Patent Application
20250098906
The present disclosure relates to shower curtain hooks. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, the present disclosure is directed to a shower curtain hook apparatus.
This section is intended to provide a discussion of related aspects of the art that can be helpful to understanding the embodiments discussed in this disclosure. It is not intended that anything contained herein be an admission of what is or is not prior art, and accordingly, this section should be considered in that light.
Shower curtain hooks provide a valuable function in suspending a shower curtain and liner from a shower curtain rod. The shower curtain is typically made from fabric with decorative designs. The shower curtain liner is typically a waterproof material to prevent water from exiting the shower. The shower curtain hook suspends both the shower curtain and the waterproof liner.
This summary provides a discussion of aspects of certain embodiments of the disclosure. It is not intended to limit the disclosure or any of the claimed subject matter. The summary provides some aspects, but there are aspects and embodiments of the disclosure that are not discussed here.
The present disclosure is directed to a shower curtain hook. The shower curtain hook can comprise a shank, a first and a second hook bend comprising a tubular rod fixed to the top and bottom end of the shank, respectively, a perpendicular protrusion fixed to the shank, an interface fixed to the end of the perpendicular protrusion, and a lip fixed to the end of the second hook bend. The first hook bend can have a curve with a uniform outer diameter and can comprise sliding rings and sliding ring stoppers. The interface can comprise external facing threads. The lip can comprise a horizontal tongue that is wider than the diameter of the tubular rod of the second hook bend. There is a greater distance from the inward end of the horizontal tongue to the shank than from an inward end of the first hook bend to the shank and a shorter distance from the center of the curve of the second hook bend to the shank than from the center of the curve of the first hook bend to the shank.
In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a shower curtain hook apparatus. The apparatus can comprise a straight vertical shank, a first and a second hook bend comprising a tubular rod fixed to the top and bottom end of the straight vertical shank, respectively, a perpendicular protrusion fixed to the shank, an interface fixed to the end of the perpendicular protrusion, and a lip fixed to the end of the second hook bend. The first hook bend can comprise sliding rings and sliding ring stoppers. The interface can comprise internal facing threads. The lip can comprise a flat tongue with a rectangular profile and rounded edges, where its width is greater than the diameter of the tubular rod of the second hook bend. There is a shorter distance from the inward end of the flat tongue to the shank than from an inward end of the first hook bend to the shank and there is a shorter distance from the center of the curve of the second hook bend to the shank than from the center of the curve of the first hook bend to the shank.
The novel features believed characteristic of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The disclosure itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
An embodiment of the disclosure will now be described. Shower curtain hooks are most often standalone hooks that connect a shower curtain and waterproof liner to a shower curtain rod. Most shower curtain hooks are designed to slide along the length of the shower curtain rod when the shower curtain is opened or closed. Some shower curtain hooks contain mechanisms, such as rotating beads, to improve the sliding functionality of the shower curtain hooks. While shower curtain hooks come in many designs, nearly all are strictly limited to suspending a shower curtain and an inner liner.
A crucial aspect of taking a shower is the process of drying off afterward. While many innovations offer novel drying solutions, nearly everyone will choose to use a towel to dry themselves off. The towel soaks up the remaining water which will eventually evaporate. Users typically hang wet towels to dry on wall hooks or rods outside the shower or on the shower curtain rod itself. Hanging wet towels on the walls outside the shower tends to visually clutter up the space nearby. Hanging wet towels on the shower curtain rod itself is also unsightly, with the added detriment of interfering with the sliding function of shower curtain hooks. What is needed is a device and apparatus for suspending towels to dry out of sight without interfering with the sliding mechanism of the shower curtain hooks.
In this description, words such as “up,” “down,” “top,” and “bottom” are used with respect to how the shower curtain hook is configured to be implemented. The drawings reflect the same orientation as the shower curtain hook is envisioned to be used. Words such as “outward” or “inward” are used with respect to the orientation of the shower curtain hook with respect to an adjacent shower. Outward refers to the side of the shower curtain hook facing away from the shower while inward refers to the side of the shower curtain hook facing towards the shower.
