Abstract:
An improved pouf or soap-holding lathering and scrubbing device which can conveniently hold a bar of soap and create copious aerated lather when wetted and massaged or manipulated comprises a sheet of mesh material which is formed or folded into a compact mass or arrangement. The sheet is formed or supplied in an endless loop or ring which is then compressed in a direction parallel to the sheet to form a ring of compressed or folded mesh material that has a recess. The compressed ring is then secured in its compressed state by two or more ties. A cord can be threaded through the compressed ring and cinched by an O-ring or other device to enable the cord to hold a bar of soap in the recess.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/845,815, filed 2013 Jul. 12 by the present inventors. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Prior Art 
     Many forms of soap and hardware have been developed for enhancing the bathing experience. In particular soaps and hardware have been developed to produce thicker and more copious soap lather because a thick, copious lather makes washing and bathing more satisfying and effective (Gregorius). 
     Bars and liquid are the dominant soap forms in the bathing marketplace. Bar soap generally needs less user activity to use and is usually most cost and environmentally friendly. However bar soap can be hard to hold and generally does not produce as much lather as liquid soap. 
     Body wash, a form of liquid soap intended for bathing, is generally more profitable and expensive and is heavily marketed for many claimed benefits, including rich lather. But body wash needs more user activity to deploy and is more costly and environmentally damaging. 
     Nevertheless, because of its better lather, body wash sales are eclipsing bar soap. This trend enriches large entities at the expense of consumers and the environment (Chameides). As we evolve from a disposable society to a sustainable world, consumers need better choices to be green while getting clean. Thus we believe that producing more aerated lather from bar soap is better for the environment and consumers. 
     The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant to the above considerations: 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. Patents 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Pat. No. 
                 Kind Code 
                 Issue Date 
                 Patentee 
               
               
                   
               
               
                   346,773 
                 A 
                 1886 Aug. 3 
                 Rees 
               
               
                 1,351,311 
                 A 
                 1920 Aug. 31 
                 Virneburg 
               
               
                 1,748,406 
                 A 
                 1929 Apr. 26 
                 Blair 
               
               
                 3,167,805 
                 A 
                 1962 Dec. 21 
                 Zuppinger et al. 
               
               
                 3,251,571 
                 A 
                 1963 May 20 
                 Ernest 
               
               
                 3,430,754 
                 A 
                 1968 Feb. 7 
                 Meseke et al. 
               
               
                 3,519,568 
                 A 
                 1967 Apr. 3 
                 Needleman 
               
               
                 4,190,550 
                 A 
                 1980 Feb. 26 
                 Campbell 
               
               
                 4,199,835 
                 A 
                 1980 Apr. 29 
                 Heyer et al. 
               
               
                 4,228,834 
                 A 
                 1980 Oct. 21 
                 Desnick 
               
               
                 4,969,225 
                 A 
                 1990 Nov. 13 
                 Schubert 
               
               
                 5,022,517 
                 A 
                 1991 Jun. 11 
                 Benitez 
               
               
                 5,144,744 
                 A 
                 1992 Sep. 8 
                 Campagnoli 
               
               
                 5,301,696 
                 A 
                 1994 Apr. 12 
                 Revson 
               
               
                 5,462,378 
                 A 
                 1995 Oct. 31 
                 Webb 
               
               
                 5,465,452 
                 A 
                 1995 Nov. 14 
                 Girardot et al. 
               
               
                 5,687,447 
                 A 
                 1997 Nov. 18 
                 Bynum et al. 
               
               
                 5,709,434 
                 A 
                 1998 Jan. 20 
                 Chen 
               
               
                 5,715,561 
                 A 
                 1998 Feb. 10 
                 Tuthill et al. 
               
               
                 5,727,277 
                 A 
                 1998 Mar. 17 
                 Chien 
               
               
                 5,740,599 
                 A 
                 1998 Apr. 21 
                 Chang 
               
               
                 5,758,386 
                 A 
                 1998 Jun. 2 
                 Chen 
               
               
                 5,766,700 
                 A 
                 1998 Jun. 16 
                 Borcherds 
               
               
                 5,857,794 
                 A 
                 1999 Jan. 12 
                 Chien 
               
               
                 5,937,472 
                 A 
                 1999 Aug. 17 
                 Girardot et al. 
               
