US3114928A - Sponge for containing soap - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 24, 1963 J. SPlTERl 3,114,928

SPONGE FOR CONTAINING SOAP Fild NOV. 20, 1961 1% 5 INVENTOR.

J$PH 5 Pure! BZMZ/ United States Patent 3,114,928 SPONGE FOR CONTAINING SOAP Joseph Spiteri, Erie, Pa., assignor to Electr-O-Mech, Inc, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 153,431 1 Claim. (Cl. 15568) This invention relates to sponges and, more particularly, to improved sponges for use for domestic purposes and the like.

The invention disclosed herein constitutes a continuation in part of that shown in patent application, Serial No. 131,672, filed August 15, 1961, now abandoned.

The invention includes a sponge made of suitable material which could be natural sponge but, in the preferred embodiment, is a synthetic sponge of a size suitable for the intended purpose which is ordinarily a size convenient to handle for the operator in one hand.

The sponge according to the invention is made of a single integral piece of sponge material slotted inwardly from one end to form an internal cavity therein which may be used to receive washing powder, cleaning solution, scouring powder, flake soap, or even a cake of soap. The end of the slot may be held in closed position by means of a strip of pressure sensitive material. In practice, it has been discovered that a material available on the market under the trade name Velcro makes an efficient, effective fastener.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved sponge in combination with a fastening means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sponge having an improved closure therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sponge which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and easy to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a sponge according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the sponge shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, a sponge is shown of generally rectangular shape having a wide slot 11 in the end thereof which is joined by a narrower slot 12. The slot 12 terminates at edges 13 and parts the material to form a rectangular enclosure therein. Some of the material may be removed from the sides of the slot 12 to form a cavity at 14 in the sponge. Two pieces 16 of Velcro material will then be put in place. Material can be removed to form a slot 9 wider than the slot 11 to provide a finger entering groove.

The slot 11 is slightly wider than the slot 12. This provides two fiat surfaces which extend laterally past the edges of slot 12 to receive the two pieces or strips 16 and 17 of the pressure sensitive material. The pressure sensitive material may be in the form of two pieces of tape which may be of Velcro cemented to the sponge by suitable solvent on one side thereof and the other to opposed sides having the usual surfaces which have afiinity for each other. In practice, the sponge may be about five inches long, four inches wide, and one and one-half inches thick; however, it could be of any particular shape.

The slot 11 could be three inches long and the slot 12 could be four inches long so that a wall of about onehalf inch would be formed along each side thereof. This wall thickness could be more or less, depending upon the service to which the sponge is to be put and, also, depending upon the strength of the sponge material. The slot 11 could be about one-fourth inch wider on each end than the slot 12 so that the Velcro material will hold the slot in closed position across the entire width of slot 12. This also prevents the sponge from tearing at the edge of slot 12 which would form a leak. One side outward of the cavity 14 indicated at 2X is considerably thicker than the side indicated at 1X. This allows soap to fiow through the side indicated at 1X much more freely than through the side indicated at 2X.

In use, a person will grasp the edges of the sponge adjacent the center at each side of the Velcro material at 16 on each side thereof and pull them apart. The pressure sensitive material may be pulled apart and suitable soap can be inserted into the cavity 14. Then the material can be pressed together and the soap will be encased in the sponge where it will flow out with water as a solution as the sponge is used.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but it is understood that the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claim.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

A sponge adapted to contain a soap comprising a body of sponge material being split partway across one end and into said body to form a cavity there inclosed on three sides by the integral walls of said sponge, an end slot in said end slightly wider than the split forming said cavity, and two pieces of pressure sensitive Velcro material being fixed one to each side of the inside surfaces defining said slot with the mutually attracted surfaces being opposed to each other and co-planar with said surfaces defining said slot and inward of the end thereof so that they may be pressed together to hold said sponge in closed position entirely across said cavity or pulled apart to replenish said soap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,991,001 Hughes July 4, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 677,403 Great Britain Aug. 13, 1952 862,511 France Dec. 9, 1940

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