US2888927A - Method and apparatus for removal of superfluous hair - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1959 E. M. FOZARD 2,883,927

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVAL OF SUPERFLUOUS HAIR Filed Nov. 29, 1955 INVENTOR. Elf/76K Mam'on Fozarcl ATTORNEYS NIETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVAL O SUPERFLUOUS HAIR Ethel Marion Fozard, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application November 29, 1955, Serial No. 549,592

3 Claims. (Cl. 128-30313) This invention relates to a novel method and apparatus for epilation.

Heretofore, in the removal of superfluous hair by high frequency coagulation of the root, a needle was inserted into follicle containing the unwanted hair and the needle energized by high frequency would coagulate the hair bulb and thus kill the hair root, after which the hair could be plucked from the follicle. The diificulty with such practice resides in the fact that even with a skilled operator it is dangerous since patients may be burned or cut by the needle and the insertion of the needle is painful, particularly in tender spots, such as the nostril or the like, when it is attempted to remove a hair therefrom.

The present invention overcomes these difficulties by providing a novel method and apparatus whereby the skin of the person is not touched by an electrical apparatus which might cut or burn. This is accomplished by providing a gripping means which is connected to a high frequency generator and supplied thereby with high frequency electric currents. By gripping the hair in spaced relation to the skin and energizing the gripping means with high frequency current which travels along the hair, the current coagulates and kills the root, after which the hair can be readily removed Without pain. More specifically, the present invention provides a novel tweezer structure whereby the hair can be gripped in spaced relation to the skin and the high frequency current applied thereto, without discomfort to the patient, to kill the roots, after which the hair can be removed by the tweezer, greatly expediting the operation, while at the same time eliminating any danger of burns or other physical harm heretofore encountered when contacting the skin with a needle or the like having high frequency current.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the high frequency generator with the tweezer attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a top view, partly in section, of the tweezer.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the tweezer.

In carrying out the present invention, a standard high frequency generator has a gripping means 11 connected thereto and is controlled by a manually operated switch 12. The high frequency generator is illustrated within the dash lines of Fig. l and includes the usual rectifier tube, amplifier tube and oscillator circuits providing a high frequency current at the output jack 13. The de tails of this generator form no part of the present invention. The control switch 12. connected to the generator may take many forms. utilize a foot-operated switch diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1. The gripping means 11 is connected to one end of a shielded or heavily insulated cable 14 having a plug 15 at the other end to be inserted in the output jack 13. The gripping means is adapted to grip a hair 16 at a point spaced from the skin 17, as illustrated in Fig. 1, so that when the foot switch 12 is operated, high fre- At present, it is preferred to ice 2 quency current will energize the gripping means and cause the high frequency current to pass along the hair to the root of the hair bulb at the end thereof to coagulate or otherwise destroy the root, after which the hair can be removed painlessly.

While'the gripping means may take many forms, such as scissor-type grippers or the usually normally open tweezers, in the preferred form of the invention the tweezer is normally urged to closed position, thus aiding the operator in gripping the hair and reducing fatigue of the operator. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the tweezer comprises a pair of metallic arms 18, 19 having points 20 at one end and having transversely extending ears 21 midway along the arms. The ears are connected by a pivot pin 22 about which is positioned a spring 23 having legs 24 extending rearwardly along and engaging the inner surface of the tweezer arms to normally urge the pointed ends together into gripping relation. A resilient insulating jacket 25 is disposed along each of the arms of the tweezer to extend over the hand-engaging portions thereof to permit the tweezer to be manipulated without contact with the metal parts thereof.

When it is desired to remove the superfluous hair, the generator is connected to a suitable source of alternating current S. The gripping means is plugged into the jack 13 and a hair is gripped thereby at a point spaced from the skin. The manually operated switch 12 is then closed causing the generator to supply the tweezer with a high frequency current. This will quickly coagulate the hair bulb and kill the roots of the hair. By simply withdrawing the tweezer, the hair gripped thereby can be painlessly withdrawn from the skin. Thus, with a single manipulation of the tweezer, the hair can be removed and greatly increasing the speed of the operator.

It will be noted that at no time is it necessary to touch the skin with any means having the high frequency current therein so that danger of burns or other injury is avoided, as well as the pain incident to the inserting of the needle.

The present invention is capable of self use or use by an operator and since it reduces the number of operations heretofore required, greatly speeds up the removal of hair.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In an epilator comprising a high frequency current generator and means for manually controlling the generator, the improvement wherein a hair gripping means is connected to the high frequency current generator to receive high frequency current therefrom, said hair gripping means being adapted to engage the hair in spaced relation to the skin and to transmit said high frequency current to the hair gripped thereby to destroy the hair bulb thereof whereby the air can be removed by said gripping means.

2. In an epilator comprising a high frequency current generator and means for manually controlling the generator, the improvement wherein a hair gripping means comprising a tweezer having insulated finger-receiving portions is connected to the high frequency current generator to receive high frequency current therefrom, said tweezer being adapted to grip the hair in spaced relation to the skin and to transmit said high frequency current to the hair gripped thereby to destroy the hair bulb thereof whereby the hair can be removed by said tweezer.

3. In an epilator comprising a high frequency current generator and means for manually controlling the generator, the improvement wherein a hair gripping means comprising a tweezer having gripping portions normally urged to gripping position by spring means is connected to the 2,238,344 Shuler et al Apr. 15, 1941 high frequency current generator to receive high fre- 2,375,194 Broyles May 8, 1945 quency current therefrom, said trveezer being adapted to FOREIGN PATENTS engage the hair in spaced relation to the skin and to transmit said high frequency current to the hair gripped 5 629,091 Germany P 1936 thereby to destroy the hair bulb thereof wherebythe hair OTHER REFERENCES can be removed by Sald tweezer' Electro-Therapeutieal Practice, a book by Charles References Cited in the file of this patent gf g f 'Pubhshed 1920 P (COPY 1v. UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Essentials of Medical Electricity; Cumberbatch; Eighth 1,071,978 White Sept. 2, 1913 Edition, 1939; pages 425 and 426. (Copy in Div. 55.)

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