Soap Container for drying a Soap inside a closed Container

Abstract

A soap container includes: a first housing member having an inner side and an outer side; and a second housing member having an inner side and an outer side; wherein the first housing member and the second housing member are releasably couplable to each other to form a housing of the soap container, and wherein the soap container is adapted to have a soap held between the inside of the first housing member and the inside of the second housing member; wherein the first housing member comprises a spacer member extending from the inside of the first housing member toward the inside of the soap container in the closed state of the soap container; and wherein the spacer member comprises a retaining member having a first magnetic property. Additionally, a coupling member has a second magnetic property, the coupling member being adapted to be mechanically coupled to the soap. The first magnetic property and the second magnetic property are adapted to magnetically attract the retaining member and the coupling member such that the coupling member is retained distant from the inside of the first housing member and the inside of the second housing member.

Claims

1. A soap container, comprising: a first housing member having an inner side and an outer side; and a second housing member having an inner side and an outer side; wherein the first housing member and the second housing member are releasably couplable to each other to form a housing of the soap container, and wherein the soap container is adapted to have a soap held between the inside of the first housing member and the inside of the second housing member; wherein the first housing member comprises a spacer member extending from the inside of the first housing member toward the inside of the soap container in the closed state of the soap container; and wherein the spacer member comprises a retaining member having a first magnetic property; further comprising a coupling member having a second magnetic property, the coupling member being adapted to be mechanically coupled to the soap; wherein the first magnetic property and the second magnetic property are adapted to magnetically attract the retaining member and the coupling member such that the coupling member is retained distant from the inside of the first housing member and the inside of the second housing member.

2. The soap container of claim 1, wherein the retaining member comprises a permanent magnet and the coupling member comprises a ferromagnetic material.

3. The soap container according to claim 1, wherein the spacer element comprises a suction cup on its side facing the inner side of the first housing element.

4. The soap container according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element is arranged in and/or on the half of the spacer element facing away from the inner side of the first housing element.

5. The soap container according to claim 1, wherein the inner side of the first soap container has a receiving area having a mean roughness Ra of from approximately 0.1 μm to approximately 0.4 μm or lower, preferably from approximately 0.001 μm to approximately 0.4 μm or lower on which, in use, the suction cup is arranged.

6. The soap container according to claim 5, wherein the receiving area comprises metal on its surface.

7. The soap container according to claim 1, wherein a sealing element is arranged on the first housing element and/or the second housing element, wherein the sealing element is arranged to seal the first housing element with respect to the second housing element in the closed state of the soap container.

8. The soap container according to claim 1, comprising a connecting element forming a hinge-like connecting portion between the first housing element and the second housing element.

9. The soap container according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element is formed as a suspension loop.

10. The soap container according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element is formed as a flat band that penetrates a slot in the second housing element and a slot in the first housing element.

11. The soap container according to claim 10, wherein the connecting element comprises at least one slidable adjusting element suitable for adjusting the play of the hinge-like connecting portion between the first housing element and the second housing element and/or for adjusting the length of the suspension loop.

12. The soap container according to claim 1, wherein said connecting element is configured for maintaining an opened opening position of said second housing element with respect to said first housing element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view a closed soap container.

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the opened soap container with suction cup arrangement received therein.

[0025] FIG. 3 shows the soap container according to FIG. 2 with the suction cup arrangement removed and a magnetic element cooperating with it on a soap.

[0026] FIG. 4 shows a perspective sectional view of the soap container according to FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] A preferred embodiment of the invention is now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views. Unless otherwise specifically indicated in the disclosure that follows, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and described below. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise: the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.”

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, a soap container 100 includes an upper part (second housing element) 110, a lower part (first housing element) 120 and a connecting element 130 connecting these two parts.

[0029] The connecting element 130 is formed in the manner of a flat band and passes through a slot 112 in the upper part 110 and through a slot or opening 122 in the lower part 120. As can best be seen from FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the connecting element 130 forms a small loop inside the soap container 100 that serves as a hinge-like connecting portion 136 between the upper portion 110 and the lower portion 120. Outside the soap container 100, the connecting element 130 passes through an adjustment element 132 and forms a larger suspension loop 134 on the side of the adjustment element 132 facing away from the soap container 100.

[0030] By sliding the adjustment element 132, which exerts a slight clamping action, on the connecting element 130, the size of the small loop forming the hinge-like connecting region 136 can be varied as well as the suspension loop 134. In an embodiment not shown, two independently adjustable adjustment elements 132 may also be provided.

[0031] As shown in the embodiment, the connecting element 130 may be connected to each other by positive substance jointing, such as welding as an endless band (band loop) after passing through the slots 112 and 122 and through the adjusting element 132. Instead of being formed as an endless band (band loop), an embodiment in which the two ends of the band-shaped connecting element 130 are fixedly connected to the upper part 110 and the lower part 120 of the soap container 100 is also conceivable. In this case, the ends of the connecting element 130 may be fixed, for example, by passing the ends of the connecting element 130 inwardly through the slots 112 and 122 and creating thickenings at the ends, for example by thermal deformation, which prevent subsequent withdrawal from the slots 112 and 122.

