Universal Bathroom Holder
A system to hold a hair dryer or other item adjustably in position to allow a user to realize hands-free use of the item. The system is designed to make hair drying and/or the hands-free use of any other items in, for example, a bathroom setting, easier and more efficient. The item holder of the present invention is formed of an approximately vertically mounted bar, with a slider slideably connected to the bar. The slider can be loosened, moved, and tightened into positon. An item can then be connected to the slider, and held in place in a position.
The present invention relates generally to supporting devices. More particularly the present invention relates to a device to hold a hairdryer, mirror and other items in place as supported by a wall. These items may be adjustably positioned in a vertical and horizontal position, and may be pivoted as needed.
Description of Related ArtAfter showering or bathing, it is often desirable to quickly dry one's hair using a hairdryer. Hairdryers have been long used to direct air, often heated air, at a user's hair in order to quickly dry it. However, in many instances it can become cumbersome to dry one's hair, and at the same time hold it and style it using, for example, a brush. Each of these three activities (drying, holding, and styling) each require one hand, and a person is therefore limited to two of the three at a time without a helper. Moreover, given the rise of smartphones and tablets, it is often convenient to be able to use these devices while also drying ones hair.
Also, with the rise of more efficient and compact living arrangements, there is an increasing need for efficient storage solutions to make the most effective use of small spaces, especially bathrooms.
Therefore, what is needed is a hands-free hair dryer device which may be used for storage of other bathroom items instead of or in addition to holding the hair dryer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe subject matter of this application may involve, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and/or a plurality of different uses of a single system or article.
In one aspect, an item holder is provided. The item holder is formed of an elongate bar, with a slider slideably connected to the bar and movable, when in an unlocked mode, along a length of the bar. The slider can be locked or otherwise held in position when in a locked mode. The slider defines an aperture, and at least partially surrounds the bar at a distal end. The slider further has fingers defining a connector aperture at a proximal end. A holder is configured to receive an item connected thereto. The holder is connected to the slider by a peg fitted into the connector aperture, and is pivotable with respect to the slider.
In another aspect, an item holder assembly is provided. The item holder assembly is formed of an elongate bar which has two arms positioned along its length. These arms extend away from the bar and are connected to a wall. The item holder further has a slider slideably connected to the bar and movable, when in an unlocked mode, along a length of the bar. The slider can be locked or otherwise held in position when in a locked mode. The slider has an aperture at least partially surrounding the bar at a distal end, and fingers defining a connector aperture at a proximal end. A holder is configured to receive an item connected thereto, the holder is connected to the slider by a peg fitted into the connector aperture, and is pivotable with respect to the slider.
In yet another aspect, a hair dryer holder assembly is provided. The hair dryer holder assembly is formed of an elongate bar which has two arms positioned along its length. These arms extend away from the bar and are connected to a wall. The item holder further has a slider slideably connected to the bar and movable, when in an unlocked mode, along a length of the bar. The slider can be locked or otherwise held in position when in a locked mode. The slider has an aperture at least partially surrounding the bar at a distal end, and fingers defining a connector aperture at a proximal end. A hairdryer holder formed as a body having a peg at a distal end, with fingers at a proximal end defining a hairdryer opening. These fingers are spaced apart at the distal end allowing passage of an electrical cord of the hairdryer. The hair dryer holder is connected to the slider by the peg fitted into the connector aperture, the holder pivotable with respect to the slider. A hair dryer is removably positioned in the hairdryer opening, and held in place there.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and does not represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments.
The present invention is a structure for holding a hair dryer or other item adjustably in position to allow a user to achieve hands-free use of the item. The item support is designed to make hair drying, and the use of any other items in a bathroom setting easier and more efficient. For example, in a hair dryer holder embodiment, there is a problem of when holding the hairdryer with one hand and a hairbrush with the other, one needs a third hand to manipulate their hair. The item holder of the present invention is formed of an approximately vertically mounted bar, with a slider slideably connected to the bar. The slider can be loosened, moved, and tightened into positon. An item can then be connected to the slider, and held in place in a vertical position. For example, in a hair dryer embodiment, the hair dryer may be mounted to the holder, adjusted to an appropriate height, and then directed at a head or hair of a user. The slider, also referred to as a tool, has a base that has an opening which is the exact or slightly larger diameter and shape of the bar. The slider is also connectable, directly or indirectly, to the hair dryer to hold it in place.
In one embodiment, an adapter tool such as a peg or other protrusion or shape may be removably connected into a receiver structure on the slider shaped to accept the adapter tool. For example, the receiver may be an aperture, slot, or other recession or opening to receive the adapter tool. In another embodiment, a top end of the adapter tool flares out to allow a handle of most typical handheld hairdryers to fit therein. In a further embodiment, there is a slot in the top end of a hairdryer holder to allow the cord through. Once the hairdryer is held firmly in the adapter tool, it can be adjusted up, down, side to side and angled while drying and styling the hair with both hands free by adjusting the slider that the adapter tool is connected to. The components of the item holder of the present invention may be manufactured in a variety of metal finishes to coordinate with bath decor.
