HK1123026B - Gantry tower spraying system with cartridge/receptacle assembly - Google Patents

Description

Gantry tower spray system with cartridge/receptacle assembly

RELATED APPLICATIONS

【0001】 This patent application is a continuation of part of U.S. patent application serial No. 10/841,734 filed on 7.5.2004 and claiming the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/469,289 filed on 9.5.2003, the invention further claiming the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/676,166 filed on 29.4.2005 and U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/676,648 filed on 29.4.2005, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

【0002】 The present invention relates to a system for uniformly delivering body coating compositions. More particularly, one aspect of the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for an automated spray coating process that uses a vertically traveling spray cartridge to simulate the motion of a hand-held airbrush sprayer. Another aspect of the invention relates to a bottle having a keying mechanism for insertion into a receptacle having a corresponding keying structure.

Background

【0003】 Spray devices for applying liquids to human skin and hair are well known. Sprays are used in various forms of medicines, hair care, deodorants, lotions and cosmetic agents. The most common device for body spray applications is a hand held sprayer, either for self use or for application by others. More recently automated spray systems have been introduced and are primarily used by tanning salons for the application of sunless tanning liquids. When properly used by a trained technician, the hand-held sprayer provides the desired tan. Automated systems allow for privacy and reduced operational costs. The present invention provides an automated system that implements a spray with the motion of a hand-held air brush sprayer to achieve important improved results.

【0004】 A major drawback of hand-held air brush systems is that it is difficult for a person to apply a uniform coating to certain body parts by himself, for example on the back. To achieve the desired effect, professional salons and health centers provide trained sunless tanning applicator personnel to carefully apply the material throughout the body of the consumer. A trained operator is able to apply a very uniform spray throughout the body, achieving an effect superior to conventional automated systems. However, this situation is often inconvenient and uncomfortable for both the staff and the consumer. Furthermore, because the hand-held air brush operation often takes 10 to 30 minutes, this process can be irritating to both the tanning applicator and the consumer due to prolonged exposure to the spray environment. It is also well known that the applicator staff can become fatigued on their back, arms and wrists due to the repetitive movement of the hand-held air brush process.

【0005】 The use of cosmetic agents with hand-held spray devices, such as sunless tanning compounds, requires highly experienced personnel to avoid errors that can result in under or over application, lost areas, streaking, and spreading. The need for trained applicators adds significantly to the cost of sunless tanning. Another drawback that limits the utility and market potential of hand-held cosmetic sprays that require an assistant is the potential inconvenience and embarrassment to the person to be coated, as they must stand in an exposed or partially exposed state during application. A further disadvantage of hand-held air brush systems is that the liquid reservoir is not appropriately sized, often too large or too small, to coat the entire body or selected parts of the body. Furthermore, the refilling process of such devices is messy.

【0006】 Currently automated systems for self-administration of mist to the whole body have been introduced into sunless tanning to overcome the deficiencies of hand-held administration. There is also interest in spray systems for drugs and decontamination agents. (see Law and Cooper, 2000 Institute of Physics, Edinburgh, Scotland UK). These automated systems, often housed in cabinets or cabins that allow for the housing of adults, have the benefit of uniform self-administration in a personal setting that does not require an assistant. U.S. patent No. 5,922,333 to Laughlin, U.S. patent No. 6,387,081 to Cooper, U.S. patent No. 6,302,122 to Parker et al, and U.S. patent No. 6,443,164 to Parker et al, all of which describe automated systems for coating the human body in which a spray chamber is used. Several companies now make these automated spray systems for tanning salons for the purpose of more evenly applying sunless tanning compound to the human skin. This new uv-free tanning method provides a choice for salon consumers who do not tan well under uv light or do not want to use a conventional daylight tanning bed. When used properly, these sunless tanning systems are effective and are therefore steadily prevalent in tanning salons in many countries. The most commonly used tanning solutions are aqueous solutions containing up to 10% DHA (dihydroxyacetone), alcohol, aloe vera (aloe vera) gel and dyes.

【0007】 Most of these spray tanning systems are configured within some form of enclosure. In current systems, a number of nozzles are used, which are positioned at different angles around the object in order to apply a uniform coating. Because of the improper automated coating process, the consumer is instructed to move into a different pose in a spraying activity that often lasts less than 1 minute. Other automated spray devices for sunless tanning use fixed nozzles on a rotating cylinder to generate spray motion across the subject in order to further increase spray coverage. Other spray systems use a vertically moving spray boom with a fixed compound nozzle into which liquid is fed via a long hose connected to an electrohydraulic pump, the long hose having an inlet from a large solution storage tank. In these cases, several nozzles are fixed on a horizontal spray bar and all the bars are mobile. Many nozzles are required in these systems to achieve uniform coating on the human subject. Some systems have as many as 40 nozzles and most require at least 10 to achieve a minimally satisfactory result. In practice, the many nozzles required can cause maintenance problems that are overwhelming for a typical salon technician and can also severely degrade the tanning quality when each nozzle fails to spray properly.

【0008】 U.S. patent No. 1,982,509 describes a sprayer carrying device that moves up and down to apply a treatment medium on the body. However, U.S. patent No. 1,982,509 does not provide for the use of a cartridge or receptacle or removable or composite liquid container. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 1,982,509 does not provide for horizontal or other oscillating movement of the nozzle that is satisfactory for optimizing spray coverage uniformity.

