GB2114426A - Wardrobe structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A wardrobe structure including a horizontal hanger rod supported between a pair of pivotally mounted arms, each of which is at all time subjected to the force of a return spring to urge it to an upright position inside the wardrobe, but which may be rotated forward and downward by the user, against the action of the foregoing force of the spring, when the hanger rod is to be loaded or unloaded out of the wardrobe. When thus exposed, the hanger rod is releasably latched to allow the user to hang or remove a garment or garments on or from the rod. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wardrobe structure This invention relates to a wardrobe structure for hanging up clothes, and in particular relates to an improved wardrobe structure in which a horizontal hanger rod is located inside the structure in proximity with the top of structure when the clothes thereon are to be stored, but is exposed out of the structure, when a garment is to be hung or removed on or from the hanger rod, by rotating forward two opposite arms connected to the hanger rod.

In a well-known conventional type of wardrobe structure, a horizontal hanger rod is unmovably located inside the warddrobe in proximity with the top of wardrobe. In such a structure, when hanging or removing a garment on or from the hanger rod, the user is required to have direct access to the hanger rod. The clumsy operation involved is furthered if the hanger rod is located in a relatively higher position in the wardrobe.Also, since the hanger rod is unmovably located inside the wardrobe, the rod is positioned at such a height as allows the user to have access to it; therefore, if it is desired to make larger the whole structure of wardrobe for storing a greater number of clothes and other articles, locating a hanger rod at a correspondingly higher place, the problem of accessibility of the user to the rod may.remain a crucial factor in determining the maximum height of whole wardrobe structure.Then it is a common practice to place a chest of drawers or other similar structure on a wardrobe; however, when such a structure is placed on the conventional wardrobe with the height of both whole structure and hanger rod restricted as above mentioned, the garments hung on the rod may be brought into contact with or rub against such an accessory structure at the lower ends or other portions thereof, so that a damage is caused to the garments stored.

According to the present invention, there is provided a wardrobe structure including a hanger means which comprises a horizontal movable hanger rod located in an upper position of the inside of a wardrobe when the body when the clothes thereon are to be stored, but exposed simultaneously both forward and downward out of the wardrobe body, when a garment is to be hung or removed on orfrom the rod, by rotating forward two opposite arms which are connected to the hanger rod at one end thereof and pivotally connected to two opposite supports at the other end thereof, said supports being attached to two opposite inner surfaces of the wardrobe body for receiving the arms thereinto and each including a return spring adapted to rotate or urge the arm to an original position thereof and a pair of engaging means adapted to lock the arm when the arm has been rotated, against the force of the return spring, to a substantially horizontal position so as to locate the hanger rod at a clotheshanging position.

The wardrobe structure herein also is provided with an operation bar pivotally connected to the hanger rod at an intermediate position thereof which allows the user of wardrobe to rotate the arms forward or to the user's side, by taking hold of a lower end of the bar, so that the hanger rod is removed out of the wardrobe body from a clothesstoring position inside the body to the clothes hanging position outside the body.

According to the invention, therefore, there is no need for the user of wardrobe to have direct access to the hanger rod to hange or remove a garment on or from the hanger rod, but he may make the same task while standing on the floor of the room outside the wardrobe. It is to be noted here that, as will be clearly seen from the description hereinafter, although the clothes-storing position is in relatively close proximity with the top of the wardrobe, the clothes-hanging position is not only considerable forward, but also considerably donward of the storing position so that the hanging or removing of a garment outside the wardrobe may be made with great convenience to the user. Another advantage is that outside the wardrobe the user may hang or remove a garment with no interfering objects surrounding the user, but with a sufficient space to allow a free operation.Moreover, the hanger rod, when being in the clothes-hanging position, is firmly locked by the engaging means which prevent the arms from upward or downward rotation, so that the garment hanging/removing operation outside the wardrobe may be made with a state of complete safety.

When the hanger rod is to be returned to the upward and backward clothes-storing position inside the wardrobe, the engaging means are very easily disengaged from each other to allow the hanger rod to return to the storing position due to the action of the return spring which is provided adjacent to each arm and at all times has a force to enable the arm to return to its original position.

