U.S. patent application number 10/626041 was filed with the patent office on 2004-08-05 for spray bottle hanger.
Invention is credited to Herrmann, Thomas.
Application Number | 20040149877 10/626041 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32775702 |
Filed Date | 2004-08-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040149877 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Herrmann, Thomas |
August 5, 2004 |
Spray bottle hanger
Abstract
An article attaches to a spray bottle, allowing the bottle to be
suspended from a shelf, ironing board, or the like. The article
preferably further includes an ergonomic indent enabling the user
to comfortably hold the article connected to a spray bottle in a
comfortable and convenience manner. The preferred embodiment
includes a lower end with an opening physically configured to
receive the neck of a spray bottle, and an upper end including a
hook-shaped lip. The upper end may optionally include a
friction-enhancing element. In terms of construction, the article
is preferably made from a molded piece of plastic or other
polymeric material. One advantage of the design is that when the
upper lip is hung on an ironing board, the thickness of the article
is sufficiently low in profile that materials to be ironed may be
placed directly over the upper lip, thereby affording convenient
ironing while ready access to the spray bottle.
Inventors: |
Herrmann, Thomas; (West
Bloomfield, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
John G. Posa
Gifford, Krass, Groh, Sprinkle,
Anderson & Citkowski, P.C.
280 N. Old Woodward Ave., Suite 400
Birmingham
MI
48009-5394
US
|
Family ID: |
32775702 |
Appl. No.: |
10/626041 |
Filed: |
July 24, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60398260 |
Jul 24, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/312 ;
248/304 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B 15/62 20180201;
B05B 11/3057 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/312 ;
248/304 |
International
Class: |
A47K 001/08 |
Claims
I claim:
1. An article enabling a spray bottle to be suspended from an
ironing board or other surface, the spray bottle including a neck
portion to which a manually operated spray head attaches, the spray
head having an upper extent and a forward, manually operated
trigger, the article comprising: a shaped body having a lower end
that engages with the spray bottle and an upper lip, such that when
the lip is positioned on a surface, the spray bottle hangs
therefrom.
2. The article of claim 1, wherein the lower end of the body
includes an opening that engages with the neck of the bottle.
3. The article of claim 1, wherein the body includes a curved back
surface opposed to the trigger, enabling a user to comfortably hold
and operate the spray bottle with the article attached thereto.
4. The article of claim 1, wherein the distance between the upper
lip and the upper extent of the spray head is sufficiently spaced
apart to enable the spray bottle to be hung from a variety of
surfaces including ironing boards, shelves, and ledges.
5. The article of claim 1, wherein the upper lip includes a surface
or feature to enhance friction or holding capability.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to spray bottles and, in
particular, to a holder enabling a spray bottle to be hung from an
ironing board or other surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is common to use a spray bottle while ironing, for
example, to dampen garments and provide a more relaxed fabric.
Commercially available spray bottles or "spritzer" bottles are
normally used for this purpose. They may be filled with water or
other liquids to improve the ironing process.
[0003] Unfortunately, the use of such spray bottles can prove to be
an inconvenience. They cannot be set directly on top of an, ironing
board, for example, since they get in the way when larger pieces of
fabric need to be ironed. Accordingly, various devices and
"caddies" have been developed to accommodate spray bottles and
other implements used while ironing. For example, U.S. Pat. No.
4,535,921 discloses a caddy for attachment to an ironing board for
holding various implements as well as spray containers for starch
or the like. The article comprises a container having open multiple
compartments and one upstanding wall which abuts against the outer
face of the depending flange of the ironing board, and a spring
biased clip pivotally attached to the back side of the upstanding
wall with the upper end of the clip being biased against the inner
wall of said flange whereby the caddy depends from said flange
adjacent said ironing board. A pin cushion is secured to a portion
of the outer face of the compartment and a loop for holding
scissors is pivotally secured to another portion of the outer face
of the compartment.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,157 describes an apparatus which mounts
on an ironing board for guiding a cord of an iron and providing a
holder for an article. The article has a clamp section for
releasably securing the apparatus to the ironing board. A cord
support is pivotably attached to the clamp for supporting the
electrical cord of the electrical appliance above the ironing
board. An article holder is mounted to the clamp for holding an
article. An electrical receptacle is carried by the clamp for
receiving a plug of the electrical cord of the iron. In a preferred
embodiment, the detachable article holder 66 has a lower circular
hoop 68 and a pair of support bars 70. The support bars 70 are
secured to the lower circular hoop 68 and form chords of the circle
defined by hoop 68, thereby defining a base for retaining an
article such as a can of starch, a spray bottle, a beverage
container, or a remote control. The article holder 66 also has an
upper hoop 72.
