Multifaceted scrubbing device
A multifaceted scrubbing device comprising a body having a head portion on one end and a handle on another end, the head portion having at least three faces for accommodating at least three working surfaces of one type or of different types. The working surfaces may be attached permanently to the faces on the head portion of the scrubbing device or they may be replaceable.
This invention relates to a scrubbing device having a multiplicity of one or the same type of working surfaces of differing coarseness or a variety of different types of working surfaces on each face of a multifaceted head of the device.
BACKGROUNDMost scrubbing devices have only one working surface or a combination of two working surfaces, usually located on opposite sides or faces, mostly in a back to back orientation. These working surfaces may be of one or the same type of varying levels of coarseness or fineness or it may have different types of surfaces. Scrubbing devices that are multifaceted do not have at least three different working surfaces. They are either of the same working surface on all faces or at most, only two working surfaces. The claimed scrubbing device can be used for the feet and the legs as well as for the palm of the hands and the arms. One type of working surface may be used for removing thick calluses or corns that develop on the feet and the palm when the epidermis becomes partially keratinized due to frequent repeated contact with a variety of hard or coarse surfaces. Calluses and corn produces pain and discomfort when wearing shoes, while walking or even with a normal everyday activity. To remove calluses, one usually starts with a rougher working surface and then gradually reduce the coarseness of the surface as the callus is removed. Another working surface can be used to gently remove or exfoliate the dry flaking top layer of dead skin on the legs and the arms. Another working surface can be used to cleanse the feet, legs, palm or arms after the removal of the calluses or dry dead skin. The different types of working surfaces includes but is not limited to serrated metal, pumice stone, rubberized mats, brush of different bristles and densities, sponge, sandpaper and other scrubbing surfaces used for human use that are commercially available. The claimed invention does not claim the type of working surfaces but rather claims the provision of at least three different working surfaces in one scrubbing device. This will allow the user to conveniently simply flip or turn the faces when a different working surface is desired to perform a different function using only one scrubbing device. This eliminates the need to provide more than one scrubber, thereby also reducing the cost to the consumer. Scrubbing as used here includes buffing, abrasing or scrapping, smoothing, thinning, removing hyperkeratotic tissues, brushing, shining and the like.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a scrubbing device with a multifaceted head having at least three working surfaces of the same type of scrubber but of varying coarseness.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a scrubbing device with a multifaceted head having at least three different types of working surfaces.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a handle on the opposite end of the multifaceted head for easy handling of the device.
It is also a further object of this invention to provide replaceable working surfaces so that a working surface can be exchanged for another if needed during the operation.
It is also still a further object of this invention to provide a new replacement working surface as they become worn or as new ones get developed without having to buy another scrubbing device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA multifaceted scrubbing device, comprising a body having a head portion on one end and a handle on another end, the head portion having at least three faces for accommodating at least three working surfaces of one type or of different types. Head can be used to indicate head portion herein. The working surfaces may be attached permanently to the faces on the head portion of the scrubbing device or it may be replaceable allowing a user to use more working surfaces using a single scrubbing device. The top peripheral contour of the working surface may be flat or curved. The geometric shape of the working surface need not match with the geometric shape of the head of the scrubbing device. A trough-like etched portion at the head of the scrubbing device usually accommodates the working surface. It is also possible for the working surface to be attached to the outer surface of the head of the scrubbing device without the trough-like etched portion on the face of the head portion of the scrubber. Scrubbing device and scrubber are used herein interchangeably. The trough-like etched portion and the working surface have matching dimensions in order to attach through bonding, the working surface well into the trough-like etched portion and also to fit the replaceable working surface into the trough-like portion. For maximum bonding of the working surface, the base and lateral dimensions have to match and fit but for the replaceable working surface, only the lateral dimensions have to match and fit so long as the depth or width of the working surface fits into the recess or depth of the trough-like etched portion.
A replaceable working surface has to be modified in order to be able to change one working surface with another. A holder having a protrusion on at least two opposing lateral sides is permanently banded around the lateral periphery of the working surface. The protrusion is located at a middle section of the holder on both opposing lateral sides. The middle section is bordered by slits on both sides of the protrusion. The middle section has a width greater than the width of the rest of the opposing lateral sides which makes an upper peripheral edge of the middle section of the holder protrude on top of the working surface after the holder is banded to the working surface. This upper peripheral edge acts as a tab for pulling the working surface out of the trough-like etched portion at the head of the scrubbing device. The slits cut into the depth or width of the middle section but leaves behind an uncut bottom section. To accommodate the protrusion and situate the working surface into the trough-like etched portion, a small indentation is carved out at the inside lateral side of the trough-like etched portion. The indentation matches the protrusion on the working surface holder in both shape and number to lodge the protrusion into the indentation when the working surface is introduced into the trough-like etched portion on the faces of the head of the scrubbing device. To facilitate removal of the working surface from the trough-like etched portion, the indentation as well as the protrusion are placed at an upper section towards the outer surface of the head portion of the scrubbing device. The holder banding the working surface is recommended to be made of a resilient material to facilitate dislodging of the working surface from the indentation at the trough-like etched portion when the upper peripheral edge of the middle section at each opposing lateral sides are pushed or pinched towards each other.
Other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it shows and describes only certain embodiments of the invention by way of illustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
Aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The detailed description represented herein is not intended to represent the only way or the only embodiment in which the claimed invention may be practiced. The description herein is provided merely as an example or examples or illustrations of the claimed invention and should not be construed as the only way or as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or means of practicing the invention. Any means of providing a handheld multifaceted scrubbing device having at least three different working surfaces in one device is within the scope of this invention. Different working surface here means one or the same type or of different types of working surfaces. Those of the same type have similar materials, make up and preparation except for varying coarseness like a sandpaper. The different types have different materials, make up and preparation as stated above like pumice stone, serrated metal, sponge, etc. The detailed description includes specific details to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed invention and it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the claimed invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well known structures and devices are shown in block diagrams or drawn with broken lines in order to either avoid obscuring the main concepts of the invention or to show the relationship of one part to the other.
