Patent Grant
7424949
Not Applicable
The field of the invention relates to a novel concept of a single embodiment, namely a self-draining soapdish unit fabricated with choice of materials, metals, sizes, shapes, styles, including the options for accessories, securable to fixed structure or free standing, in which the soap held in the container component of the unit can be repositioned, by means of one or more integrated mechanisms, such as telescopic arm, pivoted leaver, hydraulic, hinge, pneumatic, motor, solenoids, springs and inclined plane, to a preferred location, such as sink, tub or shower floor, to enhance drying function of the soap, during use and thereafter, allowing water from the wet soap to drain into the preferred area and be eliminated, thus drying the soap effectively and efficiently, and is then returned to its original position in the soapdish, when desired. The combined structural construction and functional elements of this single embodiment to enhance and maximize the drying feature of the soap makes this soapdish unit, unique and innovative. The basic elements of this concept are amenable to variability of (a) various soap container shapes, sizes, materials, and metals (b) securing mechanisms and devices, movable or free standing (c) mechanism for repositioning the soap container component of the unit, by means of one or more integrated mechanisms, such as telescopic arm, pivoted leaver, hydraulic, hinge, pneumatic, motor, solenoids, springs and inclined plane; (d) application in location of use such as in showers, other sinks or tubs; in addition to (e) incorporating provisions to dry and/or store accessories such as shampoo, toothbrush and an additional soap for future use. Thus, in addition to enhancing and maximizing the drying features, these additional elements that the embodiment is amenable to, enhance the utility, appeal, and it's suitability for diverse needs and decors.
Soaps in general are hydrophilic and by virtue of their constituents, the location and purpose of use, tend to retain water in the container such as in conventional soap dish, where they may be stored. It is thus inherent for conventional soap dishes to contain a half-dissolved, soggy soap in addition to water in the lower level of the soap dish units. In addition to wastage of soap, the soap dish requires more frequent cleaning of the soap build up and draining of the water within the floor or drain tray of the soap dish, with the use of scrub or brush. Soggy soap also hinders the proper lathering of soap, comfortable use and hence proper utility of the soap.
Previous soap dish designs have attempted to incorporate design elements in soap dishes to improve effective water drainage from the soap dish. Examples of the prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,546, wherein a self draining soap dish construction provides a new and improved self draining soap dish wherein the same provides a forward trough within the soap dish in communication with a sink basin of an associated sink to permit continuous and automatic drainage of the soap dish in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,940 to Kowal, where the patent sets forth a draining soap dish for multiple bars of soap and more specifically pertains to holding a plurality of bars of soap, while preventing their softening by having a top plate with rectangular openings to hold soap with a U-shaped drainage slots and a bottom plate to receive the drainage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,272 to Park, where the patent sets forth a soap case characterized to have a receiving portion that is designed to receive the bar of soap to be upright, in an angle and comprising a movement mechanism integrated within the soap dish design, thus enabling the water to leave the surface of the bar quickly, so that the soap dries quickly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,529 to Kelley, where the patent sets forth a soap bar holder with a lid on a pivot, which is made to pivot by means of a pin that seals the soap dish when not in use and is spring loaded for easy access to soap by pressing the release button. The enclosure is slidable and removable with a mounting plate that makes this easy to access this enclosure for cleaning.
Other soap dish patents contain design elements that include a slope, an angle or a slope and a drain tray in the soap dish or the tray below the soap holder, thus enabling the water to leave the surface of the bar, in an attempt to permit the soap to drain water quickly.
The above referenced patents, in summary, are designs that have modifications in soap dish container designs with slopes, angles and troughs or those that have a receiving tray at the base of the soap dish that allows for draining of water from the soap dish relatively better than conventional soap dishes, but not instantly nor completely. However, these soap dish designs in all probability may continue to have moisture or soap buildup within a soap dish floor, require frequent soap dish clean up, and in addition, do not reduce the wastage of soap in the soap dish, which may not be completely dry. In addition, the water with the soap may remain in the soap dish itself or the base receiving unit of the soap dish, thus not ensuring a mechanism by which the soap can drain completely nor instantly, directly into the drain of the sink, shower or other drainage systems.
