U.S. patent application number 10/941931 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-19 for lotion applicator.
Invention is credited to Dunkley, Graham.
Application Number | 20050102786 10/941931 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34575743 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050102786 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dunkley, Graham |
May 19, 2005 |
Lotion applicator
Abstract
A lotion applicator comprises two layers of flexible material
joined together to allow insertion of at least a part of a user's
hand therebetween. At least one of the flexible material layers
consists of a non-absorbent liquid-impermeable barrier layer, and a
layer of flock or pile or foam applied to the outer surface of the
barrier layer. A lotion applied to the at least one flexible
material layer is thus, due to the barrier layer, unable to pass
beyond the flock layer or pile layer or foam layer.
Inventors: |
Dunkley, Graham;
(Gloucester, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
745 SOUTH 23RD STREET
2ND FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22202
US
|
Family ID: |
34575743 |
Appl. No.: |
10/941931 |
Filed: |
September 16, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/227 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 9/021 20130101;
A45D 2200/1018 20130101; A61M 35/006 20130101; A45D 34/04 20130101;
A46B 2200/1046 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/227 |
International
Class: |
A47L 013/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 19, 2003 |
GB |
0321965.6 |
Sep 14, 2004 |
GB |
0420370.9 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A lotion applicator comprising two layers of flexible material
joined together to allow insertion of at least a part of a user's
hand therebetween, at least one of the flexible material layers
consisting of a non-absorbent liquid-impermeable barrier layer and
one of a layer of flock and a layer of pile and a layer of foam
applied to the outer surface of the barrier layer, so that a lotion
applied to the said at least one flexible material layer is unable
to pass beyond said one of said flock layer and said pile layer and
said foam layer.
2. A lotion applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein both flexible
material layers consist of the liquid-impermeable barrier layer and
said one of said flock layer and said pile layer and said foam
layer.
3. A lotion applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
liquid-impermeable barrier layer is entirely synthetic.
4. A lotion applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
liquid-impermeable barrier layer is formed from polyvinylchloride
(PVC).
5. A lotion applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
liquid-impermeable barrier layer is formed from polyurethane
(PU).
6. A lotion applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two
flexible layers are secured together by welding.
7. A lotion applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
liquid-impermeable barrier layer and said one of said flock layer
and said pile layer and said foam layer are secured together by
adhesive.
8. A lotion applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
applicator is sized to fit the entire, or substantially entire,
hand of a user.
9. A lotion applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
applicator is sized to fit only one or more fingers of a user.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a lotion applicator and in
particular, but not exclusively, to a self-tanning lotion
applicator.
[0002] A lotion applicator is known from GB 2327340. This type of
applicator includes a layer of flexible synthetic foam material to
which a layer of flock is secured.
[0003] A problem discovered with this type of applicator is that
lotion applied to the flock tends to be absorbed by the foam
material during use of the applicator, thus resulting in wastage of
lotion and a decrease in the life of the applicator.
[0004] The present invention seeks to provide a solution to this
problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to the present invention, there is provided a
lotion applicator comprising two layers of flexible material joined
together to allow insertion of at least a part of a user's hand
therebetween, at least one of the flexible material layers
consisting of a non-absorbent liquid-impermeable barrier layer and
one of a layer of flock and a layer of pile and a layer of foam
applied to the outer surface of the barrier layer, so that a lotion
applied to the said at least one flexible material layer is unable
to pass beyond said one of said flock layer and said pile layer and
said foam layer.
[0006] As a consequence of the barrier layer, applied lotion
advantageously remains only in the flock and does not become
absorbed by the applicator.
[0007] The invention will now be more particularly described, by
way of example only, with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of first, second and third
embodiments of the lotion applicator, in accordance with the
present invention; and
[0009] FIG. 2 is a section through the applicator along the line
2-2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0010] Referring to the FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a lotion
applicator 10 which is in the form of a mitten. The mitten is sized
to accept the entire, or substantially the entire, hand of a user,
or is sized to simply fit one or more fingers.
