Abstract:
The main housing is defined by a large aperture formed in its side. The side aperture provides access to an internal treatment chamber. The user can insert one or both hands into the chamber through the side aperture to provide therapeutic treatment for the skin of the hands. The device has a removable fluid reservoir seatable into the main housing. Fluid from the reservoir is ported to an internal cool mist vaporizor such as a transducer or other misting apparatus. The mist is driven down a mist conduit by user-adjustable airflow. As the mist passes down the mist conduit, it passes a heating element that allows the user to selectively deliver heated or cool vapor into the treatment chamber. The user may utilize water and/or fluid having additives such as extracts, therapeutic medications and essential oils as the raw material for mist formation.

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 12/079,747, filed Mar. 27, 2008 (“the parent application”) now U.S. Pat. No. 8,157,753. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to skin care devices and methods and, more specifically, to a Personal Care Vaporizer Device for Hands. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Skin treatment devices are plentiful. Some pertinent examples of conventional devices and systems in this field are: Mehl, Sr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,085, Walker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,414, and Burian, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,122. 
     Mehl is a “Skin Moisturizing and Buffing Device.” The Mehl system combines a handheld facial buffer that has an internal steam generator for creating a stream of steam for emission through the “movable skin contacting assembly” (i.e. the facial buffer head). While the Mehl device does provide a handheld steam buffer, it fails to allow the user the option of either cool vapor or heated steam emitted through the buffer head. Furthermore, the amount of vapor available for use is severely limited due to the entire package being of handheld size. A device providing a large volume liquid reservoir that can emit either heated steam or cool vapor would provide a wider set of benefits to the user. 
     Walker is a “Steam Device for Cosmetic Skin Treatment.” The Walker device does provide a large water reservoir for use in steam emission, but it fails to provide the option of cool vapor. 
     The Burian “Electrically Heated Facial Sauna Vapor Generating Apparatus,” like Walker discloses a large-reservoir, steam generating facial massage device. Just as with Walker, Burian fails to suggest the generation of cool vapor (in addition to hot steam) for facial application through the massage head. The ability to deliver hot or cool vapor through the massage head allows the user to continue the facial massage while heating and cooling the massage head and skin. If only the only option is to deliver steam, then the user must either stop the massage or stop the vapor delivery in the event that the face becomes uncomfortably hot. 
     In the field of hand skin treatment devices and system, the following references are relevant: Dragone, U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,010, Jaw, U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,322, Robertson, U.S. Pat. No. D342,992, M. Geria, U.S. Pat. No. 2,074,838 and Kopfer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,987. Each of these prior devices relates to the cleansing of a person&#39;s hands, rather than to the application of liquid vapor for the purpose of improving the skin condition of the person&#39;s hands. 
     Dragone is a “Liquid-nebulizing Device for the Dermatological Treatment of the Hands” that has a spray atomizer for dispensing disinfecting liquid onto the user&#39;s hands. There is not option of applying cool or warm vapor for the purpose of improving the quality of the skin. 
     Jaw discloses the “Structure of Sterilizing Hand Dryer” that permits the user to insert his or her hands into the cleaning chamber, wherein sterilizing liquid is first sprayed on the hands, and then warm, air is applied to dry the hands. There is no suggestion of therapeutic application of cool or warm vapor/mist to the hands. 
     Robertson as a design patent, simply discloses a boxy, single aperture, “sanitizing station for limbs.” From the disclosure, it is uncertain what functionality is offered to the user, beyond that the user apparently inserts his or her hands into the front opening for “sanitizing.” 
     M. Geria is a “Heating Device for Limb Extremities” that does enable the user to apply heated air to the limbs. However, there is no potential for the application of fluid mist onto the limbs, whether warm or cool mist/vapor. 
