US20040055978A1

US20040055978A1 - Hair dryer and accessory rack

Info

Publication number: US20040055978A1
Application number: US10/246,234
Authority: US
Inventors: Rita Barnhart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-09-19
Filing date: 2002-09-19
Publication date: 2004-03-25

Abstract

A time and space saving method of storing a hair dryer is disclosed. The method of conveniently storing a hand held hair dryer comprising the steps of: providing a rack having a laterally projecting supporting member which has an opening therethrough sized to receive the hand held hair dryer; mounting the rack on a wall adjacent to an electrical outlet; positioning the hair dryer in the rack; plugging the electrical cord on the hair dryer into the electrical outlet so that the electrical cord hangs beneath the hair dryer in the rack and the electrical outlet; using the hair dryer; and finally, replacing the hair dryer in the opening in the storage rack without unplugging the hair dryer. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the rack is inexpensively fabricated from a clear acrylic panel so that it can complement any bathroom color decor.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to bathroom accessories. More particularly this invention relates to a wall mountable rack which conveniently holds and store a hair dryer including its electric cord.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The inventor is a woman who regularly uses a hair dryer to blow dry her hair. The hair dryer rack disclosed herein is a solution she found to convenient and space saving storage for a bulky, irregularly shaped hair dryer which previously consumed a relatively large amount of her readily accessible available bathroom storage space. The rack she devised is especially convenient to use in as much as it can positioned on a wall with sufficient proximity to an electrical outlet so that a hair dryer held and stored therein can be used without the necessity of plugging it into the the electrical outlet prior to use, and unplugging it after each use prior to positioning it for storage.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to disclose a superior method of storing a hair dryer. It is an object of this eliminate the step of uncoiling and plugging the electrical cord thereon into an electrical outlet. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose a storage rack which is convenient to use and which saves limited readily accessible storage space in a bathroom for other purposes. It is a final object of this invention to disclose a storage rack which neatly stores and organizes personal care accessories which are routinely used together in a daily routine.

One aspect of this invention provides for a method of conveniently storing a hand held hair dryer comprising the steps of: providing a rack having a laterally projecting supporting member which has an opening therethrough sized to receive the hand held hair dryer; mounting the rack on a wall adjacent to an electrical outlet; positioning the hair dryer in the rack; plugging the electrical cord on the hair dryer into the electrical outlet so that the electrical cord hangs beneath the hair dryer in the rack and the electrical outlet; using the hair dryer; and finally, replacing the hair dryer in the opening in the storage rack without unplugging the hair dryer.

In a preferred aspect of this method the rack is fabricated from a clear acrylic plastic panel and comprises a rear side portion for attachment to the wall and a laterally projecting side portion having a rear edge portion attached to the rear side portion. Additional openings in the projecting side portion are provided to hold brushes.

Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIGURES OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair dryer and accessory rack mounted on a bathroom wall adjacent to an electrical outlet. [0007]
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the hair dryer and accessory rack shown in FIG. 1.[0008]
The following is a discussion and description of the preferred specific embodiments of this invention, such being made with reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It should be noted that such discussion and description is not meant to unduly limit the scope of the invention. [0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 we have a perspective view of a hair dryer and [0010] accessory rack 20 mounted on a bathroom wall 18 adjacent to an electrical outlet 16. A method of conveniently storing the hand held hair dryer 20 comprises the steps of: a) providing a rack 20 having a laterally projecting supporting member which has an opening 22 therethrough sized to receive the hand held hair dryer 14; b) mounting the rack on a wall 18 adjacent to an electrical outlet 16; positioning the hair dryer 14 in the rack 20; plugging an electrical cord 13 on the hair dryer 14 into the electrical outlet 16 so that the electrical cord 13 hangs beneath the hair dryer 14 in the rack 20 and the electrical outlet 16; using the hair dryer 14; and finally, replacing the hair dryer 14 in the opening 22 in the storage rack 20 without unplugging the hair dryer 14.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the hair dryer and [0011] accessory rack 20 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 better shows the layout of a preferred embodiment of the rack 22. The opening 22 for receipt of the hair dryer 14 does not fully circumscribe the hair dryer 14. Most preferably the opening 22 has a frontal peripheral break 23 so that the electrical cord 13 on the hair dryer 14 can pass through the break 23 when the hair dryer 14 is positioned on or removed from the rack 20. Most preferably the rack 20 further comprises two additional openings 25 sized to receive a hair brushes 12. It has been contemplated that the rack 20 may be enlarged to accommodate further additional openings (not shown) sized to receive a water glass and/or toothbrushes.
In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the [0012] rack 20 is made of plastic and comprises a rear side portion 26 for attachment to the wall 18 and a laterally projecting side portion 28 having a rear edge portion attached to the rear side portion 26. The side portions 26,28 of the rack 20 are fabricated from a clear acrylic plastic panel.
While the invention has been described with preferred specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims. [0013]

Claims

I claim:

1) A method of conveniently storing a hand held hair dryer comprising the steps of:

providing a rack having a laterally projecting sup-porting member which has an opening therethrough sized to receive the hand held hair dryer;

mounting the rack on a wall adjacent to an electrical outlet;

positioning the hair dryer in the rack;

plugging the electrical cord on the hair dryer into the electrical outlet so that the electrical cord hangs beneath the hair dryer in the rack and the electrical outlet;

using the hair dryer; and finally,

replacing the hair dryer in the opening in the storage rack without unplugging the hair dryer.

2) A method as in claim 1 wherein the opening for receipt of the hair dryer does not fully circumscribe the hair dryer, having a frontal peripheral break so that the electrical cord on the hair dryer can pass through the break when the hair dryer is positioned on or removed from the rack.

3) A method as in claim 2 further comprising the step of providing an opening in the rack sized to receive a hair brush.

4) A method as in claim 3 wherein the rack is made of plastic and comprises a rear side portion for attachment to the wall and a laterally projecting side portion having a rear edge portion attached to the rear side portion.

5) A method as in claim 4 wherein the side portions of the rack are fabricated from a clear acrylic plastic panel.