WO2003013735A2

WO2003013735A2 - Portable hand-operated cooling device

Info

Publication number: WO2003013735A2
Application number: PCT/IB2002/004692
Authority: WO
Inventors: Renato Pozzi
Original assignee: Electronic World S.A. Societe Anonyme
Priority date: 2001-06-22
Filing date: 2002-06-18
Publication date: 2003-02-20
Also published as: AU2002347433A8; AU2002347433A1; WO2003013735A3

Abstract

A hand-operated portable refreshing device (10, 110) comprising :- a containing unit (12) ;- a first container or reservoir (14, 112) containing air ; - means (22, 114) to feed and slightly pressurize the air in said first container or reservoir ; - a second separate container (32, 120) for the liquid ; - an outlet mouth (20) with multiple nozzles (58, 60, 170, 142') of which at least one of said nozzles (58, 170) is connected to said second container (32, 120) for the liquid ; - means (54, 56, 142') for feeding the pressurized air contained in said first container, separately form the other nozzles of the mouth near the outgoing liquid, and means to simultaneously dispense said air and liquid.

Description

HAND-OPERATED PORTABLE REFRESHING DEVICE.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a hand-operated portable refreshing device.

More particularly, the present invention refers to a portable refreshing device which allows to simultaneously obtain a flow of humid air or fluid humid micro-particles to be sprayed on face, skin, or part of the users' body to give a refreshing sensation and effect. The fluid causing this effect is constituted by air and a minimum quantity of liquid, typically natural water or water added with aromatic or protective substances for the skin. As it is known, in presence of particular weather conditions such as the exposure of the body to sunlight or simply the presence of high temperatures the need arises to periodically refresh the body or parts of it, in order to obtain a temporary relief. These kinds of situations generally take place in times of heat, when people are exposed to sunlight as it happens in seaside resorts or during excursions, but they also take place in other situations and places where it is difficult to immediately find relief.

If on the beaches there are specific equipments for users, i.e. equipments dispensing atomised water, in other situations such as during car journeys or excursions, this opportunity does not exist; however, even in seaside resorts, people are obliged to move from their position to reach the place where these equipments are installed. Generally speaking, in order to obtain a relief in this respect, refreshing paper napkins are used or, if the condition so allows, conventional atomizers of the type generally used to spray detergents along the surfaces to be cleaned are also used. In the first case, the solution is sometimes counterproductive as said napkins are impregnated with substances whose refreshing effect is a minimum one, maybe immediate but it dissipates very soon.

In the second case, the conventional atomizers may actually bring relief, but they have the non-negligible drawback of dispensing high amounts of liquid which can give rise to the formation of many drops and trickles on the body part concerned by the treatment. Therefore, the refreshing effect which is initially appreciated, is followed by a less agreeable situation which is caused by the high number of water drops that form and stream along the body.

US patents nos. 5, 000,384, 5,322,342 and WO 99/62328 describe devices of the mentioned type that are part of fixed structures or they are integrated to beach couches or deck-chairs. In addition to the drawback due to the dispensing of high amounts of liquid, these devices are complex from the constructive point of view and they cannot be easily transported or moved. Devices comprising a pressurized container or reservoir from which the atomised fluid is dispensed are also known.

Even this kind of device, is not free from drawbacks as the pressurization of the reservoir implies the intervention of qualified or skilled operators and requires attention and care; moreover the operation needs to be carried out in suitable places with specific equipments. Moreover, the presence of a pressurized containing unit can be a potential danger, as undesired leaks from the safety valve may occur making the device temporarily unusable. Due to the need of pressurizing the fluid contained in the reservoir or a part of it and considering that these devices are used in the sun or in very warm areas, it is necessary to create a rigid and containing unit, that is to say a light bulky body which creates transport problems to the user.

Object of the present invention is to obviate the above- mentioned drawbacks.

More particularly, object of the present invention is to provide a portable refreshing device dispensing a limited quantity of refreshing fluid that can be functionally and immediately used on any condition.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device as mentioned above being able to create a good refreshing effect which can be systematically repeated without dispensing a high quantity of liquid on the specific part/parts of the body and moreover it must be easily transported and put away.

