Patent Publication Number: US-8967898-B1

Title: Multi-function back and body scrubber

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a multi-function back and body scrubber including an elongated shaft having a fluid reservoir filled with a body wash or the like and a double-sided scrubbing head attached to the shaft so as to reach a user&#39;s back while taking a bath or a shower. In a preferred embodiment, the double-sided scrubbing head is detachable from the shaft to be held in the user&#39;s hand in order to wash or scrub other areas of the user&#39;s body. 
     2. Background Art 
     It is often difficult for an individual taking a bath or shower to be able to wash his/her back. In cases where another individual is not present, the first individual&#39;s back may go substantially unwashed. To this end, soap dispersers are known having an elongated handle or shaft by which to enable a user to apply a self-contained supply of body wash to hard-to-reach areas of his/her back. However, the use of such conventional body wash applicators is limited. More particularly, the user may want to be able to wash, scrub, massage and exfoliate different areas of his/her body without having to change applicators. In situations where the user does not need a long handle or shaft to reach certain areas of his/her body, the conventional body wash applicators are typically incapable of being disassembled and reduced to a compact, easy-to-hold size by eliminating the handle or shaft therefrom. Accordingly, what would be desirable is an improved multi-function back and body scrubber which overcomes the limitations described above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general terms, a multi-function back and body scrubber is disclosed to enable a user to selectively wash, scrub, massage and exfoliate his back and other areas of his body while taking a bath or a shower. The multi-function scrubber includes an elongated shaft that is sized to reach the back of the user, a flexible thumb pump detachably connected to one end of the shaft, and a double-sided scrubbing head detachably connected to the opposite end. The shaft has a fluid reservoir running therethrough. The fluid reservoir is filled with fluid (e.g., body wash or body lotion) to be delivered to the double-sided scrubbing head when the thumb pump is compressed (i.e., squeezed) by the user. The thumb pump can be separated from the shaft when it is necessary to gain access to and refill the fluid reservoir with fluid. 
     The double-sided scrubbing head of the multi-function back and body scrubber includes an intermediate cleaning surface holder. A hollow fluid channel extends longitudinally through the cleaning surface holder. The fluid channel is sized and shaped to slidably and removably receive a fluid reservoir extension that projects from the shaft and is coupled to the fluid reservoir thereof. The fluid reservoir extension has a pair of locking tabs that are rotated into locking engagement with respective ones of a pair of twist-in locking slots formed in the fluid channel of the intermediate cleaning surface holder of the scrubbing head. Accordingly, the double-sided scrubbing head is detachably connected to the shaft of the body and back scrubber to establish a fluid path between the fluid reservoir of the shaft and the fluid channel of the cleaning surface holder by way of the fluid reservoir extension. A normally closed fluid actuator extends across the fluid reservoir extension to control the flow of fluid between the fluid reservoir of the shaft and the fluid channel of the cleaning surface holder. 
     First and second cleaning surfaces, preferably manufactured from different materials and having different cleaning applications, are detachably connected to opposite sides of the intermediate cleaning surface holder of the double-sided scrubbing head. By way of example, the first cleaning surface is a loofah sponge, and the second cleaning surface includes a set of upstanding bristles or raised bumps. The first and second cleaning surfaces are detachably and interchangeably connected to the intermediate cleaning surface holder by means of flat attachment bases thereof being slidably received by respective retention grooves located below and above the fluid channel through the cleaning surface holder. When the thumb pump is squeezed, fluid under pressure is supplied from the fluid reservoir of the shaft, through the fluid reservoir extension, whereby to open the fluid actuator of the fluid reservoir extension, for receipt by the first cleaning surface (e.g., loofah sponge). When it is separated from the shaft, the double-sided scrubbing head of the multi-function back and body scrubber can be held in the user&#39;s hand to wash and scrub other areas of the user&#39;s body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a multi-function back and body scrubber according to a preferred embodiment of this invention having an elongated shaft to position a double-sided scrubbing head against the back of a user; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the multi-function back and body scrubber of  FIG. 1  with a fluid reservoir being shown running through the shaft thereof; 
         FIG. 3  shows the multi-function back and body scrubber of  FIG. 2  assembled with the fluid reservoir running through the shaft thereof filled with a fluid; 
         FIG. 4  is illustrative of the double-sided scrubbing head of the multi-function back and body scrubber being detachably connected to the shaft thereof; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the double-sided scrubbing head; 
         FIG. 6  shows an intermediate cleaning surface holder of the double-sided scrubbing head taken along lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  shows the double-sided scrubbing head detached from the shaft of the multi-function back and body scrubber and held in the hand of the user. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A preferred embodiment for a multi-function back and body scrubber  1  according to the present invention is initially described while referring to  FIG. 1  of the drawings. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the back and body scrubber  1  includes a double-sided scrubbing head  3  having a pair of oppositely-oriented cleaning surfaces that are adapted to vary the intensity by which a user can scrub or wash her back while taking a bath or shower. What is more the scrubbing head  3  of the back and body scrubber  1  is detachable so as to be held in the hand of the user. In this case, the scrubbing head  3  can also be used to wash other areas of the user&#39;s body. 
