Patent Application
20090178282
The field of the invention is fluid delivery systems and more particularly, a hair removal device having an integrated fluid delivery system.
When a user is removing hair from their skin, for instance in wet shaving, a user typically “shave-preps” or prepares the area of skin (or hair) to be shaved by lubricating or preparing the area with a fluid or lotion to provide a safe and close shave, generally spreading the fluid around with their hands. In shaving, a razor is used to shave the lubricated hairs off the skin in the shave-prepped area. Hence, this is generally a two-step process for each area desired to be shaved. Further, a user may have to wash off their hands after applying the preparatory fluid before the second shaving step so as to hold the razor properly.
There are a variety of known methods that exist today to deliver fluids, many where fluids do not come into direct contact with one's hands. Within those, there are three broad prior art categories of fluid delivery types. One prior art category would include mechanical systems, such as brushes, pads, and foams. A drawback of these systems is the lack of consistency in fluid output and the need to continuously refill. The second category would include pressurized or electromagnetic driven systems which are generally active. By being active, these systems are always on or require energy to operate, thereby making them relatively costly solutions for desired low cost or mass marketed products.
A third category of fluid delivery systems would include capillary (or wick) based systems which are generally passive. Prior art capillary systems would include sintered powders, filamentous, foam or fiber based systems.
Some common examples of capillary system products would be wick-based air freshener fragrance-delivery products or some ink jet printer delivery products. The fiber based systems use bundles or other structures that are physically attached to each other. Some examples of these are: felt tip pens, magic markers, porous dome applicators (e.g. sintered pressed powder). However, as with other prior art solutions, fiber bundles are not necessarily consistent in the amount of product delivered and attempts to solve that problem by varying the applicator size adds difficulty. Furthermore, multiple uses of these systems can result in cloggage over time rendering inconsistent delivery of material to the desired dose.
The gradient or compressed foam described for fuel cells in U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,932, requires both a pump and capillary-based system, increasing the cost and complexity of the final device. Additionally, a limitation of the system described therein is that in its application to fuel cells for electronic devices it is a self-contained system, i.e. not open to the environment due to volatility of the fuel fluid.
Although these prior art systems described above function properly, some have inconsistent fluid delivery, some require energy, some are closed to the environment and there can be great variability in fluid delivery due to manufacturing, inconsistencies from product to product, and/or changes within a given product over time.
Further, these prior art systems are limited as they do not provide a fluid delivery system simplifying use with a wet or dry hair removal device such as a shaver or an epilator, while also providing continuous, tailored and precise fluid delivery nor the capability of using a varying number and type of fluids, such as aqueous or non-aqueous (or oil) based fluids.
A need exists in hair removal or shaving for a user to be able to apply a fluid without requiring a user's hands to spread a shave prep fluid or a fluid for providing post hair management related benefits onto the user's skin and to save a step in the shave process while also delivering fluids consistently, passively, independently of orientation and gravity, open to the environment and with the ability to tailor the amount of fluid delivered to a unit of area, thereby reducing cost and increasing effectiveness.
A further need exists to deliver any type of fluid or a plurality of fluids or formulations directly while also being integrated with a hair removal device such as a razor, a dry shaving device or an epilator or laser for use on both wet and dry skin.
In one aspect, the invention features, in general, a hair removal device including a hair removal area having at least one gradient foam, each gradient foam having an applicator surface area open to the environment, wherein the gradient foam is filled with a fluid which is passively and consistently dispensed independent of gravity when the applicator surface area contacts a skin surface. The hair removal area can be a razor cartridge having an over-frame and razor blades, a dry shaving hair removal area, an epilating area, or a laser hair removal area.
In another aspect, the gradient foam does not extend past tips of the razor blades and substantially covers the over-frame. In another aspect, the gradient foam has a varying compression ratio in the range of about 0 to about 20 over its length. In still other aspects of the invention, the gradient foam is comprised of polyurethane, melamine, cellulosic, PVC, polystyrene, polyethylene, or polyester materials and may be formed by a composite of a plurality of foams having different compression ratios.
