WO1988003402A1 - Vaporizer and/or facial treatment device - Google Patents
Vaporizer and/or facial treatment device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO1988003402A1 WO1988003402A1 PCT/US1986/002437 US8602437W WO8803402A1 WO 1988003402 A1 WO1988003402 A1 WO 1988003402A1 US 8602437 W US8602437 W US 8602437W WO 8803402 A1 WO8803402 A1 WO 8803402A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- wall portion
- section
- steam
- casing
- shield section
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- 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
- A61H33/00—Bathing devices for special therapeutic or hygienic purposes
- A61H33/06—Artificial hot-air or cold-air baths; Steam or gas baths or douches, e.g. sauna or Finnish baths
- A61H33/12—Steam baths for the face
Definitions
- This invention relates generally to a vaporizer and/or facial treatment device, and more specifically to a device of the type employing a hood for controlling the direction of steam flow therefrom.
- BACKGROUND ART Vaporizing devices of the type employed for complexion care, such as to provide steam facials, are known in the art, as exemplified by U.S. Patent Nos. 3,351,737 (Katzman et al . ) and 3,152,240 (Scott). These units employ rigid hood members having an open end over which a person can place his or her face for transport due to the size and rigidity of the hoods employed in them.
- a vaporizer and/or facial treatment device of this invention includes a casing having a compartment for retaining liquid to be vaporized, an opening communicating with the compart ⁇ ment through which steam created by vaporization of the liquid exits from the compartment and a heating means for vaporizing the liquid.
- the vaporizer and/or facial treatment device is characterized by a hood assembly releasably mounted on the casing, wherein the assembly includes a collapsible shield section which comprises a base wall portion having a first opening therein and wall means connected to the base wall portion and projecting outwardly therefrom for releasably securing the hood assembly to the opening of the casing. At least one side wall portion is secured to the base wall portion and includes side wall sections and movable joint means.
- the movable joint means enable sections of the side wall portion to move with respect to the base wall portion to extend upward therefrom, whereupon the hood assembly assumes an opened, extended condition, wherein an opening at the free end is larger in area than the first opening, wherein the opened hood assembly confines the flow of steam exiting through the opening, of the casing compartment and directs the steam to the free end opening.
- the joint means enables sections of the side wall portion to move with respect to the base wall portion to a closed, compact and collapsed condition during non-use of the hood assembly.
- the wall means that projects outwardly from the base wall portion is a hub section with a passageway therethrough for communicating with the first opening in the base wall portion and the opening into the compartment of the casing when the hood assembly is attached to said casing.
- flow control passages are provided adjacent a lower end of the collapsible shield section for controlling steam flow passing through, the hub section.
- the shield section is comprised of a flexible, stretchable material and the joint means includes a plurality of movable hinge sections about which the sections of the side wall portion can be pivoted for movement between the opened and closed conditions of the hood assembly.
- the collapsible shield section includes a plurality of concen ⁇ tric, substantially conical disks, with a lower support member for the disks forming the base wall portion of the collapsible shield section, and wherein the inner disk is of a smaller diameter than the next adjacent disk and is attached to the lower support member.
- Adjacent disks overlap each other in the direction of movement of the shield section between the opened and closed conditions thereof, whereby adjacent surfaces of said adjacent disks form the joint means by engaging each other in the opened condition of the shield section for maintaining the shield section in said opened condition, and wherein the lower support member underlies all of the disks to provide a supporting surface for the disks in the collapsed condition of the shield section.
- the shield section includes laterally spaced-apart side walls joined to the base wall portion and including weakened hinge sections about which the side walls are adapted to move to permit the shield section to be moved from its opened, extended condi ⁇ tion to its closed, collapsed condition.
- a rear wall interconnects the spaced-apart side walls and also is joined to the base wall portion of the collapsible shield section.
