Soap Holder

The present application claims priority from Australian provisional patent application no. 2022901463, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates generally to a soap holder, and in particular, to a soap holder for containing soap is a state that conserves soap and minimises unwanted breakdown of soap.

Soap has been used as a cleaning and/or moisturising product since ancient times. Soaps generally comprise a mixture of fat/oil, water and an alkali or basic salt, and are generally provided in a bar or “cake” form for use. When used as a cleaning product, the bar of cake of soap is typically rubbed in the user's hands or against the user's skin to form a lather. The soap molecules forming the lather function as a type of surfactant that bind with water and oil molecules to remove grease, dirt and germs that may be present on the user's skin.

Many individuals, especially those with sensitive skin or skin conditions, may have an adverse reaction with conventional soaps. For this purpose medicated soaps have been developed that contain ingredients that can provide a medicinal effect and may include essential oils and other ingredients that are less reactive with the skin. Such soaps may be medicated to be effective against acne or eczema and may considerably softer than conventional all-purpose soaps.

As such, medicated soaps typically break down more easily in the presence of water to act more gently on the effected skin surface. Such that a lather can be simply created in the absence of friction. Due to their configuration, medicated soaps are often more expensive than conventional soaps and generally require more care in storage than conventional soaps due to their ability to break down more effectively in the presence of water. Thus, such soaps typically require storage in a dry area when not in use as they will tend to breakdown when exposed to water. Therefore, placing such soaps in conventional soap dishes or on the edge of a basin when not being used may cause the soaps to breakdown, especially if the soap dish or basin is exposed to water and the soap is suspended in the water.

Furthermore, by storing soap in used or contaminated water, unhygienic conditions can result.

Thus, there is a need to provide a soap holder that can be used to support the soap in a manner that is located above any potential water source to minimise premature breakdown of the soap and which enables any accumulated water to drain away.

The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided a soap holder comprising:

In one embodiment, the holder member may be removably supported by the tray member.

In another embodiment, the holder member may be formed integral with the tray member.

The holder member may comprise at least three arms extending in an upwardly angular manner from the central point and the bar of soap is supported in each of the upper surface of the arms. In a preferred form, the holder member may comprise four arms extending in an upwardly angular manner from the central point with each arm equispaced from each other arm to support the bar of soap on an upper surface thereof.

The tray member may have a plurality of grooves formed in the internal walls thereof to receive the arms of the holder member to secure the holder member in position within the tray member.

The soap holder may further comprise a container member upon which the tray member is mounted.

In one form, the container member may comprise a rectangular prism having an open top onto which the tray member may be mounted such that the holder member is able to receive the bar of soap during use. The container member may receive water exiting the egress hole of the tray member and retain the water therein during use of the soap.

In another form, the container member may comprise a rectangular prism having an open top onto which the tray member may be mounted such that the tray member is inverted to form a lid for the container member to store the bar of soap when not in use. In this form, when the tray member is inverted to form the lid for the container member, the tray member may substantially prevent water from entering the container member and contacting the bar of soap contained therein.

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

The present invention will be described below in relation to its ability to hold and/or support a bar or cake of soap having a traditional rectangular body shape or a disc shape. However, it will be appreciated that the soap holder of the present invention could be equally adapted to hold and/or support a variety of different shaped soaps of varying sizes, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Referring to, a soap holderdepicted in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is depicted in a first orientation. The soap holdercomprises a body having a first portioncomprising a pair of end armsand a pair of side armsthat project in an outward and vertical manner. The arms,each project from a central area that forms a baseof the soap holder.

The arms,define an open structure formed therebetween for receiving a bar of soapin the manner as depicted in. In this arrangement, each of the arms,have an exposed surfacethat supports an edge of the bar of soap, when the bar of soapis positioned thereon. The soapis then supported above the baseof the soap holder and any surface upon which the soap holderis supported. In the embodiment as depicted, there are four arms,; however, the number of arms may vary together with the spacing between arms and the angle of slope of the exposed surfaceswith respect to the horizontal plane.

In the arrangement as shown inand, the first portionis supported on the support surface, by way of a second portion. The second portioncomprises a plurality of projectionsthat project from the basein a direction opposite to the arms,. The projectionsact to support the soap holderon the support surface such that the soap holderis elevated above the support surface. In the embodiment as depicted, there are four (4) projections; however, the number of projectionsmay vary.

A central holeis formed in baseso as to extend through the central region of the soap holder. The holefunctions as a drainage port as well as a means for attaching the soap holderwithin a conventional soap dish fixturethat may be mounted to a wallof a shower or basin, as depicted in. In this regard, the soap holdercan be readily mounted to an existing fixtureby passing a boltthrough the holeand the drainage hole of the fixtureand securing it in place with a nut or the like. In this manner, the soap holdercan be retrofitted to an existing soap dishto provide a means for holding the soap above the soap dish, which typically fills with water during normal use as the drainage hole clogs with soap particles and residue.

