Pole caddy with brace clip

Abstract

A pole caddy features a support pole that extends between floor and ceiling support surfaces of a bathing stall; basket assemblies that are mounted to the support pole; and a pole caddy brace clip that is mounted to the support pole and adhered to an adjacent wall to brace the pole caddy. The pole caddy brace clip features a base, a support arm extending from the base, and an annular support ring at the end of the support arm opposite the base, along with an adhesion panel used to adhere the brace clip to the adjacent wall. The support ring may be circular-C-shaped with an opening that permits it to be snapped over support pole of the pole caddy, or it may be continuous, i.e., unbroken.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 764,395 filed Feb. 27, 2025, which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to bathroom pole caddies.BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0003] Bathroom pole caddies may be installed in bath and shower stalls. Such pole caddies typically are installed as corner units with one or more basket assemblies attached to a vertical support pole (for example, a tension rod). Items used when bathing are stored within the baskets, for easy access when bathing. Examples of such pole caddies are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 12,193,565 and 9,107,496, and Published U.S. Application No. U.S. 2013 / 0334156, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] Depending on where a pole caddy is installed—i.e., whether it is installed in a bath stall extending from the top surface of a bathtub to the ceiling or in a shower stall extending from the floor to the ceiling—and depending on the height of the ceiling where the pole caddy is installed, the support pole may be anywhere from six to ten feet or more in length. Additionally, four or more baskets might be attached to the support pole with as much as ten pounds of bathing items stored within a given basket. As a result, some consumers have observed that long and / or heavily loaded pole caddies can flex or otherwise appear to be minimally stable.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The claimed invention provides a pole caddy with a brace clip that may be installed on the pole caddy support pole and adhered to an adjacent wall to provide enhanced support for the pole caddy. Thus, a pole caddy features a support pole that extends between floor and ceiling support surfaces of a bathing stall; basket assemblies that are mounted to the support pole; and a pole caddy brace clip that is mounted to the support pole and adhered to an adjacent wall to brace the pole caddy. The pole caddy brace clip features a base, a support arm extending from the base, and an annular support ring at the end of the support arm opposite the base, along with an adhesion panel used to adhere the brace clip to the adjacent wall. The support ring may be circular-C-shaped with an opening that permits it to be snapped over support pole of the pole caddy, or it may be continuous, i.e., unbroken.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is to provide a pole caddy with a pole caddy brace clip. The pole caddy includes a support pole that extends vertically between opposing floor and ceiling support surfaces when installed; at least one basket assembly that is mounted to the support pole; and a pole caddy brace clip that is mounted to the support pole and adhered to an adjacent vertical wall extending between the floor and ceiling support surfaces. The pole caddy brace clip enhances support for the pole caddy and may help to stabilize it.

[0007] The pole caddy brace clip includes a clip member with a base, a support arm extending from a front surface of the base, and a support ring located at an end of the support arm that is opposite the base. The support ring receives the support pole therein. The pole caddy brace clip further includes an adhesion panel attached to a rear surface of the base, by means of which the pole caddy brace clip is adhered to the adjacent vertical wall.

[0008] In some embodiments, the support ring has an opening in a wall thereof. The opening permits that brace clip to be attached to the pole caddy support pole by clipping or snapping the support ring onto the support pole. In other embodiments, the support ring is continuous, i.e., unbroken. With such embodiments, the pole caddy brace clip is attached to the support pole by sliding the support ring over an end of the support pole before the support pole is positioned to extend between the floor and ceiling support surfaces.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is a method of installing a pole caddy. The method includes positioning the support pole of the pole caddy to extend vertically between opposing floor and ceiling support surfaces of a bathing stall; mounting at least one basket assembly to the support pole; mounting a pole caddy brace clip to the support pole; and attaching the pole caddy brace clip to an adjacent vertical wall.

[0010] Depending on the configuration of the pole caddy brace clip, it may be mounted to the support pole either before or after the support pole has been positioned to extend between the floor and ceiling support surfaces. Additionally, it may be mounted to the support pole either before or after at least some of the basket assemblies are mounted to the support pole. For example, in some embodiments, the pole caddy brace clip is configured to be attached to the pole caddy support pole by clipping or snapping it onto the support pole. This configuration permits the pole caddy brace clip to be mounted to the support pole after the pole caddy has otherwise been completely installed, if desired, or at other points in the installation process if desired. In other embodiments, the pole caddy brace clip is configured to be slid onto the support pole from an end of the support pole, which needs to be done before the support pole is positioned to extend between the floor and ceiling support surfaces. This would also need to be done before any basket assemblies (if any) that are to be located between the end of the support pole from which the brace clip is slid onto the support pole and the brace clip installation position are mounted to the support pole.

[0011] A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a pole caddy brace clip, per se, to enhance support or stabilize a pole caddy.

[0012] These and other aspects of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is perspective view of a pole caddy installation in accordance with the claimed invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a pole caddy brace clip used in the pole caddy installation shown in FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 3 is an isometric, assembly view of the pole caddy brace clip shown in FIG. 2;

[0016] FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the clip-member portion of the brace clip shown in FIG. 2, showing the rear surface of the clip member base;

[0017] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the brace clip shown in FIG. 2 as attached to a pole caddy support pole, where the inner diameter of the brace clip support ring in a relaxed state is the same as the outer diameter of the pole caddy support pole, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the brace clip as it is being clipped onto the support pole;

[0018] FIG. 7 is an elevation view of the brace clip shown in FIG. 2 as attached to the pole caddy support pole;

[0019] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of a pole caddy brace clip; and

[0020] FIG. 9 is an isometric view of another alternative embodiment of a pole caddy brace clip.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Pole caddy brace clips are provided that help secure and support pole caddies. The pole caddies may include a support pole installed between opposing floor and ceiling surfaces, such as in a bath or shower stall. The support pole may be a tension rod, and it may be telescoping or assembled from multiple support-pole segments. One or more basket assemblies may be mounted on the support pole and may be movable to selected heights along the vertical length of the support pole. In the context of the disclosed and claimed invention, the term “basket assemblies” is broad enough to include baskets, shelves, hooks, or other devices used to store bathing accessories within a shower stall or bath stall. One or more of the presently disclosed pole caddy brace clips may be installed at a selected height or heights along the length of the support pole and adhered to an adjacent wall surface to help support and secure the pole caddy in place.

