Portable Hygiene Kit

Abstract

An improved portable hygiene kit comprising a washcloth, pouch and a sealed water bag is presented. The washcloth features a built in pouch which is layered with a water resistant sheet. For use, a person would release the water either by performing a hand twisting action or bending to cause the sealed water bag to rupture and release the water into the absorbent side of the washcloth. The user can also fold the edges of the washcloth and twist the sealed water bag in order to release the water. The user can subsequently clean his or her face, hands, and body with the dampened washcloth. After washing the user can then use the dry portion of the pouch to dry parts of the body.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Keeping clean and removing dirt from various parts of the body are necessary for good health. Every year millions of people, mostly children, die from diseases associated with sanitation and hygiene. These children are often located in areas that lack access to clean running water and adequate supplies to clean themselves. In emergency situations such as earthquakes or war many, individuals are left without a method of cleaning themselves. Often times, water sources are disconnected and there is no flowing water. It is difficult to obtain access to barrels of water, run clean water or to establish a connection to a clean water source.

A variety of products have been used to clean the body during emergency situations. These can include individual packages of tissue, transportation of water to the scene of an emergency or dispensable packages of wipes. The transportation of these products to the the scene of an emergency might occur at different times and the products themselves might become dirty and unusable. In addition, packages of wipes might contain hydrogen peroxide, saline or other disinfectants that can burn the eyes, face or a wound.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the problems associated with personal hygiene and keeping the body clean in emergency situations, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hygiene kit that is designed to take into account the difficulties associated with cleaning the body when access to bathrooms, fresh water and other cleaning facilities are not available. The hygiene kit would be used to cleanse and refresh the hands, face and body. It can also be used for small medical applications and initial cleaning of wounds.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a hygiene kit that is also easily accessible for hospitals, cars, families, office spaces, entertainers, boy scouts, construction workers or any location without readily available water supply due to an emergency situation. For example, it is difficult to drop barrels of water from an emergency airplane or helicopter. The hygiene kit could be dropped from these emergency vehicles or simply distributed quickly to large groups of people. The hygiene kit could be distributed along with food and other emergency items.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a hygiene kit that is easy to manufacture. The sheets of cotton or similar material can be made in variable sizes and quickly assembled in order to distribute expeditiously in emergency situations.

Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a unitary hygiene kit that allows the user to remove dirt from the body followed by quickly drying off using the attached pouch.

In accordance with the present invention, an improved portable hygiene kit for cleaning the hands, face, body, small medical applications and initial cleaning of wounds is presented. The portable hygiene kit comprises a washcloth, a pouch having a water resistant bottom layer and a sealed water bag. The washcloth is sufficiently sized in order to clean parts of the body. A pouch with a water resistant sheet connected to bottom layer is connected to the washcloth. The water resistant sheet prevents the passage of moisture onto the pouch. The pouch is sufficiently sized in order to house a sealed water bag, to receive the hands of a user and to wipe areas of the body. The top side of the pouch has an opening that is sufficiently sized to insert the sealed water bag and a user's hands. The washcloth can be constructed of a cloth material. The water resistant sheet can be constructed of a plastic material.

The sealed water bag is loosely placed into the pouch. For use, a person would release the water either by performing a hand twisting action or bending to cause the sealed water bag to rupture and release the water into the absorbent side of the washcloth. The user can also fold the washcloth in half and twist the sealed water bag in order to release the water. The user can subsequently clean his or her face, hands, and body, or clean a fresh wound with the moisturized part of the washcloth. After washing the user can then use the pouch portion of the kit to dry parts of the body. The washcloth can be discarded, washed or sterilized for later use.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a hygiene kit with various manufacturing options. The water and cloth can be subjected to various sterile treatments and sealed in clean plastic bags. This allows the water to be used for either drinking and cleaning In addition, the hygiene kit could be used for small medical applications and cleaning of wounds obtained in a catastrophe situation.

The hygiene kit can contain more than one sealed water packages which can be distributed to large groups of people.

Additional advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The foregoing features and other aspects of the invention will become more apparent from the drawings, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a portable hygiene kit of a preferred embodiment according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the sealed water bag.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sealed water bag.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the pouch in an open position with the sealed water bag being inserted.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating the water resistant sheet being connected to the bottom layer of the pouch.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a user folding the sealed water bag in order to release water into the washcloth.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a user twisting the sealed water bag in order to release water into the washcloth.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a user compressing the sealed water bag in order to release water into the washcloth.

