EP0375459A2

EP0375459A2 - Body care system

Info

Publication number: EP0375459A2
Application number: EP89313537A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tibor Horvath
Original assignee: MEDICATED FOOT BRUSH Ltd
Current assignee: MEDICATED FOOT BRUSH Ltd
Priority date: 1988-12-22
Filing date: 1989-12-22
Publication date: 1990-06-27
Also published as: EP0375459A3; JPH02246975A; AU4728889A

Abstract

A body care system comprising the foot care device (1), a holder for the device (18) and a dispenser (13) for the ready dispensing of a soap or gel is provided as is a method for performing the same.

The foot care device for cleaning and/or massaging a person's foot has securement means (9) to releasably secure the foot care device to a supporting surface such as the floor of a tub or shower and has elongate connection means attached or attachable to the foot care device whereby the foot care device may in use be placed on the supporting surface, used to massage and/or clean a person's foot and thereafter be removed from the supporting surface by means of the elongate connection means. The foot care device may then be replaced in the article holder means.

Description

BACKGROUND TO INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to body care systems.
More particularly but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a co-ordinated footcare device and system for use in the cleaning and massaging of feet.
To the present time various types of body massage and foot care devices and systems have been commercially available but to varying degrees have suffered from the disadvantage of being limited in application and difficult to use, in the latter respect particularly in the case of people who have difficulty in bending to clean or massage their legs or feet. Foot care mats and other devices are known but a common feature of these is that the user needs to bend or stoop to either install or use the mat or device.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a body care system and component parts thereof which can provide a relatively simple and effective body care system and in a preferred embodiment thereof particularly to facilitate the cleaning and/or massaging of a person's foot while reducing or avoiding the need to bend.
Further objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is thus provided a foot care device comprising a body portion to massage and/or clean a person's foot, securement means to releasably secure the device to a supporting surface, elongate connection means attachable to said foot care device whereby the foot care device may in use be placed on the said supporting surface and after use removed from said supporting surface by the connection means.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a liquid dispenser comprising a hollow elongate body portion having one or more apertures depending therethrough wherein the dispenser may be stored in a substantially upright position and rest on means projecting through said aperture/s.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided article holder means comprising a body portion and article attachment means said body portion having one or more concave portions within which an article may nestle and article attachment means having one or more projections onto which said articles may be placed for storage purposes.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a body care system comprising a foot care device, a liquid dispenser and article holder means wherein a person may clean and/or massage his or her feet wherein stooping is reduced or avoided.
According to a further and final aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of cleaning and/or massaging the feet comprising the steps of:

1. securing a releasably securable foot care device to a supporting service;
2. placing a foot on/in the body portion of the foot care device to massage and/or clean said foot;
3. after use removing said foot care device from said supporting service by pulling elongate connection means attached to said foot care device; and
4. replacing foot care device in holder means wherein stooping by the user reduced or avoided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further aspects of this invention, which should be considered in all its novel aspects, will become apparent from the following description given by way of example of a possible embodiment thereof and in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein;