【0009】 In current systems, many spray nozzles are fed from an electric pump from a single large tank containing a sunless tanning solution. These automated spray systems are designed to dispense approximately five to ten tanning sessions per liter of liquid, and typically use feed tank volumes of eight to twenty liters. Since each consumer dose comes from a common reservoir, the consumer is not assured of the amount applied, nor is there a choice of lotion for a certain skin type application or a choice of the desired tanning color. It is not currently practical to dispense a single dose from a single size container using existing automated systems due to the wasted volume of spray liquid residing in the many hoses that are required to feed each of the many spray nozzles. These systems also use electrically operated liquid pumps that are ideally suited for use with cartridge systems due to the need to purge the pump and pump lines between spray sessions.

【0010】 Various embodiments of the present invention provide a self-applying spray device having an interposed, relatively small volume liquid container connected to a nozzle system and having a size that allows a consumer to dispense the appropriate volume of spray solution of their choice. Furthermore, the present invention provides for automated movement of the nozzle to simulate the effects that a hand-held spray device can achieve.

Disclosure of Invention

【0011】 One aspect of the present invention is directed to a keyed bottle for engaging a receptacle, wherein the keyed bottle includes a body for containing a skin care lotion and a cap having a base portion for engaging a body portion and an opening for dispensing the lotion from the bottle. The keyed bottle further includes a keying mechanism extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the body, the keying mechanism for engaging a keying feature of the receptacle, the keying feature being sized and shaped to conform to the size and shape of the keying mechanism.

【0012】 Another aspect of the invention relates to a receptacle for engaging a keyed bottle containing a cosmetic liquid for skin care. The receptacle includes a receptacle body including an interior surface defined by a central bore, the interior surface being sized and shaped to substantially conform to the size and shape of the keyed bottle. The receptacle body further includes a chamber portion located above the bottom surface of the central bore that receives the contents of the keyed bottle as the keyed bottle is inserted into the receptacle body. The receptacle body further includes a fluid passage that delivers the cosmetic liquid from the chamber portion to the spray nozzle. The receptacle further includes a key structure extending along a portion of the inner surface, the key structure engaging the keying mechanism of the keyed bottle. The keying mechanism is sized and shaped to conform to the size and shape of the keying structure.

【0013】 Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a spray system for dispensing a cosmetic liquid for skin treatment, the system comprising a receptacle for engaging a bottle containing a cosmetic liquid for skin treatment, a spray nozzle connected to the receptacle for receiving the cosmetic liquid from the receptacle and dispensing the cosmetic liquid in a spray, and a housing containing at least a portion of the receptacle and at least a portion of the spray nozzle. The spray system further includes an oscillating and translating mechanism coupled to the frame and the spray nozzle. The oscillation and translation mechanism is adapted to cause translational movement of the housing and oscillation of the spray nozzle.

【0014】 Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a spray system for dispensing a cosmetic liquid for skin treatment, the system comprising a gantry and a spray assembly coupled to the gantry and adapted for translational movement along the gantry. The spray assembly includes a cartridge having an outer surface and containing a cosmetic liquid for skin treatment, and a receptacle receiving the cartridge and having an inner surface sized and shaped to substantially conform to the size and shape of a portion of the outer surface of the cartridge. The spray system further includes a spray nozzle coupled to the receptacle for receiving the cosmetic liquid from the receptacle and dispensing the cosmetic liquid in a spray.

【0015】 Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a spray system for dispensing a cosmetic liquid for skin treatment, the system comprising a gantry and a spray assembly coupled to the gantry and adapted for translational movement along the gantry in a first direction. The spray assembly includes a cartridge having an outer surface and containing a cosmetic liquid for skin treatment, a housing, and a receptacle received within at least a portion of the housing for receiving the cartridge. The receptacle has an inner surface sized and shaped to generally conform to the size and shape of the exterior surface portion of the cartridge. The spray assembly further includes a spray nozzle pivotally mounted within at least a portion of the housing, the spray nozzle being coupled within the receptacle for receiving the cosmetic fluid from the receptacle and dispensing the cosmetic fluid in a spray in at least a second direction.

【0016】 The above summary of the present invention is not intended to represent each embodiment, or every aspect, of the present invention.

Drawings

【0017】 A more complete understanding of the method and system of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are described below. Wherein:

【0018】 FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a keyed bottle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

【0019】 FIGS. 2A-2F illustrate examples of cross-sectional shapes of bottles that include key features;

【0020】 FIG. 3 is a transparent side view of a receptacle for receiving a keyed bottle;

【0021】 FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the receptacle and keyed bottle shown in FIG. 3;

【0022】 FIG. 5 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of FIG. 3;

【0023】 FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of FIG. 3;

【0024】 FIG. 6B is a side view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of FIG. 6A taken along section A-A;

【0025】 FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of FIG. 3 with the keyed bottle inserted;

【0026】 FIG. 7B is a side view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of FIG. 7A taken along section A-A;

【0027】 FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the structure shown in FIG. 3, showing the attachment of the spray system;

【0028】 FIG. 9A is a front perspective view of a tower sprayer according to an embodiment of the invention;

【0029】 FIG. 9B is an enlarged partial front perspective view of the tower sprayer of FIG. 9A;

【0030】 FIG. 10A is a side view of the tower sprayer of FIG. 9A;

【0031】 FIG. 10B is an enlarged partial side view of the tower sprayer of FIG. 10A;

【0032】 FIG. 11A is a rear perspective view of the tower sprayer of FIG. 9A;

【0033】 FIG. 11B is an enlarged, fragmentary, rear perspective view of the tower sprayer of FIG. 11A;

【0034】 FIG. 12 is another enlarged partial front perspective view of the tower sprayer of FIG. 9A;

【0035】 FIG. 13A is a top perspective view of the nozzle and receptacle of the tower sprayer of FIG. 9A;

【0036】 FIG. 13B is a side view of the nozzle and receptacle of FIG. 13A taken along section A-A;

【0037】 FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a spray booth into which a tower sprayer may be fitted; and

【0038】 Fig. 15 is a top view of the spray booth of fig. 14.

