Exfoliating Sash for Cleaning and Massaging

Abstract

A wash-cloth of substantially rectangular shape having first, second and third retaining pockets along the length thereof, the first and third of which are stitched to include two or more massaging balls, and the second of which is releasably openable to retain a bar of replaceable soap to provide a simultaneous cleaning and massaging of neck, back and leg body parts in the rubbing and scrubbing thereover in use of the cloth—and with the cloth being of an exfoliant surrounding layer, to be bacteria and mold resistant, lightweight and quickly dryable, in providing radiant, refreshing and rejuvenating blood circulation stimulation in a body cleansing manner.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

NONE.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the providing of a cleaning and massage experience to every bath or shower user, in general, and to an advanced type of wash-cloth design stimulative to create a refreshed and rejuvenated effect in leaving one's skin radiant and firm, after use, in particular.

Description of the Related Art

As set out in my previous U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,456 entitled “Wash-Cloth That Cleans and Massages”, I described a wash-cloth having a plurality of built-in pockets for the simultaneous placement therein of both soap bars and massaging devices. There, clipping handles were set out as being integrally knit to opposing ends of its main body so that the wash-cloth could be safely held and easily used (particularly by tall, overweight or disabled persons), to effectively clean and massage the back and other difficult to reach areas. Safe and comfortable to use, the wash-cloth provided both cleaning and massaging at the same time. As set out in my patent, the wash-cloth was both simple in design, and of a low cost to manufacture.

In describing a preferred embodiment of that invention, I identified the wash-cloth as including a flexible material having an effective yet comfortable degree of porosity, coarseness and abrasiveness. Specifically, the main body of the wash-cloth was called out as being made of such suitable materials as terry cloth, turkish bath towel, jute, nylon, cellulose sponge or cotton. As will be described below, however, while still providing the same advances of comfort in use and savings in manufacture, an exfoliating sash of the present invention offers even further advantages of being mold and bacteria resistant and quick drying for readiness to use again in virtually no time—as well as being lightweight, durable and compact (thereby making it available as a perfect gift, especially in that once finished in cleansing and massaging, it need only be simply rinsed and hung to dry).

Object of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide the same features in a sash able to be utilized with luxurious organic handmade soaps for normal, dry, oily or sensitive skin for female and male users alike.

It is an object of the present invention, also, to afford a spa-type experience in wrapping and gently rubbing a shower sash to glide across the user's back, legs, or any hard-to-reach spots. Essentially in a cultured scrub and rub manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As will become clear from the following description, these objectives are satisfied through the use of an exfoliating cloth, rather than with the flexible materials of my previous noted patent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of my earlier patent of its wash-cloth construction with a pair of pockets for securing a bar of soap, on the one hand, and massaging utensils, on the other hand;

FIG. 2 is a view taken through 2-2 of FIG. 1 wherein a bar of soap is retained in one pocket while the massaging utensils are retained in the other pocket—besides showing the differing material coarseness on opposing sides of the main body of the wash-cloth patent;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the wash-cloth described there, having gripping handles on opposing ends, and a pair of pockets having retaining means to contain the soap and massaging utensils;

FIG. 4 is a side view taken through 4-4 of FIG. 3 of one embodiment of a massaging utensil therein utilized, as it is retained in its wash-cloth pocket by a velcro securing means on the pocket flap;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a pair of massaging utensils there employed in the patent's FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exfoliating sash usable as the previous main body in providing the benefits of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the main body of the wash-cloth of my U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,456 is illustrated at 10, as having two pockets, both designated as 11. Each pocket 11 had at its open end a securing flap 12 and a securing means 13 for retaining items securely within the pocket 11 while bathing.

That wash-cloth 10, in accordance with the teachings of my patent, was made from a suitably flexible material having an effective yet comfortable degree of porosity, coarseness and abrasiveness for use as a wash-cloth. Such wash-cloth 10 was described as being made of terry cloth, turkish bath towel, jute, nylon, cellulose sponge or cotton. In the side view of the wash-cloth body 10 of FIG. 2, a combination of two materials having different porosities 20 and 30 were used on either side. As there set out, a user could clean with the side having the smoother and less porous characteristic (designated as 20) and then turn the wash-cloth 10 over so as to massage and scratch his or her back with the other side of the wash-cloth 10, of the more porous material (shown as 30).

