Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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LIQUID COLLECTOR MOUNTABLE TO AN OBJECT FOR COLLECTING
LIQUID FROM THE OBJECT
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
61/636,894 filed on April 23, 2012 and hereby incorporated by reference
herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to management of liquid and, more
particularly, to
a liquid collector mountable to an object for collecting liquid from the
object.
BACKGROUND
Various situations exist in which it is desirable to remove liquid from an
object
because of potential negative consequences that could arise if the liquid
remained.
For example, a person who is training, playing a sport, working, or performing
any other activity which causes him/her to sweat typically desires to avoid
sweat
running into his/her eyes as this can sting or burn and/or be distracting.
While
sweatbands have been developed to mitigate this, they suffer from certain
drawbacks. For instance, traditional sweatbands are made of absorbent material
(e.g., absorbent fabric) which absorbs sweat and, therefore, often present
odor
and cleanliness problems due to absorbed sweat and have a limited efficiency
in
shielding eyes from sweat as they become saturated. Nonabsorbent sweatbands
have also been envisaged to redirect sweat away from their user's eyes instead
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of absorbing sweat, but typically present certain deficiencies such as, for
instance, an inability to retain sweat, if desired, before evacuating it
and/or a poor
or suboptimal fit which can create gaps through which sweat can run down into
their user's eyes.
As another example, after pouring liquid such as water, wine or oil from a
bottle,
an individual usually desires to prevent residual liquid remaining on the
bottle's
external surface from running down the bottle's external surface onto his/her
hand and/or onto a table or other support on which the bottle is placed.
Other examples of situations requiring or benefiting from removal of a liquid
from
an object can be considered.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for improvements directed to
facilitating removal of liquid from objects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a sweat collector
for
wearing on a head of a user. The sweat collector is at least partly made of
nonabsorbent material. The sweat collector comprises an inner side for
contacting the head of the user. The inner side engages a forehead of the user
when the sweat collector is worn on the head of the user. The sweat collector
comprises an outer side opposite the inner side for facing away from the head
of
the user. The sweat collector comprises a sweat-collecting recess between the
inner side and the outer side for collecting sweat from the head of the user
to
prevent the collected sweat from flowing into eyes of the user. The sweat-
collecting recess is configured to retain the collected sweat by surface
tension
and adhesion.
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According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a sweat
collector
for wearing on a head of a user. The sweat collector is at least partly made
of
nonabsorbent material. The sweat collector comprises an inner side for
contacting the head of the user. The inner side engages a forehead of the user
when the sweat collector is worn on the head of the user. The sweat collector
comprises an outer side opposite the inner side for facing away from the head
of
the user. The sweat collector comprises a sweat-collecting recess between the
inner side and the outer side for collecting sweat from the head of the user
to
prevent the collected sweat from flowing into eyes of the user. The sweat-
collecting recess comprises an inner surface and an outer surface spaced apart
and facing one another to define a width of the sweat-collecting recess. The
width of the sweat-collecting recess is less than 2.6 mm.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a sweat
collector
for wearing on a head of a user. The sweat collector is at least partly made
of
nonabsorbent material. The sweat collector comprises an inner side for
contacting the head of the user. The inner side engages a forehead of the user
when the sweat collector is worn on the head of the user. The inner side
comprises a generally convex portion that is convex along a longitudinal axis
of
the sweat collector to be in sealing engagement with the head of the user. The
sweat collector comprises an outer side opposite the inner side for facing
away
from the head of the user. The sweat collector comprises a sweat-collecting
recess between the inner side and the outer side for collecting sweat from the
head of the user to prevent the collected sweat from flowing into eyes of the
user.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a sweat
collector
for wearing on a head of a user. The sweat collector is at least partly made
of
nonabsorbent material. The sweat collector comprises an inner side for
contacting the head of the user. The inner side engages a forehead of the user
when the sweat collector is worn on the head of the use. The sweat collector
comprises an outer side opposite the inner side for facing away from the head
of
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the user. The sweat collector comprises a sweat-collecting recess between the
inner side and the outer side for collecting sweat from the head of the user
to
prevent the collected sweat from flowing into eyes of the user. The outer side
comprises a sweat drip guide for guiding a flow direction of sweat outside of
the
sweat-collecting recess such that the sweat outside of the sweat-collecting
recess falls away from the eyes of the user.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a sweat
collector
for wearing on a head of a user. The sweat collector is at least partly made
of
nonabsorbent material. The sweat collector comprises an inner side for
contacting the head of the user. The inner side engages a forehead of the user
when the sweat collector is worn on the head of the user. The inner side
comprises a sealing projection projecting inwardly for being in sealing
engagement with the forehead of the user. The sweat collector comprises an
outer side opposite the inner side for facing away from the head of the user.
The
sweat collector comprises a sweat-collecting recess between the inner side and
the outer side for collecting sweat from the head of the user to prevent the
collected sweat from flowing into eyes of the user.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a sweat
collector
for wearing on a body part of a user. The sweat collector is at least partly
made
of nonabsorbent material. The sweat collector comprises an inner side for
contacting the body part of the user and an outer side opposite the inner side
for
facing away from the body part of the user. The sweat collector comprises a
sweat-collecting recess between the inner side and the outer side for
collecting
sweat from the body part of the user to prevent the collected sweat from
running
down an external surface of the body part of the user. The sweat-collecting
recess is configured to retain the collected sweat by surface tension and
adhesion.
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According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid
collector
for wearing on a head of a user. The liquid collector is at least partly made
of
nonabsorbent material. The liquid collector comprises an inner side for
contacting
the head of the user. The inner side engages a forehead of the user when the
liquid collector is worn on the head of the user. The liquid collector
comprises an
outer side opposite the inner side for facing away from the head of the user.
