Abstract:
The invention generally describes a method an apparatus for removing dry or dead skin from an area to be exfoliated. More particularly, the invention provides a skin removal device having a flexible screen member and a first border member attached to the perimeter of the screen member and a method for using the same. The flexible screen member&#39;s surface has an abrasive coating and plurality of holes throughout the device used to exfoliate and remove dry or dead skin from the targeted area. The flexible screen member is placed over the targeted area and moved so that the dry or dead skin is removed from the area and passed through the flexible screen member to the surface not contacting the area.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention pertains generally to a health and beauty product and more particularly to a method and apparatus for removing dry or dead skin. 
   2. The Relevant Technology 
   Many people suffer from dry skin, particularly on the heels of their feet. Such a condition is often more pronounced in dry climates with low humidity levels. In extreme instances, a person&#39;s skin, and particularly the heels, can even become cracked while producing numerous additional layers of hardened skin. 
   There are numerous health and beauty products available that aid in removing or exfoliating dead skin from areas of the body. For example, pumice stones and other abrasive devices are available to exfoliate, smooth and eliminate dry or dead skin. Such devices sand the area to be exfoliated in a back and forth or circular motion to remove the dry or dead skin cells. However, such products do not exfoliate a substantial quantity of dry or dead skin while simultaneously sanding the area. When such devices are used, the exfoliated skin cells accumulate between the area and the abrasive surface, which greatly reduces the friction between the two surfaces. The exfoliated waste is also trapped in pits within the cracks of one&#39;s heels as well as pits within the exfoliating device itself. Such conditions result in a degradation in the exfoliating device&#39;s effectiveness. 
   It is therefore desirable to provide a health and beauty device that removes dry or dead skin cells from the body as well as the abrasive surface contacting the skin in conjunction with the exfoliation process. Under typical conditions and operations, the skin care professional who seeks to exfoliate a significant number of layers of dead or dry skin cells, such as those processes typical to pedicure treatments, will utilize a razor device to cut through a number of layers of skin to reach the desired effect. It is therefore further desirable to provide an exfoliation device that is less invasive and less painful to the subject, but also provides an equivalent effectiveness and result, than that which occurs from using a razor type device to exfoliate or remove a number of dry or dead skin cells from the body. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention pertains generally to an apparatus for removing dry skin from the body. The apparatus generally comprises a flexible, porous screen member having a plurality of holes. The screen&#39;s surface has an abrasive coating to permit removal of dry skin from a targeted area for exfoliating. The apparatus also includes a border affixed to an edge of the screen. The plurality of holes in the screen allow dry skin to pass through the flexible screen member from the first surface that contacts the targeted area for exfoliating to the second surface of the screen member. The abrasive coating typically comprises silicon carbide. 
   The invention also pertains to a method for exfoliating dry or dead skin from an area of the human body. The method comprises providing a skin removal device having a flexible screen member and a first border. The flexible screen member further comprises a plurality of holes and a surface having an abrasive coating to allow removal of dry skin from an area to be exfoliated. The method further comprises positioning the surface of the skin removal device having the abrasive coating over an area to be exfoliated and contacting the surface with the area. Pressure is applied to the screen member to cause friction between the surface to be exfoliated and the surface of the screen member. The screen member is then moved over the area so that dead or dry skin from the area is removed and passes through the screen member to the surface not contacting the skin. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the Figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a skin removal apparatus. 
       FIG. 2  is a close up view of the porous, flexible screen member from a skin removal apparatus. 
