(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2009/0010978A1 Jensen (43) Pub
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US 20090010978A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2009/0010978A1 Jensen (43) Pub. Date: Jan. 8, 2009 (54) GREEN TEAJEWELRY Publication Classification (75) Inventor: David Matthew Jensen, San Diego, (51) Int. Cl. CA (US) A6IR 9/00 (2006.01) A636/82 (2006.01) Correspondence Address: A6IP35/00 (2006.01) MASTERMINDIP LAW PC A6IP 9/00 (2006.01) 421-A SANTA MARINA COURT ESCONDIDO, CA 92029 (US) (52) U.S. Cl. ......................................... 424/402; 424/729 (73) Assignee: Southeree Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US) (57) ABSTRACT (21) Appl. No.: 12/231,096 A method for making green tea jewelry is provided. The jewelry may be worn as a transdermal source of green tea (22) Filed: Aug. 28, 2008 components used as an alternative to or in addition to inges Related U.S. Application Data t1On of green tea liquid O solids. Also provided 1S a kit for providing green tea jewelry in a Substantially water resistant (63) Continuation of application No. 1 1/379,556, filed on and air-tight package. The kit may comprise additional Apr. 20, 2006, now abandoned. articles such as informational inserts and scents. US 2009/0010978 A1 Jan. 8, 2009 GREEN TEAUEWELRY 0005. There are many different varieties of teas from the Camelia Sinensis plant, all of which are known as “green tea. BACKGROUND Examples of green tea include, but are not limited to Longjing, Hui Ming, Long Ding, Hua Ding, Qing Ding, 0001. The general health benefits derived from the con Sumption of green tea have been known for thousands of Zhucha, Yu Lu, Xin Yang Mao Jian, Bi Luo Chun, Rain years. More recently, the use of green tea for general health Flower, Yun Wu, Chun Mee, Da Fang, Huangshan Mao Feng, benefits has become increasingly popular in more widespread Lu An Guapian, Hou Kui, Tun Lu, Huo Qing, Hyson, geographic regions and by diverse cultures. Today, Scientific Gyokuro, Matcha, Mecha, Sencha, Shincha, Genmaicha, evidence has linked certain positive health effects to various Kabusecha, Kamairicha, Bancha, Hojicha, and Kukicha. components of green tea. Specifically, positive effects in Preferably, the tea is unfermented. Green teas may be pro fending off cancer, heart disease, and other health benefits cessed in Such a way as to be fashioned into wearable art, come from the green tea components of catechin polyphe allowing for transdermal delivery of tea components that are nols, polysaccharides, flavonoids, vitamin B complex, vita beneficial to overall health. Such wearable art pieces should minC, Vitamin E, r-aminobutyric acid, saponins, L-theanine, be designed Such that a relatively large portion of the Surface and fluoride. Polyphenols, otherwise known as catechins, area comes into contact with the Subject's skin for a prolonged have shown anti-inflammatory, anti-allergy, anti-viral, anti period of time, Such as for several hours, days or weeks. microbial, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-aging, and 0006 Examples of such art pieces include, but are not anti-oxidative effects. Catechins found in green tea include limited to jewelry such as wrist bracelets, ankle bracelets, gallocatechin, epicatechin (EC), epigallocatchin (EGC) and rings, necklaces, belly strings and the like. When the jewelry epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). is secured to the body of a subject such that it fits snugly 0002 Drinking green tea after conventional tea prepara against the skin, the components of the tea used to fashion the tion, by Steeping the tea plant or leaves in hot water, is the jewelry may be absorbed into the skin and delivered to the most common way the green tea and its beneficial compo body of the subject. Delivery of the green tea components by nents are introduced to the body. Other forms of ingestible this type of vehicle enables the subject to obtain the positive green tea preparations exist, however, Such as tablets and effects of the green tea without being required to orally ingest capsules, flavored beverages and 'sports drinkS. ice cream, it. The Subject may enjoy a positive mental state when wear and dietary Supplements such as candies, bars and chews. ing such jewelry, due to the comfort of having a constant Some individuals are notable to or do not wish to ingest such Source of green tea available. Such positive mental state may, products, for example, due to an aversion to the taste, diet in itself, be beneficial to the subject's health. concerns, or simply because of the mental Stigma associated 0007 Green tea may be processed for forming jewelry by with consuming "pills. Moreover, solid or crystalline forms any conventional method, readily apparent to any person of green tea require a significant amount of time for absorp having ordinary skill in the art. Such processes