[0022] Thus, an illustrative embodiment of a pole caddy installation 10 in accordance with the claimed invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The pole caddy installation 10 includes a pole caddy 12 mounted in a corner of a shower stall, where adjacent vertical walls 14, 16 of the shower stall meet. The pole caddy 12 includes a vertically extending support pole 18 (e.g., a tension rod) and several adjustable basket assemblies 20 (e.g., four as illustrated) mounted to the support pole 18 in any known manner. The vertical positions of the basket assemblies 20 along the length of the support pole 18 may be adjustable as disclosed in the above-incorporated references, or they may be fixed.

[0023] In the disclosed installation embodiment 10, the pole caddy 12 is installed in a shower stall and extends from the floor 22 of the shower (a lower support surface) to the ceiling 24 (an upper support surface). In other embodiments (not illustrated), the pole caddy 12 may be installed in a bath stall, extending from the upper surface of a bathtub (an alternative lower installation surface) to the ceiling. In either case, the support pole 18 suitably includes end caps 26 made from rubber or other non-marring, slip-resistant material to avoid scuffing the lower and upper installation surfaces 22, 24 and to help hold the pole caddy 12 in the desired location.

[0024] In addition to the end caps 26, the exemplary pole caddy installation 10 shown in FIG. 1 features an embodiment of a brace clip 100 in accordance with the claimed invention. As illustrated, the brace clip 100—illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 2-7—partially surrounds the support pole 18 at an intermediate position along the length of the support pole 18 and is mounted to one of the adjacent walls of the shower stall (e.g., wall 14) or the bath stall (in alternative embodiments) by means of a flat adhesion panel 110. In this manner, the brace clip 100 helps secure the pole caddy 12 in position and limits or prevents the support pole 18 from flexing, thereby enhancing stability of the pole caddy installation 10.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2-8, the brace clip 100 features a base 112, a support arm 114 extending from the base 112, and an annular support ring 116 at the end of the support arm 114 opposite the base 112 (referred to collectively as the clip member 118). Preferably, the base 112, the support arm 114, and the support ring 116 are integrally molded with each other from resilient or flexible, water-resistant material such as PC, ABS, PP, HIPS, and the like.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the adhesion panel 110 may be provided as a separate member to which the clip member 118 is attached on a front surface 120 thereof, e.g., by means of a hot-melt adhesive or similar substance used to join / adhere parts together. In such embodiments, the adhesion panel 110 may be made from material that is the same as or different from the material from which the clip member 118 is made, e.g., PET, PE, PP, and the like. In this embodiment, the base 112 suitably has one or more holes extending at least partially through it in the longitudinal direction—longitudinal being the direction from the base 112 toward the support ring 116—from the rear surface 119 of the base. When the base 112 is pressed into a dollop 124 of hot-melt or other adhesive that has been deposited on the front surface 120 of the adhesion panel 110, some of the adhesive will flow / extend into the holes 122, thereby increasing the total surface area over which the adhesive adheres to the base 112 and increasing the strength of the bond between the base 112 and the adhesion panel 110.

[0027] In other embodiments (not illustrated), the adhesion panel may be integrally molded with the base from the same material as the material from which the clip member is molded, such that the base is integrally attached to the adhesion panel.

[0028] In either case, i.e., adhesion panel provided as a separate member or integral with the base, an adhesive layer 126 may be provided on a rear surface 128 of the adhesion panel 110 to adhere the brace clip 100 to one of the adjacent walls 14 or 16 of the shower or bath stall. In general, using an adhesion panel 110 to adhere the brace clip 100 to the wall instead of just attaching the base 112 of the clip member 118 directly to the wall enhances stability of the pole caddy 12 by increasing the surface area over which the brace clip 100 is attached to the wall, thereby increasing the strength of adhesion to the wall. It also helps reduce the negative effects of imperfections and / or debris such as soap residue on the mounting wall 14 or 16.

[0029] Suitably, the adhesive layer 126 may be provided as a thin, double-sided, foam-core adhesive patch or tape such as 3M® 4908 VHB acrylic adhesive or similar, with a release liner (not illustrated) that is removed prior to attaching the adhesion panel 110 to the wall 14. Other commercially available pressure-sensitive adhesives that are water resistant may also be used. Suitably, the adhesive layer 126 covers the entire rear surface 128 of the adhesion panel 110.

[0030] As further illustrated in the figures, the support arm 114 extends forward from a front surface 134 of the base 112 and may be integrally molded with the base 112, as indicated above. The support ring 116 is located at the opposite, forward end of the support arm 114 and may be integrally molded with the support arm 114, as indicated above. The support arm 114 may have any number of cross-sectional configurations, so long as the configuration provides sufficient strength to withstand forces that might be imparted to the pole caddy support pole 18 during use of the shower or bath in which it is installed. For example, the cross-shaped configuration illustrated in the figures, with the crossing legs 136, 138 of the cross oriented horizontally and vertically, has been found to provide sufficient strength while being relatively easy to mold.

[0031] The support ring 116 is generally circular in that the wall of the support ring 116 has a constant radius r, as shown most clearly in FIG. 5. Notably, the support ring 116 has a circumferentially extending opening or gap 140, which allows the support ring 116 to be snapped into place on the support pole 18 during installation of the pole caddy 12. To the extent the support ring 116 is generally circular but has a gap 140, it may be referred to as having a circular-C-shaped configuration.

[0032] In general, the support ring opening 140 may be circumferentially or angularly located anywhere relative to the support arm 114. However, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the opening 140 may preferably be located at a position 90 degrees from the support arm 114, where the angular position of the opening 140 relative to the support arm 114 is defined as the angle θ between the longitudinal centerline CL of the support arm 114 and the ray R extending from the center O of the support ring 116 through the circumferential midpoint MP of the opening 140 (i.e., the ray R that bisects the opening 140). This position is preferred because it reduces the length of the support ring segment 146 on one side of the support arm 114, thereby reducing flexibility of the support ring segment 146 on that side of the support arm 114 to help hold the support pole 18 more securely. It also improves overall aesthetics of the pole caddy installation 10 to attach the brace clip 100 to the support pole 18 such that the support ring opening 140 faces into the corner where the pole caddy 12 is installed.

