Abstract:
A shower bar is provided for secure but removable attachment to a surface, such as a wall in a shower or bath area. The shower bar has a support bar connected to a pair of mechanically activated suction cup assemblies and a pivotal activator arm that operatively engages the suction cup assemblies to hold the shower bar to the surface of the wall or release it therefrom. The support bar has a channel that receives the activator arm therein when the shower bar is secured against the surface. Each of the suction cup assemblies has a cup housing that seals against a suction member to define a suction chamber in the cup housing. Pivot pins at the ends of the activator arm connect to activation rods that operatively engage the cup housing against the suction member. An arm release hole is provided to release the shower bar from the surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/677,559 filed on May 3, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     A. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The field of the present invention relates generally to apparatuses and devices used for supporting clothes, wash clothes, towels or other objects in or near a shower or bath area. More specifically, this invention relates to such apparatuses and devices that are configured to removably but securely attach to a hard, non-porous wall or other generally smooth surface. Even more specifically, this invention relates to such apparatuses and devices that utilize one or more mechanically activated vacuum or suction cups to removably attach to the wall or other surface.  
         [0004]     B. Background  
         [0005]     The walls of most shower and bath areas are at least partially covered or otherwise provided with generally non-porous materials to protect the underlying wall from water that is splashed or sprayed during the shower or bath. In particular, due to the nature of the configuration of the shower head and spray therefrom, indoor shower areas nearly always have the walls covered with a substantially non-porous material to protect the drywall or other water damagable wall material underlying the covering material. Common materials utilized for shower walls include tile, marble, plastics (such as PVC and other plastics), fiberglass, glass and various composite materials. In addition to being substantially non-porous, shower walls are generally configured, for both aesthetics and comfort reasons, with a hard and relatively flat, smooth surface. While such surfaces are generally attractive and suitable for use as a shower enclosure, they are known to have certain limitations with regard to installing apparatuses or devices on the shower wall area. For instance, it is generally difficult to attach a hook, nail, screw or other attaching mechanism to or through the wall of a shower or bath area, as one normally does to other walls, due to the materials utilized for shower and bath enclosures. In addition to being difficult to accomplish, attempting to pass such an attaching mechanism to or through such walls risks cracking, chipping or otherwise damaging the wall. As a result, most people are unable or unwilling to utilize these attaching mechanisms to attach otherwise useful or necessary apparatuses or devices to their shower wall. If the shower or bath area is not in their own home, such as showers at gyms, hotels and the like, the user is neither allowed nor desirous to permanently attach an attaching mechanism to the surrounding or nearby wall.  
         [0006]     One device that would be particularly useful for attachment to a shower wall is a bar type of apparatus which a person could use to hang a wash cloth or like objects inside the shower or bathing area or their towel, robe, clothes or the like at or nearby while taking a shower or bath. Instead, people generally have to hang these objects well outside the shower or bath area or over the shower door or low wall and hang the wash cloth over the shower head, soap dish or other projection inside the shower or bath area. Unfortunately, with regard to the placement of a towel in a shower area, particularly showers in gyms and the like, the area for hanging the towel is either out of easy reach or in an area where it is likely to get wet from the shower spray. Naturally, when it is out of reach it is also often out of the person&#39;s sight. When the person is done with the shower and desires to dry off, he or she usually has to either reach for the towel or have to step out of the shower enclosure while wet to get the towel and begin drying off. As a result, it would be useful to have an apparatus that is suitable for supporting a towel on a shower wall, particularly one that is removably attached so that it can be placed where desired and suitable for use in locations not belonging to the user, including showers in gyms, motels, hotels or rental units.  
         [0007]     Although some manufactures texture the floor of the shower or the user utilizes a non-slip floor covering, which can provide some degree of resistance to slipping, the walls are nearly always left very smooth. In fact, most shower areas have very few, if any, non-plumbing projections into the shower area that can be used to stabilize a person. An exception to this are those showers that are primarily configured for disabled persons, which are typically provided with one or more fixedly attached shower bars to help support the disabled person while he or she is showering or getting in and out of the bath. However, as well known, the vast majority of shower enclosures are not provided with any type of support/stabilizing bar and, as discussed above, the materials used for shower enclosure makes it difficult to add a bar to the shower.  