As is shown in, due to the configuration of the arms,of the soap holder, the soapis maintained in an elevated position, above the support surface. As the soapbecomes consumed during use, it will diminish in size as shown inas soap′. Due to the angular aspect of the surfaces of the arms, as the soap′ diminishes in size, it will continue to be supported in an elevated manner by the arms,until it completely dissolves. By using the soap holder, the soapis elevated above any water collection point so as to maximise the useful life of the soap.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention as depicted inand, the soap holderan be used in a second orientation. In this orientation, the soap holder is shown in a position that is flipped 180° to that shown in. In this orientation the arms,extend from the baseto the support surfaceto support the basein an elevated position. The projectionsthen function to provide a surface for receiving the soapsuch that it is retained in the elevated position as shown in. As the ends of the projectionsare close together, the projectionsform a support surface for the soapthat does not collect water such that the soap is not retained in a pool of water where it may prematurely dissolve.

When the soap holderis in this orientation, it can also be mounted to an existing soap dish fixturethat may be mounted to a wallof a shower or basin, as depicted in. In this regard, the soap holderis mounted to the existing fixtureby passing a boltthrough the holeand the drainage hole of the fixtureand securing it in place with a nut or the like. In this manner, the soap holdercan be retrofitted to an existing soap dishto provide a means for holding the soap above the soap dish, which typically fills with water during normal use as the drainage hole clogs with soap particles and residue.

A variation of the soap holderofis shown inas reference numeral. In this embodiment, soap holdercomprises a plurality of equi-spaced armsthat of substantially the same configuration and which extend in an upwardly angular manner from a common point or source. The common point or sourcedefines a substantially flat surface upon which the soap holdercan be position upon a support surface for use.

Each of the armshave an upper surfacefor supporting a cake of soapin the manner as depicted in. Due to the angular configuration of the arms, the edges of the soapare able to be supported by the upper surfacesof the armsin an elevated position above a support surface, even as the soap diminishes in size through use. This ensures that the soap is maintained above any surface water that may collect on the support surface supporting the soap holder to avoid any contamination of the soap or further unwanted dissolution of the soap. As is shown in, the soap holdercan be configured to be mounted within container.

As is clearly shown in, the soap holdercan be affixed to an L-shaped bracket. To secure the soap holder in position for use, the L-shaped bracketcan be attached to a vertical wall by way of a suction cupor a screw or similar mechanical fastener (not shown). Such a mounting system enables the soap holderto be used in a shower environment. Alternatively, the L-shaped bracket can be secured to a horizontal surface in a similar manner for use in association with a basin or vanity.

Yet another embodiment of a soap holder of the present invention is depicted inas reference numeral. In this embodiment, the soap holderis configured for use in a vertical position or where horizontal space is limited. The soap holdercomprises a pair of upper armsthat project laterally and in a forward direction. The front surfaceof the armsis substantially flat to receive the body of the soap, as is depicted in.

A pair of leg membersproject from the upper armsat a central region thereof and extend in a divergent manner. The leg membershave foot projectionsextending in an outward manner, from a distal end thereof. The foot projectionsproject in an upwardly angled manner to provide a ledge upon which the soapis supported in the manner as shown in. It will be appreciated that the soap holdersupports the soapin an elevated manner above a support surface such that the soapis not exposed to any moisture that may pool.

As is shown in, the soap holdermay be mounted to an L-bracketto facilitate attachment to a wall or vertical surface by way of a suction cup, or any other suitable mechanical fastener. Equally the horizontal portion of the L-bracketmay be secured to a horizontal surface as required.

The soap holders of the present invention may be used in combination with a tray or container configured to cooperate with the soap holder to retain the soap in a dry location when not in use. The manner in which this is achieved will be described in more detail below.

Another embodiment of a soap holderin accordance with the present invention is depicted in. In this embodiment, the soap holder comprises two parts: a tray, and an insertthat is to be inserted into the tray.

The trayis in the form of a conventional open rectangular container commonly used to store soap. The insertis shown in isolation inand comprises a pair of planar wing membersthat are arranged in an orthogonal manner as shown. An upward facing edgeof the wing membersis configured to extend in an angular manner in a downward direction from a distal endto a common central cross-over region.

The insertis positioned within the traysuch that the distal endis positioned about the upper periphery of the trayas is shown in. In this position the distal ends of each of the wing membersare able to support a bar of soapthereon such that the soapis elevated above the tray. Due to the graduated angular nature of the upward facing edgesof the wing members, as the soapis consumed and becomes smaller, the wing membersstill support the soapin the elevated position away from any water that may collect in the tray.

It will be appreciated that whilst the insertis shown as being separate to the tray, the insert could be formed integral with the trayto form a single piece. Both the insertand the soap holdercan be used by itself, or in combination with some additional elements such as a drip tray, water catchment container and wall attachment. In one embodiment, the soap holderhay have a suction cup or similar attachment means mounted thereto for securement to a wall of a shower or the like. Such an attachment means may be detachable or permanently affixed to the soap holder.

