GB2165748A - A body care device - Google Patents

Abstract

A body care device (2) for use on the human body, which body care device (2) has a first side (10) formed of a towelling material, and a second side formed of a net material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A body care device This invention relates to a body care device for use on the human body.

When bathing or otherwise washing the human body, a flannel or a sponge is usually used. With a flannel or a sponge, it is difficult to wash one's own backand,forthis purpose, loofas are often used. The loofas are basically long handled brushes and they have little use otherthan for washing the back.

Recentlythere has appeared on the market a body washing device wh ich enables the back to be washed and which also can be used, albeit with some difficulty, for washing other parts of the human body.

The known device is basically a long thin strip of material which has a first side formed of a towelling material and a second side formed of a rather harsh and noteasilyflexiblestrawlike material. Rigid plastics handles at each end ofthe known device provide hand grips for enabling the device to be used forwashing one's own back. The known body washing device has little use otherthan for washing the back and it is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved device than can be more generally used in various aspects of body care and not onlyforwashing purposes.

Accordingly, this invention provides a body care device for use on the human body, which body care device has a first side formed of a towelling material, and a second side formed of a net material.

The towelling material can be used for receiving soap and waterfor washing purposes. The body care device is sufficiently flexible that it can be used like a flannel with soap and water being applied to the first side in the same manner as they are applied to a flannel. In addition,the net material of the second side makes an excellent mildly abrasive material for enabling the body to be rubbed, either when the body is wet or dry. The rubbing ofthe body with the net material stimulates the surface circulation and can be effective to remove body impurities such for example as oil and general ingrained dirt. The net material is a particularly advantageous material forthis purpose and the towelling material penetrates the apertures in the net to suit and cleanse the body.The contrast betweenthenetmaterialandthetowelling material penetrating the apertures of the net can befelt simultaneously and this is a very pleasing sensation.

The second side may have one or more layers ofthe net material. Thus, for example, the second side may have two layers ofthe net material.

Net material may be used with various sizes of apertures. Similarly, various types of net material may be employed and in various thicknesses and layers to give a second side which is either extra hard, hard, medium, soft or extra softtothetouch.

The towelling material and the net material may be secured together with an edge binding material. The edge binding material may be a ribbon material.

The net may be made of plastics material such for example as nylon. Alternatively, the net may be made of cotton.

The towelling material may be any known type of towelling material.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the body care device is elongate and sufficiently long that it can be passed across a user's back and used for washing the back.

The elongate body care device will preferably be sufficiently long that it can be used without placing unnecessary strain or discomfort on the shoulders of the user.

The elongate body care device will usually be totally closed around its periphery so that access to the interior of the body care device is not normally possible.

Advantageously, the elongate body care device is provided with a pocket at one or both of its ends. The pocket or pockets may receive soap, usually in the form of a bar of soap. During the act of washing, the soap can penetrate to the outside ofthe pocketfor washing the back and other parts ofthe body. A user ofthe elongate body care device can also place his or her hand in the or each pocketto facilitate the gripping of the elongate body care device.

In a second embodiment ofthe invention, the body care device is one in which it is closed only partially arount its periphery, there being a mouth portion into which a user can puttheir hand and/or soap sothat during an act of washing, the soap can penetrate to the outside ofthe first or second sides for washing purposes.

In the second embodiment of the invention, if the soap is in the form of a bar, then it can be held in the hand insidethe body care device.

In the second embodiment ofthe invention, the body care device will usually be in a shape appropriate forfitting over a person's hand. Thus,for example, the body care device may be round in plan or it may be shaped like a glove. For use with children, the body care device may advantageously be formed in the shapeofan animal ora cartoon charactersuch for example as Mickey Mouse.

Advantageously, in the second embodiment ofthe invention, the inside of the body care device is provided with padding material,forexamplefoam padding material, sothatthe body care device has plenty of material that can easily be gripped in the handforwashing purposes.

Preferably, the body care device is stitched together so that it has no hard lumps which could catch on a person.