- Fig. 1 is a side elevation view, partly in section, showing a vaporizer and/or facial treatment device in accordance with this invention
- Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the hood of the device shown in Fig. 1, but with the hood in a collapsed condition;
- Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a baffle employed in the collapsible hood for controlling steam flow;
- Fig. 3A is an exploded isometric view of an alternative baffle arrangement usable in this invention.
- Fig. 4 is a plan view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2;
- Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the manner in which the baffle of Fig. 3A cooperates with other elements of the hood to control steam flow;
- Fig. 6 is a sectional view of an alternative baffle arrangement usable in this invention.
- Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of the c ⁇ nplete baffle taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 6;
- Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a removable and collapsible hood in accordance with this invention.
- Fig. 9 is a sectional view through the removable and collapsible hood shown in Fig. 8, but with the hood in a col ⁇ lapsed condition;
- Fig. 10 is a isometric view of an additional embodiment of a removable and collapsible hood in accordance with this invention.
- Fig. 11 is a plan view of the hood shown in Fig. 10, but in a folded, collapsed condition.
- a vaporizer and/or facial treatment device embodying the present invention is generally shown at 10 in Fig. 1.
- This device basically comprises a unitary molded plastic casing 12 having an interior chamber 14 in which liquid (e.g., water) to be vaporized is contained, and a removable and collapsible hood 16 usable with the casing for controlling the flow of steam flow and, when necessary, water droplets exiting from the interior chamber 14.
- the liquid is heated within the chamber 14 by a conventional metal heating element 18, which can be of the type disclosed in the Frank patent, 3,470,719. This latter patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
- the unitary molded plast casing 12 includes a handle 17 as a part thereof, and actually the casing employed in the fabric treatment steamer being sold Franzus, Inc. under the trademark WRINKLES AWAY, which steamer was invented by Mr. Bernard Frank, the inventor of the subject matter described and claimed herein. It should be understood that other portable tanks or casings can be utilized in accordance with the broadest aspects of this invention.
- a fabric treatment steamer of the WRINKLES AWAY type c be modified in accordance with this invention to function as a vaporizer and/or facial treatment device by merely replacing th fabric caressing head employed on the fabric treatment steamer with a unique removable and collapsible hood of the present invention. It also is within the scope of this invention to construct the collapsible hood with a projecting wall portion f direct connection to the fabric caressing head of the WRINKLES AWAY unit.
- the size of the hood can be varied within wide limits, as desired.
- the open end of the hood can have a diameter of approximately 4 inches to 8 inches, and a height of from about 4 inches to 12 inches.
- a removable an collapsible hood 16 employed in the vaporizer and facial treat ⁇ ment device 10 includes a collapsible shield section 22 which is substantially conical in its opened, operative condition, and a centrally located, threaded hub 24 connected to said shield sec ⁇ tion.
- the threaded hub 24 is adapted to cooperate with compli ⁇ mentary threads located adjacent the periphery of the opening into the chamber 14 of the casing 12 for permitting the collapsible hood 16 to be removably connected to said casing. If desired the hub 24 need not be threaded. It can be constructed to be frictionally retained on the casing, or with other fastening means, such as a key or keyway for cooperating with a complementary keyway or key of the casing.
- the hub 24 includes a countersunk section adjacent its upper end to provide a supporting shelf 26 for a baffle, in the form of a substantially planar disk 28.
- This disk 28 includes steam-directing orfices therein, in the form of arcuate passages 30 and 31.
- the number, arrangement and shape of these passages can be varied within wide limits.
- the passages 30 and 31 are inclined generally outwardly in the direction in which steam flows through them (i.e., inclined outwardly to the axis of the opening into the chamber 14 of the casing 12).
- This arrangement is illustrated in a somewhat exag ⁇ gerated form in Fig. 2.
- Inclining the passages is most desirable to prevent hot water droplets from engaging a user's face when the device is being used to provide facial steam treatment, and the hood is not sufficiently high to preclude hot water droplets that enter the shield section from moving through the shield section and engaging the user's face.
- the surfaces thereof will intercept the steam and cause water droplets to condense on said surfaces, rather than passing through the passages and contacting a user's skin.