Therefore, when the rod is to be returned, it is not necessary for the user to apply a push-back force to the rod, but all that is required is to take hold of the lower end of the operation bar, connected to the rod, so that the arms are returned at a relatively-slower speed.

In addition, the wardrobe structure herein is so constructed that when the hanger rod is moved between the storing and hanging positions, inside the wardrobe the rod is moved less distance in a vertical direction than in a horizontal direction, while outside the wardrobe the rod is moved less distance in a horizontal direction than in a vertical direction.

This allows the garments on the hanger rod to be prevented, as far as possible, from touching or rubbing against the bottom of the wardrobe structure or the floor of the room so that the garments are protected from damage.

The hanger rod according to the invention is located inside the wardrobe when the garments thereon are to be stored, but is exposed out of the wardrobe, when a garment is to be hung or removed on or from the rod, to such a height as allows the user to have a very easy access to the rod; that is, inside the wardrobe the hanger rod may be located at such a height as is out of reach. Therefore, according to the invention, the whole wardrobe structure may be constructed with a relatively greater height, locating the hanger rod in close proximity with the top of the wardrobe. Thus, for example, the whole structure may be employed with its upper half as a compartment for hanging up clothes and its lower half as a space for placing a piece or some pieces of furniture such as a chest of drawers or the like.As previously mentioned, in such a use of the wardrobe, the clothes hung on the rod may be prevented from coming into contact with or rubbing against the upper surfaces of an accessory furniture place thereunder. Therefore, the whole inside the wardrobe may be used as fully as possible with no fear of a damage given to the clothes.

This invention will now be described in detail and is iilustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a wardrobe structure according to the invention; Figure2 is a cross section taken on line ll-ll of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the structure of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a cross section taken on line IV-IV of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a part of the structure of Figure 1 as viewed from line V-V of Figure 1; Figure 6 illustrates an operation of rotating forward an arm located in the structure of Figure 1; Figure 7shows a front elevation of a support located in the structure of Figure 1, with a cover thereof being removed; Figure 8 is a cross section taken on line VIII-VIII of Figure 7;; Figure 9 is a partially cutaway cross section taken on line IX-IX of Figure 7; Figure 10 is a front elevation of the support of the structure of Figure 1 which is similar to Figure 7, but in which the arm, spring, pivotal bolt, and cover are removed; Figure 11 illustrates an engagement of engaging piece and stopper piece; Figure 12 is a graph showing a relationship between a force applied to the arm and the angle of forward rotation of the arm; Figure 13 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of stopper piece; and Figure 14 is a plan view of the stopper piece of Figure 13.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a wardrobe 1 comprises a compartment 3 for hanging up and storing clothes and a chest of drawers 4 which generally occupy the upper and lower halves of the wardrobe 1, respectively. The compartment 3 is defined by an enclosure 5 constructed of side walls 5a, top plate Sb, bottom plate 5c, and back wall 5d.

In the compartment 3 is provided a hanger means 6 which includes a movable hanger rod 24 connected to two opposite rotatable arms 21 at both ends thereof and horizontally supported through the arms 21 by two opposite supports 7.

Inside the wardrobe 1 or compartment 3 each rotatable arm 21 is vertically disposed in close proximity and in parallel with the side wall 5a of the enclosure 5, and is pivotally connected to and received by each support 7 at one end thereof, while each arm 21 is connected to the hanger rod 24 at the other or upper end thereof. Each support 7 is fixed to the side wall 5a by a plurality of clamp screws (not shown).

An operation bar 27 is vertically and pivotally connected to the center of the hanger rod 24, and is provided, at the lower end thereof, with a handling ball 28 which is located, when the rod 24 is disposed in the position of Figures 1 and 2, at such a height as allows the user of wardrobe to have an easy access to the ball 28.

As is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hanger rod 24, when being inside the wardrobe 1, is disposed in relatively-close proximity with the top plate 5b of the enclosure 5, while the fixed supports 7 are located in proximity with the upper surface of the chest of drawers 4.

