Hand held gel pack

Abstract

A hand held gel pack includes a gel pack, containing a fluid; a plurality of perforations on a surface of the gel pack that allow the fluid to be released; a material covering the surface of the gel pack that is permeable to the fluid; an elastic band, adapted to wrap around a palm of a user's hand; and an attachment mechanism to releasably attach the gel pack to the band. The user may squeeze the container with the hand to release the fluid. The attachment mechanism may be a hooks-and loops attachment mechanism on a second surface of the gel pack, generally opposite the surface having the perforations.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/237,162, filed Aug. 26, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to containers and more specifically to a hand-held gel pack.

People like to use soap. A person may be bathing a patient and cannot squeeze the bottle and hold the patient at the same time, or cannot lather up a wash cloth with a bar of soap. Users need both hands on a patient. Users may be dropping the soap or body wash bottle in the shower. It may be painful and unsafe to bend over to get the bar of soap or bottle that is dropped. Also, showers become cluttered with bottles that do not fit on the narrow shelves.

It would be desirable to provide a gel container that is easily held in a hand, and to eliminate bottles on the shelves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a device utilizing a user's hand includes a container; a band, adapted to wrap around the hand; and an attachment mechanism to releasably attach the container to the band so that the container is retained in the user's hand.

In another aspect of the present invention, a device includes a gel pack, containing a fluid; a plurality of perforations on a surface of the gel pack that allow the fluid to be released; a material covering the surface of the gel pack that is permeable to the fluid; an elastic band, adapted to wrap around a palm of a user's hand; and an attachment mechanism to releasably attach the gel pack to the band; wherein the user may squeeze the container with the hand to release the fluid.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for retaining a container includes wrapping an elastic band around a user's hand; and releasably attaching the container to the elastic band so that the container is held to the palm of the user's hand so that the user may access contents of the container utilizing the hand, and while the container is still held to the palm, utilize fingers of the hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use;

FIG. 2 depicts a band according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A depicts a top view of a container according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B depicts a bottom view of a container according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 depicts a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a container according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The preferred embodiment and other embodiments, which can be used in industry and include the best mode now known of carrying out the invention, are hereby described in detail with reference to the drawings. Further embodiments, features and advantages will become apparent from the ensuing description, or may be learned without undue experimentation. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, except where otherwise indicated. The following description of embodiments, even if phrased in terms of “the invention” or what the embodiment “is,” is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but describes the manner and process of making and using the invention. The coverage of this patent will be described in the claims. The order in which steps are listed in the claims does not necessarily indicate that the steps must be performed in that order.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a hand held gel pack, used for bathing.

Embodiments of the present invention may help allow elderly people to bathe easier, safer. Nursing assistants may have both hands on patients. Embodiments may teach children proper hygiene. Handicapped and arthritic people may be able to bathe on their own. Embodiments may reduce the need for bottles. People may bathe safer and easier, with less waste, more safely, and with reduced clutter. Elderly and children may bathe safer, and easier. There may be less dropping of the soap, and no need to try to squeeze the bottles. Handicapped persons may enjoy bathing with freedom. Embodiments may provide a way to handle the plastic bottles, reducing the clutter and the unsafe way currently used to bathe ourselves, handicapped, children, elderly, and pets.

As depicted in FIG. 1, an embodiment of a device 10 may include a band 12 that fits around a user's hand 14. A container 16 may attach to the band 12 so that the container 16 is held in the palm of the hand 14. The user may use the fingers on the hand 14 for a task, and also access or use the contents of the container 16 without the need to pick up or set down the container. The container 16 may include a gel pack, which the user may squeeze to cause the gel to be released, and then use the fingers while the gel pack is still held in the user's palm.

As depicted in FIG. 2, an embodiment of a band 12 may include an elastic portion 20 and a band attachment portion 22 that attaches to the container with Velcro® or other hooks-and-loops material. The elastic portion should fit around a user's hand, and may be of different sizes or may be one size fits all. The band attachment portion 22 may include loops-material on the side of the band 12 that is exposed palm-side up, which attaches to corresponding hooks-material on the container. The band attachment portion 22 may be effective even when wet, so that it can be used in the shower, or with gel from the gel pack. Band 12 may include an elastic shower band forming a loop with an attachment portion fixed to the shower band, or an elastic strip may be attached to the attachment portion to form a loop. For example, band 12 may include a pair of 2″ by 1″ wide elastic strips, connected to a 2″ by 1″ section of hooks-and-loops material, with the ends of the strips adhered together to form a loop.

As depicted in FIG. 3A, an embodiment of a container 16 may include a gel pack 30 that may attach and release to the palm of a user using the hooks-and-loops. An embodiment of gel pack 30 may have tiny perforations 32 on the palm-side-up side, generally opposite the side with the band attachment portion 22, to allow the gel of choice to come out to the surface of the pack, with a consistent amount of gel being released at the user's own desire. The gel may be non-drip and biodegradable. Embodiments of a gel pack may hold, for example, from 1 to 3 ounces of body wash or other products for hygiene needs, such as a 2½″ diameter plastic gel pack holding 1.2 fluid ounces. A gel pack may be covered or partly covered with fabric 34 which may include, but is not limited to, a soft material, an abrasive material for exfoliating, hair brush-material, etc. The gel pack may be covered on top by terry cloth, luffa, cotton, or with another permeable material depending on what gel is in the container or upon the user's preference. Gel packs may hold shampoo, body wash, moisturizer, medicinal creams etc. An embodiment of the packaging may include a shower band with several packs of interchangeable gel packs that hang in the shower, filled with various fluids. Other liquids for the gel may include window cleaner, furniture polish, silver polish, hand soap—anti bacterial and auto-grease hand cleaner.

