Method of and apparatus for automatically coating the human body

• US 6,474,343 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2001
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Laughlin Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Laughlin Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Laughlin, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Doan, Robyn Kieu
• Application Number:
  US09/976,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20020040721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 132/200, 132/333, 424/401, 424/59, 424/78.02, 424/78.03, 424/78.06
• US Class Current: 132/200
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/057 Spray nozzles; Generating atomised liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/04 Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/83 Electrophoresis; Electrodes; Electrolytic phenomena
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/02 characterised by special physical form
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/046 Aerosols; Foams
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/35 Ketones, e.g. benzophenone
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/355 Quinones
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/06 of the injector type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/25 specially adapted for the application of sunscreen, tanning or self-tanning lotions
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/04 for chemically tanning the skin topical sun or radiation screening or tanning preparations A61Q17/04
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 14/43 by filtering the air charged with excess material
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 14/46 by washing the air charged with excess material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/10 Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working

Abstract

In a system for coating human skin, a chemical composition, such as a cosmetic or medical formulation, is uniformly coated over the entire body or selected parts of the body of the person being coated. The system includes atomization of the coating composition, containment of the atomized spray, and residual recovery which together yield a novel method for applying chemical compositions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for coating substantially the entire human body with a human skin coating material comprising:

structure defining a coating chamber for receiving the entire body of a person to be coated;

a reservoir for receiving the human skin coating material in liquid form;

at least one nozzle positioned within the coating chamber for receiving the human skin coating from the reservoir and for discharging a spray comprising the human skin coating liquid onto the skin comprising substantially the entire body of the person in the coating chamber;

apparatus for moving the spray discharge of the nozzle relative to the body of the person to be coated thereby assuring a uniform coating of the human skin coating material over substantially the entire body of the person;

the structure defining the coating chamber further comprising apparatus for receiving at least part of the spray from the nozzle which is not received on the skin of the person;

apparatus for circulating air independently of the liquid discharged from the nozzle and around the body of the person to be coated and thereby removing from the coating chamber the remainder of the spray from the nozzle which is not received on the skin of the person; and

apparatus for disposing of the spray which is not received on the skin of the person.

2. The apparatus for coating substantially the entire human body with a human skin material according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one filter for removing excess spray from the circulating air.

3. An apparatus for coating substantially the entire body of a person with a human skin coating material in liquid form comprising:

an enclosure defining a coating chamber for receiving the entire body of the person to be coated;

a reservoir for receiving the human skin coating liquid;

at least one nozzle positioned within the coating chamber for receiving the human skin coating liquid from the container and for discharging the liquid onto the skin of the person within the coating chamber;

apparatus for causing the predetermined human skin coating liquid to flow from the reservoir through the nozzle for discharge in the form of a spray;

apparatus for moving the spray from the nozzle relative to the body of the person to be coated and thereby assuring a uniform coating of the human skin coating material over substantially the entire body of the person;

the structure defining the coating chamber further comprising apparatus for receiving excess spray from the nozzle which is not received on the skin of the person;

apparatus for disposing of the excess spray; and

apparatus for circulating air through the coating chamber independently of the discharge of liquid from the nozzle and around the body of the person therein during the discharge of the human skin coating liquid from the nozzle.

4. A method for coating substantially the entire body of a person with a human skin self tanning material comprising the steps of:

providing a coating chamber for receiving the entire body of a person to be coated;

providing a reservoir for receiving the human skin self tanning material in liquid form;

providing at least one nozzle positioned within the coating chamber;

discharging the human skin self tanning liquid from the reservoir through the nozzle and thereby discharging the human skin self tanning liquid onto the skin comprising substantially the entire body of the person in the coating chamber;

moving the nozzle discharge relative to the body of the person to be coated and thereby assuring a uniform coating of the human skin self tanning material over substantially the entire body of the person;

receiving at least part of the discharge from the nozzle which is not received on the skin of the person;

circulating air independently of the discharge from the nozzle and around the body of the person to be coated and thereby removing from the coating chamber the remainder of the discharge from the nozzle which is not received on the skin of the person; and

disposing of the nozzle discharge which is not received on the skin of the person.

5. The method for coating substantially the entire human body with a human skin self tanning material according to claim 4 further comprising:

providing at least one filter for removing excess nozzle discharge from the circulating air.

6. A method for coating substantially the entire body of a person with a human skin self tanning material comprising the steps of:

providing an enclosure defining a coating chamber for receiving the entire body of a person to be coated;

providing a reservoir for receiving the human skin self tanning liquid;

providing at least one nozzle positioned within the coating chamber for receiving the human skin self tanning liquid from the reservoir and for discharging the liquid onto the person within the coating chamber;

moving the nozzle spray discharge relative to the body of the person to be coated and thereby assuring a uniform coating of the human skin self tanning material over substantially the entire body of the person;

receiving the excess spray from the nozzle which is not received on the skin of the person;

disposing of the excess spray; and

circulating air through the coating chamber independently of the discharge of liquid from the nozzle and around the body of the person therein during the discharge of the human skin self tanning liquid from the nozzle.