Patent Publication Number: US-2021177139-A1

Title: Bra rescue closet

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/948,022, titled “BRA RESCUE CLOSET,” and filed on Dec. 13, 2019. The entire application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This application relates in general to an article of manufacture for providing specialized personal storage, and more specifically, to an article of manufacture for providing a specialized bra closet. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Individuals who wear woman&#39;s brassieres typically store them when not being worn in drawers, closets, and similar clothing storage locations. Many of these clothing storage locations do not take appropriate care of the bras while being stored. These clothing storage locations also do not provide an adequate display of clean bras when these individuals are preparing to dress for the evening. 
     Therefore, a need exists for an article of manufacture for providing a specialized bra closet according to the present invention. The present invention attempts to address the limitations and deficiencies of prior solutions according to the principals and example embodiments disclosed herein. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the present invention, the above and other problems are solved by providing an article of manufacture for providing a specialized bra closet according to the principles and example embodiments disclosed herein. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention is an article of manufacture for providing a specialized bra closet. The article includes an enclosed cabinet having a plurality of columns of display hooks, a pair of enclosing doors coupled to an open side of the enclosed cabinet, a plurality of lights mounted on an inner top surface within the enclosed cabinet coupled to one or more contact switches about the pair of closing doors, the contact switches are configured to activate one or more of the plurality of lights when one of the pair of enclosing doors are opened, and a closing latch having components on both of the pair of enclosing doors and configured to engage the components of the other enclosing door when both of the pair of enclosing doors are in a closed position. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, the pair of enclosing doors each have a curved vertical edge, the pair of curved vertical edges being mirror images of the other enabling the pair of curved vertical edges to interlock when the pair of enclosing doors are in the closed position. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, each of the pair of enclosing doors are coupled to the enclosed cabinet by two or more hinges attached to the inner side of the pair of enclosing doors. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, the enclosed cabinet further comprises a Bluetooth speaker mounted onto an inner wall. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, the enclosed cabinet comprises 3 columns of display hooks, each of the hooks being spaced vertically within each column and being spaced to permit a woman&#39;s brassiere to hang vertically without contacting an adjacent display hook. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, each of the plurality of display hooks each have a pair of hanging hook members. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, the enclosed cabinet rests on a set of locking wheels located about each corner on an underside of the enclosed cabinet. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, the closing latch has a pair of attachment surfaces attached to each of the pair of closing doors, a protruding eyehook coupled to each of the pair of attachment surfaces, and a connecting hook having a first end coupled about a first protruding eyehook and a bent hook located about a second end, the connecting hook pivots about the first protruding eyehook to engage a second protruding eyehook with the connecting hook oriented across the curved edges of the pair of closing doors to hold the closing doors in the closed position. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, the enclosed cabinet further comprises an AC power cord coupled to an internal power supply for powering the plurality of lights. 
     In another aspect of the present disclosure, the Bluetooth speaker is powered by the internal power supply. 
     The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. 
     It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features that are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only, and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example embodiment of an article of manufacture for providing a specialized bra closet according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates another example embodiment of an article of manufacture for providing a specialized bra closet with its doors closed according to the present invention. 
         FIGS. 3 a - g    illustrate an example embodiment of features and components within the specialized bra closet according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an example embodiment of an electrical circuit used within a specialized bra closet according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This application relates in general to an article of manufacture for providing specialized personal storage, and more specifically, to an article of manufacture for providing a specialized bra closet according to the present invention. 
     Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views. Reference to various embodiments does not limit the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the scope of the claims attached hereto. Additionally, any examples set forth in this specification are not intended to be limiting and merely set forth some of the many possible embodiments for the claimed invention. 
     In describing embodiments of the present invention, the following terminology will be used. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a needle” includes reference to one or more of such needles and “etching” includes one or more of such steps. As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 
     It further will be understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and “including” specify the presence of stated features, steps or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps or components. It also should be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions and acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality and acts involved. 