Referring to Figures 7, 8, and 10, one of the supports 7, identical to the other one 7 in both construction and function, includes a circular base 8 of press-formed sheet metal which is provided with a peripheral annular section 8a allowing the support 7 to be attached to the side wall 5a and with a central projection 10 providing a space 11 for housing a spring 44 hereinafter mentioned, together with the side wall 5a as an opposite enclosure.

The annular section 8a of the base 8 is provided with a plurality of openings 9 through which to insert clamp screws for connecting the support 7 to the side wall 5a. At the center of the central projection 10 of the base 8 is provided a support section 12 projecting more inward than the other part of the projection 10 and having an axial hole 13 to allow a pivotal bolt 14to passtherethrough.

As is clearly shown in Figure 10, the axial hole 13 is generally shaped like an oval, but unlike an exact oval, is defined by falt walls at two opposite sides thereof so that the pivotal bolt 14 inserted therethrough is securely prevented from rotating.

The pivotal bolt 14 includes a threaded section 15, pivotal section 17, flanged section 18, and springsupport section 19. Passing through the axial hole 13 of the base 8, the threaded section 15 has two opposite flat sides to provide a similar shape of oval to the axial hole 13 with the section 15 so that the section 15 is allowed to mate with the axial hole 13.

Also the threaded section 15 is engaged with a nut 16 which firmly connects the bolt 14 to the base 8.

The spring-support section 19 of the bolt 14 is provided with a groove 20 extending over the diameter of the section 19 for receiving one end of a return spring 36 hereinafter mentioned to connect the spring end to the support section 19.

As is clearly shown in Figure 8, the arm 21 is received by and into the support 7 to such a degree that the lower end of the arm 21 is brought into close proximity with the bottom of the support 7. The arm 21 is provided, in near vicinity to the lower end thereof, with a hole 22 extending at a right angle with the lengthwise direction of the arm 21 for allowing the pivotal section 17 of the bolt 14 to pass therethrough so that the arm 21, with the bolt 14 acting as a pivot, may be freely rotated between an upright or substantially-upright original position and a horizontal or substantially-horizontal position which allow the hanger rod 24 to be located at a clothes-storing position Pand a clothes-hanging/ removing position Q, respectively (Figure 2).The length of the arm 21 is such that the upper end thereof, when inside the wardrobe 1 the arm 21 is in the upright position, is brought into close proximity with the top plate 5b of the enclosure 5.

Referring to Figures 7,9, and 10, a stopper 29 is provided at an upper portion of the support 7. The stopper 29 includes a cylindrical attachment 30 connected to the base 8 and having a tapped hole 30a through which a stopper means such as stopper belt 30b is inserted. A lock nut 30c is screwed onto the stopper bolt 30b. The function of the stopper 29, to be more exact, of the stopper bolt 30b is to stop and hold the arm 21, when returned from the horizontal position outside the wardrobe 1, at and in its original upright or substantially-upright position, and the stopper bolt 30b may be adjusted or rotated to move backward or forward, as indicated by an arrow in Figure 9, until the bolt 38b comes to such a position as holds the arm 21, at its forward end 3b', in the foregoing position.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, a cross shaped cover mount 31 is connected to the arm 21 by means of a support bar 33 and a locking bolt (upper one in Figure 8) and is provided with a central hole fitted onto the flange 18 of the pivotal bolt 14. The four arms of the cover mount 31 each are provided, in close proximity with their ends, with an installation hole 32 through which a locking bolt 49 is screwed to connect, in conjunction with a nut 51, a support cover to the mount 31. It is to be noted here that only the bolt 49, among the four locking bolts 49, extending through the uppermost hole 32 also connects the cover mount 31 to the arm 21. The purpose of the support cover 48 is not to allow the contact of the clothes on the hanger rod 24 and a return spring 36 hereafter mentioned so that no damage is given to the clothes.

Connected to the arm 21 inside the cover 48, the support bar 33 includes a spring-support section 34 so projecting from the arm 21 as to correspond to the spring-support section 19 of the pivotal bolt 14.

The support section 34 of the bar 33 is provided with a circular groove 35 for receiving one end of the return spring 36 to connect the spring end to the support section 34. As hereinbefore mentioned, the other or lower end of the return spring 36 is received by the straight groove 20 of the support section 19 of the pivotal bolt 14.

