DE29601539U1 - Foldable clothes dryer - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a foldable tumble dryer according to the preamble of the main claim.

Foldable clothes dryers are well known in many different ways. The German utility model GM 76 32 570 discloses a foldable clothes dryer consisting of a frame that can be opened and closed with a base consisting of two spaced-apart standing elements and a laundry hanging part supported by the base, whereby the laundry hanging part is preferably made of two U-shaped frames with crossbars for holding the laundry, and the two U-shaped frames are connected to one another in an articulated manner at their open ends.

Excellent comfort could be achieved with this tumble dryer. The width of the laundry hanging section was, however, limited on the one hand because the overall height had to be taken into account when folded up and, on the other hand, the hanging height for the individual items of laundry was still too low, i.e. long items of laundry could potentially touch the floor on this tumble dryer.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of further developing a foldable tumble dryer of the aforementioned type in such a way that both the span and the hanging height are improved or increased.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a foldable clothes dryer according to the characterizing part of the proposed main claim. Particularly preferred

Further developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.

According to the present invention, starting from a foldable clothes dryer, consisting of a frame that can be opened and closed with a foot part made up of two spaced-apart standing elements and a laundry hanging part carried by this, which is preferably formed from two U-shaped frames with cross bars for holding laundry and wherein the two U-shaped frames are articulated to one another at their open ends, the foot part is designed as a scissor joint according to the invention.

The articulation points of this scissor joint are positioned below the joints of the frame, with the frames being arranged so that they can rotate and pivot at the free ends of the foot section. This means that, according to the invention, the greatest possible span of the laundry hanging section or its wing sections is achieved, taking into account the folded-up stand, with a low overall height.

Furthermore, the arrangement of the articulation points relative to one another can be used to achieve a pointed or blunt position of the joints, in particular the joints of the laundry hanging part, so that the wings point upwards in a V-shape, relatively steeply, and thus a large hanging height is achieved. Likewise, the arrangement according to the invention can lock both a horizontal position and a blunt downward position of the wings without the frame becoming unbalanced in the loaded or unloaded state. According to the invention, this means that there is a high level of stability.

The pivot points of the frames are spaced apart from both the frame joints and the pivot points of the foot section. This positioning of the pivot and pivot points not only makes the dryer extremely stable, but also makes it easy to handle when folding or unfolding the frame. The frame joints take up the free ends of the U-shaped frame tubes of the laundry hanging section and are connected to one another by means of a push rod. This push rod is moved from a locked to a released position by a push button, which is done by pressing it.

The foot part, designed as a scissor foot, forms a V-shaped bearing block that can be opened and closed. These free ends of the foot part limit the angular position of the U-shaped frame of the laundry hanging part with their opening angle. The hinge point of the U-shaped frame is therefore always above the scissor axis of the foot part and moves on an imaginary line between the scissor point and the hinge point of the frame parts, whereby the angle of the foot frame closes or opens during an opening and closing movement and at the same time the angular position of the wings of the laundry hanging part is changed. Every position of the laundry hanging part or the foot frame is locked by the locking joint. In every such locked position, the locking position of the joint can be released using the push button. This free mobility and stretchability of the joint means that the laundry hanging part can be positioned negatively, positively and horizontally. When arranging the tubes for the laundry hanging section and for the foot section, care was taken to ensure that the vertical tubes of the foot section extend between the clear opening of the longitudinal beams of the laundry hanging section.

The sum of the advantageous arrangements and design elements ultimately results in the dryer according to the invention being characterized by a user-friendly opening technique. The dryer can be easily adjusted by arranging the push button on the joint of the laundry hanging part.

This applies to both folding up and folding down or completely folding up the entire stand.

When folded up, the tumble dryer according to the invention proves to be space-saving.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show particularly preferred embodiments.
Showing:

Figure 1 shows the horizontally unfolded clothes rack in a longitudinal view;

Figure 2 shows the position of the clothes rack shown in Figure 1 in a front view;

Figure 3 shows a position of the clothes rack with the wings folded downwards;

Figure 4 shows the clothes rack in a position with the wings pointing upwards;

Figure 5 the folded tumble dryer;

Figure 6 the joint for the U-shaped frame parts of the laundry hanging part in an obtuse angle situation and

Figure 7 shows the same joint with the articulated arms aligned horizontally.

Figure 1 shows the clothes dryer 1 according to the invention in a vertical position; i.e. the laundry hanging part 3 is aligned horizontally. According to the invention, the laundry hanging part 3 is carried by the foot part 2 designed as a scissor foot. Various features according to the invention are now to be pointed out, starting with a laundry hanging part 3 which is formed from U-shaped frames 4 and 5 known per se. These U-shaped frames 4 and 5 consist of crossbars and 31 as well as longitudinal bars 6. The longitudinal bars 6 extend from the crossbars 30 and 31 and form the open ends 8 to 11 on their opposite sides. These open ends 8 to 11 are inserted into the legs 32 and 33 of the locking joints 29 and fastened. The opposing longitudinal beams 6 of a frame part 4 or 5 are connected to the crossbars 7, which form the laundry hanging devices. The foot part 2 is made of two U-shaped brackets 34 and 35, which are connected to one another in an articulated manner to form two spaced-apart scissors. These articulation points are marked with the reference numerals 12 and 13.

