Abstract:
A hot wax storage tank is supported by an arm extending vertically upward from a base. A heating element on the tank heats the wax to its vicious liquid state suitable for application on a client. A conduit connects an outlet in the bottom of the tank to the input of a control valve. The output of the control valve is directed to an application dish located beneath control valve outlet. By means of the control valve, an operator can dispense only what is required for each client.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a hot wax depilatory dispensing system, and more particularly a system that improves the hygienic use of a hot wax depilatory to remove body hair.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Hair removal services using hot wax depilatories are offered in spas, hair and nail salons, specialty shops, and other similar business establishments. Typically, an operator dips an applicator (e.g. a stick, spatula or the like) into a can, bottle, or vat of wax depilatory that has been heated to a usable viscous liquid state. The operator, after dipping the applicator/spatula into the heated high viscosity wax, applies the wax to the area where the hair is to be removed. After the application of wax, gauze like fabric is placed on the still hot wax. After several minutes, the gauze like fabric is sharply pulled from the area, removing the hair from the area along with now cooled and hardened wax. The process is performed on small areas such as eyebrows, and large areas such as a client&#39;s leg.  
           [0005]    In the industry, the spas, salons, etc purchase hot wax depilatory products in standard sized containers (typically 10—6-ounce containers). To prepare for application, the container is opened and placed on a heating device similar to a hot plate. When the wax is heated to a suitable temperature, the operator dispenses the melted wax as described above, using an applicator/spatula. The applicator is continually immersed and re-immersed into the heated, open wax container.  
           [0006]    In general, only a small amount of wax is needed to remove hair from the desired area. Each client uses only a small amount of wax from the standard ten-ounce container. A container therefore is typically used for multiple clients. Although the applicator/spatula is changed for each client, its immersion and re-immersion into the same container can cause contamination of the wax in the container due to any client skin irregularities, open wounds, skin disorders, etc.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    An object of this invention is the provision of a system for dispensing a controlled amount of hot wax; for example only the amount needed for a particular client.  
           [0008]    Another object of the invention is the provision of a system that includes a sterilization chamber into which the dispensed wax can be placed.  
           [0009]    Briefly, the invention contemplates the provision of a hot wax dispensing system in which a hot wax storage tank is supported by an arm extending vertically upward from a base. A heating element on the tank heats the wax to its vicious liquid state suitable for application on a client. A conduit connects an outlet in the bottom of the tank to the input of a control valve. The output of the control valve is directed to an application dish located beneath control valve outlet. By means of the control valve, an operator can dispense only what is required for each client. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a front view of a hot wax dispenser in accordance with one specific embodiment of the invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line B-B in FIG. 1.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a front sectional view along the line A-A of FIG. 2.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-3 incorporating a UV chamber for sterilizing dispensed hot wax.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control module and the power distribution module for use of he embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing the operating steps of the invention illustrated in the previous drawings.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, this embodiment of the invention can use one or, as shown here, multiple commercially available disposable depilatory wax containers  10 . Of course, the invention could be modified to use a single container, if desired. The containers  10 , with their open side down, sit respectively atop a pair of heated wax storage tanks  14 . Here it should be noted the wax does not flow at room temperature and there is no tendency of the wax spill form its container as it is positioned over its heated wax storage tank. Each storage tank has a heater  16  for heating the hot wax to and maintaining the hot wax at a suitable operating temperature, about 98-110 degrees F. A Kapton self-stick 30-watt heater on each storage tank is satisfactory for this purpose. A housing  18  with a hinged cover  20  surrounds the canisters and the heated storage tanks and supports the storage tanks as well as providing a thermally insulating air space between the storage tanks and the housing wall.  
         [0017]    A wax flow manifold  22  couples respective openings  24  in the bottom of the storage tanks to the inlet of wax flow control valve  26  located beneath the storage tanks. The outlet of the flow control valve  26  is directed downward toward the base  28  of the dispenser. If desired, the base may be filled with suitable ballast to provide stability to the upright dispenser. A structure  30  extends upwardly from the base  28  and supports the housing  18 , storage tanks  14  and control valve  26 . Structure  30  also supports a cup holder  32  for small portions of wax, such as for use on eyebrows. The surface  34  of the base  28  is tilted downward in the direction away from the structure  30  so as to provide easy access to a wax dispensing bowl that can be placed on the upper surface of the base. This surface includes a heat conducting plate  34  with a heater  36  attached to the lower surface of the plate. The same Kapton 30-watt heater used with the storage containers is suitable here. A manually operated flow control lever  37  extends from the valve  26  and allows the operator to dispense a desired amount of wax into the cup or the bowl by rotating the lever between a closed and an open position.  
