Abstract:
A face protection device is provided for use tanning the body, and is particularly suited for use in tanning booths. The face protection device is made of UV-resistant material and is configured to cover the face area of a user to protect the face from harmful tanning rays. The face protection device is adjustable to accommodate head sizes and is structured to drape over the face in a manner which does not restrict breathing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/579,358 filed Jun. 14, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to tanning of the human body, and specifically relates to devices for protecting a person&#39;s face from exposure to ultra-violet or other tanning rays emitted from the sun, tanning bed devices or other sources.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     Indoor tanning, especially in commercial establishments which provide tanning beds, has been a very popular endeavor for the last few decades, particularly in view of concerns for exposure to natural sunlight and ultra-violet radiation. Consequently, an industry for products related to tanning has resulted, with many items and products being developed to improve the tanning experience.  
         [0006]     The present invention addresses a concern or problem experienced by many people who tan in tanning booths, namely the protection of the face from radiation. That is, while many people wish to develop a tanned skin tone on their bodies, they do not wish to darken the tone of their face, or only wish to achieve a slight tanning on the face area. This concern may arise for many reasons, including concern for damage to delicate skin around the eyes and mouth, or simply esthetic reasons.  
         [0007]     Some people address this concern by covering their face with a washcloth, towel or readily-available piece of clothing once they are situated in the tanning bed. However, the results have proven to be unsatisfactory. Washcloth or towel material tends to be heavy and causes a suffocating condition for the tanner. Placing a stray piece of clothing over the face does not result in proper coverage and can expose the tanner&#39;s face to the tanning rays, sometimes unevenly if the clothing slips out of place or is not draped appropriately. The clothing is also subject to exposure to the radiation from the tanning bed apparatus and the clothing can fade.  
         [0008]     With washcloths, towels or pieces of clothing, the fabric can slip off the face during use and, more importantly, will not stay in place when the tanner rotates positions in the tanning bed, or when the tanner is using a stand-up tanning unit. Most importantly, none of the materials that may be used by a tanner to cover the face as previously described are resistant to ultra-violet radiation. Therefore, a chance remains that the face may be exposed to harmful or undesirable UV radiation.  
         [0009]     Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a device for tanners to use, preferably but not exclusively, while tanning in a tanning bed or stand-up tanning unit, to cover the face and protect the face from UV radiation, and to provide such a device that is structured to be retained properly and stably on the face, and which is structured to enable the tanner to breath freely through the material and/or from beneath the device.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     In accordance with the present invention, a UV-resistant face protection device is provided for covering the face of a tanner to protect the face from UV radiation. The device is sized to protect the entire face, and may preferably be structured to protect the ears and/or neck as well.  
         [0011]     The device is further structured to be secured to the head in a fashion that allows the wearer to turn his or her head freely, or stand in a tanning booth, without having the device shift or slip from its proper position on the face. The face protection device has the further advantage of being made of lightweight material that, while UV-resistant, allows the wearer to breath through the material. Additionally, the face protection device may preferably be configured to adapt to a three-dimensional shape, such as a generally domed-shape, that prevents the face protection device from conforming to the contours of the wearer&#39;s face, thereby avoiding giving the wearer a sense of suffocation.  
         [0012]     The face protection device may be used in any tanning situation, including tanning by the rays of the sun, but is described herein with respect to use in a tanning bed or booth. The advantages of the present invention are more fully described in the detailed description below. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     In the drawings, which illustrate what is currently considered to be the best mode for carrying out the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the face protection device of the present invention shown in position on a user&#39;s face, certain additional or optional features being shown in phantom;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the face protection device of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the face protection device of the present invention; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of another alternative embodiment of the face protection device of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     The face protection device  10  of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1  as it would be worn by a person tanning, for example, in a tanning bed. The face protection device  10  generally comprises a cover member  12  and securement member  14  for stably securing the face protection device  10  to the wearer&#39;s head. The cover member  12  is generally sized and shaped to cover the wearer&#39;s entire face  16 , and may be sized and shaped to also cover the wearer&#39;s neck, or portions thereof as suggested in phantom at  17 . The cover member  12  may also be shaped and sized to cover the wearer&#39;s ears  18  to protect the ears from burning or simple exposure to UV radiation.  
         [0019]     A first embodiment of the invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The cover member  12  of the device  10  is structured to be flat and is generally formed as an ovate piece of material to approximate the shape of the human face. Any other shape may be selected, however, as long as the shape and size are sufficient to cover the face and any other portion of the head (i.e., ears or neck) that may be desirable for coverage and protection from UV radiation.  
         [0020]     The securement member  14 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , comprises at least one band  20  that is secured to the cover member  12 . The band  20  may be positioned and/or secured to the cover member  14  at a point of the periphery  22  of the cover member  14  corresponding to placement over or near the wearer&#39;s ears  18 . The band  20  may be sized to encircle the wearer&#39;s head. Where the securement member  14  comprises a single band  20 , the band  20  comprises a first end  24  secured to the cover member  12  and a second end (not shown in the view of  FIG. 1 ) that is either secured to or detachably secured to the cover member  12  on a side opposite the attachment of the first end  24  of the band  20 .  
         [0021]     For example, the band  20  may be elasticized so that the device  10  may be slipped over the top of the head and brought into position over the face  16 . Alternatively, the second end (not shown) of the band  20  may be detachably attached to the cover member  12 . In the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1 , the band  20  has a defined width selected so that the band  20  is preferably sized to cover the wearer&#39;s ears and protect them from UV radiation.  
