FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a personal hygiene apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a collapsible scrubbing device that attaches to walls. A user of the present invention will be able to scrub the hard to reach places on the user's body by attaching the present invention to the wall of a shower and rubbing her body against it.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is an old proverb that states cleanliness is next to godliness. While this may or may not be true, good personal hygiene is an important part of health and wellbeing. Brushing your teeth and washing your body not only reduces your chances for illness, but improves your confidence. The process of scrubbing your entire body however, can be seen as somewhat of an art. Because the back is hard to reach for many individuals, there are numerous tool which are employed to reach every inch of your body while bathing or showering.
The present invention is a personal back scrubber that is one such tool. The personal back scrubber enables a user to easily wash the hard to reach spots on her body. No longer is the user forced to stretch or strain while showering. Now all the user need do is attach the personal back scrubber to the wall of the shower and rub her back against it. Once the user is done showering, the user simply folds the personal back scrubber up and stores it in a convenient location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of the present invention, wherein the plurality of fasteners is a plurality of suction cups.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention, wherein the plurality of fasteners is a plurality of suction cups.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the present invention, wherein a flexible wireframe is integrated within the exfoliating mesh.
FIG. 4 is a front view of the present invention, wherein a drawstring cord is integrated within the exfoliating mesh and wherein the exfoliation mesh is in an expanded configuration.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention, wherein a drawstring cord is integrated within the exfoliating mesh and wherein the exfoliation mesh is in a collapsed configuration.
FIG. 6 is a rear view of the present invention, wherein the plurality of fasteners is a plurality of finger receiving bands and at least one thumb receiving band and wherein a pocket is integrated with the mounting surface.
FIG. 7 is a rear view of the present invention, wherein the plurality of fasteners is a plurality of finger receiving bands and at least one thumb receiving band and wherein a plurality of soap-restraining bands is integrated with the mounting surface.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the present invention being inserted into a carrying case.
DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is a personal back scrubber. The present invention enables a user to clean hard to reach areas, such as the middle of a user's back, without stretching or straining to reach those areas. The present invention mounts to a vertical support surface to allow the user to brush up against the present invention or extends the user's reach to clean hard to reach areas. Once the user is finished bathing and the present invention is dried, the present invention is able to be stored within a carrying case for transportation or storage.
In accordance to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7, the present invention comprises an exfoliating mesh 1 and a plurality of fasteners 2. The exfoliating mesh 1 provides a medium for the user to collect and lather soap in order to apply the soap to the body of the user. The exfoliating mesh 1 comprises a scrubbing surface 9 and a mounting surface 10, as shown in FIG. 2. The scrubbing surface 9 is the surface which the user interfaces to scrub hard to reach areas of the user's body. The mounting surface 10 supports the plurality of fasteners 2 on an external support. The scrubbing surface 9 is positioned opposite to the mounting surface 10. The plurality of fasteners 2 secures the exfoliating mesh 1 to the external support for use. The plurality of fasteners 2 is mounted onto the mounting surface 10 in order to secure the exfoliating mesh 1 to the external support, such as a hand of the user or a shower wall. The plurality of fasteners 2 includes, but is not limited to, suction cups, support bands, hooks, adhesives, hook and loop fasteners, magnets, or another appropriate fastener.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the present invention comprises a flexible wireframe 3, as detailed in FIG. 3. The flexible wireframe 3 provides structural support for the exfoliating mesh 1, allowing the exfoliating mesh 1 to hold a shape and to remain taut during implementation as the user brushes against the present invention. The flexible wireframe 3 is perimetrically integrated into the exfoliating mesh 1 in order to maximize the surface area that the user is able to brush against, to clean hard to reach places.