         [0018]    A control panel  38 , mounted on the front of the housing, includes a potentiometer  40  for adjusting the temperature of hot wax storage tank, and a potentiometer  42  for adjusting the temperature of heat conducting plate  36 . LED display devices on the panel indicate the state of the dispenser; e.g. warm-up; ready; standby, etc. The flow control valve  26  may include a solenoid actuator in addition to the control lever. With solenoid actuation, an operator depresses a button switch  46  on the control panel to open and close the valve when the “READY” LED is lit.  
         [0019]    As shown in FIG. 4, the base may include a UV sterilization chamber  50  into which a dish of wax may be placed prior to use in order to sterilize the wax. The chamber includes a door  52 , and UV tube  54  mounted on the top of the chamber. Interlock switches  56  enable the UV tube to be energized for a timed interval when a wax dish is placed in the chamber, but only if the chamber door is closed and secured. A UV tube inverter is mounted on a wall of the chamber. A power distribution and control board  58  and a power module  60  are mounted in the structure  30 .  
         [0020]    Referring now to FIG. 6, it shows both the dispenser display and control module  58 , and the power module for the dispenser,  60 . The control module includes a microprocessor  62 . It has inputs from temperature measuring deices  64  and  66 , which respectively monitor the temperature of the wax storage tanks  14  and of the hot plate  36 . The processor also receives inputs form the potentiometers  40  and  42  and from the switch  46  that controls the opening and closing of the solenoid flow control valve. In response to these inputs, the processor  62  provides outputs that inform the operator about the status of the dispenser and control the temperature of the wax storage tank and the hot plate via heater relays  70  and  72  respectively. In the semiautomatic dispensing embodiment of the invention, outputs from the processor operate a solenoid flow control valve  67  via a valve relay  69  when the storage tank temperature and the hot plate temperature are within an acceptable range and the operator engages the dispensing switch  81 . The dispenser status is indicated by lights  83  (e.g. LEDs) that are illuminated by the processor  62 .  
         [0021]    In an automatic embodiment of the invention, a touch screen, graphic display  85  provides the operator interface for some or all of operator input/output functions discussed above. The touch screen display module  85  lets the operator select a desired quantity to be dispensed, in an automatic dispensing mode of operation. Icons  86 , for example, show one quarter filled, half filled and full dispenser dishes. The touch sensitive display, in response to an operator touching an icon showing the quantity he or she desires, sends a signal to the processor  62 . In the automatic operating mode, the processor opens the solenoid valve for a predetermined time interval to dispense the selected quantity. The correlation between time and quantity may be determined empirically and those values stored in memory where they can be accessed by the processor. Of course alpha numeric text messages may be used in place of icons, and status messages such as READY and DISPENSING may be displayed to the operator via the display screen. A flash EPROM may be used for screen storage, firmware for instructions for text and graphics, touch recognition, and a serial data protocol to interface to the processor.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 illustrates the operation of the system for dispensing hot wax in accordance with the teachings of the invention. With the power on, the microprocessor  62  turns the heaters on and Insures the valve is in its closed position, block  74 . The inputs to he microprocessor  62  indicate when the temperature of both the storage tanks and the hot plate is within a specified range (i.e. hot enough to heat the wax to a temperature for application but not too hot so as to heat the wax to a temperature that would cause injury or undue discomfort), and a lid switch signals the lid is closed, decision block  76 . In this state, when the dispensing switch button  46  is activated, the processor  60  opens the solenoid valve for a predetermined interval in the automatic mode, block  78 . As indicated in the drawing, if the wax container is too hot, or the hot plate is too hot, the system turns off the appropriate heater, and also prevents the valve from being opened, blocks  80 ,  82  and  84 .  
         [0023]    It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that many variations may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, intended that such variations be included within the scope of the claims.