U.S. patent application number 14/350497 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-18 for head care apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to Panasonic Corporation. The applicant listed for this patent is Panasonic Corporation. Invention is credited to Soichiro Fujioka, Toshinori Hirose, Osamu Mizuno, Tohru Nakamura.
Application Number | 20140259356 14/350497 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49711681 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140259356 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mizuno; Osamu ; et
al. |
September 18, 2014 |
HEAD CARE APPARATUS
Abstract
The present invention provides a head care apparatus capable of
performing a comfortable head care with a care unit forced on
person's head in a suitable manner. The head care apparatus of the
invention comprises a first support, a care unit having a contact
capable of making contacts with person's head supported by the
first support, an arm moving the care unit in a first direction
which extends orthogonal to a surface of the person's head and/or a
second direction which extends along the surface of the person's
head, and a load detector having at least two load sensors arranged
in different positions in the second direction for sensing loads
applied thereto, the load detector being designed to detect the
loads on the contact in the first direction.
Inventors: |
Mizuno; Osamu; (Nara,
JP) ; Fujioka; Soichiro; (Osaka, JP) ; Hirose;
Toshinori; (Osaka, JP) ; Nakamura; Tohru;
(Osaka, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Panasonic Corporation |
Osaka |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
Panasonic Corporation
Kadoma-shi, Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
49711681 |
Appl. No.: |
14/350497 |
Filed: |
June 3, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
June 3, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2013/003482 |
371 Date: |
April 8, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/523 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 19/14 20130101;
A45D 19/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
4/523 |
International
Class: |
A45D 19/14 20060101
A45D019/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 5, 2012 |
JP |
2012-127760 |
Claims
1. A head care apparatus comprising: a first support; a care unit
having a contact designed to be make contact with a person's head
supported by the first support; an arm moving the care unit in a
first direction which extends orthogonal to a surface of the
person's head and/or a second direction which extends along the
surface of the person's head and orthogonal to the first direction;
and a load detector having at least two load sensors arranged in
different positions in the second direction for sensing loads
applied thereto, the load detector being designed to detect the
loads on the contact in the first direction by using the loads
sensed by the load sensors.
2. The head care apparatus in claim 1, wherein the load detector
detects the load on the contacts in the first direction by using a
sum of the loads sensed by the load sensors.
3. The head care apparatus in claim 1, wherein the load detector
comprises a first calculation unit calculating the load on the
contacts in the second direction by using a difference between the
loads sensed by the load sensors.
4. The head care apparatus in claim 3, further comprising a judging
section judging whether the load in the second direction is greater
than a predetermined value to determine that a trouble has
occurred.
5. The head care apparatus of claim 4, wherein the judging section
judges whether the load in the second direction is greater than the
predetermined value when the arm is moving in the second direction
to determine that the contacts are tangled in hair of the person's
head supported by the first support.
6. The head care apparatus of claim 4, wherein the judging section
judges whether the load in the second direction is greater than the
predetermined value when the arm is at a stop to determined that
the person's head is out of contact with the first support.
7. The head care apparatus in claim 1, wherein each of the load
sensors is a sensor to detect a load in one direction only.
8. The head care apparatus in claim 1, wherein the load sensor is a
load cell.
9. The head care apparatus in claim 8, wherein each of the load
sensors has a pair of leaf springs positioned in parallel to each
other and at least two strain gauges attached to one of the paired
leaf springs.
10. The head care apparatus in claim 1, wherein the arm has a
support shaft, and wherein each of the load sensor has a support
through which the support shaft of the arm extends, the support
supporting the support shaft so that the support shaft is rotatable
about its axis but immovable in a direction parallel to the
axis.
11. The head care apparatus in claim 1, further comprising a weight
cancelling section cancelling a load in the first direction caused
by a weight of the care unit from the load in the first direction
detected by the load detector.
12. The head care apparatus in claim 1, wherein the care unit
comprises a housing accommodating the load sensors, the housing
having an aperture defined therein by a peripheral wall in which
the support shaft of the arm is extended, and an elastic member
closing a gap between the peripheral wall and the support shaft of
the arm provided in the aperture.
13. The head care apparatus in claim 1, wherein the care unit
comprises a housing for accommodating the load sensors, the housing
having an aperture defined therein by a peripheral wall, a
projection projecting from the load sensors to extend through the
housing in the first direction and connected to the arm outside the
housing, and an elastic member for closing a gap between the
peripheral wall of an aperture and the projection.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a head care apparatus for
use in a medical or cosmetic field, which is capable of caring
person's heads automatically.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The head care, which includes washing and massaging person's
head including hair and scalp, needs human intervention and then
has been expected to be automated. For this purpose, there has been
proposed an automated head washing apparatus capable of washing
human's heads automatically (see Patent Literature 1, for
example).
[0003] FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing a major part of
the conventional automated head washing apparatus. As shown in the
drawing, the automated head washing apparatus comprises a washing
unit 1 having nozzles 1a and 2a positioned at regular intervals on
an inner peripheral portion of the unit 1.
[0004] The nozzles 1a and 2a, which are arranged to oppose the
person's head, are fluidly communicated through a liquid supply
passage (not shown) mounted inside the washing unit 1 to a
switching unit 3 so that a liquid from the switching unit 3 is
sprayed against the person's head.
[0005] The washing unit 1 is moved in a direction indicated by
arrow 3C by a driving section 4 and is rotated about a support axis
by another driving section 6. [0006] Patent Literature 1: JP
2001-149133 A
[0007] The above automated head washing apparatus is to wash the
person's head only by spraying liquid from the nozzles 1a and 2a,
without making frictional contacts with the person's head.
Disadvantageously, if the care unit were to be forced onto the
person's head during washing, the care unit would be tangled in the
person's hair.
