Washer Apparatus

Abstract

A washing apparatus and method is disclosed that is adapted to be disposed within a bathtub or shower stall, the apparatus includes a base having a first side and a second side that is adjacent to a bathtub floor or a shower stall floor. Further included in the apparatus is an open receptacle that is disposed adjacent to the base first side, with the base first side having a user foothold area adjacent to and external to the open receptacle. Also included in the apparatus is an extension member having a distal end portion with a handle and an extension member proximal end portion that extends from the base first side. The receptacle further includes a plurality of washing bristles disposed on an interior of the receptacle and a manually operated reservoir for selectively dispensing soap adjacent to the bristles.

1 . A washer apparatus adapted to be disposed within a bathtub or shower stall, comprising:
 (a) a base substantially forming a plane, said base including a first side and a second side, said base first side being adapted to be adjacent to a bathtub floor or a shower stall floor;   (b) an open receptacle structure that is configured about a radial axis, said open receptacle structure is disposed adjacent to a portion of said base second side such that said radial axis is substantially parallel to said plane, also said base second side having a plurality of foothold areas outside of said open receptacle structure, said open receptacle also includes an entrance passage opening substantially parallel to said plane and an access passage opening that is substantially transverse to said plane, said entrance passage opening having a entrance passage perimeter greater than a access passage perimeter of said access passage opening;   (c) an extension member having a longitudinal axis, said extension member also including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, said extension member extending from said proximal end portion that is positioned adjacent to said base second side and said access passage opening, wherein said longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to said plane;   (d) a handle positioned adjacent to said extension member distal end portion, said handle is positioned lengthwise to be substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis; and   (e) a means for scrubbing a body part positioned adjacent to said open receptacle structure.   
   
   
       2 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said means for scrubbing the body part is constructed of a plurality of bristles that are disposed within an interior of said open receptacle. 
   
   
       3 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a means for a selected fluid dispensing within said open receptacle. 
   
   
       4 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said means for selectable fluid dispensing is constructed of a flexible bladder positioned between said open receptacle and said second side of said base, said flexible bladder including an aperture for distributing a selected fluid product adjacent to said means for scrubbing a body part when said bladder is subjected to selectable pressure from the body part. 
   
   
       5 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said flexible bladder is constructed of a surrounding sidewall having an end portion and an opposing end portion, wherein said end portion, said sidewall, and said opposing end portion define a bladder interior that is operational to have said selected fluid disposed within said bladder interior. 
   
   
       6 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said end portion further includes a filling port than removably engages a sealing cap. 
   
   
       7 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said bladder further includes a one-way flow flexible protrusion dispensing nozzle disposed within said aperture, wherein said nozzle is in fluid communication with said bladder interior, wherein operationally said nozzle distributes the selected fluid product from said bladder interior to a user selected position within said means for scrubbing to a selected body part portion upon the selectable pressure of the body part upon said bladder, wherein said one-way flow dispensing nozzle substantially precludes dilution or contamination of said selected fluid disposed within said interior from an environmental source. 
   
   
       8 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said nozzle is normally urged into a closed state and yieldable into an open state when said nozzle is exposed to a selected fluid flow stemming from said selectable pressure allowing said nozzle to distribute the selected fluid from said bladder interior to said user selected position within said means for scrubbing to said selected body part portion, wherein said nozzle is urged to said closed state upon a termination of the selected fluid flow, thus being operational to only allow the selected fluid product to flow from said interior to said user selected position within said means for scrubbing to a body part portion and substantially blocking a fluid flow from said environmental source said interior while said selectable pressure of the body part upon said bladder is relieved. 
   
   
       9 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said nozzle includes resilient arcuate wall portions that are diametrically opposed to one another to define a common discharge wall passage therebetween and are normally urged in a radially inward direction against one another to substantially close said nozzle placing said nozzle in said closed state, wherein when said nozzle is exposed to said selected fluid flow said resilient arcuate wall portions are urged in a radially outward direction to separate to define a common passage placing said nozzle in said open state allow said fluid communication of the selected fluid from said bladder interior to said user selected position within said means for scrubbing to said selected body part portion. 
   
   
       10 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 9  further comprising a plurality of nozzles. 
   
   
       11 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said extension member further includes a means for selectably adjusting said extension member along said longitudinal axis, wherein operationally a distance between said base and said handle results in being selectably adjustable. 
   