In other embodiments of the present invention, the present invention comprises a drawstring cord 4 and a drawstring cord lock 5, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. The drawstring cord 4 allows the user to secure the exfoliating mesh 1 into a collapsed configuration by forcing the present invention to deform into the collapsed configuration, compacting the exfoliating mesh 1. In accordance to FIG. 4, the drawstring cord 4 is perimetrically integrated into the exfoliating mesh 1 such that when the drawstring cord 4 is pulled by the user the exfoliating mesh 1 becomes compact as the present invention deforms due to the force of the drawstring cord 4 on the exfoliating mesh 1. The drawstring cord lock 5 is slidably engaged with the drawstring cord 4 in order to allow the user to secure the exfoliating mesh 1 in a collapsed configuration, shown in FIG. 5. In the collapsed configuration, the drawstring cord lock 5 is positioned offset from a first end 16 of the drawstring and a second end 17 of the drawstring. Therefore, a length of the drawstring is shortened between the first end 16 and the second end 17 compacting the exfoliating mesh 1. The user is able to release the drawstring cord lock 5 for implantation of the present invention, to return the exfoliating mesh 1 to an expanded configuration, shown in FIG. 4. In the expanded configuration, the drawstring cord lock 5 is positioned adjacent to the first end 16 of the drawstring and the second end 17 of the drawstring. The drawstring cord 4 is therefore relaxed within the exfoliating mesh 1 allowing the exfoliating mesh 1 to tauten due to the force exerted on the exfoliating mesh 1 by the plurality of fasteners 2 or the flexible wireframe 3, maximizing the surface area of the exfoliating mesh 1.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of fasteners 2 is a plurality of suction cups 11, in accordance to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The plurality of suction cups 11 allows the exfoliating mesh 1 to be mounted onto an external vertical support, such as a shower wall. Mounting the exfoliating mesh 1 to the shower wall allows the user to clean hard to reach areas by rubbing the hard to reach areas against the exfoliating mesh 1. The plurality of suction cups 11 is distributed across the mounting surface 10, detailed in FIG. 1, in order to support the weight of the exfoliating mesh 1 when mounted to the vertical support, as well as, to overcome the force of friction from the user rubbing against the exfoliating mesh 1 to keep the exfoliating mesh 1 in place on the vertical support. In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of suction cups 11 is perimetrically distributed on the mounting surface 10 to strengthen the attachment between the vertical support and the exfoliating mesh 1. The plurality of suction cups 11 is removably mounted to the mounting surface 10 such that the exfoliating mesh 1 is able to be laundered easily to prevent the buildup of harmful bacteria.
In other embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of fasteners 2 is a plurality of finger receiving bands 12 and at least one thumb receiving band 13, in accordance to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. The plurality of finger receiving bands 12 and the at least one thumb receiving band 13 allow the user to insert each finger for one of the user's hands into a corresponding receiving band of the plurality of finger receiving bands 12 or into a thumb receiving band of the at least one thumb receiving band 13 in order to support the exfoliating mesh 1 on the user's hand. The plurality of finger receiving bands 12 and the at least one thumb receiving band 13 are preferred to be elastic in order to secure the exfoliating mesh 1 to the user's hand effectively. The plurality of finger receiving bands 12 is centrally positioned on the mounting surface 10. The at least one thumb receiving band 13 is offset from the plurality of finger receiving bands 12. This configuration allows the user to comfortably secure the exfoliating mesh 1 to the user's hand. The user is then able to easily manipulate the exfoliating mesh 1 to clean the user's body. In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of finger receiving bands 12 is linearly aligned with each other in order to receive the user's fingers, illustrated in FIG. 6. In another specific embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of finger receiving bands 12 is radially aligned with each other to ergonomically receive the user's fingers, illustrated in FIG. 7.
In accordance to a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the at least one thumb receiving band 13 is a first thumb receiving band 14 and a second thumb receiving band 15, detailed in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. The first thumb receiving band 14 and the second thumb receiving band 15 are positioned opposite to each other across the exfoliating mesh 1. The first thumb receiving band 14 and the second thumb receiving band 15 allow the exfoliating mesh 1 to be attached to a left hand or a right hand of the user.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the present invention comprises at least one pocket 6, as shown in FIG. 6. The at least one pocket 6 allows the user to store soap bars, travel sized liquid soap containers, or removable fasteners of the plurality of fasteners 2, such as suction cups, for storage or transport with the present invention. The at least one pocket 6 is integrated with the mounting surface 10 in order to prevent interference from the at least one pocket 6 during use.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the present invention comprises a plurality of soap-restraining bands 8, illustrated in FIG. 7. The plurality of soap-restraining bands 8 secure a bar of soap onto the mounting surface 10. The plurality of soap-restraining bands 8 is adjacently connected to the mounting surface 10 in order to secure the bar of soap onto the exfoliating mesh 1. The plurality of soap-restraining bands 8 is centrally positioned on the mounting surface 10. Friction across the scrubbing surface 9 shifts the exfoliating mesh 1 causing abrasion to the bar of soap restrained by the plurality of soap-restraining bands 8. While bathing, water and the abrasion of the bar of soap lathers the soap through the exfoliating mesh 1 to the scrubbing surface 9 to clean the user.
In accordance to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present invention comprises a carrying case 7, as show in FIG. 8. The carrying case 7 is preferred to be a nylon bag; however, the carrying case 7 may be a rigid case or any other appropriate case for transporting the present invention. When the present invention is to be transported, the exfoliating mesh 1 is encased within the carrying case 7. The carrying case 7 prevents the present invention from coming into contact with undesirable or unsanitary objects during transportation.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Patent Application
20170303748