Another further object of the present invention is to provide a refreshing device that can be rapidly activated without the support of external equipments on any condition the user wants or needs in such a way that he/she does not need to program it and is not conditioned by the situation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a portable refreshing device which does not need the setting up of specific supports and can be activated by the user in a quick and easy manner in any place and at any time.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a refreshing device able to guarantee a high level of resistance and reliability in time and, moreover, it should be easily and economically realised.

According to the present invention these and other objects resulting from the following description are obtained by a portable refreshing device comprising: - - a containing unit;

- a first container or reservoir containing air;

- means to feed and slightly pressurize the air in said first container or reservoir;

- a second separate container for the liquid;

- an outlet mouth with multiple nozzles of which at least one of said nozzles is connected to said second container for the liquid;

- means for feeding the pressurized air contained in said first container, separately from the other nozzles ofthe outlet mouth near the outgoing liquid, and

- means to simultaneously dispense said air and liquid. The first container for the air and the second one for the liquid can be separate sectors of the same containing unit forming a cavity, or the second container for the liquid can be obtained in a separate body, such as the handle or grip connected to the air container through the interposition of a unidirectional valve.

The containing unit is preferably made of flexible material such as plastic textile or waterproof material so that it can be folded, rolled up and transported in any conventional handbag.

The constructive and functional features of the portable refreshing device of the present invention will be better understood thanks to the following detailed description wherein reference is made to the attached tables with drawings representing some preferred embodiments shown as non-limitative examples wherein: figure 1 represents a schematic side view of a section of a first embodiment of the portable refreshing device of the present invention; figure 2 represents a schematic view of the functional scheme ofthe same device of figure 1; figure 3 represents a schematic side view of a section of an alternative embodiment of the portable refreshing device ofthe present invention in non-operating condition; figure 4 represents a schematic view of the functional scheme ofthe same device of figure 3; figure 5 represents a schematic side view of a section of the portable refreshing device of figure 3 in operating condition; figure 6 represents a schematic side view of a section of the grip of the portable refreshing device of the previous figures 3 and 5.

With reference to the figures from 1 to 3, the portable refreshing device of the present invention marked in its whole with 10, comprises a containing unit 12, which is preferably made of flexible material forming a cavity wherein a plurality of sectors housing a certain quantity of air, means for feeding and slightly pressurizing the air itself, the liquid, generally water, and ducts to dispense altogether with a minimum quantity of liquid. The containing unit 12 is preferably made of plastic or textile waterproof material that forms, by way of example, a tubular and basically cylindrical or variable circular section body.

Said containing unit 12, according to the material, can be casually folded or rolled up so that it can be easily transported and placed in any traditional handbag. The inner part of the containing unit 12 comprises a plurality of separate sectors. In particular, said containing unit 12 comprises: a first sector 14 whose area is filled with air, a second sector 16 which is above or adjacent to the first sector 14 and communicating with it and a further sector 18 including the means to dispense the refreshing fluid through an outlet mouth 20 which communicates with the outside. The sector 14 is meant to be filled with air and it takes a great part of the available volume of the containing unit 12, this volume is indicatively comprised between 1.0 and 5.0 dm³. The adjacent sector 16 houses a hand-activated small pump 22 that can be activated through a traditional piston (which is not shown) connected to a movement knob 24 protruding from the containing unit 12. The containing unit 12, in correspondence of the piston and/or of the knob 24, is provided with a gasket 26, cooperating with a known unidirectional or non-return valve.

Through the pump 22, the ambient air is manually fed and fills the cavity of the containing unit 12 that is defined by the sector 14, thus forming a mass of fluid under slight pressure that inflates the same containing unit that, at the beginning, is retracted. The second sector 16, that delimitates the seat for the pump 22, is advantageously associated to an inside shaped rib or support structure 30 having, by way of example, an egg-shaped profile or development which is apt to stiffen the containing unit 12 in correspondence of the same sector 16 in order to precisely delimit the seat of the pump 22 and support its operation leading to the filling of the first sector 14 with ambient air. The inside shaped rib 30 is obtained during the forming of the containing unit 12 which is preferably constituted by two or more parts or half shells heat-sealed between them and tied with ultrasonic welding or adhesives.

