Single-dose spray system for application of liquids onto the human body

• US 20050039678A1
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SUNLESS Incorporated (Sunless Holding Co.)
• Original Assignee: Mystic Tan Incorporated (Sunless Holding Co.)
• Inventors: Cooper, Steven C., Croft, Ricky C., Cooper, Troy H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,297,211 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/638
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/057 Spray nozzles; Generating atomised liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/25 specially adapted for the application of sunscreen, tanning or self-tanning lotions
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/00 Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/62 Arrangements for supporting spraying apparatus, e.g. suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/14 with oscillating elements; with intermittent operation
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2416 characterised by the means for producing or supplying the atomising fluid, e.g. air hoses, air pumps, gas containers, compressors, fans, ventilators, their drives
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2472 comprising several containers

Abstract

A spray device for coating a surface of a human body with a spray liquid, the spray device including at least one nozzle and at least one liquid container, wherein the at least one liquid container adapted to hold a volume of spray liquid substantially equal to an amount required to apply a single dosage of the spray liquid for coating a surface of a human body. The spray device further includes a liquid channel adapted to connect the at least one liquid container to the at least one nozzle, and a spray valve adapted to cause the spray liquid to flow from the at least one liquid container to the at least one nozzle using the liquid channel, the at least one nozzle producing a spray jet of the spray liquid. The spray device still further includes a control device adapted to control the operation of the spray device, and a sweeping device for sweeping the spray jet from the at least one nozzle to coat at least a portion of the human body.

Claims

1. A spray device comprising:

at least one nozzle;

at least one liquid container, the at least one liquid container adapted to hold a volume of spray liquid substantially equal to an amount required to apply a single dosage of the spray liquid for coating a surface of a human body;

a liquid channel adapted to connect the at least one liquid container to the at least one nozzle;

a spray valve adapted to cause the spray liquid to flow from the at least one liquid container to the at least one nozzle using the liquid channel, the at least one nozzle producing a spray jet of the spray liquid;

a control device adapted to control the operation of the spray device; and

sweeping means for sweeping the spray jet from the at least one nozzle to coat at least a portion of the human body.

2. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the at least one liquid container comprises a disposable liquid container.

3. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the at least one liquid container comprises a refillable liquid container.

4. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the at least one liquid container comprises a removable liquid container.

5. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the spray liquid comprises a sunless tanning compound.

6. The spray device of claim 1, further comprising at least one pivot point to facilitate the sweeping of the spray jet.

7. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the sweeping means is adapted to produce an oscillating motion of the spray jet.

8. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the sweeping means is adapted to cause a substantially vertical movement of the spray jet to coat the at least a portion of the human body.

9. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the sweeping means is adapted to cause a substantially horizontal movement of the spray jet to coat the at least a portion of the human body.

10. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the sweeping means is adapted to cause a horizontal movement and a vertical movement of the spray jet to coat the at least a portion of the human body.

11. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the sweeping means comprises an automatic sweeping means.

12. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the sweeping means comprises a manually-operated sweeping means.

13. The spray device of claim 12, wherein the manually-operated sweeping means comprises a manually-operated lever.

14. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the control device is further adapted to control the operation of the sweeping means.

15. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the control device is further adapted to control a speed of movement of the sweeping means.

16. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a remote control.

17. The spray device of claim 16, wherein the remote control is connected to the spray device by a wire.

18. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the control device is adapted to control the operation of the spray valve via at least one of a light signal, a radio signal, a motion signal, and a sound signal.

19. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the control device comprises an automatic control device.

20. The spray device of claim 19, wherein the automatic control device comprises at least one of a timer and a programmable controller.

21. The spray device of claim 19, wherein operation of the automatic control device is initiated by an electrical switch.

22. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the control device is further adapted to electrically connect an operator of the control device to a ground.

23. The spray device of claim 1, further comprising mounting means for mounting the spray device to a surface.

24. The spray device of claim 23, wherein the surface comprises a horizontal surface.

25. The spray device of claim 23, wherein the surface comprises a vertical surface.

26. The spray device of claim 1, further comprising mounting means for mounting the spray device to a gantry system.

27. The spray device of claim 1, wherein the at least one nozzle comprises a plurality of nozzles, and the spray device further comprises a metering device adapted to control the flow of spray liquid through the plurality of nozzles.

28. A spray device for coating the surface of a human body with a spray liquid, the spray device comprising:

at least one nozzle;

at least one liquid container, the at least one liquid container adapted to hold a volume of spray liquid of less than one liter;

a liquid channel adapted to connect the at least one liquid container to the at least one nozzle;

a spray valve adapted to cause the spray liquid to flow from the at least one liquid container to the at least one nozzle using the liquid channel, the at least one nozzle producing a spray jet of the spray liquid;

a control device adapted to control the operation of the spray device; and

sweeping means for sweeping the spray jet from the at least one nozzle to coat at least a portion of the human body.

