Patent Application
20080296244
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety razor accessories and more particularly to wall mounted hooks for storing safety razors when not in use.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
When using a safety razor to shave hair from areas of the face and body, the user's skin should be moistened prior to application of shave cream, gel or soaps. This helps to promote a close, smooth shave with minimal cuts and irritation to the skin. Thus, in the process of wet shaving (i.e. using a safety razor in combination with water and a shaving cream or gel) it is commonplace to moisturize and lubricate the skin surface, thereby minimizing irritation and injury. The most desirable ‘wetting’ occurs when the individual's skin and hair is wetted with hot water over a period of time, more than just splashing warm water on the skin surface to be shaved.
When a person's skin is subjected to hot moisture, individual pores open and provide maximum exposure of the hair strands to the razor. A barber will often use a hot, wet towel for this purpose. However, now that safety razors permit a person to perform the task by oneself at home, both men and women have found that shaving while taking a bath or in the shower provides a desirable warm humid shaving environment. These individuals tend to store their razor in the shower or in the immediate vicinity of the bathtub for easy access while showering or bathing. Showers and bath enclosure typically have a soap dish or integral shelf for storing soap and shampoo, but do not have a specific storage location for a razor. Both men and women who shave while bathing will often place the razor on the soap dish or shelf with the consequence of the razor being inadvertently knocked down when the soap or shampoo is used. Also, by resting in the soap dish or on a non-draining shelf, the razor may not totally dry after its use, thus creating the potential for growth of bacteria and fungi, as well as the accumulation of soap scum on the blades and handle.
Thus, what is desired is a device for storing a safety razor in a bath or shower enclosure that provides easy access and facilitates drainage of water away from the razor to discourage bacteria growth.
The present invention is directed to a wall mountable hook for storing safety razors that satisfies the need for sanitary and safe storage of a safety razor in a bath or shower enclosure. The wall mountable hook has a base with front and rear faces. A razor support is affixed to the front face and is positioned proximate to a periphery of the base. The razor support extends away from the front face to permit engagement with a portion of the safety razor to be hung therefrom. The razor support in combination with the base define therebetween a bottom void for permitting drainage of water from a razor supported by the razor support.
Another aspect of the present invention is a wall mountable hook for storing safety razors in bath and shower enclosures and the like wherein the wall mountable hook includes a base having a front face and a rear face. A plurality of razor supports are affixed to the front face and spaced about a periphery thereof. Each razor support is positioned proximate to a periphery of the base and extends outwardly from the front face for engaging the safety razor to be hung therefrom. Further, each razor support in combination with the base defines therebetween a bottom void for permitting drainage of water from a razor supported by said razor support.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following written specification, claims and appended drawings.
For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
Turning to the drawings,
Referring to
A razor support 28 is affixed to a periphery of base 22 and extends outwardly from the front face thereof. Razor support 28 has a first arm 30 and a second arm 32 that are laterally spaced one from the other. A lip 34 is affixed to the ends of arms 30, 23 distal from the front face of base 22. At least a portion of lip 34 extends upwardly from first and second arms 30, 32 and is spaced from the front face of base 22. Base 22, arms 30, 32, and lip 34 combine to define a bottom void 42. Lip 34 extending upwardly from spaced apart arms 30, 32 is separated at a top portion thereof into a first lip segment 36 and a second lip segment 38. First and second lip segments 36, 38 are spaced apart to define a notch 40 therebetween. Notch 40 is sized to receive therein a portion of blade cartridge 14, such as a central rib (not shown). Notch 40 permits a positive engagement ‘feel’ when safety razor 10 is place on razor support 28 and prevents safety razor 10 from laterally sliding along lip 34. Additionally, lip 34 can be of sufficient height such that safety razor 10 is totally supported by the engagement of blade cartridge 14 in notch 40 wherein a bottom edge of blade cartridge 14 is suspended above arms 30, 32 in a non-contacting manner.
Bottom void 42 is highly advantageous to permit the drainage of excess water from blade cartridge 14 of safety razor 10 after the user has shaved in the bath or shower enclosure. The shower or bath enclosure in which hook 20 is located tends to be an enclosed area that remains humid for an extended period of time after the user had showered or bathed therein. Such areas as this accumulate water and are not conducive to rapid drying; therefore creating an environment in which mildew and bacteria can thrive and grow. The supporting of blade cartridge 14 by engagement with notch 40 above arms 30, 32 in a non-contacting manner inhibits the trapping of small amounts of water that could occur if a bottom edge of blade cartridge 14 rested on an upper surface of arms 30, 32. Additionally, bottom void 42 promotes the drainage of excess water away from blade cartridge 14 when safety razor 10 is engaged on hook 20 thereby inhibiting the growth of mildew and bacteria and maintaining safety razor 10 in a dry environment.
Those practiced in the art will recognize that one manufacturer of blade cartridges for a safety razor typically employs a different cartridge structure from other manufacturers. Therefore razor support 28 can be modified in its various details to accommodate a specific blade cartridge structure while embodying the concepts of the invention disclosed herein. Since each manufacturer's blade cartridge may necessitate a specific configuration of razor support 28, an indicia area 26 can be located on the front face of base 22 above razor support 28 identifying the brand name of blade cartridge 14 that is compatible with the configuration of razor support 28 embodied on that particular hook 20. The brand name can be affixed to indicia area 26 as an adhesive label preprinted with the manufacturer's name, the razor brand, or alternatively the information can be molded directly with base 22 during the manufacturing of wall mountable hook 20.
Since wall mountable hook 20 is typically mounted on a wall 16 in a bath or shower enclosure, it is desirable to maintain the moisture resistant aspect of wall 16. Therefore, wall mountable hook 20 should be affixed to wall 16 in a manner that precludes the necessity of creating holes in wall 16. An adhesive element 50 can be affixed to a rear face of base 22. Adhesive element 50 typically has a substrate layer 54 permanently bonded to the rear face of base 22. Substrate layer 54 includes non-permanent (i.e., removable) adhesive surface opposite from the rear face of base 22 that is covered with peelable layer 56. Alternatively, one or more suction cups may be used for non-permanent, removable attachment of the base 22 to a wall surface, such as tile, marble or glass.
In use, the user selects the embodiment of wall mountable hook 20 that corresponds to the configuration of blade cartridge 14 the user prefers, or alternatively, hook 20 can be prepackaged in combination with compatible blade cartridges 14. The user then removes peelable layer 56 from adhesive element 50 and presses adhesive surface 54 against wall 16 in the position the user desires wall mountable hook 20 to occupy on wall 16. As illustrated in
Referring now to
In use, the user determines the razor support 128, 170, 180, 190 of wall mountable hook 120 that corresponds to the blade cartridge 14 to be supported thereon. The peelable layer is removed from the adhesive element on the rear face of base 122 and wall mountable hook 120 is rotated such that the desired razor support 128, 170, 180, 190 is properly oriented to support a blade cartridge 14 thereon. Wall mountable hook is then pressed onto wall 16 thereby adhering hook 120 to wall 16. Safety razor 10 is then placed on the selected razor support 128, 170, 180, 190. In the event that the brand of blade cartridge 14 is changed by the user, the hook 120 can be readily removed from wall 16 and a new wall mountable hook 20 or 120 mounted in its place.
The above description is considered that of the preferred embodiments only. Modifications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art and to those who make or use the invention. Therefore, it is understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes and. are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.