               
                 6,015,242 
                 A 
                 2000 Jan. 18 
                 Gillis 
               
               
                 6,042,288 
                 A 
                 2000 Mar. 28 
                 Rattinger et al. 
               
               
                 6,092,257 
                 A 
                 2000 Jul. 25 
                 Chen 
               
               
                 6,066,607 
                 A 
                 2000 May 23 
                 Gordon et al. 
               
               
                 6,105,196 
                 A 
                 2000 Aug. 22 
                 Chang 
               
               
                 6,122,859 
                 A 
                 2000 Sep. 26 
                 Lazar 
               
               
                 6,443,527 
                 B1 
                 2002 Sep. 3 
                 Borcherds et al. 
               
               
                 6,676,222 
                 B2 
                 2004 Jan. 13 
                 Hsu 
               
               
                 6,783,294 
                 B2 
                 2004 Aug. 31 
                 Duden et al. 
               
               
                 6,839,932 
                 B2 
                 2005 Jan. 11 
                 Huang 
               
               
                 6,871,375 
                 B2 
                 2005 Mar. 29 
                 Borcherds 
               
               
                 6,883,994 
                 B1 
                 2005 Apr. 26 
                 Grogg 
               
               
                 6,887,007 
                 B2 
                 2005 May 3 
                 Sorrell 
               
               
                 6,902,338 
                 B2 
                 2005 Jun. 7 
                 Puvvada et al. 
               
               
                 7,566,491 
                 B2 
                 2009 Jul. 28 
                 Dilnik et al. 
               
               
                 8,137,018 
                 B2 
                 2012 Mar. 20 
                 Galvan-Nanez 
               
               
                 8,282,301 
                 B2 
                 2012 Oct. 9 
                 Larsen et al. 
               
               
                 D623356 
                 S 
                 2010 Sep. 7 
                 Lee et al. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. Patent Application Publications 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Publication Nr. 
                 Kind Code 
                 Publ. Date 
                 Applicant 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 20050186234 
                 A1 
                 2005 Aug. 25 
                 Kelly 
               
               
                 20060079416 
                 A1 
                 2006 Apr. 13 
                 Myers 
               
               
                 20090188060 
                 A1 
                 2009 Jul. 30 
                 Ferguson 
               
               
                 20130125324 
                 A1 
                 2013 May 23 
                 Celia, Sr. et al. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Foreign Patent Documents 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Cntry 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Foreign Doc. Nr. 
                 Code 
                 Kind Code 
                 Pub. Dt 
                 App or Patentee 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 JPH10137152 
                 JP 
                 A 
                 1998 May 26 
                 Nozaki et al. 
               
               
                 CN101026985 
                 CN 
                 A 
                 2007 Aug. 29 
                 Myers 
               
               
                 CN201299501 
                 CN 
                 Y 
                 2009 Sep. 2 
                 You 
               
               
                 CN202136244 
                 CN 
                 U 
                 2012 Feb. 8 
                 He 
               
               
                 CN202235064 
                 CN 
                 U 
                 2012 May 30 
                 Di 
               