     Finally, Kopfer is a “Surgeon Hand and Arm Scrubbing Apparatus” that has a pair of cavities formed within the main housing. The user inserts his or her hands into the cavities and internal nozzles eject streams of fluid into the cavities. The Kopfer device is quite elaborate in its design, but is limited to cool water spray or warm air with sterilizing vapor. There is no capability to manually select cool or warm liquid vapor for application to one&#39;s hands. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices and methods, it is an object of the present invention to provide a Personal Care Vaporizer Device for Hands. The device should have a main housing that is defined by a large aperture formed in its side. The side aperture should provide access to an internal treatment chamber. The user should be able to insert one or both hands into the chamber through the side aperture in order to provide therapeutic treatment for the skin of the hands. The device should have a removable fluid reservoir that seats into the main housing. Fluid from the reservoir should be ported to an internal cool mist vaporizor such as a transducer or other misting apparatus. Once vaporized, the mist should be driven down a mist conduit by user-adjustable airflow. As the mist passes down the mist conduit, it should pass a heating element that allows the user to selectively deliver heated or cool vapor into the treatment chamber. The user should be able to utilize water and/or fluid having additives such as extracts, additives, therapeutic medications and essential oils as the raw material for formation of the mist. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the personal care vaporizor device for hands of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the device of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a partially cutaway side view of the device of  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a second partially cutaway side view of the device of  FIGS. 1-4 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a flow diagram depicting the process steps of the method of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invent ion have been defined herein specifically to provide a Personal Care Vaporizer Device for Hands. 
     The present invention can best be understood by initial consideration of  FIGS. 1 and 2   FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the personal care vaporizor device for hands  8  of the present invention. While the device of the parent application incorporated a separate base unit and handheld applicator, the present device  10  is a single-housing unit, in order to free up the user&#39;s hands so as to permit users to treat their own hands without third party assistance. Similar to the device of the parent application, the device  10  of the present invention generates cool vapor from liquid contained in an internal liquid reservoir. The cool vapor, once created, can either be administered to the user&#39;s skin, or it can first be heated within the device  10  prior to application. 
     In order to utilize the device  10 , the user inserts his or her hands  8  into the treatment chamber  14  formed in the main housing  12 .  FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the device  10  of  FIG. 1 . The back side of the main housing  12  has a removeable fluid reservoir  20 , that is shown as it would be (in place in the housing  12 ) during operation. The operational modes of the device  10  are described below in connection with  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the device  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The main housing  12  is generally ovoid or rounded in shape, and is defined by the removeable fluid reservoir  20  at its rear side. An aperture  16  is formed on the front side of the main housing  12 , opposite the fluid reservoir  20 . The aperture  16  is sized tall and wide enough in order to comfortably accept a pair of adult human&#39;s hands therethrough. 
     The internal treatment chamber  14  is accessed through the aperture  16  by the user inserting his or her hands therethrough (as depicted above in  FIG. 1 ). A drip tray  18  is located in the bottom of the treatment chamber in order to separate the runoff and/or residue from the condensed vapor from the inside of the treatment chamber  14  (and the user&#39;s hands). There are a number of operational modes related to the generation and application of treatment vapor to the user&#39;s hands. The mode control button  22  is a touch-sensitive, preferably waterproof (or water resistant) switch that the user activates to selectively operate the different modes of the device  10 . There are 2 basic modes available: (1) cool mist and (2) heated mist. Depression of the mode control button  22  will cycle between cool mist, heated mist and off. 
     Bracketing, or otherwise in close proximity to, the mode control button  22  are a water/mist status indicator lamp  24 . The water/mist status indicator lamp  24  provides a visual display when either cool or heated vapor/mist is being emitted (lamp illuminated). The lamp  24  also will provide indication when the fluid level in the reservoir  20  is low. 
     The heating element status indicator  26  illuminates when the heating element is turned on while at the same time as mist/vapor is being generated. If the heater is active when the mist/vapor generator is deactivated (by the mode control button  22 ), then the heater will also deactivate and both status indicators  24 ,  26  will be extinguished in their preferred form. 
     Two additional control elements are located on opposing ends of the top surface of the main housing  12  of the device  10 . A mist control knob  30  is used to control the amount of mist generated by the internal vapor generator. An airflow control knob  28  is used to control the volume (and speed) of airflow driving the generated mist into the treatment chamber  14 . While airflow can be generated without mist, the opposite is not the case—in order to generate mist, there must be airflow in order to drive the generated mist/vapor through the internal plumbing of the device  10  and onto the user&#39;s hands. Now turning to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , we can examine the internal components of this novel device  10 . 
       FIG. 4  is a partially cutaway side view of the device  10  of  FIGS. 1-3 . The removable fluid reservoir  20  is a (preferably plastic) housing containing, among other elements, a fluid chamber  32 . The fluid chamber  32  is a water-tight reservoir within which fluid is placed and stored for use by the device  10 . In order to re-fill the fluid chamber  32 , the fluid reservoir  20  is removed from its alcove formed in the main housing  12  and turned over. Water and other fluids or treatment components (essential oils, additives, therapeutic medications, etc.) are then poured into the fluid chamber  32  through the fill port  33  formed in the bottom side of the reservoir  20 . Fill plug  35  is then inserted into the fill port  33  to seal the port  33  to prevent leaks (e.g. by engaging corresponding threads therebetween). 
