WO2005094942A1

WO2005094942A1 - Apparatus for exposure to the sun’s rays

Info

Publication number: WO2005094942A1
Application number: PCT/IT2005/000160
Authority: WO
Inventors: Massimo Buttinoni; Raffaele Saldutti
Original assignee: S.B.R.M. Srl
Priority date: 2004-03-30
Filing date: 2005-03-24
Publication date: 2005-10-13
Also published as: ITMI20040610A1

Abstract

An apparatus for the exposure to sun’s rays which includes a cell (1) with conditioned environment, which permits the exposure to said rays in any atmospheric conditions without incurring annoyances, including the harmful effects, if any, that exposure to the sun may involve, is described. The apparatus also permits the automatic optimal cell disposition towards the sun rays direction.

Description

APPARATUS FOR EXPOSURE TO THE SUN' S RAYS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The object of the present invention consists of an apparatus suitable to allow a user, lounging inside a portion thereof, to expose himself to the sun's rays in any atmospheric conditions without incurring the annoyances that exposure to the sun can involve, including UVA and UVB rays harmful effects. Said apparatus includes, essentially, a cell or solar cell, its support, a removable covering and an air-conditioning unit. People, among the various cares dedicated to their own body, always make use of the sun-tan, either for curative or aesthetical purposes, through the exposure, more or less protracted, to the sun rays. The body sun-tan, achieved at the seaside or in the mountains, has become a very widespread habit, and can easily involve annoyances such as difficulty to the heat adaptability, sweating, burns, sun erythemas, or other more or less dangerous skin pathologies; to said annoyances remedies are applied by the application of solar creams which are present on the market in a large choice.

The direct exposure to the sun is, generally, bearable with difficulty in conditions either of high ambient temperature, like during he warmest hours in countries with temperate climates or in countries with tropical climates, or when the ambient temperature is low, like in winter, or also in summer, in northern zones and in high mountains.

The exposure to the sun's rays becomes moreover problematic, if not impossible, in all those zones, although in adequate temperature conditions, with strong winds, which is made even more annoying by the transport of sharp sand grains . Recently, recourse was started to- the application of tanning lamps that however, are not pleasant for everybody and, in any case, enable an obviously unnatural tan of short duration compared to one achieved by sun rays .

BACKGROUND ART

Till now the background of the art does not provide any apparatus similar to one of the present invention.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The solar cell of the apparatus that is the object, of the present invention resolves the above-mentioned drawbacks of a tan with a direct exposure to the sun's rays either in climatic conditions of great heat or cold or in windy zones.

Furthermore, it can be^ advantageously used for. the treatment of particular pathologies like psoriasis, mobile vitiligo and varicose veins.

Said solar cell consists of a casing made of a hard plastic material supported by a metallic support frame and provided, in its upper portion, with a suitably shaped covering element that can be opened and inside with a suitable support on which the user lies down during exposure to the sun' s rays . The upper element, that can be opened, or covering part of the solar cell is made of a suitable plastic material able to block the- harmful ultra-violet band radiations: particularly, said plastic material is made of fibreglass, polycarbonates or the like, suitably modulated, according to known methodologies, for the absorption of particular sun radiations. The area inside the solar cell is air-conditioned, therefore maintained at a pleasant temperature that is settled and controlled by the user himself.

The user is therefore in the position neither to be affected by the outside environment temperature, whether too low or too high, nor by strong wind conditions, with or without sand, nor by the necessity of any solar protection cream and he is therefore able, by himself, to steer, automatically or manually, the cell, so that it can be favourably steered towards the sun rays .

Important characteristic of the solar cell of the apparatus of the present invention consists of the fact that it is provided with a^" mechanical-electronic device which permits both the displacement of the cell's inclination, according to its longitudinal axis, in a vertical plane and the rotation displacements, even of 360°, in a horizontal plane. Practically, the cell orientation follows the sun movement. This possibility can be manually carried out by the user or by an outside operator, or in a different embodiment, it can be carried out in an automatic manner.- As an example, the electric/electronic signals coming from a photo cell can start two different electric motors: one of them operating on a driving wheel/rack coupling, integral with the cell, for its inclination changes according to its longitudinal axis in a vertical plane, and the other one operating on a wheel system for the rotation displacements up to 180° and, manually, up to 360°. In order to make the stay inside the cell more comfortable, the support consists of a small mattress pliable in several positions, optionally provided with an integrated massage, on which the user can lie down or, if he wishes, to settle in sitting or in a semi-sitting position. Inside the cell a digital control thermostat is present, which permits modification of the inside temperature and, optionally, to automatically bring it to the outside temperature in a predetermined time in order to avoid temperatures too different from the ambient ones. There is also inside the cell a control for an acoustic and/or light alarm signal, which is evident from outside the cell and can be operated in case of emergency and/or for the user's necessity. For a more comfortable stay inside the solar cell, and also to minimize possible feelings of claustrophobia, radio, television, internet, etc. connections are provided as well as suita_ble shelves for them and also for objects like a computer, magazines, books and beverages.

Some of these internal devices can be easily removed when not needed for long periods.

In a fμrther embodiment of the apparatus of the invention, the solar cell can be designed for the use of two persons at the same time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the apparatus of the invention the attached drawings are provided below which are not in any way intended to limit the scope thereof.

