Bathroom caddy
A bathroom fixture that provides a convenient way to store wipes, toilet paper, and other supplies efficiently in the bathroom while adding elegance to the decor. The Bathroom Caddy has a modular structure, consisting of at least one shelf and a detachable toilet paper roll holder, that allows the consumer to choose appropriate attachable accessories and compartments for his/her individual needs. The consumer can detach the accessories, which will be attached to the main body of the caddy using one or more of several attachment means, e.g., a dovetailing “key latch” system or “tab latch” system, and pack or carry them during travel for possible use in another facility that has the same caddy device.
This invention pertains generally to containers for articles and more particularly to a caddy for toilet paper rolls and other personal hygiene equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE FIELDBathroom users enjoy the convenience of having all of their necessities in one easily accessible place. In many residential bathrooms, supplies are stored in various locations around the room, such as a shelf, cupboard, or medicine cabinet. It would be desirable to have the most frequently used supplies stored together in one easily accessible location without taking up limited counter space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention solves the above-mentioned problem by providing a convenient way to store wipes, toilet paper, and other supplies in one easily accessible place without taking up limited counter space. The Bathroom Caddy stores supplies efficiently in the bathroom while adding elegance to the decor. The modular structure of the Bathroom Caddy allows the consumer to choose appropriate attachable accessories and compartments for his/her individual needs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The bathroom caddy has been designed to be an attractive addition to the bathroom decor while providing needed functionality. The caddy can be made from any one or more of several different materials such as wood, ceramic, glass, porcelain, steel, or wrought iron, and may have solid surfaces with rounded edges. The bathroom caddy may be provided as a stand alone unit to locate on a countertop or may be a wall-mounted unit. To that end, the back panel must be generally planar so that it can be mounted flush against a bathroom wall. However, the back panel may be shaped other than rectangular—for instance circular or ovate.
The main compartment 22 may have a covering door 26 hinged on one edge within the case 18. The hinges 28 may be generally located on the bottom edge of the door 26 or in alternate variations, may be located on a side edge or even on the top edge. A user may store various items in this compartment such as additional wipes, diabetic supplies, make-up, or body ointments.
In alternate embodiments, an additional shelf 32 may be substituted for the main compartment, as shown in
In order to add to the novelty and versatility of the bathroom caddy, the sidewalls have been provided with attachment means so that a user can add accessories as desired and personalize the caddy for his or her own specific use. The exterior of the bathroom caddy main case, typically the exterior of the side walls, may define receptacles which will accept protrusions from accessories such as cups, tubes, or additional shelves. In this way, accessories may be added to the caddy. The following paragraphs will describe two specific systems of such attachment means: a key latch system and a tab latch system; however, any other system of receptacle and corresponding protrusion may be provided. Moreover, it is understood that these attachment means can be added to either side wall separately or in conjunction with each other, and the following orientation has been chosen for descriptive purposes only.
The tab may be entered into the slot at the outer end and slid down the length of the slot. The tab may be flared corresponding to the configuration of the slot so as to provide a more secure dovetailed fit. Alternatively, the tab and slot may be configured so that the tab is inserted into the slot and snaps or locks into place.
Claims
1. A bathroom caddy comprising:
- a generally rectangular, generally planar back panel having two side edges, a top edge, and a bottom edge, said top edge being straight or decoratively curved, said generally planar back panel designed to be mounted flush against a bathroom wall;
- two side walls mounted on said side edges of said back panel and extending in a first direction generally orthogonally from said back panel; said side walls and said back panel defining the interior of a case;
- a generally horizontal shelf also mounted on the back panel and extending in the first direction generally orthogonally from the back panel between the two side walls;
- a main compartment mounted within said case and located below said shelf and between said two side walls;
- a toilet paper roll holder removably mounted below said main compartment and between said two side walls; and
- attachment means on the exterior of the side walls.
