GB2384181A

GB2384181A - A soap holder and attachment means

Info

Publication number: GB2384181A
Application number: GB0301096A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Hawketts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-01-19
Filing date: 2003-01-17
Publication date: 2003-07-23
Also published as: GB0301096D0

Abstract

A soap holding apparatus 1 comprises a soap tablet 2, a soap retention means 3 consisting of at least one body portion 4 adapted to provide a bonding surface along at least part of its length to provide a firm retention for the soap on and around the body portion; the holding apparatus further having an engaging means 7 extending from at least one surface of the soap, and adapted to engage with attachment means 8 located in the vicinity of use. The body portion may be integrally moulded within the substance during the manufacturing process to form a soap-holding apparatus combination where the bonding surface may take the form of structural configurations on the body portion or the shape of the body portion itself. The engagement means may take the form of a hook, loop or a ring, also included is method of manufacturing the holding apparatus for the soap.

Description

HOLDING APPARATUS FOR SOAP Technical Field This invention relates to holding apparatus for a substance such as soap.

The holding apparatus is configured to be inserted in the soap during manufacture of a tablet of soap so that the soap and holder are an integral unit.

The holder is configured to include a means for removeably suspending the soap from a complementarily configured point of attachment adjacent to the point of use of the soap, thereby allowing the soap to depend from its attached location when not in use. However, when required for use the soap and its integrally moulded holder can be detached from its point of attachment and is freely available.

The holder for the soap and its associated attachment means enables at least the soap to be conveniently placed for use as required, allows the soap to dry between use, facilitates easy location of the soap when required, prolongs the life of the soap and contributes to maintaining the washing area in an orderly condition.

However, the invention may have applications outside this field.

Background Art A number of holders, dishes, dispensers and/or appliances are available for use with washing products, such as soap.

Some are described in New Zealand Patent Nos. 31215,71106, 124054, and 162837. In these specifications the methods for holding the soap vary. New Zealand Patent No. 31215 includes the use of a retractable connecting means between the soap and an anchor means, such that when the soap is used, the connecting means is extended to enable the user to optimally manipulate the soap. When the washing action has been completed the retractable connecting means withdraws the soap to its anchored position.

Another example of this system may include a looped length of material, such as chord.

The chord loop is moulded into the soap tablet. The loop enables the soap to be hung over a tap or similar until the soap is required for use and hung back up after use. The system allows for easy access to the soap from wherever it is hung.

New Zealand Patent No. 71106 comprises a metal container surrounding a body of cork into which the soap is inserted. The user is able to firmly grip the soap container yet at the same time avoid getting soap deposited on the gripping hand.

New Zealand Patent No. 124054 describes a cage-like container with a handle. The soap is placed inside the cage. The soap may then be agitated in water to create a soapy consistency for washing.

New Zealand Patent No. 162837 includes a permanently mounted fixture to which the soap is integrally moulded. The user simply wipes the hands around the body of the soap as required.

However, each of these systems have deficiencies. Those including permanent fixing of the soap in one location, do not allow for the user to freely access the soap except from directly adjacent or in front of the soap holder.

Those where the soap is attached to a retractable system improve this requirement for availability, but at the same time introduce problems potentially associated with soap build up on the retractable connection and in the anchor means into which the retractable connection is retained. The point of attachment of the soap to the holder can cause tracking of water between the soap tablet and the holder/connecting means. The presence of water that is unable to dry out can contribute to the soap dissolving and weakening its attachment to the holder. This is particularly the case where the soap is attached to a length of chord or similar materials which soak up the water and act as a wick to tracking the water inside the soap.

Those which include gripping means around the soap or include cage-like containing means for the soap again do not provide for complete access to the surface of the soap

and despite all best attempts, the exterior will become slippery with soap. The gripping means or the containing means also may contribute to retention of water on the soap thereby continuing to dissolve the soap and will affect its consistency and ultimately decrease the potential life of the soap tablet.