[0008] A purpose of the invention is to provide a head care
apparatus which is capable of washing person's heads in a
comfortable manner by forcing the care unit onto the person's head
without causing tangling of hair with the care unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] For this purpose, the head care apparatus of the invention
comprises
[0010] a first support;
[0011] a care unit having a contact designed to be make contact
with a person's head supported by the first support;
[0012] an arm for moving the care unit in a first direction which
extends orthogonal to a surface of the person's head and/or a
second direction which extends along the surface of the person's
head and orthogonal to the first direction; and
[0013] a load detector having at least two load sensors arranged in
different positions in the second direction for sensing loads
applied thereto, the load detector being designed to detect the
loads on the contact in the first direction by using the loads
sensed by the load sensors.
Effects of the Invention
[0014] According to the head care apparatus of the invention, the
hair tangling with the care unit is reduced during the head washing
in which the care unit is forced on the head and, as a result, a
comfortable head caring is obtained.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing an automated head
washing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the
invention;
[0016] FIG. 1B is a side elevational view showing a major part of
the automated head washing apparatus according to the first
embodiment of the invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the left washing unit and the left
arm of the automated head washing apparatus;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a diagram of the left washing unit and the left
arm of the automated head washing apparatus viewed from the
person's head;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along lines K-K in
FIG. 2, showing the load detector and its peripheries;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view take along lines M-M in
FIG. 3, showing the load detector and its peripheries;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the control system relating to
the load detector in the first embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 7A is a cross sectional view take along lines N-N in
FIG. 3, showing the load detector and its peripheries;
[0023] FIG. 7B is a cross sectional view, similar to FIG. 7A,
showing that the contacts are tangled in hair;
[0024] FIG. 8A is a cross sectional view, similar to FIG. 7A,
showing that the arm is swinging;
[0025] FIG. 8B is a cross sectional view, similar to FIG. 7A,
showing that the contact is tangled in hair while the arm is
swinging;
[0026] FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a control which uses the load
detector in the first embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 10 is a side elevational view showing the left washing
unit and the left arm in the second embodiment of the
invention;
[0028] FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a control which uses the
weight cancelling section in the second embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 12 is a diagram, similar to FIG. 5, showing an internal
structure of the washing unit of the third embodiment of the
invention; and
[0030] FIG. 13 is a schematic structural view showing a major part
of the conventional automated head washing apparatus.
EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0031] With reference to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment
of the present invention will be described below, in which like
reference numbers are used to refer like parts and the same
discussion is not duplicated for those parts. Also, for clarity of
the drawings the members are schematically illustrated in the
drawings. Further, X, Y, and Z coordinates are indicated in the
drawings when appropriate, in which Z coordinate indicates a
vertical direction and X and Y coordinates indicate respective
directions orthogonal to the Z coordinate.
[0032] Following discussions will be made to an automated head
washing apparatus for person's heads. The automated head washing
apparatus is an example of the head care apparatus for caring human
heads automatically. The "caring person's head" means at least one
of washing human scalps and hairs and massaging person's heads.
First Embodiment
[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the automated head washing
apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 1A, the automated head washing apparatus 11
has washing units 12L and 12R, arms 13L and 13R moving the washing
units 12L and 12R, respectively, a load detector 15, a bowl 18,
pipes 19L and 19R, a head support 20 for supporting person's head
17 within the bowl 18, and a controller 14 controlling various
operations of the automated head washing apparatus 11. The washing
units 12L and 12R are designed so that they scrub the person's head
supported by the head support 20. The washing units 12L and 12R are
specific embodiments of the hear care unit. The pipes 19L and 19R
each have a nozzle ejecting washing liquid and water against the
person's head 17. The bowl 18 is designed so that it can
accommodate the person's head 17a (see FIG. 1B). The head support
20 is the first support which is an embodiment of a back support
supporting the back of person's head 17a.
[0035] The person's head 17 is accommodated within the interior of
the bowl 18 with his/her face upward, so that when the person's
head 17 is suitably positioned against the bowl 18 with the back of
his/her head 17a supported on the head support 20, the body axis,
the left-right axis, and the anterior-posterior axis of the person
are directed Y, X, and Z directions, respectively.
[0036] The pair of washing units 12L and 12R are provided on left
and right sides, respectively. The left and right washing units 12L
and 12R are provided for scrubbing left and right sides of the
person's head 17, respectively. The left and right arms 13L and 13R
are provided to move the left and right washing units 12L and 12R,
respectively.
[0037] The pipes 19L and 19R are provided on the left and right
sides and attached to the left and right arms 13L and 13R,
respectively.
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 1B, 2 and 3, discussions will be made to
the structures of the arm 13L and the washing unit 12L.
[0039] FIG. 1B is a side elevational view of the left arm 13L and
the left washing unit 12L. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the left
washing unit and the left arm 13L. FIG. 3 is a diagram of the left
washing unit 12L and the left arm 13L of the horizontally
positioned apparatus and viewed from the person's head. The left
and right arms 13L and 13R and washing units 12L and 12R are
symmetric in construction and then no discussions will be made to
the right arm 13R and washing unit 12R in the following
descriptions.
[0040] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the washing unit 12L has a cover
or housing 32 for accommodating the load detector 15 which will be
described below and a plurality of contacts 21 which are designed
to make contacts with the person's head 17 supported on the head
support 20. The contacts are the specific embodiment of a contact
portion.
[0041] The contacts 21 are provided on the outside of the housing
32. As shown in FIG. 3, the contacts 21 are positioned in two rows.
Each of contacts 21 in one row is connected with one of the
contacts in the other row through a connector 22. The connector 22
is rotatably mounted to the housing 32 so that the paired contacts
21 on each connector 22 move about the rotational axis of the
connector 22.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 2, the arm 13L has a link mechanism 13a
supporting the washing unit 12L and a link support 13c supporting
the link mechanism 13a.
