FR2862549A1 - Human skin treatment product e.g. self tan, spraying apparatus, has product spraying pipes equipped with anti-splashing nozzles, where pipes are fed by pressurized product by individual low voltage AC piston pumps - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus has product spraying pipes equipped with anti-splashing nozzles placed inside a cabin. The pipes are fed by pressurized product, though respective check valves (12), by individual low voltage AC piston pumps (14). The pumps are connected by flexible tubes (15) to a distributor (16) that is connected to a pick-up tube (17) extending till the base of a product container (18).

Description

The present invention relates to apparatus used for spraying a

product

  treatment on the human body, including a self-tanner, comprising for example a cabin in which a person to be treated can penetrate at least partially.

  Devices of this type are described in particular in patents US 5,460,192, US 5,664,593 and US 5,922,333.

  No. 5,460,192 discloses an apparatus comprising a plurality of nozzles fed by a common pipe connected to a relatively powerful and expensive pump.

  In US Pat. No. 5,664,593, a spray is generated in a duct subjected to air circulation by means of a fan. Such a device has a relatively complex structure and requires to provide a fan.

  US Patent 5,922,333 recommends spraying with compressed air. The device requires a compressor. In addition, the spray produces a fog of particles of small particle size which tend to remain in suspension, so that a fan and a filter or an electrostatic generator must be used to recover particles that have not deposited on the person to treat.

  There is a need to benefit from a spraying apparatus that can be manufactured at a relatively low cost while still providing sufficient reliability.

  According to a first of its aspects, the subject of the invention is an apparatus for spraying a treatment product on the human body, in particular a self-tanner, comprising: a cabin in which a person to be treated can penetrate at least partially or in front of which a person to be treated may place at least one spray nozzle of the product in an interior space of the cabin, this spray nozzle being fed with pressurized product from an individual pump associated therewith.

  The apparatus may for example comprise at least two nozzles, and at least two individual pumps, each pump being associated with a respective nozzle.

  The invention has many advantages.

  Firstly, it makes it possible to manufacture an apparatus without the cost associated with a high power pump such as that described, for example, in US Pat. No. 5,460,192.

  The invention makes it possible in particular to use one or more low voltage pumps, for example 24 volts or less, which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost and which do not create any difficulty of homologation of the apparatus, because of the absence of medium or high voltage near the person being treated.

  The use of individual pumps further simplifies the connections and in particular can avoid, if desired, any flexible pipe between the pumps and the nozzles.

  The presence of individual pumps can reduce the pressure drop.

  The invention also makes it possible to reduce the dead volume of pipe between the outlet of a pump and the associated nozzle, which makes it possible to reduce the quantity of product that may possibly continue to be emitted by the nozzle once the pump stops. be electrically powered. This can also reduce the amount of unused product.

  Another advantage of the invention may reside in the fact that the spraying is carried out without compressed air so that the droplets of product may have a larger size, for example of the order of 25 m, which allows a disappearance. rapid fog once the spraying stops, droplets not deposited on the treated person tends to fall relatively quickly under the effect of gravity on the floor, for example that of the cabin.

  The apparatus according to the invention can also facilitate the treatment of people large or small through a downward movement of the droplets under the effect of gravity, which provides a sweeping effect.

  The use of a fan and a filter, as described in US Pat. No. 5,922,333, is less useful.

  Preferably, the pumps used are reciprocating piston.

  The nominal pressure of the or each pump is for example between about 5 and about 20 bar, being for example equal to about 15 bar.

  Preferably, at least one of the nozzles and preferably each nozzle, is provided with a jet-breaker, which allows when the operation of the pumps is interrupted and the spraying ceases, to avoid that a jet of liquid product possibly emitted by the nozzle reaches the person being treated.

  Such a jet bander preferably comprises at least one filiform or flattened element placed in front of an orifice of the nozzle, preferably with a substantially vertical orientation.

  In a particular embodiment, the jetbreaker comprises at least one blade whose main faces are substantially vertical and parallel to the axis of the nozzle.

  The nozzles may be chosen such that the angle of divergence of the emitted spray is greater than or equal to 60, being for example close to 90. Such an angle value allows for example to arrange the nozzles in four vertical rows, angularly distributed.

  The nozzles used may be, for example, vortex chamber.

  The cabin may have dimensions allowing an adult to enter entirely. It can still be arranged to receive only the head, possibly with the neck and the top of the bust of the person. The cabin may still have an opening in front of which the person to be treated, without entering the cabin.

  In a particular embodiment of the invention, the cabin comprises a ceiling provided with at least one watering head which allows cleaning the walls of the cabin once the spray is completed.

