrate member111may be a nanofiber web in which nanofibers111aincluding a synthetic polymer are accumulated in a three-dimensional network structure to have micropores111b.

In such a case, the circuit pattern113may be formed as a predetermined pattern on one surface of the substrate member111through various known methods such as plating, etching, or printing using a conductive material, and the conductive material may fill in the micropores111b.

For example, the circuit pattern113may be formed on the substrate member111through a printing method using a conductive paste, and the conductive paste may completely or partially fill the micropores111bformed on the substrate member111as well as the one surface of the substrate member111. Here, the conductive paste may be a Ag paste but is not limited thereto, and any other known conductive paste may be applied.

Accordingly, the substrate member111may serve as a printed circuit board. Since the substrate member111is formed as a nanofiber web as described above, the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may have significantly higher bendability as compared to a polyimide film used as a general flexible printed circuit board and may have an excellent restoration characteristic that allows restoration to the original flat state even after being folded or wrinkled.

Also, since the conductive paste constituting the circuit pattern113fills the micropores111bas well as the surface of the nanofiber web, the possibility of formation of cracks may be reduced even when the substrate member111is bent or wrinkled.

In addition, even when the substrate member111is bent or wrinkled and a crack is formed in a portion of the circuit pattern113, at least some portions of the circuit pattern113may maintain a connected state through the paste that fills in the micropores111b. Thus, the possibility of an occurrence of electrical short circuit may be significantly reduced.

Here, the micropores111bmay be formed to have an appropriate pore diameter size in consideration of a particle size of the paste. This is because, in a case in which the pore diameter size of the micropores is excessively small, infiltration or impregnation of the particles of the paste may not be facilitated.

As a specific example, the substrate member111may be a monolayer or multi-layer nanofiber web in which a spinning solution, in which a synthetic polymer and a solvent are mixed, is electrospun to be accumulated to have the micropores111b. Here, the solvent may be water or alcohol or may also be an organic solvent other than water or alcohol.

Here, the synthetic polymer may be a fiber formation-type polymer that has elasticity and flexibility and is able to implement a nanofiber web through electrospinning. As a specific example, the synthetic polymer may have a form in which polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is solely used or PVDF and polyurethane (PU) are mixed at a predetermined ratio but is not limited thereto, and any known material may be used so long as the material is a fiber formation-type polymer that is able to implement a nanofiber web through electrospinning and has elasticity and flexibility.

Since the substrate member111on which the circuit pattern113is formed on at least one surface thereof is implemented in the form of a nanofiber web having elasticity and flexibility, the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may secure elasticity and flexibility.

Accordingly, even when attached to a curved portion of the skin such as the face, the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be naturally deformed corresponding to the curved portion. Thus, adhesion with the skin may be improved.

In addition, since the substrate member111on which the LED112is mounted is formed as a nanofiber web and may have a very small thickness, the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ may be implemented in a slim form. Accordingly, even when the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are attached to the skin through a material such as a cosmetic material or a material contained in an ampoule, the possibility of the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ being separated from the user's skin may be reduced.

However, the substrate member111is not limited to the nanofiber web, and a known flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) on which a circuit pattern is formed on one surface thereof may also be used as the substrate member111.

The LED112may generate light in a predetermined wavelength band to irradiate the user's skin with the light so that the user may obtain a beneficial effect according to the wavelength of the light.

The LED112may be provided as one or more LEDs112. Preferably, as illustrated inFIG.4, a plurality of LEDs112may be disposed to be spaced apart at predetermined intervals along the circuit pattern113formed on the substrate member111. Accordingly, in the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of LEDs112may be disposed in a distributed form on the plate-shaped substrate member111and implemented in the form of a planar light source so that a wide area of the user's skin may be irradiated with light.

Here, the LED112may emit light in a single wavelength band. For example, the LED112may irradiate light in a wavelength band of 620 to 630 nm. However, the wavelength band of light emitted by the LED112is not limited thereto and may be appropriately changed to another wavelength band suitable for achieving a desired skin improvement effect.

In addition, the LED112may irradiate light in a single wavelength band but may also be provided to be able to irradiate light in different wavelength bands.

As a non-limiting example, in the LED112, a plurality of light emitting elements configured to irradiate light in different wavelength bands may be integrally formed. That is, the LED112may be implemented in the form of a single chip by the plurality of light emitting elements, which are configured to irradiate light in different wavelength bands, being mounted on a single substrate.

Alternatively, as the LED112, two or more LEDs112configured to irradiate light in different wavelength bands may be appropriately used.

The cover member120may be provided to surround the light source unit110and thus prevent the light source unit110from being exposed to the outside. Also, the cover member120may block a liquid material such as moisture applied to the user's skin from moving toward the light source unit110.

To this end, the cover member120may be in the form of a plate-shaped sheet having a predetermined area to cover the light source unit110.

The cover member120may be made of a material such as a polymer resin, i.e., PU, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), or PVDF, release paper, fabric, or leather, may be made of a silicone material, or may be in the form of a molding that is covered with a resin material made of an insulator.

That is, like the substrate member111having flexibility, the cover member120may be made of a material having flexibility and elasticity.

Also, the cover member120may be made of a material having moisture resistance in addition to flexibility and elasticity in order to block movement of moisture.

As a specific example, as illustrated inFIGS.2and3, the cover member120may include a pair consisting of a first cover member121and a second cover member122disposed on both surfaces of the substrate member111, and the first cover member121and the second cover member122may be attached through an adhesive layer or may be fixed to each other through heat fusion. Here, the adhesive layer may be a non-base material type of a liquid or gel or a base material type having an adhesive material applied to both surfaces thereof.

