Abstract:
A Personal Care Vaporizing Device is disclosed. The device has a central base unit including a large removable liquid reservoir and a handheld skin massage/exfoliating device. The handheld assembly can selectively emit vapor directly to the skin surface. Unlike the prior devices in the field, the present invention allows the user to selectively dispense either cool or warm vapor. The liquid reservoir is designed to accept skin care additives in addition to simple water for generating the vapor. The device has at least three operational modes: vapor only, massage head brush oscillation/massage motion only, and both vapor and oscillation/massage. Power for the device is available from a variety of sources, including internal batteries and/or external power supply.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to facial skin care devices and, more specifically, to a Personal Care Vaporizing Device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Facial massage devices are plentiful. The most pertinent examples of conventional devices and systems in this field are: Mehl, Sr., et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,085, Walker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,414, and Burian, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,122. 
         [0005]    Mehl is a “Skin Moisturizing and Buffing Device.” The Mehl system combines a handheld facial buffer that has an internal steam generator for creating a stream of steam for emission through the “movable skin contacting assembly” (i.e. the facial buffer head). While the Mehl device does provide a handheld steam buffer, it fails to allow the user the option of either cool vapor or heated steam emitted through the buffer head. Furthermore, the amount of vapor available for use is severely limited due to the entire package being of handheld size. A device providing a large volume liquid reservoir that can emit either heated steam or cool vapor would provide a wider set of benefits to the user. 
         [0006]    Walker is a “Steam Device for Cosmetic Skin Treatment.” The Walker device does provide a large water reservoir for use in steam emission, but it fails to provide the option of cool vapor. 
         [0007]    Finally, the Burian “Electrically Heated Facial Sauna Vapor Generating Apparatus,” like Walker discloses a large-reservoir, steam generating facial massage device. Just as with Walker, Burian fails to suggest the generation of cool vapor (in addition to hot steam) for facial application through the massage head. The ability to deliver hot or cool vapor through the massage head allows the user to continue the facial massage while heating and cooling the massage head and skin. If only the only option is to deliver steam, then the user must either stop the massage or stop the vapor delivery in the event that the face becomes uncomfortably hot. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices and systems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a Personal Care Vaporizing Device. The device should have a central base unit having a large removable liquid reservoir and a handheld skin massage/exfoliating device. The handheld assembly should emit vapor directly to the skin surface. Unlike the prior devices in the field, the present invention should allow the user to selectively dispense either cool or warm vapor. The liquid reservoir should also be designed to accept skin care additives in addition to simple water for generating the vapor. The device should have at least three operational modes: vapor only, massage head brush oscillation/massage motion only, and both vapor and oscillation/massage. Power for the device should be available from a variety of sources, including internal batteries and/or external power supply. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the massaging vaporizer device of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of select internal elements of the device of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tank assembly of the device of  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the base assembly of the device of  FIGS. 1-5 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cutaway side view of the massage head assembly of the device of  FIGS. 1-5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide a Personal Care Vaporizing Device. 
         [0017]    The present invention can best be understood by initial consideration of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the massaging vaporizer device  10  of the present invention. The device  10  is an advancement over the prior art in that it not only provides a substantial liquid reservoir for vapor generation, but also gives the user the option of either hot steam or cool vapor application through the massage head. 
         [0018]    The device  10  has a base element  12  which provides a support base for the other elements that make up the device  10 . An upper housing  14  is attached atop the base element  12 . A reservoir tank  16  is removably attached to the upper housing  14 . 
         [0019]    As can be seen, the shape of the base element  12 , upper housing  14  and reservoir tank  16  are not only ergonomically shaped, but also aesthetically pleasing. There is a holster  22  formed in the upper housing  14  that provides for a convenient storage location for the massage head assembly  18 . It is noted that the massage head assembly  18  may be powered by internal batteries; in one version the holster  22  may also include a battery charger so that batteries in the massage head assembly  18  are recharged (if necessary) when the head assembly  18  is placed in the holster  22 . 
         [0020]    A mist hose  20  interconnects the upper housing  14  and the massage head assembly. The mist hose  20  can be removable from the upper housing, or alternatively, may retract into the upper housing. 
         [0021]    There are control switches and buttons dispersed on the base element  12  and massage head assembly  18 . There are electrical signal conductors interconnecting the massage head assembly and the upper housing  14  and/or base element  12 . These wires or other conductors will be coupled with the mist hose  20 , and could be located either on the exterior or the interior of the mist hose  20 . The switches and buttons on the base element  12  and elsewhere will be described more fully below in connection with successive drawing figures, beginning with  FIG. 2 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the device  10  of  FIG. 1 . Here, the reservoir tank  16  has been removed from the upper housing  14 . The tank  16  is designed to be removable so that the user can leave the device  10  plugged in at its operating location when adding fluid to the reservoir tank  16 . When the tank  16  is installed in the upper housing  14 , it is held therein by interface with the latch catch  30 . At that point, fluid will be dispensed from the tank  16  through the outlet tube  32 , and into the device&#39;s vapor-generating system. 
