An antiperspirant/deodorant composition which includes a homogeneous wax-liquid matrix, minimizes syneresis or xe2x80x9ccreep,xe2x80x9d provides smooth skin emolliency and skin conditioning, minimizes white residue left on the skin, and promotes easier shaving with less irritation, is disclosed. The compositions include an antiperspirant or deodorant active selected from antiperspirant actives, deodorant actives, perfumes, and combinations thereof, a volatile fluid (such as dodecene or cyclomethicone), a wax structurant (such as behenyl alcohol), a C6-C45 alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxane, and a botanical extract (preferably a water-based botanical extract, such as ginger root extract). Preferred compositions are in the form of a semi-solid composition or a solid stick composition.

The present invention relates to personal care antiperspirant and/or deodorant compositions, and particularly relates to cream, soft solid or solid antiperspirant/deodorant compositions which are applied topically to the skin.
Deodorant and antiperspirant compositions are well-accepted and popular components of personal care and personal hygiene regimens. As a supplement to the periodic bathing of the body, these compositions counteract odors and prevent perspiration which can occur on the body between times that the body is washed. Deodorant and antiperspirant compositions are generally applied topically to the skin, for example in the underarm area, and there are a wide variety of composition types which can be used to do this. For example, solid sticks, soft solids, liquid roll-ons, cream compositions, and gel compositions, are but some of the forms which deodorant and antiperspirant compositions can take. The feel of a particular composition as it is applied to the skin (i.e., its perceived wetness and tackiness, as well as the smooth feeling which it leaves on the skin) is very important to the user and is frequently a determining factor in whether that composition will be re-purchased in the future.
The primary consumer benefit of an antiperspirant or deodorant product is clearly its antiperspirant or deodorant efficacy. However, in addition to such primary efficacy, the fact that a composition does not leave a white residue on the skin or clothing and also provides good skin feel are two very important cosmetic benefits of an antiperspirant or deodorant product. In addition to these residue and skin comfort issues, extrudable and solid stick antiperspirant and/or deodorant compositions typically formulated may also develop syneresis or xe2x80x9ccreepxe2x80x9d of their volatile components. That phenomenon leaves an oily film on the dispensing container.
It would be very useful to have an efficacious antiperspirant or deodorant composition, formulated as a cream, soft solid or solid composition, based on a homogeneous wax-liquid matrix, which minimizes syneresis or creep, provides skin smooth emolliency and conditioning, provides good skin feel with minimized visible residue on the skin, and can permit easier shaving with less irritation. The present invention permits the incorporation of water (for example, that included in an aqueous-based botanical extract or other functional additive) into an anhydrous antiperspirant/deodorant system. This result is obtained, as described herein, by formulating a liquid antiperspirant/deodorant composition which includes an antiperspirant or deodorant active, a volatile fluid, a wax structurant, a C6-C45 alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxane, and a botanical extract (preferably a water-based botanical extract, such as ginger root extract).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,056, Fletcher, et al., issued Aug. 17, 1999, described substantially anhydrous cream antiperspirant/deodorant compositions which include an antiperspirant active, a carrier (such as a volatile silicone), a silica structurant, a C14-C22 alkyl methicone wax and, optionally, a wax structurant. The compositions are said to have improved efficacy and sensory properties. The compositions are substantially anhydrous and do not include water or water-based materials, such as water-based botanical extracts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,514, Guskey, et al., issued Nov. 2, 1999, describes low irritation antiperspirant compositions which may be formulated as soft solid or solid sticks. The compositions may contain an antiperspirant active, a volatile, nonpolar hydrocarbon liquid (such as an Isopar material), and a skin irritation mitigating material (one example of which is taught to be C24-C28 alkyl methicone). Example 10 describes a solid composition containing 37.5% D5 cyclomethicone, 20% of an antiperspirant active, 5% of a silicone wax, 2.9% hydrogenated castor wax, 0.18% silica, 0.18% polyethylene, and 0.075% behenyl alcohol. The compositions are anhydrous; they do not contain any water-based material, and particularly do not contain botanical extracts.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,365 B1, LeGrow, et al., issued Jul. 10, 2001, describes gelled silicone materials for use in personal care products, such as antiperspirants. The silicone material includes a mixture of short chain alkylsiloxane materials together with alkyl silicone waxes, such as C24-C28 alkyl dimethicone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,069, Shin, issued Jun. 26, 1990, describes semi-solid antiperspirant compositions which are said to be easily dispensed and exhibit good skin feel. The compositions may contain an antiperspirant active, a fumed silica thickening agent, a thickening/solid emollient (for example waxes, such as stearyl wax), a nonvolatile liquid emollient, and a volatile emollient, such as cyclomethicone. The disclosed compositions do not contain an alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxane material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,986, Shevade, et al., issued Jul. 2, 1996, describes low residue antiperspirant solid stick compositions which may include an antiperspirant active, a volatile silicone fluid (such as cyclomethicone), a nonvolatile silicone fluid, dimethicone copolyol, a high melting point wax and a low melting point wax. The disclosed compositions do not include an alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxane.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,543 B1, Fletcher, et al., issued Jul. 17, 2001, describes antiperspirant emulsions which utilize a hydratable starch polymer to provide phase stability. The compositions may include cyclomethicone, C10-C30 alcohols and silica.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,199, Esser, issued Aug. 3, 1999, describes anhydrous antiperspirant stick compositions which may include an antiperspirant active, a carrier for the active (such as cyclomethicone), a structurant (such as C8-C30 alcohol), moisturizing cream, and a perfume carrier material (such as fumed silica). The compositions are not taught to include alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxanes or water-containing materials, such as botanical extracts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,332, Grezcyn, et al., issued Oct. 19, 1993, describes antiperspirant compositions which may include a volatile silicone oil, such as cyclomethicone, a water insoluble liquid emollient (for example, diisopropyl adipate), a low melting point wax (for example, C8-C30 fatty alcohol), a coupling agent (such as PPG ethers of C10-C20 alcohols), an antiperspirant active and a deodorant active (such as sodium bicarbonate). The compositions are substantially anhydrous and are not taught to include alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxanes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,530, McCrea, et al., issued Mar. 8, 1994, describes anhydrous antiperspirant compositions which can include an antiperspirant active, a volatile liquid carrier (such as cyclomethicone), a finely divided silica, and a suspending wax. The compositions are taught to provide good cosmetic properties with reduced syneresis. Once again, the compositions are substantially anhydrous and are not taught to include alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxanes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,559, Lee, et al., issued Mar. 23, 1999, describes antiperspirant compositions in the form of a cream or soft solid which can comprise an antiperspirant active, a volatile silicone (such as cyclomethicone), a linear chain silicone, and a hexanediol-behenyl beeswax gelling agent. The composition is taught to eliminate the need for conventional gelling agents, such as fatty alcohols or hydrogenated castor oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,581 B1, Joshi, et al., issued Jan. 9, 2001, describes antiperspirant compositions in the form of a solid or soft solid water and oil emulsion. The compositions can include a silicone elastomer, a gellant, an antiperspirant active, water, and oil. While the silicone elastomer component is broadly defined, it does not include alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxanes. The gellant material disclosed may include behenyl alcohol; the oil may be a cyclomethicone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,546, Sawin, et al., issued Jun. 29, 1999, describes antiperspirant stick compositions which are said to provide good skin feel and low visible skin residue. The compositions can comprise an antiperspirant active, a solidifying agent (such as waxes or fatty alcohols), a volatile emollient (such as cyclomethicone), a non-volatile silicone or hydrocarbon emollient, and a surfactant having an HLB of greater than 10. The compositions are not taught to include alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxanes.
The present invention relates to antiperspirant/deodorant compositions comprising:
(a) from about 0.01% to about 60% by weight of an antiperspirant/deodorant active selected from antiperspirant actives, deodorant actives, perfumes, and combinations thereof;
(b) from about 30% to about 75% of a volatile fluid;
(c) from about 0.5% to about 25% of a wax structurant;
(d) from about 0.5% to about 15% of a C6-C45 alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxane; and
(e) from about 0.5% to about 15% of a botanical extract, preferably a water-based botanical extract.
All percentages and ratios given herein are xe2x80x9cby weightxe2x80x9d unless otherwise specified.
All patents and publications referred to in this application are incorporated herein by reference, unless otherwise specified.