[0005] An ironing board caddy for stowing ironing supplies and
accessories is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,417. The caddy
removably attaches to an ironing board so that the supplies and
accessories are kept conveniently to hand during clothes ironing.
The ironing board caddy is conveniently a wire form construction
with a hanging member adapted to serve three functions: first, it
is shaped to fit over the end of the ironing board to serve as a
means of attachment of the caddy to the ironing board; second, it
serves as a carrying handle when it is being moved from the ironing
board to a storage place and vice versa; and.finally, it serves as
a wall hanger when the caddy is stored between uses. The caddy also
has a basket member suspended from the hanging member to receive
ironing supplies and accessories such as sprays, water bottles, and
the like.
[0006] While there are designs which incorporate a hook into a
spray-can attachment, these applications are very limited. U.S.
Pat. No. 4,940,185, for example, is directed to a safety exhaust
valve equipped spray gun. FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of this patent depict an
embodiment comprising a spray gun 10, a spray bottle cover 11, a
bottle body 12, and a safety exhaust valve 13, wherein the spray
gun 10, spray bottle cover 11 and bottle body 12 are provided in
one solid unit. The spray gun comprises a handle 14 having an air
inlet 15 provided at the upper side, a hanger 16 provided at the
top, a nozzle 17 provided at the other side, and a trigger 18
provided below the hanger 16 to control the opening or closing of
the nozzle 17 and the discharge hole 25.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This invention resides in an article that attaches to a
spray bottle, allowing the bottle to be suspended from a shelf,
ironing board, or the like. The article preferably further includes
an ergonomic indent enabling the user to comfortably hold the
article connected to a spray bottle in a comfortable and
convenience manner. The preferred embodiment includes a lower end
with an opening physically configured to receive the neck of a
spray bottle, and an upper end including a hook-shaped lip. The
upper end may optionally include a friction-enhancing element. In
terms of construction, the article is preferably made from a molded
piece of plastic or other polymeric material. One advantage of the
design is that when the upper lip is hung on an ironing board, the
thickness of the article is sufficiently low in profile that
materials to be ironed may be placed directly over the upper lip,
thereby affording convenient ironing while ready access to the
spray bottle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the invention along with various engineering-type
depictions;
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates a model of the preferred embodiment seen
from different perspectives;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a drawing which depicts a preferred embodiment
being held by a user; and
[0011] FIG. 4 is a drawing which shows the way in the preferred
embodiment may hold spray bottle from a shelf, ledge, ironing board
or other surface.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] FIG. 1 provides various views of a preferred embodiment of
the invention, including a perspective view shown generally at 100.
Broadly, the article includes a lower end including an opening 102
physically configured for the neck of a spray bottle, and an upper
end including a lip 104 enabling the bottle to hang from a surface,
as best seen in FIG. 4. The upper end 104 may optionally include an
opening 106 to receive a rubber stopper (shown in FIGS. 2 and 4).
The article further includes a portion 110 between the lower and
upper portions, preferably including an ergonomic indent 112
enabling the user to comfortably hold the article connected to a
spray bottle in a comfortable and convenience manner, as shown in
FIG. 3.
[0013] In terms of construction, the article is preferably made
from a molded piece of plastic or other polymeric material. One
advantage of the design is that when the upper lip 104 is hung on
an ironing board, the thickness of the article is sufficiently low
in profile that materials to be ironed may be placed directly over
the upper lip, thereby affording convenient ironing while ready
access to the spray bottle. It should be understood, however, that
the article is not limited to hanging on an ironing board, since
the distance between the lower portion of the upper lip 104 and the
top of the spray bottle when connected is large enough to
accommodate shelves, ledges, and various other surfaces.
* * * * *