Detailed Description

【0039】 Embodiments of the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments explained above. The invention is to be considered limited only as defined in the following claims and equivalents thereto.

【0040】 Referring now to fig. 1, there is shown an exploded perspective view of a keyed bottle 10 or keyed cartridge in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Bottle 10 is a collection of several components that are assembled together.

【0041】 First, the bottle 10 includes a bottle body 12. The bottle body 12 is substantially cylindrical. While a bottle body 12 of substantially circular cross-section is shown in fig. 1, it will be appreciated that the bottle body 12 may be any of a number of possible shapes and configurations that support the keyed feature described in more detail below. By way of example, the bottle body 12 may have a square, rectangular, oval, polygonal, or other suitable geometric cross-sectional shape. It should be understood that the cross-sectional shape itself includes and/or supports the keyed feature described in more detail below. The bottle body 12 includes a sidewall portion 14 and a base portion 16. The side and base portions 14 and 16 define a fluid/liquid container. Longitudinally opposite the base portion 16 is a neck portion 18 of the bottle body 12. It should be noted that in the preferred embodiment the substantially cylindrical body 12 narrows in diameter toward the neck 18. The neck 18 is approximately cylindrical and more particularly has a circular cross-section. One or more externally disposed threads 20 are formed on the outer cylindrical/circular surface of neck 18 for assembling the components of bottle 10 in the manner described below. A first seat 22 is provided at the point where the substantially cylindrical body 12 narrows in diameter towards the neck 18. A friction ring 24 is formed on the outer surface of the narrowed bottle body 12 just above the first seat 22, the friction ring 24 being used to assemble the components of the bottle 10 in the manner described below. Above the friction ring 24, a second seat ring 26 is provided below the location where the external thread 20 is formed on the external cylindrical/circular surface of the neck 18. Proximate the base portion 16, a pair of friction rings 28 are formed on the outer cylindrical/circular surface of the sidewall portion 14. These friction rings 28 assist the user in handling and manipulating the bottle 10, and in general, and the bottle body 12 in particular, to prevent slippage from the user's hand. The neck 18 terminates at a cylindrical/circular edge 30. The bottle may be sized to accommodate any desired fluid/liquid volume, but in a preferred embodiment is sized (and shaped) so as to be easily manipulated by hand. In preferred embodiments, a volume of 1 liter or less than 1 liter is envisioned. In another embodiment, a volume of less than 500 milliliters is envisioned. In the most preferred embodiment, it is foreseen that the volume does not exceed the amount of fluid/liquid that is used or administered in a single (single) use. In this most preferred embodiment, bottle 10 is a disposable single use item that cannot be refilled. In a preferred embodiment, the bottle 10 is a cartridge or bottle for a cosmetic device for spraying skin with a skin care medium, such as a sunless tanning compound or other cosmetic material. In yet another embodiment, the bottle 10 or cartridge can be refilled or reused.

【0042】 Second, the bottle 10 includes a closure 32, the closure 32 being secured to the rim 30 of the neck 18 as the bottle body 12 is filled with fluid/liquid. Any suitable sealant, glue, or adhesive may be used to secure the seal 32 to the rim 30. The seal 32 may be any suitable thickness that resists inadvertent puncturing or tearing. Once secured, the seal 32 should act to prevent fluid/liquid leakage from the bottle body 12. The closure 32 can be made of any suitable material, such as metal foil, plastic, paper, or other material that can be easily punctured when inserted into a receptacle or receiver.

【0043】 Third, the bottle 10 includes an open cap 34. The base portion 36 of the open cap 34 is substantially cylindrical/circular and is sized so that the inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the neck 18 of the bottle body 12. One or more internal threads (shown in phantom dashed lines 38) are formed on the inner cylindrical/circular surface of base portion 36. These threads 38 complement and engage the threads 20 formed on the outer surface of the neck 18. Thus, the open cap 34 may be screwed onto the bottle body 12 when the components of the bottle 10 are assembled together. When assembled in this manner, the bottom edge 40 of the open cap 34 may be placed over the second seat 26 of the bottle body 12 to prevent over-tightening of the open cap 34 and to prevent deformation damage to the neck 18 and attached closure 32. Although a threaded assembly is shown in fig. 1, it should be understood that the open cap 34 may be assembled to the neck 18 of the bottle body 12 by any other suitable means, including allowing only a single such assembly such that the assembly (or the cap 34 itself) is destroyed or does not provide the desired use, with the result that the open cap 34 is moved with the initial filling and emptying, such as spin welding, heat sealing, adhesive sealing, or press fitting, among others. These assembly devices thus support the most preferred embodiment wherein the bottle 10 is a disposable single use item that may not be refillable. The substantially cylindrical/circular shape of the opening cap 34 tapers in a substantially conical fashion toward the front end 42 and terminates at an opening 44. This provides access to the closure 32 (and thus to the fluid/liquid retained within the bottle body 12) only through the opening 44 when the bottle 10 is in normal use.

