Patent Application
20200087601
The present invention relates to the field of soap and methods of making and using soap. More specifically, embodiments herein relate to methods of managing consumption of soap.
The traditional hard soap bar is still the primary method of personal cleaning used throughout the world for over two thousand years. Since that time, hard soap bars have been widely used in the same manner, by hand-gripping the hard soap mixed with water, wetting it, and applying one of its surfaces to the product being cleaned. However, this traditional method also depletes the soap that is being lathered from the soap's other surfaces which are being uselessly washed away without interfacing with the product, thus wasting valuable soap resources.
Various embodiments of soap, methods of making and using soap, and methods of managing consumption of soap are described. In one embodiment, a method of managing consumption of soap during cleaning includes keeping a first portion of the soap bar surface exposed to normally interact with the water, and coating a second portion of the soap bar surface with a waterproof membrane to prevent interaction with the water. The soap material beneath the second portion thus remains solid and intact, saving valuable soap resources that would have otherwise been wasted when using a traditional soap bar without a waterproofing film.
In an embodiment, a hard soap bar includes a hydro-oleo phobic coating film. The film may, in certain embodiments, be in the form of a membrane. The film is applied over certain portions of the bar's surface to prevent contact with water and preserve the soap material beneath the film.
In some embodiments, an oleo-phobic coating prevents oil particles (and their associated germs) from attaching to the surface of the membrane, and potentially, to the soap molecules.
In an embodiment, a cleaning bar includes a body comprising a cleaning material and a shell partially covering the body. The shell includes a film that at least partially protects a surface of the body from water or oil. At least a portion of the surface of the body is exposed to allow a user to clean with the exposed surface.
In an embodiment, a method of making a cleaning bar includes covering a portion of a bar of soap with a protective layer of material; and leaving a portion of the bar of soap uncovered.
In an embodiment, a method of cleaning includes covering a portion of a bar of soap with a hydrophobic material; and using an uncovered portion of the bar to clean one or more items.
In one embodiment, a first portion (1 side, for example) of the hard soap bar surface remains exposed to allow that portion of the soap bar surface to interface with the water as a traditional soap bar, and a second portion (1 or all other remaining sides, for example) of the soap bar surface is configured to receive a hydro-phobic and oleo-phobic coated film (which may be referred to herein as a “membrane”) that prevents the soap bar material below the membrane from interacting with the water. The oleo-phobic coating also prevents oil particles (and their associated germs) from attaching to the surface of the membrane. In this embodiment, only the first portion of the soap bar material is interfacing (being used) while the soap bar material below the second portion is not interfacing and thus remains hard and intact, conserving valuable soap material that would have otherwise been wasted in a traditional soap bar where the entire soap bar is exposed to interfacing with water. As the soap bar material in the first portion is being used (dissolved), the membrane along the planar outer perimeter edge is also gradually fading.
While the invention is described herein by way of example for several embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including, but not limited to.
Various embodiments of soap, methods of making and using soap, and methods of managing consumption of soap are described.
In one embodiment, a first portion (1 side, for example) of the hard soap bar surface remains exposed to allow that portion of the soap bar surface to interface with the water as a traditional soap bar, and a second portion (1 or all other remaining sides, for example) of the soap bar surface is configured to receive a hydro-phobic and oleo-phobic coated film (which may be referred to herein as “membrane”). The membrane may inhibit or prevent the soap bar material below the membrane from interacting with the water. The oleo-phobic coating may prevent oil particles (and their associated germs) from attaching to the surface of the membrane. In this embodiment, only the first portion of the soap bar material is interfacing (being used) while the soap bar material below the second portion is not interfacing and thus remains hard and intact, conserving valuable soap material that would have otherwise been wasted in a traditional soap bar where the entire soap bar is exposed to interfacing with water. As the soap bar material in the first portion is being used (dissolved), the membrane along the planar outer perimeter edge also gradually fades.
In an embodiment, a cleaning bar includes a body including a cleaning material and a shell partially covering the body. The shell includes a film that at least partially protects a surface of the body from water and/or oil. At least a portion of the surface of the body is exposed to allow a user to clean with the exposed surface.
In an embodiment, a method of making a cleaning bar includes covering a portion of a bar of soap with a protective layer of material (which may be hydrophobic, oleo-phobic, or both), and leaving a portion of the bar of soap uncovered.
In an embodiment, a method of cleaning includes covering a portion of a bar of soap with a protective layer of material (which may be hydrophobic, oleo-phobic, or both); and using an uncovered portion of the bar to clean one or more items.
The top plane of the body may remain exposed and interact with the product being cleaned. From bottom up on the front, back and sides planes, up to 10, water and oil do not penetrate the surface of the membrane to reach the protected surface of the bar of soap.
