Patent Publication Number: US-10307323-B1

Title: Lip suction device and related methods

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation application of the earlier U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 14/512,273, filed Oct. 10, 2014, titled “Lip Suction Device and Related Methods,” naming as first inventor Linda M. Gomez, now pending, which is a continuation application of the earlier U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 13/480,190, filed May 24, 2012, titled “Lip Suction Device and Related Methods,” naming as first inventor Linda M. Gomez, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,858,472, issued Oct. 14, 2014, which is a continuation-in-part application of the earlier U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 12/474,920, filed May 29, 2009, titled “Full Lips Self Suction Device and Process Therefore,” naming as first inventor Linda M. Gomez, now abandoned, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     Aspects of this document relate generally to devices and methods to enhance human lips. 
     2. Background Art 
     Methods exist in the art to enhance human lips, such as soft tissue augmentation and injected treatments. 
     SUMMARY 
     Implementations of lip suction devices may include: a rigid hollow form having an opening at a first end of the rigid hollow form and a cavity therein extending from the first end to a second end of the rigid hollow form, the rigid hollow form having an outer surface and having a thickness at the opening between the outer surface and a surface of the cavity; and wherein the opening has an edge wherein the edge includes a rounded shape across the thickness at the opening; wherein the rounded shape of the edge is configured to form a substantially air-tight seal between a user&#39;s face and the edge when the rigid hollow form is pressed against the user&#39;s face near the user&#39;s lips; and wherein the rigid hollow form is configured so that when the user draws air into the user&#39;s mouth after forming the substantially air-tight seal, the user&#39;s lips are drawn into the rigid hollow form towards the second end of the rigid hollow form. 
     Implementations of lip suction devices may include one, all, or any of the following: 
     The rounded shape may be circular. 
     The rigid hollow form may have a cross section having a shape of one of a circle and a rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends. 
     The rigid hollow form may have a shape of a squat cylinder with a sidewall and a bottom covering the second end. 
     The opening may have a shape of a circle. 
     The opening may have a shape of a rectangle with two opposing half circle ends. 
     The rigid hollow form may have a first outer diameter and a second outer diameter, the first outer diameter being closer to the first end than the second outer diameter, and the first outer diameter being larger than the second outer diameter. 
     The outer surface may include a ribbed section. 
     The rigid hollow form may have a ledge at the surface of the cavity. 
     Implementations of lip suction devices may include: a rigid hollow form having an opening at a first end of the rigid hollow form and a cavity therein extending from the first end to a second end of the rigid hollow form, the rigid hollow form including an outer surface and having a thickness at the opening between the outer surface and a surface of the cavity; and wherein the opening includes an edge wherein the edge includes a rounded shape across the thickness at the opening. 
     Implementations of lip suction devices may include one, all, or any of the following: 
     The rounded shape may be circular. 
     The rigid hollow form may include a cross section comprising a shape of one of a circle and a rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends. 
     The opening may include a shape of a circle. 
     The opening may include a shape of a rectangle with two opposing half circle ends. 
     The rigid hollow form may include a first outer diameter and a second outer diameter, the first outer diameter being closer to the first end than the second outer diameter, and the first outer diameter being larger than the second outer diameter. 
     The outer surface may include a ribbed section. 
     The rigid hollow form may include a ledge at the surface of the cavity. 
     Implementations of lip suction devices may include: a rigid hollow form having an opening at a first end of the rigid hollow form and a cavity therein extending from the first end to a second end of the rigid hollow form; a mount releasably couplable to the rigid hollow form at a surface of the cavity, the mount having a mount edge defining a mount opening, the mount forming a substantially air tight seal between the mount and the rigid hollow form; wherein the mount edge is configured to form a substantially air-tight seal between a user&#39;s face and the mount edge when the mount is pressed against the user&#39;s face near the user&#39;s lips; and wherein the mount and rigid hollow form are configured so that when the user draws air into the user&#39;s mouth after forming the two substantially air-tight seals, at least a portion of the user&#39;s lips are drawn through the mount opening towards the second end of the rigid hollow form. 
