AU2012101212A4 - A frame assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A frame assembly (1) including a sub-assembly (2) having first and second elongate base members (3, 4). Each base member having a first end and a second end. The first end of the base members being adapted to be hingedly connected together in use. The second ends of the base members being adapted to be spaced apart from each other to form an acute angle between the base members when the assembly is in an expanded configuration and adjacent each other when the assembly is in a storage configuration. First and second elongate arm members (7, 8), each have a first end and a second end. The first ends of the arm members are adapted to be hingedly connected in use adjacent the second ends of respective base members. The second ends of the arm members are adapted to be spaced apart to form an acute angle between adjacent respective base members when the assembly is in an expanded configuration and adjacent respective base members when the assembly is in a storage configuration. In an expanded configuration the sub-assembly forms a generally "W" shape.

Description

S&F Ref: P043114 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION Name and Address Paul Flemming Pty Ltd, of Applicant: an Australian Company, ACN 003 391 311, of 80 Chepana St., Lake Cathie, New South Wales, 2445, Australia Actual Inventor(s): John Paul Flemming Address for Service: Spruson & Ferguson St Martins Tower Level 35 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) Invention Title: A frame assembly The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 5843c(6591119 1) A FRAME ASSEMBLY Field [0001] The present invention relates to a frame assembly and in particular to a frame assembly to hang materials such as clothes. Background [0002] Frame assemblies are used throughout the world for various purposes. One such purpose is to hang products such as loose materials in an effort to display those materials or have them dry in either household or industrial applications or the like. [0003] One such frame assembly is a "clothes horse" which is typically used in a household to hang and dry clothes or the like when an electric dryer is not available and when the weather outside the household is not suitable for drying on an outside clothes line. Even when an electric dryer is available, a "clothes horse" is sometimes or always used to avoid the cost of the electrical power to operate the dryer. [0004] The problems with existing clothes horses or the like for either indoor or outdoor use, are their size, efficiency and storage. Very few are large enough to accept a full load of washing, or tall and/or wide enough to hang a double-bed sheet without folding. Many hang articles with insufficient space between them. This restricts air movement and evaporation rate, lengthening the drying time. Existing clothes horses have not been designed for convenient and inconspicuous storage between uses. [0005] Normal clothes horses are single or repeated "scissoring X" end-configurations. There is a need for a "W" configuration which is less visually intrusive, uses less end material, and has a better appearance. [0006] There is also a need to provide a clothes drying rack which provides full loads of most domestic washing machines to be hung for drying. Provides for double-bed sheets, up to king size, to be hung without folding or creasing. Provides air space between articles to optimise drying rate versus volumetric air space occupied. By use of hanging rails of sufficient diameter, does not crease or wrinkle hung articles. Folds away so that it can be stored by hanging behind 2 a door. Is sufficiently thin, when folded, to allow it to be hung on a door with the door then fully opened against its associated wall or walls. Is simple, easy and quick to assemble and put away. Is light enough to be easily lifted and handled. Is designed to achieve the most economical use of materials and labour in its manufacture and is of pleasing appearance and provides long life in service. Object of Invention [0007] It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to at least provide a useful alternative. Summary of Invention [0008] There is disclosed herein a frame assembly including a sub-assembly having: first and second elongate base members, each base member having a first end and a second end, the first end of said base members being adapted to be hingedly connected together in use, said second ends of said base members being adapted to be spaced apart from each other to form an acute angle between said base members when said assembly is in an expanded configuration and adjacent each other when said assembly is in a storage configuration; first and second elongate arm members, each said arm member having a first end and a second end, the first ends of the arm members adapted to be hingedly connected in use adjacent the second ends of respective base members, said second ends of said arm members adapted to be spaced apart to form an acute angle between adjacent respective base members when said assembly is in an expanded configuration and adjacent respective base members when said assembly is in a storage configuration; whereby in an expanded configuration said sub-assembly forms a generally "W" shape. [0009] Preferably, said assembly includes a pair of spaced apart sub-assemblies, said sub assemblies being connected together in use by at least a pair of elongate rail members. [00010] Preferably, each said sub-assembly includes a pair of elongate legs, each said leg being adapted to engage a respective base member.