     Referring concurrently now to  FIGS. 1-6  of the drawings, the multi-function back and body scrubber  1  is shown having a hollow, elongated shaft  5 . A flexible thumb pump  7  is located at a first end of the elongated shaft  5  and the aforementioned double-sided scrubbing head  3  is located at the opposite end of shaft  5 . The hollow, elongated shaft  5  has a length so as to enable the user to reach and easily move the scrubbing head  3  against and over her back when the shaft  5  or the thumb pump  7  of the back and body scrubber  1  is grasped in the user&#39;s hand (best shown in  FIG. 1 ). To this end, the shaft  5  is preferably manufactured from a flexible (e.g., plastic) material so as to be capable of bending in response to a bending force applied thereto by the user. Moreover, the shaft  5  is ideally formed with an arcuate (i.e., curved) configuration so that the scrubbing head  3  will be biased towards the user&#39;s back when the scrubbing head  3  is attached to and carried by shaft  5 . 
     The hollow, elongated shaft  5  has a fluid reservoir  9  running continuously therethrough. The fluid reservoir  9  is filled with any suitable body wash  10 , such as liquid soap (best shown in  FIG. 3 ), to be used to wash and/or scrub the user&#39;s back and body depending upon whether the scrubbing head  3  is attached to or removed from the shaft  5 . However, it is to be understood that the fluid reservoir  9  can also be filled with other fluids such as body lotion and the like. 
     The aforementioned thumb pump  7  attached to the first end of the shaft  5  is manufactured from a flexible (e.g., rubber) material so as to generate a pumping pressure in response to the thumb pump  7  being compressed (i.e., squeezed) by the thumb or hand of the user. That is, the pumping pressure generated by squeezing the thumb pump  7  forces the body wash  10  through the fluid reservoir  9  of the shaft  5  towards the scrubbing head  3  that is detachably connected to the opposite end of the shaft  5 . 
     In order to be able to load and refill the fluid reservoir  9  with the body wash  10 , the thumb pump  7  is detachable from the shaft  5  of the back and body scrubber  1 . By way of example, the first end of the shaft  5  has a threaded locking post  12  projecting therefrom. The thumb pump  7  has a correspondingly threaded cup  14  extending therefrom. The thumb pump  7  is rotated in a first direction into detachable mating engagement with the shaft  5  in response to a rotational force applied to the thumb pump  7  to cause the threaded cup  14  thereof to be coupled to the threaded locking post  12  of shaft  5  (best shown in  FIG. 3 ). When it is necessary to refill the reservoir  9  of shaft  5 , the thumb pump  7  is rotated in an opposite direction to be detached from the shaft  5  and thereby permit access to the fluid reservoir  9  thereof. 
     As was previously described, the double-sided scrubbing head  3  is detachably connected to the end of the elongated shaft which lies opposite the end to which the thumb pump  7  is detachably connected. More particularly, a (e.g., cylindrical) fluid reservoir extension  16  projects axially from the opposite end of the shaft  5 . The reservoir extension  16  communicates with the fluid reservoir  9  running through the shaft  5  so that the body wash  10  can be forced under pressure (after the flexible thumb pump  7  is first compressed) from reservoir  9  to scrubbing head  3  via the fluid reservoir extension  16 . 
