US20100018937A1

US20100018937A1 - Basket Tote

Info

Publication number: US20100018937A1
Application number: US12/219,387
Authority: US
Inventors: Mamoru Goto; Masatsugu Tsuchiya
Original assignee: Iris USA Inc
Current assignee: Iris USA Inc
Priority date: 2008-07-22
Filing date: 2008-07-22
Publication date: 2010-01-28

Abstract

A basket tote includes a basket and a hanging portion vertically slidably attached to the basket. The hanging portion has a grip portion and extending portions extending from the grip portion, and is stretchable with respect to the basket. The basket includes a handle portion for storing and supporting the hanging portion. The handle portion has two holes on a top portion thereof so that the extending portions slide in the holes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT

This invention relates to a basket tote, more particularly a basket tote to accommodate various personal care articles such as soups, shampoo bottles and razors.
The basket tote for storing the various personal care articles is well known in the art for its ease to organize such articles for multiple purposes.
There are a number of kinds of structures of the basket totes to store the personal care articles. One of such structures is that the basket tote can be hung or mounted on a shower pipe. For example, one popular type of the shower pipe mounted storage caddy is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,105 (Patent Document 1). The storage caddie in the above reference comprises a support portion for supporting the caddy in a position, a shelf portion for supporting personal care articles, and a hanger or article receiving and retaining portion for supporting articles suspended therefrom. The hanger or article receiving and retaining portion includes a pair of spaced apart elongated hanger members for supporting a portion of personal care articles.
Another one of such structures is that the basket simply has a handle and multiple spaced compartments inside the basket tote. For example, one of such form of caddies is illustrated in US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0027469 (Patent Document 2). Patent Document 2 shows a caddy for cleaning supplies including a pair of spaced apart compartments and attachments for attendant implements wherein the caddy may be detachably supported on the rim of an associated collection bin.
There has been a problem, in Patent Document 1, that since the storage caddy is made of a wire, and the gripping portion is too long to function as a handle and completely fixed, it is not ideal to carry the personal care articles in the storage caddy even though it may be useful when it is attached to the shower pipe or the shower head.
As for the caddy in Patent Document 2, there is a problem that it cannot be hung or mounted on the shower head or shower pipe because the shape of a handle portion of the caddy is designed only to be carried by a user. Also, there is another problem that since the handle portion is formed together with a main body of the caddy, it is difficult to adjust its position or height with respect to a user even if the caddy is hung or mounted on the shower head or shower pipe.
The present invention is made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a basket tote which can be carried by a user and hung on a shower pipe, as desired.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the above object, the first aspect of the invention is that the basket tote comprises a basket and a hanging portion vertically slidably attached to the basket. The hanging portion includes a grip portion and extending portions extending from the grip portion and is stretchable with respect to the basket.
Because of the configuration according to the first aspect of the invention, the basket tote can be easily carried when the hanging portion is not stretched, and it is also easy to hang or mount on the shower pipe or shower head when the hanging portion is stretched.
Therefore, the invention can attain the objects which conventional types of basket totes have not achieved.
As for the second aspect of the invention, in the basket tote according to the first aspect of the invention, the hanging portion has two extending portions, and the basket includes a handle portion provided on the basket for storing and supporting the hanging portion. The handle portion has two holes on a top portion thereof so that the extending portions slide in the holes when stored.
Due to the feature according to the second aspect of the invention, the hanging portion can be stored and supported by the handle portion. Particularly, when the basket tote is carried by the user, the hanging portion is completely stored inside the handle portion. Therefore, the hanging portion would not undermine the mobility and looks of the basket tote.
With respect to the third aspect of the invention, in the basket tote according to the second aspect, the extending portions are substantially parallel and have hooks on tip ends thereof so that the hook portions prevent the extending portions from completely coming off from the holes.
Due to a simple structure of the hooks of the extending portions, the extending portions do not completely come off from the holes especially when it is hung or mounted on the shower pipe or shower head.
As for the fourth aspect of the invention, in the basket tote according to the third aspect, each hole is located on an opposite side of the top portion of the handle portion with respect to a center of the handle portion, and each hole includes a first elongated hole extending toward an end portion of the top portion of the handle, and a second elongated hole continuously extending from one end of the first elongated hole in a direction perpendicular to the first elongated hole so that the hook passes through only the second elongated holes when the hanging portion is installed or uninstalled to the basket.
In the fourth aspect of the invention, the hooks can only pass through the second elongated holes when the user installs or uninstalled the hanging portion to the basket. Needless to say, the hooks are big enough not to pass through the first elongated holes even when the hanging portion is pulled when it is hung or mounted on the shower pipe or head.
As for the fifth aspect of the invention, one second elongated hole extends in an opposite direction with respect to a direction in which other second elongated hole does. Accordingly, one hook faces in an opposite direction with respect to other hook so as to fit the each second elongated hole corresponding to the each hook portion.
This configuration further ensures that the hanging portion does not come off accidentally when it is hung or mounted.
According to the invention, it enables the basket tote to comfortably carry personal care articles and be safely hung or mounted on a shower pipe or head when it is used in a bath room.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a basket tote according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial front view showing a hanging portion according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the basket tote when the hanging portion is uninstalled.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hanging portion when uninstalled.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view showing a top portion of a handle portion when the hanging portion is uninstalled.

