Patent Application
20200163495
The present invention relates to shower soap cases used to hold soap in between uses by the end user. More specifically, the invention relates to a collapsible shower wall soap holding device that can be installed in a bath or shower wall. The soap holding device will fit handmade soap as well as other soaps sold by commercial retailers.
An increased number of consumers have switched from using bar soap to liquid soap. Many are turned off by the gooky waste that is collected from soap holding apparatuses when soap is place in them in between uses. This is particularly a problem for consumers who use all-natural handmade soap. With the increase among consumers for natural products, handmade soap makers are experiencing an increase in demand for their products. Handmade soap is larger and shaped differently than traditional soaps sold on the market. Seeing that handmade soaps are not sold in grocery store chains or department stores, options are limited for storing the soap in between uses.
Handmade soap makers have either resorted to making their own packaging or just wrapping it in regular paper. In addition to that, the soap doesn't fit very well into the traditional soap cases/dishes sold in stores. They are either stored in loofah soap pouches or wrapped up in paper or plastic. This decreases the amount of uses a customer will get out of that soap because the soap needs air to keep it from dissolving or melting away. Soap cases/dishes on the market are made to have the soap lay on the dish. In between washes, the water drains from the soap and the soap is laying in the bacteria from the water causing it to quickly dissolve from laying in the excess water. None of the soap holders provide a way for the soap to be able to stand instead of laying on the dish and none of them are designed in a way that allows the excess water to drain out while the soap is in the holder.
Therefore, a need exists in the field for a hosting apparatus that will fit a range of different sized soaps including handmade soap. The soap will be positioned on the collapsible holster standing upright instead of laying. The collapsible soap holster has a hole on each arm that clamps into the recessed soap case. There is also a dripping tray below to catch the water that drains from the soap. A further need exists for this apparatus to collapse and fold into the recessed soap case wall unit to keep the soap from falling when wet and slippery. Finally, there is also a need for the configuration of additional apparatuses to accommodate the dimensions of other soap molds and sizes.
The present invention comprises a recessed soap case wall unit with pins that the collapsible soap holster clamps into that rest on a dripping tray which is in place to catch the excess water that drips from the soap when it has been used. The hosting device is configured in different sizes to accommodate different shapes and molds of soap.
Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references may indicate similar elements and in which:
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any or all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
In describing the invention, it will be understood that a number of techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefit and each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.
New soap hosting devices, apparatuses, and methods for positioning soap in a standing position on top of a dish are discussed herein. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.
The present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated by the figures or description below.
The present invention will now be described by referencing the appended figures representing preferred embodiments.
While preferred materials for elements have been described, the device is not limited by these materials. Wood, plastics, rubber, foam, metal alloys, aluminum, stone and other materials may comprise some or all of the elements of the soap hosting dish/case positioning devices and apparatuses in various embodiments of the present invention.
Although the present invention has been illustrated and described herein with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/or achieve like results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, are contemplated thereby, and are intended to be covered by the following claims.
