GB2202139A - Drying racks - Google Patents

Abstract

A drying rack assembly adapted to be supported on or between one or more surfaces in tent-like configuration, comprised of a pair of sections (12,14), each having side frames (20,30) and a plurality of spaced apart rungs (16,18) extending between and connected to each of the frames. The frames on each of the sections are defined one each side by a pair of elongate members (22,24,32,34), the lower ends of which diverge to define feet (26,28,36,38) engageable with a surface for supporting and retaining the assembly in place. The upper ends of the elongate members on one section are formed as closed, U-shaped stops (25) engageable with hooks (35) formed at the upper end of the elongate members of the frames of the second section which pass through the openings defined by the closed upper frame member and hook over the uppermost rung of the first section. Elongate members defining part of the frames of the second section form closed loops (37) defining a hinge aperture for receiving the free ends of the uppermost rung (16a) of the first section for pivotal connection thereto. The closed end stop (25) of the first section is offset and engageable with the hook member (35) of the second section when the two sections are pivoted to limit the movement thereof. The rack assembly can be folded flat for storage, adopt a tent-like configuration to be supported over and by the sides of a bath, or fully unfolded to the limit position with the two sections in line. <IMAGE>

Description

Drying Racks The present invention relates generally to convenience items, such as bathroom and kitchen racks and shelves, typically constructed from coated wire, and more particularly but not exclusively to an easily used, conveniently storable drying rack adapted particularly for use in supporting articles to be dried over a bathtub or in similar locations.

A variety of racks and implements exist for use, particularly inside, to hang clothes and articles therefrom, for example, to allow them to dry. There are retractable clothes lines which can be mounted on a wall and pulled out to be retained in place on an opposed wall. The problem of course, with this type of product is that it requires an opposed surface.

Therefore, its use is limited.

There is also a variety of drying stands, many of which are collapsible, such as those of the scissors variety. These drying stands are particularly designed to be placed inside a bath or in some other "wet" area, such as a shower. While these collapsible stands are widely used, they suffer from the problem of having to rest on a flat surface, and many, particularly the scissors or lazy tongs type, may collapse inadvertently because the links which lock such stands in erect, operative positions easily disengage. Furthermore, because of the construction of such stands, the various rungs over which articles and clothing are draped for drying are disposed one above the other in substantial vertical alignment when the stands are erected.As a result, articles hung from the upper portions of this type of product to dry drip on articles below, thereby extending drying time, or limiting the number of items which can be dried at the same time. Furthermore, since such stands are supported on the floor or similar surface, articles hung from the lower support members of such stands must, of necessity, be relatively small, since they are close to the floor, and large articles are limited to the upper portions to avoid contact with the floor.

According to the present invention, a drying rack assembly is comprised of a pair of sections, each of the sections.including frame means extending along the opposite sides thereof, and a plurality of spaced apart rungs extending between and connected to the frame means; each of the frame means defining feet means at the lower end of each of the sections; the frame means on a first one of the sections further defining at the upper end thereof stop means extending above and beyond the uppermost rung of the first section; the frame means of the second one of the sections defining at the upper end limit pivot means; the limit pivot means being engageable with the first section and interacting with the stop means for pivotally interconnecting the upper ends of the two sections and permitting pivotal movement of the sections relative to each other between a first position wherein the sections are disposed one adjacent the other, and a second limit position defined by the interaction of the limit pivot means with the stop means; whereby the drying rack assembly may be placed with the feet of at least one of the sections engageable with a support surface for supporting the drying rack assembly thereabove.

By means of of the invention, it is possible to construct a rack which can conveniently be supported without relying on opposed wall surfaces, such as required for retractable clothes lines, which can be supported over a wet area, such as a tub or shower, which can be constructed without worrying about inadvertent collapse, and in which the members or rungs supporting articles being dried or hung therefrom need not necessarily be disposed one above the other.

It is possible to construct a drying rack incorporating the present invention which can be erected in multiple configurations, including an inverted V-shape or tent shape in which the lower ends are supported on the walls of a tub or other similar support members, or on the floor between two walls and which, alternatively, may be extended and erected in a generally linear arrangement and suitably supported, such as in a cantilevered fashion or generally horizontally between two support surfaces.

In a preferred construction the rack can be closed to take up minimal space when stored.

More specifically, various preferred features will now be described. The drying rack includes a pair of interconnected sections having a plurality of spaced apart transverse support members or rungs from which articles to be dried can extend between and are connected to a pair of spaced apart frame assemblies which extend the full length of each of the two sections. The bottom, free end of the frame assemblies are generally similar to each other, and are formed as a pair of diverging feet which define a support engageable with the floor or with the edge or corner of a body, such as the upper corner of a bathtub wall.