Thus, currently, there are no soapdish designs that incorporate a concept of a single embodiment, such as a self-draining soapdish unit, which includes the options of including accessories, securable to fixed structures or free standing, whereby the soap held in the container component of the unit can be repositioned, by means of one or more integrated mechanisms, such as telescopic arm, pivoted leaver, hydraulic, hinge, pneumatic, motor, solenoids, springs and inclined plane, to a preferred location, such as sink or shower, to enhance drying function of the soap, during use and thereafter, allowing water from the wet soap to drain directly into the preferred area and be eliminated, thus drying the soap effectively and efficiently, and which is then returned to its original position in the soapdish unit.
The invention pertains to novel concept of a single embodiment, namely a self-draining soapdish unit fabricated with choice of materials, metals, sizes, shapes, styles, including the options for accessories, securable to fixed structure or free standing, in which the soap held in the container component of the unit can be repositioned, by means of one or more integrated mechanisms, such as, but not limited to, telescopic arm, pivoted leaver, hydraulic, hinge, pneumatic, motor, solenoids, springs and inclined plane, to a preferred location, such as sink, tub or shower floor, to enhance drying function of the soap, during use and thereafter, allowing water from the wet soap to drain into the preferred area and be eliminated, thus drying the soap effectively and efficiently, and is then returned to its original position in the soapdish, without compromising appearance, as it assumes a compact design as in a sink application or neatly tucked in a recess in other applications such as in a shower, once the soap is dry. The combined structural construction and functional elements of this single embodiment to enhance and maximize the drying feature of the soap makes this soapdish unit, unique and innovative.
The basic elements of this concept are amenable to variability of (a) various soap container shapes, sizes, materials, and metals (b) securing mechanisms and devices, movable or free standing (c) mechanism for repositioning the soap container component of the unit, by means of one or more integrated mechanisms, such as, but not limited to, telescopic arm, pivoted leaver, hydraulic, hinge, pneumatic, motor, solenoids, springs and inclined plane; (d) application in location of use such as, but not limited to, in showers, other sinks or tubs; in addition to (e) incorporating provisions to dry and/or store accessories such as shampoo, toothbrush and an additional soap for future use. Thus, in addition to enhancing and maximizing the drying features, these additional elements that the embodiment is amenable to, enhance the utility, appeal, and it's suitability for diverse needs and decors.
The single embodiment, namely, the self-draining soap dish unit, described herein attempts to overcome deficiencies of prior soap dish constructions and improves on previous designs by combining structural construction and functional elements, enabling the soap container to be drawn out of the original position from the soap dish unit to the desired area, such as hand sink, tub or floor of the shower, to drain water instantly during use and dry quickly and efficiently. In addition, it facilitates returning the soap to its original position after use and after the soap is dry with no potential for moisture or soap buildup within a soap container floor, as it drains into the sink, without requiring frequent soap dish clean up, but in addition, reducing the wastage of soap in the embodiment which can remain dry. Moving from functional position to original position also improves appearance and ensures safety and in appearance it resembles a conventional soap dish which people are accustomed to. The current invention thus fulfills a void in soap dish design.
The application of this embodiment is not limited to utilities such as sink, shower, tub or kitchen, but can be used in various other applications such as, but not limited to hospitals, restaurants and hotels and other applications as deemed necessary. All the above said elements described make this invention novel and versatile, with significant utility value to the consumer.
The purpose of the current soap dish design is to provide a new, improved, effective and efficient single embodiment of a self draining soap dish unit, which has all the advantages of the prior art soap dish designs and yet combined structural construction and functional elements to enhance and maximize the drying feature of the soap, thus overcoming the deficits of previous designs.
The field of the invention relates to a novel concept of a single embodiment, namely a self-draining soapdish unit fabricated with choice of materials, metals, sizes, shapes, styles, including the options for accessories, securable to fixed structure or free standing, in which the soap held in the container component of the unit can be repositioned, by means of one or more integrated mechanisms, such as telescopic arm, pivoted leaver, hydraulic, hinge, pneumatic, motor, solenoids, springs and inclined plane, to a preferred location, such as sink, tub or shower floor, to enhance drying function of the soap, during use and thereafter, allowing water from the wet soap to drain into the preferred area and be eliminated, thus drying the soap effectively and efficiently, and is then returned to its original position in the soapdish, without compromising appearance. In addition to the soap, the current invention incorporates provisions to dry and/or store other bath accessories such as soap, shampoo, toothbrush and razors, thus enhancing the utility, appeal and its suitability for diverse needs and decors. The combined structural construction and functional elements of this single embodiment to enhance and maximize the drying feature of the soap makes this soapdish unit, unique and innovative.
