Abstract:
A personal hygiene device for use by users with limited mobility comprises a shaft and a clamp. The clamp holds a piece of wiping material and the wiping material folds over and is structurally supported by a portion of the shaft. The device, with the wiping material held in place by the clamp, is used to perform bodily care functions such as wiping, bathing, or applying ointments or liquids. The wiping material comprises a piece of cloth-like absorbent material with a flap attached to the back of the material, wherein the flap extends outwardly perpendicular to the back of the material.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 60/834,991, filed Aug. 2, 2006. 
     
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention relates generally to personal hygiene devices and, more particularly, to a personal hygiene device for use by those with limited mobility. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    People may suffer from limited mobility for many reasons, such as arthritis, old age, handicap, obesity, injury, or surgery. Those with limited mobility often suffer from physical and psychological pain and cannot do all of the activities they are used to doing. Perhaps one of the most emotionally frustrating results of limited mobility is the loss of, or increased difficulty in, the ability to provide basic care to oneself, such as by bathing, wiping the perineal region after going to the bathroom, or applying medication to one&#39;s body. A person may be limited in his ability to care for himself because his hands are too weak or deformed to allow him to grasp a wiping material or because his arms, shoulders, trunk, or other body parts do not allow for proper movement needed to perform the required task. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides an apparatus to aid a user in caring for his body. The apparatus comprises a shaft connected to a clamp that is capable of holding a piece of wiping material or a cloth-like material. The material may be of any shape, including rectangular or circular, and in some embodiments is absorbent. The material may also be disposable, for example, flushable in a toilet. In some embodiments, the material has a length of between about three and eight inches, a width of about two and five inches, and a thickness of between about one to five millimeters. The material has a flap attached to the material for the clamp to grip, and the flap extends perpendicularly outward from the back of the wiping pad. The flap may be attached in the middle of the pad or toward one of the edges and may have a region of increased thickness on its free end. 
         [0005]    The shaft of the apparatus has three regions—a proximal region nearest to the user&#39;s hand, an intermediate region, and a distal region farthest from the user&#39;s hand. The distal region has a central axis defined by the length or width, whichever is greater. The clamp is attached to the distal shaft region and is oriented parallel to the central axis of the distal shaft region. The clamp and shaft are arranged such that when the clamp holds the wiping material, the material covers the portion of the shaft near the clamp to provide a surface for wiping or performing other self-care functions. This arrangement is advantageous because the distal portion of the shaft, having few or no moving parts, is better suited than the clamp to bear the forces associated with wiping. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments, the distal shaft portion is rotatable with respect to the rest of the shaft. In some embodiments, the distal shaft portion has a length greater than its width, while in other embodiments, the reverse is true. The distal shaft portion may have any shape that facilitates wiping or other bodily care functions; such as, but not limited to, having a top side with a rounded edge of narrowed width and a bottom edge of greater width. In some embodiments, one or more of the proximal, intermediate, and distal shaft regions may be removed from the remaining portions. In such embodiments alternate shaft portions of varying shape may be substituted for any corresponding removed shaft portion. For example, a generally straight intermediate shaft portion may be removed and replaced with a curved intermediate shaft portion, or a distal shaft portion having a length greater than its width may be removed and replaced with a distal shaft portion have a width greater than its length. In some embodiments, the proximal shaft portion comprises a handle, which may comprise a hollow loop. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, the distal shaft portion is at least partially hollow and covers at least a portion of the clamp. Whether or not a portion of the clamp is covered by the distal shaft portion, the exposed portion of the clamp should not extend very far outwardly from the distal shaft portion. In some embodiments, the tip of the clamp extends less than about an inch away from the distal shaft portion, while in other embodiments it extends less than about a centimeter. The clamp comprises two jaw members, at least one of which is biased closed. The clamp may be opened by a clamp-opening mechanism, which may comprise a button, sliding switch, or lever, among other things. In some embodiments, one of the two clamping jaws is stationary, and the non-stationary clamping jaw is biased closed, such as by a spring biased mechanism. The jaw need only open to a size large enough to grip the wiping material, and in some embodiments, the jaw members open to a maximum spacing of about 3 to 5 millimeters. The clamp-opening mechanism in some embodiments is located on the distal shaft portion; however, in other embodiments, the clamp-opening mechanism is located on the proximal or intermediate shaft portions. 
