Cleansing system with disposable pads

Abstract

A support tool for holding disposable pads and method of exfoliating or cleansing facial skin. The support tool includes a handle for supporting the pads during use, and a pad gripper system. A user of the cleansing system utilizes the pad gripper to either attach a disposable pad to the pad housing or to release a previously attached disposable pad. A method of exfoliating or cleansing facial skin includes attaching a disposable pad to a pad housing attached to a handle of a cleansing system by utilizing a grabbing/releasing means, moving the attached disposable pad over the facial skin with moderate pressure, and releasing the attached disposable pad from the pad housing by utilizing a grabbing/releasing means. A cleansing system package includes a cleansing device and a plurality of disposable pads.

1 . A support tool for holding disposable pads, comprising: 
 a handle for supporting the pads during use wherein the handle includes:    a pad gripper system for actuation by a user of the tool to either attach a disposable pad to the handle or to release a previously attached disposable pad from the handle.    
   
   
       2 . The tool as set forth in  claim 1 , further including a pad housing pivotally mounted to the handle.  
   
   
       3 . The tool as set forth in  claim 2 , further including a gimbal connecting the pad housing to the handle, thereby permitting the pad housing to incline in any direction with respect to the handle.  
   
   
       4 . The tool as set forth in  claim 3 , further including a resilient centering material between the handle and the pad housing for generating a centering force when the pad housing is inclined from a rest position.  
   
   
       5 . The tool as set forth in  claim 2 , further including: 
 a pad housing extension attached to the pad housing;    the pad housing extension serving to provide an enlarged area for supporting the attached disposable pad.    
   
   
       6 . The tool as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the pad housing extension is flexible.  
   
   
       7 . The tool as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the pad housing extension is rigid.  
   
   
       8 . The tool as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the pad housing and the pad housing extension include markings for maintaining a more secure grip on the attached disposable pad.  
   
   
       9 . The tool as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the pad housing is flexible.  
   
   
       10 . The tool as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the pad housing is rigid.  
   
   
       11 . The tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a grabber is included in the gripper system and configured to release the disposable pad without a user touching the disposable pad.  
   
   
       12 . The tool as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the pad gripper system includes: 
 a pad housing;    at least one grabber carriage attached to the pad housing;    a piston slidably housed within each grabber carriage interior volume;    a grabber control button positioned on an outer surface of the handle and connected to each piston via a connection passing through a longitudinal slot in the grabber carriage;    a piston return spring configured to provide a restoring force to each piston, for returning the piston to a normal piston rest position; and,    a plurality of grabber prongs connected at one end to each piston, the plurality of grabber prongs retained within a tubular opening in the respective grabber carriage, the grabber prongs extending through the pad housing when the grabber control button is moved by a user to a grabbing position, the grabber prongs thereby expanding in a radial direction with respect to each other to a grabbing position when not constrained by the tubular opening, wherein, after insertion of the grabber prongs into the disposable pad, and after return of the grabber control button to a normal-use position, the grabbing prongs contract radially with respect to each other, thereby gripping the disposable pad.    
   
   
       13 . The tool as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the pad gripper system includes: 
 a pad housing;    at least one grabber hook mechanism attached to the pad housing, each grabber hook mechanism including: 
 a curved hook rotatably attached to the pad housing, having a detached position and an attached position, a tip of the curved hook extended outside the pad housing when in the detached position, and the tip retracted into the pad housing when in the attached position; and  
 a tab and associated first and second detents configured to provide a positive stopping action to each curved hook at desired limits of travel; and  
   a grabber control knob positioned on an outer surface of the handle and connected to each grabber hook mechanism via a connection passing through an opening in the handle.    
   
   
       14 . The tool as set forth in  claim 13 , further including: 
 a rack gear attached to the grabber control knob;    a pinion gear engaged with the rack gear;    a crown gear attached to one end of the pinion gear; and    a hook gear fixedly attached to one end of the curved hook, rotatably mounted to the pad housing, and engaged with the crown gear, so that when the grabber control knob is moved in a linear direction, the rack gear, the pinion gear, the crown gear, and the hook gear operate to rotate the grabber hook.    
   
   
       15 . The tool as set forth in  claim 13 , further including: 
 a crown gear fixedly attached on one side to the grabber control knob; and    a hook gear fixedly attached to one end of the curved hook, rotatably mounted to the pad housing, and engaged with the crown gear, so that when the grabber control knob is rotated, the crown gear and the hook gear operate to rotate the grabber hook.    
   
   
       16 . The tool as set forth in  claim 13 , further including: 
 at least one vibration generator mounted to at least one of the handle and the pad housing; and,    a switch for activating the vibration generator, wherein vibrations from the vibration generator are transmitted to the attached disposable pad.    
   
