BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The human feet bear most, if not all, of the weight of a person. In movements involving the human feet, such as, walking, jogging, dancing, running or stepping up or down, the feet are the first contact between a person and the ground or other contact surfaces and have to absorb most of the resulting stress.

As such movements can be highly repetitive, highly stressful and of high impact, the feet provide cushioning and are constantly exposed to prolonged adverse physical conditions. Furthermore, since the lower legs are immediately above the feet and are intermediate between the ankle and the knee, such adverse physical conditions are transmitted to other parts of the body inevitably through the lower legs. As a result of such prolonged exposures to such adverse physical conditions, symptoms such as muscle or joint pain, stiffness or even cramping are

frequently observable after long and strenuous exercise involving the feet and such adverse conditions may, in the long run, cause severe injuries to the feet and the lower legs unless adequate care is provided to relieve the build-up of stress and strain in the feet and the lower legs.

While personal care devices such as foot baths and foot massagers are known, they have very limited utility and do not provide adequate care and pampering that the feet deserve.

Therefore, it would be highly desirable if there are made available personal care devices which can provide improved care, pampering and nursing to the foot and the lower leg. It is also desirable if such devices can provide additional caring and nursing features to the foot and leg which are not already found in known foot care devices. It is further desirable if such foot-and-leg care devices can be conveniently used and stored and can be configured or reconfigured for different applications.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a personal care device which can provide simultaneous care and pampering to the foot and the lower leg. Preferably, such a personal care device provides additional features or utilities that are not already available in conventional personal care devices. It is another object of the present invention to provide a personal care device for the nursing, pampering and nourishing of the foot and the lower leg which is easy and convenient to use and, preferably, reconfigurable for other personal care

applications. It is at least an object of the present invention to provide the public with a useful choice of personal care devices. Of course, the above objects are each to be read disjunctively with the object of at least providing the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a personal care device including a main housing, a steam compartment, steam generating means and reciprocating motion generating means, wherein - said steam compartment including a ceiling portion and a floor portion which are spaced apart with a separating distance generally larger than the maximum thickness of a user's foot, said ceiling portion including a canopy part overhanging part of said floor portion and a foot aperture sized to allow passage of a user's foot and projecting over said floor portion, - said steam compartment being communicable with said steam generating means so that steam generated by said steam generating means can be transported to said steam compartment, - said steam compartment being connected to said reciprocating motion generating means so that reciprocating motion can be applied to a user's foot, and

- said aperture being surrounded by an upstanding enclosure which extends generally away from said floor portion and with a length which is larger than the distance of separation between said ceiling and said floor portion.

According to another aspect, this invention provides a personal care device for treating a foot and lower leg of a user comprising: - a foot receiving portion including a first housing to surround the foot of a user and having an opening through which a user's leg may extend, - a steam generating means in communication with said foot receiving portion.

Preferably, said motion generating means being communicable with said floor portion of said steam compartment so that motion generated by said motion generating means can be transmitted to said floor portion.

Preferably, said upstanding wall is detachable from said aperture.

Preferably, said upstanding wall is detachably joined along its axial length.

Preferably, the total effective length of said upstanding wall along said upwardly extending direction above the base portion is approximately the distance between the ankle and knee of an average user.

Preferably, said steam compartment includes an aperture for receiving steam generated by said steam generating means, said aperture being disposed above said floor portion.

Preferably, said personal care device further includes a foot bath, said foot bath being contained within said steaming compartment, said aperture for receiving steam being disposed at a level which is above the maximum fluid level of said foot bath.

Preferably, said device further including an ozone generator for producing hydrogen peroxide solution inside said foot bath compartment.

Preferably, said device further including ioniser for producing ionised steam in said steam compartment.

Preferably, said device further including an infra-red or far-infra-red source red radiation within said steam chamber.

Preferably, said steam generating means is modular and can be detached from said device.

Preferably, said device includes means for detachably mounting said steam generating means on said ceiling portion of said steaming compartment.

Preferably, said upstanding enclosure includes a flexible and collapsible enclosure which extends from said foot aperture.

Preferably, said flexible and collapsible enclosure includes elastic means for attaching said flexible and collapsible enclosure to the foot of a user.

Preferably, said first housing includes a flexible and collapsible enclosure with means for attaching to a user's leg.

Preferably, said flexible and collapsible enclosure is extendable between a minimum and a maximum length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a foot-care device of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows schematically a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates an exemplary use of the second preferred embodiment of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 illustrates an example of reconfiguration of the embodiment of Fig. 2 for other personal care applications, Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a third preferred embodiment of a foot-care device of the present invention,

Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal cross-section of a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention viewed from one side, Fig. 7 shows a longitudinal cross-section of the embodiment of Fig. 6 viewed from rear, and Fig. 8 is a top plane view of the embodiment of Fig. 6 with the steam generating means in place.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figs. 1 to 8, there are shown embodiments of a personal care device especially designed for, but not limiting to, the care, nursing, nourishing and/or conditioning of the foot and the lower leg. In the specification to follow, the term"foot-care device"will be used to describe this device generally for succinctness and brevity and such a use should not be construed as limiting the utility of the present invention. Furthermore, like numerals are used to refer to like parts wherever appropriate and unless the context otherwise requires.