[0043] The link mechanism 13a is a five-bar link mechanism with
four links. The link mechanism 13a supports the washing unit 12L
through a support axis 36. The link mechanism 13a is in turn
supported by a support 13c through two rotational axes 13b and 13g.
The rotational axes 13b and 13g are arranged in parallel to the
support axis 36. The rotational axis 13a is fixed to a link of the
link mechanism 13a and rotatably supported on the support 13c. The
other rotational axis 13b is connected to a first drive 13d. The
first drive 13d is designed so that it rotates the rotational axis
13b in a direction indicated by arrow A (see FIG. 2). The first
drive 13d is mounted in an interior of the support 13c.
[0044] The support 13c is connected to a second drive 13f through a
connecting shaft 13e. The connecting shaft 13e is positioned
orthogonal to the support axis 36 and the rotational axes 13b and
13g. Specifically, the connecting shaft 13e is positioned so that
it extends through substantially the center of the person's head 17
and parallel to the X-axis. The second drive 13f is provided so
that the connecting shaft 13e rotates about its axis in the
direction indicated by arrow B (see FIGS. 1B and 2). The support
13c is designed to rotate with the connecting shaft 13e when the
connecting shaft 13e is rotated by the second drive 13f. The second
drive 13f if mounted in the interior of the housing of the bowl 18
(see FIG. 1).
[0045] As shown in FIG. 2, when the arm 13L is rotated by the first
drive 13d in a direction indicated by arrow A, the washing unit 12L
moves in a first direction with respect to the person's head 17.
The first direction is an example of a forcing direction which is
indicated by arrow C in FIG. 2 and substantially normal to the
surface of the person's head 17 with which the contacts 21 will
contact. The first direction includes not only one direction toward
the person's head 17 but also the other direction away from
there.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 1B, the washing unit 12L rotates in a
second direction along the person's head 17 when the arm 13L
rotates about the axis extending substantially the center of the
person's head 17 by the driving of the second drive 13f. The second
direction is an example of a movement direction which is a
rotational direction about the connecting axis 13e indicated by
arrow E in FIG. 1B in the embodiment. The second direction
coincides substantially with a tangential line through the contact
portion between each contact 21 and the person's head 17. The
rotational movements of the arms 13L and 13R moving the washing
units 12L and 12R in the second direction are referred to as "swing
movement".
[0047] The automated head washing apparatus 11 according to the
first embodiment is operated so that, when washing the person's
head 17 on the head support 20, the arms 13L and 13R are swung in
the second direction as described above with the washing units 12L
and 12R forced on the person's head in the first direction. The
person's head 17 is washed and scrubbed by the combination with the
ejection of shampoo liquid and water from the nozzles of the pipes
19L and 19R. The scrubbing may be performed more effectively in
combination with the swinging movements of the contacts 21.
[0048] The automated head washing apparatus 11 according to the
first embodiment has a load detector 15 detecting a load applied to
the contact 21 in the first direction in order that a substantially
uniform force is applied to the person's head from the contacts
during washing and scrubbing.
[0049] The automated head washing apparatus 1 according to the
first embodiment is featured in having the load detector 15 so that
the tangling of hair 60 with the contacts 21 can be detected by the
load detector 15 and then reduced to provide a comfortable head
care.
[0050] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, and 7A, a structure of the load
detector 15 will be described. FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view
taken along lines K-K in FIG. 2, showing the load detector 15 and
its peripheries. FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view take along lines
M-M in FIG. 3, showing the load detector and its peripheries. FIG.
7A is a cross sectional view take along lines N-N in FIG. 3,
showing the load detector and its peripheries.
[0051] As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7A, the load detector 15 is
accommodated in the interior of the housing 32 of the washing unit
12L and has two load sensors 51a and 51b and a first calculation
unit 51c as a load calculation unit.
[0052] The first calculation unit 51c, which is an electronic
component incorporating electronic circuits, is mounted adjacent
the load sensors 51a and 51b within the housing 32 and is designed
to calculate a load applied to the contacts in the first direction
using outputs from the load sensors 51a and 51b.
[0053] The load sensors 51a, 51b are arranged at respective
positions spaced a distance in the second direction extending along
the surface of the person's head 17. The distance between the
centers of the load sensors 51a and 51b is twice as long as the
distance L between the centers of the load sensors 51a and 51b and
the center of the support shaft 36.
[0054] Load cells with the same structure and size may be used for
the load sensors 51a and 51b. As shown in FIG. 5, the load sensor
51a has a pair of leaf spring spaced parallel to each other and a
plurality of strain gauges 54a attached to the leaf spring 54.
[0055] Each of the leaf springs 54 and 55 is extended in a
direction orthogonal to the first and second directions. The leaf
springs 54 and 55 are stacked one on top the other through spacers
52 and 53. The stacking direction is parallel to the first
direction and orthogonal to the second direction.
[0056] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the spacers 52 and 53 are
positioned spacing a distance in the lengthwise direction of the
leaf springs 54 and 55. One ends of the leaf springs 54 and 55 are
fixed to one spacer 52 and other ends of the leaf springs 54 and 55
are fixed to the other spacer 53.
[0057] As shown in FIG. 5, two strain gauge 54a are mounted on each
major surface of the leaf spring 54 and spaced a distance
therebetween in the lengthwise direction of the leaf spring 54. The
strain gauges 54a may be mounted only on one major surface of the
leaf spring.
[0058] With the arrangement, the load sensors 51a and 51b detect a
load only in the stacking direction of the leaf springs 54 and
55.
