End effectors and systems including colorimetric wear indicator

Abstract

End effectors and systems including end effectors configured to provide visible indicia of a wear state of the end effectors are described.

1 . An end effector for a face brush, comprising:
 a chamber containing one or more beads disposed in an interior portion of the chamber; and   an optically clear window that separates the interior portion from an outside environment,   wherein the one or more beads or an interior area of the interior portion have a coating configured to abrade with motion of the one or more beads.   
     
     
         2 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is disposed on a surface of the one or more beads and has a first color, and wherein the surface of the one or more beads has a second color different from the first color. 
     
     
         3 . The end effector of  claim 2 , wherein the surface of the one or more beads is smooth. 
     
     
         4 . The end effector of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more beads have a first hardness and the coating has a second hardness that is lower than the first hardness. 
     
     
         5 . The end effector of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more beads are generally spherical. 
     
     
         6 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the optically clear window has a first side facing the interior portion and a second side facing away from the first side, and wherein the coating is disposed on the first side. 
     
     
         7 . The end effector of  claim 6 , wherein the chamber includes a wall opposite the optically clear window, and wherein at least a portion of the wall has a color different than a color of the coating. 
     
     
         8 . The end effector of  claim 6 , wherein the second side of the optically clear window includes a portion having a color. 
     
     
         9 . The end effector of  claim 8 , wherein the portion of the second side is in a form of indicia of a wear state of the end effector. 
     
     
         10 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is disposed around at least a portion of a circumference of the end effector, and wherein one of the one or more beads is in the form of a puck slideably disposed within the chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The end effector of  claim 10 , wherein the coating is disposed on a surface of the puck. 
     
     
         12 . The end effector of  claim 10 , wherein the interior portion of the chamber includes an abrasive surface configured to abrade the coating. 
     
     
         13 . The end effector of  claim 1 , further comprising an abrasive auxiliary element disposed in the chamber and configured to abrade the coating. 
     
     
         14 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber includes one or more apertures having a size smaller than a smallest dimension of the one or more beads. 
     
     
         15 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is disposed on the one or more beads, wherein the coating is a first coating having a first color, the end effector further comprising a second coating having a second color different than the first color, and wherein the second coating is disposed on a surface of the first coating. 
     
     
         16 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector includes a base portion coupleable to a motor of an appliance and configured to receive motion from the motor. 
     
     
         17 . A system for facial grooming comprising:
 an appliance including a motor; and   an end effector coupleable to the motor and configured to receive motion from the motor, the end effector comprising:
 a chamber containing one or more beads disposed in an interior portion of the chamber; and 
 an optically clear window that separates the interior portion from outside environment, 
 wherein the one or more beads or an interior area of the interior portion have a coating configured to abrade with motion of the one or more beads. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the motion of the motor is configured to induce motion in the end effector about an axis, and wherein the chamber is disposed on a portion of the end effector distal from the axis. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the coating is disposed on a surface of the one or more beads and has a first color, wherein the surface of the one or more beads has a second color different from the first color. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the optically clear window has a first side facing the interior portion and a second side facing away from the first side, and wherein the coating is disposed on the first side.