It would therefore be advantageous to have a holder for soap that obviated at least some if not all of the disadvantages of the prior art systems, including: a) Providing a readily locatable soap tablet for use as required. b) Enabling ready access to the soap without limiting use of the soap only in the vicinity of the point of attachment of the soap holder to the immediate area around a wash basin or the like. c) Providing a means whereby the soap after use can be positioned out of the way of the wash basin, thereby enabling the area to be kept clean and free from soap. d) Providing the opportunity for the soap to dry out between use thereby reducing the opportunity for the soap to continue dissolving and in return contribute to extending the life of the soap tablet. e) The soap holder being configured to minimise the potential for the holder to contribute to water tracking between the soap and the holder which could otherwise reduce the ability of the soap to be retained firmly on the holder. f) Provision of a simple but effective option to some of the disadvantages of prior art systems.

It is an object of the present invention to at least address some of the foregoing problems or to at least provide the public with a useful choice or alternative system.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

It should be appreciated that variations to the described embodiments are possible and would fall within the scope of the present invention.

Disclosure of Invention The invention provides a holding apparatus for a substance, said holding apparatus including substance retention means comprising at least one body portion being adapted to provide a bonding surface to effect firm retention of a substance applied on and around the body portion, said holding apparatus also including or including provision to receive engaging means, said engaging means extending from at least one surface of the applied substance and being adapted to engage with attachment means located in the vicinity of the point of use of the substance for enabling the holding apparatus and substance thereon to depend therefrom.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided holding apparatus for soap, said holding apparatus including soap retention means comprising at least one body portion, said body including along at least a part of its length structural configurations to provide a bonding surface for soap material in substantially fluid form at the time of manufacture to effect firm retention of the soap material on the body when hardened, said body also including or including provision to receive at at least one of its distal ends, engaging means for engaging with attachment means located in the vicinity of the point of use of the soap, said holding apparatus optionally including complementarily configured attachment means for enabling the soap retention means to depend therefrom.

Whilst soap is referred to in this specification by way of example of one application of the present invention, it should be appreciated that the holding apparatus may be used with other substances where improved accessibility, storage or use is achieved via the application of the present invention with that substance. For example, this invention may be used as a bird feeder where amalgamated grains are moulded on to the holding apparatus and the holding apparatus and grain combination is hung for accessibility to birds. Where the apparatus is used outside, rain may impact on the bond between the grain and the holding apparatus. Therefore, the features of the present invention may obviate such problems. Alternatively, the substance may be air or water freshening materials, where it is preferable for the substance to be dissolved from the exterior

surface of the substance rather than at the site of the bond between the substance and the holding apparatus.

Similarly, whilst water is referred to in this specification by way of example to the use of soap the alternative substances may come into contact with other fluids, including gases or liquids of varying viscosities that may be appropriate to the use of such substances.

Such fluids may serve to dissolve the substance, may act as a solvent, or may not dissolve the substance but rather act as a lubricant and so forth. Accordingly, the term (s) soap and/or water should not be seen as limiting the scope of this invention.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided holding apparatus for soap substantially as described above wherein the structural configurations along the length of the body of the soap retention means include either or both projections and indentations of various shapes, dimensions and locations.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided holding apparatus for soap substantially as described above wherein the body is integrally moulded within the soap during the soap manufacturing process.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided holding apparatus for soap substantially as described above wherein the engaging means includes any one of a hook, a loop, or similar shape.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided holding apparatus for soap substantially as described above wherein the engaging means is removeably attached to the body via any suitable means including screw thread, bayonet fitting, push fit and so forth.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided holding apparatus for soap substantially as described above wherein the soap retention means optionally includes at its distal end opposite to the location of the engagement means, a base plate.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided holding apparatus for soap substantially as described above wherein the base plate includes optional