As one of the intended uses of this embodiment is in homes, it is of prime importance that this unit is designed to suit various styles to match different construction details and decors used in the homes. This requirement is accomplished as the design concept is amenable to variability of (a) mechanism for repositioning the soap container component of the unit, by means of one or more integrated mechanisms, such as, but not limited to, telescopic arm, pivoted leaver, hydraulic, hinge, pneumatic, motor, solenoids, springs and inclined plane; (b) securable to other fixed structures such as counter tops, wall recess or free standing, removable unit, with a heavy base to balance the weight of the soap and soapdish by using suction cups or adhesive for additional support (c) location of use such as in showers, other sinks or tubs, chosen by the individual user, based on factors such as safety, convenience and function; (d) various soap container shapes, sizes, materials, and metals, and in addition to (e) incorporating provisions to store accessories such as shampoo, toothbrush thus enhancing, in addition to the drying feature, the utility, appeal and its suitability for diverse needs and decors.
It is a well known fact that people in general relate well to familiar objects and tend to use them. The soap container component of the embodiment with the repositioning element can be moved back to the original position and in this position the soap dish unit appears similar to a more familiar conventional soap dish and the repositioning mechanisms are inconspicuous. This invention has an yet an another novel advantage that this soap dish can also be used as a regular soap dish in its original position, water draining into the removable drain tray which is placed underneath the soap container, when and if desired so.
The use of this embodiment is not limited to sinks, tubs and showers, the other applications include but not limited to, use in commercial, hospitals restaurants and other public and private areas. It is also understood that the invention defined by the appended claims is not to be limited to particular details set forth in the following description, as many apparent modifications are possible with out departing from the basic element and scope of the present invention.
The embodiment and the modified forms are comprised of four basic components. The soap dish consisting of the soap container which holds a bar of soap and the drain tray, the repositioning element that enables the movement referred hereafter as repositioning-mechanism; the component that secures the other components in position and in turn secures all the components to a fixed structure, referred hereafter as the attachment component; the part or casing that holds the other components to store bath accessories such as shampoo and provisions to hold items such as tooth brush and razors which is referred hereafter as accessory holder. The soap dish, the movement mechanism, the attachment component along with or with out the accessory holder together form the single embodiment, namely “the self-draining soap dish unit”.
In the following sections, the prototype model of this self draining soap dish unit used in sink application is described in detail (
The prototype self-draining soap dish unit which is referred to as the embodiment contains 1, standard size soap dish, which is 2½″ wide, 3½″ long and ⅝″ deep. The soap dish is engineered such that only a few contact points in the soap dish will touch the soap, making this a more open design on all sides for the water to drain easily and the soap to be aerated well to dry more effectively and efficiently. The soap dish is constructed of metals or material which resists tarnish and corrosion caused from constant exposure of moisture. The body of the soap dish is constructed of stainless steel or other suitable materials, with rods which are round, triangular and rectangular in cross section. The rods on the bottom of the soap dish are spaced ½″ to 34″ apart. The self-draining soap dish unit contains a drain tray which measures 3¾″ long 2¼″ wide and 12″ deep and is designed to fit under the soap container, in the retracted (original) position, to collect any additional water and soap debris, if the soap dish is returned to the original position and if the soap is still wet. The soap container part of the self-draining soap dish unit is constructed in different sizes to accommodate various sizes of soap bars and constrains of the space available due to varied sizes and shapes of sink available. The soap container (1) can be easily disconnected from the unit at the pivot 35 by pulling the soap container (1) upwards and away from the pivot, thus facilitating interchanging of different sizes of the soap container to suit the above described needs.