[0059] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, one side of the load sensors 51
and 51b with respect to the lengthwise direction of the leaf
springs 54 and 55 is fixed to a base 37 of the washing unit 12L. On
the other side of the load sensors 51a and 51b, the support shaft
36 of the arm 13L is extended through the spacer 52. The base 37
bearing the load sensors 51a and 51b is integrally mounted or fixed
on the inner surface of the housing 32. The first calculation unit
51c is mounted on the base 37. One of the spaces 52 may serve as a
support supporting the support shaft. The spacer 52 has a
through-hole 52a extending in the second direction in which the
support shaft 36 is extended. The spacer 52 supports the support
shaft 36 through a bearing 52b mounted in the through-hole 52a so
that the support shaft 36 is capable of rotating about its axis but
incapable of moving in the axial direction.
[0060] AS shown in FIGS. 4 and 7A, the support shaft 36 is extended
through the pair of apertures 34 defined in the housing 32 to
communicate between the interior and exterior thereof. A gap is
defined between the support shaft 36 and the peripheral surfaces of
the apertures 34 so that the support shaft 36 is not fixed to the
housing 32. This allows that the load from the person's head 17 to
the contacts 21 of the washing unit 12L is transmitted from the
housing 32 through the base 37 and the load detectors 51a and 51b
to the support shaft 36. This means that the load on the contacts
21 is applied to and thereby detected by the load sensors 51 and
51b.
[0061] Typically, a displacement of the load sensors 51 and 51b are
designed to be several tens of micrometers for the detection of the
load from the contacts 21 of the washing unit 12L to the person's
head 17. Considering errors such as assembly error, the gap between
the support shaft 36 and the aperture 34 for accommodating the
displacement is determined to be about one millimeter.
[0062] The washing unit 12L, when it is forced to the person's
head, rotates about the support shaft 36 to align on the surface of
the person's head. This allows that the leaf springs 54 and 55
become substantially parallel to the surface of the person's head,
adjacent the contacts 21, so that the stacking direction of the
leaf springs 54 and 55 is substantially parallel to the normal
direction running through a surface portion of the person's head 17
at or adjacent the contact portions of the contacts 21 with the
persons head 17. This allows that the load sensors 51a and 51b
detect the load applied to the person's head from the contacts 21
in the first direction, i.e., in the normal direction from the
surface of the person's head 17.
[0063] As described above, the load sensors 51a and 51b are covered
by the housing 32. The gap between the periphery of the aperture 34
and the support shaft 36 is closed by an elastic material 33,
preventing water from entering into the interior of the housing 32
and thereby preventing the load sensors 51a and 51b from being in
contact with the water. The elastic material 33 may be an elastic
ring member made of rubber, for example. Preferably, the elasticity
is determined so that a substantial part of the load from the
contacts 21 is absorbed in the elastic member 33 without being
transmitted to the support shaft 36. This allows that, even if the
gap between the support shaft 36 and the periphery of the aperture
34 is closed by the elastic member 33, the load applied to the
washing unit 12L is reliably transmitted to the load sensors 51a
and 51b, ensuring the load sensors 51a and 51b to detect the load
in a precise manner.
[0064] Referring to FIGS. 6, 7A, 7B, 8A, and 8B, discussions will
be made to the control system using the outputs from the load
detector 15.
[0065] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a control system using the
outputs from the load detector 15. FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8A, and 8B are
cross sectional views taken along lines N-N in FIG. 3, showing the
load detector 15 and its peripheries. Specifically, FIG. 7A shows
the arm 13L in its stationary position, FIG. 7B the arm 13L in its
stationary position in which the contacts 21 are tangled in hair
60, FIG. 8A the arm 13L in its swinging position, and FIG. 8B the
arm in its swinging position in which the contacts 21 are tangled
in hair 60.
[0066] Although the load detector 15 is provided for each of the
washing units 12L and 12R, it may be provided only one of the
washing units.
[0067] As shown in FIG. 6, the output signals from the load sensors
51a and 51b are transmitted into the first calculation unit 51c.
The first calculation unit 51c further includes a second
calculation unit 51d calculating a load applied to the contacts 21
in the first direction and a third calculation unit 51e calculating
a load applied to the contacts 21 in the second direction. The
second calculation unit 51d is an example of a load calculation
section in the forcing direction for calculating the load in the
first direction (forcing direction) using the sum of the outputs
from the load sensors 51a and 51b. The third calculation unit 51e
is an example of a load calculation section in the moving direction
for calculating the load in the second direction (moving direction)
using the difference between the outputs from the load sensors 51a
and 51b.
[0068] The output from the first calculation unit 51c is
transmitted into the controller 14. The controller 14 has a judging
section 16 judging whether the load in the second direction
calculated in the third calculation unit 51e is larger than a
predetermined value, and a memory section 24 memorizing various
information.
[0069] The control signal from the controller 14 is transmitted
into the first and second drive units 13d and 13f. This allows that
the controller 14 to control the first and second drive units 13d
and 13f and, as a result, the arms 13L and 13R according to the
output from the load detector 15.
[0070] Referring to FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8A, and 8B, a method for
calculating the load at the second and third calculation units 51d
and 51e will be described below.
[0071] First, various sizes of the portions and various loads
indicated in In FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8A, and 8B will be described
below.
[0072] As described above, with respect to the second direction,
the distance between the centers of the load sensors 51a and 51b is
indicated as "2L" and the distance between the centers of the load
sensors 51a and 51b and the center of the support shaft 36 is
indicated as "L". Also with respect to the second direction, the
distance between the centers of the paired contacts 21 is indicated
as "2S" and the distance between the centers of each contact and
the support shaft 36 is indicated as "S". With respect to the first
direction, the distance between the contact portions of the
contacts with the person's head 17 and the support shaft 36 is
indicated as "H". "FL1" and "FL2" are the outputs from the load
sensors 51a and 51b, respectively. "Fn1" and "Fn2" are the loads on
respective contacts. In FIGS. 8A and 8B, "Fs1" and "Fs2" are the
loads on respective contacts 21 in the second direction.