3 [000 1] Preferably, including locking means adapted to permit locking of each said leg to each said respective base member in at least one position to vary a height of said sub-assembly above a surface. Brief Description of Drawings [00012] Figure 1 is an end view of the present invention; [00013] Figure 2 is a side view of the present invention; [00014] Figure 3 is a top view in a storage configuration of the present invention; [00015] Figures 4a to 4c are assembly fixtures for rails and struts; [00016] Figures 5a to 5d are the inner latches sub-assembly; [00017] Figures 6a to 6d are the outer latches sub-assembly; [00018] Figures 7a and 7b are the leg sub-assembly; and [00019] Figures 8a to 8e are hinge plates/angles. Description of Embodiments [00020] There is disclosed herein a frame assembly 1 having a sub-assembly 2 having first and second elongate base members 3, 4. Each base member 3, 4 has a first end 3a, 4a and a second end 3b, 4b. The first ends 3a, 4a of the base members 3, 4 are adapted to be hingedly connected together in use by way of hinge plate 20 (best seen in Figures 8a to 8c). The hinge plate 20 having tongues 100 at one end. The second ends 3b, 4b are adapted to be spaced apart from each other to form an acute angle a between the base members 3, 4 when the assembly 1 is in an expanded configuration (as shown in Figure 1) and adjacent each other when the assembly 1 is in a storage configuration (as best seen in Figure 3). The sub-assembly 2 further includes first and second elongate arm members 7, 8. Each arm member 7, 8 has a first end 7a, 8a and a second end 7b, 8b. The first ends 7a, 8a of the arm members 7, 8 are adapted in use to be hingedly connected by hinge members 20 (see Figures 8a to 8c) adjacent the second ends 3b, 4b.

4 The second ends 7b, 8b of the arm members 7, 8 are adapted in use to be spaced apart to form an acute angle B between adjacent respective base members 3, 4 (as best seen in Figure 1) when the assembly 1 is in an expanded configuration and adjacent respective base members 3, 4 when the assembly 1 is in a storage configuration (as best seen in Figure 3). The assembly I in the expanded configuration (and as best seen in Figure 1) forms a generally "W" shape. [00021] The sub-assembly 2 could include one or more latch members 25 (as best seen in Figures 1 and 5a to 5d). The latch members 25 are adapted to extend between the base members 3, 4. In use, the latch members 25 would include a pair of elongate latch plates 26, 27 and a washer 28, rivet 29 and roll pins 30. One end 31 of the latch members 26, 27 having a notch. The latch members 26, 27 locking in an elongate position (as shown in Figures 1, 5a, 5b) when the base members 3, 4 are in the expanded configuration and folded together (as shown in Figures 5c, 5d) when the base members 3, 4 are in the storage position. The pins 30 and notches 31 being engageable with the base members 3, 4. A further set of latch members 40 can be seen in Figures 1 and 6a to 6d. These "second" latch members 40 extend in use between the base members 3, 4 and respective arm members 7, 8 (as best seen in Figure 1). As with the "first" latch members 25, the "second" latch members 40 have a pair of latch plates 41, 42; a washer 43; pins 44; a rivet 45 and a notched end 46. The "second" latch members 40 operate in a similar way to the "first" latch members 25 except between base members 3, 4 and arm members 7, 8. [00022] The assembly I could further include a pair of spaced apart sub-assemblies 2. The sub assemblies 2 being connected together in use by at least a pair of elongate rail members 10 (as best seen in Figure 2). The rail members 10 and arm or base members 3, 4, 7, 8 form a generally rectangular structure. The assembly I could further include a pair of elongate legs 12 adapted to engage a respective base member 3, 4 (as best seen in Figure 1). In a preferred embodiment, the legs 12 would be engageable with the base members 3, 4. This engagement could be in any form such as telescopically hinged, pivoting, or by way of legs pivoting 90 degrees on roll pins, locking downwards when in use, nesting against the lower rails for storage as later described. Locking means 15 could also be included to allow the legs 12 to be locked to the base members 3, 4 at a variety of lengths depending upon how high a user wishes the assembly 1 to be above a ground surface 30.

