GB2479175A

GB2479175A - Portable clothes hanging assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2479175A
Application number: GB1005431A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sue Marshall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-03-31
Filing date: 2010-03-31
Publication date: 2011-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 2030-03-31
Also published as: GB201005431D0; GB2479175B

Abstract

A portable clothes hanging assembly 10 which supports clothes during drying and/or airing, comprising a plurality of clothes hanging formations 12 which extend laterally either side of a lengthwise extending spine assembly 14. The clothes hanging formations are moveably interconnected to one another by the said spine assembly. The spine assembly includes at least one attachment member 20 to hang the spine assembly from a support; the spine assembly is moveable between a drying configuration in which the clothes hanging formations are spaced from one another in the lengthwise direction by a first amount and a carrying configuration in which the clothes hanging formations are spaced from one another in the lengthwise direction by a second amount. The clothes hanging formations may extend to the same extent on each side of the spine assembly. The spine assembly may include a plurality of interconnected pairs of first and second bars. The hanging formations may extend from the spine assembly at a pivot connection between adjacent bars. The clothes hanging assembly may have a deformable cover and/or an interface member which allows the spine assembly to sit on a support while in the drying configuration.

Description

A PORTABLE CLOTHES HANGING ASSEMBLY

This invention relates to a portable clothes hanging assembly for supporting clothes during drying and/or airing.

In the field of clothes drying and airing is known to hang items of clothing from a support, e.g. a line, located outdoors in order to dry and/or air the clothing items. However such an arrangement is subject to the vagaries of local weather conditions, and in particular when it rains it is necessary to remove all of the clothing items from the support and bring them inside where alterative drying arrangements must be made.

Removing the clothing items from the support is time consuming and so can lead to the items becoming soiled by the falling rain such that they must be laundered again. As a result a user is prevented from carrying out other activities and resources are wasted through the need to rewash items.

There is a need, therefore, for improvements in the field of clothes drying which overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a portable clothes hanging assembly, for supporting clothes during drying and/or airing, comprising a plurality of clothes hanging formations extending laterally either side of a lengthwise extending spine assembly and being moveably interconnected to one another by the said spine assembly, the spine assembly including at least one attachment member to allow hanging of the spine assembly from a support, and the spine assembly being moveable between a drying configuration in which the clothes hanging formations are spaced from one another in the lengthwise direction by a first amount and a carrying configuration in which the clothes hanging formations are spaced from one another in the lengthwise direction by a second amount, the second amount being less than the first amount.

The provision of a spine assembly having clothes hanging formations extending laterally on either side thereof helps to minimise the weight and bulk of the clothes hanging assembly so as to allow a user easily to carry the assembly when loaded with clothing items In the meantime the ability to move the spine assembly between a drying configuration and a carrying configuration allows a user to hang the clothes hanging assembly, as

I

desired, from a support such as a line while drying clothing items hung on the clothes hanging assembly, and to quickly carry the clothes hanging assembly, complete with the clothing items hung thereon, indoors should the weather deteriorate.

Preferably each clothes hanging formation extends laterally to substantially the same extent on each side of the spine assembly. Such an arrangement helps to ensure that the clothes hanging assembly remains balanced when loaded with clothing items.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the spine assembly includes a plurality of attachment members. The inclusion of a plurality of attachment members means that the clothes hanging assembly need not be evenly loaded in the lengthwise direction.

Optionally the spine assembly includes a plurality of interconnected pairs of first and second bars. Such an arrangement provides the desired relative movement between adjacent clothes hanging formations while being lightweight and easy to manufacture.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention each clothes hanging formation extends laterally from the spine assembly at a pivot connection between adjacent bars.

Arranging the clothes hanging formations in this manner provides for a desired degree of variation in the spacing between adjacent clothes hanging formations in the lengthwise direction while maintaining sufficient, in use, vertical spacing between adjacent clothes hanging formations while the spine assembly is in the carrying configuration to help minimise any creasing of adjacent clothing items.

The portable clothes hanging assembly may further include a cover coupled with the spine assembly to extend over the spine assembly while the spine assembly is in each of the drying and carrying configurations. The inclusion of a cover allows the clothes hanging assembly to provide a degree of weather protection to clothing items hung therefrom, e.g. from rain, while a user realises that action is required to move the clothes hanging assembly indoors, and also as the user is moving the spine assembly into the carrying configuration and carrying the clothes hanging assembly indoors.

Preferably the cover is deformable so as to move with the spine assembly between the drying and carrying configurations. A deformable cover provides the desired degree of weather protection without increasing the bulk of the clothes hanging assembly.

Conveniently the spine assembly includes at least one interface member to allow the spine assembly to sit on a support while in the drying configuration. The inclusion of one or more interface members allows a user to support the clothes hanging assembly indoors in the drying configuration such as, for example, when the weather is poor.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a portable clothes hanging package comprising a portable clothes hanging assembly as described herein above and a support stand on which the spine assembly is able to sit while in the drying configuration.

Such a package shares the advantages associated with the corresponding features of the portable clothes hanging assembly.

There now follows a brief description of preferred embodiments of the invention, by way of non-limiting example, with reference being made to the following figures in which: Figure 1 shows a portable clothes hanging assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention in a drying configuration; Figure 2(a) shows an elevational view from a first side of the clothes hanging assembly shown in Figure 1 in the drying configuration; Figure 2(b) shows an elevational view from the first side of the clothes hanging assembly shown in Figure 1 in a carrying configuration; Figure 3 shows an elevation view from in front of the clothes hanging assembly shown in Figure 1; and Figure 4 shows a portable clothes hanging package according to another embodiment of the invention.

A portable clothes hanging assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10.

The clothes hanging assembly 10 shown includes nine clothes hanging formations 12 which extend laterally either side of a lengthwise extending spine assembly 14.

