US3055040A - Combination soap holder and brush - Google Patents

Description

Se t. 25, 1962 c. E. SCHERMERHORN 3,055,040

COMBINATION SOAP HOLDER AND BRUSH Filed Jan. 29, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

CLARENCE E. SCHERMERHORN ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 c. E. SCHERMERHORN 3,055,040

COMBINATION SOAP HOLDER AND BRUSH Filed Jan- 29, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvron. CLARENCE E.

YSCHERMERHORN L may ATTORNEY P 1962 c. E- SCHERMERHORN 3,055,040

COMBINATION SOAP HOLDER AND BRUSH 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 29, 1960 CLARENCE E. SCHERMERHORN ATTORNEY iifi ifl ih Patented Sept. 25, iasz 3,055,04t9 CGMBHJA'HUN SOAP HQLDER AND BRIEi-I Clarence E. Scherrnerhorn, Lincoln Hotel, Apt. 310, La Porte, Ind. Filed Jan. 29, 196%, Ser. No. 5,457 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-525) The present invention relates to a general purpose utility cleaning device and more particularly to a combination soap holder and brush.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a massage and body cleaning device which is adapted to hold soap either in the form of a single cake or in relatively small pieces and which feeds soapy water into an area having means for cleansing and massaging the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination soap holder and brush. for bath and general cleaning purposes, which contains a soap chamber through which water circulates and discharges into the scrubbing means of the brush and which can be used with or without a handle.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a soap holder and brush combination device having an expandable and contracta'ble soap holding chamber and adapted to receive a handle which can be readily attached to and removed from the device and through which water under pressure can be supplied to the chamber around the soap therein for discharge into the scrubbing area of the brush.

A further object is to provide a device of the aforesaid type which will float regardless of the kind or type of soap placed in the holding chamber and which can be readily and thoroughly cleansed both in the soap chamber and between and around the bristles or scrubbing means of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleansing and massaging device having flexible skin contact means which project substantially straight outwardly from the body of the device and which are provided with special tips adapted to turn and bend approximately parallel with the surface being cleansed to present numerous small, smooth projections for effective cleansing and massaging action.

Another object of the invention is to provide a versatile, combination soap holder and cleansing device which can be readily produced on conventional or standard equiprent and which is safe, economical and easy to use.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is aside elevational view of the present combination soap holder and brush, shown with the detachable handle;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the soap holder and brush device shown in FIGURE 1, without the detachable handle;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross ectional view of the soap holder and brush shown in the preceding figures taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of the soap holder and brush device shown in the preceding figures taken on line 4-d of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the present device;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the present soap holder and brush device shown with the detachable handle mounted in place ready for use;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross sectional view of the handle, taken on line '77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the handle removed from the soap holder and brush portion of the present device; and

FIGURE 9 is a transverse cross sectional view of the handle, taken on line 9-9 of FIGURE 8.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, numeral 10 designates generally the body portion of the present soap holder and brush combination device and numeral 12 indicates the handle of the brush, the body 10 being shown in FIGURES 2 through 5 without the handle and in FIGURES l and 6 with the handle inserted therein in operating position. The body 10 can be used more satisfactorily in some applications without the handle and in others with the handle, and the handle can be readily attached to the body and removed therefrom to adapt the present device to various uses requiring direct application of the hand to the body, or -a handle for more effective manipulation of the device.

The body portion It is preferably constructed of rubber or other flexible or resilient material and consists of a base 14 of substantially rectangular shape having upwardly extending side walls 16 and 18 and end walls 23 and 22 joined integrally therewith at the periphery, and supporting on the lower side a plurality of spaced frustoconically shaped projections 24 covering substantially the entire lower surface of the base 14-. A cover 26, which is preferably sufficiently resilient to be readily stretchable, is joined integrally with the upper edges of the side walls 16 and 18 and is preferably slightly dome shaped to conform generally to the normal shape of a bar of soap. The end walls 26 and 22 are not as high as the side Walls and are spaced from the ends of cover 26 in order to provide openings 3% and 32 at the ends of the body for inserting soap and/ or the handle of the device. These openings preferably extend throughout most of the length of the two ends and can be readily expanded by stretching the cover adjacent the opening to permit a relatively large bar of soap to be inserted in chamber 36. After the bar of soap has been placed in chamber 36 the cover returns to its normal position and restricts the opening so that the bar will remain in the chamber until it is intentionally removed.

