Head care system and hair washing apparatus using the system

Abstract

A head care system (hair washing apparatus 100 ) according to the present invention includes a base (bowl 101 ) having a head support 11 for supporting a head 10 of a human. The system includes a pair of arm units (washing unit 12 ) for taking care of the head 10. Each of the arm units has a support shaft mounted to the base. The arm units are arranged such that the head support 11 is located between the pair of arm units. The system includes a pair of shaft driving members for driving the arm units in such a manner that each of the arm units rotates about the corresponding support shaft. The system includes a controller 400 for controlling driving operations of the shaft driving members. Each of the arm units includes a contact arm (third arm 107 L, 108 L, 107 R, 108 R) having a plurality of contacts equipped on tips of the contact arm, a secondary arm (second arm 106 L, 106 R) for rotatably supporting the contact arm, and a main arm (first arm 105 L, 105 R) which rotatably supports the secondary arm and is rotatably supported by the base. The main arm has a four-link mechanism.

1 . A head care system comprising:
 a base having a head support for supporting a head of a human;   a pair of arm units for taking care of the head, each of said arm units having a support shaft mounted to said base, and said pair of arm units being arranged in such a manner that said head support is located between said pair of arm units;   a pair of shaft driving members for driving said arm units in such a manner that each of said arm units rotates about an axis of the corresponding support shaft; and   a controller for controlling driving operations of said shaft driving members, wherein   each of said arm units comprises a contact arm having a plurality of contacts equipped on tips of said contact arm, a secondary arm for rotatably supporting said contact arm, and a main arm which rotatably supports said secondary arm and is rotatably supported by said base, said main arm having a four-link mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The head care system according to  claim 1 , wherein said contact arm has at least two bifurcated arms rotatably supported by said contact arm, each of said bifurcated arms being configured in a form of V-shape and equipped with said contacts on tips of said bifurcated arm. 
     
     
         3 . The head care system according to  claim 2 , a central axis of a rotational shaft through which said contact arm is supported by said secondary arm intersects with central axes of respective rotational shafts through which said bifurcated arms are supported by said contact arm. 
     
     
         4 . The head care system according to  claim 1 , wherein said main arm has a parallel four-link mechanism as said four-link mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The head care system according to  claim 1 , wherein said main arm comprises two four-link mechanisms which have the same shape to each other and are arranged in parallel to each other, and a link member which couples said two four-link mechanisms with each other, said link member supporting said secondary arm at a position between said two four-link mechanisms. 
     
     
         6 . The head care system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first elastic member for regulating a positional relation between said secondary arm and said main arm, said first elastic member coupling said secondary arm with said main arm. 
     
     
         7 . The head care system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second elastic member for regulating a positional relation between said contact arm and said secondary arm, said second elastic member coupling said contact arm with said secondary arm. 
     
     
         8 . The head care system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rotation shaft driving member for rotating said main arm so that said main arm moves toward or away from said head support, wherein
 said controller controls an driving operation of said rotation shaft driving member, and wherein   said controller makes said secondary arm and said contact arm move toward said head support by making said main arm move toward said head support so that said contacts take care of the head of the human.   
     
     
         9 . An hair washing apparatus comprising a head care system according to  claim 1 , wherein said arm unit for taking care of the head of the human is a washing unit for washing the head. 
     
     
         10 . The hair washing apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a water supply for supplying said washing unit with water or hot water;   a washing liquid supply for supplying said washing unit with a washing liquid; and   a conditioner supply for supplying said washing unit with a conditioner.