The
liquid collector comprises a liquid-collecting recess between the inner side
and
the outer side for collecting liquid originating from an external source from
the
head of the user to prevent the collected liquid from flowing into eyes of the
user.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid
collector
for mounting to a container. The liquid collector is at least partly made of
nonabsorbent material. The liquid collector comprises an inner side for
contacting
the container and an outer side opposite the inner side for facing away from
the
container. The liquid collector comprises a liquid-collecting recess between
the
inner side and the outer side for collecting liquid from the container to
prevent the
collected liquid from running down an external surface of the container. The
liquid-collecting recess is configured to retain the collected liquid by
surface
tension and adhesion.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid
collector
for mounting to an object. The liquid collector is at least partly made of
nonabsorbent material. The liquid collector comprises an inner side for
contacting
the object and an outer side opposite the inner side for facing away from the
object. The liquid collector comprises a liquid-collecting recess between the
inner
side and the outer side for collecting liquid from the object to prevent the
collected liquid from running down an external surface of the object. The
liquid-
collecting recess is configured to retain the collected liquid by surface
tension
and adhesion.
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These and other aspects of the invention will now become apparent to those of
ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of
embodiments of
the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A detailed description of embodiments of the invention is provided below, by
way
of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an example of a liquid collector in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention, in which the liquid collector
is a
sweat collector wearable on a user's head;
Figure 2 shows an isometric view of the sweat collector;
Figure 3 shows a top view of the sweat collector;
Figure 4 shows a side view of the sweat collector;
Figure 5 shows an isometric view of part of the sweat collector;
Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the sweat collector;
Figure 7 shows an isometric view of a sweat collector in accordance with
another
embodiment of the invention;
Figure 8 shows another isometric view of the sweat collector of Figure 7;
Figure 9 shows an isometric view of a sweat collector in accordance with
another
embodiment of the invention;
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Figure 10 shows an isometric view of part of the sweat collector of Figure 9;
Figure 11 shows another isometric view of part of the sweat collector of
Figure 9;
Figure 12 shows an isometric view of a sweat collector in accordance with yet
another embodiment of the invention;
Figure 13 shows an isometric view of a sweat collector in accordance with yet
another embodiment of the invention;
Figure 14 shows a cross-sectional view of a sweat collector in accordance with
yet another embodiment of the invention;
Figure 15 shows a cross-sectional view of a sweat collector in accordance with
yet another embodiment of the invention;
Figures 16A to 16C and 17 show examples of embodiments in which a sweat
collector is used in conjunction with protective headgear;
Figure 18 and 19 show a perspective view and a side view of the user's head;
Figure 20 shows a perspective view of an example of a liquid collector in
accordance with another embodiment of the invention, in which the liquid
collector is mounted to a bottle;
Figure 21 shows a perspective view of the liquid collector of Figure 20;
Figure 22 shows a perspective view of a variant of the liquid collector of
Figure
20; and
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Figure 23 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the liquid collector of
Figure 20.
It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only
for the
purpose of illustrating certain embodiments of the invention and are an aid
for
understanding. They are not intended to be a definition of the limits of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Figures 1 to 6 show an example of a liquid collector 10 mountable to an object
12
for collecting liquid from the object 12 in accordance with an embodiment of
the
invention. In this embodiment, the object 12 is a body part of a user 14 of
the
liquid collector 10 and the liquid collector 10 is a sweat collector wearable
on the
body part 12 of the user 14 for collecting sweat (i.e., perspiration) from the
body
part 12 of the user 14. More particularly, in this embodiment, the body part
12 of
the user 14 is a head of the user 14 and the sweat collector 10 is a headband
wearable on the user's head 12 for collecting sweat from the user's head 12 to
keep the collected sweat away from the user's eyes 161, 162. The sweat
collector
10 is thus a sweatband or "sweat shield" that the user 14 can wear while
training,
running, playing a sport, working, or performing any other activity causing
him/her to sweat in order to keep sweat from flowing into his/her eyes 161,
162.
The sweat collector 10 comprises an inner side 30 for contacting the head 12
of
the user 14 and an outer side 32 opposite the inner side 30 for facing away
from
the user's head 12. As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the user's head 12
comprises a front region 20, a top region 19, left and right side regions 211,
212,
and a back region 26. The front region 20 includes a face 17 of the user 14,
including a forehead 22 located above the user's eyes 161, 162 and eyebrows
271, 272. The left and right side regions 211, 212 include left and right
temples
231, 232 of the head 12. The back region 26 includes a back upper part 24 and
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an occipital protuberance 25 of the head 12. The user's head 12 has a
dorsoventral (i.e., front-back) axis DV, a dextrosinistral (i.e., left-right)
axis DS,
and a cephalocaudal (i.e., vertical) axis CC. As they are generally oriented
longitudinally and transversally of the user's head 12, the dorsoventral axis
DV
and the dextrosinistral axis DS can also be respectively referred to as a
longitudinal axis and a transversal axis that respectively define a
longitudinal
direction and a transversal direction of the head 12.
In this embodiment, the sweat collector 10 comprises a front portion 28 for
engaging the forehead 22 of the user 14, left and right side portions 291, 292
for
engaging the left and right side regions 211, 212 of the user's head 12, and a
back portion 31 for engaging the back region 26 of the user's head 12. These
portions of the sweat collector 10 are distributed along a longitudinal axis
Lc of
the sweat collector 10. More particularly, in this embodiment, the sweat
collector
10 is retained on the user's head 12 by surrounding the head 12 such that it
extends along an entirety of a circumference of the head 12. In this example,
the
sweat collector 10 is elastic and stretchable around the user's head 12 to be
retained on the head 12. More specifically, in this example, the sweat
collector 10
is a continuous endless elastic headband stretchable around the user's head 12
to be retained on the head 12.
