United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 4,793,668 Longstaff 45 Date of Patent: Dec
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United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 4,793,668 Longstaff 45 Date of Patent: Dec. 27, 1988 54 SUNBATHING FILTER WITH INCOMPLETE the Photoprotective Efficiency of Sunscreens Against UV-B ABSORPTION DNA Damage by UVB', (1985). 76 Inventor: Eric Longstaff, 5 Cantey Pl., Atlanta, U.S. Dept. of H.E.W., NIOSH-"A Recommended Ga. 30327 Standard for Occupational Exposure to Ultra Violet Radiation', (1977). (21) Appl. No.: 930,602 Strickland, P. T., “Photocarcinogenesis by Near-Ul 22 Filed: Nov. 13, 1986 traviolet (UVA) Radiation in Sencar Mice", (1986). 51) Int. Cl* ........................... G02B 5/22; G02B 7/00 Kugman & Kugman, "Review Article-The Nature of 52 U.S. C. ..................................... 350/1.1; 350/311; Photoaging: Its Prevention and Repair", (1986). 350/318 Primary Examiner-Bruce Y. Arnold 58 Field of Search ......................... 350/1.1, 311, 318 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Louis T. Isaf 56) References Cited U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 57) ABSTRACT 2,391,959 1/1946 Gallowhur................................ 2/78 Apparatus for use in sunbathing comprises a screen 3,352,058 11/1967 Brant ....................................... 47/58 formed of a sheet of thermoplastic or fiber material 4,134,875 l/1979 Tapia ............ 260/42.66 which is transparent to the safe UV-A wavelengths of 4,179,547 12/1979 Allingham et al...................... 525/2 solar radiation and the visible light range between 4,200,360 4/1980 Mutzhas ............ ... 350/36 400-450 nm but which contains uniformly distributed 4,529,269 7/1985 Mutzhas .............................. 350/312 therethrough a first agent which absorbs at least 80% of FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS the UV-B radiation in the 310-320 nm range and all 930621 8/1947 France . radiation below 310 nm, and a second agent and third 1540568 2/1979 United Kingdom . agent which prevent transmission therethrough of some 1586687 3/1981 United Kingdom . radiations above 450 nm wavelength, i.e. visible light 2097810 11/1982 United Kingdom . and infra-red. The second agent may be an absorbing dye or pigment. The third agent may be finely divided OTHER PUBLICATIONS carbon or ground glass. The screen may be mounted on Potten, C. S., "Radiation and Skin', (1985), p. 192. a frame or fabricated into clothing so as to shield the Hönigsmann, M.D., H. et al, "Immediate Pigment sunbather from the acutely and chronically harmful Darkening Phenomenon, A Reevaluation of its Mecha wavelengths of radiation, to prevent unpleasant over nisms', (1986). heating, and to provide subdued lighting. The relatively Black, G. et al, "Lack of Photoprotection against UV B-Induced Erythema by Immediate Pigmentation In small amount of UV-B transmitted through the material duced by 382 nm Radiation', (1985). stimulates the production of new melanin in a sun Gange, R. W. et al., "Comparative Protection Effi bather, and this melanin will be later available for tan ciency of UVA- and UVB-Induced Tans... Sensitive ning by UV-A radiation. Sites in DNA by UVB in Human Skin', (1985). Arase & Jung, "How We Do It-In Vitro Evaluation of 11 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets 320 i 340 360 380 4do 420 440 2so so. 33d 350 370 390 410 430 450 470 490 SIO 530 WAVELENGTH IN NANoMeters U.S. Patent Dec. 27, 1988 Sheet 1 of 2 4,793,668 s OOI 96 O6 98 99 O9 99 OG g?y Ot» 9€. Oº G2 O2 gl Ol 9 O U.S. Patent Dec. 27, 1988 Sheet 2 of 2 4,793,668 O OO 9 O 8 O 24O 25O 26O 27O 28O 29O 3OO 3O 32O WAVELENGTH IN MLLMCRONS A77Z 2 1. O 3OO 34O 38O 42O 46O 5OO 54O 58O 62O 66O WAVELENGTH IN MILLMCRONS 777 3 4,793,668 1. 2 ers such as acetophenone and pigments or dyes such as SUNBATHING FILTER WITHINCOMPLETEUV-B the soluble green dyestuff "Filter Blaugrun' as visible ABSORPTION light filters (British Pat. No. 1,060,780). Such materials are totally unsuitable for sunbathing because they en FIELD OF THE INVENTION tirely block the harmless UV-A light necessary for This invention relates in general to the definition of immediate pigment darkening as well as the small pro fabrics for use in the construction of filters suitable for portion of UV-B within the wavelength range 310-320 protecting human skin from the damaging effects of nm which is essential for melanogenesis. excessive exposure to solar radiation while permiting It can be seen therefore that the disadvantages of immediate pigment tanning and encouraging de novo 10 these earlier radiation screens are that they are either melanin synthesis. In addition, persons sunbathing in the prohobitively expensive to produce, overprotect the shadow cast by the embodiment of this invention will be sunbather from the UV-B sunburning and