         [0023]    The massage head assembly  18  comprises a head housing  24 . A detachable brush element  26  is shown here; this element  26  can be exchanged with other types of elements, such as a massage head element. Other head elements may be provided. Each head element has at least one mist orifice  28  formed at its center to allow for vapor/mist to be emitted through the head element (e.g.  26 ). As discussed above, the vapor/mist is delivered to the head assembly  18  via the mist hose  20  (after the mist/vapor is generated in other components of the system  10 . There is mechanism internal to the massage head assembly  18  that drives the brush element  26  in an oscillating motion “M” as shown by the arrow. In addition to the oscillating motion “M,” the assembly  18  may also provide vibrational motion. The motion is provided to assist in the exfoliation, hydration and/or massage of the skin at a very high rate of oscillation and vibration. Now turning to  FIG. 3 , we can continue to examine the advancements of the present invention. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of select internal elements of the device of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The base element  12  has several operational mechanisms attached to its top surface. The reservoir tank  16  dispenses its liquid into the lower reservoir  35 . The cool vapor is generated within the lower reservoir  35  and delivered to the massage head assembly (see  FIG. 2 ) via the mist hose (see  FIG. 1 ). The mist hose inserts into the hose socket  33 ; a mist aperture is located within the hose socket  33  (the vapor exits through the mist aperture). 
         [0025]    The system has a blower motor  34  associated with it to drive the vaporized liquid out through the mist hose and massage head. The speed of the blower motor  34  is controlled by the speed control knob  36 , so that the vapor volume can be adjusted to the desired level. The vapor-producing mechanism is discussed below in connection with  FIG. 5 ; first we will review the operation of the reservoir tank and its associated operational mechanisms. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tank assembly  38  of the device of  FIGS. 1-3 . As shown here, the reservoir tank  16  is transparent so that the fluid level can be easily monitored during use. The outlet tube  32  extends downwardly from the bottom face of the reservoir tank  16 . A feed valve  41  is located at the inner opening of the outlet tube  32  to control the release of fluid out through the outlet tube  32 . The feed valve  41  is spring loaded to remain closed until the tank assembly  38  is placed into the base assembly (see  FIG. 5 ). When the assembly  38  is locked into the base assembly (see  FIG. 5 ), the feed valve  41  will be forced upwardly (against the force of the biasing spring  43 ) so that the feed valve  41  will open. Additionally, a fill cap  40  is provided; to fill the tank  16 , the user need simply turn the tank  16  upside down, remove the fill cap  40 , and fill through the fill opening  45 . 
         [0027]    An important feature of the device of the present invention is the ability to combine water with other ingredients within the reservoir tank  16 . For example, extracts and essential oils can be added to the water in the reservoir tank  16 ; the liquid mixture can then be vaporized and delivered to the skin through the massage head assembly to improve the rate of absorption of the additive skin care ingredients. 
         [0028]    The reservoir tank  16  is preferably defined by a latch element  42  extending from the upper portion of one of the sidewalls of the tank  16 . The latch element  42  is designed to cooperate with the latch catch  30  (see  FIG. 2 ) to secure the tank assembly  38  in its seat position in the upper housing  14  (see  FIG. 2 ). To release the latch element  42 , one need only press the free end of the catch element  42  towards the attachment point of the latch element  42  (on the tank  16 ). If we now turn to  FIG. 5 , we can continue to examine the novel features of the present device and system. 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the base assembly  44  of the device of  FIGS. 1-5 . The main structural element of the base assembly  44  is the base element  12 . The base element  12  defines a reservoir recess  46  on its upper face. Review of the previous drawing figures should make it apparent that the reservoir tank  16  outlet tube  32  will feed into the reservoir recess  46  when the tank  16  is placed in its location nestled in the upper housing  14  as depicted in  FIG. 1 . As such, the reservoir recess  46  will be gravity-filled with liquid so long as there is liquid remaining in the reservoir tank  16  (see  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0030]    The reservoir recess  46  is formed at its perimeter by the reservoir curb  48 . A gasket  50  is dispersed around the upper edge of the curb  48  in order to create a leak-preventive seal between the upper housing  14  (see  FIG. 1 ) and the base element  12 . 
         [0031]    A sonic transmitter  52  is located in the bottom of the reservoir recess  46 , so that it is in fluid communication with any liquid located within the reservoir recess  46 . The sonic transmitter  52  provides much of the unique functional features of the present invention, namely, that the liquid can be dispensed through the massage head as either cool vapor or heated steam. The sonic transmitter  52  is sized such that it can create sufficient mechanical vibration of the liquid in the reservoir recess  46  to vaporize the liquid. As the liquid is vaporized by the sonic transmitter  52 , it is forced through the mist hose  20  (see  FIG. 1 ) by forced air created by the blower motor  34  (see  FIG. 3 ), and its associated blower fan. We will finally turn to  FIG. 6  to complete our study of the device/system. 
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is a cutaway side view of the massage head assembly  18  of the device of  FIGS. 1-5 . The massage head assembly  18  comprises a head housing  24  having an ergonomic shape for comfort during use. The face  60  of the housing  24  has a drive shaft  64  for driving the detachable element as depicted above in  FIG. 2 . The mist orifice  28  formed in the face  60  is supplied with vapor mist via the mist conduit  56  which interconnects the mist hose  20  with the mist orifice  28 . 
         [0033]    The mist conduit  56  is a section of heat tolerant tubing. One section of the conduit  56  passes through the heater module  58 . The heater module  58  is configured to convert the cool vapor passing through the conduit  56  into steam before the vapor stream reaches the mist orifice  28 . The heater module  58  can be selectively turned on or off using the switch buttons  66  located on the back of the housing  24 . There could also be an adjustable thermostat that allows the user to adjust the amount of heat generated by the heater module  58  (and therefore the temperature of the vapor). As discussed above, the ability to provide cool vapor or heated steam through the face  60  of the massage head assembly  18  is unique to the present invention and is a sought-after feature previously unavailable in the prior devices and systems. 
         [0034]    At least three function modes can be selected for device operation—vapor only (hot or cool), oscillation/vibration of motor (no vapor), and both vapor and oscillation/vibration. 
         [0035]    Although not depicted here, it is noted that power to the device  10  could be provided via internal batteries or from an external power source (i.e. from a wall socket). 
         [0036]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.