US20130101332A1

US20130101332A1 - Disposable Bath Brush with Integral Soap and Moisturizer Dispensers

Info

Publication number: US20130101332A1
Application number: US13/277,631
Authority: US
Inventors: Linda M. Arkwright
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-10-20
Filing date: 2011-10-20
Publication date: 2013-04-25

Abstract

The present invention is a disposable bath brush intended for two to three uses in the shower or bath. This bath brush has bath gel and moisturizer stored in containers within the brush. Either of these fluids may be dispensed by applying pressure to the individual container or a release button, thereby causing the respective fluid to flow out of an opening at the front center of the brush. Also included is a retractable handle to provide a user with an extended gripping surface for reaching the back of the body and the feet. The front of the brush comprises bristles of any of a variety of materials and of an adequate length to provide a thorough cleansing experience.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims all accrued benefits deriving from non-provisional application Ser. No. 13/065,064, confirmation #4955.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention
The inventive concept presented herein generally is concerned with devices and methods utilized for quick, efficient, and convenient personal hygiene, particularly with relation to bathing and showering. Disclosed is a disposable shower or bath brush having internally separate compartments containing liquid soap and a liquid moisturizer.
Bathing for humans has for thousands of years been a generally pleasant experience. It is also a necessary procedure for maintenance of clean skin and riddance of infectious conditions or exfoliation of deteriorating epidermis.
Individuals who travel frequently, and stay in hotels, may oftentimes prefer scented bath gels and skin moisturizers used in conjunction with a bath brush as compared to using the hotel's soap, which could dry the skin and/or wash cloths that may not be at the highest level of cleanliness in some establishments. After rinsing and applying the skin moisturizer, the skin should be left feeling soft and silky. The inventive concept disclosed herein is designed for travel. It will eliminate the clutter of packing a bottle of shower gel, a shower brush or loofah sponge, and possibly shower moisturizers.
There are many versions of bath sponges or shower brushes with handles which are used to enhance the showering experience. Unfortunately, many of those items are convenient to pack and take along on business trips or family vacations because of the long handles. For consumers that frequently travel on airplanes, the disclosed inventive concept, commercially known as the “Quick Freshe” pack, will eliminate the need to transfer shower gel into 3-ounce bottles in compliance with the Federal Aviation Agency's regulations for carry-on luggage. The disclosed device will also eliminate frustrating attempts to pack long-handled back scrubbers and shower bnishes into their luggage. Because the “Quick Freshe” is a sanitary, prepackaged, full service shower supply, it will be ideal to send with children and teens for sleepovers or summer camps.
During the first days on a new college campus, there may not be time for laundry duties. A few packages of “Quick Freshe” will eliminate the need for re-using wash cloths, which hold bacteria and germs, especially until a regular laundry schedule can be set up. Another effective use of the disposable shower brush is in situations similar to the emergency evacuations that resulted from the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. As thousands of persons were being displaced, distribution of a disposable shower brush would have been a comfort and hygienic relief to countless persons involved in such a tragedy.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In the field of shower or bath brushes, a number of unique developments and products have been manifested in the past; some complicated or intricate, and many, very basic. Several of them, which are relevant to this inventive concept, are listed as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,221; (Edwards, E., Jan. 22, 1980). The invention is a bath brush having an elongated, continuously curved device with a handle at one end and a brush at the other end. The brush arrangement includes an enlarged head with bristles and further, having a pair of clips on either side of the arrangement of bristles for removably holding a face cloth, there by facilitating bathing with the brush and face cloth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,792; (Nazemi, A. Jun. 25, 1996). Disclosed is a shower brush with a handle at one end and a group of bristles located upon one face at the other end. The device has an axial pivot medial to two ninety degree bends taken with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shank. U-shaped and an S-shaped configuration are thus enabled, each being obtained from the other by rotation of one shank portion relative to the other through one hundred eighty degrees in either direction about the axial pivot.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,802 (Wang, Jun. 23, 1998). Disclosed is a device having a grouping of circular brushes which are arranged on a platform. The platform contains tubing to allow water from the shower head power a rotational mechanism inside each brush and also gently force liquid soap toward the vicinity of the brush bristles.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,829 (Chen, C., Mar. 6, 2001). The invention comprises a bath brush including an elastic mesh tube-like structure which is axially pushed and gathered so as to continuously crimp the perimeter of the tube into a waved pattern; a handle connected to a framework and grip mechanism which are freely detachably assembled with a connecting member, and a pair of massaging spheres positioned on the upper side of the elastic mesh tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,219 (Powaska, T., Jun. 24, 2003). The inventor designed a rotary shower brush of primarily elongated shape for mounting vertically in a shower stall, comprising a brush assembly, a motor assembly, upper and lower mount assemblies. The motor assembly is operatively connected to, and rotates the brush assembly. One embodiment also provides that the brush assembly oscillates up and down as it rotates.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,808 (Chen, K., May, 18, 2004). Disclosed is a bath brush comprising a main body, a massaging member, and a bristle holder connected to a top of the massaging member. The bristle holder is provided with a plurality of insertion holes for implanting tufted bristles therein and a plurality of through-holes for massaging projections integrally formed on the massaging member to upwardly extend therethrough and expose from the bristle holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,192 (Huang, M. Feb. 20, 2007). The invented device is a bath brush having a holding frame, a thread girdle, and a tube-shaped elastic net. The holding frame has a corrugated handle portion having an end hole, and a binding portion having a plurality of protruded blocks, each of which has a through-aperture. The protruded blocks contact the tube-shaped elastic net. The thread girdle surrounds the tube-shaped elastic net to squeeze and to bind the tube-shaped elastic net.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIVE CONCEPT

