DEVICE FOR PERSONAL HYGIENE

The present invention can provide an apparatus for body care Iss, characterized in that it comprises a body having;

an insert to be me connected r water supply source, the tip communicating with two channels connected to a cavity in the body and the other to an expansion cHmbre also provided in the body, in that the expansion chamber ch contains a soap container removable at least a portion of read wall located inside the expansion chamber is perforated. -¹ , said flash chamber communicating via a ccnal formed in the body with at least one housing and communicating with the cavity in which is rotatably mounted an impeller driven by the flow of liquid from the expansion chamber and fixed to a shaft passing through the body to open into cavity lodite where it carries a removable brush whose bristles extend out from the body, and in that an inverter device flow direct flow of the water through the tip by one or the other of the channels connected to said tip.

The attached drawing represents, by way of example, one embodiment of the object of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view in exploded perspective;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a detail;

Figure 4 is a plan view of another detail.

The apparatus represented comprises a body 1 in the general shape of triangular pyramid tranquée which one of the side faces 2 forms the front of the apparatus however as the edge 3 forming the junction of the other two side faces 4 constitutes the rear of the apparatus.

The top wall 5 of the body 1 has two seats before 6 disposed substantially along the edges 7 bordering the front face 2 and a rear housing or expansion chamber 8 disposed substantially along the rear edge 3. On the top wall 5 is arranged a ploque or cover 9 covering the seatings 6 front and having an opening 10 which is positioned to face the chamber 8, lo side wall of the opening 10 being provided with circular grooves 11 each connected to an inclined groove 12 opening at the upper edge of said opening 10. Attachment 9 on the body 1 may be accomplished in any suitable manner, for example by welding or by means of screws.

The chamber 8 communicates with each of the housings before 6 via a channel 13 formed in the body 1. On the other hand, the chamber 8 communicates, via a channel 14 formed in the body 1, with the interior of a tip 15 disposed transverse to the edge 3 of the body 1 and the said body is provided with a thread 16.

Each of the housings before 6 communicates via a channel 17 with a cavity 18 arranged in the bottom wall 19 of the body 1, while the bottom 20 of said housings 6 is pierced with an axial opening 21 opening into the cavity 18.

In each of the housings 6 is mounted an impeller 22 to be driven by the flow of liquid from the channel 13 and mounted on a shaft 23, one end of which is rotatably engaged cuns a bearing 24 arranged 6 therefor in the cover 9. The other end of the shaft 23 passes through the axial opening 21 of the bottom 20 of the housing 6 and opens into the cavity 18 of the bottom wall 19 of the body 1, the axial opening 21 also acting as pin bearing 23, The shaft end 23 which extends into the cavity 18 defines a slot therein of elasticity 25 and, at this end, is removably attached a rotating brush 26 comprising a cylindrical body 27 in the top side of which is an opening 28 press-fit upon the slotted end of the axis 23 whose elasticity will provide the strength of the assembly while permitting detachment of the two parts. The body 27 of the rotating brush 26 is in the cavity 18 and the bristles 29 are beyond the cavity 18 and extend out from the body 1.

Behind the brushes 26, is in proximity to the edge 3 of the body 1, a removable stabilization non-rotating brush 30 is arranged in the cavity 18. The brush 30 comprises a cylindrical body 31 in the top side of which is an opening 32 pressed onto a split stud 33 disposed in the cavity 18. The body of the fixed brush is in the cavity 18 while the bristles 34 are beyond the cavity 18 and extend out from the body 1, as is the case for the rotary brushes 26.

Around brushes 26 and 30 is arranged a brush ring 35 bordering the cavity 18 and comprising a bead 36 to which are attached bristles 37. The bead 36 is disposed in a groove 38 (fig. 2) bordering the cavity 18 while the bristles 37 extend out of the cavity, at the same level that the bristles of the brushes 26 and 30. Shuffles The crown 35 is held in place by clamping of the bead 36 in the groove 38 by means of the side wall 39 (fig .2) grill of a perforated plate 40 disposed in the cavity 18 and comprise three openings 41 for permit the passage to the bristles of the brushes 26 and 30. The gate 40 is held in the cavity 18 by means of a screw not shown engaged in a hole 42 (fig. 4) to the centre of the grate and in respective threads (non-is)' at the bottom of 1" cavity 18,

The cavity 18 communicates with the inside of the endpiece 15 by a channel 43 (fig. 2) provided in the body 1 and opening out substantially between the brushes 26 and 30, said channel being of the same diameter as the channel 14 and symmetrically disposed relative to the axis of the end piece 15.

In the expansion chamber 8 is located a removable soap container 44 whose bottom part is open and comprises a perforated side wall 45, the lower edge of which is intended to come against the bottom of the chamber 8. Above the perforated wall 45, the soap container door 44 (fig. l) a circular seal 46 for sealing the chamber 8, two pins 47 for engaging the grooves 11 of the opening 10 of the cover 9, and a control knob 48.

