Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The invention relates to lotion applicator devices for carrying lotion and
applying
lotion to the body of a user. More specifically, the present invention relates
to lotion
applicator devices for carrying lotion and applying lotion to hard to reach
places of a
user's body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The number of people who pursue outdoor leisure activities is rising. Further,
it has recently been reported that ultraviolet radiation from the sun may
increase the
chances of developing skin cancer, particularly to those individuals with
sensitive, or
pale skin. One method of reducing sun exposure is to use sunblocks or
sunscreens.
Unfortunately, many individuals who pursue outdoor leisure activities alone
are unable
or fmd it to be difficult to apply sunblock or suntan lotion to hard to reach
places of
their body. Thus, in many instances these hard to reach places are left
unprotected
while pursuing outdoor activities.
There exists in the art a number of patents relating to lotion applicator
devices.
For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,983,436 discloses an applicator device for
applying
lotion or the like to one's body, and particularly one's back. The lotion
applicator
generally comprises a non-extendable fabric material having hand grips or
handles
releaseably secured to opposite ends of the strip through elastic connector
members.
Unfortunately the incorporation of elastic connector members and releasable
handles into
the lotion applicator makes the device more difficult and potentially more
costly to
manufacture. Further, while the lotion applicator may be used to apply lotion
to a body
of a user, the lotion applicator cannot be used to carry and apply lotion on
its own and
thus a user must carry both the applicator device and lotion separately.
U.S. Patent No. 5,736,213 discloses a lotion applicator comprising a non-
absorbent exterior surface and two handles comprising an elongated strip of
elastic
material both ends of which are attached to form open loop left and right
handles. The
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use of a non-absorbent surface requires that a user carry both the applicator
and lotion
separately, that is lotion cannot be absorbed into the applicator and applied
at a later time.
Further, the use of elastic material which is attached to form open loop left
and right
handles makes the lotion applicator more difficult to manufacture than
applicator devices
which lack such handles.
U. S. Patent No. 5,251,990 discloses an applicator provided for use in placing
skin
products on a person's body, particularly the recessed areas of the back. The
applicator
comprises an elongated rectangular strip of an impermeable, elastic material
of a first
thickness laminated to a second thinner layer. The use of an impermeable,
elastic material
requires that a user carry both the applicator and lotion separately, that is
lotion cannot
be absorbed into the applicator and applied at a later time. Further, the use
of elastic
material which is laminated to a second layer makes the lotion applicator more
intricate
and possibly more difficult and expensive to manufacture.
U.S. Patent No. 5,013,171 discloses a cylindrical housing retractably
containing
an elongate, flexible, longitudinal web including a rigid handle mounted at a
free terminal
end of the web. Lotion is applied to the associated web by an absorbent sponge
like
roller. The body lotion applicator apparatus is complex and thus would be
difficult and
costly to manufacture. Further, due its complexity, the device is not be
readily amenable
to washing and its disposal after a single use is wasteful and uneconomical.
There is a need in the art for lotion applicators which can be used by an
individual
to apply lotion to his or her body and particularly to hard to reach places of
the body.
Further, there is a need in the art for lotion applicators which contain
absorbed lotion
such that a user need not carry both a lotion applicator device and lotion
separately. Also
there is a need in the art for lotion applicators which are easy to
manufacture and cost-
effective to produce and that are tear-resistant enough to be used for
multiple
applications of lotion, and which may be optionally washed between
applications.
Further still, there is a need in the art for lotion applicators which are
disposable after
a single use or after multiple uses.
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It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the
prior
art.
The above object is met by a combination of the features of the main claims.
The sub claims disclose further advantageous embodiments of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to lotion applicator devices for carrying lotion and
applying
lotion to the body of a user. More specifically, the present invention relates
to lotion
applicator devices for carrying lotion and applying lotion to hard to reach
places of a
user's body.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a lotion
applicator device comprising a single, continuous, tear-resistant piece of
absorbent
material for applying lotion to a user's body, particularly areas that are
difficult for the
user to reach. Further, the absorbent material of the lotion applicator may be
impregnated with lotion.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lotion
applicator device as defined above wherein the absorbent material comprises
fabric or
non-fabric material such as cotton, wool, felt, viscose, polypropylene fibres,
cloth,
polyester, or a combination thereof. Further, the absorbent material may
comprise
synthetic fibers, natural fibers or both.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a lotion
applicator device as defined above wherein the lotion comprises suntan lotion,
sunblock
lotion, moisturizing lotion, insect repellent lotion, or lotion comprising
medicinal
ingredients .