The “Quick Freshe” bath brush is an inventive concept designed to provide a convenient, sanitary showering product for individuals who travel frequently, families at campsites, children at summer camps, college students, truck drivers, and traveling sales persons. The device disclosed herein is a shower/bath brush having the convenience of internally-generated shower and moisturizing gels. Also featured is a retractable handle for easier portability, and a hand strap for secure grasping of the brush when in use. The device is designed to be disposable after two to three uses and thereby enhances an overall sanitary bath or shower experience for the consumer.
The brush has a cloth hand strap across the back surface to help keep it secured within the grasp of the user's hand as the brush is maneuvered to gently scrub the body. A handle with gripping ridges is built onto a swivel joint and is normally stored in a compartment within the brush. The handle may be released and unfolded from the side of the brush, then locked into a straight-line position to provide extended reach for scrubbing the back or feet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, features, and advantages of the concept presented in this application are more readily understood when referring to the accompanying drawings. The drawings, totaling five figures, show the basic functions of the preferred embodiment of the inventive concept

In the several figures, like reference numbers are used in each figure to correspond to the same component as may be depicted in other figures.

FIG. 1 presents a left side view of the brush, showing the bristles as imbedded in the front surface of the brush and the handle extended from its storage in the compartment.

FIG. 2 presents a frontal view of the brush, displaying the array of bristles imbedded on the front surface, the dispenser ports for bath gel and/or moisturizer, and the handle in the extended position.

FIG. 3 illustrates the back surface of the brush, showing the hand strap, the bath gel container packets, and moisturizer container packets.

FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of the brush as seen from section line AA of FIG. 1; further illustrating the gel and moisturizer passageways, or tubes, and also the brush handle stowed in its compartment.

FIG. 5 is a cutaway view, looking downward from the top of the brush, and as seen from the section line BB of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIVE CONCEPT

