US20080224011A1

US20080224011A1 - Shower caddy attachment

Info

Publication number: US20080224011A1
Application number: US11/724,098
Authority: US
Inventors: Lobo Chang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-03-14
Filing date: 2007-03-14
Publication date: 2008-09-18

Abstract

A shower caddy attachment device has a hanging member that has an upper semicircular edge that hangs from a shower pipe above a shower head. A top stopper having a grip surface and a stopping face is disposed to face the hanging member. The bottom clamp pivots in connection with a pivot location on the hanging member so that it locks with location on the hanging member. The bottom clamp is preferably made as a half pipe. The shower caddy attachment device loop is preferably a flat structure. A flat portion on the top stopper defines an area between the shower head and the wall. The flat portion with the optional ridge portion provides a space between the wall and the shower head.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

this invention relates to the field of mechanical connections in shower caddy apparatus.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

The Shower caddy is a ubiquitous household fixture that typically has a hook or loop mounted over a protruding showerhead from a water pipe. The loop or hook typically hangs on a relatively horizontal portion of the water pipe. The shower caddy thus has a connection to the water pipe at an upper and at a lower and has storage for a variety of articles such as soap, shampoo or miscellaneous toiletries. The shower caddy can be replaced with a wide variety of similar methods and devices such as storing soap and shampoo on the shower floor, or by using a waterproof shelf for storing the soap and shampoo. To date, the waterproof shower caddy has been the most cost-effective and simple structure to keep soap, shampoo and miscellaneous toiletries off the ground where a user may slip on them.
The shower caddy has the drawback of slipping from the hang connection to a horizontal portion of a water pipe. The horizontal portion of a water pipe typically slopes downward and forms a 30° or 60° elbow at an elbow area. The horizontal portion of the water pipe is also sometimes not exactly horizontal which may have some incline. The slight incline may urge or bias the hang connection of the shower caddy away from its preferred connection area. The shower caddy has traditionally been made of plastic or stainless steel. Being preferably light weight, the shower caddy is often loaded with heavier articles on one side such as the right or left side, and sometimes on the front or back side which causes with the caddy to dislodge from its preferred hanging position. The shower head pipe also comes in various sizes which makes universal sizing of a shower caddy hook or loop difficult.
Also, a shower caddy should have adjustable forward and rear position so that a flat shelf or wire shelf for holding soap can be oriented to allow secure placement of soap on the shower caddy. Placement of other articles such as shampoo bottles can also be improved when the shower caddy has adjustable position. Placement of articles such as shampoo bottles can also be improved when the shower caddy has improved stability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing assembly of the shower caddy attachment to a shower head pipe.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the shower caddy hook and lower clamp in pivotal connection.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the shower caddy hook and the lower clamp in pivotal connection.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the top stopper.

FIG. 5 is a view of a left-handed hook.

FIG. 6 is a view of a right-handed hook.