   
       12 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said means for selectably adjusting said extension member is constructed of a telescoping tube arrangement with a selectably engagable lockable element that is operational to fix a telescoping tube arrangement movement along said longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       13 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said base further includes a plurality of drain ports therethrough. 
   
   
       14 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said base first side further includes a high friction surface. 
   
   
       15 . A washer apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said base second side further includes a high friction surface. 
   
   
       16 . A method for using a washer apparatus by a user in a shower or a bathtub, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing said washer apparatus that includes a base substantially forming a plane, said base including a first side and a second side, said base first side being adjacent to a bathtub floor or a shower stall floor, further included in said washer apparatus is an open receptacle structure that is configured about a radial axis, said open receptacle structure is disposed adjacent to a portion of said base second side such that said radial axis is substantially parallel to said plane, also said base second side having a plurality of foothold areas outside of said open receptacle structure, said open receptacle also includes an entrance passage opening substantially parallel to said plane and an access passage opening that is substantially transverse to said plane, said entrance passage opening having a entrance passage perimeter greater than a access passage perimeter of said access passage opening, said washer apparatus also includes an extension member having a longitudinal axis, said extension member also including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, said extension member extending from said proximal end portion that is positioned adjacent to said base second side and said access passage opening, wherein said longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to said plane, also included is a handle positioned adjacent to said extension member distal end portion, said handle is positioned substantially transverse lengthwise to said longitudinal axis, said extension member further includes a means for selectably adjusting said extension member along said longitudinal axis, wherein operationally a distance between said base and said handle results in being selectably adjustable, continuing, said washer apparatus includes a means for scrubbing a body part positioned adjacent to said open receptacle structure, in addition, said washer apparatus also includes a means for a selected fluid dispensing within said open receptacle;   (b) placing said washer apparatus in the shower or the bathtub such that said first side is adjacent to the shower stall floor or the bathtub floor;   (c) positioning the user into the shower or the bathtub such that one foot is placed upon said base second side and another foot is inserted within said open receptacle, wherein the majority of a user's weight is placed upon said second side and a minority of the user's weight is placed upon the foot inserted within said open receptacle resulting in an uneven stance in the shower or the bathtub by the user;   (d) grasping by the user of said handle, to operationally to help stabilize the user in a standing position from the uneven stance; and   (e) applying slight pressure by the user upon their foot disposed within said open receptacle moving toward said base second side to operationally dispense said selectable fluid upon their foot disposed within said open receptacle.   
   
   
       17 . A method for using a washer apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein in said providing step, said means for selectable fluid dispensing within said open receptacle is constructed of a flexible bladder positioned between said open receptacle and said second side of said base, said flexible bladder is constructed of a surrounding sidewall having an end portion and an opposing end portion, wherein said end portion, said sidewall, and said opposing end portion define a bladder interior that is operational to have said selected fluid disposed within said bladder interior, said flexible bladder also including an aperture with a one-way flow flexible protrusion nozzle that is in fluid communication with said interior, wherein said nozzle distributes said selected fluid adjacent to said means for scrubbing a foot when said bladder is subjected to selectable pressure from the body part, wherein said applying step is modified to only apply said slight pressure momentarily and an added step of moving a user's body part omni-directionally within said open receptacle by coming in dynamic contact with said means for scrubbing the foot with the user's foot, wherein operationally said one-way flow nozzle further controls an amount of selected fluid dispensed. 
   
   
       18 . A method for using a washer apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein said step in providing said one-way flow flexible protrusion nozzle is further utilized in said moving step that further comprises further applying said selectable pressure from the body part to initiate said fluid communication of the selected fluid from said bladder interior to a user selected position within said means for scrubbing to a selected body part portion. 
   
   
       19 . A method for using a washer apparatus according to  claim 16  further comprising a step of adjusting said means for selectably adjusting said extension member along said longitudinal axis, wherein operationally said distance between said base and said handle results in being selectably adjustable, wherein operationally said handle should be approximately adjacent to a waist of the user to further enhance stability of the user from the uneven stance. 
   
   
       20 . A method for using a washer apparatus according to  claim 16  further comprising a step of the user placing both feet on said base second side, with a user substantially placing equal weight on both feet while simultaneously grasping said handle for the purpose of operationally rinsing the user's feet while substantially maintaining stability of the user in the standing position.