     As is best shown in  FIG. 4 , a pair of locking tabs  18  project radially outward from the fluid reservoir extension  16 . A normally closed fluid actuator  20  is located inside the fluid reservoir extension  16  which projects from the shaft  5 . As will soon be explained, the fluid actuator  20  controls the flow of body wash from the reservoir  9  of shaft  5  to the scrubbing head  5 - 3  depending upon whether the thumb pump  7  is being squeezed and compressed. 
     The double-sided scrubbing head  3  of the multi-function back and body scrubber  1  includes an intermediate cleaning surface holder  26  having a hollow (e.g., cylindrical) fluid channel  22  running longitudinally therethrough. The fluid channel  22  through the cleaning surface holder  26  is sized and shaped to slidably receive therewithin the (e.g., cylindrical) fluid reservoir extension  16  which projects from the shaft  5 . The fluid reservoir extension  16  is preferably shorter than the fluid channel  22  and narrower than the shaft  5 . A pair of twist-in locking slots  24  corresponding to the pair of radially-projecting locking tabs  18  of the fluid reservoir extension  16  are formed in the entrance end of the fluid channel  22 . The fluid reservoir extension  16  is pushed axially inward of the hollow fluid channel  22  of the cleaning surface holder  26  so that the locking tabs  18  are received by respective ones of the twist-in locking slots  24 . A rotation of the shaft  5  in a first direction rotates the locking tabs  18  which project from the fluid reservoir extension  16  into locking engagement with the twist-in locking slots  24  formed in the fluid channel  22 , whereby the shaft  5  is coupled to the double-sided scrubbing head  3 . A rotation of the shaft  5  in an opposite direction rotates the locking tabs  18  out of engagement with the locking slots  24  when it is desirable to detach the shaft  5  from scrubbing head  3 . 
     First and second oppositely-facing cleaning surfaces  28  and  30  are detachably connected to opposite sides of the intermediate cleaning surface holder  26  of the double-sided scrubbing head  3 . The first and second cleaning surfaces  28  and  30  are preferably manufactured from different materials which have different cleaning applications to suit the needs of the user. By way of example, the first cleaning surface  28  at one side of the cleaning surface holder  26  of scrubbing head  3  is a fluid retaining mesh material or an exfoliating loofah sponge commonly used to remove dead skin from the body of the user. By way of additional example, the second cleaning surface  30  at the opposite side of the cleaning surface holder  26  of scrubbing head  3  is a hard plastic shell having a set of upwardly standing bristles or raised bumps  32  of the kind commonly used to scrub or massage one&#39;s back. 
     Each of the first and second oppositely-facing cleaning surfaces  28  and  30  has a flat attachment base  34  and  36  extending therealong. Corresponding retention grooves  38  and  40  (best shown in  FIG. 5 ) depend from opposite sides of the intermediate cleaning surface holder  26  and lie below and above the longitudinally-extending fluid channel  22  which runs therethrough. The retention grooves  38  and  40  are sized and shaped to slidably receive therewithin respective ones of the flat attachment bases  34  and  36  of the first and second cleaning surfaces  28  and  30  whereby to couple cleaning surfaces  28  and  30  to the cleaning surface holder  26 . When it is desirable to separate one or both of the cleaning surfaces  28  and  30  from their attachment to holder  26 , the attachment bases  34  and  36  are removed (i.e., pulled outwardly) from the respective retention grooves  38  and  40 . Thus, it may be appreciated that the first and second cleaning surfaces  28  and  30  of the double-sided scrubbing head  3  are replaceable and interchangeable with one another. 
     A fluid exit port  44  is formed through the side of the hollow fluid channel  22  of the cleaning surface holder  26  which lies adjacent the first cleaning surface  28 . In the assembled configuration of the double-sided scrubbing head  3  shown in  FIG. 4 , the fluid exit port  44  is axially aligned with a hole  46  that is formed through the attachment base  34  of the first cleaning surface (e.g., loofah sponge)  28 . In this manner, the fluid reservoir  9  of the hollow shaft  5  of the multi-function back and body scrubber  1  lies in fluid communication with the first cleaning surface  28  to supply body wash thereto by way of a fluid path including reservoir  9 , the fluid reservoir extension  16 , the fluid channel  22  through the cleaning surface holder  26  within which the fluid reservoir extension  16  is slidably received, and the axially-aligned fluid exit port  44  and hole  46 . 
