Abstract:
Persons often encounter the need to apply some form of skin treatment when on the go. Such treatments include disinfectant, sunscreens, medications, and moisturizing lotions. The present invention comprises convenient portable skin treatment dispensers in the form wrist-worn devices with detachable wristbands. The devices are convenient to use, unobtrusive and can even be disposable. Ease of manufacture is facilitated by the use of self-sealing diaphragm valves.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a division of application Ser. No. 10/915,720 filed Aug. 10, 2004 which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/729,757, filed Dec. 5, 2003 which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/314,825, filed Dec. 9, 2002, now abandoned. This application claims the benefit of U. S. Provisional Application Nos. 60/515,718, 60/515,775, 60/515,793, and 60/515,794 filed Oct. 30, 2003, Disclosure Document No. 525,532, filed Feb. 5, 2003, Disclosure Document No. 534,422, filed Jul. 7, 2003, and Disclosure Document No. 536,414, filed Aug. 8, 2003. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
     Prior Art  
       [0002]     The increase in bacterial immunity to modem antibiotics is problematic and one of the chief vectors of infection is the human hand. Hence, when not in the proximity of a washroom to disinfect one&#39;s hands, it would be useful to have a means to accomplish such sanitation. Also, in the midst of daily activities, it can be inconvenient to uncap bottles of disinfecting gels or hand lotions to otherwise treat the hands.  
         [0003]     Fortunately, it has been established that ethyl alcohol is a most effective antiseptic for gram-negative pathogens; it is of low viscosity, easily dispensed from a portable container, and does not require the use of a material wipe or cloth because of the speed of evaporation. Further, an adequate dose for sanitizing the hands comprises but a few drops of this antiseptic. To prevent chafing, glycerin can be added to the alcohol without levels of viscosity increase that would be deleterious to the dispensing process.  
         [0004]     Various methods of portable disinfectant or lotion dispensers have been disclosed in the prior art. These include body-mounted dispensers, wrist bracelet dispensers, and others. U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,946 discloses a dispensing tube that drips liquid onto the hand. U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,898 discloses a tube-fed finger dispenser. A body-worn dispenser of form factor similar to a pager is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,548.  
         [0005]     What has not been demonstrated is a dispenser that is wrist- or arm-worn that provides ease of actuation and, more specifically, single hand actuation. Neither has there been a device that can be surreptitiously actuated. This is an important consideration with respect to public relations. Individuals such as business and sales personnel may come in contact with and greet many people during the day. It would be desirable to have the option of sanitizing the hands after a handshake with a person without conveying a disdainful message to that person in so doing.  
         [0006]     A wrist-mounted dispenser that achieves dispensing directly to the hand with a simple hand action is a major advantage of the present invention. This is especially useful to nurses and doctors in busy hospital settings, as well as for allied health care workers who cannot take time to repeatedly wash their hands with soap and water.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention discloses wrist- or forearm-mounted device versions for dispensing a small amount of alcohol-based disinfectant hand rub, moisturizer, or other skin medicament. Even powder-based skin treatments can be dispensed using the present invention. A wristband or other attachment means removeably affix the device to arm or wrist. Various locations are feasible including the top, side, or underside of the wrist or forearm. In a preferred embodiment, the device is in the form of a low profile, wrist-mounted dispenser with a slit-based diaphragm valve that produces a small amount of dispensed skin treatment when actuated.  
         [0008]     Surreptitious actuation and dispensing of hand treatments is made possible with embodiments of the invention that are mounted on the underside of the wrist and can be easily actuated in a causal, not easily detected manner.  
         [0009]     Because only a few drops of alcohol-based disinfectant comprise a dose adequate to achieve sanitation of the hands, the device can dispense hundreds of doses of disinfectant before requiring refill or disposal. It can be used at any orientation of the arm and will avoid leakage when not actuated. Options exist for the fabrication of the device whether disposable or refillable. For example, hard or soft pliable plastics can be employed. For disposable versions of the device, biodegradable plastics are cited as advantageous device construction materials.  