       FIG. 3  is a depiction of using a skin removal apparatus to remove dry skin from a heel. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may 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 invention. Thus, the specific details set forth are merely exemplary. The specific details may be varied from and still be contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
   Reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
   Whereas many alterations and modifications of the present invention will become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art after having read the foregoing description, it is to be understood that any particular embodiment shown and described by way of illustration is in no way intended to be considered limiting. Therefore, references to details of various embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims which in themselves recite only those features regarded as the invention. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a top view of a skin removal device  10 . Skin removal device  10  generally comprises a flexible, porous screen member  30  and a protective border  20 . Flexible screen member  30  has a first surface and a second surface, the first surface shown in the top view of  FIG. 1  and the second surface on the reverse side (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). Flexible screen member  30  further has a plurality of holes  32 ,  33 ,  35  that pass through the surface of screen member  30 . The holes  32 ,  33 ,  35  allow dead or dry skin cells to pass through the screen member  30  from the surface contacting the area to be exfoliated, such as the first surface, to the surface not contacting the area, such as the second surface, while sanding the area. The holes also prevent a layer of exfoliated skin cells from forming between the area to be exfoliated and the screen member  30 , which would otherwise reduce the effectiveness of the screen member in removing dry or dead skin from the area. Since the present invention allows exfoliated skin to pass through the holes in the screen to be discarded, one may simply tap, blow on or run the screen under water to remove excess waste. During an exfoliating operation, continuous contact is maintained between the skin and the flexible screen member  30 . This allows the screen member to exfoliate multiple layers of dry or dead skin cells as each successive layer of skin is removed and passes through the screen member device. 
   In the illustrated embodiment, skin removal device  10  is 16 square inches, or approximately four-by-four inches in size. A four-by-four device allows the screen to be small enough to fit in the palm of a person&#39;s hand, yet large enough to cover a substantial part of the surface area of the location of the body to be exfoliated. Skin removal device  10  is also illustrated in  FIG. 1  as generally square in shape. Other sizes and shapes of skin removal device  10  may be used, such as circular or triangular, without deviating from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
   Under normal conditions, a person&#39;s skin comprises a statum coneum, or outermost skin layer, that has approximately 15 to 20 layers of dead skin cells. Typically, this equates to a thickness of 10 to 20 microns. A person with dry and callused feet, for example, can have a statum corneum with a thickness of 100 to 150 microns. Typically, for a pedicure, the pedicurist uses a razor to remove the additional layers of skin. Such an operation, however, is uncomfortable and sometimes painful for the person receiving the skin treatment. In some cases, the razor device can cut too deeply causing injury or bleeding, but most often leaves the feet feeling raw and tender. Device  10  exfoliates the additional 70 to 130 microns of dead skin cells by successively removing each layer, but without the pain associated with use of a razor or similar type product. 
   Screen member  30  is flexible yet retains its shape. Such flexibility allows the screen to conform to the surface of an area to be exfoliated, such as a person&#39;s heel area, as well as fit within the palm of a person&#39;s hand. Since it is flexible, the screen member  30  of skin removal device  10  molds to the contour of the area to be exfoliated and therefore maintains a significant amount of surface contact with the area. 
   Skin removal device  10  has a border  20  that surrounds at least a portion of the edges of screen  30 . In one embodiment, the border  20  covers all edges of screen  30 . Typically, the edges of screen  30  are sharp, which may cause cuts or abrasions on a person&#39;s hands or feet. Therefore, border  20  covers at least a portion of the sharp edges and prevents the edges from having direct contact with the skin. Border  20  may comprise many different materials such as foam, flexible plastic, polyurethane or rubber to name a few. Any other material known by those skilled in the art may be utilized. In the illustrated embodiment, border  20  is manufactured from a foam for its flexibility, low cost and light weight. 
   Typically, the border is approximately 3/32″ thick, one inch wide and runs the length of each side of the screen that it covers. The width of the border is adapted to be folded across the associated edge of the screen so that both the top surface and bottom surface of the screen around the edge is protected. If the total thickness of the border is one inch thick prior to folding on an edge, then the border extends approximately ½″ inward from the edge of flexible screen member  30  on both the top surface and bottom surface. Border  20  may also act as a gripping surface to hold onto the skin removal device  10 . Cut  40  is the dividing point at each corner of screen member  30  between each side of border  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, border  20  consists of four individual pieces separated by cut  40 . Border  20  may also be a single piece of material that extends along the entire perimeter of screen member  30 . 
   Border  20  is secured to screen member  30  by means of an adhesive such as cyanoacrylate adhesive (i.e., super glue), hot glue or any other adhesive adapted to bond border  20  to screen member  30 . 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a close up view of the screen used in skin removal device  10 . Screen member  30  consists of a plurality of holes  32 ,  33 ,  35  that penetrate the surface of screen member  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, each hole, such as hole  32 , is approximately 1/13″× 1/13″ is size. Hence, screen member  30  has approximately 144 holes per square inch, given the spacing between adjacent holes. The size and number of holes illustrated is not a requirement for the invention to operate as intended. The number of holes per square inch may vary significantly with the requirements of the design. 