drainage apertures to effect drainage of water away from the body of the retention means internal of the soap tablet.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided holding apparatus for soap substantially as described above wherein the attachment means includes any one of a fixed or removeable complementarily configured portion capable of receiving the engagement means of the body, a structure integral with the washing facility or any suitable means from which the holding apparatus is able to depend when not being used.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided holding apparatus for soap substantially as described above wherein either or both the soap retention means and the attachment means are made from non-fluid absorbing materials, including thermoplastic materials and so forth.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided holding apparatus for soap substantially as described above wherein the soap retention means may be configured to be any one of substantially flattened, substantially hollow, substantially solid and so forth along all or part of its length.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided holding apparatus for soap substantially as described above wherein the indentations or projections along the body of the soap retention means may include apertures, grooves, ridges, spirals, concave or convex configurations extending substantially perpendicular from the body or aligned with the central axis of the body.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a holding apparatus for soap, said holding apparatus including soap retention means comprising a body, said body including along at least a portion of its length structural configurations to provide a bonding surface for soap material in substantially fluid form at the time of manufacture to effect firm retention of the soap material on the body when hardened, said body also including or including provision to receive at at least one of its distal ends, engaging means for engaging with attachment means located in the vicinity of the point of use of the soap, said holding apparatus

optionally including complementarily configured attachment means for enabling the soap retention means to depend therefrom, said method including: a) producing soap retention means having preferred shape and dimensions; and b) positioning soap retention means with soap mould during manufacture of soap to ensure soap retention means is fully integral with and firmly held by the soap material after the soap material has dried around the soap retention means.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention the soap retention means may be made form any suitable material capable of being configured to an appropriate shape and dimension for inclusion within a block of soap during manufacture. Accordingly, materials such as thermoplastic lends themselves to use with the invention. Plastics are waterproof, do not retain water, do not degrade over short time periods (such as the life of a bar of soap), are durable, flexible enough to bend without breaking, can be moulded to obviate sharp edges, can be manufactured cheaply, and so forth.

The optional attachment apparatus may similarly be made from plastic materials or any other suitable material complementing the overall purpose of the invention.

The body of the soap retention means may be substantially flattened, substantially hollow, substantially solid or any combination of these or other alternatives, along all or part of its length.

A substantially flattened body may minimise the stiffness of the body thereby enabling it to be more flexible and less likely to cause discomfort to the user of the soap as the soap diminishes from around the body as it is used up. Further, a substantially flattened body does not take up as much depth within a tablet of soap, which may be a consideration for soap manufacturers conforming to preferred dimensions for soap tablets.

A substantially solid and/or bulkier body facilitates inclusion of a wider variety of, or combination of projections and/or indentations to effect firmer adherence of the soap to the body.

A substantially hollow body may enable water to track or drain out through the hollow portion of the body, thereby minimising problems associated with water retention causing the soap to dissolve and weaken the grip on the body. Alternatively, the soap may fill the hollow cavity of the body and if combined with apertures along the hollow body walls may even provide greater binding or attachment points for the soap on the body.

The body portion of the soap retention means is preferably substantially elongate, positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of a tablet of soap, to ensure maximum surface area for binding of the soap to it. A substantially elongate body provides greater flexibility to include along its length a number or a range of preferred structural configurations to provide a bonding surface for soap to effect firm retention of the soap material on the body when hardened. Although, in other embodiments, the body portion may include more than one elongate length, may be arranged within the soap tablet substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the soap tablet, may be looped within the soap tablet, and so forth.

The structural configurations along the length of the body of the soap retention means may include either or both projections and indentations of various shapes, dimensions and locations. Such indentations or projections along the body portion (s) of the soap retention means may include apertures, grooves, ridges, spirals, concave or convex configurations extending substantially perpendicular from the body or aligned with the axis of alignment of the body. As can be appreciated various options and combinations can be availed of to achieve the desired effect.