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Also according to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a
lotion
applicator device as defined above comprising a plurality of apertures which
define
handles in the absorbent material, the handles being integrally formed and
comprising
the same continuous piece of absorbent material as the applicator device.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
kit
comprising the lotion applicator device as defined above and a container which
is sized
to hold the lotion applicator device. The container may have an air-tight and
water-
resistant closure and may further comprise a fastening system for securing the
container to a person or object. The container may also comprise a reservoir
for
holding lotion. Further, the container may contain an impregnated piece of
absorbent
material and an additional supply of lotion.
This summary does not necessarily describe all necessary features of the
invention but that the invention may also reside in a sub-combination of the
described
features.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the
following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings
wherein:
FIGURE 1 shows an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention comprising
a
lotion applicator device.
FIGURE 2 shows an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention comprising
a
lotion applicator device with integral formed handles therein.
FIGURE 3 shows an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention comprising
a
container for the lotion applicator device.
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FIGURE 4 shows an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention comprising
a
container for the lotion applicator device. The container comprises a
reservoir
to hold lotion.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIIVVIENT
The invention relates to lotion applicator devices for carrying lotion and
applying
lotion to the body of a user. More specifically, the present invention relates
to lotion
applicator devices for carrying lotion and applying lotion to hard to reach
places of a
user's body.
According to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention there is
provided a lotion applicator device comprising an absorbent material. The
absorbent
material may comprise any material which is capable of absorbing lotion. By
the term
"lotion" it is meant a liquid, cream, gel, emulsion, microemulsion or
combination thereof.
Specific examples of lotions include, but are not limited to, moisturizing
lotions, suntan
lotions, insect repellent lotions, emulsions, microemulsions, as well as
lotions, creams
and oils comprising medicinal ingredients. Further, as used herein the term
lotion may
be construed to include water-based solutions, oil-based solutions or
combinations
thereof.
The absorbent material may comprise, but is not limited to fabric or non-
fabric
material such as cotton, wool, felt, viscose, polypropylene fibres, cloth,
polyester, or
a combination thereof. Further, the absorbent material may comprise synthetic
fibers,
natural fibers or both. Preferably, the absorbent material comprises a
combination of
polypropylene and viscose. More preferably, the absorbent material comprises
viscose.
Preferably, the absorbent material is tear-resistant, that is , the absorbent
material
is not easily torn when subj ected to forces, particularly in the longitudinal
direction of the
material. It is also preferable that the absorbent material be compact and
have a high
loading capacity for lotion.
In an aspect of the preferred embodiment, the lotion applicator device
comprises
a single, continuous, tear-resistant piece of absorbent material which is cut,
die-punched
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or the like into a desired shape and used without additional material
processing steps such
as, but not limited to stitching, hemming, lamination, bonding or other
treatment. In a
further aspect of a preferred embodiment, the lotion applicator device
comprises handles
which are integrally formed with the lotion applicator device and comprise the
same
single, continuous piece of material as the lotion applicator device. Handles
may be
formed in the lotion applicator device by cutting or die-punching the
absorbent material
of the lotion applicator device to create an aperture in the material, and may
be formed
when the absorbent material is initially cut into desired shape. Preferably,
the handles are
incorporated into the lotion applicator device without requiring the use of
additional
materials such as elastic cords or specialized handle grips, and further
processing such
as stitching, hemming, lamination, bonding or other processing step or
treatment. Thus,
in this aspect of the embodiment, the lotion applicator device may be more
easy to
manufacture and may be more cost-effective to produce than similar devices
known in
the art.
Preferably, the absorbent material of the applicator device is tear-resistant
to
allow the absorbent material to be used repeatedly for application of lotion
to the body
of a user. More preferably, the absorbent material is strong and tear-
resistant to allow the
absorbent material to be washed between repeated application of lotion to the
body of a
user, without significant deterioration of the structural strength and
absorbent capacity
of the absorbent material of the lotion applicator device. For example, lotion
may be
applied to the absorbent material, the absorbent material comprising the
absorbed lotion
may be applied to a user and subsequently, the absorbent material may be
washed to
remove old or excess lotion. If desired, the entire cycle may be repeated
between about
1 and about 30 times, preferably between about 1 and about 14 times and more
preferably
between about 1 and about 7 times. However, as one skilled in the art will
understand,
the capacity of the absorbent material for repeated use may depend on the
strength of the
specific absorbent material used.
Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown an embodiment of the lotion
applicator
device (generally indicated as 5) of the present invention. Shown in Figure 1
is an
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absorbent fabric material (10) of a generally rectangular elongated shape. For
example,
the absorbent material may be 100% viscose and have dimensions of about 15
inches by
about 3 '/2 inches. Other shapes and sizes are also contemplated by the
present invention
but it is preferred that the dimension be about 12 inches to about 24 inches
by about 3
inches to about 6 inches which should be large enough for its intended purpose
and yet
compact enough to fit in small containers or spaces, such as, but not limited
to, a purse
or pocket. Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown an embodiment of the
present
invention wherein the absorbent material ( 10) comprises apertures (20) at
each end of the
material. These apertures are preferably about 2 inches to 3 inches in
diameter if they are
circular. Other convenient aperture shapes may also be used. The apertures
(20) permit
the formation of handles (30) within the absorbent material, without requiring
additional
materials such as elastic cords or plastic handles to be attached or further
processing of
the absorbent material. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the fingers or
hands of a
user may be reversibly inserted through the apertures (20) of the absorbent
material to
provide leverage and exert force such that lotion absorbed into the absorbent
material of
the lotion applicator device frictionally engages the skin of a user,
particularly at hard to
reach places such as the back, and is deposited thereon.
Preferably, the absorbent material exhibits a high loading capacity for
lotion, for
example, in the range of about 0.001 fluid ounces of lotion per square inch of
absorbent
material to about 0.5 fluid ounces of lotion per square inch of absorbent
material. More
preferably, the absorbent material exhibits a loading capacity of about 0.01
to about 0.2
fluid ounces of lotion per square inch of absorbent material.
A lotion applicator device which lacks handles as defined above may still be
used
to apply lotion. In such an embodiment, opposite ends of the lotion applicator
device
may be grasped to provide leverage and exert force such that lotion absorbed
into the
absorbent material of the lotion applicator device frictionally engages the
skin of a user,
particularly at places which are hard to reach such as the back, and the
lotion is deposited
thereon.
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It is contemplated by the present invention that the absorbent material of the
lotion applicator device may comprise absorbed lotion so as to be ready for
use.
Alternatively, it is contemplated by the present invention that the absorbent
material of
the lotion applicator device may be dry or substantially dry and that lotion
may be
applied by a user. The user can remove the dry absorbent material from the
container,
impregnate the material and then replace it in the container which is then
closed, so as
to be ready for use at a later time.
Lotion may be applied to the absorbent material of the lotion applicator
device
by any method known in the art, for example but not wishing to be limited to
spreading,
spraying, dipping, drenching or combination thereof.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is provided a
kit comprising a lotion applicator device as defined above and a container for
carrying
the lotion applicator device. Preferably the container is air-tight and water-
resistant.
By the term "air-tight" it is meant the container acts as a barrier to reduce
interaction of air or other gasses present on the exterior of the container
with the lotion
applicator contained within the container, when the container is sealed. More
preferably,
the container prevents the ingress of air and other gasses into the container
when the
container is sealed.
By the term "water-resistant" it is meant a container which acts as a barrier
to
reduce interaction of water and water-vapor on the exterior of the container
with the
lotion applicator contained within the container and the container is sealed.
More
preferably, the container prevents the ingress of water and water vapor into
the container
when the container is sealed.
The container may be manufactured of any material, or group of materials which
permits the container to be air-tight and water-resistant, for example, but
not wishing to
be limiting plastics, metals, rubber compounds, or combinations thereof. The
container
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is manufactured with dimensions which allow the lotion applicator device to be
contained
within it and is a convenient size for the purse, pocket or the like. For
example, the
container may have a length of about 4 inches to about 5 inches and a diameter
of about
1 inch to about 2 inches. However, the lotion applicator device may be folded
or rolled-
up into a shape having suitable dimensions for insertion into and containment
within the
container. In a like manner, the lotion applicator device comprising absorbed
lotion may
be rolled-up or folded into a shape having suitable dimensions for insertion
into and
containment within the container.