5 [00023] The present invention 1, at least in a preferred embodiment, can be brought out for use and then conveniently and inconspicuously stored between uses. This is achieved by proportioning the assembly 1 to hang behind any normally encountered door or the like. In particular, the assembly 1 in a preferred form is only 64 mm in thickness, when folded, and this will allow any door, normally encountered, to open fully. The preferred weight would be only 4 Kgs. [00024] In a preferred form there would be nine rail members 10 (however there could be a greater or lesser number, which could be longer or shorter in length). The rails 10 are preferably 16 OD x 14 ID aluminium tube (could be different ODs and IDs), slotted at each end to fit snugly to the members 3, 4, 7 and 8 which are T-section aluminium extrusions. [00025] As best seen in Figures 4a to 4c, in use, the roll pins 1 10 (which could be solid or knurled pins or the like) are inserted (pressed) through junctions 112 to secure each sub assembly 2 (that is, each rail 10 to a base member 3, 4 or arm member 7, 8). The pins 110 are placed in holes 112 so that the rails 10 are located accurately above the holes 112. Air cylinders 115 (which could be hydraulic, electric or the like) press the pins 110 upwards into place. By inserting in sets of 6, 4, 4 and 4 pins 110 at a time, the sub-assemblies 2 are erected fast and effectively, and ensures that the sub-assemblies 2 are square and accurately "nest" together. [00026] The base members 3, 4 and arm members 7, 8 are hinged by hinges 20 (see Figures 8a to 8c) at one end to provide for limited rotation (in this case +/- 15 deg.), and to facilitate erections of the assembly 1. This is achieved by riveting, screwing, or otherwise fixing the hinges 20, to the ends of the base and arm members 3, 4, 7, 8, with the tongues 100 of hinges 20 trapped in 9 mm x 4 mm rectangular holes (not shown) in the mating members 3, 4, 7, 8. The sub-assemblies 2 are then placed together as shown, left-hand and right-hand hinges 20 are located by simultaneously swiveling and inserting into the rectangular holes in the mating struts 3 and 4, at 3b, 4a and 4b, and the hinge plates are pop-riveted to struts 3, 7 and 8, at 3a, 7a and 8a. Angles 200 (see Figures 8d, 8e) are sized so that one end slides snugly inside the rails 10 and the other end is held square and rigid by a pop rivet and the pin through the rail/member/rail brace junction to achieve squareness and rigidity.

6 [00027] The legs 12 in one form can pivot and "nest" against the lower rail 10 for storage (as best seen in Figure 2) being retained thereby fastening means 120 or the like. They are retained in the down position by a spring-loaded latching or the like. [00028] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims (5)

1. A frame assembly including a sub-assembly having: first and second elongate base members, each base member having a first end and a second end, the first end of said base members being adapted to be hingedly connected together in use, said second ends of said base members being adapted to be spaced apart from each other to form an acute angle between said base members when said assembly is in an expanded configuration and adjacent each other when said assembly is in a storage configuration; first and second elongate arm members, each said arm member having a first end and a second end, the first ends of the arm members adapted to be hingedly connected in use adjacent the second ends of respective base members, said second ends of said arm members adapted to be spaced apart to form an acute angle between adjacent respective base members when said assembly is in an expanded configuration and adjacent respective base members when said assembly is in a storage configuration; whereby in an expanded configuration said sub-assembly forms a generally "W" shape.

2. The frame assembly according to claim 1, wherein said assembly includes a pair of spaced apart sub-assemblies, said sub-assemblies being connected together in use by at least a pair of elongate rail members.

3. The frame assembly according to claim 2, wherein each said sub-assembly includes a pair of elongate legs, each said leg being adapted to engage a respective base member.

4. The frame assembly according to claim 3, including locking means adapted to permit locking of each said leg to each said respective base member in at least one position to vary a height of said sub-assembly above a surface.

5. A frame assembly, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated: 8 August, 2012 Paul Flemming Pty Ltd Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON & FERGUSON