FR3042406A1 - MASSAGE AND CARE DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a massage and care device (1) intended to be applied to a body surface of a user, comprising at least one rotating member (2) projecting at least one rigid pin (5), characterized in that said pin is associated with at least one peripheral damper (6) having an outer surface intended to come into contact with the body surface of application, said damper being elastically deformable between a rest position in which the damper presents a maximum thickness and dampens the pressure of the pin against the body surface of the user to make it substantially imperceptible, and a compressed position in which the damper has a reduced thickness and allows the pin to exert significant pressure on the body surface of application.

Description

Massage and care device

The present invention relates to a massage and care device for application to a body surface of a user.

Micro Needle Therapy is a procedure that stimulates the skin to increase the production of collagen and elastin fibers.

This new formation of collagen and elastin improves the texture of the skin and reduces dermatological problems.

This procedure is performed using devices comprising a set of very thin needles for piercing the skin and penetrating the dermis layer. It can be implemented in combination with care products such as cosmetic or therapeutic creams.

Specifically, micro-needles create micro-channels that facilitate the infiltration of products in the deep layers of the skin.

It is therefore an invasive technique.

Such devices are described in particular in CN2197042, KR20100005533A and W008004818.

In particular, the document W008004818 describes a roller projecting a set of needles for piercing the skin and penetrating the dermis layer. The roll allows a good distribution of an associated product.

However, these devices can only be used in a therapeutic and invasive mode where the needles are active and pierce the skin. Thus, the user can not use the roller to simply apply the product, without piercing the skin with the needles. This is a simple mode operation "all or nothing".

Although these devices use very thin needles, their use is not always pleasant. On the other hand, a particularly sensitive skin will be able to mark or present rednesses which, even temporary, are not aesthetic.

In addition, it is not always necessary to pierce the skin and a user may wish to simply want a massaging effect more or less supported.

Indeed, the application of massage or tingling elements on the skin is enough to locally activate micro-circulation, which accelerates cell renewal and also helps the penetration of active products.

In particular, the activation of cutaneous micro-circulation fulfills four major functions, namely: the nutrition of the cells of the different cutaneous layers; the maintenance of arterial pressure by a vasoconstrictor tone; the tolerance by the skin of long periods of ischemia due to the weight of the body; and a vasomotor reactivity necessary for thermoregulation.

Thus, there is a need for a skin stimulation device offering a more comfortable and comfortable application while providing the desired benefits. There is also a need for a multi-modal device, allowing a progressive application effect.

To do this, the present invention relates to a massage and care device intended to be applied to a body surface of a user, comprising at least one rotating member bearing projecting at least one rigid pin.

The device is characterized in that the pin is associated with at least one peripheral damper having an outer surface intended to come into contact with the body surface of application, said damper being elastically deformable between a rest position in which the damper has a maximum thickness and dampens the pressure of the pin against the body surface of the user to make it almost imperceptible, and a compressed position in which the damper has a reduced thickness and allows the pin to exert significant pressure on the body surface of application.

Thus, by providing a shock absorber associated with the pins and elastically deformable between a position in which it damps the pressure of the pin against the body surface, in particular so as to make the pin insensitive or almost insensitive, and a compressed position where it allows the exercise by the pin of a significant pressure against the skin of the user, said user can himself dose the application pressure to have a massage effect more or less supported.

Such an applicator makes it possible in particular to distribute a cosmetic product on the skin thanks to the surface of the damper. When the user presses, the damper compresses, which brings out the ends of rigid pins which themselves do not compress. This allows to slightly sting or massage the skin, activate the microcirculation, tone the skin and promote the penetration of active products.

The massage force being easily adaptable by the user himself, such a device can be used on the face as well as on the scalp, the hands or any other part of the body.

In addition with an application without marked support, or force other than that required for moving the rotating member, the user can use the device for the simple application of a cream or other cosmetic or care product.

By "pin" is generally meant an individual massage element having a generally elongate shape having a base by which it is connected to the rotating member (forming a core) and an opposite free end for the purpose of exercising a pressure against the skin of the user.

In particular, the pin may have a conical shape having a fine and pointed end. In this case, the pin may be a needle.

Alternatively, any end shape providing a massaging effect can be considered.

The pin usually extends in a direction having a radial component. Preferably, the pin extends in a substantially radial direction.

Preferably, the pin is made of plastic, in particular thermoplastic, rigid. Preferably the pin is made integrally with the rotating member, in particular by molding.

By "rigid" is meant relatively more rigid than the damper and preferably not deformable during the exercise of a pressure of use.