         [0022]     In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , as well as any other embodiments herein described or later conceived, the face protection device  10  is made of material that is UV-resistant. As used herein, “UV-resistant” means that the material has an SPF rating that enables the material to block UV-radiation. One exemplar SPF fabric that may be used in manufacturing the invention is Solarweave® made by Solar Protective Factory, Inc. of Madison, Wis. The SPF fabrics used in the invention may be woven, non-woven, natural or synthetic materials, and may have a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) Rating of fifty or greater (assuring 97% blockage of UV radiation). Lower UPF rated fabrics may also be suitable (e.g., UPF rating of thirty or greater).  
         [0023]     In a particularly suitable embodiment of the invention, the cover member  12  comprises a single or double layer of SPF fabric to assure that all UV radiation is blocked. Notably, however, SPF materials are sufficiently lightweight so that the material is breathable and does not cause suffocation or the feeling of suffocation. While the cover member  12  of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1  as being formed of a solid piece of fabric, small holes may be formed through the thickness of the fabric layer or layers in the area of the mouth to provide further means for breathing.  
         [0024]     The SPF fabric, or other UV-resistant fabrics or materials, used in the manufacture of the face protection device  10  are not only lightweight and breathable, but the fabric can, optionally, be moistened or wet to a dampened state before placing on the face to provide a cooling and soothing effect to the face.  
         [0025]     The embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1 , as previously noted, is configured as a flat piece of material that is sufficiently shaped and configured to drape over the face of the wearer. The light weight of the fabric allows the material of the device  10  to drape naturally over the contours of the face (i.e., nose and chin) to provide pockets of breathing space between the wearer&#39;s face and the inner surface of the device  10  (i.e., that surface which is adjacent the wearer&#39;s face. However, the nature of the material is also such that it is breathable and allows the wearer to breath freely through the fabric without the attendant feeling of suffocation by the material.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  illustrates further embodiments of the invention where the securement member  14  comprises a pair of sashes  26 ,  28  that are sized to extend to the back of the head. The sashes  26 ,  28  are structured with attachment elements  34 , here shown by way of example only as hook and loop members  30 ,  32  that interlock when brought into contact with one another. Numerous other types of attachment elements may be equally suitable for securing the sashes  26 ,  28  together to secure the device  10  to the wearer&#39;s head, including but not limited to hooks, adhesives, clips, and the like.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  further illustrates that the securement member  14  may optionally include, for example, a sash  33  or other device that is positioned to extend from the cover member  12  over the top of the wearer&#39;s head to help properly position the cover member  12  against the face, especially when the invention is being worn in a stand-up tanning unit or booth. The sash  33  may be structured with an attachment device  35  for securing the sash  33  to, for example, other securement members  14  (e.g., sashes  26 ,  28 ).  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  also illustrates an alternative embodiment where the cover member  12  is structured to be more form fitting to the face by having a three-dimensional shape. For example, the cover member  12  may be structured with darts  36  or pleats that cause the cover member  12  to be slightly dome-shaped, as shown in  FIG. 3 . Other devices or means may be used to shape or contour the cover member  12  to the general shape or curvature of a wearer&#39;s face. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the cover member  12  may be provided with at least one stiffening member  44  (shown in phantom in  FIG. 3 ) that is secured to or incorporated by conventional means into the fabric to retain a three-dimensional configuration of the cover member  12  while positioned on the face.  
         [0029]     The stiffening member  44  shown in  FIG. 3  may, for example, be made of a plastic or metal material that is either resiliently deformable so as to be adjustably shaped by the wearer, or which has a “memory,” such as Nitinol or Rigilene® boning, that retains a pre-selected curvature or shape to render the cover member  14  with a three-dimensional shape. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the cover member  14  may be formed with both darts  36  (shown in phantom) and configured with at least one stiffening member  44  to provide a three-dimensional shape to the device  10 .  
         [0030]     Because the cover member  14  is generally formed with a three-dimensional configuration, the device  10 , when placed on the wearer&#39;s face, does not conform to the contours of the wearer&#39;s face and thereby avoids the possible sense of suffocation. Additionally, because the cover member  14  extends away from the wearer&#39;s face, spaces are formed between the wearer&#39;s face and cover member  14  to provide circulation of air around the wearer&#39;s face. The lightweight nature of the fabric also provides for exchange of air through the material.  
         [0031]      FIG. 4  shows, by way of example only, an alternative means for securing the cover member  12  to the wearer&#39;s face, namely by means of strings  38 ,  40  that can be tied together at the back of the wearer&#39;s head. A multitude of devices or means may be employed as securement members  14  to stably secure the face protection device  10  to the head and face. It is only important that the securement member or members be of such construction that the cover member  12  remains in position against the wearer&#39;s face.  
         [0032]     The face protection device of the present invention not only provides protection of the face and head from harmful UV radiation during tanning, but has the added benefit of providing protection without contributing to a sense of suffocation from having something covering the face. The face protection device of the present invention is configured to allow a person wearing protective UV-resistant glasses or goggles to keep the glasses on his or her face during tanning since the face protection device  10  will assure that the glasses stay in place on the wearer&#39;s face. The face protection device is lightweight and capable of being folded for easy storage and carrying.  
         [0033]     The face protection device of the present invention is structured to provide protection to the face and head area (e.g., ears and neck) of a person during tanning, either in natural sunlight or under artificial tanning conditions. The face protection device may be configured in a number of different ways to achieve the objective of providing protection to the face and head. Therefore, reference herein to specific details of the structure and function of the present invention is by way of example only and not by way of limitation.