[0073] Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B showing the washing unit 12L in
the initial or home position, discussions will be made to a method
made at the second calculation unit 51d for calculating the load on
the contacts 21 in the first direction.
[0074] When the contacts 21 are brought into contacts with the
person's head 17, the second calculation unit 51d calculates the
load on the contacts 21 in the first direction using the outputs
FL1 and FL2 from the load sensors 51a and 51b. Specifically, the
second calculation unit 51d calculates the load Fy on the contacts
in the first direction by adding the outputs FL1 and FL2 from the
load sensors 51a and 51b, as indicated in the following equation
(1).
Fy=FL1+FL2 (1)
[0075] According to the load detector 15 in the first embodiment,
the load on the contacts 21 in the first direction varies little
irrespective of whether the contact or contacts 21 are tangled in
the person's hair 60, which ensures that the load Fy in the first
direction on the contact or contacts 21 can be determined by using
the equation (1) even when the they are tangled in hair 60.
[0076] The controller 14 controls the arms 13L and 13R so that the
load on the contacts 21 in the first direction is larger than a
predetermined value which is memorized in the memory 24, which
ensures that the automated head washing apparatus 11 scrubs and
washes the person's head while applying substantially the same
force on the person's head 17.
[0077] Next, referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, discussions will be made
to method for calculating the loads on the contacts 21 in the first
and second directions during the movement of the washing unit 12L
in the second direction, made at the second and third calculation
units 51d and 51e, respectively.
[0078] As shown in FIG. 8A, while the washing unit 12 is moving in
the second direction by the swinging operation of the arm 13L, not
only the loads Fn1 and Fn2 in the first direction but also the
loads Fs1 and Fs2 in the second direction are applied on the
contacts 21 due to the frictional contacts between the contacts 21
and the person's head 17.
[0079] The loads Fs1 and Fs2 on the contacts 21 in the second
direction cause a movement of force on the support shaft 36. The
load sensors 51a and 51b are positioned on opposite sides of the
support shaft 36 while leaving distance L from the middle of the
shaft in the second direction. This results in that, when a moment
Me is generated on the support shaft 36, a positive load is applied
on one load sensor 51a and a negative load is applied to the other
load sensor 51b. This means that, during the swinging movements of
the arm 13L, the outputs from the load sensors 51a and 51b include
not only components of Fn1 and Fn2 on the contacts 21 in the first
direction but also the positive and negative components caused by
the moment Me, respectively.
[0080] The absolute value of the positive component on the load
sensor 51a is substantially the same as that of the negative
component on the load sensor 51b. Then, as indicated in the
equation (1), adding the outputs FL1 and FL2 from the load sensors
51a and 51b cancels the components on the load sensors 51a and 51b
due to the moment Me and thereby fully eliminates any affect caused
by the moment. This ensures that the load detector 15 in the first
embodiment calculates the load Fy on the contacts in the first
direction in a substantially precise manner by using the equation
(1) even when the arms 13L and 13R are swinging.
[0081] Next, discussions will be made to a method for calculating
the load in the second direction during the swinging movements of
the arm 13L, which is made at the third calculation unit 51e.
[0082] The third calculation unit 51e calculates the load Fs on the
contacts 21 in the second direction by using the difference between
the outputs FL1 and FL2 from the load sensors 51a and 51b,
respectively, which will be described as follows.
[0083] The moment Me is caused due to the loads in the first and
second directions on the paired contacts 21. This means that the
moment can be determined by using the loads on the contacts 21 in
the first and second directions according to the following equation
(2).
Me=[Fn1-Fn2]S+[Fs+Fs2]H (2)
[0084] Because the loads Fn1 and Fn2 on the paired contacts in the
first direction are substantially the same, it can be assumed that
Fn1 is equal to Fn2. Then the equation (2) can be rewritten as the
following equation (3).
Me=[Fn1+Fn2]H (3)
[0085] The total load Fs on the paired contacts 21 in the second
direction is equal to the sum of the loads Fs1 and Fs2 in the
second direction, i.e., Fs=Fs1+Fs2. Then, the equation (3) can be
rewritten as the following equation (4).
Me=FsH (4)
[0086] Also, the moment Me can be calculated from the following
equation (5) by using loads FL1 and FL2 detected by the load
sensors 51a and 51b. Because the load sensors 51a and 51b are
disposed on opposite sides of the support shaft 36, the moment Me
can be calculated from the following equation (5) by using the
outputs FL1 and FL2 from the load sensors 51a and 51b.
Me=[Fn1-Fn2]L (5)
[0087] The following equation (6) is obtained from the equations
(4) and (5).
Fs=[FL1-FL2]L/H (6)
[0088] According to the equation (6), the third calculation unit
51e calculates the load on contacts 21 in the second direction
using the difference between the outputs FL1 and FL2 from the load
sensors 51a and 51b, caused by the moment Me.
[0089] Also, the automated head washing apparatus 11 according to
the first embodiment can detect a trouble by using the load Fs in
the second direction which is calculated by the third calculation
unit 51e. The trouble may be a hair tangling in the contacts 21,
for example. Detailed discussions will be made to the detection of
the trouble.
[0090] If there is no trouble as shown in FIG. 8A, the load Fs in
the second direction during the swinging of the arm 13L, which is
calculated by the third calculation unit 51e, is substantially
equal to the frictional force between the contacts 21 and the
person's head 17.