The antiperspirant/deodorant compositions of the present invention include an antiperspirant/deodorant active, a volatile fluid, a wax structurant, C6-C45 alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxane, and a water-based botanical extract, such as ginger root extract. The compositions may optionally contain additional components conventionally found in topical antiperspirant/deodorant compositions at their art-established levels for their art-intended purposes. Examples of such optional components include fumed silica (used as a thickener) and silicone elastomers or high molecular weight (mw greater than 200,000) polydimethylsiloxanes (used to enhance the aesthetics of the compositions). Each of those components, as well as the methods of making and using the compositions of the present invention, will be discussed in detail below. The compositions of the present invention permit the incorporation of aqueous-based components into normally anhydrous products without adversely affecting the viscosity, structural integrity and skin whitening characteristics of those products.
The present invention is particularly useful for formulating solid or semi-solid (e.g., cream, soft solid) compositions.
The compositions of the present invention include from about 0.01% to about 60% by weight of an antiperspirant/deodorant active selected from antiperspirant actives, deodorant actives, perfumes and combinations of those materials.
Those compositions of the present invention intended for use as an antiperspirant composition include an antiperspirant active suitable for application to human skin. The active may be dissolved in a solvent or dispersed throughout the composition as unsolubilized or partially unsolubilized solids. The concentration of the antiperspirant active in the composition should be sufficient to provide the desired perspiration wetness control and/or odor control from the antiperspirant formulation selected.
The antiperspirant embodiments of the present invention comprise antiperspirant actives at concentrations of from about 0.01% to about 60%, more preferably from about 2% to about 30%, by weight of the composition. These weight percentages are calculated on an anhydrous metal salt basis exclusive of water and any complexing agents such as glycine, glycine salts, or other complexing agents. The antiperspirant active as formulated in the composition is preferably in the form of dispersed solids having a preferred average particle size or diameter of less than about 100 xcexcm, preferably less than about 50 xcexcm. Also preferred are dispersed solid particulates having an average particle size or diameter of less than about 1 xcexcm, even more preferably less than about 0.4 xcexcm, and most preferably less than about 0.2 xcexcm.
The antiperspirant active for use in the antiperspirant embodiments of the present invention include any compound, composition or other material having antiperspirant activity. Preferred antiperspirant actives include the astringent metallic salts, especially the inorganic and organic salts, of aluminum, zirconium and zinc, as well as mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred are the aluminum and zirconium salts, such as aluminum halides, aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum hydroxyhalides, zirconyl oxyhalides, zirconyl hydroxyhalides, and mixtures thereof.
Preferred aluminum salts for use in the antiperspirant embodiments include those which conform to the formula:
Al2(OH)aClb.xH2O
wherein a is about 2 to about 5; the sum of a and b is about 6; x is from about 1 to about 6; and wherein a, b, and x may have non-integer values. Particularly preferred are the aluminum chlorohydroxides referred to as xe2x80x9c⅚ basic chlorohydroxidexe2x80x9d, wherein a=5, and xe2x80x9c⅔ basic chlorohydroxidexe2x80x9d, wherein a=4. Processes for preparing aluminum salts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,692, Gilman, issued Jun. 3, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,741, Jones, et al., issued Sep. 9, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,456, Gosling, et al., issued Nov. 16, 1982; and British Patent Specification 2,048,229, Fitzgerald, et al., published Dec. 10, 1980, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Mixtures of aluminum salts are described in British Patent Specification 1,347,950, Shin, et al., published Feb. 27, 1974, which is also incorporated herein by reference.
The antiperspirant embodiments of the present invention contain from about 5% to about 35%, preferably from about 15% to about 26%, by weight of a particulate antiperspirant material. These weight percentages are calculated on an anhydrous metal salt basis (exclusive of glycine, the salts of glycine, glycols, or other complexing agents). The particulate antiperspirant material preferably has a particle size ranging about 1 to about 100 microns, more preferably from about 1 to about 45 microns. They may be impalpable (micronized) or microspherical in form. Any particulate antiperspirant materials known in the art may be used in the present invention. Such materials include, for example, many aluminum or zirconium astringent salts or complexes. Examples of useful antiperspirant materials are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,287,544, Franklin, et al., issued Sep. 11, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,543, Fletcher, et al., issued Jul. 17, 2001; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,187,301, Scavone, et al., issued Feb. 13, 2001, all incorporated herein by reference.
Aluminum salts of this type include aluminum chloride and the aluminum hydroxyhalides having the general formula Al2(OH)xQy.XH2O where Q is chlorine, bromine or iodine; where x is from about 2 to about 5, and x+y=about 6 (x and y do not need to be integers); and where X is from about 1 to about 6. Aluminum salts of this type can be prepared in the manner described more fully in U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,692, Gilman, issued Jun. 3, 1975, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,741, Jones and Rubino, issued Sep. 9, 1975, incorporated herein by reference.
Preferred zirconium salts for use in the antiperspirant embodiments include those which conform to the formula:
ZrO(OH)2xe2x88x92aCla.xH2O
wherein a is from about 1.1 to about 2.0; x is from about 1 to about 8; and wherein a and x may both have non-integer values.
These zirconium salts are described in Belgian Patent 825,146, Schmitz, issued Aug. 4, 1975, which is incorporated herein by reference. Particularly preferred zirconium salts are those complexes which additionally contain aluminum and glycine, commonly known as xe2x80x9cZAGxe2x80x9d complexes. These ZAG complexes contain aluminum chlorhydroxide and zirconyl hydroxychloride conforming to the above-described formulas. Such ZAG complexes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,068, Luedders, et al., issued Feb. 12, 1974; Great Britain Patent Application 2,144,992, Callaghan, et al., published Mar. 20, 1985; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,948, Shelton, issued Oct. 17, 1978, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The compositions of the present invention also include deodorant embodiments which contain a deodorant active, perfume or combinations of those materials, at concentrations ranging from about 0.01% to about 60%, preferably from about 0.01% to about 20%, more preferably from about 0.01% to about 10%, and even more preferably from about 0.1% to about 0.5%, by weight of the composition. These deodorant actives and perfumes include any known or otherwise safe and effective deodorant active or perfume suitable for topical application to human skin.
Deodorant actives suitable for use in the deodorant embodiments of the present invention include any topical material that is known for or is otherwise effective in preventing or eliminating malodor associated with perspiration. These deodorant actives are typically antimicrobial agents (e.g., bactericides or fungicides), malodor-absorbing materials, or combinations thereof.
Preferred deodorant actives are antimicrobial agents, non-limiting examples of which include acetyltrimethylammonium bromide, cetyl pyridinium chloride, benzethonium chloride, diisobutyl phenoxy ethoxy ethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, sodium N-lauryl sarcosine, sodium N-palmethyl sarcosine, lauroyl sarcosine, N-myristoyl glycine, potassium N-lauryl sarcosine, trimethyl ammonium chloride, sodium aluminum chlorohydroxy lactate, triethyl citrate, tricetylmethyl ammonium chloride, 2,4,4xe2x80x2-trichloro-2xe2x80x2-hydroxy diphenyl ether (triclosan), 3,4,4xe2x80x2-trichlorocarbanilide (triclocarban), diaminoalkyl amides such as L-lysine hexadecyl amide, heavy metal salts of citrate, salicylate, and piroctose, especially zinc salts, and acids thereof, heavy metal salts of pyrithione, especially zinc pyrithione, zinc phenolsulfate, farnesol, phenoxyethanol, and combinations thereof.
Preferred deodorant actives are triclosan, triclocarban and combinations thereof, wherein the preferred concentration of either triclosan or triclocarban ranges from about 0.01% to about 10%, more preferably from about 0.1% to about 5%, even more preferably from about 0.1% to about 3%, by weight of the composition, and wherein the total concentration of triclosan and triclocarban when used together in a composition ranges from about 0.01% to about 2%, more preferably from about 0.2% to about 1%, even more preferably from about 0.2% to about 0.6%, by weight of the composition.
Other deodorant actives include odor-absorbing materials such as carbonate and bicarbonate salts, including alkali metal carbonates and bicarbonates, ammonium and tetraalkylammonium. Preferred are sodium and potassium salts of such odor-absorbing materials. Still other deodorant actives include the antiperspirant actives described hereinbefore.