[0011] The lotion applicator 10 comprises two layers 12,14 of
flexible material joined together. The two layers 12,14 are cut
from a blank of the flexible material by a die-cutting machine (not
shown) and, when superposed on top of each other in back-to-back
fashion, are heat welded together along all but one edge. This can
all be conveniently accomplished in a single manufacturing
operation. Depending on the size of applicator 10 being made, the
one unwelded edge forms an opening 15 to receive the entire hand or
just the user's fingers.
[0012] It will, of course, be realised that other forms of securing
the two flexible layers 12,14 together could be used, such as other
types of welding, bonding, or stitching.
[0013] The flexible material of the two layers 12,14 consists
solely of a barrier layer 16 and a layer of flock 18. The barrier
layer 16 is both non-absorbent and liquid impermeable. A suitable
material which displays these characteristics is polyvinylchloride
(PVC). Another suitable material is polyurethane (PU). Any other
suitable material could also be used.
[0014] Preferably, the barrier layer 16 is a film having a
thickness in the order of 100 microns.
[0015] The flock layer 18 may comprise rayon/viscose fibres, which
may be of any suitable length. For example, the fibres may have a
length in the range of 0.20 millimetres (mm) to 2.00 mm. However,
preferably, the fibres are no longer than approximately 1.00
mm.
[0016] The barrier layer 16 and the flock layer 18 are bonded
together, prior to the die-cutting process, using any suitable
known adhesive. The flock layer 18 resides, in use, on the
outwardly facing surface of the barrier layer 16.
[0017] Although the flexible material of the two layers 12,14 is
entirely synthetic, material incorporating natural fibres, or a
combination of natural and synthetic fibres, could be used.
[0018] In a second embodiment, it will also be appreciated that,
although flock is suggested as being preferable, any fabric pile
layer 18' could be utilised providing the upstanding fibre height
remains within the above stated ranges, thereby preventing
undesirable absorption of the lotion.
[0019] In a third embodiment of the present invention, the flock or
pile layer is replaced with a foam layer 18". It has become
apparent that a high quality foam material is suitable for
application of lotion and does not unduly absorb the lotion.
[0020] Consequently, in the third embodiment, the flexible material
of the two layers 12',14' consists solely of the barrier layer 16
and the layer of foam 18". The barrier layer 16, as above, is both
non-absorbent and liquid impermeable. A suitable material which
displays these characteristics is polyvinylchloride (PVC). Another
suitable material is polyurethane (PU). Any other suitable material
could also be used.
[0021] All other aspects of the third embodiment are as described
above with respect to the first embodiment.
[0022] Lotion is applied to the flock layer 18 or pile layer 18' or
foam layer 18" by the user. The non-absorbent liquid-impermeable
barrier layer 16 prevents any lotion passing or migrating through
the flock layer 18 or pile layer 18' or foam layer 18" and into the
barrier layer 16. As a result, the lotion applied to the applicator
10 is more easily and fully transferred to the user's body, with a
minimal amount of residue being left on or in the applicator
10.
[0023] In a further modification, only one of the flexible layers
may be formed with the flock layer or pile layer or foam layer for
applying lotion. The other side of the applicator could then be any
other fabric or flexible sheet material.
[0024] Furthermore, the applicator, rather than being in the form
of an enclosed mitten, may simply have a flexible application layer
backed by a strip layer of flexible fabric, suitable for passing
over the back of a user's hand to hold the applicator in place when
the palm of the hand is applied to the inner surface of the
application layer.
[0025] It is thus possible to provide a lotion applicator which not
only prevents wastage of lotion, but which has an extended usable
life. It is also possible to provide a lotion applicator which is
simple and cost-effective to produce.
[0026] The embodiments described above are given by way of examples
only, and further modifications will be apparent to persons skilled
in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as
defined by the appended claims.
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