Abstract:
A wall mountable hook for storing safety razors in bath and shower enclosures and the like has a base with front and rear faces. A razor support is affixed to the front face and is positioned proximate to a periphery of the base. The razor support extends away from the front face to permit engagement with a portion of the safety razor to be hung therefrom. The razor support in combination with the base define therebetween a bottom void for permitting drainage of water from a razor supported by the razor support.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to safety razor accessories and more particularly to wall mounted hooks for storing safety razors when not in use. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of the Related Art 
         [0004]    When using a safety razor to shave hair from areas of the face and body, the user&#39;s skin should be moistened prior to application of shave cream, gel or soaps. This helps to promote a close, smooth shave with minimal cuts and irritation to the skin. Thus, in the process of wet shaving (i.e. using a safety razor in combination with water and a shaving cream or gel) it is commonplace to moisturize and lubricate the skin surface, thereby minimizing irritation and injury. The most desirable ‘wetting’ occurs when the individual&#39;s skin and hair is wetted with hot water over a period of time, more than just splashing warm water on the skin surface to be shaved. 
         [0005]    When a person&#39;s skin is subjected to hot moisture, individual pores open and provide maximum exposure of the hair strands to the razor. A barber will often use a hot, wet towel for this purpose. However, now that safety razors permit a person to perform the task by oneself at home, both men and women have found that shaving while taking a bath or in the shower provides a desirable warm humid shaving environment. These individuals tend to store their razor in the shower or in the immediate vicinity of the bathtub for easy access while showering or bathing. Showers and bath enclosure typically have a soap dish or integral shelf for storing soap and shampoo, but do not have a specific storage location for a razor. Both men and women who shave while bathing will often place the razor on the soap dish or shelf with the consequence of the razor being inadvertently knocked down when the soap or shampoo is used. Also, by resting in the soap dish or on a non-draining shelf, the razor may not totally dry after its use, thus creating the potential for growth of bacteria and fungi, as well as the accumulation of soap scum on the blades and handle. 
         [0006]    Thus, what is desired is a device for storing a safety razor in a bath or shower enclosure that provides easy access and facilitates drainage of water away from the razor to discourage bacteria growth. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention is directed to a wall mountable hook for storing safety razors that satisfies the need for sanitary and safe storage of a safety razor in a bath or shower enclosure. The wall mountable hook has a base with front and rear faces. A razor support is affixed to the front face and is positioned proximate to a periphery of the base. The razor support extends away from the front face to permit engagement with a portion of the safety razor to be hung therefrom. The razor support in combination with the base define therebetween a bottom void for permitting drainage of water from a razor supported by the razor support. 
         [0008]    Another aspect of the present invention is a wall mountable hook for storing safety razors in bath and shower enclosures and the like wherein the wall mountable hook includes a base having a front face and a rear face. A plurality of razor supports are affixed to the front face and spaced about a periphery thereof. Each razor support is positioned proximate to a periphery of the base and extends outwardly from the front face for engaging the safety razor to be hung therefrom. Further, each razor support in combination with the base defines therebetween a bottom void for permitting drainage of water from a razor supported by said razor support. 
         [0009]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following written specification, claims and appended drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a wall hook for safety razors embodying the present invention, wherein the hook is attached to a wall and is supporting a safety razor thereon; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the wall hook showing the safety razor removed therefrom; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the wall hook shown in  FIG. 2  and taken along the line  3 - 3 ,  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the wall hook; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of the hook portion of the wall hook; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view of the wall hook; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment wall hook; 
       
    
    
       [0018]    Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in  FIG. 2 . However, one will understand that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. While the present invention has been shown and described in accordance with preferred and practical embodiments thereof, it is recognized that departures from the instant disclosure are fully contemplated within the spirit and scope of the invention. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. 
         [0020]    Turning to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 2  show a wall mountable hook  20  which is one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and illustrates its various components. Wall mountable hook  20  is typically molded from a moldable resin and can be affixed to a wall  16  such as the tiled wall of a shower or bath enclosure. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , wall mountable hook  20  has a base  22  that is typically configured as a relatively thin member when compared to its area of coverage. Base  22  has a front face oriented to face away from wall  16  and a rear face oriented to face toward wall  16 . Base  22  can also include a ridge  24  about a periphery thereof for added rigidity. In the illustrated configuration, base  22  is circularly shaped, but can also be of any desirable shape such as an ellipse or a polygon. 
         [0022]    A razor support  28  is affixed to a periphery of base  22  and extends outwardly from the front face thereof. Razor support  28  has a first arm  30  and a second arm  32  that are laterally spaced one from the other. A lip  34  is affixed to the ends of arms  30 ,  23  distal from the front face of base  22 . At least a portion of lip  34  extends upwardly from first and second arms  30 ,  32  and is spaced from the front face of base  22 . Base  22 , arms  30 ,  32 , and lip  34  combine to define a bottom void  42 . Lip  34  extending upwardly from spaced apart arms  30 ,  32  is separated at a top portion thereof into a first lip segment  36  and a second lip segment  38 . First and second lip segments  36 ,  38  are spaced apart to define a notch  40  therebetween. Notch  40  is sized to receive therein a portion of blade cartridge  14 , such as a central rib (not shown). Notch  40  permits a positive engagement ‘feel’ when safety razor  10  is place on razor support  28  and prevents safety razor  10  from laterally sliding along lip  34 . Additionally, lip  34  can be of sufficient height such that safety razor  10  is totally supported by the engagement of blade cartridge  14  in notch  40  wherein a bottom edge of blade cartridge  14  is suspended above arms  30 ,  32  in a non-contacting manner. 
