FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates to cosmetic enhancement devices, and more particularly, to devices that use negative air pressure to provide a temporary increase in lip volume.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In today's culture, many individuals are dissatisfied with the appearance of their lips, especially as they age, and, therefore, they seek out devices and methods to increase the fullness of their lips. However, many of these devices and methods are relatively ineffective, invasive, or potentially dangerous.

For example, some cosmetics or surgeries/procedures/treatments are designed to add chemicals to the outside of an individual's lips to irritate them or to the inside of an individual's lips to directly increase their size. This irritation can cause the body to respond by increasing blood flow to the lips, thereby plumping them. However, cosmetics and some treatments can cause an uncomfortable stinging sensation in an individual's lips. Additionally, they can cause dryness and scaling of the skin on which the cosmetic or procedure is applied. Further, surgeries and/or procedures generally involve injection of a product, and are, therefore, invasive and expensive. Lastly, the use of chemicals or injected products leads to the possibility that a user can have an allergic reaction to the chemical or product.

Instead of using chemicals or products, some mechanical devices and methods exist that plump lips using suction power. Similar to cosmetics and procedures, these mechanical devices can increase blood flow to the lips. However, instead of using chemicals or injections, these devices use mechanical power to impose negative pressure on the lips. Typical mechanical devices are either ineffectual or, alternatively, injurious to an individual's mouth. Therefore, a lip-plumping device is desired that is effective and safe.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates to cosmetic enhancement devices, and more particularly, to devices that use negative air pressure to provide a temporary increase in lip volume. In an illustrative but non-limiting example, the disclosure provides a lip-enhancement device that can include a vacuum pump, a controller configured to control the vacuum pump, a pump housing structured to enclose the vacuum pump and the controller, and a mouthpiece reversibly and rigidly mountable to the pump housing. The mouthpiece can include a pump-housing-engaging side structured to reversibly mount to the pump housing on a mouthpiece-receiving side of the pump housing, and a lips-engaging side having a generally oval rim with a thermoplastic elastomer outer layer. The generally oval rim can bound a bowl, and the bowl can include a suction port providing fluidic communication between an interior of the bowl and an exterior of the bowl on the pump-housing-engaging side. The mouthpiece-receiving side of pump housing can include a suction connector structured to fluidically couple the suction port of the mouthpiece with the vacuum pump when the mouthpiece is mounted to the pump housing.

In some examples, the vacuum pump can be structured such that it has a mechanically limited maximum pressure drop that it can sustain. In some such examples, the mechanically limited maximum pressure drop is between about 27 to about 40 kPa.

In some examples, the vacuum pump can be a diaphragm pump.

In some examples, the controller can be configured to activate the vacuum pump for not longer than a predetermined time interval in a single instance.

In some examples, the controller can be configured to selectively actuate the vacuum pump to provide a free-flow pumping rate between about 0.30 to about 0.45 L/min when actuated.

In some examples, the lip-enhancement device can further include at least one structure configured to prevent substantially complete fluidic sealing of the suction port of the bowl of the mouthpiece by a lip of a user. In some instances, the structure(s) configured to prevent substantially complete fluidic sealing of the suction port can include a porous pad. In these cases, the porous pad and the bowl can be correspondingly dimensioned such that the porous pad can be releasably retained in the bowl of the mouthpiece via a friction fit. The porous pad can include a non-woven fabric. In some instances, the structure(s) configured to prevent substantially complete fluidic sealing of the suction port can include a structure integrally molded into the bowl. The structure integrally molded into the bowl can include at least one groove.

In some examples, the suction port of the bowl of the mouthpiece and the oval rim bounding the bowl can topologically define two fluidic paths connecting the interior of the bowl with the exterior of the bowl, the two fluidic paths being the only fluidic paths connecting the interior of the bowl with the exterior of the bowl.

In some examples, the device can further include a single activation button substantially flush with the pump housing.

In some examples, the device can further include a single activation button, where when the vacuum pump is de-activated, the controller can be configured to responsively activate the pump when the single activation button is released after being pressed.

In some examples, the device can further include a single activation button, where when the vacuum pump is activated, the controller can be configured to responsively de-activate the pump when the single activation button is pressed.

In some examples, the device can be constructed to be easily and ergonomically held by a single hand of a user.

In some examples, the vacuum pump can pump fluid from the exterior of the pump housing and exhaust said fluid within the pump housing. In some of these examples, the pump housing can include at least one elongate seam dimensioned to vent fluid from within the pump housing to a space exterior to the pump housing

In another illustrative but non-limiting example, the disclosure provides a lip-enhancement device that can include a vacuum pump, a controller configured to control the vacuum pump, a pump housing structured to enclose the vacuum pump and the controller, a mouthpiece reversibly and rigidly mountable to the pump housing, and a porous pad that can including a non-woven fabric. The vacuum pump can be structured such that it has a mechanically limited maximum pressure drop that it can sustain between about 27 to about 40 kPa. The controller can be configured to selectively actuate the vacuum pump to provide a free-flow pumping rate between about 0.30 to about 0.45 L/min when actuated. The mouthpiece can include a pump-housing-engaging side structured to reversibly mount to the pump housing on a mouthpiece-receiving side of the pump housing, and a lips-engaging side having a generally oval rim with a thermoplastic elastomer outer layer. The generally oval rim can bound a bowl, and the bowl can include a suction port providing fluidic communication between an interior of the bowl and an exterior of the bowl on the pump-housing-engaging side. The mouthpiece-receiving side of pump housing can include a suction connector structured to fluidically couple the suction port of the mouthpiece with the vacuum pump when the mouthpiece is mounted to the pump housing. The porous pad and the bowl can be correspondingly dimensioned such that the porous pad is releasably retained in the bowl of the mouthpiece via a friction fit. The porous pad can be configured to prevent substantially complete fluidic sealing of the suction port of the bowl of the mouthpiece by a lip of a user.

In yet another illustrative but non-limiting example, the disclosure provides a method for enhancing lips. The method can include positioning a lip-enhancement device as described herein to a user's lips and activating the vacuum pump of the lip-enhancement device, the vacuum pump drawing fluid from the bowl of the mouthpiece to produce a vacuum therein. In some cases, the vacuum produced does not exceed a pressure drop of 40 kPa. In some cases, the controller of the lip-enhancement device can deactivate the vacuum pump after a predetermined time interval. In some cases, the method can include optionally re-activating the vacuum pump of the lip-enhancement device for an additional predetermined time interval.

In some cases, the method can include applying a topical substance to the user's lips. In some cases, the topical substance can be applied prior to application of suction to the user's lips. In some cases, the topical substance can be applied after application of suction to the user's lips. In some instances, the topical substance can be a lip balm, such as a moisturizer. In some instances, the topical substance can be a serum to enhance plumping effects.

In some cases, the method specifically does not include applying a topical substance to the user's lips. In some cases, the method specifically includes not applying a topical substance to the user's lips.

The above summary is not intended to describe each and every example or every implementation of the disclosure. The Description that follows more particularly exemplifies various illustrative embodiments.