include, but tion by the body, and poor bioavailability often results in are not limited to rolling and/or pressing leaves, which may much of the dosage passing through the body unabsorbed. then be made into strands. The processed plant may beformed Other people would like sources of green tea components in directly into jewelry, for example, by braiding, weaving, addition to those already available. Therefore, there exists a knotting, tying or twisting. need for alternate forms of delivering the beneficial effects of 0008. In one embodiment of the invention, green tea is green tea and its components. combined with a support used for forming such jewelry. The Support is generally a piece of material that forms the general SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION shape of the article. Appropriate Supports should be capable not only of absorbing the green tea from the soaking liquid, 0003. This invention relates to transdermal delivery of green tea components. More specifically, this invention but also capable of releasing it after it has dried, for delivery relates to wearable art, such as jewelry made from green tea. to the skin of a subject. Examples of Such supports include, The jewelry may be worn in order to allow the skin of the but are not limited to string, ribbon, rope, twine, jute, yarn, Subject to absorb the green tea components and enables the silk, cotton and cotton blend filaments, hemp, polyester fila Subject to enjoy the general health benefits of green tea with ments and the like. In a preferred embodiment, strands of out requiring its oral consumption. hemp are employed as the Support structure. 0009. The green tea may be whole plant, plant pieces or powder, for example. Where the green tea employed is plant DETAILED DESCRIPTION or plant pieces, it may be incorporated with the Support by 0004 Throughout this specification, the terms “a” and braiding, weaving, knotting, tying or twisting, for example. “an and variations thereof represent the phrase “at least one.” Methods of obtaining green tea powder are known by any In all cases, the terms "comprising”, “comprises' and any person having skill in the art. For example, a conventional variations thereof should not be interpreted as being limita method comprises pulverizing green tea in a ball mill and tive to the elements listed thereafter. Unless otherwise speci screening with a sieve. Green tea powder may also be easily fied in the description, all words used herein carry their com obtained from a variety of Suppliers. Green tea powder may mon meaning as understood by a person having ordinary skill be added to liquid. Such as water, and the Support soaked in in the art. In cases where examples are listed, it is to be Such liquid to absorb the green tea. The appropriate amount of understood that combinations of any of the alternative green tea powder may vary depending on the type of tea and examples are also envisioned. The scope of the invention is Support used, the length and width of the jewelry, any additive not to be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed ingredients affecting absorption and/or desorption, and the herein, which serve merely as examples representative of the desired health effect. Appropriate amounts of green tea pow limitations recited in the issued claims resulting from this der may vary widely and are considered to be easily deter application, and the equivalents of those limitations. mined by any person having ordinary skill in the art. For US 2009/0010978 A1 Jan. 8, 2009 example, the ratio of green tea powder to Support material rial and dye employed. Such fixatives may be added to the may be in the range of about 0.25% to about 50% by weight, final rinse, applied after the final rinse and prior to drying, or added to enough liquid to thoroughly and freely saturate the applied after drying. In one embodiment, a quantity of Vin Support material. egar is added to the final rinse water. The appropriate types of 0010. The support may be soaked in the green tea solution color fixatives and methods for applying them are easily for a period of hours or days depending on the type of support determined by any person having ordinary skill in the art. used and the concentration of the green tea powder. Heating may reduce the amount of soaking time required for the 0016. In one embodiment, castor oil is included in order to Support to absorb a desired amount of the green tea. The maintain the pliability of the finished product and to aid general variables involved in determining adequate soaking movement of the tea components into the Subject's skin. include time, temperature and concentration—an increase in Examples of other emollients include, but are not limited to any one or more of the variable tending to decrease the glycerine, urea, olive oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, sesame oil, amount of soaking time required.