Perfumes suitable for use in the deodorant embodiments of the present invention include any perfume material that can be applied to the skin and is known for or is otherwise effective in masking malodor associated with perspiration, or which otherwise provides the composition with the desired perfumed aroma. These include any perfume or perfume chemical, including pro-perfumes and deo-perfumes, suitable for topical application to the skin.
The amount or concentration of the perfume in the deodorant embodiments should be effective to provide the desired aroma characteristics or to mask malodor, wherein the malodor is inherently associated with the composition itself or is associated with malodor development from human perspiration.
Perfumes are made by those skilled in the art in a wide variety of fragrances and strengths. Typical perfumes and fragrances are described in Arctander, Perfume and Flavour Chemicals (Aroma Chemicals), Vol. I and II (1969); and Arctander, Perfume and Flavour Materials of Natural Origin (1960); U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,308; U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,679; U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,588; U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,658; U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,805; and EP Patent Application 684 037 A1; all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention also contains from about 30% to about 75%, preferably from about 40% to about 60%, by weight of a volatile fluid compatible with the other antiperspirant/deodorant composition ingredients and suitable for application to human skin. Preferred materials of this class include volatile hydrocarbon solvents (such as dodecene, isodecene, hydrogenated polydecene, polydecene, and isohexadecene) and volatile silicone solvents, both of which are well known for use in cosmetic and deodorant sticks and may be used herein. Volatile silicones known for use in deodorant sticks are preferred for use in the present invention. The volatile silicone material is preferably a cyclic or a linear polydimethylsiloxane.
The cyclic polydimethylsiloxanes preferably include from about 3 to about 7 silicon atoms, more preferably from about 4 to about 6 silicon atoms. The general formula for such siloxanes is:
wherein n is from about 3 to about 7. The linear volatile polydimethylsiloxanes contain from about 3 to about 9 silicon atoms and have the general formula:
(CH3)3xe2x80x94Sixe2x80x94O[Si(CH3)2xe2x80x94O]nxe2x80x94Si(CH3)3
wherein n is from about 1 to about 6.
Silicones of the above type are commercially available, for example, from Dow Corning Corporation (Dow Corning 344, 345, 200 and 1184 fluids), Union Carbide (Silicone 7207 and Silicone 7158), and Stauffer Chemical (SWS-03314), as well as from General Electric Specialty Chemicals (SF-1202).
The linear volatile silicone materials generally have viscosities of less than about 5 centistokes at 25xc2x0 C., while the cyclic materials have viscosities less than about 10 centistokes. xe2x80x9cVolatilexe2x80x9d means that the material has a measurable vapor pressure. A description of volatile silicones is found in Todd and Byers, xe2x80x9cVolatile Silicone Fluids for Cosmeticsxe2x80x9d, Cosmetics and Toiletries, 91:27-32 (1976), incorporated herein by reference.
Cyclic polydimethylsiloxanes, and particularly cyclomethicone D-5 (decamethylcyclopentasiloxane) and D-6 (dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane), are preferred for use in the compositions of the present invention.
The compositions of the present invention contain from about 0.5% to about 25%, preferably from about 5% to about 17%, of a wax structurant material. These materials may be high melting point waxes or low melting point waxes, although the high melting point waxes are preferred. The low melting pointing waxes have a melting point of from about 37xc2x0 C. to about 65xc2x0 C., and the high melting point waxes have a melting point of from about 65xc2x0 C. to about 102xc2x0 C., preferably from about 65xc2x0 C. to about 80xc2x0 C.
Illustrative high melting point waxes include beeswax, spermaceti, carnauba, baysberry, candulilla, montan, ozokerite, ceresin, paraffin, castor wax, synthetic waxes such as Fisher-Tropsch waxes, microcrystalline waxes, ethylene glycol diesters, triglyceride waxes and ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, jojoba esters (such as Floroesters 30, 50, 60 and 70), and mixtures thereof. Castor wax is a preferred material. Specific castor waxes illustratively include MP-80 and MP-70. As indicated previously, beeswax, carnauba wax, or other natural waxes and petroleum-based waxes may be used in place of (or in addition to) the castor wax. In addition, derivatized waxes, such as hexanediol behenyl beeswax (Koster Keuunen), silicone waxes, such as stearoxytrimethylsilane, an example of which is DC 580 (made by Dow Corning), and synthetic wax, such as Syncrowax HGL-C (C18-C36 mixed acid triglycerides, commercially available from Croda), can be used as the high melting point wax. Preferred wax structurants are C20-C40 hydrocarbon waxes. A particularly preferred high melting point wax for use in the present invention is behenyl alcohol (n-C22 alcohol).
Low melting point waxes usable in the present invention include fatty acids, fatty alcohols, fatty acid esters and fatty acid amides, having fatty chains of from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms, preferably from about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative low melting point waxes include cetyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, arachidyl alcohol, palmitic acid, paraffin, cetyl stearate, cetyl palmitate, cetyl myristate, stearyl stearate, and mixtures thereof. Also illustrative of the low melting point waxes are silicone waxes, such as stearoxy dimethicone.
The C6-C45 alkyl-substituted polydimethylsiloxane materials utilized in the present invention are included at from about 0.5% to about 15%, preferably from about 1% to about 5%, of the total composition. The materials are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,056, Fletcher, et al., issued Aug. 17, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,188, Abrutyn, et al., issued Jul. 6, 1993; EP Patent Application 549 223, Dow Corning; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,365 B1, LeGrow, et al., issued Jul. 10, 2001, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The polyalkylmethylsiloxane waxes for use in the present invention have the general formula:
xe2x80x83(CH3)3Sixe2x80x94[Oxe2x80x94Si(R)(CH3)]yxe2x80x94OSi(CH3)3 or Rxe2x80x94(CH3)2Sixe2x80x94[Oxe2x80x94Si(CH3)2)]yxe2x80x94OSi(CH3)2xe2x80x94R
In the above formula, y is from about 1 to about 80 and R is a straight or branched chain alkyl group containing from about 6 to about 45 carbon atoms, preferably from about 16 to about 30 carbon atoms. Preferred materials for use in the present invention include C16-C30 alkyl polydimethylsiloxanes, preferably C20-C30 alkyl polydimethylsiloxanes, more preferably C24-C28 alkyl polydimethylsiloxanes.
The final required component in the compositions of the present invention is from about 0.5% to about 15%, preferably from about 0.5% to about 10%, more preferably from about 1% to about 7.5%, of a botanical extract which is compatible with the skin and with the remainder of the deodorant/antiperspirant formulation, and which provides a cosmetic or aesthetic benefit to the skin. The botanical extracts useful herein are generally produced by aqueous, glycolic, liquefied gas (super critical extraction) or hydroalcoholic extraction of the plant material. This is done by extracting the plant material with a solvent at room temperature, chilled or heated, or extracting using soxhlet extraction or steam distilled or pressed, resulting in an aqueous or hydroalcoholic, or polyol solution that can also be supplied as a dried powder. Non-limiting examples of solvents usable for extraction include water, alcohol (e.g., methanol, ethanol, propanol), polyhydric alcohols (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, butylene glycol, PEG-8), ketones (e.g., acetone), esters (e.g., ethyl acetate), cyclic ethers, halogenated hydrocarbons, polyethers (e.g., polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene), aromatic hydrocarbons, cyclomethicone, linear dimethicones, and liquefied carbon dioxide. Examples of plant extracts which can be used in the present invention include ginger rhizome, almond, birch, clove, rose hip, white birch, gambi, burnet, hiba, willow herb, Phellodendron Amurense, Coptis Chinesis, clove oil extract, tea tree oil, olive leaf extract, rosemary extract, fennel seed, phytoplenolin, sericin, K2 glycerrizinate, capsaicin, menthol, and menthyl lactate. The preferred botanical extracts are present in a water-based solution. Preferred materials include ginger extract, burnet extract, and mixtures of those materials. A particularly preferred material is ginger root extract (Zingiber Officinale), which can reduce the diameter and length of underarm hair and therefore decrease the amount of shaving required by the user.
The present invention allows for the incorporation of water-based materials into an anhydrous antiperspirant/deodorant system. In fact, the compositions of the present invention can include up to about 15% water.
