AU2010201194A1

AU2010201194A1 - Tanning system and apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2010201194A1
Application number: AU2010201194A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Samantha Fitzpatrick
Original assignee: TUSCAN TAN Pty Ltd
Current assignee: TUSCAN TAN Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2009-03-31
Filing date: 2010-03-25
Publication date: 2010-10-14

Description

ftg-uaLtin 3,2 -1 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT APPLICANT: Tuscan Tan Pty. Limited NUMBER: FILING DATE: Invention Title; TANNING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -2 TANNING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Technical Area This invention relates to a tanning system and apparatus and, in particular, to a system which is adapted to deliver a liquid to the body to effect a cosmetic tanning thereof. Background to the Invention Such systems have been known for a number of years and in the conventional system the liquid to be sprayed is held in a container attached directlyto a spray gun and is added to an airstream passing through the spray gun, either by being gravity fed or delivered through a venturi. These systems have certain disadvantages; firstly, the spray liquid normally has to be renewed after every use, secondly the combination container and spray gun systems are somewhat clumsy to use as they can generally only be used when held upright which means that the gun can only be used in a limited number of directions. Y\SPEC\Tuscan Tan-CAP.wpd AT/CM 25/310 -3 In addition these systems have further disadvantages in that the filling of the tanning liquid container can be somewhat difficult, cleaning of the container can be difficult, and there can tend to be a build-up of a deposit from the spraying liquid. Outline of the Invention The object of the present invention is provide a system and apparatus which effectively ameliorates these problems. The invention is a tanning spray apparatus including a compressor, a container of spraying liquid which is pressurised by the compressor to move liquid to a spray gun and a connection directly from the compressor to the spray gun such that the liquid is mixed with the air, substantially close to the point of delivery. It is preferred that the compressor and container of spraying liquid be provided in a unitary housing. It is further preferred that the spraying liquid be pressurised by the compressor within the housing and that hoses from each of the compressor and spraying liquid pass from the housing to the spray gun. Y:SPEC\Tuscar Tan-CAP.wpd AT/CM 25/3/10 -4 In a preferred form of the invention the liquid can be delivered from containers in which the liquid is delivered, the containers being replaced when empty. In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one particular embodiment of the invention will be described by way of non limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Drawing Figures Fig. 1 Shows a perspective view of the invention; Fig. 2 Shows an end of the unit of the invention opened to show the container of liquid to be sprayed; Fig. 3 Shows a hand held spray gun having two inlet hoses; Description of an Embodiment of the Invention In a preferred embodiment of the invention 10 a housing 20 is provided for a compressor and at least one container of tanning liquid 40. Preferably this unit is portable and is provided with handles 25 for this purpose. The unit of the invention may be made of metal or plastics material having a door 30 at one end opening to provide a compartment 35 into which the tanning liquid 40 is placed. The most substantial part of the unit away from the door is adapted to receive a compressor. Y\SPEC\Tu5san Tan-CAPwpd AT/CM 25/3/10 -5 The compressor can be of any required form, it can be a rotary compressor or a piston compressor, the only requirement is that it must be able to provide a pre-determined quantity of air at a substantially constant pressure. The compressor is operated from normal reticulated alternating current power. Forward from the compressor, in the direction of the door there is a partition 36 which closes the housing, The output from the compressor consists of two tubes or flexible pipes, one of which is provided with a connection to the tanning liquid container 40, the other being an air-hose which can connect to a spray gun. The arrangement is such that liquid is drawn through upper face 27 of the housing 20 adjacent door 30 from one tube 51 to the spray gun 50 and another tube 52 carries compressed air to the spray gun. The tubes can pass through the partition between the compressor and the open part of the container and can be connected thereto or can terminate at the partition in connectors which can be connected to extensions thereof as shown in Figure 1. Although the precise arrangement is not restricted in the invention it is preferred for convenience that the air and liquid tubes be attachable to the housing in this preferred embodiment of the invention. Y:\SPEC\Tuscan Tan-CAP.wpd AT/CM 25/3/10 -6 Also, located in the open part of the container may be a filter unit which itself is connected to the partition and which filters the air passing to the compressor. This ensures that the input air is free of particles which assists in increasing the life of the compressor but, at the same time the filter is accessible for cleaning or replacement. The spray liquid which is located within this portion may be delivered in, say, one litre bottles and can be used direct from the bottle as discussed above, The bottle has a screw top and there is a replacement cap for this top which has one extension tube extending into the bottle and adjacent the bottom of this and a second entry which simply passes through the cap. Each of these is provided with a quick-release fitting so that the screw top and its fittings can be separated from the apparatus and can be connected to a bottle of spray liquid externally of the