BATHROOM TOOL ASSEMBLY
A bathroom tool assembly having a bathroom tool and a supporting holder, with a releasable interlock coupling between the bathroom tool and the holder. The releasable interlock coupling conveniently maintains a secured coupling of the bathroom tool to the holder, so that the assembly of bathroom tool and holder can be easily moved without leaving drips behind. The releasable interlock coupling is structured to allow easy coupling of the bathroom tool to the holder to securely interlock the bathroom tool to the holder and easy decoupling of the bathroom tool from the holder by a user with one-hand operation. In one embodiment, the releasable interlock coupling does not include any moving parts. In one aspect of the present invention, the releasable interlock coupling comprises a magnetic coupling.
Latest SIMPLEHUMAN LLC Patents:
This application is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/587,603 entitled “Plunger Assembly”, filed Jan. 17, 2012; and this application is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. Design Patent Application No. 29/415,442 entitled “Plunger And Housing Assembly”, filed Mar. 9, 2012, which claims the priority of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/587,603, filed Jan. 17, 2012. These applications are being hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. All publications noted below are fully incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bathroom tools, such as plungers for use in unclogging drainage fixtures (e.g., toilets and sinks) and brushes for cleaning toilets.
2. Description of Related Art
Heretofore, plungers for unclogging sinks are typically configured without any supporting holder, and plungers for unclogging toilets are configured with or without a holder for storing the plunger when not in use. However, for a plunger with the plunger head supported by a holder, to move the combination of the plunger and the holder from one place to another (e.g., from one toilet to another), a user must hold the holder in order to keep the plunger in place. Otherwise, if the user were to lift the plunger alone, the plunger would be separated from the holder, which may lead to drips from the plunger onto the floor.
Similarly heretofore, toilet brushes are configured without a secure coupling between the toilet brush and its holder.
It is desirable to provide a bathroom tool assembly which overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a bathroom tool assembly that overcomes many of the drawbacks of the prior art. The bathroom tool assembly comprises a bathroom tool (e.g., a toilet brush, a toilet plunger, etc.) and a holder that supports the bathroom tool when not in use. The holder assembly in accordance with the present invention is designed to provide a releasable interlock coupling between the bathroom tool and the holder. “Releasable” as used throughout herein refers to a coupling in which no additional tool is required to release two coupled components (e.g., to release the interlock coupling to separate the bathroom tool from the holder). The releasable interlock coupling conveniently maintains a secured coupling of the bathroom tool to the holder, so that the assembly of bathroom tool and holder can be easily moved without leaving drips behind.
The releasable interlock coupling is structured to allow easy coupling of the bathroom tool to the holder to securely interlock the bathroom tool to the holder and easy decoupling of the bathroom tool from the holder by a user with one-hand operation. In one embodiment, the releasable interlock coupling does not include any moving parts.
In one aspect of the present invention, the releasable interlock coupling comprises a magnetic coupling. The releasable interlock coupling may comprise other types of couplings, for example key and groove type couplings, interference fit couplings, press fit couplings, pressure grip couplings, spring-biased grip coupling, etc.
In one embodiment, the bathroom tool comprises a handle supporting a bathroom tool head (e.g., a plunger head shaped for use to unclog drainage structures, e.g., toilets or sinks, or a brush head shaped for use to clean toilets and sinks) The holder is in the form of a canister comprising a housing having a body, cover or enclosure with an interior sized to store the bathroom tool head. The enclosure has an opening sized to receive the bathroom tool head, so that it can be inserted or removed from the enclosure. The canister supports and stores the bathroom tool by hiding the bathroom tool head discreetly out of sight when not in use. The canister further comprises a collar sized to releasably receive the bathroom tool handle (e.g., a rod or shaft of the bathroom tool handle). The size of the collar is significantly narrower than the size of the bathroom tool head. The collar provides a constriction of the canister housing enclosure, so that the collar interlocks with the bathroom tool handle shaft at or near the point of connection of the shaft to the large bathroom tool head, to prevent the canister housing enclosure from separating from the bathroom tool when the bathroom tool handle is lifted by a user. To further secure the interlock coupling between the collar and the bathroom tool, a magnetic coupling is provided between the collar and the bathroom tool shaft, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. One of the bathroom tool shaft and collar comprises a permanent magnet and the other one of the bathroom tool shaft and collar comprises a ferromagnetic material, or both the bathroom tool shaft and the collar comprise permanent magnets.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the invention, as well as the preferred mode of use, reference should be made to the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following drawings, like reference numerals designate like or similar parts throughout the drawings.
