Patent Publication Number: US-6659669-B1

Title: Mesh netting to hold soap

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to cleansing apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to soap bar holding devices for use when bathing. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There have been many attempts to provide a convenient and inexpensive holder for a soap bar for use in a bath or shower. A common problem with soap bars is that they tend to slip out of the users hand when wet. Such well known devices such as a soap bar molded around a portion of a suspending cord or rope have been widely used. A problem which has not been adequately addressed is the usefulness of the device as the soap bar dissipates. Only limited choices of soap are available specially molded onto or around the device. It would be desirable to provide a holder for standard soap bars which prevents slippage from the hand when wet, aids in the distribution on the skin while aiding in lathering and scrubbing the skin, and which is adjustable as a soap bar dissipated in use. It would further be desirable to provide a holder which may be easily dried, along with the soap bar by hanging in ambient air and preferably has a hanging feature which allows attachment to a nearby bath wall. It would also be desirable to provide such a holder which allows the soap bar to be held in the palm of the hand during use. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,262, issued Dec. 6, 1988, to Sanchez, describes a soap holding cleaning pad apparatus including a mesh forming portion, a handle, and an opening sealed with a hook and loop material. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,834, issued Oct. 21, 1980 to Desnick, describes a soap bag formed of a plastic mesh with VELCRO fasteners for closing the bag. A loop segment is provided for attachment of a strap. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,125, issued Nov. 22, 1994, to Procido, describes a mesh soap container with an elastic loop for hanging on the user&#39;s neck and having an opening in the top surface. The opening is bordered by elastic for the insertion and removal of the soap bar. 
     None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a mesh netting to hold soap solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A tubular mesh netting soap holder and dispenser has a handle reaching around the user&#39;s hand. The mesh netting is of fabric or similar material and is held in a wide slot at one end of the handle and encases the soap bar inserted through an opposite end opening. A VELCRO® loop material closure strap having loop material on its inner side is attached to the tubular mesh at its end opening. The loop material closure strap threads through a smaller slot at the other end portion of the handle. There may be more than one concentric tube of mesh netting employed. 
     There is a VELCRO® hook material patch mounted on the top of the handle near the narrow slot which mates with Velcro® loop, material closure strap on its inner side, once threaded through the smaller slot and pulled snug. As the soap bar becomes smaller during use, the VELCRO® loop material closure strap is detached, pulled through the smaller slot until snug again, and mounted at an inward position on the handle VELCRO® hook material to maintain the mesh tight around the soap bar. The handle is generally “T” shaped with the wide slot holding end portion being the cross portion of the “T” and the narrow slot being at the tail thereof. The hook material patch mounted along the strip portion on the top of the handle and the mating loop material on the inside of the closure strap form a means for adjustably and removably mounting the closure strap to the top side of the handle. 
     In another embodiment, the handle has a suction cup mounted near the cross portion of the handle and projecting outward from the top of the handle to serve as a means for mounting the soap holder on a bath wall when not in use. The soap and holder dry, easily in ambient air when the holder is so mounted. In use, the user&#39;s hand is placed between the handle and the mesh holding the soap so that the hand grasps the mesh encased soap. The soap is then wetted and distributed through the netting on the users skin, for washing. The mesh netting assists in lathering and scrubbing the skin during soap application to the skin. 
     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a tubular mesh netting soap bar holder, allowing a nonslip grasp of the soap bar in the palm of the user&#39;s hand. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a soap bar holder as above having a handle supporting the mesh net, the handler being arranged to be placed over the back of the user&#39;s hand, providing for positive attachment of the holder to the hand. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide for adjustment of the size of the tubular mesh netting of the soap bar holder as above so as to allow for a positive grasp of a soap bar as it dissipates and reduces in size during repeated use. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a soap bar holder as above having a suction device mounted on the handle of the holder for mounting on a bath wall for easy drying of the soap bar and holder in ambient air when not in use. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a environmental top view of a tubular mesh netting soap bar holder according to the present invention as held in the user&#39;s hand. 
     FIG. 2 is an environmental bottom view of the soap holder of FIG. 1 as the user&#39;s hand is inserted between the mesh netting and a handle attached thereto with fingers outstretched. 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the soap holder of FIG. 1 in an opened position. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the soap holder of FIG. 1 in an opened position. 
     FIG. 5A is a side view of the soap holder of FIG. 1 in a closed state as arranged to hold a bar of soap. 
     FIG. 5B is a side view similar to that of FIG. 5A in an open state. 
     FIG. 6 is a top view similar to that of FIG. 4, showing the another embodiment of the invention having a suction cup installed on the handle. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 6, showing the mesh netting installed and holding a soap bar, and having a suction cup installed on the handle. 
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A tubular mesh netting soap holder and dispenser has a handled reaching around the user&#39;s hand. The mesh netting is of fabric or similar material and is held in a wide slot at one end of the handle and encases the soap bar inserted through an opposite end opening. A VELCRO® loop material closure strap having loop material on its inner side is attached to the tubular mesh at its end opening. The loop material closure strap threads through a smaller slot at the other end portion of the handle. There may be more than one concentric tube of mesh netting employed. 
     There is a VELCRO® hook material patch mounted on the top of the handle near the narrow slot which mates with Velcro® loop material closure strap on its inner side, once threaded through the smaller slot and pulled snug. As the soap bar becomes smaller during use, the VELCRO® loop material closure strap is detached, pulled through the smaller slot until snug again, and mounted at an inward position on the handle VELCRO® hook material to maintain the mesh tight around the soap bar. The handle is generally “T” shaped with the wide slot holding end portion being the cross portion of the “T” and the narrow slot being at the tail thereof. 