The compositions of the present invention may also contain optional components conventionally used in antiperspirant or deodorant compositions which modify the physical characteristics of the compositions or components of those compositions or serve as xe2x80x9cactivexe2x80x9d components when deposited on the skin in addition to the antiperspirant or deodorant material. Optional components useful herein are described in the following documents, all incorporated by herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,792, Elsnau, issued Sep. 20, 1977; Canadian Patent 1,164,347, Beckmeyer et al., issued Mar. 27, 1984; EP Patent Application 117 070, May, published Aug. 29, 1984; and Geria, xe2x80x9cFormulation of Stick Antiperspirants and Deodorantsxe2x80x9d, Cosmetics and Toiletries, 99:55-60 (1984).
The specific nonactive components that may be used in the present invention will depend upon the characteristics desired for the particular compositions. These components are used at their art-established levels to achieve their art-established benefits. Such components include, for example, emollients, colorants, perfumes, emulsifiers, surfactants, preservatives, and skin feel enhancers.
The compositions may, for example, optionally contain from about 0.5% to about 10% of an additional structurant material selected from polyethylene, clay, talc, starch, and silica, as well as mixtures of those materials. The preferred additional structurant material is silica.
A number of fumed silica products are available commercially. These include such materials as Cab-O-Sil(trademark) (Cabot), Optigel and Tixogel (Sxc3xcd-Chemie Rheologicals), and Aerosil 200(trademark) (Degussa). Silica is the inorganic oxide that conforms to the formula SiO2. Precipitated silicas are available commercially as Syloid(trademark) silicas (W. R. Grace and Co.) and Silcrons(trademark) (Glidden Pigments).
Clay materials which may be used in the present invention as optional thickeners include hydrophobic bentonites and hectorites. Bentone(trademark) (Elementis Specialties, formerly Rheox and NL Industries) is a tradename of hydrophobic bentonites and hectorites. Bentone is prepared by reacting bentonite in a cation exchange system with an amine. Different amines are reacted to obtain a variety of Bentones. Specific examples of Bentones include Bentone 38, Bentone 34, and Bentone 27, Tixogel OMS, Tixogel USP and Tixogel FTN. They are available commercially from Elementis Specialties and Sxc3xcd-Chemie Rheologicals.
The compositions of the present invention may also optionally contain high molecular weight silicone to provide aesthetic benefits for the formulations. Such materials are generally present at from about 0.1% to about 10% of the composition. Examples of such high molecular weight silicones are well known in the art and include, for example, dimethicone copolyol (e.g., Shin Etsu KF 6017, Dow Corning 5200), cross-linked silicone elastomers (e.g., Dow Corning 9040 and 9011, Shin Etsu KSG 30, KSG 21, KSG 210, KSG 15AP), and silicone gums (e.g., Dow Corning 1502, Shin Etsu MK 15H). Polydiorganosiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymers (dimethicone polyols), are well known in the cosmetics and personal care arts and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,878, incorporated herein by reference, which further describes the copolymers and their methods of preparation. Briefly, polydiorganosiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymers are characterized by at least one polydiorganosiloxane segment and at least one polyoxyalkylene segment. The polydiorganosiloxane segment consists essentially of RnSiO(4xe2x88x92n) units wherein n has a value of from 0 to 3 inclusive. There is an average of approximately two R radicals per siloxane unit in the copolymer with each R denoting a radical selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, vinyl, phenyl and a divalent radical bonding the polyoxyalkylene segment to the polydiorganosiloxane segment. Useful polyoxyalkylene segments have an average molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 5000 and consist of from 0 to about 60 mole % polyoxypropylene units and from about 40 to about 100 mole % polyoxyethylene units. Polyoxyalkylene segments consisting of from about 40 to about 60 mole % of polyoxypropylene units and from about 40 to about 60 mole % of polyoxyethylene units are more preferred with segments consisting of an equimolar mixture of polyoxypropylene and polyoxyethylene units being most preferred. A terminal portion of each polyoxyalkylene segment is bonded to the polydiorganosiloxane segment.
For example, a preferred copolymer, with a weight ratio of about 2.8 polydiorganosiloxane segments to polyoxyalkylene segments, is characterized by the average formula:
The crosslinked siloxane elastomers are also well known in the cosmetic formulational arts. They are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,942,215, Edwards et al., issued Aug. 24, 1999, incorporated herein by reference. Siloxane elastomers are crosslinked or partially crosslinked, entangled, viscoelastic polymer networks, preferably made by the platinum catalyzed reaction known as hydrosilation of vinyl silicone fluids by either hydrosiloxane fluids or highly branched MQ hydride fluids. Control of the stoichiometry and type of the vinyl silicone fluid and the silanic crosslinker controls the properties of the cured networks. Additional vinyl reactants, such as vinyl alkenes can be introduced in the reactive medium to further modify the silicone network. The choice of the reaction solvent is also a means to modify the properties of the resultant materials. The average molecular weight of the silicone elastomers is between about 10,000 and about 40 million, and is preferably between about 10,000 and about 20 million. Typically, the crosslinked siloxane polymeric networks are swollen substantially by oily materials, preferably silicone fluids such as cyclomethicone and/or dimethicone.
Preferred crosslinked silicone materials are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,362, Schulz, Jr., et al., issued Aug. 5, 1997, incorporated herein by reference. An example of such a material is Dow 9040, commercially available from Dow Corning Corporation, Midland, Mich.
The compositions of the present invention may also include a non-toxic, water-insoluble, occlusive, film-forming polyester polymer material. The polyester polymer is one which forms a film on the skin upon evaporation of the volatile solvent; the film provides an occlusive barrier on the skin. The polyester material must be non-toxic and non-irritating to the skin and it must be compatible with the other components included in the antiperspirant composition. When used, the polyester polymer is included in the compositions at levels from about 0.5% to about 10%, preferably from about 1% to about 7.5%, more preferably from about 1% to about 5%, by weight of the compositions. These materials can enhance both the efficiency and the aesthetics of the compositions.
A preferred group of polyester materials includes a backbone derived from the reaction of a linear or branched-chain multifunctional hydroxy-containing reactant (i.e., diols, polyols, carbohydrates, preferably a diol) with a linear or branched chain multifunctional carboxylic acid or anhydride (preferably a diacid). They can be further end-capped with a monofunctional acid or hydroxy-containing component. Such polymers typically have a molecular weight of from about 500 to about 1000,000.
Preferred carboxylic acids or anhydrides for use in forming these polymers include adipic acid, succinic acid or anhydride, sebasic acid or anhydride, phthalic acid or anhydride, isophthalic acid, tetraphthalic acid, pyromellitic anhydride or dianhydride, trimellitic anhydride, and mixtures of these materials.
Preferred multifunctional hydroxy-containing compounds for use in forming these polymers include propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, butanediol, tripropylene glycol, hexanediol, polyoxyethylene glycol, neopentyl glycol, trimethylpetanediol, pentaerythritol, dipentanerythritol, glycerin, methyl glucoside, sucrose, and mixtures of these materials.
Particularly preferred materials are those commercially available under the tradename Lexorez TC-8 and TC-15, commercially available from Inolex. These materials are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,250, Housel et al., issued Mar. 9, 1999, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,822, Housel et al., issued Aug. 22, 2000, both incorporated herein by reference. Lexorez TC-8 and TC-15 are trimethylpentanediol/adipic acid/isononanic acid copolymers. Lexorez TC-8 is a trimethylpentanediol/adipic acid copolymer. Without intending to be bound by theory, it is believed that a film is formed by the polyester polymer on the surface of the skin upon evaporation of the volatile solvent. This film acts as an occlusive barrier for the antiperspirant active on the skin, which enhances the efficacy of that active.
The antiperspirant compositions of the present invention may be manufactured using methods known in the art. For example, soft-solid (cream) compositions of this invention can be produced by processes which involve forming a heated mixture of the composition at a temperature such that the structurant is in solution in the topical volatile carrier phase, pouring that mixture into a mold, which may take the form of a dispensing container, and then cooling the mixture whereupon the structurant solidifies within the carrier phase and thereby gels that phase and hence the whole composition.