This invention is described below in reference to various embodiments with reference to the figures. While this invention is described in terms of the best mode for achieving this invention's objectives, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations may be accomplished in view of these teachings without deviating from the spirit or scope of the invention.
The present invention provides a bathroom tool assembly that overcomes many of the drawbacks of the prior art. The bathroom tool assembly comprises a bathroom tool and a supporting holder that supports the bathroom tool when not in use. The bathroom tool assembly in accordance with the present invention is designed to provide a releasable interlock coupling between the bathroom tool and the holder. “Releasable” as used throughout herein refers to a coupling in which no additional tool is required to release two coupled components (e.g., to release the interlock coupling to separate the bathroom tool from the holder). The releasable interlock coupling conveniently maintains a secured coupling of the bathroom tool to the holder, so that the assembly of bathroom tool and holder can be easily moved without leaving drips behind.
The releasable interlock coupling is structured to allow easy coupling of the bathroom tool to the holder to securely interlock the bathroom tool to the holder and easy decoupling of the bathroom tool from the holder by a user with one-hand operation. In one embodiment, the releasable interlock coupling does not include any moving parts.
In one embodiment, the holder is in the form of a canister comprising a housing having a body, cover or enclosure with an interior sized to store the bathroom tool head. The bathroom tool comprises a handle supporting a bathroom tool head shaped for use to unclog drainage structures, such as toilets. While the present invention is described below in connection with the embodiment of a plunger for unclogging toilets and a brush for cleaning toilets, it is understood that the inventive concept is applicable to bathroom tools having tool head of different shapes and sizes configured for use with other types of drainage fixtures and for other applications outside of unclogging and/or cleaning toilets.
In one embodiment, the plunger 2 comprises a handle portion supporting a plunger head 6 shaped for use to unclog drainage structures (e.g., toilets or sinks) In the illustrated embodiment, the plunger 2 includes a handle 5, a flexible head 6, and a shaft or rod 7 that connects the handle 5 and the head 6. In some embodiments, the handle 5 can be integrated with the rod 7. In some embodiments, the handle 5 and/or rod 7 can be made from materials such as plastic, wood, metal (e.g., steel), and rubber, etc., which may have a polished, textured, coated, plated, chrome or painted finish, etc., or a combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the flexible head 6 can be made from pliant materials such as rubber, silicone, etc.
In the illustrated embodiment of
The canister housing 3 further comprises a collar 9 extending from the top of the enclosure 8 defining a vertical split opening 17 sized to releasably receive the plunger rod 7 (the axis of the plunger rod 7 and the split opening 17 are aligned in the same direction). The size of the split opening 17 of the collar 9 is significantly narrower than the size of the plunger head 6. The collar 9 effectively provides a constriction of the canister housing enclosure 8, so that the collar 9 interlocks with the plunger rod 7 at or near the point of connection of the rod 7 to the large plunger head 6, to prevent the canister housing enclosure 8 from separating from the plunger head 6 when the plunger handle is lifted upwards by a user. The collar 9 rests on top of the plunger head 6 in an interlocking manner. In some embodiments, the collar 9 may be a separate part connected to the housing enclosure 8, or may be an integral part of the enclosure 8.
To further secure the releasable interlock coupling between the collar 9 and the plunger 2 (i.e., to securely retain the rod 7 within the collar 9), a magnetic coupling is provided at the interlocking coupling, in particular between the collar 9 and the plunger rod 7, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. One of the plunger rod 7 and the collar 9 comprises a permanent magnet and the other one of the plunger rod 7 and the collar 9 comprises a ferromagnetic material, or both the plunger rod 7 and the collar 9 comprise permanent magnets.
The releasable interlock coupling may comprise other types of couplings (mechanical or non-mechanical), for example key and groove type couplings, interference fit couplings, press fit couplings, pressure grip couplings, spring-biased grip coupling, etc.