As described in my '456 patent, the wash-cloth body 10 had on one side a pair of integrally knit and centered receiving pockets 11. Securing flaps of each pocket 11 were integrally formed at one end of each of the pockets, which were also integrally formed on the main body of the wash-cloth 10. In the embodiment illustrated there, the pockets 11 were made of a single piece of the same material as the main body 10—the single piece of material being transversely slit near one end on either side of the center line to form a securing flap 12 for the pocket 11, integral with such pocket at two points. The severed edge forming the securing flap 12 for the pocket 11 was stitched to the main body of the wash-cloth 10, and the flap 12 turned down over the severed but unstitched edge of the pocket 11. The opposite edge of the pocket, as well as the adjacent sides thereof, and the superposed sides of the pocket 11 and flap 12 were then stitched to the main body 10.

The receiving pockets 11 on one side of the main body 10 were made from the same material as the main body of the wash-cloth. The pockets 11 were formed from a single rectangular remaining member which was transversally slit along a line 17 between the points 18 and 19 and adjacent one end to form the securing flap 12. The opposite end of the pocket 11 was then also stitched to the main body of the wash-cloth 10, the stitching being sewn upwardly along the lines 21 and 22 at the sides of the pocket 11 and further continued to fasten the sides of the superposed securing flap 12 as well as the sides of the pocket 11 to the main body 10.

As illustrated there, entrance to the pockets 11 was along the unstitched edge 23, so that by bringing the edge of securing flap 12 close to the stitching points 18-19 of the pockets 11, a bar of soap 16 and a massaging utensil 15 once inserted in the pockets 11 (as shown in FIG. 1), are substantially prevented from slipping out when the wash-cloth 10 was in use. Not only did the securing flap 12 there hinder the dislocation of any inserted item, but securing means 13, attached on flap 12, kept the soap 16 in place until totally used. Although velcro was used as the securing means 13 on the flap 12 in the embodiment set forth in my '456 patent because it was least likely to cause discomfort and abrasion when pressing the wash-cloth 10 against the body, other known securing means could be used instead—such as buttons or zippers, if properly covered. To prevent sagging of the pockets 11 after continued use, the four corners thereof, as well as the corners of the end of the securing flaps 12, were locked and stitched.

As shown in FIG. 3, handles 14 were integrally attached at points 24 on the opposing ends of the body of the wash-cloth 10. As also shown in FIG. 1, such handles 14 could be easily held by a person to both clean and massage their back. Although, the main body of the wash-cloth was preferably shown rectangular in shape, other shapes and sizes could have been used as long as they were configured to contain a plurality of pockets, and were of sufficient length so that the handles 14 could be easily attached on opposing ends of the main body 10. This allowed a bather to easily and safely clean and massage his or her back.

In FIG. 4, one type of massaging utensil was shown as being retained in the wash-cloth pocket 11 by a velcro securing means 13 on the pocket flap 12. FIG. 5 showed this massaging utensil 15 as being comprised of a pair of apertured massaging balls 32. An apertured rod 31 was passed through the aperture of the massaging balls, and the combination was held together by knotting together a piece of material which was passed through the aperture in the rod 31. Unattached massaging balls 32, furthermore, could alternatively be secured in the retaining pockets 11 by the flap 12 and the selected securing means 13. (As there described, in addition to a bar of soap 16 and a massaging utensil 15, a handicapped bather (for instance) could insert ice or other medicative composition for aiding them in contacting and thus medicating an injured area of the back.)

As with the present invention modified as described below, the wash-cloth 10 of FIGS. 1-5 was easily usable by inserting into the pockets 11 a massaging utensil 15, a bar of soap 16, and any other items that might be required. This would be done by lifting the unstitched edge 23 of the securing flap 12 upwardly away from the main body 10 and pulling downwardly on the unstitched edge 23 of the pocket 11. After the needed items are inserted into pockets 11, they are then secured therein by pulling downwardly on the unstitched edge 23 of the securing flap 12. The securing means 13 on the flap 12 are then engaged so that anything inserted in the pocket 11 will not be dislodged. The bather then takes hold of each of the handles 14 so that they can wash and simultaneously massage their backs without having to bend and strain. Under normal conditions, the bar of soap 16 would eventually become completely used—and there is thus no small, formerly discardable pieces of soap left over.

Although operable in similar manner, the sash of the present invention goes one step further by substituting an exfoliating sash fabric cloth manufacture for those flexible materials usable for the main body wash-cloth members 10 of my earlier patent. Other modifications will be seen as well.