         [0000]     Objects and Advantages  
         [0010]     Several objects and advantages of the present invention are:  
         [0011]     (a) Provide a convenient, portable means for dispensing skin treatments;  
         [0012]     (b) Provide a cost-effective means for dispensing skin treatments;  
         [0013]     (c) Provide an unobtrusive means of dispensing skin treatments;  
         [0014]     (d) Provide an easily actuated means of dispensing skin treatments:  
         [0015]     (e) Provide an arm- or wrist-mounted means of dispensing skin treatments;  
         [0016]     (f) Provide a wrist-mounted disposable means of dispensing skin treatments;  
         [0017]     (g) Provide a disposable wrist-worn skin treatment dispenser.  
         [0018]     (h) Provide an easy-to-manufacture skin treatment dispenser using a diaphragm valve. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1   a  is a pictorial and side view diagram of a single slit diaphragm valve.  
         [0020]      FIG. 1   b  is a pictorial diagram of a diaphragm valve having cross slits.  
         [0021]      FIG. 1   c  is a pictorial diagram of a tricuspid-type diaphragm valve.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is an exploded diagram of a slit-based diaphragm valve embodiment of the invention in which the valve is captivated by a retainer.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional diagram of the device of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is an exploded diagram of a second version of a slit-based diaphragm valve embodiment of the invention in which the valve snap-fits into the reservoir.  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional diagram of the device of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is an exploded diagram of a slit-based diaphragm valve embodiment of the invention exhibiting an insert-molded valve.  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional diagram of the device of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
       [0028]     The following definitions serve to clarify the disclosed and claimed invention:  
         [0029]     Bladder refers to an elastic, resilient container that can be deformed under compression.  
         [0030]     Skin treatment material comprises any of a host of liquid, powder, gel, or aerosol medications, or sanitizing agents that are topically applied to the hands or other skin surfaces. Examples include alcohol, glycerin, moisturizing lotions, sunscreen, and desiccating powders. The combination of treatments such as disinfecting lotion and sunscreen are included in this definition.  
         [0031]     Working fluid refers to the fluid which transfers manual pressure to the material to be dispensed. Such transfer of pressure can occur in one or multiple stages and typical working fluids include air contained in a squeeze bottle as well as liquid versions of the hand treatment material itself.  
         [0032]     Diaphragm valve refers to a diaphragm having one or more slits that form flaps in the diaphragm. These flaps are normally closed but can be caused to open upon fluid or gas pressure applied to one side of the diaphragm. In this way, the diaphragm valve mimics the operation of human heart valves such as the tricuspid valve.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]     The present invention is useful for dispensing either hand treatments such as moisturizers or disinfectants; even powders can be dispensed in powder-aerosol form. Typically, the active ingredient in hand antiseptics such as Purel is ethyl alcohol. This is fortuitous because it is a relatively non-toxic liquid that exhibits low viscosity over the temperature range of interest for this application. This makes delivery of a directed stream of fluid relatively easy. In contrast to liquid, alcohol gels are useful in that they do not run and although they will require more force to dispense than liquid, such higher viscosity disinfectant or moisturizing formulations can be accommodated in differing embodiments of the present invention. Various means of dispensing the aforementioned hand treatments are feasible and can be tailored to the type of material to be dispensed. The target locations for deposition of the hand treatment include the regions on the top of the hand, and the underside of the hand, either fingers or palm. The preferred embodiment for a means of dispensing hand cleaning dosages in a device that attaches to either the top or underside of the wrist. It can be worn unobtrusively underneath a long-sleeved shirt.  