Particular embodiments of the invention include one or more of the following features. In one particular embodiment, the gradient foam is chemically modified. In another embodiment, a first gradient foam has a first fluid and a second gradient foam has a second fluid wherein the first and second fluids are of a different type and the first and second gradient foams have the same compression ratios. In a alternate embodiment, there is a first fluid within a first gradient foam and a second fluid within a second gradient foam, but the first and second fluids are of a different type and said first and second gradient foams have different compression ratios. The first and second fluids can interact to form a third component that is applied onto the skin surface. In a still further embodiment, at least one fluid reservoir is in contact with the at least one gradient foam. The fluid reservoir can be in a handle of the hair removal device or in the hair removal area. The gradient foam is preferably locked into said hair removal area. A cap may be included to cover the gradient foam and can be made of a plastic injected polymer material. The fluid is preferably a liquid having at least one ingredient and a viscosity of in the range of about 0.1 to about 2000 centipoise. The applicator surface area may have a domed shape. In addition, as the applicator surface area increases, the amount of fluid dispensed onto the surface increases in a directly proportional manner.
In another aspect, the invention describes a method of delivering fluid through a hair removal device, includes lubricating a user's skin surface, with a fluid flowing upon contact with the skin surface from a applicator surface area of at least one gradient foam held in a hair removal area and removing hair with the hair removal device from the user's skin surface, wherein hands of the user are not in contact with the fluid and wherein the lubricating and shaving steps occur substantially simultaneously. The hair removal area can be one of the following: a razor cartridge, a dry shaving hair removal area, an epilating area, or a laser hair removal area.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
For purposes of the present invention, the term “fluid” will be defined as a substance such as a liquid that is capable of flowing and that changes its shape at a steady rate when acted upon by a force tending to change its shape and may be used interchangeably or signify the following terms: liquid, water, alcohol, silicone, oil, emulsion or any combination of these fluid terms or with any additional soluble components.
Fluids desired in the present invention are of a type that produce low viscosity formulations with the capability of flowing within a given pore structure where viscosity is low enough to function via capillary action and does not require any pressure for delivery.
Additionally, the term “wicking” and “capillary action” are deemed equivalent for purposes of the present invention and can be used interchangeably.
The term “hair removal device” herein signifies a wet and/or dry shaving system which includes a razor, a dry shaver, an epilator, or a laser (light-based system) having respective hair removal areas, a razor cartridge, a dry shaver hair removal area, an epilating area or a laser hair removal area.
Referring now to
One method for producing a material with a capillary gradient is to “felt,” or compress, or heat set, foam to varying degrees of compression or pore size along its length. Another method for producing a material with a capillary gradient is to assemble a composite of individual components with distinctly different capillarities (or compression ratios) that are physically attached to each other.
A piece of foam or wicking material is generally known to have many pores generally of consistent size and typically described as having a certain number of pores per square inch (ppi). PPI designations are generally used for foams. It follows that the more pores (per unit area) that exist in the foam, the smaller the pores are, thereby rendering the foam less porous. The fewer pores there are in the foam, the bigger the pore size, thereby rendering the foam more porous. The pore sizes in a piece of foam with consistent pore size can be made to vary as will be described below with respect to
When open cell foams are manufactured they have “windows” of a thin layer of material within the general foam structure. These windows are typically removed either chemically or via a zapping process with a flash flame to produce an open cell structure described as reticulated foam. It is desirable to produce gradient foams using foam that has been reticulated.
As shown in
Foam piece 10 is preferably made of polyurethane but can be made from, though not limited to, any of the following materials: melamine, cellulosic, PVC, polystyrene, polyethylene, and polyester. The material of the foam piece can vary and can be surface treated to achieve other surface energy properties. For instance, the foam piece 10 can be surface treated with a chemical to increase hydrophobicity (i.e. having less affinity for water) or the starting foam material can be hydrophobic in nature.