[0033] With respect to the relaxed width W of the support ring opening 140 (measured as a straight line from the free end 142 of one support ring segment 146 to the free end 144 of the other support ring segment 148 when the brace clip 100 is not installed on a support pole, i.e., as the chord of the arc subtended by the opening 140), it should be sized to permit the support ring 116 to be clipped onto the support pole 12 simply by pressing the free ends 142, 144 of the two support ring segments 144, 146 against the support pole 18, thereby causing the support ring segments 144, 146 to flex outwardly and allowing their free ends 142, 144 to pass over the full diameter Dp of the support pole 18, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Suitably, the free ends 142, 144 of the support ring segments 146, 148, respectively, on opposite sides of the gap 140 are rounded, as shown, to facilitate pressing the support ring 116 over the support pole 18 to snap it into place.

[0034] Because the flexibility of the support ring segments 146, 148 depends on the material from which the support ring 116 is made, the desired relaxed width W of the support ring opening 140 will depend on the material from which the support ring 116 is made as well as the diameter Dp of the support pole 18 onto which the support ring 116 will be clipped. Generally speaking, standard support poles typically sold for residential use usually have a diameter from 0.75 to 1.0 inch, and the support ring 116 will be sized to match. Thus, assuming the relaxed width W of the support ring opening 140 may be about 0.5 inch, the ratio of the relaxed width W of the support ring opening 140 to the support ring's inner diameter Dr may be from about 0.5 (0.5 inch opening / 1.0 inch pole diameter) to about 0.67 (0.5 inch opening / 0.75 inch pole diameter).

[0035] Expressed another way, as a percentage of total circumference if the support ring 116 were a complete circle with a 1.0 inch inner diameter, a relaxed with W of the support ring opening 140 of 0.5 inch “removes” approximately 17% of the total circumference of the support ring 116 (i.e., the arclength of the opening 140 is approximately 17% of the circumference of a circle with a diameter of 1.0 inch). Similarly, as a percentage of total circumference if the support ring 116 were a complete circle with a 0.75 inch inner diameter, a relaxed with W of the support ring opening 140 of 0.5 inch “removes” approximately 23% of the total circumference of the support ring 116 (i.e., the arclength of the opening 140 is approximately 23% of the circumference of a circle with a diameter of 0.75 inch).

[0036] On the other hand, if the support ring were made from a fairly stiff material with little “give” or flexibility, the support ring opening 140 could be significantly larger, constituting as much as 45% of the total circumference of the support ring 116 if the support ring 116 were a complete circle and still adequately stabilize the pole caddy. In that case, the ratio of the relaxed width W of the support ring opening 140 to the diameter Dr of the support ring 116 would be approximately 0.98 (same for all support pole diameters).

[0037] Regarding the support arm 114, it should be long enough to support the support pole 18 far enough from the wall 14 to which the brace clip 100 is adhered to accommodate the width of the basket assemblies 20. (The basket assemblies of pole caddies typically extend horizontally past the support pole of the pole caddy by about one quarter to one half inch toward the corner where the pole caddy is to be installed.) On the other hand, it should not be so long as to position the pole caddy 12 so far into the shower or bath space that it is obtrusive. Thus, in practice, the standoff distance Lso (i.e., the combined thickness of the base 112 in the longitudinal direction and the length of the support arm 114) may be about 0.5 inch. Accordingly, the ratio of the standoff distance Lso to the support ring's inner diameter Dr when the support ring is in a relaxed, unflexed state may be from about 0.5 (0.5 inch standoff distance / 1.0 inch pole diameter) to about 0.67 (0.5 inch standoff distance / 0.75 inch pole diameter.)

[0038] The brace clip 100 of this embodiment may be installed on the support pole 18 of a pole caddy 12 during installation of the pole caddy 12 by snapping the support ring 116 of the brace clip 100 around the support pole 18 at a desired height, with the brace clip 100 pivoted about the support pole 18 such that the adhesion layer 126 on the rear surface 128 of the adhesion panel 110 is accessible to the person performing the installation. The pole caddy 12 is then positioned where desired within the shower or bath stall, with the support pole end caps 26 lightly holding the pole caddy 12 in place. (Depending on the configuration of the pole caddy 12, this may be done before or after the basket assemblies 20 have been mounted on the support pole 18.) The release liner is removed from the adhesive layer 126, and the brace clip 100 is pivoted about the support pole 18 such that the adhesive layer 126 faces the wall 14 to which the brace clip 100 will be adhered. The adhesive layer 126 is then pressed against the wall 14 to secure the brace clip 100 to the wall 14. The support pole 18 may then be repositioned slightly, if necessary, to ensure it is straight and vertical, and then it is secured more firmly in position, e.g., by rotating one support-pole tube within another in the case of a telescoping tension rod-type support pole, etc. Alternatively, the brace clip 100 of this embodiment may be installed on the support pole 18 of a previously installed pole caddy 12 by loosening the previously installed support pole 18 slightly, then following the sequence of steps described above.

[0039] As noted above, the brace clip support arm 114 may have many different configurations. So, too, may the base 112 have different configurations. For example, in the brace clip embodiment 100 illustrated and described above, the support arm 114 has a cross-shaped cross section, and the base 112 is substantially an oval that is vertically oriented. In an alternative embodiment 200 illustrated in FIG. 8, the support arm 214 may be hollow and have a generally oval, horizontally oriented arrangement, with the interior of the support arm 214 communicating with the interior region of the support ring 216, and the base 212 may also be horizontally oriented.

[0040] Still further, in the brace clip embodiments 100 and 200 described above, each of the support rings 116, 216 has a gap 140, 240 by means of which the support ring 116, 216 can be snapped around the support pole 18 of a pole caddy 12. On the other hand, in the brace clip embodiment 300 illustrated in FIG. 9, the support ring 316 is unbroken. In other words, the support ring 316 is formed as a complete circle. This embodiment of a pole caddy brace clip 300 would be installed by sliding it along the support pole 18 of a pole caddy 12 before the basket assemblies 20 are assembled to the support pole 18 (or at least before the basket assemblies 20 to be located below the position of the brace clip 300 are assembled to the support pole 18) and prior to installation of the pole caddy 12 within a shower or bath stall. Once the pole caddy brace clip 300 has been attached to the support pole 18 of the pole caddy 12, however, installation of the pole caddy 12 and adhesion of the brace clip 300 to an adjacent wall 14 is otherwise the same as described above.