Moreover, in the containing unit 12, the means dispensing the air under light pressure collected in the first sector 14 are placed, they cooperate with a second and smaller reservoir 32 which houses the refreshing liquid, generally natural water or water added with aromatic, healing or soothing substances for the skin. In the preferred and non- limitative embodiment of figure 1, the reservoir 32 of the liquid is placed opposite to the pump 22 and substantially at the same level. Said reservoir 32 comprises an outlet mouth 20 constituted by a plurality of nozzles described here below. The reservoir 32 is preferably placed in the containing unit 12 between two opposite shoulders 38 and 40 that are jointly obtained with the containing unit itself during the forming of its parts or constituted half shells. One of said shoulders, the one marked with 40 in the example, faces the small pump 22 and it is provided with an opening passing through a stabilizing tang hold of the reservoir 32. On the said tang hold, a gasket 44 matching the shoulder 40 to which it is tight constrained by heat- sealing or equivalent systems is placed. The gasket 44 is put on the shoulder 40 before the connection ofthe two or more parts forming the containing unit 12. A button 46, having the function of dispensing drop by drop the liquid in the reservoir itself and the air ofthe first sector 14 is associated to the reservoir 32 of the liquid. Said liquid is fed in said reservoir from a mouth 50 in communication with the outside of the containing unit 12 and closed by a conventional cap 52. The dispensing body or outlet mouth 20 consists of a nozzle with multiple reciprocally swivelling outlet mouths; two or more of said outlet mouths are connected through ducts having the shape of small tubes or being similar to the first sector 14 forming the air reservoir 14; in figure 2 said ducts are marked with 54. A third small tube marked with 56 is connected to the reservoir 32 of the liquid and reaches a nozzle 58 that is preferably placed at the centre of the other nozzles dispensing air marked with 60.

The air contained in the first sector 14 goes out through the ducts 54 and the nozzles 60 and is preferably dispensed through the same button 46 controlling the dispensing of the liquid; said button is not described in detail as it is of the kind of known buttons as the relevant interception means which are split among them and act on the air and liquid ducts.

Preferably, the small tubes or ducts 54 conveying the air which is present in the first sector 14 outside through the nozzles 60, cross the liquid reservoir 32 and get into the same reservoir from the tang hold 42 wherein they are inserted with the interposition of suitable sealing means such as toric rings, gaskets or equivalent devices. The operation of the refreshing device of the present invention can be easily understood by the previous description.

It implies simple and quick operations by the user, preferably beginning with the feeding of a small quantity of liquid in the reservoir 32. The liquid can be constituted by fresh or cool water or by other fluids dissolved in water or, if necessary, prepared for the specific refreshing function; in particular, if the device is used in seaside resorts, the liquid may include protective substances for the skin or being able to help the moisturization and/or the tanning of the skin in addition to the main refreshing effect.

The user operates the small pump 22 in order to fill the first sector 14 ofthe containing unit 12 with air, wherein a slight overpressure is formed; the subsequent operation of the button 46 interacting with the duct 54 of the air and the duct 56 ofthe liquid, causes the outgoing ofthe air of the opposite nozzles 60, that are advantageously swivelled in the direction of the further central nozzle 58 from which the liquid comes out drop by drop. The nozzle 58 can obviously be of the kind that can be adjusted by screwing in order to create a more or less marked choke and therefore causing a different outgoing of the drops of liquid. The air and the liquid outgoing from said nozzles mix at once thus forming a flow of micro-mist or humid and refreshing air.

The drops of liquid are substantially attacked by the cross- flow of air coming out from the nozzles 60 and they are fragmented and sprayed. The refreshing effect is therefore guaranteed without dispensing a high amount of liquid on the skin.

