Buoyant soap support

Abstract

 In order to avoid the problem of soap dropped into bath water, a buoyant soap support has a buoyancy chamber (4) defined between a domed upper wall (3) and a lower wall (2) formed with teeth (9) and a hollow projection (11) capable of being embedded in a bar of soap.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a soap support comprising a body within which is defined an air chamber of sufficient volume to render buoyant a bar of soap.

[0002] A problem which arises, particularly when bathing small children, is that a bar of soap may be dropped into the ' bath water and disappear from view. British patent specification No 1 041 667 proposes that a bar of soap should be attached to a waisted handle to make the soap easier to handle. The handle may be hollow so that it provides the soap with sufficient buoyancy to keep the soap afloat in the event that it is dropped into water. However, the handle is of relatively complex shape which makes it difficult to manufacture and to use when bathing. Buoyant soap supports are also known from British patent specifications Nos 256 512 and 692 189 which are intended to support soap while floating in the bath but from which the soap must be removed in order for it to be used. These soap supports, therefore, do not solve the problem of providing a soap support which is convenient to use and which will prevent the disappearance of the soap into the bath water.

[0003] The present invention therefore has for its object the provision of a soap support which may be permanently attached to a bar of soap in order to render it buoyant and which is of such a design that it does not interfere with the use of the soap in the normal way during bathing.

[0004] Accordingly, a buoyant soap support is characterised by a lower wall shaped to conform to the surface of the bar of soap, teeth or other formations projecting from the lower wall and a generally domed upper wall defining with the lower wall the air chamber.

[0005] In the drawings :

Figure 1 is a side view showing one embodiment of the soap support attached to a bar of soap,

Figure 2 is an underneath plan view of the soap support shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III in Figure 2,

Figure 3A is a section similar to Figure 3 but through a modified construction.

Figure 3B is perspective detail of Figure 3A

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the soap support shown in Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the soap support shown in Figure 1,

Figure 6 is side view of a modified soap support,

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the soap support shown in Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a section similar to Figure 3 through a second embodiment,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of an air sachet,

Figure 10 shows the air sachet moulded into a bar of soap, and

Figure 11 is a part section through an inherently buoyant bar of soap.

[0006] Referring to figures 1 to 5, a bar of soap S may be kept afloat when dropped into the bath water by a support formed from rigid plastics and indicated at 1. The support has a bottom part comprising a generally planar lower wall 2 surmounted by a top part comprising a dome-shaped upper wall 3. A buoyancy chamber 4 is defined between the two walls and is of sufficient volume to provide the desired amount of uplift. The lower wall is moulded separately from the upper wall and is fitted into a groove 5 in the-rim of the upper wall. An integral spigot 10 of hexagonal cross-section projecting from the inner side of the lower wall receives tightly a cylindrical spigot 12 projecting from the inner side of the upper wall to hold the two parts together. If desired, two parts may be welded together. In the vicinity of its edge, the lower wall has a row of downwardly projecting teeth, spikes or other formations 9 interconnected by webs 13 so as to form a continuous wall capable of becoming embedded into the soap. At its centre, the underside of the lower wall has an integral tubular projection 11 with a sharp edge adapted to bury itself in the soap.

[0007] With the support 1 attached to the soap by the combined effect of the projection 10 and spikes 9 and webs 13, the soap is prevented from sinking and floats slightly below the surface of the water W with the support above it. A degree of suction is produced between the soap and the interior of the projection 11 and the space formed within the wall constituted by the spikes 9 and webs 13 and tends to hold the support to the soap.

[0008] As shown in Figure 5, the upper surface of the support may be printed or embossed with a design. Alternatively, the upper wall of the support may be moulded to a particular shape, for example, that of a flower or that of the face or body of an animal or a cartoon character as depicted in figures 6 and 7. The generally domed shape of the support allows it to fit easily within the hand even when shaped in this way. Instead.of being planar, the underside of the soap support may be dished so as to conform to the shapes of certain soaps. Likewise, instead of being oval, the holder may be circular, square or of some other shape. In the modification shown in Figures 3A and 3B, groove 5 is underct, projection 11 is split at circumferentially spaced locations,11a and spigot 12 is omitted. Lugs 5a at spaced intervals around the periphery of the upper wall help locate the lower wall. As shown in Figure 3A, a soap box 20 may be provided to support this, or any other construction of soap support- - disclosed herein and to house soap attached to it. The wall of-the soap box is rebated to interfit with a projecting portion of the upper wall as shown. The support may have a length of about 5.75 cm, a width of 3.75cm, and a maximum thickness of 1.75cm. The teeth may be 0.3cm in length, and the tubular projection 1.25cm. in length. As shown in Figure 8, the buoyancy chamber 4 may be completely closed, by forming the upper and lower walls integral with each other, and teeth 9 provided on a rim portion 12 of lower wall 2 projecting beyond the upper wall, there being no central projection. Alternatively, the teeth may be omitted altogether and the rim turned down so that it bites into the soap. In a modification, not illustrated, the lower wall 2 is reduced to a narrow peripheral portion including the rim 12 and the interior of the domed wall 3 is entirely open to the underside of the support, such a modification relying upon the bar of soap to cooperate to form the buoyancy chamber.

[0009] It will be appreciated that it falls within the scope of the invention for there to be two or more separate buoyancy chambers and for the support to be. incorporated into a bar of novelty soap during manufacture of the latter. It is also possible as shown in Figure 10 for a bar of soap to be moulded on a plane, hollow plastics bulb such as the sachet 14 shown in Figure 9 which is formed by sealing a tube of film so as to form a buoyancy chamber within the soap, but which is obscured from view. In a modification of this embodiment, shown in Figure 11, the bar of soap is formed with a plurality of air bubbles. to provide the desired amount of buoyancy.

[0010] The soap support of the present invention is not intended to float continuously when in use but only when the soap is allowed to fall into the water when bathing. In the floating condition, the support of the present invention floats with the soap beneath it. As the upper wall of the present support may therefore have printed or embossed thereon a design which is plainly visible when the support is floating. The invention is, therefore, especially adapted to display advertising material.

Claims

1. A buoyant soap support comprising a body within which is defined an air chamber of sufficient volume to render buoyant a bar of soap, characterised by a lower wall (2) shaped to conform to the surface of the bar of soap, teeth or other formations (9) projecting from the lower wall, and a generally domed upper wall (3) defining with the lower wall, the air chamber (4).

2. A soap support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower wall has an integral, hollow projection capable of being embedded in the soap.

3. A soap support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower wall (2) is separate from,and is fitted to, the upper wall (3).

4. A soap support as claimed in claim 2, wherein spigots (10,12) projecting internally from the two walls interlock.

5. A soap support as claimed in claim 2, wherein the teeth (9) are arranged in a row adjacent the edge of the wall and encircling the hollow projection.

6. A soap support as claimed in claim 4, wherein the space within the interlocking spigots (10,12) opens into the hollow projection capable of being embedded in the soap.

7. A soap support as claimed in claim 2, including a spigot (10) projecting from the lower wall into the air chamber in axial alignment with the hollow projection.

8. A soap support as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hollow projection has slits (11a),

9. A soap support as c laimed in claim 1, including lugs (5a) projecting inwardly from the upper wall.

10. A soap support as claimed in claim 1, in combination with a box (20) shaped to carry the spigot and accomodate soap supported thereby.

Drawing