Patent Publication Number: US-6662398-B1

Title: Hands free foot scrubber

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS: 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/303,282 filed Jul. 3, 2001. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a bath or shower mat which allows a user to wash and scrub the feet easily without having to bend over or lift the legs and without requiring use of the hands. The mat includes soft flexible bristles on an upper surface and a refillable enclosure containing liquid soap within the lower surface. Foot pressure releases the soap through tubular passages into openings in the upper surface. Movement of the feet over the bristles cleanses the feet in a safe simple manner. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Previous foot scrubbing devices for washing a users feet within a shower employing bristles on a base member are known, such as shown in the following patents. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,858 to Riffel utilizes a base having a plurality of suction cups on a lower surface for holding the base on a shower floor. A plurality of bristles extend upwardly from a forward section of the base and inwardly from a pair of side walls. Additional toe bristles are disposed in the forward section. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,078 to Hogan, Sr. employs a shower foot washer including a base platform with suction cups on a lower surface and a plurality of bores between the bottom and top surfaces of the platform allowing water and soap to drain into the shower stall. A casement at one end extends upwardly from the platform and includes vertical partitions with protruding brush extensions for receiving toes. A button on top of the casement is pressed to dispense soap into the brush area. The bottom of the foot is cleansed by sliding along the platform. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,407 to Bjelkevig shows a foot scrubber including a base positioned on a shower floor with bristles on a upper resilient surface which can be contoured. The length of the bristles are staggered to fit the shape of the foot. A toe scrubber can be inserted into a cavity in the base. Additional bristles can be added to side walls extending from the base. The resilient section is also detachable from the base to permit separate washing of the sections. 
     While these prior art devices show foot scrubbers with bristles of various types, none of these employ a refillable liquid soap enclosure within the lower portion of a mat with tubular passages releasing soap through openings on the upper surface for cleansing of the feet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a novel device for washing and scrubbing feet in a shower or bath tub without having to bend over or use the hands. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a foot scrubber mat which is safe and easy to use in a hands free manner. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a bath mat with bristles on an upper surface for scrubbing the feet. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an easily refillable container of liquid soap within the lower surface of a bath mat which is released through passages to the upper surface having bristles. 
     A still further object of the invention is to provide a foot scrubbing mat with bristles on the upper surface and a container of liquid soap in the lower surface, with foot pressure releasing soap through tubular passages connected to openings on the upper surface. 
     These objects are achieved with a unique structure of a mat having suction cups holding the mat safely on a bath tub or shower floor. The upper surface includes soft flexible bristles in designated areas for receiving the feet of the user. The lower surface includes a liquid soap filled container or bladder with tubular passages connected to openings in the upper surface. Foot pressure releases soap to the upper surface and bristle areas for scrubbing of the feet without bending over and without use of the hands. The bladder includes a capped tubular opening for refilling with liquid soap. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a bath mat showing two separate foot washing areas and drain holes on the upper surface. 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the bath mat showing two soap bladders and suction cups below the lower surface. 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of a bath mat having one foot washing area on the upper surface. 
     FIG. 4 shows the underside of the bath mat with a single soap bladder. 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of a shower mat having one foot washing area on the upper surface and a central opening for the shower drain. 
     FIG. 6 is a partial side cross sectional view of the foot washing area on the upper mat and a soap bladder which fits into the lower surface of the mat. 
     FIGS. 7 a  and  7   b  are enlarged side sectional views of the upper foot washing area and lower soap bladder. 
     FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a bath mat having two connected foot washing areas on the upper surface. 
     FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the bath mat having two connected soap bladders on the lower surface. 
     FIG. 10 is a top view of a small bath mat having a central foot washing area and two foot resting areas alongside. 
     FIG. 11 is a top view of a larger bath mat having one central foot washing area and a refill outlet on the upper surface. 
     FIG. 12 is a side cross sectional view of a soap bladder enclosed within the mat below the foot washing area and having the refill outlet on the upper surface. 
     FIG. 13 is a side sectional view of a soap bladder enclosed within a mat below the foot washing area and having a refill outlet secured in the bottom surface. 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a bath mat having a wall mounted soap dispensing unit connected to a soap bladder under the mat. 
     FIG. 15 is an enlarged underside view of the end of the mat and soap bladder connected to the wall mounted unit. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the present novel bath mat  10  of a suitable non-porous flexible plastic material such as vinyl is placed lengthwise on the floor at the head of the bath tub with a cutout portion  12  being positioned around the outlet drain  14 . The upper surface includes two spaced raised foot pads  16 ,  18  at the forward end of the mat. Each pad includes a plurality of upwardly extending soft bristles  20 , preferably formed of a suitable durable resilient plastic material such as vinyl, and outlet openings  22  for liquid soap. Water drain holes  24  are disposed around the pad areas and in a central area of the mat. 
