EP2905372B1

EP2905372B1 - A collapsible airer for clothes

Info

Publication number: EP2905372B1
Application number: EP14200547.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mao Chungen
Original assignee: Better Home Products (Zhejiang) Co Ltd
Current assignee: Better Home Products (Zhejiang) Co Ltd
Priority date: 2014-01-23
Filing date: 2014-12-30
Publication date: 2020-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2034-12-30
Also published as: EP2905372A1

Description

This invention relates to a collapsible airer, in particular a tower airer for use in domestic premises for the airing and drying of clothes.
Airers are of particular use when the weather does not permit the items to be dried outside on a washing line, for example due to rain or another undesirable weather condition. In use, airers are bulky items which take up a significant amount of space, therefore it is desirable to reduce the volume of the airer when the airer is to be stored away, particularly where storage space is limited. There are many different forms of airer which enable the configuration of the airer between a collapsible configuration for storage and an operational configuration for use. In the operational configuration the airer is usually self-supporting or free-standing and able to host items to be aired. It is known for a lazy tongs or concertina airer arrangement to take up a considerable amount of floor space in the operational configuration. To overcome this problem, tower airers are commonly used to dry items, for example clothing in confined spaces, for example a flat. Such airers have a series of racks positioned one on top of the other in a spaced arrangement. The series of racks are secured between two sides of a first substantially rectangular frame which is pivotally connected to a second rectangular frame. It is standard for the first and second frame to be pivotable between the storable configuration whereby the frames are aligned and the operational configuration, whereby the first and second frame are arranged at an angle to each other. The desired angle in operation is usually 90 degrees.
Whilst the airer is extendable from the collapsible to the operational configuration (and vice versa), when in the operational configuration the drying space is fixed. This can lead to overloading of the airer for high volume loads thereby prolonging the drying time of the items placed thereon and causing the items to possess a musty smell. To overcome this problem, racks have been provided that are horizontally extendable. However, this is undesirable for use in flats or confined drying spaces where the horizontal extension of the airer can become an obstruction.
Alternatively the capacity of the airer may be increased by forming a taller tower airer of a fixed height. This then requires an increased number of racks to be provided. However, the fixed height of the airer is detrimental to the ability to stow away the airer, since the height of the airer may exceed the height available in a cupboard or other storage space. Also, tall tower airers may be difficult to handle and may be considered unstable and unnecessary for smaller loads, whereby the airer is underutilised.
Placing airers in front of radiators in a home may speed up the drying process, but the room does not benefit from the heat from the radiator since the clothes act as an insulator.
To overcome this problem, self-heating airers are now on the market, whereby some have a similar structure and design to the standard tower airers and offer the same storage concerns as described above.
Embodiments of the present invention are derived from the realisation that there exists the need to provide a reliable and alternative means of increasing the drying capacity of the airer when in the operational configuration whilst also making it more compact for storage. There is also the need for an airer that is versatile and applicable for use in a variety of spaces and to accommodate a variety of airing or drying loads.
Examples of prior art include Korean patent application KR101347625 "Distortion Preventing Construction for Drying Stand"; European patent application EP1783265 "Collapsible Airer"; and Chinese patent application CN202375800 "Embedded Clothes Hanger".
Therefore, the present invention as specified in claim 1 and its embodiments according to claims to 18 are intended to address at least some of the above described problems and desires.
According to the invention there is provided a collapsible airer comprising a first rack assembly selectively moveable between a collapsed configuration and an operational configuration in which is provided at least one rack for receiving items to be aired, the airer further including a second rack assembly on which is provided at least one rack for receiving items to be aired, wherein the first and second rack assemblies comprise co-operable attachment members for adjustably connecting the second rack assembly to the first rack assembly, the attachment member being configured to enable the at least one rack of the second rack assembly to be positioned vertically above the at least one rack of the first rack assembly in use. The second rack assembly is moveable between a collapsed configuration and an operational configuration. This ensures that when the first and second rack assemblies remain connected, the entire airer may be collapsed prior to storing the airer away in a cupboard or other storage area, the airer is also extendable when the first and second rack assemblies are arranged in the operational configuration, where the extension occurs along an effective dimension of the airer. The effective dimension may be the height of the airer. This ensures that when the first and second rack assemblies remain connected, that the airer may be retracted to have a minimal height associated therewith, which aids the storability of the airer.
