Patent Publication Number: US-6910242-B2

Title: Bath brush

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a cleaning accessory, and more particularly to a bath brush having at least one mesh, each mounted on a fastener and then inserted into a stem. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Conventionally people take a bath to clean the body generally applying soap on the wet body and rub the skin to produce bubbles and foams, then cleansing the body to wash away the bubbles. As many people perspire profusely and cannot take a bath frequently during daytime, merely resorting water and soap to clean the body is not enough. Other measures such as physical accessories must be used to scrub the skin in order to remove the sweats and dirt away. In order to achieve this purpose, mesh cloths have been developed and introduced. 
   Although the mesh cloth can remove the sweat and dirt from the skin by scrubbing, the single layer structure limits its capability of adsorbing soap foam and bubbles. While folding the mesh cloth can increase the adsorption capacity, it tends to get loose when in use and becomes very annoying. 
   Some people try to use sponges that have a stronger adsorption capacity to substitute the mesh cloths. While the sponge can adsorb more bubbles, it is often too soft and does not have effective scrubbing power. 
   There are other bath brushes being proposed in the prior art. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,258 entitled “Bath brush” discloses a bath brush including an elastic mesh tube, a grip member and a binding member. Although the above bath brush can solve the aforesaid problems, however, the elastic mesh tube and the grip member are bound by binding members such as a plurality of ropes or strings to thread through the mating through holes in order to fasten the elastic mesh tube. The whole structure is complicated and difficult to fabricate. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore the primary object of the invention is to resolve the aforesaid disadvantages. The invention provides a bath brush which can be easily manufactured and securely assembled by using fasteners to combine the mesh on the stem. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide the above bath brush which is used comfortably by disposing the fasteners within the first trough and the second trough. 
   In order to achieve the object set forth above, the bath brush of the invention includes a mesh, a stem, and a plurality of fasteners for combining the mesh with the stem. The mesh is embraced by the hollow part of each fastener. The fasteners are inserted into the holes of the stem with the hats coupling with the periphery of the holes in the first trough and the plastic parts coupling with the periphery of the holes in the second trough to allow the mesh and the fasteners securely fastening to the stem. 
   Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the stem of the invention. 
       FIG. 1B  is a sectional view taken along line  1 — 1  of FIG.  1 A. 
       FIG. 2A  is a sectional view of the stem of the invention. 
       FIG. 2B  is a sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG.  2 B. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross section according to  FIG. 2A , showing the fasteners in operation. 
       FIG. 4A  is a schematic view of the invention in operation. 
       FIG. 4B  is a schematic view of the invention in operation. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the invention. 
       FIG. 6  is another perspective view of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  2 A, and  2 B, the bath brush of the present invention includes at least one mesh  1 , a stem  2 , and at least one fastener  3  for combining the mesh  1  with the stem  2 . 
   The stem  2  is composed of a first trough  21  and a second trough  22 , said second trough  22  is in position corresponding to the first trough  21 , and at least one hole  23  being positioned within the first trough  21  and the second trough  22 . 
   The mesh  1  is made of plastic material by integral molding. The mesh  1  has a certain length relative to the first trough  21 , and is pushed and compressed to be crimped and waved. 
   Said fastener  3  is used to match with the corresponding hole  23 , said fastener  3  having a hat  31  with a hollow part  311  and a pair of plastic parts  32  disposed on the hat  31 . 
   Please refer to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 - 1 ,  4 - 2 . When to assemble the invention, put the mesh  1  across the hollow part  311  of the fastener  3 . Then insert the fastener  3  into the hole  23  of the stem  2  with the hat  31  coupling with the periphery of the hole  23  in the first trough  21  and the plastic parts  32  coupling with the periphery of the hole  23  in the second trough  22  to allow the mesh  1  and the fasteners  3  fastening securely to the stem  2 . 
   Since said fastener  3  is restrictively engaged within the first trough  21  and the second trough  22 , in order to restrict the corresponding movement between the fastener  3  and the first trough  21  and the second trough  22 , it would be comfortable while using the bath brush to brush the body for there is no way of the fastener  3  to scratch or to hurt the body. 
   Please further refer to  FIG. 5 , the stem  2  contains plurality of holes  23  which allow several mesh  1  each mounted on the fastener  3 , to be inserted therein, so that user can use this design to scratch large cleaning area. 
   Please further refer to  FIG. 6 , the stem  2  contains only one hole  23  which allows one mesh  1  to be mounted by inserting one fastener  3  therein, so as to provide a relatively smaller bath brush for cleaning narrow parts of the body. 
   The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.