29. The spray device of claim 28, wherein the at least one liquid container is adapted to hold a volume of spray liquid substantially equal to that required to apply a predetermined multiple of a single application of the spray liquid to the surface of a human body

30. The spray device of claim 28, wherein the at least one liquid container comprises a removable liquid container.

31. The spray device of claim 28, wherein the spray liquid comprises a sunless tanning compound.

32. The spray device of claim 28, wherein the sweeping means is adapted to produce an oscillating motion of the spray jet.

33. The spray device of claim 28, wherein the sweeping means comprises an automatic sweeping means.

34. The spray device of claim 28, wherein the sweeping means comprises a manually-operated sweeping means.

35. The spray device of claim 28, wherein the control device is further adapted to control operation of the sweeping means.

36. The spray device of claim 28, further comprising mounting means for mounting the spray device to a surface.

37. A spray device comprising:

at least one nozzle;

at least one removable liquid container, the at least one removable liquid container adapted to hold a volume of spray liquid substantially equal to an amount required to apply a single dosage of the spray liquid for coating a surface of a human body;

a receiver adapted to receive the at least one removable liquid container;

a liquid channel adapted to connect the at least one removable liquid container to the at least one nozzle;

a spray valve adapted to cause the spray liquid to flow from the at least one removable liquid container to the at least one nozzle using the liquid channel, the at least one nozzle producing a spray jet of the spray liquid;

a control device adapted to control the operation of the spray device;

mounting means for mounting the spray device to a surface; and

sweeping means for sweeping the spray jet from the at least one nozzle to coat at least a portion of the human body.

38. The spray device of claim 37, wherein the spray liquid comprises a sunless tanning compound.

39. The spray device of claim 37, wherein the sweeping means is adapted to produce an oscillating motion of the spray jet.

40. The spray device of claim 37, wherein the sweeping means comprises an automatic sweeping means.

41. The spray device of claim 37, wherein the sweeping means comprises a manually-operated sweeping means.

42. The spray device of claim 37, wherein the control device is further adapted to control operation of the sweeping means.

43. The spray device of claim 37, further comprising mounting means for mounting the spray device to a surface.

44. A spray device comprising:

at least one nozzle;

at least one liquid container, the at least one liquid container adapted to hold a volume of spray liquid substantially equal to an amount required to apply a single dosage of the spray liquid for coating a surface of a human body;

a liquid channel adapted to connect the at least one liquid container to the at least one nozzle;

a pressurized gas conduit, the pressurized gas conduit adapted to connect a source of compressed gas to the at least one nozzle;

a spray valve adapted to cause pressurized gas to flow from the source of pressurized gas to the at least one nozzle using the gas conduit, wherein the flow of pressurized gas to the at least one nozzle facilitates flow of the spray liquid from the at least one liquid container to the at least one nozzle using the liquid channel, the at least one nozzle producing a spray jet of the spray liquid;

a control device adapted to control the operation of the spray device; and

sweeping means for sweeping the spray jet from the at least one nozzle to coat at least a portion of the human body.

45. The spray device of claim 44, wherein the at least one liquid container comprises a removable liquid container.

46. The spray device of claim 44, wherein the spray liquid comprises a sunless tanning compound.

47. The spray device of claim 44, wherein the sweeping means is adapted to produce an oscillating motion of the spray jet.

48. The spray device of claim 44, wherein the sweeping means comprises an automatic sweeping means.

49. The spray device of claim 44, wherein the sweeping means comprises a manually-operated sweeping means.

50. The spray device of claim 44, wherein the control device is further adapted to control operation of the sweeping means.

51. The spray device of claim 44, further comprising mounting means for mounting the spray device to a surface.

52. A spray device comprising:

at least one nozzle;

at least one liquid container;

a liquid channel adapted to connect the at least one liquid container to the at least one nozzle;

a spray valve adapted to cause the spray liquid to flow from the at least one liquid container to the at least one nozzle using the liquid channel, the at least one nozzle producing a spray jet of the spray liquid;

a control device adapted to control the operation of the spray device; and

positioning means for manually positioning the spray jet from the at least one nozzle to coat at least a portion of a human body.

53. The spray device of claim 52, wherein the at least one liquid container is adapted to hold a volume of spray liquid substantially equal to an amount required to apply a single dosage of the spray liquid for coating a surface of the human body.

54. The spray device of claim 52, wherein the at least one liquid container comprises a removable liquid container.

55. The spray device of claim 52, wherein the spray liquid comprises a sunless tanning compound.

56. The spray device of claim 52, wherein the at least one liquid container comprises a disposable liquid container.

57. The spray device of claim 52, wherein the at least one liquid container comprises a refillable liquid container.

58. The spray device of claim 52, wherein the control device is adapted to be mounted on the positioning means.

59. The spray device of claim 52, further comprising mounting means for mounting the spray device to a surface.