The first hook bend 102 extends inward and curves downward. The first hook bend 102 can be sized to hook around a shower curtain rod of 1.5 inches in diameter or smaller. In some embodiments, the first hook bend 102 can have a uniform radius in a semi-circle arc. In yet further embodiments, the semi-circle arc exceeds 180 degrees. Exceeding a semi-circle improves stability and reduces the likelihood of the shower curtain hook inadvertently falling off, especially when a shower curtain and a waterproof liner are suspended from the perpendicular protrusion 120, but a towel is not draped over the second hook bend 106.
One end of the first hook bend 102 can comprise a ball end 112 to remove sharp edges on the shower-facing side of the shower curtain hook 100. As shown in
The first hook bend 102 can comprise one or more sliding rings 130 looped around the top portion of the first hook bend 102. The sliding rings 130 are configured to freely rotate around the shaft of the first hook bend 102 to reduce friction when a user slides the shower curtain hook 100 along a shower curtain rod. The sliding rings 130 can be secured to the first hook bend 102 through a sliding ring stopper 132, such as a physical obstruction that blocks the sliding rings 130 from sliding off the top portion of the first hook bend 102 or a tongue and groove configuration with the sliding rings 130 and the top portion of the first hook bend 102. As shown in
The ball end 112 may be removably attached to the first hook bend 102. A removably attached ball end 112 eases manufacturing because one or more sliding rings 130 can simply be looped around the first hook bend into position with the ball end 112 removed from the first hook bend 102. The sliding ring stopper 132 secures the sliding rings 130 in place. Finally, the ball end 112 can be attached to the end of the first hook bend 102.
The second hook bend 106 is coupled to the shank 104 on one end, extends inward, and curves upward. The lip 108 is quarter-circle shaped and curves outward from the other end of the second hook bend 106 into a horizontal tongue 110. The horizontal tongue 110 can comprise a divot 118 that bows downward before curving upward at the end of the tongue 110. The tongue 110, the lip 108, and the second hook bend 106 are configured to secure a draped towel to the shower curtain hook 100 without the towel falling off.
The center of the second hook bend 106 is positioned closer to the shank 104 than the first hook bend 102 to move the center of gravity closer to the center of the shower curtain hook 100 when a towel is draped over it. The shower curtain hook 100 is configured to remain suspended from a shower curtain rod while simultaneously suspending a shower curtain, a waterproof liner, and a towel. To maintain balance while supporting the weight of a wet towel, the center of gravity of the shower curtain hook 100 with a shower curtain, waterproof liner, and a draped towel is optimally directly beneath the peak of the first hook bend 102. As shown in
A towel-supporting lip needs to be able to provide enough counteracting forces to prevent the towel from sliding off the lip. At the same time, the lip should be free of sharp edges to prevent tearing holes in the towel. The horizontal tongue 110 addresses these challenges by providing a horizontal surface with a divot 118. A horizontal surface increases the lateral frictional forces of a draped towel by spreading the weight of the towel along the length of the horizontal surface. Compared to a ball end, the horizontal tongue 110 reduces the likelihood of the towel slipping off the lip 108. At the same time, the tongue 110 is rounded, which helps to avoid tearing the towel's fabric. In the embodiment shown in
As shown in
In some embodiments, the shank 104 can comprise first curve 180a and second curve 180b (collectively curves 180) that bow inward. First curve 180a can be unitary with the first hook bend-thus contributing to the arc of the first hook bend 102, allowing it to reach beyond 180 degrees which improves the stability of the suspended shower curtain hook 100. Second curve 180b further contributes to securing a suspended towel on second hook bend 106 by providing a slight overhang from which a towel receives vertical friction forces. The curves 180 can comprise a tubular rod of uniform diameter. In at least one embodiment, the curves 180 are symmetrical along a horizontal axis.