The soap container is attached to the outer end of the inner most arm of the telescoping arm 3. The soap container is attached to the part that contains the section 37 which fits over the pivot 35 which in turn is an extension of the arm 6. This arm 6 secures the soap container to the telescoping arm. The said part that contains the female attachment 37 fits over the arm 6 and combines to form one continuous, artistically designed form as shown in
The telescoping arm is 3¼″ to 3½″ long in the retracted position and comprised of three cylindrical reciprocating arms. The outer most arm is less than ¾″ in diameter, and when fully extended it reaches 8¼″. The telescoping arm is engineered to be of lighter in weight, and fabricated with materials to resist tarnish due to constant moist condition and to bear the forces exerted during the intended use. This said pivot is secured by means of artistically designed arm 6 to the telescoping arm, which enables the soap dish to be moved over the sink 5 for use and the soap contained in the soap container 1 to drain water into the sink 5 (section of the sink shown) and the soap dish to be moved back to the position where it was moved from, the original position.
The telescoping arm 3 is secured to a base 42 which has a rectangular surface 4″ wide and 3″ deep and ¼″ high. This has inundations for the drain tray to be placed in the correct position.
The bottom part of this base is fitted with securing components to enable the unit to be secured to other fixed structures for stability during the operations of the soap container 1, when the soap dish containing the soap is extended out and to compensate the forces caused due to the shift of weight and hence the shift of the center of gravity.
For when the soap dish is in use and when the soap is drying, the soap dish (1) is moved over the sink 5. This movement is accomplished by the extension of the telescoping arm 3 as shown in
The mechanisms which enables the placement of the soap container 1 over the sink allows the water from the wet soap to drain directly into the sink, eliminates the soap bar from being in direct contact with water, and eliminates evaporated moisture, as there is no water retained underneath the soap as in conventional soap dishes. The water drains in to the sink 5 and is drained out through the sewer system and eliminated. The lack of moisture, the absence of direct contact of the soap with water and the open design of the soap container combined make it the best possible condition for the soap bar to dry.
The above prototype self-draining soap dish unit design is amenable to be crafted in various designs and sizes to suit areas, space availability, user convenience, designs, textures, materials, shapes, size, and colors to suit décor, economics or the areas where they would be installed.
The self draining soap dish unit can be designed to be of interchangeable sizes of soap dishes and to accommodate different sizes of bars of soap and constrain of space available due to different size of sink. The self-draining soap dish unit is amenable to be made with open designs in all or with many sides as possible, design permitting, to enable the soap to dry more efficiently and effectively. In certain designs of the modified form, the rods at the bottom of the soap dish in
The novel element in the self-draining soap dish unit design specifically includes a telescopic and pivotal repositioning mechanism which will enable the soap container to be drawn into the desired area for use and drainage of water from a wet soap placed in the soap dish while the soap is drying. Such a mechanism will enable the soap container to be moved back from extended, functional to original position to ensure décor and safety and not compromise appearance.
In modified forms of the said repositioning mechanism, this can also be accomplished by one or more mechanisms such as telescopic arm, pivoted leaver, hydraulic, hinge, pneumatic, motor, solenoids, springs and inclined plane. The choice of the said mechanical device is governed by design and style requirements and thus will be determined based on factors such as size of sink, space available, convenience of the user, function and design to match décor and styles (Traditional, contemporary, country, etc).
The soap container 1 has provisions such as round brackets 14 and L-shaped hooks 34 to hold tooth brushes and razors while these items are drying. The items, tooth brush and razors have to be removed from the soap container before the soap dish can be returned to the original position.
In modified version of the said attachment components, the soap container and the repositioning mechanism can also be attached together and in turn be able be secured to a base of a free standing unit or secured to a fixed structure using a component designed to complement the various designs and styles of the other components. The self-draining soap dish unit securing mechanism is amenable to be in-built and to be secured to other fixed structures such as counter tops, wall recess or installations can be achieved by attachment mechanisms. The attachment mechanism can or in part is in the form of a casing. These can, in addition be free standing, removable unit, with heavy base to balance the weight of the soap and soap dish with suction or adhesive (tape) additional support during use. This attachment can also be secured using existing holes made for a faucet by using the special plate,
In order to explain the novel elements, and to describe the versatility of this self-draining soap dish unit that is amenable to be adapted to various decors, styles and applications, specific details of some of these modified forms are described below.
