GB2420075A

GB2420075A - Clothing storage system

Info

Publication number: GB2420075A
Application number: GB0425017A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Devaney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-12
Filing date: 2004-11-12
Publication date: 2006-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2024-11-12
Also published as: GB0425017D0; GB2420075B

Abstract

A foldable clothes rail unit comprising: a hanger support member pivotably supported to a wall or cupboard and having spacing means that allow several clothes hangers to be attached in spaced relationship there along and further comprising restraining means that allow the longitudinal axis of the support member to be supported in either a generally horizontal open position or an upwardly inclined stowage position.

Description

Clothing Storage System This invention relates to a space saving clothing

storage system, and in particular to a foldable clothes rail unit.

When clothing such as shirts and jackets are stored in a conventional sized domestic wardrobe; for example, length-ways, the overall volume of space required is normally considerable, and such a wardrobe can occupy a significant proportion of the floor space available in a room. Consequently, there is a need to provide systems that allow more compact storage of clothing items; especially for use in small rooms.

One object of the present invention is to provide a wardrobe system that allows more compact storage of clothing items. Another object is to provide a foldable clothes rail unit that can be fitted to an existing wardrobe or just mounted to a fixed structure such as a room wall.

In one aspect the invention provides a foldable clothes rail unit having: a hanger support member and pivot means located proximal a first end of the support member said pivot means being adapted for fixing to a wall or cupboard; and further comprising restraining means that in use allow the longitudinal axis of the support member to be supported in either a generally horizontal open position or an upwardly inclined stowage position. The term"generally horizontal position" includes any position where the support member is within 300 of the horizontal.

Preferably, the hanger support member has spacing means that allow a plurality of clothes hangers to be attached in spaced relationship along the hanger support member. These spacing means prevent all of the hangers sliding to the bottom of the rail unit when it is fully retracted.

The restraining means may bias the free end of the support member in an upward direction and may comprise a spring or the like. The restraining means may be electric.

The restraining means may also comprise a restraining member attached at a first end to the wall or cupboard and at the second end to the hanger support member. Preferably, the restraining member is pivotably attached to a point approximately mid-way along the hanger support member. The restraining member may comprise a telescopic damper. The restraining means may further comprise a vertical rail member attached to the wall or cupboard, wherein the first end of the restraining member is pivotably attached to the rail member. During retraction of the clothes rail unit the pivot at the first end of the hanger support member may slide up a rail member.

Preferably locking means are provided to retain the clothes rail unit in a fully retracted position.

In another aspect the invention comprises a wardrobe system having a foldable clothes rail unit as described above.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by reference to the following diagramatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a wardrobe system according to the invention with a foldable clothes rail in the stored position; Figure 2 shows the system of Figure 1 with the foldable clothes rail in a partly retracted position; Figure 3 shows the system of Figure 1 with the foldable clothes rail in the fully retracted position; Figure 4 shows the system of Figure 3 with clothing articles hanging from the rail hanger arm; Figure 5 shows the system of Figure 2 with clothing articles hanging from the rail hanger arm; Figure 6 shows the system of Figure 1 with clothing articles hanging from the rail hanger arm; Figure 7 shows a rear view of the system of Figure 1; and Figure 8 shows a foldable clothes rail, according to the invention, in a partly retracted position.

Figures 1 to 7 show a first embodiment of the invention. This comprises a wardrobe having a top panel 1, a bottom panel 2, side panels 3,4 a plinth assembly 5, doors 6,7 and a backboard 17. The depth of the wardrobe is advantageously much less than normal for such a wardrobe.

This is made possible by use of a foldable clothes rail unit 18.

Clothes rail unit 18 is fixed to backboard 17 of the wardrobe. Clothes rail unit 18 comprises a support member unit 19 and restraining means 20. Support member unit 19 comprises an elongate arm 9 with spaced slots 21 located along the arm, each slot providing means of engaging the hook of a coat hanger. Arm 9 is pivotably mounted near a first end to a pivot member 12 which is attached to back panel 17. Arm 9 has a stop member (not shown) which abuts against that part of pivot member 12 which is attached to panel 17; this prevents the arm 9 pivoting downwardly below the horizontal position and thereby provides support for arm 9 when it is in a fully retracted position. Near the second end of arm 9 there is attached a handle 8, provided so that a user can open and retract unit 18. Arm 9 is pivatably connected to restraining means 20 at a pivot 11 located approximately mid-way along arm 9. Restraining means 20 comprises a telescopic damper assembly 10 connected at one end to mid-way pivot Ii and at the other end to a slider pin 18. Slider pin 18 engages a rail member 22 which comprises comprises a pair of elongate members 13,14 fixed to back panel 17, each with an approximately Lshaped! cross section and each having an elongate slot 23 which provide a track along which slider pin 1 8 may slide. Preferably, members 13,14 are also fixed to a wall using a mounting plate 1 5 (see Figure 7). At the top end of each elongate slot 23 there is provided an adjoining locking member 24 which comprises a ramped slot section, where the longitudinal axis of this ramped slot preferably slopes downwardly at an angle of about 20 in a direction away from slot 23.

