Abstract:
A method and apparatus for extending the useful life of a solid structure consumable good. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a bar of soap includes a slot or pocket in the body formed such that a remnant sliver of a substantially used bar of soap can be substantially inserted into the first slot or pocket. In a further embodiment, the slot or pocket has a shape substantially similar to a shape of the sliver such that the sliver can be inserted into the slot or pocket and thereafter be substantially wedged within the slot or pocket without falling out during use of the bar of soap. In yet a further embodiment, the unused bar has two slots or pockets, one on each end of the bar, such that one-half of a remnant bar may be inserted in each slot or pocket.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/797,160, filed Nov. 30, 2012. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    This description generally relates to the field of consumable goods and, more particularly, to consumable goods having a solid structure that becomes consumed with use. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Consumable goods, by their nature, dissipate through use. For many consumable goods, the consumable includes an effective component that gives the consumable its utility. When that specific component becomes degraded or depleted, then the consumable is rendered useless. 
         [0006]    For some consumable goods, the effective component also gives the consumable its structure and defines the size and shape of the consumable good. In this case, as the good becomes consumed, not only is the effective component depleted but the size and shape of the consumable is also degraded or depleted compared with the consumable in its original form. If in its original form, the consumable&#39;s size and shape was optimized to provide maximum utility, then the consumable&#39;s utility may also be depleted over the course of its consumption. In some cases, the consumable&#39;s form may become depleted to such extent that the consumable&#39;s utility is effectively eliminated before the effective component is entirely consumed. In that case, the useful life of the consumable good is cut short and whatever effective component remains gets wasted. 
         [0007]    An example of one such consumable good is bar soap. Bar soap is a consumable because the bar&#39;s effective component (the soap material) becomes depleted over the bar&#39;s life. Furthermore, the soap material also provides the bar its structure and defines the size and shape of the bar soap. Bar soap is also an example of a consumable good whose utility declines through use because as the size of the bar decreases through use, the utility of the bar for washing degrades. Furthermore, bar soap is an example of a consumable that loses its utility ahead of complete depletion of its effective component; once the bar falls below a certain size, its effectiveness at washing is virtually eliminated even though some of the effective component still remains. In that case, as with many solid-structure consumable goods, the useful life of the bar is cut short and any effective component still remaining ends up wasted. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The present invention provides a method and apparatus for extending the useful life of a solid structure consumable good. 
         [0009]    The present invention discloses a consumable good, such as a bar of soap, that includes (1) a body having a solid structure, and (2) a first slot or pocket in the body shaped such that a remnant sliver of a substantially used bar of soap can be substantially inserted into the first slot or pocket. 
         [0010]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the slot or pocket in the body is shaped such that the remnant sliver becomes wedged within the bar of soap upon insertion into the slot or pocket. 
         [0011]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the slot or pocket is shaped to facilitate melding between the remnant sliver and the bar of soap upon insertion of the sliver. 
         [0012]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the slot or pocket has a shape substantially similar to a shape of the sliver to an extent such that the silver can be manually inserted into the slot or pocket and thereafter be substantially wedged within the slot or pocket without falling out during use of the bar of soap. 
         [0013]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the slot or pocket has a shape that is one of the following: substantially cylindrical, substantially of an elliptical cylinder, substantially of a prism, substantially of a triangular prism, substantially of a rectangular prism, substantially of a section of a tri-axial ellipsoid defined by a cross-section of the tri-axial ellipsoid, substantially of a section of a tri-axial ellipsoid defined by a bisection of the tri-axial ellipsoid substantially along an axis of the tri-axial ellipsoid. 
         [0014]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the tri-axial ellipsoid is substantially the shape and size of the sliver. 
         [0015]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the ratio of the slot or pocket&#39;s depth to its narrowest breadth is greater than 0.2. 
         [0016]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the ratio of the slot or pocket&#39;s depth to its narrowest breadth is greater than 1.0. 
         [0017]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the slot or pocket extends all the way through the body. 
