Patent Application
20090113616
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hands-free shower scrubber including a soap dispenser.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional back scrubbers have been used for cleaning portions of a user's body. U.S. Pat. No. 7,062,815 describes a back scrubber including a substantially U-shaped bracket and a tubular brush removably positioned within the U-shaped bracket. The brush is rotated by an internal electrical motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,386 describes a shower back scrubbing device which is installed in a wall of a shower and is connected to water power supplied to the shower head. The scrubbing device includes gear wheels attached to brushes which are rotated by the water pressure. The above-described devices are complicated to use and manufacture and are subject to a failure of the electrical motor and moving parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,564 describes a wall mountable back scrubber including a rectangular based unit that is attached to the wall with suction cups. Detachable brush pads can be attached to the back scrubber. To use, a person applies a soap or bath gel to the brush pad and leans against the pad. The above-described patents have the shortcoming that soap or bath gel has to be applied manually to the brush. In the case of a person of special needs without use of their arms or hands, this feature of applying soap to a brush cannot be accomplished without the aid of another.
It is desirable to provide an improved body scrubber providing hands free operation.
The present invention relates to a hands-free shower scrubber and soap dispensing system. The scrubber includes an upper brush and one or more central brushes attached to a frame. The frame can be attached with suction cups to the shower wall. Preferably, the upper brush is aligned substantially horizontal with the shower wall at a height of a user's head. The central brushes are aligned substantially vertically at a height of a user's body.
A pumping apparatus pumps liquid from a holding tank through a connection to the upper brush and/or one or more of the central brushes. The pumping apparatus can be a pneumatic pump attached to the shower wall. The pumping apparatus can be activated by a knee, hip, shoulder or other body part at a similar height to the location of the pneumatic pump. Accordingly, the shower scrubber and soap dispensing system provides hands-free operation of a full torso body scrubber and is advantageous to a person of special needs.
The invention will be more fully described by reference to the following drawings.
Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.
Upper brush 12 is preferably aligned horizontally with wall 19 at a height of a user's head, as shown in
Central frame 18 extends between upper frame 14 and to one or more lower frames 24, as shown in
Attachment members 25 are attached at ends 26, 27 of lower frame 24. Ends 26, 27 can make a substantially U-shape with portion 23 of lower frame 24. Attachment members 25 can be formed of suction cups for attaching to wall 19.
Pumping apparatus 30 pumps liquid 31 from holding tank 32 through connection 33. For example, connection 33 can be plastic or rubber tubing. Liquid 31 can be liquid soap, body wash or shampoo and the like. Holding tank 32 can be coupled to upper frame 14, as shown in
End 37 of connection 33 extends into upper brush 12, as shown in
Pumping apparatus 30 can be a pneumatic system including a pneumatic pump 40. Pneumatic pump 40 can be attached with attachment member 44 to a location on wall 19. Connection 45 can be attached to connection 45 of pneumatic pump 40. A suitable pneumatic pump is a bellows pump. Activation of pneumatic pump 40 forces air through connection 45 into holding tank 32 for pumping liquid from holding tank 32 through connection 33. Pneumatic pump 40 can be activated by a body part 43, as shown in
It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments, which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