In use, arm 9 is retracted so that it is in an approximately horizontal position (see Figure 3) and clothes are attached using coat hangers that engage slots 21. The arm 9 is then retracted by a user pulling handle 8 upwardly so that the arm 9 pivots about pivot member 12 until slider pin 18 locks into locking recesses 24. Locking members 24 engages pin 18 when the rail unit is fully retracted thus ensuring that the rail cannot be unintentionally opened. The rail is unlocked simply by pulling downwardly on the handle 8; which exerts a force that has both a vertical and horizontal component; this results in the pin initially traveling up the ramped slot of locking members 24, before sliding down the adjoining elongate slots 23.

When the rail hanger arm is raised manually using the handle 8 the mass of the clothing is balanced by damper 10; this aids manual movement when the rail hanger arm is returned to a raised stored position. When the rail hanger arm is in a raised position with clothing articles stored the wardrobe doors are closed.

Restraining means other than damper 10 may be used. Thus the restraining means could comprise a spring arranged to bias arm 9 in an upward direction. The spring could be a helical spring located around pivot member 12. Alternatively arm 9 could be raised and lowered by electrical means, such as an electric motor. This option would be particularly suitable for use by a disabled person.

The wardrobe unit can be manufactured from any material with requirements being aesthetic and protection of stored clothing. The rail hanger arm and internal mechanical components can be produced from materials with the necessary material integrity to function, operate and move the mass of clothing articles stored.

Foldable clothes rail unit 18 can be used without a wardrobe. Thus, Figure 8 shows a second embodiment of the invention in which clothes rail unit 18 is fixed to a wall.

The invention allows use of a slim-line wardrobe unit with doors that give access to an internal rail hanger arm that pivots about one end enabling the rail hanger arm to be manually lowered from a raised position via a handle for clothing articles/hanger access, removal or storage. When the foldable clothes rail unit is in a raised position clothing articles are stored in a stacked compact manner requiring less overall volume for the present invention compared to a conventional domestic wardrobe with clothing stored length ways. The invention also results in a wardrobe unit that requires less floor space, than a conventional domestic wardrobe, to store a given quantity of clothes. The foldable clothes rail unit is particularly suitable for fitting to an existing wardrobe; in which case it advantageously allows a considerably increased quantity of clothes to be stored.

Claims

CLAiMS 1. A foldable clothes rail unit comprising: a hanger support member

and pivot means located proximal a first end of the support member said pivot means being adapted for fixing to a wall or cupboard; and further comprising restraining means that in use allow the longitudinal axis of the support member to be supported in either a generally horizontal open position or an upwardly inclined stowage position.
2. A unit according to Claim I having spacing means that allow a plurality of clothes hangers to be attached in spaced relationship along the hanger support member.
3. A unit according to any preceding claim wherein the restraining means biases the free end of the support member in an upward direction.
4. A unit according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the restraining means comprises a restraining member attached at a first end to the wall or cupboard and at the second end to the support member.
5. A unit according to Claim 4 wherein the restraining member is pivotably attached to a point approximately mid-way along the support member.
6. A unit according to Claim 4 or 5 wherein the restraining member comprises a telescopic damper.
7. A unit according to any of Claims 4 to 6 comprising a vertical rail member attached to the wall or cupboard, wherein the first end of the restraining member is pivotably attached to the rail member.
8. A unit according to Claim 7 wherein during retraction of the clothes rail unit the pivot at the first end of the restraining member slides up the rail member.
9. A unit according to any preceding claim wherein the restraining means comprise an electric motor.
10. A unit according to any preceding claim comprising locking means that in use retain the clothes rail unit in a fully retracted position.
11. A unit according to Claim 8 wherein having locking means comprising a downwardly inclined ramped slot, that adjoins a longitudinal vertical slot in the rail member, up which vertical slot the pivot at the first end of the restraining member slides.
12. A wardrobe system having a foldable clothes rail unit according to any preceding claim.