US20130180874A1

US20130180874A1 - Bathroom tool assembly

Info

Publication number: US20130180874A1
Application number: US13/744,406
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank Yang; Juliana Hung; David Wolbert
Original assignee: Simplehuman LLC
Current assignee: Simplehuman LLC
Priority date: 2012-01-17
Filing date: 2013-01-17
Publication date: 2013-07-18

Abstract

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.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

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 INVENTION

1. 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 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 (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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a plunger and housing assembly, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a right side view thereof (the left side view is a mirror image thereof);

FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view thereof, with its housing depicted in broken lines to illustrate the portion of the plunger supported therein.

FIGS. 8A-C are further pictorial views of the plunger and housing assembly.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a plunger head, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a side view of a toilet brush and housing assembly, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

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.
FIGS. 1-8 illustrate an embodiment of a bathroom tool assembly, in the form of a plunger assembly 1. The plunger assembly 1 comprises a plunger 2 and a canister having a housing 3, in which the plunger is interlocked to the canister housing 3 to securely support the plunger head (or cup) 6 in the canister housing 3 when not in use. The interlock mechanism is structured to allow easy insertion of the plunger head 6 into canister housing 3 to securely interlock the plunger 2 to the housing 3 and easy withdrawal of the plunger head 6 from the housing 3 by a user with one-hand operation. In the illustrated embodiment, the interlock mechanism does not include any moving parts. The canister housing 3 includes an enclosure 8 defining an opening 15 sized to receive the plunger head 6, so that it can be inserted or removed from the enclosure 8. The canister housing 3 supports and stores the plunger head 6 by hiding the plunger head discreetly out of sight when not in use.
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 FIGS. 1-8, the canister housing 3 includes a domed shaped enclosure 8 and a base 10 configured and sized to contain the plunger head 6. In some embodiments, the canister housing enclosure 8 and base 10 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. The canister housing enclosure 8 is configured and sized to house the entire plunger head 6 so that any water drips from the plunger head 6 can be caught and retained by the canister base 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the canister housing enclosure 8 defines a fixed opening 15 to the interior space of the canister housing 3, wherein the opening 15 is sized so that the plunger 2 can be attached to or detached from the canister housing 3 by inserting into and removing from the canister housing 3. The canister housing 3 fully encloses the plunger head 6 except for the opening 15 defined in the canister housing 3. However, when the plunger assembly 1 is not in use and the plunger 2 does not need to be removed, the plunger assembly 1 can be positioned so that the opening 15 of the canister housing enclosure 8 is turned away from the user's view to hide the plunger 2. The bottom of the base 10 may be provided a non-skid surface (e.g., a rubber pad).
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 FIG. 8C. By pushing the base 10 of the canister housing 3 flat against the floor while pivoting away from the collar 9 in the direction of arrow 11, the plunger rod 7 may be separated from the collar 9 by one-hand operation. Accordingly, it can be seen that the plunger 2 can be released from the canister 3 (i.e., to decouple releasable interlock coupling) without requiring a tool.
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.
FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of the flexible plunger head 6. The plunger head 6 can have a profile such that it has a tip 11 to engage with a typical toilet water drain opening. The tip 11 can be flexible so that it fits the contours of the water drain. In some embodiments, the tip 11 can have an accordion like structure. The flexible plunger head 6 can also have a bulb 12 portion that seals the flexible head 6 onto the water drain surface when pressed.
FIG. 10 illustrates another embodiment of a bathroom tool assembly, in the form of a toilet brush assembly 21 comprising a toilet brush 22 and a canister 23. This embodiment is similar to the previous embodiment, except that the bathroom tool in this embodiment is a toilet brush 22, and the holder comprises a canister 23 having a housing 28 and base 30 that is sized and shaped to receive the toilet brush head 26. As was in the case of the plunger 2, the toilet brush 22 has a handle 25 and a rod 27 connecting the handle to the brush head 26. As was in in the case of the canister 3 in the previous embodiment, the housing 28 of the canister 23 defines an opening 35 to removably receive the toilet brush head 26, and the collar 29 extending from the top of the housing 28 has a split opening 37. The interactions of the toilet brush 22 and canister 23 are similar to those of the plunger 2 and canister 3 in the plunger assembly 1 in the previous embodiment. The structures, design considerations and operations of the plunger assembly 1 in the previous embodiment are equally applicable in the toilet brush assembly 21 in the present embodiment. For example, the releasable interlocking coupling includes a magnetic coupling between the rod 27 of the toilet brush and the collar 29, in similar fashion as in the case of the plunger assembly 1. The toilet brush 22 can be supported with the toilet brush head 26 stored in the canister 23 (schematically represent with the toilet brush 22 at the position represented by dotted line 22′). A user can lift the handle 25 and move the toilet brush 22 along with the housing 23 together. The strength of the magnet coupling can be designed so that the toilet brush 22 can be removed from the canister housing 23 and the collar 29, when the toilet brush 22 is pivoted or pulled away from the magnet coupling of the collar 29 in the direction of the split opening 37 defined by the collar 29, in the direction of the arrow 31 in FIG. 10. By pushing the base 30 of the canister housing 23 flat against the floor while pivoting the rod 27 away from the collar 29 in the direction of arrow 31, the toilet brush rod 27 may be separated from the collar 29 by one-hand operation.
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

We claim:

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.