AU673973B2

AU673973B2 - A brush assembly

Info

Publication number: AU673973B2
Application number: AU20220/95A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Marie May Hall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-05-20
Filing date: 1995-05-22
Publication date: 1996-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2015-05-22
Also published as: AU2022095A

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 o r r

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: MARIE MAY HALL Marie May Hall

INTELLPRO

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys 13th Floor, 379 Queen Street BRISBANE, QLD, 4000 (GPO Box 1339, BRISBANE, 4001) A Brush Assembly Invention Title: Details of Associated Provisional Application(s) No(s): Australian Patent Application No. PM5778 filed May 1994.

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: Is 2 THIS INVENTION relates to a brush assembly and in particular, but not limited to a brush assembly employing suction fastening means so the brush assembly can be used by the aged or infirm for cleaning their feet.

Aged people or persons suffering from illness or disability can have difficulty bathing. In particular, they can have difficulty using bathing aids including massage devices such as brushes or the like.

In most modern units for the elderly, baths are not installed, showers being preferred. This means the elderly person has to stoop to clean or massage feet.

Difficulties can arise where the person suffers from, for example, ~arthritis, chronic back pain and so forth.

A particular area where problems arise is with the feet, as difficulty reaching the feet can come with age. Frequently foot soreness can be relieved by massage and also foot hygiene can be critical to prevent disorders including 15 tinea and athletes foot.

Some people simply cannot reach their feet to adequately massage or clean their feet and it would be desirable to provide a solution to this problem.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to alleviate or ameliorate at least to some degree the aforementioned problem.

In one aspect therefore, the present invention resides in a brush assembly comprising a brush element, a body holding the brush element and releasable securing means for securing the body in fixed relationship to a support so the brush element is held stationary while a user moves a part of his body over the brush element in a massaging action, the body having 3 releasable securing means attachment means and the releasable securing means being secured to the body by the attachment means.

In one preferred form the present invention resides in a brush assembly comprising a body holding on one side a plurality of projecting brush elements, and on an opposite side thereof a plurality of releasable securing means in the form of suction fastening means, the body having a plurality of projections holding said brush elements.

The brush element typically comprises rollers, brushes or any brush suitable for use in massage and most preferably provides a general massage area or surface releasably securable to a support. For example, the brush element could be a plurality of brush rollers providing a undulating surface of oooo S. brush rollers or it could be a plurality of ends of brush bristles making up a relatively flat surface over which the body part rides under the action of the brush.

The brush element and the body are typically related by relative size with the body having an upper surface being arranged to support the brush element over a major portion of the area of the surface provided by the brush element, Where a brush having upright brush bristles is employed, the brush bristles are typically 20mm to 50mm long and held in groups of 150 to 200 bristles per group. A typical group distribution of three to seven and preferably five groups for every 2 square centimetres of body surface area is preferred.

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4 The brush surface can be contoured to suit the shape of certain body parts and for example, in the case of a foot, the brush surface can be shaped to follow the arch of the foot.

The releasable securing means can be any suitable means for holding the body relative to the support. Typically, a plurality of suction fastening means are employed. Preferably the suction fastening means are distributed over the undersurface of the body opposite the brush element. Preferably, the suction fastening means comprises a plurality of suction cups distributed over the undersurface of said body and that a cup distribution of .5 to 5 suction cups per square centimetre is employed.

lo The body and suction means is typically low profiled with a large :number of releasable securing means as independent sites so that the body is held rigidly to the support over a major portion of the undersurface of the body.

The body and releasable securing means are made separately and can be joined together as a laminated structure or the releasable securing means can be separate independent securing means each individually secured to the body.

Where suction cups are employed, it is preferable to provideattachment means in the form of spaced suction cup holes in the body, the suction cups having projections frictionally or otherwise held in the suction cup holes.

Preferably, the body is made of rigid material while the suction cups and their projections are made of flexible material. Typically, in this embodiment, the brush bristles are held in brush holes in the opposite side of the body with the 9 suction cup holes being offset relative to the brush holes.

The body is preferably substantially hollow to minimise the amount of material used in the body. Typically, projections having recesses holding suction cups are employed with the body having wasted regions on an underside of the body.

The brush assembly can be any size but is preferably about 130mm to 200mm long by 60mm to 100mm wide and most preferably, about 170mm long by 80mm wide. The body is typically up to a thickness of about 1cm but may be thinner or thicker as desired.

Preferably plastic suction cups and rubber suction cups are employed together so that the brush can be secured equally well to surfaces where S: rubber or plastic cups have better adherence. Typically the cups are organised •go• *oo :in pairs with 2 to 3 or 4 pairs being employed. In one embodiment some suction cups project further than others.

oO*o 15 In one preferred form of brush, the bristle hardness varies over the surface of the brush. Most preferably the bristles toward the centre of the brush are harder than bristles about the periphery.

