US20110168581A1

US20110168581A1 - Sanitary bathroom item storage unit

Info

Publication number: US20110168581A1
Application number: US12/685,801
Authority: US
Inventors: Shirley Mae Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-01-12
Filing date: 2010-01-12
Publication date: 2011-07-14

Abstract

A bathroom storage device that effectively stores a plunger, toilet bowl brush, and other bathroom accessories in a space saving, decorative, and easily accessible manner while preserving the hygienic and sanitary qualities needed in such an environment by totally isolating the plunger in its own compartment.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention
Functional, and more importantly, sanitary storage for a toilet plunger poses a difficult problem for nearly every household. This invention, the sanitary bathroom item storage unit provides a manner to store these common and necessary items in a sanitary manner and in a practical, condensed and easily accessible location. Furthermore the design of the proposed invention would allow storage of other bathroom cleansing items, such as cleansers and gloves, in its space saving, organized, and aesthetically pleasing manner. This unit would also store and provide convenient access to additional toilet tissue when needed. As a result, it would eliminate those embarrassing moments of being caught without toilet tissue nearby. With the sanitary bathroom item storage unit, a plunger, toilet bowl brush, bathroom cleansing agents, etc., would be readily available and easily accessible when needed. This decorative storage unit would be easy to use, clean and hygienic.

BACKGROUND

2. Prior Art
Examples of prior art patents include U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,993, U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,100, U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,059, U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,542, U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,474, U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,818, U.S. Pat. Des. 403,906, and U.S. Patent Application 2002/0125168. Evidently, there have been a number of patents and applications that suggest similar bathroom storage devices, but they all lack one very important characteristic that this invention, the sanitary bathroom item storage unit, embodies. That common characteristic and disadvantage that all of the aforementioned prior art shares is that they don't provide the toilet plunger a unique encapsulated space to preserve the sanitary and hygienic integrity that would be so desired in a bathroom environment.
In conclusion, insofar as I am aware, no bathroom storage device effectively stores a plunger, toilet bowl brush, and other bathroom items/accessories in a space saving, decorative, and easily accessible manner while preserving the hygienic and sanitary qualities needed in such an environment by totally isolating the toilet plunger in its own sealed cavity.

SUMMARY

The invention, sanitary bathroom item storage unit, is comprised of a cylindrical plunger canister with an inner central tube, a base, and a lid. The plunger canister, the base, and the lid all attach via a mechanical means (friction-fit, latches, screw-on, etc.) to form the assembled storage unit. Despite prior inventions that are similar to the sanitary bathroom item storage unit, there remains a need for an improved storage unit that will fulfill the following needs:

- 1. provide for the sanitary storage of a toilet plunger
- 2. provide for the convenient storage of additional bathroom items/accessories
- 3. provide for the storage of multiple rolls of toilet tissue
- 4. provide for an aesthetically pleasing container that totally conceals a toilet plunger and stores a toilet bowl brush and additional bathroom accessories in a self-contained, free-standing, and portable/moveable storage device

The sanitary bathroom item storage unit and its features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DRAWINGS Figures

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of the invention, showing the components and their relationship.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled invention, but showing the top not installed.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled completely assembled invention.

DRAWINGS

Reference Numerals

- 10 Sanitary bathroom item storage unit
- 11 lid
- 12 toilet tissue
- 13 inner centralized tube
- 14 toilet plunger canister
- 15 base
- 16 toilet plunger
- 30 plunger cavity