     As used herein, the term “about” means that dimensions, sizes, formulations, parameters, shapes, and other quantities and characteristics are not and need not be exact, but may be approximated and/or larger or smaller, as desired, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like, and other factors known to those of skill. Further, unless otherwise stated, the term “about” shall expressly include “exactly.” 
     The terms “woman,” and “user” refer to an entity, e.g. a human, using the specialized bra closet associated with the invention. The term user herein refers to one or more users. 
     The term “invention” or “present invention” refers to the invention being applied for via the patent application with the title “Bra Rescue Closet.” Invention may be used interchangeably with bra home and bra cabinet. 
     In general, the present disclosure relates to an article of manufacture for providing specialized personal storage. To better understand the present invention,  FIG. 1  illustrates an example embodiment of an article of manufacture for providing a specialized bra closet. The specialized bra cabinet  100  comprises a large cabinet enclosure  101  with a pair of doors  102   a - b  on a front side. When the doors are open, the enclosure  101  has a set of columns  103   a - c  for storing one&#39;s bras. Each of the columns  103   a - c  has a set of hooks  105   a - n  that are spaced apart to permit a first bra hanging from a hook  105   a - n  not to touch another hook or the flooring surface that is directly below it. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates another example embodiment of an article of manufacture for providing a specialized bra closet with its doors closed according to the present invention.  FIG. 2  shows the specialized bra cabinet  100  having its doors  102   a - b  in a closed position. The enclosure  101  rests on a plurality of rolling wheels to permit the enclosure  101  to be easily moved around by a user. The doors  102   a - b  mate with each other such that the entire front of the enclosure  101  is covered when the pair of doors  102   a - b  are in this closed position. The doors  102   a - b  are attached to the enclosure using hinges  104   a - d  between the enclosure and outer edges of each of the doors  102   a - b.    
     In this embodiment, the pair of doors  102   a - b  each has a decoratively-shaped curved edge that interlocks with a corresponding curved edge of the other door. A closing latch  201  connects components on each of the doors on the outside surfaces of the doors. The closing latch  201  is positioned such that the edges of the doors  102   a - b , when closed, pass under a connecting part of the latch  201 . The hinges  104   a - d  are arranged to be hidden between the enclosure  101  and the pair of doors  102   a - b  when closed. 
       FIGS. 3 a - g    illustrate an example embodiment of features and components within the specialized bra closet according to the present invention. Each of the elements shown in  FIGS. 3 a - g    are part of the specialized bra closet  101  as disclosed above in reference to  FIGS. 1-2 .  FIG. 3 a    shows one of the doors  102   b  attached to the enclosure  101  by one or more hinges  104   d . The mating, inner edge  300   b  of the door  102   b  is shown to have a curved pattern. A mirror image of the curved edge  300   a  from a first door  102   a  is created on the second curved edge  301   b  of the second door  102   b  permitting the two curved edges  300   a - b  to interlock with each other when closed. 
       FIG. 3 b    shows a closing latch  201  comprising a pair of attachment surfaces  301   a - b , each having a protruding eyehook  303 - 304 . The pair of attachment surfaces  301   a - b  are positioned such that the edges  300   a - b  of the doors  102   a - b , when closed, pass under a connecting hook  302  between a pair of attachment surfaces  301   a - b . The connecting hook  302  has one end connected to a first eyehook  303  using an attached ring encircling the eyehook  303 . The connecting hook  302  has a bent hook in its latching member that engages the second eyehook  304  when the pair of doors  102   a - b  are in the closed position. The pair of attachment surfaces  301   a - b  are coupled to the pair of doors  102   a - b  using screws thru the attachment surfaces and into each door  102   a - b.    
       FIG. 3 c    shows one of a plurality of locking wheels  202   b  that is shown attached to a corner of the enclosure on its lower outside surface. Each wheel  202   a - d  has a locking lever  310   a - d  that engages an inner wheel  311  to prevent it from rolling. A locking lever, such as the one in  FIG. 3 c , 310 b    locks its corresponding wheel  202   b  when depressed. When the locking lever  310   b  is moved to an upper position, the inner wheel  311   b  may rotate once again. 
