Abstract:
A container holder for applying material from a container to hard to reach areas of a user&#39;s body is disclosed. The container holder includes an elongated handle with a hand grip and a pivoting assembly with a thumbscrew adjustable clamping mechanism for holding the container. A user secures a container within the adjustable clamping mechanism using the thumbscrew, positions the container at a desired angle, locks the pivoting assembly relative to the handle, and applies material from the container to areas which are difficult to reach.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     There are no current co-pending applications. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to container holders. More particularly, the present invention relates to contain holders for applying lotions and ointments to hard to reach places. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The human body is for the most part a miraculous structure where fit and function are intertwined to support a productive life. Frustratingly, as good as it is the human body does have those out of reach areas that just cannot be accessed. No matter how much effort is put into it there are just some places where lotions, body oils, suntan protection, salves, creams, topical ointments, surfactants and the like just cannot be directly applied. In addition there are things such as shoe polish, lint removers and such that while not applied directly to the body are nonetheless at times difficult to use. Age and infirmities do not help these matters. 
     Many of the lotions, creams, topical ointments, and other items are provided in either roll-on style containers or sponge-tip applicators. While such containers have proven to be very useful they do require direct access to targeted areas. The obvious solution to the application of hard to reach places is to have another person apply them. While this type of application is often used and very effective, it is not a viable solution to those living alone or those living only with the very young, very old, or infirmed. In addition, requiring the assistance of another reduces the highly independent nature of the elderly or disabled. As a result, many go without properly applying needed medications and compounds to their hard or impossible to reach places, possibly resulting in serious detriment to their comfort and health. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for devices by which an individual can quickly and easily apply roll-on style or sponge-tip applied topical ointments, liquids, and compounds to their back or other hard-to-reach areas. Preferably such devices would permit a user to apply lotions, oils, medicines, creams and the like as needed. Ideally such devices would be useable by the elderly, disabled, and those living alone, would be easy and comfortable to use, would be suitable for use with a wide range of containers, permit compounds to be applied in different directions, and could be used without tools. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The principles of the present invention provide for a device by which an individual can quickly and easily apply roll-on style or sponge-tip applied liquids and compounds to their back and other hard-to-reach areas. The device permits a user to apply lotions, oils, medicines, creams and the like as needed. The device is easy to use, comfortable, and suitable for use by the elderly, disabled, and those living alone. The device can be used to apply compounds from a wide range of containers without the need for tools. 
     A container holder that is in accord with the present invention includes an elongated handle having a first end and a rectangular cross-sectioned second end. A cylindrical hand grip is attached to the first end. The container holder also includes a pivot fastener and a pivoting head assembly having a body. The body includes a rectangular slot defined by a first leg and by a second leg and a concave saddle surface opposite the rectangular slot. There is a clamp attached to the body within the saddle. The pivot fastener passes through the first leg, the second leg, and the second end, thereby attaching the pivoting head assembly to the handle. If the pivot fastener is loose the pivoting head can pivot, but if the pivot fastener is tight the pivoting head is locked in position relative to the handle. 
     In practice the handle should be approximately two feet (2 ft.) long; the hand grip includes closed-cell urethane foam and is adhesively bonded to the handle. The handle itself beneficially includes aluminum. Preferably the pivoting head assembly can pivot one-hundred eighty degrees (180°) relative to the handle while clamp is screwed onto the body. The clamp is beneficially comprised of a clamp strap; a clamp screw housing that is attached to one (1) end of the clamp strap while receiving the other end of the clamp strap. The clamp also includes a thumb screw for tightening the clamp strap. Preferably the clamp strap extends along the saddle while the pivot fastener operates by selectively causing the first leg and the second leg to pinch the second end when tightened. To that end there is a wing nut attached to the pivot fastener. 