         [0008]     A variety of hook or hook-like devices are available for attachment to the shower wall which can, to some extent, be used for hanging a towel or like object inside a shower enclosure. Generally, these and other devices utilize a single suction cup that is configured to adhere to the wall by pushing the cup base against the wall, usually while it or the wall is wet. Some of these hook devices include a cam-type of locking mechanism that is configured to better secure the hook device to the wall. As is well known, however, these suction cup devices generally do not work very well and are typically not suitable for use with a bar that is intended to support much weight. For instance, such devices typically do not have enough suction or gripping strength to support the weight of the typical towel, robe or clothes and are not useful at all for stabilizing a person in the shower area. Even if the typical shower suction cups can initially support the weight of a towel, they generally lack sufficient suction power to maintain their attachment to the wall, particularly in light of the soap, water and steam which are present on shower enclosure walls.  
         [0009]     In general, the use of mechanically activated suction cups as a gripping device to ease the handling of large pieces of glass, sheet metal, plastic, fiberglass, polished stone or like materials is well known. Typical, mechanically activated suction hand cups comprise a handle portion with a suction cup member that is activated by operating a lever to engage the suction cup against the material the user desires to lift or otherwise handle. Suction cup assemblies generally comprise a rubber suction cup member that is pressed against the material such that when the lever is activated a suction force is created between the suction cup and the material, thereby allowing the user to utilize the handle to lift or move the object to which the suction cup is now attached. To release the suction and disengage the object from the suction cup, the user moves the lever in the opposite direction. These devices are not configured for use as an object supporting bar in a shower or bath area.  
         [0010]     What is needed, therefore, is a shower bar that is configured to be securely, yet removably attached to the typical wall surface utilized for shower and bath enclosures. The preferred shower bar apparatus should be configured to attach to a shower or bath wall with enough suction or gripping force to support a wash cloth, shower-sized towel, robe, clothes or other materials on the shower wall without slipping therefrom. The preferred shower bar apparatus will be easy to attach and remove from the shower wall surface. Preferably, the shower bar apparatus will be aesthetically pleasing and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The removably attachable shower bar of the present invention provides the benefits and solves the problems identified above. That is to say, the present invention discloses a shower bar that is configured to be removably, but securely attached to the wall of a shower or bath enclosure to support a wash cloth, towel, robe, clothes or other materials in or near the shower or bath. The shower bar of the present invention can be easily attached and removed from various places in the shower or bath enclosure as determined by the user, such as inside the shower enclosure or on a wall next to the shower enclosure. The shower bar of the present invention provides sufficient attachment force that, if need be, it can help stabilize a person in the shower so as to prevent or check a person from slipping and falling in the enclosure, thereby reducing the likelihood the person will suffer severe or life-threatening injury from a fall. The shower bar of the present invention can be configured to have an aesthetically pleasing appearance and be relatively inexpensively manufactured.  
         [0012]     In one general aspect of the present invention, the shower bar comprises a support bar, activator arm and one or more suction cup assemblies that cooperate together to attach to a surface, such as a wall of a shower or bath enclosure. In a preferred embodiment, the support bar has a first end section at a first end, a second end section at a second end and a center section that interconnects the first end section and the second end sections. The support bar has a channel, which in the preferred embodiment is downwardly directed, that receives the activator arm when the shower bar is attached to the surface. The first and second end sections are both disposed inwardly towards the surface of the tub or shower in order to dispose the center section of the support bar in a spaced apart relation to the surface. In one configuration, the support bar is configured in a substantially U-shape having a first end and a second end, at which are located the suction cup assemblies. The activator arm is in pivotal relation with the support bar such that the upward or downward movement thereof either engages or disengages the shower bar from the surface. Each of the suction cup assemblies have a cup housing, a suction member at an outwardly disposed open second end of the cup housing and a mechanism for disposing the cup housing against the suction member. The suction member, which generally will be made out of rubber or the like, is configured to sealably connect to the cup housing so as to define a suction chamber therein and securely attach the shower bar to the surface. In the preferred embodiment, the disposing mechanism comprises a pivot pin that interconnects the ends of the activator arm with one end of an activation rod. The other end of the activation rod is attached to the suction member. In one embodiment, a plate member interconnects the end of the activation rod and the suction member.  