[0041] The above examples are intended to illustrate various aspects of the claimed invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0042] As used herein, “including,”“containing,” and like terms are understood in the context of this application to be synonymous with “comprising” and are therefore open-ended and do not exclude the presence of additional undescribed or unrecited elements, materials, phases or method steps. As used herein, “consisting of” is understood in the context of this application to exclude the presence of any unspecified element, material, phase, or method step. As used herein, “consisting essentially of” is understood in the context of this application to include the specified elements, materials, phases, or method steps, where applicable, and to also include any unspecified elements, materials, phases, or method steps that do not materially affect the basic or novel characteristics of the invention.

[0043] Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard variation found in their respective testing measurements.

[0044] Also, it should be understood that any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. For example, a range of “1 to 10” is intended to include all sub-ranges between (and including) the recited minimum value of 1 and the recited maximum value of 10, that is, having a minimum value equal to or greater than 1 and a maximum value of equal to or less than 10.

[0045] In this application, the use of the singular includes the plural and plural encompasses singular, unless specifically stated otherwise. In addition, in this application, the use of “or” means “and / or” unless specifically stated otherwise, even though “and / or” may be explicitly used in certain instances. In this application and the appended claims, the articles “a,”“an,” and “the” include plural referents unless expressly and unequivocally limited to one referent.

[0046] Whereas particular embodiments of this invention have been described above for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details of the present invention may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Examples

embodiment 10

[0023]In the disclosed installation embodiment 10, the pole caddy 12 is installed in a shower stall and extends from the floor 22 of the shower (a lower support surface) to the ceiling 24 (an upper support surface). In other embodiments (not illustrated), the pole caddy 12 may be installed in a bath stall, extending from the upper surface of a bathtub (an alternative lower installation surface) to the ceiling. In either case, the support pole 18 suitably includes end caps 26 made from rubber or other non-marring, slip-resistant material to avoid scuffing the lower and upper installation surfaces 22, 24 and to help hold the pole caddy 12 in the desired location.

[0024]In addition to the end caps 26, the exemplary pole caddy installation 10 shown in FIG. 1 features an embodiment of a brace clip 100 in accordance with the claimed invention. As illustrated, the brace clip 100—illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 2-7—partially surrounds the support pole 18 at an intermediate position al...

embodiment 300

[0040]Still further, in the brace clip embodiments 100 and 200 described above, each of the support rings 116, 216 has a gap 140, 240 by means of which the support ring 116, 216 can be snapped around the support pole 18 of a pole caddy 12. On the other hand, in the brace clip embodiment 300 illustrated in FIG. 9, the support ring 316 is unbroken. In other words, the support ring 316 is formed as a complete circle. This embodiment of a pole caddy brace clip 300 would be installed by sliding it along the support pole 18 of a pole caddy 12 before the basket assemblies 20 are assembled to the support pole 18 (or at least before the basket assemblies 20 to be located below the position of the brace clip 300 are assembled to the support pole 18) and prior to installation of the pole caddy 12 within a shower or bath stall. Once the pole caddy brace clip 300 has been attached to the support pole 18 of the pole caddy 12, however, installation of the pole caddy 12 and adhesion of the brace cl...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 764,395 filed Feb. 27, 2025, which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to bathroom pole caddies.BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0003] Bathroom pole caddies may be installed in bath and shower stalls. Such pole caddies typically are installed as corner units with one or more basket assemblies attached to a vertical support pole (for example, a tension rod). Items used when bathing are stored within the baskets, for easy access when bathing. Examples of such pole caddies are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 12,193,565 and 9,107,496, and Published U.S. Application No. U.S. 2013 / 0334156, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] Depending on where a pole caddy is installed—i.e., whether it is installed in a bath stall extending from the top surface of a bathtub to the ceiling or in a shower stall extending from the floor to the ceiling—and depending on the height of the ceiling where the pole caddy is installed, the support pole may be anywhere from six to ten feet or more in length. Additionally, four or more baskets might be attached to the support pole with as much as ten pounds of bathing items stored within a given basket. As a result, some consumers have observed that long and / or heavily loaded pole caddies can flex or otherwise appear to be minimally stable.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The claimed invention provides a pole caddy with a brace clip that may be installed on the pole caddy support pole and adhered to an adjacent wall to provide enhanced support for the pole caddy. Thus, a pole caddy features a support pole that extends between floor and ceiling support surfaces of a bathing stall; basket assemblies that are mounted to the support pole; and a pole caddy brace clip that is mounted to the support pole and adhered to an adjacent wall to brace the pole caddy. The pole caddy brace clip features a base, a support arm extending from the base, and an annular support ring at the end of the support arm opposite the base, along with an adhesion panel used to adhere the brace clip to the adjacent wall. The support ring may be circular-C-shaped with an opening that permits it to be snapped over support pole of the pole caddy, or it may be continuous, i.e., unbroken.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is to provide a pole caddy with a pole caddy brace clip. The pole caddy includes a support pole that extends vertically between opposing floor and ceiling support surfaces when installed; at least one basket assembly that is mounted to the support pole; and a pole caddy brace clip that is mounted to the support pole and adhered to an adjacent vertical wall extending between the floor and ceiling support surfaces. The pole caddy brace clip enhances support for the pole caddy and may help to stabilize it.

[0007] The pole caddy brace clip includes a clip member with a base, a support arm extending from a front surface of the base, and a support ring located at an end of the support arm that is opposite the base. The support ring receives the support pole therein. The pole caddy brace clip further includes an adhesion panel attached to a rear surface of the base, by means of which the pole caddy brace clip is adhered to the adjacent vertical wall.

[0008] In some embodiments, the support ring has an opening in a wall thereof. The opening permits that brace clip to be attached to the pole caddy support pole by clipping or snapping the support ring onto the support pole. In other embodiments, the support ring is continuous, i.e., unbroken. With such embodiments, the pole caddy brace clip is attached to the support pole by sliding the support ring over an end of the support pole before the support pole is positioned to extend between the floor and ceiling support surfaces.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is a method of installing a pole caddy. The method includes positioning the support pole of the pole caddy to extend vertically between opposing floor and ceiling support surfaces of a bathing stall; mounting at least one basket assembly to the support pole; mounting a pole caddy brace clip to the support pole; and attaching the pole caddy brace clip to an adjacent vertical wall.

