Patent Document

[0001]    The present invention relates to an applicator or an appliance used by a person to apply lotion, soap or cream to his or her back. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    For many years, users have had difficulties in applying sun screen lotion, tanning oil or cream, washing or cream soap, or skin cream onto their back. Further, it is difficult to extend one&#39;s arm and reach to the mid region and the lower portion of one&#39;s back. Other have developed cream or lotion applicators having elongated handles which are difficult to store and are not configured to collapse into a compact package. In addition, the application surface holding or containing the lotion, soap or cream, is either a single use or a limited time use cream bearing surface. Therefore, it is important to have a removable lotion bearing pad that can be removed, washed, cleaned, re-attached and reused. 
         [0003]    In addition, the removability of the pad from the applicator head is an issue because the sponge on the cream bearing appliance head easily rips if the detachment mechanism is not easily releasable. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a lotion, soap or cream applicator which as a collapsable, two piece handle. 
         [0005]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an applicator wherein the sponge can be easily removed from the head of the applicator or appliance for cleaning or replacement. 
         [0006]    It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a two piece handle with a locking stop. 
         [0007]    It is a further object of the present invention to have an appliance head that is partly rotatably mounted with respect to the elongated handle and which has a biasing mechanism, such as a spring or other element, which returns the head to a predetermined angular position. In this manner, the lotion bearing pad on the appliance head follows, in a cam-like manner, the curves of the back. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Further objects and advantages of the present invention can be found in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  diagrammatically illustrates a front view of the appliance or applicator wherein the two piece handle is in a fully extended position or mode; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  diagrammatically illustrates a side view of the applicator and shows, in dashed lines, the compact, collapsed position of the first and second handle pieces; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  diagrammatically shows the elongated handle in operation and the hinge coupling for the first and second pieces; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  diagrammatically illustrates a detail of the hinge coupling for the handle; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  diagrammatically illustrates a partial, cross-sectional view of the head piece and the rotatable interface coupling between the head piece and the elongated handle; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  diagrammatically illustrates a portion of the front face of the planar plate element of the head piece and the spacing of the hook end pins; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  diagrammatically shows a partial, cross-sectional view of the lotion, soap or cream bearing pad, the sponge head portion of the bearing pad, the thin interfacing cloth with a multiplicity of loops, and a side view of the front face of the planar plate element of the head piece with the spaced apart hook end pins; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  diagrammatically illustrates another interface coupling between the head piece and the elongated handle. 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The appliance, used to apply lotion, soap or cream to the back of a person includes a two-piece elongated handle with a first handle piece rotatably hinged to a second handle piece. These handle pieces are, in a preferred embodiment, slightly curved such that upon closure, they handle sections mate and form a compact structure. The handle segments are joined together with a hinge coupling permitting substantially 180 degree rotation of the first piece with respect to the second piece. The hinge coupling has a locking stop wherein, when the first and second pieces are fully extended, the locking stop substantially eliminates a collapsing closure of the elongated handle. The appliance also includes a head piece partially rotatably mounted at the end of the second handle piece. The head piece has a planar element with a front face and a rear face and a head body defined on the rear face of the planar element. The head body has a handle interfacing coupling rotatably linking the head piece to the handle piece or segment. The top of the second handle piece has a complementary interfacing coupling for rotatable attachment to the head piece. 
         [0018]    A biasing means, such as a spring or torsion loadable stem, is included in the interfacing coupling for positioning the head piece planar element at a predetermined angular position with respect to the front face of the planar plate of the head piece. Upon rotation of the head piece with respect to the elongated handle, the planar element is biased to return to the predetermined angular position. 
         [0019]    The front face of planar element has a plurality of hook ended pins protruding therefrom in a spaced apart relationship (not less than ⅛ inch apart). A removable lotion, soap or cream bearing pad is used and the bearing pad includes a sponge pad for the lotion, soap or cream on an exposed face of the bearing pad. Also, the bearing pad has a thin interfacing cloth attached to and covering a rear face of the sponge (the sponge thickness at least 10 times thicker than the cloth). The interfacing cloth has a multiplicity of loops which multiplicity of loops which exceeds the plurality of hook ended pins by at least 10 to 1, thereby proving a hook and loop removable attachment of the bearing pad onto the head piece. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    The present invention relates to an applicator or an appliance for applying lotion, soap or cream to the back of a person. Similar numerals designate similar items throughout the drawings.  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  are discussed concurrently herein. 
