US20100102014A1

US20100102014A1 - Over arm shower caddy

Info

Publication number: US20100102014A1
Application number: US12/290,041
Authority: US
Inventors: Ue-Ming Yang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-10-27
Filing date: 2008-10-27
Publication date: 2010-04-29

Abstract

A shower caddy provides a central slot opening for storing flexible hose when it is adapted to shower pipe in conjunction with a removable shower head. This prevents flexible hose from being crimped, and from blocking access to shower caddy. Shower caddy is further provided with removable storage compartments so that it is universal for use in conjunction with either a fixed shower head or a removable shower head without downgrading its total storage capacity.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Present invention relates to an over arm shower caddy that is hung onto a shower pipe for storing objects such as shampoo, soap and etc.
Over arm shower caddy of prior art offers the advantage of an easy access to the stored objects. However, shower caddy of prior art is only suitable for use in conjunction with a fixed shower head connected to shower pipe end. It is not suitable for use in conjunction with a removable shower head (i.e., a massage shower head). In this case, shower pipe end is connected to the inlet end of a pipe connector. A flexible hose is connected to the outlet end of pipe connector at one end, and connected to the removable shower head at another end. Pipe connector provides an integral holder for retaining the removable shower head at a fixed location near the shower pipe end. When a shower caddy of prior art is adapted to shower pipe, flexible hose is pressed against shower caddy due to the close proximity between shower pipe end and shower caddy. As a result, crimping of flexible hose can occur, which may adversely affect the performance of removable shower head. Flexible hose also block front access to shower caddy, and thus increases difficulty for user to retrieve objects from shower caddy.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a shower caddy that is suitable for use in conjunction with a removable shower head.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of present invention is to provide a shower caddy that is suitable for use in conjunction with a removable shower head.
Another object of present invention is to provide a shower caddy that is universal for use in conjunction with a fixed shower head or a removable shower head while maintains same efficient storage capacity in either case.
Another object of present invention is to provide a shower caddy that is cost effective and commercially marketable.
In one preferred embodiments of present invention, shower caddy is provided with a vertical recessed slot opening at center section that provides flexible hose a direct entry into the slot opening, and provides a storage space for storing flexible hose within the slot opening in a relatively vertical position. As a result, flexible hose is not possibly to be crimped, or to block front access to shower caddy.
In another preferred embodiments of present invention, shower caddy is further provided with removable storage compartments. They are detachably attached to shower caddy in recessed opening when shower caddy is adapted in conjunction with a fixed shower head. They are detachably attached to the lateral extreme ends of shower caddy when shower caddy is adapted in conjunction with a removable shower head. Such a shower caddy maintains the same efficient storage capacity in either application. Consequently, it offers the advantage of being cost effective and marketable in a broader market.

BRIEF DISCUSSION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiments of shower caddy of present invention, in which shower caddy is adapted in conjunction with a removable shower head.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiments of shower caddy of present invention, in which shower caddy is adapted in conjunction with a fixed shower head.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiments of shower caddy of present invention, in which shower caddy is adapted in conjunction with a removable shower head.