The body care device may be provided with at least one strap. The strap can be used as a hand grip and/or as a hanging device.

The straps may each be a length of a ribbon material. The strap is preferably sewn in position.

With an elongate body care device there may be a simple strap at both ends. With a body care device that is in a shape forfitting over a user's hand, then usually only one strap for hanging purposes will be employed.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a first side of a first body care device; Figure 2 shows a second side ofthe first body care device; Figure 3 shows a first side of a second body care device; Figure 4 shows a second side of the second body care device; Figure 5 shows a first side of a third body care device; and Figure 6 is a side view of the third body care device.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a body care device 2 which is elongate as shown and which has a pair of straps 4,6 one at each end. The body care device 2 has a body portion 8 which has a first side 10 formed of a towelling material and which has a second side 12 formed of a net material. The net material is in fact placed overthe reverse side of the towelling material as shown in Figure 1.Thetowelling material and the net material are secured together by binding in the form of edge binding 14. The edge binding 14 can be of ribbon material. The straps 4,6 can be formed of a similar ribbon material.

Theends 16, l8ofthebodyportion8taperas illustrated and they are bent back, also as illustrated and then sewn in position by stitching 20.

The entire body care device 2 is veryflexible in use and it has no hard portions. The first side 10 can be used with soap and waterforwashing a person's body. The second side 12 can be advantageously used for rubbing the body in either a wet or dry condition to stimulate the circulation and/orto remove skin impurities such for example as oil and dirt.

Referring nowto Figures 3 and 4, there is shown a body care device 22 which is round in plan and which has a first side 24formed of a towelling material and a second side 26 formed of a net material. The sides 24, 26 can be used forthe same purposes as mentioned above with regard to the sides 10 and 12. However, in Figures 1 and 2, the edge binding 14 completely closes the periphery ofthe body portion 8 so that access to the interior ofthe body care device 2 is not normally possible. In the body care device 22, the edge binding 28 only partially closes the periphery ofthe body portion 30 ofthe body care device 22 so that a mouth portion 32 is provided into which a person can put their hand and/orsoap.Thus, with the body care device 22, during the act of washing, soap can penetrate from the inside of the body portion 30to the outside ofthefirst or second sides 24, 26forwashing purposes. Obviously, if desired, the soap can also be applied to the outside ofthe body portion 30 and itwill usually be applied only to the towelling material.

The body care device 22 is provided with a strap 34 which is made of a ribbon material and which may be the same as the edge binding material 28.

Referring now to Figures Sand 6, similar parts as in Figures 1 and 2 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of understanding. There is thus shown in Figures 5 and 6 an elongate body care device 2which has a body portion 8. The body portion 8 has a first side 10 formed of a towelling material, and a second side 12 which is provided with a net material.

The net material is placed overthe reverse side ofthe towelling material as shown in Figure 5.The towelling material and the net material may be secured together by any convenient means such for example as by binding in the form of edge binding 14. The edge binding 14can be in the form of ribbon material orthe edge binding 14 can just be effected by appropriate stitching.

The body portion 8 has been folded back on itself at each end to form a pair of pockets 36,38. A user's hand can be slid in each pocket 36,38 as desired. The pockets 36,38 can be used for stretching the body portion 8 across a surface ofthe user's body. In addition, soap, for example a barofsoap,can be placed in either pocket36, 38 and then the partofthe body care device 2 underneath the pocket 36,38 can then be rubbed overthe user's body. The soap can then penetrate th rough the material ofthe body care device 2 during washing.

The body care devices 2 can be made in various lengths and widths. For example, theywill usually be made smaller for children thanfor adults. It is envisaged thatthe length ofthe body care devices 2 and/orthewidth ofthe body care devices 2 and/orthe length ofthe pockets 36,38 when they are employed can be varied as desired to produce elite, deluxe and junior models. Similarly,the bodycare device 22 can be made in various desired sizes, for examplefor children or adults as elite, deluxe and junior models.

The body care devices 2 and 22 can be produced in various colours and in various colour combinations.

