Patent Publication Number: US-8534943-B2

Title: Lotion applicator

Description:
FIELD 
     The specification relates to an apparatus for applying lotion or other fluids to a user&#39;s body. 
     BACKGROUND 
     It can sometimes be desirable to apply a lotion, ointment or other fluid—common examples of such fluids include sunscreen and moisturizer—to one or more parts of the body. Some body parts, however, can be difficult to reach without assistance. For example, it can be challenging for even a healthy, able-bodied person to apply lotion to their own back. For those with limited range of motion in the arms due to injury or age, applying lotion to one&#39;s own back can be a difficult, if not impossible, task. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments are described with reference to the following figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a lotion applicator, according to a non-limiting embodiment; and 
         FIGS. 2-6  depict a method of applying lotion with the lotion applicator of  FIG. 1 , according to a non-limiting embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     A first broad aspect of an embodiment seeks to provide a lotion applicator, comprising a smooth, non-absorbent sheet for receiving lotion on an inner surface thereof; a first flexible handle extending from one corner to another corner of one side of the sheet; and a second flexible handle extending from one corner to another of an opposing side of the sheet, the first and second handles being arranged for receiving the arms of a user therethrough. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a lotion applicator  100  according to a non-limiting embodiment. Lotion applicator  100  includes a base, or sheet,  104 . Sheet  104 , can be a rectangular or substantially rectangular piece of flexible, smooth, non-absorbent material. Sheet  104  has an outer surface  108  and an inner surface  112  (opposite outer surface  108  and therefore not visible in  FIG. 1 ). Sheet  104  also has substantially parallel opposing left and right edges, or sides,  116  and  120 , respectively. Sheet  104  also includes substantially parallel opposing top and bottom edges, or sides  124  and  128 , respectively. It will be understood that left and right edges  116  and  120  are substantially perpendicular to top and bottom edges  124  and  128 . 
     Lotion application  100  further includes a flexible left handle  132  and a flexible right handle  136 . Left and right handles  132  and  136  can extend from the top corners to the bottom corners of opposing sides of sheet  104 . That is, left handle extends from the top-left corner (i.e. the juncture between top side  124  and left side  116 ) to the bottom-left corner (i.e. the juncture between bottom side  128  and left side  116 ). Meanwhile, right handle extends from the top-right corner (i.e. the juncture between top side  124  and right side  120 ) to the bottom-right corner (i.e. the juncture between bottom side  128  and right side  120 ). Thus, left and right handles  132  and  136  extend along opposing sides of sheet  104 . As seen in  FIG. 1 , each of the left and right handles  132  and  136  have a length that is greater than that of corresponding left and right sides  116  and  120 . As a result, a space is provided between each handle and its corresponding side of sheet  104 . The space provided is large enough to accommodate an arm of a user, as will be discussed in greater detail below. 
     A method of applying lotion to a user&#39;s back with lotion applicator  100  will now be discussed in connection with  FIGS. 2-6 . The following discussion of the use of lotion applicator  100  will also serve to provide further insight as to the structure of lotion applicator  100 . This description of the use of lotion applicator  100  is non-limiting—it will be understood that lotion applicator  100  can be used to apply lotion, or any other suitably viscous fluid, to any part of a user&#39;s body. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , lotion applicator  100  is shown as being turned over. That is, while outer surface  108  faced the reader in  FIG. 1 , inner surface  112  now faces the reader in  FIG. 2 . As a result, left handle  132  appears on the right of  FIG. 2 , while right handle  136  appears on the left of  FIG. 2 . In preparing lotion applicator  100  for use, a suitable amount of lotion  200  is applied to inner surface  112  from a lotion receptacle (not shown) such as a bottle. 
     Following application of lotion  200  to inner surface  112 , lotion  200  can be spread evenly over inner surface  112 . Lotion  200  is spread over the majority (i.e. at least half) of inner surface  112 . For example, in the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , lotion  200  is spread over approximately three quarters of the total area of inner surface  112 . Lotion  200  can be spread on inner surface  112  in a variety of ways. For example, lotion  200  can be spread by the hand of a user, or by folding sheet  104  and rubbing the folded portions of inner surface  112  against each other. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , use of lotion applicator  100  continues with the equipping of lotion applicator  100  by a user  400 . Figure illustrates the back side of user  400 . Thus, it can be seen that lotion applicator  100 , in the present example embodiment, is applied to the back of user  400 . It will now be apparent that references herein to terms such as “top”, “bottom”, “left” and “right” are made in relation to the position of lotion applicator  100  as seen in  FIG. 4 . In other words, left edge  116  is the edge of lotion applicator which is on the left side of user  400  when lotion applicator  100  is applied to user  400 &#39;s back. Left handle  132  is therefore the handle through which user  400 &#39;s left arm is received when lotion applicator  100  is applied to user  400 &#39;s back. Top edge  124  is the substantially horizontal edge that is closer to user  400 &#39;s head, while bottom edge  128  is the substantially horizontal edge that is further from user  400 &#39;s head. In addition, it will also now be apparent that the use of the terms “inner” and “outer” also relate to the use of lotion applicator as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . In particular, inner surface  112  refers to the surface closest to the back of user  400 , while outer surface  108  refers to the opposite surface furthest from user  400 &#39;s back. Thus, inner surface  112  is not visible in  FIG. 4  as it is “behind” outer surface  108 , lying against user  400 &#39;s back. 
