Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-01
2001-01-30
Page, Thurman K. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Reexamination Certificate
active
06180115
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bath product that includes a water-permeable bag and naturally-occurring minerals contained within the bag. When the bag containing the minerals is placed in water, elements having therapeutic effects on the human body leach from the minerals through the water-permeable bag.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mineral salts and bath soaps are conventionally provided in granular or liquid form to be poured into bath-water or applied to a face-cloth for use when taking a bath. Such traditional bath additives are used only once and then flushed down the drain after completion of a bath. With conventional bath additives, such as bath salts and bubble-bath solutions, a greater amount of the additives than desired can be accidentally added to the bath water. When this happens, more water must be added to dilute the bath additives, or the water must be drained from the bathtub, thus wasting the water and the bath additives. The addition of too much bath additive is especially problematic with spas or other water receptacles containing a large quantity of water and requiring precise control of additives in the water to avoid bacterial or fungal growth.
Conventional bath additives also do not duplicate nature's way of adding therapeutic elements to natural mineral springs. In nature, the elements are gradually leached from naturally occurring minerals as warm water flows over the minerals. Conventional bath additives generally include many man-made chemicals for purposes such as preserving the freshness of the bath additives and adding scents and colors to the bath additives. Often the potential side effects from continued exposure to such man-made chemicals are not fully understood, and people with sensitive skin may experience reactions to such products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has as an object to provide an aesthetically pleasing and economical means of bringing naturally occurring minerals and the therapeutic elements they contain into contact with water used for bathing.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a bath product that can be reused, and that provides an attractive compliment to the decor of any bathroom or spa.
Yet another object of the invention is to duplicate nature's way of slowly leaching desirable elements with therapeutic effects from naturally occurring minerals that come into contact with warm water.
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises a mineral bath kit having naturally occurring minerals mined from the earth provided in a kit in combination with a decorative, water-permeable bag. The kit also includes a hanger that can be used to suspend the bag when it is filled with the minerals in contact with warm water in a bath or spa, or that can be used to hang the bag for drying after use.
The invention further includes the water-permeable bag having a loop connected to the bag, with the hanger being in the form of a hook connected to a suction cup or other temporary or permanent means for suspending the water-permeable bag over a water receptacle.
In one preferred embodiment, a water-permeable bag is provided with a loop connected to an outer surface of the bag, and the bag has an opening through which the minerals can be inserted into the bag. The opening to the bag can be closed after minerals are placed within the bag using hook-and-loop-type closures, such as the product sold under the trademark VELCRO, or rib-and-trough-type closures, such as the product sold under the trademark ZIPLOC.
In another preferred embodiment, the kit including the minerals, the water-permeable bag, and the means for hanging the bag can be provided in combination with a decorative carrying case. The decorative carrying case can take various forms such as a wooden box that is divided into various internal compartments, an obelisk-shaped container, a chest-shaped container, a woven basket with a lid, or other decorative receptacles designed to contain the various components of the bath kit in an attractive arrangement.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3594956 (1971-07-01), Conover
patent: 4659495 (1987-04-01), Figliola
patent: 4943066 (1990-07-01), Lathim et al.
patent: 5092682 (1992-03-01), Fenick
patent: 5333758 (1994-08-01), Jamison et al.
patent: 5609419 (1997-03-01), Byers, Jr.
patent: 5709479 (1998-01-01), Bell
patent: 5762648 (1998-06-01), Yeazell
Conrard Laurel Jean
Yoder Glynda Annette
George Konata M.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Page Thurman K.
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