Skin applique to provide protection from ultraviolet light

A skin applique protector protects a selected area of a user's skin from harmful effects of overexposure to ultraviolet light. The skin applique protector has a sheet of flexible material, a first layer of adhesive formed upon a first surface of the sheet of flexible material, and a second layer of adhesive formed upon a second surface of the sheet of flexible material. A first sheet of peel-away material generally covers the first layer of adhesive and a second sheet of peel-away material generally covers the second layer of adhesive material. Either the sheet of flexible material or the first layer of adhesive contains an ultraviolet light blocking material. Application of the sheet of flexible material to the selected area of the user's skin inhibits overexposure of the user's skin to harmful ultraviolet light.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to means for protecting a user's 
skin from sunlight. It relates more particularly to a skin applique 
protector for protecting a selected area of a user's skin from the harmful 
effects of overexposure to ultraviolet light. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In recent years it has become widely accepted by both the medical community 
and general population that overexposure to ultraviolet light can have a 
seriously detrimental impact upon a person's health. Even infrequent 
overexposure to ultraviolet light is known to cause the formation actinic 
keratoses, which are known to be precancerous in nature. 
As is well known, certain areas of the human body are particularly 
susceptible to such overexposure to ultraviolet light. This is generally 
due to their position and orientation upon the body. For example, the nose 
is one such area which is particularly susceptible to the harmful effects 
of ultraviolet light. This occurs because the nose is positioned and 
oriented such that it is generally exposed to direct ultraviolet light 
when a person participates in outdoor activities. 
Creams, lotions, ointments, and the like, herein collectively referred to 
as ointments, for protecting a user's skin from the harmful effects of 
overexposure to ultraviolet light are well known. Such ointments commonly 
comprise an ultraviolet light blocking agent of varying effectiveness in 
preventing the transmission of harmful ultraviolet light therethrough. 
Even the more effective of such ointments is subject to undesirable rubbing 
off or washing away, particularly when utilized by those participating in 
vigorous outdoor activities and/or water activities. It is not at all 
uncommon for a user to properly apply an otherwise effective ointment to 
those areas of the user's body most prone to receive excessive ultraviolet 
light, only to have the ointment rub off or wash away, thus resulting in a 
painful and potentially dangerous overexposure to ultraviolet light or 
sunburn. 
In view of the deficiencies of such prior art ointments to maintain their 
effectiveness, particularly when utilized by a person who is active or 
participating in water activities, various other means for preventing 
overexposure to ultraviolet light have been attempted. Such other means 
for preventing overexposure to ultraviolet light generally involve the use 
of a mechanical device to shade or cover a portion of the user's body, 
e.g., the user's nose, from the sun. 
Examples of such prior art devices for preventing undesirable overexposure 
of a person's nose to ultraviolet light include those disclosed in U.S. 
Pat. No. 1,761,665 issued on Jun. 3, 1930 to Harris and entitled NOSE 
PROTECTOR; U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,813 issued on Jul. 27, 1971 to Sanderson 
and entitled PROTECTIVE DEVICE; U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,133 issued on Jun. 23, 
1987 to Oschner and entitled ULTRAVIOLET NOSE PROTECTOR; U.S. Pat. No. 
5,167,036 issued on Dec. 1, 1992 to Daprato and entitled NOSE PROTECTOR; 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,708 issued on Sep. 14, 1993 to Vanuch and entitled 
DISPOSABLE SCENTED MASK; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,847 issued Jan. 4, 1994 
to Lauttamus on and entitled NOSE PROTECTOR. 
Although such prior art mechanical devices are generally extremely 
effective in blocking ultraviolet light, and are not generally susceptible 
to rubbing or washing off, all such prior art devices possess inherent 
deficiencies which detract from their overall desirability. For example, 
such prior art devices are generally very prominent in appearance, and 
thus objectionable to most potential users. It is well known that most 
people would prefer a means for protecting themselves from the undesirable 
effects of ultraviolet light which is not aesthetically undesirable. In 
this respect, it is generally desirable that the device be as 
inconspicuous as possible. 
Although various attempts have been made to form such mechanical protectors 
in a manner which is aesthetically acceptable, such practice is, to date, 
excessively complex and of dubious benefit. This is exemplified by the 
teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,813, which involves the molding of a 
device into the shape of the body portion, e.g., the nose, of the user, 
and then requires the manual application of an adhesive to the inner 
surface of the device. 
