Shelving system with obscurable shelving

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9339151-B2
Application number	US-201514638940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2015
Priority date	Mar 13, 2014
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

Various shelving systems, such as shower caddies, are disclosed. In some embodiments, a shower caddy includes an elongate support member and a plurality of shelves, each of which can be supported by a clamping mechanism. The support member can have a telescoping configuration so that upper and lower ends of the support member can be pressed against upper and lower stationary objects. The shelving system can include a shroud configured to conceal, block, or surround a portion of a shelf in a closed position and allow access to the portion of the shelf in the open position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shower caddy comprising:
a first elongate support member, the first elongate support member comprising a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second ends;
a second elongate support member that is generally parallel with the first elongate support member, the second elongate support member being configured to attach to a support surface of a shower;
an arm connecting the first elongate support member and the second elongate support member;
a shelf for holding bathroom articles, the shelf connected with the first elongate support member; and
a shroud configured to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the first elongate support member between a first position and a second position, wherein:
the first position corresponds to a closed position in which the shroud surrounds a first circumferential portion of the shelf and blocks view of the articles positioned on the shelf;
the second position corresponds to an open position in which the shroud is configured to allow access to the articles on the shelf; and
a biasing assembly configured to bias the shroud toward the open position or the closed position such that, in response to a user rotating the shroud partly toward the open position or the closed position, the biasing assembly automatically rotates the shroud the remainder of the way to the open position or the closed position.

2. The shower caddy of claim 1 , wherein the shroud comprises a semi-cylindrical plate configured to surround at least a quarter of an outer perimeter of the shelf in the closed position.

3. The shower caddy of claim 1 , wherein the shroud comprises a semi-cylindrical plate configured to surround at least half of an outer perimeter of the shelf in the closed position.

4. The shower caddy of claim 1 , wherein the shroud is opaque.

5. The shower caddy of claim 1 , wherein the shroud is translucent.

6. The shower caddy of claim 1 , wherein the shroud comprises a curved plate.

7. The shower caddy of claim 1 , further comprising a connection mechanism that connects the shelf with the first elongate support member, the connection mechanism comprising a user-actuatable clamping device configured to allow the shelf to be adjusted vertically between one or more positions along the first elongate support member in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first elongate support member.

8. The shower caddy of claim 7 , wherein the user-actuatable clamping device comprises a clamp body, clamp plate, and clamp lever, the clamping device configured to move between locked and unlocked positions, in which a position of the shelf can be adjusted when the single user-actuatable device is in the unlocked position, and wherein the shelf can be locked in place when the single user-actuatable device is in the locked position.

9. The shower caddy of claim 8 , wherein the connection mechanism slidably and rotatably connects the shelf to the first elongate support member, the clamping device configured to allow the shelf to be adjusted about at least two degrees of freedom relative to the first elongate support member.

10. A bathroom shelving system comprising:
a first elongate support member;
a second elongate support member;
a first arm and a second arm, the first and second arms connecting the first elongate support member and the second elongate support member;
at least one of the first and second arms comprising a user-actuatable locking mechanism with an engaged position and a disengaged position, the locking mechanism being configured such that:
when the locking mechanism is in the engaged position, the first elongate support member is fixedly coupled with the second elongate support member in one of a plurality of positions along the second elongate support member; and
when the locking mechanism is in the disengaged position, the first elongate support member can be moved along the second elongate support member in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second elongate support member;

a shelf for holding bathroom toiletries, the shelf having a periphery and being connected to the first elongate support member with a connection mechanism;
a shroud comprising a plate that extends along at least one third of the periphery of the shelf, the shroud being configured to rotate around the first elongate support member between a first position corresponding to a closed position and a second position corresponding to an open position;
wherein a shelf assembly comprises the first elongate support member, the first and second arms, the shelf, and the shroud, the shelf assembly being configured to slide along the second elongate support member without being detached from the second elongate support member; and
wherein, from a front elevation view of the system, when the shroud is in the closed position the shroud obscures view of a first portion of the shelf, and when the shroud is in the open position the shroud allows view of the first portion of the shelf.

11. The bathroom shelving system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second arms comprises a detent assembly configured to maintain the shroud in first and second rotational rest positions corresponding to the closed and open positions.

12. The bathroom shelving system of claim 11 , wherein the detent assembly comprises an upper detent block and a lower detent block, the upper and lower detent blocks configured to rotate relative to each other and to engage each other.

13. The bathroom shelving system of claim 12 , wherein the upper detent block comprises a protrusion and the lower detent block comprises a recess configured to receive the protrusion.

14. The bathroom shelving system of claim 12 , wherein the upper detent block comprises a pair of protrusions spaced 180° from one another and the lower detent block comprises a pair of recesses spaced 180° from one another.

15. The bathroom shelving system of claim 10 , wherein the shroud is configured to rotates 360° around the first elongate support member.

16. A method of manufacturing a bathroom shelving system, the method comprising:
obtaining a first elongate support member;
obtaining a second elongate support member, the second elongate support member configured to engage a bathroom support surface;
connecting the first elongate support member with the second elongate support member via an arm such that the first elongate support member and the second elongate support member are generally parallel;
connecting the first elongate support member with a shelf;
connecting the arm with a shroud via a bearing assembly, the shroud comprising a generally opaque shield, the shroud extending around a portion of a periphery of the shelf;

rotating the shroud around a longitudinal axis of the first elongate support member between an open position and a closed position, thereby selectively concealing view of the shelf and contents on the shelf; and
biasing, with a biasing assembly, the shroud toward the open position or the closed position such that, in response to a user rotating the shroud partly toward the open position or the closed position, the biasing assembly automatically rotates the shroud the remainder of the way to the open position or the closed position.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein rotating the shroud comprises rotating the shroud at least 120°.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein rotating the shroud comprises overcoming a biasing force acting against rotation of the shroud.

Assignees

• Simplehuman Llc

Inventors

• Yang Frank
• Sandor Joseph

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• A47K3/281 Primary

  Accessories for showers or bathing douches, e.g. cleaning devices for walls or floors of showers (A47K3/30, A47K3/38, A47K3/40 take precedence) · CPC title