In preferred embodiments the body portion (s) also includes or includes provision to receive at at least one of its distal ends the engaging means for engaging with attachment means located in the vicinity of the point of use of the soap. The engaging means enables the soap and holding apparatus therein to be hung up. This system has greater flexibility over systems that require permanent fixing of the soap in one location as the latter do not allow for the user to freely access the soap except from directly adjacent or in front of the soap holder. Alternatively, standard methods of sitting the soap in a receptacle or designated portion of the hand basin may contribute to retention of water on the soap

which thereby continues to dissolve the soap and will affect its consistency and ultimately decrease the potential life of the soap tablet. In addition, the receptacle and or hand basin may become messy with dissolved soap residues.

The engaging means may be a hook, a loop, or similar shape integrally moulded with or removeably attached to the body via any suitable means including screw thread, bayonet fitting, push fit and so forth.

However, it should be appreciated that the engaging means may extend from any part of the body portion and in doing so may protrude from any, or more than one, surface of the soap or substance with which the holding apparatus is used.

In some embodiments, the engaging means may be intergral with, or separate from a top plate interconnected with the body portion. The top plate may serve to deflect water away from the point of entry of the soap retention means in to the soap tablet, thereby minimising the possibility that water could weaken the attachment of the soap to the body portion (s). The top plate may also simply serve as the point of attachment for the engaging means.

The top plate may further include optional drainage apertures to effect drainage of water away from the body of the retention means internally of the soap tablet. This may be included, for example, in embodiments where the body of the retention means is substantially hollow and/or has grooves/ridges or channels to direct the fluid away from the soap-body portion interface and thereby acts as a drain to allow water to track away from the soap.

The configuration of the retention means, the top plate and so forth deflect water away from the soap-body portion interface. Typically the presence of water that is unable to dry out can contribute to the soap dissolving and weakening its attachment to the holder. This is particularly the case where the soap is attached to a length of chord or similar materials which soak up the water and act as a wick to tracking the water inside the soap.

In yet other embodiments engaging means may be included at either end of the body and be further configured to enable the user to easily grip the engaging means rather than having to hold on to the soap itself, thereby avoiding further soap on the hands if they had already been rinsed.

The holding apparatus may, in some embodiments of the present invention, optionally including complementarily configured attachment means for enabling the soap retention means to depend therefrom via the engagement means. The attachment means is preferably attached in the vicinity where the soap is likely to be used. For example, it may be fixedly or removeably attached to a portion of the wash basin structure, an adjacent wall, a towel rail and so forth. Alternatively, the requirement for attachment means may simply be effected via use of existing portions of existing structures in the immediate vicinity, such as a portion of the tap structure associated with the wash basin, and so forth.

Preference for attachment means enables the soap holder to be raised above or away from the wash basin surface, where it might otherwise sit in a pool of water or soap suds and thereby result in a soapy mess, continued dissolving of the soap tablet and shorter life of the soap and/or a less easily locatable bar of soap when required.

In yet further preferred embodiments of the present invention, the soap retention means may optionally include at its distal end opposite to the location of the engagement means, a base plate. The base plate may be advantageous in further effecting secured retention of the soap on the body, may include gripping means to additionally assist the user to have an effective hold on the soap, or may perform other functions desired to effect longer life to the soap, and so forth.

For example, the base plate may include optional drainage apertures to effect drainage of water away from the body of the retention means internally of the soap tablet. This may be included, for example, in embodiments where the body of the retention means is substantially hollow and acts as a drain to allow water to track away from the soap.

The present invention is preferably incorporated into a tablet of soap during the soap manufacturing process. Accordingly, the retention means may be designed to complement a particular soap product thereby producing soap retention means having preferred shape and dimensions. During manufacture of the soap tablets, the retention apparatus may typically be inserted into the soap mould. Moulding the soap around the body helps to ensure the soap retention means is fully integral with and the soap material is firmly held thereon after the soap material has dried around the soap retention means.

As can be appreciated the invention may be used with other substances and where fluids other than water may contact those substances. Therefore, it should also be appreciated variations to and from the above described embodiments may be made without deviating from the scope of the present invention.