         [0018]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the slot or pocket has traction features formed on at least a portion of an interior surface of the slot or pocket. 
         [0019]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the slot or pocket has ridges along at least a portion of an interior surface of the slot or pocket 
         [0020]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the ridges run at least one of: lengthwise along the slot or pocket, diagonally along the interior surface of the slot or pocket, and widthwise along the interior surface of the slot or pocket. 
         [0021]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the bar of soap also includes a second slot or pocket in the body shaped such that portions of the remnant sliver of a substantially used bar of soap can be substantially inserted into each of the first and second slot or pocket. 
         [0022]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the first and second slots or pockets are at opposite ends of the bar of soap. 
         [0023]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the first slot or pocket has a shape substantially similar to a shape of a first portion of the sliver and wherein the second slot or pocket has a shape substantially similar to a shape of a second portion of the sliver. 
         [0024]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the first and second slots or pockets each have a shape that is one of the following: substantially cylindrical, substantially of an elliptical cylinder, substantially of a prism, substantially of a triangular prism, substantially of a rectangular prism, substantially of a section of a tri-axial ellipsoid defined by a cross-section of the tri-axial ellipsoid, substantially of a section of a tri-axial ellipsoid defined by a bisection of the tri-axial ellipsoid substantially along an axis of the tri-axial ellipsoid. 
         [0025]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the tri-axial ellipsoid is substantially the shape and size of half of the sliver. 
         [0026]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the bar has at least one of: a curved shape, one or more curved surfaces, a shape substantially of a prism, and a shape substantially of a polyhedron. 
         [0027]    In accordance with a further embodiment, a user exposes at least one of an unused bar of soap and a remnant sliver of a substantially used bar of soap to water and inserts the remnant sliver into a slot or pocket in the unused bar. 
         [0028]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the user deforms a portion of the remnant sliver that extends outside the slot or pocket, such that the deformed portion of the remnant sliver fills an unoccupied space within the slot or pocket of the unused bar. 
         [0029]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the user smears onto a surface of the unused bar a portion of the remnant sliver that extends outside the slot or pocket, such that the extended portion of the remnant sliver becomes more flush with the surface of the unused bar. 
         [0030]    In accordance with a further embodiment, the user first separates the remnant sliver into halves and inserts each remnant half into a separate slot or pocket in the unused bar. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0031]      FIGS. 1-5  each illustrate various perspective views of different solid-structure consumable goods in accordance with various different example embodiments. 
           [0032]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate various perspective views of different solid-structure consumable goods in accordance with various different example embodiments. 
           [0033]      FIG. 7  illustrates in perspective view another solid-structure consumable good in accordance with a different example embodiment. 
           [0034]      FIGS. 8A-8D  illustrate in perspective view steps of a method for extending the useful life of a solid-structure consumable good using structures of a solid-structure consumable good in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0035]      FIGS. 9A-9D  illustrate in perspective view steps of another method for extending the useful life of a solid-structure consumable good using structures of a solid-structure consumable good in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0036]      FIGS. 10A-10D  illustrate in perspective view steps of yet another method for extending the useful life of a solid-structure consumable good using structures of a solid-structure consumable good in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0037]      FIG. 1  shows a solid-structure consumable good  10  with a novel shape in accordance with one example embodiment. 
         [0038]    The consumable good  10  includes a body  12  having an exterior surface  14 . In one embodiment, the body  12  is composed of an effective component that gives the consumable good  10  its utility and its structure. 
         [0039]    The exterior surface  14  of the body  12  has at least one major face  16  and may have additional faces. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the exterior surface  14  includes a major face  16 , a minor face  18 , and an end face  20 . The faces  16 ,  18 ,  20  may be orthogonal to one another as in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , but in alternative embodiments the faces may be at angles to one another other than 90 degrees and/or curved. 