Figures from 3 to 6 show an alternative embodiment of the portable refreshing device ofthe present invention. Said device, marked as a whole with 110, comprises a containing unit or reservoir 112 of any shape and size, a small pump 114 for instance a bellow-type one integrated to the same reservoir and a handle or grip 116 connected to said reservoir through a tube 118 and including a plurality of ducts reaching the front end in as many dispensing nozzles described here below. Inside the grip 116, a cavity 120 communicating with the outside through a closed hole with a cap 112 is formed. The reservoir 112 is made for example of rigid plastic material or of plastic fabric and it is meant to contain the air which is slightly compressed through the manual operation on the small pump 114 of conventional type. In the preferred embodiment of the figures, the reservoir 112 shows a first recess or shaped seat 124 having a shape which is complementary to the one of the small pump 114 abutting in it and stabilized with known means, for example adhesives. The upper end of the small pump 114 is defined by a conventional elastic membrane 114' which is manually compressed to pressurize the air in the reservoir 112.

The pressure forming inside the mentioned reservoir is indicatively comprised between 0.2 and 1.5 bar.

At the base of the shaped seat 124 a unidirectional valve

126 avoiding the outflow ofthe air from the reservoir 112 is placed. On said reservoir is preferably formed a second recess or shaped seat 130 whose mouth faces the upper part of the reservoir itself. Said second shaped seat 130, having for example a circular shape, constitutes the housing seat of the tube 118 advantageously of the spring type connecting the reservoir 112 with the handle or grip

116.

A non-retum valve 132, is preferably placed in correspondence of the end of the tube 118 going straight to the reservoir 112.

The tube 118 is respectively fastened to the base of the second cavity 130 and to the grip 116 through conventional quick fits or equivalent means.

Said grip is advantageously made of plastic material and, in the preferred embodiment, is "shower-shaped" constituted by two complementary and mirror half shells tied between them by heat-sealing, ultrasonic welding or equivalent systems. The base ofthe grip 116, that is to say the part connecting with the tube 118, shows an integral tang hold 134 for the insertion ofthe same tube. A cylindrical seat 144 which is axially aligned with the tang hold 134 is formed; such cylindrical seat develops in the same grip and houses a unidirectional valve 146 which is elastically tensioned by a spiral spring 148. Said valve 146 is shaped in such a way to be placed along a seat 146', preferably a conical seat forming a choke 150 in the seat 144. The upper part of said seat 144 opposed to the tang hold 134, is provided with at least one pass-through mouth 150' which is radially developed and connecting the seat with the cavity 120 ofthe grip 116. The mouth/mouths 150'is/are obtained above the seat 146' of the valve 146. The choke 150 is preferably conical- shaped in its lower part facing the tube 118 as the seat 146' and it forms a mouth which can be intercepted by the shaped-end 152 of a hand-activated operating lever 136 having its fulcrum on the body of the grip 116. From said grip, the lever 136 goes out through a mouth 152' which is delimited by a gasket 153 of the OR type or of similar type. The cavity 120 of the grip 116 is apt to house the liquid, typically water, which is introduced from the mouth closed by a cap 122.

Said cavity, is indicatively sized in such a way to contain a quantity of liquid comprised between 0.10 and 0.30 1. From the seat 144, and particularly from the area defining the choke 150, a duct 142 which is integral with the grip 116 comes out, such duct branches off in at least two small tubes 142' which are developed inside the grip 116 in a reciprocally opposite position all along its extent. The small tubes 142' are opposed among them and come out to the front end of said grip and have a conventional, preferably adjustable, dispensing nozzle whose flow can be adjusted. In the front part of the grip 116 a holed diaphragm is formed preferably during the forming phase, this diaphragm is protected, if necessary, by a small unidirectional valve 140' intercepting or opening the passage ofthe liquid inside the cavity 120. Downstream of said diaphragm 140, the grip 116 shows a further dispensing nozzle marked with 170 which is preferably placed in an intermediate position with respect to the other two nozzles placed on the front end of the small tubes 142' coming out ofthe grip 116.

The mouth ofthe second shaped seat 130 is provided with a projection or serration 160 to hook the rear part of the grip 116 to the reservoir 112. The opposite front part of said grip 116 is housed along a flat zone 162 created on the same reservoir. Said flat zone 162 is elongated to an appendix 164 which constitutes the fitting-insertion seat of the same front part of said grip. The latter is housed in said seats 160, 162, 164 and advantageously constitutes also the gripping means to transport the device in its whole, included the reservoir when it is not used. During the utilization, when the grip 116 is detached from the reservoir 112, the small tube 118 can come out extending from the second cavity 130 and therefore the same grip 116 can be swivelled in space to be directed near the part ofthe body to be refreshed. Supposing that the cavity 120, which is previously fed through the hole closed by the cap 122, is completely or partly filled with water, the only operation to be carried out by the user is the activation with some impulses ofthe membrane 114' of the small pump 114, in order to create a pressure which is slightly higher than the ambient or the atmospheric one inside the reservoir 112 containing only air.