The sweat collector 10 is at least partly (i.e., partly or entirely) made of
nonabsorbent material 15 which does not absorb sweat. In this embodiment, at
least a majority (i.e., a majority or an entirety) of the sweat collector 10
is made of
the nonabsorbent material 15. More particularly, in this example, the sweat
collector 10 is entirely made of the nonabsorbent material 15. In this case,
the
nonabsorbent material 15 is hydrophobic. In other cases, the nonabsorbent
material 15 may be hydrophilic. In addition, in this embodiment, since it is
elastic
and stretched around the head 12 of the user 14, the nonabsorbent material 15
is
elastic material which can stretch when the sweat collector 10 is worn on the
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user's head 12 and contract back towards its original form when the sweat
collector 10 is removed from the user's head 12.
The nonabsorbent material 15 of the sweat collector 10 may also have other
desirable characteristics. For example, in this embodiment, the nonabsorbent
material 15 is antimicrobial material which destroys or inhibits growth of
microorganisms in order to prevent an undesirable odor from the sweat
collector
10. The material 15 may be naturally antimicrobial or may have been imparted
with an antimicrobial additive (e.g., a coating or integrated particles such
as
copper or silver particles for instance). As another example, in some
embodiments, the nonabsorbent material 15 may be translucent material which
allows ultraviolet (UV) rays of sunlight to pass through it to avoid
unpleasant skin
demarcations (e.g., tan lines) on the user's head 12 that could otherwise
develop
if the user 14 is wearing the sweat collector 10 in sunlight. For instance, in
some
embodiments, the material 15 may have a light transmission coefficient,
commonly referred to as light transmittance factor (LTF), of at least 50%, in
some
cases at least 70%, and in some cases at least 90%.
In this embodiment, the nonabsorbent material 15 of the sweat collector 10 is
elastomeric nonabsorbent material. More particularly, in this example of
implementation, the elastomeric nonabsorbent material 15 is silicone rubber,
in
this case antimicrobial silicone rubber. The sweat collector 10 may be made of
any other suitable material in other embodiments (e.g., polyvinyl chloride
(PVC),
vinyl, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, etc.).
The sweat collector 10 comprises a sweat-collecting recess 18 located between
its inner side 30 and its outer side 32 and configured for collecting sweat
from the
head 12 of the user 14 and controlling the collected sweat to prevent the
collected sweat from running down into the user's eyes 161, 162. The sweat-
collecting recess 18 collects sweat that runs down the user's head 12 by
gravity.
The sweat-collecting recess 18 may control the collected sweat in various
ways,
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such as by retaining (i.e., holding) the collected sweat in the recess 18
and/or
redirecting the collected sweat out of the recess 18 in a predetermined
direction
away from the user's eyes 161, 162, as further discussed below.
The sweat-collecting recess 18 extends along at least part of the front
portion 28
of the sweat collector 10 adjacent to the forehead 22 of the user 14. In this
embodiment, the sweat-collecting recess 18 extends along at least a majority
of
the front portion 28 of the sweat collector 10. In this example, the sweat-
collecting recess 18 extends along an entirety of the front portion 28 and
along
parts of the left and right portions 291, 292 of the sweat collector 10. More
particularly, in this embodiment, the sweat-collecting recess 18 is
dimensioned
such that, when the sweat collector 10 is worn on the user's head 12, the
sweat-
collecting recess 18 has a transversal extent Lt in the transversal direction
of the
head 12 that is greater than a span Et of the user's eyes 161, 162 in the
transversal direction of the head 12. In this example of implementation, the
sweat-collecting recess 18 is dimensioned to extend across the user's forehead
12 to at least reach the user's left and right temples 231, 232 when the sweat
collector 10 is worn. The sweat-collecting recess 18 may extend along a longer
or shorter part of the sweat collector 10 in other embodiments.
The sweat-collecting recess 18 comprises an open top 38 for receiving sweat
drops, an inner surface 40 and an outer surface 42 spaced apart and facing
from
one another, and a bottom 44 between the inner and outer surfaces 40, 42. The
inner and outer surfaces 40, 42 and the bottom 44 of the recess 18 form a void
which can be occupied by collected sweat drops. In this embodiment, the void
formed by the recess 18 is a channel in which collected sweat may flow when
sufficient sweat drops have been collected. Also, in this embodiment, the
recess
18 has open longitudinal ends 411, 412 through which collected sweat can be
evacuated from the recess 18 away from the user's eyes 161, 162. The recess 18
may have any other suitable shape in other embodiments.
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The void formed by the sweat-collecting recess 18 defines a capacity Cr of the
recess 18, i.e., a volume of sweat that can be contained in the recess 18. For
example, in some embodiments, the capacity Cr of the recess 18 may be at least
0.2 ml, in some cases at least 0.5 ml, in some cases at least 1.0 ml, in some
cases at least 1.5 ml, and in some cases even more (e.g., 4.5 ml or more). The
capacity Cr of the sweat-collecting recess 18 may take on any other value in
other embodiments.
A width Wr of the sweat-collecting recess 18 is defined by a spacing of the
inner
and outer surfaces 40, 42. In this embodiment, the inner and outer surfaces
40,
42 of the recess 18 extend generally parallel to one another such that the
width
Wr is substantially constant along the recess 18. In other embodiments, the
width
Wr may vary along the recess 18 in which case the width Wr can be taken as an
average width along the recess 18.
A depth Dr of the sweat-collecting recess 18 is defined by a highest point of
the
inner and outer surfaces 40, 42 and a lowest point of the bottom 44 of the
recess
18. In this embodiment, the bottom 44 of the recess 18 is generally level
along
the recess 18 and rounded when viewing a cross-section of the recess 18 such
that the depth Dr is substantially constant along the recess 18. In other
embodiments, the depth Dr may vary along the recess 18 in which case the
depth Dr can be taken as an average depth along the recess 18. The bottom 44
of the recess 18 may have various other shapes in other embodiments (e.g., the
bottom 44 may be flat to provide more contact surface to potentially enhance
retention).
