US3693923A

US3693923A - Suspension device for a cake of soap

Info

Publication number: US3693923A
Application number: US29182A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodore A Ayoub; Alfred Ayoub
Original assignee: THEODORE A AYOUB
Current assignee: THEODORE A AYOUB
Priority date: 1970-04-16
Filing date: 1970-04-16
Publication date: 1972-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 1989-09-26

Abstract

The present invention provides a suspension device for a cake of soap in the form of an elongated, flexible, polyethylene molded strip, which has pin engaging apertures at its outer ends and collars formed integrally therewith, and pins or inserts of acrylic resin for engaging in said apertures and for insertion into the side faces of the soap cake for retaining said cake soap and suspension loop in relative non-rotational position; and a wall bracket of polymerized methyl-methacrylate having an upright portion adapted to be adhesively attached to a wall over a wash basin or the like, such wall bracket having an upper, outwardly projecting hook arm and a lower, outwardly projecting drip pan, such hook when the suspension loop is hung therefrom holding such soap cake over said drip pan, in air, and out of contact with a moisture or water collecting vessel or surface.

Description

United States Patent Ayoub et al.

[54] SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR A CAKE OF SOAP [22] Filed: April 16, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 29,182

[52] US. Cl. ..248/360, 248/309, 248/317,

211/73, 211/88 [51] int. Cl ..Fl6|n 13/02 [58] Field of Search ..248/317, 318, 359, 360;

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 533,138 2/1922 France ..252/92 51 Sept. 26, 1972 Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz Attorney-Howard .1. Churchill, Robert S. Dunham, P. E. l-lenninger. Lester W. Clark, Thomas F. Moran, Gerald W. Griffin, R. Bradlee Boal, Christopher C. Dunham and Robert Scobey [57] ABSTRACT The present invention provides a suspension device for a cake of soap in the form of an elongated, flexible. polyethylene molded strip, which has pin engaging apertures at its outer ends and collars formed integrally therewith, and pins or inserts of acrylic resin for engaging in said apertures and for insertion into the side faces of the soap cake for retaining said cake soap and suspension loop in relative non-rotational position; and a wall bracket of polymerized methylmethacrylate having an upright portion adapted to be adhesively attached to a wall over a wash basin or the like, such wall bracket having an upper, outwardly projecting hook arm and a lower. outwardly projecting drip pan, such hook when the suspension loop is hung therefrom holding such soap cake over said drip pan, in air, and out of contact with a moisture or water collecting vessel or surface.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR A CAKE OF SOAP The present invention relates to a suspension device for a cake of hand soap and the like and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

More particularly, the present invention provides a suspension device for a cake of hand soap and the like which comprises a substantially semi-circular flexible loop having soap engaging members at its outer ends which can readily be pressed into non-rotational engagement with such soap cake, the device also including a supporting hook for receiving and supporting the loop, and preferably a drip pan disposed below the soap cake, when suspended by the loop, for collecting the soap and water drippings, the soap cake when suspended being held out of contact with such drip pan, a wash basin or other surface.

It has been our observation and experience that soap cakes when placed in a soap dish or recessed soap container on a wash basin, bath tub or the like, wastes away during non-use due to accumulated moisture or water in constant contact with the soap cake.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to make various types of soap cakes captive, with such captive means extending therethrough and extending therefrom. Also, it has been proposed to provide suspendible cakes of soap, but this required that the part of the suspension means be incorporated during manufacture or casting of the cake.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a suspension device for a soap cake which may readily be applied to any commercially available cake of soap and which will hold such cake out of contact with a soap dish, recessed soap container or other moisture or water collecting vessel so that such soap cake in nonuse is maintained dry and does not waste away.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a suspension device for a soap cake which may be readily applied to a commercially available cake of soap and which when so applied may have non-rotational engagement therewith, i.e., the connection of such suspension device to the soap cake will prevent relative rotation between the soap cake and such suspension device.

With these and other objects in view, the present in vention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the device of the present invention, including a suspension loop, a soap cake, a supporting bracket and a drip pan.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly fragmentary, of the soap cake, suspension loop, and supporting bracket shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in cross section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view looking from the left in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing a modified non-rotational suspension loop; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a single, non-rotational pin for use with the suspension loop embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a conventional cake of soap 10 of approximately three-dimensional rectangular proportions, is supported by a suspension loop 11 of substantially semi-circular shape, such suspension loop having at each of its ends apertures l2, 13 for receiving and retaining pins or inserts l4, 15. The pins or

inserts

14, 15 as best seen in FIG. 3, have heads 16 and pointed ends 17 which permit such pins to be manually pressed into the side face 20 of a cake of soap and to be retained therein. The head 16 of each

insert

14, 15, is pushed into the soap through the apertures l2, 13 in the ends of the suspension loop, the apertures having a molded or similar reinforcing collar 22 which is engaged by the heads 16.

The suspension loop 11 preferably is formed of an elongated flexible material such as a molded polypropylene strip. The preferred thickness is one thirty-second inch and the preferred length is approximately 5 inches. The molded strip 11 also preferably is provided with reinforcing collars 22, formed integrally therewith.