apparatus, can be placed into the unit and two quick-release fittings can be connected to tubes. One of these fittings, which is connected to the tube which passes down the length of the bottle has a length substantially equal to the length of the tube previously referred to which provides air to the spray gun, The other is connected to the output from the compressor, YASPEG\Tuscan Tan-CAP.wpd AT/CM 25/3/10 -7 Once a full bottle is located, either when initially setting-up the unit or when changing bottles, which only takes a very short time, the door or the container can be closed to provide an attractive unit. Extending from this adjacent one side there are the two tubes previously referred to and, if required, where these pass through the top of the unit there are preferably fittings which enable ready removal of the two tubes which pass to the spray gun. If required, although this is not generally necessary, the portion of the container in which the compressor is located can be provided with a lining of insulating material to minimise any noise from the compressor. The spray gun 50 as shown in Figure 3 has two inputs 51 and 52, one for air and one for liquid, and these are simply located in the base of the handle which enables the operator to readily manipulate the spray gun into whatever position is most effective to deliver the spray liquid. The spray gun is set up so that the flow rate of the liquid is adjusted to give an optimum flow rate with a liquid of the particular density being used and also to permit a particular flow rate of the air, depending on the liquid and on the nozzle. These settings can be set up on the spray gun before delivery and are not site adjustable. It is also preferred that the spray gun trigger have two positions namely a first being for air only and a second for air and liquid combined. Y:\SPEC\Tuscan Tan-CAP.wpa AT/CM 2W310 -8 Because of the arrangement being used in the invention where compressed air and liquid under pressure are mixed just before the gun, atomisation is produced which is very much finer than that which is able to be provided from previous units and this has certain advantages. The first of these is that the finer drops enable more ready and even delivery of the spray liquid onto the body of the person who is receiving a tan, and secondly, because of the finer drops and the controlled pressure, the spray gun can be located very much closer to that person than has previously been the case and this, in itself, limits the amount of over-spray and thus pollution in the area of the use of the unit and waste of the spray liquid. Because of the arrangement the amount of liquid used is generally less than has previously been the case and can be of the order of 50 millilitres per treatment and thus some 20 treatments can be achieved from the one bottle of spray liquid. In addition, because the bottle is simply replaced there is no build-up of any sediment from the spray liquid, thus minimising the difficulty in cleaning the system and when cleaning is required the spray tanning liquid can simply be replaced by water and run through the spray gun and this will remove any material which may have been left in the gun as the spray liquid is, of course, soluble. Y:\SPEC\Tuscan Tan-CAP.wpd AT/CM 25/3/10 -9 It can thus be seen that the unit of the invention is relatively small and compact and is quite aesthetically pleasing, there being only the power cord and the two spray hoses which leave the unit, It is easy to change the bottle of the spray liquid simply by opening the door, disconnecting the two quick connectors, removing the old bottle, putting the screw top onto a new bottle and placing it within the container and reconnecting the connectors. The compressor is effectively sealed, that is, that it is not accessible to the operators of the unit, although its filter does extend into the open end of the unit and can be removed and cleaned or replaced if required and because the gun is preset for the particular liquid being used and the airflow required, there can be no tampering with this by users of the system so that the arrangement operates at optimum efficiency at all times. Whilst in this specification there has been described one particular arrangement of unit, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be made in this without varying from the scope of the invention. Y;\SPEC\Tuscan Tan-CAP.wpd AT/CM 25/3R0

Claims

1. A tanning spray apparatus including a compressor, a container of spraying liquid which is pressurised by the compressor to move liquid to a spray gun and a connection directly from the compressor to the spray gun such that the liquid is mixed with the air, substantially close to the point of delivery.

2. A tanning spray apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the compressor and spraying liquid are housed in a unitary housing.

3. A tanning spray apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the housing is portable.

4. A tanning spray apparatus as claimed in any one of claims I to claim 3 wherein the spraying liquid is pressurised by the compressor within the housing and separate hoses from each of the compressor and the spraying liquid pass from the housing to the spray gun.

5. A tanning spray apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein hoses passing to the spray gun are removably attachable to fittings on the housing.

6. A tanning spray apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the spray gun is adapted to attach to each of said hoses. Y:\SPEC\Twzscan Ten-CAP.wpd AT/CM 25/3/10 -11

7. A tanning spray apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the mixture of compressed air and pressurised liquid in the spray gun forms a fine droplet size distribution.

8. A tanning spray apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 251h day of March 2010 Tuscan Tan Pty. Limited By its Patent Attorneys A TATLOCK & ASSOCIATES Y:\SFEC\Tvscan Tsn-CAP.wpd AT/CM 25/3/10