         [0013]     In operation, the user places the suction member against the surface at the location he or she desires to have a shower bar with the activator arm in the downward or disengaged position. To secure shower bar to the surface (i.e., shower wall), the user merely places activator arm in the engaged position by raising the activator arm upward into the support bar channel. The upward movement of the activator arm pushes the second end of the cup housing against the suction member and creates the suction force in the suction chamber to hold shower bar in place. To remove the shower bar, the user engages a releasing mechanism, which in a preferred embodiment comprising an arm release hole on the upper side of the support bar, by placing an elongate object into the arm release hole and pushing downward to initiate the downward motion of the activator arm. This downward motion displaces the second end of the cup housing away from the suction member and releases the shower bar from the surface.  
         [0014]     Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a removably attachable shower bar that provides the advantages discussed above and overcomes the disadvantages and limitations associated with presently available shower wall attachment devices.  
         [0015]     It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a removably attachable shower bar that securely but removably attaches to the smooth, generally non-porous surfaces utilized in and around shower and bath areas.  
         [0016]     It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a removably attachable shower bar that sufficiently attaches to generally non-porous shower and bath walls to support the weight of a wash cloth, towel, robe, clothes and the like without slipping down or otherwise disengaging from the wall.  
         [0017]     It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a removably attachable shower bar that comprises a support bar which is integrally connected to a pair of mechanically activated suction cups and pivotal activator arm that is operatively connected to the suction cups so as to removably secure the bar to the wall of the shower or bath enclosure surface or release the suction cups therefrom.  
         [0018]     It is also an objective of the present invention to provide a removably attachable shower bar that can be sufficiently attached to a shower wall to stabilize a person so as to prevent or slow a fall in the shower.  
         [0019]     It is also an objective of the present invention to provide a removably attachable shower bar that has an aesthetically pleasing appearance and which can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.  
         [0020]     The above and other objectives of the present invention will be explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and the description of the preferred embodiment which follows. As set forth herein, the present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, mode of operation and combination of processes presently described and understood by the claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]     In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments and the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:  
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the removably attachable shower bar configured according to the principles of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown attached to a wall surface;  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional top view of the removably attachable shower bar of  FIG. 1  taken through the support bar showing the components of the activator arm, activation mechanism and suction cup assemblies;  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of the removably attachable shower bar of  FIG. 1  taken through one of the suction cup assemblies showing the activator arm and activation mechanism in the disengaged position;  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the support bar and integrally formed cup housing of a preferred embodiment of the removably attachable shower bar of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a preferred configuration for the suction cup base used with the removably attachable shower bar of the present invention; and  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a preferred configuration for the activator arm used with the removably attachable shower bar of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]     With reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader&#39;s understanding of the shower bar of the present invention, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are set forth below. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the enclosed figures and drawings are merely illustrative of the preferred embodiments and represent several different ways of configuring the present invention. Although specific components, materials, configurations and uses are illustrated, it should be understood that a number of variations to the components and to the configuration of those components described herein and in the accompanying figures can be made without changing the scope and function of the invention set forth herein.  