In the illustrated embodiment, the rod 7 (at least the portion of the rod 7 adjacent the collar 9) is comprise a permanent magnetic material, or made of magnetic, magnetizable or magnetically conductive material such as steel, stainless steel, iron, nickel, etc., although other materials may be used. In some embodiments, a magnet 10 can be embedded in the collar 9 region. In other embodiments, the magnet 10 can be attached to the collar 9. Yet in other embodiments, the collar 9 can comprise composed of permanent magnetic material (e.g., permanent magnet). In the illustrated embodiment, the magnetic coupling (e.g., represented by the magnet 10) is configured to hold the magnetically conductive rod 7 against the collar 9. In some embodiments, the magnet 10 can be strong enough so that when the plunger 2 is lifted by a user, the canister housing 3 does not fall off the plunger 2 under its weight so as to prevent drips. The strength of the magnetic coupling (i.e., the magnet 10) can be designed so that the plunger 2 can be removed from the canister housing 3 and the collar 9, when the plunger 2 is pivoted or pulled away from the magnet coupling of the collar 9 in the direction of the split opening 17 defined by the collar 9, in the direction of the arrow 14 in
In an alternate embodiment, the collar 9 may be a magnetic, magnetizable or magnetically conductive material, and the adjacent portion of the rod 7 is made of permanent magnetic material.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit, scope, and teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the disclosed invention is to be considered merely as illustrative and limited in scope only as specified in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A bathroom tool assembly, comprising:
- a tool comprising a handle portion and a tool head at an distal end of the handle portion; and
- a holder releasably supporting the tool via a releasable interlock coupling that securely couples the tool and the holder so that the tool and the holder can be moved together by a user lifting on the handle portion of the tool only.
2. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 1, wherein the handle portion of the tool comprises a handle and a rod connecting the handle to the tool head, and the holder comprises a housing that comprises an enclosure defining an opening to an interior space of the enclosure sized to receive the tool head.
3. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 2, wherein the holder further comprises a collar extending from the top of the enclosure and defining a split opening releasably receiving the rod of the tool, wherein when the handle portion is lifted, the collar rest on the top of the tool head in an interlocking manner.
4. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 3, wherein the interlocking coupling comprising a magnetic coupling.
5. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 4, wherein releasable interlock coupling does not include any moving parts.
6. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 5, wherein the magnetic coupling is provided at least between the rod of the tool and the collar.
7. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 6, wherein the collar comprises a permanent magnet, and the rod of the tool comprises a magnetic material.
8. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 6, wherein the rod of the tool comprises a permanent magnet and the collar comprises a permanent magnet.
9. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 4, wherein the tool is a plunger.
10. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 9, wherein the tool head is configured for use to unclog a toilet.
11. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 4, wherein the tool is a brush.
12. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 11, wherein the tool head is configured for use to clean a toilet.
13. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 2, wherein the housing fully encloses the tool head except for the opening in the housing.
14. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 2, wherein the holder further comprises a collar extending from the top of the enclosure and defining a split opening releasably receiving the rod of the tool, wherein when the handle portion is pivoted away from the collar in the direction of the split opening, the tool can be released from the canister.
15. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 14, wherein the tool can be released from the holder without requiring a further tool.
16. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 15, wherein the interlocking coupling comprising magnetic coupling.
17. A bathroom tool assembly, comprising:
- a tool comprising a handle, a tool head, and a rod connecting the handle to the tool head;
- a holder comprising a housing that comprises an enclosure defining an opening to an interior space sized to receive the tool head, and a collar extending from the top of the enclosure and defining a split opening receiving the rod of the tool; and
- a releasable interlocking coupling between the holder and the tool to securely coupled the tool and the holder so that the tool and the holder can be moved together by a user lifting the handle of the tool only.
18. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 17, wherein the tool can be released from the holder without requiring additional tool.
19. The bathroom tool assembly as in claim 18, wherein the interlocking coupling comprising a magnetic coupling.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 17, 2013
Publication Date: Jul 18, 2013
Applicant: SIMPLEHUMAN LLC (TORRANCE, CA)
Inventor: SIMPLEHUMAN LLC (TORRANCE, CA)
Application Number: 13/744,406
International Classification: A47K 11/10 (20060101);