The perpendicular protrusion 120 protrudes horizontally outward from the shank 104. The interface 122 is disposed at the end of the perpendicular protrusion 120. The interface 120 can be any type of interface configured to removably couple an ornamental piece 150 such as threads, magnets, tongue and groove, snaps, clasps, latches, or other coupling mechanisms. Besides aesthetics, the ornamental piece 150 is configured to secure the shower curtain to the shower curtain hook 100. Once the shower curtain hook 100 is hooked on a shower curtain rod, a user can remove the ornamental piece 150 and place a shower curtain onto the horizontal protrusion 120 without removing the shower curtain hook 100 from the shower curtain rod. Optionally, a user can also place a waterproof liner onto the horizontal protrusion 120 before the shower curtain. The user then couples the ornamental piece 150 back to the interface 122 to secure the shower curtain. The interface 122 of
Using a removable ornamental piece 150 to secure the shower curtain to the shower curtain hook 100 almost completely removes the possibility of the shower curtain falling off the shower curtain hook 100. Shower curtain hooks that have an open hook rely on gravity to suspend a shower curtain. These gravity-based hooks are susceptible to the shower curtain inadvertently coming off of the open hook, which is frustrating to users. The waterproof liner can similarly become unhooked, which the coupled ornamental piece 150 and interface 122 prevent.
The first hook bend 202 extends inward and curves downward. The first hook bend 202 can be sized to hook around a shower curtain rod of 1.5 inches in diameter or smaller. The first hook bend 202 of
The first hook bend 202 can comprise one or more sliding rings 230 looped around the top portion of the first hook bend 202. The sliding rings 230 are configured to freely rotate around the shaft of the first hook bend 202 to reduce friction when a user slides the shower curtain hook 200 along a shower curtain rod. The sliding rings 230 can be secured to the first hook bend 202 through a sliding ring stopper 232, such as a physical obstruction that blocks the sliding rings 230 from sliding off the top portion of the first hook bend 202 or a tongue and groove configuration with the sliding rings 230 and the top portion of the first hook bend 202. As shown in
The second hook bend 206 extends inward, curves upward, and is coupled to the straight vertical shank 204 on one end. The lip 208 comprises a straight vertical portion and a flat tongue 210 attached to the end of the straight vertical portion. As shown in
The center of the second hook bend 206 is positioned closer to the straight vertical shank 204 than the first hook bend 202 to move the center of gravity closer to the center of the shower curtain hook 200 when a towel is draped over it. The shower curtain hook 200 is configured to remain suspended from a shower curtain rod while simultaneously suspending a shower curtain, a waterproof liner, and a towel. To maintain balance while supporting the weight of a wet towel, the center of gravity of the shower curtain hook 200 with a shower curtain, waterproof liner, and a draped towel is optimally directly beneath the peak of the first hook bend 202. As shown in
The flat tongue 210 is an alternative embodiment to support a draped towel. The flat tongue 210 has a rectangular profile with rounded edges. The flat tongue 210 can have a width greater than the diameter of the tubular rod of the second hook bend 206. The relatively long and wide flat tongue 210 in comparison to the tubular rod improves the lateral friction forces of a draped towel and increases the area upon which the draped towel experiences normal forces-both of which reduce the likelihood of the towel falling off. As shown in
The straight vertical shank 204 is simpler to manufacture than shank 104 of
The perpendicular protrusion 220 protrudes horizontally outward from the shank 204 and is configured to support a shower curtain and a waterproof liner. The interface 222 is disposed at the end of the perpendicular protrusion 220. The interface 220 can be any type of interface configured to removably couple an ornamental piece [such as ornamental piece 150 shown in
While this disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
While various embodiments in accordance with the principles disclosed herein have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of this disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with any claims and their equivalents issuing from this disclosure. Furthermore, the above advantages and features are provided in described embodiments, but shall not limit the application of such issued claims to processes and structures accomplishing any or all of the above advantages.
Additionally, the section headings herein are provided for consistency with the suggestions under 37 C.F.R. 1.77 or otherwise to provide organizational cues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention(s) set out in any claims that may issue from this disclosure. Specifically, and by way of example, although the headings refer to a “Technical Field,” the claims should not be limited by the language chosen under this heading to describe the so-called field. Further, a description of a technology as background information is not to be construed as an admission that certain technology is prior art to any embodiment(s) in this disclosure. Neither is the “Brief Summary” to be considered as a characterization of the embodiment(s) set forth in issued claims. Furthermore, any reference in this disclosure to “invention” in the singular should not be used to argue that there is only a single point of novelty in this disclosure. Multiple embodiments may be set forth according to the limitations of the multiple claims issuing from this disclosure, and such claims accordingly define the embodiment(s), and their equivalents, that are protected thereby. In all instances, the scope of such claims shall be considered on their own merits in light of this disclosure, but should not be constrained by the headings set forth herein.