Figure 1 shows a perspective/schematic view of the apparatus of the invention in one of its embodiments.

Figure 2 shows a front schematic view of the protective removable covering of the cell of the invention of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a side view, from left, of the cell and the relevant support of the apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 4 shows a top view of ^"the cell of the apparatus of Figure

1.

Figure 5 shows a top view of the pliable cell mattress of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 6 shows a top view of two adjacent pliable small mattresses relevant to a different embodiment of the apparatus of the invention that provides for the contemporaneous use of the cell by two persons .

In said Figures are clearly indicated: the solar cell (1) having its base with an oval and tapered shape; the relevant outer vertical shoulder (2) ; the cover (3) bound to said shoulder, that can be opened and closed manually or by means of a mechanic/electronic device, made of fibreglass, polycarbonates, or other suitable material, all these suitably modulated to filter UVA and UVB rays, said cover having also an oval tapered shape with the transversally wider portion (4) more cambered which permits the user a good freedom of movement and, particularly, if wished, to maintain a sitting or semi-sitting position; the photocell (5), more properly formed by a photosensitive cells system, which, depending on the inclination on the horizon of the sun rays, transmits electric/electronic signals to the mechanical-electronic mechanism for the cell's automatic orientation to an optimal position compared to the sun's rays; the removable covering (6) of the cell (1) ,. suitably provided with hooks (7) , carried out by moulding in hard plastic material for the cell protection during no-use periods; the support (8) of the cell (1), in hard plastic material or the like, which contains inside (not shown in the Figures) the mechanical-electronic mechanism and the relevant driving motors for the cell's orientation according to the inclination on the horizon of the sun's rays; a small panel (9) for the outside digital controls in order to plan some functions by the operators and for the cell maintenance; a space (10) for the passage of the wire set; the small mattress (11) pliable in several positions with, optionally, an integrated massage; in case of a solar cell usable at the same time for 2 persons, the pliable small mattress (11) is double; the diffusers -(12) for the introduction of the air-conditioning into the cell; the connections (13) arranged for radio, television, telephone, thermostat, etc.; the shelf (14) for computer, books, magazines, radio, television, .beverages etc.; the air-conditioner (15) outside the cell; the pipe (16) of the air-conditioning from the air-conditioner (15) to the cell (1); the control (17) for the alarm signal. The vertical boundary shoulder (2), to which the cover (3) , which can be opened, is bound, is made of hard plastic material and is moulded in one piece together with the base of the cell (1) .

The mechanical-electronic mechanism is arranged inside the support (8) and serves to steer the cell depending on the direction of the sun's rays. The mechanical system of said mechanism may be operated manually by the user by means of a joystick located inside the cell (1) and/or, automatically, on electric/electronic signals co ing from the photocell (5) . The air-conditioner feed (15) , which permits a pleasant environment inside the cell (1) , heated or cooled, irrespective of the outside climatic conditions due to the various localitiesand to the different seasons, is placed outside the cell (1).

This arrangement presents the following advantages: first of all, vibrations and noises inside the cell (1) , exposures to magnetic fields, hot air vents, risks, if any, due to a breaking of the air-conditioner if it were installed inside the cell (1) , are avoided. Furthermore the arrangement of the air-conditioner (15) outside the cell (1) allows the supply to several cells at the same time . The apparatus object to the present invention, easy to handle and with light and reduced maintenance, can be advantageously installed, for example, in hotel solarium, or boat decks, in aquatic parks and swimming pools. On use, the user starts the air-conditioner (15) and programs on panel (9) the required temperature inside the cell (1) and makes operative the signals of the photocell (5) towards the mechanical-electronic mechanism. Then there is nothing more to do for him than to lie down in the cell (1) and to close it by means of the cover (3) .

Claims

1. An apparatus for the exposure to the sun rays, characterized by the fact that it is formed of a solar cell (1) with conditioned environment, having a tapered oval shape, in hard plastic material; a support (8) thereof; a suitable air- conditioner (15) and a removable protective covering (6), said cell (1) comprising a cover (3) of hard and transparent plastic- material, suitably shaped and modulated to block particular sun radiations, and, ^' inside, a flat base, a suitable pliable small mattress (11) , a control (17) for an alarm signal, evident outside, a thermostat control and connections and supports (14) for telephone, television, radio and computer; on the outer surface of said cell (1) being arranged a photocell (15) , a control panel (9) for planning the functions and suitable air-conditioned inlets (12); said cell support (8), of suitable hard material, containing the mechanical-electronic mechanism and the relevant driving motors for the cell (1) orientation.

2. Apparatus for the exposure to the sun' s rays according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the transparent cover (3 is shaped with a camber (4) in the transversally wider portions of the cell.

3. Apparatus for the exposure to the sun's rays according to the claims 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the cover (3) material is selected between fibreglass and polycarbonate.

4. Apparatus for the exposure to the sun' s rays according to one of the claims 1-3, characterized by the fact that the hard plastic material of the cell (1) lower and side portion is strengthened by a metallic frame.

5. Apparatus for the exposure to the sun's rays according to claims 1-4, characterized by the fact that the mechanical system of the mechanical-electronic mechanism, located inside the cell support (8), is made of a driving wheel/rack coupling and a suitable wheel system.