In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides for a drip traythat may be used with a soap holderas described above in relation to. An embodiment of such a drip trayis depicted in.

The drip traycomprises a body having an upper rimhaving notchesformed therein for receiving the soap holder. The body of the drip traycomprises four wallsthat project from an underside of the rimin a downward manner to meet at a flat base portionas is depicted more clearly in. The base portionhas a plurality of drain holesformed therein to facilitate drainage of any water or fluid present in the drip tray. One or more plugs (not shown) may be provided to close off the drain holesto prevent water drainage from the tray, when required. This can allow the drip trayto be positioned over a basin or the like for controlled release of water into the basin from the tray. This can ensure that the traywill not leak or release water when positioned on a surface that has no drainage facilities.

A plurality of groovesare provided in the surface of the walls,that extend from the notchestowards the base portion. In the embodiment as depicted, there are four groovesthat are arranged to extend orthogonally from the base portion. It will be appreciated that the number of groovesand their orientation will depend upon the type of soap holder that is to be used with the drip tray. It will be appreciated that the rimof the drip traycould take any variety of shapes, such as circular, square or a combination of both as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

anddepict the soap holderin use with the drip tray. As is shown, the soap holderis securely received within the groovesand the notchesof the drip traywith the flat central portion of the soap holder received on the base portion. In this arrangement as is shown in, a cake of soapcan be placed on the soap holder, to be supported thereon. Any water present on the soapwill drain from the soap and travel along the walls,of the drip traytowards the drain holesand out of the system. It will be appreciated that whilst the soap holderand the drip trayare shown as separate pieces, in an alternative embodiment the soap holderand the drip traycould be formed as an integral piece.

As is shown in, the combined soap holderand drip traycould be mounted within a containerto collect water dripping from the soap when used on a benchtop. The combined soap holderand drip traycan also be used as a lid for the containerfor storing and transporting soap. This can be achieved by rotating or flipping the soap holderand drip traycombination as shown inandthrough 180°. In this position, the soap holderand drip trayform a lid that can function to substantially prevent water from entering the containerduring use, and for securely storing the soap when not in use. In such a configuration, the containermay have one or more drainage holes (not shown) formed therein to facilitate release of the water from the containerfollowing use. A plug may be used to close the one or more drainage holes such that following use, the containercan be simply positioned above a basin to selectively release the water therefrom into the basin. This can ensure that the soap stored therein is retained in a substantially dry environment to maintain the integrity of the soap contained therein. It will be appreciated that the shape of the containercould vary to accommodate a variety of different shaped soap holder and drip tray combinations.

The containerand drip traycan be configured to have a hidden or concealed drainage so as to be self-draining to drain any water or fluid present into a basin or the like. In this regard, the bottom surface of the containermay be configured to have an uneven or angled floorthat directs water to holeformed therein. The holemay be positioned along an edge of the container, as shown in, or in a corner of the floorof the container. The holemay be closed by a plug (not shown) such that a user can control when the water is released from the containerto prevent unwanted leakage of the containerwhen used.

Another embodiment of the present invention is depicted in. In this embodiment, a mounting bracketis configured to be fastened to a wall to support the soap for use. The mounting bracketmay be attached to a wall or the like by a mechanical fastening means such as a screw or suction cup. The mounting brackethas a horizontal support having angled walls for receiving the soap and allowing any water to be directed away from the soap and into a basin or the like. The mounting bracketcan be used in isolation or may be used in combination with a drip traysuch as that shown in.

It will be appreciated that the soap holding systems of the present invention are able to perform in a variety of applications, such as, in a vertical/horizontal placement, a shower wall or on a bench top. Conventional soap dishes are typically used on the bench, however they do not function as effectively in a shower, as they are not able to be mounted to the shower wall. This results in water collecting in the soap trays, which keeps the soap wet and ruins the integrity of the soap. Similarly, soap holders that are dedicated for use in the shower, are not configured to be placed on a counter as they tend to be bulky and there is no mechanism to capture the water flowing through.

The arrangements of the present invention can be readily used on a counter in combination with the container/drip tray to catch any dripping water. Such arrangements have the versatility to be used mounted on a wall in the shower whilst keeping the soap dry, and can be transported easily between a variety of wet areas for use. The arrangement of the present invention also converts into a storage container for storage of the soap when no in use.

The present invention is configured to keep soap dry in use, due to the manner in which the soap is supported by the edges of the supporting arms of the soap holder. The soap is supported by the arms of the soap holder in a manner that provides minimal contact of the soap bar with the soap holder. The soap bar is merely held by the edges of the holder. Such minimal surface area contact between the soap and the soap holder minimises the likelihood of water pooling about the soap and the soap's integrity becoming compromised.

Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in a particular orientation, typically with the soap holder uppermost.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.