Other Classes:
15/160, 15/210.100, 15/244.100, 4/606
Field of Search:
15/21R,29R,208,16R,118,110,244A,244CH,244B,187,188,231 4/158,184 128/67
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to back cleaning and massaging devices for detachably mounting on the walls of a shower stall, and more particularly one of a particular geometrical configuration which is positionable for cleaning and massaging a given part of the user's back and repositionable for cleaning and massaging a different portion of his back.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
It is particularly desirable to cleanse and massage one's back when taking a bath or shower. In hotels, motels, inns and in the privacy of one's home, it is desirable to provide individual towels, pads and the like for bathing purposes. Still, it is further desirable to provide reusable, washable back cleaning and massaging devices which may be readily cleaned.
One of the problems of the prior art was to provide such a back cleaning device which is effective for cleaning and massaging the shoulder area as well as the small of the back and hip area with the same device with little or no inconvenience to the user.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
There has been considerable interest over the years in back cleaning and massaging devices since this area of the body is hard to reach, particularly by the old, the invalid, those overweight and others. It is difficult to clean one's back even by the dextrous who are supple in the manipulation of their arms. Those known structures, even though detachably applied to the tub and shower stall, lacked the geometrical configuration which lends itself to cleaning equally well the shoulder area as well as the small of the back and hip area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, it is the general purpose of this invention to provide a reusable, replaceable appealing back cleaning and massaging device of a particular configuration for use particularly in shower stalls, although not limited thereto, which is readily mounted on a shower stall wall and quickly repositioned for cleaning and massaging various areas of the back.
It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a novel device for cleaning and massaging a person's back.
Another object of this invention is to provide a cleaning and massaging device of a particular geometrical configuration which is repositionable on a shower stall to easily and effectively cleanse and massage different areas of a user's back.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved cleaning device for a user's back which is easily cleaned after each use or disposable at very little cost.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a T-shaped cleaning and massaging device which is positioned in a given position for cleaning and massaging the shoulders and then rotated 180 degrees fr cleaning and massaging equally well the hips of a user.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a back cleaning device which holds soap and water solution for the proper cleaning of a user's back.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a back cleaning device of a towel like material detachably mounted on a shower stall wall which is inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction and simple in design.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The present invention may be more readily described by reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a shower stall having mounted on one of its walls the novel back cleaning and massaging device disclosed;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a right end view of the device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a back view of the device shown in FIG. 2; and
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a modification of the back cleaning and massaging device shown in FIGS. 1-4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference, FIG. 1 discloses one embodiment of a back cleaning and massaging device 10 mounted on a wall 11 of a shower stall 12. Although device 10 is readily positionable on any surface, it is shown mounted in the shower stall in a position to be readily sprayed by the shower fixture head 13.
The back cleaning and massaging device 10 comprises a support surface 14 which may be a pad of solid rubber or other suitable flexible material such as cotton forming the backing of a towel. To the front of surface 14 is attached washing and massaging material 15 which in the form shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a layer of toweling tufts suitably attached to support member or surface 14. In other words, device 10 may comprise a toweling material having its tufting material suitably formed for receiving and holding moisture and soap in order to massage and clean the back of a user.
Although support surface 14 and the massaging material 15 may comprise toweling material, this device may be formed of a layer of rubber forming the support surface 14 having a layer of rubber sponge material attached thereto for absorbing and holding soap and water.
To the back of the supporting surface 14 is suitably attached a plurality of rubber suction cups 16 which detachably mount device 10 on the shower wall 11. The suction cups not only detachably mount device 10 on the shower wall but also provide the means for spreading out and holding device 10 in its pre-cut form. This is particularly desirable when the device is formed of a toweling material which will not hold a particular geometrical configuration unless it is stretched out and held in that position.
As shown in the drawing, the cleaning and massaging device is formed of a toweling material of a T-shaped configuration having closely spaced tufts 17, the surface and body of which hold water and soap to be applied to the body of a user while working and massaging the body. Since device 10 is of a T-shaped configuration it can be readily mounted on a shower wall with the cross arm 18 of the T-shaped configuration extending above its leg 19 in a position to readily wash and massage the shoulders of the user. In this position the leg 19 of the device will cover, wash and massage the spinal area of the user.
In order to wash and massage the hip area of the user, the user merely removes the device from the shower wall, rotates it 180°, and then spreads the device out and presses the suction cups to the shower wall. The device, of course, is replaced on a lower portion of the shower wall to readily engage the user's hips for the hip cleaning and massaging action.
Thus, a device has been provided which may be of a toweling material that is readily reused by merely washing as with any used toweling material and reused over and over again. If desirable, the toweling may have a backing support surface formed of heavy toweling material or the support surface may be formed of a plastic or rubber or any other suitable flexible material. If desired, the tufts may be formed of a rubber or plastic material. Foam rubber has been found satisfactory for replacing tufts 18, but is not as easily cleansed.
It is particularly desirable in public use of the disclosed device to use a material which is eadily washable, such as toweling material, so that the user in motels, hotels, inns and the like feels and knows that the device is clean; otherwise he may ignore it and forego its benefits.
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a modification of the cleaning and massaging device 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4 wherein the support member 15 and the tufts are formed of a foam rubber material.
Although but a few embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.