Method and apparatus for cleaning between infant's toes

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of baby care and hygiene. More specifically, the invention relates to A method and apparatus for cleaning between an infant's toes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Maintaining proper hygiene is important for the well-being of infants. The toes of babies, in particular, require extra attention as they can accumulate dirt, lint, sweat, and other substances. The difficulty lies in cleaning these areas effectively while ensuring the safety and comfort of the baby. From the moment that they are born, babies make cleaning in between their toes a difficult task. The plantar grasp is a reflex that almost all babies are born with and usually lasts 9-12 months after birth. Therefore, basically any time a finger or similar object strokes behind the babies' toes those toes will grasp the object, flexing inward. The majority of the time babies' toes are tight and curled in general. This makes getting in between their toes difficult. And as babies become more aware of their bodies they find their feet. Soon after that their feet find their mouths-meaning germs are more easily spread.

Then you get a baby who is crawling, standing, walking and we would like them to do those things barefoot as often as possible for optimal foot development and to help boost sensory-motor development.

Babies have more sweat glands than adults and the feet especially because their feet are filled with a higher concentration of sweat glands in comparison to other parts of the body. Over time and especially if they have been ignored, gunk can accumulate and build up in between the toes of babies. Keeping babies' feet clean and dry is important and lack of attention can be dangerous. Soaking the feet during bath time may help, but there are some areas too out of reach. Our hands are too big to manipulate such tiny toes even if we did not have all these natural factors working against us. Existing cleaning methods for babies' toes often involve standard washcloths or wipes, which may not adequately reach the spaces between the toes. The limitation prompted the need for a specialized apparatus and method to address this issue.

It is an object of this invention to help make this challenge a little easier for parents by creating an apparatus to clean between an infant's toes. The tool has two identical ends, each approximately ¼-inch-wide at ends widest point and approximately ½ inch in length. Each end has a thinner, soft tip that becomes wider before thinning out again as they work toward the body of the tool. The ends are shaped this way to help spread the toes gently apart. The middle body of the tool is approximately 2 inches in length and filled with many tiny, soft rounded tip bristles to act as a brush when moved back and forth in between the toes, reaching even the hardest to reach crevices. The apparatus will make cleaning between babies' toes much easier, safer and more efficient while also offering a bonding experience between the caregiver and the baby.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus has two identical ends, each approximately ¼-inch-wide and ½ inch in length. Each end has a thinner, soft tip that becomes wider before thinning out again as they work toward the middle body of the tool. The ends are shaped this way to help spread the toes gently apart. The end's tip gently enters the space between the toes, while the wider portion of the end gently spreads the toes so the body of the tool can enter. The middle body of the tool is the cleaner and is approximately 2 inches in length and filled with many soft, tiny rounded tip bristles, approximately 1/16-inch-long, to act as a gentle brush when moved back and forth in between the toes, reaching even the hardest to reach crevices. Then the tool widens out again toward one of two identical ends of the flosser to push the dirt, lint and other debris loosened by the rounded tip bristles leaving the space between the toes clean and free of residue. The apparatus will make cleaning between babies' toes much easier, safer and more efficient.

The apparatus is designed with the safety and the comfort of the baby in mind using a gentle and hypoallergenic material. The entire product is made from food grade silicone free of BPA, BPS, phthalates and micro plastics. The softness of the silicone will vary with the ends and body being soft and slightly bendable while still maintaining shape/hardness to make it easy to maneuver while handling. The bristles are very soft to allow maximum flexibility for cleaning while also being a gentle piece for baby.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of this disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 Illustrates the apparatus according to an embodiment of the apparatus at an angle.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 Illustrates 2 apparatuses, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, according to an embodiment of the apparatus with a flat view.

FIGS. 4 and 5, illustrates two end views of the apparatus, showing the tip 30 of the end 10 in the center of the circle, and the wider points of the ends 10.

FIG. 6. Illustrates a magnified view of soft-tipped bristles body 20 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the device, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing to refer to the same of like parts.

FIG. 1 illustrates the apparatus in its entirety. The apparatus is approximately 3 inches in length and has 2 identical ends 10 with widths of ¼ inch and lengths of ½ inch. The ends 10 at their widest are ¼ inch. The ends 10 taper down to a thinner, soft tip 30 that gently spreads the toes of baby. The ends 10 are followed by a body 20 containing rows of soft-tipped bristles 40, the soft-tipped bristles 40 approximately 1/16-inch long.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 illustrates 2 apparatuses according to an embodiment of the invention, with a flat view, showing the two identical ends 10, approximately ½ inch in length and ¼ inch in width, and the narrow soft tips 30 of both the ends 10 on each tool, followed by bodies 20, approximately 2 inches long, comprising of many rows of soft-tipped bristles 40, and ending with ends 10 and soft tips 30.