Of course, the rigidity of the pins depends on the massage effect that one wishes to provide and the skilled person can adjust the stiffness of the pins accordingly. This rigidity may be adjusted by modifying in particular the material and / or the section width of said pins. By way of examples, the tips of the pins have a section of dimension less than 0.3 mm, or even less than 0.1 mm. The base of the pins may itself be wide (for example between 2 and 3 mm) or thin (for example between 0.4 and 1 mm) depending on the desired rigidity.

The height of the pins is not critical. In order to facilitate the manufacture of very fine pimples by molding, it may be preferred a low height so as to inject and demold more easily said spikes. If the pimples have wide bases, they can be made higher without difficulty. The rotating member advantageously carries several pins spaced from each other, all the pins being associated with a damper, preferably a common damper.

Preferably, the rotating member is a roller mounted in rotation. The use of such a member facilitates the mounting of the organ on the device and the movement of the device along the body surface of application. If necessary, a roller also allows the proper application of an associated cosmetic product.

Advantageously, the rotating member is removably mounted. Thus, it will be possible to provide several rotating members that can be exchanged according to the desired application effect. The rotating member may also be more easily cleaned or washed.

The diameter of the rotating member will typically be up to about 50 mm.

The diameter of the rotating member may in particular be between 10 and 20 mm, preferably between 10 and 15 mm. Such dimensions are particularly suitable for a face application. Such a dimension makes it possible in particular to optimally follow a surface with numerous curvatures such as the face.

Advantageously, the rotating member comprises a plurality of pins spaced from each other and distributed over a periphery of said rotating member. The ends of the pins thus define an envelope surface at which the damper is positioned.

Preferably, the pins are sufficiently spaced apart so that the user can feel them individually.

To do this, they should be discarded sufficiently. Preferably, the distance between two adjacent pins will be greater than 3 mm, or even very preferably greater than 5 mm.

Preferably, the pins are organized in at least one row, preferably along a substantially longitudinal axis of the rotating member.

Advantageously, the pins are organized in at least five rows and less than ten rows. Advantageously, the pins are organized according to between six and eight rows, preferably in six rows.

Indeed, with less than five or six rows, the progression of the device along the body surface application can be done by "jerks". Conversely, beyond eight to ten rows, the pins are too close and the discontinuity of said pins is not enough marked. The associated damper is not able to compress sufficiently between said pins and the massaging effect is attenuated.

Alternatively or in a complementary manner, the pins are organized into at least one ring around a substantially longitudinal axis of the rotating member. Preferably, the pins are organized in four crowns.

Advantageously, the damper is made from at least one elastomeric material, in particular from SEBS (Styrene-Ethylene-Butadiene-Styrene), SBS (Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene), Exact®, Santoprene®, Silicone ,

Desmopan®, Vistamaxx®, Nitrile, Butyl, Engage®. Such highly compressible materials are particularly suitable for producing the damper.

According to a first embodiment, the damper surrounds the pin without covering it, said damper being elastically deformable between a rest position in which the pin is flush with the outer surface of the damper or is set back from said outer surface, and a compressed position in which the pin protrudes from the damper.

Thus, during the exercise of a compressive force, the material forming the damper is compressed between the pins and said pins come into direct contact against the body surface of the user, providing a significant massaging effect.

Preferably, the damper is made by overmoulding around the pins on the rotating member. The device thus remains relatively simple design and manufacturing, the damper can be achieved after the manufacture of the body rotating directly on the latter.

According to a second embodiment, the damper covers one end of the pin. When exerting a compressive force, the material forming the damper is compressed on the end of the pin. The thickness of the damper decreases until the user feels the stiffness of the pin and its effect on the skin. The pin does not come into direct contact with the body surface of the user and minimal damping can be ensured.

Preferably, the thickness of the damper on the end of the pin, in the rest state, uncompressed, is less than or equal to 1 mm.

Moreover, in such an embodiment, the device is easily cleaned after use of a product.

Advantageously, the damper is in the form of a sleeve disposed around the rotating member resting on the pins.

According to an alternative embodiment, the sleeve is made of a heat-shrinkable material. It may especially be a polyolefin material. Thus, the sleeve can be manufactured to a diameter greater than that of the assembly rotating member / height of the pins, which greatly facilitates its implementation.

In addition, once the sleeve retracted on and partly around the pins, the outer peripheral surface of the damper is non-planar. In particular, said surface has hollow areas between the pins. This particularly highlights the areas of pimples. The hollow areas are also reservoirs of products where appropriate.

