Patent Publication Number: US-2006011569-A1

Title: Solid soaps kept together with liquid soap by a connecting and keeping unit

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of Applicant&#39;s Ser. No. 10/069,762 filed in the U.S. Patent &amp; Trademark Office on 28 Feb. 2002, which is a U.S. national phase application based upon PCT/KR00/00993 filed on 1 Sep. 2000. 
    
    
     CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
      This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from an application for SOLID SOAP WITH CONNECTING AND KEEPING MEANS earlier filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on 1 Sep. 1999 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 1999-18489.  
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates to a connecting and keeping unit for solid soap which is capable of easily interconnecting several kinds of solid soap which are mutually different in their usage. More particularly, the invention relates to a connecting and keeping unit in which liquid soap, cleanser, perfume, and the like can be kept with the solid soap, and loss of the solid soap can be prevented.  
     BACKGROUND ART  
      In conventional use of solid soap, the soap is generally not dried, and this is especially true of the bottom part of the soap since the wet solid soap is kept inside a soap case. Therefore, there is a problem in that the solid soap partially crumbles and is lost since the soap absorbs moisture as it is coming into contact with the soap case. Thus, the surface of the soap crumbles. Furthermore, there is an inconvenience in keeping and managing several kinds of solid soap, as well as liquid soap, cleanser, perfume, or the like.  
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a connecting and keeping unit for solid soap that substantially obviates one or more of the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
      A primary object of the present invention is to provide solid soap with a connecting and keeping unit, by means of which it is easy to keep the solid soap, and which selectively contains several kinds of solid soap, while maintaining the solid soap in dry state. In addition, the soap is kept together with liquid soap, cleanser, perfume, or the like for use in a bathroom. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above and other objects and features of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is an exemplary perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an exemplary perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention which is mounted on a pedestal;  
       FIG. 3  is an exemplary perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention which is mounted on a pedestal; and  
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a portion of the previous embodiments of the present invention mounted on a stand;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the top connector of  FIG. 1 ; and  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the top connector of  FIG. 3 . 
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION  
      Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
      In accordance with the present invention,  FIGS. 1 and 2  are perspective views showing the first and second embodiments, respectively, of the invention, and  FIGS. 3 and 4  are perspective views showing the third and fourth embodiments, respectively, of the invention, while  FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a portion of the embodiments of the invention, and  FIGS. 6 and 7  are perspective views of the top connectors of  FIGS. 1 and 3 , respectively.  
      As shown in FIGS.  1  thru  4 , a support body  40  for supporting soap  10  is partially buried inside soap  10 , and both end parts of the support body  40  are exposed outside the soap  10 , and are provided as a connecting unit  30  for connecting the soap  10  thereto.  
      Each support body  40  has at least one receptacle  41  in which liquid soap inserted through a top portion of the support body  40  is kept.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , in the connecting unit  30 , one end of each support body  40  has an externally threaded insertion shaft  31  at an end part thereof, and another end of each support body  40  has an internally threaded connector  32  at an end part thereof. As a result, adjacent sections of the connecting unit  30  can be connected together by joining elements  31  and  32 , and several cakes of soap  10  can be connected with one another consecutively (as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ).  
      Further referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the embodiment of  FIG. 1  has a ring-type loop  50  at the top thereof for hanging the interconnected soaps  10  on a hook (not shown), while the embodiment of  FIG. 3  has a Y-shaped loop  52  for hanging the interconnected soaps  10  on a hook (not shown). The loop  50  and loop  52  are mounted on a cap  50   a  and  52   a , respectively, the caps  50   a  and  52   a  being internally threaded so as to be fixed onto the externally threaded top  31  of connecting unit  30 . The bottom of connecting unit  30  is closed by screwing an internally threaded cap  51  onto the externally threaded bottom of connecting unit  30 .  
      As an alternative to hanging the connecting unit  31  on a hook, in the embodiments of  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the connecting unit  30  is mounted on a pedestal  33  by screwing an internally threaded bottom connector  32  onto an externally threaded portion  31  of the pedestal  33 . In this embodiment, the top of the connecting unit  30  is closed by screwing an internally threaded cap  51  onto the externally threaded top portion  31  of the connecting unit  30 .  
      In the embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the topmost soap body  10  is replaced by a large receptacle  42  for holding liquid soap, cleanser, perfume, or the like. The receptacle  42  is filled by pouring the liquid into the open top of the connecting unit  30 , and the open top is then closed by screwing the internally threaded cap  51  onto the externally threaded top  31  of the connecting unit  30 .  
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY  
      As described above, in accordance with the present invention, the soap bodies  10  are supported by the connecting unit  30  which passes through, and emerges from both ends of, soap  10 . Accordingly, a user can selectively use desired soap chosen from a consecutive connection of several bars of solid soap. There is also a convenience in that a cake of solid soap can be mounted or displayed together with perfume or cleanser, or other necessities, for use in a bathroom as a result of the provision of receptacles  41  formed on the connecting unit  30 . In addition, crumbling and loss of the soap  10  can be prevented by use of the hooks  50  or  52 , or by placing the connecting unit  30  on a pedestal  33 .  
      Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.