U.S. patent application number 11/653966 was filed with the patent office on 2008-07-17 for soap dish with drain arrangement.
Invention is credited to Hung-Yu Li.
Application Number | 20080169208 11/653966 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39616934 |
Filed Date | 2008-07-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080169208 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Li; Hung-Yu |
July 17, 2008 |
Soap dish with drain arrangement
Abstract
A soap dish includes an open first container including parallel
slits on a bottom; and a second container fitted in the first
container and including rows of conic top projections, the rows of
projections being adapted to support a soap bar, and rows of
apertures each row of apertures being disposed between two adjacent
rows of projections. Water stored in the second container is
adapted to flow to the first container by passing the apertures,
water stored in the first container is adapted to carry off through
the slits, and outside air is adapted to reach a bottom of the soap
bar via the slits and the rows of apertures. This can maximize air
flow around the soap bar. In one embodiment, the aperture is shaped
as a funnel. Also, the apexes of the rows of projections are either
flush with each other or shaped as a concave curve.
Inventors: |
Li; Hung-Yu; (Taichung
County, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE, FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
39616934 |
Appl. No.: |
11/653966 |
Filed: |
January 17, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/77.1 ;
220/601 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 5/05 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/77.1 ;
220/601 |
International
Class: |
A47K 5/02 20060101
A47K005/02; B65D 6/40 20060101 B65D006/40 |
Claims
1. A soap dish with drain arrangement comprising: an open first
container including a plurality of parallel slits on a bottom; and
a second container fitted in the first container, the second
container including a plurality of rows of conic projections on a
top, the rows of projections being adapted to support a soap bar,
and a plurality of rows of apertures each row of apertures being
disposed between two adjacent rows of projections, wherein water
stored in the second container is adapted to flow to the first
container by passing the apertures, water stored in the first
container is adapted to carry off through the slits, and outside
air is adapted to reach a bottom of the soap bar via the slits and
the rows of apertures.
2. The soap dish of claim 1, the aperture is shaped as a
funnel.
3. The soap dish of claim 1, wherein the apexes of the rows of
projections are flush with each other.
4. The soap dish of claim 1, wherein the height of the projections
increases from the innermost rows to the outermost rows.
5. The soap dish of claim 1, wherein the second container further
comprises two bottom projecting pads at both sides respectively for
supporting the second container on the first container.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The invention relates to soap dish structures and more
particularly to such a soap dish having a drain arrangement
including cones, apertures, and slits for enabling water stored
therein to carry off through the slits by passing the cones and the
apertures and maximizing air flow around a soap bar held by the
cones.
[0003] 2. Related Art
[0004] There have been numerous prior patents about soap holding
devices. For example, U.S. D137,908 disclosed a soap holder having
a plurality of tapered projections on a top for supporting a soap
bar. In another example, U.S. D312,740 disclosed a soap bar holder
having a plurality of rows of tapered projections for supporting a
soap bar, and a plurality of rows of apertures, wherein water is
adapted to carry off through the rows of apertures by passing the
projections. In yet another example, U.S. D141,011 disclosed a soap
saver having a plurality of rows of protrusions on a top for
supporting a bar, an aperture through the top and a bottom, and a
recessed underside, wherein water is adapted to carry off through
the aperture.
[0005] A conventional soap dish is shown in FIG. 1. A plurality of
apertures are formed on a bottom of the dish such that water stored
in the dish is adapted to carry off through the apertures. However,
the apertures are subject to blockage due to small bores thereof.
Further, it is typical that a soap bar in the dish is partially
melted by water stored therein as illustrated in FIG. 2. Such
condition can be worse if ventilation of the surrounding
environment (e.g., in the kitchen or bathroom) is poor. Also, this
is not hygienic and its appearance is not aesthetic.
[0006] Another conventional soap dish is shown in FIG. 3. The dish
comprises a removable cover 90 including a plurality of parallel
ridges 92 on an inner surface of the cover, and a plurality of
parallel slits 93 each being adjacent the rib 92, the slits 93
adapted to communicate fluid (e.g., air) between the external and
an internal receiving space 91; and a brush assembly 80 formed on a
bottom of the dish, the brush assembly 80 including a plurality of
rows of bristles 81 and a plurality of second slits 82 each being
disposed between two adjacent rows of bristles 81 for communicating
the receiving space 91 with the external. The brush assembly 80 is
adapted to matingly engage with the cover 90 for enclosing a soap
bar held by the bristles 81. However, the bristles 81 are subject
to elastic fatigue after a period of time of use, resulting in a
partial blockage of water flow through the second slits 32.