         [0029]     A removably attachable shower bar that is manufactured out of the materials and pursuant to one embodiment of the present invention is shown generally as  10  in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . As shown in these figures, shower bar  10  generally comprises a support bar  12 , a pair of suction cup assemblies  14  and an activator arm  16  that are configured to securely, but removably attach shower bar  10  to a generally hard smooth surface, shown as  18  in  FIG. 1 , such as the walls of a shower or bath enclosure or the sides of a bathtub (as may be desired by the user). As described in more detail below, suction cup assemblies  14  are mechanically activated suction cups that are activated by the pivotally attached activator arm  16  so as to securely engage surface  18  and to provide an apparatus to support a wash cloth, towel, robe, clothes or other objects that may be accessed by a person utilizing the shower or bathtub. As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the suction cup assemblies  14  of the shower bar  10  of the present invention generally comprise cup housing  20  and cup base  22 , which are configured to provide the suction force necessary to securely attach shower bar  10  to surface  18  so that the user can utilize shower bar  10  to support one or more objects. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in the figures, support bar  12  and cup housing  20  are integrally formed and configured from a sturdy material, such as molded plastic. The dimensions and configuration of the support bar  12  and cup assemblies  14  must be sufficient in length and circumference to provide the desired amount of suction against surface  18  and to provide the user with the desired amount of space to hang his or her objects (as described above).  
         [0030]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , which is a view of the underside of a preferred embodiment of support bar  12  and cup housing  20 , support bar  12  is formed with an open channel  24  for receiving activator arm  16  therein when shower bar  10  is secured to surface  18 . In addition, cup housing  20  is formed with suction chamber  26  for housing the operating components of the cup assemblies  14 . As explained in more detail below, support bar  12  has a release mechanism, such as arm release hole  28 , that is configured to allow the user to initiate the downward movement of activator arm  16  so as to release shower bar  10  from surface  18 . Although the preferred embodiment utilizes channel  24 , primarily to provide a more unified and aesthetically pleasing shower bar  10 , support bar  12  can be solid and activator arm  16  can be configured to abut against the underside of support bar  12  instead of inside channel  24 .  
         [0031]     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , activator arm  16  is in pivotal relation with support bar  12  and cup base  22  operatively attaches to activator arm  16  by way of activation rod  30 . The first end  32  of activation rod  30  is provided with a first activation rod hole  34  for receiving pivot pin  36  through a cooperatively configured second pivot pin hole  38  in the ends of support bar  12  near where it connects to cup housing  20  (as best shown in  FIG. 4 ). Pivot pin  36  secures activation rod  30 , and therefore cup base  22 , to activator arm  16  in a manner that allows activator arm  16  to pivot between the engaged position shown in  FIG. 1  to the disengaged or released position shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , which is a cross-section view of shower bar  10  through a position just above the center of suction cup assemblies  14 , pivot pin  36  passes through the first end  40  and second end  42  of support bar  12  and first end  44  and second end  46  of activator arm  16  to obtain the pivotal relationship between support bar  12  and activator arm  16  necessary for the mechanical activation of suction cup assemblies  14 . As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , activator rod  30  passes from suction chamber  26  of cup housing  20  to inside channel  24  for connection to pivot pin  36 , which connects to activator arm  16 , by way of a rod hole  48  at the first end  50  of cup housing  20 . The second end  42  of activation rod  30  is attached to the suction member  52  at the second end  54  of cup housing  20 , as best shown in  FIG. 5 . In a preferred embodiment, a plate member  56  interconnects the second end  42  of activation rod  30  with the suction member  52  of cup base  22 . In the preferred embodiment, plate member  56  is a hard plastic material.  