Thus, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, far more effort 
is required in the practice of this device than is deemed generally 
acceptable. Further, since this device is intended to be durable enough to 
survive repeated wearings and washings, it must be of sufficient thickness 
to be readily visible when worn by a user. The requirement for such 
thickness generally obviates any benefit derived from construction of the 
device in a manner which mimics the shape of the body portion to be 
covered thereby. 
In view of the deficiencies of the prior art, it is beneficial to provide 
means for protecting a selected area of a user's skin from the harmful 
effects of overexposure to ultraviolet light which is effective, durable, 
and which is also aesthetically acceptable. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the 
deficiencies associated with the prior art. More particularly, the present 
invention comprises a skin applique protector for protecting a selected 
area of a user's skin from the harmful effects of overexposure to 
ultraviolet light. Thus, the formation of actinic keratoses, and their 
inherent potential for forming cancerous lesions, is mitigated. 
The skin applique protector comprises a sheet of flexible material, a first 
layer of adhesive formed upon a first surface of the sheet of flexible 
material, and a second layer of adhesive formed upon a second surface of 
the sheet of flexible material. A first sheet of peel-away material 
generally covers the first layer of adhesive and a second sheet of 
peel-away material generally covers the second layer of adhesive. Thus, 
the adhesive covered sheet of flexible material is sandwiched between the 
two peel-away layers, so as to prevent soiling or other degradation of the 
adhesive layers. The sheet of flexible material and/or the first layer of 
adhesive comprises an ultraviolet light blocking material, so as to 
mitigate the amount of ultraviolet light to which the user's skin is 
exposed. 
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention the sheet of 
flexible material comprises a very thin sheet of polymer material, clear 
or transparent to visible light, preferably approximately 0.0005 to 0.005 
inch in thickness. 
In one alternative configuration of the present invention, the ultraviolet 
light blocking material is an additive which is mixed with the polymer 
material during the formation thereof. In another alterative 
configuration, the ultraviolet light blocking material is formed as a 
separate coating or layer upon the sheet of flexible material. 
Preferably, the sheet of flexible material is cut or otherwise formed so as 
to have a shape compatible with use upon a particular portion of the 
user's body, e.g., the nose. Thus, the sheet of flexible material has a 
generally triangular shape, for example, which is formed to substantially 
cover part or all of the user's nose. Those skilled in the art will 
appreciate the various other shapes and configurations of the sheet of 
flexible material are likewise suitable for covering various other areas 
of the user's body. 
The sheet of flexible material may be formed into the desired shape via 
laser cutting, die cutting, or any other such contemporary process. 
The sheet of flexible material is formed so as to be generally transparent 
to visible light, and is thus difficult to detect. As such, the skin 
applique protector of the present invention is aesthetically acceptable, 
particularly as compared with prior art devices. Indeed, the skin applique 
protector of the present invention is less noticeable than some prior art 
ointments. 
Preferably, the sheet of flexible material is formed so as to be generally 
permeable to water. Thus, excessive hydration or maceration of the skin 
covered by the skin applique protector of the present invention is 
prevented. The sheet of flexible material is preferably formed to be 
generally permeable to water by providing micro-perforations which 
facilitate water flow therethrough. 
One method by which such micro-perforations are provided is by utilizing a 
porous woven material. Another method by which such micro-perforations are 
provided is by forming the micro-perforations within an otherwise 
generally non-porous flexible material via a laser. Yet another method by 
which such micro-perforations are provided is by forming the flexible 
material such that it is comprised of a porous or spongeform material. 
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first 
layer of adhesive comprises a comparatively strong adhesive for assuring 
positive attachment of the sheet of flexible material to the user's skin. 
Thus, the skin applique protector of the present invention may be utilized 
by a user participating in various physical activities, including water 
sports or other such activities, which would tend to wash off prior art 
ointments. The comparatively strong adhesive assures that the skin 
applique protector of the present invention remains in place if physically 
abraded or if exposed to water. 
The second layer of adhesive preferably comprises a comparatively weak 
adhesive which allows the second peel-away layer to easily be removed 
therefrom during application. 
The first and second peel-away layers preferably comprise the release 
paper. 
The sheet of flexible material and the first adhesive are preferably formed 
of a hypo-allergenic material such that they do not cause an adverse 
reaction in sensitive individuals. 
It is contemplated that the skin applique protector of the present 
invention may be formed of a single layer of flexible material. 