The sweat-collecting recess 18 is configured to control sweat collected from
the
user's head 11 and contained therein. More particularly, in this embodiment,
the
sweat-collecting recess 18 is configured to retain (i.e., hold) a volume of
sweat in
the recess 18. In that sense, in this embodiment, the sweat-collecting recess
18
can also be referred to as a sweat-retaining recess. Sweat drops arriving at
the
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sweat collector 10 under gravity are directed into the sweat-collecting recess
18
and become stuck in the recess 18. At that stage, the collected sweat drops
are
held captive in the sweat-collecting recess 18 and can be managed. For
instance, in some examples of implementation, the sweat-collecting recess 18
may accumulate sweat drops retained therein and, when sufficient sweat drops
coalesce, the collected sweat in the recess 18 can become more free-flowing
and may be directed in the recess 18 so as to be evacuated from the recess 18
away from the user's eyes 161, 162. In other examples of implementation, the
sweat-collecting recess 18 may direct collected sweat drops immediately as
they
enter the recess 18 to evacuate them from the recess 18 away from the user's
eyes 161, 162, without substantial accumulation of sweat in the recess 18.
More particularly, in this embodiment, the sweat-collecting recess 18 is
configured to control sweat therein based on intermolecular forces, including
surface tension and adhesion. As is well known, surface tension, also known as
"interfacial tension", is a phenomenon involving forces acting at a liquid's
surface
constituting an interface with another medium (i.e., another liquid or a gas
or
solid) which tend to minimize an area of the liquid's surface. This phenomenon
is
caused by intermolecular interactions within the liquid and between the liquid
and
the interfacing medium, including attraction of molecules of the liquid's
surface by
molecules of a bulk of the liquid. Adhesion refers to adhesive forces between
dissimilar molecules, such as between a liquid and a solid with a different
molecular composition.
Thus, in this embodiment, the sweat-collecting recess 18 is configured such
that
a combined effect of the surface tension of sweat collected in the recess 18
and
the adhesion between the collected sweat and the recess 18 is sufficient to
hold
the collected sweat in the recess 18. This combined effect can be viewed as a
type of capillary action. When sweat drops run down the user's forehead and
arrive at the sweat collector 10 under gravity, they are directed into the
sweat-
collecting recess 18. As the sweat drops enter into the sweat-collecting
recess
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18, the surface tension and adhesion between the sweat drops and the inner and
outer surfaces 40, 42 and the bottom 44 of the recess 18 result in the sweat
drops becoming stuck in the recess 18. The surface tension at a collected
sweat
drop's surface constituting an interface with ambient air and an interface
with the
inner and outer surfaces 40, 42 and the bottom 44 of the recess 18 and the
adhesion between the sweat drop and the surfaces 40, 42 and bottom 44 of the
recess 18 are sufficient to hold the collected sweat drop captive within the
recess
18, even against gravity if the open top 38 of the recess 18 is not
horizontal.
Being retained in the recess 18, the collected sweat drops can be managed.
In this embodiment, the sweat-collecting recess 18 accumulates the collected
sweat drops such that it can retain a volume of sweat Vs therein. For
instance,
depending on a design of the sweat collector 10, in some embodiments, the
volume of sweat Vs retainable in the sweat-collecting recess 18 may be at
least
0.3 ml, in some cases at least 0.5 ml, in some cases at least 0.7 ml, in some
cases at least 1 ml, and in some cases even more (e.g., up to 4.5 ml or more)
The volume of sweat Vs retainable in the sweat-collecting recess 18 may take
on
any other value in other embodiments.
A sweat retention capability of the sweat-collecting recess 18 can be observed
in
various ways. For example, the sweat-collecting recess 18 is capable of
retaining
collected sweat therein against gravity, which would normally cause the sweat
to
flow out of the recess 18. This could occur, for instance, as the user's head
12 is
tilted forward or backward resulting in the sweat collector 10 acquiring an
orientation in which the open top 38 of the recess 18 is not horizontal such
that
gravity creates a downward flow path for the collected sweat out of the recess
18, but yet the collected sweat remains held in the recess 18 by surface
tension
and adhesion effects. Notably, even in that orientation, surface tension and
adhesion effects cause the collected sweat to extend from the inner surface 40
to
the outer surface 42 of the recess 18 (i.e., bridge the inner and outer
surfaces 40,
42 of the recess 18). Thus, in some embodiments, the volume of sweat Vs
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retainable in the recess 18 may be a volume of sweat that can be retained in
the
recess 18 even against gravity.
A test can be performed to observe the sweat retention capability of the sweat
collector 10. For example: the sweat collector 10 is placed on a generally
flat
horizontal surface of a support (e.g., a table or counter) with the open top
38 of
the sweat-collecting recess 18 facing up; a quantity of sweat corresponding to
the volume of sweat Vs retainable in the sweat-collecting recess 18 is poured
into
the recess 18; and the sweat collector 10 is turned over such that the open
top
38 of the recess 18 faces down and the volume of sweat Vs remains in the
recess 18 (i.e., does not flow out of the recess 18). For instance, in some
embodiments: the sweat collector 10 is placed on the support's generally flat
horizontal surface with the open top 38 of the recess 18 facing up; at least
0.3 ml
of sweat is poured into the recess 18; and the sweat collector 10 is turned
over
such that the open top 38 of the recess 18 faces down and the at least 0.3 ml
of
sweat remains in the recess 18.
As another example, sweat accumulating in the sweat-collecting recess 18 can
fill the recess 18 and reach a level Hs (measured from the bottom 44 of the
recess 18) which can be quite substantial. For instance, the level Hs of
collected
sweat in the recess 18 may reach at least 30% of the depth Dr of the recess
18,
in some cases at least 50% of the depth Dr of the recess 18, in some cases at
least 70% of the depth Dr of the recess 18, and in some cases even more (e.g.,
up to 100% of the depth Dr of the recess 18). The level Hs of collected sweat
may
be kept when the sweat collector 10 is turned over such that the open top 38
of
the recess 18 faces down.
