GB2341548A

GB2341548A - Cleaning device with resilient head mounting

Info

Publication number: GB2341548A
Application number: GB9910899A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sophia Basi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-06-25
Filing date: 1999-05-12
Publication date: 2000-03-22
Also published as: GB9813597D0; GB9910899D0; GB2338648A

Abstract

A hygiene device has a handle 3 with a high friction surface connected via a resilient mounting 7 and a coupling 9 to a detachable cleaning head 5. The resilient mounting allows easy control of cleaning pressure and may comprise, within a sleeve (35, Fig 4), mating projections (33,34) on the handle and head portions which engage with a resilient metal or rubber member (30). A set of interchangeable heads may be provided eg brush, sponge, pumice, loofah, massage element or other abrasive surface.

Description

1 2341548 HYGIENE PRODUCT This invention relates to hygiene products used

for body cleansing.

llyliilst most people can easily use commonly available hygiene products, elderly people or those with disabilities often experience difficulties reaching all the necessary parts of their bodies and apply the necessary pressure to enable effective cleansing to take place.

The toothbrush with flexibility, between the handle and the head is well known. This invention utilises a similar principle to enable varying pressures to be generated between the head and handle of a hygiene product used for body cleansingy.

This invention consists of a body cleansing product consisting of a head portion and a handle portion. llie head portion includes a cleaning element. The handle portion includes one or more resilient flexible elements to enable the head portion to be moved with respect to the handle. In this way, the product enables the user to easily vary the load brought to bear upon the body. surface simply by varying the angle between the head portion and the handle portion.

In contrast to the toothbrush, the head portion of a body cleansing product may consist of, by illustration, a brush sponge, loofah, pumice stone or other cleansing device. It may be a combination head or there may be interchangeable heads. The version with interchangeable heads is to be the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Whilst the present invention was originally conceived to alleviate at least some of the problems associated with the above mentioned previously proposed devices. the a c th o found 1 ppli an as als that the invention has great utility in a variety of different circumstances. For example, the invention can find utility in the kitchen where it can substantially reduce utensil storage space.

Accordingly., it should be understood that the disclosure given herein is not limited to any one particular application. and that the description of the product in relation to personal hygiene

W products for use in a bathroom is ven purely by way of illustrative example.

Preferably. the one or more resilient flexible elements are covered with a sleeve. Preferably, at least one of the one or more resilient flexible elements are provided between the head and the handle.

Preferably, the one or more resilient flexible elements each comprise a flexible member mateable with complementary interlocking formations provided on the head and handle. Each end of the flexible member can be fitted between couplings provided on respective ends of the head and handle portions. Alternatively, respective ends of the head and handle portions can each be fitted between couplings provided on either end of the flexible member. As a further alternative, the one or more resilient flexible portions may each comprise a flexible member fitted at either end to locating formations on the mating surfaces of the head and handle portions.

Preferably, the accessory includes one or more high friction areas incorporated in the handle. The high friction areas may be of rubber. The high friction areas may comprise a plurality of projections.

Preferably., the head portion comprises a fixing element adjoir-tingg the one or more flexible elements and a cleaning element. The cleaning element may be a brush, a sponge, a -)o pumice stone, a loofah, massage element or other abrasive element. The cleaning element may include a backing element.

g Preferably', the cleaning head and fixing element are provided with complementary engaging formations to enable the cleaning head portion to be easily. detached from the fixing 2 5 element. The complementary engaging formations may comprise an arm projecting from the handle and a slot in the head portion, the arm being engageable with the slot. Alternatively, the complementary- engaging formations may comprise an arm projecting from the head portion WI and a slot in the handle. the arm being, enl,3,,ageable with the slot.

-,o Preferably, the head portion and handle portion are of plastics material.