The bottom side or brush portion of body 10 is shown in FIGURE 5, which shows the distribution of projections 24 throughout substantially the entire surface of base 14 with the exception of one or more holes 40 connecting chamber 36 with the bottom side of the base to permit soapy water to flow from the chamber onto the surface engaged by the projections. While only one relatively large such hole 40 is shown, two, three or more holes may be employed if desired and these holes may vary in size from one device to another and/ or vary in size from one hole to another on any particular device.

One of the important features of the present device is the shape and construction of projections 24, which preferably are all the same size and shape on any one device and are formed integrally with base 14. These projections are resilient and flexible and have a large portion 42 of frustoconical shape joined directly .at its large end to the underside of base 14 and terminating at the lower end in a small, cylindrically shaped stem 44 formed integrally with the conically shaped portion. The stem is highly flexible and readily turns to one side, often substantially paralleling the surface being scrubbed or massaged by the device, when the device is in use. The individual deflected stems present a smooth surface to the area being subjected to the action of the device and these stems twist and turn from one direction to another as the device is moved to and fro over the area being cleansed and/ or massaged. This action produces effective cleansing action by dislodging foreign matter from creases and pores of the skin and gently works the superi cial layers of the flesh of a persons body to stimulate the circulation of blood in the area.

When the present combination soap holder and brush is being used for some purposes, for example as a bath brush, it is advantageous to have a handle attached to the device. The detachable handle 12 forming a part of the present device, shown in detail in 'FIGURES 6 through 9, consists of a relatively broad portion sufliciently long to project outwardly through both openings 30 and 32 and slightly wider and thicker than the length and height respectively of the two openings so that the portions of the end walls and 22 and adjacent portions of cover 26 will grip the portion 50 of the handle in the two openings and hold the handle firmly in place in the body of the device. A water passage 52 extends inwardly from one end of portion 50 and opens at one side of portion 59 through holes 53. A stem 54 is connected to the end of portion 59 around passage 52 and contains a passage 56 for supplying water from a hose connection (not shown) to passage 52 and thence through holes 53 into chamber 36. The portion 50 and stem 54 are preferably formed integrally with one another of rigid or semi-rigid plastic material of well known compositon; however, the two parts of the handle may be formed of difierent materials such as wood, metal or relatively stiff rubber, and portion 50 and stem 54 may be formed separately of the same or dilferent materials and joined together by any suitable means and construction.

In using the present soap holder and brush device in the condition shown in FIGURES 2 through 5, a bar or pieces of soap are placed in chamber 36 and the device is grasped by the hand with the fingers on one side and the thumb on the other. As the device is used in water for scrubbing and cleansing or when the device is dipped into and removed from water for scrubbing, water flows into chamber 36 through openings 30 and 32 and hole as the device is moved back and forth during the scrubbing operation. An inherent pumping action is created by the flexible cover 26 and resilient side walls 16 and 18 which supplies soapy water through hole 40 into the area of the brush performing the scrubbing action. When the device is removed from the water for scrubbing, the soapy Water in chamber 36 drains for a period of time thereafter to provide a sustained supply of water for the cleaning operation.

When it is advantageous to use the handle, portion 5% is inserted through openings 39 and 32 with the ends projecting outwardly from opposite ends of the device. The handle may be used with or without a water connection and with or without soap in the chamber 36. When stem 54 is connected to a supply of water such as a lavatory spigot, water flows through passes 56 and 52 and from holes 53 into chamber 36 and thence through hole 40 into the area around the projections 24 and onto the surface being cleansed. If soap has been placed in chamber 36 beneath handle 12, the water circulates around the soap as it passes from holes 53 to hole 40 and creates a soapy solution before reaching the area around the projections. In using the present device solely as a massaging implement, the handle would normally be removed and chamber 36 would not contain any soap, since the projections are usually used dry or with a lotion applied directly to the area being massaged.