This enables the first and second rack member to either be completely separated, such that the first rack member can be collapsed and conveniently stowed away. Alternatively, the first and second rack assemblies remain connected, however the height of the airer can be adjusted from a maximal height to a minimal height prior to stowage so as to reduce the height of the airer for stowage.
When the first and second rack assemblies are in the operational configuration the first rack assembly and the second rack assembly may be slidable with respect to each other so as to provide the variation in height of the airer. This property is of particular importance where the airer is a tower airer, which is known to extend a significant distance upwards from its base.
The respective attachment members of the first and second rack assemblies may be telescopically connected. This enables the attachment members of the first rack member to slide internally of the corresponding attachment members of the second rack member, or vice versa.
The airer may be electrically heated. This ensures that the items placed on the racks are dried quicker so as to prevent the musty smell sometimes associated with badly dried clothes.
The attachment members of the first and second rack assembly may comprise means for releasably locking the first rack assembly to the second rack assembly when they are in the operational or collapsed configuration. This ensures that in use the second rack assembly is prevented from moving with respect to the first rack assembly along the longitudinal axis of the airer and ensures that the airer is able to support the items placed thereon without causing relative movement between the first and second rack assemblies.
The locking means may comprise a first part having a hub with a rack assembly receiving protrusion extending therefrom, the hub further having a lever portion extending therefrom, and a second part comprising a counteracting portion co-operable with the first part, the lever portion configured to cause movement of the rack assembly receiving protrusion on application of a force thereto.
In use, application of a force on the lever may cause the frame assembly receiving portion to be rotatable about a pivot point located in the hub. This transforms the locking member between the locked and unlocked state and vice versa.
The rack assembly receiving protrusion, therefore, may be moveable between a first position in which a surface of the rack assembly receiving protrusion makes contact with a surface of an attachment member of the second rack assembly so as to provide a locked state and a second position where the same surface of the rack assembly receiving protrusion is directed substantially away from the surface of the attachment member of the second rack assembly so as to provide an unlocked state.
In the locked state at least part of the attachment member of the second rack assembly is sandwiched between the rack assembly receiving protrusion and at least part of the counteracting portion. This ensures that the attachment member of the second rack assembly is gripped tightly by the locking means whereby frictional forces prevent relative movement between the first rack assembly and the second rack assembly.
The counteracting portion may comprise a section of a tube having a "C-shaped" cross section and may be arranged to extend along and make contact with at least a portion of the outer surface of the respective attachment members of the first and second rack assemblies. A channel is maintained between two ends of the counteracting portion for ensuring contact of the rack assembly receiving projection with the surface of at least one of the attachment members of the second rack assembly.
An internal edge of the counteracting portion may extend inwardly of the end of the at least one attachment member of the first rack assembly to form an overlapping ledge portion.
The lower end of the at least one attachment member of the second rack assembly may be terminated by an end cap.
Part of the end cap may be insertable within at least one attachment member of the second rack assembly and the other part of the end cap may extend from the end of the at least one attachment member of the second rack assembly to form an end cap protruding portion. The end cap protruding portion may have a radius larger than the radius of the at least one attachment member of the second rack assembly. This ensures that the second rack assembly remains connected to the first rack assembly even in the maximally extended state of the airer.
Therefore, in the maximally extended arrangement between the first and second rack assembly, the end cap protruding portion may make contact with the overlapping ledge of the counteracting portion thereby prohibiting removal of the second rack assembly from the first rack assembly.
The lever portion may terminated by a hook. The outer edge of the hook may include a gripping member. Both the hook and the gripping member improve the ergonomics of the lever for a user who must provide a rotational force thereto to select the locked or unlocked state of the locking means. For example, the gripping member may be ribs that improve the users grip on the lever and the user may hook their finger in the hook. Ultimately, the leverage supplied by the lever improves ease of use of the locking means.
At least part of the lever between the hook and the rack assembly receiving protrusion may be curved to follow the surface of at least part of the outer edge of the counteracting portion in the locked state. This relative moldability between the lever and the counteracting portion improves the locking effect of the locking means.
The attachment members may be poles.
There is additionally described a locking means for an airer of the invention, comprising a first part having a rotatable hub with a rack assembly receiving protrusion extending therefrom, the hub further having a lever portion extending therefrom, the hub being rotatable about a pivot portion located in the hub, the first part for use with a second part comprising an elongate counteracting portion having a "C-shaped" cross section, the first and second part for securing an item there-between in a locked state.