   
       17 . The tool as set forth in  claim 16 , further including replaceable batteries disposed in an interior volume of the handle for providing power to the vibration generator via the switch.  
   
   
       18 . The tool as set forth in  claim 16 , further including rechargeable batteries disposed in an interior volume of the handle for providing power to the vibration generator via the switch.  
   
   
       19 . The tool as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the at least one vibration generator comprises an electric motor including an eccentric weight on an output shaft of the motor.  
   
   
       20 . The tool as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the switch activates the at least one vibration generator at a selective one of two or more vibration rates.  
   
   
       21 . The tool as set forth in  claim 1 , further including: 
 a motor mounted to the handle;    a pad housing attached to the handle;    a gear arrangement coupled to the motor and the pad housing; and,    a switch for activating the motor, wherein the gear arrangement provides at least one of oscillating movement and rotating movement of the pad housing and the attached disposable pad.    
   
   
       22 . A method of exfoliating or cleansing facial skin, the method comprising: 
 attaching a disposable pad to a pad housing attached to a handle of a cleansing system by utilizing a grabbing/releasing means;    moving the attached disposable pad on the facial skin with moderate pressure; and,    releasing the attached disposable pad from the pad housing by utilizing the grabbing/releasing means.    
   
   
       23 . The method as set forth in  claim 22 , the releasing comprising: 
 removing the attached disposable pad from the pad housing by utilizing the grabbing/releasing means without touching the disposable pad.    
   
   
       24 . The method as set forth in  claim 22 , the attaching comprising: 
 extending at least one multi-pronged gripper through an aperture in the pad housing, thereby diametrically expanding a gripping end of the at least one multi-pronged gripper;    pressing the expanded gripping end against the disposable pad; and    retracting the at least one multi-pronged gripper through the aperture, thereby diametrically contracting the gripping end and applying additional gripping force to the disposable pad.    
   
   
       25 . The method as set forth in  claim 24 , further including releasing the disposable pad, the releasing comprising: 
 re-extending the at least one multi-pronged gripper through the aperture in the pad housing, thereby diametrically re-expanding the gripping end of the multi-pronged gripper;    separating the disposable pad from the re-expanded gripping end.    
   
   
       26 . The method as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the separating comprises dropping the disposable pad from the expanded gripping end without touching the disposable pad.  
   
   
       27 . The method as set forth in  claim 22 , the attaching comprising: 
 rotating at least one grabber hook to a released position;    pressing the pad housing against the disposable pad; and    returning the at least one grabber hook to an attached position, thereby passing the tip of the grabber hook through a portion of the disposable pad and thereby gripping the disposable pad.    
   
   
       28 . The method as set forth in  claim 27 , further including releasing the disposable pad, the releasing comprising 
 re-rotating the at least one grabber hook to the released position, thereby releasing the grabber hook from the disposable pad.    
   
   
       29 . The method as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein the separating comprises dropping the disposable pad from the pad housing without touching the disposable pad.  
   
   
       30 . The method as set forth in  claim 22 , the method further including: 
 generating vibrations in the electric facializer, thereby transmitting vibrations to the disposable pad; and    pressing the affixed disposable pad to the facial skin when the electric facializer is generating vibrations.    
   
   
       31 . A cleansing system package, comprising: 
 a plurality of disposable pads;    a cleansing device comprising: 
 a handle for holding the cleansing system during use and for supporting one of the disposable pads during use;  
 a pad housing attached to the handle; and,  
 a pad gripper, for actuation by a user of the cleansing device to either attach one of the plurality of disposable pads to the pad housing or to release a previously attached disposable pad; and,  
   a container for packaging the cleansing device and the plurality of disposable pads.    
   
   
       32 . The cleansing system package as set forth in  claim 31 , wherein the container comprises a blister pack.  
   
   
       33 . The cleansing system package as set forth in  claim 31 , the cleansing device further including: 
 at least one vibration generator mounted to at least one of the handle and the pad housing; and,    a switch for activating the vibration generator, wherein vibrations from the vibration generator are transmitted to the attached disposable pad.    
   
   
       34 . The cleansing system package as set forth in  claim 33 , the cleansing device further including replaceable batteries disposed in an interior volume of the handle for providing power to the vibration generator via the switch.  
   
   
       35 . The cleansing system package as set forth in  claim 34 , the cleansing device further including: 
 a try-me switch for temporarily activating the vibration generator, wherein the try-me switch is accessible without removing the cleansing device from the blister pack.    
   
   
       36 . A cleansing system package, comprising: 
 a plurality of disposable pads;    a cleansing device for supporting one of the plurality of disposable pads during use; and,    a container for packaging the cleansing device and the plurality of disposable pads.    
   
   
       37 . The cleansing system package as set forth in  claim 36 , wherein the container comprises a blister pack.