Coating implements with material supply – With means to attach or conform to body of user
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-01
2001-03-06
Walczak, David J. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
With means to attach or conform to body of user
C401S208000, C401S122000, C401S118000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196743
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a liquid applicator and container and more particularly to an applicator and container suited for the application of a sun tan lotion to an area of a user's skin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art of sun tan lotion applicators, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,163 to Komala and U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,612 to Mooney, discloses the use of an applicator supporting sponge material for immersion in a supply of sun tan lotion housed in a container. The prior art teaches that the sponge material which has absorbed lotion is wiped across a surface of the skin for application of the lotion carried by the sponge material. See, for example, the construction of the frame
22
supporting applicator arms
22
for wiping application in the Komala patent and the teaching of Mooney regarding wiping application, at Col. 1, lines 47-49, that the “applicator should also provide a soothing feel resembling that of human skin to massage the liquid into the skin.”
The prior art does not disclose the use of a compressible layer of closely spaced wick-like members of absorbent material forming a compressible layer to apply a sun tan lotion through rolling contact between the applicator and a surface of skin which offers advantages over the use of a wiped sponge including assurances of uniformly applying a sufficiently thick layer of lotion for protection against skin damage caused by ultraviolet radiation from exposure to the sun as well as providing an applicator which can carry a sufficient amount of lotion to apply a layer of lotion over a large area of skin. Such an increase in carrying capability offers the advantage of coverage of a large area of skin without the need for re-immersion of the applicator in the supply of sun tan lotion.
It is known in the prior art, as disclosed in the Mooney patent, to size the opening of the container which houses the supply of sun tan lotion such that an interference creates compression on the applicator for removal of excess liquid from a saturated applicator. The prior art, however, does not disclose providing an exit reservoir extending from the opening of the container to provide a contained clearance around an exiting applicator for capture and return to the container of either extracted liquid which is forced through the opening with the exiting applicator or liquid which is separated from the applicator beyond the opening as the applicator returns to an unrestrained configuration upon release of the compression.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying a liquid, such as a sun tan lotion, to an area of a user's skin.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which facilitates application of a sun tan lotion to a hard to reach area of skin, such as the back of a user.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus having a rotatably supported applicator for applying a sun tan lotion through rolling contact between a layer of saturated material and a user's skin offering the advantage of uniform coverage over the area of skin essentially assuring a minimum layer to utilize the effective ultraviolet protection afforded by the composition of the lotion.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying a sun tan lotion to hard to reach areas of a user's skin having an applicator including a compressible layer of closely spaced wick-like members of absorbent material providing the advantages of retention of a large amount of lotion and uniform application of lotion over a large area of skin without the need for re-immersion of the applicator in a supply of sun tan lotion.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying a sun tan lotion to a user's skin which includes a container for immersion of an applicator in a supply of lotion having an opening sized for interference with a compressible and absorbent layer of an applicator to remove an excess portion of lotion and an exit reservoir extending from the opening to contain and return lotion separated from the applicator which is either forced through the opening with the applicator or ejected from the compressible layer upon release from the interference with the opening, the combination of the container and exit reservoir offering the advantages of efficiently saturating the applicator and neatly containing the lotion separated from an exiting applicator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for applying a liquid, such as a sun tan lotion, to a user's body. The apparatus includes: an elongated handle having a central axis and a length sufficient to traverse the palm of a user for control of the apparatus; an elongated shaft extending from the handle and having a central axis which is generally coincident with the central axis of the handle; an applicator rotatably supported by the shaft having a compressible portion at an outer periphery thereof, the compressible portion including a cylindrical mat and a plurality of closely spaced absorbent wick-like members secured to the cylindrical mat for generally outward extension therefrom; and a container for housing the applicator and a supply of the liquid.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the container of the apparatus includes an opening sized for interference between at least a portion of the compressible portion of the applicator and the opening for applying compression to the compressible portion to extract an excess portion of the liquid from the applicator upon removal of the applicator from the container. The preferred apparatus according to the present invention also includes an exit reservoir extending outwardly from the opening of the container, the exit reservoir having an outwardly expanding portion with respect to the opening of the container for containment and return of a portion of the extracted excess portion of liquid which is either forced through the opening or separated from the compressible portion of the applicator upon release of the compressible portion from the compression.
The container according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention has an internal surface providing sufficient clearance around the applicator to provide for non-piston travel of an applicator immersed in liquid housed in the container whereby a portion of liquid forwardly of a traveling applicator is redistributed rearwardly with respect to the applicator.
The apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a hollow cylindrical base having an outer surface to which the mat is secured and an opposite inner surface, the applicator including a split cylinder grip member rotatably supported in a channel along the inner surface of the base, the grip member establishing compression between the grip member and the shaft upon insertion of shaft in the inner surface of the base for frictional retention of the grip member on the shaft.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2034416 (1936-03-01), Peat
patent: 4276718 (1981-07-01), Keeton et al.
patent: 4403624 (1983-09-01), Montgomery
patent: 4869612 (1989-09-01), Mooney et al.
patent: 5810027 (1998-09-01), Frantzeskakis
patent: 5931590 (1999-08-01), Harris
patent: 75526 (1893-06-01), None
Poff Clifford A.
Walczak David J.
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