     In another embodiment, the handle has a suction cup mounted near the cross portion of the handle and projecting outward from the top of the handle to serve as a means for mounting the soap holder on a bath wall when not in use. The soap and holder dry easily in ambient air when the holder is so mounted. In use, the user&#39;s hand is placed between the handle and the mesh holding the soap so that the hand grasps the mesh encased soap. The soap is then wetted and distributed through the netting on the users skin for washing. The mesh netting assists in lathering and scrubbing the skin during soap application to the skin. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown top and bottom views, respectively, of the mesh netting soap holder  10  of the present invention as worn on hand H and holding soap bar S. Soap holder  10  comprises a generally planar, elongate, flexible, “T” shaped handle  12  having a top side  14  and a bottom side  15  and having a wide slot  16  for holding bunched mesh netting end  18  and defined by wide end portion  20  (the cross bar end of the “T”). Handle  12  extends along a strip portion  21  to narrow end portion  22 (the tail end of the “T”). Narrow end portion  22  defines narrow slot  24 . 
     Tubular mesh netting  26  forms a soap bar holding portion and has a closed end portion and an open end portion, the mesh netting  26  closed end portion being fixed at wide slot  16 . Tubular mesh netting  26  then extends to netting opening  27 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) to which is attached loop material closure strap  28  extending axially therefrom. Soap bar S may be inserted through netting opening  27 . The netting  26  and soap bar S are held on the palm side of hand H. Loop material closure strap  28  extends between the thumb T and first finger around to narrow end portion  22  of handle  12  where it is threaded through narrow slot  24  of handle narrow end portion  22 . Closure strap  28 , having loop material  29  on its inner side, is pulled snug and removably mounted on hook material patch  30  located on handle top side  14  extending along strip portion  21  of handle  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there are shown a bottom view and a top view, respectively, of the soap holder  10  in an open state showing the tubular netting open end  27  and the loop material closure strap  28  released from narrow slot  24  and the netting  26  extending outward from wide slot  16  in wide end portion  20  of handle  12 . A rectangular hook material patch  30  mounted along strip portion  21  on the top side  14  extending toward narrow slot  24  of handle  12  for mating with loop material  29  on the inside of closure strap  28 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5A and 5B, there is shown a side view of the inventive soap holder in a closed state and an open state, respectively. As is illustrated, tubular mesh netting  26  extends downward from wide slot  16  where it envelops soap bar S. Closure strap  28  is inserted through narrow slot  24  and removably secured to hook material patch  30  by means of loop material  29  on the inner side of closure strap  28 . Bunched mesh netting end  18  prevents mesh netting  26  from pulling through slot  16 . The bunched netting end  18  may be made by folding over or rolling the mesh netting and applying adhesive or subjecting the bunched netting to heat sealing. As is seen in FIG. 5B netting opening  27  allows the insertion of soap bar S when closure strap  28  is freed from hook material patch  30  and removed from narrow slot  24 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown a top view and a side view, respectively, of another embodiment of the inventive soap holder. This embodiment  40  is identical to that of FIGS. 1-5 with the addition a suction cup  42  mounted to the handle top side  14  by means of suction cup stem  44 . Suction cup  42  is directed upwards, away from the contained soap bar S in mesh netting  26  and is preferably mounted at the end of the handle strip portion  21  nearest the wide end portion  20 . The suction cup stem  44  may be attached to the handle by any desired means such as forcing its lower portion through an aperture in handle  12 . The stem  44  may have a groove(not shown) which secures the stem  44  at the appropriate position within the aperture, forming a force fit. The suction cup allows the user to mount the wet soap holder containing the soap bar S on a bath wall for quick drying in the ambient air and easy accessability for the next use. 
     In operation, a bar of soap S is inserted into the open end of mesh netting  26  through open end  27 . Mesh netting  26  holding soap bar S is folded under handle  12 , and closure strap  28  inserted through narrow slot  24  of narrow end portion  22  and then pulled snug such that soap bar S is firmly held within the mesh netting  26 . The loop material  29  of closure strap  28  is then secured against hook material patch  30 . The soap holder  10  is then ready for a user to insert their fingers between the handle  12  and the secured soap bar S such that the soap bar and mesh netting is grasped in the palm of the user&#39;s hand H. The user then holds the soap and holder in water until wet and then proceeds to lather and scrub the skin in the bathing process. Once finished, the holder and soap remaining may easily dry in ambient air due to the highly porous nature of the mesh netting. 
     As the soap bar S is repeatedly used, it diminishes in size. The inventive soap holder  10  may be easily adjusted to securely hold the soap bar by freeing the closure strap  28  from the hook material patch  30 , pulling the closure strap  28  snug, thus, tightening the grip of the tubular mesh netting  26  on the smaller soap bar, and securing the loop material  29  of the closure strap  28  to a new location on loop material patch  30  inboard of the previous location. The mesh netting  26  may be tightened to any desired extent to accommodate the soap bar alone or a collection of smaller soap bars or pieces of soap. The mesh netting  26  may be removed from the handle  12  and replaced by releasing the folded end portion and pulling on bunched mesh netting  18  until the entire tubular mesh netting  26  and closure strap  28  is pulled through wide slot  16 . 
     The device is preferably worn with the narrow end  22  of handle  12  within the space between the thumb and first finger, and they wide end along the fifth finger and reaching downward along the outer edge of the hand toward the wrist. This allows the closure strap  28  to fit through the limited length between thumb and finger while maximizing the exposure of the mesh netting for use in scrubbing and minimizing twisting and turning of the device handle through wide exposure along the side of the hand. 
     After use, the inventive soap holder may be hung in the air for drying such as by means of mounting the soap holder to the bath wall with suction cup  42 . 
     The mesh netting may be made of fabric or similar material. The handle  12  and suction cup  42  are preferably made of a suitable plastic material. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.