【0044】 Fourth, bottle 10 includes a substantially cylindrical, tight cap 46. While fig. 1 illustrates a substantially circular cross-sectional shape, it should be understood that the enclosing cap 46 may be any of a number of possible shapes and configurations, and most likely a shape and configuration complementary to the bottle body 12. In a preferred embodiment, however, the locking cap 46 need not support, include or account for the keyed feature described in more detail below. The locking cap 46 is sized so that the inner diameter is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the friction ring 24, the friction ring 24 being provided on the outer surface of the neck 18 of the bottle body 12. Thus, when the locking cap 46 is positioned over the neck 18 of the bottle body 12, a friction fit is formed to hold the locking cap in place. Alternatively, a complementary ring or channel may be formed on the inner surface of cap 46 to engage friction ring 24 when bottle 10 is assembled. When assembled in any manner, the bottom edge 48 of the enclosing cap 46 may rest on the first seat 22 of the bottle body 12. The outer diameter of the enclosing cap 46 may preferably be substantially equal to the outer diameter of the bottle body 12 at the first seat 22.

【0045】 Bottle 10 further includes a keyed feature designed to ensure that only bottles having a particular keyed shape in a given application can be used. This keyed feature provides an important advantage for a number of reasons. One reason is that bottles may contain different fluids/liquids (or possibly different volumes of fluids/liquids). By keying in the bottle it can be ensured that only the appropriate fluid/liquid (or the appropriate volume) can be used in a given application matching the key. Spraying of incorrect fluids can lead to malfunction of the spray nozzle, such as clogging or incorrect flow rates. Another reason may be that the fluids/liquids are available from different vendors. By keying in the bottle it can be ensured that only fluid/liquid from a particular vendor is used to match a given application of the key. The keyed feature provides a further advantage of ensuring the correct orientation of the bottle within the receptacle or receptacle. A further advantage provided by the keyed feature is to ensure that the correct bottle is used for a particular spraying device. The keyed feature provides another advantage in that the bottle (or cartridge) is prevented from rotating within the receptacle.

【0046】 In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the bottle 10 includes a keyed feature in the form of a longitudinally extending channel 50 formed on the outer surface of the substantially cylindrical body 12. It should be noted that the rings 24 and 28 and the seat 22 on the bottle body 12 do not interfere with the configuration of the channel 50. This channel 50 is shown as having a hemispherical cross-sectional shape, but it will be appreciated that the channel can have any desired or suitable shape, including, for example, square (FIG. 2E), rectangular, polygonal, triangular, or the like. Still further, while fig. 1 illustrates the presence of only a single channel 50, it is to be understood that the keyed feature used on the bottle 10 may alternatively include two or more channels (fig. 2A, 2E), and further that the two or more channels need not include uniform spacing around the circumference of the bottle body 12 (fig. 2E). While longitudinally extending channels are preferred, it will further be appreciated that one or more channels may be substituted for a thread like thread pattern in which a key is provided through a mating thread ridge where the bottle is received. The keyed feature also needs to not extend completely along the longitudinal length of the outer surface of the bottle body 12.

【0047】 While the preferred embodiment utilizes a channel 50, it will be appreciated that the keyed feature used on the bottle 10 may alternatively include the use of one or more longitudinally extending raised ridges formed on the outer surface of the substantially cylindrical body 12 (fig. 2B and 2F). While longitudinally extending ridges are preferred, it will further be appreciated that one or more raised ridges may be substituted for a thread like thread pattern wherein a key is provided through the mating thread ridge where the bottle is received.

【0048】 It was further mentioned previously that the geometric cross-sectional shape of the vial body 12 itself may include and/or support a keyed feature (fig. 2C and 2D). In this regard, the bottle is provided with a key by having a complementary shaped receptacle. Other detent mechanisms known to those skilled in the art may alternatively be used in connection with bottle 10.

【0049】 Those skilled in the art will further recognize that the use of longitudinally extending channels or ridges provides a convenient alignment guide on the bottle body 12 for convenient placement of labels or printed indicia on the exterior surface of the bottle body 12.

【0050】 The body 12 and caps 34 and 46 of the keyed bottle 10 are preferably manufactured from a molded plastic (e.g., thermoplastic) material in any suitable color and with any desired surface texture or features.

【0051】 Referring now to fig. 3, there is shown a transparent side view of the receptacle 100 receiving the keyed bottle 10. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the receptacle 100 has an internal shape such that it can match the external shape of the keyed bottle 10 to properly orient the keyed bottle 10 within the receptacle 100 and ensure that the correct bottle is used. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of figure 3. Figure 5 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of figure 3. Fig. 6A is a perspective view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of fig. 3. Fig. 6B is a side view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of fig. 6A taken along a-a. Fig. 7A is a perspective view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of fig. 3 with the keyed bottle inserted. Figure 7B is a side view of the receptacle and keyed bottle of figure 7A taken along section a-a.

【0052】 The receptacle 100 includes a generally cylindrical receptacle body 102, the receptacle body 102 having a central bore 104, the central bore 104 being sized and shaped to substantially conform to the size and shape of the keyed bottle body 12 having the open cap 34. The central bore 104 is thus adapted to comfortably, but not precisely, receive the keyed bottle body 12 with the open cap 34. In addition, the geometric cross-sectional shape of the central bore 104 should preferably be designed to match the shape of the vial body 12 to be received. In this manner, the central bore 104 assists in the operation of the keyed bottle 10 described above.

