Soap Holder

Abstract

A soap holder designed to hold a soap bar alone or in combination with soap remnants within a perforated cover equipped with two alternate scrubbing surface and converts the bar soap and soap remnants into a self-lathering scrubbing appliance.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) (1) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/473,195 filed Mar. 17, 2017, of common inventorship herewith entitled, “HANDY SOAP,” which is incorporated herein by reference as though the same were set forth in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to the field of soap holders, and more specifically to the field of soap holders designed to hold the soap bar within a perforated cover equipped with two alternate scrubbing surface and coverts the bar soap into a self-lathering scrubbing appliance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many people take a morning shower before work or a bath at day's end. Many people have had the frustrating experience of having the bar of soap slip away and fall. When the soap is dropped, one must bend down and go after it; and for some people, especially the elderly and disables, the obese, retrieving that soap is nearly impossible. For the rest, it's just plain frustrating. It would be desirable to solve that problem, and make the daily process of bathing with soap and water far more convenient for everyone.

The prior art has put forth several designs for a soap holder.

Among these are:

U.S. Pat. No. 7,014,381 to Dwight H. Graham provides a soap holding device for holding soap while bathing and showering. The device includes a flexible bag for holding soap therein having an opening therein and a plurality of apertures therethrough. A flexible strap for looping around the wrist of a user is coupled to the bag. A flexible outer sponge with an opening therein into which the bag is inserted such that the outer sponge generally envelops the bag.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,126 to Arthur A. Avallone et al provides a combined sponge and soap cake for bathing purposes. The sponge is provided with a cavity in which the soap cake is received, one side of the soap cake being exposed. The soap cake is retained by resilient means in the sponge cavity and said resilient means extends to an outer surface of the sponge for remotely securing the combined sponge and soap cake on the hand of the user or on a manipulating means engageable by the hand or hands of the user.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,577,861 to Beulah L. Henry et al provides a soap-holder formed of cellular material having a central space bounded by the wails of the body, and a mouth opening to said space, flexible strips of impervious rubber secured to the walls of said mouth, and co-acting elements carried by said strips for holding said mouth in closed position.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,792 to Gregg H. Iffinger provides a bar of soap in combination with a sponge for use in washing a person's body. The bar of soap is either adhesively bonded to the sponge or may be mechanically bonded to a plate or substrate which is in turn adhesively bonded to the sponge.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,643 to Joseph E. Caniglia provides a soap and sponge washing device, for example, for washing the body in shower or bath includes a container forming an envelope for a bar of soap, discrete openings through to the container interior allowing water access to the soap and the facile exiting of lather for washing purposes, and a tab-like rocking strip integral with the container material for locking the soap in the container. Preferably there is a plurality of openings and preferably the tab lock is T-shape or truncated arrow-shape and is lockable into an opening in the container to block the entrance thereof.

None of these prior art references describe the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a soap holder designed to hold a soap bar and remnants within a perforated cover equipped with two alternate scrubbing surface and converts the bar soap and remnants into a self-lathering scrubbing appliance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view illustrating a handy soap holder, constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the underside of the handy soap holder, constructed in accordance with the present invention

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a loofah scrubber for attachment to the handy soap holder, constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a sponge scrubber for attachment to the handy soap holder, constructed in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please refer to the drawings.

The present invention is a Soap Holder, also referred to as Handy Soap Holder, which provides a compact, easily handled case or holder 10 for bar bath soaps, designed to hold the bar within a perforated plastic cover that is equipped with two alternate scrubbing surfaces, and will effectively convert the bar soap into a self-lathering scrubbing appliance for personal bathing in bath or shower. Small pieces of bath soap that night otherwise be wasted can also be placed inside the Handy Soap Holder, ensuring the soap is completely used, thus saving users money.