Whilst the invention has been disclosed above it extends to any inventive combination of the features set out above, or in the following description, drawings or claims. The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the airer of the invention in a first extended state;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the airer of the invention in a second retracted state;
Figure 3 is a front view of the airer of the invention in a storable configuration;
Figure 4 is a top view of a locking member in an locked state;
Figure 5 is a top view of a locking member in an unlocked state;
Figure 6 is a sectional view of an attachment region of the first and second rack assembly in a maximally extended state; and
Figure 7 is a sectional view of an attachment region of the first and second rack assembly in a retracted state.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 , there is shown a collapsible airer 1 comprising a first rack assembly 2a selectively moveable between a collapsed configuration and an operational configuration. The first rack assembly 2a has at least one rack 3a for receiving items to be aired. A second rack assembly 2b is also included on which is provided at least one rack 3b for receiving items to be aired. The first and second rack assemblies 2a, 2b comprise co-operable attachment members for adjustably connecting the second rack assembly 2b to the first rack assembly 2a. The attachment member is configured to enable the at least one rack 3b of the second rack assembly 2b to be positioned vertically above the at least one rack 3a of the first rack assembly 2a, in use. The second rack assembly 2b is also moveable between a collapsed configuration and an operational configuration. In the operational configuration the airer 1 is free-standing and in the collapsed configuration the first and second rack assemblies 2a, 2b are aligned so as to reduce the space taken up by the airer 1 prior to it being stored away. When the first and second rack assemblies 2a, 2b are in the operational configuration, the airer 1 is extendable along an effective dimension of the airer e.g. the height of the airer is adjustable between an extended state and a retracted state. Figure 1 shows the airer 1 in an extended state allowing for items to be dried or aired to be placed thereon in a way that such items can be adequately spaced apart so as to permit the flow of air between the items. This is especially required for long items of clothing, for example trousers. Figure 2 shows the same airer 1 in a retracted state.
The airers 1 of Figure 1 and 2 both show a first rack assembly 2a having a first and second parts 5a, 5b which are rotatable about a common pivot point 6 which joins the first and second parts 5a, 5b of the first rack assembly 2a together. The first part 5a has a substantially horizontal portion 7a terminated at each end by upwardly extending arms 8a, 8b and the second part 5b also has a substantially horizontal portion 7b terminated at each end by upwardly extending arms 8c, 8d. The pivot point 6a in located at the mid-point of respective substantially horizontal portions 7a, 7b of the first and second parts 5a, 5b. The first and second parts 5a, 5b are rotatable between the collapsed configuration, where the first and second parts 5a, 5b are generally parallel and an operational configuration when the first and second parts 5a, 5b are at an angle with respect to each other. An angle of 90° is desirable to provide a stable stand-alone airer 1. At least one rack 3a is disposed between the two arms of either of the first or second part 5a, 5b. The at least one rack 3a is moveably attached to the first or second part 5a, 5b of the first rack assembly 2a by a bracket arrangement 9 such that the at least one rack 3a can be configured between a stored state in which the plane of the rack 3a lies generally parallel to the arms 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d of the first or second part 5a, 5b and an operable state wherein the planar surface of the rack 3a is configured to be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the upwardly and downwardly extending arms 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d of the first and second rack assemblies 2a, 2b respectively, and vice versa. The first rack assembly 2a is shown to have a first and a second rack 3a, 3c whereby the second rack 3c is spaced apart from the first rack 3a in a vertical direction. The relative vertical distributions of the racks 3a, 3c are fixed. The base 10a of the first rack assembly 2a is terminated by four rollers 11, or wheels, one at each corner of the first and second part 5a, 5b of the first rack assembly 2a.
Similarly to the first rack assembly 2a, the second rack assembly 2b has a first part 5c and a second part 5d which are also rotatably connected at a pivot point 6b. The first part 5c has a substantially horizontal portion 7c with a first and second downwardly extending arm 8e, 8f. The second part 5d has a substantially horizontal portion 7c having a first and second downwardly extending arm 8e, 8f. The top 13 of one part of the second rack assembly 2b comprises a corrugated topper 14 that is capable of receiving coat hangers for holding clothes to be aired or dried. This feature is only for use when the distance between the top 13 of the second rack assembly 2b is enough for the item to be dried to be hung unobstructed by the upper rack 3a of the first rack assembly 2a.
