Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a suction-adhesive device. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a device including a suction cup and a hook, typically for attachment to a bathroom wall tile, window or shower screen and from which articles such as a face washer, corded soap, a shower cap or other articles may be suspended. 
   It is known to use suction cup devices for securing items to a bathroom wall tile for example. Small soap dishes for example can comprise two such suction cups. The suction cups usually comprise a bulbous protrusion in the centre that passes through an aperture in the side of the soap dish. It is also known to provide suction cups with a hook from which items can be suspended. The hook may be integrally moulded with the cup or formed of a lessflexible material and attached to the cup. 
   The above and other known suction cup devices tend to hold more securely to a surface if the face of the suction cup, and/or the surface itself is moistened prior to attachment. Sooner or later however, air enters into the space between the cup and the surface and the device becomes detached and usually falls to the floor. This invariably occurs without advance warning, as there is no obvious visual indication that air has entered the space. 
   OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage and/or more generally to provide an improved suction-adhesive device. 
   DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the invention, there is provided a suction-adhesive device comprising a suction cup, a stem extending from the suction cup, a body through which the stem extends, and a spring interacting with the stem and the body for biasing the suction cup towards the body to apply suction. A visual indicator is fixed with respect to the stem for indicating when the spring has drawn the suction cup towards the body. 
   Preferably, the visual indicator is attached to or formed integrally with the stem. 
   Preferably, the visual indicator is a ring of contrasting colour compared with the body or a part thereof adjacent the ring. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the device includes locking means interacting with the body and the stem for selectively fixing the stem with respect to the body against deformation of the spring. 
   More preferably, the device further includes a handle attached movably to the body and interacting with the locking means. 
   It is preferred that the body includes a neck through which the stem extends and beyond which the visual indicator protrudes when the spring has drawn the suction cup toward the body. 
   In a specific construction, the locking means comprises a slide plate having a tongue extending therefrom and a cam surface. There is attached to the handle a pawl engaging with the cam surface, and the neck has an aperture through which the tongue passes to interact with the stem. 
   More specifically, the tongue interacts with an aperture in the visual indicator. 
   It is preferred that the handle is shaped like a hook. 
   For convenience, the stem has a pushbutton for depression against the action of the spring. 
   For convenience, the stem has a pushbutton against which the handle can press. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a suction-adhesive device in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of the device taken along line II—II of  FIG. 1 , the device being in a first configuration; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of the device of  FIG. 1 , the device being in a second configuration; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of the device of  FIG. 1 , the device being in a third configuration; 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the device of  FIGS. 1 to 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic parts-exploded perspective illustration of another suction-adhesive device; 
       FIGS. 7 to 9  are schematic cross-sectional elevational views of the embodiment of  FIG. 6  in various configurations; 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic parts-exploded cross-sectional elevational view of the embodiment of  FIGS. 6 to 9 ; and 
       FIG. 11  is a schematic parts-exploded cross-sectional elevational view of a further embodiment. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In  FIGS. 1 to 5  of the accompanying drawings, there is schematically depicted a suction-adhesive device  10 . The device  10  comprises a body  11  typically moulded from rigid plastics material. The body  11  includes a neck  16  through which a stem  19  extends. At the top of the stem  19  there is provided a pushbutton  13 . 
   A coil spring  18  is situated beneath the pushbutton  13  and surrounds an upper portion of the stem  19 . The bottom end of the compression spring  18  bears downwardly on the body  11  to bias the stem  19  upwardly. 
   Surrounding an upper portion of the compression spring  19  and affixed with respect to the pushbutton  13  is a coloured ring  17 . The ring  17  has a contrasting colour compared with that of the body  11  or its neck  16  and is preferably in red colour, and can be glued or otherwise adhered to the downwardly projecting annular lip of the pushbutton  13 . 
   The stem  19  has at its bottom a flange  20  to which there is attached a suction cup  14 . Suction cup  14  is made of smooth, flexible material, such as rubber, silicon or other suitable flexible, substantially fluid-impervious material. The suction cup  14  has a release tab  15  extending from its periphery. 