【0053】 Fitted within the receptacle body 102 is a key structure 106, the key structure 106 being sized and shaped to conform to the size and shape of the key features on the bottle body 12. In the exemplary embodiment shown in fig. 3, the key structure 106 comprises a cylindrical rod forming a ridge of exposed hemispherical surface. When the keyed bottle body 12 with the open cap 34 is inserted into the central bore 104, the hemispherical passage 50 (see fig. 1) must be aligned with the key structure 106 so that the keyed bottle body 12 with the open cap 34 is fully and properly received. A bottle having a size and/or shape different from the central aperture 104, or having a keyed feature that is not provided (or is different from) the key structure 106, may not be properly received by the receptacle 100. In this manner, different keyed bottles may contain different fluids/liquids (or possibly different volumes of fluids/liquids), and receptacle body 102 with aperture 104 and key structure 106 will ensure that only the appropriate liquid/fluid that the bottle is mated with is received. Similarly, a special keyed bottle can be provided to contain fluid/liquid from an authorized vendor, and the receptacle body 102 with the aperture 104 and key structure 106 will ensure that only a matching bottle from an authorized vendor can be received.

【0054】 At the bottom of the bore 104, a hollow needle 108 is provided, the hollow needle 108 being oriented to puncture the closure 32 (see fig. 1) secured to the vial 12 when the appropriate keyed vial 12 having the open cap 34 is received by the receptacle 100. The seal 32 ensures that the material is fresh before the seal 32 is pierced. Self-tanning mixtures, for example, are known to degrade over time when exposed to air. Hollow needle 108 has a distal end 110, and distal end 110 has an outer diameter that is wider than shaft portion 112. The wider end 110 of the needle 108 passes through the opening 44 of the opening cap 34 and pierces at least one correspondingly sized hole in the closure 32. Because the punctured hole in the closure 32 is wider than the diameter of the shaft 112, the fluid/liquid contained in the vial will be allowed to flow out into the chamber portion 114 of the access port 104, the chamber portion 114 being located above the floor of the port. With reference to fig. 1, it should be noted that the conical front end portion 42 of the open cap 34 includes a plurality of longitudinal ridges 116, the longitudinal ridges 116 defining a plurality of open spaces between the ridges proximate the outer surface of the open cap in the region of the chamber portion 114. These open spaces allow additional fluid/liquid to flow from the bottle body 12 and pool into the chamber portion 114 at the bottom of the bore 104. An O-ring seal 118 located at the top of the chamber portion 114 at the bottom of the bore 104 serves to seal against the base portion 36 of the open cap 34 when the bottle 10 is inserted, and thus controls the amount of fluid/liquid that is allowed to flow from the bottle body 12 by preventing the flowing liquid from attempting to fill the open space present in the bore 104.

【0055】 The needle 108 is connected to a fitting 120, which fitting 120 is mounted at the bottom of the receptacle body 102. The vent tube 122 is connected at its first end 124 to the fitting 120. The vent tube 122 is of sufficient length so that its second end 126 can be positioned over at least the O-ring 118 location, and even more preferably over the top of the receptacle 100. An open air flow passage is formed between the second end 126 of the vent tube 122 and the wider distal end 110 of the needle 108 through the fitting 120. This allows air to enter the bottle body 12 as the seal 21 is pierced and thus facilitates a smooth flow of fluid/liquid out of the chamber portion 114 at the bottom of the access port 104.

【0056】 The fluid passageway 128 forms the chamber portion 114 from the exterior of the receptacle body 102 to the bottom surface of the well 104. This fluid channel 128 allows fluid/liquid to flow therethrough, which is funneled into the chamber portion 114 at the bottom of the bore 104. Appropriate fittings (not shown) may be inserted into the fluid passage 128 to facilitate connection of the required tubing in order to deliver the outgoing fluid/liquid. The tubing connected thereto may, depending on the implementation, utilize suction, siphoning, pumping and other well known methods of fluid/liquid transfer.

【0057】 Referring now particularly to fig. 8, in a preferred embodiment, the removal of fluid/liquid from the chamber portion 114 merging into the bottom surface of the bore 104 of the receptacle 100 is achieved by venturi suction. One end of the tube 130 is connected to the fluid passage 128 using a suitably selected fitting (not shown). The opposite end of tube 130 is connected to a fluid exit point of spray nozzle 134. An air source 132 provides air (or other suitably selected gas) to a spray nozzle 134, wherein the provided air mixes within an atomization chamber 136 and with liquid flowing from the reservoir due to the venturi effect to form a spray cloud 138. In a preferred embodiment, the Spray nozzle 134 is an Electrostatic nozzle (e.g., a nozzle provided by electric Spray Systems or Mystic Tan, or U.S. patent Nos. 5,704,554 and 5,765,761, or U.S. patent applications Nos. 11/272,274 and 11/271,257 filed 11, 10, 2005, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference). Thus, the voltage source 140 provides a charging voltage to the nozzle to inductively charge the spray cloud 138 via the electrode 139. In an alternative embodiment, contact charging may be performed with respect to the fluid/liquid within the chamber portion 114 that sinks into the bottom surface of the bore 104. According to an embodiment of the invention, the tube 130 from the fluid passage 128 to the spray nozzle 134 has a relatively short length, so that the fluid passage is quickly cleared when the first bottle is removed from the receptacle and another bottle is inserted into its position in the receptacle and spraying is started. The relatively short length of tube 130 also reduces the amount of wasted fluid remaining in tube 130 after spraying.