     Another container holder that is in accord with the present invention includes an elongated handle having a first end and a rectangular cross-sectioned second end. A foam hand grip is attached to the first end. The container holder also includes a screw pivot fastener having a wing nut and a pivoting head assembly having a body. The body includes a rectangular slot defined by a first leg and by a second leg and a concave saddle surface opposite the rectangular slot. There is a clamp that extends along the saddle surface which is attached to the body at the saddle surface. The pivot fastener passes through the first leg, the second leg, and the second end, thereby attaching the pivoting head assembly to the handle. If the wing nut is loose the pivoting head can pivot, but if the wing nut is tight the pivoting head is locked in position relative to the handle. 
     In practice the handle should be approximately two feet (2 ft.) long; the hand grip includes closed-cell urethane foam and is adhesively bonded to the handle. The handle itself beneficially includes aluminum. Preferably the pivoting head assembly can pivot one-hundred eighty degrees (180°) relative to the handle while clamp is screwed onto the body. The clamp is beneficially comprised of a clamp strap; a clamp screw housing that is attached to one (1) end of the clamp strap while receiving the other end of the clamp strap. The clamp also includes a thumb screw for tightening the clamp strap. Preferably, the pivot fastener operates by selectively causing the first leg and the second leg to pinch the second end when tightened. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an environmental view of an in-use container holder  10  that is in accord with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a pivoting head assembly  40  of the container holder  10  shown in  FIG. 1 ; and, 
         FIG. 3  is a section view of the container holder  10  taken along section line A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  container holder 
               20  handle 
               22  upper end 
               24  first fastener aperture 
               25  lower end 
               26  hand grip 
               40  pivoting head assembly 
               41  pivot body 
               42   a  first leg 
               42   b  second leg 
               43  slot 
               44  friction pads 
               46  second fastener aperture 
               48  saddle feature 
               50  clamp 
               51  clamp strap 
               52  clamp screw housing 
               54  thumb screw 
               80  clamp fastener 
               81  pivot fastener 
               82  wing nut 
               100  container 
               105  fluid 
               110  user 
               111  back 
               112  hand 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 3 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes a container holder  10  which aids in the self-application of compounds and fluids  105  to hard-to-reach areas of a user  110 , such as the back  111 . The container holder  10  is particularly well suited to containers  100  which are roll-on styled or sponge-tipped applicators. 
     Referring now primarily to  FIG. 1 , the container holder  10  includes a handle assembly  20  which is approximately two feet (2 ft.) long. Such a length is usually sufficient to reach all parts of a user&#39;s back  111 . The handle assembly  20  includes an ergonomic hand grip  26  at a lower end  25  and a pivoting head assembly  40  having a circular clamp  50  at an upper end  22 . The pivoting head assembly  40  allows positioning of a clamped container  100  straight up, straight down, or at any position in between. 
     Turning now primarily to  FIG. 2 , the pivoting head assembly  40  and its clamp  50  are dimensioned to enable encompassing and clamping the container  100 . The clamp  50  comprises a clamp strap  51  which is tightened around the container  100  using a thumb screw  54 . The container holder  10  can hold various circular or ovular-shaped containers  100 , preferably including those comprising a sponge tip or a roll-on-type applicator. Such containers  100  may contain compounds and fluids  105  (see  FIG. 3 ) such as, but not limited to: salves, lotions, topical ointments, prescription medications, and the like. The container holder  10  is especially useful when used by the elderly, disabled, those living alone, or anyone who would otherwise need assistance in reaching hard-to-reach areas of their body. 
     Returning now to  FIG. 1 , the hand grip  26  is envisioned as comprising dense closed-cell urethane foam that is formed into a cylinder and which is adhesively bonded to the lower end  25  of the handle  20 . The hand grip  26  is configured to provide easy gripping of the handle  20  using one (1) hand  112  even when wet, such as when showering. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the handle  20  is envisioned as being a round tubular member made of light-weight plastic or of a light-weight metal such as aluminum. The upper end  22  of the handle  20  is formed into a rectangular cross-section. This assists insertion and attachment of the pivoting head assembly  40  to the handle  20 . As previously noted the pivoting head assembly  40  can rotate one-hundred eighty degrees (180°) relative to the elongation of the handle  20 . This enables selective positioning of the clamped container  100  at any desired angle. 