[0091] If any trouble occurs such as tangling of hair 60 in the
contacts 21 of the swinging arm 13L, the contacts 21 is subject to
an excessive force which is greater the regular frictional force
and acts as a braking force to the contacts moving in the second
direction. The regular frictional force is a frictional force
generated between contacts 21 and the person's head 17 in the
absence of any resistance other than sliding resistance and in the
absence of drastically changing of any resistance during the
movement of the contacts. When the load Fs1 and Fs2 on the contacts
21 in the second direction becomes greater than the regular
frictional force due to the trouble, the moment Me on the support
shaft 36 increases than the normal, which in turn increases the
outputs FL1 and FL2 from the load sensors 51a and 51b and also the
resultant load Fs calculated by the third calculation unit 51e.
[0092] The person whose hair is being washed sometimes feels to
raise his or her head 17 from the head support 20 while the washing
unit 12L is not swinging. In this instance, the difference between
the outputs FL1 and FL2 from the load sensors 51a and 51b increases
more than its normal, which in turn increases the load Fs
calculated by the third calculation unit 51e more than its
normal.
[0093] Accordingly, the judging section 16 of the controller 14
judges whether the load Fs in the second direction calculated by
the third calculation unit 51e is greater than a predetermined
value to determine the occurrence of any trouble. The troubles
which may be detected by the judging section 16 include tangling of
hair 60 in the contact 21, raising of person's head 17 away from
the head support 20, and bouncing of contacts 21 due to surface
undulations of the person's head.
[0094] For the determination at the judging section 16, the memory
24 memorizes a load Fsmax which is greater than the frictional
force regularly occurred. The load Fsmax is defined to be equal to
or more than three times the vertical force against the person's
head.
[0095] The judging section 16 judges that any trouble has occurred
when the load Fs in the second direction calculated by the third
calculation unit 51e is greater than the Fsmax memorized in the
memory 24. If the judging section 16 determines that any trouble
has occurred, the automated head washing apparatus 11 is controlled
by the controller 14 to perform a first emergency action. The first
emergency action includes, for example, stopping the pivotal
movements of arms 13L and 13R and the swinging movements of the
contacts 21, moving the washing units 12L and 12R away from the
person's head 17, and so on. This results in that the automated
head washing apparatus 11 according to the first embodiment reduces
a feeling of discomfort and ensures the safety, of the subject
person.
[0096] The load on the person's head from the contacts 21 may vary
depending upon the configuration of the head. This results in that
the difference between the outputs FL1 and FL2 from the load
sensors 51a and 51b increases as a function of angle between the
washing units 12L and 12R and the surface of the person's head 17.
Therefore, a curvature of the person's head 17 is determined
precisely by using the difference between the outputs FL1 and FL2
from the load sensors 51a and 51b which is obtained from a
configuration scanning of the person's head 17 in which the washing
units 12L and 12R are moved in the second direction with the
contacts 21 forced on the person's head 17.
[0097] Referring to the program flow shown in FIG. 9, discussions
will be made to a control in the first embodiment relating to the
load detector 15.
[0098] First, the outputs FL1 and FL2 from the load sensors 51a and
51b are obtained (step S01). Then, the third calculation unit 51e
calculates the load F2 in the second direction on the contacts 21
are calculated from the outputs FL1 and FL2 obtained at step S01,
according to the equation (6) (step S02).
[0099] At step S03, the judging section 16 judges whether the load
Fs in the second direction calculated at step S02 is greater than
the Fsmax in the memory 24. If the load Fs is greater than the
Fsmax (if Yes at step S03), the judging section 16 judges that any
trouble has occurred and then program proceeds to a subsequent
judging step S04.
[0100] At step S04, the judging section 16 judges whether the arm
13L is moving, i.e., whether the washing unit 12L is moving in the
second direction by the swinging of the arm 13L.
[0101] If the washing unit 12L is not moving in the second
direction (if No at step S04), the judging section 16 determines
whether the person's head is raised, i.e., whether the head 17 is
moved up away from the head support 20 due to the subject person's
action to raise his or her head. At step S05, the controller 14
performs a second emergency action which is an example of the first
emergency action, in which a warning is issued through display or
voice message or the washing units 12L and 12R are moved away from
the person's head 17, for example. The second emergency action at
step S05 ensures the safety of the subject person who has raised
his or her head.
[0102] When the washing unit 12L is moving in the second direction
(if Yes at step S04), the judging section 16 judges that the
contact 21 is tangled in hair 60 and then the controller 14
performs a third emergency action (step S06) which is an example of
the first emergency action, in which the movement of the arm 13L is
stopped. By the third emergency action at step S06, the hair 60 of
the subject person is prevented from being drawn by the washing
unit 12L, eliminating the feeling of discomfort from the subject
person.
[0103] If it is determined at step S03 that the Fs in the second
direction is less than Fsmax (if No at step S03), the judging
section 16 judges that the automated head washing apparatus 11 is
in the normal operation and then the program proceeds to steps
S07-S09.
[0104] At step S07, the second calculation unit 51d calculates the
load Fy in the first direction on the contacts 21 from the outputs
FL1 and FL2 obtained at step S01, according to the equation
(1).
[0105] At next step S08, the controller 14 controls the movement of
the arm 13L in the first direction by using the load Fy at step S07
so that the load on the contacts 21 in the first direction
coincides with the load memorized in the memory 24. By the
feed-back control at step S08, the person's head 17 is comfortably
washed under substantially the same contact force.
[0106] At next step S09, the controller 14 controls the swinging
movements of the arm 13L so that the washing units 12L maintains
its movement in the first direction or continues moving or its
stopped state.
[0107] The control shown in FIG. 9 is an example, and the
operational order of the automated head washing apparatus 11 and
the emergency controls at steps S05 and S06, for example, are not
limited to those described in the above-described embodiments.
Although, according to the control in FIG. 9, two troubles due to
the raising of head and the tangling of hair 60 are detected in
which the same threshold Fsmax is used as the threshold for load Fs
in the second direction for both of those detections (step S03 in
FIG. 9), different thresholds may be used for respective
detections.