For the sake of illustrative purposes only, the following discussion and summary will be directed to a preferred embodiment of the inventive concept. It must be understood that the inventive concept envisions a variety of brush/handle combinations, and several effective means of storing and dispensing bath gel and moisturizer fluids. With that in mind the general description of the device will proceed from an overall view of FIG. 1.
As we view FIG. 1, there is presented a left side view of a bath/shower brush 1 having a moveable handle 7 which may be stowed within a storage compartment 13. Prominently shown is the arrangement of bristles 6 imbedded within the front surface 2 of the brush 1. The handle 7 is displayed in the extended position, having been rotated outward from its storage area within the compartment 13. In the extended position, the handle 7 permits a user to more easily reach body areas such as the feet, legs, and back during showering. The handle 7 further comprises gripping ridges 8 for a more convenient and secure lit within a user's hand. When not in use, the handle 7 may be rotated upwards toward the brush 1 and pressed against a semi-circular retaining clip 10 within the compartment 13. The retaining clip 10 then maintains the handle 7 within the compartment. Also shown in FIG. 1 is a partial view of a hand strap 21 which is attached to the back surface 3 of the brush 1. The hand strap 21 may be grasped by a user as the brush 1 is maneuvered so as to gently scrub the skin during bathing. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 further comprises a retainer ring 23 for storage of the brush 1 on a typical bathroom wall or door hook.
We next move to FIG. 2, where the front face 2 of the brush 1 is shown, along with the imbedded bristles 6, the bath gel dispensing ports 24, and the moisturizer dispensing ports 25. The handle 7 is in the extended position and also to be noted are the gripping ridges 8 on the handle 7. In using the cleansing accessories to the brush 1, a user exerts finger pressure onto one or more of the bath gel storage packs 15 (refer to FIG. 3) or any one or more of the moisturizer storage packs 17 (refer to FIG. 3) to induce a flow of the respective liquids through the associated dispensing ports 24, 25 and onto the general area of the bristles 6. The bristles 6, in the preferred embodiment, are comprised of nylon, however any other suitable material may be used, including plastic or other artificial substance which can provide a firm, but comfortable pressure to the skin of the user. The bristles 6 imbedded in the front surface 2 are preferably of medium-firm texture.
By way of an approximate recital of the dimensions of the device, the shower brush 1 front face 2 is optimally in the range of six inches to eight inches in length, top to bottom, three to four inches from side-to-side, and one to two inches in depth from the back surface 3 to the tips of the bristles 6. The handle 7 would measure between five to seven inches in length. As explained previously, in a preferred embodiment, when the handle 7 is not in use, it may be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction of travel 12, shown in FIG. 2, into the compartment 13, which is hidden from view.
A different embodiment of the brush 1 features a moveable handle 7 that is telescopically operated. In this version of the device, the handle 7 is constructed in a permanent orthogonal relationship to the brush 1 and extends from the base of the brush 1. The telescoping handle is segmented along its longitudinal axis into two concentric connected tubes, one slidably fitting within the inner perimeter of the other, and having lock-and-release mechanisms for extension and retraction of the concentric tubes. In another embodiment of the brush 1, the handle can be fixed to the brush by two fasteners on either side of the brush, which allows a back and forth movement. When stowed, the handle then clips onto the back of the brush 1.
The shower brush may also comprise a means for retracting said handle into, and extending said handle out of, said compartment consisting of a screw mechanism within a hollow rod, said hollow rod freely passing through one end of said handle and said rod further being affixed within the bottom-most portion of said brush
In turning to FIG. 3, the back surface 3 of the brush 1 is presented, wherein the hand strap 21 is shown in its orientation of being attached width-wise across the back surface 3 of the brush from the right side 5 (as seen from the “bristle side” of the brush 1) to the left side 4. A series of gel storage packs 15 and moisturizer storage packs 17 are shown on the back surface 3 of the brush 1. All storage packs 15, 17, are permanently attached to the back surface 3 of the brush 1. The storage packs 15, 16, are of a relatively thin, compressible material and are easily depressed with slight finger pressure by a user.
Gel flow tubes 16 and moisturizer flow tubes 18 are an integrally-constructed part of each of the storage packs 15, 16. The flow tubes 16, 18 are bent at a short distance from their connection with their respective packs 15, 17, and directed into apertures 22 on the back surface 3 of the brush 1. The flow tubes 16, 17, then connect to the respective dispensing ports 24, 25 on the front surface 2 of the brush 1.
Next, viewing FIG. 4, there is shown a cross-sectional view of the brush 1 as would be seen from section line AA of FIG. 1. Prominently displayed is the handle 7 as it is stowed within the confines of the compartment 13. The handle 7 may be retracted into the compartment 13 of the brush by rotation in the direction of travel 12 shown. A setscrew 11, affixed within a threaded opening on the inside of the brush 1 allows rotation of the handle in and out of the compartment 13. A flexible securing clip 10 of a slightly smaller diameter than that of the handle 10, is pried apart by a light pressing force exerted by the user on the handle 10 and the clip thereby receives the handle 10 into a secure position.
Cross-sections of the gel storage tubes 16 and the moisturizer storage tubes 18 are also shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 5 presents a cutaway view of the brush 1 as seen from section line BB of FIG. 1. The brush 1 is observed from the top section looking downward. Displayed are the gel storage packs 15 and their associated tubes 16 extending between the back surface 3 and the front surface 2 of the brush 1. Gel dispensing ports 24 are shown among the bristles 6. A portion of the storage compartment 13 is also depicted, with the handle 7 in the stowed position.
In its commercial embodiment, the bath gel 16 and moisturizer 18 contained in the brush 1 will be available in a variety of consumer-selectable fragrances.
While preferred embodiments of the present inventive concept have been shown and disclosed herein, it will be obvious to those persons skilled in the art that such embodiments are presented by way of example only and not as a limitation to the scope of the inventive concept. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions may occur or be suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from the intent, scope, and totality of the inventive concept. Such variations, changes, and substitutions may involve other features which are already known per se and which may be used instead of, or in addition to features already disclosed herein. Accordingly, it is intended that this inventive concept not be limited by the scope of the accompanying claims, but be construed within the scope of the disclosures herein set forth.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A shower brush comprising a front surface having bristles embedded therein, a back surface, a left side, a right side, a handle, a hand strap attached to said back surface, at least one storage container for a liquid bath gel, at least one storage container for a liquid moisturizer, at least one passageway from said gel storage container, at least one passageway from said moisturizer storage container, at least one opening on the front surface of said brush in the vicinity of said bristles, and a means for discharging either said gel or said moisturizer, or both, through said respective at least one passageway and into said opening in the vicinity of said bristles.