Figure 1: Shows a front end view of a foot care device;
Figure 2: Shows a side view of a foot care device of Figure 1 with part of the support for the contact means omitted for clarity;
Figure 3: Shows a view of a foot care device of Figure 1 from above;
Figure 4: Shows a perspective view of an article holder means;
Figure 5: Shows a front view of a dispenser means;
Figure 6: Shows a side view of the said dispenser means;
Figure 7: Shows a view of the dispenser means from below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the foot care device of the invention is referenced by arrow 1. It has a body portion 2 and two projections 3 and 4. It also has attached to the said projections 3 and 4 supports 5 and 6 to which are attached bristles or similar resilient material 7 and 8. The said resilient material 7 and 8 comprises the contact means of the device. Formed or attached to the underside of the body portion 2 are suckers or similar material and formed or attached to the upper side of the body portion 2 is further resilient material 10.
The body portion 2, projections 3 and 4 and supports 5 and 6 may be formed of any durable and waterproof material but plastics material has been found to be appropriate. The resilient material may comprise bristle filaments or similar rubber or plastic material.
Figure 2 shows the general contour of resilient material 10 and it will be appreciated that the upper contour of the said material 10 is shaped to accept a human foot. The length of the device and the width between the resilient material 7 and 8 is designed to fit the average person's foot.
As seen in Figure 3 the contact means 7 and 8 are annular and slightly enlongate to provide a larger contact area. Figure 3 also shows that each contact means may comprise different resilient material shown as a heavy material 11 and as lighter material 12. The supports 5 and 6 may be rotatable within projection 3 and 4 thus allowing the user to choose the type of bristle or other resilient material that is appropriate.
The said device may be used by a person brushing the feet one at a time across material 10 with its contoured upper surface available for the heels and toes. The contact means 7 and 8 will simultaneously clean and massage the sides of the feet. Importantly, the arch of the foot would be cleaned and massaged. Further, the toes and areas between individual toes would be massaged due to the bristles or like material co-acting therewith. This cleaning and massaging may provide for healthy skin, tone up muscles and stimulate pressure points on the feet.
Figure 5 shows a dispenser according to one aspect of the present invention. It has a body portion 13 which body portion may be elongate and hollow and form therein an attachment means 14 whereby the dispenser may be attached to a wall unit or similar means. It has an opening 15 and a closure 16 which is pivotable on pin 17.
Figure 6 shows the closure in its first position where the opening is closed. Figure 7 shows the closure in its second position pivoted in a direction acute to the central axis of the body portion thereby exposing the opening 15. Figure 5 shows this general direction with arrow A.
The dispenser may contain a cleansing agent, cooling agent and/or antiperspirant to assist in keeping the feet clean and odour free. The dispenser may also contain an antibacterial agent to promote hygienic use of a foot care device by a number of persons.
The dispenser is adapted to rest with the opening at its lowest or lower extremity and once the closure means is drawn aside the gel or other liquid contain therein is adapted to flow out rapidly. Further, the dispenser may be operated with one hand, thereby providing for ease of use. To assist this the dispenser may either be squeezable or have a plunger or piston which would allow the user to push the liquid towards the opening 15 during use.
Figure 4 shows the article holder means. It is referenced generally by arrow 18. It comprises a body portion 20 which has formed therewith a concave portion 21 in its upper portion. In its lower extremity is connector 22 which is adapted to connect connection means 19 to the article holder means.
The article attachment means comprise two projections: a lower projection 23 and upper projection 24. Both projections are shown to comprise a strengthened stem 23(a) and 24(a) respectively and a bulbous distal end 23(b) and 24(b) respectively; so that an article may be placed on said projection and rest thereon without dislodging.
It will be seen that concave portion 21 is curved in cross-section. It provides, in effect, a curved backing support into which an appropriately shaped container, such as the liquid dispenser 13, may fit and be stored when not in use. That is, with projection 24 fitting into the aperture 14 of the dispenser and with distal end 24(b) preventing the dispenser from dislodging itself.
The foot care device 1 is shown to have abutment 25 through which is an annular aperture 26. The foot care device is adapted to fit onto projection 23 by means of aperture 26.
The article holder means may be secured to a wall or other substantially upright supporting surface; at waist or other convenient height from the ground.
When required for use the foot care device may be removed from the article holder means 18, placed on a supporting surface whereby suckers 9 would adhere to such surface, the liquid dispenser 13 removed from the article holder means 18 and a gel placed on the resilient material of the foot care device or the foot itself. The foot care device may then be used. Once cleaning and/or massaging has been completed the foot care device may be removed from the supporting surface by the pulling of connection means 19 which may comprise tape or rope and the foot care device may then be replaced on the lower projection 23 of article holder means 18. It will be appreciated that the need for the user to stoop down to install the foot care device or clean their feet or remove it for storage is reduced or removed during the above.
It will be appreciated that when the said components are used together the system provides a co-ordinated body care system for the simpler and more efficient massaging and cleaning of the feet and related parts of the body. While the system has been described as relating to a single foot care device, dispenser and holder it will be appreciated that one or more body care brushes or devices (for example, for massaging the legs) may be provided as may a number of body care liquids and gels; all housed in a common holder means.