In the retracted state of the airer 1 the downwardly extending arms 8e, 8f of the second rack assembly 2b are received within the respective upwardly extending arms 8a, 8b of the first rack assembly 2a. This causes the vertical distance between the upper rack 3a of the first rack assembly 2a and the rack 3c of the second rack assembly 2b to be reduced compared to the corresponding distance in the extended state. Therefore, only the upper portion 15 of the downwardly extending arms 8e, 8f of the second rack assembly 2b can be seen in Figure 2 . The airer 1 can be moved between the extended configuration to the retracted configuration by sliding the second rack assembly 2b with respect to the first rack assembly 2a. This is of particular importance for a tower airer 1 that by design is a tall structure which can be difficult to store away from sight in, for example, its maximally extended state. Figures 1 and 2 show that the first rack assembly 2a and the second rack assembly 2b are telescopically connected via respective attachment members 16. The attachment members 16 can be considered to be the relevant ends of the upwardly extending and downwardly extending arms 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e, 8f of the first and second rack assemblies 2a, 2b respectively.
In summary, the first rack assembly 2a may be adjusted between an extended position and a retracted position with respect to the second rack assembly 2b when the first and second rack assemblies 2a, 2b are in their operational configuration.
The airer can be electrically heated, whereby electricity if fed into the airer via a connector (not shown) located at the base of the first rack assembly and a heating element (not shown) if disposed within the interior of the airer.
Figure 3 shows the retracted and collapsed configuration of the airer 1 whereby the airer 1 is ready to be stored away. The first and second rack assemblies 2a, 2b remain connected, but the surface area of the airer 1 as a whole is minimised for storage purposes.
The attachment members 16 of the first rack assembly 2a and second rack assembly 2b comprise means for releasably locking the first rack assembly 2a to the second rack assembly 2b when they are in the operational or collapsed configuration. Although it is preferable to effect the unlocking when the airer 1 is in the operational configuration.
The locking means 17 comprises a first part 18a and a second part 18b co-operable with the first part 18a. The first part 18a has a hub 19 with a rack assembly receiving protrusion 20 extending therefrom and the hub 19 further has a lever portion 21 extending therefrom. The second part 18b comprises a counteracting portion 22 having an elongate portion having a "C-shaped" cross section and arranged to extend along and make contact with at least a portion of the outer surface of the respective attachment members 16 of the first and second rack assemblies 2a, 2b i.e. respective upwardly and downwardly extending arms. At least part of an internal edge 22a of the counteracting portion 22 extends inwardly of the end of the at least one attachment member 16a of the first rack assembly 2a to form an overlapping ledge portion 23.
The lever portion 21 is configured to cause movement of the rack assembly receiving protrusion 20 on application of a force thereto. In use, application of a force on the lever 21 causes the rack assembly receiving portion 20 to be rotatable about a pivot point 24 located in the hub 19. The rack assembly receiving protrusion 20 is therefore moveable between a first position in which a surface of the rack assembly receiving protrusion 20a makes contact with a surface of an attachment member 16 of the second rack assembly 2b so as to provide a locked state (as shown in Figure 4) and a second position where the same surface 20a of the rack assembly receiving protrusion 20 is directed substantially away from the surface of the attachment member 16 of the second rack assembly 2b so as to provide an unlocked state (as shown in Figure 5). In the locked state at least part of the attachment member 16 of the second rack assembly 2b is sandwiched between the rack assembly receiving protrusion 20 and at least part of the counteracting portion 22.
The lever portion 21 of the lock assembly 17 is terminated by a hook 25 which can be gripped by a user. The users grip is improved further with the provision of gripping members, for example ribs 26, on the outer surface of the hook 25.
To help keep the lever 21 in position in the locked state at least part of the lever 21 between the hook 25 and the rack assembly receiving protrusion 20 is curved to be co-operable with the surface of at least part of the outer edge 27 of the counteracting portion 22 when the lever 21 is positioned in the locked state.