The sweat retention capability of the sweat-collecting recess 18 based on
surface
tension and adhesion effects depends on various factors, including dimensions
of
the recess 18 and material making up the recess 18.
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For example, in this embodiment, the width Wr of the sweat-collecting recess
18
is sufficiently small to retain sweat drops in the recess 18. For instance, in
some
embodiments, the width Wr of the recess 18 may be less than 2.6 mm, in some
cases no more than 2.4 mm, in some cases no more than 2.2 mm, in some
cases no more than 2 mm, in some cases no more than 1.8 mm, in some cases
no more than 1.6 mm, in some cases no more than 1.4 mm, and in some cases
even less (e.g., down to 0.8 mm or less). In some situations, the width Wr of
the
recess 18 may be smaller than an average diameter of a sweat drop from the
user's head 12 to facilitate retention of sweat drops in the recess 18. In
this
example of implementation, the width Wr of the recess 18 is about 0.070 inches
(1.8 mm). The width Wr of the recess 18 may have any other suitable value in
other embodiments.
The depth Dr of the sweat-collecting recess 18 may be sufficient to provide
the
capacity Cr of the recess 18, and may also help in sweat retention. For
example,
in some embodiments, the depth Dr of the recess 18 may be at least 1.5 mm, in
some cases at least 2 mm, in some cases at least 2.5 mm, in some cases at
least 3 mm, in some cases at least 3.5 mm, and in some cases even more (e.g.,
up to 25 mm or more). In this example of implementation, the depth Dr of the
recess 18 is about 3.25 mm. The depth Dr of the recess 18 may have any other
suitable value in other embodiments.
A shape of the sweat-collecting recess 18 may also enhance its sweat retention
capability. For example, in this embodiment, top edge portions 83, 85 which
delimit the inner and outer surfaces 40, 42 of the sweat-collecting recess 18
are
angular to help retain collected sweat within the recess 18. That is, the top
edge
portions 83, 85 are generally "sharp" and are not rounded since this could
make
it easier for sweat to escape the recess 18 when the user's head 12 is tilted.
When sufficient sweat drops (e.g., three or more sweat drops) have been
accumulated and coalesced together in the sweat-collecting recess 18, the
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collected sweat in the recess 18 can become more free-flowing within the
recess
18. The recess 18 may then direct the collected sweat to evacuate it from the
recess 18 away from the user's eyes 161, 162. For example, in this embodiment,
when the user 14 tilts his/her head 12, the recess 18 directs the collected
sweat
to flow out of it through one or both of its open longitudinal ends 411, 412
such
that the sweat falls generally on the left and right side regions 211, 212 of
the
user's head 12 away from the user's eyes 161, 162.
In this embodiment, the sweat collector 10 comprises a sweat drip guide 50 on
its
outer side 32 to guide a flow direction FD of sweat that is outside of the
sweat-
collecting recess 18 such that the sweat falls away from the user's eyes 161,
162.
For instance, the sweat that is outside of the sweat-collecting recess 18 may
be
caused by a movement of the user's head 12 causing sweat to evacuate through
the open top 38 of the recess 18 or by an overflow of sweat when too much
sweat has accumulated within the recess 18. The flow direction FD imparted by
the sweat drip guide 50 is oriented away from the user's eyes 161, 162 such
that,
as the sweat drips, it does not fall into the user's eyes 161, 162.
More particularly, in this embodiment, the sweat drip guide 50 comprises a
guiding projection 52 projecting outwardly away from the user's face 17 when
the
sweat collector 10 is worn. In this example of implementation, the guiding
projection 52 comprises an elongated lip extending along the sweat collector
10
to follow the sweat-collecting recess 18 (i.e., extending along that part of
the
sweat collector 10 over which extends the sweat-collecting recess 18). The
guiding projection 52 has a lower surface 54 which defines an oblique angle 3
relative to the vertical axis CC of the user's head 12 when the sweat
collector 10
is worn. For example, in some embodiments, the oblique angle p may be at least
45 , in some cases at least 50 , in some cases at least 55 , in some cases at
least 60 and in some cases even more. The oblique angle 13 may have any
other suitable value in other embodiments. The guiding projection 52 may have
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various other shapes in other examples of implementation (e.g., it may be
shorter
and/or have a different cross-sectional shape).
The inner side 30 of the sweat collector 10 is in contact with the head 12 of
the
user 14 to be in sealing engagement with at least part of the user's head 12,
including the user's forehead 22. In this embodiment, the inner side 30 of the
sweat collector 10 is designed to more optimally fit on and engage the user's
head 12 to enhance this sealing engagement.
More particularly, in this embodiment, the inner side 30 of the sweat
collector 10
comprises a main head-engaging surface 74 and a plurality of sealing
projections
681, 682 projecting inwardly from the main head-engaging surface 74 for being
in
sealing engagement with the user's head 12, including the user's forehead 22.
In
this example of implementation, the sealing projections 681, 682 are upper and
lower sealing projections located at upper and lower edges of the inner side
30 of
the sweat collector 10. In this case, the sealing projection 681 has a greater
sealing function since it is located higher and prevents sweat from passing it
and
moving further down the user's face 17. The lower projection 682 equilibrates
the
shape of the sweat collector 10 to make it more stable on the user's head 12.