     FIG. 2 shows the underside of the mat with the foot pad areas having separable soap containers or bladders  26 ,  28  of pliable tear resistant polyurethane or propylene filled with liquid soap fitting within the space below the pads. The bladders include capped refill holes  30 ,  32 . The bottom surface of the entire mat and bladders include a plurality of suction cups  34  to hold the mat and bladders in place on the tub floor to prevent slippage. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 show a like bath mat with one foot pad  36  extending partially across the width of the upper mat in place of the two pads of FIGS. 1 and 2. The pad includes the same bristles  20  and soap outlet openings  22  with the mat including the same drain holes  24 . The underside includes a single soap bladder  38  fitting within the upper foot pad and a like capped refill hole  32 , as well as suction cups  34  below the mat and bladder. 
     FIG. 5 shows a smaller mat  40  for use in a shower stall rather than a bath tub. A central opening  42  is positioned over the shower drain pipe  44 . The foot pad  46  is the same as that of FIGS. 3 and 4 with the same type of bristles  20  and soap outlet openings  22 . The mat likewise includes water drain holes  24 . The soap bladder and underside are also the same as those of FIGS. 3 and 4. 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross section of the upper foot pad  36  and separable lower soap bladder  38  of the mat showing the foot of a person over the bristle portion. The bladder includes a plurality of ridged tubular connectors  48  on the upper surface having openings which fit closely and engage similarly shaped slightly larger outlets  50  in the foot pad to release liquid soap through openings  22 . This occurs when subject to foot pressure of the individual scrubbing feet on the bristles of the upper pad surface. 
     FIG. 7 a  shows a further enlarged mat cross section of the raised foot pad  36  with bristles  20  and soap openings  22  on the upper surface and suction cups  34  on the lower mat surface. The open area  52  below pad  36  is adapted to receive soap bladder  38  shown enlarged in FIG. 7 b . The ridged tubular connectors  48  with openings on the bladder upper surface fit tightly within the like shaped larger outlets  50  in the foot pad. The bladder openings are slightly smaller than the openings  22  on the foot pad to prevent return of the liquid soap emitted from the bladder. Soap refill hole  32  includes a cap and pull tab  54  to adding liquid soap when required and preventing leakage. The bladder may contain about  30  ounces of soap. The bladder and mat may be rinsed and cleaned separately. 
     FIGS. 8 and 9 show a bath mat having a foot scrubbing area extending across the width of the upper mat which has two sections of bristles  56 ,  58  separated by a central foot rest area  60 . The underside of the mat includes two spaced soap bladders  62 ,  64  with refill holes  66 ,  68 . A central web  70  connects the bladders in a common unit to fit within the upper foot pad area while requiring less soap than one larger bladder. 
     FIG. 10 shows a top view of a smaller mat having a central foot pad scrubbing area  72  including bristles and soap openings with opposite sides providing separate foot rest areas  74 ,  76 . The underside will receive only one central soap bladder engaging the upper pad. 
     FIG. 11 shows a bath mat  10  having one elongated central foot pad  78  with bristles and soap outlet holes on the upper surface and water drain holes in the mat. In this case the soap refill hole and a plug  80  are on the upper surface. FIG. 12 shows a side partial cross sectional view of this foot pad and mat. The soap bladder  82  is now integral with and enclosed within the bottom of the foot pad and within the bottom of the extended mat to hold the entire unit in a more secure safe manner with suction cups along the full length of the mat. The location of the refill hole and cap on the upper surface of the foot pad also maintains the integrity of the lower surface and provides easier access for refilling. 
     FIG. 13 shows an alternate cross section of the enclosed integral soap bladder with a threaded refill hole and plug  84  that can be screwed into the bottom of the mat and bladder while providing a tight seal. When not in use, the foot pad area of the mat and empty soap bladder can be flattened and stored for later use. 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a wall mounted refillable soap dispenser  86  and hand pump  88  which connects two tubes  90 ,  92  to two spaced soap bladders below mat  10 . Foot pad  94  includes two areas of bristles and soap outlets at opposite ends of the upper pad and drain holes around the pad and in the center of the mat. FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the underside of the end of the mat showing the tubes connecting to the spaced bladders  96 ,  98 . The tube ends include stop valves  100 ,  102  to prevent soap from backing up into the tubes. The lower surfaces of the mat and bladders include suction cups holding the components in place. This configuration permits persons with health problems or having difficulty in bending to fill the soap dispenser on the wall instead of directly into the container under the foot pad. 
     While several embodiments have been illustrated and described, other variations may be made in the particular configuration without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.