Pedestal sink towel holder, and towel holding method

Abstract

A towel holder is removably outfitted upon a pedestal style sink for presenting both items to a user at a single station. The holder is formed from a single rod member uniquely bent to effect a three-dimensional structure having C-shaped lateral supports and a C-shaped central support. The lateral supports each have a free rod end, a lateral support end portion, and a rim-traversing-engaging portion. The central support has opposed central support end portions and a towel-support portion. The central and lateral support end portions integrally form opposed sink-engaging junctions. The free rod ends, rim-traversing-engaging portions, and sink-engaging junctions engage the sink, and the inherent weight of the rod member aligns the towel support portion relative to a sink rim. The towel support portion of the towel holder may thus bear a towel in adjacency to the pedestal sink.

1 . A towel holder-pedestal sink combination, the combination for presenting a user with both a pedestal style sink and towel at a single station, the combination comprising:
 a pedestal sink, the pedestal sink having an upper sink rim, an inner sink surface, and an outer sink surface, the inner and outer sink surfaces, and sink rim being load-bearing; and   a load-bearing rod, the load-bearing rod having a rod weight and being bent at a plurality of points intermediate its length to effect a three-dimensional structure, the three-dimensional structure comprising opposed, C-shaped lateral support structures and a C-shaped central support structure, the lateral support structures each comprising a free rod end, a lateral support end portion, and a central rim-traversing portion, the central support structure comprising opposed central support end portions and a towel-support portion, the central and lateral support end portions integrally forming opposed sink-engaging junctions, the free rod ends being engaged with the inner sink surface, the rim-traversing portions being engaged with an outer portion of the sink rim, the sink-engaging junctions being engaged with the outer sink surface, the rod weight for aligning the towel support portion relative to the rim portion via sink-to-rod engagement, the towel support portion thus for bearing a towel in adjacency to the pedestal sink.   
   
   
       2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the upper sink rim comprises a substantially horizontal planar rim portion, the towel support portion extending in a plane substantially parallel to the planar rim portion. 
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the free rod ends comprise interfacing means for enhancing engagement between the pedestal sink and the load-bearing rod. 
   
   
       4 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the rim-traversing portions are substantially orthogonal to the towel support portion. 
   
   
       5 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the pedestal sink and rod are symmetric about a medial plane. 
   
   
       6 . A towel holder for use in combination with a pedestal sink having a sink rim and inner and outer sink surfaces extending therefrom, the towel holder comprising:
 sink-engaging structure, the sink-engaging structure comprising a sink-engaging end, a holder-engaging end, and a rim-traversing-engaging portion intermediate the sink-engaging and holder-engaging ends; and   towel-holding structure, the towel-holding structure extending from the sink-engaging structure at the holder-engaging end, the sink-engaging end for engaging the inner sink surface, the rim-traversing-engaging portion for engaging the sink rim, the holder-engaging end for engaging the outer sink surface, the towel-holding structure for bearing a towel in adjacency to the outer sink surface.   
   
   
       7 . The towel holder of  claim 6  wherein the sink-engaging structure and towel-holding structure are formed from a single load-bearing rod, the rod having a rod weight and being bent at a plurality of points intermediate its length to effect a three-dimensional structure. 
   
   
       8 . The towel holder of  claim 7  wherein the three-dimensional structure comprises opposed lateral support structures defining the sink-engaging structure and a central support structure defining the towel-holding structure. 
   
   
       9 . The towel holder of  claim 8  wherein the lateral support structures each comprise a free rod end, a lateral support end portion, and a centralized rim-traversing-engaging portion, the central support structure comprising opposed central support end portions and a towel-support portion, the central and lateral support end portions integrally forming opposed sink-engaging junctions, the free rod ends for engaging the inner sink surface, the rim-traversing-engaging portions for engaging an outer portion of the sink rim, the sink-engaging junctions for engaging the outer sink surface, the rod weight for aligning the towel support portion relative to the rim portion via sink-to-rod engagement, the towel support portion for bearing a towel in adjacency to the outer sink surface. 
   
   
       10 . The towel holder of  claim 9  wherein the free rod ends comprise interfacing means for interfacing between the pedestal sink and the load-bearing rod. 
   
   
       11 . The towel holder of  claim 9  wherein the lateral support structures and central support structure are C-shaped. 
   