In this example of implementation, each of the sealing projections 681, 682 is
shaped as an elongated lip extending along that part of the sweat collector 10
over which extends the sweat-collecting recess 18. Each of the sealing
projections 681, 682 tapers towards its tip and has a flexibility which
provides a
better engagement when the user's head 12. Each sealing projection 68; has a
head-engaging surface 63 which defines an oblique angle a relative to the main
head-engaging surface 74 of the inner side 30 of the sweat collector 10. For
example, in some embodiments, the oblique angle a may be at least 90 , in
some cases at least 120 , in some cases at least 150 , and in some cases in
even more (e.g., up to 170 ) The oblique angle a may have any other suitable
value in other embodiments. The sealing projections 681, 682 may have various
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other shapes in other examples of implementation (e.g., it may be shorter
and/or
have a different cross-sectional shape). Also, there may any other number of
sealing projections such as the sealing projections 681, 682 in other
embodiments
(e.g., a single sealing projection, or three, four or more sealing
projections).
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inner side 30 of the sweat collector 10
comprises a plurality of generally convex portions 551-553 that are convex
along
the longitudinal axis Lc of the sweat collector 10 and are disposed to contact
respective parts of the user's head 12. This curvature results in proper
contact
and pressure being applied by the convex portions 551-553 of the inner side 30
of
the sweat collector 10 on these parts of the user's head 12 which creates a
seal
to protect against (i.e., reduce or eliminate a potential for) sweat running
down
into the user's eyes 161, 162 by passing between these convex portions 551-553
and these parts of the user's head 12. This may be particularly useful in
cases
where the parts of the user's head 12 that are contacted by the convex
portions
551-553 are concave or otherwise recessed.
In this example of implementation, the convex portion 551 of the inner side 30
of
the sweat collector 10 is a generally convex glabellar portion for contacting
a
glabella 33 of the user 14 (i.e., a space between the user's eyebrows and
above
his/her nose). The contact and pressure applied by the convex glabellar
portion
20 of the sweat collector 10 on the user's glabella 31 protects against sweat
dripping down into the user's eyes 161, 162 by passing between the convex
glabellar portion 20 of the sweat collector 10 and the user's glabella 31.
Also, in this example of implementation, the convex portions 552, 553 of the
inner
side 30 of the sweat collector 10 are generally convex temple portions for
contacting the user's left and right temples 231, 232. The contact and
pressure
applied by the convex temple portions 552, 553 of the sweat collector 10 on
the
user's temples 231, 232 protects against sweat dripping down into the user's
eyes
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161, 162 by passing between the convex temple portions 552, 553 of the sweat
collector 10 and the user's temples 231, 232.
By collecting and controlling sweat from the head 12 of the user 14, the sweat
collector 10 efficiently protects the user 14 against sweat running into
his/her
eyes 161, 162.
Although the sweat collector 10 is constructed in a particular way in
embodiments discussed above, the sweat collector 10 may be constructed in
various other ways in other embodiments.
For example, in some embodiments, the sweat-collecting recess 18 may extend
along at least a majority of a length of the sweat collector 10. For example,
Figures 7 and 8 show an embodiment in which the recess 18 extends along
nearly an entirety of the length of the sweat collector 10. As such, sweat
generated by the back region 26 of the user's head 12 can also be collected
within the recess 18 of the sweat collector 10. Also, the recess 18 extending
along a longer length of the sweat collector 10 makes the capacity Cr of the
sweat collector 10 greater and thus permits the retainable volume of sweat Vs
to
be greater. The recess 18 terminates at an evacuation opening 79 located in
the
back portion 31 of the sweat collector 10.
As another example, in some embodiments, as shown in Figures 9 to 11, the
sweat-collecting recess 18 may comprise a plurality of partitions 581-58p
which
divide the void formed by the recess 18 into a plurality of chambers 601-60c.
The
chambers 601-60c are shaped to receive and hold respective amounts of the
collected sweat. The partitions 581-58p also provide additional surface area
to
induce surface tension and adhesion effects for the collected sweat, thus
further
promoting retention of the sweat within the recess 18. Moreover, when
sufficient
sweat is accumulated in the recess 18 such that the sweat has a more free-
flowing nature, the partitions 581-58p act as baffles to regulate flow of
sweat in
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the recess 18. The baffles will thus direct and regulate flow of sweat within
the
recess 18 by guiding the sweat from one chamber 60, to an adjacent chamber
60j. As such, the chambers 601-60c will have a tendency to fill up in a
sequential
manner. In this embodiment, the channel formed by the recess 18 can therefore
be viewed as a "baffled" channel or reservoir.
As another example, in some embodiments, as shown in Figures 9 to 11, the
sweat collector 10 may comprise a hair-engaging sweat catcher 64 projecting
upwardly on the inner side 30 of the sweat collector 10 above the sweat-
collecting recess 18 and engaging hair of the head 12 of the user 14 to draw
sweat downwardly into the sweat-collecting recess 18. The hair-engaging sweat
catcher 64 may extend along any portion of the sweat collector 10 that engages
the hair of the user's head 12 when the sweat collector 10 is worn. For
example,
in this embodiment, the hair-engaging sweat catcher 64 extends along the back
portion 31 and parts of the left and right side portions 291, 292 of the sweat
collector 10 to facilitate removal of sweat from the hair of the user 14.
More particularly, in this embodiment, the hair-engaging sweat catcher 64
comprise a plurality of sweat-catching members 731-73H disposed adjacent to
one another along the longitudinal axis Lc of the sweat collector 10. Each
sweat-
catching member 73, comprises a tip 65 which contacts the head 12 of the user
14 and a base 67 in proximity to the open top 38 of the sweat-collecting
recess
18. The sweat-catching members 731-73H are spaced apart at their tip 65. The
tip
65 of each sweat-catching member 73, constitutes a sweat inlet while the base
67
of the sweat-catching member 73, constitutes a sweat outlet for directing
sweat
into the sweat-collecting recess 18. In this example, the sweat-catching
member
73, widens in a direction from its tip 65 towards its base 67. As sweat from
the
head 12 of the user 14 drips towards the tip 65 of the sweat-drawing member
73,,
the sweat will have a tendency to be drawn in towards the sweat-collecting
recess 18. More specifically, once a sweat drop comes into contact with the
tip
65 of the sweat-catching member 73,, surface tension and adhesion effects will
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induce movement of the sweat drop along the sweat-drawing member 73,
towards the base 67 of the sweat-catching member 73. In this case, the
widening shape of the sweat-catching member 73; towards the base 67 promotes
the flow of the sweat drop towards the base 67 where it is released into the
sweat-collecting recess 18. The sweat-catching members 731-73H may have
various other shapes in other embodiments. Also, the hair-engaging sweat
catcher 64 may be implemented in various other ways in other embodiments
(e.g., it may comprise a single continuous sweat catching member).
