Patent Publication Number: US-6210350-B1

Title: Device and method for removing in a shower or bath area selected skin areas from a bottom foot portion of a person

Description:
RELATED DOCUMENT 
     This patent application is based upon Disclosure Document No. 430,126, filed Jan. 9, 1998. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention generally relates to devices and methods for removing certain skin areas on a person&#39;s body and, more particularly, relates to a device and method for removing selected skin areas including callouses from a person&#39;s foot in a shower or bath area. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     In the past, various devices and methods have been developed and used for removing certain skin areas on a person&#39;s body. For example, doctors will often remove warts and other growths from a person&#39;s body such as by a surgical type device or by new cryogenic spot freezing techniques. Podiatrists will also remove callouses and/or certain other skin areas such as “corns” from a person&#39;s foot by the use of minor surgical cutting techniques using, for example, a scalpel, razor or other type of skin cutting device. 
     These prior art types of procedures for the removal of certain skin portions on a person&#39;s body or feet usually require the assistance of another person such as a doctor like a dermatologist or a podiatrist. However, there are certain types of situations where a person desires to act by themselves in an independent manner in a relatively inexpensive way without the assistance and expense of using another party such as a doctor to remove certain skin areas on their feet. 
     For example, many people develop certain skin conditions on their feet such as callouses or dead skin portions such as “corns” which often become very uncomfortable and therefore require some form of treatment to ease the pain or discomfort created by these callouses or dead skin portions such as “corns”. Simply stated, people don&#39;t want to incur the expense and loss in time from a visit to a doctor such as a podiatrist or dermatologist. 
     Furthermore, for older or other people such as obese people who have difficulty in bending or have arthritis or other ailments or back problems, the removal of selected skin portions from their feet, which includes stains, dead skin, etc., by themselves is very desirable to important foot hygiene. 
     Accordingly, a need existed for a device and method that could be used to remove dead skin regions on a person&#39;s foot or feet without the need of a doctor or a third party and also without the need of a surgical type device. There was also a need for such a device and method that can be used in a shower or bath area where warm water could be used to bathe the person&#39;s feet to both clean and soften dead skin portions of the person&#39;s feet to facilitate removal thereof by abrasion. Preferably, such a device and method should be used on the floor of the shower or bath in a way that would permit a hands-free dead skin removal operation from the person&#39;s feet while maintaining the device in a substantially secure or fixed position on the shower or bath floor. Furthermore, such a device and method would permit either foot to be used to remove skin portions therefrom. Still further, such a device and method would permit side as well as bottom portions of the person&#39;s feet to be abraded for the removal of dead skin portions therefrom. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an improved device and method for removing in a shower or bath area selected skin areas from a bottom foot portion of a person. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved device and method for removing by abrasion techniques selected skin areas from a bottom foot portion of a person. 
     It is still further object of this invention to provide an improved device and method for removing by abrasion techniques selected skin areas from bottom and side portions of a person&#39;s foot or feet. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide an improved device and method for removing by abrasion techniques selected skin areas from bottom and side portions of a person&#39;s feet or foot in a shower or bath area in a manner where there is use of a secure or substantially fixed device to minimize chances of slipping. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved device and method for removing by abrasion techniques selected skin areas from bottom and side portions of a person&#39;s feet or foot in a shower or bath area wherein either foot can be used with a single device to achieve abrading away of the selected skin areas. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a device is provided for rubbing a person&#39;s bottom foot portion in a shower or bath area to remove select areas of a person&#39;s skin such as callouses which comprises, in combination: an elongated base portion; surface gripping means coupled to a bottom surface portion of the elongated base portion for providing a grip to a shower or bath area surface; and abrasive means coupled to a top surface portion of the elongated base portion for removing selected areas of skin including callouses on a person&#39;s bottom foot portion. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of this invention, a method is disclosed for rubbing a person&#39;s bottom foot portion in a shower or bath area to remove select areas of a person&#39;s skin such as callouses which comprises, in combination; providing an elongated base portion; providing surface gripping means coupled to a bottom surface portion of the elongated base portion for providing a grip to a shower or bath area surface; and providing abrasive means coupled to a top surface portion of the elongated base portion for removing selected areas of skin including callouses on a person&#39;s bottom foot portion. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a right side elevational view of the foot abrading device of this invention for use in a shower or bath area in abrading selected skin portions of a person&#39;s foot. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the foot abrading device of FIG. 1 taken on the line  2 — 2  of FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the foot abrading device of this invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the foot abrading device of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the foot abrading device of this invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFICATION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a foot abrading device is generally designated by reference numeral  10 . The foot abrading device  10  comprises an elongated base portion  12  which is preferably made of a water resistant flexible material such as a rubber or soft plastic type material, however, if desired, a soft fabric type material can also be used. Attached to a bottom surface portion of the elongated base portion  12 , by adhesive means or other connection or fastening type means, is a plurality of suction cup members  14  preferably made of rubber or other suitable material (see FIG. 4) that will provide very good gripping to a floor surface area of the shower or bath area. In this manner the foot abrading device  10  will be held securely and firmly in a substantially fixed position on a floor surface area of a shower or bath area. 