   
       12 . The towel holder of  claim 7  wherein the upper sink rim comprises a substantially horizontal planar rim portion, the towel support portion extending in a plane substantially parallel to the planar rim portion, the towel holder being symmetric about a medial plane. 
   
   
       13 . An article support device for enabling article support from a bowl, the article support device comprising:
 bowl-engaging structure, the bowl-engaging structure comprising a bowl-engaging end and a holder-engaging end; and   article-holding structure, the article-holding structure extending from the bowl-engaging structure at the holder-engaging end, the bowl-engaging end for engaging an inner bowl surface, the holder-engaging end for engaging an outer bowl surface, the article-holding structure for bearing an article adjacent the outer bowl surface.   
   
   
       14 . The article holder of  claim 13  wherein the bowl-engaging structure and article-holding structure are formed from a single load-bearing rod, the rod being formed intermediate its length to effect a three-dimensional structure. 
   
   
       15 . The article holder of  claim 14  wherein the three-dimensional structure comprises opposed lateral support structures defining the bowl-engaging structure and a central support structure defining the article-holding structure, the rod being symmetric about a medial plane. 
   
   
       16 . The article holder of  claim 15  wherein the lateral support structures each comprise a free rod end, a lateral support end portion, and a rim-traversing-engaging portion, the central support structure comprising opposed central support end portions and an article-support portion, the central and lateral support end portions integrally forming opposed bowl-engaging junctions, the free rod ends for engaging the inner bowl surface, the rim-traversing-engaging portions for traversing and engaging a bowl rim, the bowl-engaging junctions for engaging the outer bowl surface, the rod weight for aligning the article support portion relative to the bowl rim portion via bowl-to-rod engagement. 
   
   
       17 . The article holder of  claim 16  wherein the lateral support structures and central support structure are C-shaped. 
   
   
       18 . The article holder of  claim 15  wherein the rim-traversing portions are substantially orthogonal to the article support portion. 
   
   
       19 . An article support method, the method for supporting an article from a bowl, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming a member into a three-dimensional structure having opposed upright end sections transversely joined by a central section at opposed section junctions;   receiving a bowl rim into the upright end sections such that free ends thereof are juxtaposed adjacent an inner bowl surface;   contacting the inner bowl surface with the free ends of the upright end sections at a first set of opposed contact points;   rotating the member about an axis of rotation extending through the opposed contact points;   contacting the bowl rim with the upright end sections at a second set of contact points;   contacting the outer bowl surface with the opposed section junctions at a third set of contact points; and   bearing the weight of the load-bearing member at the first, second, and third sets of contact points via the bowl.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  comprising the step of supporting an article via the load-bearing member, the article thereby being supported by the bowl. 
   
   
       21 . An article support method, the method for supporting an article from a bowl, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming a member into a three-dimensional structure having an upright bowl-engaging section extending from an article-engaging section;   receiving a bowl rim into the bowl-engaging section such that a first end thereof is juxtaposed adjacent an inner bowl surface;   contacting the inner bowl surface with the first end of the bowl-engaging section at a first contact point;   rotating the member about an axis of rotation extending through the first contact point;   contacting the outer bowl surface with the bowl-engaging section with a second end thereof at a second contact point; and   bearing the weight of the load-bearing member at the first and second contact points via the bowl.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein a select bowl-engaging end comprises opposed contact points, the select bowl-engaging end being selected from the group consisting of the first and second ends of the bowl-engaging end. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21  comprising the step of supporting an article via the load-bearing member, the article thereby being supported by the bowl. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the step of forming the member into a three-dimensional structure is defined by forming opposed upright end sections transversely joined by a central section at opposed section junctions; successive steps being defined by:
 receiving the bowl rim into the upright end sections such that free ends thereof are juxtaposed adjacent an inner bowl surface;   contacting the inner bowl surface with the free ends of the upright end sections at a first set of opposed contact points;   rotating the member about an axis of rotation extending through the opposed contact points;   contacting the outer bowl surface with the opposed section junctions at a second set of contact points; and   bearing the weight of the load-bearing member at the first, second, and third sets of contact points via the bowl.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  comprising the step of contacting the bowl rim with portions of the upright ends sections at a third set of contact points after rotating the member.