  Such watering can further accelerate the eventual deposition of particles remaining in suspension in the air.

  In the case of the use of several pumps, they can be for example simultaneously controlled and interrupted simultaneously. Alternatively, the pumps may have different operating times to take into account, for example, the natural tendency of the droplets to fall under the effect of gravity. The operating time of the pumps associated with the lower nozzles may in particular be less than that of the upper nozzles, to compensate for this phenomenon.

  The product can be contained in a container maintained under a slight pressure, for example an overpressure of the order of 0.5 bar, which can facilitate the priming pumps. Alternatively, the product may be contained in a container disposed higher than the pumps.

  At least one pump can be attached to a wall of the cabin, which can simplify the construction of the device, including a vertical wall.

  At least one nozzle may comprise, for example, a circular orifice with a diameter of between approximately 0.5 mm and approximately 1 mm, in particular with a diameter of approximately 0.75 mm. This orifice can communicate, for example, with a vortex chamber.

  The invention further relates, in another of its aspects, independently or in combination with the foregoing, an apparatus for spraying a treatment product on the human body, in particular a self-tanner, comprising: an interior space for for example to receive the head of the person to be treated or in front of which can be placed the head of the person to be treated, this interior space being for example too small to fully accommodate the person to be treated, - at least one pump associated with a nozzle for spraying the product without air in said space, - possibly at least one jet-breaker placed in front of the nozzle.

  This interior space can be defined for example by a cabin, and allow or not to accommodate the head of the person.

  At least one pump may be attached to a wall of the cabin. The device may have no flexible connection between the pump and the nozzle. The nozzle may incorporate a valve, if any. The cabin may be without fan. Preferably, according to this aspect of the invention, each pump is still associated with a nozzle but it could be otherwise and at least one pump could supply two or more nozzles, for example.

  The invention further relates, in another of its aspects, independently or in combination with the above, a treatment apparatus comprising at least one spray nozzle of a treatment product, provided with a jetbreaker.

  The subject of the invention is also a process for treating a surface of human skin, comprising the creation of a fog of particles of a treatment product, in particular a self-tanner, by means of at least one nozzle, each nozzle being fed by a pump which supplies at most two nozzles and preferably a single nozzle.

  The subject of the invention is also a process for treating a surface of human skin, comprising the creation of a mist of particles of a treatment product, in particular a self-tanning agent, by means of at least one nozzle fed by the product under pressure, to spray, process in which the user is placed in front of an opening of the cabin.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the following detailed description, non-limiting examples of implementation thereof, and on examining the appended drawing, in which: FIG. schematically and in perspective an example of apparatus made according to the invention, Figure 2 is a block diagram of the apparatus of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a partial vertical section of the apparatus of Figure 1 FIG. 4 illustrates an example of relative arrangement of the vertical rows of nozzles inside the booth; FIG. 5 represents in isolation and schematically the watering nozzle of the apparatus of FIG. 3, FIG. FIG. 7 schematically and partially shows a nozzle, the associated jet and the individual pump supplying the nozzle, FIG. 8 represents the assembly of FIG. fixed on a pa King delimiting the processing chamber, - Figure 9 shows schematically and in perspective, a variant of fixing the jet-nozzle on the nozzle, Figure 10 shows an alternative embodiment of the sprinkler, 20 - Figures 11 and 12 schematically illustrate alternative embodiments of the jet breeze, and - Figures 13 and 14 show two embodiments of the cabin, for the treatment of the face.

  The apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises a cabin 2 which may be provided for example with a door 3 allowing a person to enter. This cabin is provided internally, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, of several rows 5, for example vertical, of nozzles 4.

  In the example considered, the rows 5 are four in number, being equidistributed angularly around a central vertical axis of the cabin 2, the treatment chamber being for example generally cylindrical of revolution.

  In the example considered, each nozzle 4 emits a spray with an aperture angle close to 90, as illustrated in FIG. 4, but nozzles having a different opening angle could be used without exiting the of the present invention.

  In the illustrated example, each nozzle has a single outlet orifice 10 as can be seen in particular in FIG. 6, this orifice 10 having been shown schematically in FIG. 2. The orifice 10 is for example circular and for example about 0.75 mm in diameter.

  Each nozzle 4 can be supplied with product P through a non-return valve 12 which can be integrated in the nozzle 4 by an individual pump 14, for example a low-voltage reciprocating piston pump, for example 12 or 24. volts.