3 In accordance with a further aspect of the invention. there is provided a set comprising a product as described herein, wherein the cleaning element is detachable from the rest of the product, and the set comprises one or more further cleaning element portions each capable of replacing the cleaning element detached from the rest of the product. Preferably each of the cleaning elements are provided with a different cleaning material or configuration of cleaning material.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a -view of a hygiene product according to the invention; Figures 2a and 2b show illustrative representations of the hygiene product of Figure I in use; Figure 3 comprises plan and side 'views of a plurality of different cleaning element portions each suitable for use with the hygiene product of Figures I and 2; Figure 4 is a perspective Niew of part of the hygiene product of Figures I and 2 illustrating the one or more flexible elements; and Figures 5a and 5b are enlarged views of the hygiene product of Figures I to 4 illustrating the cleaning element respectively decoupled and coupled from the rest of the 1-7 product.

Figure 1 is a -view of a hygiene product I according to an embodiment of the invention. The product may be of plastic, metal, wood or any other suitable material. The product comprises a head portion and a handle portion 11 interconnected ky- one or more flexible elements 7. In Figure I the flexible elements are covered with a sleeve. The head portion comprises a cleaning element 5 releasably attached to a fixing element 9. The cleaning element may include a backirLa.

g The resilient flexible elements 7 enables the fixing element of the head portion 9 to be resiliently movable with respect to the handle 11. This pro,-ides an arrangement, so that the K user is not required to exert a great effort to clean themselves effectively. Further-more. the flexible element allows the user to varv the load exerted on the skin.

4 For example, if the head portion 5 is placed, in use, against a user's skin. then the handle 3 can be rotated away from the skin surface whilst keeping the head portion substantially in 1 contact with it. As the handle 3 is rotated away, so the load exerted on the skin ky the head portion 5 is increased. In this way, it is possible to control the degree of friction between the skin and the head portion 5. If only, light contact is desired, then the handle 3 may be maintained nearly parallel with the surface of the skin. Alternatively, if heavy contact is required, then the handle 3 can be rotated away from the skin to increase the pressure exerted by the head portion 5.

Figures 2a and 2b show an illustrative representation of the accessory according to an embodiment of the invention when the handle has been rotated with respect to the head portion (Figure 2a) to apply greater load. and when the handle is maintained substantially parallel with the head portion (Figure 2b) to reduce the applied load.

Returning to Figure 1, the handle 3 is preferably provided with one or more gripping regions 13 which may comprise strips of high friction material attached to the handle 3. For example, the gripping regions 13 could be of rubber or any other suitable material. The gripping regions 13 may also be formed with a plurality of projections or other projecting formations to improve the user's grip on the handle.

The cleaning element 5 generally comprises a backing 15 upon which one of a variety of different elements 17 may be mounted. The elements 17 may have a large variety of configurations depending upon the use to which the accessory is to be pu and the location in which it is to be used. Similarly, the head portions 5 may have diffirent shapes depending upon the use to which the product is to be put. For example, the head portion may comprise an elongated form. a circular body or an elliptical body, for example.

Figure 3 shows an illustrative selection of some cleaning element portions which max. be M used for personal hygiene purposes in the bathroom. for example. In the illustrative example of x Figure 3, one cleaning element 5 could include an abrasive surface 19, such as a pumice stone.

as the element. Another head portion 5 could include a sponge 21 as c element and yet g th another head portion 5 could include a massage element 23. In Figure 1 the element 17 is a brush. Other types of element or elements for other purposes such as a loofah could be provided.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of part of the preferred embodiment of the product, showing , a construction of the resilient flexible element 7 in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 4, the flexible portion is comprised of a flexible member 30, which in this embodiment is a cuboid of rectangular cross-section. that mates with a coupling 31 formed in respective facing ends of the fIxing element of the head 9 and handle 11. In the preferred embodiment, each coupling 31 is g defined by an upper arm 32 and a lower arm 33 with a gap 34 between. As a further alternative, the coupling could be formed in either end of the resilient element, and could be g mateable with a projection on respective ends of the fixing element of the head 9 and the handle The handle is not intended to be easily, dismountable from the head.