FIG. 9 illustrates a second embodiment of the sealed water bag wherein the sealed water bag has an opening and is refillable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the portable hygiene kit, the present invention generally indicated by the numeral 10. The portable hygiene kit 10 comprising a washcloth 12, a pouch 18 and a sealed water bag 32. The washcloth 12 is adapted to have a width 14 and a length 16. The washcloth 12 can be constructed of a cloth material and is adequately sized to facilitate wiping of parts of the body. The washcloth 12 has a built in pouch 18 with a bottom layer 20. The bottom layer 20 of the pouch 18 is connected to a water resistant sheet 22. The water resistant sheet 22 is bonded to the bottom layer 20 of the pouch 18 along the perimeter 38 of said pouch 18. The water resistant sheet 22 prevents the pouch 18 from becoming moistened. The water resistant sheet 22 can be constructed of a plastic material.

The pouch 18 has a first side 24, a second side 26, a top side 28 and a bottom side 30. The first side 24, the second side 26, the top side 28 and the bottom side 30 of the pouch 18 is connected to the washcloth 12 in order to house at least one sealed water bag 32.

The top side 28 of the pouch 18 has an opening 34 that is sufficiently sized in order to insert the sealed water bag 32. The opening 34 on the top side 28 is sufficiently sized in order to receive the hand of a user and a sealed water bag 32.

The sealed water 32 bag is filled with water 42 and is sealed along the periphery 36 of the sealed water bag 32.

The pouch 18 is adequately sized to facilitate drying parts of the body and is sufficiently sized in order to house the sealed water bag 32. The pouch 18 can be connected to the washcloth 12 by stitching.

The sealed water bag 32 can be constructed from a thin plastic material which is adaptable to release the water 42 by twisting, folding or compressing the washcloth 12.

After washing the user can then use the pouch 18 to dry parts of the body. The washcloth 10 can be discarded, washed or sterilized for later use.

In a second embodiment of the portable hygiene kit 10, the sealed water bag 32 can have an opening in order to refill the water 42. This allows the user to reuse the portable hygiene kit 10 on multiple occasions.

Claims

1. A portable hygiene kit comprising:

a. a washcloth having a width and a length;

b. wherein said washcloth having a pouch;

c. wherein said pouch having a bottom layer;

d. wherein said bottom layer of said pouch being connected to a water resistant sheet;

e. wherein said water resistant sheet being bonded to said bottom layer of said pouch along the perimeter of said pouch;

f. wherein said pouch has a first side, a second side, a top side and a bottom side;

g. wherein said first side, said second side, said top side and said bottom side of said pouch is connected to said washcloth in order to house at least one sealed water bag;

h. wherein said top side of said pouch has an opening that is sufficiently sized in order to insert said sealed water bag;

i. wherein said opening on said top side is sufficiently sized in order to receive the hand of a user;

j. wherein said sealed water bag being filled with water;

k. Wherein said sealed water bag being sealed along the periphery of said sealed water bag.

2. The washcloth of claim 1 wherein said washcloth can be constructed of a cloth material.

3. The washcloth of claim 1 wherein said washcloth is adequately sized to facilitate wiping of parts of the body.

4. The washcloth of claim 1 wherein said water resistant sheet can be constructed of a plastic material.

5. The pouch of claim 1 wherein said pouch is adequately sized to facilitate drying parts of the body.

6. The pouch of claim 1 wherein said pouch is sufficiently sized in order to house said sealed water bag.

7. The pouch of claim 1 wherein said pouch can be connected to said washcloth by stitching.

8. The sealed water bag of claim 1 wherein said sealed water bag can be constructed from a thin plastic material.

9. The sealed water bag of claim 1 wherein said sealed water bag can release said water into said washcloth by twisting said washcloth.

10. The sealed water bag of claim 1 wherein said sealed water bag can release said water into said washcloth by folding said washcloth.

11. The sealed water bag of claim 1 wherein said sealed water bag can release said water into said washcloth by compressing said washcloth.

12. The sealed water bag of claim 1 wherein said sealed water bag can have an opening in order to refill the water.