  In the illustrated example, each pump 14 has a nominal pressure of approximately 15 bars and the valve 12 integrated in the nozzle 4 is designed to open at a pressure of approximately 4.5 bars.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to pumps having a particular nominal pressure, nor to nozzles 4 having particular geometries and / or outlet sections, and the characteristics of the pumps as well as those of the nozzles can be determined in particular depending on the properties of the product P to be sprayed.

  All the pumps 14 are connected in the example considered, as can be seen in FIG. 2, by pipes which may be flexible tubes 15, to a distributor 16 which is itself connected to a plunger tube 17. extending substantially to the bottom of a container 18 containing the product P. The latter may be a self-tanning or other treatment product P, for example a dye, moisturizing, bleaching, sanitizing, softening, anti-wrinkle, ... .

  The pumps 14 may be connected to an electrical control device 19 comprising for example a timer.

  In the example considered, a switch 21 allows the person present in the cabin to trigger a treatment cycle and a display 22 can display a countdown to the beginning of the treatment cycle.

  An emergency switch 44 can be arranged in the lower part of the cabin 2 to call for help, in case of discomfort for example.

  The control device 19 can also control the operation of a solenoid valve 23 for the arrival of washing water in a showerhead 30 fixed to the ceiling 31 of the cabin, as can be seen in FIG.

  If necessary, a presence detector may be arranged in the cabin 2 so as to trigger a washing cycle when the person who has just been treated has left the cabin and the door 3 has been closed.

  The sprayhead 30 has been shown in isolation in FIG. 5 and it can be seen in this figure that it may comprise not only a plurality of orifices 33 opening downwards, but also a series of openings 34 opening at its periphery, so that the wash water is projected to the highest walls defining the treatment chamber to ensure cleaning.

  An evacuation system 60 may be disposed in the bottom of the cabin as illustrated in FIG.

  A diaphragm pump 35 may be used to maintain the air present in the tank 18, in the space 36 situated above the product P, at a pressure slightly greater than the atmospheric pressure, so as to facilitate the priming of the pumps 14. The reservoir 18 may also comprise a level detector, not shown.

  Alternatively, the reservoir 18 may be in height above the nozzles 4 for example, so as to facilitate the flow of the product by gravity. This can avoid the use of the pump 35.

  The example of the nozzle 4 shown in FIG. 6 comprises an external part 80 comprising at one end an external thread 81.

  The other end 82 of the piece 80 is substantially frustoconical in shape and defines an opening 83 partially closed by a nozzle 87 defining the outlet port 10 of the product.

  An inner sleeve 84, screwed into the workpiece 80, defines longitudinally a passage for the product. The sleeve 84 is closed at one end by a shutter 86 and has at least one lateral opening 85 allowing the passage of the product.

  The shutter 86 defines with the nozzle 87 a swirl chamber 88 fed by substantially diametrically opposed channels, non-radial, arranged to create a swirling flow in the chamber 88.

  The number of channels 75 could be greater than two without departing from the scope of the present invention. The nozzle 4 could still be made differently, and not include a vortex chamber for example.

  Preferably, as shown in FIG. 7, a jetbreaker 40 is placed in front of the orifice 10 of each nozzle 4, this jet breaker 40 being constituted for example by a blade extending diametrically inside the nozzle. a sleeve 42 fixed on the nozzle 4.

  The thickness of the blade constituting the jetbreaker 40 of FIG. 7 is, for example, less than 2 mm, for example less than 1 mm, better still less than 1 mm, for example equal to 0.4 or 0.5 mm. about.

  The main faces of the blade constituting the jetbreaker 40 are for example parallel to the axis X of the nozzle.

  The distance between the baffle 40 and the orifice 10 of the nozzle is for example between about 0.5 and about 3 mm, being for example of the order of about 2 mm.

  Each jetbreaker 40 is oriented substantially vertically and avoids, when the operation of the pumps 14 is interrupted, a jet of product does not reach the person placed in the cabin 2 or in front of an opening thereof.

  Each individual pump 14 can be fixed directly to a wall 61 of the cabin, as shown in Figure 3, and be connected to the nozzle 4 by a connector 64 which can be for example bent.

  The connection 64 may in particular comprise a part 66, in which the outlet tube 65 of the pump 14 is screwed to one end.

  The piece 66 can carry the nozzle 4 and the sleeve 42 on which the jetbreaker 40 is fixed.

  The connector 64 is devoid, in the example, of flexible pipe, which increases the reliability.

  The part 66 is advantageously made with a relatively small inner section 25, so as to minimize the volume of product between the outlet of the pump 14 and the spray orifice 10 of the product.