Alternatively, a plurality of such layers may be utilized so as to provide 
enhanced strength and/or other desirable properties. For example, one 
layer may contain an ultraviolet blocking agent which is particularly 
effective for ultraviolet A, while another layer contains an ultraviolet 
blocking agent which is particularly effective for ultraviolet B. 
The skin applique of the present invention is suitable for use in a variety 
of other applications. For example, the skin applique protector can be 
utilized to protect selected areas of a user's skin from environmental 
conditions other than ultraviolet light. The skin applique protector of 
the present invention provides protection from wind, cold weather, dust, 
sand, and/or various other environmental contaminants. Further, the skin 
applique protector may be utilized in post-operative applications, so as 
to maintain cleanliness by isolating the selected area from the 
environment. 
These, as well as other advantages of the present invention will be more 
apparent from the following description and drawings. It is understood 
that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made 
within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the 
invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended 
drawings is intended as description of the presently preferred embodiment 
of the invention and is not intended to represent the only form in which 
the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets 
forth the function and the sequence of steps for constructing and 
operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiment. It 
is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and 
sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also 
intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
The present invention is generally illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, which show a 
presently preferred embodiment thereof. Referring now to FIG. 1, the skin 
applique protector of the present invention generally comprises a sheet of 
flexible material 10 configured to be placed upon a desired area of the 
user's skin, such as the user's nose 12. Although the descriptions and 
drawings of the subject patent application discuss and illustrate a skin 
applique protector specifically configured to be utilized upon a user's 
nose, such discussion and illustration is by way of example only, and not 
by way of limitation. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the 
skin applique protector of the present invention may be utilized upon 
various different portions of a user's body. For example, the skin 
applique protector of the present invention may be specifically configured 
so as to cover the back of a user's neck, a user's shoulders, a user's 
forehead or selected portions of a user's arms and/or legs. Indeed, the 
skin applique protector of the present invention may be specifically 
configured so as to cover any desired portion of a user's body. 
The skin applique protector of the present invention further comprises a 
first peel-away layer or release paper 14, which, when peeled-away from 
the flexible substrate 10 exposes a first layer of adhesive formed upon 
the flexible substrate 10 for attaching the flexible substrate 10 to the 
user's nose 12. 
With particular reference to FIG. 4, the first release paper 14 preferably 
comprises first 14a and second 14b separate portions thereof, so as to 
facilitate ease in removal from the sheet of flexible material 10. Thus, 
to remove the first release paper 14, in preparation for application of 
the sheet of flexible material to the user's nose, the user merely 
peels-away the first portion 14a thereof, thereby exposing approximately 
one-half of the first layer of adhesive. The skin applique protector of 
the present invention may then be positioned upon the user's nose 12, as 
desired, and then the second portion 14b of the release paper peeled-away 
from the sheet of flexible material 10. The use of the skin applique 
protector is described in detail below. 
In a similar manner, the skin applique protector of the present invention 
further comprises a second peel-away layer or release paper 16, which, 
when peeled away from the flexible substrate 10 exposes a second layer of 
adhesive formed upon the flexible substrate 10 for attaching the flexible 
substrate 10 to the second release paper 16. The second release paper 16 
aides in handling the very thin sheet of flexible material 10. Preferably, 
the second release paper 16 is formed in two sections, in a manner similar 
to that of the first release paper 14, and is removable from the sheet of 
flexible material 10 in a similar manner. As those skilled in the art will 
appreciate, the release papers 14, 16 may alternatively comprise a polymer 
material, preferably having a thickness which is greater than the 
thickness of the flexible substrate 10. The flexible material 10, the 
first release paper 14, and the second release paper 16 are all preferably 
die-cut from sheet stock. 
With particular reference to FIG. 3, the skin applique protector of the 
present invention thus generally comprises the sheet of flexible material 
10 sandwiched between the first peel-away layer 14 and a second peel-away 
layer 16. Thus, the adhesive formed upon the first side of the sheet of 
flexible material 10 holds the first release paper 14 thereto and the 
adhesive formed upon the second side of the sheet of flexible material 10 
holds the second release paper 16 thereto. 
The sheet of flexible material 10 preferably comprises a polymer material 
which is generally transparent to visible light, so as to increase the 
aesthetic desirability thereof. 
Preferably, the first release paper 14 is formed to have slightly greater 
surface area than the second release paper 16, so as to form a peripheral 
portion 18 of the first release paper 14. The peripheral portion 18 both 
aides in the identification of the first release paper 14 and also aides 
in removal thereof, by providing an easy means for grasping thereof. 