     Like the device of the parent application, the instant design has an internal transducer  34  for sonically generating vapor from the liquid stored within the fluid chamber  32 . As it is intended herein, other non-heat-producing mist/vapor generating devices are interchangable with the transducer  34 . For example, the liquid could be drawn from the reservoir  20  and then pressurized, such as by pumping. The pressurized liquid could then be emitted through one or more orifices so that a cool mist is created. Furthermore, it should be understood that the transducer  34  could generate ultrasonic vibrations to create the mist/vapor, or it could also generate sound waves to vaporize the liquid. 
     Mist or vapor generated by the transducer  34  travels up the mist conduit  38  to the heating chamber  40 . The mist conduit  38  is made up a vertical stack and a horizontal stack. The vertical stack is a component attached to the main housing  12 , such that it receives its electrical supply (controlled by the control elements on the top of the main housing  12 ). The horizontal stack is a component fo the removable fluid reservoir  20 . Fluid reaches the transducer  34  from a port (not shown) interconnecting the bottom area of the fluid chamber  32  with the transducer  34 . 
     There is a heater module  42  located within the main housing  12  directly adjacent to the heating chamber  40 . As cool (non-heated) mist/vapor is generated by the transducer  34 , blower  36  creates airflow that drives the mist/vapor down the mist conduit  38  until it reaches the heating chamber  40 . If the heater module  42  is activated, the transient mist/vapor will acquire heat as it passes through the heating chamber  40 . 
     There is a plurality of mist orifices  46  (see  FIG. 5 ) dispersed across the bottom wall of the heating chamber  40 . These mist orifices  46  are formed in applicator head  44 , and allow fluid to pass between the heating chamber  40  and the treatment chamber  14 . As a result, as mist/vapor is driven into the heating chamber  40 , it will proceed to flow into the treatment chamber  14  through the mist orifices  46  (see  FIG. 5 ) so that it will flow down onto the user&#39;s hands (that are inserted into the treatment chamber  14 ).  FIG. 5  depicts yet another view of the internal components of the device of the current design. 
       FIG. 5  is a second partially cutaway side view of the device  10  of  FIGS. 1-4 . In this depiction, we can see that the mist control knob  30  is positioned to operate flow gate  31  to open and close flow opening  37 . The gate  31  travels up and down within the flow chamber  39  to throttle the amount of mist/vapor that flows through the flow opening  37  and into the heating chamber  40  (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     As the mist/vapor condenses within the treatment chamber  14 , it can be expected to condense on the user&#39;s hands in the form of a liquid once again. In order to prevent the condensed liquid from overflowing and leaking out through the from aperture  16  in the main housing  12 , a drain receptacle  48  is formed in the bottom of the treatment chamber  14 . The drain receptacle  48  is covered by a drain tray  18  in order to prevent the user from inadvertently dipping his or her hands into the condensed liquid residing in the drain receptacle. If we finally turn to  FIG. 6 , we can review the entire flow train followed by the air, fluid and mist/vapor as it is transformed and passes through the device in order to provide treatment to the user&#39;s hands. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow diagram depicting the process steps of the method of the present invention. The blower  36  generates air flow and pressure that is directed to the transducer  34 . The blower  36  rotational speed (and therefore the speed of the airflow) is controlled by the air control knob  28 . Water (or whatever treatment liquid is contained within the fluid chamber  32 ) is fed by gravity from the fluid chamber  32  into the transducer  34 , where it is vaporized by cool, ultrasonic agitation. Air from the blower  36  mixes with the vapor and drives the mist/vapor down the mist conduit  38 . As it reaches the end of the mist conduit  38 , the vapor/mist flowrate is controlled by the flow gate  31  (which is controlled by the user through operation of the mist control knob). 
     As vapor/mist exits past the flow gate  31 , it enters the heating chamber  40  and comes in contact with the heater module  42 . If, according to the user input to the mode control button, the heater module  42  is activated, the mist/vapor will be heated as it passes through the heating chamber  40 . If the heater module  42  is not activated, then only cool vapor/mist will pass through the heating chamber  40 . 
     Ultimately, mist/vapor will be driven through the heating chamber  40  and into the treatment chamber  14  through one or more mist orifices  46  formed in the “roof” of the treatment chamber  14 . The result will be a pleasing, therapeutic cascade of vapor blanketing the user&#39;s hands in order to improve skin moisture and overall condition. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.