To assemble the handle, the flexible member 30 is interference fitted into the gap 34 between the arms 32 and 33 of each coupling 31. As showr4 it is preferred that the resilient member 30 is covered with a sleeve 35 which is slipped over the resilient member before it is joined to the handle portions.

The flexible member 30 may be of rubber, or rnky be of any other suitable material such as steel.

215 Figures 5a and 5b are enlarged detailed views of a portion of the product where the cleaning element is secured to the rest of the product. and wherein the complementary eng g gaging means proiided on the cleaning element 5 and the fixing element of the head portion 9 may, be seen. M7ith reference to Figures 5a and 5b, the preferred complementan,- engaging means 25 M comprises a projecting arm 27 provided on the cleaning element 5 and a groove 29 on the fIxing portion 9. As shown, the arm 27 and groove 29 are both L-shaped and are 6 complementary to enable the arm to be slid into the groove and then rotated with respect thereto to lockingly engage the arm with the groove, and hence lockingly encrage the cleaning element 5 with the fixine, element 9. A varietv of difFerent complementary engaging means could instead be provided. Preferably, the groove 29 is formed at a shoulder in the cleaning element, with the cleaning element extending part way within the fixinOr element when attached thereto. As an alternative, the groove could be provided in the fixing element, and the arm could be provided on the cleaning element - once again., it is preferred that the cleaning element extends part way into the fixing element when attached thereto.

From the above, it is apparent that aspects of the invention provide a hygiene product which enables storage space to be reduced by obviating the need for a number of handled devices to be kept in storage. Further aspects of the invention provide a hygiene product whereby the use thereof is greatly facilitated, particularly for those persons who might have difficulty in using conventional devices.

It will be understood that the invention has been described above by way of example only, and that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

7 CLAIMS

1. A hygiene product used for body cleansing and comprising a handle portion, a head portion and one or more resilient flexible elements to enable the head portion to be moved with respect to the handle.

2. A hygiene product according to claim 1 wherein the cleaning element is removably attached to the rest of the product.

3. A hygiene product according to claims 1, or 2 wherein the one or more resilient flexible elements each comprise a flexible member mutable with complementary interlocking formations provided on the head and handle. 4. A hygiene product according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the flexible I.S element is of rubber.

5. A hygiene product according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the flexible element is of resilient metal such as steel or a resilient polymeric material.

6. A hygiene product according to any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the one or more resilient flexible elements are covered with a sleeve. 7. A hygiene product according to claim 2 wherein the cleaning element comprises a brash. 8. A hygiene product according to claim 2 wherein the cleaning element comprises a sponge. 9. A hygiene product according to claim 2 wherein the cleaning element 30 comprises a purnice stone.

8 10. A hygiene product according to claim 2 wherein the cleaning element comprises a loofah.

11. A hygiene product according to claim 2 wherein the cleaning element comprises a massage element.

12. A hygiene product according to claim 2, and not encompassed by claims 7 to 11, wherein the cleaning element comprises other abrasive material.

13. A hygiene product according to any of claims 2 or 7 to 12 wherein the complementary engaging formations comprise an arm projecting from the cleaning element of the head and a slot in the fixing element the arm being engageable with the slot.

14. A hygiene product according to any of claims 2 or 7 to 12 wherein the complementary engaging formations comprise an arm projecting from the cleaning element of the head and a slot in the fL-,dng element the arm being engageable with the slot.

15. A set comprising a hygiene product according to claims 2 or 7 to 14 1W wherein the cleaning element of the head portion is detachable from the fixing element, and the set comprises one or more further cleaning elements each capable of replacinge, the cleaning element detached from the rest of the product.

16. A hygiene product according g to any preceding claim, including one or more high friction areas attached to or incorporated in the handle.

17. A hygiene product according to claim 16 wherein the high friction area or areas are of rubber.

00 9 18. A hygiene product according to claims 16 or 17, wherein the one or more high friction areas contains a plurality of projections.

19. A hygiene product according to any preceding clairn, wherein the head portion and handle portion are of plastics material.

20. A hygiene product substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A set substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.