The lotion applicator container may be manufactured in any shape and
dimensions required such as, but not limited to cylinders, spheres, boxes or
the like. In
addition the container may be equipped with a fastening system which allows
the lotion
applicator container and lotion applicator to be secured to an obj ect or
person. Examples
of fastening systems include but are not limited to strings, wires, straps,
ropes, velcro,
elastics, belts, buckles, pins, magnetic attachment means or any other system
which
allows the lotion applicator to be attached to a person or object.
Referring now to Figure 3 there is shown an embodiment of the present
invention
comprising a container which is generally referred to as 50. The container
(50) comprises
a first container portion (60) and a second container portion (70). In the
embodiment
shown in Figure 3, the first container portion (60) is equipped with screw
threads (80)
and a sealing washer (90). The screw threads of the first container portion
(60) are
adapted to threadedly engage a screw thread receiving system located within
the second
container portion (70) until the surface of the second container portion
frictionally
engages the sealing washer (90). The container also comprises a fastening
system (101)
which permits the container and an enclosed lotion applicator device to be
fastened or
attached to a user or object.
Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown an alternate embodiment of the
present
invention wherein the container (generally referred to as 50) further
comprises a reservoir
(100) for retaining lotion. Shown in Figure 4 is a container (50) having a
first container
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portion (60), a second container portion (70), and a third container portion
(85). In the
embodiment shown, the first container portion (60) and the second container
portion (70)
are connected by a hinge element (110) which permits a lotion applicator
device (5) to
be retained within the container (50). The third container portion (85)
comprises a
reservoir (100) for retaining lotion or the like. The third container portion
(85) may be
releasably attached to the first container portion (60) in such a manner that
lotion may be
carried within the container (50) and separate from the lotion applicator
device (5). The
third container portion (85) may be attached to the first container portion
(60) by any
method known in the art, for example, but not wishing to be limiting, the
third container
portion may be equipped with a screw thread receiving system (75), which
threadedly
engages screw threads (80) located within the first container portion (60) of
the container
(50). However, any reservoir which permits lotion to be carried within the
container, yet
separate from the lotion applicator device, is contemplated by the present
invention.
The container (50) as shown in Figure 4 also comprises a fastening system ( 1
O 1 )
which permits the container (50) and an enclosed lotion applicator device (S)
to be
fastened or attached to a user or object. The fastening system (101) is shown
as
comprising a cord (102) passing through holes in the second container portion
(70) but
which does not penetrate the interior of the second container portion. The
cord ( 102) is
looped and tied at its outer end (103) and may include a slide (104).
The container permits the lotion applicator device to be portable and less
messy
during handling. Moreover, an air-tight and water-resistant container may
prevent
premature spoilage of lotion by inhibiting interaction of the lotion absorbed
in lotion
applicator with air and water vapor in the environment. In assessing this
aspect of the
present invention it is noted that lotion impregnated within the lotion
applicator device
and sealed within a container as contemplated by the present invention is
unspoiled for
a duration which is about twice as long as the duration observed when the
lotion is
exposed to air.
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Thus, the present invention also contemplates a kit of the lotion applicator
device
and lotion applicator container. The kit may comprise a single applicator
device and a
single lotion container, a plurality of lotion applicator devices and a single
lotion
container or a plurality of both lotion applicator devices and containers.
Further, in all of
the embodiments discussed above, the lotion applicator device may comprise
absorbed
lotion.
The lotion applicator and container of the present invention are easy to
manufacture and cost effective to produce, allow a user to apply lotion to
hard to reach
places of his or her body, may be used repeatedly and optionally washed
between
repeated applications of lotion. Alternatively, the lotion applicator of the
present
invention may be disposable after a single use or multiple uses. Further, a
lotion user
need not carry both a lotion applicator device and lotion separately as the
present
invention advantageously allows for the combination of lotion into a portable
lotion
applicator device and its application to a user's body and specifically hard
to reach places
of a user's body.
The above description is not intended to limit the claimed invention in any
manner, Furthermore, the discussed combination of features might not be
absolutely
necessary for the inventive solution.
All references are herein incorporated by reference.
The present invention will be further illustrated in the following examples.
However, it is to be understood that these examples are for illustrative
purposes only,
and should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention in any
manner.