In other embodiments of the invention (not shown) the clothes hanging assembly 10 may include fewer than or greater than nine clothes hanging formations 12.

Each clothes hanging formation 12 extends laterally relative to the spine assembly 14 to substantially the same extent, as shown in Figure 3.

Each clothes hanging formation 12 defines a pair of shoulder portions 16 which facilitate the hanging of a shirt, blouse, sweater, t-shirt, dress, jacket or coat in a manner that prevents wrinkles. Each shoulder portion 16 includes a retention member 18 to retain the strap ofa dress.

In other embodiments of the invention (not shown) one or more of the clothes hanging formations 12 may define a different arrangement, e.g. the clothes hanging formation 12 may further include a lower bar for the hanging of trousers, skirts, or other clothing items such as socks or underwear. The hanging formation 12 may also be configured to deal with a specific item of clothing.

The spine assembly 14 moveably interconnects the clothes hanging formations 12 to one another and includes two attachment members 20 in the form of respective hooks 22. In other embodiments of the invention the spine assembly 14 may include a fewer or a greater number of attachment members 20.

The spine assembly 14 is moveable between a drying configuration in which the clothes hanging formations are spaced from one another in the lengthwise direction by a first amount (as shown in Figures 1 and 2(a)), and a carrying configuration in which the clothes hanging formations are spaced from one another in the lengthwise direction by a second amount (as shown in Figure 2(b)). The second amount is less than the first amount, and so the clothes hanging assembly 10 has a shorter length while in the carrying configuration.

In the embodiment shown the spine assembly 14 includes six pairs of first and second bars 24, 26 which are pivotally connected to one another. Clothes hanging assemblies according to other embodiments of the invention may include fewer or more pairs pivotally connected first and second bars 24, 26.

Each clothes hanging formation 12 extends laterally from the spine assembly 14 at a pivot connection 26 between adjacent first and second bars 24, 26.

The clothes hanging assembly 10 also includes a cover 30 which, as shown in Figure 1, is arranged to extend over the spine assembly 14 (and associated clothes hanging formations 12) while the spine assembly 14 is in each of the drying and carrying configurations.

The cover 30 is deformable so as to move with the spine assembly 14 between the drying and carrying configurations.

Preferably the cover 30 is formed from a water resistant material such that it provides a degree of shower protection.

The spine assembly 14 also includes an interface member 32 at either end thereof.

Each interface member 32 is engageable with a stand member 34 of a support stand 36 to allow the spine assembly 14 to sit on the support stand 36 while in the drying configuration.

Each stand member 34 may be coupled to another stand member 34 to define a single support stand 36, as shown in Figure 4, or each stand member 34 may be separate from the or each other stand member 34 to define a plurality of separate support stands (not shown).

A clothes hanging assembly 10 and one or more support stands 36 together define a portable clothes hanging package 50.

In use, a user hangs clothing items (not shown for clarity) on the clothes hanging assembly 10 while it is in either the drying or carrying configuration, or any configuration therebetween. For example, a user may choose to hang clothing items on the clothes hanging assembly 10 while it is hanging from a washing line and arranged in a drying configuration.

When the user needs to bring the clothes hanging assembly 10 indoors, e.g. because the clothing items hung thereon are dry or the weather has deteriorated, the user is able quickly to move the spine assembly 14 into the carrying configuration by sliding the attachment members 20, i.e. hooks 22, towards one another along the washing line.

Once in the carrying configuration the user is able to remove the clothes hanging assembly 10 from the washing line and carry the clothes hanging assembly 10, together with all of the clothing items hanging therefrom, indoors.

Once indoors the user has the choice of hanging the clothes hanging assembly 10 from a further support and moving the spine assembly 14 into the drying configuration, or moving the spine assembly 14 into the drying configuration and engaging each of the interface members 32 with a stand member 34 to sit the clothes hanging assembly 10 on one or more support stands 36.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A portable clothes hanging assembly, for supporting clothes during drying and/or airing, comprising a plurality of clothes hanging formations extending laterally either side of a lengthwise extending spine assembly and being moveably interconnected to one another by the said spine assembly, the spine assembly including at least one attachment member to allow hanging of the spine assembly from a support, and the spine assembly being moveable between a drying configuration in which the clothes hanging formations are spaced from one another in the lengthwise direction by a first amount and a carrying configuration in which the clothes hanging formations are spaced from one another in the lengthwise direction by a second amount, the second amount being less than the first amount.
2. A portable clothes hanging assembly according to Claim 1 wherein each clothes hanging formation extends laterally to substantially the same extent on each side of the spine assembly.
3. A portable clothes hanging assembly according to Claim I or Claim 2 wherein the spine assembly includes a plurality of attachment members.
4. A portable clothes hanging assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the spine assembly includes a plurality of interconnected pairs of first and second bars.
5. A portable clothes hanging assembly according to Claim 4 wherein each clothes hanging formation extends laterally from the spine assembly at a pivot connection between adjacent bars.
6. A portable clothes hanging assembly according to any preceding claim further including a cover coupled with the spine assembly to extend over the spine assembly while the spine assembly is in each of the drying and carrying configurations.
7. A portable clothes hanging assembly according to Claim 6 wherein the cover is deformable so as to move with the spine assembly between the drying and carrying configurations.
8. A portable clothes hanging assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the spine assembly includes at least one interface member to allow the spine assembly to sit on a support while in the drying configuration.
9. A portable clothes hanging package comprising a portable clothes hanging assembly according to any of Claims I to 8 and a support stand on which the spine assembly is able to sit while in the drying configuration.
10. A portable clothes hanging assembly generally as herein described with reference to and or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
11. A portable clothes hanging package generally as herein described with reference to and or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.