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing a hole including the first and second elongated holes when the extending portion is stretched.

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6 showing the handle portion and the hole when the extending portion is stretched.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to attached drawings.
In FIG. 1, a basket tote 1 includes a basket 2 and a hanging portion 3. The hanging portion 3 is configured to be vertically slidably attached to the basket 2 so that the hanging portion 3 can be hung or mounted on a shower pipe or a shower head.
The basket tote 1 has a handle portion 6 with a top portion 8 to which the hanging portion 3 is attached, a first vessel 18 on one side with respect to the handle portion 6, a second vessel 19 provided on the other side of the handle portion 6, and two third vessels 20 provided so as to sandwich the first and second vessels 18, 19. Each vessel may have drain holes 21 so that water can be drained from the inside of the each vessel. Although FIG. 1 shows one example as to how the vessels are arranged in the basket tote, the invention is not limited thereto. The arrangement of the vessels can be made freely according to the request.
In FIG. 2, the hanging portion 3 is illustrated with more details. The hanging portion 3 includes a grip portion 4 and two extending portions 5 extending from end portions of the grip portion 4 toward the handle portion 6 of the basket 2. The extending portions 5 are stretchable with respect to the basket.
The two extending portions 5 are stored inside the handle portion 6 when the hanging portion 3 is not pulled, as shown in FIG. 1.
In FIG. 3, the hanging portion 3 is uninstalled or taken out from the handle portion 6. The two extending portions 5 expand outwardly. Further, the extending portions 5 may be made of wire or other flexible metals or the like so that the user can squeeze the extending portions 5 to insert into holes 7 as shown in FIG. 5, provided on a top potion 8 of the handle portion 6, which are designed to be narrower than a distance between tip portions 10 of the extending portions 5. Although not shown in the drawings, the extending portions 5 may be formed of a one inverted U-shaped wire with the grip portion 4 attached therewith at a top portion of the one inverted U-shaped wire. Detailed illustrations as to the extending portions 5 and holes 7 are provided with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
An embodiment in FIG. 3 shows the extending portions 5 expanding outward, so that the extending portions 5 are biased toward the inside of the holes 7 at the handle portion 6 when the hanging portion 3 is located in the handle portion. Accordingly, even if the extending portions 5 are pulled by the user, the extending portions 5 fit in the handle portion. Therefore, this structure prevents unnecessary allowance of the hanging portion 3.
FIG. 4 shows the hanging portion 3 with further details. The grip portion 4 has a depression 14 provided on a lower portion 15 of the grip portion 4, and two first projecting portions 16 sandwiching the depression 14. The extending portions 5 have the tip portions 10, and the tip portions 10 have hooks 9 so that the hanging portion 3 does not come off from the holes 7 provided on the top portion 8 of the handle portion 6. The hooks 9 are designed to engage the holes 7, but they are also designed not to get stuck inside the handle portion 6 when it is stored therein.
FIG. 5 shows the top portion 8 of the handle portion 6 when the hanging portion 3 is uninstalled. The top portion 8 has a groove 17 so as to stably hold the first projecting portions 16 when the hanging portion 3 is stored in the handle portion 6.
Further, in FIG. 5, the hole 7 includes a first elongated hole 11 extending toward one end portion of the top portion 8 of the handle portion 6, and a second elongated hole 12 continuously extending from one end of the first elongated hole 11 in a direction perpendicular to the first elongated hole 11. The second elongated hole 12 is configured to extend from the one end closer to the center of the top portion 8 than the other end of the first elongated hole 11. The first and second elongated holes 11, 12 are configured so that the hook 9 passes though only the second elongated hole 12 when the hanging portion 3 is installed or uninstalled to the basket.
In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, one second elongated hole 12 extends in a direction opposite to that of the other second elongated hole 12. Accordingly, each hook 9 corresponding to the hole 12 is hooked in such a direction that the each hook 9 can passes through the corresponding hole 12. Since the extending portions 5 are biased outwardly against the inner walls of the first elongated holes 11, the hanging portion 3 does not come off from the holes unless the user intentionally squeezes the extending portions 5 up to the second elongated holes 12.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion around one of the holes 7 when the hanging portion 3 is pulled. The first elongated hole 11 is designed to be situated in a second projecting portion 18 at the end portion of the top portion 8 of the handle portion 6 and extend upwardly with respect to the second elongated hole 12, while the second elongated hole 12 is situated at a bottom of the top portion 8 of the handle portion 6 forming the groove 17, so that the first elongated hole 11 and the hooks 9 are more securely engaged when the hanging portion 3 is pulled. This configuration is especially important in a sense such that the hanging portion 3 is prevented from coming off from the holes 7 when the user does not intended to do so.
FIGS. 5 and 6 further show that the first elongated hole 11 is not only situated in the second projecting portion 18 in the top portion 8 of the handle portion 6, but also extends to an outer lateral side of the handle portion 6. A combination of the structure of first elongated holes 11 and the extending portions 5 expanding outwardly enables the hanging portion 3 to prevent from unnecessary allowance when the hanging portion is stored in handle portion 6 while the hanging portion 3 gives allowance for the user to easily grab the grip portion 4 when the user pulls the hanging portion 3. That is, the user can easily pull the hanging portion 3 until the extending portions 5 touch the inner periphery of the first elongated holes 11 in order to grab the grip portion 4, while the hanging portion 3 can be stably held by the handle portion 6 when completely pulled up due to the outward biasing force of the extending portions 5.
FIG. 7 shows the first elongated hole 11 and a hollow structure 13 of the handle portion 6 to store the extending portion 5 when the hanging portion 3 is pulled. The hook 9 is designed to engage the first elongated hole 11, and also to move upward and downward inside the hollow 13 when the hanging portion 3 is vertically slid. The handle portion may have a guide portion 6′ in the hollow 13, and the guide portion 6′ vertically downwardly extends from the each first elongated hole so that the guide portion 6′ supports and keeps the extending portion 5 vertical in the course of sliding the extending portion 5. As a result, the extending portion 5 does not flutter in the hollow 13. The guide portion 6′ may be arranged in such a way that each hook 9 is hooked in an opposite direction relative to the guide portion 6′ so that the each hook 9 does not engage the guide portion 13.
Therefore, in the present invention, the extending portions are stably held and stored in the handle portion when it is carried by the user, and the extending portion is stretchable when the basket tote is hung on the shower head or shower pipe while the extending portion does not completely come off from the handle portion due to the unique shape of the hooks at the tip portions of the extending portions. Accordingly, the present invention has attained the objective and overcome the problems in the conventional arts.
While the invention has been explained with reference to the specific embodiments of the invention, the explanation is illustrative and the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A basket tote, comprising:

a basket; and

a hanging portion vertically slidably attached to the basket, said hanging portion including a grip portion and extending portions extending from the grip portion and being stretchable with respect to the basket.

2. A basket tote according to claim 1, wherein the hanging portion has two extending portions, and the basket includes a handle portion for storing and supporting the hanging portion, said handle portion having two holes on a top portion thereof so that the extending portions slide in the holes.

3. A basket tote according to claim 2, wherein the extending portions are substantially parallel and have hooks on tip ends thereof so that said hooks prevent the extending portions from completely coming off from the holes.

4. A basket tote according to claim 3, wherein said holes are located at two sides of the top portion of the handle portion with respect to a center of the handle portion, and each of said holes includes a first elongated hole extending toward an end portion of the top portion of the handle, and a second elongated hole continuously extending from the first elongated hole in a direction perpendicular to the first elongated hole so that the hook passes through only the second elongated hole when the hanging portion is installed or uninstalled to the basket.

5. A basket tote according to claim 4, wherein one second elongated hole at one side of the handle portion extends in a direction opposite to a direction that the other second elongated hole extends at the other side of the handle portion, and one hook faces in a direction opposite to other hook so as to fit each second elongated hole corresponding to each hook portion.

6. A basket tote according to claim 5, wherein the handle portion has hollows so as to store the extending portions.

7. A basket tote according to claim 6, wherein the grip portion has a depression provided on a lower portion thereof, and two first projecting portions provided on the lower portion thereof and sandwiching the depression, and wherein the top portion of the handle portion has a groove so as to stably hold the two first projecting portions.

8. A basket tote according to claim 7, wherein the handle portion has second projecting portions at the two sides thereof, each of said second projecting portions projecting upwardly from the top portion of the handle portion, and wherein the second elongated hole is situated in the handle portion forming a bottom portion of the groove while the first elongated hole is situated in the second projecting portion, and further extends to a lateral side of the handle portion.

9. A basket tote according to claim 8, wherein the extending portions are wires.

10. A basket tote according to claim 9, wherein the handle portion includes guide portions in the hollow so as to guide the extending portions stably vertically when the extending portions are stored in the hollow.

11. A basket tote according to claim 1, wherein said basket includes:

a first vessel provided at one side of the basket;

a second vessel provided at a side opposite to the first vessel with respect to the handle portion; and

two third vessels provided so as to sandwich the first and second vessels.

12. A basket tote according to claim 11, wherein each vessel has at least one drain hole at a bottom thereof.