During cleaning, bar 100 may be held from the bottom of the bar. As bar 100 is used to clean the product, hydro-oleo phobic film 102 protects the surfaces of body other than the top plane. Film 102 may, in certain embodiments, be in the form of a membrane. As the top plane material is being depleted, so is the adjoining outside perimeter of film 102. Thus, film 102 may naturally and progressively fade (from 10, 9, 8), down to 0 shown in
In various embodiments, a film may cover various portions of a solid body of cleaning material (e.g., a bar of soap). Soap bars or other cleaning bars with protective shells, films, or membrane may come in any of various shapes or sizes. A protective layer may be applied to a full surface, a part of a surface, or to one or more full surfaces, or one or more parts of surfaces. In certain embodiments, a protective layer is applied to random portions of the surface of a body of cleaning material (e.g., a bar of soap).
In
In some embodiments, a protective layer is included on the bottom of a cleaning bar. In certain embodiments, the protective layer may be a sufficient thickness and/or form a sufficient water barrier to reduce or eliminate contact of the body of the cleaning bar with water resting (e.g. pooled) on the surface on which the bar is placed.
A shell or film may be applied to a block of cleaning material (e.g., a bar of soap) by any suitable method of application. Examples of methods for application include spraying, dipping, painting, or applying sheets of protective film (e.g., held by pressure-sensitive adhesive).
In some embodiments, a protective shell or film of a cleaning bar is applied during production. The cleaning bar may be distributed (e.g., through retail stores) with protective shell. In other embodiments, a protective film may be applied after the original production of the cleaning production, and even after distribution the user. For example, a user may apply a protective coating (e.g., hydro/oleo phobic coating) to an ordinary, uncoated bar of soap after acquiring the ordinary bar of soap. In certain embodiments, the protective film is applied using container of protective material applied by the user while the original cleaning bar is held in a fixture. In one embodiment, a kit for making a cleaning bar includes a holder configured to hold a bar of soap; and a container including a material configured to cover a portion of the bar of soap.
In an embodiment, a kit for making a cleaning bar includes a holder configured to hold a bar of soap; and a container comprising a material configured to cover a portion of the bar of soap. The container may include a spray container. The holder may at least partially cover a surface of the bar of soap to inhibit covering of the surface by the material.
Although, in various embodiments, the protective layer for a cleaning bar is described as a membrane, the protective layer may in various embodiments be a film, coating, sheet, or other suitable element.
Although, in various embodiments, the membrane or film of a cleaning bar has been described as hydro-phobic and oleo-phobic, the membrane, film, or shell of a cleaning bar may in certain embodiments be only hydro-phobic, only oleo phobic, or neither hydro-phobic nor oleo-phobic.
Although, in various embodiments, a block of cleaning material to which a protective layer is applied has been described as hard soap, the base cleaning material, may, in certain embodiments, be another form of cleaning material. Although the block of material may be rigid, it may also, in certain embodiments, be flexible, bendable, or spongy.
Although, in various embodiments, the exposed surface of the cleaning bar has been shown as planar and on the top of the bar, the exposed surface or surfaces of a cleaning bar may in various embodiments be non-planar or on surfaces other than the top surface. For example, in one embodiment, the exposed surface of the cleaning bar may be domed, crowned, convex, or ridged. In some embodiments, exposed or unexposed surface of a cleaning bar may have waves, ridges, or other regular or irregular surface variations.
As used herein, a “bar” refers to a block of material or materials. In some cases, a bar includes an exterior shell, film, coating, or membrane. A bar may be any of various shapes, including elongated, prismatic, ovate, oblong, cubic, spherical, ovate, or irregular. A “cleaning bar” refers to any bar that can be used for cleaning. A cleaning bar may be used to clean anyone or anything, including a person, an animal, a vehicle, a building, or any object, or one or more surfaces of an object or structure. In some cases, a bar is or includes a bar of soap.
As used herein, “shell” refers to an exterior layer, covering, coating that at least partially encloses or covers another portion of a thing.
As used herein, “film” refers to any coating, membrane, or layer of material. A film may be a thin layer or coating applied to the exterior of all or a portion another object, such as a bar of soap.
As used herein, an “item” cleaned may be anything, including a person, animal, utensil, tool, building, vehicle, portable object, or fixed object, or a surface thereof.
Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention may be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken as embodiments. Elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts and processes may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention. Methods may be implemented manually, in software, in hardware, or a combination thereof. The order of any method may be changed, and various elements may be added, reordered, combined, omitted, modified, etc. Changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims. In addition, none of the claims is intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. Section 112(f) unless the exact words “means for” are followed by a gerund.
This application claims priority to U.S. Application Ser. No. 62/733,080, entitled “METHOD FOR MANAGING CONSUMPTION OF SOAP”, filed Sep. 18, 2018, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62733080 | Sep 2018 | US |