FIGS. 4 and 5, illustrates two end views of the apparatus, showing the tip 30 of the end 10 in the center of the circle, and the wider points of ends 10, approximately ¼ inch, of end 10. It's the ends 10 of the apparatus that gently spread the toes of the baby so the bristles 40 can scrub softly in between the baby's toes, loosening debris and lint, so one of two ends 10, can again gently spread the baby's toes to remove collected dirt, lint, and other debris.

FIG. 6 illustrates a magnified view of soft-tipped bristles body 20 of FIG. 1, which are approximately 1/16 inch in length and are used to scrub between a baby's toes to loosen dirt, lint, and other debris.

The entire tool is made of silicone, strong enough for the handler to wield when cleaning between the toes of the baby, but gentle enough for the thinner soft tip 30 to gently spread the toes of the baby. The thinner soft tip 30 followed by the wider end 10 gently spreads the toes of the baby, then the body 20 with the rows of soft-tipped bristles 40 gently scrubs the gunk away and the subsequent wide end 10 spreads the toes again, clearing the gunk out from between the toes. The end 10 also assists in keeping the toes of the baby spread so the handler can dry in between the toes with choice of cloth once cleaning is complete.

The apparatus provides a practical and safe solution for maintaining proper hygiene in the delicate areas in between the toes of infants. The method involves the use of a specifically designed cleaning tool that allows gentle and thorough cleaning, ensuring the removal of dirt, debris, and lint. Babies have very tight toes especially when first born and for the first months. Most people do not think about what rests in the crevices of their infant's toes, but mothers do think about anything that could potentially harm their baby. Germs and bacteria can grow and thrive in between a baby's toes if allowed to build up and not cleaned away regularly. Soaking babies' feet at bath time can help, but if the area between a baby's toes is not directly addressed, gunk can build up. The tool gently and softly cleans in between a baby's toes and clears away any buildup thoroughly. The apparatus is designed with the safety and comfort of the infant in mind utilizing soft and hypoallergenic materials. The method and apparatus also promote bonding between the caregiver and baby during the cleaning process. The tool improves upon existing cleaning methods and is expected to find widespread use in the field of baby care and hygiene.

In preferred embodiments of this invention, wherein the apparatus has a wider end 10 with a thinner soft tip 30 that gently spreads the toes of baby, thereby allowing access of the body of apparatus 20 containing the many rows of soft-tipped bristles 40, to gently scrub between the baby's toes.

In preferred embodiments of this invention, wherein the wider end 10 is followed by a body 20 containing rows of soft-tipped bristles 40, to gently scrub between the baby's toes.

In preferred embodiments of this invention, wherein the rows of soft-tipped bristles 40 are followed by a second wider end 10 that once again gently spreads the toes of the baby, assisting in the removal of the lint and debris loosened by soft-tipped bristles 40 from between the baby's toes.

In preferred embodiments of this invention, wherein the apparatus is comprised of food grade silicone, free from BPA, BPS, phthalates and micro plastics.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

Although the present invention has been described with reference to teaching, examples and preferred embodiments, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain its essential characteristics, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.

Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are encompassed by the scope of the present invention.

While several embodiments have been shown and described, the above description is that of current embodiments of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. This disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive description of all embodiments on the invention or to limit the scope of the claims to the specific elements illustrated or described in connection with these embodiments. For example, and without limitation, any individual element(s) of the described invention may be replaced by alternative elements that provide substantially similar functionality or otherwise provide adequate operation. This includes, for example, presently known alternative elements, such as those that might be currently known to one skilled in the art, and alternative elements that may be developed in the future, such as those that one skilled in the art might, upon development, recognize as an alternative. Furthermore, the disclosed embodiments include a plurality of features that are described in concert, but which can be used independently and/or combined with other features. The present invention is not limited to only those embodiments that include all of these features or that provide all of the stated benefits, except to the extent otherwise expressly set forth in the issued claims. Any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using articles “a,” “an,” “the” or “said” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.

Therefore, it will be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims which follow as interpreted under the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.