     Also apparent from  FIG. 4  is that the space between left handle  132  and left edge  116  of sheet  104  is sufficiently large to receive user  400 &#39;s left arm therethrough. Similarly, the space defined between right handle  136  and right edge  120  of sheet  104  is sufficiently large to receive user  400 &#39;s right arm therethrough. When the left and right arms of user  400  are received through the openings defined between left and right handles  132  and  136  and the edges of sheet  104 , sheet  104  lays across the upper back of user  400 , with the left and right corners of the upper edge  124  of sheet  104  being proximal to the left and right shoulders of user  400 , respectively. If necessary, user  400  can grasp the left and right upper corners to adjust the position of sheet  104 . User  400  can also, if necessary, grasp the lower corners of sheet  104  or left and right handles  132  and  136  near the lower corners, to flatten sheet  104  against the back of user  400 . 
     Proceeding to  FIG. 5 , following placement of inner surface  112  against user  400 &#39;s back and receipt of user  400 &#39;s left and right arms through left and right handles  132  and  136 , respectively, left and right handles  132  and  136  can be grasped by user  400  for application of a downward force. Left and right handles  132  and  136  can be grasped by user  400 &#39;s left and right hands, respectively, at any suitable point along the length of the handles  132  and  136 . In general, left and right handles  132  and  136  will each be grasped at a point that will allow lotion applicator  100  to be pulled in a downward direction, as will be discussed below. Thus, left and right handles  132  and  136  can be grasped between their mid-points and bottom ends, and are preferably grasped near or at their respective bottom ends (that is, near the left and right bottom corners of sheet  104 ), as shown in  FIG. 5 . It will be appreciated that the point at which left and right handles  132  and  136  can be grasped will depend in part on the length of left and right handles  132  and  136 . In order to allow for lotion applicator  100  to be pulled downwardly, the point at which handles  132  and  136  are grasped must be lower on user  400 &#39;s body than bottom edge  128  of sheet  104 . In some embodiments, it may be desirable to grasp sheet  104  itself near the bottom left and right corners rather than grasping left and right handles  132  and  136 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , lotion applicator  100  is pulled downwardly along the back of user  400 , in the direction of arrow  600 . As a result of the movement of lotion applicator  100 , at least a portion of lotion  200  which was applied to inner surface  112  earlier is transferred to user  400 &#39;s back. Lotion applicator  100  can then be removed from user  400 . As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , during the downwards motion of sheet  104  along user  400 &#39;s back, handles  132  and  136  extend over user  400 &#39;s shoulders and act to keep sheet  104  against user  400 &#39;s back. 
     Based on the above description of the use of lotion applicator  100 , and referring back to  FIG. 1 , it will also now be apparent that sheet  104  can have a length, “L”, that is approximately equal to the width, “W” of sheet  104 . This is not a necessity, however. In general, the width W of sheet  104  should be such that sheet  104  extends substantially from one side of user  400 &#39;s back to the other, without necessitating lateral motion of lotion applicator  100  in order to adequately apply lotion to user  400 &#39;s back. Length L of sheet  104  can be smaller or greater than W, but should not be less than one quarter of W and should not be greater than the length of user  400 &#39;s back. In the present example embodiment, L is approximately 80% of W, and is approximately three quarters of the length of user  400 &#39;s back. It will be appreciated that lotion applicator  100  can therefore be manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes. 
     It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that various materials are suitable for sheet  104  and handles  132  and  136 . In the presently described example embodiment, sheet  104  can be a single layer of polyester and polyvinyl. In particular, sheet  104  can have a composition of approximately 36% polyester and 64% polyvinyl. In general, any material that is non-absorbent and smooth, such that lotion does not become embedded in topographical features of the material, is suitable for use. Preferably, the material used has a weight sufficiently high to prevent wrinkling during the sliding motion shown in  FIG. 6 , but sufficiently low to allow for ease of use and storage. Materials that are machine-washable are preferable. 
     Handles  132  and  136  can be any of a variety of strings, cords and the like. Materials which are non-absorbent and machine-washable are preferable. In the presently described example embodiment, handles  132  and  136  can each be made of vinyl and have a diameter of approximately 3 mm. Handles  132  and  136  can be attached to sheet  104  by way of a seam  140  along each of left and right edges  116  and  120 . Each seam  140  can be manufactured by folding over a portion of sheet  104  and fastening the folded portion to the remainder of sheet  104 , by means such as sewing, glue or heat-sealing and the like. However the seam  140  is assembled, each end of handles  132  and  136  can be inserted into the seam prior to final fastening of the seam. Seams  140 , if present, preferably involve folding material onto outer surface  108  rather than inner surface  112 . Handles  132  and  136  can also be resizable in some embodiments. For example, each one of handles  132  and  136  can comprise two portions. A first portion can be coupled to a top corner and a second portion can be coupled to a bottom corner. The two portions can be fastened to each other at different points to provide a desired length during use. Other means of adjusting the length of handles  132  and  136  will also occur to those skilled in the art. 
     Certain advantages associated with the use of lotion applicator  100  will now occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the dimensions and structural arrangement of the components of lotion applicator  100  result in the requirement of only a single, relatively small motion for user  400  to successfully apply lotion to all, or substantially all, of user  400 &#39;s back. 
     Further advantages include, for example, ease of storage and cleaning. The flexibility of sheet  104  and handles  132  and  136  allow for lotion applicator  100  to be readily folded for storage after use. Further, the use of a single sheet of smooth, non-absorbent material reduces the likelihood of undesirable fluid build-up between uses, which could lead to undesirable bacterial build-up. Other advantages will also occur to those skilled in the art. 
     Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that there are yet more alternative implementations and modifications possible for implementing the embodiments, and that the above implementations and examples are only illustrations of one or more embodiments. The scope, therefore, is only to be limited by the claims appended hereto.