Vaporizing device

A vaporizing device for directing steam in a downstream direction to the region of a user's face, said device including:

• (a) a steam generating and control section having a cup member for receiving a liquid to be vaporized therein;
• a recess in the bottom wall of said cup member for retaining a heater means therein;
• a heater means retained in said recess;
• an adjustable valve assembly downstream of the cup member for regulating the volume and velocity of steam flow exiting from said steam generating and control section;
• an air-inlet slot downstream of said cup member for permitting ambient air to enter the steam generating and control section and mix with steam moving in a downstream direction passed said air-inlet slot;
• and an exit slot for a portion of the steam and air mixture spaced downstream from the air-inlet slot, adjacent to and upstream of said valve assembly and circumferentially offset from the air inlet slot;
• and
• (b) a hood section attached to said steam generating and control section for directing steam that passes through the adjustable valve assembly in a downstream direction to a user's face.

A vaporizing device for directing steam in a downstream direction to the region of a user's face, said device including:

• a) a steam generating and control section having a cup member, said cup member having an outer peripheral wall and a bottom wall defining a compartment for receiving therein a liquid to be vaporized, the bottom wall of said cup member being recessed upwardly to partially interrupt the compartment and to provide raised surfaces in contact with said liquid;
• a heater means retained in said recess for heating said raised surfaces to a temperature for vaporizing liquid at the interface of the liquid with the raised surfaces, but not at the interface of the liquid with the outer peripheral wall, to thereby create a temperature gradient in the liquid from the raised surfaces provided by the recess to the outer peripheral wall, for aiding in effectively controlling the volume and temperature of steam directed out of said steam generating and control section;
• (b) an adjustable valve assembly provided adjacent a downstream end of the steam generating and control section for aiding in regulating the volume and velocity of steam flow exiting therefrom;
• an air-inlet slot downstream of said cup member and upstream of said adjustable valve assembly for permitting ambient air to enter the steam generating and control section and mix with steam moving in a downstream direction passed said air-inlet slot, and an exit slot for a portion of the steam, said exit slot being spaced downstream from the air-inlet slot, adjacent to and upstream of said valve assembly and circumferentially offset from the air inlet slot;
• and
• (c) a hood section attached to said steam generating and control section for directing steam in a downstream direction to a user's face.

A method of controlling the volume of steam generated in a vaporizing device of the type employed for directing the steam in a downstream direction to the region of a user's face, said device including a steam generating and control section including a cup member having an outer peripheral wall and a bottom wall defining a compartment for receiving therein a liquid to be vaporized, the bottom wall of said cup member being recessed upwardly to partially interrupt the compartment and provide raised surfaces in contact with said liquid, and a heater means retained in the recess of the bottom wall, said method including the steps of:

• (a) introducing a liquid to be vaporized into the compartment of the cup member;
• (b) choosing a heater means in relation to the liquid to be vaporized and the size and material of the cup member, such that said heater means can be energized to boil the liquid only in a region adjacent the raised surfaces and not in a region adjacent the outer peripheral wall of the cup member;
• and
• (c) energizing the heater means in a manner for boiling the liquid only in a region adjacent the raised surfaces and not in a region adjacent the outer peripheral wall of the cup member.

A vaporizing device for generating steam and directing said steam in a downstream direction to the region of a user's face, said device including:

• (a) a cup member for receiving a liquid to be vaporized;
• (b) a heater means for heating liquid in said cup member for generating steam;
• (c) a hood section for receiving steam generated by the heating of the liquid in the cup member, said hood section including an upper margin at a downstream end thereof, said upper margin receiving a user's face adjacent thereto and defining a steam-flow confining passageway for directing steam to a region of the user's face aligned with said confining passageway;
• and
• (d) an adjustable valve assembly disposed downstream of the cup member and upstream of the upper margin of the hood section, for regulating the volume and velocity of steam flow directed through the upper margin of the hood section, said adjustable valve assembly providing an open passageway for the downstream flow of steam from the cup member, in all adjustable settings of said assembly.