               
                 CN202408683 
                 CN 
                 U 
                 2012 Sep. 5 
                 Guo 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Non-Patent Literature Documents 
     Gregorius, Roberto, Newton, Ask A Scientist!, “Soap Lather and Cleaning” http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen06/gen06999.htm (June 2012) 
     Chameides, Bill, HuffingtonPost.com, “Chemical Marketplace: Bar Soap vs. Liquid Soap” (November 2012) 
     Osborne, Carrie, PureHealthGuide.com, “Does your body wash contain harmful chemicals? (February 2012) 
     TheDailyGreen.com, “Body Wash vs. Bar Soap” (http://www.biglather.com/body-wash-vs-bar-soap/) (2010) 
     Siddons, Sarah, Health.HowStuffWorks.com, “How often should I replace my bath sponge?” (September 2009) 
     In the above references, Rees sought to improve bathing by putting soap into a sack or bag with a handle. Clearly much room for improvement exists as indicated by the continued activity and crowded art. 
     Many forms of bathing hardware have been presented to provide various benefits. Virneburg forms a washrag to hold soap more easily. Blair shows a rubber sponge material with a center pocket or cavity to hold a cake of soap. Zuppinger et. al. shows a net enclosed soap article. 
     Campbell presents a seamless fibrous soap-filled pad. Desnick shows a plastic mesh bag having hook-and-loop fasteners for closing. Schubert offers a non-woven, synthetic fibre scrub brush capable of holding soap. Benitez describes a wrap for bar soap made from layers of nylon netting. Webb introduces a soapsock. Girardot et. al. (&#39;452) describes a personal cleaning implement made from extruded scrim having a diamond-mesh pattern. Toshio et. al. presents an expansible net bag to make shrinking bar soap easier to hold. Chien (&#39;794) discloses a bathing soap pouch made by folding and tying hollow cylindrical mesh with a cord adjuster. These items are usually marketed as mesh bag soap savers and can be purchased at Bed Bath &amp; Beyond. Duden et. al. discloses a textured film solid cleanser holder that can be purchased at Target. Puvvada et. al. describes various toilet bars contained within a porous pouch. Di discloses an anti-slip sleeve for soap. Guo discloses a nylon mesh soap sleeve. All of these constructions produce limited lather, are difficult to hold, are coarse against the skin, and can promote mold growth. 
     Ernest and Needleman offer a different option by using cord or rope to introduce adjustable loop holders and once popular rope soap. These require custom soap forms and do not enhance lather production or feel against skin. 
     The development of different materials influences bathing hardware design. Heyer et. al. discloses a bath ball fastened at the center. Bath balls made from various materials are popular and can be purchased at KMart, and other retailers. Tuthill et. al. shows a soft stretched tubular scrim that can exfoliate. Bath balls or mesh poufs are rounded devices that can be constructed many ways. Dilnik et. al discloses disposable and reusable pouf products. The current best selling bath poufs are made by bunching mesh sleeve material and tying the center. Campagnoli, Chen (&#39;434), Girardot et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,472), Borcherds et al. show examples of this construction and can be purchased at Wal-Mart. The mass of bunched mesh in the center of the pouf forms a honeycomb structure which retains water between uses that can feed mold growth. Rubbing a mesh pouf during normal use over time can cause the pouf to come apart and look bad. For these reasons this construction is disposable, with replacement advised approximately every 8 weeks (Siddons). 
     Lee et. al. shows a dual sided shower tool design for a cleansing article. Gordon et al. discloses a body wash or liquid soap intended for bathing, combined with a mesh pouf; this is a current popular bathing system. However, as stated, compared to bar soap, liquid soap is economically and environmentally expensive and is packaged in plastic bottles that usually end up in landfills. 
     Hardware for tying, holding, and closing, also known as cord adjusters, are shown in Meseke et al. as a closure device in the form of a loop. Revson describes a holder that includes a band. Borcherds (&#39;700) presents a loop fastening device. Lazar describes an elastic loop tie. Girardot et. al. (&#39;472) discloses an elastic O-ring binding member. Borcherds et al. presents a loop securing device. These devices can be felt when rubbed against skin and do not offer a good user experience. 
     Bynum et al. and Chien (&#39;277) offer one alternative construction achieved by rolling or bunching and tying material in two or more places. Elastic mesh tube introduced with this construction is shown by Chang (&#39;599 and &#39;196), Chen (&#39;386 and &#39;257), Hsu, Huang, and Borcherds (&#39;375). These constructions, known as bath balls or pumpkin poufs, do not provide a good user experience and are not as popular as center bunched poufs and thus considered novelty items. 