The same callout numbers are used consistently in all figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As seen in FIG. 1, the shower caddy attachment device 100 has a hook 40 or loop 40 portion that hangs on the pipe 18. FIG. 1 shows a forward position in solid line which appears to be the current position which is forward from a rear position 11 shown in dotted line. The shower caddy attachment device 100 can be placed anywhere between these positions and hung from a hanging member which is a loop 40 or hook 40. The entire device relating to the hanging member 40 and the lower clamp 30 can be made a plastic or for increased durability stainless steel. The top stopper 20 is preferably made of an elastomeric rubbery material.
The loop or hook is a hanging member that hangs from the shower head pipe 18. The showerhead 16 is typically below the pipe 18. The shower caddy attachment device 100 has a lower clamp 30 that is pivotally connected to the hook 40 or loop 40. A user assembles the device 100 first by taking the top stopper 20 and adhering the top stopper to the top of the shower pipe 18. The loop or hook 40 fits over the top stopper 20 and the lower clamp 30 swivels to secure to the bottom of the shower pipe 18.
As seen in FIG. 2, the loop or hook 40 has a swivel assembly to the lower clamp 30 at a swivel connection 32. The swivel connection 32 can be a rivet passing through the length of the lower clamp 30 at the swivel connection location. With the upper portion of the loop 40 having a semicircular profile to match the circular top profile portion of shower pipe 18, and with the lower clamp formed as a semicircular profile attaching to the bottom of the shower pipe 18, the swivel connection location for the swivel connection 18 is preferably placed so that the cooperation of the upper portion of the loop 40 and the lower clamp 30 forms roughly a circle that surrounds the shower pipe 18. FIG. 2 shows the swivel connection location on the left side of the picture with the adjustable attachment closure 31 on the right side, however the swivel connection location. The attachment closure 31 can secure to the loop at a large loop closure 47, a medium loop closure 46 and a small loop closure 45. A user may select attachment to the large loop closure 47, medium loop closure 46 and a small loop closure 45 depending upon the user needs. As seen in FIG. 2, the right loop leg 44 is indeterminate and can form part of the shower caddy support system, or alternatively terminate at an end so that the loop is a hook. Either the terminated embodiment or the continuous embodiment can be implemented. The left loop leg 42 also can form part of the shower caddy support system or terminate. It does not matter which leg supports the shower caddy frame, as long as a leg on either one supports the shower caddy frame. The preferred embodiment is to have both the right leg 44 and the left leg 42 have rigid connection with the shower caddy system frame.
As shown in FIG. 3, the shower caddy loop portion 40 is connecting with the lower clamp 30 on a swivel axis 32 and at a medium loop closure 46 location which is below the small loop closure location 45. A connection area 31 on the lower clamp 30 makes a connection between the caddy loop portion 40 and the lower clamp 30. The swivel axis 32 can be formed of a rivet driven from behind the loop portion 40 into the lower clamp 30 so that the lower clamp 30 rotates in relation to the caddy loop portion 40. Securing the lower clamp connection 31 to the caddy loop portion 40 can be implemented by forming the lower clamp connection 31 as a hollow opening receiving a pin from the backside of caddy loop portion 40. The pin 48 can be formed as a plastic plug that has a cross-section area adapted to fit through the medium loop closure 46 formed as an aperture so that the plastic plug secures to a connection hollow area on the lower clamp 31 which is formed as a hollow passage passing through the length of the lower clamp 30. Thus, the plastic plug is preferably formed of circular cross-section having a diameter matching the medium loop closure diameter 46 and the diameter of the lower clamp connection area 31 formed as a hollow passage.
A wide variety of plastic connection means can connect the lower clamp connection area 31 to hanging the medium loop closure 46, or any of the other loop closures on the hanging member 40. For example, the plastic connection means can include a plug, a screw, a hook, a snap together piece, or button connection. The plastic connection means allows the bottom clamp to connect with the hanging member to form a circular or roughly circular cross-section attachment to a shower pipe. The circular attachment conforms with a circular cross-section of an outer diameter of a shower pipe.
The lower clamp is preferably formed as a half pipe having a cross-section defined by left and right edge in radial orientation to a top semicircular edge and a bottom semicircular edge. The upper portion of the lower clamp at the top semicircular edge has a smaller radius than the lower portion of the lower clamp at the bottom semicircular edge. The cross-section of the lower clamp preferably extends to an elbow of the shower pipe 18 contacting the inside elbow of the shower pipe 18. The lower clamp is preferably made of a plastic material. A wide variety of plastic swivel joints are widely known and can be used for constructing the swivel joint on swivel axis 32.
Although the drawings show that the swivel axis 32 is formed as a long hollow passage through the entire length of the lower clamp, it is also possible to make the swivel axis 32 as a hollow passage passing through only a portion of the lower clamp. Although the drawings shows that the lower clamp connection is a hollow opening passing through the entire length of the lower clamp, it is also possible to make the connection area 31 so that it is formed as a hollow passage passing through only a portion of the lower clamp.
As shown in FIG. 4, the top stopper has a front head portion and a rear tail portion. Preferably, the top stopper is made of a rubbery material such as an elastomeric that grips the top of the shower pipe. The elastomeric material preferably deforms to the weight of the loop portion 40 seated upon the top stopper. The deformation due to the weight of the loop portion 40 preferably opposes motion of the loop portion 40 relative to the top stopper 20. The top stopper has a stopping face 25 opposing the hook 40, or the loop 40. The top stopper preferably further includes a sticky bottom portion 28 that is optionally fitted with double-sided tape allowing a user to peel off a tape backing and exposing sticky tape to stick the sticky bottom portion 28 to the shower pipe 18 top portion as seen in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the top stopper 20 additionally preferably includes a number of ridges 22 defined on a grip surface that the loop grips onto. The ridges are shown as triangular cross section bumps with regular cross-section grooves to receive the loop 40 which is part of the hanging portion. A flat portion 24 defines a tail or a rear part of the top stopper 20 that is opposite the head of the top stopper 20. The flat portion 24 optionally fits behind the ridge portion having ridges 22.
The flat portion 24 is between the shower head 16 and the wall 17. The flat portion 24 with the optional ridge portion 22 provides a space between the wall and the shower head 16. The flat portion 24 can also be positionally reversed with the ridge portion 22 so that the ridge portion 22 is behind the flat portion 24. In any case, an adjustment distance is defined between the tail end of the top stopper 20 and the stopping face 25. The distance provides an area where a user may adjust the shower caddy hanging position either forward toward the shower head 16 or backward toward the wall 17. The shower caddy hanging position should not move when it is set. The thickness of the loop 40 is preferably relatively thin to fit on the small ridges on the ridge portion 22.
In an second embodiment of the present invention, the lower clamp is formed as a flat planar member defined by a left edge, a right edge between a top semicircular edge and a bottom semicircular edge. The alternate embodiment lower clamp has the same thickness as the loop portion 40 that fits over the shower head pipe 18. In a third embodiment of the present invention, the lower clamp is missing and only the top stopper 20 that fits over the top of the shower head pipe 18 retains the loop portion 40 of the shower caddy.
FIG. 5 shows a left-handed hook and FIG. 6 shows a right-handed hook. The hook is left-handed in FIG. 5 because it is adapted for a user to hang with a user's left hand. The hook is right-handed in FIG. 6 because it is adapted for a user to hang with the users right hand. The hook is the embodiment where one of the legs 42, 44 terminates. The loop is the embodiment where neither one of the legs terminates, and both structurally hold the shower caddy.
The foregoing describes the preferred embodiments of the invention. Modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A shower caddy attachment device for attachment to a shower head pipe comprising:

a. a hanging member having an upper semicircular edge adapted to hang from a shower pipe;

b. a top stopper having a grip surface and a stopping face disposed to face the hanging member, wherein the hanging member hangs on the top stopper behind the stopping face;

c. a bottom clamp in pivotal connection to a pivot location on the hanging member at a first end and fixable to a connection location on the hanging member at a second end.

2. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 1, wherein the hanging member is flat.

3. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 2, wherein the top stopper has ridges.

4. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 3, wherein the top stopper has a bottom portion that is fitted with double-sided tape.

5. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 4, wherein the top stopper is made of an elastomeric material.

6. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 1, wherein the top stopper is made of an elastomeric material.

7. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 1, wherein the top stopper has a bottom portion that is fitted with double-sided tape.

8. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 1, wherein the top stopper has an adjustment distance defined between a tail end of the top stopper and the stopping face of the top stopper.

9. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 1, wherein the top stopper has ridges.

10. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 9, wherein the top stopper has an adjustment distance defined between a tail end of the top stopper and the stopping face of the top stopper.

11. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 1, wherein the bottom clamp is formed as a half pipe.

12. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 11, wherein the bottom clamp is formed as a half pipe that is connected to the hanging member with a plug passing through the hanging member and snuggly fitting into a plug aperture formed on the hanging member.

13. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 1, wherein the bottom clamp is formed as a half pipe that is connected to the hanging member with a plug passing through the hanging member and snuggly fitting into a plug aperture formed on the hanging member.

14. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 1, wherein the bottom clamp connects with the hanging member to form a circular attachment to a shower pipe.

15. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 14, wherein the bottom clamp is formed as a half pipe that is connected to the hanging member with a plug passing through the hanging member and snuggly fitting into a plug aperture formed on the hanging member.

16. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 15, wherein the hanging member is flat.

17. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 16, wherein the top stopper has ridges.

18. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 17, wherein the top stopper has a bottom portion that is fitted with double-sided tape.

19. The shower caddy attachment device of claim 18, wherein the top stopper is made of an elastomeric material.