Retractable towel bar

Details Retractable towel bar Retractable towel bar

2000-02-11

2001-10-23

Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)

Supports: racks

Specially mounted

Wall or window

Reexamination Certificate

active

06305558

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
In general, this invention relates to towel bars, and more particularly to a retractable towel bar and anchoring base.
2. Statement of Related Art
Conventional, non-retractable towel bars are typically very limited in terms of where they can be mounted for practical purposes. Such towel bars often require disproportionately large areas on a wall or other flat surface for mounting and often constitute an obstruction when mounted in confined spaces.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a retractable towel bar and anchoring base that can be mounted to a relatively small area on a flat surface and that will be retractable substantially flush to the flat surface, such that no obstruction is created when the towel bar is in its retracted or closed position.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a retractable towel bar that is aesthetically coordinated with the styling and hardware, such as handles, of cabinets and the like into which the retractable towel bar is to be installed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a retractable towel bar comprising a transverse elongated run, and first and second perpendicular runs attached to respective ends of the transverse elongated run, with the first and second perpendicularly attached runs slidably positioned within first and second sleeves of an anchoring base. The anchoring base is adapted to be mounted on a flat surface. The anchoring base defines first and second sleeves for extension through holes in the flat surface. The sleeves preferably have barbed tips on the outer surfaces of the sleeves. The barbed sleeves prevent the anchoring base from being unintentionally removed from the flat surface. The sleeves also contain axial ribs to reduce friction during sliding of the towel bar through the sleeves. The anchoring base also preferably includes first and second recesses to allow the transverse elongated run of the towel bar to be retracted substantially adjacent to the anchoring base. The anchoring base also preferably includes a recess in the anchoring base for facilitating grasping of the transverse run of the retractable towel bar when the towel bar is fully retracted substantially adjacent to the anchoring base.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1019662 (1912-03-01), Kroder
patent: 1259247 (1918-03-01), Lamey
patent: 1733970 (1929-10-01), Koering
patent: 2447908 (1948-08-01), Hoots
patent: 2473771 (1949-06-01), Slater
patent: 2542163 (1951-02-01), Swalwel
patent: 2554446 (1951-05-01), Nestor
patent: 3527352 (1970-09-01), Lapa
patent: 3756679 (1973-09-01), Schoenfelder
patent: 4729482 (1988-03-01), Nicholson
patent: 5335759 (1994-08-01), Yeh

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Retractable towel bar does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Retractable towel bar, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Retractable towel bar will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2595946