One exemplary embodiment of the item holder of the present invention is shown in
In still another embodiment, not shown in the figures, a fan may be connected to the slider 13. This fan may be connected to the slider in any manner discussed herein, and may allow a user to direct an air flow at various directions and levels once connected. As understood from the foregoing, the item connectable to the vertical bar via the slider may be any varied number of items, without straying from the scope of the present invention. Connection of the slider to the bar to bring the slider between the unlocked and locked modes may be achieved by various structures, including clamps, snaps, engaging parts, thumb/wing screws acting as set screws, magnets, and the like.
In various embodiments, a plurality of sliders may be attached to the bar. Each slider may be operable to hold one of a plurality of different items. For example, there may be a slider holding a hair dryer holder, and on the same bar, there may be a slider holding a towel holder, and/or another slider holding a mirror holder. As such, the different embodiments of this invention may be used together on a single bar to serve a number of functions on a single bar installation.
While several variations of the present invention have been illustrated by way of example in preferred or particular embodiments, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present invention, or the inventive concept thereof. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and are inclusive, but not limited to the following appended claims as set forth.
Claims
1. A hair dryer holder comprising:
- an elongate bar;
- a slider slideably connected to the bar, the slider having an aperture at least partially surrounding the bar at a distal end of the slider, and a connector aperture at a proximal end of the slider;
- a holder having a body, the holder connected to the slider by a peg at a distal end of the body fitted into the connector aperture;
- wherein the holder comprises fingers at a proximal end of the body, and the fingers define a hair dryer opening.
2. The hair dryer holder of claim 1 wherein the slider further comprises fingers defining the connector aperture at the proximal end of the slider.
3. The hair dryer holder of claim 1 wherein the peg at the distal end of the body of the holder is perpendicular to the hair dryer opening.
4. The hair dryer holder of claim 1 wherein the holder is pivotable along a plane perpendicular to the elongate bar.
5. The hair dryer holder of claim 1 wherein the holder further comprises a shoulder adjacent to the peg.
6. The hair dryer holder of claim 5 wherein the shoulder comprises a cross sectional area greater than both a diameter of the peg and a cross sectional area of the connector aperture so that the shoulder cannot fit into or pass through the connector aperture.
7. The hair dryer holder of claim 5 wherein the shoulder is directly connected to a portion of the body of the holder which defines the hair dryer opening.
8. The hair dryer holder of claim 1 further comprising a hair dryer removably connected to the hair dryer holder.
9. The hair dryer holder of claim 8 wherein the fingers at the proximal end of the body of the holder are spaced apart to allow passage of an electrical cord of the hair dryer.
10. The hair dryer holder of claim 8 wherein the hair dryer is removably connected to the hair dryer opening by being seated in the hair dryer holder with a part of the hair dryer passing through the hair dryer opening and another part of the hair dryer resting on the fingers.
11. The hair dryer holder of claim 1 further comprising two arms, wherein the hair dryer holder is connected to a wall by the two arms.
12. The hair dryer holder of claim 1 wherein the holder is connected to the bar by one of a clamp and a screw urged against the bar to provide a friction between the screw and the bar.
13. A towel holder comprising:
- an elongate bar;
- a slider slideably connected to the bar, the slider having an aperture at least partially surrounding the bar at a distal end of the slider, and a connector aperture at a proximal end of the slider;
- a holder having an elongate body and a peg at a distal end of the body, the holder connected to the slider by the peg at the distal end of the body being fitted into the connector aperture;
- wherein the body of the holder is formed in a series of bends in a length, the series of bends in the length of the body defining a J shape.
14. The towel holder of claim 13 wherein the slider further comprises fingers defining the connector aperture at the proximal end of the slider.
15. The towel holder of claim 13 wherein the holder is pivotable along a plane perpendicular to the elongate bar.
16. The towel holder of claim 13 wherein the holder further comprises a shoulder adjacent to the peg.
17. A mirror holder comprising:
- an elongate bar;
- a slider slideably connected to the bar, the slider having an aperture at least partially surrounding the bar at a distal end of the slider, and a connector aperture at a proximal end of the slider;
- a holder comprising a body and a peg at a distal end of the body, the body comprising a mirror assembly having an elongate arm and the peg at a distal end of the elongate arm;
- wherein the holder is connected to the slider by the peg at the distal end of the elongate arm fitted into the connector aperture.
18. The mirror holder of claim 17 wherein the mirror assembly further comprises a mirror at a proximal end of the elongate arm.
19. The mirror holder of claim 17 wherein the slider further comprises fingers defining the connector aperture at the proximal end of the slider.
20. The mirror holder of claim 17 wherein the holder further comprises a shoulder adjacent to the peg, wherein the shoulder is directly connected to the peg.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 21, 2021
Publication Date: Apr 14, 2022
Inventor: Jean LaPoint (Lowell, MA)
Application Number: 17/557,413