- an alternative baffle 32 includes a pair of substantially flat, generally circu ⁇ lar disks 34 and 36, with a segment of each disk omitted to pro ⁇ vide substantially linear surfaces 38 and 40, respectively.
- the disks 34 and 36 are retained on opposite sides of a generally annular rib 42 molded integrally as part of a hub 44.
- the upper disk 34 can be supported on the upper surface of the rib by gravity, or alternatively can be bonded to said rib.
- the lower disk 36 is bonded to the lower surface of the rib 42, with its generally linear surface 40 being displaced 180 p from the generally linear surface 38 of the disk 34.
- steam directed through the hub 44 will first be directed through the passage 46, defined by the space between the rib 42 and the linear surface 40 of the disk 36, will then move generally horizontally between the disks 34 and 36, and finally will exit through the passage 48 defined by the space between the rib 42 and the linear surface 38.
- water droplets will condense on the lower surfaces of said disks, as is illustrated at 49, and thereby be prevented from moving through the hood into engagement with a user's face.
- the baffle 32 illustrated in Figs. 3A and 5 is very efficient in preventing water droplets from exiting through the hood, but does not distribute the flow of steam throughout the entire open area of said hood. However, when the hood is suffic ⁇ iently high, the steam exiting through the passage 48 will dis ⁇ tribute itself throughout the interior of said hood.
- This baffle is a unitary, molded plastic member having a lower annular skirt section 51 that can be inserted into the interior of the hub 24, and attached to said hub by an suitable means, such as by ultrasonic bonding or by a suitable bonding material. Alternatively, it may be possible to merely frictionally retain the skirt section 51 of the baffle in engagement with the interior surface of the hub 24.
- the baffle 50 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart passages 52, and an upper hood section 53 extending radially beyond said passages.
- the hood section 53 includes a downwardly facing surface 54 for radially diverting the flow of steam exiting from the passages 52, as is illustrated by the arrows in Fig. 6. This will prevent direct impingement of concen ⁇ trated steam against the user's face, or against other parts of the user's body. Moreover, impingement of the steam against the downwardly facing surface 53 will cause water droplets to condense on said surface, as is illustrated at 55, and thereby prevent said water droplets from moving through the hood and into engagement with the user's face, or other parts of the user's body.
- the peripheral wall section 56 includes a plurality of reduced thickness areas 57 which provide flexible hinge sections about which said peripheral wall section can be flexed, or stretched, to permit the hood 16 to be collapsed into the position illustrated in Fig. 2.
- upper surfaces 58 and 59 of the upper and lower circumferential sections 61 and 63 of the hood 16 lie substantially in the same plane when the hood is in its fully collapsed condition.
- the hood 16 is made from a flexible rubber or rubber-like material, and is constructed similar to the TE ESOR collapsible lens shade, No. 26052RH, that is used with cameras. As described on the package, this lens shade is imported from Korea, and is distributed exclusively by Masel Supply Company Corp. of Brooklyn, New York. However, it is within the scope of the invention to use other materials in forming the hood 16; the important requirement being that a plurality of flexible hinge regions be provided to permit the hood to be collapse .
- the removable and collap ⁇ sible hood 16 can be attached directly to the casing 12 in place of a head normally employed to treat fabrics, to thereby convert the fabric treating device to a vaporizer and/or facial treatment device.
- the removable and collapsible hood 16 can be employed with other lightweight portable devices or casings that generate water vapor or steam to thereby provide a portable vaporizer and/or facial treatment device.
- a second embodiment of a removable and collapsible hood in accordance with this invention is generally shown at 60.
- This hood includes an upper, flexible rim 62, a lower substantially planar support member 64 and a collapsible shield section 65 provided by a plurality of tele ⁇ scoping, substantially frusto-conical disk sections.
- four such disk section 66, 68, 70 and 72, are employed. However, the exact number of such disk sections can be varied depending upon the desired height of the hood.