The pins or

inserts

14, 15 preferably are fabricated from acrylic resin. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, four such inserts are required, -two for each end of the suspension loop, so as to prevent relative rotation between the loop 11 and soap cake [0. The apertures I2 and 13 are longitudinally spaced and substantially coincide with the longitudinal axis of the strip 11.

In the alternative form of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, each end of the suspension loop 11 is provided with a single aperture 23 having an integrally molded reinforcing collar 24, such aperture and collar being elliptical in form with the major axis of the ellipse paralleling or coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the strip 11. The insert or pin 26 shown in FIG. 6 is especially adapted for use with and insertion in the elliptical aperture 23. It will be noted that the insert or pin 26 has a shank 27 of similar elliptical configuration and has a pointed end 28. Also, its head 29 closely approximates the size and shape of the aperture 23 and reinforcing collar 24. With this construction, when the pin or insert 26 is inserted through the aperture 23 into a soap cake 10, it will serve the dual purpose of retention and anti-rotation between the suspension loop 11 and soap cake 10.

As best seen in perspective in FIG. I, the invention also provides a wall bracket 30 having an upright wall engaging member 31 which may be adhesively or otherwise attached to the wall such as by an adhesive layer 33. The wall bracket also includes an outwardly projecting arm 35 having a slightly upturned end 36 which serves as a hook for the suspension loop 11 to hold it and the soap cake in properly suspended position and spaced from the wall 37.

Preferably integrally formed as part of the wall bracket 30 is an outwardly projecting drip pan 39 having a base 40 and an upturned lip 41.

The wall bracket 30 preferably is formed of polymerized methyl-methacrylate which is also known under the trademark "Plexiglas."

With this arrangement of parts, as thus described it has been found that the soap cake 10 is held out ofcontact with water or accumulated moisture which usually collects in a conventional soap dish or a recessed portion of a wash basin and the like, and that the soap wastage is substantially reduced. In fact, it has been found that with the construction of the present invention the life of a cake of soap has been extended as much as between two and three times.

It will be understood that with the cake soap l suspended in air and out of contact with moisture or water which generally accumulates in conventional soap dishes, whatever water is on the soap at the time it is suspended from hook 36 will drip into the drip pan 39 where it can be directed into the wash basin beneath the lip 41. Thereafter the cake will be exposed to drying in air and wastage of the cake will thereby be reduced.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described in its preferred forms, it will be understood that variations may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. The combination of a soap cake having side surfaces and a suspension loop therefor, such suspension loop comprising a flexible elongated plastic member having at least two apertures in longitudinally spaced relation at each outer end and plastic pins pressed into such apertures and into engagement with the side faces of such soap cake and retained therein whereby said loop member is retained in non-rotational engagement with said soap cake.

2. A suspension device for a cake of hand soap and the like which comprises an elongated flexible plastic member capable of being formed into a substantially semi-circular flexible loop, said loop having at its outer ends apertures for receiving soap engaging plastic pins, and pins engaging in said apertures and adapted to be pressed into retention engagement with the side faces of such soap cake, whereby said soap cake may be suspended from a hook and out of contact with a moisture or water collecting vessel, the aperture at each outer end of said elongated flexible member being elliptical, with its major axis coinciding with the iongitudinal axis of such elongated member, and each said pin having a shank portion of substantially elliptical shape, whereby said cooperating elliptical apertures and elliptical shank portions maintain the loop and soap cake in non-rotational engagement.

3. The combination of a soap cake having side surfaces and a suspension loop therefor, such suspension loop comprising a flexible elongated plastic member having apertures at its outer ends and plastic pins having elongated shanks and enlarged heads pressed into such apertures and into engagement with the side faces of such soap cake and retained therein.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein the elongated flexible member is molded polyethylene strip and the pins are of acrylic resin.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the elongated polyethylene strip has integrally formed collars surrounding each aperture.

i t t

Claims

2. A suspension device for a cake of hand soap and the like which comprises an elongated flexible plastic member capable of being formed into a substantially semi-circular flexible loop, said loop having at its outer ends apertures for receiving soap engaging plastic pins, and pins engaging in said apertures and adapted to be pressed into retention engagement with the side faces of such soap cake, whereby said soap cake may be suspended from a hook and out of contact with a moisture or water collecting vessel, the aperture at each outer end of said elongated flexible member being elliptical, with its major axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis of such elongated member, and each said pin having a shank portion of substantially elliptical shape, whereby said cooperating elliptical apertures and elliptical shank portions maintain the loop and soap cake in non-rotational engagement.
3. The combination of a soap cake having side surfaces and a suspension loop therefor, such suspension loop comprising a flexible elongated plastic member having apertures at its outer ends and plastic pins having elongated shanks and enlarged heads pressed into such apertures and into engagement with the side faces of such soap cake and retained therein.
4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein the elongated flexible member is molded polyethylene strip and the pins are of acrylic resin.
5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the elongated polyethylene strip has integrally formed collars surrounding each aperture.