Brief Description of Drawings Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I is a cross-sectional view of a tablet of soap in combination with the holding apparatus of the present invention in situ adjacent a surface; and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a tablet of soap including one possible embodiment of the retention means of the present invention; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a tablet of soap including a further possible embodiment of the retention means of the present invention; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a tablet of soap including a further possible embodiment of the retention means of the present invention; and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a tablet of soap including a further possible embodiment of the retention means of the present invention; and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the retention means of the present invention including one configuration of a base plate; and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the retention means of the present invention including another configuration of a base plate, and Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the retention means of the present invention including another configuration of a base plate, and Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a tablet of soap including a further possible embodiment of the retention means of the present invention.

Best Modes for carrying out the Invention With reference to the diagrams (Figures 1 to 9) by way of example only, there is provided holding apparatus (generally indicated by arrow (1) ) for a substance, such as soap (2).

The holding apparatus (1) includes soap retention means (3) comprising at least one body portion (4). For example, Figures 2-4 and 8-9 illustrate possible embodiments having one body portion. Figures 5-7 include two body portions.

The body portions may depend through the soap in line with the longitudinal axis of the soap tablet as in most of the Figures, or be aligned in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the soap tablet-as in Figure 9. The body portion (s) may extend the entire length of the soap tablet (as in Figures 5-8), may extend beyond the external dimensions of the soap tablet (as in Figures 2-3), or only extend part way through the soap tablet (as in Figures 4 and 9) The body of the soap retention means may be substantially flattened (as shown in Figures 3,5), substantially hollow (as shown in Figures 2,8), substantially solid (as shown in Figure 4), along all or part of its length or be substantially looped in a circular or semicircular configuration (Figure 9), or any combination of these or other alternatives.

The body (4) includes, along at least a portion of its length, structural configurations (5) to provide an effective bonding surface for the soap (2). The structural configurations (whether indentations or projections) along the length of the body of the soap retention means may include apertures (Figures 3,5-8), grooves, ridges (Figure 2), spirals, plates (Figure 9), concave (Figure 4) or convex configurations extending substantially

perpendicular from the body or aligned with the central axis of the body. As can be appreciated various options and combinations can be availed of to achieve the desired effect. The benefits of each design become apparent when for example considering spiral grooves around the inside of the body (Figure 2) which are reflected by complementary ridges on the external surface of the body. The internal grooves may serve to channel water away from the body, whilst the ridges serve to anchor the soap to the body, and so forth.

At at least one of the distal ends (6) of the body (4), there is engaging means (7) for engaging with attachment means (8) (located in the vicinity of usage of the soap (2) ). The engaging means may be a hook (Figure 8), a loop (Figure 2) a ring (Figure 9), or similar shape integrally moulded with (Figures 3-7) or removeably attached to the body (Figures 2, 8,9)) via any suitable means including screw thread, bayonet fitting, push fit and so forth.

Further, the engaging means may be included at either end of the body (Figure 3,7) and be further configured to enable the user to easily grip the engaging means rather than having to hold on to the soap itself.

The holding apparatus (1) may optionally including complementarily configured attachment means (8) (as shown in Figures 1,5) for enabling the soap retention means (3) to depend therefrom when the soap (2) is not in use. This arrangement enables the soap to be located after use in a place to facilitate its subsequent use, to prevent it from sitting in a pool of water or soap suds and to thereby maintain the wash basin area in a more tidy fashion as well as assisting to prolong the life of the tablet of soap.

The soap retention means may optionally include at its distal end opposite to the location of the engagement means, a base plate (9). The base plate (exampled in Figures 5,6 and 8) may be advantageous in further effecting secured retention of the soap on the body, may include gripping means (10) (Figure 7) to additionally assist the user to have an effective hold on the soap, or may perform other functions desired to effect longer life to the soap, and so forth.

