Disposable basin liner

Abstract

A sanitary liner for a manicure or pedicure soaking basin. The sanitary liner is formed from a plastic or rubber which is light and inexpensive so that it can hold soaking solution when necessary and dump out the solution when necessary. It is disposable so that customers of beauty salons can each have soaking solution held in a different liner and thereby avoid the possibility of soaking in a basin that is contaminated with pathogens from a prior customer. It fits smoothly inside the reservoir of a common commercial salon soaking basin. It may be rigid or it may be pliable so that fluid pressure causes it to conform to the inside of the reservoir.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application incorporates provisional patent application No. 60/303,728 by this reference. Provisional patent application No. 60/303,728 has an application filing date of Jul. 6, 2001. Applicant claims the benefit of the filing date of that provisional application by reason of this incorporation by reference.

STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

[0002] This invention was not made under federally sponsored research and development. All rights are retained by the inventors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] Persons receiving a pedicure customarily have their feet soaked, among other reasons so that the skin and nails will be softened. This soaking takes place in a special basin at the nail salon. The form of the special basins is described below in description of the related art. The problem in the field is that multiple customers use these basins, and so certain infectious organisms can be transmitted from one customer to the next customer who uses the basin. Commonly, these infectious organisms are fungi, which can be especially difficult to eradicate once they have gotten a toehold. Bacteria and certain other transmissible pathogens have proven a problem as well.

[0005] Persons receiving a manicure similarly soak their hands in a basin at the beauty salon. In theory, there is also a risk of disease transmission from this practice, although the pedicure basin is currently the most likely source of pathogen transmission as between the two.

[0006] 2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR Sections 1.97 and 1.98.

[0007] In the related art are several devices containing a germicidal fluid, into which one immerses the feet prior to swimming. There are anti-contamination liners for hospital bathtubs. There are a large number of footwash systems involving brushes in the basin or conduits and jets to cause water flow or direct water flow. The brushes, jets, and conduits can all harbor contaminating organisms which increase the likelihood of contracting a foot infection from a basin at a salon. Usually, the bathtub liners have a drain, even if they are disposable. This is because of the special problem that a bathtub holds too much water to be lifted by a normal person. The liner must have a drain or be bailed out after the bath.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] This invention is a disposable liner which is shaped to conform to the interior of a commercially available salon soaking basin. The liner is used to contain the soaking solution and the extremity being soaked and a different liner is used for each customer. Since the liner is light, inexpensive, and disposable, beauty salon customers can gain assurance by use of the liner, that their extremities will not come into contact with pathogenic organisms left by previous customers. There is no need for a drain since the liner holds a small enough amount of liquid that it can be emptied over the rim once the customer is finished soaking. This helps keep the liner inexpensive enough for routine use in beauty salons. In combination with commercially available salon soaking basins, the liner is a foot spa or hand spa which permits salon customers to enjoy a safe but enjoyable soaking experience at the salon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is an exploded diagram of a sanitary liner and the soaking basin to whose shape it conforms.

[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded diagram of a sanitary liner and the soaking basin to whose shape it conforms.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0011] The preferred embodiment of this invention is a disposable basin (1) with an inside (2) and an outside (3). The inside (2) of the basin (1) is concave and adapted to hold a suitable amount of water or other liquid for purposes of soaking a human extremity prior to or during a nail care operation at a beauty salon. The basin is lightweight, inexpensive, and preferably rigid (although not necessarily rigid). It is probably molded plastic such as polycarbonate or PET plastic.