         [0032]     In the preferred embodiment, shown in the figures, shower bar  10  is configured in a generally U-shape with support bar  12  having a first end section  58  at first end  40 , second end section  60  at second end  42  and center section  62  disposed between first  58  and second  60  end sections (as well as first  40  and second  42  ends), as best shown in  FIG. 2 . Support bar  12  is configured to dispose the center section  62  thereof in spaced apart relation to surface  18 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , so the user may easily hang or otherwise place the objects over support bar  12 . The first end  50  of cup housing  20  of each suction cup assembly  14  is attached to the first  40  and second  42  ends of support bar  12 . In one preferred embodiment, shown in  FIG. 4 , cup housings  20  are integral with support bar  12 . The suction member  52  of each suction cup assembly  14  is disposed at the second end  54  of cup housings  20 , which are disposed outwardly from support bar  12 , so as to define suction chamber  26  when suction member  52  is sealably connected or engaged with second end  54  of cup housings  20  (which occurs through the upward movement of activator arm  16  into channel  24  of support bar  12 ). As stated above, the mechanically activated suction cups for the shower bar  10  of the present invention comprises a mechanism for disposing the second end  54  of cup housings  20  against suction member  52  of each suction cup assembly  14 . In the preferred embodiment, the suction cup assembly  14  disposing mechanism comprises the pivot pin  36  and activation rod  30 , with the pivot pin  36  connecting the first end  32  of activation rod  30  to one end of activator arm  16  and the second end  42  of activation rod  30  connected to suction member  52 , as best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, activator arm  16  is also configured in a generally U-shaped configuration, having a first end section  64  at first end  44 , second end section  66  at second end  46  and a center section  68  disposed therebetween, as best shown in  FIG. 6 . The first  44  and second  46  ends of activator arm  16  have a third pivot pin hole  70  for receiving pivot pin  36  and an activation rod slot  72  for receiving activation rod  30  therethrough, as also best shown in  FIG. 6 . As best shown in  FIG. 2 , activation rod  30  passes through first  44  and second  46  ends of activator arm  16  and is attached to activator arm  16  by the insertion of pivot pin  36  through third pivot pin hole  70  and first activation rod hole  34 .  
         [0033]     In one exemplary embodiment, support bar  12  and cup housing  20  are made from an injection molded plastic. Although other dimensions can be used, in one embodiment support bar  12  is approximately eight to eighteen inches in width, cup housing  20  is approximately three and one-half inches in width and the distance from cup base  22  to the outside edge of support bar  12  is approximately four inches. Suction member  52  can be approximately three inches in diameter and one-eighth of an inch thick and be made out of a rubber or vinyl material. Activation rod  30  can be square, rectangular, round or other shapes. In one configuration, activation rod  30  is approximately one-half inch wide and one and three-fourths of an inch long with a one-fourth inch first pivot pin hole  34  for pivot pin  36 . In use, suction member  52  is pressed against surface  18  at the location desired by the user with activator arm  16  in the downward or disengaged position shown in  FIG. 3 . Activator arm  16  is then pivotally raised from the position shown in  FIG. 3  to the upward or engaged position shown in  FIG. 1  (i.e., activator arm  16  disposed in channel  24  of support bar  12 ). As activator arm  16  pivots upward, it pulls activation rod  30  in the direction away from surface  18  and causes cup housing  20 , by force from first  44  and second  46  ends of activator arm  16  against first end  50  of cup housing  20 , to press against suction member  52  so as to create a substantial suction force against surface  18  to hold support bar  10  in place thereon. The action of suction member  52  against surface  18  tightly holds activator arm  16  in channel  24  of support bar  12 . When the user desires to remove shower bar  10  from surface  18  or move it to another location, he or she merely pushes an elongated member through arm release hole  28  against activator arm  16  to initiate a pivotal downward movement of activator arm  16 . As activator arm  16  pivots downward, it pushes activation rod  30  towards surface  18 , causing suction member  52  to release the suction against surface  18 . If desired, shower bar  10  can be provided with a quick release button or other mechanism that the user pushes to initiate the downward movement of activator arm  16  to disengage shower bar  10 . When released, shower bar  10  can be removed or moved to another location, where it can be attached to the new surface as described above.  
         [0034]     While there are shown and described herein a specific embodiment of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in design and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present invention is subject to modification with regard to the dimensional relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly, materials, size, shape, and use. For instance, there are components described herein that can be replaced with equivalent functioning components to accomplish the objectives of the present invention. One such modification is the use of different materials than those set forth herein.