[0032] The band of the connection element 130 seals the slots 112 and 122, such that essentially no water can exit the soap container 100 but air can enter the soap container 100 for drying the soap 150.

[0033] In one embodiment the connection element 130 may be a band in which the ends are not connected to each other by positive substance jointing, such as welding. The first end of the connection element 130 may have a first looking element, such as an opening (not shown). The second end of the connection element 130 may have a second looking element complimentary to the first locking element engaging into the first locking element, such as a protrusion having from which a circular nose (not shown) extends. The circular nose may pass through the opening and engage at the first end of the connection element to form a barb.

[0034] In this embodiment the ends of the connection element 130 may be formed tapered in the longitudinal direction and/or or the thickness of the end of the connection element 130 may form a tapper. A protrusion extending perpendicular to longitudinal direction may be formed to avoid inadvertent removal of an end of the connection element through the slot 112 or 122. The protrusion may be a locally increased thickness of the band of the connection element 130. The protrusion and/or locally increased thickness may be formed at the end of the tapper, where the tapper comprises the largest thickness or broadness.

[0035] The ends of the connecting element 130 can be pushed through the adjusting element 132 before the connecting element 130 is fixed to the upper part 110 or to the lower part 120, or the adjusting element 132 can also be clipped over the two strands of the connecting element 130 subsequently.

[0036] An area with a flat contact surface 126 is formed on the bottom of the lower part 120, on which a suction cup arrangement 140 is detachably attached. In FIG. 2, the suction cup arrangement 140 is secured to the contact surface 126. In FIG. 3, the suction cup arrangement 140 has been temporarily removed from the soap container 100 and can then be placed and fixed at its destination on another smooth surface, such as a wall of a sink or a shower wall.

[0037] The suction cup arrangement 140 is formed by a suction cup 142, which is flatly curved on its lower surface, and a magnet holder 144 connected thereto on its upper surface. The magnet holder 144 is used to receive and fix a permanent magnet 146, which is connected to the magnet holder 144 in a force-fit manner by press-fitting or in a substance-fit manner by adhesive bonding. Alternatively, the permanent magnet 146 can be connected to the magnet holder 144 by press-fitting or joining or by adhesive bonding with or without heat application. For high holding power, even with heavier bars of soap, the use of a neodymium magnet as the permanent magnet 146 is particularly advantageous.

[0038] In FIG. 3, a soap 150 is indicated into which a magnetic element 160, for example a ferromagnetic platelet with a serrated edge bent backwards, is pressed. The magnetic element 160 serves with its front smooth holding surface to fix the soap 150 on the permanent magnet 146.

[0039] For leak-proof transport of the soap 150 in the soap container 100, it is advantageous if the upper part 110 is provided with a sealing surface 114 and the lower part 120 is provided with a sealing surface 124, wherein the sealing surfaces 114, 124 engage each other in an at least partially sealing manner when the soap container 100 is closed.

[0040] The soap container 100 preferably has an ergonomically favorable oval shape. However, rectangular shapes with rounded corners are also possible for the soap container 100.

[0041] Instead of a soap 150, the soap container 100 according to the invention can also accommodate other solid cosmetic substances, such as a hair soap or a body cream block melting on the surface under the influence of body heat.

[0042] The invention also solves the problem of providing a unit for an improved transport container for a solid cleansing substance, for example a soap, which at the same time can serve as a device for flexible attachment thereof, but by allowing the unit to be separated, locally separate from the transport container.

[0043] The following is a list of reference numbers: [0044] 100 soap container [0045] 110 second housing element [0046] 122 slot [0047] 114 sealing surface [0048] 120 first housing element [0049] 112 slot [0050] 124 sealing surface [0051] 126 contact surface [0052] 130 connecting element [0053] 132 adjustment element [0054] 134 suspension loop [0055] 136 (hinge-like) connecting area [0056] 140 suction cup arrangement [0057] 142 suction cup [0058] 144 magnet holder [0059] 146 permanent magnet [0060] 150 soap [0061] 160 magnetic element (at 150)

[0062] Although specific advantages have been enumerated above, various embodiments may include some, none, or all of the enumerated advantages. Other technical advantages may become readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after review of the following figures and description. It is understood that, although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and described below, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not. Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to the systems, apparatuses, and methods described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. The components of the systems and apparatuses may be integrated or separated. The operations of the systems and apparatuses disclosed herein may be performed by more, fewer, or other components and the methods described may include more, fewer, or other steps. Additionally, steps may be performed in any suitable order. As used in this document, “each” refers to each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set. It is intended that the claims and claim elements recited below do not invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) unless the words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim. The above-described embodiments, while including the preferred embodiment and the best mode of the invention known to the inventor at the time of filing, are given as illustrative examples only. It will be readily appreciated that many deviations may be made from the specific embodiments disclosed in this specification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims below rather than being limited to the specifically described embodiments above.