To produce a material with a capillary gradient, one may subject the foam to varying degrees of compression along its length. Another way is to assemble together several different pieces of reticulated foam having different pore sizes with different capillarities which are laminated together to create a composite material.
To accomplish the compression, the piece of foam 10 is subjected to a felting step which involves high temperature compression for a desired time thereby compressing the foam piece 10 to a consistent thickness T3, which is preferably a thickness less than or equal to T2 and less than the thickness T1 as depicted in
It should be noted that a greater compressive force, represented by arrows 12 in
When the foam 10 is compressed, the pore sizes in foam 20 are also compressed as depicted in
The compression ratio (T1/T2) of the foam material preferably ranges from about zero (0) to about twenty (20) for gradient foam 20. The compression varies along the length of the felted or gradient foam 20 shown in
Accordingly, after compression, the compressed pores 16 and 26 are smaller at the first end 21 than at the second end 22. The compression ratio of compressed pores 16 and 26 vary from about zero (0) at the first end 21 to about twenty (20) times at the second end 22.
The capillary action or capillarity is inversely proportional to the effective capillary radius, and the effective capillary radius decreases with increasing firmness or compression. Accordingly, the fluid will flow to the hardest part (or the most compressed portion of the gradient structure) of the gradient foam.
Arrow 24 in
Referring now to
Cartridge 32 preferably has an over-frame 34 surrounding razor blades 36. The gradient foams 20 and 22 are preferably held or locked in place with pins on both sides of the over-frame 34 or snapped or clipped on. The gradient foams 20 and 22 preferably are coupled with a holder (not shown) which physically attaches to the cartridge 32 or alternatively, the foams may be attached directly to the cartridge 32. The gradient foams 20 and 22 may also be glued onto the over-frame 34 using water resistant glue or may be inserted physically into the over-frame 34 through slots or openings (not shown). Any mechanism to hold or lock the foams 20 and 22 in place may be utilized taking into consideration the expansion of the gradient foams 20 and 22 upon wetting. Preferably, as shown in
The over-frame 34 may also be substantially covered by a gradient foam material 24 as shown in
A user will be able to hold handle 38 and shave with razor 30 using a similar motion over the skin as with any other razor with a handle. The gradient foams 20, 22 and 24 in
Nonetheless, the fluid flows to the applicator surface area 37 of gradient foams 20, 22, and 24 with no pump, pressure or other active mechanism in accordance with a preferred aspect of the present invention. A slight contact with the skin surface is all that is needed for fluid flow.
The razor 30 in the present invention, mated with the gradient foams filled with fluid, allows the user to have an all-in-one device with one shaving step rather than two, in that the user is able to lubricate the skin with fluid substantially simultaneously with shaving and without requiring direct hand contact with the fluid.
Applicator surface area 37 of gradient foams 20 and 22 preferably has a dome-like shape as shown in
The fluid in gradient foam 20 may empty with use or dry out or evaporate over time. This time depends on how much fluid was initially loaded into the foam 20. When the majority of the fluid in gradient foam 20 runs out or dries out, the “empty” gradient foam 20 can be removed and replaced with new foam or a new cartridge 32 with a new foam 20 where the foam is pre-loaded with fluid, or the “empty” gradient foam 20 can be refilled with fluid.
Furthermore, razor 30 may include one or more fluid reservoirs 42 within the razor 30 and preferably in contact or proximal to the gradient foams 20 and 22; for instance, underneath or behind the bottom of foams as shown in
Hence, razor 30 may be treated as a disposable razor, having a single use or multiple uses depending on the amount of fluid in the foam and the desired or potential number of uses of the replaceable with razor cartridge 32. Accordingly, the gradient foams themselves may be disposable and replaceable with new gradient foams or alternatively, the razor cartridge 32 including the foams may together be disposable and replaceable with a new razor cartridge having new gradient foams. The fluid reservoirs 42 may also be replaceable such that if the fluid in the reservoir is empty a new fully-filled reservoir 42 may be snapped in to the handle or added together with new foams.