[0010] Depending on the configuration of the pole caddy brace clip, it may be mounted to the support pole either before or after the support pole has been positioned to extend between the floor and ceiling support surfaces. Additionally, it may be mounted to the support pole either before or after at least some of the basket assemblies are mounted to the support pole. For example, in some embodiments, the pole caddy brace clip is configured to be attached to the pole caddy support pole by clipping or snapping it onto the support pole. This configuration permits the pole caddy brace clip to be mounted to the support pole after the pole caddy has otherwise been completely installed, if desired, or at other points in the installation process if desired. In other embodiments, the pole caddy brace clip is configured to be slid onto the support pole from an end of the support pole, which needs to be done before the support pole is positioned to extend between the floor and ceiling support surfaces. This would also need to be done before any basket assemblies (if any) that are to be located between the end of the support pole from which the brace clip is slid onto the support pole and the brace clip installation position are mounted to the support pole.

[0011] A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a pole caddy brace clip, per se, to enhance support or stabilize a pole caddy.

[0012] These and other aspects of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is perspective view of a pole caddy installation in accordance with the claimed invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a pole caddy brace clip used in the pole caddy installation shown in FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 3 is an isometric, assembly view of the pole caddy brace clip shown in FIG. 2;

[0016] FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the clip-member portion of the brace clip shown in FIG. 2, showing the rear surface of the clip member base;

[0017] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the brace clip shown in FIG. 2 as attached to a pole caddy support pole, where the inner diameter of the brace clip support ring in a relaxed state is the same as the outer diameter of the pole caddy support pole, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the brace clip as it is being clipped onto the support pole;

[0018] FIG. 7 is an elevation view of the brace clip shown in FIG. 2 as attached to the pole caddy support pole;

[0019] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of a pole caddy brace clip; and

[0020] FIG. 9 is an isometric view of another alternative embodiment of a pole caddy brace clip.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Pole caddy brace clips are provided that help secure and support pole caddies. The pole caddies may include a support pole installed between opposing floor and ceiling surfaces, such as in a bath or shower stall. The support pole may be a tension rod, and it may be telescoping or assembled from multiple support-pole segments. One or more basket assemblies may be mounted on the support pole and may be movable to selected heights along the vertical length of the support pole. In the context of the disclosed and claimed invention, the term “basket assemblies” is broad enough to include baskets, shelves, hooks, or other devices used to store bathing accessories within a shower stall or bath stall. One or more of the presently disclosed pole caddy brace clips may be installed at a selected height or heights along the length of the support pole and adhered to an adjacent wall surface to help support and secure the pole caddy in place.

[0022] Thus, an illustrative embodiment of a pole caddy installation 10 in accordance with the claimed invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The pole caddy installation 10 includes a pole caddy 12 mounted in a corner of a shower stall, where adjacent vertical walls 14, 16 of the shower stall meet. The pole caddy 12 includes a vertically extending support pole 18 (e.g., a tension rod) and several adjustable basket assemblies 20 (e.g., four as illustrated) mounted to the support pole 18 in any known manner. The vertical positions of the basket assemblies 20 along the length of the support pole 18 may be adjustable as disclosed in the above-incorporated references, or they may be fixed.

[0023] In the disclosed installation embodiment 10, the pole caddy 12 is installed in a shower stall and extends from the floor 22 of the shower (a lower support surface) to the ceiling 24 (an upper support surface). In other embodiments (not illustrated), the pole caddy 12 may be installed in a bath stall, extending from the upper surface of a bathtub (an alternative lower installation surface) to the ceiling. In either case, the support pole 18 suitably includes end caps 26 made from rubber or other non-marring, slip-resistant material to avoid scuffing the lower and upper installation surfaces 22, 24 and to help hold the pole caddy 12 in the desired location.

[0024] In addition to the end caps 26, the exemplary pole caddy installation 10 shown in FIG. 1 features an embodiment of a brace clip 100 in accordance with the claimed invention. As illustrated, the brace clip 100—illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 2-7—partially surrounds the support pole 18 at an intermediate position along the length of the support pole 18 and is mounted to one of the adjacent walls of the shower stall (e.g., wall 14) or the bath stall (in alternative embodiments) by means of a flat adhesion panel 110. In this manner, the brace clip 100 helps secure the pole caddy 12 in position and limits or prevents the support pole 18 from flexing, thereby enhancing stability of the pole caddy installation 10.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2-8, the brace clip 100 features a base 112, a support arm 114 extending from the base 112, and an annular support ring 116 at the end of the support arm 114 opposite the base 112 (referred to collectively as the clip member 118). Preferably, the base 112, the support arm 114, and the support ring 116 are integrally molded with each other from resilient or flexible, water-resistant material such as PC, ABS, PP, HIPS, and the like.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the adhesion panel 110 may be provided as a separate member to which the clip member 118 is attached on a front surface 120 thereof, e.g., by means of a hot-melt adhesive or similar substance used to join / adhere parts together. In such embodiments, the adhesion panel 110 may be made from material that is the same as or different from the material from which the clip member 118 is made, e.g., PET, PE, PP, and the like. In this embodiment, the base 112 suitably has one or more holes extending at least partially through it in the longitudinal direction—longitudinal being the direction from the base 112 toward the support ring 116—from the rear surface 119 of the base. When the base 112 is pressed into a dollop 124 of hot-melt or other adhesive that has been deposited on the front surface 120 of the adhesion panel 110, some of the adhesive will flow / extend into the holes 122, thereby increasing the total surface area over which the adhesive adheres to the base 112 and increasing the strength of the bond between the base 112 and the adhesion panel 110.

[0027] In other embodiments (not illustrated), the adhesion panel may be integrally molded with the base from the same material as the material from which the clip member is molded, such that the base is integrally attached to the adhesion panel.

[0028] In either case, i.e., adhesion panel provided as a separate member or integral with the base, an adhesive layer 126 may be provided on a rear surface 128 of the adhesion panel 110 to adhere the brace clip 100 to one of the adjacent walls 14 or 16 of the shower or bath stall. In general, using an adhesion panel 110 to adhere the brace clip 100 to the wall instead of just attaching the base 112 of the clip member 118 directly to the wall enhances stability of the pole caddy 12 by increasing the surface area over which the brace clip 100 is attached to the wall, thereby increasing the strength of adhesion to the wall. It also helps reduce the negative effects of imperfections and / or debris such as soap residue on the mounting wall 14 or 16.

