A portion of this disclosure contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the material subject to copyright protection as it appears in the United States Patent & Trademark Office's patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
Embodiments of the design provided herein generally relate to a sanitizer for cosmetics.
Ultraviolet-C (UVC) light is generally electromagnetic irradiation at wavelengths of 200 to 280 nm.
In an embodiment, a system, a method, and an apparatus are discussed for a sanitizer for cosmetics. The applicator wand for the cosmetic product is optically coupled to an ultraviolet light source as an illumination source of ultraviolet light wavelengths. The applicator wand provides the source of the ultraviolet light wavelengths to be a germicide for bacteria in the cosmetic product on the applicator wand. The ultraviolet light source emits the ultraviolet light wavelengths in a range extending between 202-225 nm. A container contains the cosmetic product. The cap of the container attaches to a body of the container. One or more batteries electrically connect to at least an electronic control circuit and the ultraviolet light source.
This and many more example embodiments are discussed herein.
While the design is subject to various modifications, equivalents, and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will now be described in detail. It should be understood that the design is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but—on the contrary—the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative forms using the specific embodiments.
In the following description, numerous specific details can be set forth, such as examples of specific data signals, named components, types of cosmetics, etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present design. It will be apparent, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present design can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known components or methods have not been described in detail but rather in a block diagram in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present design. Further, specific numeric references such as the first light source, can be made. However, the specific numeric reference should not be interpreted as a literal sequential order but rather interpreted that the first light source is different than a second light source. Thus, the specific details set forth can be merely exemplary. This disclosure describes inventive concepts with reference to specific examples. However, the intent is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives of the inventive concepts that are consistent with this disclosure. It will be apparent, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present approach can be practiced without these specific details. Thus, the specific details set forth are merely exemplary, and is not intended to limit what is presently disclosed. The specific details can be varied from and still be contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the present design. The term “coupled” is defined as meaning connected either directly to the component or indirectly to the component through another component. The features implemented in one embodiment may be implemented in another embodiment where logically possible.
Provided herein is a sanitizer for cosmetics including in an embodiment, a cap, an applicator wand as an illumination source of ultraviolet light wavelengths, a tubular or a rectangular tube-shaped container to contain a cosmetic product, one or more batteries, one or more illumination lights to illuminate an area where the cosmetic product is intended to be applied, and other portions, including an electronic control circuit, of a cosmetic sanitizing system. The applicator wand provides the source of the ultraviolet rays to be germicidal for bacteria on the applicator wand as well as in the cosmetic product contained in the container itself.
Referring to
A head of the applicator wand 100 connects to a body of the applicator wand 100. The applicator head may be bristleless or may have bristles that are easily cleanable. The applicator head may be removable and replaceable from the body of the applicator wand 100. The applicator head may, for example, i) screw onto and off of, ii) mechanically snap onto and off of, the body of the applicator wand 100. The applicator head generally may have a transparent interior structure. The applicator wand 100 may be designed to be reusable by having the ability to attach to a cap 102 of containers 104 for multiple different container 104s, such as containers 104 from different brands of cosmetics.
Referring to
i) an outer body with an opening at a bottom of the outer body to the cosmetic product in the container 104. The outer body is attached to a suction head to function as a syringe and dropper for a fluid-based cosmetic product, and
ii) a glass-based tubular inner portion that is optically coupled to the ultraviolet light source as the illumination source of the ultraviolet light wavelengths to emit the ultraviolet light wavelengths from within the glass-based tubular inner portion of the applicator wand 100.
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The ultraviolet light source in the cosmetic sanitizer system can emit a light in the Far Ultraviolet C (“ultraviolet-C”) range extending between (202-225 nm) from one or more lights. The control circuit with a timer is configured to ensure the cosmetic product housed within the container 104 is exposed to the ultraviolet light wavelengths for a fixed amount of time during a sanitizing session. For example, the timer may have the ultraviolet light source come on for a time period of ten minutes to sanitize and kill germs (bacteria or viruses) that are in the cosmetic product and/or on the applicator wand 100. The electronic control circuit uses one or more sensors to detect when the cap 102 is secured onto the container 104 before activating the one or more ultraviolet light sources to emit the ultraviolet light wavelengths merely when the applicator wand 100 is inside the container 104, which is indicated by the cap 102 being secured onto the container 104. The one or more sensors, as a safety measure, are configured to detect when the cap 102 is closed onto the container 104 before activating the cosmetic sanitizer system to avoid directly exposing the ultraviolet-C light to human skin or eyes. For an example sensor, a normally electrically open contact can be used such that when the cap 102 is off the container 104, then the electrically open contact remains open, which shuts off the power to the ultraviolet light source. When the cap 102 is on the container 104, then the electrically open contact goes closed allowing power to reach the ultraviolet light source. Note, the timer may also be programmable to run once every fixed period of time after an initial sanitizing session occurs. For example, a cosmetic product may be applied, the cap 102 and the attached wand application secured back onto the container 104, which will trigger the sanitizing session when the cap 102 is put back on the container 104. However, this cosmetic applicator and product may then sit unused for several days. The programmable time period can be programmed to run once every fixed period of time after the initial sanitizing session. For example, a subsequent sanitizing session may be run at least once every 48 hour period even if the cap 102 has not been removed from the container 104 in order to act as a germicide for the applicator including its head and the cosmetic product in the container 104.