         [0040]    The consumable good  10  includes within its body  12  a longitudinal cavity  24 . The longitudinal cavity  24  intersects the exterior surface  14  through one of its faces and extends into the interior of the body  12 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the longitudinal cavity  24  intersects the exterior surface  14  through the end face  20 . However in alternative embodiments the longitudinal cavity  24  intersects the exterior surface  14  through the major face  16 , the minor face  18 , or an unidentified face. 
         [0041]    The longitudinal cavity  24  provides a receptacle within the body  12  of the consumable good  10  where a remnant of a depleted consumable good  25  could be inserted. In use, the remnant consumable good  25  may be consumed simultaneously with the consumption of the consumable good  10  that holds it. By the time the holding consumable good  10  reaches a size where its utility is lost, the remnant good  25  is entirely consumed, therefore none of the effective material from the remnant good  25  goes to waste. 
         [0042]    The longitudinal cavity  24  has a lateral dimension  26  and a longitudinal dimension  28 . The lateral dimension  26  lies parallel to the exterior surface  14  intersected by the cavity  24  and quantifies the distance across (the breadth of) the cavity  24 . The longitudinal dimension  28  lies perpendicular to the exterior surface  14  intersected by the cavity  24  and quantifies the cavity&#39;s depth. 
         [0043]    In an example embodiment, the length of the longitudinal dimension  28  exceeds the length of the lateral dimension  26 . In other words, the aspect ratio of the cavity  24  (depth relative to breadth) is greater than one. In still a further embodiment, the aspect ratio of the cavity  24  is greater than three, thereby increasing the ratio between the area of the cavity wall  27  and the cavity floor  29 . Because the degree to which the two goods  10 ,  25  grip one another is directly proportional to the area of contact between them, the greater the aspect area, the more securely the remnant  25  is held within the cavity  24 . Therefore as the aspect ratio (longitudinal dimension compared with lateral dimension) of the cavity increases, the likelihood of the two goods  10 ,  25  becoming re-separated decreases. In still a further embodiment, the cavity&#39;s aspect ratio is optimized so that the remnant consumable good  25  can be pushed into the cavity  24  without too much resistance, but once lodged within the cavity  24  the remnant good  25  stays there and does not easily fall out. 
         [0044]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the longitudinal cavity  24  is cylindrical in shape. However in alternative embodiments the shape of the longitudinal cavity  24  may be any three-dimensional geometry. In an example embodiment, the longitudinal cavity  24  is longitudinal in shape, meaning the shape of the longitudinal cavity  24  at its intersection with the exterior surface  14  is the same at any point along the length of the longitudinal dimension  28 . In an alternative embodiment, the longitudinal cavity  24  is tapered in shape, meaning the lateral dimension  26  continuously decreases in length at successive points along the longitudinal dimension  28  moving toward the interior of the body  12 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 2  shows a solid-structure consumable good  10  with a novel shape in accordance with one example embodiment. The longitudinal cavity  24  intersects the exterior surface  14  of the body  12  at its end face  20 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the longitudinal cavity  24  is triangular in shape at its intersection with the end face  20  and maintains this shape for the entire length of the longitudinal dimension  28 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 3  shows a solid-structure consumable good  10  with a novel shape in accordance with one example embodiment. The longitudinal cavity  24  intersects the exterior surface  14  of the body  12  at its end face  20 . The longitudinal cavity  24  is elliptical in shape at its intersection with the end face  20  and maintains this shape for the entire length of the longitudinal dimension  28 . In an example embodiment, the shape of the longitudinal cavity  24  approximately matches the cross-sectional area of a remnant solid-structure consumable good  30  at its thickest point, so that the remnant good  30  could be received by the longitudinal cavity  24 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 4  shows a solid-structure consumable good  10  with a novel shape in accordance with one example embodiment. The consumable good  10  includes a pair of longitudinal cavities  34 ,  36  that intersect the exterior surface  14  of the body  12  at each end face  38 ,  40 . In an example embodiment, each longitudinal cavity  34 ,  36  is elliptical in shape at its intersection with its corresponding end face  38 ,  40  so that each cavity  34 ,  36  approximately matches the cross-sectional area of the remnant solid-structure consumable good  30  