Also, the first cover member121may be a cover member that covers an upper portion of the LED112, and the second cover member122may be a cover member that covers one surface of the substrate member111on which the LED112is not mounted. In such a case, the first cover member121may be a contact surface that comes in contact with the user's skin.

Here, the cover member120may be configured to limit a direction in which light generated from the LED112is irradiated. That is, any one of the first cover member121and the second cover member122may have transparency to allow light to pass therethrough, and the other one may have translucency or opacity to block passage of light.

For example, the first cover member121may have transparency, and the second cover member122may have translucency or opacity.

As a non-limiting example, the first cover member121may be made of a transparent silicone material, and the second cover member122may be made of a colored silicone material.

Accordingly, light generated from the LED112may pass through the first cover member121and be easily irradiated toward the user's skin, and irradiation of the light toward the outside may be prevented through the second cover member122.

Meanwhile, as illustrated inFIGS.1and6, the cover member120may have a shape including a portion in which a width is not uniform in one direction. For example, the cover member120may have one side formed in a shape that is concave inward and have a shape similar to the shape of an eyebrow. Also, the cover member120may have various other shapes such as a circular shape or an arc shape excluding a shape in which a width is uniform in the longitudinal direction, such as a rectangular shape or a square shape, or a polygonal shape excluding a rectangular shape.

However, the shape of the cover member120is not limited thereto, and the cover member120may also have a rectangular shape having a uniform width in the longitudinal direction.

The connection cable130may supply power supplied from the outside toward the light source unit110.

To this end, the connection cable130may include connection ports132and132′ provided at one end portion so as to be connected to an external power supply device (not illustrated).

In addition, a connecting portion136electrically connected to the light source unit110may be provided at the other end portion side of the connection cable130, and a portion to be connected140that is mutually connected to the connecting portion136may be provided to protrude outward from the cover member120in a state of being electrically connected to the light source unit110.

Accordingly, the light source unit110may be operated using the power provided from the external power supply device through the connection cable130.

Here, the external power supply device may be a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone or may be a supplementary battery. In addition, the connection ports132and132′ may be appropriately changed according to the shape of the external power supply device.

For example, as illustrated inFIG.1, the connection port132may be a 5-pin, 8-pin, or C-type terminal part so as to be connected to a portable electronic device, and as illustrated inFIG.6, the connection port132′ may be in the form of a universal serial bus (USB) so as to be connected to a known supplementary battery.

Here, the connection cable130may further include a control unit134configured to manipulate the operation of the light source unit110. For example, the control unit134may be implemented as a remote controller-type control box, which is able to be manipulated by a user, and may be disposed at an intermediate portion of the connection cable130. In addition, the control unit134may include a controller to control the overall operation of the light source unit110. For example, the control unit134may control the on/off of the light source unit110, selection or change of a light emitting mode of the light source unit, a function that allows automatic turn-off of the light source unit after a certain amount of time, and the like.

Meanwhile, the light source unit110may further include at least one temperature sensor114mounted on one surface of the substrate member111. The temperature sensor114may measure the temperature generated when the LED112emits light and may provide the measured temperature information to the control unit134. Accordingly, the control unit134may control the on/off operation of the light source unit110on the basis of the temperature information transmitted from the temperature sensor114and thus prevent the user from getting burned due to heat generated from the light source unit110.

Here, an appropriate number of temperature sensors114may be mounted on one surface of the substrate member111, and the temperature sensors114may be distributed to measure the temperature at various positions.

Meanwhile, the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a known iontophoresis function.

That is, the patch-type skincare devices100and100′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a current applying member150configured to, when power is applied thereto, generate a potential difference in the user's skin and change an electrical environment of the skin to increase penetration of ionic drug through the skin.

When power is supplied to the current applying member150in a state in which the current applying member150is in contact with the user's skin, the current applying member150may apply DC current to the user's skin to move ions.

Accordingly, when, in a state in which the current applying member150is in contact with the user's skin to which a cosmetic material is applied, DC current is applied by the current applying member150to ionize the cosmetic material applied to the user's skin, it is possible to obtain an ion introduction effect that allows the cosmetic material to easily pass through the mucosa of the skin and penetrate through tissues in the skin.

To this end, as illustrated inFIGS.7and8, the current applying member150may be provided on one surface of the cover member120, and the current applying member150may be provided on an outer surface of the first cover member121that comes in direct contact with the user's skin while covering the LED112among the pair of cover members120.

Accordingly, when, in a state in which a cosmetic material is applied to a portion of the user's body to be treated, the user attaches the first cover member121to the portion through a cosmetic material, the current applying member150formed on the outer surface of the first cover member121may maintain a state of being in contact with the portion of the body.

Thus, the user may simultaneously obtain a skin improvement effect due to the LED of the light source unit110and use the iontophoresis function using the current applying member150.

Here, as illustrated inFIG.8, the current applying member150may be a conductive member attached to the outer surface of the first cover member121, and the conductive member may be inserted into an accommodation groove124formed in the outer surface of the first cover member121.

Alternatively, the current applying member150may also be a conductive pattern printed on the outer surface of the first cover member121.

Although the current applying member150is illustrated in the drawings as being provided as a single member, the current applying member150is not limited thereto and may also be formed as two members separated from each other.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, but the spirit of the present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments proposed herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art who understand the spirit of the present disclosure may easily propose other embodiments by addition, modification, omission, or the like of elements within the same spirit, but such changes also belong to the scope of the spirit of the present disclosure.