The return spring 36 is wound round the support section 19 of the pivotal bolt 14 in such a manner that the spring 36 is disposed concentric with the axis of rotation of the arm 21, that is, the bolt 14. As is clearly seen from Figure 7, the motive power of the spring 36 is such that the arm 21 is at all times urged, with the bar 33 of arm 21 connected to the upper end of the spring 36, in an upward or clockwise direction (though in a counterclockwise direction for the right-side arm 21 in Figure 1). The motive power or force of restitution of the spring 36 is greater than the force exterted by a certain number of clothes and hangers 26, normally allowed to hang on the hanger rod 24, to rotate the arm 21 in a downward or forward direction, i.e., to the left side in Figure 7.

Also the force of restitution of the spring 36 is increased in practically-direct proportion to the foregoing opposite force of clothes and hangers which is increased as the angle of forward rotation of the arm 21 becomes greater. Moreover, the difference between the foregoing two opposite forces is not varied for all practical purposes when the arm 21 is largely rotated or inclined forward from one angle to another.

Referring to Figures 7 and 10, a pivotal pin 37 is rotatably disposed through the central projection 10 of the base 8 of the support 7. A rotatable stopper piece 38 is connected to the pivotal pin 37 on the front side of the projection 10. The rotatable stopper piece 38 includes a stopper recess 39 provided between upper and lower projections, namely, a contact projection 41 and a support projection 40. As is clearly shown in Figure 10, the upper projection 41 protrudes to a considerably greater distance than the lower projection 40.

Connected to the pivotal pin 37 on the back side of the projection 10 is a piece 42 for holding a spring 44 at one end thereof, which spring 44 is also disposed on the back side of the projection 10 and is held at its other or upper end by a projection 43 which is formed of a portion of the projection 10 bent backwards at a substantially-right angle with the projection 10.

Together with both pivotal pin 37 and holding piece 42, the rotatable stopper piece 38 is adapted to rotate upward or downward, while being subjected to an incessant force of the spring 44 to locate or urge the stopper piece 38 in or to its original position as shown in Figure 10. The whole body of stopper piece 38, pivotal pin 37, holding piece 42, spring 44, and projection 43 constitutes an engaging means connected to the projection 10.

Referring to Figures 8, 10, and 11, an engaging piece piece 45 to act with the foregoing engaging means, or to be more exact, its stopper piece 38, is connected to the back side of the arm 21 in close proximity with the lower end thereof. The engaging piece 45 of the arm 21 is provided with a knock-up section 46 and an engaging section 47. This engaging piece 45 and the stopper piece 38 may constitute a pair of engaging means.

Referring to Figure 11,a description is then given to the foregoing pair of engaging means in mutual function. In Figure 11 numeral 5 designates a stopper projected from the base 8 at a more forward position than the arm 21.

When the stopper piece 38 is in its original position, the contact projection 41 thereof is on the locus of rotation of the knock-up section 46 of the engaging piece 45 (Figure 11(A)), which rotation will be caused by the forward rotation of the arm 21.

When the arm 21 starts to be rotated forward and has been inclined at an angle of 30 degrees or so, the knock-up section 46 of the engaging piece 45 strikes against the contact projection 41 of the other piece 38, causing the piece 38 to rotate backward with its support projection 40 becoming removed onto the locus of rotation of the engaging-piece section 47 (Figure 11(B)). Further forward rotation of the arm 21 causes engaging-piece section 47 to engage with the stopper-piece projection 40 so as to further rotate the stopper piece 38 upward (Figure 11(C)).When the arm 21 is then rotated to a substantiallyhorizontal position (first laid-down position) (Figure 11(D)), the engaging-piece section 47 is engaged with the stopper-piece recess 39, so that the arm 21 is locked or prevented from rotating upward or returning by this engagement in which the stopper piece 38 is subjected to the force of the spring 44 to urge the same piece 38 to its original position of Figure 11(A), applying a strong pressure on the engaging-piece section 47. This horizontal position of the arm 21 (Figure 11(D)) allows the user of wardrobe to hang or remove a garment on or from the hanger rod 24.

