Patent Publication Number: US-2009230737-A1

Title: Pedicure Chair and Mini Spa

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to chairs used for services such as pedicures, manicures, facials and other related services, and more specifically to such a pedicure chair for a child or young adult. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Chairs used in professional beauty salons have become particularly versatile, allowing a customer to receive a facial, manicure, and pedicure while sitting at a single work station. Such chairs may include a removable work tray installed after a client sits in the salon chair for resting the client&#39;s hand on such work tray to facilitate a manicure. Such chairs may also include a pedicure basin at the foot of the chair to facilitate pedicure services. The pedicure basin typically includes a faucet for adding water to the basin, a drain for draining water from the basin, and may further include water pressure jets for inducing a Jacuzzi-type whirlpool action to massage and clean the client&#39;s feet. 
     In the case of known chairs of the type wherein the pedicure basin is secured to the foot of the salon chair, the client must typically step into the pedicure basin en route to sitting in the chair. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,082 discloses a salon chair includes a pedicure basin positioned between the foot of the chair and a front step opposite the foot of the chair. The pedicure basin includes a bottom floor, a perforated stepping surface above the bottom floor of the basin, and a nozzle assembly disposed between the bottom floor and the stepping surface for agitating water in the pedicure basin. Pressurized air is directed out of the nozzle assembly to induce a whirlpool action in the water held by the basin. The stepping surface may remain in the pedicure basin for days at a time, but may be removed when desired for cleaning purposes. The front step includes a cut-out, or groove, allowing allows a technician&#39;s chair to pull up closer to a person seated in the salon chair. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,387 discloses a pedicure treatment system including a receptacle for immersion treatment with jet action. A re-circulating circuit is coupled to a source of sanitizing agent through a metering pump. Different automated sanitizing modes are carried out according to programmed recirculation of the sanitizing agent. Automated fill control with level sensors and power drain features are provided. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,650 discloses a pedicure stand including a horizontal beam, first and second legs fixed to a first end of the beam and extending downwardly therefrom and inclined outwardly away from each other, third and fourth legs fixed to a second end of the beam and extending downwardly therefrom and inclined outwardly away from each other, and a pad of soft material fixed to an upper surface of the horizontal beam. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,457 discloses a bench unit, being fitted with compartments open to the top and with covered side compartments for use in rendering a pedicure treatment. The bench is of a height to enable a seated patient to rest one or both feet in individual open compartments with a first central flat tray section serving as a rest for a foot being treated or as a storage space for treating implements or towels. Two of the open compartments are fitted with removable foot bath pans with the walls of these bathing compartments fitted with electrical heating elements. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,825 discloses an apparatus for pedicure including an open top treatment chamber receptive of at least one human foot within an upwardly opening generally channel shaped foot-receiving device within the chamber and provided with foot-scrubbing means, a foot rest within the device, and means for effecting relative reciprocation between the device and the foot rest for foot-scrubbing action. Provisions are made for spraying treatment fluid on the foot, alternating with drying air. Recirculation of liquid treating fluid can be effected. 
     SUMMARY  
     A pedicure chair for user including a child or young adult may include a tub member for the feet of the user, a seat member for the user to sit on, a back rest member connected to the seat member to rest the back of the user, a head rest member connected to the back rest member to rest the head of the user, and an arm member connected to the back rest member to rest the arms of the user. 
     The back rest member may correspond to a first decoration, the head rest member may correspond corresponds to the first decoration and the arm member may be decorated to simulate an animal or cartoon character. 
     The arm member may rotate with respect to the back rest member, and the head rest member may detach from the back rest member. 
     The tub member may be connected to a stand member for supporting a entertainment device, and the entertainment device may be a DVD device. 
     The entertainment device may be a music player, and the first decoration of the back rest member may be interchanged with a second decoration of the back rest member. 
     The first decoration of the head rest member may be interchanged with a second decoration of the head rest member, and the stand may be positioned on the right side of the pedicure chair. 
     The stand may be positioned on the left side of the pedicure chair, and the stand can be positioned at a varying height. 
