BACKGROUND Some mobility impaired people often find it difficult to wash their feet. For example, if the person has limited movement in his or her lower spine as a result of a spinal fusion operation they may not be able to bend down to adequately wash their feet in the shower.

There is therefore a need for a foot care device that enables mobility impaired persons to maintain good hygiene where they are not able to bend to wash their feet.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a foot care device for use by a person to clean/massage their feet.

According to the present invention there is provided a foot care device including a housing including an inside surface defining a foot receiving cavity and a foot contacting means projecting inwardly from the inner surface, for cleaning the foot as it is moved about the inside of the cavity of the housing and/or for massaging the foot as it is moved about inside the cavity of the housing.

Preferably, the contacting means is in the form of a plurality of bristles and/or a sponge.

Alternatively, the foot contacting means is in the form of a plurality of projections for massaging the foot.

Typically, the housing is arranged to receive the foot within the cavity so that, in use, the housing surrounds the foot transverse to the length of the foot. Preferably, the housing has a base for engaging the ground. Opposite the base, the housing has a cut out for the ankle and lower leg of the person to move within.

Preferably, the base is provided with one or more drains for water to drain from the foot

care device. More preferably, the housing is elongate and open at opposite ends so that the foot may move in and out of the interior of the foot care device without obstruction.

Preferably, the foot contacting means is disposed on the upper portion, the base and sides of the interior of the housing. Preferably the foot care device includes a dispensing means for providing soap to the interior of the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In order to provide a better understanding, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a foot care device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a front view of the foot care device of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a rear view of the foot care device of Figure 1.

Referring to the figures, there is shown a foot care device 10 which includes an elongate housing 12 in the form of a relatively flat base 30 and an upper portion. The housing is provided with an interior 14 between the base 30 and the upper portion. The housing is formed of, for example, injection moulded plastics. Each of the ends 16 and 18 of the housing 12 are open. The housing 12 may be tapered from the end 16 to the end 18 so that it narrows slightly towards end 18. In the upper portion adjacent end 18 a part of the roof of the upper portion is provided with a cut out 20. The interior of the housing 12 is in the form of a cavity suitable for receiving a foot of a person so that the toes of the foot are adjacent the end 18, the heel is adjacent the end 16 and the ankle and lower leg protrudes from the cut out 20. The upper portion of the housing 12 provides sufficient clearance so that the foot may move about within the interior.

Lining the inside surface of the interior is cleaning means 22 in the form of a plurality of bristles. The bristles are arranged into groups that project from small holes in the inside surface of the housing. For example, groups of bristles 24 and 26 are indicated in Figure 1. Additionally, sponge may be used for the cleaning means, however this is not shown in the drawings. The bristles project inwardly so as to make contact with the foot when it is

inside the interior of the housing. The foot, when moved about inside the interior of the housing, will be cleaned by interaction with the bristles/sponge. Bristles may be made of a suitable material such as plastics or natural hair and are water resistant. The foot care device may be installed in a shower so the user may wash their feet while showering.

Alternatively, the bristles may be used to massage the foot. In addition, other forms of projections, such as rounded nodules may be more suitable for massaging.

The bristles are shown projecting from the base, the upper portion and lateral sides of the interior of the housing. However, the bristles may be oriented in some other fashion provided that they are able to make contact with and effectively clean the foot.

The base may be provided with a plurality of drains 28 which allow water that is inside the housing to flow out through the drains and escape the foot care device 10.

The foot care device 10 may be provided with a dispensing means that provides soap to the interior of the housing to assist in the washing of the foot.

Now that an example of the present invention has been described, it will be clear to a skilled addressee that many modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the inventive concept. Such as, the housing may be pivotally mounted within the shower so that it may fold down for use and then fold up out of the way after use, suction cups may be provided on the base to secure it, or the base may be provided with some other suitable gripping means. The form of bristles within may change as may their construction and orientation. The bristles may be in combination with the sponge and/or massaging nodules.

All such modifications and variations are intended to be within the scope of the present invention, the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description and appendant claims.