Patent Publication Number: US-6986617-B1

Title: Telescopic lotion applicator

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable. 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable. 
   REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
   Not Applicable. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   This invention relates to lotion applicators and, more particularly, to a telescopic lotion applicator for applying lotion onto hard-to-reach human body parts. 
   2. Prior Art 
   People are often required to apply lotions for protective or medicinal reasons to areas of their bodies that are hard to reach by the individual themselves. Examples include applying sunscreen or muscle relaxing ointment to one&#39;s back. For elderly individuals, the application of lotion to their legs, especially the back of their leg, is also troublesome since they have difficulty bending down to reach those areas. The result is that people either neglect to properly apply lotions etc. to those areas, or they require the assistance of another individual to help them. A proposed solution is the use of an applicator to apply the lotion without the help of another person. 
   The use of lotion applicators is well known in the prior art. More specifically, lotion applicators heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
   Although such lotion applicators are effective in their applications, they still have many shortcomings. One disadvantage is the fixed length of most applicator&#39;s handle. This limits the reach of the applicator and still prevents certain areas form being properly and evenly covered. Another existing problem with conventional applicators is that once the applicator is removed from its container, there is no means to remove excess lotion etc. thereon. This leaves the user with the option of over applying the product or having to wipe off the excess lotion with their hands or a paper towel, which can be very messy and inconvenient. 
   Spray nozzle applicators are also inconvenient since a person is still required to use their hands if they wish to evenly spread the lotion that has been applied to their skin. This is especially true when using such applicators for sunscreen application. Applicators that incorporate a roller attached to the dispensing bottle, such as those seen in some deodorant dispensers, may eliminate the need to use one&#39;s hands, but still do not allow an individual to apply the lotion in hard to reach places. 
   Accordingly, a need remains for a telescopic lotion applicator in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a telescopic lotion applicator that is easy and convenient to use, light weight and durable in design, and inexpensive to produce. Such a lotion applicator eliminates the need to ask for assistance when applying lotion to one&#39;s back, and further reduces the mess and greasy feeling associated with applying lotion by hand. Advantageously, the telescopic lotion applicator is versatile, in that it can be employed to apply a wide array of products such as sunscreen, oils, moisturizing lotions, medicinal rubs, etc. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a telescopic lotion applicator. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by a hand-operable apparatus for applying lotion onto hard-to-reach human body parts. 
   The apparatus includes a cylindrical shaped reservoir conveniently housing a predetermined quantity of lotion therein. Such a reservoir has a continuous outer surface extending along a longitudinal length thereof and defines monolithically formed upper and lower portions. The reservoir further has a centrally registered longitudinal axis passing therethrough wherein the lower portion of the outer surface is equidistantly spaced therefrom. The upper portion of the outer surface is spaced inwardly from the lower portion. 
   Such an upper portion preferably includes a monolithically formed finger portion protruding inwardly towards the longitudinal axis and equidistantly spaced therefrom. The finger portion continues along an inner surface of the upper portion and partially intersects a travel path of the applicator pad so that the finger portion effectively rubs against the applicator pad and advantageously removes excess lotion as the applicator pad is being extracted from the reservoir. 
   The reservoir further includes a cap threadably conjoinable with the upper portion of the reservoir for advantageously preventing undesirable foreign elements from contaminating the lotion. Such a cap may be provided with a centrally registered opening sized and shaped for receiving the handle therethrough. The cap opening is vertically registered with the open top end portion of the applicator pad such that the handle can conveniently be freely biased along the longitudinal axis. 
   An elongated and rectilinear handle is slidably positional into the reservoir in such a manner that the handle can conveniently be completely extracted and separated from the reservoir during operating conditions. Such a handle is directly and permanently attached to the cap such that the cap is extracted in sync with the handle when the handle is withdrawn from the reservoir. The handle is provided with a monolithically formed bottom lip portion annularly protruding away from an outer surface of the handle. Such a bottom lip portion of the handle is nested directly on a bottom surface of the applicator pad when the cap is conjoined to the reservoir. The handle further includes a monolithically formed top end that has a spherical shape. 
   An applicator pad formed from fluid-absorbing material is rotatably conjoined about the handle and nested within the reservoir in such a manner that the applicator pad effectively becomes impregnated with the lotion during non-operating conditions. Such an applicator pad has an open top end portion wherein the handle is positioned therethrough. The applicator pad maintains a static relationship with the reservoir as the handle is linearly extracted from the reservoir until the bottom lip portion of the handle engages the open top end portion of the applicator pad at which time the applicator pad is extracted from the reservoir. 
   An outer surface of the applicator pad is preferably spaced from an interior surface of the reservoir so that the lotion can advantageously effectively permeate an entire length of the applicator pad. Such an applicator pad may be provided with an axial bore sized and shaped for housing the bottom lip portion. The handle is slidably positional along the axial bore while the applicator pad remains fixed at a static position. 