A preferred method for processing the antiperspirant/deodorant cream compositions described herein utilizes conventional processes for cream compositions followed by a solidification step. A conventional process sequence for cream antiperspirant formulations comprises first mixing a thickener material with the topical volatile carrier. Typically, some type of homomixing is needed to form a homogenous mixture. The structurant or mixture of structurants, namely the wax(es) and, if included, the film-forming polyester polymer are then blended into the topical carrier mixture at a temperature that is high enough to melt the structurant. Thereafter, particulate antiperspirant active can be blended with the carrier solution and mixed until homogenous. Emollients, essential and optional components are blended into the carrier solution. Processing temperatures will generally range from about 50xc2x0 C. to about 125xc2x0 C. After the mixture is homogenous, the resulting mixture is introduced into a dispensing container, such as a dispensing canister. This is usually carried out at a temperature of 5xc2x0 to 30xc2x0 C. above the setting temperature of the composition. The container and contents are then cooled to ambient temperature. Cooling may be brought about by nothing more than allowing the container and contents to air cool. Cooling may be assisted by blowing ambient or even refrigerated air over the containers and their contents.
The antiperspirant/deodorant suspension solid stick compositions described herein can be produced by conventional processes for suspension solid stick compositions followed by a solidification step. A conventional process sequence for suspension antiperspirant formulations comprises first mixing the structurant or mixture of structurants, namely the wax (es) and, if utilized, the film-forming polyesters polymer, with the topical volatile carrier at a temperature that is high enough to melt the structurant. Thereafter, particulate antiperspirant active can be blended with the carrier solution and mixed until homogenous. Thickeners, emollients, essential and optional components are blended into the carrier solution. Processing temperatures will generally range from about 50xc2x0 C. to about 125xc2x0 C. The suspension solid stick compositions are formed into a solid mass by cooling, for example by being introduced into its dispensing container at a temperature that is often 50xc2x0 to 10xc2x0 C. above its normal setting temperature. The process normally includes a suitable filling process, such as a pour fill process (sometimes gravity-fed injection) or injection at elevated pressure into a dispensing container, such as a barrel, where it is cooled or allowed to cool to ambient. Cooling may be brought about by nothing more that allowing the container and contents to air cool. Cooling may be assisted by blowing ambient or even refrigerated air over the containers and their contents.
The antiperspirant compositions of the present invention are used in a conventional manner. Specifically, the compositions may be used to prevent and/or control perspiration wetness or body odor by topically applying, one or more times a day, an effective amount of the composition to areas of the body particularly prone to perspiration or odor (for example, the underarm area).
The following nonlimiting examples illustrate the compositions, method of making, and methods of using the present invention described in this application.

Creamy, stable homogeneous antiperspirant/deodorant composition


The scrubbing razor includes a handle, an elongated head with a blade mounting portion, and one or more forward straight blades and one or more rearward straight blades mounted to and extending from the underside of the blade mounting portion. The one or more rearward straight blades are mounted in opposing relation to the one or more forward straight blades, so that the scrubbing razor is bidirectional. The cutting edges of the one or more forward straight blades and the opposing cutting edges of the one or more rearward straight blades define a single plane.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to shaving razors, and more particularly relates to an improved safety razor shaving apparatus.
2. General Background and State of the Art
Manual safety razors have typically been based upon the addition of some type of guard adjacent to an edge of a cutting blade. The early single-edge safety razor, having a steel blade with a guard along one edge, and the double-edged razor with a replaceable stainless steel blade presented the risk of accidental cuts from handling of the blades. Such manual razors must be aligned and drawn precisely in a straight direction across the skin of the user, at an appropriate angle in order to be effective. Modern cartridge-style razors injector blades, designed to fit into disposable plastic handles, can be handled more safely, and can be used effectively with less precision. Such injector blade cartridges are available with single or multiple parallel blades presented on one side of the razor. However, such razors still must be aligned and drawn carefully across the user's skin to provide effective shaving.
Electric razors provide a shearing head driven by a small motor, typically having an outer section with a series of slots to grip hairs, and an inner series of cutting blades. While electric razors with reciprocating blades typically need to be aligned and drawn carefully in a direction of shaving along a user's skin, electric razors with one or more rotary blades allow the razor to be held by the user and drawn in any direction and in a straight or circular motion as may be desired along the user's skin. However, such rotary electric razors require a source of electric power, either to operate the razor directly or to charge a battery of the razor, and have expensive head and blade cartridges that require maintenance and periodic replacement. It would therefore be desirable to provide a manually operable safety razor that does not require electrical power for operation, that provides that advantages of a rotary razor in allowing the razor to be held by the user and drawn in any direction and in any motion as may be desired along the user's skin. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.


Bone plates having an adjustable joint, and methods of using the bone plates to fix bones.

The human skeleton is composed of 206 individual bones that perform a variety of important functions, including support, movement, protection, storage of minerals, and formation of blood cells. To ensure that the skeleton retains its ability to perform these functions and to reduce pain and disfigurement, bones that become damaged should be repaired promptly and properly. Typically, a fractured or cut bone is treated using a fixation device, which reinforces the bone and keeps it aligned during healing. Fixation devices may include external fixation devices (such as casts and fixators) and/or internal fixation devices (such as bone plates, nails, and bone screws), among others.
Bone plates are sturdy internal devices, usually made of metal, that mount directly to the bone adjacent the fracture (or osteotomy). To use a bone plate to repair a discontinuity of a bone, a surgeon typically (1) selects an appropriate plate, (2) reduces the discontinuity (e.g., sets the fracture), and (3) fastens the plate to bone portions disposed on opposite sides of the discontinuity using suitable fasteners, such as screws and/or wires, so that the bone portions are fixed in position.
Despite direct access to the bone portions when applying a bone plate, the surgeon may have difficulty fixing the bone portions with the correct alignment. For example, one or more of the bone portions may be relatively small and/or displaced from the bone plate. As a specific example, in fixation of fractures of the distal radius, a distal bone portion(s) may be difficult to position properly. More generally, during attachment of any bone plate, fasteners may be misplaced or misdirected so that bone portions move away from a desired positioning as the fasteners are tightened. Accordingly, the relative position of bone portions may need to be adjusted after the bone plate has been secured to a bone to achieve proper reduction of a fracture.


A retensioning device for strapping machines is provided with a pair of tape tensioning rollers comprising a stationary counter roller and a pivoting roller which can be adjusted towards it. A strapping tape is guided through the nip and via an angle of wrap round the pivoting roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a retensioning device for strapping machines.
2. Background Art
It should be mentioned as the background of the invention that strapping machines normally have a tape guide frame which is constructed vertically on a work table and in which a stack of products, for example a stack of periodicals, to be strapped with a tape is introduced. A strapping tape is then pulled off a supply roll by a tape drive device and shot into the tape guide frame until the leading end of the tape enters a welding arrangement beneath the stack of products in the work table. The leading end is held and the strapping tape retracted by a retractor. It issues from the tape guide frame and wraps itself round the stack of products.
In this state, the strapping tape has to be tightened round the stack of products with a defined retensioning force. This retensioning force is controlled for various reasons and is difficult in many respects. It can basically be assumed that retensioning takes place with a pair of tape tensioning rollers through whose nip the strapping tape passes. The contact between strapping tape and pair of rollers accordingly has to be controlled in such a way that the force exerted on the tape and causing the retensioning can be defined. This is due to the technical requirement of strapping, for example, a stack of periodicals with a few copies only with a slight retensioning force owing to its low flexibility, whereas a high stack of periodicals is to be strapped with a far greater retensioning force owing to the compressibility of the periodicals and the much greater stability of the stack to kinking of the individual volumes. It must be possible to adjust the retensioning force individually from stack to stack as stacks which follow one another directly and have markedly differing heights have to be processed in the strapping machine in modern packaging lines of, for example, printing plant.
The retensioning force which can be produced in the strapping tape by the pair of tape tensioning rollers is accordingly dependent on very different parameters, for example the coefficient of friction between the strapping belt and the rollers, the force with which the two rollers are pressed toward one another and the angle of wrap with which the tape is generally guided round one of the two rollers. Furthermore, the torque provided by the rollers obviously has a significant influence on the retensioning force.
DE 32 49 559 C2 shows a feed and tensioning device for a strapping tape which is to be tensioned round a package. A revolving pressure roller is provided as counter roller which cooperates with a tensioning wheel, arranged on a pivoting lever, as pivot roller. Tape guide and angle of wrap of the retensioning device shown therein are designed in such a way that the pivoting lever is loaded by the retensioning force building up during the retensioning process via the pivoting roller in such a way that the pivoting roller is pressed against the counter roller. The feed force which can be exerted on the tape is therefore increased. The completion of the retensioning process and, in particular, the drive of the pivoting roller are controlled by the excursion of the pivoting lever. On attainment of a specific force, the pivoting lever is deflected so far from its spring-loaded basic position that a contact switch for the drive motor of the pivoting roller is actuated and the motor is switched off. The maximum retensioning force can be adjusted by an energy store in the form of a helical compression spring which loads the pivoting lever against its excursion direction. The bias of the helical compression spring and therefore the loading of the pivoting lever can be adjusted by means of a hand wheel. Therefore, the maximum retensioning force cannot be adjusted in an economical and automatable manner.