Figure 6 shows the lower end of the at least one attachment member 16 of the second rack assembly 2b to be terminated by an end cap 28 i.e. the ends of the downwardly extending arms of the second rack assembly are provided with the end caps 28. Part of the end cap 28 is insertable within at least one attachment member of the second rack assembly and the other part of the end cap extends from the end of the at least one attachment member to form an end cap protruding portion 28a. The end cap protruding portion 28a has a radius larger than the radius of the at least attachment member 16 (or downwardly extending arm 8c) of the second rack assembly 2b. In the maximally extended arrangement between the first and second rack assembly 2a, 2b , as shown in Figure 6 , the end cap protruding portion 28a makes contact with the overlapping ledge of the counteracting portion 22 thereby prohibiting removal of the second rack assembly 2b from the first rack assembly 2a. In Figure 7 the retracted state is displayed whereby the bracket 9 for holding the rack 3a is now positioned adjacent the upper end of the counteracting portion 22. Therefore the bracket 9 would provide a stopping effect for further movement of the downwardly extending arm 8e, 8f within the upwardly extending arm 8a, 8b.
The attachment members 16 (or upwardly extending or downwardly extending arms 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e, 8f, 8g, 8h) are poles made from steel.
In summary, Figures 6 and 7 show a locking arrangement 17 or member for a collapsible airer 1, comprising a first part 18a having a rotatable hub 19 with a rack assembly receiving protrusion 20 extending therefrom, the hub 19 further having a lever portion 21 extending therefrom, the hub 19 being rotatable about a pivot portion located in the hub 19, the first part 18a for use with a second part 18b comprising and elongate counteracting portion 22 having a "C-shaped" cross section, the first and second part 18a, 18b for securing an item there-between in a locked state.
Various modifications to the principles described above would suggest themselves to the skilled person. For example, more than a single rack may be provided on the second rack assembly. The racks may not be of a dual folding arrangement and may instead be folded in a concertina arrangement. The material for the airer may be aluminium instead of steel and there may be a protective steel powder coating applied on the outer surface of the airer which may prevent corrosion of the metal assembly. The protective material may also provide extra friction for gripping the items of clothing, so as to prevent them from sliding off of the airer.
Alternatively to using the bracket for acting as a stop for further movement of the downwardly extending arm of the second rack assembly, when the lock means is in the unlocked state, the stopping effect may instead be provided by the lower end of the downwardly extending arm making contact with the base of the first rack assembly.
The locking arrangement or member may be applied retrospectively subsequently to the purchase of the first and second rack assemblies (which may be separate and distinct items).
The extendable nature of the airer is beneficial so as to minimise the size of the airer for storage and to maximise the size of the airer when in the maximally extended state so that the airer can be used to hang bigger sized clothes.

Claims

A collapsible airer (1) comprising a first rack assembly (2a) selectively moveable between a collapsed configuration and an operational configuration in which is provided at least one rack (3a) for receiving items to be aired, the airer (1) further including at least a second rack assembly (2b) on which is also provided at least one rack (3b) for receiving items to be aired,
wherein the first and second rack assemblies (2a, 2b) comprise co-operable attachment members for adjustably connecting the second rack assembly (2b) to the first rack assembly (2a), the attachment members being configured to enable the at least one rack (3b) of the second rack assembly (2b) to be positioned vertically above the at least one rack of the first rack assembly (2a) in use; wherein the first rack assembly (2a) has first and second parts (5a, 5b) which are rotatable with respect to each other about a pivot point (6a) which joins the first and second parts (5a, 5b) of the first rack assembly (2a) together, wherein the first and second parts (5a, 5b) are rotatable between the collapsed configuration in which the first and second parts (5a, 5b) extend generally parallel to each other, and the operational configuration in which the first and second parts (5a, 5b) extend at an angle with respect to each other; characterized in that the first part (5a) has a substantially horizontal portion (7a) terminated at each end by upwardly extending arms (8a, 8b), and the second part (5b)_ has a substantially horizontal portion (7b) terminated at each end by upwardly extending arms (8c, 8d), and in which the pivot point (6a) is located at the mid-point of the horizontal portions (7a, 7b) of the first and second parts (5a, 5b).
A collapsible airer (1) according to claim 1, wherein in the operational configuration the first and second parts (5a, 5b) extend at an angle of 90° with respect to each other.
