MOBILE ULTRASONIC BATHING DEVICE

Technical Field

[ 1 ] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[2] The present invention relates to a mobile ultrasonic bathing device, and more particularly to a mobile ultrasonic bathing device which allows, as a portable unit, simultaneous ultrasonic and infrared-ray stimuli during bathing without the need for replacing the existing bathing tubs and which can be entered in the bathing water with a stable posture for use and can be carried or moved very easily after the use.

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[4] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[5] As is well known, the ultrasonic wave is the sound wave lying in the band inaudible to the human ears, with its frequency ranging over 20,000 cycles per second, and has essentially the same property as the audible sound wave but induces very intense vibration owing to the short wave length, vibrating the medium through which it passes. Further, this ultrasonic wave has a part of the property of the electric wave or light besides that of the audible sound.

[6] This ultrasonic wave is used in a variety of fields including the ultrasonic imaging diagnosis appliance for diagnosing the human body, the fish-finder, the washer for tableware or for industrial purpose, the humidifier, the skin massager and the like. When such an ultrasonic wave is irradiated with an optimum frequency and an optimum intensity upon a human body in the water, it is well known that the cleaning action takes place to remove foreign substances in the sweat and hair pores on or under the skin with the help of the micro vibrations of the ultrasonic wave.

[7] Further, the ultrasonic skin stimulus is known to act to promote the decomposition of the subcutaneous fat and the effective moisture transfer within the skin. The ultrasonic wave is excellent in its transferring ability in the state of liquid like the water as the transfer medium rather than in the air, for example, and therefore all the diagnosing and treating equipments using the ultrasonics employ the gel between the ultrasonic electrodes and the human body to induce somewhat more effective transference.

[8] On the other hand, in the case of the conventional bathing device utilizing such an ultrasonic action, because the bathing device was manufactured as a unit integrated with the bating tub in which the ultrasonic oscillator is installed on the inner surface of the bath wall, there was a disadvantage in respect of economy and time due to the need of buying a new ultrasonic bathing tub and installing it.

[9] Further, there was a disadvantage in the aspect of use in that the user was required

to twist his or her body so as to align the ultrasonic oscillator with the body area in need in order to receive the ultrasonic stimulus on that desired area, because the ultrasonic oscillator was fixed at a certain position of the inner wall surface of the tub.

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[11] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[12] The present invention was proposed to resolve such drawbacks as described above.

Thus, the object of the invention is to provide a mobile ultrasonic bathing device by which a simple ultrasonic stimulus can be received during bathing without replacing the existing tub, which is portable and easily movable and which is light- weighted and is suited for a stable use in the water in the submerged state.

[13] Further, the present invention is intended to provide a mobile combination bathing device which can present simultaneously both the ultrasonic stimulus and the infrared ray stimulus.

[14] Still further, the present invention is intended to provide a mobile combination bathing device which allows the skin stimulus through the irradiation of infrared ray and the visual stability through the irradiation of visible light, while realizing the ultrasonic beam focusing so as to cause the concentration of the ultrasonic stimulus on the area as the user wishes.

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[16] The above-described object is achieved according to an aspect of the invention by a mobile ultrasonic bathing device which comprises a housing made to be portable, separately from the bathing tub, so as to be usable by submerging into the bathing water, ultrasonic oscillators mounted to expose on the front surface of the housing, and an ultrasonic wave generating part connected to the ultrasonic oscillators, which allows the ultrasonic stimulus even in an existing bathing tub and which allows the realization of a simple ultrasonic stimulus in conjunction with the movement of the device to the area a user wishes.

[17] The above-described object is also achieved according to another aspect of the invention by a mobile ultrasonic bathing device which a chamber is formed within the housing and openings to communicate with the outside are formed respectively on the top and bottom of the chamber so as to allow the air or water to flow in or out through these openings.

[18] The above-described object is also achieved according to a still other aspect of the invention by a mobile ultrasonic bathing device wherein an infrared ray lamp is further disposed on the front face of the housing to realize the cleaning action and the improved skin activation through the irradiation of infrared ray on the user's skin.

[19] Preferably, a visible light lamp is further disposed on the front face of the housing.

[21 ] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[22] Figure 1 is a persective view of the embodiment of the invention

[23] Figure 2 is a rear view of the embodiment of the invention

[24] Figure 3 is a cross sectional elevation views of the embodiment of the invention.

[25] Figure 4 to 6 is the views of another embodiment of the invention

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[27] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[28] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail below by referring to the accompanying drawings.

[29] Figs.l to 3 show respectively the perspective, rear and cross sectional elevation views of a combination bathing device according to the invention. Referring to those figures, the bathing device described above is manufactured to be portable, independently from the bathing tub, wherein the simple ultrasonic stimulus is not only possible without the need for the replacement of the existing bathing tub but also a user can freely use the device moving it to the area as he wishes. Basically, on the front face of a housing 1 of the device, ultrasonic oscillators 11, infrared lamps 15 and visible light lamps 13, respectively in their plurality, are symmetrically arranged.

