Patent Grant
6998373
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Description of Attached Appendix
Not Applicable
This invention relates generally to the field of bathing accessories and more specifically to a soap retaining pouch.
Bars of soap, used for cleaning ones skin with the application of water, have been in use for over one hundred years. Although soap generally does a good job in removing dirt from the skin, it does not generally remove the top dead layer of skin. The process of removing the top dead layer of skin is called exfoliation and can be accomplished with a mildly abrasive material such as a luffa, or a brush.
Some manufacturers have made products that are pouch shaped and hold a bar of soap so that a person can provide a cleaning and exfoliating action in one step. These products however do not include the specific combination of features that I believe contribute to the ideal combination of an inexpensive cleaning and exfoliating device. For example, some products are made of mesh material, but the material does not have the ideal screen size for exfoliation. Additionally, some products include a closure means made of hook and loop type material which is stiff and bulky and therefore not an ideal closure. Finally, some products include a hand retaining strap, however they tend to be non elastic and require additional hook and loop fastening thereby increasing the price of the unit.
The primary object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive soap retaining pouch that allows a user to exfoliate his or her skin while using a bar of soap during the normal process of bathing.
Another object of the invention is to provide a soap retaining pouch that provides a way to keep the pouch from slipping out of the users hand during use.
Another object of the invention is to provide a soap retaining pouch that allows the soap to be securely retained and easily removed without adding unnecessary bulk to the pouch.
A further object of the invention is to provide a soap retaining pouch that allows the user to add a plurality of small scraps of normally unusable soap into the pouch thereby saving soap expense.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a soap retaining pouch comprising: a pouch approximately five inches tall by three and one half inches wide, made of polyester screening material having a screen with a thread count of approximately fourteen lines per inch or one hundred and ninety six squares per square inch, an elastic band centrally located, horizontally disposed and fixedly attached to the outside of one side of said pouch at the right and left edge of the width of said pouch, said pouch closable at one end by means of a water resistant zipper, and said pouch including an overflap that covers said zipper so that said zipper is not exposed to the user's skin during use.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.
Referring now to
The above description and drawings show that the present invention is a unique and economical means to exfoliate and clean ones skin while bathing.
While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