[0029] Suitably, the adhesive layer 126 may be provided as a thin, double-sided, foam-core adhesive patch or tape such as 3M® 4908 VHB acrylic adhesive or similar, with a release liner (not illustrated) that is removed prior to attaching the adhesion panel 110 to the wall 14. Other commercially available pressure-sensitive adhesives that are water resistant may also be used. Suitably, the adhesive layer 126 covers the entire rear surface 128 of the adhesion panel 110.

[0030] As further illustrated in the figures, the support arm 114 extends forward from a front surface 134 of the base 112 and may be integrally molded with the base 112, as indicated above. The support ring 116 is located at the opposite, forward end of the support arm 114 and may be integrally molded with the support arm 114, as indicated above. The support arm 114 may have any number of cross-sectional configurations, so long as the configuration provides sufficient strength to withstand forces that might be imparted to the pole caddy support pole 18 during use of the shower or bath in which it is installed. For example, the cross-shaped configuration illustrated in the figures, with the crossing legs 136, 138 of the cross oriented horizontally and vertically, has been found to provide sufficient strength while being relatively easy to mold.

[0031] The support ring 116 is generally circular in that the wall of the support ring 116 has a constant radius r, as shown most clearly in FIG. 5. Notably, the support ring 116 has a circumferentially extending opening or gap 140, which allows the support ring 116 to be snapped into place on the support pole 18 during installation of the pole caddy 12. To the extent the support ring 116 is generally circular but has a gap 140, it may be referred to as having a circular-C-shaped configuration.

[0032] In general, the support ring opening 140 may be circumferentially or angularly located anywhere relative to the support arm 114. However, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the opening 140 may preferably be located at a position 90 degrees from the support arm 114, where the angular position of the opening 140 relative to the support arm 114 is defined as the angle θ between the longitudinal centerline CL of the support arm 114 and the ray R extending from the center O of the support ring 116 through the circumferential midpoint MP of the opening 140 (i.e., the ray R that bisects the opening 140). This position is preferred because it reduces the length of the support ring segment 146 on one side of the support arm 114, thereby reducing flexibility of the support ring segment 146 on that side of the support arm 114 to help hold the support pole 18 more securely. It also improves overall aesthetics of the pole caddy installation 10 to attach the brace clip 100 to the support pole 18 such that the support ring opening 140 faces into the corner where the pole caddy 12 is installed.

[0033] With respect to the relaxed width W of the support ring opening 140 (measured as a straight line from the free end 142 of one support ring segment 146 to the free end 144 of the other support ring segment 148 when the brace clip 100 is not installed on a support pole, i.e., as the chord of the arc subtended by the opening 140), it should be sized to permit the support ring 116 to be clipped onto the support pole 12 simply by pressing the free ends 142, 144 of the two support ring segments 144, 146 against the support pole 18, thereby causing the support ring segments 144, 146 to flex outwardly and allowing their free ends 142, 144 to pass over the full diameter Dp of the support pole 18, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Suitably, the free ends 142, 144 of the support ring segments 146, 148, respectively, on opposite sides of the gap 140 are rounded, as shown, to facilitate pressing the support ring 116 over the support pole 18 to snap it into place.

[0034] Because the flexibility of the support ring segments 146, 148 depends on the material from which the support ring 116 is made, the desired relaxed width W of the support ring opening 140 will depend on the material from which the support ring 116 is made as well as the diameter Dp of the support pole 18 onto which the support ring 116 will be clipped. Generally speaking, standard support poles typically sold for residential use usually have a diameter from 0.75 to 1.0 inch, and the support ring 116 will be sized to match. Thus, assuming the relaxed width W of the support ring opening 140 may be about 0.5 inch, the ratio of the relaxed width W of the support ring opening 140 to the support ring's inner diameter Dr may be from about 0.5 (0.5 inch opening / 1.0 inch pole diameter) to about 0.67 (0.5 inch opening / 0.75 inch pole diameter).

[0035] Expressed another way, as a percentage of total circumference if the support ring 116 were a complete circle with a 1.0 inch inner diameter, a relaxed with W of the support ring opening 140 of 0.5 inch “removes” approximately 17% of the total circumference of the support ring 116 (i.e., the arclength of the opening 140 is approximately 17% of the circumference of a circle with a diameter of 1.0 inch). Similarly, as a percentage of total circumference if the support ring 116 were a complete circle with a 0.75 inch inner diameter, a relaxed with W of the support ring opening 140 of 0.5 inch “removes” approximately 23% of the total circumference of the support ring 116 (i.e., the arclength of the opening 140 is approximately 23% of the circumference of a circle with a diameter of 0.75 inch).

[0036] On the other hand, if the support ring were made from a fairly stiff material with little “give” or flexibility, the support ring opening 140 could be significantly larger, constituting as much as 45% of the total circumference of the support ring 116 if the support ring 116 were a complete circle and still adequately stabilize the pole caddy. In that case, the ratio of the relaxed width W of the support ring opening 140 to the diameter Dr of the support ring 116 would be approximately 0.98 (same for all support pole diameters).

[0037] Regarding the support arm 114, it should be long enough to support the support pole 18 far enough from the wall 14 to which the brace clip 100 is adhered to accommodate the width of the basket assemblies 20. (The basket assemblies of pole caddies typically extend horizontally past the support pole of the pole caddy by about one quarter to one half inch toward the corner where the pole caddy is to be installed.) On the other hand, it should not be so long as to position the pole caddy 12 so far into the shower or bath space that it is obtrusive. Thus, in practice, the standoff distance Lso (i.e., the combined thickness of the base 112 in the longitudinal direction and the length of the support arm 114) may be about 0.5 inch. Accordingly, the ratio of the standoff distance Lso to the support ring's inner diameter Dr when the support ring is in a relaxed, unflexed state may be from about 0.5 (0.5 inch standoff distance / 1.0 inch pole diameter) to about 0.67 (0.5 inch standoff distance / 0.75 inch pole diameter.)