   It is noted the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a telescopic lotion applicator, in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , taken along line  2 — 2 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , showing the handle and applicator pad completely removed from the reservoir; 
       FIG. 4  is an elevated perspective view showing the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  during operating conditions; and 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 2 , showing the reservoir finger portion engaged with the applicator pad for removing excess lotion as the handle is extracted. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, this embodiment is provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the true scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the figures. 
   The assembly of this invention is referred to generally in  FIGS. 1–5  by the reference numeral  10  and is intended to provide a telescopic lotion applicator. It should be understood that the apparatus  10  may be used to apply many different types of substances and should not be limited in use to only applying lotions. 
   Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , the apparatus  10  includes a cylindrical shaped reservoir  20  conveniently housing a predetermined quantity of lotion  11  therein. Of course, the reservoir  20  may be produced in a variety of different shapes, sizes and colors, and may include surface indicia on an outer surface  21  thereof for conveniently indicating the type of lotion  11  held therein, as is obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art. The reservoir  20  may obviously also be used to store substances other than lotions, such a ointments, medical creams, sun screen, etc., as is obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Such a reservoir  20  has a continuous outer surface  21  extending along a longitudinal length thereof and defines monolithically formed upper  22  and lower  23  portions. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  5 , the reservoir  20  further has a centrally registered longitudinal axis A passing therethrough wherein the lower portion  23  of the outer surface  21  is equidistantly spaced therefrom. The upper portion  22  of the outer surface  21  is spaced inwardly from the lower portion  23 . Such an upper portion  22  includes a monolithically formed finger portion  24  protruding inwardly towards the longitudinal axis and equidistantly spaced therefrom. The finger portion  24  continues along an inner surface  25  of the upper portion  22  and partially intersects a travel path of the applicator pad  40  (described herein below) so that the finger portion  24  effectively rubs against the applicator pad  40  and advantageously removes excess lotion  11  as the applicator pad  40  is being extracted from the reservoir  20 . Such a finger portion  24  is thus important and advantageous for preventing excess lotion  11  from dripping off of the applicator pad  40  and subsequently creating a mess. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the reservoir  20  further includes a cap  26  threadably conjoinable with the upper portion  22  of the reservoir  20  for advantageously preventing undesirable foreign elements from contaminating the lotion  11 . Furthermore, the cap  26  is essential for preventing the lotion  11  from drying out and becoming spoiled for application purposes, thus saving the user a considerable amount of money. Such a cap  20  is provided with a centrally registered opening  27  sized and shaped for receiving the handle  30  (described herein below) therethrough. The cap opening  27  is vertically registered with the open top end portion  41  (described herein below) of the applicator pad  40  such that the handle  30  can conveniently be freely biased along the longitudinal axis. 
   Still referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , an elongated and rectilinear handle  30  is slidably positional into the reservoir  20  in such a manner that the handle  30  can conveniently be completely extracted and separated from the reservoir  20  during operating conditions. Such a handle  30  is directly and permanently attached to the cap  26  such that the cap  26  is extracted in sync with the handle  30  when the handle  30  is withdrawn from the reservoir  20 . The handle  30  is provided with a monolithically formed bottom lip portion  31  annularly protruding away from an outer surface of the handle  30 . Such a bottom lip portion  31  of the handle  30  is nested directly on a bottom surface  44  of the applicator pad  40  when the cap  26  is conjoined to the reservoir  20 . The handle  30  further includes a monolithically formed top end  32  that has a spherical shape. Such a spherical top end  32  is essential for allowing a user to conveniently grasp and manipulate the handle  30  without getting lotion  11  on their hands. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2  though  5 , an applicator pad  40  formed from fluid-absorbing material is rotatably conjoined about the handle  30  and nested within the reservoir  20  in such a manner that the applicator pad  40  effectively becomes impregnated with the lotion  11  during non-operating conditions. Such an applicator pad  40  has an open top end portion  41  wherein the handle  30  is positioned therethrough. The applicator pad  40  maintains a static relationship with the reservoir  20  as the handle  30  is linearly extracted from the reservoir  20  until the bottom lip portion  31  of the handle  30  engages the open top end portion  41  of the applicator pad  40 , at which time the applicator pad  40  is extracted from the reservoir  20 . An outer surface  42  of the applicator pad  40  is spaced from an interior surface  25  of the reservoir  20  so that the lotion  11  can advantageously effectively permeate an entire length of the applicator pad  40 , thus ensuring that the lotion  11  is evenly applied to the user&#39;s skin. Such an applicator pad  40  is provided with an axial bore  43  sized and shaped for housing the bottom lip portion  31 . The bore  43  is crucial to the apparatus  10  for allowing the handle  30  to telescopically engage the applicator pad  40  and thus effectively extend and adjust a length of the handle  30 . The handle  30  is slidably positional along the axial bore  43  while the applicator pad  40  remains fixed at a static position. 
   While the invention has been described with respect to a certain specific embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 
   In particular, with respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the present invention may include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation. The assembly and use of the present invention are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art.