         [0008]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side view representing one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIGS. 2A  and B are a perspective views of the distal end portion according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 3A , B, and C are plan views according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 4A , B, and C are side views of a portion of the distal end portion according to embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5A , B, and C are plan views of the wiping material according to embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 6A  and B are side views of the wiping material according to embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a portion of the distal end portion according to embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    As used herein, the use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one,” and “one or more than one.” 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of the present invention comprises a shaft  10  having clamp  14  attached thereto. Although not necessarily separate pieces, shaft  10  comprises proximal shaft portion  11 , intermediate shaft portion  12 , and distal shaft portion  13 . Distal shaft portion  13  comprises a central axis  15 . In some embodiments, clamp  14  is arranged parallel to central axis  15  of distal shaft portion  13 . Clamp  14  may hold a piece of wiping material or other cloth-like material. 
         [0019]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show embodiments of material  50  for use with the present invention. Material  50  may be used for wiping, scrubbing, dabbing, or other bodily care functions, and may be made of any material that is safe for and non-irritable to human skin. In some embodiments, material  50  comprises an absorbent material such as toilet paper and may be disposable, for example, flushed in a conventional toilet. Material  50  may be of any material, such as, but not limited to, cloth, cotton, paper, cellulose, synthetic fibers, polyacrylate, polymers, nonwoven fabric, or any combination of such materials, and may be biodegradable. Material  50  may be of any shape, such as, but not limited to, generally square, rectangular, or circular as shown in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C, respectively. Material  50  comprises a first surface, surface  52 , and a second surface opposite from surface  52 , surface  53 , which are the two surfaces of material  50  having the largest surface areas (the other surfaces being relatively thin edges). Referring also to  FIG. 7 , surface  53  is the primary surface for contact with skin, while surface  52  is the primary surface for contact with distal shaft portion  13 . In some embodiments, material  50  is sized to allow flushing in a conventional toilet, and in one embodiment, surfaces  52  and  53  are generally the same length and width as a sheet of toilet paper. In other embodiments, surfaces  52  and  53  have a length (or diameter, in the case of a circular embodiment) between about three and eight inches and a width between about two and six inches. Material  50  may be of various thicknesses: in some embodiments is the thickness of about 5 to 15 sheets of toilet paper, in other embodiments is about one to five millimeters, and in other embodiments it is about 3 to 10 millimeters thick. 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, material  50  comprises flap  51  fixably attached to material  50  on surface  52  to allow clamp  14  a convenient place to grasp material  50 . Flap  51  may be of any material, such as, but not limited to, cloth, cotton, paper, cellulose, synthetic fibers, polyacrylate, polymers, nonwoven fabric, or any combination of such materials, and may be attached to material  50  by any means, such as stitching, glue, thermal bonding and the like as long as the bond provides adequate support for stresses involved with wiping and other bodily care functions. Flap  51  may be attached at any position on surface  52 , including the center ( FIG. 5A ), at or near the top or bottom ( FIG. 5B ), or off-center ( FIG. 5C ). In some embodiments, flap  51  is oriented to extend outwardly perpendicular to the plane of surface  52 . Embodiments in which flap  51  attaches at or near the center of surface  52  allow a user to use both the top and bottom of distal shaft portion  13  for wiping without having to change material  50 . Embodiments in which flap  51  attaches off the center of surface  52  allow a user to use all of the area of material  50  using only one side of distal shaft portion  13 . Referring to  FIG. 6B , in some embodiments, flap  51  comprises an enlarged region  60  at its free end to allow greater frictional force for clamp  14 . As used herein, “free end” refers to the edge of flap  51  opposite the edge of flap  51  that is attached to material  50 , as shown in  FIG. 6B . In some embodiments, flap  51  comprises a rectangular shaped piece of material of which one whole edge is attached to material  50 . Although flap  51  may be any width (defined by the edge attached to material  50 ), in some embodiments it is between about one and two inches wide. Likewise, although flap  51  may have any length, in some embodiments it is between about one centimeter and about one inch long. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, clamp  14  is positioned and sized with respect to distal shaft portion  13  such that material  50 , when held by clamp  14 , covers at least a portion of distal shaft portion  13 . In such embodiments, distal shaft portion  13  is adapted to provide rigid support for material  50 , which is an advantageous arrangement because distal shaft portion  13 , having few or no moving parts, is better suited than clamp  14  to bear the primary forces associated with wiping or other bodily care. Distal shaft portion  13  may be rotatable with respect to intermediate shaft portion  12  to allow the use of top side  18  and bottom side  19  of distal shaft portion  13  as wiping support surfaces. The rotation of distal shaft portion  13  also allows a greater surface area of material  50  to be utilized for wiping when material  50  folds onto distal shaft portion  13  such as in the manner demonstrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0022]    Clamp  14  may be of various configurations as long as clamp  14  is generally parallel to central axis  15  of distal shaft portion  13  as shown in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C. In some embodiments, distal shaft portion  13  is at least partially hollow and covers at least a portion of clamp  14 . Referring to  FIG. 4C , clamp  14  comprises two jaw members  44 , at least one of which is biased closed. Clamp  14  may be opened by a force applied to a clamp-opening mechanism  17 , such as a lever ( FIG. 4A ), a button ( FIG. 4B ), or a sliding switch ( FIG. 4C ), among other things. Clamp-opening mechanism  17  may be connected to any mechanical devices known in the art, such as springs, connectors, pins, hinges, and pivots sufficient to force open clamp  14 . In some embodiments, one of the two clamping jaws  44  is stationary, and the non-stationary clamping jaw is biased closed, such as by a spring biased mechanism. Clamp-opening mechanism  17  in some embodiments is located on distal shaft portion  13 ; however, in other embodiments, clamp-opening mechanism  17  is located on proximal portion  12  or intermediate shaft portion  11 . Referring to  FIG. 4B , in some embodiments, clamp  14  opens only a small amount to create jaw opening  43 , which is at or slightly greater than the opening size needed to grip flap  51 . By way of non-limiting example, clamp  14  may open to a maximum of 3 to 5 millimeters. In some embodiments, to allow a majority of material  50  to be available for wiping using distal shaft portion  13  for support, more than half of material  50  covers distal shaft portion  13 , while the remaining portion of material  50  covers clamp  14 . In such embodiments, clamp  14  is small relative to material  50 . By way of non-limiting examples, referring to  FIG. 4B , in some embodiments, the distance  45  from the tip of the clamp to the distal shaft portions is less than about one inch, while in other embodiments distance  45  is less than about one centimeter. 
         [0023]    Top side  18  and bottom side  19  may have different shapes, widths, and curvatures, each providing advantageous wiping dynamics. A broad width and flat surface will provide a large surface area for wiping, whereas a narrow width and partially raised surface will aid in more localized applications. For example, referring to  FIG. 2A , top side  18  of distal shaft portion  13  may be narrower than bottom side  19  and may be rounded such that the cross-section of distal shaft portion  13  resembles a rounded, triangular shape. In other embodiments, top side  18  may be wider than bottom side  19  or they may be the same width. Referring to  FIG. 2B , distal shaft portion  13  may also have a cross-sectional profile of circular or ovular shape. Referring briefly to  FIG. 4C , in some embodiments, top side  18  and bottom side  19  have raised portions  41  and  42  to provide areas of concentrated contact support for wiping or other bodily care functions. 
         [0024]    While distal shaft portion  13  may be of any shape; however, it is preferable that it has rounded edges so as to provide smooth surfaces for contact with the body. Variations in the distal shaft portion&#39;s length and width allow different angles of use, one of which may be more beneficial to a particular user with a particular limitation. By way of non-limiting examples, distal shaft portion  13  may have a length greater than its width, a width greater than its length, or a flared shape, referring to  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C, respectively. Regardless of its shape, distal shaft portion  13  comprises central axis  15  along the greater of the length or width dimension, or, if the length equals its width, then along either the length or width. 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, distal shaft portion  13 , intermediate shaft portion  12 , and proximal shaft portion  11  may be disengageable with respect to the other shaft portions. The shaft portions may engage by any means, such as by snapping on, twisting or screwing on, or frictional engagement. In some embodiments, one shaft portion may be disengaged and replaced with an alternately-shaped portion to allow various configurations adapted for different needs. For instance, a plurality of intermediate shaft portions  12  may comprise various curvatures. In one embodiment, intermediate shaft portion  12  is generally straight, while in other embodiments, such as that shown in  FIG. 1 , intermediate shaft portion  12  is generally “U” shaped. In other embodiments, differently shaped distal end portions  13 , such as, but not limited to, those shapes shown in  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C, may be substituted depending on the particular need.  FIG. 3A  depicts a relatively straight and longitudinal distal end portion  13 , whereas  FIG. 3B  depicts a horizontal distal end portion  13  to allow wiping at a different angle.  FIG. 3C  depicts a flared distal end portion  13  that provides a wide wiping surface, which may be useful wiping/applying on large surfaces such as one&#39;s back. 
         [0026]    In some embodiments, proximal shaft portion  11  comprises handle  16 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , handle  16  may comprise a hollow loop that can be grasped at one or more locations by a user&#39;s hand or hands. Handle  16  also may comprise indentions or ridges  100  to facilitate grasping by the user, or any other shape to facilitate gripping. 
         [0027]    Shaft  10  and clamp  14  may be made from any suitable material, such as, but not limited to, rigid plastic material that is light-weight yet strong enough to support wiping. In some embodiments, shaft  10  and clamp  14  are made of material that is easily cleaned. 
         [0028]    Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.