     Combining soap with bathing devices starts to address soap expense and use problems. Borcherds (&#39;375) suggests formation of a central pocket to secure soap. Gillis discloses a soap holding scrub puff. Rattinger et. al. describes a cleaning system comprising a synthetic detergent and a pouf or sponge for holding the bar. Grogg presents a cleaning device with soap bead holder. Sorrell disclose a handheld washing device that contains soap within the interior. Myers, in US and China patents, offers a mesh pouf with a tulle pouch for soap. Ferguson suggests a puff having a source of soap embedded therein. You and He disclose cleaning devices with soap. Galvan-Nanez and Larsen et. al disclose pre-soaped or integrated soap devices. Kelly discloses soap encapsulated net material. Celia, Sr. et. al presents a mesh ball impregnated with soap. These constructions are limited by the amount of soap lather that can be generated and can be considered disposable. 
     Chameides confirms liquid soap is a bad environmental bet and is also a bad bet for your family budget. Liquid soap can also contain harmful chemicals (Osborne), and is packaged in plastic bottles that usually end up in landfills. The main ingredient in most liquid body washes is water, creating more pollution and waste water (TheDailyGreen.com). 
     However bar soap usually does not make as much lather as body wash or liquid soap. Bar soap can become slimy and slippery when it does not dry between uses. Slimy bar soap dissolves faster, thus increasing cost of use. Shrinking slippery bar soap becomes hard to hold and is usually not completely consumed. Bar soap bags do not generate copious lather and can feel coarse or rough against skin. 
     Loofahs and plastic mesh bath poufs can become infected with bacteria and mold (Siddons). Poufs only make lather while soap and water are present and usually need soap added several times while bathing. Popular poufs grow mold and come apart, making them short-lived and therefor costly. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with one embodiment an improved pouf can conveniently hold a bar of soap and is easy to use, long lasting, and is able to generate copious amounts of aerated lather. Every six weeks or so when the soap bar is completely consumed the pouf can be washed in a dishwasher. Then a new soap bar is inserted to continue making more aerated lather. The pouf comprises a flexible tube or hose that is run through a piercing machine to make a cylinder or tube whose walls have a mesh pattern. This cylinder or tube is compressed axially to form a ring or donut. The ring is secured at two or more points by tying a cord or line around the ring at these points, thereby forming a pouf with a recess for holding a bar of soap. Sheet mesh material can also be used if it is first formed into a flexible cylinder, sleeve or tube. 
     Advantages 
     Accordingly several advantages of one or more aspects of the present pouf are as follows: 
     (a) It helps the environment and family budgets by enabling bar soap to compete with liquid soap. 
     (b) It produces large amounts of aerated lather from bar soap and makes aerated lather continuously while bathing or cleaning. 
     (c) It makes holding bar soap easier and using bar soap more efficient. 
     (d) It reduces pollution, empty plastic bottle waste, and the presence of harmful chemicals by promoting bar soap use over liquid soap. 
     (e) It inhibits mold growth on the pouf when hung to dry between uses. 
     (f) It offers copious aerated lather and a soft pouf feel that is missing from current bar soap bags. 
     (g) It offers a sustainable pouf that can last more than 12 months. 
     These and other advantages of one or more aspects will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and accompanying drawings and trying the actual www.BigLather.com product. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
       In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes. 
         FIG. 1  shows a bath pouf according to one embodiment with packaging card inserted into recess. 
         FIG. 1 a    shows the pouf hanging, with bar soap inserted into recess. 
         FIG. 2  shows a sleeve of mesh material positioned over opposing members to start assembly of the pouf. 
         FIG. 2 a    shows the mesh sleeve secured or tied in two opposed positions. 
         FIG. 2 b    shows a cord threaded through the bunched mesh sleeve material. 
         FIG. 2 c    shows the insertion of a packaging card into recess, threading of an O-ring, and tying of the cord. 
         FIG. 3  shows the cord threaded through O-ring twice, pulled, and tied. 
         FIG. 3 a    shows part of a bar soap securing apparatus made from  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 4  shows a mesh sleeve secured at two or more positions with a soap bar within recess according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  shows net material with large openings. 
         FIG. 5 a    shows net material formed into wrap. 
         FIG. 5 b    shows net material formed into bag. 
         FIG. 5 c    shows net material, wrap, or bag inserted into mesh material recess. 
         FIG. 6  shows the bath pouf with added handle. 
         FIG. 6 a    shows the bath pouf with added straps. 
         FIG. 6 b    shows the bath pouf with added decorative devices. 
     
