Patent Publication Number: US-2011056896-A1

Title: Towel holder

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/240,268, filed Sep. 7, 2009, which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to holders of sheet-form materials mounted on vertical surfaces. More specifically, the present invention relates to holders of the type permitting towels and the like to be easily slid into the holder by the force of insertion and easily removed upon application of a vertical tug by a user. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional towel holders are frequently bar-shaped, and permanently attached to a wall at each end of the bar holder, which is located about 2 or 3 inches from the mounting wall to provide room for the draped towel. By permitting the towel to freely hang, the towel is readily available to be removed for use. Unfortunately, such easy removal also results in the towel easily slipping from the mounting bar, falling to the floor. In addition, the space required to mount the projecting bar is not always available at the location that would be most convenient for the user. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to holders for towels or the like, that is a new and useful improvement—different in comparison to known approaches. The present invention is well suited for use with fabric articles, such as towels, cloths, and the like. 
     The present inventive holder solves a common hygienic problem experienced with presently available bar and ring holders—unlike with these types of holders, when using the present, inventive holder, the towels will not fall off, landing on the floor. Also, some holders utilize hooks, and towels can be damaged as a result of forcing the towel onto the hook, placing a hole in the fabric. Moreover, the holder of the present invention has a neat appearing and an esthetic look. 
     The present inventive holder is easy to use, is durable in service, and marks a general improvement of the holder and hanger art. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention a holder for securing sheetlike objects to a support surface, comprising: a substantially planar base; and a spiral holder attached to and extending from said base, said spiral holder comprising: an outer spiral band, and an inner spiral band attached to and extending from said outer spiral band, an outer surface of said inner spiral band spaced from an inner surface of said outer spiral band in a manner defining a receiving passageway located therebetween, said receiving passageway selectively receiving and securing said sheetlike objects. 
     In a still further aspect of the present invention a gravity-biased holder for sheetlike material, comprising a length of spring steel which comprises: a base having a back carrying fastener enabling the selective attachment of said holder to a substantially vertically oriented supporting surface; and a spiral holder comprising: an outer spiral band attached to and extending in a curvilinear manner from said base, and an inner spiral band attached to and extending in a curvilinear manner from said outer spiral band, said outer spiral band and said inner spiral band spaced apart in a manner defining a receiving passageway located therebetween to selectively receive a portion of said sheetlike material. 
     It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components described hereinafter and illustrated in the drawing figures. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments in accordance with the present invention are described below in connection with the accompanying drawing figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a holder oriented as typically mounted upon a vertical support surface in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevated view of a holder as depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of a holder as depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view, with portions shown in phantom, of a holder retaining a towel or the like with arrows depicting the manner of insertion in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  of a holder and towel or the like received therein. 
         FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  with arrows depicting the manner of removal of the towel or the like by a user in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference is now made to the drawings wherein like structures refer to like parts throughout. In  FIG. 1  a presently preferred embodiment shows a towel holder  10  in an orientation permitting attachment to a vertical support surface, such as a wall, cabinet face, shower door or door frame, and the like. Preferably fabricated out of a metal such a spring steel, the towel holder  10  includes a substantially planar base  14  preferably provides an attachment surface on the towel holder  10  for attachment to such a vertical support surface. 
     A pair of apertures  18  (only one shown in FIG.  1 —see  FIG. 2 , also) are formed in the base  14  enabling use of fasteners (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) where desired to secure the towel holder  10  to such vertical support surface. Alternatively or in addition to such use of fasteners, an adhesive surface  22  is provided on an outer surface of the base  14 . 
     Extending from the substantially-planar base  14  in a coiled manner, the metal band forms a spiral holder  28 , having an outer spiral band  34  and an inner spiral band  38  that cooperatively form a receiving passageway  42  permitting objects to be placed therebetween (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The inner spiral band  38  terminates in a substantially planar biasing surface  44 . 
     In  FIG. 3  the towel holder  10  is shown as if positioned on and attached to a planar surface extending in a vertical axis A. A fastener  48  is aligned with the fastener aperture  18 , forming an axis B that is substantially perpendicular to axis A. The adhesive surface  22  is attached to the planar surface, further securing the attachment of the towel holder  10  to the planar surface. 