In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and be put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings and wherein:- Figure 1 is a pictorial view of one example of the present invention as applied to a brush for feet; Figure 2 is a side view illustrating a further embodiment of the present invention being used; I 6 Figure 3 is a plan view of a body suitable for a brush assembly according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a section through 4-4 of Figure 3 illustrating how suction cups and bristles are fitted to the body of Figure 3; Figures 5 and 6 are opposite plan views of a further embodiment of the present invention; and Figures 7 and 8 are sections through A-A and B-B of Figure respectively.

Figure 9 is a side view illustrating a further embodiment.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1, there is illustrated a brush assembly 10 comprising a brush element in the form of a surface of brush bristles 11 secured to a plastics body 12, the body 12 having a ooeo rubberised layer 13 including releasable securing means in the form of suction cups 14 secured to the body 12.

*9 15 The body 12 is in this case 120mm long by 60mm wide with bristle 9. 9 groups 15 evenly distributed over the surface 16 of the body 12 with each bristle group holding around 200 bristles. In the illustrated embodiment, the 9 bristle groups in alternate layers are offset and provide a bristle group distribution of 1 to 2 bristle groups per square centimetre. The bristles in the illustrated embodiment are semi-rigid and in the case of a foot brush, are preferably fairly rigid so that a user can apply a reasondble amount of weight to the brushes without significantly distorting or bending the brush elements.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is illustrated the brush assembly where the suction cups 14 have been applied to a surface 17, thereby holding the support 12 rigid relative to the surface 17. A user applying a foot 18 in back and forth action in the direction of the arrow 19 can massage the underside 20 of his or her foot 18. in the illustrated embodiment, the upper surface defined by the ends of the brush elements is contoured so it has a higher portion in the region 21 of the foot arch.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a further embodiment 22 of the present invention where eight suction cups 23 are independently held in suction cup holes 24 with brush holes 25 on the opposite being offset relative to the suction cup holes.

Each suction cup includes an enlarged resilient projection 26 so that when the projection is pushed into a hole 24, it is compressed to frictionally hold the suction cup in place.

•moo Referring now to Figures 5 to 7, a further embodiment 27 of the invention is described. In this case, the body 28 is substantially hollow to oOO• 15 minimise the amount of material employed to reduce cost. In all other aspects, the brush assembly is the same as the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4.

The upper surface 29 is closed save for holes 30 formed in projections which project from the underside 31 to take bristles while the underside 31 is 0. recessed so there is provided eight recessed projections 32 to take suction cups 33.

Figure 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment 35 where three pairs of suction cups are employed with a pair of spaced plastic suction cups 36 being employed at each end and a pair of larger rubber suction cups 37 being employed in the centre. This facilitates a rocking action in use which helps I 0.

8 adhesion of the brush to a surface.

It will be appreciated that the present invention has particular application for use in showering as the massage device can simply be secured on the floor of the shower recess and can be used by a person standing.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention, many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

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Claims

1. A brush assembly comprising a body holding on one side a plurality of projecting brush elements, and on an opposite side thereof a plurality of releasable securing means in the form of suction fastening means, the body having a plurality of projections holding said brush elements.

2. A brush assembly according to claim 1 employing upright brush bristles, the brush bristles being 20mm to 50mm long and held in groups of 150 to 200 bristles per group with a group distribution of three to seven groups for every 2 square centimetres of body surface area.

3. A brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein the suction fastening means are distributed over a surface of the body opposite the brush elements, :the suction fastening means comprises a plurality of suction cups distributed o. over the said surface of said body and having a suction cup distribution of to 5 suction cups per square centimetre.

4. A brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein the suction fastening means comprises a plurality of spaced suction cups held in spaced recesses, the said projections holding the bristles and the said recesses holding the suction fastening means being offset and overlapping.

A brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein the body and suction fastening means are made separately and are joined together as a laminated structure.

6. A brush assembly according to claim 1 wherein the body is substantially thin walled to minimise the amount of material used in the body and the projections have respective recesses holding suction cups and bristles I respectively.

7. A brush assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the body is generally rectangular and the brush assembly is 130mm to 200mm long by 60mm to 100mm wide.

8. A brush assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein plastic suction cups and rubber suction cups are employed together so that the brush can be secured equally well to surfaces where rubber or plastic cups have better adherence.

9. A brush assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein selected ones of said suction fastening means project further from the body than other ones of said suction fastening means.

10. A brush assembly according to claim 9 wherein the body is generally S :elongate and has suction cups adjacent each end of the body and suction cups l*eo intermediate and generally medially placed, the medially placed suction cups projecting further from the body than the suction cups adjacent the ends of the body.

11. A brush assembly substantially as described with reference to Figures to 7 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 22th day of May 1995. MARIE MAY HALL By her Patent Attorneys INTELLPRO I I 11 ABSTRACT A brush assembly 10 comprising a brush element in the form of a surface of brush bristles 11 secured to a plastics body 12, the body 12 having a rubberised layer 13 including releasable securing means in the form of suction cups 14 secured to the body 12.