    
    
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 DRAWINGS - REFERENCE NUMERALS 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 100 
                 mesh sleeve material 
                 102 
                 securing position 
               
               
                 104 
                 packaging card 
                 106 
                 tag 
               
               
                 108 
                 soap bar 
                 110 
                 hook 
               
               
                 112 
                 recess 
                   
                   
               
               
                 200 
                 opposing members 
                   
                   
               
               
                 300 
                 cord 
                 300A 
                 line 
               
               
                 302 
                 O-ring 
                 304 
                 tie 
               
               
                 306 
                 needle 
                   
                   
               
               
                 500 
                 net 
                 502 
                 openings 
               
               
                 600 
                 handle 
                 602 
                 straps 
               
               
                 604 
                 decorative device 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG.  1  TO FIG.  3   
     First Embodiment 
     One embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a bath pouf having a recess as is shown at  112  with a packaging and instruction card  104  inserted into the recess  112 . As  FIGS. 1, 1A and 2A-2C  each show, there are a plurality of solid curved lines drawn between the ends  102  to show the plurality of bunched sheets of mesh material, that can be in the form of sleeves or tubular scrims, for example, and a recess  112  is formed between each adjacent sleeve that is represented by the adjacent lines that are drawn between the ends  102 . Each recess  112  that is provided around the circumference of the pouf is formed by bunching the mesh material  100 . By so doing many recesses  112  are formed, as shown, about the pouf and a tag or card  104  or a bar of soap  108  can be inserted and held within one of the plurality of recesses. The entry point into each such recess  112  is defined between the solid lines showing bunched mesh and recesses about the sides of the finished pouf. A cylindrical sheet (not shown) of plastic mesh sleeve material  110  is compressed to a donut or ring and is then bunched and tied or secured at ends  102  at two or more opposing positions. The details of the manner in which the mesh material is bunched are discussed infra. A tag  106  is attached at the left end  102 . Cord  300  is threaded into mesh sleeve material  100 , then through packaging card  104 , then twice through an O-ring  302  of rubber or other elastic material, and tied with a knot  304  to complete the assembly. 
       FIG. 1 a    is a perspective view of the bath pouf hanging from a hook  110  with a rectangular soap bar  108  inserted into recess  112 . This pouf, when wet and massaged, will generate copious amounts of lather by aerating the lather and provides a user with a soft feeling experience. 
     Operation 
     FIGS.  1  &amp;  1 A 
     To use the pouf, the user first removes packaging card  104  ( FIG. 1 ) by tearing or cutting it and removing it from the pouf recess  112 . Soap bar  108  is inserted into the recess  112  in the center of the pouf. O-ring  302  is slid along cord  300  toward soap bar  108  to secure the bar inside the pouf. The O-ring  302 , cord  300 , and mesh  100  provide a soap bar  108  securing means. 
     Then the user, while in a shower or tub, wets and rubs or massages the pouf to make it lather. Additional lather is made when the user rubs the pouf against the body to bathe or clean. The massaging or rubbing of the random bunched mesh material  100  that surrounds and agitates the soap bar  108  while allowing free flow of applied water enables the pouf to aerate the lather to make more or copious lather while providing a soft feel for the user. 
     After finishing their ablutions, the user rinses the pouf and hangs it to dry between uses to inhibit mold growth, as shown in  FIG. 1 a   . The unique construction of the pouf that enables water to fully drain between uses when hung properly and maintaining the soap bar  108  in the recess  112  within the pouf and near any remaining organic matter, helps to inhibit mold growth. 
     After the first use when the soap bar  108  has dried, it begins to embed into the mesh  100 . The embedding of the soap bar  108  into the mesh  100  further secures the soap bar  108  in the pouf and enhances the copious lather generation. More aerated lather is generated and generated quicker from this continuous embedding process. 
     When soap bar  108  is completely used, the pouf can be washed in a dishwasher if desired. Then O-ring  302  is slid along cord  300  toward tie  304  to allow a new soap bar  108  to be inserted into recess  112 . Then O-ring  302  is slid along cord  300  toward the new soap bar  108  to secure it and continue use. The pouf construction maintains the stability of the mesh material  100  to allow for prolonged bathing use. Thus making the pouf reusable and sustainable. 
     Fabrication 
     FIGS.  2  to  2 C 
     The method of fabricating or assembling the pouf will indicate its detailed construction. A first assembly method begins in  FIG. 2  where a cylindrical or sleeve sheet of mesh sleeve material  100  about 12.5 cm wide by 190 cm long is looped over two opposing vertical upright members  200 . Members  200  are about 30 cm tall and are spaced about 15 cm apart. This common material is also known as elastic mesh, hollow cylindrical mesh, extruded scrim, tube net, tubular scrim, netting tubes, diamond-mesh, extruded polymeric netting tube, open cell mesh tube, and flexible mesh. This material can be obtained from www.conwedplastics.com. 