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in the detailed drawings, the sanitary bathroom item storage unit 10 shows a concept for sanitarily storing a toilet plunger and toilet tissue rolls 12 in a centralized and organized manner. Sanitary integrity in the unit is maintained by the use of the plunger canister 14 with the inner centralized tube 13 in conjunction with the base 15. As shown in FIG. 1 the inner centralized tube 13 has one open end positioned at the bottom of the plunger canister 14, and oppositely has one closed end. The plunger canister 14 has a convex-curved baseplate located at the bottom of the assembly. The baseplate permits clearance to fit the profile of any commercially available toilet plunger. As shown in FIG. 1-3, a toilet plunger 16 is placed inside the bowl-bottomed base 15, and the plunger canister 14 on top of the toilet plunger 16 with the toilet plunger handle inserted into the opening on the bottom of the inner centralized tube 13. As shown in the cross-sectional drawing of FIG. 3, when the plunger canister 14 is secured to the base 15, the plunger 16 is isolated in its own cavity 30 inside the unit. This feature maintains the hygienic and sanitary qualities of the sanitary bathroom item storage unit. The bowl-bottomed base 15 provides for the collection of any water from the use of the toilet plunger in its normal operation. The end of the plunger canister 14 opposite the base is open except for the closed end of the inner centralized tube 13. The inner centralized tube 13 is located inside the plunger canister at the vertex to allow toilet tissue rolls 12 to be place about it as shown in FIG. 2-3.
The plunger canister 14, the lid 11, and the base 15 of this invention can be made out of metal, such as aluminum or stainless steel, a molded plastic, ceramic, or any material deemed well-suiting by anyone skilled in the art.
In the preferred embodiment, the sanitary bathroom item storage unit is used as a toilet plunger, toilet brush, bathroom accessory, and toilet tissue roll storage device. The toilet plunger canister employs two pockets to store cleansing gloves and a can of a commercially available cleansing solution. The plunger canister and removable base also employs a mechanical latching mechanism to secure the two pieces in a rigid manner. This latching feature would maintain the isolation of the plunger inside the unit and also facilitate moving the entire unit from location to location. The plunger canister would employ two handles on the opposite end of the base, which would pass through two corresponding openings in the lid. When the lid is placed on the canister these handles would also facilitate moving the assembled unit from location to location.
In another embodiment of the proposed invention, the top of the storage unit would provide a means to dispense a toilet roll.
In another embodiment of the proposed invention, the toilet tissue storage compartment would employ a spring loaded base to automatically advance the next roll of toilet tissue in storage to the top of the compartment.
In another embodiment of the proposed invention, unit would employ pockets on the exterior of the plunger canister to provide additional storage locations for bathroom items/accessories.
The above description(s) has described specific details in the embodiment of the invention. However, one having skill in the art can make modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept of the sanitary bathroom item storage unit.
To use the sanitary bathroom item storage unit 10, one would first place the base 15 on a floor and then place any commercially available plunger 16 on the base 15. Next, the toilet plunger canister 14 would be placed on top of the base and plunger with the plunger's handle inserted into the inner centralized tube 13. Any commercially available toilet tissue rolls would then be inserted into the top of the toilet plunger canister with the inner centralized tube inserted into the center hole of each roll. To access the plunger at a time when its use is needed the toilet plunger canister would simply be lifted vertically to uncover the plunger and its handle. It would be set aside so the plunger could be accessed. Normal cleaning and disinfecting of the base would be routine maintenance of the invention.

Claims

1. A sanitary bathroom item storage unit, comprising:

(a) a cylindrical plunger canister with a convex curved baseplate, and

(b) an inner central tube in said cylindrical plunger canister formed by a centrally located bore in the baseplate of the canister that leads to a vertical tube not longer that the length of the canister and which terminates in a sealed top, and

(c) a bowl-bottomed base that fits about the convex baseplate of the cylindrical plunger canister, and

(d) a lid for the plunger canister, and

whereby, a toilet plunger rests inside the bowl shaped base and the vertically protruding handle of the plunger is housed inside the inner central tube of the plunger canister and multiple rolls of toilet paper can be mounted axially around the vertical inner central tube inside the plunger canister.

2. The sanitary bathroom item storage unit according to claim 1 wherein the outermost surfaces of the cylindrical plunger canister, the base, and the lid is at least covered partially covered with decorative elements.

3. The sanitary bathroom unit according to claim 1 wherein a unique cavity for a toilet plunger is formed by the combination of the inner central tube of the plunger canister and the bowl shaped base.

4. The sanitary bathroom unit according to claim 1 wherein the plunger canister, lid, and base are secured in a rigid fashion by mechanical means.