[0012] The outside of the basin is shaped so that it closely conforms to the shape of a reservoir (4) of a common commercial salon washbasin (5). The basin fits down into the reservoir and is then filled with the soaking solution. In the case of a basin that is not rigid, it is the pressure of the soaking solution which causes the basin to be shaped to conform to the reservoir. At FIG. 1 a pedicure footwashing basin is shown as an example of the salon washbasin (5). In washbasins of this type it is common for the reservoir (4) to be an elongate heart shape so that the two feet can fit comfortably into the basin side by side. These commercial washbasins will commonly have a control (6) for the purpose of changing the temperature or flow of the water or other liquid, or possibly to engage a vibrating mechanism. In the case of a commercial washbasin that can vibrate or alter temperature, an appropriate embodiment of this invention can be used in combination with such features. The control is shown for descriptive purposes only as it is not part of the instant invention. This invention does include a vibrating stand adapted to be used as a vibratory foot spa or to be used with one of the disposable liners placed on it containing foot soaking solution. Thus either a dry foot massage or a vibratory foot soaking massage is possible with this platform. At FIG. 3 the platform can be seen with its base (7), its vibrating means (8), and its platform (9). The instant invention is the basin (1) with its inside (2) and outside (3). This is not a design patent, and the specific shape shown will not be the only shape which a disposable salon liner might have which could be used to prevent infection. It is merely an illustrative example of the shape of a disposable liner for one of the common commercial washbasins being used. In the case of a basin that is not rigid, it will have a different shape depending on the shape of the reservoir in which it is used. An oblong shaped salon washbasin is also common on the market as shown in FIG. 2. The invention is again shaped to conform closely to the shape of the inside (2) of the basin (1). A manicure basin does not need to have the characteristic heart shape since hands are smaller and shaped differently. Of course, the disposable liner would be shaped to fit the interior of the manicure basin, possibly by the pressure of the soaking solution itself.

[0013] The inside (2) does not necessarily need to have the same concave shape as the reservoir (4), although this would probably be the most economical shape, since it would minimize the amount of plastic needed to mold the invention. In a rigid embodiment, it is possible to make a basin whose inside is not the same shape as the outside, but more plastic would be needed than would be the case in a basin that conforms closely to the shape of the reservoir.

[0014] A second embodiment of the invention would be a spray-on liner which is non-toxic, flexible, and leak-proof when it dries. A spray-on latex or silicone rubber substance is suitable for this purpose as long as it is non-toxic. It would be sprayed from a pressure canister in much the same way that other substances are sprayed, ranging from paint to cooking oil. To use it, the operator would spray the reservoir (4) of the salon washbasin and allow the liner to dry (forming the basin (1)). Soaking liquid can then be placed inside and the customer's extremity can be soaked. When the soaking is finished, the fluid is dumped and the liner (or basin (1)) is peeled away. It can then be discarded. This second embodiment is an example of a basin that is not rigid and not pre-shaped.

Claims

1. A liner for a human extremity soaking reservoir having an inside and an outside; the liner being impermeable to water so that when the outside is placed against the reservoir, aqueous solutions can be placed against the inside where they will be held free of contamination by pathogens from the reservoir.

2. The liner of claim 1 being pliable and having a shape determined by a concavity of said reservoir.

3. The liner of claim 2 further comprising propellant and a canister;

the liner and the propellant being inside the canister;

the liner being forced from the canister onto the reservoir by pressure exerted by the propellant;

the liner adhering to itself to form a water impermeable sheet against the reservoir; and

the liner being removable from the reservoir after use.

4. The liner of claim 1 the liner being rigid.

5. The liner of claim 4 in which the liner is molded plastic.

6. The liner of claim 1 in which the liner is heat resistant and conducts heat.

7. The liner of claim 1 in which the liner is sterilized and is provided in packaging which will maintain sterility until the packaging is removed.

8. A foot spa having a base, a vibrating means and a platform;

said base having a flat bottom adapted to rest against a floor;

said platform being substantially planar and adapted to receive a basin;

said platform and said base being connected by said vibrating means so that said vibrating means can vibrate said platform.

9. A rigid disposable sanitary liner for a nail salon spa comprising an inside and an outside;

said outside being substantially convex and adapted to conform closely to the shape of said spa when said liner is placed against said spa;

said liner is composed of a substance impermeable to water and is unitary so that said inside is connected to said outside; and

said inside being substantially concave so that aqueous solutions will be held therein by gravity when said outside is placed against said spa, and said aqueous solutions are placed against said inside.

10. The sanitary liner of claim 9 in which said sanitary liner is sterilized and said sanitary liner is enclosed in packaging to preserve the sterility of said sanitary liner until said packaging is removed.

11. The sanitary liner of claim 9 in which said liner is heat resistant and conducts heat.

12. The sanitary liner of claim 9 in which said liner is sufficiently durable to withstand oscillation imparted to said aqueous solutions by said spa.

13. The sanitary liner of claim 9 in which said liner is molded plastic.