For example, the base plate may include optional drainage apertures (11) (as shown in Figures 2 and 8) to effect drainage of water away from the body of the retention means internally of the soap tablet. This may be included, for example, in embodiments where the body of the retention means is substantially hollow and acts as a drain to allow water to track away from the soap.

Another embodiment may even include a top plate (12) as shown in Figure 8, that is integral with or associated with the engagement means that operates to prevent or water ingress through the soap in the vicinity of the body of the retention means, or alternatively includes apertures to direct water away from the external surface and through the hollow body portion.

Both the top plate and the base plate may extend across the full width and/or depth of the tablet of soap (as in Figures 5-7), or any proportion thereof (as in Figure 8).

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. Holding apparatus for a substance, said holding apparatus including substance retention means comprising at least one body portion being adapted to provide a bonding surface to effect firm retention of a substance applied on and around the body portion, said holding apparatus also including or including provision to receive engaging means, said engaging means extending from at least one surface of the applied substance and being adapted to engage with attachment means located in the vicinity of the point of use of the substance for enabling the holding apparatus and substance thereon to depend therefrom.
2. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said holding apparatus optionally includes complementarily configured attachment means adapted to receive the engaging means of the holding apparatus and further adapted to be affixed to a surface at the point of use of the substance.
3. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the at least one body portion is integrally moulded within the substance during the substance manufacturing process to form a substance-holding apparatus combination.
4. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the substance includes soap.
5. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 4 wherein where the substance is soap, the soap is applied to the body portion of the substance retention means in substantially fluid form at the time of manufacture of the soap to effect firm retention of the soap on the body portion when the soap hardens.
6. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the body portion is aligned with or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the substance-holding apparatus combination during the substance manufacturing process.

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7. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the body portion is configured to extend through part or all of the substance-holding apparatus combination including extending to or beyond one or more faces of the substance- holding apparatus combination produced as required.
8. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the body portion is adapted to provide a bonding surface to effect firm retention of the substance on the body portion via either or both the shape of the body portion and the inclusion of structural configuration (s).
9. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the shape of the body portion is of a form determined in part by the required final form of the substance-holding apparatus combination and includes forms that are substantially elongate, T-shaped, circular, looped, substantially flattened, substantially hollow, substantially solid or any combination thereof along all or part of its length.
10. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the structural configurations of the body portion of the retention means include either or both projections and indentations of various shapes, dimensions and locations.
11. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the indentations or projections of the body portion of the retention means include one or more of apertures, grooves, ridges, spirals, concave or convex configurations or any combination thereof.
12. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the indentations or projections of the body portion of the retention means are arranged substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the body portion or aligned with the central axis of the body portion.
13. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 8 wherein either or both the shape of the body portion and the indentations or projections of the body portion are further adapted to contribute to tracking fluids away from the interface

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of the bonding surface of the body portion and the substance to thereby contribute to retention of the substance on the body portion during use of the holding apparatus and substance thereon.
14. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the tracking of fluids away from the interface of the bonding surface of the body portion is further facilitated by the holding apparatus being manufactured from non-fluid absorbing materials, including thermoplastic materials.
15. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the substance retention means optionally includes either or both a top plate and a base plate.
16. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 15 wherein the top plate and/or the base plate are integral with or attachable to the body portion.
17. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 15 wherein the top plate and/or the base plate provide either or both additional secured retention of the substance on the body portion and deflection of fluid away from the point of retention of the substance on the body portion.
18. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 17 wherein the top plate and/or the base plate provide deflection of fluid away from the point of retention of the substance on the body portion via apertures in the top and/or base plates, particularly where the body portion is substantially hollow.
19. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claims 1 and 16 wherein one or more of the body portion, the base plate and top plate are adapted to include engaging means.
20. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 19 wherein the engaging means are integral with or removeably attachable to one or more of the top plate, the base plate or an external face of the body portion.