It can be seen that the above-described retensioning device according to the prior art has a very complex construction and can only be controlled with difficulty with respect to the adjustment and control of the retensioning process. This is all the more problematic since modem strapping machines operate with extremely short cycle times of less than one second. This means that the actual retensioning process lasts only one to two tenths of a second and therefore does not allow a time frame for complicated control measures.
Starting from the aforementioned problems, the object of the invention is to provide a retensioning device which, despite its simplicity of construction, makes possible proper control of the retensioning force, in particular also with respect to extremely quick retensioning processes.
This object is achieved by the loading device for the defined loading of the lever being accordingly coupled to the pivoting lever so that the pivoting roller can be adjusted toward the counter roller with a defined loading force. This loading force opposes the retensioning force building up in the tape during the retensioning process in such a way that the pivoting roller momentarily lifts from the counter roller when the loading force is exceeded and therefore interrupts the retensioning process. Owing to the lifting of the pivoting roller from the counter roller, the strapping tape becomes virtually free so the retensioning force collapses and the pivoting roller can be pressed back against the counter roller by means of the loading device. The tape is therefore retensioned again and the foregoing sequence of operation is repeated within the retensioning device. An equilibrium of forces is adjusted overall owing to the opposing forces on the lever, and the retensioning force which can be produced in the strapping tape can be controlled as a function of the loading force of the pivoting lever and by means of it. On attainment of the maximum retensioning force, a mechanical control circuit comes into effect in practice owing to the excursion of the pivoting lever and keeps the retensioning force almost constant during rotation of the roller.
Further features, details and advantages of the invention can be inferred from the following description in which an embodiment of the subject of the invention is described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Retensioning device for strapping machines

Abstract: The pivoting roller is mounted on a pivoting lever which can be loaded with a defined force. The retensioning force building up in the strapping tape is opposed to the loading force in such a way that the pivoting roller lifts momentarily from the counter roller when the loading force is exceeded and therefore interrupts the retensioning process.


A telephone set of a telephone system is provided with an infrared interface. This infrared interface is able to communicate with an infrared port on a local computer. The computer is configured to send data to the infrared port, and receive data from the infrared port, in the same manner as if the computer was sending and receiving data over a telephone system. The telephone circuitry in the telephone system receives the infrared data and converts the infrared data into a format for transmitting across the telephone system.

The present invention relates to telephone systems, and in particular to computer communications over telephone systems.
Telephone systems were initially, and are now predominantly analog systems. Computers are practically by definition digital devices. In order to transfer data from one computer to another computer using an analog telephone system, the digital signals from the computer are converted into analog signals that are transferable over an analog telephone system. The device for converting the digital and analog signals is known as a modem.
As computers have evolved, new ways of communicating between computers has also evolved. One new way of computer communication is by infrared (IR) electromagnetic waves. Infrared communication has features that are advantageous in specific circumstances. Infrared communication does not require the connection of electrical cables, but is disadvantageous because it requires a line of sight between the transmitter and receiver, and infrared communication requires relatively close distances between the transmitter and receiver. Infrared communication is often used in notebook computers for communicating with a docking station or another notebook computer, or other handheld computing devices. Infrared communication is desirable in these circumstances because the units are usually very close together, and no physical cable needs to be provided or connected. However for long distances computer communications, physical electrical cables are preferred.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a telephone system that can be easily connected to a computer for long distance computer communications.
The present invention accomplishes this object by providing a telephone set of a telephone system with an infrared interface. This infrared interface is able to communicate with an infrared port on the computer. The computer is configured to send data to the infrared port, and receive data from the infrared port, in the same manner as if the computer was sending and receiving data over a telephone system. The telephone circuitry in the telephone system receives the infrared data and converts the infrared data into a format for transmitting across the telephone system.
In a preferred embodiment, the computer is configured to use the infrared port as it would use a serial port with an external modem. The telephone circuitry in the telephone system operates as an external modem receiving serial data via the infrared interface. This is very convenient especially for portable computers which need a temporary long distance communication connection. The infrared port of the computer only needs to be arranged within a line of sight of the infrared interface of a telephone set of the present invention. The local computer does not require any other physical connections or structures. The software in the local computer can be easily configured to use the infrared port as a serial connection with an external modem. Many operating systems for computers, especially personal computers, can be automatically configured when devices are added. The infrared interface on the telephone set could be programmed to emit a modem identifying signal, and the local computer could automatically recognize that a modem is available through the infrared port. In the alternative, the local computer could be specifically told that an external modem is present through the infrared port. The exact configuration of the local computer to use the infrared port as a serial connection to an external modem depends on the type of operating system used by the local computer and is within the ability of those persons skilled in the art of computer operating systems.
The local computer can then be easily removed from a position for long distance communication and moved to another position according to the needs of the local computer user. The connection and disconnection of electrical cables is therefore eliminated.
Also the need for a modem in the local computer is also eliminated. This is very advantageous because the cost, weight, volume and power consumption of a modem is also eliminated. The infrared port of the local computer is able to perform two functions which makes the infrared port more valuable.
A more important benefit of using the IR port to connect to a telephone system is that the specific structure required for the signal conversion resides in the telephone circuitry of the telephone system. There are many different types of telephone systems, and many with their own signal format. Probably the largest and most common is known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This is the telephone systems that connects the individual residences and businesses in a community. As described previously, this system is predominantly analog and requires a modem to be able to transfer computer data. New digital services are being provided by the PSTN, such as DSL and ISDN. These new digital services do not require an analog modem, but instead require a different type of converter. Furthermore, many organizations had their own private telephone system for communicating within the organization, and between the organization and the PSTN. These private telephone systems are known as Private Branch eXchanges (PBX). There are many different types of PBX""s available, with many different types of signal formats for transferring the voice data between the telephone sets of the PBX.
For a computer to communicate over a telephone system, it is necessary for the computer to know what type of signal format the telephone system is using. With all the different types of signal formats, such as PSTN analog, DSL, ISDN, and the individual proprietary formats for PBX""s, having a computer/telephone converter for all of the possible signal formats is prohibitively expensive. Very often an organization will run a PSTN analog line separate from the PBX lines in order to provide a computer with long distance communication.
With the present invention, the telephone set inherently knows the signal format of the telephone system to which it is connected. Therefore the telephone circuitry only needs to provide one computer/telephone converter. This in combination with the local computer only requiring an infrared port, is a great reduction in cost and a great increase in versatility. The user of the local computer no longer needs to determine the signal format of the telephone system and then try to obtain the proper computer/telephone converter. The computer/telephone converter is built into the telephone circuitry of the telephone system. The computer user can then easily and quickly connect to any telephone system using the present invention.
When the present invention is incorporated into a PBX which is connected to a PSTN, the telephone set has a converter for converting the data from the infrared interface into the signal format of the PBX. The telephone set also directs this computer data to the PBX hub for connection to the PSTN. The PBX hub then has another converter for converting from the PBX format to the PSTN format. This type of converter is similar to a modem.
A PBX can also be used to connect a plurality of computers in an organization to form a Local Area Network (LAN). This is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/203,542 filed Dec. 1, 1998. This is known as a PBX/LAN network, and can also take advantage of the present invention. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the infrared interface of the telephone set can receive data from the local computer for transmission to the other computers on the LAN. The telephone set can either be manually switched to send data from the IR interface to the modem in the PBX hub, or to send data from the IR interface to the LAN. The local computer is also either manually or automatically switched to transfer modem data or LAN data through the IR port. This is especially useful for members of the organization which use portable computers and need to repetitively connect and disconnect from the LAN of the organization. These highly mobile members of the organization can rapidly connect and disconnect from the LAN, and can also rapidly connect and disconnect from the PSTN. These uses also do not need to only connect at one particular location, but the IR interface of the telephone sets allows these uses to connect wherever an IR telephone set is present. The mobility and versatility of computers and the PBX/LAN network is increased and allows an organization greater opportunities.