     Then ( FIG. 2B ) the user compresses the sleeve of mesh material  100  on uprights  200  to have a shorter vertical height by tying and cinching two lines  300 A around opposite sides of mesh  100 . These two lines  300 A are tied at opposed locations to form two holding loops or cinches  102 . The compressed loop now is shaped like an elongated donut and has an internal hole or cavity or center recess  112 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 b    a needle  306  can be used to thread a cord  300  through the mesh sleeve  100  to form a bar soap securing apparatus around the sleeve recess  112 . I discuss below the manner in which cord  300  is threaded through and tied. Sleeve  100  with cinches  102  and untied soap bar securing apparatus line  300  is then removed from upright members  200 . 
     Then ( FIG. 2 c   ) a packaging card  104  is inserted into recess  112 . The user then threads cord  300  through card  104  and an O-ring  302  twice, as described infra. Finally the user ties the cord  300  into a knot  304  to form part of the bar soap securing apparatus as shown in  FIG. 3A  (The pouf per se is omitted in  FIG. 3A  for clarity.). 
     FIG.  3   
     O-Ring And Cord 
       FIG. 3  shows how two cords  300  are threaded twice through O-ring  302 . (The pouf is not shown in  FIG. 3  for clarity.) The cord  300  is passed through the center of the pouf with needle  306 . Then the cord  300  is passed through the O-ring  302  and is looped around and passed through the O-ring  302  again as shown. The cords  300  are then grasped at opposite sides of the O-ring  302  and pulled. This causes the O-ring  302  to twist and grasp the cords  300  tightly and serve as a cord adjuster so that the O-ring  302  can hold itself in any desired position along the cords. The loop formed from cord  300  is shown in  FIG. 3A  around soap bar  108  (pouf omitted). After this loop is cinched around bar  108  the O-ring  302  is slid down against the bar  108  to hold the loop in the cinched position to secure the soap bar  108 . 
     FIGS.  4 - 6   
     Additional Alternative Embodiments 
       FIG. 4  shows an alternative embodiment. Here mesh sleeve material  100  secured at three points  102 , two at opposite ends as before and one in the middle at one side of the ring. Soap bar  108  is inserted within the recess  112 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a sheet of net material  500  with openings  502 . The ratio of the size of each opening  502  to the thickness of the strands or fibers of net material  500  is greater than 5 to 1; this allows development of a copious lather while securing soap bar  108  (not shown). Net or mesh  500  is formed into a wrap  504  ( FIG. 5A ) or bag  506  ( FIG. 5B ) with one or more open sides.  FIG. 5C  shows the bag  506  positioned within the pouf recess  112 . The pouf&#39;s mesh sleeve material  100  is compressed or bunched and secured at two or more positions  102  to fully secure the soap bar  108  (not shown). 
     In  FIG. 6  a simple elongated handle  600  of wood or plastic about 40 cm long is attached to the pouf by cord  300 . In  FIG. 6A  two straps  602  about 30 cm long each of flexible plastic of fabric are attached to the respective ends of the pouf by line  300 A. In  FIG. 6B  a decorative device  604  comprising a fish head and tail is provided. These parts are attached to the respective ends of the pouf by line  300 A. These auxiliary devices provide users different functionality and enjoyment. Handle  600  or straps  602  enable users to wash hard to reach areas such as the back. Decorative device  604  can provided additional themed enjoyment for children. 
     CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS &amp; SCOPE 
     Thus the reader will see that at least one embodiment of our bath sponge or pouf produces copious aerated rich lather with a soft desirable feel while reducing environmental and economic impact, inhibiting mold growth, and making bar soap easier to use. It also provides a renewable and sustainable solution that enables complete use of many soap bars and continuous creation of aerated lather while bathing or cleaning. These benefits offer consumers a better choice to live green while getting clean. This is important as we evolve from a disposable society to a sustainable world. 
     While the above description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but as illustrations of some present embodiments. Many other variations are possible. For example, the plastic mesh sleeve can be made from different materials such as natural fibers (loofa fibers) or foam. It can have smaller or larger mesh holes and or a different geometric pattern. Also it can be tied or secured by a device, a staple, glue, heat bonding, or sewing. The cord adjuster can be made from other materials and or components, such as plastic or metal parts. The soap securing apparatus can be removed or replaced by a wrap or a bag soap securing apparatus made from net or mesh materials having larger openings. The packaging card can be replaced by another material or form to communicate function and use of the pouf. In lieu of two posts  200  to hold the endless band or loop of mesh, a rectangular, circular or oval mandrel can be used. The pouf can also be constructed without the use of any device to hold the mesh but simply by bunching the material and securing it while held in a users hand. The decorative devices  604  can have many different themes. 
     Thus the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather then by the examples given.