     An abrasive material  16  is attached to a top surface portion of the elongated base portion  12 . While various types of abrasive material may be adapted to be used for the abrasive material  16 , the abrasive material known by the Trademark SCOTCH BRITE (which is known as a non-woven web material in sheet form for cleaning and finishing all types of surfaces and which is also known as an abrasive scouring sponge or pad) has been found to be particularly good for this foot abrading device  10 . This SCOTCH BRITE material is believed to be comprised of a plastic type abrasive material formed in a flexible matted type layer in order to permit a person&#39;s foot to be rubbed against this abrasive material  16  to achieve abrading away of selected dead skin portions of a person&#39;s foot. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, this sectional view illustrates how the foot abrading device  10  appears when viewed as a sectional view taken along the line  2 — 2  of FIG.  3 . The view of FIG. 2 also shows a raised arch support region  18  which is shown in FIG. 2 to be on the right side portion of the foot abrading device  10 . If desired, the raised arch support region of member  18  can be located on the left side portion of the foot abrading device  10  and the foot abrading device  10  can be curved oppositely to the curvature shown in FIG.  3 . The purpose of the raised arch support region or member  18  is to provide better arch support for a person&#39;s foot and thereby more comfort in the use of the raised arch support region or member  18  as part of the foot abrading device  10 . 
     The foot abrading device  10  can be used by either foot of a person. For example, for use with a person&#39;s left foot, a person would place their left foot on the foot abrading device  10  with the raised arch support  18  being located on the right (or the inside portion of the left foot of the person). For use with a person&#39;s right foot, the person would turn around and place their right foot on the foot abrading device  10  with the raised arch support portion or member  18  being located on the right (or the inside portion of the right foot of the person. 
     As can be seen with reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, a first flexible side wall portion  20  is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 as being on the right side portion of the foot abrading device  10 . A second flexible side wall portion  22  is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 as being on the left side portion of the foot abrading device  10 . Correspondingly, a first layer of abrasive material  24  is located on the interior portion of the first flexible side wall portion  20  and a second layer of abrasive material  26  is located on the interior portion of the second flexible side wall portion  22 . 
     The first flexible side wall portion  20  is like the second flexible side wall portion  22  and are preferably made of a soft rubber or plastic material to prevent injury to a person&#39;s foot using the foot abrading device  10 . The first  24  and second  26  layers of abrasive material which are respectively connected to the first  20  and second  22  flexible side wall portions are also flexible to prevent injury to a person&#39;s foot using the foot abrading device  10 . Furthermore, the configuration provided by the first and second flexible side wall portions  20  and  22  together with their interior first and second layers of abrasive material  24  and  26  define a cavity for a person&#39;s foot which provides added stability to the person&#39;s foot and also a sandal like configuration and function for the foot abrading device  10 . 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     For example, the elongated base portion  12  can have a thickness of about one-quarter to about one-half of an inch, a length, as desired, such as a length of the person&#39;s foot i.e. six to fourteen inches long and a width, as desired, such as a width of the person&#39;s foot. The height of the first and second side wall portions  20  and  22  can be varied as desired with a preferred height of at least one and a half inches. If desired, three sizes of the foot abrading device  10  can be utilized, small, medium and large and the use of a soft material such as a soft plastic or rubber type material for the elongated base portion  12  serves to prevent injury to a person&#39;s foot if the person accidentally kicked the foot abrading device  10  or incorrectly stepped on it.