- the innermost disk 66 is bonded to the lower support member 64, and the remaining disks are circumferentially oriented relative to each other so that sections of adjacent disks overlap each other in the direction of movement of the shield section 65 between its extended and collapsed conditions.
- This arrangement of disks prevents their separation when the shield is in a fully opened condition, as is illustrated in Fig. 8.
- the inner surfaces 74, 76 and 78 of the disks 68, 70 and 72 frictionally engage the outer surfaces 80, 82 and 84 of the disks 66, 68 and 70, respectively.
- This frictional engagement prevents the disks from separating from each other when the shield section 65 is in its opened condition, and also retains said shield section in its opened condition.
- the hood 60 is collapsed, separation of the individual disks is prevented by the lower support member 64, as is shown in Fig. 9.
- the hood 60 includes a hub 86, which can be identical to either the hub 24 or the hub 44.
- the baffles 28 and 50 can be employed with either of the hubs 24 or 44. However, if it is desired to employ the baffle 32, which includes the substantially flat disks 34 and 36, then the hub 44 desirably is utilized.
- flow control passages can be formed directly in the lower support member 64 in alignment with a central passageway in the hub 86.
- the hub 86 can be integrally formed with the support member 64, either in a configuration to receive the baffles 28 or 50, the cooperating disks 34 and 36 of the baffle 32, or with the flow control passages directly formed in the support member.
- a third embodiment of a removable and collapsible hood is generally shown at 90.
- This hood includes a hollow hub 92 integrally molded or otherwise formed with a lower plate or wall 94.
- a plurality of arcuate passages 96 are molded into the lower wall 94 and communicate with the interior of the hollow hub 92.
- the number, shape and arrangement of passages can be varied as desired.
- the collapsible hood 90 is completed by a collapsible shield section 98 provided by a rear peripheral- wall 100, a front peripheral wall 102 and a pair of laterally spaced-apart peripher- " al side walls 104 and 106, respectively. It should be understood that the number of peripheral walls can be varied (e.g., 5, 6, etc.), and when the device is to be used solely as a vaporizer to humidify a room, one or more of the peripheral wall areas may be omitted.
- a pair of inclined scorelines 108 and 110 are formed in one of the side walls 104 and a second pair of inclined scorelines 112 and 114 similar to the scorelines 108 and 110, are formed in the opposed side wall 106.
- These scorelines provide regions along which the side walls 104 and 106 can fold or collapse inwardly (or outwardly, if desired) to permit the hood assembly 90 to be collapsed into the configuration illustrated in Fig. 11.
- the inclined scorelines associated with each of the side walls define generally medial triangular " sections 116 and marginal triangular sections 118 which are adapted to be collapsed inwardly when the rear and front planar walls 100 and 102 are folded inwardly in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig.
- the height of the collaps ⁇ ible hood 90 can be varied, the particular dimensions shown in the drawing being solely for the purpose of illustrating this embodiment of the invention.
- the dimension of the lower plate or wall 94 between the rear wall 100 and the front wall 102 needs to be increased to accommodate the increased dimensions of the rear wall and front wall when they are folded into overlying relationship with the lower wall.
- the arrangement of score lines most likely will need to be modified in order to permit the laterally-spaced apart side walls 104 and 106 to be collapsed with the rear wall 100 and front wall 102.
- the particular arrangement of scorelines will depend upon the particular height of the hood 90, and can be easily determined by a person skilled in the art.
- collapsible hood 90 illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 can be made with a hub that is removable from the bottom wall 94, such as by a screw connection, and with a baffle arrangement for controlling the flow of steam and/or water droplets, such as either the baffle 28 illustrated in Fig. 3, the baffle 32 illustrated in Fig. 3A, or the baffle 50 illustrated in Fig. 6.
- a removable and collapsible hood having a hub section which is removably connectable to a casing in which water is retained and vaporized provides several advantages which are not taught in the prior art.