     The stand can be positioned at a varying view angle, and the entertainment device may be a game. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the pedicure mini spa of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of the pedicure mini spa of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a front view of another embodiment of the pedicure mini spa of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram form examples of the entertainment device that can be used with the pedicure mini spa of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates to a mini spa which is adapted to be used in beauty salons to provide pedicures for kids and young adults. The mini spa of the present invention may include an entertainment device to entertain the user of the mini spa. Most adults can be entertained by reading a book or magazine. However, children and young adults usually do not find a book or magazine to be sufficiently entertaining in order to hold their attention for sufficiently long amount of time. These children and young adults are generally more entertained by a DVD player, computer games or a music player. Consequently, the present invention incorporates these devices into entertainment system which is part of the mini spa and connected chair. The system includes a holder to position the entertainment device and to adjust the entertainment system in order to vary the height and to vary the view angle for the user of the mini spa and connected chair. The chair connected to the mini spa is decorated to simulate any animal such as a bear, animated figure, panda bear or other such desirable animal. The chair may have armrests which are made to resemble paws of the animal, and armrests are movable in order to facilitate entry and exit of the user of the chair. The back rest of the chair may have colors which are compatible with the coloring of the animal. The head rest which is in the form of an animal head can be detached in order to be converted to a different animal. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a pedicure spa, chair and entertainment system shown generally by reference element  100 . The spa chair  111  includes a seat member  113  for the user of the spa chair  111  to sit while having a pedicure. The seat member  113  is connected to a back rest member  115  for the user of the spa chair  111  to support his/her back. The seat member  113  and the back rest member  115  may be color-coordinated in order to simulate the coloring of the animals or animal which is trying to be represented. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a pair of arm members  107  which are connected to the back rest member  115 , and the arm members  107  are rotatable with respect to the back rest member  115  so that the arm members  107  can be rotated to allow the user easy access to the spa chair  111 . Furthermore,  FIG. 1  illustrates a head rest member  117  which is in the form of an animal head in order to further create the illusion that the chair  111  is a simulated animal. The head rest member  117  includes an ear member  101  which is formed to represent the ear of the animal, a nose member  103  which is formed to represent the nose of the animal, a mouth member  105  which is formed to represent the mouth of the animal and the eye member  109  which is formed to represent the eye of the animal. 
       FIG. 1  additionally illustrates an entertainment system  151  which is connected to the tub member  109  and the spa chair  111 .  FIG. 1  illustrates that the entertainment system  151  includes a stand member  153  for holding the entertainment device  155  which may be a DVD, game or music player. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the entertainment device  115  which may include a DVD player  457  to play a DVD disk for the user a game player  459  to play a game for the user and/or a music player  461  to play music for the user. The entertainment device  115  may include only one or two or all of these devices or any equivalent devices. 
     The stand member  153  can be rotated and raised up and down in order to provide for varying heights and varying angles in which to view the entertainment device  155 . The stand member  153  can be positioned on either the left or the right. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates another embodiment of a pedicure spa, chair and entertainment system shown generally by reference element  200 . The decoration of  FIG. 1  has been removed and a new decoration has been placed to represent a different an animal. More specifically, the decoration of the back rest member, and the head rest member has been changed from a first decoration to a second decoration.  FIG. 2  illustrates that the spa chair  211  has been decorated to suggest a cartoon character. The spa chair  211  includes a seat member  213  for the user of the spa chair  211  to sit while having a pedicure. The seat member  213  is connected to a back rest member  215  for the user of the spa chair  211  to support his/her back. The seat member  213  and the back rest member  215  may be color-coordinated in order to simulate the coloring of the cartoon character which is attempting to be represented. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a pair of arm members  207  which are connected to the back rest member  215 , and the arm members  207  are rotatable with respect to the back rest member  215  so that the arm members  207  can be rotated to allow the user easy access to the spa chair  211 . Furthermore,  FIG. 2  illustrates a head rest member  217  which is in the form of a cartoon head in order to further create the illusion that the chair  211  is a simulated cartoon character. The head rest member  217  includes an ear member  201  which is formed to represent the ear of the cartoon character, a nose member  203  which is formed to represent the nose of the cartoon character, a mouth member  205  which is formed to represent the mouth of the cartoon character and the eye member  209  which is formed to represent the eye of the cartoon character. 
       FIG. 2  additionally illustrates an entertainment system  151  which is connected to the tub member  209  and the spa chair  211 .  FIG. 2  illustrates that the entertainment system  151  includes a stand member  253  for holding the entertainment device  155  which may be a DVD, game or music player. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a pedicure spa, chair and entertainment system shown generally by reference element  300 . The spa chair  311  includes a seat member  313  for the user of the spa chair  311  to sit while having a pedicure. The seat member  313  is connected to a back rest member  315  for the user of the spa chair  311  to support his/her back. The seat member  313  and the back rest member  315  may be color-coordinated in order to simulate the coloring of the animals or animal which is trying to be represented. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates another embodiment of a pair of arm members  307  which are connected to the back rest member  315 , and the arm members  307  are rotatable with respect to the back rest member  315  so that the arm members  307  can be rotated to allow the user easy access to the spa chair  311 . Furthermore,  FIG. 3  illustrates a head rest member  317  which is in the form of an animal head in order to further create the illusion that the chair  311  is a simulated animal in this case a panda bear. The head rest member  317  includes an ear member  301  which is formed to represent the ear of the animal, a nose member  303  which is formed to represent the nose of the animal, a mouth member  305  which is formed to represent the mouth of the animal and the eye member  309  which is formed to represent the eye of the animal. 
       FIG. 4  additionally illustrates an entertainment system  151  which is connected to the tub member  309  and the spa chair  311 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates that the entertainment system  151  includes a stand member  353  for holding the entertainment device  155  which may be a DVD, game or music player. 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.