As depicted in FIG. 3B, the palm-side-down side of container 16 may include a container attachment portion 36, such as loops-material, that attaches to the corresponding hooks-material in the band attachment portion. Container attachment portion 36 may be approximately the same size as the corresponding band attachment portion, such as, for example, a 2″ by 1″ strip of hooks-and-loops material.

As depicted in the embodiment of FIG. 4, a device 10 may include a band 12 that releasably attaches to a container 16. The band 12 may have a band elastic portion 20 and a band attachment portion 22, and the container 16 may have a gel pack 30 with perforations 32 on an upper surface, partly covered with fabric 34, with a container attachment portion 36 on the lower surface. The attachment portions 22 and 36 may include hooks-and-loops material.

As depicted in FIG. 5, an embodiment of a container 16 may include a pouch 42 that may hold a bar of soap 44 that attaches to the palm of a user's hand with a hooks-and-loops attachment.

Embodiments may be used in the shower. A user might use it after a shower with the gel pack containing moisturizer. A user might use embodiments at the sink. Users may bathe their dog with embodiments or other pets they might have. Users may bathe their children, and teach their children how to bathe. To use an embodiment, a user may put the band on, attach the gel pack of choice, remove an optional tear-off film, and then wet, lather, start washing or otherwise use the gel as the user sees fit.

Uses of embodiments of the invention may include: home use, medical field, massage therapy, mechanic shops, garages, pet grooming, day cares, nursing homes, hospital, auto shops, etc. The biodegradable gel pack may contain a variety of liquids, gels, solvents, creams, cleaners etc. Embodiments may be green, and easy to use. An embodiment may help the elderly, or the arthritic. Embodiments may be used for bathing, such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, or moisturizer. A smaller version of the band may be made to fit around fingers for facial scrub-exfoliater and facial products. Embodiments may be useful for travel, such as in RV living. Embodiments may come in various shapes and sizes for various products, and may be covered with different materials. Embodiments may also service the handicapped.

Embodiments of a pack may be manufactured out of materials that include, but are not limited to, silicon, polyurethanes, and various carbon based elastomers.

An embodiment of a device may include a gel pack, containing a fluid, and a hooks-and-loops band, adapted to fit around a person's palm. The device may attach and release to the person's palm utilizing the hooks-and-loops band so that the person may access the fluid with one hand.

Claims

1. A device utilizing a user's hand, comprising:

a container;

a band, adapted to wrap around the hand; and

an attachment mechanism to releasably attach the container to the band so that the container is retained in the user's hand.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism is a hooks-and loops attachment mechanism.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the container is adapted to hold a fluid.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the container is a perforated gel pack, containing a fluid.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the band is an elastic band adapted to fit around a palm of the hand and the container is held to the palm so that the user may access the contents of the container utilizing the hand, and while the container is still held to the palm, utilize fingers of the hand.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the user may access contents of the container by squeezing the container with the hand to release the contents from the container.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a flexible material covering a surface of the container.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an abrasive material covering a surface of the container.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of perforations on a surface of the container that allow a liquid content of the container to be released through the perforations.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a tear off film that releasably adheres to the surface of the container so as to cover the perforations before the device is utilized.

11. The device of claim 9, further comprising a permeable material covering the perforations.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the attachment mechanism is on a second surface of the container, generally opposite the surface having the perforations.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the container is biodegradable.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the container is adapted to hold a gel selected from the group consisting of shampoo, body wash, moisturizer, medicinal cream, window cleaner, furniture polish, silver polish, hand soap, anti bacterial soap, and auto-grease hand cleaner.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the container includes a pouch adapted to hold a bar of soap.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the container includes an interchangeable gel pack.

17. A device comprising:

a gel pack, containing a fluid;

a plurality of perforations on a surface of the gel pack that allow the fluid to be released;

a material covering the surface of the gel pack that is permeable to the fluid;

an elastic band, adapted to wrap around a palm of a user's hand; and

an attachment mechanism to releasably attach the gel pack to the band;

wherein the user may squeeze the container with the hand to release the fluid.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the attachment mechanism is a hooks-and loops attachment mechanism on a second surface of the gel pack, generally opposite the surface having the perforations.

19. A method for retaining a container, comprising:

wrapping an elastic band around a user's hand; and

releasably attaching the container to the elastic band so that the container is held to the palm of the user's hand so that the user may access contents of the container utilizing the hand, and while the container is still held to the palm, utilize fingers of the hand.

20. The method of claim 19, where in the container is attached to the band with a hooks-and loops attachment mechanism.