Patent Publication Number: US-2011052305-A1

Title: Hand held gel pack

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/237,162, filed Aug. 26, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to containers and more specifically to a hand-held gel pack. 
     People like to use soap. A person may be bathing a patient and cannot squeeze the bottle and hold the patient at the same time, or cannot lather up a wash cloth with a bar of soap. Users need both hands on a patient. Users may be dropping the soap or body wash bottle in the shower. It may be painful and unsafe to bend over to get the bar of soap or bottle that is dropped. Also, showers become cluttered with bottles that do not fit on the narrow shelves. 
     It would be desirable to provide a gel container that is easily held in a hand, and to eliminate bottles on the shelves. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a device utilizing a user&#39;s hand includes a container; a band, adapted to wrap around the hand; and an attachment mechanism to releasably attach the container to the band so that the container is retained in the user&#39;s hand. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a device includes a gel pack, containing a fluid; a plurality of perforations on a surface of the gel pack that allow the fluid to be released; a material covering the surface of the gel pack that is permeable to the fluid; an elastic band, adapted to wrap around a palm of a user&#39;s hand; and an attachment mechanism to releasably attach the gel pack to the band; wherein the user may squeeze the container with the hand to release the fluid. 
     In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method for retaining a container includes wrapping an elastic band around a user&#39;s hand; and releasably attaching the container to the elastic band so that the container is held to the palm of the user&#39;s hand so that the user may access contents of the container utilizing the hand, and while the container is still held to the palm, utilize fingers of the hand. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a band according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3A  depicts a top view of a container according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3B  depicts a bottom view of a container according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  depicts a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a container according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The preferred embodiment and other embodiments, which can be used in industry and include the best mode now known of carrying out the invention, are hereby described in detail with reference to the drawings. Further embodiments, features and advantages will become apparent from the ensuing description, or may be learned without undue experimentation. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, except where otherwise indicated. The following description of embodiments, even if phrased in terms of “the invention” or what the embodiment “is,” is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but describes the manner and process of making and using the invention. The coverage of this patent will be described in the claims. The order in which steps are listed in the claims does not necessarily indicate that the steps must be performed in that order. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a hand held gel pack, used for bathing. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may help allow elderly people to bathe easier, safer. Nursing assistants may have both hands on patients. Embodiments may teach children proper hygiene. Handicapped and arthritic people may be able to bathe on their own. Embodiments may reduce the need for bottles. People may bathe safer and easier, with less waste, more safely, and with reduced clutter. Elderly and children may bathe safer, and easier. There may be less dropping of the soap, and no need to try to squeeze the bottles. Handicapped persons may enjoy bathing with freedom. Embodiments may provide a way to handle the plastic bottles, reducing the clutter and the unsafe way currently used to bathe ourselves, handicapped, children, elderly, and pets. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a device  10  may include a band  12  that fits around a user&#39;s hand  14 . A container  16  may attach to the band  12  so that the container  16  is held in the palm of the hand  14 . The user may use the fingers on the hand  14  for a task, and also access or use the contents of the container  16  without the need to pick up or set down the container. The container  16  may include a gel pack, which the user may squeeze to cause the gel to be released, and then use the fingers while the gel pack is still held in the user&#39;s palm. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of a band  12  may include an elastic portion  20  and a band attachment portion  22  that attaches to the container with Velcro® or other hooks-and-loops material. The elastic portion should fit around a user&#39;s hand, and may be of different sizes or may be one size fits all. The band attachment portion  22  may include loops-material on the side of the band  12  that is exposed palm-side up, which attaches to corresponding hooks-material on the container. The band attachment portion  22  may be effective even when wet, so that it can be used in the shower, or with gel from the gel pack. Band  12  may include an elastic shower band forming a loop with an attachment portion fixed to the shower band, or an elastic strip may be attached to the attachment portion to form a loop. For example, band  12  may include a pair of 2″ by 1″ wide elastic strips, connected to a 2″ by 1″ section of hooks-and-loops material, with the ends of the strips adhered together to form a loop. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 3A , an embodiment of a container  16  may include a gel pack  30  that may attach and release to the palm of a user using the hooks-and-loops. An embodiment of gel pack  30  may have tiny perforations  32  on the palm-side-up side, generally opposite the side with the band attachment portion  22 , to allow the gel of choice to come out to the surface of the pack, with a consistent amount of gel being released at the user&#39;s own desire. The gel may be non-drip and biodegradable. Embodiments of a gel pack may hold, for example, from 1 to 3 ounces of body wash or other products for hygiene needs, such as a 2½″ diameter plastic gel pack holding 1.2 fluid ounces. A gel pack may be covered or partly covered with fabric  34  which may include, but is not limited to, a soft material, an abrasive material for exfoliating, hair brush-material, etc. The gel pack may be covered on top by terry cloth, luffa, cotton, or with another permeable material depending on what gel is in the container or upon the user&#39;s preference. Gel packs may hold shampoo, body wash, moisturizer, medicinal creams etc. An embodiment of the packaging may include a shower band with several packs of interchangeable gel packs that hang in the shower, filled with various fluids. Other liquids for the gel may include window cleaner, furniture polish, silver polish, hand soap—anti bacterial and auto-grease hand cleaner. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 3B , the palm-side-down side of container  16  may include a container attachment portion  36 , such as loops-material, that attaches to the corresponding hooks-material in the band attachment portion. Container attachment portion  36  may be approximately the same size as the corresponding band attachment portion, such as, for example, a 2″ by 1″ strip of hooks-and-loops material. 
     As depicted in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , a device  10  may include a band  12  that releasably attaches to a container  16 . The band  12  may have a band elastic portion  20  and a band attachment portion  22 , and the container  16  may have a gel pack  30  with perforations  32  on an upper surface, partly covered with fabric  34 , with a container attachment portion  36  on the lower surface. The attachment portions  22  and  36  may include hooks-and-loops material. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 5 , an embodiment of a container  16  may include a pouch  42  that may hold a bar of soap  44  that attaches to the palm of a user&#39;s hand with a hooks-and-loops attachment. 
     Embodiments may be used in the shower. A user might use it after a shower with the gel pack containing moisturizer. A user might use embodiments at the sink. Users may bathe their dog with embodiments or other pets they might have. Users may bathe their children, and teach their children how to bathe. To use an embodiment, a user may put the band on, attach the gel pack of choice, remove an optional tear-off film, and then wet, lather, start washing or otherwise use the gel as the user sees fit. 
     Uses of embodiments of the invention may include: home use, medical field, massage therapy, mechanic shops, garages, pet grooming, day cares, nursing homes, hospital, auto shops, etc. The biodegradable gel pack may contain a variety of liquids, gels, solvents, creams, cleaners etc. Embodiments may be green, and easy to use. An embodiment may help the elderly, or the arthritic. Embodiments may be used for bathing, such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, or moisturizer. A smaller version of the band may be made to fit around fingers for facial scrub-exfoliater and facial products. Embodiments may be useful for travel, such as in RV living. Embodiments may come in various shapes and sizes for various products, and may be covered with different materials. Embodiments may also service the handicapped. 
     Embodiments of a pack may be manufactured out of materials that include, but are not limited to, silicon, polyurethanes, and various carbon based elastomers. 
     An embodiment of a device may include a gel pack, containing a fluid, and a hooks-and-loops band, adapted to fit around a person&#39;s palm. The device may attach and release to the person&#39;s palm utilizing the hooks-and-loops band so that the person may access the fluid with one hand.