In some embodiments, the sweat collector 10 may not surround the head 12 of
the user 14, but may rather extend along less than all of a circumference of
the
head 12. For example, in some embodiments, the sweat collector 10 may have a
U-shape or C-shape such that it can extend along less than all of the user's
head
12. For instance, in some embodiments, as shown in Figure 12, the sweat
collector 10 may comprise left and right temple members 821, 822 that have
free
ends and may be temporarily affixed or rest generally near the left and right
temples 231, 232 of the head 12 of the user 14. In this example, the left and
right
temple members 821, 822 comprises left and right temple tips 841, 842 which
rest
on the ears of the user 14.
In some embodiments, the sweat collector 10 may be long enough to contour the
head 12 of the user 14 but may not be manufactured as a closed endless loop.
For example, in some embodiments, as shown in Figure 13, the sweat collector
10 may comprise longitudinal end portions that can be selectively attached to
and detached from each other with a closure system 35. The closure system 35
permits temporary attachment of the longitudinal end portions of the sweat
collector 10 and possibly adjustment of a closed loop length of the sweat
collector 10 such that its size can be personalized. In this example, the
closure
system 35 comprises a projecting button on one longitudinal end portion of the
sweat collector 10 that can fit in any one of multiple button-receiving holes
in an
opposite longitudinal end portion of the sweat collector 10. In various other
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examples of implementation, the closure system 35 may comprise a buckle, a
hoop and loop fastener, and/or any other attachment device.
In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 14, the sweat collector 10 may
comprise a retaining projection 91 projecting rearwardly towards the face 17
of
the user 14 from between the outer side 32 and the sweat-collecting recess 18
and overhanging the recess 18 to prevent sweat collected within the recess 18
from flowing out through the open top 38 of the recess 18 and over the outer
side
32 of the sweat collector 10 when the user 14 moves rapidly enough (e.g., when
practicing a sport or other activity that involve rapid movements of the user
14).
In some embodiments, a hydrophilic agent may be provided (e.g., coated) on
surfaces which receive the sweat, such as a top surface 66 leading into the
sweat-collecting recess 18 and/or one or more of the inner and outer surfaces
40, 42 of the sweat-collecting recess 18, in order to enhance capture of the
sweat at the top surface 66 and into the sweat-collecting recess 18.
In some embodiments, less than all of the sweat collector 10 may be made of
the
nonabsorbent material 15. For example, an external surface of the sweat
collector 10 may be made of nonabsorbent material 15 while a core of the sweat
collector 10 beneath its external surface may be made of absorbent material.
As
another example, one or more portions of the sweat collector 10 may be
absorbent such that, as sweat is collected, some sweat is absorbed by these
one
or more absorbent portions. For instance, in some embodiments, as shown in
Figure 15, a partition 58, disposed in the sweat-collecting recess 18 as
discussed
above in respect of Figures 9 to 11 may comprise an absorbent portion 78
(e.g.,
a foam or fabric) that can absorb sweat.
In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 16A to 16C, the sweat collector 10
may be wearable in association with protective headgear 70 worn by the user
14.
For instance, the protective headgear 70 may be a helmet (e.g.: a sports
helmet
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such as a hockey helmet, a football helmet, etc.; an industrial helmet such as
construction helmet (i.e., "hard hat"), a welding helmet, etc.; a military
helmet;
etc.) or eyewear for protecting the user's eyes 161, 162. In some cases, the
sweat
collector 10 may be worn separately and independently from the protective
headgear 70. In other cases, the sweat collector 10 may be integrated with the
protective headgear 70 so as to constitute an integrated part of the
protective
headgear 70. For example, Figure 17 shows an example in which the sweat
collector 10 is integrated with the protective headgear 70. More specifically,
in
this example, the protective headgear 70 is a welding helmet and the sweat
collector 10 is integrated to the welding helmet (e.g., to a harness of the
welding
helmet). In some cases, while being integrated to the protective headgear 70,
the
sweat collector 10 may also be detachable (e.g., to dry off or clean the sweat
collector 10 after use). In other cases, the sweat collector 10 integrated to
the
protection headgear 70 may not be removable from the headgear 70 (e.g., may
be cleaned with water and a towel).
Although in embodiments considered above the sweat collector 10 is wearable
on the head 12 of the user 14, in other embodiments, the sweat collector 10
may
be wearable on another body part of the user 14 to collect sweat from that
body
part to prevent the collected sweat from running down an external surface of
that
body part. For instance, in other embodiments, the sweat collector 10 may be
wearable on a forearm of the user 14 to collect sweat from the forearm and
prevent the collected sweat from running down into the user's hand and
reducing
the user's grip.
In other embodiments the liquid collector 10 may be mounted to the head 12 or
another body part of the user 14 to collect a liquid, other than sweat, that
originates from an external source (i.e., a source external to the user 14)
and
contacts the user's head or other body part.
