Abstract:
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for a convenient concealment of a toilet bowl brush, generally in a corresponding sized hole in a wall into which the apparatus is inserted.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to brush holders. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for toilet brush holders using a recessable cabinet.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Traditionally, a well equipped bathroom has a toilet brush located therein for periodically cleaning a toilet bowl. Although a toilet brush is very useful, it is not considered to be aesthetically attractive. Most homeowners will sacrifice either convenience or aesthetics. In particular, convenience may be sacrificed for the sake of aesthetics by storing the toilet bowl brush at a remote inconspicuous location. Alternatively, aesthetics may be sacrificed by storing a toilet brush in visually obtrusive positions near the bowl. A common compromise is to have a toilet brush in a portable container that substantially hides the toilet brush from view. This may be accomplished by having a top to the portable container or by having an open back to the portable container  
         [0003]     However, present devices suffer from several drawbacks. The portable containers take up floor space and add to the clutter around the toilet. Additionally, the portable containers may appear attractive to inquisitive small children who may remove the toilet brush and who may touch the bristles of the toilet brush—perhaps even chew on the toilet brush bristles.  
         [0004]     While these and other approaches are a good start, improvements are needed to provide an apparatus to hold a toilet brush which conserves floor space and which is enabled to be more esthetically pleasing. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a brush holder apparatus that overcomes these and other obstacles.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The aforementioned and other objects were achieved, and the above-mentioned disadvantages overcome, by the present invention, by providing a brush holder apparatus designed to be recessed into a wall, that can be painted or wallpapered, and which can keep the toilet brush hidden from sight, yet conveniently accessible.  
         [0006]     In general the present invention designed to be inserted into a corresponding sized hole in a wall, generally near the toilet and is held in place by securing means. The brush holder cabinet assembly portion of the present invention is generally inserted first, followed by the brush holder door assembly of the present invention. After insertion into the brush holder cabinet assembly, the brush holder door assembly goes from an open position to an closed position via door open-closing means. The toilet brush is inserted brush-end first into the brush holder door assembly and is held in a substantially upright position via brush holding means.  
         [0007]     In general, the brush holder cabinet assembly is comprised of one roughly rectangular box shaped structure that has a groove track on the inside of the box formed into sidewalls of the box. The door assembly is comprised of one roughly rectangular piece of molded plastic with a receptacle molded inside and the male half of the hinge molded onto the bottom edge of the door assembly. The box is formed with the corresponding female half of the male half of the hinge. The receptacle molded onto the door has two pins extending from the sides that fit into the groove track inside the box. The grooves in the box also have a key slot at one end of the groove to allow for insertion and removal of the door assembly. The door is held in place by gravity and the grooves align the door and give the door a path of travel inside the box. There is at least one fin inside the door receptacle that holds a brush in place, once the brush is inserted into the door receptacle. At the top of the inside of the box there are two L-shaped flanges that face each other to create a slot that holds a latch, generally a magnetic latch. The magnetic latch latches to a small piece of steel either embedded or glued to the inside top of the door assembly.  
         [0008]     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be obtained by means of instrumentalities in combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The accompanying drawings illustrate a complete embodiment of the invention according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a partial perspective view of an installed brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the wall cabinet portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of one possible placement of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a right side plan view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  shows a front plan view of the wall cabinet portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  shows a top plan view of the wall cabinet portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  shows a back plan view of the wall cabinet portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  shows a right side perspective view of the wall cabinet portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  shows a sectional view of a section of the wall cabinet portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 10  shows a left back perspective view the wall cabinet portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 11  shows a right plan view of the door portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 12  shows a front plan view of the door portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 13  shows a back left side perspective view of the door portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 14  shows a sectional view of the door portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 15  shows a cutaway view of the door portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 16  shows a top plan view of the door portion of a brush holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 17  shows a front left perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing interior detail. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     The drawings show aspects of the invention. As the drawings are described, reference will be made to the present preferred embodiments of the invention. The terminology used herein to describe the present preferred embodiments is for the purpose of clarification. The invention, however, is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology used. Terminology used to describe each element should be understood to include all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish similar functions.  