     In  FIG. 4  a towel  54  is received within the spiral holder  28 . Arrow C indicates the manner of receiving the towel  54 , with the towel initially fed through the receiving passageway  42  and then within a vault  58 , consisting of the area/space formed between the biasing surface  44  and the outer spiral band  34  (see  FIG. 5 ). In this regard, although identified the “towel”  54 , it is to be understood and appreciated that other fabric or sheet-like materials can also be utilized with the present invention, such as articles of clothing, bath robes, kitchen gloves and potholders—and where the article is thin, doubling the layers can assist in usage of the holder. 
     The manner in which the towel  54  (or like sheet-form article) is held within the spiral holder  28  is best explained with reference to  FIG. 5 . Upon entry of the towel  54  into the spiral holder  28 , the towel passes through the receiving passageway  42  in a manner biasing the inner spiral band  38  in the direction of Arrow D, resulting in a widening of the receiving passageway  42 . 
     The continued passage of the towel  54  results in an accumulation of the towel material in the area between the biasing surface  44  and the inner surface of the outer spiral band  34 . Upon completion of the placement of the towel  54  within the spiral holder  28  the accumulated material exerts pressure upon the biasing surface  44  resulting in movement of the inner spiral band  38  in the direction of Arrow E, which in turn applies a clamping force against the material of the towel  54  lying within the receiving passageway  42 . This clamping force is sufficient to resist the gravitational force applied to the towel material lying outside of the spiral holder  28  that would otherwise result in the towel  54  backing out of the spiral holder  28  and falling to the ground. 
     Removal of the towel  54  from within the spiral holder  28  is best explained with reference to  FIG. 6 . Removal is initiated by applying a force in the direction of Arrow F by, for example, having a user pull down along the central axis of the spiral holder  28 . Upon this application of force in the direction of Arrow F the front portion of the towel  54 —the portion furthest within the spiral holder  28 , initiates movement in the direction of arrows G. 
     Such towel movement includes a lateral component—not merely vertical, and this off-vertical component of movement also occurs within the receiving passageway  42 . The smooth surfaces of the receiving passageway that had applied the clamping force that had resisted vertical (downward) movement would not so-resist sliding, lateral movement. Such movement, which also includes a sliding downward movement, is sufficient to release the clamped towel fabric from within the receiving passageway  42 . The continued pulling on the towel  54  in the direction of Arrow F results in all of the towel material exiting the spiral holder  28 —with the towel  54  entirely free of the towel holder  10 . 
     The coiled metal band with curvature automatically guides and grabs the cloth article. As a result of the spring-like quality of the metal strips, the coiled band responds to downward pull of the article as a result of its weight, by automatically “gripping” the towel or other article, holding it in place. Such spring-like gripping action greatly differs from previous holders where reliance was on frictional forces to hold the towel or like article in place on the holder. 
     The present coiled-band holder is of a non-breakable, simple design, and is anticipated to be inexpensive to produce. This coiled-band holder, preferably fabricated out of 18-gauge stainless steel, can be easily mounted on the desired surface, using tape, screws, nails, and the like. A presently preferred embodiment of this coiled-band holder has a height of 1¼ inches, a width of 1 inch, and a depth of 1¼ inches. 
     A presently preferred manner of using this coiled-band holder is as follows: 
     Holding the cloth on either side of the coiled-band holder, slide in the cloth from the bottom of the holder and move it up within the coiled band to a position where the leading edge of the cloth lies in front of the inner coil, with the adjacent lengths of cloth draped on each side of the coiled-band holder. The length of cloth curved within the coils of the holder, applies pressure to the coil, resulting in an “automatic grip” of the cloth by the coiled-holder, holding the cloth and preventing it from backing out of the holder. When a user desires to release the cloth from the coiled-band holder, the user need only provide a downward tug on a section of the cloth lying directly below the coiled holder to obtain the immediate release of the cloth. 
     The present coiled-band holder can be used in the kitchen, bathroom, trailer, motor home, work shop, garage, back yard, by the pool, and so on. The towel or similar cloth article is easily placed within the holder, and thereafter securely held in place, pending the subsequent, easy removal when required by a user. 
     Our invention has been disclosed in terms of a preferred embodiment thereof, which provides a towel holder that is of great novelty and utility. Various changes, modifications, and alterations in the teachings of the present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof. It is intended that the present invention encompass such changes and modifications.