at its thickest point. In still a further embodiment, the depth of each cavity  34 ,  36  is half the length of the remnant solid-structure consumable good  30 , so that the remnant solid-structure consumer good  30  could be severed approximately in half and each cavity  34 ,  36  could receive one half of the severed good  30 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 5  shows a solid-structure consumable good  10  with a novel shape in accordance with one example embodiment. The consumable good  10  includes a pair of non-longitudinal cavities  42 ,  44  that intersect the exterior surface  14  of the body  12  at each end face  38 ,  40 . Each non-longitudinal cavity  42 ,  44  is elliptical in shape at its intersection with its corresponding end face  38 ,  40  so that it approximately matches the cross-sectional area of the remnant solid-structure consumable good  30  at its thickest point. The depth of each cavity  42 ,  44  is half the length of the remnant solid-structure consumable good  30 . An interior surface  46  of each non-longitudinal cavity  42 ,  44  is pocket-shaped so that each cavity contains a volume that approximately corresponds to one-half of the remnant solid-structure consumable good  30  when inserted in an appropriate orientation. In the same manner as the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , a remnant solid-structure consumer good  30  could be severed approximately in half and each cavity  42 ,  44  could receive one half of the severed good  30 , except with a more snug fit between halves of the remnant solid-structure consumable good  30  and the interior of the body  12  than possible in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0049]      FIGS. 6(   a ) and  6 ( b ) each show a solid-structure consumable good  10  with a novel shape in accordance with one example embodiment. In both figures, the longitudinal cavity  24  fully intersects the body  12  and therefore intersects the exterior surface  14  in two places. In the embodiment of  FIG. 6(   a ), the longitudinal cavity  24  is circular in shape at its intersection with the end face  20  and maintains this shape for the entire length of the longitudinal dimension  28 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 6(   b ), the longitudinal cavity  24  intersects the body  12  from a first minor face  46  to a second minor face  48 . The longitudinal cavity  24  is elliptical in shape at its intersection with the minor faces  46 ,  48  and maintains this shape for the entire length of the longitudinal dimension  28 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 7  shows a solid-structure consumable good  10  with a novel shape in accordance with another example embodiment. In  FIG. 7 , the cavity  24  has a longitudinal dimension  28  that is less than a longest lateral dimension  47  but greater than a shortest lateral dimension  49 . In this embodiment the relationship between the longitudinal dimension  28  and the longest lateral dimension  47  is less than one, but between the longitudinal dimension  28  and the shortest lateral dimension  49  is greater than one. Embodiments in which the aspect ratio between the longitudinal dimension  28  and the longest lateral dimension  47  are less than one are still considered within the scope of the invention. In one example embodiment, the ratio between the longitudinal dimension  28  and the longest lateral dimension  47  is 0.2 or greater while the ratio between the longitudinal dimension  28  and the shortest lateral dimension  49  is greater than three. 
         [0051]    The solid structure consumable goods described herein may be made using various techniques including, but not limited to, mechanically and/or manually: casting and/or using molds (e.g., making structures cast from molds or castings) and/or sculpting, drilling, digging, cutting, forging, shaping, carving, melding and/or otherwise forming the structure out of a single or multiple structures of the same consumable material and/or any other suitable processes to form the shapes and structures described herein of a solid structure consumable good. For example, molds or castings from which the solid structure(s) described herein may be cast may be reusable or disposable and have shapes such that, when used during the casting process, result in a solid structure having the shapes and/or dimensions described herein. For example, in embodiments where the solid structure consumable good is bar soap, the molds or castings from which the bar soap is cast may be made of silicone or various types of plastic, or other suitable types of materials for casting bars of soap. The structures of solid soap can be made in long bars that are cut into individual portions and/or cast from individual molds having shapes which result in the solid structures described herein when used in the bar soap casting process. 
         [0052]      FIGS. 8A-D  illustrate a method for extending the useful life of a solid-structure consumable good using structures of a solid-structure consumable good, such as, for example, the structures described herein and their equivalents, according to various embodiments. 
