Portable article support apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus with first and second leaf spring portions extending from a bridge portion, the second leaf spring portion provides an article support mounting aperture for attachment of an article support to the second leaf spring portion by structure for attaching said article support, and additional structure for securing the article support to the second leaf spring portion is disclosed. In a first embodiment, the article support is a towel ring, the structure for attaching the towel ring to the second leaf spring portion includes a shaft extending from a distal end of a post, and a retention groove formed at a distal end of the shaft. The additional structure for securing the shaft to the second leaf spring portion includes: a compression spring enclosing the shaft and interposed between the second leaf spring portion and the post; and a fastener affixed to the retention groove.

1 . An article support apparatus comprising: 
 a bridge portion;    a first leaf spring portion extending from a first end of the bridge portion;    a second leaf spring portion extending from a second end of the bridge portion, wherein the second leaf spring portion provides an article support mounting aperture;    an article support attached to the second leaf spring portion by means for attaching the article support to the second leaf spring portion; and    means for securing to the second leaf spring portion said attaching means, in which the article support is a finger pull, the first and second leaf spring portions are non-contactingly adjacent one another, and in which the bridge portion and the first and second leaf spring portions each comprise an internal and an external surface, and further in which the means for attaching the finger pull to the second leaf spring portion comprises: 
 a raised support region providing the article support mounting aperture, the raised support region comprising an exterior surface and an interior surface;  
 a knob portion of the finger pull;  
 a shaft portion of the finger pull with a proximal end rigidly affixed to a distal end of the knob portion, wherein a distal end of the shaft portion is in pressing communication with the exterior surface of the raised support region; and  
 a retention aperture formed within the body of the shaft, the retention aperture accessible from a distal end of the shaft portion and aligned with the article support mounting aperture.  
   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the retention aperture comprises a threaded retention aperture, and in which the means for securing to the second leaf spring portion the means for attaching the finger pull to the second leaf spring portion comprises a threaded fastener passed through the article support mounting aperture and into locking interaction with the threaded retention aperture.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a retention dowel with a proximal end in pressing engagement with the retention aperture, and in which the means for securing to the second leaf spring portion the means for attaching the finger pull to the second leaf spring portion comprises a staked head on a distal end of the retention dowel in pressing contact with the interior surface of the raised support region.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , in which the means for securing to the second leaf spring portion the means for attaching the finger pull to the second leaf spring portion comprises a rivet with a barrel portion passed through the article support mounting aperture and into sliding interaction with the retention aperture, and a head portion contacting the interior surface of the raised support region, wherein upon activating the rivet, the barrel portion expands into locking engagement with the retention aperture and the head portion draws into pressing engagement with the interior surface of the raised support region.  
   
   
       5 . An article support apparatus comprising: 
 a bridge portion;    a first leaf spring portion extending from a first end of the bridge portion;    a second leaf spring portion extending from a second end of the bridge portion, wherein the second leaf spring portion provides an article support mounting aperture;    an article support attached to the second leaf spring portion by means for attaching the article support to the second leaf spring portion; and    means for securing to the second leaf spring portion said attaching means, in which the article support is a garment hook, the first and second leaf spring portions are non-contactingly adjacent one another, and in which the bridge portion and the first and second leaf spring portions each comprise an internal and an external surface, and further in which the means for attaching the garment hook to the second leaf spring portion comprises: 
 a raised support region providing the article support mounting aperture, the raised support region comprising an exterior surface and an interior surface;  
 a hook portion of the garment hook;  
 a shaft portion of the garment hook with a proximal end rigidly affixed to a distal end of the hook portion, wherein a distal end of the shaft portion is in pressing communication with the exterior surface of the raised support region; and  
 a retention aperture formed within the body of the shaft portion, the retention aperture accessible from a distal end of the shaft and aligned with the article support mounting aperture.  
   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , in which the retention aperture comprises a threaded retention aperture, and in which the means for securing to the second leaf spring portion the means for attaching the garment hook to the second leaf spring portion comprises a threaded fastener passed through the article support mounting aperture and into locking interaction with the threaded retention aperture.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a retention dowel with a proximal end in pressing engagement with the retention aperture, and in which the means for securing to the second leaf spring portion the means for attaching the garment hook to the second leaf spring portion comprises a staked head on a distal end of the retention dowel in pressing contact with the interior surface of the raised support region.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , in which the means for securing to the second leaf spring portion the means for attaching the garment hook to the second leaf spring portion comprises a rivet with a barrel portion passed through the article support mounting aperture and into sliding interaction with the retention aperture, and a head portion contacting the interior surface of the raised support region, wherein upon activating the rivet, the barrel portion expands into locking engagement with the retention aperture and the head portion draws into pressing engagement with the interior surface of the raised support region.  
   
   
       9 . An article support apparatus comprising: 
 a bridge portion;    a first leaf spring portion extending from a first end of the bridge portion;    a second leaf spring portion extending from a second end of the bridge portion, wherein the second leaf spring portion provides an article support mounting aperture;    an article support attached to the second leaf spring portion by means for attaching the article support to the second leaf spring portion; and    means for securing to the second leaf spring portion said attaching means, in which the article support is a key ring with an internal diameter and an exterior diameter, the first leaf spring portion extends in a first direction from the bridge portion, the second leaf spring portion extends in a second direction from the bridge portion, and wherein the first and second leaf spring portions are non adjacent one another, and further in which the means for attaching the key ring to the second leaf spring portion comprises: 
 a raised support region providing the article support mounting aperture, the raised support region comprising an exterior surface and an interior surface; and  
 means for engaging the interior diameter of the key ring in sliding contact with the interior surface of the raised support region.  
   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , in which the means for engaging the interior diameter of the key ring in sliding contact with the interior surface of the raised support region comprises a hinge portion of the key ring, and in which the means for securing to the second leaf spring portion the means for attaching the key ring to the second leaf spring portion comprises means for maintaining the interior diameter of the key ring in sliding contact with the interior surface of the raised support region.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , in which the means for maintaining the interior diameter of the key ring in sliding contact with the interior surface of the raised support region comprises a locking clasp, and in which the second leaf spring portion joins the bridge portion at a proximal end of the second leaf spring portion, and supports an article retention member extending from a distal end of the second leaf spring portion, the article retention member extending in a direction substantially parallel to the bridge portion.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , in which the first leaf spring portion joins the bridge portion at a proximal end of the first leaf spring portion, and supports a retention hook member extending from a distal end of the first leaf spring portion, the retention hook member extending in a direction substantially parallel to the bridge portion.