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21. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 20 wherein the engaging means is removeably attached to the top plate, the base plate or an external face of the body portion via any suitable means including screw thread, bayonet fitting, push fit.
22. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 21 wherein the engaging means includes any one of a hook, a loop, a ring, or similar.
23. Holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the attachment means includes any one of a fixed or removeable complementarily configured portion capable of receiving the engagement means, a structure integral with the washing facility or any suitable means from which the holding apparatus- substance combination is able to depend when not being used.
24. A method of manufacturing holding apparatus for a substance, said holding apparatus including substance retention means comprising at least one body portion being adapted to provide a bonding surface to effect firm retention of a substance applied on and around the body portion, said holding apparatus also including or including provision to receive. engaging means, said engaging means extending from at least one surface of the applied substance and being adapted to engage with attachment means located in the vicinity of the point of use of the substance for enabling the holding apparatus and substance thereon to depend therefrom, said method including the steps of : a) producing substance retention means including at least one body portion, optionally either or both a top plate and a base plate and including or including provision to receive engagement means, said substance retention means having preferred shape and dimensions as required for the particular substance; and b) positioning said substance retention means within a substance mould during manufacture of substance to ensure the substance retention means is

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fully integral with and firmly retains the substance thereon after the substance has formed around the substance retention means; and c) optionally producing attachment means for attachment in the vicinity of the point of use of the substance for enabling engagement means of the holding apparatus and substance thereon to depend therefrom.
25. A method of manufacturing holding apparatus for a substance, said holding apparatus including substance retention means comprising at least one body portion being adapted to provide a bonding surface to effect firm retention of a substance applied on and around the body portion, said holding apparatus also including or including provision to receive engaging means, said engaging means extending from at least one surface of the applied substance and being adapted to engage with attachment means located in the vicinity of the point of use of the substance for enabling the holding apparatus and substance thereon to depend therefrom, said method including the steps of : a) producing substance retention means including b) producing at least one body portion; and c) optionally producing either or both a top plate and a base plate attachable to the body portion (s); and d) including or including provision to receive on any one or more of the body portion (s), top plate and base plate, the engagement means; and e) assembling the body with optionally either or both the top and the base plate of the retention means and with the engagement means to produce holding apparatus having the preferred shape and dimensions as required for the particular substance; and f) positioning the substance retention means within a substance mould during manufacture of the substance to ensure the substance retention means is fully integral with the substance and firmly retains the substance thereon after the substance has formed around the substance retention means; and

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g) Optionally producing attachment means for attachment in the vicinity of the point of use of the substance for enabling the engagement means of the holding apparatus and substance thereon to depend therefrom.
26. Method of manufacturing holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claims 24 and 25 wherein the body portion is adapted to provide a bonding surface to effect firm retention of the substance on the body portion via either or both the shape of the body portion and the inclusion of structural configuration (s).
27. Method of manufacturing holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 26 wherein the shape of the body portion is of a form determined in part by the required final form of the substance-holding apparatus combination and includes forms that are substantially elongate, T-shaped, circular, looped, substantially flattened, substantially hollow, substantially solid or any combination thereof along all or part of its length and the structural configurations include indentations or projections of the body portion including one or more of apertures, grooves, ridges, spirals, concave or convex configurations or any combination thereof.
28. Method of manufacturing holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claims 24 to 26 wherein where the substance is soap.
29. Method of manufacturing holding apparatus for a substance as claimed in Claim 28 wherein the soap is applied to the body portion of the substance retention means in substantially fluid form at the time of manufacture of the soap to effect firm retention of the soap on the body portion when the soap hardens.
30. Holding apparatus for a substance substantially as described herein with reference to the figures and examples.
31. Holding apparatus for a substance having substance retention means substantially as described herein with reference to the figures and examples.

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32. A method of manufacturing holding apparatus for a substance substantially as described herein with reference to the figures and examples.
33. A method of assembling holding apparatus for a substance substantially as described herein with reference to the figures and examples.