[0108] As described above, the automated head washing apparatus 11
according to the first embodiment can detect the load in the first
direction irrespective of the load in the second direction by using
two load sensors 51a and 51b in the load detector 15. Also, the
automated head washing apparatus 11 according to the first
embodiment can detect the load not only in the first direction but
also in the second direction by using the load sensor capable of
detecting load only in one direction. This results in a structural
simplicity, a size reduction, and a cost reduction of the
apparatus.
[0109] In another embodiment, the third calculation unit 51e may be
eliminated if it is not necessary to detect the lad in the second
direction. In this instance, the load in the first direction is
detected by using the first equation (1).
Second Embodiment
[0110] FIG. 10 is a side elevational view showing the washing unit
12L and the arm 13L according to the second embodiment of the
invention.
[0111] Referring to the drawings, only features in the second
embodiment which are different from those in the first embodiment
will be described below.
[0112] According to this embodiment of the automated head washing
apparatus 11, the swinging movements of the arms 13L and 13R cause
the washing units 12L and 12R to move in the second direction
between a first position P1 in which the washing units 12L and 12R
are adjacent the forehead of the subject person, above a second
horizontal position P2, and a third position P3 in which the
washing units 12L and 12R are adjacent the back of the person's
head, below the horizontal position P2. The washing units 12L and
12R are supported by the arms 13L and 13R through the load
detectors 15, respectively. This results in that the load of the
washing units 12L and 12R can affect the load detection by the load
detectors 15 depending upon positions of the washing units 12L and
12R in the second direction. For example, when taking positions P1
or P3, the load Fy in the first direction detected by the load
detector 15 includes a part of weight of the washing unit, i.e., a
component of weight of the washing unit, in the first direction.
With respect to the fixed vertical direction indicated by arrow G,
the first and second directions can vary depending upon the
positions of the washing units. This means that a component in the
first direction of the weight of the washing unit 12L, 12R varies
depending upon a rotational angle of the arm 13L 13R.
[0113] In order to eliminate such adverse effect from the weight of
the washing unit 12L, 12R, the automated head washing apparatus 11
according to the second embodiment has a weight cancelling section
61 to cancel the component of weight in the first direction of the
washing unit 12R, 12L, which is included in the load Fy in the
first direction detected by the load detector 15. The weight
cancelling section 61 is connected to the first calculation unit
51c.
[0114] As shown in FIG. 10, the weight of the washing unit 12L in
the first position P1 primarily acts in a positive direction of the
first direction on the person's head 17. In this instance, the
weight cancelling section subtracts the load component in the first
direction caused by the weight of the washing unit 12L from the
load Fy in the first direction detected from the load detector
15.
[0115] The weight of the washing unit 12L in the position P2 does
not act on the person's head in the first direction. In this
instance, the weight cancelling section 61 maintains the load Fy in
the first direction detected by the load detector 15, without
making any subtraction or addition.
[0116] The weight of the washing unit 12L in the third position P3
primarily acts in a negative direction of the first direction on
the person's head 17. In this instance, the weight cancelling
section 61 adds the load component in the first direction caused by
the weight of the washing unit 12L to the load Fy in the first
direction detected from the load detector 15.
[0117] As described above, an effect by the weight of the washing
unit 12L, 12r varies depending upon the position of the washing
unit 12L, 12R. This means that weight cancelling section 61 adds
load values to or subtracts them from the outputs from the load
detectors 15, depending upon the positions of the washing units
12L, 12R. For the addition and subtraction, the weight cancelling
section 61 uses data which is memorized in the memory 24 (see FIG.
6) for the correction of arm weight. The data for the correction of
arm weight includes rotational position or angle of arm 13L, 13R
and load values used for cancelling weight of the washing unit 12L,
12R.
[0118] The data for the correction of arm weight may be obtained by
reading the output from the load detectors 15 while the arms 13L,
13R are swinging without keeping the contacts 21 out of contacts
with the person's head 17, before the washing operation of the
automated head washing apparatus 11. The correction data may be
obtained as a function of rotational position .theta. of the arm
13L, 13R if the physical properties of the system such as weight
and gravity center of the arm 13L, 13R are known.
[0119] Referring to a flowchart in FIG. 11, discussions will be
made to an operation control relating to the weight cancelling
section 61 according to the second embodiment of the invention.
[0120] In this drawing, detailed descriptions of such as initial
and final processing and calculation of the load Fs in the second
direction are omitted.
[0121] First, the loads FL1 and FL2 are obtained by using the
outputs from the load sensors 51a and 51b, respectively. Then, the
first calculation unit 51c calculates the loads Fy on the contacts
21 in the first direction from the loads FL1 and FL2 according the
equation (1) (step S12). The load Fy is a press force.
[0122] Next, a rotational position .theta. of the arm 13L is
detected (step S13). The rotational position .theta. may be an
angle measured from a position)(.theta.=0.degree. in which the
washing unit 12L takes the horizontal position or may be an angle
measured from a position)(.theta.=0.degree. in which the washing
unit 12L takes the uppermost or lowermost position. The rotational
angle .theta. can be calculated by using, for example, a rotation
encoder (not shown) mounted in the second driving unit 13f of the
arm 13L.
[0123] Then, a correction value Fya (.theta.) is read out from the
correction data of arm weight memorized in the memory 24 in the
form of a correction table, as a function of the rotational angle
.theta. (step S14). The correction value Fya (.theta.) can be
positive or negative value.
[0124] Next, a load Fry, from which the weight effect of the
washing unit 12L is eliminated or cancelled, is obtained by adding
the correction value Fya (.theta.) read out at step S14 to the load
Fy calculated at step S12 (step S15). The load Fyr is the actual
force applied thereto. If the corrected value Fya (.theta.) takes
negative, the load Fy is subtracted.