     Implementations of lip suction devices may include one, all, or any of the following: 
     The rigid hollow form may include a cross section having a shape of one of a circle and a rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends. 
     The mount opening may have a shape of one of a circle, a rectangle with two opposing half circle ends, and a heart. 
     The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent to those artisans of ordinary skill in the art from the DESCRIPTION and DRAWINGS, and from the CLAIMS. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, where like designations denote like elements, and: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 1B  is a top view of the lip suction device of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 2B  is a top view of the lip suction device of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 3B  is a top view of the lip suction device of  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 4B  is a top view of the lip suction device of  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 5B  is a top view of the lip suction device of  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 6B  is a top view of the lip suction device of  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 7A  is a side view of a user and an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 7B  is a side view of the user of  FIG. 7A  using the lip suction device of  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 7C  is a side view of the user of  FIG. 7A  after using the lip suction device of  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a cutaway perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 8B  is a cutaway perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 9A  is a cutaway perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 9B  is a cutaway perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; 
         FIG. 10A  is a cutaway perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device; and 
         FIG. 10B  is a cutaway perspective view of an implementation of a lip suction device. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     This disclosure, its aspects and implementations, are not limited to the specific components or assembly procedures disclosed herein. Many additional components and assembly procedures known in the art consistent with the intended lip suction devices and related methods and/or assembly procedures for lip suction devices will become apparent for use with particular implementations from this disclosure. Accordingly, for example, although particular implementations are disclosed, such implementations and implementing components may comprise any shape, size, style, type, model, version, measurement, concentration, material, quantity, and/or the like as is known in the art for such lip suction devices and implementing components and related methods, consistent with the intended operation. 
     In implementations a self-suctioning lip enhancement device (lip suction device) (device)  10  includes a hollow form  12  having an opening  14  therein. In implementations the hollow form  12  is a rigid hollow form  12 . In implementations, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1A to 10B , the rigid hollow form  12  may have a shape of a squat cylinder  16  having a sidewall  18  and a bottom  20  at one end with opening  14  at the other end thereof. In addition, the cylinder length can be varied as shown by comparing  FIGS. 1A-10B . 
     In implementations of use, as seen in  FIGS. 5A-5C , a person (user)  22  places his/her lips (user&#39;s lips)  26  over opening  14  and creates a substantially air-tight seal using his/her mouth  24 . As seen in  FIG. 5B , the user  22  draws air into his/her mouth  24  thereby lowering the air pressure inside the device  10  which acts to pull the tissue of the lips  26  therein. The user  22  waits for a period of time, in some implementations a few minutes, before releasing the seal and removing the device  10  as shown in  FIG. 5C . This suction action on lips  26  creates temporarily fuller lips  26  as shown in  FIG. 5C . In implementations the effect may last a few hours with the lips  26  returning to normal thereafter, with no lasting aftereffects. 
     Opening  14  can be a variety of shapes as shown in  FIGS. 1A-10B .  FIGS. 1A-2B, 4A-4B and 9A-9B  show circular shaped openings  14 . Opening  14  of  FIGS. 3A-3B  has the shape of a rectangle with rounded corners. Opening  5  (opening  14 ) of  FIGS. 5A-5B , opening  7  (opening  14 ) of  FIGS. 6A-6B , and openings  14  of  FIGS. 8A-8B and 10A-10B  have the shape of a rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends. Opening  5  (opening  14 ) additionally has a cutout  5   a  centered on one long side of opening  5  (opening  14 ) in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . Opening  5  (opening  14 ) may create the effect of full lips  26  with an enhanced effect on the middle of the upper lip  26 . 
