# US 2013/0152299 A1 · Automatic head care apparatus and automatic head washing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0152299 A1 - Document ID: US20130152299A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/819,384 - Filed: 2011-09-15 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-22 - Assignees: Panasonic Corporation - Inventors: Osamu Mizuno; Soichiro Fujioka; Tohru Nakamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152299A1 ## CPC - A45D 19/08: Adaptations of wash-basins - A45D 19/04: Portable wash stands - A45D 19/06: in the form of bowls or similar open containers - A45D 19/10: Backward lavabos - A45D 19/14: Closed washing devices, e.g. washing caps (A45D19/18 takes precedence) - A45D 44/02: Furniture or other equipment specially adapted for hairdressers' rooms and not covered elsewhere (hairdressers' chairs A47C1/04) - A45D 44/10: Head-rests; Neck-rests - A61H 7/004: {power-driven, e.g. electrical} - A61H 7/007: {Kneading} - A61H 35/008: {for the head (A61H35/02 and A61H35/04 takes precedence)} - A61H 39/04: Devices for pressing such points, e.g. Shiatsu {or Acupressure}(Massage or pressure on general areas A61H9/00 - A61H23/00) - A45D 19/005: {Shampooing; Conditioning; Washing hair for hairdressing purposes} - A61H 2201/1215: Rotary drive - A61H 2201/1481: Special movement conversion means - A61H 2201/1604: Head - A61H 2201/1671: rotational - A61H 2201/1678: Means for angularly oscillating massage elements - A61H 2201/5002: Means for controlling a set of similar massage devices acting in sequence at different locations on a patient - A61H 2201/5007: computer controlled - A61H 2201/5035: Several programs selectable - A61H 2201/5043: Displays - A61H 2201/5069: Angle sensors - A61H 2201/5071: Pressure sensors - A61H 2201/5082: Temperature sensors - A61H 2201/5097: wireless - A61H 2205/021: Scalp - A45D: HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT (wigs, toupees or the like A41G3/00, A41G5/00; hairdressers' chairs A47C1/04; hair cutting appliances, razors B26B); EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) ## Abstract Provided is an automatic head care apparatus for caring person's head in an effective and reliable manner in accordance with the shape of person's head. In order to achieve the object, an automatic head care apparatus of the present invention comprises a bowl 101 having a head support for supporting a person's head; a washing unit 12L configured by fourth arms 309L, 310L, 317L, 320L comprising a plurality of contacts 109 at an end thereof and a rotation gear having a central axis thereof for rotating the contacts 109, third arms 107L, 108L for rotatably supporting the fourth arms 309L, 310L, 317L, 320L, a support shaft for rotatably supporting the third arms 107L, 108L, a pushing mechanism for moving the support shaft, and a motor 301L for oscillating the contacts by rotating the rotation gear of the fourth arms 309L, 310L, 317L, 320L; and a control device 700 for controlling movement of at least the pushing mechanism. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automatic head care apparatus comprising: a base having a head support for supporting a person's head; an arm unit configured by a contact unit comprising a plurality of contacts at an end of the contact unit and a rotation gear having a central axis thereof for rotating the contacts, a tilt stage for rotatably supporting the contact unit, a tilt stage rotational shaft for rotatably supporting the tilt stage, a pushing mechanism for moving the tilt stage rotational shaft, and an oscillating actuator for oscillating the contacts by rotating the rotation gear of the contact unit; and a control section for controlling movement of at least the pushing mechanism; wherein the control section moves the tilt stage rotational shaft in the direction approaching the head support by moving the pushing mechanism and oscillate the contacts by driving the oscillating actuator, and thereby caring the person's head supported by the head support. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pair of the two arm units is arranged with the head support therebetween. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a cylindrial rack supported to move in a direction parallel to the tilt stage rotational shaft, for rotating the rotational gear about the rotational shaft of the contact unit by being moved along the tilt stage rotational shaft, wherein the cylindrical rack is formed cylindrically in its entirety to comprise rack mechanism defined on its longitudinal opposite side surface in a symmetric manner with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rack. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact unit comprises a branch which are formed into a substantially V-shape, the branch comprising the two contacts at the end thereof, and wherein at least two contact units are rotatably supported by the tilt stage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a pushing actuator for changing a pushing force by the pushing mechanism, wherein the control section changes the pushing force by moving the pushing actuator, as the contacts of the contact unit are kept in contact with the person's head, to change the distance between the vertex of the two branches arranged in a V-shape and the person's head, and thereby changing the distance between the two contacts. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact unit is configured to include an elastic body in at least one part of a region from the vertex of the two branches arranged in a V-shape to the contact. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the contact unit comprises an opening angle adjustment mechanism adapted to be capable of changing an opening angle between the two branches arranged in a V-shape, the opening angle adjustment mechanism elastically maintaining the opening angle between the two branches in a predetermined angular range. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rotation gears of the two contact units supported by the tilt stage rotate in opposite directions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurarity of the tilt stages. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the rotation gears of the adjacent contact units supported by the adjacent tilt stages rotate in opposite directions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: a drive shaft for transmitting a rotation output of the oscillating actuator; the two cylindrical racks respectively engaging with a gear mounted on both ends of the drive shaft; and the two tilt stages supported by the tilt stage rotational shafts that coincide with the central axes of the two cylindrical racks; wherein the control section controls the oscillating actuator to rotate the rotation gears of the contact units, which are supported by the tilt stage, by transmitting the rotation of the oscillating actuator through the gears mounted on both ends of the drive shaft and the cylindrical racks to the rotation gears. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of arm units are made of a first arm unit and a second arm unit arranged with the head support therebetween; and the control section independently drives the first arm unit and the second arm unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The automatic head care apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arm unit has a plurality of split units in the longitudinal direction of the arm unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An automatic head washing apparatus, wherein in the automatic head care apparatus according to claim 1, the arm unit is a washing unit; and caring the person's head supported by the head support by the control section is washing the person's head supported by the head support by the control section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The automatic head washing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising: a water supplying part for supplying cold water or hot water to the washing unit; a washing agent supplying part for supplying washing agent to the washing unit; and a conditioner supplying part for supplying conditioner to the washing unit.