Thus, in FIG. 6, three massaging balls 66 each, arranged in preferably triangular placement, are shown in pockets 60, 62 near opposing ends 42, 44 of the sash cloth 50 stitched between their front and rear sides 46, 48—along with a bar of soap 52 extending outwardly of the pocket 64 to be secured in place when the flap securing means for the soap at 54 is fastened (as by velcro). The graspable handles are shown at 56, 58, with a preferred form of packaging of the exfoliating sash cloth being a see-through plastic type bag which the handles 56, 58 are folded up over and under the sash 50, and the bag tied with a decorous ribbon for presenting the sash as a gift. In this embodiment, the exfoliating sash is comprised of folded over layered sheet material of an open honeycomb, triangular or diamond-shape, configuration. With the ends of the sash held, one end in each hand, gently rubbing and gliding the sash across the back, legs or other parts of the body, produces the massage that stimulates the blood circulation in causing the user to feel radiant, refreshed and rejuvenated—while with the soap also in place in the pocket 64 between the pockets 60 and 62, such body areas are cleansed at the same time. This type wash-cloth, when so used, is additionally both mold and bacteria resistant, dries quickly, and is ready to use again in virtually no time at all. Being lightweight, durable and compact, it becomes a perfect gift for everyone—especially when provided with luxurious organic handmade soaps suited for those with any characterization of normal, dry, oily or sensitive skin. The exfoliation feature allows the body to be washed with a granular cosmetic preparation in order to remove dirt cells from the skin surface as well as unclogging the skin's pores. When finished, the exfoliating sash cloth can simply be rinsed and hung to dry, with the knowledge that dead dry skin, impurities and clogged pores that could cause blackheads and acne have been removed. With the massaging balls 66 being made of a wooden composition in a preferred embodiment of the invention stitched within their pockets, the sash fabric cloth is able to provide the exfoliating massage action for years, making periodic replacement of the bar of soap 52, the only thing necessary to provide the simultaneous cleansing of the body. A scrub-and-rub thereby results in a continuously usable cultured, mold and bacteria resistant manner.

In use then, grasping the handles 58 while showering, for example, and drawing the sash 50 back and forth, left and right, across the neck, back, legs or other body part provides a massaging by the balls 66 about the body and a cleansing by the soap 52; and moreover, an increased massaging by the balls being in two sets of spaced pockets 60, 62 in each left-right movement, as compared to the massaging obtainable with the balls in the one pocket 11 illustrated in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,456 prior art patent. Added together with the open honeycomb layered sheet configuration of the sash providing the exfoliating feature of the present invention, the advantages over my earlier design will be seen to be apparent. Avoiding the prior requirement of employing a cloth of two materials of differing porosities (a smoother, less porous one for cleansing, and a rougher, more porous one turned over for massaging and scratching) makes the advantages of this single folded over exfoliating material of the instant invention that much more obvious.

While there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. Thus, the massaging balls 66 in the pockets 60, 62 of FIG. 6 can be arranged in different placements according to the invention—and even one, two or more balls could be used there instead, as long as together, they act as a massaging utensil for the sash as it is drawn back and forth in use. And as will be appreciated, the advantages of the invention will also be seen to follow if just two retaining pockets were employed in the sash, one for the soap and one for the massaging utensil. For at least such reasons therefore resort should be had to the appended claims for a true understanding of the invention.

Claims

1. A wash-cloth comprising:

a main body of rectangular shape comprising two sheets of flexible material of given porosity, coarseness and abrasiveness, such sheets being integrally secured together to form the main body; two or more retaining pockets, each being integrally attached between the sheets located along the length of the main body; a securing flap integrally attached to one edge of one of the retaining pockets; securing means attaching said flap for retaining a bar of soap in said one of the retaining pockets, and for retaining massaging utensils inside the others of the retaining pockets; two handles, each being integrally attached to opposing ends of the main body of the wash-cloth; and

wherein said main body comprises front and rear sheets of exfoliating fabric of an open honeycomb design.

2. The wash-cloth of claim 1 including three retaining pockets centrally located along the length of the main body, between said opposing ends, with securing means attached for securing the flap on the pocket in the middle thereof to retain the bar of soap therein.

3. The wash-cloth of claim 2 wherein securing means attached to the two retaining pockets on either side of said middle pocket secure two or more massaging balls in each of said two pockets.

4. The wash-cloth of claim 3 wherein said massaging balls are stitched within said two retaining pockets.

5. The wash-cloth of claim 4 wherein each of said two retaining pockets include one, two or three massaging balls.

6. The wash-cloth of claim 5 wherein each of said two retaining pockets include three massaging balls arranged in triangular placements each.

7. The wash-cloth of claim 6 wherein said sheets of exfoliating fabric are of an open triangular or diamond honeycomb design.