[0125] At step S16, the controller 14 controls the movement of the
arm 13L in the first direction by using the load Fyr calculated at
step S15 so that the load on the contacts 21 in the first direction
becomes the certain value memorized in the memory 24. By this
control at step S16, the person's head 17 is ensured to be scrubbed
and washed in a comfortable manner with substantially uniform
force.
[0126] At step S17, the controller 14 controls the swinging
movements of the arm 13L so that the washing unit 12L continues to
move in the second direction or stop without moving in that
direction.
[0127] As described above, according to the automated head washing
apparatus 11 according to the second embodiment of the invention,
the weight effect of the washing unit 12L, 12R is eliminated or
cancelled, allowing the load in the first direction to be precisely
calculated by the load detector 15.
[0128] The above described control shown in FIG. 11 is a mere
example and the operational steps of the automated head washing
apparatus 11 for this control are not limited to the second
embodiment.
[0129] Meanwhile, if the support shaft 36 does not coincide with
the gravity center of the washing unit 12L, 12R, the weight of the
washing unit 12L, 12R can affect the load Fs in the second
direction which is detected by the load detector 15. For example,
the weight of the washing unit 12L in the position P2 shown in FIG.
10 can shift in the second direction to a certain extent.
[0130] Then, the weight cancelling section 61 can eliminate or
cancel the weight effect of the washing unit 12L, 12R, not only for
the load Fy in the first direction detected by the load detector 15
but also for the load Fs in the second direction. In this instance,
the weight cancelling section 61 can be corrected by eliminating or
cancelling the weight effect of the washing unit 12L, 12R, by
adding or subtracting a load value in the second direction of the
weight of the washing unit 12L, 12R to or from the load Fs in the
second direction detected by the load detector 15.
Third Embodiment
[0131] FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of the washing unit 62L
according to the third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 12
corresponds to FIG. 5 in the first embodiment.
[0132] Referring to the drawing, discussions will be made to
features in the third embodiment which are different from those in
the first embodiment.
[0133] The washing unit 62L is needed to have a waterproof
structure to prevent the washing liquid or water from entering into
the interior thereof. For this purpose, in the automated head
washing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the
invention, the arm 13L and the load sensor 51a are connected with
each other through a projection 71 extending through the housing 72
in the first direction so that a high waterproof property is
obtained irrespective of the movement of the load sensor 51a, 51b.
Discussions will be made to the specific structure of the washing
unit 62L.
[0134] The washing unit 62L has a housing 72 accommodating the load
sensors 51a, 51b, a projection 721 projecting from the load sensors
51a, 51b in the first direction and extending through the housing
in the first direction, an a ring-like elastic member 73 sealing a
gap between the inner periphery of the aperture 72a formed in the
housing 72 through which the projection 71 extends and the
projection 71 extending through the aperture.
[0135] Although only one projection 71 provided for the load sensor
51a is shown in the drawing, like projection is provided to the
other load sensor 51b. In another embodiment, the projection 71 may
be provided for the load sensor 51a only.
[0136] The elastic member 73 is made of, for example, O-ring. As
above, a waterproof structure is obtained between the peripheral
wall of the aperture 72a and the projection 71 by the ring-like
elastic member 73.
[0137] The projection 71 is made of bar having a circular cross
section. The projection 71 has a substantially constant diameter. A
distal end of the projection 71 is projected from the housing 72
and has a through-hole 71a extending therethrough in the second
direction. The support shaft 36 is extended through the
through-hole 71a and supported by a bearing (not shown) also
mounted in the through-hole. With the arrangement, the support
shaft 36 is supported by the projection 71 so that it can rotate
about its axis but immovable in the direction parallel to the axis.
This ensures, in the third embodiment, that the projection 71 acts
as a support supporting the support shaft 36.
[0138] As described above, the arm 13L and the load sensor 51 are
connected to each other through the projection 71 extending in the
first direction through the housing 72 and the support shaft 36
supported by the projection. Because the projection 71 has
substantially the constant diameter, the gap between the projection
71 and the peripheral wall of the aperture 71a is kept
substantially constant. Also, the gap between the projection 71 and
the peripheral wall of the aperture 71a is closed by the ring-like
elastic member 73 with substantially the same force, a high
waterproof property is provided for the washing unit 62L.
[0139] As described above, according to the third embodiment of the
invention, the washing unit 62L with a high waterproof property is
obtained.
[0140] Although several embodiments of the invention have been
described above, they may be modified or altered in various ways in
light of knowledge of the ordinary artisan in this field, without
departing from the gist of the invention.
[0141] For example, although two load sensors are provided in the
load detector, three or more load sensors may be arranged in the
load detector so that they take different positions with respect to
the second direction.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0142] The head care apparatus according to the invention is
applicable in various fields such as medical and cosmetic
industries for taking care of person's heads.
PARTS LIST
[0143] 11: automated head washing apparatus [0144] 12L, 12R, 62L:
washing unit [0145] 13L, 13R: arm [0146] 13a: link mechanism [0147]
13b: rotational axis [0148] 13c: support [0149] 13d: first drive
[0150] 13f: second drive [0151] 14: controller [0152] 15: load
detector [0153] 16: judging section [0154] 17: head [0155] 18: bowl
[0156] 19L, 19R: pipe [0157] 20: head support [0158] 21: contact
[0159] 24: memory [0160] 32, 72: housing [0161] 33, 73: elastic
member [0162] 34, 72a: aperture [0163] 36: support shaft [0164] 37:
base [0165] 51a, 51b: load sensor [0166] 51c: first calculation
unit [0167] 51d: second calculation unit [0168] 51e: third
calculation unit [0169] 52, 53: spacer [0170] 54, 55: leaf spring
[0171] 54a: strain gauge [0172] 61: weight cancelling section
[0173] 71: projection
* * * * *