GB2399011A - A hand held liquid soap dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid soap dispenser comprises a porous soft membrane 12 containing a small sealed sac 13 containing liquid soap 14. Manual pressure exerted on the device will cause the inner container of soap to rupture. Further manual pressure causes the cleansing liquid to pass through the pores of the outer membrane. The device can now be rubbed against the skin, producing a lather and thereby cleansing the body. The dispenser may be made from elastomer rubber; it may have the potential for being refillable and it may have a surface texture which is pleasurable to the skin.

Description

Hand held bodily washing and exfoliation device This application relates

to hand-held devices, which through friction with the skin produce a lather when used in conjunction with liquid soap. These products include flannels, sponges, loofahs. In other embodiments these devices include a bar of soap, which inherently generates lather when rubbed against the skin.

These devices function by a cleansing liquid being applied either directly to the device or applied to the skin before the cleansing device is rubbed against the liquid onto the skin to create a lather.

This process involves either the use of two hands (he. one to hold the device and the other to apply the cleansing liquid). As a result the washing process often means the picking up and putting down a bottle of shower gel for example. The manual dexterity that this generates is inconvenient as it has to be repeated a number of times.

By creating an ergonomically comfortable hand-held container constructed from a malleable porous membrane containing a cleansing liquid which can be dispensed and lathered directly onto the skin with a single handed action the manual dexterity issues and the repebtve washing routines (i.e. recharging a sponge or flannel) the inconveniences of current devices can be overcome.

An Integrated hand-held device containing a reservoir of liquid soap that has the capacity to eliminate the inconveniences inherent with a traditional bar of soap. Such inconveniences include the bar's reduction in size during its use, where at a certain stage in its life it will become ergonomically uncomfortable to rub against the body or sponge or even to pick up from a flat surface. As a result in the soap is often thrown away before it is depleted.

In addition, a soap bar's soft surface will often pick up impurities such as hairs, these look unattractive. A percentage of soap will be come soft and dissolve in the water often found in a soap tray or on a bathroom surface.

This application relates to an integral storage, dispensing, lathering, skin massage and exfoliation system within a bath or shower setting with a configuration such that: (a) A graspable container is fommed from a malleable porous elastomer material having physical properties which enable it to be deformed by manual pressure as would be expected to be applied by the hand.

(b) A sealed container of cleansing liquid having the physical properties which enable it to be ruptured by the applcabon of manual pressure as would be expected to be applied as described in (a).

(c) The device's porous membrane will be such that it will be capable of secreting a cleansing liquid by the application of manual pressure as in (a).

To use the present nvenbon an external pressure Is applied to the malleable container. The resilient properties of the material will cause it to deform such mat an internal pressure is created when squeezed in the hand.

The internal pressure causes me sealed container within to rupture thereby 'welting' the inside of the elastomer container. Upon further manual pressure an internal pressure forces the cleansing liquid to pass through the membrane's pores. In this state the device can be rubbed against the skin. The friction of this actkon causes the secreted cleansing liquid to lather thereby cleansing the body.

Upon the release of the external pressure, the hollow container's membrane will return to its natural state due to its elastic properties inherent to elastomer materials. In some embodiments of the present Invention the container will not return to its original (natural) state In response to me release of the manual pressure, but rather remain distorted as its Internal pressure cannot equalize the external pressure after some of the cleansing liquid has been dispensed.

Due to the nature of the porous membrane of the container, me greater the external pressure applied to the device the greater me internal pressure generated. This will cause more cleansing liquid to be dispensed via the pores. In essence, the rate of dispensing of the cleansing liquid through the membrane will be proportional to me external pressure applied to the membrane.

In one embodiment of the present invention me porous membrane has such properties that leakage prevention is achieved when no external pressure is applied, i.e. the device will not leak without an external manual pressure.

In further embodiments of the device, single or multiple valves in the device's membrane which serve the same purpose as the membranes pores can be incorporated.

In further embodiments the malleable container will return its natural position due to its inherent material memory by the use of venting. Here single or multiple valves allows air (and/or water) to replace the Lansing liquid dispensed thereby equalizing pressure.

In additional embodiments, the membrane of the sack can be moulded or otherwise such that its surface texture (i.e. smooth, textured embossed or debossed) Will have different frictional effects when rubbed over the skin to generate a desirable massage and exfoliating effect.

In further embodiments, the membrane can be constructed in a number of appropriate forms mom suited to specific cleansing occasions. For example, the device can be hung from a shower hook or placed in a soap dish. In addition, aesthetically decorative forms, which represent specific objects can be created, i.e. a tennis ball, can be created to make the cleansing device attractive to individuals who play tennis.