         [0028]     The present invention is described in relation to a toilet brush holder apparatus. Nonetheless, the characteristics and parameters pertaining to various embodiments the apparatus and methods described herein may be applicable to a holder for other objects.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 17 , brush holder  1  is comprised of wall cabinet  100  and cabinet door  200 . The wall cabinet  200  is further comprised of recessed cabinet  105 , flange  110 , and inset lip  115 , female hinge groove  120 , recess  125  disposed for receiving adhesives, preferably caulk, tracking grove  130 , key-in  135 , double L slot  140  and latch  145 , preferably a magnetic latch. The cabinet door  200  is further comprised of step down lip  205 , door receptacle  210 , a least one receptacle fin  215 , tracking pin  230  and strike plate  245 .  
         [0030]     Wall cabinet  100  inserts into a corresponding sized hole in a wall, preferably a bathroom wall in the proximity of a toilet. Wall cabinet  100  is held in place with adhesive, e.g. double-stick tape or adhesive caulk, which is placed in recess  125  of cabinet flange  110 . Cabinet door  200  fits snugly into wall cabinet  100 . The cabinet door  200  is comprised of male door hinge  220  which is formed to fit into corresponding female hinge groove  120  formed on wall cabinet  100 . Door receptacle  210  has one tracking pin  230  disposed on both sides of door receptacle  210 . These tracking pins  230  insert into key-in  135  on tracking groove  130  inside wall cabinet  100 . The cabinet door  200  is held in by gravity and the combination of cabinet door  200  fitting into and pivoting in female hinge groove  120 , and also tracking with tracking pin  230  in tracking groove  130 . Latch  145 , preferably a magnetic latch, fits into double L-slot  140  on the inside top center of wall cabinet  100 . Strike plate  245  is affixed to cabinet door  200 , either by molding or gluing. Latch  145  is activated by pushing in at the top center of cabinet door  200  to release latch  145 . Latch  145  opens cabinet door  200  approximately ½″, then the cabinet door  200  is released from the magnet with the hand of the user. The cabinet door  200  will open at approximately 20 degrees from vertical and come to rest by means of tracking pins  230  in tracking groove  130 . Cabinet door  200  can be removed by lifting up cabinet door  200  when cabinet door  200  is in the open position which causes the tracking pins  230  to register and pull through key-in  135  in tracking groove,  130 . Cabinet door  200  can be reinserted by reversing the above process.  
         [0031]     The preferred dimensions for wall cabinet  100  is 18.54″ in front height, 17.00″ in back height, 4.375″ in width, 3.750″ in depth with an opening for the door being 4.375″ in width. The preferred dimensions for the cabinet door  200  is 16.95″ in front height, 4.26″ in width and 0.21″ in depth. The preferred dimensions for the door receptacle  210  is 5.69″ in front height, 4.25″ in back height, 3.09″ in depth and 3.50″ in width. The preferred dimension for receptacle fin  215  is 3.09″ in back height, 1.88″ in front height and 1.44″ in depth.  
         [0032]     In an alternate embodiment brush holder  1  is further comprised of a brush  300 , preferably a toilet brush. Brush  300  is inserted into door receptacle  210  when the cabinet door  200  is in the open position. Brush  300  is held in place by receptacle fins  215 , preferably four receptacle fins disposed for holding brush  300  as shown in  FIG. 15  and  FIG. 16 .  
         [0033]     In alternate embodiments of the present invention cabinet door  200  may close in a variety of ways other than illustrated above e.g., from the left side, from the right side, a central pivot, etc.  
         [0034]     The above description and drawings are only illustrative of preferred embodiments which achieve the objects, features and advantages of the present invention, and it is not intended that the present invention be limited thereto. Any modification of the present invention which comes within the spirit and scope of the following claims is considered part of the present invention.  
         [0035]     Other embodiments, uses and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. The specification and examples should be considered exemplary only.