They can be cheap to produce and can look attractive when produced. They lend themselves to being sold directly in shops or by mail order.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments ofthe invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected.

Thus, forexample, more than one layer of net material may be employedforthe second sides 12 and 26. Also, the body care devices may be produced in shapes otherthan those shown so that, the body care devices 2 could be produced to be longer, whilst the body care device 22 could be produced in the shape of a glove or in the shape of an animal. Further, the bodycare device 22 may have a foam padding material in its inside to provide a good hand grip during washing. If desired, in Figures 5 and 6, one of the pockets 36,38 may be omitted. Also, the pockets 36,38 can be made of a towelling material that is of a different colour and/or a different pattern to the towelling material forming the body portion 8.In this case, the pockets 36,38willobviouslynotbeformed by bending over the towelling material of the body portion 8, and the pockets 36,38 will be separate material which will be stitched or otherwise secured in position.

All the body care devices can be produced in two basic designs for 'his' and 'her' use. Other designs may be produced on the body care devices, for example on the pocket or pockets 36,38 and/or on the body portion 8,so that the body care devices are appropriateforvarious occasions such for example as Valentines Day, Christmas and birthdays. For use by children, examples of appropriate designs that may be placed on the body care devices, for example on the pocket or pockets 36,38 andior on the body portion 8, are cartoon characters such for example as Mickey Mouse. A presently preferred design for Valentines Day is a heart design. Generally, it will be appreciated thatthe body care devices can be produced in any desired colour combination with any desired design.

The body care device 2 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and 5 and 6, and similar devices, may be sold with a pair of detachable rigid handles, not shown. The handles may be made from a plastics material and they may have locking means, for example clips, so thatthe handles open and shut. The handles can than be secured to the body care devices 2 in any desired manner, for example by passing through bent over end portions ofthe body care devices 2. The handles can be effective to keep the body portion open and to stop ittending to fold longitudinally as may sometimes happen when the back is being washed or rubbed.

It is envisaged that the body care devices ofthe present invention may be sold underthetrade mark RUB-U orVERSATILE RUB-U.

Claims (19)

1. A body care device for use on the human body, which body care device has a first side formed of a towelling material, and a second side formed of a net material.

2. A body care device according to claim 1 in which the second side has one or more layers ofthe net material.

3. A body care device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the towelling material and the net material are secured togetherwith an edge binding material.

4. A body care device according to claim 3 in which the edge binding material is a ribbon material.

5. A body care device according to any one ofthe preceding claims in which the net is made of a plastics material.

6. A body care device according to claim 5 which the plastics material is nylon.

7. A body care device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the net is made of cotton.

8. A body care device according to any one ofthe preceding claims and which is elongate and sufficiently long that it can be passed across a user's back and usedforwashingthe back.

9. A body care device according to claim 8 and which istotallyclosed around its peripherysothat access to the interior ofthe body care device is not normally possible.

10. A body care device according to claim 8 or claim 9 and which is provided with a pocket atone or both of its ends.

11. A body care device according to claim lOin which the or each pocket is adapted to receive soap and a user's hand.

12. A body care device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and which is closed only partially around its periphery,there being a mouth portion into which a user can puttheir hand andiorsoap sothatduring an act of washing, the soap can penetrate to the outside of the first or second sidesforwashing purposes.

13. A body care device according to claim 12 and which is in a shape appropriateforfitting over a person's hand.

14 A body care device according to claim 13 and which is round in plan, or shaped like a glove, or in the shape of an animal, or in the shape of a cartoon character.

15. A body care device according to any one of claims 12 to 14 in which the inside ofthe body care device is provided with padding material so that the body care device has plenty of material that can easily be gripped in the handforwashing purposes.

16. A body care device according to any one ofthe preceding claims and which is stitched together.

17. A body care device according to any one ofthe preceding claims and including at least one strap.

18. A body care device according to claim 17 in which the strap is a length of ribbon material.

19. A body care device for use on a human body, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.