US3184779A - Shaving lather applicator - Google Patents

Description

May 25, 1965 E. A. LLOYD SHAVING LATHER APPLICATOR Filed Dec. 18, 1963 FIG.

FIG. 2

9 KW 0 E T M m. M W W M J 4 M 5% w United States Patent 3,184,779 SHAVING LATHER APPLICATOR Eugene A. Lloyd, 23 Bayside Place, Amityvillc, Long Island, N.Y. Filed Dec. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 331,604 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-538) This invention relates to applicator devices, and more particularly to a device for applying a soapy lather to the skin preparatory to shaving.

It is a general object of the invention to provide such a device which is entirely self-contained, i.e., which includes a container or reservoir holding a lather-producing liquid, and an applicator element for applying the lather to the skin.

It is another object of the invention to provide such an applicator device which is leak-proof so that accidental leakage of the lather-producing liquid from the container is avoided.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shaving lather applicator which substantially reduces the time required to lather-coat the area of skin to be shaved.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a shaving lather applicator having no moving parts and in which the lather producing substance is unpressurized.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide an applicator of the type described above which is thoroughly practical, light in weight, and extremely inexpensive to manufacture.

More specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of a hollow, compressible container body holding the shaving cream, soap or other soapy fluent material. The container has a cup fitted in one end, the cup having one or more apertures in it establishing communication between the interior of the cup and the interior of the container body. A sponge or other absorbent element is seated in the cup and a portion of the sponge projects out of the cup. When the container body is squeezed or compressed between the fingers, the soapy fluent material in it is forced through the apertures into the cup to impregnate, the sponge. Thus, when the lather-saturated sponge is applied to the skin it will apply a soapy lather to the desired area.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through an applicator constructed according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a similar sectional view, showing the sponge impregnated and coated with lather, and showing the closure cap fitted on the rear end of the container body to enable the device to be rested in upright condition on a flat supporting surface.

The applicator chosen to illustrate this invention includes a container body or reservoir 1, preferably composed of a relatively soft and compressible material, such as polyethylene. The container body 1 is of tubular shape and is closed at one end by a rounded integral wall 2. The rounded end 2 is more advantageous than a flat end sincethe rounded end does not interfere with the squeezability of the container in the way that a flat lower wall would. This is important since it is contemplated that the applicator of the present invention, in one of its embodiments, may be made very small so that it can be discarded after one or two usings. Consequently, it is desirable for the container body 1 to be squeezable along its entire length.

The opposite end of the container body 1 is initially open, but becomes closed by the assembly with it of a cup-shaped receptacle 3. The receptacle 3 may be composed of a suitable plastic, and is ararnged with its convex side directed inwardly into the interior of the body 1. The cup 3 is formed with an annular shaped top wall 7 presenting a constricted mouth 6 defined by the inner edge of the wall 7. The outer margin of the wall 7 projects beyond the side wall of the cup 3 and forms a lip 8 which rests upon the open-end edge of the container body 1. The cup 3 may, if desired, be secured to the body 1 by a suitable adhesive.

The body of the cup-shaped receptacle 3 is provided with a plurality of tiny apertures or pin holes 4 through which communication between the interior of the container body 1 and the interior of the cup 3 is established.

An applicator element 10 is located within the cupshaped receptacle 3. The element 10 is preferably a foam plastic sponge, but may consist of any suitable absorbent material. Advantageously, the element is formed of a multicellular material having relatively small interconnecting cells. The central region of the applicator element is tightly compressed within the opening 6 in the top wall 7 of the cup, and the element 10 is thereby securely held against displacement from the cup. Additionally, the cup 3 forms a seat for the element 10 and prevents its being pushed into the container body 1.

Within the container body 1 is a soapy fluent material 5 capable upon agitation of forming a lather suitable for shaving purposes. The holes 4 in the cup 3 are made small enough so that the lather producing material 5 will not flow through them under the influence of gravity when the applicator is held up-side-down with respect to the orientation shown in the drawings. However, should a pressure he applied to the material 5, it will be forced through the holes 4 into the cup 3.

To use the applicator, the cap 9 thereof is removed from the working end of the container body 1 onwhich it is telescopically fitted, as shown in FIG. 1. The container body 1 is then squeezed between the fingers, and the cream, soap or other fluent substance 5 contained within the body, will be forced from the interior of the body through the holes 4 to thereby impregnate the sponge 10. As the material 5 is forced through the holes, foaming will be initiated. Thereafter, as it passes through the interstices foaming continues until a lather is produced on the surface of the sponge as shown at 11 in FIG. 2. Then as the sponge is moved over the surface of the skin the lather on the sponge is transferred to the skin.

When the device is not in use, the applicator end of the device, including the projecting or exposed part of the sponge 10 can be covered by the closure cap 9 as shown in FIG. 1. It will be noted that the cap is provided with a flat top or end wall 12. If, after the skin has been lathered, it is desired to rest the applicator upon a supporting surface, the closure cap 9 can be fitted on the rounded end of the container body 1' as shown in FIG. 2. With the cap 9 in this position, the flat wall 12 thereof permits the applicator to be stood in upright condition.

It will be appreciated that the applicator of the present invention is extremely inexpensive to manufacture, has no moving parts, and need notcontain lather-producing material under pressure. Furthermore, shaving time is substantially reduced since no time is wasted wetting the skin prior to application of lather, or rinsing the hands or a brush of excess lather. 'The invention has been shown and described in preferred form only, and by way of example, and many variations may be made in the invention which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are included in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An applicator for fluent material, comprising a hollow compressible'container body holding the fluent material,

said body being rounded at one end and open at the opposite end, a cup fitted into the open end of said body and extending into said body, the wall of said cup having an aperture which establishes communication between the interior of said body and the interior of said cup, said cup having a constricted mouth defined by an annular flange, a sponge extending through the. mouth and being gripped .by said flange, said sponge being adapted to be impregnated by the fluent material passing through said aperture when squeezing pressure is applied to said body, and a closure cap telescopically fittable upon either end of said body, said cap having a flat end wall and References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,133,309 5/64 Miles 15-565 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 379,075 8/23 Germany.- 390,532 2/24 Germany. 359,799 10/31 Great Britain.

CHARLES, A. WILLMUTH; Primary Examiner.

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