Once this operation has been made, the device object of the present invention can operate by acting on the lever 136. This operation allows the downward movement of the shaped end 152 ofthe lever 136 and the pressurized air inside the reservoir 112 can therefore flow into the seat 144, in the choke 150 and, from here, into the cavity 120 containing the fluid.

At the same time the air distributes in the duct 142 and in the connected small tubes 142'. The passage ofthe air into the seat 144 and from here into the cavity 120 through the radial holes 150', is preceded by the lifting ofthe valve 46 which is carried out by the thrust made by the same air coming from the reservoir 112 through the small tube 118. The spring 148 associated to said valve is calibrated in such a way to compress itself, thus causing the possibility of communication through the holes 150', depending on the expected pressure the air reaches in the reservoir 112. From the front end of the small tubes 142', only the air flows outside the grip 116 with a jet which is advantageously directed to the nozzle 170. From said nozzle 170, on the contrary, the liquid present in the cavity 120 that is pressurized by the air coming from the holes 150' continuously comes out at a very reduced rate. The combined effect of air- water that mixes coming out of the front end of the grip 116, causes the formation of a micro-mist or humidified air flow that reaches the parts of the body on which the user swivels the grip. Particularly, the drop or the drops coming out of the nozzle 170, pushed by a part of the air flow coming out of the reservoir 112, are attacked by the air^' coming out of the small tubes 142' which are properly swivelled in substantially opposed directions. The user's body zone concerned by the treatment is therefore touched by a modest flow of humidity-saturated air as the drop or the drops coming out ofthe nozzle 170 are fragmented. The ensuing refreshing effect is from one hand effective but it does not cause the distribution of a high quantity of liquid on the skin. The device can continuously work provided that there is even a minimum quantity of liquid in the cavity.

As a whole, the device object of the present invention allows to obtain an immediate refreshing effect along the body zones and, given its structural configuration, it can be easily used in various situations which are not necessarily referred to the ones of typical relax in open and sunny spaces or in any case hot spaces. Such a device, in fact, can be easily transported and used if needed in other environments for instance in cars or campers during travels without the need of unavoidable stops. The opportunity of having the refreshing device available at any moment and in any place is really an advantage; due to its own compressible structure, the refreshing device takes very little room and can be easily transported and put away without problems. Even though the present invention has been described with reference to some of its embodiments given by way of non-limitative example, it is clear that a technician can carry out as many changes and variants to the above mentioned description.

For instance, the ducts feeding the outgoing air attacking the drop or the drops of liquid in order to create the micro- mist may be present in higher number or have a different location with respect to the one which has been described and illustrated by way of example. Alternatively, thanks to the central duct from which drop/drops of liquid goes/go out, only one external annular duct for feeding the air with a suitable configuration of the outlet mouth to swivel and concentrate the flow of the air towards the nozzle from which the liquid comes out may be provided. It is therefore understood that the present invention is meant to comprise all changes and variants falling within the spirit and the protective scope ofthe following claims.

Claims

1. A hand-operated portable refreshing device (10, 110) characterised by the fact that it comprises: a containing unit (12);

- a first container or reservoir (14, 112) containing air;

- means (22,114) to feed and slightly pressurize the air in said first container or reservoir;

- a second separate container (32, 120) for the liquid; an outlet mouth (20) with multiple nozzles (58, 60, 170, 142') of which at least one of said nozzles (58, 170) is connected to said second container (32, 120) for the liquid;

- means (54, 56, 142') for feeding the pressurized air contained in said first container, separately from the other nozzles of the mouth near the outgoing liquid, and

- means to simultaneously dispense said air and liquid.