- the hood can be removed from, and packaged with the casing in a very compact manner to permit a larger number of units to be displayed for sale within a given volume of shelf space, or alternatively, to permit the use of less shelf space to display a given number of such units.
- the compact arrangement of the unit permits it to be more easily transported for use in various locations.
- a further advantage resides in the ability to use the removable and collapsible hoods of this invention as a separate attachment for steam vaporizing units that also are capable of uses for applications other than humidifying a room or applying steam treatment to a part of the human body.
- the hub sections of the various collapsible hoods are designed to be removably attached to the casing of the WRINKLES AWAY fabric treating unit, in place of the ironing head generally employed on said unit.
- the WRINKLES AWAY unit either can be employed with the ironing head in a conventional manner for treating fabrics, or it can be provided with the removable and collapsible hoods of this invention to direct the flow of steam into a desired area to be humidified, or into direct engagement with a user's skin for the purpose of providing steam treatment thereto.
- an enlarged base may be employed for receiving the lower end of the casing of the WRINKLES AWAY unit to aid in supporting and stabilizing the unit on a supporting surface, such as the top of a table.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US06/684,439 US4621641A (en) | 1984-12-21 | 1984-12-21 | Vaporizer and/or facial treatment device |
PCT/US1986/002437 WO1988003402A1 (en) | 1986-11-07 | 1986-11-07 | Vaporizer and/or facial treatment device |
EP19860907165 EP0290437A1 (en) | 1986-11-07 | 1986-11-07 | Vaporizer and/or facial treatment device |
JP50630886A JPH01502558A (en) | 1986-11-07 | 1986-11-07 | Evaporator and/or facial treatment device |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US1986/002437 WO1988003402A1 (en) | 1986-11-07 | 1986-11-07 | Vaporizer and/or facial treatment device |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO1988003402A1 true WO1988003402A1 (en) | 1988-05-19 |
Family
ID=22195714
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US1986/002437 WO1988003402A1 (en) | 1984-12-21 | 1986-11-07 | Vaporizer and/or facial treatment device |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0290437A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPH01502558A (en) |
WO (1) | WO1988003402A1 (en) |
Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2378929A (en) * | 1942-06-29 | 1945-06-26 | American Optical Corp | Respirator |
DE818397C (en) * | 1950-06-27 | 1951-10-25 | Albin Sprenger G M B H | Facial steam bath |
DE837157C (en) * | 1950-07-16 | 1952-04-21 | Karl Mende | Inhaler |
GB2079161A (en) * | 1980-07-03 | 1982-01-20 | Racal Safety Ltd | Filtering facepiece |
GB2110543A (en) * | 1981-12-04 | 1983-06-22 | Univ Southampton | Inhalers |
US4621641A (en) * | 1984-12-21 | 1986-11-11 | Bernard Frank | Vaporizer and/or facial treatment device |
Family Cites Families (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPS51141066A (en) * | 1975-05-30 | 1976-12-04 | Hitachi Ltd | Facial beauty machine |
-
1986
- 1986-11-07 WO PCT/US1986/002437 patent/WO1988003402A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1986-11-07 JP JP50630886A patent/JPH01502558A/en active Pending
- 1986-11-07 EP EP19860907165 patent/EP0290437A1/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2378929A (en) * | 1942-06-29 | 1945-06-26 | American Optical Corp | Respirator |
DE818397C (en) * | 1950-06-27 | 1951-10-25 | Albin Sprenger G M B H | Facial steam bath |
DE837157C (en) * | 1950-07-16 | 1952-04-21 | Karl Mende | Inhaler |
GB2079161A (en) * | 1980-07-03 | 1982-01-20 | Racal Safety Ltd | Filtering facepiece |
GB2110543A (en) * | 1981-12-04 | 1983-06-22 | Univ Southampton | Inhalers |
US4621641A (en) * | 1984-12-21 | 1986-11-11 | Bernard Frank | Vaporizer and/or facial treatment device |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0290437A1 (en) | 1988-11-17 |
JPH01502558A (en) | 1989-09-07 |
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