System for providing modem access via an IR interface in a PBX


A recumbent apparatus for exercise and physical therapy providing a lower body workout, an upper body workout and cardiovascular conditioning, the apparatus comprising a frame having a forward end and a rearward end, the frame generally defining a longitudinal axis extending between the forward and rearward ends, a seat supported by the frame, a left leg assembly and a right leg assembly, the leg assemblies supported by the frame for pivoting movement about a pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal axis, the leg assemblies positioned generally toward the forward end and each including an upwardly extending leg lever terminating in a pedal, a left arm assembly and a right arm assembly, the arm assemblies supported by the frame for pivoting movement also about the pivot axis, the arm assemblies positioned generally toward the forward end and each including an upwardly extending arm lever terminating in a handle, the left leg assembly being connected to the right arm assembly enabling movement therewith and defining a first connected assembly, the right leg assembly being connected to the left arm assembly enabling movement therewith and defining a second connected assembly, the connected assemblies coupled by at least one generally stiff mechanical linkage to a cam such that forward movement in one of the connected assemblies induces rearward movement in the other the connected assemblies, thereby enabling contralateral movement of the arm and leg assemblies, a first belt coupled to the cam and a first one way clutch, wherein the cam is actuated by the stiff mechanical linkage in a first direction and the first belt is actuated by the cam, the first belt rotating the first one way clutch, a second belt coupled to the cam and a second one way clutch, wherein the cam is actuated by the stiff mechanical linkage in a second direction and the second belt is actuated by the cam, the second belt rotating the second one way clutch, the first and second one way clutches coupled with a pulley which is further coupled to a resistance device by a third belt, the resistance device providing resistance to the movement of the arm and leg assemblies about the pivoting axis.

The present invention generally relates to equipment for physical therapy and/or general exercise. More particularly, this invention relates to a recumbent exercise machine which provides for the exercising and strengthening of major muscle groups in addition to cardiovascular conditioning. In so doing, the present invention includes lower body exercises coordinated with upper body exercising.
Elderly patients, patients undergoing physical therapy, and other patients in similar circumstances, whether at home, in the hospital or in another clinical setting, have special needs when it comes to physical therapy equipment. Often, the patients have limited mobility, age related illnesses, decreased ranges of appendage movement, disabilities, low endurance and need for therapy with respect to more than one particular movement or muscle group. All of these factors must be taken into consideration when designing or providing equipment for their use.
Those people who exercise for its many health benefits, and not specifically for rehabilitation purposes, typically desire equipment which is challenging, safe, fun, effective, convenient and which provides a benefit to a multiple number of muscle groups so that a total body workout is achieved in a relatively short period of time. When the equipment is for home use, other important considerations include durability and cost.
Numerous types and varieties of physical therapy and exercise equipment are available for both clinical and home use. Of the many types, two of the most popular include the stepping machines (hereinafter xe2x80x9csteppersxe2x80x9d) and the stationary bicycles. Each of these machines, however, has certain limitations concerning their ease of use, range of movement, safety, and the muscle groups worked.
Generally steppers include a pair of pedals which move up and down, thereby simulating the climbing of steps, in response to the weight and physical effort of the patient or exerciser (hereinafter xe2x80x9cuserxe2x80x9d). The pedals are connected to a mechanism which applies a resistance or load. This resistance is often adjustable so that the stepper can accommodate users of various levels of physical conditioning and ability.
One limitation of steppers is that the user is typically required to stand during the exercise. Since the user is in an upright position, a significant amount of balance and coordination on the part of the user is required. Because of the decreased mobility and coordination, this may prevent a patient undergoing physical therapy from using the stepper. A related limitation of the stepper is that it requires continuous close supervision when being used by a person undergoing physical rehabilitation. Close supervision by a physical therapist or assistant is required to ensure that the patient does not collapse or otherwise lose balance and fall from the stepper, resulting in an injury. A further limitation of the stepper is its lack of exercise or conditioning of the upper body of the user. Finally, steppers may elevate the heart rate and the blood pressure too quickly for unconditioned and elderly patients, potentially causing harm.
One limitation of a stationary bicycle is that the seat is a typically narrow saddle seat positioned above a pair of rotatable pedals having a fixed range of motion. The rotation of the pedals is resisted by a brake or other resistance mechanism. The user is required to lean forward to hold onto a set of handles, which maybe stationary or movable. In order to use a stationary bicycle, the user must be capable of climbing up onto the seat and must possess sufficient strength, balance, and coordination to maintain themselves on the narrow seat while pedaling over a fixed range of motion and manipulating the handles if they are of the movable variety. Often the elderly, overweight or physical therapy patient cannot use a stationary bike because of the above requirements and further because they require constant supervision by the physical therapist to prevent possible injury to the patient upon collapse or loss of balance.
As can be seen from the above discussion, there is the need for an apparatus which allows the user to easily get on and off the apparatus with or without assistance. Furthermore, the apparatus should provide a high degree of stability and safety to the user so that the user can manipulate the machine without constant attention or supervision. Additionally, the apparatus should be adjustable to accommodate users of significantly different sizes and physical conditions while still being comfortable.
The application of resistance during the use of an exercise machine is also very important. Many exercise machines today have resistance systems which offer nonuniform or variable resistance. Chains and cables used by present exercise machines create this nonuniform resistance. The chains and cables, because of their flexible nature, do not provide solid linkages to a resistance apparatus and may have instantaneous transitions between little resistance and full resistance. The elderly or disabled prefer a smooth consistent resistance throughout their exercise movements. The variable or jerking motions that sometimes occur with resistance devices using chains and cables could potentially cause injury to an elderly or disabled person.
The use of constant resistance in present exercise machines such as steppers is also difficult because of the arcuate or curved nature of their exercise motions. The arcuate movement by its very nature varies the mechanical lever created by the exerciser and machine. This variation in lever position will vary the amount of force exerted upon a linkage and thus the resistance felt by the exerciser.
Magnetic resistance devices are known in the art to provide smooth maintenance free resistance for exercise machines. Magnetic resistance devices vary the resistance of an exercise machine through the interaction of a magnetic field from a magnet or array of magnets generating eddy currents in a material. The strength of the interaction is a function of the amount of magnetic flux interacting with the material, the greater the amount of magnetic flux interaction the stronger the magnetic force. This relationship can be used to vary the resistance on a spinning wheel of the kind used in exercise machines. Present magnetic resistance devices use arrays of magnets that rotate about a pivot point to vary the resistance in an exercise machine. These present magnetic resistance devices do not include predictable fixed linear positioning systems which allow proportional step adjustments in the resistance.
There is also a need to provide a safe and easy way to exit and dismount an exercise machine. Recumbent seat exercisers today are usually mounted by stepping over the seat and sitting down. This leads to a potentially dangerous situation if the user becomes unbalanced and falls. There is a need for an improved method of mounting an exercise machine.
The exerciser of the present invention utilizes a recumbent seat which is horizontally displaced from pedals and arm assemblies. The seat itself is a full bucket style seat, including a seat cushion in a seat back, positioned at a normal chair height. This provides a safe, stable, and familiar seating position for the user. When used during physical therapy, the patient can use the apparatus with only moderate supervision, thereby freeing the physical therapist to attend to other patients or duties.
The user of the present invention is also provided with a recumbent seat mounted on a slide and pivot. The slide allows the recumbent seat to be moved back and forth to adjust for different body dimensions. The recumbent seat is positioned on a pivot so that it may rotate and allow a user to sit in the seat while the seat is perpendicular to the length of the machine, and then rotate into position to use the exercise machine. Thus a user with low mobility is not required to climb up onto the apparatus or raise a leg over a high center portion of a frame. The present invention has an added safety feature to prevent the seat from sliding while pivoting. A mechanism will lock out and prevent the seat from moving back and forth while the user pivots in and out of the machine.
Once seated, the position of the chair relative to the pedals can be adjusted, as well as the length of the handles relative to the chair, for the size of the particular user. The relationship and geometry of the chair, the pedals, the handles, and the position of the pivot for the handles and pedals is such that the movement of the user""s arms and legs will be maintained in a correct biomechanical relationship or form. The maintenance of proper form ensures efficient conditioning in addition to a comfortable exercising or therapy position.