[0038] The brace clip 100 of this embodiment may be installed on the support pole 18 of a pole caddy 12 during installation of the pole caddy 12 by snapping the support ring 116 of the brace clip 100 around the support pole 18 at a desired height, with the brace clip 100 pivoted about the support pole 18 such that the adhesion layer 126 on the rear surface 128 of the adhesion panel 110 is accessible to the person performing the installation. The pole caddy 12 is then positioned where desired within the shower or bath stall, with the support pole end caps 26 lightly holding the pole caddy 12 in place. (Depending on the configuration of the pole caddy 12, this may be done before or after the basket assemblies 20 have been mounted on the support pole 18.) The release liner is removed from the adhesive layer 126, and the brace clip 100 is pivoted about the support pole 18 such that the adhesive layer 126 faces the wall 14 to which the brace clip 100 will be adhered. The adhesive layer 126 is then pressed against the wall 14 to secure the brace clip 100 to the wall 14. The support pole 18 may then be repositioned slightly, if necessary, to ensure it is straight and vertical, and then it is secured more firmly in position, e.g., by rotating one support-pole tube within another in the case of a telescoping tension rod-type support pole, etc. Alternatively, the brace clip 100 of this embodiment may be installed on the support pole 18 of a previously installed pole caddy 12 by loosening the previously installed support pole 18 slightly, then following the sequence of steps described above.

[0039] As noted above, the brace clip support arm 114 may have many different configurations. So, too, may the base 112 have different configurations. For example, in the brace clip embodiment 100 illustrated and described above, the support arm 114 has a cross-shaped cross section, and the base 112 is substantially an oval that is vertically oriented. In an alternative embodiment 200 illustrated in FIG. 8, the support arm 214 may be hollow and have a generally oval, horizontally oriented arrangement, with the interior of the support arm 214 communicating with the interior region of the support ring 216, and the base 212 may also be horizontally oriented.

[0040] Still further, in the brace clip embodiments 100 and 200 described above, each of the support rings 116, 216 has a gap 140, 240 by means of which the support ring 116, 216 can be snapped around the support pole 18 of a pole caddy 12. On the other hand, in the brace clip embodiment 300 illustrated in FIG. 9, the support ring 316 is unbroken. In other words, the support ring 316 is formed as a complete circle. This embodiment of a pole caddy brace clip 300 would be installed by sliding it along the support pole 18 of a pole caddy 12 before the basket assemblies 20 are assembled to the support pole 18 (or at least before the basket assemblies 20 to be located below the position of the brace clip 300 are assembled to the support pole 18) and prior to installation of the pole caddy 12 within a shower or bath stall. Once the pole caddy brace clip 300 has been attached to the support pole 18 of the pole caddy 12, however, installation of the pole caddy 12 and adhesion of the brace clip 300 to an adjacent wall 14 is otherwise the same as described above.

[0041] The above examples are intended to illustrate various aspects of the claimed invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0042] As used herein, “including,”“containing,” and like terms are understood in the context of this application to be synonymous with “comprising” and are therefore open-ended and do not exclude the presence of additional undescribed or unrecited elements, materials, phases or method steps. As used herein, “consisting of” is understood in the context of this application to exclude the presence of any unspecified element, material, phase, or method step. As used herein, “consisting essentially of” is understood in the context of this application to include the specified elements, materials, phases, or method steps, where applicable, and to also include any unspecified elements, materials, phases, or method steps that do not materially affect the basic or novel characteristics of the invention.

[0043] Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard variation found in their respective testing measurements.

[0044] Also, it should be understood that any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. For example, a range of “1 to 10” is intended to include all sub-ranges between (and including) the recited minimum value of 1 and the recited maximum value of 10, that is, having a minimum value equal to or greater than 1 and a maximum value of equal to or less than 10.

[0045] In this application, the use of the singular includes the plural and plural encompasses singular, unless specifically stated otherwise. In addition, in this application, the use of “or” means “and / or” unless specifically stated otherwise, even though “and / or” may be explicitly used in certain instances. In this application and the appended claims, the articles “a,”“an,” and “the” include plural referents unless expressly and unequivocally limited to one referent.

[0046] Whereas particular embodiments of this invention have been described above for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details of the present invention may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Examples

embodiment 10

[0023]In the disclosed installation embodiment 10, the pole caddy 12 is installed in a shower stall and extends from the floor 22 of the shower (a lower support surface) to the ceiling 24 (an upper support surface). In other embodiments (not illustrated), the pole caddy 12 may be installed in a bath stall, extending from the upper surface of a bathtub (an alternative lower installation surface) to the ceiling. In either case, the support pole 18 suitably includes end caps 26 made from rubber or other non-marring, slip-resistant material to avoid scuffing the lower and upper installation surfaces 22, 24 and to help hold the pole caddy 12 in the desired location.

[0024]In addition to the end caps 26, the exemplary pole caddy installation 10 shown in FIG. 1 features an embodiment of a brace clip 100 in accordance with the claimed invention. As illustrated, the brace clip 100—illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 2-7—partially surrounds the support pole 18 at an intermediate position al...

embodiment 300

[0040]Still further, in the brace clip embodiments 100 and 200 described above, each of the support rings 116, 216 has a gap 140, 240 by means of which the support ring 116, 216 can be snapped around the support pole 18 of a pole caddy 12. On the other hand, in the brace clip embodiment 300 illustrated in FIG. 9, the support ring 316 is unbroken. In other words, the support ring 316 is formed as a complete circle. This embodiment of a pole caddy brace clip 300 would be installed by sliding it along the support pole 18 of a pole caddy 12 before the basket assemblies 20 are assembled to the support pole 18 (or at least before the basket assemblies 20 to be located below the position of the brace clip 300 are assembled to the support pole 18) and prior to installation of the pole caddy 12 within a shower or bath stall. Once the pole caddy brace clip 300 has been attached to the support pole 18 of the pole caddy 12, however, installation of the pole caddy 12 and adhesion of the brace cl...

Claims

1. A pole caddy, comprising:a support pole structured and arranged to extend vertically between opposing floor and ceiling support surfaces;at least one basket assembly structured and arranged to be mounted to the support pole; anda pole caddy brace clip structured and arranged to be mounted to the support pole at a lengthwise-intermediate position thereof and to be adhered to an adjacent vertical wall extending between the opposing floor and ceiling support surfaces;wherein the pole caddy brace clip comprisesa clip member comprising a base, a support arm extending from a front surface of the base, and a support ring located at an end of the support arm that is opposite the base, the support ring being structured and arranged to receive the support pole of the pole caddy therein; andan adhesion panel attached to a rear surface of the base, the adhesion panel being structured and arranged to adhere the pole caddy brace clip to the adjacent vertical wall of the bathing stall.

