Heated spray system for applying tanning solution

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus for applying tanning solutions to a human body. Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a spray gun that heats the air used to propel the tanning solution, rather than the tanning solution itself, in order to make the application of the tanning solution much more comfortable. Other preferred embodiments heat the tanning solution immediately before it is applied to minimize degradation of the active ingredient in the tanning solution that results from temperatures above 40° C.

We claim as follows: 
     
         1 . A spraying apparatus for applying tanning solution to the human body comprising:
 a source of pressurized air;   a reservoir of a tanning solution;   a spray gun having a gun body and an air passage within the gun body to carry a flow of pressurized air for causing the tanning solution to flow from the reservoir through the nozzle for discharge in the form of a spray;   a source of heat located within the gun body for heating the pressurized air flowing through the air passage without heating the tanning solution in the reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source of heat is a resistive heating element. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source of heat is a ceramic disc heater, a solid element heater, an infrared or ultrasound heater, or a thermal plasma heater. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spraying apparatus comprises an HVLC spray gun. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source of heat heats the pressurized air flowing through the air passage to a sufficient temperature that the air flowing out of the nozzle is from 60° C. to 110° C. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source of heat heats the pressurized air flowing through the air passage to a sufficient temperature that the air flowing out of the nozzle is from 80° C. to 110° C. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source of heat heats the pressurized air flowing through the air passage to a sufficient temperature that the air flowing out of the nozzle is from 95° C. to 110° C. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat shield surrounding the heating element. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source of heat is located within the air passage. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source of heat is located within the air passage and adjacent to the nozzle. 
     
     
         11 . A spraying apparatus for applying tanning solution to the human body comprising:
 a source of pressurized air;   a reservoir of a tanning solution;   a spray gun having a gun body and an air passage within the gun body to carry a flow of pressurized air for causing the tanning solution to flow from the reservoir through the nozzle for discharge in the form of a spray;   a source of heat located heating a portion of the tanning solution to a temperature of greater than 40° C. so that the heated tanning solution can be discharged in the form of a spray within one minute of heating.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  in which the heated tanning solution can be discharged in the form of a spray within  30  seconds of heating. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  in which the heated tanning solution can be discharged in the form of a spray within 1 second of heating. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising a source of heat located within the gun body for heating the pressurized air flowing through the air passage. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the source of heat located within the gun body for heating the pressurized air heats the air flowing through the air passage to a sufficient temperature that the air flowing out of the nozzle is from 60° C. to 110° C. 
     
     
         16 . A method for applying tanning solution to the skin of a human body comprising:
 providing a reservoir of a tanning solution that, when applied topically to the skin, produces a skin browning effect;   providing a spray gun for applying the tanning solution to the skin in the form of a spray by using a flow of pressurized air;   heating the pressurized air so that the air flowing out of the spray gun is warmed to a temperature of 60° C. to 110° C.; and   spraying the heated air and tanning solution onto a portion of the skin to produce a skin coloration similar to the tan produced by exposure to UV rays.