DETAILED DISCUSSION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiments of shower caddy of present invention. Shower caddy 1 consists of a planar frame 2, a horizontal top shelf 3, and a horizontal bottom shelf 4. The top end 5 of frame 2 is attached to a shower pipe 6. Techniques for securely attaching top end 5 to shower pipe 6 are well known in industry. Preferably, a reverse U-shape rubber piece 7 is used in FIG. 1, which is securely attached to an inner circle of top end 5 and tightly fit around outside diameter of shower pipe 6. The slippage-resistant characteristic of rubber piece 7 prevents any possible pivotal and linear movements of frame 2 along shower pipe 6. Frame 2 is then stably hung onto shower pipe 6 in a relatively vertical position.
Top and bottom shelves 3 and 4 are fixedly attached to frame 2, and are projected in outward and lateral directions from frame 2. Shelves 3 and 4 are provided with central recessed openings 8 and 9 respectively, which form a continuous vertical recessed slot opening 10 throughout the center section of shower caddy 1.
FIG. 1 shows shower caddy 1 is adapted in conjunction with a removable shower head 11. In this application, shower pipe end is connected to the inlet end of a pipe connector 12. A flexible hose 13 is connected to the outlet end of pipe connector 12 at one end, and connected to the removable shower head 11 at another end. Pipe connector 12 provides an integral holder 14 for retaining the removable shower head 11 at a fixed location near the shower pipe end. Slot opening 10 provides an entry that allows the loop of flexible hose 13 to enter into slot opening 10 from the front of shower caddy 1. Slot opening 10 provides a storage space for storing the loop of flexible hose 13 in a relatively vertical position. As a result, flexible hose 13 can not be possibly crimped. Top and bottom shelves 3 and 4 provide storage compartments 15, 16, 17 and 18 laterally apart from flexible hose. As a result, flexible hose 13 does not block the access for retrieving the stored objects from storage compartments 15, 16, 17 and 18.
FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show perspective views of the second preferred embodiments of shower caddy of present invention, in which shower caddy is adapted in conjunction with a fixed shower head and a removable shower head respectively. The configuration of second preferred embodiments is identical to that of first preferred embodiments with one exception. In second preferred embodiments, additional removable storage compartments are provided. In FIG. 2, removable storage compartments 19 and 20 are detachably attached to shower caddy 21 in the recessed openings 22 and 23 respectively when shower caddy 21 is adapted in conjunction with a fixed shower head 24. In FIG. 3, removable storage compartments 19 and 20 are detachably attached to the extreme ends of storage compartments 25 and 26 respectively in top shelf 27 when shower caddy 21 is adapted in conjunction with a removable shower head 28. Alternatively, removable storage compartments 19 and 20 can be detachably attached to the extreme ends of storage compartments 29 and 30 in bottom shelf 31 (not shown), or the opposite extreme ends of top and bottom shelves 27 and 31 (not shown). The above arrangements of removable storage compartments 19 and 20 ensure shower caddy 21 to be in a balanced state when it is fully loaded with objects. Each of fixed storage compartments 25, 26, 29 and 30 has at least a pair of side walls laterally apart from each other. Each of removable storage compartments 19 and 20 also has at least a pair of side walls 32 laterally apart from each other. Each side wall 32 has at least a reverse U-hook 33 integrally constructed at its top end, which provides the means for detachably attaching removable storage compartments 19 and 20 according to the above arrangements. As a result, shower caddy 21 is universal for dual applications while maintaining the same efficient storage capacity in either application. This expands the marketability of shower caddy 21 to a broader market.
It is understood that the above embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of present invention. Modifications and variations are allowed within scope of present invention. For example, various means can be adopted for attaching shower caddy to shower pipe, or for attaching removable storage compartments to shower caddy without exceeding the scope of present invention. For another example, multiple layers of shelves in various shapes, forms or material can be adopted without exceeding the scope of present invention.

Claims

1. A shower caddy comprising of:

a planar frame structure having an attaching means for hanging onto a shower pipe in a relatively vertical position; and

multiple horizontal shelves being fixedly attached to said frame structure and being projected in an outward and lateral directions from said frame structure, in which, each shelf is provided with a center rearward recessed opening in a mid section;

wherein:

said recessed openings of said multiple shelves forming a continuous vertical recessed slot opening throughout a center section of said shower caddy that provides an entry for a loop of flexible hose of a removable shower head entering into said slot opening from a front end of said shower caddy, and provides a storage space for storing said loop of flexible hose within said slot opening in a relatively vertical position.

2. In the shower caddy according to claim 1, said multiple shelves contain at least:

a first shelf that is divided into a first storage compartment, a first rearward recessed opening in a mid section, and a second storage compartment; and

a second shelf that is divided into a third storage compartment, a second rearward recessed opening in a mid section, and a fourth storage compartment; and

a fifth storage compartment that is detachably attached to said first shelf in said first recessed opening, and a sixth storage compartment that is detachably attached to said second shelf in said second recessed opening when said shower caddy is adapted in conjunction with said fixed shower head connected to said pipe end; and

said fifth and sixth storage compartments are detachably attached to said first shelf at laterally extreme ends of said first and second compartments respectively when said shower caddy is adapted in conjunction with said removable shower head.

3. In the shower caddy according to claim 1, said multiple shelves contain at least:

said fifth and sixth storage compartments are detachably attached to said second shelf at laterally extreme ends of said third and fourth storage compartments respectively when said shower caddy is adapted in conjunction with said removable shower head.

4. In the shower caddy according to claim 1, said multiple shelves contain at least:

said fifth and sixth storage compartments are detachably attached to said first and second shelves at laterally opposite extreme ends of said first and second shelves when said shower caddy is adapted in conjunction with said removable shower head.

5. In the shower caddy according to claims 2, 3 and 4, each of said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth storage compartments has a left side wall laterally apart from a right side wall, and each of said side walls of said fifth and sixth storage compartments has at least a reverse U-hook integrally constructed at a top end of each said side wall, so that said reverse U-hook provides a means for detachably attaching said fifth and sixth storage compartments at various locations according to claims 2, 3 and 4.