   The abrasive material  34  covers the solid portion between adjacent holes of screen member  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, abrasive material  34  is shown on a first surface of screen member  30 . The abrasive material  34  may also cover the second surface of screen member  30  to form a skin removal device  10  with a double-sided exfoliating capability. In one embodiment, abrasive material  34  is silicon carbide, a material often used in drywall sandpaper. Silicon carbide is a man made material produced by combining silica sand and carbide at temperatures between 1600 and 2500 degrees Celsius. The resulting product has a number of extremely small crystals with razor sharp edges. Since the size of the crystals are small, they are not harmful to the skin. However, the number of crystals provide an abrasive surface capable of removing dead skin cells. 
   Different coarsenesses or grits of silicon carbide may be used for differing effects in removing dead skin cells. The larger the silicon carbide crystals, the smaller the grit number and the greater the coarseness of screen member  30 . A plurality of different grits may be used for purposes of skin removal device  10 . A smaller grit number removes more dead skin than a larger grit number; however, the resulting skin may be more coarse. A larger grit number removes less skin, but leaves a smoother finish. 
   Two methods are typically used to combine silica sand and carbide. The first is through the use of Acheson furnaces. However, the purity of the resulting product can vary according to the crystals distance to the graphite resistor that is used as the heat source. Clear, pale yellow and green crystals have the highest purity, and are found closest to the resistor. The color changes to blue and black at greater distances from the resistor. The darker crystals are less pure and usually doped with aluminum. The second method uses chemical vapor deposition, which uses a physical vapor transport commonly known as modified Lely method. Either method may be used for purposes of the present invention, but quality of the abrasive surface  34  may vary. 
   Silicon carbide is not required for use of abrasive surface  34 . Other materials that provide similar strength and abrasive characteristics may be used without deviating from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates utilizing a skin removal device  10  for sanding an area to be exfoliated, and more particularly, removing dead and dry skin from the surface of an individual&#39;s heel. Device  10  is placed in the palm  120  of a person&#39;s hand. As stated above, device  10  comprises a flexible sanding screen. Since the screen member  30  of skin removal device  10  is flexible, device  10  conforms to the shape of a person&#39;s heel, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
   More particularly, in operation, skin removal device  10  is placed in the palm  120  of a user&#39;s hand. The user then presses the device  10  against the area to be exfoliated, such as heel  110  in the illustrated embodiment. A back-and-forth or circular motion applied to device  10  removes the dead skin. The amount of pressure may vary depending on how much skin is to be removed. The greater the pressure increases the amount of skin removed. The exfoliated skin passes through the screen member  30  and rests on top of the screen member, away from the surface of the screen member  30  that contacts the area to be exfoliated. In an alternate operation, the skin removal device  10  comprises a two-sided abrasive surface screen where both sides have an abrasive material disposed thereon. Either side may be pressed against the area to be exfoliated and used according to the method. 
   A user may also utilize a lower grit number (or high coarseness) to remove large amounts of skin, yet leaving a coarse finish. A user may then follow up with a higher grit number (less coarseness) to remove less skin but, leave a smoother finish on the exfoliated area, such as the heel. A user may then apply moisturizer after exfoliating to further soften the skin. 
   Typically, for the most effective use of skin removal device  10 , the area to be exfoliated should be dry when removing dead or dry skin from the area. Accordingly, it is recommended a period of time passes after the area has been washed or moisturized before using skin removal device  10 . A wet or moist area may result in the exfoliated skin cells clogging the holes in flexible screen member  30 . A skin removal device  10  is typically used once and then discarded, as continued use of the device will reduce its effectiveness for exfoliating dead or dry skin cells. 
   Whereas many alterations and modifications of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art after having read the foregoing description, it is to be understood that any particular embodiment shown and described by way of illustration is in no way intended to be considered limiting. Therefore, references to details of various embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims which in themselves recite only those features regarded as the invention.