The utility of the embodiment illustrated in
A modified form of the embodiment illustrated in
The rims of the sinks vary greatly in thickness. As there is no uniform or standard thickness of the said rims, the modified design of the soap container in
Modified form of the said embodiment in
Another variation in mechanism for repositioning the soap container is described
One of the other main intended uses of the self draining soap dish unit is in the shower enclosure and tubs. The utility of this modified design is enhanced by incorporating other amenities to the basic soap dish design such as containers to hold bath accessories such as shampoo and conditioner, and a separate container that can store an additional soap bar in a dry environment for future use.
This modified form of the self-draining soap dish unit is designed to be set in a recess in the shower, which are 11″ wide and 4¼″ deep and a minimum of 5″ high. This soap dish unit incorporates different mechanism than the mechanism as described in the embodiment in
When the soap container is not in use and when and if the soap is dry the soap container is neatly tucked inside the recess. During use and until the soap is dry the soap container 1 is brought out of the recess for the water to drain in to shower floor.
In the
Yet another modified form of the embodiment is used in situation where it is necessary to utilize pre existing standard recess which is smaller in size. The details of the modified form of the soap dish, which is 5″ high, 5″ long and 3½ to 4″ deep, used in the said pre existing standard recess opening in shower enclosures is described in
The self-draining soap dish unit uses a pre existing standard recess 20 in shower enclosures. The soap container 1 is placed over a drain tray to collect any water draining the soap if the soap is returned to this position while the soap is still wet. The soap container placed on the lower part of the casing 22 can slide out of the wall recess area and hence the casing, over the shower floor using a sliding mechanism 24.
The unit is set in the wall recess, cross section shown 20. The accessory holder is attached to the sliding mechanism 23 with the pivot 26 on either side of the accessory holder 19. The accessory holder is made to be functional as fallows. The accessory holder is moved out to the position as indicated by the dotted line 27,
The said compact self-draining soap dish unit described in
Such modification is explained in the drawing,
The top surface of the soap dish unit is 4″ long and 3″ wide and ½″ of the corners between the sides of the soap container 1 are rounded. A pivot 47 is attached to the middle of, the side of the soap dish which is 3″ in length. This is attached to one end of a 4¼″ long lever 46 and can swirl around this pivot 47. The other end of the lever swirls on another pivot 48 which is attached to the side of the casing 22 and this pivot aids the lever ¾″ high on a horizontal plane from the base of the casing 22. The lever 46 is rectangular in cross section, ½″ high and ⅜″ wide. The vertical axis of the pivot is situated 1¾″ from the rim of the casing and ¾″ from the base of the casing. The distance between the centers in both of these pivots is 4″. The soap container is brought out by pulling out the opposite end of the soap container, at the farther side from the pivot. The lever rotates on the pivot at 90° and extends out wards and in this position the lever is perpendicular to the original position. As the soap container is pulled, it is rotated 90° in the direction of the arrow 50,
The lack of moisture, the absence of direct contact of the soap with water and the open design of the soap dish combined make it the best possible condition for the soap bar to dry.
The dimensions contained in all the above descriptions are for illustrations of specific applications only and does not limit the scope of this invention, and can vary in the choice of size, shape, style, materials, metals, mechanisms and the choice of accessories. In addition to the variations described above, the components of the self-draining soap dish unit, such as the soap dish components, the concept of the repositioning mechanisms, the securing structures and the accessory holders and the variations described for each of these elements can be combined and used by interchanging these components to suit varying designs, sizes, shapes, proportions, appearances, styles, applications and utility requirements, as demonstrated in examples of modifications of the embodiment described in detail above making this a versatile invention with significant utility value to the consumer.
As used herein, the term “coupling assembly” is intended to mean those components of the system adapted to allow the lateral displacement of the soap dish with respect to the tray. More specifically, in the embodiment disclosed in
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4133443 | Medina et al. | Jan 1979 | A |
| 6152294 | Weinberg | Nov 2000 | A |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20060060742 A1 | Mar 2006 | US |