When the hanging or removing of a garment has been completed, the arm 21 is then further rotated downward (Figures 11(D) and (E)) until the arm comes into contact with the stopper 51, that is, to a slightly more downwardly angled position (second laid-down position) (Figure 11(E)), the stopper piece 38 is disengaged and moved away from the other piece 45 so that the stopper piece 38 is allowed to return to its original position (Figure 11(F)). Then the arm 21 becomes ready to rotate upward to return to its original upright position of Figure 11(A).

As is apparent from the foregoing, the stopper 51 is so disposed as to determine the foregoing second laid-down position or lower limit of rotation of the arm 21; for example, the stopper may be disposed at such a height as sets the second laid-down position at an angle of 20 degrees from the substantiallyhorizontal or first laid-down position of Figure 11(D).

Referring to Figure 6, when a garment is to be hung or removed on or from the hanger rod 24, the handling ball 28 of the operation bar 27 is held by one hand and the bar 27 is pulled forward and downward, causing the arms 21 to rotate forward and downward against the action of the return spring 36 (Figures (A) to (C) of Figure 6). When each arm 21 is rotated to a substantially-horizontal position or first laid-down position, the arm 21 is locked so that the hanger rod 24 is located at a clotheshanging/removing position (Figure 6(C)).As previously mentioned, the locking is made by the engaging piece 45 of the arm 21 being brought into engagement with the stopper piece 38 (Figures 11(D)), and at this time a light engagement sound and/or impact is produced so that the user of wardrobe may feel certain, by his hand or ears, that the locking has certainly been made. Then the user may release his hold of the operation bar 27 or hanger rod 24, leaving the rod 24 located or locked in the exposed position; therefore, the user may safely hang or remove a garment on or from the hanger rod 24 by using his both hands.

When the hanging or removing of a garment or garments has been completed, the hanger rod 24 is rotated slightly more downward by the user's hand (Figure 6(C) and 6(D) corresponding to Figures 11(D) to 11(F)), causing the engaging piece 45 and stopper piece 38 to disengage from each toher, as previously mentioned. The disengagement is immediately followed by the arm 21 contacting the stopper 51, and the user, then holding the hanging rod 24 or operation bar 27, may feel certain that the disengagement has been made when his hands feels the arm 21 contacting the stopper 51 through the rod 24 or rod and bar 27. And when the hanger rod 24 is thus stopped from further lowering by the arm 21 contacting the stopper 51, the arm 21 is then allowed to rotate upward to return to its original upright position.As will be seen from Figure 11(F)), when the arm 21 starts rotating upward, the engaging piece 45 causes the stopper piece 38 to rotate downward by the engaging section of the former piece 45 striking against the contact projection 41 of the latter piece 38, although immediately thereafter the piece 38 is returned to its original position by the action of the spring 44.

When allowing the arm 21 to rotate upward, the user may so hold the operation bar 27 that the arm 21 is returned at a slow speed. When coming back to its original position inside the wardrobe 1, the arm 21 is brought into contact with the stopper bolt 30b (Figure 9) which stops the arm 21 from a further backward rotation and holds the arm in an upright or su bstantia lly-upright position.

When the hanger rod 24 is rotated forward as shown by an arrow of circular arc in Figure 2, inside the wardrobe the rod 24 is moved forward a greater distance but downward a smaller distance, and outside vice versa; therefore, a fear of the garments hung on the rod 24 coming into contact with or rubbing against the bottom place Sc of the enclosure 5 or the floor 2 of the room is minimized to protect the garments from damage. The same advantage is provided when the hanger rod 24 is returned from the clothes-hanging position outside the wardrobe to the clothes-stroing position inside the wardrobe.

The force of restitution of the springs 36 to rotate the arms 21 upward is so predetermined that the force is at all times greater than the whole force of a certain number of hangers 26 and garments 25, normally allowed to hang on the hanger rod 24, to rotate the arms downwardly; therefore, the hanger rod 24 is displaced to the downward position merely by the user exerting a force sufficient for reversing the foregoing relationship of forces between the two while holding the operation bar 27.