Claims

1. A foot care device comprising a body portion to massage and/or clean a person's foot, securement means to releasably secure the device to a supporting surface, characterised in that elongate connection means are attachable to said foot care device whereby the foot care device may in use be placed on the said supporting surface and after use removed from said supporting surface by the connection means.

2. A foot care device according to claim 1 wherein the body portion has a surface of resilient material contoured to conform substantially to the shape of the underside of a person's foot.

3. A foot care device according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the body portion has adjustable contact means of resilient material postioned adjacent the sides of the body portion and adapted to clean and/or massage the side/s of a person's foot.

4. A foot care device according to claim 3 wherein said resilient material is of a variable composition and in which said contact means may be adjusted so as to alter the cleaning and/or massaging characteristics of the said contact means.

5. A foot care device according to claims 3 or 4 wherein the contact means are rotatably adjustable.

6. A foot care device according to claims 3 or 4 wherein the contact means are removeably interchangeable.

7. A liquid dispenser comprising a hollow elongate body portion characterised in that it has one or more appertures depending therethrough so that the dispenser may be stored in a substantially upright position and rest on means projecting through said aperture/s.

8. A liquid dispenser according to claim 7 wherein said apperture/s are situated in the upper portion of said body portion.

9. A liquid dispenser according to claims 7 or 8 wherein said body portion has opening/s in its lower portion said body portion having also a pivotable closure means adapted to close said opening/s in its first position and move substantially acutely from the axis of the said body portion to a second position thereby providing for the ready discharge of liquid material contained therein.

10. A liquid dispenser according to claims 7 to 9 wherein the body is flexibly squeezable during discharge of liquid material.

11. A liquid dispenser according to claims 7 to 9 wherein the body portion has a movable member whereby liquid may be urged toward said opening/s prior to or during discharge of liquid material.

12. A liquid dispenser according to claims 7 to 11 adapted to interfit with a mutually curved dispenser holding means.

13. Article holder means comprising a body portion and article attachment means having one or more projections onto which said articles may be placed for storage purposes characterised in that said body portion has one or more concave portions within which an article may nestle during storage.

14. Article holder means according to claim 13 wherein said means is adapted to be fixed to a substantially verticle supporting surface.

15. Article holder means according to claims 13 or 14 having a plurality of projections to accept one or more liquid dispensers and/or body care devices.

16. Article holder means according to claims 13 to 15 wherein said projections depend perpendiculurly from the body portion with upper projections adapted to accept one or more liquid dispensers and lower projections adapted to accept one or more body care devices.

17. Article holder means according to claims 13 to 16 wherein said holder means is attached to a body care device by means of elongate connections means.

18. A body care system comprising a foot care device according to claim 1 and article holder means according to claim 13 wherein a person may clean and/or massage his or her feet wherein stooping is reduced or avoided.

19. A body care system comprising a foot care device according to claim 1 a liquid dispenser according to claim 7 and article holder means according to claim 13 wherein a person may clean and/or massage his or her feet wherein stooping is reduced or avoided.

20. A method of cleaning and/or massaging the feet, said method comprising the steps of:

1. securing a releasably securable foot care device to a supporting service;

2. placing a foot on/in the body portion of the foot care device to massage and/or clean said foot;

3. characterised in that after use said foot care device may be removed from said supporting service by pulling elongate connection means attached to said foot care device; and

4. the foot care device is replaced in article holder means or like storage facility
wherein stooping by the user is reduced or avoided.

21. A foot care device substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1-3 of the accompaning drawings.

22. A liquid dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 5-7 of the accompanying drawings.

23. An article holder means substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

24. A body care system substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. A method substantially as herein described.