The tip 15 is In engaged slidably and rotatively the closed-off end 49 of a tubular piece 50, whose other end is introduced into the end of a water supply hose 51, the end 51 being itself housed in a handle 52 having a inner flange 53 pressed onto the workpiece 50, so that the latter is integral with the handle 52. In the end 49 is attached a tube 54 communicating with the inside of the tubular part 50, this tube being calibrated and eccentrically such that it can be inserted into any of the other channels 14 and 43. On the tubular part 50 is mounted a threaded sleeve 55 in engagement with the thread 16 of the tip 15 and having a flange 56 for supporting a compression spring 57 engaged on the tube piece 50 and abutting against a shoulder 58 thereof. Peripheral seal 59 received in a groove the end 49 seals between the tip 15 and the end 49 of the tubular part 50.

The apparatus represented is used as follows: the water pipe 51 is connected by means of a suitable connector (not shown) to a water dispensing unit in conventional pressure, for example in place of the shower hose by conventional bathrooms. Prior to actuation of the apparatus, the user removes the soap container 44 after rotated to disengage the pins 47 of the grooves 11 of the cover 9. It can then providing soap in the form of a paste or, preferably, calibrated dose pellets forming for washing; when the soap container 44 is loaded in soap, the user the inserted into the opening 10 of the cover 9 and engages the pins 47 in inclined grooves 12 said cover; from there, the rotation of the soap container 44 passed the pins 47 in the grooves 11 and the soap container is fixed, the pins 47 qinsi that the grooves 11 and 12 acting as an attachment to baîonette.

Container 47 The SGvon is loaded, the apparatus is operative and the user can open the water supply. When the tubular part 50 and the tube 54 are in the position shown in Figure 2, the water being supplied under pressure by the pipe 51 passes through the tube-piece 50, then into the tube 54 and into the channel 14 ; from there the water passes into the expansion chamber 8 and, the fact that the wall 45 of the soap container is perforated, then be charged soap; it should be noted that, because the soap is in the expansion chamber 8, it is continuously bathed in water and stirred by thereof, so that the water leaving the expansion chamber is highly emulsified soap. Furthermore, the soap being contained in the soap door, it cannot merge in front of the inlet to the channels 13 and plug the same. In the expansion chamber 8, soapy water passes through the channels 13 to output under high pressure in the housings 6 where it drives the fan wheel 22 before exiting in the channels 17 to pass into the cavity 18, raues The rotation of the impeller 22, thereby rotating the brushes 26. From the channels 17, soapy water extends into the cavity 18 and out through the perforations of the grid 40 that it can pass through the brushes 26 and 30, the brushes 26 the stirring strongly, while the brush ring 35 acts as baffle and prevents the suds is projected laterally out of the brush.

Since water entering the channel 14 is continuously agitated due to passing through the expansion chamber 8, the channels 13, the blade wheels 22, the channels 17, the brushes 26 and the gate 40, there is an abundant foam. With the rotation of the stirred 26, is obtained without any difficulty an effective scrubbing action accompanied by the massage effect. The combination of the rotary brushes 26 with the stationary brush 30 is capable of stabilizing the apparatus when it is in contact with the skin because the fixed brush 30 counteracts the effect of the tangential forces due to the rotation of the brushes 26.

When the dose of soap contained in the soap container 44 is completed, the apparatus fully delivers more than the clear water that washes the entire apparatus and the user, can be itself while continuing to brush if desired. Alternatively, the user has the ability to cut off the suds at any time, even if the dose of soap contained in the soap container 44 is not exhausted.

For this, simply by pulling on the handle 52 thereby moving simultaneously and in the same direction the tubular part 50 against the action of the ' spring 57, The pipe piece 50 displaces the tube 54 which is thereby withdrawn from the channel 14. It is then rotating the handle 52 of 180° on its axis to rotate the tubular part and to bring the tube 54 facing the channel 43. Releasing at that time the handle 52, the spring 57 pushes l ' spaulement 58 resulting in the tubular part 50 the handle 52 and the tube 54 which is inserted into the channel 43, Water from the pipe 51 to and passing through the tubular part 50 and the tube 54 is thus directed into the channel 43 to extend into the cavity 18 and exit through the perforations of the gate 40 of calmer it passes through the brushes 26 and 30.

In this case, water avoids the circuit over the channel 14, the expansion chamber 8 and the door 44 and the apparatus dispenses soap water clear. As again suds, it only needs to perform the reverse operation.

Because of their attachment, the brushes 26 and 30 and the brush ring 35 are easily interchangeable.

The apparatus described can be made of any suitable material and, although it is represented with a body in the form of a truncated triangular pyramid, this form is not limited and can be modified. Furthermore, the number of rotary brushes is not to be considered limited to two and it will be possible to make the apparatus comprising a single rotary brush or more rotating brushes. Also, the fixed brush 30 can be removed or replaced by two or more fixed brushes. The the brush ring 35, its deletion is possible, however it may preferably be stored in the various embodiments of the apparatus because it is a baffle effective for suppressing disturbing projections lateral water while ensuring also brushing.

Finally, the system flow reversing between the distribution into soapy water distribution of clear water and vice versa, and comprising the tubular insert assembly 50-57-spring tube 54, can be changed to any other appropriate arrangement as, for example, a ball valve or other type, arranged on the tip 15 or on the body 1, e.g. in the vicinity of the expansion chamber 8, to direct the flow to one or the other of the channels 14 and 43. In this case, the handle or handle 52 may be integral with said body 1 because it will no not need to be movable to affect the flow reversal.