   In the configurations depicted in  FIG. 2 , the suction cup  14  is biased upwardly by the spring  18  toward the body  11 . 
   Attached pivotally to the body  11  is a handle  12 . The handle  12  is shaped like a hook. A pawl  26  extends through a pair of webs  29  formed integrally with the body  11 . Each web  29  has a large aperture therethrough to enable free turning of the pawl  26 . The pawl  26  is shaped to fit tightly within a key-way of the same shape formed in the handle  12 . Pawl  26  moves in unison with the handle  12 . 
   Situated between the webs  29  is a slide plate  23 . Slide plate  23  has a cam surface  25  being the inside edge of an aperture therethrough. The pawl  26  extends through this aperture to engage with the cam surface  25 . 
   The slide plate  23  has a tongue  24  passing through an aperture  22  in the neck  16  of the body  11 . There is also provided an aperture  21  formed between the coloured ring  17  and the pushbutton  13  with which the tongue  24  can interact. 
   When in the configuration of  FIG. 2 , the device has substantially no adhesive effect. To create a suction effect, the pushbutton  13  can be depressed. Such depression may conveniently be by pressing directly thereon with one&#39;s thumb, or alternatively by movement of the handle  12  to the position depicted in  FIG. 3 . When the pushbutton  13  is depressed the suction cup  14  will be pushed away from the body  11  by neck  19 . 
   If the suction cup  14  is already placed against a tile for example and the pushbutton  13  is depressed by thumb-force for example, the device takes on the configuration of  FIG. 4 . By design however, it is equally possible that the handle  12  be pushed down upon the pushbutton  13  prior to placement of the suction cup  14  against a surface. 
   When the handle  12  is pushed down such that the device takes on the configuration shown in  FIG. 3 , the pawl  26  pushes against the cam surface  25  to thereby cause the tongue  24  to pass through both apertures  22  and  21 . As a result, the stem  19  is locked down against compression of spring  18 . The suction cup  14  can then be placed against a surface and the handle  12  can be lifted, whereupon the pawl  26  pulls back on the cam surface  25  to draw the slide plate  23  away from the neck  16  to thereby release the tongue  24  from the aperture  21 . 
   As a result, the stem  19  snaps into the position depicted in  FIG. 4  by action of the compression spring  18 . This produces a suction effect between the suction cup  14  and the surface against which it bears. The suction cup  14  and/or the surface against which it is to be adhered can be pre-moistened if desired. 
   Over time, air will leak into the space between the suction cup  14  and the surface to which it is attached. The spring  18  will cause the stem  19  to protrude gradually from the neck  16  and the coloured ring  17  will become exposed or visible. When this is noticed, one can easily push down upon the pushbutton  13  or press the handle  12  against the pushbutton  13  to expel air from the space between the suction cup  14  and the surface, thereby renewing the suction. 
   As the handle  12  is shaped like a hook, items can be suspended from it. 
     FIGS. 6 to 10  depict an alternative suction-adhesive device designated generally as  100 . In this embodiment, there is no locking mechanism per se, but instead the hook-shaped handle  12  is attached pivotally between a pair of plates  23  by a pin  28  passing through ring  27 . The plates  23  extend from a disc  29  through which the stem  19  passes. The remaining structural elements are for all intents and purposes the same as those described with reference to the preceding Figures. Suffice to say that the pushbutton comprises separate components  13 ′ (button top) and  13 ″ (button stem). There is an indicating ring  16 , preferably of bright colour which when exposed upon ingress of the air between the suction cup  14  and surface upon which it adheres, is clearly visible indicating the need to again depress the pushbutton  13 . 
     FIG. 11  depicts a similar embodiment  200  having its hook  12  inserted within an extension  30  of the body  11 . Other components of this embodiment will not be described as being similar or identical to those described with reference to the preceding Figures. 
   It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, rather than providing the visual means of indication upon the stem directly, a pin or other extension from the suction cup might pass through another part or the body  11 .

Technology Category: 1