[30] The housing 1 forms the body of the device. On the front of the housing, a main

PCB (printed circuit board) room 10 receiving a main PCB 17 is disposed hermetically or water-tight, wherein the main PCB functions to drive ultrasonic oscillators 11, infrared lamps 15, visible light lamps 13 and so on. On the top of the housing, a control PCB room 20 in which a control PCB 21 is disposed is hermetically disposed, so that the control PCB 21 selects respective functions and conducts the ON/OFF functions thereof. Further, on the bottom of the housing, a hermetical battery room 30 to receive batteries 31 is disposed, wherein a door 33 is provided on the rear lower end of the housing 1 to hermetically store the batteries 31 in the room 30.

[31] Inside the housing 1, a chamber 3 is provided to prevent the generation of the buoyant force in water due to the empty spaces between the respective rooms, wherein openings 5 and 7 communicating with the outside or the bath water are formed on the top and bottom of the chamber 3 so as to allow the outside water to flow in and flow out easily. In addition, a handle 9 is provided on the top of the housing so that the user can carry the device easily.

[32] The ultrasonic oscillators 11, as shown in Fig. 1, are arranged on the opposite sides of the front face of the housing 1, i.e. in pairs in vertical 2 or 3 rows, wherein the respective ultrasonic oscillators 11 are inclined a prescribed angle toward the center of the device, so that the ultrasonic oscillations are produced toward the center to apply a concentric ultrasonic stimulus to the area the user wants.

[33] The infrared ray lamps 15 are disposed in their plurality at vertical regular intervals

along the vertical center line on the front face of the housing 1, so that the user may be subjected to the infrared ray stimulus as well in addition to the ultrasonic stimulus during bathing. Further, a number of visible-light lamps 11 are provided around the ultrasonic oscillators 11, so that the user may be aware the device is working and may feel comfortable during bathing. The ultrasonic oscillators 11, infrared lamps 15 and visible light lamps 13 are respectively connected to and automatically controlled by the ultrasonic wave generating part, infrared ray driving part and visible light driving part, each built in the main PCB 17.

[34] The mobile ultrasonic bathing device according to the invention, constructed as described above, is operated as follows. First, with the inventive bathing device, as a portable device independent from the bathing tub, general consumers using existing tubs can conveniently be exposed to the ultrasonic-wave and infrared ray stimuli while bathing without replacing the existing tubs by new or separate ones, wherein the users can use the devices, as they move the devices to any desired areas.

[35] Furthermore, the bathing device is formed with the chamber 3, which can be filled with the flowing water instead of being left empty in order to minimize overall the void spaces which would contribute to the buoyancy. Because openings 5 and 7 are formed at the top and bottom of the chamber to communicate with the outside of the housing 1, when the device 3 is submerged into the bath water, the air having been present inside the chamber 3 can be expelled through the opening 5 so as to be easily filled with the flowing-in water, with the result that the device can be prevented from overturn due to the buoyance. On the other hand, when the device is taken out of the bath water, the water having filled the chamber 3 is drained out, as the external air flows in the chamber 3 through the opening 5, whereby the device can be easily carried and moved.

[36] Besides, the bathing device exerts not just an ultrasonic stimulus but also an infrared stimulus to improve the cleaning, thermal and absorbtion actions, simultaneously causing a snug psychological stability through the irradiation of visible light. In addition, because a number of ultrasonic oscillators 11, infrared lamps 15 and visible light lamps 13 are arranged vertically on the bathing appliance, a user can select and drive the desired functions through the selection buttons 12 positioned atop, wherein the user can select the desired button out of the many buttons dependent on the water level or the shape of the body.

[37] Figs. 4 to 6, which show another embodiment of the invention, are intended for assured exclusion of the buoyant action by deeply cutting-out the rear part of the housing 1, as is shown. Further, the opening 5 is seen to be unified with the handle 9 to make one unit on the top part of the housing 1. The arrangement on the front face of the housing is similar to that in the foregoing embodiment but the layout and count of

the parts or members are altered somewhat.

[38] The present invention as described above, which is employed to irradiate the ultrasonic and infrared beams on the skin of the users in the water, exhibits a variety of functions which include the first action of "cleaning" for decomposing and discharging the foreign and waste matters in the hair pores and sweat pores of the skin and the subcutaneous fat, the second action of "absorption" for promoting the absorption of function improving agents in the case of adding the cutaneous function improving agents in the bathing water, and the third "thermal" action for promoting the metabolism of fat tissues by penetratively transferring the heat from the ultrasonic and infrared beams to the cells of fat tissues deeply located and so on.

[39] The present invention is not limited just to the above-described examples and accompanying drawings and so a variety of replacements, alterations and modifications are possible within the scope not getting out of the technical ideas of the invention.

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[41 ] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[42] As described above, the combination bathing device according to the invention allows the ultrasonic and infrared ray stimuli conveniently, without replacing the existing tub, with the excellent usefulness due to free mobility to meet the users' desire.

[43] Further, when the device is introduced into the water, the water flows in the chamber 3 of the housing 1 to fill it so as to avoid the overturning of the device, whereby the use under secured feeling is possible. When taking the device out of the bathing tub, the water in the housing can be easily drained, so that another advantage of portability and mobility can be obtained.

[44] In addition, the present devices conduct the infrared ray irradiation as well as the ultrasonic stimulus, so that the cleaning, absorbing, thermal and whitening actions may be further improved to help ease or prevent various skin troubles or diseases.