【0058】 In a preferred application, a mechanism 150 is provided to cause the nozzle 134 to translate 152 along a given path and oscillate 154 as it translates along the given path. Thereby forming a spray system 156. In a preferred embodiment, spray system 156 is adapted to spray a solution (contained within bottle 10) on a human body surface. More particularly, the solution may include a sunless tanning compound or other skin care formulation (e.g., moisturizer, medicine, cleanser, or sunscreen). Thus, translation 152 of the nozzle 134 may preferably occur in a vertical direction to facilitate head-to-toe coating of a person with the sprayed solution. Thus, oscillation 154 of nozzle 154 may preferably occur in a horizontal direction (perpendicular to the direction of translation) in order to produce a more uniform distribution of the spray solution and thus a more uniform coverage across the skin surface. According to various embodiments, the translation and oscillation mechanism 150 can include one or more motors that can have a chain drive, a belt drive, a screw drive, a gear drive, a rack and pinion, and the like. In yet another embodiment, the translation and oscillation mechanism can use an air or hydraulic drive mechanism.

【0059】 In the most preferred embodiment, the spray system 156 may contain a bottle 10, the bottle 10 containing a volume that does not exceed the amount of fluid/liquid that is used or administered in a single (single) use. The spray system can then be driven to spray fluid/liquid to cover the body. With the spray, the fluid/liquid will be used up and the bottle disposed of. While the tower sprayer 200 of the presently described embodiment is described as using a keyed bottle 10, it is to be understood that in other embodiments, a non-keyed bottle may be used. In still other embodiments, the keyed bottle 10 and receptacle 100 may be replaced with a storage tank that is connected to the nozzle 134 by a hose.

【0060】 Referring now to fig. 9A-13B, several views of a tower sprayer 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown. Fig. 9A is a front perspective view of a tower sprayer according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 9B is a close-up front perspective view of the tower sprayer of fig. 9A. Fig. 10A is a side view of the tower sprayer of fig. 9A. Fig. 10B is a close-up side view of the tower sprayer of fig. 10A. Fig. 11A is a rear perspective view of the tower sprayer of fig. 9A. FIG. 11B is a close-up rear perspective view of the tower sprayer of FIG. 11A. FIG. 12 is another close-up front perspective view of the tower sprayer of FIG. 9A. Fig. 13A is a top perspective view of the nozzle and receptacle of the tower sprayer of fig. 9A. Fig. 13B is a side view of the nozzle and receptacle of fig. 13A taken along a-a. The tower sprayer 200 includes a spray system 156 as described above. It should be noted that the tower sprayer 200 is designed to receive a keyed bottle 10 as shown in fig. 1. The receptacle 100 and nozzle 135 as described above (and as illustrated in fig. 3-7) are housed within a housing 202, which housing 202 also partially covers the mechanism 150 that causes the nozzle 134 to oscillate 152. The translation housing 204 covers the mechanism 150 that causes the nozzle 134 to translate 152 and the remainder of the mechanism 150 that causes the nozzle 134 to oscillate 154. The slot 206 formed by the translation housing 204 allows for vertical translation of the mechanism and defines a path of translational movement. In fig. 9A, only the left side of the translation housing 204 is shown. The corresponding right side of the pan carriage 204 is not shown for clarity.

【0061】 A portion of the mechanism 150 for supporting oscillation and translation is illustrated in fig. 9A and 9B, which show a front perspective view of the tower sprayer 200, and fig. 9B shows a close-up front perspective view of the tower sprayer of fig. 9A. Fig. 11A shows a rear perspective view of the tower sprayer 200 of fig. 9A, and fig. 11B shows a close-up rear perspective view of the tower sprayer 200 of fig. 11A. The vertically extending guide rail 210 extends between a top idler pulley assembly 212 and a bottom drive pulley assembly 214. Each pulley assembly 212 and 214 includes a pivotally mounted pulley 216. A motor drive 226 (e.g., a gear drive) is mechanically coupled to the bottom drive pulley assembly 214. A drive belt 228 (preferably toothed to engage the outer surface of the pulley 216) is wrapped in a loop around the pulley 216 along the length of the guide rail 210. The trolley 218 is mounted for rolling/sliding movement along the guide rail 210. A clamping mechanism 220 is provided on the trolley 218 to clamp the drive belt. More particularly, each end of the drive belt 228 is secured by the clamping mechanism 220 such that when the drive belt is moved in response to actuation of the motor drive 226 of the pulley 216 within the bottom drive pulley assembly 214, a corresponding linear vertical bi-directional movement of the trolley 218 along the guide rail 210 occurs. The clamping mechanism 220 has upper and lower plates 220u and 2201, each of which includes a slot 222, respectively, the slot 222 being defined between two sliding chucks into which one end of a drive belt is inserted. By fastening the chucks together, the insertion end of the drive belt is gripped. One disc of the mechanism 220 is shown in fig. 11B, illustrating a ridge 223, the ridge 223 being formed to engage with teeth in a clamped drive belt 228 and thereby further prevent belt slippage. The screw adjustment mechanism 224 allows the tension of the drive belt 228 to be adjusted by changing the relative position of the two sliding chucks with respect to each other, and thus eliminates slack from the belt that may occur over time. In yet another embodiment, the belt adjustment mechanism is eliminated.