The Handy Soap Holder 10 is a container 16 of any suitable geometric configuration. In an embodiment, container 16 is preferably oval in shape, measuring approximately 6 inches in length by approximately 3½ inches in width and approximately 1 ½ inches in thickness or depth, with a locking, hinged lid 14, connected to container 16. Container 16 comprises a surface regularly perforated with holes 18 or slots through which water may travel in order to mix with soap contained in the container to produce soapy water which exit through holes 18. Soapy water is then usable for washing. Lid 14 is connected to holder 18 by hinge 20.

If desired, a scrubber can be attached to the underside of container 16. Two examples of scrubbers are shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. FIG. 3 shows a loofah scrubber 40. FIG. 4 shows a sponge scrubber 50.

In an embodiment, the underside of container shown in FIG. 2, is equipped with loop tabs 22 for engaging with hook tabs 24, to secure the placement of a scrubber onto container 16. In this embodiment, sponge scrubber 50 comprises hook tabs 24. Loofah scrubber 40, shown in FIG. 3, also comprises hook tabs 24, although hook tabs 24 are not shown in FIG. 3, since they would not be visible through the depiction of the loofah surface.

In an embodiment, the Handy Soap Holder 10 retail package includes two alternate scrubbers which fasten to the soap-holder. The first is a heavier-duty fibrous scrubber 40 such as a loofah, shown in FIG. 3, for scrubbing away heavy dirt and grime; the second is a softer bath sponge scrubber 50 shown in FIG. 4, suitable for gentler follow-up lathering and scrubbing. Each scrubber is easily detachable, and secures when attached to the soap-holder.

In an alternative embodiment, the holder 10 comprises a scrubber permanently or removably mounted to the top of container 16. In a further alternative embodiment, a scrubber is permanently or removably attached to the underside of container 16. In a still further embodiment, a scrubber is permanently or removably attached to the top of container 16 and an additional scrubber is permanently or removably attached to the bottom of container 16.

The Handy Soap Holder eliminates a daily problem shared by hundreds of millions of users, simply by making a bar of soap easy to hold onto and use in bath or shower. This simple, easily affordable bath accessory encases a bar of soap, and then uses it, so to speak, as “fuel” for a two-surface personal scrubber. Put another way, the Handy Soap Holder actually converts a slippery bar of bath soap into an easily managed personal scrubbing device. Any user will appreciate the convenience and ease of use represented by the Handy Soap Holder, and for some users, i.e., the elderly and the mobility-restricted or disabled, the obese, the blind, for example, the Handy Soap Holder will make a truly substantial difference in their quality of life. Clever in conception, thoughtful in design, eminently affordable, and useful to any person who bathes with soap and water, the Handy Soap Holder will find a wide and enthusiastic reception not only among consumers in general and in the specific groups mentioned, but also among such facilities as hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted-living communities, both within America and around the world.

Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

Claims

1. A soap holder for holding soap comprising: a perforated container having underside and a top, and a hinged lid, wherein the container is capable of holding a bar of soap and soap remnants and two removable scrubbers.

2. The soap holder of claim 1 wherein the holder is a container of any suitable geometric configuration.

3. The soap holder of claim 1 wherein the container is oval in shape and measuring approximately 6 inches in length by approximately 3½ inches in width and approximately 1½ inches in thickness or depth.

4. The soap holder of claim 1 wherein the container and the lid comprises perforations.

5. The soap holder of claim 1 wherein a scrubber is attachable to the underside of container.

6. The soap holder of claim 5 wherein the scrubber is a loofah.

7. The soap holder of claim 5 wherein the scrubber is a sponge.

8. The soap holder of claim 5 wherein the scrubber is attached to the container by hook and loop fasteners.

9. The soap holder of claim 5 wherein the scrubber is attached to the container by means of hook and loop fastener tabs wherein the container comprises loop tabs and the scrubber comprises hook tabs to secure the placement of the scrubber onto container.

10. The soap holder of claim 4, further comprising two scrubbers.

11. The soap holder of claim 10, wherein a scrubber is permanently or removably mounted to the top of container and a scrubber is permanently or removably attached to the underside of container the container.