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For example, in some embodiments, the liquid collector 10 may be mounted to
the user's head 12 to collect water that originates from an external source
and
contacts the user's head 12. For instance, in some cases, the external source
may be a bath, the water may be bathwater (possibly including a washing agent
such as soap or shampoo), and the user 14 may be a child or other individual
taking his/her bath, such that the liquid collector 10 may be used to collect
the
bathwater from the user's head 12 and prevent it from running into the user's
eyes 161, 162. In other cases, the external source may be a pool, the water
may
be pool water, and the user 14 may be swimming, playing water polo, or
engaged in another sport or another activity in the pool, such that that the
liquid
collector 10 may be used to collect the pool water from the user's head 12 and
prevent it from running into the user's eyes 161, 162. In yet other cases, the
external source may be a shower, a spa, a body of water (e.g., a lake, sea or
river), or any other source of water to which the user 14 may be exposed.
The liquid-collecting recess 18 may control the collected water in various
ways,
such as by retaining (i.e., holding) the collected water in the recess 18
and/or
redirecting the collected water out of the recess 18 in a predetermined
direction
away from the user's eyes 161, 162, as discussed above. For example, in some
embodiments, the liquid-collecting recess 18 may direct collected water
immediately as it enters the recess 18 to evacuate it from the recess 18 at
its
open longitudinal ends 411, 412 away from the user's eyes 161, 162, without
substantial accumulation of water in the recess 18. This may be beneficial
given
a flow rate of the water arriving at the liquid-collecting recess 18. To that
end, in
some embodiments, the liquid-collecting recess 18 may be configured to
facilitate
such immediate evacuation of the collected water based on the flow rate of the
water arriving at the recess 18. For example, in some embodiments, the width
Wr
of the sweat-collecting recess 18 may be sufficiently large to induce
immediate
evacuation of the collected water. For instance, in some embodiments, the
width
Wr of the sweat-collecting recess 18 may be at least 4.5 mm (e.g., 3/16 inch),
in
some cases at least 6 mm (e.g., 1/4 inch), in some cases at least 8 mm (e.g.,
1/3
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inch), in some cases at least 9.5 mm (e.g., 3/8 inch), and in some cases even
greater (e.g., at least 12.7 mm such as 1/2 inch).
While in embodiments considered above the object 12 to which the liquid
collector 10 is mounted is a body part of a user such that the liquid
collector 10 is
a sweat or other liquid collector for collecting sweat from the user's body
part, in
other embodiments, the object 12 to which the liquid collector 10 is mounted
may
be any other object such that the liquid collector 10 is another type of
liquid
collector for collecting another type of liquid.
For instance, Figures 20 to 23 show an embodiment in which the object 12 to
which the liquid collector 10 is mounted is a container. More particularly, in
this
embodiment, the container 12 is a bottle. For example, the liquid contained in
the
bottle 12 may be wine, water, oil or any other liquid. After liquid is poured
out of
the bottle 12 by a user, the liquid collector 10 may collect residual liquid
remaining on an external surface 71 of the bottle 12 to prevent it from
running
down the external surface 71 of the bottle 12, for instance, onto the user's
hand
and/or onto a table or other support on which the bottle 12 is placed.
The liquid collector 10 comprises an inner side 84 for contacting the external
surface 71 of the liquid container and an outer side 86 opposite the inner
side 84
for facing away from the bottle 12. In this embodiment, the liquid collector
10 is
elastic and stretchable such that it may be expanded for mounting onto the
bottle
12. More specifically, in this embodiment, the liquid collector 10 is made of
antimicrobial silicon rubber.
As the liquid originally contained in the bottle 12 runs down the external
surface
71 of the bottle 12 by gravity, the liquid is collected in the liquid-
collecting recess
18 of the liquid collector 10. In this case, the recess 18 extends along the
entire
length of the liquid collector 10. More specifically, in this case, the liquid-
collecting recess 18 comprises an open top 88 for receiving liquid drops, an
inner
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surface 90 and an outer surface 92 spaced apart and facing from one another,
and a bottom 94 between the inner and outer surfaces 90, 92. The inner and
outer surfaces 90, 92 and the bottom 94 of the recess 18 form a void which can
be occupied by collected liquid drops.
In this embodiment, the liquid collector 10 comprises a sealing projection 96
projecting towards the external surface 71 of the bottle 12 for being in
sealing
engagement with the bottle 12. The sealing projection 96 has a line of contact
76
with the bottle 12 such that liquid dripping from the bottle 12 would be
guided by
the sealing projection 96 towards the liquid-collecting recess 18 and
prevented
from dripping between the external surface 71 of the bottle and the inner side
84
of the liquid collector 10.
In addition, in this embodiment, the liquid collector 10 comprises a retaining
projection 98 projecting towards the external surface 71 of the bottle 12 to
prevent liquid drops collected within the liquid-collecting recess 18 from
falling
out of the liquid collector 10 when the bottle 12 is tilted to pour out liquid
contained in the bottle 12. More specifically, in addition to being retained
within
the recess 18 via surface tension and adhesion effects, the liquid drops in
the
recess 18 will further be retained within the liquid collector 10 by the
retaining
projection 98 should they happen to flow in a direction outward of the recess
18.
In some embodiments, the liquid collector 10 may comprise a plurality of
partitions similar to the partitions 581-58p of the sweat collector 10. Thus,
the
recess 18 of the liquid collector 10 may present different chambers similar to
the
chambers 601-60c of the sweat collector 10 such that the chambers may receive
and house respective amounts of the collected liquid in the recess 18.
The liquid collector 10 may be configured in various other ways in other
embodiments. For example, depending on the capacity Cr and visual appearance
desired, the liquid collector 10, may be taller or shorter. For instance,
Figure 22
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shows an embodiment in which the liquid collector is taller to make its
capacity Cr
greater.
Any feature of any embodiment discussed herein may be combined with any
feature of any other embodiment discussed herein in some examples of
implementation.
Although various embodiments and examples have been presented, this was for
the purpose of describing, but not limiting, the invention. Various
modifications
and enhancements will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art
and
are within the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended
claims.
28
