US2392377A - Suction pad - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8, 1946.

s. GOLDING SUCTION PAD Filed Dec. 27, 1945 y INVENTOR SUZANNE GOLDING ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 8, i946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUCTION PAD Suzanne Golding, New York, N. Y.

Application December 27, 1943, Serial No. 515,667

Claims.

The invention relates to the beauticians art of treating the skin of a person's face for the purpose of eradicating, at least temporarily, wrinkles, lines and furrows and for restraining and delaying the formation of such wrinkles, lines and furrows as they begin to appear on those portions of the face where such irregularities in surface contour usually form.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved technique which can be practiced by the person under treatment, and thus without necessity of skilled assistance, to remove during a night treatment, for instance, all or substantially all evidence of wrinkles and the like, and thus obtain for part or even for'the entire surface of the filling which acts to restrain any period of the next day substantial freedom from any noticeable presence of wrinkles.

Broadly, the invention contemplates the selection of a limited area of wrinkled skin, for instance, at the corners of the eyes, mouth or about the forehead, and by finger pressure working outwardly of the area, as by a massage action, to smooth out the wrinkles until the best possible smooth and wrinkleless contour is obtained. There is then promptly applied to the area of the skin so stretched restraining means outlining the If an ordinary suction cup were used in the iii-- stant situation, an ugly red mark defining where the edge of the cup was applied would show on the removal of the cup and/or the portion cov ered by the cup would form a raised welt or protuberance which would be quite disfiguring, and this would be more objectionable than the presence of the wrinkles.

Accordingly, another object of the invention particularly relating to the article aspect of the disclosure, is to provide a suction cup filled with an air containing substance and organized for use as herein indicated, and which on removal will not leave on the skin surface any evidence of its use.

Broadly, this objective. is attained by filling thecup completely with a filler, preferably of a such puckering effect.

Broadly, this objective is attained by providing different forms of suction pad, one for each area to be treated and each of which pads is rovided with a filler of porous and resilient material. More specifically defined, the invention features the use of such a form of filler or face engaging surface as will tend to simulate the texture characteristicsof the skin under treatment and thus avoid the forming of markings diiferent from the natural appearance of the skin.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawing and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of device embodying the invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing two forms of filled suction cups or pads, one applied to the forehead and another applied to one side of the eye, and constituting preferred embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a' perspective view of the forehead pad shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the pad shown in Fig. 1 illustrating its application to a portion of the skin provided with a couple of wrinkles and taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1, there are shown two forms of pads or suction cups, both of the same general con- 'struction but each designed to fit the particular portion of the face for which it is intended to be used. Referring first to the long rectangular forehead engaging pad in shown in Figs. 1-3, there is disclosed a shallow, hollow, dish-like shell ll provided with four inclined outlining sides I! merging into an outstanding endless outlining flange 13. The shell II is filled to the level of the flange l3 with a filler H. The skin engaging surfaces of both the filler and the flange are contained in the same general surface, curved in dimension with a curvature best suited to fitsnugly on the forehead of the user. Obviously pads of difierent curvatures are necessary to fit foreheads of different contours. It is understood that the ,pads are provided in sets of different leased. tion effect in a tendency to recover its form and thus tend further tosmooth out the portion of sizes and configurations so that they can be used selectively to cover the different wrinkled areas of the face with the least interference with muscular and other functional activities of the parts so covered. For instance, a two-lobe form of pad is shown in Fig. 1 positioned to one side of one of the eyes and having a form and located to offer the least resistance to eye movement. In this form the pad is somewhat the shape of a flat cylinder with a notch it in one side forming two lobes l1|8. A similar form of pad but of slightly larger dimensionis intended for use to one side of the mouth and still another form is curved to conform to'the underside of the chin. Obviously a pad can be designed to fit any particular part of the face which is desired to be treated.

It is suggested that the cup or pad be molded to the shape desired and it may be made of rubis made of the least possible amount of material. 1

It has suflicient elasticity so as to recover or, at least, tend to recover its form when distorting forces thereon are removed in the act of applying the suction cup or pad in place.

