Patent Application
20220079323
The present disclosure relates generally to shaving mirrors. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a shaving-mirror apparatus that is attachable to and readily removable from both the bottom of a shaving cream/gel-can container and the top of a shaving-gel squeeze-bottle container.
The practice of shaving facial hair with shaving cream/gel and a razor is an almost daily occurrence for many individuals. Effective shaving requires a mirror. Generally, most individuals shave in front of a mirror above the bathroom sink—a time-consuming and somewhat cumbersome task because it requires individuals to rinse their face with water prior to shaving, continually rinse the razor in the sink throughout the shaving process, rinse/clean their face and razor after finishing, and then clean the area free of facial hair, water, and used shaving cream afterwards. Alternatively, shower mirrors currently in the market enable one to shave while in the shower, eliminating certain inefficiencies and the cumbersome nature of traditional shaving.
However, shower mirrors are awkward to use, unappealing, take up precious real estate in small showers, and are inconvenient to use. For example, existing support apparatuses of shower mirrors, such as suction cups or wire frames, are often in the way, poor quality at best, and ineffective at worst. They fail to attach to walls and rarely have universal application due to the wall material varying from bathroom to bathroom. Some are not very effective when the anti-fog treatment wears off and may pose safety risks if dropped. Many are made from plastic and are not durable or reliable. And none are conducive to being portable such that they're used both in and out of one's home. As a result, any benefits gained from the use of existing shower mirrors are outweighed by overall inconvenience.
Thus, what is needed is a new and improved shaving mirror that provides the benefits of a shower mirror without any of the existing common drawbacks or disadvantages. Ideally, such a shaving mirror is durable, portable for use in and out of one's residence, convenient to use in the shower, compatible with both cans and squeeze bottles, reusable, requires no additional space for placement, and comprises a fogless, safe, high-resolution mirror.
The following presents a simplified overview of the example embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of some embodiments of the example embodiments. This overview is not an extensive overview of the example embodiments. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the example embodiments nor delineate the scope of the appended claims. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the example embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented herein below. It is to be understood that both the following general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive.
In accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein, the present disclosure is directed to a shaving-mirror apparatus that is attachable to and readily removable from both (i) the bottom of a shaving cream/gel container via a slip-fit function and (ii) the top of a shaving-gel squeeze bottle via a slide-fit function, and a method of manufacturing the shaving-mirror apparatus. The shaving-mirror apparatus comprises a receptacle, wherein the receptacle comprises a bottom and an open top, wherein the bottom of the receptacle comprises a mirror. The shaving-mirror apparatus may further comprise a horizontal slit between the bottom and the open top of the receptacle.
In some embodiments, the mirror may comprise one of the following: a flat mirror, a concave mirror, or a convex mirror. And the mirror may comprise one or both of the following attributes: anti-fog and water repellant. Shapes of the mirror may be one of the following: circle, square, or rectangle. Still, in some embodiments, the shaving-mirror apparatus may further comprise a 90-degree ridge that extends along the bottom inside circumference of the open top of the receptacle, directly above the mirror. Or it may comprise a pocket extending along the bottom inside circumference of the open top of the receptacle for the purpose of inserting the bottom ridge of a shaving-can container. The receptacle of the shaving-mirror apparatus may be made from a variety of materials, such as polyurethane, silicone, or any type of polyethylene.
The manufacturing method comprises attaching a mirror to a receptacle, wherein the receptacle comprises an open top. The method may further comprise incorporating a horizontal slit into the receptacle in between the bottom and the open top.
Still other advantages, embodiments, and features of the subject disclosure will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, simply by way of illustration of one of the best modes best suited to carry out the subject disclosure. As it will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious embodiments all without departing from, or limiting, the scope herein. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The drawings are of illustrative embodiments. They do not illustrate all embodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead. Details which may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save space or for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practiced with additional components or steps and/or without all of the components or steps that are illustrated. When the same numeral appears in different drawings, it refers to the same or like components or steps.
Before the present apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the apparatuses, methods, and systems are not limited to specific methods, specific components, or to particular implementations. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Various embodiments are described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. It may be evident, however, that the various embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to facilitate describing these embodiments.
In accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein, the present disclosure is directed to a shaving-mirror apparatus that is compatible for placing onto the bottom of a shaving cream/gel container or the top of a shaving-gel squeeze bottle, and a manufacturing method for the shaving-mirror apparatus.
In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a wall 120, wherein the wall 120 comprises the slit 115. The wall 120 of the apparatus may further comprise a tapered edge at the top or it may comprise a square edge at the top. The shape of the apparatus is such that when it is placed onto the bottom of the container 105, the inside of the wall 120 completely encompasses the sides of the container 105 and the bottom of the container 105 rests upon the bottom inside of the apparatus 100. The apparatus 100 fits snuggly onto the container 105, wherein the apparatus 100 can be removed by an individual physically removing it from off the bottom of the container 105 in a slip-fit manner. And when placed on the bottom of the container 105, the apparatus 100 may provide additional support to the container 105, such that it can stand upright. Embodiments of the apparatus comprise various dimensions so they fit onto common container such as travel-size containers, wide-diameter containers, and slim-diameter containers.
The apparatus may be comprised of any material that enables the apparatus to retain its shape while being sufficiently flexible to fit onto the bottom of a container 105 or the top of a squeeze-bottle container. Examples of material include but are not limited to polyurethane, silicone, and types of polyethylene. The material of the apparatus can provide the additional benefit of preventing rust rings that form from an exposed wet container, and also reducing sliding of the container across a flat surface.
The apparatus may use mirrors made of a variety of material, such as fiberglass mirrors, aluminum glass mirrors, low-aluminum glass mirrors, safety glass mirrors, silkscreen-printed glass mirrors, and silver glass mirrors. Mirrors used by the apparatus may comprise features such as moisture/water resistant and anti-fog. These features allow an individual to shave without the image in the mirror being obscured.
The apparatus may be compatible with various container sizes. For example, in one embodiment the inside of the apparatus may have an approximate diameter of 2.62 inches and the outside bottom may have an approximate diameter of 2.82 inches. In another embodiment, the inside of the apparatus may have an approximate diameter of 2.06 inches and the outside bottom may have an approximate diameter of 2.22 inches. Or the inside of the apparatus may have an approximate diameter of 1.32 inches and the outside bottom may have an approximate diameter of 1.47 inches. For each of these embodiments, the diameters for the inside and the outside bottom may vary, with the embodiment diameters varying by an approximate range of plus or minus 0.10-0.50 inches.
As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint. [58] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word “comprise” and variations of the word, such as “comprising” and “comprises,” means “including but not limited to,” and is not intended to exclude, for example, other components, integers or steps. “Exemplary” means “an example of” and is not intended to convey an indication of a preferred or ideal embodiment. “Such as” is not used in a restrictive sense, but for explanatory purposes. [59] Unless otherwise expressly stated, it is in no way intended that any method set forth herein be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in a specific order. Accordingly, where a method claim does not actually recite an order to be followed by its steps or it is not otherwise specifically stated in the claims or descriptions that the steps are to be limited to a specific order; it is in no way intended that an order be inferred, in any respect. This holds for any possible non-express basis for interpretation, including matters of logic with respect to arrangement of steps or operational flow; plain meaning derived from grammatical organization or punctuation; the number or type of embodiments described in the specification.
