Refillable Lotion Back Applicator

Abstract

This commercial product design pertains to the cosmetics industry, specifically the manufacture and sale of Skin Lotion. The need addressed is a refillable applicator designed to apply and spread lotion on hard to reach parts of the human back. It is designed to contain a disposable Lotion Refill Bag, the nozzle of which is anchored inside the flexible applicator head. The lotion in the refill bag is forced up through the refill bag nozzle and onto the face of the applicator head by twisting the lotion refill bag which is anchored in the rotating applicator handle base (This process is loosely similar to the concept of squeezing a common tube of toothpaste).

Description

This is a 2^nd re-submittal of the Nonprovisional application for a Utility Patent of the REFILLABLE LOTION BACK APPLICATOR, originally submitted Jan. 8, 2013. As of this date, a filing date has NOT been accorded to the previously submitted application papers.

There was NO federally sponsored research or development of this product design, nor is there any joint research agreement.

The idea for this invention came from a personal need of my own. Ever since I was a child I have suffered from chronic Dry Skin, and my body type is such that I cannot reach certain parts of my back to apply lotion with my own hands. I finally decided to formalize the design and patent it in October, 2012.

This product design is for a hard plastic refillable lotion applicator, wherein the lotion refill bag is housed in the handle of the applicator, the lotion refill bag nozzle is anchored in the flexible applicator head, and the lotion is forced up through the nozzle and onto the face of the applicator head by twisting the lotion refill bag which is anchored in the rotating applicator handle base. (This process is loosely similar to the concept of squeezing a common tube of toothpaste) This lotion applicator is designed for people who, for various reasons including weight, bulk, or lack of flexibility, cannot apply lotion to hard-to-reach areas of their back (as well as other hard to reach places on the human body) using their hands. The Lotion Applicator and Refill Bag are simple enough in design that there will be no trouble creating them using existing plastic molding and manufacturing techniques

DRAWING VIEWS

Page 1:

• • FIG. 1—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator, fully assembled.
  • FIG. 2—Perspective View of Lotion Refill Bag.

Page 2:

• • FIG. 3—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator, components (Head Assembly, Handle, and Base Cap) shown exploded and annotated. Section is indicated.
  • FIG. 4—Side View of Lotion Applicator with dimensions, components (Head Assembly, Handle, and Base Cap) shown exploded.

Page 3:

• • FIG. 5—Perspective View of Lotion Refill Bag, components annotated.
  • FIG. 6—Side view of Lotion Refill Bag with dimensions.

Page 4:

• • FIG. 7—Section View of Lotion Applicator, annotated and shown assembled with Refill Bag properly inserted.

Page 5:

• • FIG. 8—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator Head assembly as seen from front, annotated.
  • FIG. 9—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator Head assembly as seen from back, annotated.
  • FIG. 10—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator Head assembly as seen from bottom, annotated.
  • FIG. 11—Side View of Lotion Applicator Head Assembly, with dimensions

Page 6:

• • FIG. 12—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator Base Cap component as seen from side, annotated.
  • FIG. 13—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator Base Cap component as seen from bottom, annotated.
  • FIG. 14—Side View of Lotion Applicator Base Cap component, with dimensions.
  • FIG. 15—Top View of Lotion Applicator Base Cap component, with dimensions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator, with Head Assembly, Handle, and Base Cap fully assembled and Lotion Refill Bag inserted and trimmed.

FIG. 2—Perspective View of Lotion Refill Bag.

FIG. 3—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator, components (Head Assembly, Handle, and Base Cap) shown exploded and annotated. Section is indicated.

• • 3.1 Head Face, where lotion is extruded and applied to skin. The Face is slightly convex, and should be made of a hard, ultra smooth plastic to maximize the smooth application of lotion to human skin.
  • 3.2 Head assembly Neck, a hollow 90° connector from the Head to the Head Assembly Handle Cap.
  • 3.3 Head Assembly Handle Cap
  • 3.4 Handle, Upper Threads (Clockwise) for screwing handle into Head Assembly Handle Cap.
  • 3.5 Handle, Lower Threads (Clockwise) for screwing Base cap onto Handle.
  • 3.6 Base Cap
  • 3.7 Tab Stop(s)

FIG. 4—Side View of Lotion Applicator with dimensions, components (Head Assembly, Handle, and Base Cap) shown exploded.

FIG. 5—Perspective View of Lotion Refill Bag, components annotated.

• • 5.1 Solid rubber Tip of Refill bag. When Refill Bag is inserted into Applicator Head, Tip passes through Head and out of hole in center of Applicator Head Face until halted by cone-shaped Tip Stopper. Tip is then cut at end of Tip Stopper, flush with Applicator Head Face.
  • 5.2 Hollow rubber Tip Stopper. This cone shaped flexible rubber Stopper passes through a narrow hole inside the Applicator Head and seats itself behind the Face. This anchors The Tip Stopper at the face. Stopper and Refill Bag Neck are made of hollow rubber tubing, allowing lotion to pass through onto the Applicator Head Face.
  • 5.3 Lotion Bag Cap, made of soft rubber or plastic, anchors top of Lotion Bag at top of Head Assembly Handle Cap and allowing Lotion Bag to be twisted in the handle while the Lotion Bag Neck is rigidly held in place.
  • 5.4 Lotion Bag, seated inside the Lotion Applicator handle, is made of a flexible material similar to Mylar. It holds the bulk of the lotion, and is flexible enough to be twisted, thereby forcing the lotion up through the Refill Bag Neck and out onto the Applicator Head Face.
  • 5.5 Lotion Bag Base, made of rigid plastic.
  • 5.6 Lotion Bag Base Tab, made of rigid plastic, anchors the base of the lotion bag in the Applicator Base Cap. As Applicator Base Cap is twisted clockwise, this twists the Lotion Bag, thereby forcing the lotion up through the Refill Bag Neck and out onto the Applicator Head Face.