The present invention also relates to a device according to the invention, characterized in that it further comprises a container for containing a cosmetic product.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended drawing in which: - Figures 1a and 1b are diagrammatic representations respectively in longitudinal section and seen from the side of a device according to a first variant of a first embodiment. - Figures 2a and 2b are schematic representations according to a second variant of the first embodiment. FIGS. 3a and 3b are diagrammatic representations according to a third variant of the first embodiment. - Figures 4a and 4b are diagrammatic representations respectively in longitudinal section and viewed from the side of a device according to a first variant of a second embodiment. FIGS. 5a and 5b are diagrammatic representations according to a second variant of the second embodiment. - Figure 6 is a schematic representation in longitudinal section of a device according to any one of the preceding embodiments mounted on a tank system and dispensing cosmetic product.

Figures 1a and 1b show a device 1 for massage and care according to a first embodiment.

The device 1 comprises a cylinder 2 rotatably mounted about an axis 3. The axis 3 is equipped with end pins 4 intended to allow its installation between branches of a stirrup (not shown) connected to an organ of gripping, such as for example a handle. The cylinder is about 22 mm long and about 8.2 mm outside diameter.

The cylinder 2 carries on its periphery a set of pins 5 extending radially projecting. More specifically, the cylinder 2 carries a set of six longitudinal rows of four pins each. The rows are evenly distributed around the cylinder 2.

The pins 5 are spaced longitudinally 5.5 mm. The height of the pins 5 is about 1.5 mm, bringing the overall outer diameter of the cylinder 2 to 11.2 mm. The pins 5 have a broad base of about 0.4 mm. The free end, or tip, of the pins 5 has a radius of 0.075 mm. The cylinder 2 / axis 3 and pins 5 together form a spiked roller.

The roller may be made in particular by injection molding a relatively rigid thermoplastic material.

According to the present application, a flexible material is molded around the cylinder 2 so as to surround the pins 5 and form a damper 6. The flexible material is in particular an elastomeric thermoplastic material.

More specifically, the flexible material is overmolded to the cylinder to a thickness such that it outcrops, in the uncompressed state, the tips of the pins. The damper 6 thus has a compressible outer surface intended to come into contact with a body surface of application. The damper 6 is elastically deformable between a rest position (uncompressed) in which said damper has a maximum thickness and is flush with the tip of the pins 5 and a compressed position in which said damper 6 has a reduced thickness and in which the tip of pins 5 protrudes from said damper 6.

Thus, in the rest position, the damper 6 prevents the pins 5 from pressing on the application surface and the pins 5 are not felt significantly by the user.

In contrast, in the compressed position, the damper 6 comes slightly back from the tips of the pins 5 and allows the latter to exert their massaging effect on the body surface of application.

It is of course possible to overmould the flexible elastic material so that, in the rest position, it exceeds, and no longer simply outcropping, the tip of the pins 5. The pressure required for the activation of the pins will simply be higher .

Figures 2a and 2b show a device 10 massage and care according to a variant of the first embodiment.

The device 10 differs from the device 1 essentially in that it comprises a rotating member 11 made in one piece. The diameter of the rotating member 11 (out of damper and off pins) is about 5 mm.

Furthermore, it comprises a damper 16 having slightly rounded edges. More precisely, the damper has an ovoid longitudinal section. The outer diameter of the device 10 is thus slightly larger in the middle than at the ends. In addition, the ends have a rounded section in an arc.

Note also that the device 10 comprises pins 15 slightly tapered and longer than the device 1. In order to maintain good rigidity, the base of the pins 15 is enlarged accordingly.

Figures 3a and 3b show a device 20 differing from the device 10 only by the size of the pins 25. Indeed, the pins 25 have a much wider base making them less tapered.

As a result, the pins 25 have a section with a lower slope. This slope is likely to oppose the compression of the damper.

Thus, it is understood that the shape of the pins also makes it possible to control the compression properties of the damper. As a result, this makes it possible to adjust the force that the user will have to apply to activate said pins.

Figures 4a and 4b show a device 30 according to a second embodiment. The device 30 differs from the preceding devices 1, 10 and 20, essentially in that it comprises a damper 36 which covers the tip of the pins 35.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the damper 36 is made in the form of an elastomeric sleeve which is arranged around the rotating member 11 on the pins 35.

The introduction of the elastomeric damper sleeve 36 is obtained, for example, by removing the sleeve by means of clips before putting it on the rotating member 11 and its pins 35, like a sock.

Preferably, the sleeve has an elastomeric wall with a thickness less than or equal to 1 mm. Of course, the damping also depends on the compressibility of the elastomeric material used.

