Abstract:
A cover equipped to hold three pairs of ultraviolet tanning lamps is pivotally attached to a base in which the ballasts, starters, timer and other electrical equipment for energizing the lamps are housed. A transparent acrylic bezel is provided for each pair of tanning lamps to protect the user&#39;s feet. A pair of ankle receiving openings are provided in the cover, and a foot-receiving platform is provided in the base.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   A claim is hereby made to the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/424,193 filed Nov. 6, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to tanning devices and more particularly to those which comprise an enclosure and a light source. 
   Tanning beds are ill suited for those who want to tan small areas of their bodies. Golfers and tennis players, for example, have little need for a tanning bed, since their arms, legs and faces get as much exposure to the sun&#39;s rays as those individuals choose to permit. Their ankles and feet, however, rarely see the light of day on the golf course or tennis court. For those who expose their feet or ankles in public when not engaged in their sport of choice, the contrast between tanned legs and untanned ankles and feet can be disconcerting. 
   Accordingly, the present inventor was faced with the problem of developing a device that would tan just the ankles and upper portions of the user&#39;s feet. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present apparatus for tanning a user&#39;s feet and ankles basically comprises an enclosure and a plurality of tanning lamp-receiving sockets arrayed within the enclosure. The enclosure is defined by a base and by a cover which is movable relative to the base. The cover is provided with at least one ankle-receiving opening and the base is provided with a foot-receiving platform. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an apparatus for tanning feet and ankles according to the present invention, with the cover in a closed position; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present apparatus with the cover in an open position; and 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the present apparatus taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   As indicated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , an apparatus, generally designated  10 , according to the present invention comprises an enclosure  12  and a plurality of tanning lamp-receiving sockets  17 ,  18  arrayed within the enclosure  12 . The enclosure  12  is defined by a base  14  and by a cover  16  which is movable relative to the base  14 . 
   The cover  16  is provided with at least one, preferably a pair, of ankle-receiving openings  30 , and the base  14  is provided with a foot-receiving platform  32 . 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the cover or canopy  16  preferably includes the following features. It is injection molded or otherwise formed from synthetic resin material with a back wall  34 , opposing side walls  36 ,  38  and a top  40 . The ankle-receiving openings  30  in the cover  16  are formed in spaced relation to one another in a front portion of the top  40 . A divider  42  projects downwardly from the front portion of the top  40  between the ankle-receiving openings  30 . Upper and lower lamp-receiving sockets  17 ,  18  are supported by the interior side of the divider  42 , and corresponding sockets  19 ,  20  ( FIG. 3 ) are supported by the interior side of the back wall  34 . A transparent U-shaped acrylic bezel  44  extends from the divider  42  to the back wall  34  in overlying relation to the lamp sockets  17 - 20  and serves as a housing for the 10 watt ultraviolet tanning lamps  46  mounted in the lamp-receiving sockets  17 - 20  and as a barrier to prevent the user&#39;s feet from touching the lamps  46 . Lamp sockets  21 - 24  are supported at the front and rear of one of the opposing side walls  36  and are disposed to receive two 10 watt ultraviolet tanning lamps  46 . A generally L-shaped acrylic bezel  50  extends from the front to the rear of the side wall  36  in overlying or covering relation to the 10 watt ultraviolet tanning lamps  46  and the lamp sockets  17 - 20  to protect the user&#39;s feet. Lamp sockets  25 - 28  are supported at the front and rear of the opposite side wall  38  and are disposed to receive two 10 watt ultraviolet tanning lamps  46 . A generally L-shaped acrylic bezel  51  extends from the front to the rear of the side wall  38  in overlying or covering relation to the 10 watt ultraviolet tanning lamps  46  and the lamp sockets  25 - 28  to protect the user&#39;s feet. Sheets of reflective material  52  are mounted on the interior surfaces of the top  40 , back wall  34 , and opposing side walls  36 ,  38  of the cover. Flexible conduits  54  for electrical wiring extend generally vertically along the back wall  34  of the cover  16  to the rear lamp sockets  19 , 20  and  27 , 28  of the opposing side walls  36 ,  38  and to the rear sockets  19 , 20  of the central lamp assembly. 
   As further illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , the base or lower housing  14  preferably includes the following features. A front wall  56  extends upwardly from a front edge of the platform  32  at approximately a 90° angle. An upper edge portion of the front wall  56  is formed with a pair of scallops  58  which correspond in position to the ankle-receiving openings  30  in the cover. The rest of the edge portions of the front wall  56  are disposed to engage corresponding front portions of the cover  16 . The lower edges of the sides  36 ,  38  and back wall  34  of the cover are configured to be aligned with the outer edges of the platform  32  when the cover  16  is in the closed position (FIG.  1 ). A sheet of reflective material  52  is mounted on the platform  32 , and openings  60  are provided in the platform to receive the conduits  54 . In addition to the platform  32  and front wall  56 , the base  14  is provided with a pair of forwardly inclined side walls  62 ,  64 , a rear wall  66  ( FIG. 3 ) and a bottom wall  68  (FIG.  3 ). The rear wall  66  and the forwardly inclined side walls  62 ,  64  support the platform  32  and the front wall  56  in a tilted position which allows the user to extend his or her legs somewhat and rest the user&#39;s lower calves on the scalloped edges  58  of the front wall  56  while using the device  10 . A pair of hinges  70  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) are secured to the back wall  66  of the base  14  and to the back wall  34  of the cover  12  so that the cover  12  is pivotally mounted on the base  14  to move between the closed and opened positions illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , respectively. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , electronic ballasts, starters, fuses, a timer, a power cord and associated wiring and circuitry, collectively designated  72 , are preferably housed in the base  14 . The central transparent bezel  44  and the associated pairs of lamps  46  and lamp sockets  17 - 20  are preferably disposed higher in the cover  16  than the side wall bezels  50 ,  51  and associated lamps  36  and sockets  21 - 24  and  25 - 28 . A space  74  is preferably provided between the bottom of the central bezel  44  and the foot platform  32  when the cover  16  is in the closed position. In this manner, the user is able to move his or her feet about in the enclosure  12 . 
   While the preferred embodiment of the present feet and ankle tanning apparatus has been illustrated and described in substantial detail, the foregoing disclosure is not intended to unduly limit or restrict the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.