A collapsible airer (1) according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the second rack assembly (2b) is also moveable between a collapsed configuration and an operational configuration, in which the second rack assembly (2b) has first and second parts (5c, 5d) which are rotatable with respect to each other about a pivot point (6b) which joins the first and second parts (5c, 5d) of the second rack assembly (2b) together, wherein the first and second parts (5c, 5d) are rotatable between the collapsed configuration in which the first and second parts (5c, 5d) extend generally parallel to each other, and the operational configuration in which the first and second parts (5c, 5d) extend at an angle with respect to each other; and
wherein the first part (5c) of the second rack assembly (2b) has a substantially horizontal portion (7c) with a first and second downwardly extending arm (8e, 8f) and in which the second part (5d) of the second rack assembly has a substantially horizontal portion (7c) having a first and second downwardly extending arm (8e, 8f).
A collapsible airer (1) according to claim 3, wherein the downwardly extending arms (8e, 8f) of the second rack assembly (2b) are adapted to be received within the respective upwardly extending arms (8c, 8d) of the first rack assembly (2a) in use.
A collapsible airer (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein when the first and second rack assemblies (2a, 2b) are in the operational configuration, the airer (1) is extendable along an effective dimension of the airer (1), wherein the effective dimension is the height of the airer (1).
A collapsible airer (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the airer (1) is a tower airer, and is optionally electrically heated.
A collapsible airer (1) according to any preceding claim, the at least one attachment members of the first rack assembly (2a) and second rack assembly (2b) comprising means for releasably locking the first rack assembly (2a) to the second rack assembly (2b) when they are in the operational or collapsed configuration.
A collapsible airer (1) according to claim 7, wherein the locking means (17) comprises a first part (18a) having a hub (19) with a rack assembly receiving protrusion (20) extending therefrom, the hub (19) further having a lever portion (21) extending therefrom, and a second part (18b) comprising a counteracting portion (22) co-operable with the first part (18a), the lever portion (21) configured to cause movement of the rack assembly receiving protrusion (20) on application of a force thereto, and optionally wherein in use, application of a force on the lever (21) causes the rack assembly receiving protrusion (20) to be rotatable about a pivot point (24) located in the hub (19).
A collapsible airer (1) according to claim 8, wherein the rack assembly receiving protrusion (20) is moveable between a first position in which a surface of the rack assembly receiving protrusion (20) makes contact with a surface of an attachment member of the second rack assembly (2b) so as to provide a locked state and a second position where the same surface of the rack assembly receiving protrusion (20) is directed substantially away from the surface of the attachment member of the second rack assembly (2b) so as to provide an unlocked state.
A collapsible airer (1) according to claim 9, wherein when the locking member (17) is in the locked state, at least part of the attachment member of the second rack assembly (2b) is sandwiched between the rack assembly receiving protrusion (20) and at least part of the counteracting portion (22).
A collapsible airer (1) according to claims 8 to 10, wherein the counteracting portion (22) comprises a section of a tube having a "C-shaped" cross section and arranged to extend along and make contact with at least a portion of the outer surface of the respective attachment members (16) of the first and second rack assemblies (2a, 2b).
A collapsible airer (1) according to claim 11, wherein an internal edge (22a) of the counteracting portion (22) extends inwardly of the end of the at least one attachment member (16a) of the first rack assembly (2a) to form an overlapping ledge portion (23).
A collapsible airer (1) according to claim 12, wherein the lower end of the at least one attachment member (16) of the second rack assembly (2b) is terminated by an end cap (28).
A collapsible airer according to claim 13, wherein part of the end cap (28) is insertable within at least one attachment member (16) of the second rack assembly (2b) and the other part of the end cap extends from the end of the at least one attachment member to form an end cap protruding portion (28a), the end cap protruding portion (28a) having a radius larger than the radius of the at least one attachment member (16) of the second rack assembly (2b).
A collapsible airer (1) according to claim 14, wherein in the maximally extended arrangement between the first and second rack assembly (2a, 2b), the end cap protruding portion (28a) makes contact with the overlapping ledge (23) of the counteracting portion thereby prohibiting removal of the second rack assembly (2b) from the first rack assembly (2a).
A collapsible airer (1) according to any of claims 8 to 15, wherein the lever portion (21) is terminated by a hook (25).
A collapsible airer (1) according to claim 16, wherein the outer edge of the hook (25) includes a gripping member.
A collapsible airer (1) according to claim 17, wherein at least part of the lever (21) between the hook (25) and the rack assembly receiving protrusion (20) is curved to co-operate with the surface of at least part of the outer edge (27) of the counteracting portion (22) in the locked state.