In order to ensure that the damper is held in place and to limit its possible longitudinal displacements, it is possible to equip the rotating member 11 with end plates 37 each providing a longitudinal stop.

The end plates 37 also fulfill a role of radial abutment and can help limit the compression of the damper.

In the rest position, the damper 36, and more specifically, the peripheral wall of the damper sleeve has a maximum thickness. This thickness is defined so that the pins 35 are not felt by the user or very weakly.

On the other hand, when exerting a higher application pressure, the elastomeric material of the damper 36 is compressed between the body surface of the user and the tip of the pins 35. The thickness of the shock absorber 36 is no longer sufficient to mask the pimples, which then exert their massing effect on the body surface of application.

Figures 5a and 5b show a device 40 according to an alternative embodiment of the second mode. The device 40 differs from the previous device 30, in that the shock absorber sleeve 36 is made of a thermocompressible elastomeric material, especially polyolefin.

Thus, the damper 36 is made with a diameter greater than the overall diameter (i.e., pegs 35 included) of the rotating member 11 which allows its easy introduction. The assembly is heated, resulting in the retraction of the shock absorber sleeve 36. The final device 40 has a non-smooth peripheral surface.

FIG. 6 shows a massage and care device 50 mounted on a system 100 of reservoir 101 and of dispensing 102 of cosmetic product P.

The device 50 for massage and care may in particular be a device 1, 10, 20, 30, 40 as described above.

The dispensing system 102 may be a pump, a compressible flexible tube, an aerosol, or any other known dispensing system 102.

In general, the dispensing system 102 comprises at least one dispensing orifice 103 connected to the reservoir 101 by at least one dispensing channel 104. A selective closure system 108 of the dispensing channel 104 or of the orifice 103 may complete the device. The dispensing orifice 103 opens substantially facing a peripheral surface of the massage and care device 50 so as to allow the distribution of the product P on at least the outer peripheral surface of the damper.

Alternatively or in a complementary manner, a product P can be applied separately, for example manually, and be contained in a separate tank. By way of example of particularly suitable products P, mention may be made of skincare creams, anti-cellulite creams, anti-aging creams, moisturizing creams, heavy anti-leg creams and venotonic creams. Such products benefit from the activation of the microcirculation thanks to the device according to the present application.

Furthermore, if necessary, it is possible to replace the rotating member supporting the pins by a fixed support member. The pins are then projecting from an outer surface, flat or curved.

Claims (12)

A massage and care device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50) for application to a body surface of a user, comprising at least one rotating member (2, 11) projecting at least one a pin (5, 15, 25, 35) rigid, characterized in that said pin is associated with at least one peripheral damper (6, 16, 36) having an outer surface intended to come into contact with the application surface of the body , said damper being elastically deformable between a rest position in which the damper has a maximum thickness and dampens the pressure of the pin against the body surface of the user to make it substantially imperceptible, and a compressed position in which the dampener has a reduced thickness and allows the pinion to exert a significant pressure on the body surface of application. 2. Device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotating member is a roller (2, 11) rotatably mounted. Device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the rotary member (2, 11) comprises a plurality of pins (5, 15, 25, 35) spaced from each other and distributed over a periphery of said rotating member. 4. Device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50) according to claim 3, characterized in that the pins (5, 15, 25, 35) are organized in at least one row, preferably along an axis substantially longitudinal axis of the rotating member (2, 11). 5. Device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50) according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the pins (5, 15, 25, 35) are organized in at least one ring around a substantially longitudinal axis of the rotating member (2, 11). 6. Device (1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the damper (6, 16, 36) is made from at least one elastomeric material, especially from SEBS, SBS, Exact, Santoprene. 7. Device (1, 10, 20, 50) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the damper (6, 16) surrounds the pin (5, 15, 25) without covering it, said damper being deformable between a rest position in which the pin is flush with the outer surface of the damper or recessed from said outer surface, and a compressed position in which the pin protrudes from the damper. 8. Device (1, 10, 20, 50) according to claim 7, characterized in that the damper (6, 16) is formed by overmolding around the pins (5, 15, 25) on the rotating member (2 , 11). 9. Device (30, 40) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the damper (36) covers an end of the pin (35). 10. Device (30, 40) according to claim 9, characterized in that the damper (36) is in the form of a sleeve disposed around the rotating member (11) resting on the pins (35) . 11. Device (30, 40) according to claim 10, characterized in that the sleeve (36) is made of a heat-shrinkable material. 12. Device (50) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it further comprises a container (100) for containing a cosmetic product (P).