【0062】 Referring now to FIG. 12, there is shown another front perspective view of the mechanism 150 that supports oscillation and translation. In addition, the trolley 218 slides/rolls along the guide rail 210 in response to movement of the drive belt 228 (shown partially encircling the bottom idler pulley assembly 212). The mounting assembly 240 attaches the trolley 218 to the receptacle 100 at an offset (perpendicular to the guide rail 210) that is large enough to position the receptacle 100 outside of the translating frame 204. The mounting posts 242 of the mounting assembly 240 pass through slots 206 formed in the frame 202, the slots 206 thus allowing the vertical translation 152 along the translation path. A faceplate 244, which is secured to the mounting post 242, supports the securement of the receptacle body 102 of the receptacle 100. The nozzle 134 is pivotally mounted on a disc 246 for oscillation about an axis 248. The disk 246 is fixed to the cosmetic stand 202. The swing actuation lever 250 passes through a support sleeve 252 (also used as the mounting post 242), the support sleeve 252 allowing the lever arm to move back and forth across the angle θ. The mounting post 254 is fixed to the back of the swivel support nozzle 134. The slider 256 has a first end that slidably receives the mounting post 254 and a second end that encircles the lever arm of the actuation lever 250. The back and forth movement of the lever arm is transmitted by the slider 156 to the post 254 and nozzle 134 to cause the nozzle to oscillate in opposite directions about the axis 248. The sliding receipt of post 254 by slide 256 allows the oscillating operation of the nozzle without binding.

【0063】 Referring to fig. 9B and 12, the wheel 260 (having a pulley shape) is rotatably supported 262 by the trolley 218 in a position where the wheel contacts an edge 264 of the guide rail 210. As the trolley 218 translates vertically (in response to actuation of the belt 228), the wheels 260 rotate in a corresponding clockwise or counterclockwise manner. An arm 266 coaxially mounted on the wheel 260 also rotates as the wheel rotates. At the opposite end of the lever arm from which the lever 250 is actuated, an arm 268 is mounted to the lever 250. A rod 270 connects the arm 266 to the arm 268. For each rotation of the arm 266, the arm 268 produces a back and forth swing with a throw angle θ. Of course, this imparts/exerts (imprart) a corresponding back-and-forth oscillation of the lever arm of the lever 250 and thus causes an opposite oscillation of the nozzle 134 about the axis 248. It should be noted that the position of the bar 270 (i.e., its positional distance from the axis of motion) fixed to each arm 266 and 268 is adjustable. The adjustment of the position defines the throw angle θ of the pendulum. Further adjustments can be made by changing the diameter of the wheel 260 to set the amount of swing that occurs per distance traveled by the trolley 218 along the guide rail 210. The rotational support mechanism 262 of the wheel 260 is further adjusted to vary the amount of pressure the wheel exerts on the edge 264 of the rail 210 (this can be accomplished in a number of ways, including resistive tightening and spring loading). This pressure adjustment is intended to ensure minimal risk of wheel slip as the trolley 218 moves along the guide rail 210. The guide rail 210 and translation mechanism associated with the support structure comprise a gantry.

【0064】 Referring now to FIG. 13A, shown therein is a top perspective view of the nozzle and receptacle of the tower sprayer of FIG. 9A. Figure 13B shows a side view of the nozzle and receptacle of figure 13A taken along section A-A. As shown in fig. 13A-13B, the receptacle 100 can be further equipped with a mounting flange 280, the mounting flange 280 facilitating mounting of the receptacle 100 within the rack 202.

【0065】 In other embodiments of the invention, the mechanism for supporting oscillation and translation can consist of two mechanisms operating separately. For example, a first motor can be used to support the translational movement of the frame 202, while a second motor, working independently of the first motor, can be used to support the oscillating movement of the spray nozzle 134.

【0066】 Referring now to fig. 14, therein is depicted a perspective view of a spray booth 300 wherein a tower sprayer 200 with a spray system 156 is installed within the spray booth 300. Fig. 15 is a top view of the spray booth of fig. 14. The cabin 300 is of substantially conventional design having a floor 302, a ceiling (not shown), and an enclosure 306. A door (not shown) is provided within the enclosure 306 to allow ingress and egress from the spray booth 300. The compartment 300 is sized to comfortably fit a person through the door 308 and into a standing position at the wider end 310 of the compartment. The tower sprayer 200 is mounted at the narrower end 312 of the pod 300 and is oriented so that it sprays generally in the direction of the wider end 310. The walls, ceiling and floor of the chamber 300 are preferably made of a plastic material that is easy to clean. The chamber 300 is suitably vented to allow air flow and facilitate drying. The floor 302 is raised to allow the catch pan and the inclusions in the sump to catch and control the collection of fluid/liquid (both from the tower sprayer 200 and from the others). The operation of the pod 300 and the tower sprayer and spray system it comprises is preferably controlled contactlessly according to the disclosure of U.S. patent application serial No. 11/264,545 filed on 1/11/2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The power source 140 and air source 132 (fig. 6) can be housed within the compartment (e.g., within a back mechanical closet or removably within the compartment) or can be mounted external to the compartment and connected thereto. The chamber is further equipped with a discharge system 315, the discharge system 315 having one or more discharge fans for discharging the spray liquid from the chamber.