     In implementations, as in  FIGS. 1A through 1B and 3A-4B , the rigid hollow form  12  includes an opening  14  at a first end  32  of the rigid hollow form  12  and a cavity  34  therein extending from the first end  32  to a second end  36  of the rigid hollow form  12 , and a mount  30  releasably couplable to the rigid hollow form  12  at a surface  42  of the cavity  34 . The mount  30  in implementations is coupled to the rigid hollow form  12  through the opening  14 . The mount  30  includes a mount edge  58  defining a mount opening  60  and the mount  30  forms a substantially air-tight seal between the mount  30  and the rigid hollow form  12 , as described herein. The mount edge  58  is configured to form a substantially air-tight seal between a user&#39;s face and the mount edge  58  when the mount  30  is pressed against the user&#39;s face near the user&#39;s lips  26 . The mount  30  and rigid hollow form  12  are configured so that when the user draws air into the user&#39;s mouth  24  after forming the two substantially air-tight seals, at least a portion of the user&#39;s lips  26  are drawn through the mount opening  60  towards the second end  36  of the rigid hollow form  12 . 
     The mount opening  3  (mount opening  60 ) in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  has a shape of a rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends, and creates the effect of symmetrical full lips  26  on the middle of the lips  26 . The mount opening  60  of  FIGS. 1A-1B  has a circular shape. The mount opening  4  (mount opening  60 ) of  FIGS. 4A-4B  has a shape of a heart. In various implementations these shapes (rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends, circle, heart) are substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . 
     In implementations the openings  14  and/or mount openings  60  of  FIGS. 3A-3B, 5A-6B, 8A-8B and 10A-10B  may produce an additional enhancing effect on the user&#39;s lips  26  when the long axis of the opening  14  or mount opening  60  is oriented vertically, as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B  with respect to opening  7  (opening  14 ). In implementations of use, heart-shaped opening  4  (mount opening  60 ) in  FIGS. 4A and 4B  may create a fuller upper lip  26 . 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize that many shapes are possible. In general, the narrow shapes create a centered fullness in the lips  26  while wider openings  14  (or mount openings  60 ) widen the entire lips  26  as desired. In implementations opening  14  is sealable by the mouth  24  of a user to allow the self-suctioning action. In addition, hollow form  12  in implementations is small enough that a user can get a sufficient low air pressure to create the effect of full lips  26 . Further, hollow form  12  in implementations is air tight whereby once the user seals the opening  14  or mount opening  60 , as the case may be, reduced air pressure can be created within hollow form  12  by simply drawing air into the user&#39;s mouth  24  through opening  14  and/or mount opening  60 , as the case may be. 
     In the embodiments of  FIGS. 1A, 1B, 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B , the shape is provided by a mount  30  which is temporarily affixed to hollow form  12 . In implementations a mount  30  could cover a circular opening  2  (opening  14 ) of the rigid hollow form  12  of  FIGS. 2A-2B , thereby replacing the circular opening  2  (opening  14 ) with shapes as desired, to form the implementations shown in  FIGS. 1A-1B and 4A-4B . In implementations a mount  30  could cover a differently-shaped opening  14 , such as the opening  14  of the implementation of  FIGS. 3A-3B , wherein the opening  14  has a shape of a rectangle with rounded corners. In other implementations the lip suction devices  10  of  FIGS. 1A-1B and 3A-4B  could be formed of one contiguous piece whereby the mount  30  and rigid hollow form  12  are a single contiguous piece and are not separate pieces releasably coupled to one another. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1A-1B, 3A-4B and 8A-10B , in implementations the rigid hollow form  12  has a first end  32  and a second end  36 , and a cavity  34  therein extending from an opening  14  at the first end  32  to the second end  36 , and the bottom  20  is at the second end  36 . The rigid hollow form  12  has an outer surface  38  and has a thickness at the opening  14  between the outer surface  38  and a surface  42  of the cavity  34 . In implementations this thickness is measured as the distance from the outer surface  38  to a surface  42  of the cavity  34  along a direction substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . 