The free ends 16 to 19 of the foot parts 2 are hinged to the laundry hanging part 3 or its U-shaped frame parts 4 and 5 via the pivot points 20 to 23.

Further articulation points are marked with the reference numerals 14 and 15. These are located in the locking joints 29. What can be seen best in Figure 2 is that the locking joints 29 are connected to one another by a push rod 24. This means that when the push button 36 is pressed, the locking joint on the opposite side is also unlocked. Furthermore, Figure 2 clearly shows that the vertical tubes 25 to 28 come to lie in the clear area between the longitudinal beams 6.

Another feature is that the foot parts also consist of two U-shaped brackets. These individual brackets 34 and 35 are arranged offset from one another so that they can be interlocked to form a pair of scissors.

Nevertheless, the end bend 37 ensures that the base frame is aligned inwards, so that the laundry hanging part 3 is the widest element of the tumble dryer.

Figure 3 shows the tumble dryer 1 according to the invention in a position in which the U-shaped brackets 4 and 5 are directed downwards, while Figure 4 shows an upward-facing wing position.

Figure 5 shows the tumble dryer in the folded state. Figure 6 shows the joint 29 with its legs 32 and 33 in an obtuse angle position, whereby the joint assumes a position in which the wings of the tumble dryer would be aligned upwards, while the position of the locking joint shown in Figure 7 represents the horizontal alignment of the laundry hanging part.

The present invention significantly improves a tumble dryer of the type mentioned above in terms of its handling as well as its practical application.

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List of reference symbols

1 tumble dryer

2 Foot part

3 Laundry hanging section

4 U-shaped frame of

5 U-shaped frame of

6 longitudinal beams of 4/5

7 cross bars

8 open ends of 4/5

9 open ends of 4/5

10 open ends of 4/5

11 open ends of 4/5

12 articulation point of 2

13 articulation point of 2

14 articulation point of 4/5

15 articulation point of 4/5

16 free ends of 2

17 free ends of 2

18 free ends of 2

19 free ends of 2

20 pivot points of 3 or 4/5

21 pivot points of 3 or 4/5

22 pivot points of 3 or 4/5

23 pivot points of 3 or 4/5

24 Push rod

25 vertical pipes of 2

26 vertical pipes of 2

27 vertical pipes of 2

28 vertical pipes of 2

29 locking joints

30 Crossbars 31 Crossbars 32 leg 33 leg 34 Bracket of 2 35 Bracket of 2 36 Push button 37 Offset of 34/35

Claims (9)

Expectations 1. Foldable clothes dryer, consisting of a frame that can be opened and closed with a base consisting of two spaced-apart standing elements and a laundry hanging part supported by this, preferably consisting of two U-shaped frames with crossbars for holding laundry, the U-shaped frames being connected to one another in an articulated manner at their open ends, characterized in that that the foot part (2) is designed as a scissor joint, the joint points (12/13) of which are positioned below the joints (14/15) of the frames (4,5) and the frames (4,5) are arranged so as to be rotatable and pivotable at the free ends (16,17,18,19) of the foot part (2). 2. Foldable clothes dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that that the pivot points (20,21,22,23) of the frames (4,5) are spaced from both the frame joints (14/15) and the joint points (12/13) of the foot part (2). 3. Foldable clothes dryer according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that that the frame joints (14, 15) are connected by means of a push rod (24) which locks or activates the joints by pressure actuation. 4. Foldable clothes dryer according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the foot part (2) designed as a scissor foot forms a V-shaped bearing block that can be opened and closed. 5. Foldable clothes dryer according to claim 4, characterized in that the free ends (16 to 19) of the foot part (2) forming the bearing block act with their opening angle "oi " on the angular position of the frame (4) of the laundry hanging part (3). 6. Foldable clothes dryer according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the laundry hanging part (3) can be locked in different positions. 7. Foldable clothes dryer according to claim 6, characterized in that the laundry hanging part (3) or its frame (4, 5) can be locked in both a negative and a positive or even an extended position relative to the base frame (2). 8. Foldable clothes dryer according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the vertical tubes (25, 26, 27, 28) of the foot part (2) extend between the clear distance of the longitudinal bars (6) of the laundry hanging part (3). 9. Foldable clothes dryer according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the articulation points (14/15) of the frames (4, 5) of the laundry hanging part (3) are each formed by a locking joint (29).