US20040055927A1

US20040055927A1 - Ironing accessories organizer

Info

Publication number: US20040055927A1
Application number: US10/247,008
Authority: US
Inventors: Eddie McNutt; Mary McNutt
Original assignee: MSE LLC
Current assignee: MSE LLC
Priority date: 2002-09-19
Filing date: 2002-09-19
Publication date: 2004-03-25

Abstract

An ironing accessories organizer comprised of a plastic rectangle-shaped container attachable to a household type ironing board. The container incorporates a feature for holding a refreshment container such as a can, bottle, or cup. The remainder of the container holds various types and sizes of ironing accessories, such as aerosol cans, spray water bottles and other ironing accessories. The ironing accessory organizer is attachable and detachable to an ironing board by a flexible strapping that is attached to one end of the plastic container and passes under the ironing board top and buckles to another section of strapping on the opposite side of the ironing board. The strap is adjustable in length to facilitate use on various widths of ironing boards. Because the strapping is attached to the container at the top edge of the sides, it can be buckled together above the container to create a carrying strap for the container.

When not attached to an ironing board, the ironing accessory organizer can be used as a storage container for various ironing accessories.

Description

This invention derives its date of conception from Disclosure Document No. 516495.[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to household type ironing boards. The typical household ironing board is not structurally sturdy because it is designed to be lightweight and portable. Therefore, the ironing process causes much moving and shaking motion of the ironing board. Various ironing accessories including aerosol cans and water spray bottles placed on the ironing board frequently overturn by the movement of the board. Also, if the iron user places a refreshment drink on the board, it frequently will spill on the board, clothing or floor.

The present invention is a rectangle-shaped plastic container that temporarily attaches to the top of the ironing board and provides a safe holder for various ironing accessories and refreshment containers.

2. Description of the Related Art

Prior inventions for holding ironing accessories also included an apparatus to hold the iron, for example U.S. Pat. No 3,951,369 issued to Kocsak, U.S. Des. Pat. 293,842 issued to Titl et al. and U.S. Des. Pat 369,006 issued to Pool. Combining the iron holder causes the accessories holder to be much more expensive to manufacture than the accessories holder without an iron holder.

Also, some prior inventions would only hold aerosol cans like U.S. Des. Pat. 353,247 issued to Penny. The present invention holds multiple items including aerosol cans, water spray bottles and refreshment containers. Other inventions were for wall storage only, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,770 issued to Bejak et al.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a plastic rectangle shaped container approximately four inches in width fourteen inches long and five inches in height that attaches on the top of an ironing board. The container portion is attached by means of a flexible strap attached to one side of the container and passing under the ironing board top and connected by a buckle to a short strap attached to the container on the opposite side of the ironing board. Most of the top of the container is open in order that various types and sizes of accessories can be placed in the container. In one end of the container is an insert. The insert is either molded into or held in place by retainers molded into the container portion. The insert forms a shelf, the shelf having a round hole in the horizontal section of the shelf for holding a refreshment drink container. When the ironing accessories organizer is not attached to an ironing board, the strap can be buckled above the container portion to serve as a carrying strap. The main differences between the present invention and prior are:

(1) The present invention will hold various and multiple accessories and is especially designed for holding refreshment drinks.

(2) The present invention does not include an iron holder, which allows the ironing accessories organizer to be more economically manufactured and therefore allowing it to be sold for less.

(3) The present invention includes a built-in carrying strap for carrying the accessories in the organizer.

(4) The present invention provides for convenient storage when not attached to an ironing board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ironing accessories organizer containing ironing accessories and a beverage bottle and attached to a conventional household ironing board. [0013]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ironing accessories organizer. [0014]
FIG. 3 is a top view of the ironing accessories organizer. [0015]
FIG. 4 is a front elevation section of the ironing accessories organizer attached to an ironing board. [0016]
FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the ironing accessories organizer attached to an ironing board. [0017]
FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the ironing accessories organizer with flexible straps in the carrying position. [0018]
FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of the ironing accessories organizer with flexible straps inside the organizer in the storage position. [0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is an ironing accessories organizer and consists of a container portion and attachment means for attaching and detaching the organizer from a conventional household ironing board for the purpose. The invention is for holding ironing accessories such as aerosol cans and spray bottles, and in addition, holding a drinking container such as a can, cup, or bottle. The invention is for the specific purpose of holding accessories and not the ironing instrument. [0020]
In FIG. 1, the ironing accessories organizer (1) is shown attached to a typical household type ironing board (2) by means of flexible belt strapping (3). Flexible belt strapping (3) is attached to the middle top of one side of container portion (4) and passes down to and under ironing board (2) and up the opposite side of container portion (4) where it is fastened by means of buckle assembly (5) near where the opposite end of flexible strapping (3) is fastened at the middle top of the opposite side of container portion (4). FIG. 2 shows the construction of container portion (4) with insert (6) installed containing a hole which is sized to receive a beverage can, drinking glass, water bottle, or the like. In FIG. 3, the proportions and location of insert (6) are shown in relation to container portion (4), with additional detail exhibited in sectional view, FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows flexible belt strapping (3) coming from under the ironing board and up the side of container portion (4) and connecting to the adjustment slots in buckle assembly (5) Extending from the top of buckle assembly (5) is the other portion of flexible belt strapping (3) which connects to the side of container portion (4) at the middle top edge of the side of the container portion (4). [0021]
Ironing accessories organizer (1) may be used to transport ironing accessories by extending flexible belt strapping (3) over the open top of container portion (4) and attaching the ends of the buckle assembly (5) as shown in FIG. 6, so that ironing accessories organizer (1) can be carried by flexible belt strapping (3). [0022]
Ironing accessories organizer (1) may be used to store ironing accessories by folding the two sections of flexible belt strapping (3) into the open top of container portion (4) with the attached buckle elements of buckle assembly (5) disconnected, or connected, as shown in FIG. 8, so that ironing accessories organizer (1) can be conveniently stored with the contents therein. [0023]
Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention has been described, it will be apparent that modification and variation may be made without departing from the subject matter of the invention. Therefore the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims. [0024]

Claims

We claim:

1. An ironing accessories organizer including:

a container for holding ironing accessories and other items, but not including an iron;

said container having means for attachment to and detachment from a household ironing board.

2. An ironing accessories organizer as set forth in claim 1, the container for holding ironing accessories and other items is essentially a rectangular shaped open top box.

3. An ironing accessories organizer as set forth in claim 2, the container having a dedicated compartment configured for holding a drinking cup, drinking glass, or beverage can or bottle.

4. An ironing accessories organizer as set forth in claim 2, the means for attachment to and detachment from a household ironing board including;

two sections of flexible belt strapping each section having one end fixedly connected to each of one of the upper edges of the narrow sides of the rectangular container portion;

with each section of said flexible belt strapping having attached to its opposite end one element of said buckle assembly located such that when said buckle assembly is fastened together said buckle assembly is located nearer to one of the ends of the said flexible belt strapping that is affixed to said container portion;

said buckle assembly being of the double hook type with adjustment for taking out belt slack accomplished by looping the flexible belt strapping back through a double slit section of said buckle assembly and thereby slideably adjusting length and tension of said flexible belt strapping around said ironing board;

whereby, when said ironing accessories organizer is positioned on the upper surface of said household ironing board said flexible belt strapping can be positioned from one side of said container portion down and beneath the undersurface of said household ironing board and up with said buckle assembly near the opposite side of the said container portion;

otherwise, said flexible belt strapping can serve as a carrying strap when said container portion is detached from said household ironing board, or said flexible belt strapping and said buckle assembly elements can be positioned inside said container portion for storage.