The foot-care devices 1 to 4 include a main housing 10, a steaming compartment 20, steam generating means 30 and reciprocating motion generating means 40.

The main housing 10 includes an upper housing 11 and a lower housing 12 which respectively form the steaming compartment 20 and the machine compartment in which various electrical, electronic and mechanical parts are accommodated.

The steam compartment 20 includes a lower portion 21 and an upper portion 22. The lower portion 21 of the steam compartment is generally adapted and sized to receive the foot and includes a ceiling 23 and a floor 24. The ceiling 23 and the floor 24 are spaced apart with a separating distance larger than the maximum thickness of the foot so that the foot can be comfortably accommodated.

The maximum thickness of a foot in the present context refers to the maximum vertical distance between the dorsal 25 and the plantar 26 surfaces of the foot. The lower portion 21 and, more particularly, the floor 24, of the steaming compartment 20 is connected to a reciprocating motion generating means so that vibration or other massaging motion can be applied to the plantar or other surfaces of the foot.

The top of the lower portion 21 includes a foot receiving aperture 27 and a ceiling 23 which resembles a canopy overhanging part of the floor 24 and is adapted to cover at least part of the dorsal surface 25 of a user's foot. The space between the retracted ceiling 23 and the floor 24 forms a foot compartment for enhanced steaming of the front of the foot. The lower portion 21 of the steaming compartment may also include a foot bath so that a user's foot can be soaked in a conditioning, nourishing, disinfecting or other appropriate bath.

The foot receiving aperture 27, which is above the floor 24 and is an extension to the canopy 22, is provided to allow a user's foot to get in and out of the steam compartment 20 more easily. It will be noted that the foot receiving aperture 27 is adapted to be just above or not too far above the ankle region for easy insertion and removal. It will also be noted that the overall shape of the steaming compartment 20 generally follows that of a foot. This will allow the use

of an optimum amount of steam for providing reasonable adequate steaming to the foot. Likewise, the aperture 27 is sized to allow comfortable insertion and removal of the foot into and from the steaming compartment 20 while providing a reasonable confinement to restrict the escape of steam from the lower front part of steaming compartment. To provide steaming to the lower leg, an upstanding peripheral enclosure or wall 28 for surrounding the lower leg is provided. This peripheral wall or enclosure generally extends upwardly from the lower housing 12 and surrounds the aperture 27.

The reciprocating motion generating means 40 for applying vibrational motion or other massaging features to the foot are installed on the machine compartment 12 of the main housing 10. Conventional motion generating mechanisms, for example, those used in massaging devices, can be used with appropriate adaptation in order to be compatible the present main housing 10. A steam generating means 30 is also mounted on the main housing 10. A communication means or path 31 connecting between the steam generating means 30 and the steam compartment 20 is provided for delivering steam from the steam generator 30 to the steaming compartment 20 for foot conditioning and care. The steam generator 30 generally includes a reservoir, heating means and steam moving device 32 such as a fan or other propelling devices.

In Fig. 5, the steam generator 30 is placed in a compartment in the main housing and above the machine compartment. The reservoir is detachably mounted on the main housing 10 and connected to the power supply via an electrical connector. The reservoir can be detached from the main housing 10 by

detached from the main housing 10 by opening a hinged lid 14 which can be closed when the reservoir is in place or has been removed.

In order to provide additional useful features for the caring and nourishing of the foot, the foot-care device can further include an ioniser for producing ionised steam in the steam compartment for muscle relaxation and pain relief. In addition, in combination or as an alternative, an ozone generator 50 may also be installed as shown in Fig. 5 so that ozone can be injected occasionally or continuously into the fluid in the foot bath 29 for forming, for example, hydrogen peroxide (H202) solution in the foot bath compartment 29 for deodorizing the bad smell of the foot as well as killing bacteria on the foot surfaces. Likewise, infra- red or far-or-near-infra-red radiation sources can be provided to enhance blood circulation. It will be noted that the afore-mentioned ioniser, ozone generator as well as infra-red radiation generators can be applied to the present device by adapting components which are currently available in the market with simple modifications or adaptations. In the Figures, the numeral 50 has been used to designate such additional feature generators for simplicity.