         [0053]    In one step of the method ( FIG. 8A ), a user exposes an unused solid-structure consumable good  52  and a substantially depleted solid-structure consumable good  54  to water  56 . In a second step of the method ( FIG. 8B ), the user holds the unused good  52  in one hand and inserts the depleted good  54  into the longitudinal cavity  24  with the other hand until the depleted good  54  is substantially within the cavity  24 . In an optional third step of the method ( FIG. 8C ), the user deforms any portion of the depleted good  54  still extending outside the cavity  24  and pushes it into any remaining space on a cavity edge  55 , if necessary. In an optional fourth step of the method ( FIG. 8D ), the user smears or blends onto the exterior surface  14  of the unused good  52  any portion of the depleted good  54  still extending outside the cavity  24 . 
         [0054]    In a further embodiment of the method of  FIGS. 8A-D , the water  56  to which the unused solid-structure consumable good  52  and the substantially depleted solid-structure consumable good  54  are exposed is warm water. In this further embodiment, the warm water softens both the unused and the depleted solid-structure consumable goods  52 ,  54  so they are more deformable and each can conform to the shape of the other as the depleted good  54  is pushed into the cavity  24 , especially if the cavity  24  and depleted good  54  are not substantially the same size or shape. If the depleted good  54  is more readily deformed, then the user may also more easily smear any portion of the depleted good  54  onto the unused good  52 . 
         [0055]      FIGS. 9A-D  illustrate a method for extending the useful life of a solid-structure consumable good using structures of a solid-structure consumable good, such as, for example, the structures described herein and their equivalents, according to other various embodiments. 
         [0056]    In one step of the method ( FIG. 9A ), a user exposes the unused solid-structure consumable good  52  and a substantially depleted solid-structure consumable good  54  to water  56  to soften each. In a second step ( FIG. 9B ), a user rolls the softened depleted good  54  into a rod shape. In a third step of the method ( FIG. 9C ), the user holds the unused good  52  in one hand and inserts the rod-shaped depleted good  54  into the longitudinal cavity  24  with the other hand until the depleted good  54  is substantially within the cavity  24 . In an optional fourth step of the method ( FIG. 9D ), the user smears or blends any portion of the depleted good  54  extending outside the cavity  24  onto the exterior surface  14  of the unused good  52 . 
         [0057]      FIGS. 10A-D  illustrate another method for extending the useful life of a solid-structure consumable good using structures of a solid-structure consumable good, such as, for example, the structures described herein and their equivalents, according to yet other various embodiments. 
         [0058]    In one step of the method ( FIG. 10A ), a user breaks the remnant solid-structure consumable good  54  into two approximately equally sized pieces  60 ,  62 . In a second step of the method ( FIG. 10B ), the user exposes the unused solid-structure consumable good  52  with non-longitudinal cavities  42 ,  44  and the equally sized remnant pieces  60 ,  62  to water  56 . In a third step of the method ( FIG. 10C ), the user inserts one of the equally sized remnant pieces  60 ,  62  into one of each of the non-longitudinal cavities  42 ,  44  at opposite ends of the unused solid-structure consumable good  52 . In an example embodiment, the size and shape of the equally sized remnants  60 ,  62  will approximately match the size and shape of the non-longitudinal cavities  42 ,  44 . The better the match between the remnants and the cavities, the tighter the grip there will be between the remnants  60 ,  62  and the unused solid-structure consumable good  52 . 
         [0059]    In an optional fourth step of the method ( FIG. 10D ), the user deforms any portion of either remnant  60 ,  62  that still extends outside the cavities  42 ,  44  and pushes those portion into any remaining space on a cavity edge  55  or blends onto the exterior surface  14  of the unused good  52  any portion of either remnant  60 ,  62  still extending outside the cavities  42 ,  44 . 
         [0060]    The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent application, foreign patents, foreign patent application and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. 
         [0061]    Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, application and publications to provide yet further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. 
         [0062]    In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.