The example that will be used here to describe the invention is a three-faced scrubbing device. To have more working surfaces, one way is to modify the triangular like head of the three-faced scrubbing device shown here to a rectangularly shaped head for a four-faced scrubbing device and so on as shown in
One way of making this scrubbing device is to attach through bonding, the desired working surfaces 1 on the faces 4 of the scrubbing device by a glue or adhesive. The faces 4 are located at the head 5 of the scrubbing device opposite the handle 6 as shown in the examples. The scrubbing device is also referred to herein simply as device. The head of the scrubbing device is recommended to have trough-like etched out portions 7 with a base 8 on each face 4 to accommodate a working surface 1 as shown in
To maximize the number of working faces that can be used per scrubbing device, the working surfaces 1 can be replaceable instead of permanently bonded to the faces 4 of the body 12. To enable this, the lateral sides of the trough-like etched portion 7 is modified.
The body of the scrubbing device is recommended to be made of a plastic material but metal and wood can also be used. The device can have any shape for the handle 6 but one that is ergonomically shaped will help in providing a better grip as well as comfort to the user. A rubberized or padded handle can also be designed for the same purpose.
Claims
1. A multifaceted scrubbing device, comprising:
- a body having a head portion on one end and a handle on another end, the head portion having at least three faces for accommodating at least three working surfaces of one type or of different types.
2. The scrubbing device of claim 1 wherein the working surfaces are attached permanently to the faces on the head portion of the scrubbing device.
3. The scrubbing device of claim 1 wherein the working surfaces are replaceable.
4. The scrubbing device of claim 1 wherein the working surface has a flat top peripheral contour.
5. The scrubbing device of claim 1 wherein the working surface has a curved top peripheral contour.
6. The scrubbing device of claim 1 wherein the working surface has a geometric shape different from the geometric shape of the head of the scrubbing device.
7. The scrubbing device of claim 1 wherein the head portion accommodate the working surface through a trough-like etched portion at the head of the scrubbing device.
8. The scrubbing device of claim 7 wherein the trough-like etched portions and the working surfaces have matching dimensions.
9. The scrubbing device of claim 2 wherein a trough-like etched portion on the head of the scrubbing device have a matching base and lateral dimensions as the working surface for maximum bonding of the working surface to the trough-like etched portion at the head of the device.
10. The scrubbing device of claim 3 further comprising a holder banded permanently around a lateral periphery of the working surface, the holder having a protrusion on opposing lateral sides.
11. The scrubbing device of claim 10 wherein the protrusions are located only at two opposing lateral sides.
12. The scrubbing device of claim 11 wherein the protrusion on the holder is at a middle section of the two opposing lateral sides having slits on both sides of the protrusion, the middle section bordered by slits having a width greater than the width of the opposing lateral sides thereby resulting into an upper peripheral edge of the middle section protruding on top of the working surface acting as a tab.
13. The scrubbing device of claim 3 further comprising an indentation on an inside lateral side of a trough-like etched portion at an upper section towards an outer surface of the head portion of the scrubbing device, the indentation matching a protrusion on a working surface holder banded to the working surface in both shape and number to lodge the protrusion into the indentation when the working surface is introduced into the trough-like etched portion on the faces of the head of the scrubbing device.
14. The scrubbing device of claim 13 wherein the holder is made of a resilient material.
15. A multifaceted scrubbing device, comprising:
- a body having a head portion on one end and a handle on another end, the head portion having at least three faces for accommodating at least three working surfaces of one type or of different types attached permanently to the faces on the head portion of the scrubbing device, the head portion having a trough-like etched portion for accommodating the working surface of a matching dimension as the trough-like etched portion for maximum bonding of the working surface to the trough-like etched portion at the head of the device.
16. The scrubbing device of claim 15 wherein the working surface has a flat top peripheral contour.
17. The scrubbing device of claim 15 wherein the working surface has a curved top peripheral contour.
18. The scrubbing device of claim 15 wherein the working surface has same or different geometric shapes from a geometric shape of the head portion of the scrubbing device.
19. A multifaceted scrubbing device, comprising:
- a body having a head portion on one end and a handle on another end, the head portion having at least three faces for accommodating at least three replaceable working surfaces of one type or of different types;
- a holder banded permanently around a lateral periphery of the working surface, the holder having a protrusion on at least two opposing lateral sides, the protrusion located at an upper section of a middle section of the two opposing lateral sides towards an outer surface of the head portion, the middle section bordered by slits on both sides of the protrusion having a width greater than the width of the opposing lateral sides thereby resulting into an upper peripheral edge of the middle section protruding on top of the working surface acting as a tab; and,
- an indentation on an inside lateral side at an upper section towards the outer surface of the head portion of the scrubbing device of a trough-liked etched portion of the head portion, the indentation matching the protrusion on the working surface holder in both shape and number to lodge the protrusion into the indentation when the working surface is introduced into the trough-like etched portion on the faces of the head of the scrubbing device.
20. The scrubbing device of claim 19 wherein the holder is made of a resilient material.
21. The scrubbing device of claim 20 wherein the working surface has same or different geometric shapes from a geometric shape of the head portion of the scrubbing device.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 16, 2010
Publication Date: Jun 21, 2012
Inventor: Yong-Hoon Cho (Fullerton, CA)
Application Number: 12/928,652