FIG. 6—Side view of Lotion Refill Bag with dimensions.

FIG. 7—Section View of Lotion Applicator, annotated and shown assembled with Refill Bag properly inserted.

• • 7.1 Note how Lotion Bag Tip Stopper is seated in Cone shaped cavity behind Applicator Head Tip, anchoring it at the face. The bottom of the Tip Stopper should hold the Tip Stopper in place against the increasing backward pull as the Lotion Bag is compressed and emptied by twisting the base Tab. When Lotion Bag is completely empty, backward force should be strong enough to unseat the Tip Stopper, allowing The Lotion Refill Bag to be replaced.
  • 7.2 The truncated spherical end of the Head Assembly Neck allows the Head limited rotation around it on both the x and y axes. This allows the Head Face to follow the curves of the Human body. (See also FIG. 8, #23)
  • 7.3 Lotion Applicator Handle is screwed into Head Assembly Handle Cap via molded clockwise threads, male threads on top of Handle, Female threads inside base of Head Assembly Handle Cap.
  • 7.4 Bulk of the Lotion Refill Bag is housed within the hollow Handle.
  • 7.5 Applicator Base Cap attaches to the bottom of the Handle via clockwise threads, female threads inside the Base Cap, Male on Bottom end of Handle. The distance between the male threads and the base of the handle allows the Base Cap female threads to disengage and rotate above the male threads when the Base cap is fully seated on the bottom of the handle. This allows the Lotion Bag to be continually twisted until empty. (see also FIG. 12, #25, FIG. 14)
  • 7.6 Stopper(s) on bottom of Base Cap are situated on both sides of the rectangular hole in the bottom of the Base Cap. They catch Lotion Bag Base Tab as Base Cap is rotated clockwise, thereby twisting and compressing Refill Bag. Stoppers are situated to catch Lotion Bag Base Tab after 90° clockwise rotation of the Base Cap. (see also FIG. 13, #26, #27, FIG. 15)
  • 7.7 Lotion Bag Base Tab, having passed through the rectangular hole in the bottom of the Base Cap. This section shows the Lotion Refill bag full, and not yet twisted by seating of Base Cap. (see also FIG. 13, #26, #27, FIG. 15)

FIG. 8—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator Head component as seen from front, annotated.

• • 8.1 Applicator Head Face should be made of a hard, ultra smooth plastic to maximize the smooth application of lotion to human skin.
  • 8.2 Center hole in Applicator Head Face, where lotion is forced out of Refill Bag Tip Stopper. (See also FIG. 4, FIG. 7, #14)

FIG. 9—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator Head component as seen from back, annotated.

• • 9.1 Back of truncated spherical end of the Head Assembly Neck, which allows the Head limited rotation around it on both the x and y axes. (See also FIG. 7, #15)

FIG. 10—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator Head component as seen from bottom, annotated.

• • 10.1 Bottom of Applicator Head Assembly, showing Female threads inside base of Head Assembly Handle Cap. (See also FIG. 4, FIG. 7, #16)

FIG. 11—Side View of Lotion Applicator Head component, with dimensions

FIG. 12—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator Base Cap component as seen from side, annotated.

• • 12.1 Female threads inside Applicator Base Cap attach the Base Cap to the bottom of the Handle. (see also FIG. 4, FIG. 7, #18)

FIG. 13—Perspective View of Lotion Applicator Base Cap component as seen from bottom, annotated.

• • 13.1 Rectangular hole allows Lotion Bag Base Tab to pass through bottom of Base Cap. (see also FIG. 4, FIG. 7, #19, #20)
  • 13.2 Stoppers on bottom of Base Cap are situated on both sides of the rectangular hole. They catch the Lotion Bag Base Tab as Base Cap is rotated clockwise, thereby twisting and compressing Refill Bag. Stoppers catch Lotion Bag Base Tab after 90° clockwise rotation of the Base Cap. (see also FIG. 4, FIG. 7, #19, #20)

FIG. 14—Side View of Lotion Applicator Base Cap component, with dimensions.

FIG. 15—Top View of Lotion Applicator Base Cap component, with dimensions.

Claims

1. To my best knowledge, there is not now or in the past any lotion container or applicator that uses separate and distinct refill bags. The idea of inserting a refill bag into the applicator and compressing it like a tube of toothpaste to extrude the lotion is, as far as I know, my own unique invention. Existing plastic molding and manufacturing techniques will be sufficient to manufacture this product design.