Another mechanism to keep the cosmetic product bacteria free is use of a gasket. The cap 102 to container 104 connection may have a rubber gasket positioned at that location. The applicator wand 100 extending out of the cap 102 can penetrate an air tight seal in the gasket to extend into the body of the container 104 where the cosmetic product is stored. The air tight seal in the gasket in a neck of the container 104 minimizes an amount the cosmetic product is exposed to air, which aids in minimizing keeping the cosmetic product on the applicator wand 100 free from harmful bacteria.
Another mechanism to aid in minimizing keeping the cosmetic product on the applicator wand 100 free from harmful bacteria is the applicator wand 100 itself. The applicator wand 100 itself provides the source of the ultraviolet rays to be germicidal for bacteria on the applicator wand 100. The germicidal mechanism of the ultraviolet light relies on its DNA-damaging effect on bacteria. Irradiation with ultraviolet light waves from 204 nm ultraviolet light up to 225 nm ultraviolet light significantly reduce bacterial numbers on the applicator wand 100 and in the cosmetic product itself.
The ultraviolet light source may emit an ultraviolet-C light at, for example, 222 nm. Ultraviolet-C light at large doses of 222 nm can pose no substantial potential health risks to the skin or eyes. The 222 nm ultraviolet light can be more effective than conventional ultraviolet sources at certain types of bacteria eradication and, for example, is more effective at eradicating most bacterial spores than, for example, 254 nm light. In an embodiment, a range of ultraviolet light waves may be used from 200 nm ultraviolet light up to 225 nm ultraviolet light.
In general, the electronic control circuit is configured such that ultraviolet light will be emitted when the applicator wand 100 is inside the container 104 and the timer is periodically running the sanitizing cycle. In general, the electronic control circuit is configured such that ultraviolet light will be off and not be emitted from the applicator wand 100 when outside of the container 104. However, ultraviolet light waves from, for example, 204 nm ultraviolet light up to 225 nm ultraviolet light have been chosen because they are effective at being germicidal and in general do not substantially harm human cells. In particular, irradiation with a 222 nm may be an optimum combination of effective disinfection and biological safety to human cells. Again, one or more optical filters or other techniques may be used to ensure the applicator wand 100 emits a single wavelength, such as 222 nm.
The cosmetic sanitizer has been made safe to be carried in a purse or handbag all day by a human and not be a danger to that person. Again, the container 104 is designed to contain the ultraviolet wavelengths within the container 104 or at least reduce the strength of the ultraviolet wavelengths going outside of the container 104 during a sanitizing session. Direct exposure from the ultraviolet light waves from 204 nm ultraviolet light up to 225 nm ultraviolet light have been shown to absorbed by proteins in the membrane and cytosol, but fail to reach the nucleus of human cells. In addition, the cosmetic sanitizer has been made safe in case a fault occurs and the ultraviolet light accidently comes on when near the person when they are attempting to apply the cosmetics.
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The applicator wand 100 may be designed to be reusable by having the ability to attach to a cap 102 of container 104s for multiple different container 104s, such as container 104s from other brands and other cosmetic products, and the selected range of ultraviolet wavelengths allow a same instance of the applicator wand 100 to be used as a germicide for multiple different types of cosmetic products. Thus, the different container 104s each containing one of the plurality cosmetic products that the same applicator wand 100 can be used to sanitize their cosmetic products.
While the foregoing design and embodiments thereof have been provided in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant(s) for the design and embodiments provided herein to be limiting. Additional adaptations and/or modifications are possible, and, in broader aspects, these adaptations and/or modifications are also encompassed. Accordingly, departures may be made from the foregoing design and embodiments without departing from the scope afforded by the following claims, which scope is only limited by the claims when appropriately construed.