Also the whole force of hangers 26 and garments 25 on the hanger rod 24 to rotate the arms 21 downward is increased as the angle of forward rotation of the arms 21 becomes greater, while the force of restitution of the springs 36 to rotate the arms in the opposite direction is also increased as the angle of forward rotation of the arms 21 becomes greater (Figure 12); therefore, the amount of force to be exerted by the user to rotate the arms downward (i.e., a certain amount of force of the user exceeding the difference between the foregoing two opposite forces) may be always substantially the same regardless of the angle of forward rotation or inclination of the arms 21. Thus the hanger rod 24 may be displaced smoothly from the upper to lower positions by pulling the operation 27 with a relatively-small constant force.

It is to be added that the arms 21 are returned from the horizontal to upright positions with the operation bar 27 not being held by the user, the arms are rotated backward at a relatively-slower spead due to the foregoing relationship between the two opposite forces.

Furthermore, it is to be noted that if the hanger rod 24 is loaded with such a great number of clothes that the force of rotating the arms upward is smaller than the opposite force, the downward rotation of the arms is limited, without fail, by the stoppers 51.

Referring to Figures 13 and 14, another embodiment of stopper piece 38e comprises a body 38a which is formed of metal and includes a stopper projection 41e and a support projection 40e. The stopper projection 41e comprises a metal projection 41a formed integral with the body 38e and covered with a silent material 41b, i.e., one which makes no sound by striking against other object. The silent material 41b is an elastic material, such as NB-type rubber, and is connected to the projection 41a by such a method as baking. If desired, the silent material 41b may be connected so as not to cover the entire projection 41a, but to attach only to the surface thereof which contacts the engaging section 47 of the piece 45 when the arm 21 is rotated, i.e., a surface designated by numeral 41c.

In this embodiment, when the engaging section 47 of the piece 45 is brought into contact with the stopper projection 41e of the piece 38e, only a very small sound is produced due to the silent material 41 b attached to the stopper projection 41 e, so that a noisy operation is avoided.

Also, if desired, the silent material 41!; may be attached not to the stopper piece 38e, but only the surface of engaging section 47 of the piece 45 which is brought into contact with the contact projection 41 of the stopper piece 38.

Claims (8)

1. In a wardrobe structure including a wardrobe body with a hanger rod horizontally located in an upper position of the inside of the wardrobe body, an improvement comprising two opposite supports connected to the inner surface of opposite sides of said wardrobe body, respectively, in a downward position from said hanger rod and two opposite arms pivotally connected to said supports, respectively, at one end thereof and also connected to both ends of said hanger rod, respectively, at the other end thereof, said hanger rod being adapted to rotate downward from said upper position when said arms are rotated forward from an original position which supports said hanger rod in said upper position.

2. An improved wardrobe structure according to claim 1 further including an operation bar pivotally connected to said hanger rod at one end thereof and at an intermediate position of said hanger rod and having such a length as allows an operator of the wardrobe to reach and take hold of the other end thereof when said hanger rod is located in said upper position.

3. An improved wardrobe structure according to claim 1 or 2 wherein a return spring is provided adjacent to said each arm for rotating said each arm to said original position.

4. An improved structure according to claim 3 wherein the force of said return spring to rotate said each arm to said original position is so predetermined as to become smaller as said each arm comes nearer two said original position.

5. An improved wardrobe structure according to claim 4 further including a pair of engaging means provided for a combination of each one of said arms and each one of said supports so that said engaging means are so brough into engagement with each other as to prevent said each arm from rotating to said original position when said each has been rotated from said original position to a substantiallyhorizontal first laid-down position, and are disengaged from each other when said each arm has been further rotated from said first laid-down position to a second laid-down position which is a slightlydownwardly-angled position from said first laiddown position.

6. An improved wardrobe structure according to claim 5 wherein said second laid-down position is determined by a stopper means provided in said each support so as to contact said each arm to prevent said each arm further rotating downward from said second laid-down position.

7. An improved wardrobe structure according to claim 6 wherein at least one of said engaging means is provided with a silent material to minimize a sound produced by said engaging means when said each arm causes said engaging means to engage with each other in said first laid-down position.

8. An improved wardrobe structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.