Utensil storage unit

#The present invention relates to a storage unit for a utensil such as a toilet brush or a plumbing plunger, and more particularly to an enclosed storage unit with spring biased closures which are operated by a support platform.

#Conventional bathroom utensils such as toilet brushes and plumbing plungers are normally used in unsanitary environments, and even though the respective heads of the toilet brush and plumbing plunger are rinsed after use, it is desirable to enclose the heads between uses. This permits the plunger head or the brush head to dry without contacting and possibly contaminating surrounding objects.

#The storage of a plunger or brush head within an enclosure device is not without some significant problems. First, it is desirable to effectively operate a device which encloses the plunger head without requiring manual contact with either the enclosing device or the plunger head.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage unit, and more particularly, a plunger storage unit of the present invention in the full closed position;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the plunger storage unit of FIG. 1 in the full open position;

#FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the plunger storage unit of FIG. 1 between the full open and full closed positions;

#The storage unit 10 of the present invention which is readily adapted to hold and support a variety of utensils, is illustrated. Particularly, the storage unit 10 includes a plunger head container 12 having a bottom wall 14 which engages sidewalls 16 to define a chamber 18 having an open end 20. This open end is selectively closed by two opposed closure units 22 and 24, each of which is hingedly connected for pivotal movement by hinges 26 and 28 connected respectively to opposed sidewalls 16. The closure units may be pivoted to meet at a closed position across the open end 20, and the free edge of each closure unit is formed with an arcuate cutout portion 30. In the closed position, the arcuate cutout portions of the closure units 22 and 24 form a circular opening to receive the handle 32 of a plumbing plunger having a plunger head 34 which is received in the chamber 18. Each closure unit has an endwall 21, spaced opposed sidewalls 23 and a topwall 25. The endwall 21 is hinged to a sidewall 16.

#Suspended within the chamber 18 for movement toward and away from the bottom wall 14 is a plunger head supporting platform 36 having a centrally located opening 38. The supporting platform, container 12, and opposed closure units 22 and 24 are formed of a material which can be easily cleaned by immersion, such as molded hard plastic material. The supporting platform 36 is suspended by two spaced opposed, substantially U shaped spring arm platform supports 40 and 42, each of which has one end connected to the forward portion of the sidewall 23 of closure unit 22 and the opposite end connected to the forward portion of the sidewall 23 of closure unit 24. Each spring arm platform support is secured to a pin 37 on the underside of the platform by a central section between the legs 46 and 48 of the spring arm platform support as indicated in the dotted lines at 44. These spring arm platform supports are preferably each formed from a single, elongate strand of spring metal and have an intermediate position shown in FIG. 3 and in solid lines in FIG. 4. In this intermediate position, the spring arm platform supports do not bias the closure units 22 and 24 in either the open or closed direction. However, when a plunger on the platform 36 is pushed toward the bottom wall 14 causing the closure units 22 and 24 to pivot toward the closed position as the platform 36 moves toward the bottom wall 14, the legs 46 and 48 of the spring arm platform supports will begin to move together. These legs are of substantially equal length, and once they pass the intermediate position shown in solid lines in FIG. 4, they become biased in the direction of the arrows 50, and this bias remains to hold the closure units tightly closed when the platform reaches the lowermost position. With the platform in the lowermost position, the platform will be suspended by the spring arm platform supports in spaced relation to the bottom wall 14, and the spring arm platform supports will be positioned as shown by the broken lines A in FIG. 4.

#To open the plunger storage unit 10, the handle 32 is raised upwardly causing the plunger head 34 to raise off the platform 36 and engage the closure units 22 and 24. As the closure units are forced open by the plunger head, the platform moves upwardly away from the bottom wall 14 and the legs 46 and 48 of the spring arm platform supports begin to move apart. Once the legs pass the intermediate position, the bias changes to the direction of the arrows 52 and the closure units are snapped to the full open position shown in FIG. 2. In the full open position, the bias in the direction of the arrows remains to hold the platform and the closure units in the position shown in FIG. 2, and the legs of the spring arm platform supports will be in the broken line position B in FIG. 4.