         [0021]    Applicator or appliance  10  includes a two piece elongated handle  12  having a first piece  14  rotatably hinged to a second piece  16 . See  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 . Hinge system  18  is disposed at the distal end  20  of first handle piece  14 . Second handle piece  16  includes a proximal end  24  with a complementary hinge coupling thereat and a distal head end  26  at the opposite end of handle piece  16 . Head piece  30  is partially rotatably connected at distal head end  26  of second handle piece  16 . In other words, the head has limited left-right rotation on the end of the handle. See  FIG. 1 . First handle piece  14  may include a special hand grip element  15  for the user. 
         [0022]    As best shown in  FIG. 2 , head piece  30  includes a general planar plate element  32  in a head body  34 . Planar plate  32  includes a front face  40  and a rear face  41 . Head body  34  is defined on rear face  41  of planar element  30 . Head body  34  has a proximal end region  35  with a handle interface coupling thereat. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows elongated handle  12  in a fully extended position or mode and shows first handle piece  14  in dashed lines when the applicator  10  is in a compact mode. In this collapsed compact position, with first handle segment  14  adjacent second handle segment  16 , the inboard curve  9  on segment  16  matches and is complementary to the outboard curve  7  on first handle segment  14 . In this manner, the first handle segment  14  closely matches and is adjacent and/or touching the second handle segment  16 . Handle segment  14  has a slight or shallow depth convex forward facing curve (about ½ inch deep) and segment  16  has a matching shallow concave curve. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  shows a detail of the hinged coupling between first and second handle segments  14 ,  16 . 
         [0025]    The designations “proximal” and “distal,” refer to items closer to or further away from terminal end  22  of the first handle segment  14 . 
         [0026]    Distal end  20  of handle segment  14  in the illustrated embodiment, includes an interior channel or cavity with a cam surface  42  having a latch detent  44  on the cam surface  42 . Proximal end  24  of second handle piece  16  includes a tang  48  protruding axially from piece  16 . Tang  48  has a curved initial contact interface surface  50  at a terminal tang end  51  and has a catch edge  52  at an inboard portion of the contact interface  50 . In operation, the curved initial contact interface  50  cooperates and touches and is adjacent to cam surface  42 . When the catch edge  50  is adjacent and falls within the concave or depressed latch detent  44 , a locking stop is established between the first and second handle segments  14 ,  16 . As is known by persons of ordinary skills in the art, the cam surface can be configured on handle segment  16  and the tang  48  can be configured on handle segment  14 . Further, the catch and latch may include a simple depression detent  44  and a protrusion or dimple at a distal portion of curved initial contact interface  50 . In other words, tang  48  could have a dimple or other catch that interfaces into latch  44 . The bead and dimple cavity can be reversed on segments  14 ,  16 . The locking stop is one of the several important features of the present invention because (a) the interface and stop action between distal end  20  and proximal end  24  prohibits further clockwise rotation beyond substantially 180 degrees rotation about hinge  18 , and (b) the locking stop with tang  48  and detent  44  securely locks the first and second handle segments together. This enables the user to move the appliance loaded with soap, lotion or cream along his or her back without fear of a collapsing handle. In the absence of a sturdy locking stop, the handle may collapse onto itself. Of course, a protruding dimple can be replaced from one handle segment with a depressed detent and the other handle segment could carry the protruding dimple rather than the depressed detent. Another significant aspect of the present invention is the curved initial contact interface  50  on the tang. Due to the multiple times the user will open and close the appliance, tang  48  has to be durable and nominally flexible as shown by double headed arrow  53 . The tang flexes upon each closure to achieve the snap-in locking effect with the latch-catch. As a result, tang must be fairly rigid and the curved initial contact interface permits the cam surface to easily move over and move tang  48  in a counter rotational manner as compared with the rotational direction of handle segment  14  shown by double headed arrow  13  in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  diagrammatically shows details of the head piece  30 . Head piece  30  is partly rotatably mounted on the distal head end  26  of second handle piece  16 . Front face  40  of planar plate element  32  has a plurality of hook ended pins, two of which are identified as pins  61  and  63  in  FIG. 5 . Head body  34  is attached to or formed on rear face  41  of planar plate element  32 . Head piece  32  is partially rotatably mounted on the second handle piece  16  by a handle interface coupling associated with piece  16  and a complementary interface end coupling which is disposed on the proximal edge segment of the head body  34 . In one embodiment, this interface coupling includes a stem  62  having axially protruding stem elements  64 ,  66 . Stem elements  64 ,  66  are spaced apart and move laterally with respect to each other. Stem