     In implementations the opening  14  has an edge  44 . In implementations the edge  44  includes a rounded shape  46  across the thickness at the opening  14 . The rounded shape  46  is configured to form a substantially air-tight seal between the user&#39;s face and the edge  44  when the rigid hollow form  12  is pressed against a user&#39;s face near the user&#39;s lips  26  with sufficient force. The rigid hollow form  12  in implementations is configured so that when the user draws air into the user&#39;s mouth  24  after forming the substantially air-tight seal, the user&#39;s lips  26  are drawn into the rigid hollow form  12  towards the second end  36  of the rigid hollow form  12 . 
     In implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 8A-10B , the rounded shape  46  is circular. In other implementations the rounded shape  46  may have an oval shape, a shape of a rectangle with rounded edges, and so forth. 
     In implementations, as in  FIGS. 1A-7C and 9A-9B , the rigid hollow form  12  may have a cross section having a shape of a circle. In implementations this cross section is substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . In implementations, as in  FIGS. 5A-6B, 8A-8B and 10A-10B , the rigid hollow form  12  may have a cross section having a shape of a rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends. In implementations this cross section is substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . 
     In implementations, as in  FIGS. 1A-2B, 4A-4B, 7A-7C and 9A-9B , the opening  14  has a circular shape. In implementations, as in  FIGS. 3A-3B , the opening  14  has a shape of a rectangle with rounded corners. In implementations, as in  FIGS. 5A-6B, 8A-8B and 10A-10B , the opening  14  has a shape of a rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends. In implementations, as in  FIGS. 5A-5B , the opening  14  has a shape of a rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends, with a cutout  5   a  substantially in the center of one of the sides of the opening  14 . In implementations these shapes (circular, rectangle with rounded corners, rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends, rectangle with two opposing half-circle ends with a cutout) are substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . 
     In implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 8A-10B , the rigid hollow form  12  has a first outer diameter and a second outer diameter, the first outer diameter being closer to the first end  32  than the second outer diameter (or, in other words, the distance between the first outer diameter and the first end  32  is smaller than the distance between the second outer diameter and the first end  32 ), and the first outer diameter being larger than the second outer diameter. In implementations the first outer diameter and/or the second outer diameter are/is substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . In implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 8A-10B , the rigid hollow form  12  has a first inner diameter and a second inner diameter, the first inner diameter being closer to the first end  32  than the second inner diameter (or, in other words, the distance between the first inner diameter and the first end  32  is smaller than the distance between the second inner diameter and the first end  32 ), and the first inner diameter being larger than the second inner diameter. In implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 5A-6B , the rigid hollow form  12  has a first inner diameter and a second inner diameter, the first inner diameter being closer to the first end  32  than the second inner diameter (or, in other words, the distance between the first inner diameter and the first end  32  is smaller than the distance between the second inner diameter and the first end  32 ), and the first inner diameter being smaller than the second inner diameter. In implementations, including the implementations of  FIGS. 5A-6A and 8A-10B , the first inner diameter and second inner diameter are substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . 
     In implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 1A-1B and 3A-4B , the mount  30  has an inner diameter and an outer diameter, and the rigid hollow form  12  has an inner diameter and an outer diameter, and the outer diameter of the mount  30  is smaller than the outer diameter of the rigid hollow form  12 , and the inner diameter of the mount  30  is also smaller than the inner diameter of the rigid hollow form  12 . In implementations, the outer diameter of the mount  30  and inner diameter of the rigid hollow form  12  are substantially the same size, and this assists to form a substantially air-tight seal between the mount  30  and rigid hollow form  12  when the two are pressed together. Other items and mechanisms could be implemented to assist in forming a substantially air-tight seal between the mount  30  and rigid hollow form  12 , such as, by non-limiting example, an O-ring or other polymeric seal. In implementations, as in those shown in  FIGS. 1A-1B and 3A-4B , the inner diameter and outer diameter of the mount  30 , and inner diameter and outer diameter of the rigid hollow form  12 , are substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . 