An ultraviolet light blocking agent is either present in the first 
adhesive, integrated within the sheet of flexible material 10, or formed 
upon either the first or second surface of the sheet of flexible material 
10. Thus the ultraviolet light blocking agent is present in the skin 
applique protector when it is applied to the user's nose 12. The 
ultraviolet light blocking agent preferably substantially attenuates both 
ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B light. 
The use of a sheet of flexible material 10 which is generally transparent 
to visible light makes the skin applique protector of the present 
invention difficult to see when used, thereby providing aesthetic appeal. 
The generally transparent flexible material 10 allows the natural skin 
tone of the user to be seen therethrough, thus making the skin applique 
protector substantially inconspicuous. 
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sheet 
of flexible material is generally permeable to water, so as to prevent 
excess hydration and/or maceration of the skin to which the skin applique 
protector is attached. Thus, as the user participates in vigorous 
activities, perspiration does not tend to build up beneath the skin 
applique protector of the present invention. Further, when exposed to 
water, such as when the user participates in water activities, the skin 
applique protector of the present invention and the skin therebeneath 
tends to dry quickly when the user leaves the water. 
Such permeability of the sheet of flexible material 10 also helps maintain 
the skin applique protector of the present invention in place upon the 
user, by allowing both the skin applique protector and the skin 
therebeneath to dry out, such that the adhesive holding the sheet of 
flexible material to the skin is not adversely affected by the moisture. 
Such water permeability may be provided via micro-perforations formed 
within the sheet of flexible material 10, which allow water flow 
therethrough. Such micro-perforations may be provided via the use of a 
porous woven material or, alternatively, may be formed within the sheet of 
flexible material 10 via laser cutting and/or the use of a spongeform 
material, such as an open cell polymer. 
The first layer of adhesive is preferably comparatively stronger than the 
second layer thereof, so as to facilitate reliable attachment of the sheet 
of flexible material 10 to the user's skin. The use of a comparatively 
weaker adhesive utilized to attach the second release paper 16 to the 
sheet of flexible material 10 facilitates easy removal of second release 
paper 16 from the sheet of flexible material 10. 
The sheet of flexible material 10, the first release paper 14 and the 
second release paper 16 may all be formed, so as to have generally 
complimentary shapes, via die cutting, laser cutting, or various other 
contemporary means. 
Both the sheet of flexible material and the first adhesive are preferably 
formed of hypo-allergenic material, so as to facilitate use of the skin 
applique protector of the present invention by sensitive individuals. 
Having described the structure of the skin applique protector of the 
present invention, it may be beneficial to describe the use thereof. The 
user merely peels-away the first 14a portion of the first release paper 
14, thereby exposing approximately one-half of the sheet of flexible 
material 10 therebeneath, having the first adhesive formed thereupon. The 
skin applique protector may then be positioned, as desired, upon the 
user's nose 12 and attached thereto by pressing firmly against the second 
release paper 16. Once positioned properly and adhered at least partly in 
position, the second portion 14b of the first release paper 14 is 
peeled-away from the sheet of flexible material 10 and the remainder of 
the sheet of flexible material 10 is adhered to the user's nose. 
After the entire sheet of flexible material 10 has been adhered to the 
user's nose 12, then the second release paper 16 is peeled-away from the 
sheet of flexible material 10, so as to leave only the sheet of flexible 
material 10, which is generally transparent to visible light upon the 
user's nose 12. Thus, the skin applique protector of the present invention 
is not readily apparent to one who casually observes a user, thereby 
increasing its aesthetic appeal. 
The skin applique protector of the present invention may be formed to have 
a shape for a specific body portion, e.g., the nose. Alternatively, the 
skin applique protector may be provided in sheet form and then cut to any 
desired shape by the user, with scissors, for example. 
It is understood that the exemplary skin applique protector described 
herein and shown in the drawings represents only a presently preferred 
embodiment of the invention. Indeed, various modifications and additions 
may be made to such embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope 
of the invention. For example, the use of various different generally 
transparent materials is contemplated. Also, those skilled in the art will 
appreciate that various thicknesses and types of peel-away material are 
suitable for use in the practice of the present invention. 
Thus, these and other modifications and additions may be obvious to those 
skilled in the art and may be implemented to adapt the present invention 
for use in a variety of different applications.