         [0034]      FIGS. 1   a  through  1   c  depict the basic geometry of self-sealing diaphragm valves. In  FIG. 1   a  is a simple disc diaphragm  971  of flexible polymeric material is shown with a central slit  973 . The thickness and construction of this diaphragm valve along with the nature of the polymer employed provide sufficient stiffness that inadvertent fluid leakage will not occur. As shown in the side view of the diaphragm, when sufficient fluid force is applied to one side of the diaphragm, the flaps of the slit open to release fluid, but otherwise close to provide a seal. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) is one of a number of good candidate materials for this type of valve. Other slit geometries are feasible such as the cross  977  of  FIG. 1   b  and the tri-slit  979  of  FIG. 1   c  which resembles the tricuspid valve of the human heart. Variations in the cross-sectional thickness of the diaphragm valve offer potential advantages such as rigidity of the valve perimeter for mounting into the reservoir.  FIGS. 2 through 7  depict various slit-based diaphragm valve embodiments of the invention that have detachable wristbands. These embodiments are characterized by use of the aforementioned self-sealing diaphragm valves. As shown in FIGS.  2  though  7 , the diaphragm valve is located in a region of the dispenser surface exhibiting a smooth substantially outwardly curved profile that immediately surrounds the valve  
         [0035]     A first version of the slit-based diaphragm valve type dispenser is shown in  FIG. 2 . A self-sealing diaphragm valve of the type just described is part of the diaphragm valve assembly  985  is constructed of a soft, polymeric material that is “tuned” to deform under pressure from the treatment fluid. Once deformed, small slits in the diaphragm surface enable treatment fluid to dispense into palm or fingers of the actuating hand. Again, the diaphragm has enough material rigidity to allow air to travel back in to replace the displaced cleanser, but not allow the treatment fluid in the reservoir to escape unless a positive pressure is applied to the flexible reservoir  981 . The valve assembly retainer  983  is a rigid polymeric component that retains the flexible diaphragm valve  985  in its service position. It also enables attachment of one end of the retention of the wrist strap  987 . The wrist strap  987  is a flexible material (such as non-woven polyethylene) with re-usable adhesive on at least one side such that the strap could be placed over hand and around several sizes of wrists and be secured for its service cycle, and then disposed.  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional diagram of this version of the invention showing captivation of the diaphragm valve assembly  985  by the valve assembly retainer  983 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 4  is an exploded diagram of a second version of the slit-based diaphragm valve type dispenser that uses a valve  1113  that snap-fits into the reservoir  1111 . This is better understood with reference to the cross-sectional diagram of  FIG. 5 . The flange  1119  on the valve  1113  snap fits around a corresponding shaped flange  1117  in the aperture of reservoir  1111 . Also shown is the wrist strap  1115 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 6  is an exploded diagram of a third version of the slit-based diaphragm valve type dispenser which makes use of a diaphragm valve  1143  that is integrally- or insert-molded to the reservoir  1141 . Wrist strap  1145  is depicted also. In the cross-sectional diagram of  FIG. 7 , the valve  1143  is shown molded to the valve seating surface  1147  of the reservoir  1141 .  
         [0038]     Depending upon the compounding of the specific treatment fluid to be dispensed by the present invention, various biodegradable plastics can be employed in disposable embodiments of the invention. The table below provides examples of various categories of candidate biodegradable plastics.  
         [0039]     While there have been shown and described the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention can be embodied otherwise than is herein specifically illustrated and described and that, within such embodiments certain changes in the detail and configuration of this invention, and in the form and arrangements of the components of this invention, can be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.  
                                                 Biodegradable Plastics            Category   Generic Name   Trade Name   Producer               Biopolymer   Poly 3-hydroxybutyrate   Biogreen   Mitsubishi Gas Chemicals       Synthetic   Polybutylenesuccinate   Bionelle 1000   Showa Highpolymer       Polymer   Polybutylenesuccinate/adipate   Bionelle 3000   Showa Highpolymer               EnPol 4000   Ire Chemical           Polybutylenesuccinate/carbonate   Iupec   Mitsubishi Gas Chemicals           Polybutylenesuccinate/terephthalate   Biomax   Dupont           Polybutyleneadipate/terephthalate   Ecoflex   BASF           Polytetramethyleneadipate/terephthalate   EasterBio   Eastman Chemicals           Polybutyleneadipate/terephthalate   EnPol 8000   Ire Chemical           Polycaprolactone   CelGreen PH   Daicel Chemical               TONE   Dow Chemical           Polyethylensuccinate/adipate   Lunare SE   Nippon Shokubai           Polylactic Acid   NatureWorks   Cargill Dow               LACEA   Mitsui Chemicals           Polyvinyl Alcohol   Poval   Kuraray               Gosenol   Nippon Synthetic Chemical               Dolon VA   Aicello Chemical       Modified   Modified Starch   Compol   Japan Cornstarch       Natural   Starch-based Synthetic Polymer   Placom   Nihon Shokuhin Kako       Polymer       Mater-Bi   Chemitech           Cellulose Acetate   CelGreen PCA   Daicel Chemical               Unknown   Teijin           Chitosan/Cellulose/Starch   Dolon CC   Aicello Kagaku