  In the example shown, the sleeve 42 is screwed onto the piece 66, with a counter nut if necessary, but the attachment of the jetbreaker 40 could be done otherwise still without leaving the scope of this invention and the sleeve 42 could for example be fixed by snapping on the part 66, possibly with a keying of the sleeve 42 relative to the part 66 so as to allow the introduction of the sleeve 42 in a position in which the breaker jet 40 is substantially vertical.

  In the case where the sleeve 42 is snap-fastened, the nozzle 4 may comprise, for example, an annular groove 72 on its outer surface as illustrated in FIG. 9 and the sleeve 42 an elastic circlip 70 for snapping into this groove 72. The snap-fastening of the sleeve 42 on the nozzle may make it easier, for example, to fix the jet-breaker 40 at a predetermined distance from the outlet orifice of the nozzle 4.

  Two diametrically opposed openings 71 may be made in the sleeve 42 to receive the ends of the circlip 70.

  In the example considered, the part 66 allows the attachment of the nozzle 14 to the wall 61, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 8, but it goes without saying that each pump 14 could be fixed otherwise on the booth 2 for example in a configuration in which the piece 66 is no longer needed and where the nozzle 4 could be fixed for example directly to the end of the outlet tube 65.

  The operating time of the pumps 14 is for example between 3 and 15 seconds, being for example of the order of 5 seconds.

  All the pumps 14 can be of simultaneous operation, but alternatively, the operating times could be different to take account of the downward movement of the mist formed. In particular, the pumps 14 for feeding the lower nozzles 4 could be powered for a shorter time.

  Various modifications may be made to the invention.

  For example, the watering head 30 shown in FIG. 5 can be replaced by that illustrated in FIG. 10, which has a generally hemispherical shape.

  The jetbreaker 40 of FIG. 6 can be replaced by one of those represented in FIGS. 11 and 12 for example, that of FIG. 11 having two blades intersecting at a point situated in front of the exit orifice 10 of the nozzle and that of Figure 12 having a grid.

  It is not beyond the scope of the present invention when the cabin 2 is dimensioned so as to receive only the head of a person to be treated and comprises for example only one or two nozzles 4.

  Such an example of cabin 2 has been shown in FIG. 13, with a single nozzle 4 fixed to the rear wall 68 of the cabin. This nozzle 4 is advantageously provided with a jetbreaker 40 such as that shown in FIG.

  The cabin may further comprise a tube for example of circular or oblong section, as shown in Figure 14, in front of the opening of which the person to be treated to position his face, for example.

  Throughout the description, including the claims, the phrase having one must be understood to be synonymous with at least one, unless the opposite is specified.

Claims (18)

  1. Apparatus (1) for spraying a product (P) for treating the human body, especially a self-tanner, comprising: - a cabin (2) in which a person to be treated can penetrate at least partially, or in front of which a person to be treated can be placed - at least one nozzle (4) for spraying the product into an interior space of the cabin, this spray nozzle (4) being supplied with pressure product from an individual pump (14) which is associated with him.   2. Apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the nominal pressure of the or each pump (14) is between 5 and 20 bar, being in particular about 15 bar.   3. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the pump or pumps (14) used are reciprocating piston.   4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one and preferably each nozzle (4) is provided with a jetbreaker (40).   5. Apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the jetbreaker (40) comprises at least one filamentary element or flattened placed in front of the orifice (10) of the nozzle, with a substantially vertical orientation.   6. Apparatus according to one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the jetbreaker (40) comprises at least one blade whose main faces are substantially vertical and parallel to the axis (X) of the nozzle.   7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nozzles (4) are chosen so that the divergence angle (a) of the emitted spray is greater than or equal to 60, for example being of 90.   8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nozzles are arranged in four rows (5) vertical, equidistributed angularly.   9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cabin (2) has dimensions allowing an adult to enter entirely.   10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cabin is arranged to receive only the head, possibly with the neck and the top of the bust of the person.   11. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cabin comprises a ceiling provided with at least one showerhead (30) which allows cleaning the walls of the cabin after the spraying is complete. .   12. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that all the pumps (14) are simultaneously controlled and interrupted simultaneously.   13. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pumps (14) have different operating times.   14. Apparatus according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the operating time of the pumps (14) associated with the lower nozzles is less than that of the upper nozzles.   15. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the product (P) is contained in a container (18) maintained under a slight pressure.   16. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one pump (14) fixed on a wall (61), in particular vertical, of the cabin.   17. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one nozzle (4) has a hole (10) circular diameter between about 0.5 mm and about 1 mm, in particular of equal diameter. to about 0.75 mm.   18. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one nozzle (4) comprises, upstream of the orifice (10), a vortex chamber (88).