The upper ends of the frame assemblies for the two sections differ, however. Each of the frame assemblies for one section, the stop section, defines a generally U-shaped closure portion extending beyond the last of the support members or rungs. This U-shaped stop portion is bent or offset at an angle to the plane of the stop section. The frame assemblies of the other section, the hook section, terminates in (1) a hook, and (2) an aperture defining loop. The loops are engageable with the opposite free ends of the uppermost rung of the stop sections to pivotally interconnect the two sections. When so assembled, the hooks engage the closed U-shaped stop of the first section.This arrangement allows the sections to pivot in one direction from a position where they lie one adjacent to the other for storage and to a limited position defined by engagement of the stop portion of the first frame assembly, with the hook portion of the other frame assemblies. Typically, the two sections can be pivoted to a generally planar, elongated, aligned configuration.

The configuration of the interconnecting portions of the frame assemblies thus define an integrally formed hinge or pivot with a built-in stop. In this regard the stop point is selectable as a function of the angle at which the U-shaped stops of the first frame assemblies are offset from the plane of the first section.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one drying rack assembly constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rack showing it in the stored configuration; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the rack showing one form of positioning and arrangement for use; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the rack showing an alternative orientation and arrangement for use; Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the interconnecting portion of the rack; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4; Figure 6 shows the arrangement of the hinge or pivot in the erected or elongated arrangement; and Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6.

As shown in the drawing, a drying rack assembly 10 is preferably constructed of plastic-coated metal wire members which are appropriately shaped to form the assembly in its desired configuration. The plastic coating may comprise vinyl or a like material which is suitably durable and corrosion-resistant, and which is typically available in a wide variety of colours for enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the product. The drying rack assembly may be fabricated in accordance with known methods, typically by suitably interconnecting the various members, such as by welding, with the entire configuration thereafter being coated. Alternatively, the drying rack assembly may be plated with a suitable metal coating in lieu of the plastic coating. As a further alternative, the components of the drying rack may be moulded, and the various components connected together.If moulded, multiple elements may be moulded as unitary components, rather than by welding the various elements together.

Combinations of the various techniques may also be employed.

As shown in the drawing, the drying rack assembly includes two sections 12, 14 which are substantially similar, one with the other. Each of the sections 12, 14 includes a plurality of transverse spaced apart, elongated drying members or rungs 16, 18, respectively, which extend the full width of each of the sections.

The rungs 16 of stop section 12 extend between and are connected to a pair of spaced apart sides or frame assemblies 20, while the rungs 18 of hook section 14 extend between and are connected to frame assembly 30.

The frames 20 for the stop section 12 are defined by two elongated legs, inner leg 22 and outer leg 24, which are formed at one end, the upper or connecting end, into a U-shaped stop member 25 which extends beyond the uppermost or top support member or rung 16a. The lower, free ends of the legs 22, 24 of frame 20 diverge or flare to form a pair of curvilinear feet 26, 28 which define a support notch 29 for supporting the rack assembly at or on the upper corner of a bathtub T, as shown in Fig. 1. The foot 26 formed at the free end of the inner leg 22 of frame 20 flares out, and foot 28 of the outer leg 24 flares in. The feet 26, 28 of frames 20 flare in a plane substantially normal to the plane of the section 12 itself.

The frames 30 of the other hook section 14 of the drying rack assembly 10 are substantially similar to the frames 20 of the stop section 12 along a major portion of their length. The frames 30 are defined by two elongated legs, inner leg 32 and outer leg 34. The lower, free ends of the legs 32, 34 diverge or flare to form a pair of curvilinear feet 36, 38 which define a support notch 39 therebetween. The feet 36, formed at the free ends of inner legs 32 of frame 30, flare in towards section 12, and feet 38 of outer legs 34 flare out away from section 12. This allows the feet to nest when the assembly 10 is closed, as shown in Fig. 1.

The top end of the legs 32, 34 of frames 30 of the second section 14 define a hook 35 and a loop 37.

Thus, the inner legs 32 of frames 30 terminate in the hook-like projection 35 oriented at generally right angles to the plane of the section 14. The outer legs 34 of frames 30 terminate in a loop 37 defining an aperture 37a for receiving the ends of the uppermost rung 16a of the stop section 12. When assembled, as shown in the drawing, the hooks 35 pass between the legs 22, 24 and underneath the U-shaped stop 25, while the apertures 37a receive the ends of rung 16a of the stop section 12. The hooks 35, located between the legs 22, 24 of the frames 30, pass over and around top rung 16a to inhibit inadvertent separation of the two sections.