2. The bathroom caddy of claim 1 wherein the attachment means includes a first means for attaching additional accessories to the exterior of said side walls of said main case wherein said first means for attaching comprises a key latch system of grooves and knobs including grooves on the exterior of said main case side walls and corresponding knobs being mounted on the additional accessories to be removably mounted on said side walls.
3. The caddy of claim 2 wherein the key latch system includes at least one groove on the exterior of said main case at least one side wall and a corresponding knob mounted on the additional accessory.
4. The caddy of claim 3 wherein the groove on the sidewall is generally vertical and defines a widened insertion point at the top of the groove, and the knob fits into the insertion point and then slides down the length of the groove.
5. The caddy of claim 4 wherein the additional accessory is a cup-shaped container having said knob extending from the outside of said container.
6. The bathroom caddy of claim 1 wherein the attachment means includes a second means for attaching additional accessories to the exterior of the side walls of said main case wherein said second means for attaching comprises a tab latch system including slots on the exterior of said main case side walls and corresponding tabs integrally mounted on the additional accessories to be removably mounted on said side walls.
7. The caddy of claim 6 wherein the tab latch system includes at least one. slot on the exterior of said main case at least one side wall and a corresponding tab mounted on the additional accessory.
8. The caddy of claim 7 wherein the tab is flared and dovetails into the slot so as to be securely mounted.
9. The bathroom caddy of claim 8 further including an additional accessory comprising a shelf, said shelf having a tab disposed thereon fitting into the corresponding slot in one of the main case exterior side walls.
10. The bathroom caddy of claim 1 further including a hinged door covering the main compartment, the hinge being mounted on an edge.
11. A bathroom caddy comprising:
- a generally rectangular, generally planar back panel having two side edges, a top edge, and a bottom edge, said top edge being straight or decoratively curved, said generally planar back panel designed to be mounted flush against a bathroom wall;
- two side walls mounted on said side edges of said back panel and extending in a first direction generally orthogonally from said back panel; said side walls and said back panel defining the interior of a case;
- a generally horizontal shelf also mounted on the back panel and extending in the first direction generally orthogonally from the back panel between the two side walls;
- a main compartment mounted within said case and located below said shelf and between said two side walls; and
- attachment means on the exterior of the side walls.
12. The caddy of claim 11 wherein said attachment means includes receptacles and corresponding protrusions.
13. The caddy of claim 12 further including a toilet paper roll holder.
14. The caddy of claim 12 wherein said receptacles provided on said sidewalls comprise grooves and said protrusions on said accessories comprise knobs.
15. The caddy of claim 14 wherein at least one of said grooves is generally vertical and has a widened insertion point at the top.
16. The caddy of claim 12 wherein the receptacles provided on the sidewalls comprise slots and the protrusions of the accessories comprise tabs.
17. The caddy of claim 16 wherein at least one of said slots is generally horizontal and said tab is flared to fit securely within said slot.
18. A method for attaching accessories to a bathroom caddy wherein said bathroom caddy comprises a back panel, at least one shelf mounted to and extending in a first direction generally orthogonally from said back panel, and a side wall also mounted to said back panel and also extending in said first direction, said side wall having an exterior and including at least one attachment means on the exterior, said attachment means comprising a receptacle on the exterior of the sidewall, the method comprising: selecting an accessory with a protrusion provided thereon; said protrusion being complementary to said receptacle; inserting the protrusion into the receptacle; securing the protrusion therein; and ensuring that the accessory is firmly attached to the bathroom caddy.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the receptacle on the exterior of the side wall is a groove with widened insertion point and the protrusion on the accessory is a complementary knob, and the knob fits into the widened insertion point and slides along the length of the groove.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein the receptacle on the exterior of the side wall is a slot and the protrusion of the accessory is a complementary tab, and the tab fits in to the slot.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 1, 2005
Publication Date: May 3, 2007
Inventor: Beverly Jenkins (Anchorage, AK)
Application Number: 11/264,438
International Classification: A47G 29/087 (20060101);