2. The pole caddy according to claim 1, wherein the support ring comprises an opening in a wall thereof that is structured and arranged to permit the pole caddy brace clip to be mounted to the support pole by snapping the support ring around the support pole of the pole caddy.

3. The pole caddy according to claim 2, wherein the support ring is circular-C-shaped.

4. The pole caddy according to claim 3, wherein the opening in the wall of the support ring is circumferentially located at a position 90 degrees from a longitudinal centerline of the support arm.

5. The pole caddy according to claim 3, wherein the ratio of a chordwise width of the opening in the wall of the support ring when the support ring is in a relaxed, non-flexed state to an inner diameter of the support ring is from about 0.5 to about 0.98.

6. The pole caddy according to claim 5, wherein the ratio of a chordwise width of the opening in the wall of the support ring when the support ring is in a relaxed, non-flexed state to an inner diameter of the support ring is from about 0.5 to about 0.67.

7. The pole caddy according to claim 3, wherein the arclength of the opening in the wall of the support ring constitutes from about 17% to about 98% of the total circumference of the support ring if the support ring were formed as a complete circle.

8. The pole caddy according to claim 7, wherein the arclength of the opening in the wall of the support ring constitutes from about 17% to about 23% of the total circumference of the support ring if the support ring were formed as a complete circle.

9. The pole caddy according to claim 1, wherein the support ring is formed as a complete circle.

10. The pole caddy according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of a standoff distance of the brace clip to an inner diameter of the support ring is from about 0.5 to about 0.67, the standoff distance being the combined thickness of the base in a longitudinal direction thereof and the length of the support arm in the longitudinal direction.

11. The pole caddy according to claim 1, wherein the adhesion panel has an adhesive layer on a rear surface thereof.

12. The pole caddy according to claim 1, wherein the adhesion panel is attached to a rear surface of the base by means of an amount of adhesive disposed on a front surface of the adhesion panel.

13. The pole caddy according to claim 12,wherein the base includes one or more holes extending longitudinally forward from the rear surface of the base at least partially through the base, andwherein some of the adhesive by means of which the adhesion panel is attached to the rear surface of the base extends into the hole or holes.

14. The pole caddy according to claim 1, wherein the adhesion panel is integrally attached to the base.

15. A method of installing a pole caddy in a bathing stall comprising opposing floor and ceiling support surfaces and at least one vertical wall, the pole caddy comprising a support pole, at least one basket assembly structured and arranged to be mounted to the support pole, and a pole caddy brace clip, the method comprising:positioning the support pole to extend vertically between the opposing floor and ceiling support surfaces;mounting the at least one basket assembly to the support pole;mounting the pole caddy brace clip to the support pole; andattaching the pole caddy brace clip to the vertical wall.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the pole caddy brace clip comprises a support ring with an opening in a wall thereof and the pole caddy brace clip is mounted to the support pole by snapping the support ring around the support pole.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the pole caddy brace clip is mounted to the support pole and is adhered to the vertical wall of the bathing stall after the support pole has been positioned to extend vertically between the opposing floor and ceiling support surfaces.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the pole caddy brace clip comprises a support ring that is formed as a complete circle and the pole caddy brace clip is mounted to the support pole by sliding the support ring around the support pole before the support pole has been positioned to extend vertically between the opposing floor and ceiling support surfaces.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein at least some of the basket assemblies are mounted to the support pole after the support ring has been slid around the support pole.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the pole caddy brace clip comprises an adhesion panel with an adhesive layer on a rear surface thereof and the pole caddy brace clip is attached to the vertical wall of the bathing stall by pressing the adhesive layer against the vertical wall.

21. A pole caddy brace clip for supporting a pole caddy having a support pole, the pole caddy brace clip comprising:a clip member comprising a base, a support arm extending from a front surface of the base, and a support ring located at an end of the support arm that is opposite the base, the support ring being structured and arranged to receive the support pole of the pole caddy therein; andan adhesion panel attached to a rear surface of the base;wherein the support ring comprises an opening in a wall thereof structured and arranged to permit the pole caddy brace clip to be mounted to the support pole by snapping the support ring around the support pole of the pole caddy.

22. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 21, wherein the support ring is circular-C-shaped.

23. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 22, wherein the opening in the wall of the support ring is circumferentially located at a position 90 degrees from a longitudinal centerline of the support arm.

24. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 22, wherein the ratio of a chordwise width of the opening in the wall of the support ring when the support ring is in a relaxed, non-flexed state to an inner diameter of the support ring is from about 0.5 to about 0.98.

25. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 24, wherein the ratio of a chordwise width of the opening in the wall of the support ring when the support ring is in a relaxed, non-flexed state to an inner diameter of the support ring is from about 0.5 to about 0.67.

26. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 22, wherein the arclength of the opening in the wall of the support ring constitutes from about 17% to about 98% of the total circumference of the support ring if the support ring were formed as a complete circle.

27. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 26, wherein the arclength of the opening in the wall of the support ring constitutes from about 17% to about 23% of the total circumference of the support ring if the support ring were formed as a complete circle.

28. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 21, wherein the ratio of a standoff distance of the brace clip to an inner diameter of the support ring when the support ring is in a relaxed, non-flexed state is from about 0.5 to about 0.67, the standoff distance being the combined thickness of the base in a longitudinal direction thereof and the length of the support arm in the longitudinal direction.

29. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 21, wherein the adhesion panel has an adhesive layer on a rear surface thereof structured and arranged to adhere the pole caddy brace clip to a wall when the pole caddy is installed adjacent to the wall.

30. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 21, wherein the adhesion panel is attached to a rear surface of the base by means of an amount of adhesive disposed on a front surface of the adhesion panel.

31. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 30,wherein the base includes one or more holes extending longitudinally forward from the rear surface of the base at least partially through the base, andwherein some of the adhesive by means of which the adhesion panel is attached to the rear surface of the base extends into the hole or holes.

32. The pole caddy brace clip according to claim 21, wherein the adhesion panel is integrally attached to the base.

33. A pole caddy brace clip for supporting a pole caddy having a support pole, the pole caddy brace clip comprising:a clip member comprising a base, a support arm extending from a front surface of the base, and a closed-circular support ring located at an end of the support arm that is opposite the base, the support ring being structured and arranged to receive the support pole of the pole caddy therein; andan adhesion panel attached to a rear surface of the base.

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