         [0023]    Bottom void  42  is highly advantageous to permit the drainage of excess water from blade cartridge  14  of safety razor  10  after the user has shaved in the bath or shower enclosure. The shower or bath enclosure in which hook  20  is located tends to be an enclosed area that remains humid for an extended period of time after the user had showered or bathed therein. Such areas as this accumulate water and are not conducive to rapid drying; therefore creating an environment in which mildew and bacteria can thrive and grow. The supporting of blade cartridge  14  by engagement with notch  40  above arms  30 ,  32  in a non-contacting manner inhibits the trapping of small amounts of water that could occur if a bottom edge of blade cartridge  14  rested on an upper surface of arms  30 ,  32 . Additionally, bottom void  42  promotes the drainage of excess water away from blade cartridge  14  when safety razor  10  is engaged on hook  20  thereby inhibiting the growth of mildew and bacteria and maintaining safety razor  10  in a dry environment. 
         [0024]    Those practiced in the art will recognize that one manufacturer of blade cartridges for a safety razor typically employs a different cartridge structure from other manufacturers. Therefore razor support  28  can be modified in its various details to accommodate a specific blade cartridge structure while embodying the concepts of the invention disclosed herein. Since each manufacturer&#39;s blade cartridge may necessitate a specific configuration of razor support  28 , an indicia area  26  can be located on the front face of base  22  above razor support  28  identifying the brand name of blade cartridge  14  that is compatible with the configuration of razor support  28  embodied on that particular hook  20 . The brand name can be affixed to indicia area  26  as an adhesive label preprinted with the manufacturer&#39;s name, the razor brand, or alternatively the information can be molded directly with base  22  during the manufacturing of wall mountable hook  20 . 
         [0025]    Since wall mountable hook  20  is typically mounted on a wall  16  in a bath or shower enclosure, it is desirable to maintain the moisture resistant aspect of wall  16 . Therefore, wall mountable hook  20  should be affixed to wall  16  in a manner that precludes the necessity of creating holes in wall  16 . An adhesive element  50  can be affixed to a rear face of base  22 . Adhesive element  50  typically has a substrate layer  54  permanently bonded to the rear face of base  22 . Substrate layer  54  includes non-permanent (i.e., removable) adhesive surface opposite from the rear face of base  22  that is covered with peelable layer  56 . Alternatively, one or more suction cups may be used for non-permanent, removable attachment of the base  22  to a wall surface, such as tile, marble or glass. 
         [0026]    In use, the user selects the embodiment of wall mountable hook  20  that corresponds to the configuration of blade cartridge  14  the user prefers, or alternatively, hook  20  can be prepackaged in combination with compatible blade cartridges  14 . The user then removes peelable layer  56  from adhesive element  50  and presses adhesive surface  54  against wall  16  in the position the user desires wall mountable hook  20  to occupy on wall  16 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , safety razor  10  is then vertically positioned over razor support  28  and then lowered such that blade cartridge  14  of safety razor  10  engages razor support  28 . Specifically, safety razor  10  is laterally positioned such that safety razor  10  is substantially centered over razor support  28  and that the desired structural feature of blade cartridge  14  is engaged in notch  40 . Safety razor  10  is thus properly supported and suspended such that the bottom of blade cartridge  14  does not contact base  22  or arms  30 ,  32  thereby providing an environment in which excess water on safety razor  10  can drip free and not be trapped in an area where blade cartridge  14  contacts hook  20 . 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , an alternate embodiment wall mountable hook  120  includes a plurality of differently configured razor supports  128 ,  170 ,  180 , and  190  affixed about a periphery of a base  122 . Base  122  can be polygonal in shape with one razor support  128 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  substantially centered along each segment of the polygon. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the polygon is a square or rectangle. Alternatively, base  122  can be circular with the razor supports regularly space about the circumference of base  122 . At least one razor support  128  is configured substantially the same as razor support  28  with respect to wall mountable hook  20  as discussed above. Each razor support  128 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  defines in combination with base  122  a bottom void  142 ,  172 ,  182 ,  192  respectively to facilitate the drainage of water from safety razor  10 . Additionally, each razor support  128 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  has associated therewith an indicia area  126 ,  174 ,  184 ,  194  respectively to identify each razor support with a respective blade cartridge brand. Wall mountable hook  120  also includes an adhesive element (not shown) on a back face of base  122  substantially identical to adhesive element  50  as described above. 
         [0028]    In use, the user determines the razor support  128 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  of wall mountable hook  120  that corresponds to the blade cartridge  14  to be supported thereon. The peelable layer is removed from the adhesive element on the rear face of base  122  and wall mountable hook  120  is rotated such that the desired razor support  128 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  is properly oriented to support a blade cartridge  14  thereon. Wall mountable hook is then pressed onto wall  16  thereby adhering hook  120  to wall  16 . Safety razor  10  is then placed on the selected razor support  128 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190 . In the event that the brand of blade cartridge  14  is changed by the user, the hook  120  can be readily removed from wall  16  and a new wall mountable hook  20  or  120  mounted in its place. 
         [0029]    The above description is considered that of the preferred embodiments only. Modifications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art and to those who make or use the invention. Therefore, it is understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes and. are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.