Soap holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11944245-B2
Application number	US-202117344324-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2021
Priority date	Jun 10, 2021
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A soap holder has a base and a hollow pedestal upwardly extending from the base to a top end, at which is formed an upper limit or locus. The locus receives a bar of soap. At least one air hole is formed to communicate to the pedestal interior and to be disposed below the top end. Since almost all of the exterior surface of the soap bar is exposed to ambient air, the soap bar dries without creating a goopy mess. Curved surfaces of the soap holder aid in its cleaning.

First claim

We claim:

1. A soap holder for holding a bar of soap, the soap holder comprising:
a base having a general top surface, the general top surface of the base having a length and a width;
a hollow pedestal upwardly extending from the general top surface of the base and formed around a vertical axis, the length and width of the general top surface of the base being orthogonal to the vertical axis and to each other, an outer surface of the pedestal being curved around the axis, an inner surface of the pedestal being curved around the axis and defining a pedestal interior, the outer surface of the pedestal and the inner surface of the pedestal defining a pedestal wall therebetween,
the pedestal wall having a top end upwardly displaced from the general top surface of the base, the outer surface of the pedestal wall and the inner surface of the pedestal wall meeting at the top end in an upwardly convexly curved transition that is also curved around the axis, a maximum length of the top end taken in a horizontal direction being smaller than the smaller of the length and width of the general top surface of the base;
the outer surface of the pedestal making a junction with the general top surface of the base, the junction being an upwardly concave curved transition with a minimum upward curve radius of at least 0.25 inch, the concave curved transition also being curved around the axis; and
at least one air hole disposed below the top end of the pedestal and communicating to the pedestal interior so as to admit air into the pedestal interior.

2. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the pedestal and the inner surface of the pedestal are formed as surfaces of rotation around the vertical axis.

3. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein the maximum length of the top end falls within a range of about 1 to about 2 inches.

4. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein a greater of the length and width of the general top surface of the base falls within a range of about 4.5 to about 6 inches.

5. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein the base has a bottom surface downwardly displaced from the general top surface of the base, the base having an outer margin, at least three feet downwardly extending from the bottom surface of the base and displaced from each other and from the vertical axis, each foot located near the outer margin of the base, each foot terminating in a lower end which is downwardly convex or which approximates a point, so as to present substantially a single-line or single-point locus of contact to a holder support surface.

6. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein the interior of the pedestal has a closed bottom, the at least one air hole being made through the pedestal wall.

7. The soap holder of claim 6 , wherein the at least one air hole is a slot that downwardly extends from the top end of the pedestal, the slot having a width orthogonal to the vertical axis that is at least ½ inch.

8. The soap holder of claim 7 , wherein the slot has a lower end, the lower end of the slot formed as an upwardly concave curve.

9. The soap holder of claim 6 , wherein the at least one air hole is one of a plurality of spaced-apart air holes made through the wall of the pedestal.

10. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein the pedestal has an upwardly concavely curved bottom, an upper surface of the bottom being continuous with the inner surface of the pedestal.

11. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein the pedestal has a bottom with an upwardly convexly curved surface and wherein the at least one air hole is a slot, a bottom of the slot monotonically transitioning from the convexly curved surface of the bottom to the general top surface of the base.

12. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein the base has an outer margin, a lip formed at the outer margin of the base, the lip upwardly extending from the general top surface of the base.

13. The soap holder of claim 12 , wherein a maximum length of the at least one airhole, taken in a direction orthogonal to the vertical axis, is at least as great as the maximum length of the top end of the pedestal.

14. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein the interior of the pedestal has a bottom, the at least one airhole formed through the bottom of the pedestal.

15. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein a maximum length of the at least one air hole has a width orthogonal to the vertical axis of at least ¾ inch.

16. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein the general top surface of the base is upwardly convex so as to shed soap, water and other particulate matter.

17. The soap holder of claim 1 , wherein a distance in a vertical direction from the top end of the pedestal to the general top surface of the base is at least about % inch.

18. A soap holder for holding a bar of soap, the soap holder comprising:
a base having a general top surface, the general top surface of the base having a length, a width and an area, the general top surface being upwardly convex so as to shed particles of soap, water and other particulate matter;
a hollow pedestal upwardly extending from the general top surface of the base and formed around a vertical axis, the length and width of the general top surface of the base being orthogonal to the vertical axis, an outer surface of the pedestal being curved around the axis, an inner surface of the pedestal being curved around the axis and defining a pedestal interior, the outer surface of the pedestal and the inner surface of the pedestal defining a pedestal wall therebetween;
the pedestal wall having a top end displaced from the general top surface of the base, the outer surface of the pedestal wall and the inner surface of the pedestal wall meeting at the top end in an upwardly convexly curved transition which also curves around the axis, a maximum length of the top end taken in a direction orthogonal to the axis being smaller than the length or width of the general top surface of the base;
the outer surface of the pedestal making a junction with the general top surface of the base, the junction being an upwardly concave curved transition with a minimum curve radius of at least 0.25 inch, the concave curved transition also curved around the axis; and
the base having a bottom surface, at least three feet of the holder downwardly extending from the bottom surface of the base so as to elevate the bottom surface of the base above a support surface, a bottom of the pedestal having at least one airhole therethrough so as to admit air into the pedestal interior.

19. The soap holder of claim 18 , wherein each of the feet has a bottom end that is downwardly convex or approximates a point, so as to present a substantially single-line or single-point locus of contact to the support surface.

20. A soap holder for holding a bar of soap, the soap holder comprising:
a base having a general top surface, the general top surface of the base having a length, a width and an area, the base having an outer margin, a peripheral lip of the base disposed at the outer margin and extending upwardly from the general top surface of the base;
a hollow pedestal upwardly extending from the general top surface of the base and formed around a vertical axis, the length and width of the general top surface of the base being orthogonal to the vertical axis, an outer surface of the pedestal being curved around the axis, an inner surface of the pedestal being curved around the axis and defining a pedestal interior, the outer surface of the pedestal and the inner surface of the pedestal defining a pedestal wall therebetwee

Assignees

• Macneil Ip Llc

Inventors

• Macneil David F
• Iverson David S

Classifications

• A47K5/05 Primary

  having fixing devices for cakes of soap, e.g. clamps, pins, magnets · CPC title

• A47K5/02 Primary

  Soap boxes or receptacles · CPC title