The filler I4 is of any sponge-like flexible porous material and in the illustrated instance is formed of cellulose sponge, care being exercised to see that the exposed surface of the filler be at least as soft as the skin to which it is to he applied. While any form of filler is found to avoid the forming of a welt, as would be the case where the suction cup is applied without a filler, it has been found that better results are accomplished if'the porous filler provides a'surface in contact with the skin which is of fine texture,

that is, having a porosity approaching that of a naturalskin. ,A form of cellulose sponge has been used with a fine silky texture which does not leave any identifying marks on the skin when the device is removed, but certain cellulose or other plastics with fine porous structure are suitable. It is also suggested that the device be formed of one piece; the filler portion being formed with the use of a bicarbonate expander in the region forming the filler of the Figs. 2 and 3 shown during the process of molding it by the usual thermoplastic methods.

In operation and referring specifically to Fig. 3 where there is disclosed skin S having a set of wrinkles W-W, the usual procedure will be to clean the part to which the device is to be applied leaving in place if desired a thin layer of cold cream, too thin to show on the drawing. Preferably, the skin area to be covered is drawn taut the skin covered thereby.

The pad in place tends to hold the skin stretched in that position to which it was distended by the fingers of the operator before the pad was located in place. In this way the device either eradicates or, more accurately, resists the further development of the wrinkles. There will, of course, be some slight, unavoidable elevatin of the skin towards the interior of the pad thus placing the filler under some slight compression. However, the more or less compacted filler will tend to resist, or rather limit, the extent of the bulge of the skin towards the interior of the cup and, in this way, there is avoided the disfiguring blotch or welt-like appearance which would otherwise be produced.

As -thus far described, the pad is applied in place while dry but it is within the scope of the disclosure to utilize the pad as an applicator for medication. For instance, the pad might be dipped in an astringent or other cosmetic liquid, or a cream or paste may be applied to the exposed filler side before the pad. is located in its intended place. As the flange I3 tends to form an air-tight joint at 19 (Fig. 3) with the portion of the skin S engaged thereby the covered surface will tend to keep moisture as long as the pad is in place. The retention of moisture as when the pad is used all night has been found highly beneficial in skin treatment. v

In order to release the pad it is simply necessary to raise any convenient edge portion of flange l3 thus permitting external air to flow onto the skin engaging side of the pad, thus breaking any vacuum eiiect present. The pad is then simply lifted off from the face, cleaned, and it is again ready for subsequent use.

. While there have been shown, described and pointed out in the annexed claims, certain novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A wrinkle restraining'device for application to a selected area of a persons face comprising a hollow suction pad having a form contoured to fit the selected area, said pad defined by a relatively thin flexible wall terminating in a flange forming edge adapted to engage the surface of the skin under treatment to seal the pad interior from the external atmosphere, said pad edge to edge and'composed largely of the porous material surrounded by the edge of the, relatively rigid pad.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a hollow suction cup formed of a relatively thin wall of soft elastic material and a body of cellulose sponge forming a permanently The device act with its known suclocated filler for the cup'and completelyfilling the open side of the cup, the portion of the sponge exposed at the open side of the cup having a porosity not materially coarser than and comparable to that of a person's skin whereby the device in its suction 'efiect on the skin while in use will tend to avoid puckering oi. the skin into the interior of the cup and thus avoid discolorations of the part-of the skin to which the device is applied. I

3. A device for use in skin treatment comprising a suction pad of substantially flat cylindrical form recessed 'at one edge to provide a two-lobe design, adapted to fit a portion of the skin to one side of an eye or the mouth, said device pro; vided with a skin engaging surface continuous between its outlining edges.

4. A device for covering a single wrinkle on a persons skin including an outlining shell of thin rubber-like resilient material adapted to form a suction pad capable of maintaining the skin covered thereby in a prestretched condition and a filler of a porous, non-absorbent air containing material completely filling the shell, permanently I when prestretched to a substantially smooth con-.

tour to return to its initial wrinkled condition, including a one piece facial applicator comprising a hollow suction cup having an open side designed to be applied over the area of the skinunder treatment and having su-flicient structural strength in its perimeter to maintain the area in its prestretched condition; and a body of porous material integral with the suction cup, completely filling the cup up to its perimeter, capable of providing a cushioning 'efiect, tending to prevent the puckering of the area of the skin into the interior of the cup and having a relatively smooth face thereby to avoid impressing any markings on the skin.

SUZANNE comma,

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