During use of the exercise apparatus, the pedals and handles undergo their coordinated movement against a constant resistance force provided by one of the variety of known resistance mechanisms. The level of resistance provided by the resistance mechanism is smooth and constant because of solid mechanism linkages provided from the arm and leg assemblies to a cam, as opposed to chains or cables. The cam is linked to a resistance device and has been configured to maintain uniform resistance throughout the stroke or movement of the exercise machine. The solid linkages combined with the cam configuration provides a smooth constant resistance favored by aged or disabled users.
As can be seen from the above discussion, there is a need for an apparatus which allows the user to easily get on and off the exercise apparatus without assistance. Furthermore, the apparatus should provide a high degree of stability and safety to the user so that the user can manipulate the machine without constant attention or supervision. Additionally, the apparatus should be adjustable to accommodate users of significantly different sizes and physical conditions while still being comfortable.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which overcomes the limitations of the known prior art. In so doing, a further object of this invention is to provide a recumbent apparatus which can be easily mounted and dismounted by a user having a limited amount of mobility, with or without the assistance of another person.
The present invention also has as one of its objects providing an apparatus which uses a stepping or oscillating arcuate motion to provide a lower body workout or therapy. A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which uses an oscillating arcuate motion to provide an upper body workout or therapy. Another object is to maintain a smooth constant resistance to the exercise motions to prevent any variable motion or jerking that might cause injury to a user.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which is familiar to use and which simulates the coordinated arm and leg movement used during walking or running. To this end, the present invention also has one of its objects to provide upper body exercise which is contralaterally coordinated with lower body exercise.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a physical therapy and exercise apparatus which is easy to use, has adjustable resistance levels, is durable and which is relatively inexpensive to produce.
In achieving the above objects, the present invention provides for a recumbent total body exercise apparatus. The apparatus includes pedals which undergo an oscillating or stepping motion. The pedals are contralaterally synchronized with handles that also undergo an oscillating motion, providing the user with a total body conditioning workout.
Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.


A safety valve, such as for a refueling vent line between the tank filler neck and the active charcoal container in a motor vehicle. The safety valve is inserted into the refueling vent line being configured as a float valve. When fuel penetrates into the refueling vent line, and thereby into the safety valve, the outlet of the safety valve is closed by the float. The safety valve is provided with an anti-pollution pipe-end opening onto the environment and closed at normal pressure by a closure operated by a diaphragm. At an elevated pressure in the safety valve, the diaphragm effects an opening of the closure at the anti-pollution pipe-end.

The present invention relates to a safety valve, and more particularly, to a safety valve for a refueling vent line.
At gasoline stations, furnishing refueling lines with exhaust devices is known, for the purpose of returning gases produced during the filling operation, and so as not to let these gases reach the environment. However, this conventional approach is often not sufficient for completely avoiding environmental damage. Furthermore, there are also gasoline stations that do not currently employ comparable devices yet. Therefore, in various countries, for passenger motor vehicles having Otto engines, there are regulations that not only the hydrocarbons evaporating from the fuel tank during standstill and travel operation have to be separated in an active charcoal container, but also the hydrocarbon-containing gases displaced from the fuel tank. Therefore, in modern vehicles having tank venting systems, appropriate devices are built in. In this regard, the fuel tank is generally connected to the active charcoal container via an operating vent line, so that the gases escaping from the tank during driving operation and standstill during refueling are condensed in the active charcoal container.
In addition, a second refueling vent line, dimensioned substantially larger in cross section is conventionally provided, connecting the tank filler neck to the active charcoal container. During refueling, pushing the gas hose nozzle into the filler neck opens a flap, which allows the gases produced during refueling, and also those displaced from the tank by the inflowing fuel, to flow into the refueling vent line, and thereby into the active charcoal container. Typically, a seal is provided between the filler neck and the gas hose nozzle so that, during the refueling procedure, the gases cannot reach the atmosphere by going past the gas hose nozzle and by way of the filler neck.
However, in the design and arrangement of a conventional refueling vent line, it is possible that liquid fuel can reach the active charcoal container via the refueling vent line (e.g., during a malfunction of the gas hose nozzle, such as when the gas hose nozzle does not turn off when the tank is full, or when the tank is improperly overfilled). This entry of liquid fuel into the active charcoal container can cause a disturbance in gas mixture formation and possibly also cause damage to the catalytic converter.
The present invention relates to a safety valve, such as for a refueling vent line, between the tank filler neck and the active charcoal container in a motor vehicle, which prevents the entry of liquid fuel into an active charcoal container. According to the present invention, the safety valve set into the refueling vent line is configured as a float valve. When fuel penetrates into the refueling vent line, and thereby into the safety valve, the outlet of the safety valve is closed by the float. The safety valve is provided with an pipe-end closed by a closure opening out to the environment, operated at normal pressure by a diaphragm. At elevated pressure, the diaphragm effects an opening of the closure opening out on the environment at the anti-pollution pipe-end. When fuel penetrates into the safety valve, first the outlet of the valve to the active charcoal container is closed, and then the closure opening out to the environment is opened as a result of a pressure build-up in the valve, and the penetrating fuel can escape into the environment.
The float may pivot about an axis of rotation positioned laterally below the outlet, and is furnished with a linkage which activates a disk valve at the valve outlet. As soon as the float pivots about its axis, the disk valve is moved toward its valve seat and the outlet is closed. The disk valve itself may be guided by a guidance rail in the outlet pipe-end. The linkage may be configured in a very simple way from a bolt connected to the disk valve and a sliding connecting link, enclosing the bolt, connected to the float. The float may be held at its limit positions by a spring. This prevents the float from opening the disk valve too soon. Opening of the disk valve first may take place when, due to the outflow of the fuel, the lift of the float has sunk below a settable value.
The closure of the anti-pollution pipe-end is formed by a disk valve having a spring force exerted on it, which is actuated by the diaphragm in the valve body via a linkage. The diaphragm operates as a function of the pressure present in the valve. The closing of the outlet to the active charcoal container causes a pressure buildup in the valve. This pressure acts on the diaphragm, which opens the environmental valve using a lever linkage in opposition to the force of the closing spring.
Relatively rapid pressure equalization between the valve outlet of the safety valve and the upper side of the diaphragm enable, in the case of refueling, the loss in flow pressure of the line between the safety valve and the active charcoal container and the throttling losses in the active charcoal container, from causing a premature opening of the closure at the anti-pollution pipe-end. For this reason, the upper side of the diaphragm is covered by a lid, and the inner space formed thereby between diaphragm and lid is connected by the valve pipe-end to the active charcoal container via a channel. As long as the pipe-end of the outlet to the active charcoal container is not closed, the pressure in the valve housing is transferred to the upper side of the diaphragm via the channel, so that the same pressure exists on the upper and lower sides of the diaphragm. In this case, the environmental valve opens only at a pressure in the valve chamber at which the force of the pressure on the environmental valve body exceeds the force of the closing spring of the environmental valve. For this, the channel opening at the outlet can be fitted into the sealing seat of the disk valve, so that the outlet as well as the channel are closed by the disk valve.
The diaphragm may be equipped with a damping function to ensure that the fuel present in the line from the tank filler neck to the valve and in the valve runs off via the anti-pollution pipe-end after the flooding of the valve with fuel and the opening of the closure at the anti-pollution pipe-end. For this purpose, an intermediate wall having a check valve, e.g. a mushroom diaphragm, is fitted into the inner space of the diaphragm, and the side space formed by the lid and the intermediate wall is connected to the outlet via a side channel, the sealing surface of the mushroom diaphragm being provided with at least one restrictor groove. Instead of the restrictor groove, the diaphragm may alternatively be outfitted with a specified roughness or porosity.
When pressure is applied to the diaphragm, the air volume of the inner space is displaced by the lifting-off surface of the mushroom diaphragm toward the active charcoal container pipe-end. After the opening of the valve at the anti-pollution pipe-end, a pressure decrease takes place in the safety valve, and fuel flows into the surroundings. In order to achieve a complete emptying of the safety valve and the line from the direction of the filler neck, access of air to the space above the diaphragm is delayed by the restrictor groove or a specified roughness in the contact surface of the check diaphragm or an opposite surface, so that the environmental valve closes again only after a time delay.
Advantageously, the valve housing is configured as a sunken portion in the region of the closure, in order to prevent the gas present in the safety valve from flowing out and possibly fuel remaining therein, when the anti-pollution pipe-end is opened. The use of the sunken portion prevents the gas from escaping unless the fuel level has sunk below the level of a housing edge positioned above it.