There is a demand for hand-held appliances for massaging the skin during washing or bathing, and hitherto

0 it has not proved possible to arrange for the appliance to dispense a fluid, on demand only, to the washing surface during the washing process, without the use of an absorbent material such as sponge as the massaging material. A fluid, such as soap, detergent, showergel or , j. the like is beneficially applied upon demand. Accordingly, the invention is intended to meet this demand and to overcome the practical problem in a simple and effective manner, and in a way which allows the appliance to be manufactured inexpensively.

20 Accordingly, the invention provides a self-contained, hand-held washing and/or massaging appliance comprising a resiliently deformable pressure member whose inner surface is mounted face-to-face against an outer wall of a rigid reservoir for a viscous fluid, the pressure member having

25 a valve closure stem projecting from its inner surface through a fluid outlet opening in the said reservoir wall and normally abutting sealingly against a valve seat around that opening with the deformable pressure member in

its relaxed condition, there being a clearance, transverse to its inner surface, between the opposed surfaces of the pressure member and the reservoir wall at least in the region of the fluid outlet, and the pressure member being resiliently deformable in use by the temporary application of working pressure to displace the valve closure stem from its seat to open the fluid outlet opening to allow egress of the fluid. In the example of a massaging appliance, the deformable pressure member would be rubbed against the body, and would thereby receive its working pressure in use, sufficient to displace the valve closure stem and to release the fluid for application over the body being rubbed. The invention therefore provides a very simple but reliable arrangement for dispensing the fluid during use only. The appliance requires no moving parts.

The valve closure stem is preferably formed integrally with the pressure member, which is preferably moulded in the traditional manner from natural rubber; _Q other materials however would be capable of substitution, for example man-made rubber or plastics materials of suitable resilient deformability. It is important to ensure a good recovery of shape after each deformation cycle. ₅ The pressure member preferably has a thinned region around the stem to provide greater local deformability.

Conveniently, the pressure member is formed with a recess on its inner surface opposed to the reservoir wall

in the region of the valve closure stem, to provide, or to contribute to, the said spacing transverse to the opposed surfaces. This spacing allows the stem to reciprocate between its valve-closing and valve-opening positions.

The pressure member preferably has at least one aperture in order to channel the fluid from the reservoir fluid outlet to the outer working surface of the pressure member. In this case, the pressure member should preferably be sealed against the reservoir wall at its

0 perimeter, for example at a rim. The aperture or apertures are then preferably sufficiently narrow, in relation to the viscosity of the fluid, that fluid, collected in the space between the opposed flat surfaces of the reservoir wall and the pressure member, is ejected ■, *- through the aperture or apertures only upon the further application of working pressure reducing that space and increasing pressure in the fluid.

The volume of the valve closure stem which projects into the fluid reservoir on the application of working

20 pressure is preferably sufficient, in relation to the volume of the reservoir, to increase the pressure sufficiently within the reservoir to pump fluid out through the outlet opening.

The pressure member is conveniently a massage pad with a multiplicity of integral columns projecting from

25 the outer working surface.

Preferably, the reservoir wall is a hand-grippable body, and this body preferably also has an external handle

for facilitating manual grip. The reservoir body may be formed integrally, for example with an opening for filling with the fluid, but it may alternatively be formed in two releasably-interconnected body parts. Conveniently, the reservoir wall is formed with a rim shaped to receive a rim of the pressure member with a resilient expansion fit during assembly. The valve closure stem is preferably also a resilient snap-fit during assembly by insertion through the aperture in the reservoir wall, the stem undergoing

- _| _ _Q temporary radial compression. In order to assist insertion, the stem may be formed with an extension piece for pulling the stem through the aperture, which extension piece is then removable after assembly, for example by cutting.

*, ₅ The reservoir wall is conveniently a plastics moulding, in one or more parts as indicated above. Preferably, the reservoir should be sealed everywhere except at the said fluid outlet opening, and this seal may be provided by an O-ring or other form of resilient seal

2o between two releasably-secured body parts.

In order that the invention may be better understood, a preferred form of a massager will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

₂₅ Figure 1 is a side elevation of the massager, fully assembled;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the massager of Figure 1 omitting the projecting columns which have the

massaging function;

Figure 3 is an underneath plan view of a cover body portion of the massager of Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a section taken along a diameter of the massager, but showing only a baseplate portion and attached massage pad, the arrangement being complementary to the cover body of Figure 3.