melanogenic protected from the damaging effects of excessive heat, rays, do not protect from the overheating infra-red rays eye-strain and sunburn, but will nevertheless enjoy the or they block out all the UV-light and prevent tanning benefit of a cosmetically appealing tan which will pro 15 altogether. None of the prior art inventions relating to gressively protect them from solarization-induced ery applied sunscreens are able to protect the sunbather thema, skin-aging, and possible malignant and other from dangerous intense visible or infra-red light which chronic disorders. is now thought to be potentially as dangerous as exces sive short wave band (290-310 nm) UV-B with respect BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 20 to cancer induction and skin aging, nor do they provide Many varied attempts have been made previously to for a mechanism whereby de novo melanin synthesis formulate and construct a safe sun-screen which would can be encouraged. encourage protective suntanning but these have been generally ineffective because they are specifically de SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION signed to remove all, or substantially all of the entire 25 The basic object of the current invention is therefore short wave UV-B (290–320 nm) either by employing a non-applied radiation-protective filter which makes it chemical absorbers (e.g. Gallowhur U.S. Pat. No. 2,391,959; Solvay et Cie, French Pat. No. 2,236,195, possible in the case of natural solar or artificially gener Sear U.K. Pat. No. 2,097,810, Mutzhas U.S. Pat. No. ated solar radiation to simultaneously tan quickly by 4,529,269), by mechanical processing of thermoplastic 30 inducing the immediate pigmend darkening of pre-exist resins or yarns so as to impart UV-B filtering character ing cutaneous melanin and to also initiate new pigment istics (e.g. Solvay et Cie, French Pat. No. 7,324,647; synthesis at a greater rate in a pleasant and safe manner. Stotzer, French Pat. No. 8,020,161; Mariac, French Pat. This object is accomplished according to the inven No. 930,621; Glaser, West German Pat. No. 3,101,390) tion by interposing a filter made of solid material be or by including ground glass particles in the support 35 tween the sun and the body which blocks out radiation resin and providing multiple spatially arranged lami energy intensities in those wavelength ranges which are nates each with unique but additive absorption charac physiologically harmful but not to completely inhibit a teristics (e.g. Mutzhas, British Pat. Nos. 1,586,687 and mild painless erythema which is the stimulus for de 1,567,979 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,360). novo pigment synthesis. However, no previous attempts have been made to In order to understand full the significance of these preferentially reduce only certain wavelengths in all improvements in the design and construction of sun three categories of dangerous light, which it now seems selecting filters and fabrics, it is first necessary to reveiv can interact synergistically to represent a very serious in detail the natural process of suntanning. Terrestrial cosmetic and health threatening environment to man, sunlight has been considered to consist of, with very while at the same time providing sufficient transmission 45 slight variations of definintions, short-wave ultra-violet of certain wavelengths of UV-B energy within the nar light (UV-B, 290-320 nm), long-wave ultraviolet light row band 310-320 nm now known to stimulate melano (UV-A, 320-400 nm), visible light (400-700 nm) and genesis. infra-red light (wavelengths ranging from 700 nm to 15 Recognition of the health hazard of UV-radiation has microns). On a clear day at sea level, the distribution of already prompted the U.S. Department of Health Edu 50 solar radiation is about 1-2% UV, 42-53% visible light cation and Welfare (via NIOSH) to recommend occu and 57-63% infra-red. At higher altitudes at any given pational exposure limits to UV radiation including that latitude, the amount of solar radiation avaiable, espe of natural sunlight (HSM Pub. Nr. 73-11009) and there cially UV, is increased so much that at the highest alti have also been calls by general medical practitioners for tudes at sub-zero temperatures a climber needs very stricter controls on UV-parlors. Also, a recent U.S. 55 effective sunburn protection. Bureau of Food and Drug Administration advisory Generally, it is now recognized that all UV-B is dan panel recommended after reviewing available topical gerous to health and excessive natural exposure can lead sunscreens, that all sun protection products should be to Sun-burn (erythema), skin aging and cancer. How placarded with the advisory phrase "Over-exposure to ever, not all wavelengths of UV-B are equally danger the sun may lead to premature aging of the skin and skin ous, the range 310-320 nm being at least so.