Soap dish with drain arrangement

Abstract

A soap dish includes an open first container including parallel slits on a bottom; and a second container fitted in the first container and including rows of conic top projections, the rows of projections being adapted to support a soap bar, and rows of apertures each row of apertures being disposed between two adjacent rows of projections. Water stored in the second container is adapted to flow to the first container by passing the apertures, water stored in the first container is adapted to carry off through the slits, and outside air is adapted to reach a bottom of the soap bar via the slits and the rows of apertures. This can maximize air flow around the soap bar. In one embodiment, the aperture is shaped as a funnel. Also, the apexes of the rows of projections are either flush with each other or shaped as a concave curve.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to soap dish structures and more particularly to such a soap dish having a drain arrangement including cones, apertures, and slits for enabling water stored therein to carry off through the slits by passing the cones and the apertures and maximizing air flow around a soap bar held by the cones.

2. Related Art

There have been numerous prior patents about soap holding devices. For example, U.S. D137,908 disclosed a soap holder having a plurality of tapered projections on a top for supporting a soap bar. In another example, U.S. D312,740 disclosed a soap bar holder having a plurality of rows of tapered projections for supporting a soap bar, and a plurality of rows of apertures, wherein water is adapted to carry off through the rows of apertures by passing the projections. In yet another example, U.S. D141,011 disclosed a soap saver having a plurality of rows of protrusions on a top for supporting a bar, an aperture through the top and a bottom, and a recessed underside, wherein water is adapted to carry off through the aperture.

A conventional soap dish is shown in FIG. 1. A plurality of apertures are formed on a bottom of the dish such that water stored in the dish is adapted to carry off through the apertures. However, the apertures are subject to blockage due to small bores thereof. Further, it is typical that a soap bar in the dish is partially melted by water stored therein as illustrated in FIG. 2. Such condition can be worse if ventilation of the surrounding environment (e.g., in the kitchen or bathroom) is poor. Also, this is not hygienic and its appearance is not aesthetic.

Another conventional soap dish is shown in FIG. 3. The dish comprises a removable cover 90 including a plurality of parallel ridges 92 on an inner surface of the cover, and a plurality of parallel slits 93 each being adjacent the rib 92, the slits 93 adapted to communicate fluid (e.g., air) between the external and an internal receiving space 91; and a brush assembly 80 formed on a bottom of the dish, the brush assembly 80 including a plurality of rows of bristles 81 and a plurality of second slits 82 each being disposed between two adjacent rows of bristles 81 for communicating the receiving space 91 with the external. The brush assembly 80 is adapted to matingly engage with the cover 90 for enclosing a soap bar held by the bristles 81. However, the bristles 81 are subject to elastic fatigue after a period of time of use, resulting in a partial blockage of water flow through the second slits 32. Further, the soap bar still can be partially melted by water stored therein if ventilation of the surrounding environment is poor. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a soap dish having a drain arrangement for enabling water stored therein to carry off completely and maximizing air flow around a soap bar placed therein.

To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides a soap dish with drain arrangement comprising an open first container including a plurality of parallel slits on a bottom; and a second container fitted in the first container, the second container including a plurality of rows of conic projections on a top, the rows of projections being adapted to support a soap bar, and a plurality of rows of apertures each row of apertures being disposed between two adjacent rows of projections, wherein water stored in the second container is adapted to flow to the first container by passing the apertures, water stored in the first container is adapted to carry off through the slits, and outside air is adapted to reach a bottom of the soap bar via the slits and the rows of apertures.

In one aspect of the present invention the aperture is shaped as a funnel.

In another aspect of the present invention the apexes of the rows of projections are flush with each other.

In a further aspect of the present invention the height of the projections increases from the innermost rows to the outermost rows.

In yet further aspect of the present invention the second container further comprises two bottom projecting pads at both sides respectively for supporting the second container on the first container.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective, partly sectional view of a conventional soap dish with a soap bar placed therein;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a partially melted soap bar in the dish;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of another conventional soap dish;

FIG. 4 is a perspective, partly sectional view of a preferred embodiment of soap dish according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the dish shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically illustrating a substantially parallelepiped soap bar held by the second container in the dish shown in FIG. 4 with air passed apertures of the second container; and

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically illustrating a substantially oval soap bar held by the second container in the dish shown in FIG. 4 with air passed apertures of the second container according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, there is shown a soap dish constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. The dish comprises a large open first container 20 including a plurality of parallel slits 21 through a bottom; and a removable, rectangular, small second container 10 fitted in the first container 20, the second container 10 including a frame 11, a shallow recess 12 confined by the frame 11, a plurality of rows of cones 13 formed on the recess 12, a plurality of rows of apertures 14 each row of apertures 14 being disposed between two adjacent rows of cones 13, and two bottom projecting pads 15 at both sides respectively for supporting the second container 10 on a top of the first container 20.

Each aperture 14 is defined by a truncated inverted-cone shaped top surface 141 and an upright lower channel 142 in communication with the slits 21. The apexes of all cones 13 are flush with each other such that a substantially parallelepiped soap bar 1 shown in dash line can be stably held by the cones 13. Further, water stored in the second container 10 is adapted to carry off through the slits 21 by passing the top surfaces 141 and the channels 142. Furthermore, outside air is adapted to reach the soap bar 1 via the slits 21, the channels 142, and the top surfaces 141 for drying the soap bar 1.

Referring to FIG. 7, another preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The differences between these two preferred embodiments, i.e., the characteristics of another preferred embodiment are detailed below. The aperture 14 is formed without the truncated inverted-cone shaped top surface 141. The height of the cones 13 gradually increases from the innermost rows to the outermost rows (i.e., a slightly curved dash line is formed by connecting the apexes of the rows of cones 13). As such, a substantially oval soap bar 1 shown in dash line can be stably held by the cones 13.

Note that in still another embodiment (not shown) the second container 10 can be used independently as a soap dish. In a further embodiment (not shown) the second container 10 and the first container 20 are formed integrally. This can increase applications of the invention. Moreover, water stored in the soap 1 is adapted to easily drop off due to the provision of cones 13. In addition, ventilation is made more effective due to the point contacts between the soap 1 and the cones 13.

It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited only to the particular constructions herein disclosed and shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A soap dish with drain arrangement comprising:

an open first container including a plurality of parallel slits on a bottom; and

a second container fitted in the first container, the second container including a plurality of rows of conic projections on a top, the rows of projections being adapted to support a soap bar, and a plurality of rows of apertures each row of apertures being disposed between two adjacent rows of projections,

wherein water stored in the second container is adapted to flow to the first container by passing the apertures, water stored in the first container is adapted to carry off through the slits, and outside air is adapted to reach a bottom of the soap bar via the slits and the rows of apertures.

2. The soap dish of claim 1, the aperture is shaped as a funnel.

3. The soap dish of claim 1, wherein the apexes of the rows of projections are flush with each other.

4. The soap dish of claim 1, wherein the height of the projections increases from the innermost rows to the outermost rows.

5. The soap dish of claim 1, wherein the second container further comprises two bottom projecting pads at both sides respectively for supporting the second container on the first container.