2. The device according to claim 1, the containing unit (12) comprising: a first sector (14) whose area is filled with air; a second sector (16) housing the means feeding air (22) and communicates with said first sector (14); a further sector (18) including the means to dispense the refreshing fluid through the outlet mouth (20) and a reservoir (32) for the refreshing liquid.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the means to feed and slightly pressurize the air in the first sector (14) of the containing unit (12) are constituted by a small hand-activated pump provided with a unidirectional valve (22') which can be activated through a knob (24) connected to a piston and protruding from the same containing unit.

4. The device according to any of the previous claims characterized by the fact that said dispensing means (54) of the air from the first sector (14) of the containing unit (12) are constituted by two or more ducts or small tubes reaching said mouth (20) and provided with said fixed or swivelling nozzles (60).

5. The device according to any of the previous claims, characterized by the fact that the dispensing means (56) of the liquid are constituted by a duct or small tube connected to the reservoir (32) for the liquid, said duct reaching the mouth (20) in a central position with respect to the nozzles (60) and being provided with a nozzle (58).

6. The device according to any of the previous claims, characterized by the fact that the area (16) delimiting the seat of the small pump (22) is associated to a support shaped rib (30) formed inside the containing unit (12).

7. The device according to any of the previous claims, characterized by the fact that the reservoir (32) for the liquid is obtained in the containing unit (12) between two opposite shoulders (38, 40), one of which faces the small pump (22) and is provided with an opening passing through a tang hold (42), to the latter a gasket (44) fixed to said shoulder by heat sealing or equivalent systems is associated.

8. The device according to any of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that the reservoir ofthe liquid (32) is provided with a button (46) interacting with the duct (56) to dispense the liquid drop by drop through the nozzle (58) ofthe mouth (20).

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that said button interacts with ducts (54) ofthe air present in the reservoir (14) in order to dispense it together with the liquid one, through the nozzles (60) ofthe mouth (20).

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the containing unit (112) contains slightly pressurized air and the second container for the liquid is the cavity (120) of a handle or grip (116), connected to said containing unit (112) by a tube (118).

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that the base ofthe grip (116) has an integral tang hold (134) for the insertion of the tube (118) and an aligned cylindrical seat (144) developing in the same grip and housing a unidirectional valve (146) tensioned by a spring (148), said valve being placed in correspondence with a conical seat (146') forming a choke (150) in the cylindrical seat (144).

12. The device according to any of the previous claims from 10 to 11, characterized by the fact that in the upper part which is opposite to the tang hold (134) of said seat (144) at least one pass-through opening (150') communicating with the cavity (120) ofthe grip (116) is formed, at least said opening (150') being made above the conical seat (146') ofthe valve (146).

13. The device according to claim 11, characterised by the fact that the choke (150) is conical-shaped in its lower part facing the tube (118) and it forms a mouth which can be intercepted by a shaped end (152) of a hand- activated operating lever (136), whose fulcrum is on the grip (116).

14. The device according to any of the previous claims from 10 to 13, characterised by the fact that from the cylindrical seat (144) a duct (142) comes out from this duct, at least one ofthe small tubes (42') branches off; preferably two opposite small tubes (142') reaching the front end of said seat where they have an adjustable and/or swivelling nozzle.

15. The device according to any of the previous claims, characterised by the fact that in the front part of the grip (116), inside the cavity (120) and upstream ofthe nozzles of the small tubes (142') a diaphragm (140) integrating a small unidirectional valve (140') is obtained.

16. The device according to any of the previous claims from 10 to 15, characterised by the fact that in the terminal front part ofthe grip (116), in an intermediate position with respect to the nozzles bome by the small tubes (142'), a further nozzle (170) to dispense drops of the liquid which is present in the cavity (120) is placed.

17. The device according to any of the previous claims from 10 to 16, characterised by the fact that the tube (118) connected to the reservoir (112) and to the grip (116) is placed in a shaped seat (130) formed in the containing unit (112).

18. The device according to any of the previous claims from 10 to 17, characterised by the fact that the mouth of the shaped seat (130) is provided with a serration (160) to hook the rear part of the grip (116) and the containing unit (112) is provided with a flat zone (162) with an appendix (164) wherein the front part of the grip (116) is abutted and engaged.