     The pivoting head assembly  40  has an inverted “U”-shaped injection-molded plastic pivot body  41 . The pivoting head assembly  40  also has a downwardly directed and parallel first leg  42   a  and second leg  42   b  which form a rectangular slot  43  in between. The top of the pivot body  41  forms a concave saddle  48 . The clamp  50  is mounted at the center of the saddle  48  using a clamp fastener  80  such that the clamp  50  runs along the saddle&#39;s  48  concave contour. 
     The clamp  50  is envisioned as operating in a similar manner as a common screw-driven hose clamp and being capable of holding a circular container  100  having a diameter between approximately one to three inches (1-3 in.). To that end the clamp  50  includes the clamp strap  51 , a clamp screw housing  52 , and a thumb screw  54  for enabling easy tightening or loosening of the clamp strap  51  without tools. 
     The slot  43  is dimensioned to receive the upper end  22  of the handle  20 . The handle  20  is rotatably attached in the slot  43  between the first leg  42   a  and the second leg  42   b  via a through-bolt type pivot fastener  81 . A suitable pivot fastener  81  is a shoulder bolt. The pivot fastener  81  is inserted through aligned first apertures  24  of the handle  20  and through aligned second apertures  46  of the legs  42   a ,  42   b . The pivot fastener  81  is secured using a wing nut  82 . The wing nut  82  enables tightening the first leg  42   a  and the second leg  42   b  to pinch the upper end  22  of the handle  20 . By loosening the wing nut  82  the pivoting head assembly  40  can pivot on the handle  20 . Tightening the wing nut  82  locks the pivoting head assembly  40  relative to the handle  20 . 
     Locking the angular position of the pivoting head assembly  40  is assisted by the incorporation of friction pads  44  that are adhesively bonded upon inward-facing surfaces of the first leg  42   a  and the second leg  42   b . The friction pads  44  are comprised of a plastic or rubber material which helps the retention of the pivoting head assembly  40   a  to a position set by the user  110 . The use of the friction pads  44  together with the wing nut  82  and pivot fastener  81  enables easy angular adjustment of the container holder  10  and ease of locking in place without use of tools or disassembly. 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the container holder  10 , it would be configured and utilized as indicated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The method of utilizing the container holder  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: procuring the container holder  10 ; selecting a container  100  providing a desired fluid  105  that is to be applied; inserting the container  100  into the clamp strap  51  of the clamp  50 ; positioning the container  100  longitudinally within the clamp  50 ; securing the container  100  in position by tightening the clamp  50  around the container  100  using the thumb screw  54 ; grasping and tilting the container  100  upwardly or downwardly until obtaining a desired application angle of the container  100 ; grasping the hand grip  26  of the handle  20 ; grasping the hand grip  26  using one hand  112  and manipulating the clamped container  100  to contact a hard-to-reach area of the user&#39;s body  110 ; motioning the tip or applicator of the container  100  across a particular area of the user&#39;s  110  body such as the back  111  to apply the compound or fluid  105 ; repeating the described steps for any additional areas of the user&#39;s  110  body which require application; and, benefiting from an easily configurable means to apply compounds or fluids  105  upon hard-to-reach areas of a user&#39;s  110  body using the container holder  10 . 
     It is further envisioned that the container holder  10  may also be utilized to hold containers  100  which provide various other liquids such as roll-on shoe polish, allowing a user  110  to quickly touch up footwear, without bending over or removing their shoes. Furthermore, the container holder  10  may be used to position various solid objects such as a dust mop handles, a piece of sidewalk chalk, and the like, enabling a user  110  to perform various other tasks. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.