       FIG. 3 d    shows one of a plurality of display hooks  105   i  that are positioned within the enclosure  101  and arranged into columns  105   a - c . Each of plurality of display hooks  105   a - n  has one or more hanging hook members  320   a - m  to provide a large number of points in the enclosure  101  to hang up a user&#39;s bras. In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 d   , the display hook  105   i  is shown having a pair of hanging hook members  320   j - k . The display hook  105   i  is shown to be made of metal, such as brass or steel, although many other materials may be used. Each of the display hooks  105   a - n  are attached to the inner back surface of the enclosure using nails, screws, hooks, adhesives, Velcro™, and many other attachment mechanisms. 
       FIG. 3 e    shows one of a plurality of lights  330  that are placed onto an upper, inner surface of the enclosure  101  to provide illumination for a column of display hooks and bras in the enclosure  101 . The light  303  is electrically powered and may use LED, fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs that are powered by a battery or a power source. The lights  303  in the enclosure  101  are controlled by a contact switch between the pair of doors  102   a - b  and the enclosure  101 . When the doors  102   a - b  are opened the contact switch disengages its contact with the enclosure to trigger the activation of the lights  330 . All of the lights may be controlled using a contact switch associated with one of the pair of doors  102   a  in one embodiment. In a second embodiment, a contact switch may be located between the enclosure  101  and each of the doors  102   a - b  and configured to control half of the lights  330  using one contact switch and control the remaining lights with the second contact switch. 
       FIG. 3 f    shows a Bluetooth connected speaker  340  having a power switch  341  located as part of the speaker  340 . The speaker  340  may be mounted on an inner surface of the enclosure  101  and in a preferred embodiment, the speaker  340  is located on an inner side wall surface. Electronics for establishing a Bluetooth connection with an external audio source receiving an audio data stream, and for generating sound corresponding to the audio data stream, may be integrated into the inner housing of the speaker  340 . The speaker may be powered by an internal battery or from a power connection to an internal power source for all of the electronics in the specialized bra closet  100 . 
       FIG. 3 g    shows a retractable AC power cord  350  exiting a connection port  351  in the enclosure  101 . The retractable power cord  350  may automatically retract using a spring-powered spool within the enclosure  101  in which the power cord  350  is electrically connected to a power supply that is also in the enclosure. The power supply as disclosed below in reference to  FIG. 4  may generate power sources of appropriate voltage to power the lights  330  and Bluetooth speaker  340 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example embodiment of an electrical circuit used within a specialized bra closet according to the present invention. The circuit  400  shows the electrical connections between the components in the enclosure  101 . The retractable power source  350  supplies AC/voltage from a wall outlet to a power supply  401 . The power supply  401  generates one or more voltages  402  that provide operating electrical power to one or more of the lights  330   a - c  and the Bluetooth speaker  340 . 
     In the example embodiment of  FIG. 4 , both the Bluetooth speaker  340  and the lights  330   a - c  are powered by the same supply voltage  402 . Of course, the power supply  410  may generate a separate supply voltage of an appropriate value for each of these devices when different voltages are needed. The supply voltage  402  is connected to a first switch  410  that when closed provides a first switched supply voltage to the lights  330   a - c . The first switch  410  corresponds to the contact switch disclosed above with reference to the opening and closing of the doors  102   a - b  to activate the lights  330   a - c.    
     The supply voltage  402  also is connected to the input of the activation switch  341  that is part of the Bluetooth speaker  340 . This switch  341  disclosed in reference to  FIG. 3 f   , is an integral part of the Bluetooth speaker  340 . When the user closes this switch  341 , the supply power is provided to the electronics  342  that operates the speaker  340 . The electronics  342  use the Bluetooth™ protocol to establish a connection  415  to an external device  420 . A smartphone  420  is shown in  FIG. 4  as an example of a device that may act as an external device  520  that provides an audio data stream to the speaker  340 . 
     Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the present application, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of the invention. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in this application. In other words, any of the features mentioned in this application may be included to this new invention in any combination or combinations to allow the functionality required for the desired operations. 
     No element, act, or instruction used in the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.