     In implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 8A, 9A and 10A , the rigid hollow form  12  includes a ribbed section  54  on the outer surface  38 . In implementations, as in  FIG. 8A , the ribbed section  54  includes ribs of varying outer diameters, the outer diameters substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . In implementations, as in  FIGS. 9A and 10A , the ribbed section  54  includes ribs of substantially equal outer diameters, the outer diameters substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . 
     In implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 8A-10B , the rigid hollow form  12  has a ledge  56  at the surface  42  of the cavity  34 . In implementations the ledge  56  is substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . In implementations, as in  FIGS. 8A-8B and 10A-10B , the rigid hollow form  12  has multiple ledges  56 . In implementations the ledge  56  at least partially couples a first inner diameter of the rigid hollow form  12  to a second inner diameter of the rigid hollow form  12 . In implementations, as in  FIGS. 9A-9B , the ledge  56  has a substantially constant thickness in a direction substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . In implementations, as in  FIGS. 8A-8B and 10A-10B , the ledge  56  has a varying thickness in a direction substantially parallel with the largest planar surface of the bottom  20 . 
     In various implementations the rounded shape  46  at the edge  44  permits a user to use the lip suction device  10  without the device  10  forming lines on the user&#39;s face due to the pressure of the edge  44  or mount edge  58  against the skin during use. In implementations of use of a lip suction device  10  the edge  44  or mount edge  58 , as the case may be, may be moistened with a fluid prior to forming a substantially air-tight seal between the edge  44  or mount edge  58  and the face of the user. The fluid in implementations may be, by non-limiting example, water. In implementations the edge  44  couples the outer surface  38  to the surface  42  of the cavity  34  and the entirety of the edge  44  is rounded. 
     Implementations of a lip suction device  10  may utilize implementations of a method of creating fuller lips, which may include one, all, or any of the following steps: moistening an edge  44  of a lip suction device  10 ; forming a substantially air-tight seal between a user&#39;s face and the edge  44  of a lip suction device  10  when the rigid hollow form  12  is pressed against the user&#39;s face near the user&#39;s lips  26 ; drawing air into the user&#39;s mouth  24  after forming the substantially air-tight seal; drawing the user&#39;s lips  26  into the rigid hollow form  12  towards the second end  36  of the rigid hollow form  12 ; and not forming a line on the user&#39;s face due to the pressure of the edge  44  against the user&#39;s face. 
     Implementations of a lip suction device  10  utilizing a mount  30  may utilize implementations of another method of creating fuller lips which may include one, all, or any of the following steps: coupling a mount  30  to the rigid hollow form  12  at a surface  42  of the cavity  34 ; moistening a mount edge  58  of the lip suction device  10 ; forming a substantially air-tight seal between the mount  30  and the rigid hollow form  12 ; forming a substantially air-tight seal between a user&#39;s face and the mount edge  58  by pressing the mount  30  against the user&#39;s face near the user&#39;s lips  26 ; drawing air into the user&#39;s mouth  24 ; drawing at least a portion of the user&#39;s lips  26  through the mount opening  60  towards the second end  36  of the rigid hollow form  12 ; and not forming a line on the user&#39;s face due to the pressure of the mount  30  against the user&#39;s face. 
     In implementations the use of a lip suction device  10  may make it easier to apply makeup, lipstick, liner and/or the like. In implementations this may be due to the lip suction device  10  adding definition to an area or portion of the lips or defining and area or portion of the lips to receive makeup, lipstick, liner and/or the like. Implementations of methods of use of a lip suction device  10  may include making the application of one of makeup, lipstick, lip liner, and the like easier. 
     In places where the description above refers to particular implementations of lip suction devices, it should be readily apparent that a number of modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof and that these implementations may be applied to other lip suction devices.