US20240090714A1

US20240090714A1 - Rod-mounted towel holder device

Info

Publication number: US20240090714A1
Application number: US17/945,263
Authority: US
Inventors: Steven Carlisle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2022-09-15
Filing date: 2022-09-15
Publication date: 2024-03-21

Abstract

A rod-mounted towel holder device for hanging a towel from a shower rod away from a shower curtain hung from the shower rod includes a hook, a counterweight, and a central shank extending arcuately between the hook and the counterweight. The central shank is configured for straddling a shower rod. The hook curves opposite to the central shank and has a distal end relative to the central shank configured for holding a towel. A gravitational force acts on the counterweight to produce a torque around the shower rod, causing the hook to move the towel up and away from a shower curtain hung from the shower rod.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to towel hooks and more particularly pertains to a new towel hook for hanging a towel from a shower rod away from a shower curtain hung from the shower rod.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to towel hooks. Some shower hooks in the prior art are configured for hanging onto a shower rod, with one shower hook having an arcuate handle configured for resting on the shower side of the shower rod and another shower hook integrally holding a shower curtain. However, the prior art does not disclose a shower hook with a counterweight configured for positioning opposite the shower rod from the hook such that it produces a torque causing the hook to move the towel up and away from a shower curtain hung from the shower rod.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a hook, a counterweight, and a central shank extending arcuately between the hook and the counterweight. The central shank is configured for straddling a shower rod. The hook curves opposite to the central shank and has a distal end relative to the central shank configured for holding a towel. A gravitational force acts on the counterweight to produce a torque around the shower rod, causing the hook to move the towel up and away from a shower curtain hung from the shower rod.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rod-mounted towel holder device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new towel hook embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6 , the rod-mounted towel holder device 10 generally comprises a central shank 12 having a first end 14 and a second end 16. The central shank 12 extends along a portion of a circular path 18, defining a gap 20 between opposing portions of the central shank 12. The central shank 12 is configured for straddling a shower rod 22 such that the shower rod 22 is positioned within the gap 20 and is configured for being rotatable about the shower rod 22 when straddling the shower rod 22. A hook 24 is coupled to the first end 14 of the central shank 12. The hook 24 has a proximal end 26 relative to the central shank 12 and a distal end 28 relative to the central shank 12. The hook 24 is U-shaped, the hook 24 curving opposite to the central shank 12 such that the hook 24 and the central shank 12 cooperatively define a first S-curve 30. The hook 24 comprises a pair of outer portions 32 and a middle portion 34 extending between the pair of outer portions 32. The pair of outer portions 32 extend parallel to each other, and the middle portion 34 is arcuate. The distal end 28 of the hook 24 is configured for supporting a towel 36 hung onto the hook 24.
A counterweight 38 is coupled to the second end 16 of the central shank 12. The counterweight 38 and the hook 24 cooperatively defining an opening 40 to the gap 20 which is configured for receiving the shower rod 22 therethrough. The counterweight 38 has an arcuate portion 42 and a bulbous portion 44. The arcuate portion 42 extends between the central shank 12 and the bulbous portion 44, the arcuate portion 42 curving opposite to the central shank 12 such that the arcuate portion 42 and the central shank 12 cooperatively define a second S-curve 46. The arcuate portion 42 widens from the central shank 12 to the bulbous portion 44. The bulbous portion 44 is spherical. The opening 40 is smaller than a diameter of the circular path 18 and is configured for being smaller than a diameter of the shower rod 22. The central shank 12 is resiliently bendable and is configured for elastically bending such that the shower rod 22 is received through the opening 40 into the gap 20, thereby releasably securing the shower rod 22 within the gap 20. The central shank 12 may be constructed of a metal, polymer, or like material.
In use, the central shank 12 bends to receive the shower rod 22 through the opening 40 and elastically springs back to straddle the shower rod 22 and secure the device 10 to the shower rod 22. A towel 36 is hung on the hook 24. A gravitational force on the counterweight produces a torque which rotates the device 10 such that the hook 24 moves the towel 36 up and away from the shower curtain 48 hung on the shower rod 22.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. A rod-mounted towel holder device comprising:

a central shank having a first end and a second end, said central shank being arcuate, said central shank defining a gap between opposing portions of said central shank, said central shank being configured for straddling a shower rod such that the shower rod is positioned within said gap, said central shank being configured for being rotatable about the shower rod when straddling the shower rod;

a hook being coupled to said first end of said central shank, said hook having a proximal end relative to said central shank and a distal end relative to said central shank, said hook being U-shaped, said hook curving opposite to said central shank such that said hook and said central shank cooperatively define a first S-curve, said distal end of said hook being configured for supporting a towel hung onto said hook; and

a counterweight being coupled to said second end of said central shank, said counterweight and said hook cooperatively defining an opening to said gap, said opening being configured for receiving the shower rod therethrough, said counterweight having mass such that said counterweight is configured to lift the towel hung on said hook up and away from a shower curtain hung on the shower rod via a gravitational force on the counterweight.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising said central shank extending along a portion of a circular path.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising said honk comprising a pair of outer portions and a middle portion extending between said pair of outer portions, said pair of outer portions extending parallel to each other, said middle portion being arcuate.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising said counterweight having an arcuate portion and a bulbous portion, said arcuate portion extending between said central shank and said bulbous portion, said arcuate portion curving opposite to said central shank such that said arcuate portion and said central shank cooperatively define a second S-curve, said arcuate portion widening from said central shank to said bulbous portion, said bulbous portion being spherical.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising said opening being smaller than a diameter of said circular path, said opening being configured for being smaller than a diameter of the shower rod, said central shank being resiliently bendable, said central shank being configured for elastically bending such that the shower rod is received through said opening into said gap, thereby releasably securing the shower rod within said gap.

6. A rod-mounted towel holder device comprising:

a central shank having a first end and a second end, said central shank extending along a portion of a circular path, said central shank defining a gap between opposing portions of said central shank, said central shank being configured for straddling a shower rod such that the shower rod is positioned within said gap, said central shank being configured for being rotatable about the shower rod when straddling the shower rod;

a hook being coupled to said first end of said central shank, said hook having a proximal end relative to said central shank and a distal end relative to said central shank, said hook being U-shaped, said hook curving opposite to said central shank such that said hook and said central shank cooperatively define a first S-curve,

said hook comprising a pair of outer portions and a middle portion extending between said pair of outer portions, said pair of outer portions extending parallel to each other, said middle portion being arcuate, said distal end of said hook being configured for supporting a towel hung onto said hook; and

a counterweight being coupled to said second end of said central shank, said counterweight and said hook cooperatively defining an opening to said gap, said opening being configured for receiving the shower rod therethrough, said counterweight having mass such that said counterweight is configured to lift the towel hung on said hook up and away from a shower curtain hung on the shower rod via a gravitational force on the counterweight,

said counterweight having an arcuate portion and a bulbous portion, said arcuate portion extending between said central shank and said bulbous portion, said arcuate portion curving opposite to said central shank such that said arcuate portion and said central shank cooperatively define a second S-curve, said arcuate portion widening from said central shank to said bulbous portion, said bulbous portion being spherical,

said opening being smaller than a diameter of said circular path, said opening being configured for being smaller than a diameter of the shower rod, said central shank being resiliently bendable, said central shank being configured for elastically bending such that the shower rod is received through said opening into said gap, thereby releasably securing the shower rod within said gap.