In order to facilitate caring and conditioning of the lower leg, an upstanding peripheral wall 28 surrounding the foot receiving aperture 27 is provided above the top portion of the device 1 to 4. This upstanding peripheral wall 28 is sized so that the whole or a substantial part of the lower leg of a user can be comfortably surrounded by the peripheral wall while not too much redundant space separating the lower leg and the peripheral wall remains for optimum utilisation of the steam and also to limit the rate of steam escape. To provide adequate care to the whole of

the lower leg, that is, between the knee joint and the ankle, the total effective length of the upstanding peripheral wall, which includes the height of the corresponding upstanding wall of the steaming compartment is preferably approximately equal to or slightly less than the length of the lower leg of a user. In general, the length of the upstanding peripheral wall generally exceeds the height between the floor 24 and the aperture 27.

To facilitate easy use as well as convenient storage, the upwardly extending or dependent peripheral wall 28 is provided with fastening means for detachable attachment to the lower main housing 12, for example, for attaching to the part of the top portion surrounding the foot-receiving aperture 27. Furthermore, to facilitate easy and comfortable use, the upstanding peripheral wall 28 may be made of a flexible and steam impermeable material and is provided with fastening means along its longitudinal side so that the upstanding peripheral wall 28 can be opened or spread for laterally receiving the lower leg. Such an arrangement is particularly useful for persons having a long and thick leg so that insertion of the foot through the upper end of the upstanding wall may be difficult.

In order to provide a multi-purpose personal-care device, the steam generating means in the present embodiment may be formed as a detachable unit as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. With the steam generating means 30 configured as a detachable module, the steam generator 30 can be removed from the main housing and re-configured for other applications such as a facial steamer as shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown a steam generator module of Fig. 3 which is connected to a power adaptor 60 and a facial steaming mask 70. The steam outlet nozzle 31 of the steam generating module is connected to the facial steaming mask for providing the steam necessary for facial steaming as an example of a configuration. Of course, other forms of personal care devices for specific application purposes can be easily configured with such a removable steam generating module of the present invention.

The fourth preferred embodiment of a personal care device 4 as shown in Figs. 6 to 8 is generally identical to that of the previous embodiment except with modifications to the main housing 10, the steam compartment 20 and the disposition of the steam generating means 30. Furthermore, additional details showing the massaging motion generating means are provided and, it will be noted that, some of the movable parts, for example, the massaging wheels 41 are communicable with the floor 26 so that the motion generated by the motion generating means 41 can be transmitted to the floor portion 26 to massage the feet.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the upper portion 22 of the steam compartment 20 in the present preferred embodiment is formed with a flexible and collapsible enclosure which abuts the main housing 10 of the device at the foot receiving aperture 27 and is provided with an upper aperture for attaching to the upper and of the lower leg of a user, i. e. , the portion of the leg just below the knee.

This flexible and collapsible enclosure, which forms the flexible upper housing 11, is preferably made of a steam-tight material so that the steam

generated in the steam compartment 20 does not escape easily. An elastic band is provided at the upper aperture 13 to enhance attachment to the user's leg as well as to improve steam-tightness.

The main housing 10 is provided with means for detachably receiving the steam generating means 30 and means for providing electrical power to the steam generator 30. In this specific example, a compartment is provided on the upper part of main housing 10 adjacent the ceiling of the steaming compartment with a hinged lid 14 so that the steam generating means 30 can be detachably attached.

An electrical outlet 33 is provided within the compartment for electrical connection to the steam generating means 30. The steam generated by the steam generating means 30 is delivered to the steam compartment via a tube 34 which interconnects the steam generating means 30 and the steam compartment 20. The hinged lid 14 can be closed after the steam generating means 30 has been removed from the compartment for receiving the steam generating means on the main housing 10 for aesthetic considerations as well as to cover the electrical outlet 33 for safety.

In the present specific embodiment, the flexible enclosure forming the upper housing enables a user to selectively surround a selective portion of the lower leg to avoid the regions of the legs which are sensitive, allergic or vulnerable to steam due to injury. In this regard, it will be noted that the overall height of the steam compartment 20 can be adjustable by varying the height of the collapsible enclosure and can be different for the two legs.

While the present invention has been explained by reference to the preferred embodiments described above, it will be appreciated that the embodiments are only examples provided to illustrate the present invention and are not meant to be restrictive on the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope of this invention should be determined from the general principles and spirit of the invention as described above. In particular, variations or modifications which are obvious or trivial to persons skilled in the art, as well as improvements made on the basis of the present invention, should be considered as falling within the scope and boundary of the present invention. Furthermore, while the present invention has been explained by reference to a foot-care device, it should be appreciated that the invention can apply, whether with or without modification, to other personal care applications.

PART LIST 1 foot-care device 10 main housing 11 upper housing 12 lower housing 20 steam compartment 21 lower portion of 20 22 upper portion of 20 23 ceiling of 21 24 floor of 21 25 dorsal surface 26 plantar surface 27 aperture 30 steam generator 31 steam outlet nozzle 32 steam driving means 33 electrical outlet 40 Motion generating means 50 Ozone generator and other appropriate feature generating means 60 power adaptor 70 facial steaming mask