In the preferred embodiment, the membranes material is a plastic elastomer with a soft tactile property which Is pleasurable to the skin. It should have enough physical material memory as to enable the device to be malleable in the hand on the application of manual pressure.

List of Illustrations 3 FIG. 1 Perspective illustration of one embodiment of the present Invention; FIG. 2 Front elevation cross sectional illustration of the embodiment of the present nvenbon 10 FIG. 3 Front elevation cross sectional illustration of the embodiment of the present nvenbon 10, showing the effect of an external manual pressure 15 on the device (i.e. the dispensing of the liquid soap). FIG. 3a illustrated a cross-sectonal detail of the membrane.

FIG. 4 Perspective illustrating one embodiment of the device showing how the device would be assembled.

FIG. 5 Perspective illustrating an embodiment of the device with a different configuration In its external form.

FIG. 6 Perspective illustrating an embodiment of the device with a different textured external form.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention relates to a hand held storage, dispensing and cleansing device 10 with a malleable porous membrane 12 illustrated in FIG. 1. In one embodiment of the invention an embossed area 11 is used as a branding area.

The dGev2'ce contains a sealed container 13 holding a pre-dosed volume of cleansing liquid 14' this is illustrated As demonstrate in FIG 3, If an external force 15 is apPiled to the membrane 12, such that would be produced if the device is squeezed in the hand, the device distortions. This effect causes the container 13 of liquid soap to ruptures and 'wet' the Inside of the device as shown by arrows 16. The device's membrane has pores 17 in its surface covennq the membraner such that if a pressure is applied to the device the liquid 14 Is forced through the membrane's pores in this way 'welting' me exterior of the device, in essence dispensing the liquid. In this state the device can be used to cleanse the body.

The present device's usage can be further extended to suit different usage scenarios. These usage scenarios include the application of any wet or oily liquid to the body. Therefore the device can be used the application of moisturiser, perfume, suntan lotion and such like.

The rupturing of the container shown in FIG 3 Is a 'primng'acton and in one embodiment only need be done once to initialise the device ready for the dispensing of the liquid soap. Once the contain has ruptured, the continued application of an external pressure on the devce's membrane will cause an internal pressure forcing the cleansing liquid to pass through the membrane's pores to it's exterior surface. In the presence of water the frictional effect of the device's membrane rubbed against the skin will cause the cleansing liquid to lather and cleanse the skin.

In one embodiment, the present invention is made from a porous elastomer or another membrane which has similar properties cue. has small holes). These holes can exist as valves having the capacity to allow a viscous liquid to pass through with the application of an external pressure.

In another embodiment the device can take on the form of different shapes and configuration, this is illustrated in FIG 5. The embodiment Is shown which can be hung from a loop of string 18 attached to the membrane enabling it to be used to hang the device from a tap or shower which not In use.

In another embodiment the devce's membrane's exterior surface can be textured in the form of embossed or debossed features 14 in such a way to generate different skin cleansing effects such as skin exfoliation this is illustrated in FIG 6. Further, the textured membrane can be used to produce different cleansing liquid lathing effects which may be pleasurable to the skin.

In another embodiment the present invention can be refilled through an aperture in the device's membrane.

The aperture can be opened or closed with a valve feature or by a integral or separate plug.

The present invention can be achieved in other methods outside those listed above without departing from the essence on the invention. While this section of the application outlines the details of the construction and operation of the present invention for the purposes of illustration and understanding it should be understood that modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the essence and scope of the present nvenbon. Such modifications may include alternatives to the porous membrane such as valves, and other aesthetic configurations in overall shape, different materials and specific methods to accomplish the functions of the various elements of the present invention.

The present embodiments should be viewed as llustrauve and not limiting, all variations there of which produce similar action should be seen to be embraced herein.

Claims (1)

1. Claims What is claimed Is: 1. A dispensing device for viscous fluids

   comprising of a container with a porous membrane having walls sufficiently resilient in nature to deform upon manual pressure.

   2. The dispensing device of Claim 1 to contain a rupturable sack containing a viscous fluid.

   3. The dispensing device of Claim 1 consists of a porous membrane container capable of dispensing a viscous fluid through the said membrane upon the application of a manual pressure.

   4. The dispensing device of claim 1 can be held In the hand.

   5. The dispensing device of Claim 1 can be manually pressurized thereby rupturing the sack of Claim 2 contained within.

   7. The dispensing device of Claim 1 wherein is capable of dispensing a viscous fluid through the membrane In response to Internal pressure.

   8. The dispensing device of claim 1 is made from an elastomer rubber.

   9. The dispensing device of Claim 1 wherein the device has an aesthetically please form.

   10. The dispensing device of Claim 1 to have the potential for refilling via a valve in its membrane.

   11. The dispensing device of Claim 1 wherein the membrane has a surface texture pleasurable to the skin.