Dermal Spray Method

Abstract

A system and method for dermal spraying includes a portable, hand-held skin care device with disposable formulation capsules that spray a formulation unto the skin. The device is set to maximize absorption and provide professional and uniform quality of application. The device identifies the formulation capsules and its contents. Control circuitry regulates the formulation delivery. This assures the quantity, proportion, speed and timing of the application of the cosmetic formulation, including self-cleaning cycle operation and single button control logic. The capsule enables convenience and sterility from use of disposable capsules at home. Preferably the capsules contain a cosmetic or cosmeceutical formulation. The capsule has a sealed body having any of a variety of suitable shapes such as the general shape of a cylinder with two ends having hemispherical caps.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of spraying a formulated fluid onto the skin of a subject, comprising:
 providing a portable spray device, the spray device includes a door that encloses a compartment capable of holding a capsule having machine readable indicia;   opening the door and inserting a capsule into the compartment;   closing the door and piercing the capsule to enable delivery of the formulated fluid;   reading the machine readable indicia and determining a capsule pressure from the machine readable indicia;   pressurizing the capsule to the determined capsule pressure; and   spraying the formulated fluid onto the skin of a subject.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the machine readable indicia includes providing an RFID tag encoded with data characteristic of the formulated fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing machine readable indicia includes providing indicia capsule of determining capsule volume and determining formulated fluid composition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing machine readable data includes providing a bar code on the capsule. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the bar code is a data matrix bar code. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the machine readable indicia is printed text. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising spraying the formulated fluid onto the skin of a subject. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising removing the capsule purging residual fluid from the spray device. 
     
     
         9 . A method of spraying a formulated fluid onto the skin of a subject, comprising:
 providing a portable spray device including a housing having a battery, a conduit and a pump, the pump is powered by the battery;   the spray device includes a nest having a door and defining a pressure chamber, the spray device includes a first needle mounted in the pressure chamber;   opening the door and inserting a capsule containing the formulated fluid into the compartment;   closing the door and piercing the capsule with the first needle to enable fluid communication between the capsule and the conduit; and   pumping compressed air from the pump through the conduit to the nozzle and causing a negative pressure in the pressure chamber by action of the Venturi Effect to draw the formulated fluid from the capsule via the needle and through the nozzle so that the fluid and the compressed air from the pump combine into a spray that is regulated by the nozzle.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the spray device includes a second needle in fluid communication with ambient air, pumping compressed air enables the second needle to draw ambient air into the capsule to equalize pressure in the capsule. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising: spraying the formulated fluid onto the skin of a subject. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising removing the capsule and purging residual fluid from the spray device. 
     
     
         13 . A method of spraying a formulated fluid onto the skin of a subject, comprising:
 providing a portable spray device including a housing having a battery, a conduit and a pump;   the spray device includes a nest having a door and a first needle mounted in the nest, the first needle being in fluid communication with the pump;   the spray device includes a nozzle, and second needle mounted in the nest, the second needle being in fluid communication with the nozzle;   opening the door and inserting a capsule containing the formulated fluid into the nest;   closing the door and piercing the capsule with the first needle to enable fluid communication between the capsule and the pump;   powering the pump with the battery; and   pumping compressed air into the capsule with the pump via the first needle to deliver the formulated fluid through the nozzle via the second needle to deliver the formulated fluid to the skin of a subject.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising: removing the capsule and purging residual fluid from the spray device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the capsule has a membrane and the first needle penetrates the membrane of the capsule. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the capsule as machine readable indicia and the spray device reads the machine readable indicia. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the spray device regulates the pump using the machine readable indicia. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the spray device includes a display and a fluid flow sensor, the display indicates the formulated fluid and the fluid flow during operation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the spray device includes a display, the display indicates the formulated fluid during operation. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the spray device includes a controller that communicates the fluid flow sensor, the controller includes a feedback loop to regulate fluid flow during operation.