Combination Travel Bag And Recharger For Portable Battery-operated Electric Appliance

Abstract

A travel and tote bag is provided for a portable compact battery-operated electrical appliance, such as an electric douche. The battery in the electric douche is recharged by means of a recharger built into the base portion of the bag. At least the top portion of the bag is formed from a relatively soft substantially pliable opaque material, whereby the electric douche and its accessories, such as a nozzle, a hose, one or more disposable bags, and douche concentrates may be stored within the bag, unobtrusively, and shielded from external view. Access to the bag is provided by suitable means, such as a zippered closure. An electric cord is electrically connected to the recharger, internally of the bag, and is likewise stored within the bag. The electric cord may extend beyond the bag, with the bag being substantially closed, thereby hiding the contents of the bag even during recharging. The entire bag is small, compact and lightweight, attractively styled for the feminine market, and may be conveniently carried about or casually thrown into an overnight travel bag or cosmetic case.

Description

OBJECTS

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combination travel bag and recharger for a battery-operated electrical appliance, such as an electric douche.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a convenient travel bag for the electrical douche disclosed and claimed in the applicant's prior applications, identified as

1. Ser. No. 77,114 filed Oct. 1, 1970 for "Portable Power-Operated Douching Appliance" (now U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,377 issued Apr. 4, 1972)

2. Ser. No. 140,912 filed May 6, 1971 for "Portable Compact Electric Douche".

It is another object of the present invention to provide a travel bag or tote bag for an electric douche which appeals to the feminine market, particularly the younger generation, and which is compact, lightweight, low-cost and attractively styled.

It is a yet another object to provide a travel bag which encloses the electric douche, one or more removable nozzles, a hose, disposable reservoir bags, and douche powders or concentrates, all of which are normally hidden from view.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination travel bag and recharger for an electric douche, showing the manner in which the bag may be conveniently tossed into a lady's overnight travel case;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bag on a bedroom end table, the view showing the cord protruding from the bag during recharging, and further showing how the contents of the bag may be shielded even during recharging;

FIG. 3a is a perspective view of the bag, drawn to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3b is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3a, but showing the bag in its open position with the contents thereof readily available to the user;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the combination travel bag and recharger of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a section, taken along the lines 5--5 of FIG. 4, showing the details of the recharger base; and

FIG. 6 is an alternate embodiment of the present invention, one having a drawstring in lieu of the zipper, and showing the manner in which the bag may be conveniently, but inconspicuously, carried by the owner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIG. 1, the travel bag 10 of the present invention is small and compact, lightweight, and may be casually tossed within a lady's travel case or cosmetic case 11 for convenient storage and portability. The bag 10 is attractively styled, ornamented, and colored in various pastels; hence appeals to the feminine market. The bag constitutes a kit for an electrical appliance, such as the battery-operated electric douche disclosed in the applicant's co-pending applications noted above.

With reference to FIG. 2, an electric cord 12, which is usually stored within the bag, may be passed through a zippered closure 13 on the bag. The bag may be placed on a boudoir table 14, and the cord has a plug received within a receptacle 15. In this manner, the battery in the electric douche may be recharged any place in the home or motel room, not necessarily in the bathroom, yet the lid 16 on the bag is substantially closed to shield the contents of the bag from external view.

With reference to FIGS. 3a and 3b, the bag is substantially cylindrical, and the zipper 13 is preferably wound in a helix around the cylinder, thereby forming a lid 16 and the opening 17, the latter providing access to the interior of the bag. The bag is formed from a relatively-soft substantially pliable opaque material, such as a suitable plastic cloth 18, which may be squeezed or crushed (to an appreciable extent) without harm to the bag or its contents.

With reference again to FIG. 3b, and with further reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the bag has a base portion 19 with a recharger 20 therein. The battery-operated electric douche 21 is supported on the recharger when placed in the bag. Preferably, the recharging means is of the inductive type and comprises a primary coil 22 in the recharger, a secondary coil 23 in the electric douche, and a magnetically permeable coupling stud 24 therebetween. The stud is received within an opening 25 formed in the casing of the electric douche; and in this manner the electric douche is in position for recharging whenever replaced in the bag, while exposed electrical contacts are eliminated. Further details of the operation of the inductively coupling recharging means may be obtained from the applicant's aforementioned application Ser. No. 140,912 filed May 6, 1971, as well as from the Petrides U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,747 issued May 5, 1970.

With reference again to FIG. 4, the top portion 26 of the bag has a pair of spaces or compartments 27 and 28 formed by an interior dividing wall 29. Preferably, but not necessarily, the wall 29 is formed from the same substantially flexible plastic cloth as the bag itself and is sewn or otherwise suitably secured within the bag. The electric douche is received within the compartment 28, while compartment 27 contains the electric cord 12, a nozzle 30 adapted to be removably fitted on to the electric douche, a hose 31, and one or more disposable reservoir bags 32 (shown in a folded-up condition). Also, compartment 27 may contain douche powders or concentrates, the latter provided in ampoule form, as well as any other accessories or paraphernalia useful to the owner. The flexible or "crushable" quality of the bag will enable various accessories or articles to be placed within the bag, more or less, at the discretion of the owner.

With reference to FIG. 6, the bag may be provided with a drawstring 33 (in lieu of the zipper 13) so as to provide a tote bag which may be conveniently carried about by the owner.

The overall effect of the bag, especially as applied to the electric douche, is one of shyness and softness. The bag is intended to be unobtrusive and inconspicuous, personal and demure. These are very important attributes, albeit subjective or psychological, and are fundamental to an appreciation of the large and very fast-growing market for feminine hygiene cosmetics, the so-called "gyna cosmetics" with which the present invention has immediate application and appeal.

Obviously, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced other than has been specifically described herein.

Claims

I claim:

1. A combination travel bag and recharger for a portable battery-operated appliance, comprising a bag formed from a relatively pliable material, the bag having a top portion provided with a zippered closure wound in a substantially helical manner, whereby a hinged cover is formed for the bag, and whereby the contents of the bag are more readily accessible, a recharger within the bag and electrically engageable with the appliance for recharging the same, and an electric cord connected to the recharger, the cord being normally stored within the bag, whereby the cord may extend through the zippered closure while the cover is substantially closed, thereby shielding the contents of the bag from external view while the appliance is being recharged.