Further, the soap bar still can be partially melted by water stored
therein if ventilation of the surrounding environment is poor.
Thus, the need for improvement still exists.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a soap dish having a drain arrangement for enabling water
stored therein to carry off completely and maximizing air flow
around a soap bar placed therein.
[0008] To achieve the above and other objects, the present
invention provides a soap dish with drain arrangement comprising an
open first container including a plurality of parallel slits on a
bottom; and a second container fitted in the first container, the
second container including a plurality of rows of conic projections
on a top, the rows of projections being adapted to support a soap
bar, and a plurality of rows of apertures each row of apertures
being disposed between two adjacent rows of projections, wherein
water stored in the second container is adapted to flow to the
first container by passing the apertures, water stored in the first
container is adapted to carry off through the slits, and outside
air is adapted to reach a bottom of the soap bar via the slits and
the rows of apertures.
[0009] In one aspect of the present invention the aperture is
shaped as a funnel.
[0010] In another aspect of the present invention the apexes of the
rows of projections are flush with each other.
[0011] In a further aspect of the present invention the height of
the projections increases from the innermost rows to the outermost
rows.
[0012] In yet further aspect of the present invention the second
container further comprises two bottom projecting pads at both
sides respectively for supporting the second container on the first
container.
[0013] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description taken with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective, partly sectional view of a
conventional soap dish with a soap bar placed therein;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a partially
melted soap bar in the dish;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of another
conventional soap dish;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a perspective, partly sectional view of a
preferred embodiment of soap dish according to the invention;
[0018] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the dish shown in FIG. 4;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically
illustrating a substantially parallelepiped soap bar held by the
second container in the dish shown in FIG. 4 with air passed
apertures of the second container; and
[0020] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically
illustrating a substantially oval soap bar held by the second
container in the dish shown in FIG. 4 with air passed apertures of
the second container according to another preferred embodiment of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, there is shown a soap dish
constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
invention. The dish comprises a large open first container 20
including a plurality of parallel slits 21 through a bottom; and a
removable, rectangular, small second container 10 fitted in the
first container 20, the second container 10 including a frame 11, a
shallow recess 12 confined by the frame 11, a plurality of rows of
cones 13 formed on the recess 12, a plurality of rows of apertures
14 each row of apertures 14 being disposed between two adjacent
rows of cones 13, and two bottom projecting pads 15 at both sides
respectively for supporting the second container 10 on a top of the
first container 20.
[0022] Each aperture 14 is defined by a truncated inverted-cone
shaped top surface 141 and an upright lower channel 142 in
communication with the slits 21. The apexes of all cones 13 are
flush with each other such that a substantially parallelepiped soap
bar 1 shown in dash line can be stably held by the cones 13.
Further, water stored in the second container 10 is adapted to
carry off through the slits 21 by passing the top surfaces 141 and
the channels 142. Furthermore, outside air is adapted to reach the
soap bar 1 via the slits 21, the channels 142, and the top surfaces
141 for drying the soap bar 1.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 7, another preferred embodiment of the
invention is shown. The differences between these two preferred
embodiments, i.e., the characteristics of another preferred
embodiment are detailed below. The aperture 14 is formed without
the truncated inverted-cone shaped top surface 141. The height of
the cones 13 gradually increases from the innermost rows to the
outermost rows (i.e., a slightly curved dash line is formed by
connecting the apexes of the rows of cones 13). As such, a
substantially oval soap bar 1 shown in dash line can be stably held
by the cones 13.
[0024] Note that in still another embodiment (not shown) the second
container 10 can be used independently as a soap dish. In a further
embodiment (not shown) the second container 10 and the first
container 20 are formed integrally. This can increase applications
of the invention. Moreover, water stored in the soap 1 is adapted
to easily drop off due to the provision of cones 13. In addition,
ventilation is made more effective due to the point contacts
between the soap 1 and the cones 13.
[0025] It is to be understood that the present invention is by no
means limited only to the particular constructions herein disclosed
and shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or
equivalents within the scope of the claims.
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