elements  64 ,  66  protrude axially above main stem  62 . Main stem  62  extends axially above distal end  26  of second handle element  16 . A lock latch is established with these stem elements  64 ,  66  based on protrusions, one of which is protrusion  8  coacting with stop  70  formed in the cavity of the head body  34 . Stem  62  and stem elements  64 ,  66  protrude into head body cavity  72 . The interior surfaces of cavity  72  define stops and latch-catches. The elongated handle has an axial center line  80  shown in  FIG. 8 . Although the elongated handle in the fully extended position is slightly curved, second handle portion  16  generally has a singular axial center line. Head piece  32  partly rotates has shown by double headed arrow  82  in  FIG. 8  about axial center line  80 . To limit rotational movement of head piece  32  with respect to handle element  16 , interior stop edges may be included as protruding into the interior of cavity  72  of head body  34 . Stop edges limit the rotation of head  32  with respect to the handle. The circumferential stops impact stem pairs  64 ,  66  and limit the total left-right rotation of head  34  with respect to stationary handle  16  (left-right from front view  FIG. 1 ). In addition, the head piece includes a biasing mechanism which, in this illustrated embodiment, is a spring  90 . The spring returns head piece  34  to a predetermined angular position with respect to elongated handle  12 . This predetermined position in the present embodiment is the position shown in side view  FIG. 2  wherein planar plate  32  always faces forward towards the forward convex curve of handle piece  14 . In a preferred embodiment, rotation of the head piece is limited to 45 degrees about axial center line  80 . In another words, head piece can rotate approximately 22.5 degrees to the right shown in  FIGS. 1  and 22.5 degrees to the left shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]    This partial rotation and biasing towards a singular angular position is another one of the several important features of the present invention. During the application of lotion, soap or cream, it is important that the head piece  30 , slightly rotate in order to accommodate the curves in a person&#39;s back. However, when the person lifts the head piece away from his or her back and skin surface, the head piece should return to the angular predetermined position. Other predetermined positions, other than that shown in  FIG. 2 , may be selected by the appropriate mechanical positioning of circumferential stops. Also, other biasing mechanisms, other than spring  90 , may be utilized. For example, stem  62  may include a long extension subjected to torque twisting that is coupled to the distal end of cavity  72  of head body  34 . If the attached head-handle stem is thin enough, the head piece  30  will partly rotate about the axial centerline  80 . The head will return to the predetermined 90 degree position due to the release of torque force and the twisting return to the angular position by the elongated stem. Other biasing mechanisms such as elastic or spring loaded cam elements and cam followers may be utilized. The cam elements act as springs when the stem  62  is rotated in the interior cavity of the head body. 
         [0029]    Another one of the several important features of the present invention is the releaseability of the bearing pad  92  from the front face  40  of the head piece plate  32 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 7  shows bearing pad  92  which has an exposed front face  94  of a sponge  96 . The rear face  98  of sponge  96  has a thin interfacing cloth. The Table listed below shows dimensions and sizes for one embodiment of the present invention. 
       Dimension Table 
       [0000]    
       
         12 rows of hook pins 
         maximum per row 17 pins 
         minimum per row 7 pins 
         typical width of plate 3.25 inches 
         typical height of plate 3.25 inches 
         pin spacing 6 pins per inch 
         pin spacing ¼ inch to ⅛ inch (nominally ⅛ inch) 
         pin height about ⅛ inch 
         pin shape: T-shape or mushroom cap or inverted L shape 
       
     
         [0040]      FIG. 7  shows that interfacing cloth  110  has a multiplicity of loops  112  which greatly exceed, on the order of  10  to  1 , the plurality of hook end pins  61 ,  63  protruding from front face  40  of head body  32 . Pins  61 ,  63  can be T shaped, inverted L shaped or mushroom cap shaped in order to define a hook end to catch one or more of loops  112  on thin interfacing cloth  110 . 
         [0041]    The releaseability of bearing pad  92  is important since sponge  96  becomes slippery with soap or lotion and the user has difficulty in lifting bearing pad  92  from planar, rigid plate  32 . Also, the interface cloth after multiple uses may weaken and may improperly separate from the sponge if the bearing pad is not easily releaseable from the face plate. Hence, the relatively great spacing between hook ended pins  61 ,  63  and the multiplicity of loops  112  on the bearing pad  92  enhances releasability of pad  92  from plate  32 . The releaseability enables the user to remove the bearing pad  92 , wash it and either re-use the pad or replace it with a new bearing pad. 
         [0042]    The claims appended hereto are meant to cover modifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Certain features may be omitted in the working embodiments of the present invention and other features may be added to further enhance the operability of the lotion, soap or cream applicator.

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