The foam material of gradient foam 20, 22, 24 is preferably made of polyurethane but can be made from, though not limited to, any of the following materials: melamine, cellulosic, PVC, polystyrene, polyethylene, or polyester. Furthermore, foam 20 can be a single contiguous foam material with varying compressed pore sizes (i.e. continuous gradient of porosity) as shown in
The foam 20 can be any color, shape or have any varying size of pores desired for a specific application. Preferably, the starting range of pore size for gradient foam 20 before compression is generally from about 20 ppi to about 120 ppi.
Accordingly, to provide maximum shaving comfort along with other benefits, any optimization of the gradient foams including modifications to the applicator surface area, foam density, hardness, geometry/size, foam distribution or orientation in or around the cartridge and foam locking design is contemplated in alternate embodiments of the present invention.
Furthermore, razor 30 with mated gradient foam 20 may also be attachable to any other device or surface, such as a convenient shower wall fixture or other type of docking station.
Cap 62, as shown in a preferred embodiment of the present invention in
It is contemplated in the present invention that the fluid or fluids in the gradient foam can be of any substance, such as a liquid that is capable of flowing. As mentioned above, the fluid is wicked into or fills up the gradient foam 20. The fluid can be aqueous or non-aqueous, having from at least one ingredient or components to many complex ingredients. The fluid in the gradient needs to be “flowable,” that is, it should have a viscosity low enough to allow the fluid to freely move through the foam. The more viscous (e.g. gel or cream) the fluid, the less likely the fluid will move through the foam without the need of pressure to push it through the pores. Accordingly, the viscosity for fluids used in the present invention preferably ranges from about 0.1 to about 2000 centipoise. Additionally, to allow proper flow for aqueous and non-aqueous fluids, empirical determinations need to be made for specific chemistries and surface energy profiles of the foam and/or fluid. And it further may be necessary, in order to achieve proper delivery for a given fluid, to modify the foam 20 chemically or via plasma-etching.
Thus, the gradient foam 20 can be modified to deliver materials with different properties such as hydrophobic or hydrophilic materials. The fluid composition in the present invention, as mentioned above, may include soap, moisturizers, active skin or hair therapeutics, anti-bacteria actives or aroma ingredients or any combinations thereof for desired benefits. The amount of fluid in the foam may vary.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, gradient foam may be mated (in a similar fashion as described supra with respect to a razor) to a dry shaving system, which may be an electric razor, as shown in
Referring now to
It should be noted that in each of the razor, dry shaver, and epilator embodiments, the gradient foam is attached at or near the top of the device (for instance near the cartridge or other hair removal areas) thereby eliminating a user's second step of having to apply fluid during hair removal (i.e. the lubrication and shaving occur substantially simultaneously) and furthermore, the hands of the user are not in contact with said fluid flowing from the gradient foam.
The term, therefore, for the general area where the gradient foam is located, regardless of embodiment, is near the hair removal area and the hair removal area may encompass a razor cartridge, a dry shaver hair removal area or an epilating area.
The overall relationship of the applicator surface area (37, 85 and 95) versus the average fluid released from a gradient foam such as those described above in conjunction with the preferred embodiments of the present invention is shown in the graph of
These results (i.e. for a given formulation, increasing the applicator surface area increases the dose in a linear fashion) will generally hold true for a given type of fluid or formulation delivered from a given type of compressed or gradient foam. In other words, it is expected to achieve the same dose profile per unit area, per formulation, speed of application and type of applicator surface area.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”.
All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in this written document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/010,863 filed Jan. 11, 2008.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61010863 | Jan 2008 | US |