2. A shower brush as in claim 1, further comprising (a) a storage compartment internal to said brush, having dimensions sufficient to accommodate said handle, and (b) a means for retracting or extending said handle into and/or out of said compartment.

3. A shower brush comprising

a front surface having bristles embedded therein, a back surface having a hand strap attached thereto, a left side, a right side, and further comprising

a handle moveably attached to said shower brush such that said handle may be placed into a retracted or extended position relative to said brush;

a means for retractably storing said handle upon said brush;

a means for locking said handle into position perpendicular to the base of said brush when extended;

at least one storage container for liquid bath gel, said container attached to said brush;

at least one storage container for a liquid moisturizer, said container attached to said brush;

at least one passageway from said gel storage container, at least one passageway from said moisturizer storage container,

at least one opening on the front surface of said brush; and

a means for discharging said gel and said moisturizer through said at least one passageway into said at least one opening.

4. A shower brush as in claim 3, wherein said means for retracting said handle into, and extending said handle out of said compartment comprises a screw mechanism within a hollow rod, said hollow rod freely passing through one end of said handle and said rod further being affixed within the bottom-most portion of said brush.

5. A shower brush as in claim 3, wherein said means for retracting said handle into, and extending said handle out of said compartment, comprises a handle comprising a pair of concentric tubes, mutually connected one inside the other and thereby slidably positioned for stowage within said compartment or positioned for extension by a release-and-lock mechanism.

6. A shower brush comprising a front surface having bristles embedded therein, a back surface, a left side, a right side, a compartment disposed between said front surface and said back surface, a handle moveably affixed to said shower brush;

and a means for movement of said handle in and out of said compartment, further comprising

a hand strap wherein each end of said strap is fixed to one side or the other of said back surface;

a plurality of storage containers for liquid bath gel affixed to said back surface;

a plurality of storage containers for liquid moisturizer affixed to said back surface;

a plurality of dispenser ports protruding from the front surface of said shower brush;

a plurality of passageways connected to each said gel storage container and to each said moisturizer container, said passageways leading therefrom to said dispenser ports; and

a means for manually causing the liquid bath gel and said liquid moisturizer to flow from said respective storage containers, through said passageways, and into said dispenser ports.

7. A shower brush as in claim 6, further wherein said means for retracting said handle into, and extending said handle out of said compartment comprises a screw mechanism within a hollow rod, said hollow rod freely passing through one end of said handle and said rod further being affixed within the bottom-most portion of said brush.

8. A shower brush as in claim 6, wherein said means for retracting said handle into, and extending said handle out of said compartment, comprises a handle comprising a pair of concentric tubes, mutually connected one inside the other and thereby slidably positioned for stowage within said compartment or positioned for extension by a release-and-lock mechanism.