Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
  • A47K7/00—Body washing or cleaning implements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
  • A47K5/00—Holders or dispensers for soap, toothpaste, or the like
  • A47K5/04—Other soap-cake holders
  • A47K5/05—Other soap-cake holders having fixing devices for cakes of soap, e.g. clamps, pins, magnets
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C11—ANIMAL OR VEGETABLE OILS, FATS, FATTY SUBSTANCES OR WAXES; FATTY ACIDS THEREFROM; DETERGENTS; CANDLES
  • C11D—DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL
  • C11D17/00—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties
  • C11D17/04—Detergent materials or soaps characterised by their shape or physical properties combined with or containing other objects
  • C11D17/041—Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for storing and reusing remnants of soap.
• the present invention seeks to overcome these problems .
• an apparatus for storing and reusing remnants of soap comprising:
• first and second surfaces for receiving remnants of soap
• apparatus provides a convenient means for reusing
• the through-hole allows the soap remnants on the first and second surfaces to adhere to each other, thereby helping to form the soap remnants and apparatus into a single unit, and thereby holding the soap in place on the apparatus.
• the apparatus further comprises a rim along an edge of the first and/or second surfaces. This helps to hold the soap in place when pressing or moulding the remnants onto the apparatus.
• the rim may have an inner surface substantially perpendicular to the first and/or second surfaces.
• An inner surface of the rim may be recessed.
• this helps to secure soap remnants to the apparatus.
• the rim has a convex outer surface.
• the first and/or second surface further comprises one or more dimples and/or protrusions.
• the first and second surfaces are provided by opposing surfaces of a substantially sheetlike body.
• the body is substantially circular or oval .
• a method for storing and reusing remnants of soap comprising:
• the method may further comprise soaking the first and/or second soap remnants prior to pressing onto the body .
• the method may further comprise adhering further remnants of soap to the first and/or second remnants of soap .
• the method may further comprise moulding the adhered remnants of soap so that the adhered soap remnants resemble a bar of soap.
• the body may be an apparatus as defined above.
• Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a soap-saving apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention
• Figure 2 shows a plan view of the soap-saving apparatus of Figure 1;
• Figure 3a shows an end view of the soap-saving apparatus of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 3b shows an enlargement of the encircled portion of Figure 3a labelled "A"
• Figures 4 to 6 show corresponding views of a soap- saving apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
• FIGS 1 to 3 show a soap-saving apparatus or soap- saver 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
• the soap-saver 10 comprises a flat body 12 having a first surface 14 and a second surface 16 for receiving remnants of soap.
• Two through-holes 18 connect the first and second surfaces 14, 16.
• soap-saver 10 As a remnant of soap becomes too small to be of practical use, it can be soaked overnight and moulded into the soap-saver 10. Initially, three or four slithers may be needed to start off the soap-saver 10, but then more remnants of soap can be added as required. Once the soap has been moulded and formed onto the soap- saver 10, it can be allowed to dry and be used as a normal bar of soap would be used. More soap can be added as and when required.
• the soap-saver 10 allows for remnants of soap to build up to a useful practical size for continual use. There is no limit to the number of soap remnants that can be added as the soap naturally reduces in size with use.
• the through-holes 18 take advantage of soap's natural propensity to adhere to itself on either side of the soap-saver 10. This locks the soap remnants firmly to the soap-saver 10.
• a suitable diameter for the through-holes 18 is 2.5cm, although different sizes and non-circular shapes may be used.
• the first and second surfaces 14, 16 of the soap- saver 10 are dimpled, the dimples 20 giving a degree of stability and helping to prevent the soap sliding from side to side in its early stages of adherence to the soap-saver 10.
• the surfaces may include protrusions instead of or in addition to dimples .
• the soap-saver 10 also comprises a rim 22 around the edge of the first and second surfaces 14, 16. This rim 22 has an inner surface 24 substantially perpendicular to the first and/or second surfaces 14, 16, and a smoothly curved, convex outer surface 26. Thus the rim 22 creates an angled edge which also helps retain the soap in place.
• the flat body 12 has an oval shape typical of the cross-section of a conventional bar of soap. As shown in Figure 2, the flat oval body 12 may have an overall length and breadth of about 8cm by 5 cm. Therefore, as soap is built up on the soap-saver 10, it gradually resembles a conventional bar of soap, having a size and shape which is convenient to handle. However, different shapes are possible.
• the soap-saver 10 can be made from various different material, but plastic is preferable in order to
• Figures 4 to 6 show a second embodiment of a soap- saving apparatus 110 according to the present invention, in which features corresponding to those of the first embodiment described above are labelled with the same numbers.
• the soap-saver 110 has a rim 122 which has a recessed inner surface 124.
• the recess 125 helps soap remnants to be secured to the soap-saver 110.
• a non-recessed rim may be preferable for ease of manufacture.
• a method for storing and reusing remnants of soap according to the present invention comprises: providing a body 12 comprising at least one through-hole 18;
• the soap may first be soaked in water. The soap may be then be left to dry.
• soap-saver 10 Further remnants of soap can be added, by adhering them to the soap already held by the soap-saver 10. As the amount of soap on the soap-saver 10 increases, the soap may be moulded into the shape of a bar of soap.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Detergent Compositions (AREA)

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Publications (1)

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Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2010
  • 2010-07-27 GB GB1012503.7A patent/GB2477819B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2011
  • 2011-07-11 US US13/812,371 patent/US20130125321A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2011-07-11 WO PCT/GB2011/051290 patent/WO2012013953A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-07-11 EP EP11738784.5A patent/EP2598005A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (2)

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