The hand-held massager 1 has three portions: a cover body 2, a baseplate 4 and a massage pad 5. The cover body τ_0 2 is a plastics injection moulding formed integrally with a handle 3 to give a U-shaped configuration, and is releasably connectable, with a bayonet type fitting, with the baseplate 4. The baseplate 4 is also a plastics injection moulding, and, as shown in Figure 4, consists of 15 a flat plate 11 of circular shape, with a rim 12 defining a radially-outwards facing channel. At the centre of the baseplate 4, there is a fluid outlet aperture 16 which is generally cylindrical but which has a bevelled inner rim 15 constituting a valve seat. A pair of L-shaped locking 20 members 10 project inwardly from the baseplate at diametrically opposed positions adjacent the valve seat 15. The plate 11 serves as an external wall of a fluid reservoir whose opposite wall is the base shell wall of the cover body 2. 25 The base shell wall of the cover body 2 mates with and seals against the circular rim 12 of the baseplate 4. It is formed with a central keyhole-shaped slot 7 for receiving the L-shaped locking members 10. The outer

surface of that base shell wall of the cover body 2, as shown in Figure 3, is circular and flat, and its rim abuts the inner flat surface of the rim 12 of the baseplate 4 when assembled. The keyhole-shaped slot 7 receives the L-shaped projecting locking members 10 of the baseplate 4, and integrally-moulded inclined plane cam surfaces 8 and 9, on the inner surface next to the slot 7, cause the cover body 2 to be drawn tightly against the baseplate 4 during relative rotation. Thus the two members are drawn together with a bayonet type coupling action, when one is rotated against the other.

The flat cylindrical reservoir defined by the body cover 2 and the baseplate 4 therefore communicates freely with the fluid outlet opening 16 of the baseplate 4, but is otherwise sealed.

The massage pad 5 has a multiplicity of integrally-formed dimples or columns 6 which perform the massaging function on the body as the appliance is rubbed against the body. The pad is formed of natural rubber, by a traditional moulding process from a two-part mould into which liquid rubber is poured. The pad 5 is formed integrally at its centre with an inwardly-projecting valve closure stem 13 which has a conical enlargement 14 at its distal end, for engaging the valve seat 15 of the fluid outlet aperture 16, as shown in Figure 4. The pad 5 has a main, annular portion 20 formed with a rim 18 which seals against the peripheral channel 12 of the baseplate 4. A central portion of the pad 5 is recessed on its inner

surface to provide a narrow chamber 19, and this chamber communicates with the outer surface of the pad 5 through four apertures 17, of which two are shown in Figure 4. These apertures 17 are narrow, in relation to the expected viscosity of the fluid held in the reservoir, so that the fluid will not drip through the apertures, and will only be expelled once there is a substantial excess of pressure in the chamber 19.

The stem 13 projects through the aperture 16 and into

0 the reservoir. In the normal, relaxed position of the pad, as shown in Figure 4, the valve closure stem 13 sits sealingly against the valve seat 15, and prevents the egress of fluid into the chamber 19. In use, pressure is applied to the external, working surface of the pad,

■ _j r causing resilient deformation of the central, thinned portion, hence a reduction in volume of the chamber 19 and also the plunging of the valve closure stem 13 into the reservoir. The opening 16 then allows fluid to be expelled, assisted by the plunging action of the stem,

2o into the chamber 19 and thence through the apertures 17. After one such cycle, the chamber 19 would be expected to fill with the fluid even with the pad in the relaxed condition, so that in the next pressurizing stroke this small volume of fluid would immediately be expelled

2 ₅ through the apertures 17; the chamber 19 would then be refilled with fluid from the reservoir.

The appliance is manufactured in the three parts indicated, and assembled by securing the pad over the rim

of the baseplate and then fitting this sub-assembly to the cover body 2 with the bayonet fit. At the same time, the fluid may be poured into the reservoir.

The pad is of course reusable for an indefinite length of time, with successive disposable reservoir portions. Alternatively, the reservoir portions may be refilled with fluid once emptied. It is a simple procedure to separate the pad and to reassemble a replacement pad, if worn, or a replacement reservoir

0 portion if empty.

Although not shown in the drawings, sealing means such as an '0' ring would be provided between the cover body 2 and the baseplate 4, to ensure that fluid does not escape from the rim.

*, c It is a particular advantage of the device described that the same tools for moulding the component parts can be used for a range of devices e.g. for different viscosity fluids. All that is required is a change in the diameter of the apertures 16 and/or 17.

20 Although the invention has been described in the context of the specific example shown, many variations are envisaged. For example, the fluid could be stored in a one-piece body to which the pad would be releasably secured. As indicated at the beginning of this

₂₅ description, the massage pad could be replaced with some other form of applicator surface such as a brush or a foam or sponge pad. A much longer handle could be provided, as a massager for one's feet or back, or as a brush or pad

for use on floors or ceilings. Although the valve action is provided, in response to external pressure, at the centre of a circular body in this example, there could of course be more than one such valve, and the valve or valves could be at any position. Valve closure could be effected by a differently shaped valve member.