Device for aiding in bathing

Abstract

A device for aiding in bathing having a first sponge cleaning material and a second bristle cleaning material. The first sponge cleaning material is disposed on an exterior side of a first arm, and the second bristle cleaning material is disposed on an exterior side of a second arm. The first arm and second arm are connected to a handle at a common point, forming a Y shape. The first arm and second arm have flexural strengths less than that of the handle, providing a flexible structure that conforms to a user's body.

Claims

1. A device for aiding in bathing which comprises: a) a first arm; b) a second arm; c) a first cleaning material; d) a second cleaning material; and e) a handle; wherein said first arm and said second arm extend from said handle; wherein said first cleaning material is disposed on said first arm; wherein said second cleaning material is disposed on said second arm; and wherein said first arm and said second arm extend from said handle at a common point; wherein said first arm has an interior side and an exterior side; wherein said second arm has an interior side and an exterior side; wherein said first cleaning material is disposed on said exterior side of said first arm; and wherein said second cleaning material is disposed on said exterior side of said second arm; wherein said first arm and said second arm extend from said handle at said common point and thereby form a Y shape; wherein said interior side of said first arm faces substantially towards said interior side of said second arm; and wherein said interior side of said second arm faces substantially towards said interior side of said first arm wherein an angle is formed between said interior side of said first arm and said interior side of said second arm; wherein said angle is at minimum 10 degrees; and wherein said angle is at a maximum 100 degrees; wherein said angle formed between said interior side of said first arm and said interior side of said second arm has a bisector; and wherein said bisector runs through said handle; wherein said handle further comprises a bore; and wherein said bore is intersected by said bisector of said angle formed between said interior side of said first arm and said interior side of said second arm; wherein said first arm and said second arm are composed of a material which is capable of flexing without breaking; wherein said first arm has a flexural strength; wherein said second arm has a flexural strength; wherein said handle has a flexural strength; wherein said flexural strength of said handle is greater than said flexural strength of said first arm; and wherein said flexural strength of said handle is greater than said flexural strength of said second arm.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said first cleaning material is a sponge cleaning material; and wherein said second cleaning material is a bristle cleaning material.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said handle has a proximal end and a distal end; wherein said proximal end of said handle is at said common point; wherein said distal end is opposite said proximal end; wherein said flexural strength of said handle varies over the length of said handle; and wherein said flexural strength of said handle is greater at said distal end of said handle than at said proximal end of said handle when measured over a span constituting at least one fourth of the length of said handle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The figures of the drawings are briefly described as follows:

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating an embodiment of a DEVICE FOR AIDING IN BATHING;

(3) FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective thereof;

(4) FIG. 3 is a illustrates a user utilizing the invention as brush; and

(5) FIG. 4 is a illustrates a user utilizing the invention as rubbing sponge.

A MARSHALING OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWINGS

(6) 10 device for aiding in bathing 12 first arm 14 second arm 16 first sponge cleaning material 18 second bristle cleaning material 20 handle 22 common point 24 interior side of first arm 26 exterior side of first arm 28 interior side of second arm 30 exterior side of second arm 32 angle formed between interior side of first arm and interior side of second arm 34 bisector of angle formed between interior side of first arm and interior side of second arm 36 bore of handle 38 proximal end of handle 40 distal end of handle

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(7) Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to FIG. 1, disclosed is a device 10 for aiding in bathing which includes: a) a first arm 12; b) a second arm 14; c) a first cleaning material 16; d) a second cleaning material 18; and e) a handle 20.

(8) The first arm 12 and the second arm 14 extend from the handle 20. The first cleaning material 16 is disposed on the first arm 12. Likewise, the second cleaning material 18 is disposed on the second arm 14. The first arm 12 and the second arm 14 extend from the handle 20 at a common point 22. This structure facilitates using either the first cleaning material 16 or the second cleaning material 18 interchangeably by a user since they both extend from the same point on the handle 20 and therefore both will involve the same basic grip and motion to use.

(9) The first arm 12 has an interior side 24 and an exterior side 26. Likewise, the second arm 14 has an interior side 28 and an exterior side 30. The first cleaning material 16 is disposed on the exterior side 26 of the first arm 12. The second cleaning material 18 is disposed on the exterior side 30 of the second arm 14.

(10) The first arm 12 and the second arm 14 extend from the handle 20 at the common point 22 and thereby form a Y shape. In doing so, the interior side 24 of the first arm 12 faces substantially towards the interior side 28 of the second arm. Likewise, the interior side 28 of the second arm 14 faces substantially towards the interior side 24 of the first arm 12.

(11) In the preferred construction, and as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the first cleaning material 16 is a sponge cleaning material, and the second cleaning material 18 is a bristle cleaning material. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, this permit a user to flip the device to either have a sponge or scrubbing brush for cleaning purposes, especially for cleaning of a person's back.

(12) As most clearly illustrated in FIG. 1, an angle 32 is formed between the interior side 24 of the first arm 12 and the interior side 28 of the second arm 14. The angle 32 is at minimum 10 degrees. The angle is at a maximum 100 degrees. The angle 32 formed between the interior side 24 of the first arm 12 and the interior side 28 of the second arm 14 has a bisector 34. The bisector 34 runs through the handle 14.

(13) This structure facilitates the use of the device as a back cleaner, because the angled structure on both sides causes the device to be properly angled to more easily scrub a user's back without excessive reaching. The range of angles 32 illustrated is that which facilitates such advantage, as an angle 32 less than 10 degrees would provide little advantage in terms of less reaching, and an angle in excess of 100 degrees would involve the handle 20 bumping into a user's shoulder before the first sponge cleaning material 16 or second bristle cleaning material 18 would be in contact with the user's back.

(14) As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle 20 further includes a bore 36. The bore 36 is intersected by the bisector 34 of the angle 32 formed between the interior side 24 of the first arm 12 and the interior side 28 of the second arm 14. The bore being in this position provides an advantage in that hanging the device 10 from a hook or via a string will balance evenly.

(15) In the preferred construction, the first arm 12 and the second arm 14 are composed of a material which is capable of flexing without breaking. Further to this, the first arm 12 has a flexural strength. The second arm 14 has a flexural strength. The handle 20 has a flexural strength (also known as a modulus of rupture, or a bend strength). The flexural strength of the handle 20 is greater than the flexural strength of the first arm 12. The flexural strength of the handle 20 is likewise greater than the flexural strength of the second arm 14.

(16) The handle 20 has a proximal end 38 and a distal end 40. The proximal end 38 of the handle is at the aforementioned common point 22 where the first arm 12 and second arm 14 extend from the handle 20. The distal end 40 is opposite the proximal end 38. The flexural strength of the handle 20 varies over the length of the handle 20. The flexural strength of the handle 20 is greater at the distal end 40 of the handle 20 than at the proximal end 38 of the handle 20 when measured over a span constituting at least one fourth of the length of the handle 20.

(17) This structure of variable flexural strengths assures that the device 10 as a whole flexes when utilized by a user, and in particular that the device 10 flexes more towards the first sponge cleaning material 16 or second bristle cleaning material 18, thus providing a maximum cleaning opportunity to a user and helping the device to conform to the back by flexing to the appropriate relative angle.

(18) It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

(19) While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodiments of DEVICE FOR AIDING IN BATHING, accordingly it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

(20) Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.