Thus, as can be seen, the two sections 12, 14 can be pivoted in one direction until they lie one against the other in a closed or stored position. The arrangement of the diverging feet are such that they overlap or nest and lie adjacent each other in this position so that the two sections can take up minimal space and yet can stand on the feet for storage.

The two sections can be pivoted from the first or closed position shown in Fig. 1 to a plurality of open or operative positions, such as the inverted "V" or tent shape, as shown in Figure 2. As shown, the diverging feet of each section engage the upper inner corner of a support, such as the walls W of a bathtub T.

The two sections can be further pivoted until the bases of each of the U-shaped stops 25 abut the inner legs 32 of frames 30 of the second section 14, as shown in Figures 3, 6 and 7. The rotation or pivotal movement is thereby limited, the limit point being a function of the angle at which the U-shaped stop 35 is offset relative to the plane of the stop section 12.

As shown in the drawing, the stops 25 engage the legs 32 at a point at which the two sections 12, 14 are substantially aligned to define an elongated rack assembly which can be supported at the bottom end, for example, on the wall of the tub T, as shown in Figure 2, or in the bottom of the tab B, as shown in Figure 3. Alternatively, the rack might be laid flat between two supports, such as across the tub, or turned over and supported in a cantilevered fashion as desired.

Thus, a drying rack has been described which is capable of multiple configurations and shapes, which is erectable and supportable over an area, such as a bathtub, on the walls thereof, or between the walls thereof, and which is also capable of being positioned in an elongated configuration, which incorporates integral hinges and pivots with built-in limit stops so that the rack can be arranged in a variety of shapes and configurations. The use of an integral limit or stop hinge permits a greater variety of configurations allowing the two sections of the rack to pivot through a limited range to permit uses that might not otherwise be possible.

Claims (12)

Claims:

1. A drying rack assembly comprised of a pair of sections, each of the sections including frame means extending along the opposite sides thereof, and a plurality of spaced apart rungs extending between and connected to the frame means; each of the frame means defining feet means at the lower end of each of the sections; the frame means on a first one of the sections further defining at the upper end thereof stop means extending above and beyond the uppermost rung of the first section; the frame means of the second one of the sections defining at the upper end limit pivot means; the limit pivot means being engageable with the first section and interacting with the stop means for pivotally interconnecting the upper ends of the two sections and permitting pivotal movement of the sections relative to each other between a first position wherein the sections are disposed one adjacent the other, and a second limit position defined by the interaction of the limit pivot means with the stop means; whereby the drying rack assembly may be placed with the feet of at least one of the sections engageable with a support surface for supporting the drying rack assembly thereabove.

2. A drying rack assembly as claimed in Claim 1 in which the feet means have divergent surfaces to engage a supporting edge.

3. A drying rack assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the limit pivot means includes a pivot means and a stop engaging means for limiting the pivotal movement.

4. A drying rack assembly as claimed in Claim 3 in which the pivot means is engageable with a rung on the first section for pivotally interconnecting the upper ends of the two sections and permitting pivotal movement thereof.

5. A drying rack assembly as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 in which the stop engaging means is engageable with the stop means for defining the limit of the relative pivotal movement of the two sections.

6. A drying rack assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the frame means on each of the sections comprises on each side thereof a pair of elongate members spaced one from the other and connected to said rungs at and adjacent to one end thereof.

7. A drying rack assembly as claimed in Claim 6 in which the bottom ends of each pair of said elongate members are flared in opposite directions to define the feet means.

8. A drying rack assembly as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 in which the upper ends of said pairs of elongate members defining the frames of the first section are interconnected to define a closed stop, the closed end extending above and beyond the uppermost rung on the first section, and in which one of the elongate frame members on the other of the sections terminates beyond the uppermost rung thereof and is bent at substantially 900 around the uppermost rung of the first section to define a stop engaging projection.

9. A drying rack assembly as claimed in Claim 8 in which the stop engaging projections extend between the elongate members of the frame means on the first section and are engageable therewith to define the limit of the pivotal movement of the sections relative to each other.

10. A drying rack assembly as claimed in Claim 8 in which the closed stop ends of the first frame members are offset from the plane of the first section whereby engagement of the stop engaging member of the other section with the stop member on the first section limits pivotal movement thereof when the sections are in substantial end-to-end alignment one with the other.

11. A drying rack assembly as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 10 in which the outer elongate members of the frame means on the second section are formed in loops to define pivot apertures which are engageable with the opposite ends of the uppermost rung of the first section for pivotal connection therebetween.

12. A drying rack assembly constructed and arranged to operate substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.