     The hollow fluid channel  22  of the cleaning surface holder  26  of the scrubbing head  3  has an angled or curved wall  48  extending thereacross and being located adjacent the fluid exit port  44 . Thus, body wash (designated  10  in  FIG. 2 ) which is forced, under pressure, from the fluid reservoir extension  16  into the fluid channel  22  is directed by the wall  48  through the axially-aligned fluid exit port  44  of fluid channel  22  and the hole  46  in the attachment base  34  of the first cleaning surface  28  (e.g., loofah sponge). Accordingly, the first cleaning surface  28  of scrubbing head  3  is saturated with body wash for scrubbing and washing the user&#39;s body. 
     To this end, and as was earlier described, the fluid reservoir extension  16  has a fluid actuator  20  (of  FIG. 4 ) which is normally closed so as to block the flow of body wash from the fluid reservoir  9  of shaft  5  to the first cleaning surface  28 . The fluid actuator  20  is preferably manufactured from a resilient (e.g., rubber) material that is responsive to the pressure head created when the flexible thumb pump  7  is squeezed by the user and compressed in order to force body wash  10  from the fluid reservoir  9  towards the double-sided scrubbing head  3 . That is, the pressure generated when the body wash moves from the fluid reservoir  9  into the fluid reservoir extension  16  forces the resilient, pressure-responsive fluid actuator  20  radially outward against extension  16 . The fluid actuator  20  thereby temporarily changes its shape from its normally closed configuration at which to block the flow of body wash through the fluid reservoir extension  16  to an open configuration at which to permit the flow of body wash from the fluid reservoir extension  16  to the first cleaning surface  28 , as was just explained. When the thumb pump  7  is no longer being squeezed and the fluid pressure dissipates, the fluid actuator  20  relaxes and automatically returns to its normally-closed configuration across the fluid reservoir extension  16 . 
     As has been previously described, one or both of the first and second cleaning surfaces  28  and  30  can be separated from the intermediate cleaning surface holder  26  of the double-sided scrubbing head  3  by means of sliding the attachment bases  34  and  36  thereof out of engagement with respective ones of the retention grooves  38  and  40  formed at opposite sides of the intermediate cleaning surface holder  26 . What is more, the scrubbing head  3  can be separated, with the opposing cleaning surfaces  28  and  30  still attached thereto, from the shaft  5  of the back and body scrubber  1  by rotating the locking tabs  18  of the fluid reservoir extension  16  out of their locking engagement with the twist-in locking slots  24  that are formed at the entrance end of fluid channel  22 . 
       FIG. 7  of the drawings shows the double-sided scrubbing head  3  separated from the shaft  5  to provide the multi-function back and body scrubber  1  with another use as a body wash applicator. In particular, instead of locating the scrubbing head  3  against the user&#39;s back by means of the elongated shaft  5 , the scrubbing head can also be separated from shaft  5  and held in a hand of the user. In this case, the user can squeeze the flexible thumb pump  7  with one hand so that body wash will be dispensed under pressure from the fluid reservoir extension  16  to the first cleaning surface  28  of the double-sided scrubbing head  3  being held in the user&#39;s other hand. The first and second cleaning surfaces  28  and  30  of the hand-held double-sided scrubbing head  3  may now be used as needed to clean or scrub or massage other areas of the user&#39;s body. In the alternative, the thumb pump  7  can be squeezed in one hand to force body wash from the fluid reservoir  9  of the shaft  5  directly to the other hand of the user to enable the user to wash herself without having to handle a slippery bar of soap or access a soap dispenser. 
     By virtue of the multi-function back and body scrubber herein disclosed, a soap reservoir and applicator, a loofah sponge, and a body scrubber/massager are all integrated into a single easy-to-use and store appliance to avoid the necessity of having access to a variety of independent body washing appliances which have heretofor been found around a shower or bath tub.