【0067】 In operation, a consumer may select bottles 10 from a rack of bottles. The rack may display bottles 10 containing different kinds of skin coating solutions (e.g., sunless tanning compound, skin moisturizer, medicine, cleanser, and sunscreen, as examples). Each bottle 10 may preferably contain only the solution needed to coat the skin of the purchaser. After selecting the desired bottle 10 and paying for use of the bottle and the compartment 300, the purchaser may access the compartment and insert the bottle (minus the cap 46) into the receptacle 100. Importantly, due to the keyed feature, the receptacle may be configured to only receive corresponding keyed bottles purchased on site. This prevents consumers from using the tower sprayer 200 to apply their own carry-on solutions or from using solutions sold by unauthorized vendors. Assuming the keyed features match, the bottle will be received within the bore 104 of the receptacle 100. Upon full insertion of the bottle, the consumer causes the closure 32 to be punctured to allow the contained fluid/liquid to be released and pool into the chamber portion 114 at the bottom of the bore 104. The consumer will then activate the tower sprayer 200. The voltage source 140 and air source 132 will then be turned on. The flow of air through the nozzle causes fluid to be drawn from the chamber portion 114 at the bottom of the bore 104 due to the venturi effect. The drawn fluid/liquid and air mix and are atomized to form a charged spray cloud 138. At the same time, the mechanism 150 that supports oscillation and translation when producing the spray is actuated to cause the nozzle 134 to translate vertically and oscillate horizontally. The resulting spray cloud is electrostatically charged by the voltage source and the contained spray droplets are attracted to the person standing by and thus a minimal spray is deposited on the walls of the capsule 300. Due to the vertical translation and horizontal oscillation, an even application of the solution is achieved. More than one vertical translation operation may be necessary in order to obtain coverage throughout the entire human body. If so, the purchaser may be further instructed to rotate or otherwise change their position between operations. Operation of the spray system 156 may be temporarily interrupted to allow for a change in position. When the bottle is emptied of fluid/liquid, the procedure is complete and the purchaser can exit the chamber 300. As the treatment session is completed, the chamber may be cleaned if necessary. In addition, the next consumer can be invited into the session. The empty bottle may be disposed of.

【0068】 The spray system according to various embodiments of the present invention allows the spray action to mimic the action of a hand held sprayer, allowing side-to-side action to do the same as a hand held spray gun when traveling in an up and down motion simultaneously. This provides for more accurate use of the spray liquid than existing automatic spray pods.

【0069】 The spray system of the present invention also provides advantages over systems using spray wands having a number of nozzles, hoses, valves, etc., because these spray wands are heavy and potentially dangerous due to the greater likelihood of a person getting caught in such devices. According to one embodiment of the invention, the tower sprayer is equipped with at least one programmed controller that controls the speed and direction of the drive motor and the oscillating motion of the spray nozzle. The programmed controller allows for selective spraying of more or less spray liquid on specific areas of the human skin. For example, the jetting motion can be accelerated or decelerated at a particular location with respect to a particular part of the body, or the jetting can be repeated at a particular body region.

【0070】 It should be emphasized that the term "comprises/comprising" when used herein is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

【0071】 In the foregoing detailed description, it can be seen that various features may be grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The disclosed method is not to be interpreted as intended: the embodiments of the invention claimed require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims and equivalents thereof.

Claims (12)

1. A receptacle for engaging a keyed bottle containing a cosmetic liquid for skin care, the receptacle comprising:

a receptacle body having an interior surface defined by a central bore, the interior surface being sized and shaped to substantially conform to the size and shape of the keyed bottle, the receptacle body further having a chamber portion located above a bottom surface of the central bore and receiving cosmetic liquid flowing from the keyed bottle when the keyed bottle is inserted into the receptacle body, and the receptacle body further having a fluid passage for delivering the cosmetic liquid received in the chamber portion toward a spray nozzle;

a key structure extending along a portion of the inner surface, the key structure engaging a keying mechanism of the keyed bottle, the keying mechanism being sized and shaped to conform to the size and shape of the key structure;

the hollow needle is positioned at the bottom surface of the central hole and is used for puncturing a seal attached to the neck of the keyed bottle; and

a vent tube connected to the hollow needle to allow air to enter the keyed bottle through the hollow needle to facilitate the flow of the cosmetic liquid into the chamber portion.

2. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the key structure comprises a cylindrical rod forming a ridge with an exposed hemispherical surface, the cylindrical rod aligning the keying mechanism of the keyed bottle when the keyed bottle is inserted into the receptacle body.

3. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the keying mechanism of the keyed bottle comprises a longitudinally extending channel formed within an outer surface of the keyed bottle.

4. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising a seal at the top of the chamber portion to seal against an outer surface portion of the keyed bottle when the keyed bottle is inserted into the receptacle body.

5. The receptacle of claim 1 further comprising a seal at the top of the chamber portion to seal against an outer surface portion of a cap attached to the keyed bottle when the keyed bottle is inserted into the receptacle body.

6. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the keyed bottle is sized to hold a volume of the cosmetic liquid required for a single use.

7. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the chamber portion is less than the diameter of the central bore.

8. The receptacle of claim 1, further comprising a fluid passage for delivering the cosmetic liquid received within the chamber portion toward a spray nozzle.

9. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the hollow needle is adapted to pierce the seal without resealing around the needle and allow cosmetic liquid to flow from the keyed bottle around the needle and into the chamber portion.

10. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the vent tube is in air communication with the hollow needle to allow air to flow through the vent tube and hollow needle into the keyed bottle.

11. The receptacle of claim 1, further comprising a seal at an inner surface of the chamber portion to fluidly seal around an outer sealing surface of the keyed bottle when the keyed bottle is inserted into the receptacle body.

12. The receptacle of claim 11, wherein a seal between the sealing ring and an outer sealing surface of the keyed bottle retains an outflowing liquid within the chamber portion.