While only one embodiment of the combination soap holder and brush has been described in detail herein, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A combination soap holder and brush, comprising an elongated body portion of generally rectangular shape and of rubber material having a substantially flat bottom with a hole therethrough near the center thereof and side and end walls forming a chamber for receiving soap, a flexible stretchable cover for said chamber joined to said sides and being spaced from said end walls to form opposed openings in the end of the body at the top of the end Walls, a plurality of downwardly extending projections on the lower side of said bottom, each projection having a frustoconically shaped portion joined integrally at its large end to the underside of said bottom and a relatively slender stem-like portion joined to the small end of said first portion, and a detachable handle having a relatively broad flat portion extending through the opening at each end of said body and a stem connected to one end of said broad portion, said stem and broad portion having a passage therein connected with the chamber in said body on the underside of said broad portion for supplying water to said chamber and thence through the hole in said bottom the height of said end walls beneath said openings being sufiicient to permit the handle to be inserted in said opening while a bar of soap is contained in said chamber and to permit water to flow around the soap to said hole.

2. A combination soap holder and brush, comprising a body portion of rubber material having a substantially flat bottom with a hole therethrough and side and end walls forming a chamber for receiving soap, a flexible stretchable cover for said chamber joined to said sides and being spaced from said end wall to form opposed openings in the end of the body at the top of the end walls, a plurality of downwardly extending projections joined to the lower side of said bottom, each projection having a frustoconically shaped portion joined integrally at its large end to the underside of said bottom and a relatively slender stem-like portion joined to the small end of said first portion, and a handle having a relatively broad portion extending through the opening at each end of said body and projecting outwardly from both ends of the body, said broad portion being gripped firmly by said flexible cover for removably attaching the handle to the body, and a stem connected to one end of said broad portion, said stem and broad portion having a passage therein connected with the chamber in said body for supplying water to said chamber and thence through the hole in said bottom, the height of said end walls beneath said openings being sutficient to permit the handle to be inserted in said opening while a bar of soap is contained in said chamber and to permit water to flow around the soap to said hole.

3. A cleansing and massaging device, comprising a body portion of rubber having a substantially fiat bottom with a hole therethrough and side and end walls forming a chamber for receiving soap, a flexible stretchable cover for said chamber joined to said sides and being spaced from said end walls to form opening in the end of the body at the top of the end walls, a plurality of downwardly extending projections joined to and formed integrally with the lower side of said bottom, and a detachable handle having a relatively broad portion extending through the opening at each end of said body and a stem connected to one end of said broad portion, said stem and broad portion having a passage therein connected with the chamber in said body for supplying water to said chamber and thence through the hole in said bottom, the height of said end walls beneath said openings being sufficient to permit the handle to be inserted in said opening while a bar of soap is contained in said chamber and to permit water to flow around the soap to said hole.

4. A cleansing and massaging device, comprising a body portion having a bottom with a hole therethrough and side and end walls forming a chamber for receiving soap, a flexible stretchable cover for said chamber joined to said sides and being spaced from said end walls to form openings in the ends of the body at the top of the end walls, a plurality of downwardly extending projections joined to the lower side of said bottom, a handle having a relatively broad portion extending through the opening at each end of said body and being gripped firmly by said flexible cover for removably attaching the handle to the body, and a stem connected to one end of said broad portion, the height of said end walls beneath said openings being suflicient to permit the handle around the soap to said hole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mulherin Nov. 1, 1921 6 Crary Sept. 22, 1925 Trumbull Apr. 13, 1926 Meltzer Dec. 27, 1932 Garland Dec.12, 1933 Hernpel Dec. 29, 1936 Orndorif Mar. 21, 1950 Matthay Feb. 2, 1960

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