US20100156258A1 - Foldable wardrobe - Google Patents

Foldable wardrobe Download PDF

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Publication number
US20100156258A1
US20100156258A1 US12/279,541 US27954107A US2010156258A1 US 20100156258 A1 US20100156258 A1 US 20100156258A1 US 27954107 A US27954107 A US 27954107A US 2010156258 A1 US2010156258 A1 US 2010156258A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
cabinet body
flexible cabinet
flexible
stiffeners
disposed
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US12/279,541
Inventor
Manchiu Li
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POTTER INDUSTRIES Ltd
Potter Ind Ltd
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Potter Ind Ltd
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Assigned to POTTER INDUSTRIES LIMITED reassignment POTTER INDUSTRIES LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LI, MANCHIU
Publication of US20100156258A1 publication Critical patent/US20100156258A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47BTABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
    • A47B43/00Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features enabling folding of the cabinet or the like
    • A47B43/04Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features enabling folding of the cabinet or the like made of a rigid frame with walls or door-leaves of textile or the like
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47BTABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
    • A47B61/00Wardrobes
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D1/00Containers having bodies formed in one piece, e.g. by casting metallic material, by moulding plastics, by blowing vitreous material, by throwing ceramic material, by moulding pulped fibrous material, by deep-drawing operations performed on sheet material
    • B65D1/38Baskets or like containers of skeleton or apertured construction
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D37/00Portable flexible containers not otherwise provided for

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a wardrobe and more particularly pertains to a foldable wardrobe in the field of living items.
  • wardrobes are generally made of wood, and are sturdy and durable. However, the shortcomings are that they are bulky and heavy, and it is difficult to transport and unable to stow. To overcome these shortcomings, lighter foldable wardrobes are provided in the marketplace.
  • This kind of wardrobes is formed by means of a collapsible or bendable connection construction to secure a plurality of supporting frames and to cover the same with an outer covering.
  • the supporting frames are mostly made of aluminum tubes, plastic tubes or other lightweight materials and the outer covering of the wardrobe is made of fabric, plastic or other lightweight materials.
  • the collapsible wardrobes of simple construction lack rigidity, are easily damaged, and cannot repeatedly be assembled and disassembled for many times whereas the collapsible wardrobes of complicated construction are more difficult to be assembled and disassembled and the manufacturing cost is susceptibly higher. Irrespective of whichever constructions, the outer covering and the supporting frames are still required to be separated first when these wardrobes are being stowed or carried. Some even are first required to have the supporting frames separated one by one and are required to be reassembled when being used. For users especially those who are not familiar with the constructions, the existing foldable wardrobes are still not so convenient.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a foldable wardrobe which is of simple and rigid construction, is instantly formed on expansion and can quickly be folded up into a small flat size after use, thereby being convenient to be stowed and carried and substantially saving the storage space. Both expanding and folding of the foldable wardrobe are fast and convenient.
  • a foldable wardrobe comprising a flexible cabinet body, a pair of twistable frames and two or more stiffeners, wherein the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body are two separate panels, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side can be one panel or a plurality of separate panels, each panel of the front side, the back side, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side is sewn and joined together to form the flexible cabinet body; the outer edges of the two panels of the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body each is formed into a sleeve, each sleeve respectively holds the twistable frame inside; the two or more stiffeners each is removably connected with the panel of the top, the bottom, the left side or the right side of the flexible cabinet body or the twistable frames as to support the flexible cabinet body after being expanded; the front side of the flexible cabinet body is disposed with one or more closable openings.
  • the twistable frames are flexible rods, the material of which can be made of metal, or plastic, or other flexible materials.
  • the panels of the top, the bottom, the left side or the right side of the flexible cabinet body are disposed with two or more sheaths each of which is open at least at one end, the stiffeners each is inserted into the sheath from the opening and can be taken out of the sheath from the opening, and thus the stiffeners are removably engaged with the panels of the top, the bottom, the left side or the right side of the flexible cabinet body.
  • the stiffeners can wholly be inserted into the sheaths, the opening ends of the sheaths can be disposed with nylon tapes (magic tapes) or other devices which are releasably removable connected for tightening or closing the openings, as to prevent the stiffeners from sliding out of the openings.
  • nylon tapes magic tapes
  • other devices which are releasably removable connected for tightening or closing the openings, as to prevent the stiffeners from sliding out of the openings.
  • each of the stiffeners can each be a hook or a fastener, the hooks or the fasteners can removably be hooked or fastened to the twisted frames inside the peripheries.
  • the stiffeners are inserted into the sheaths, the hooks or the fasteners expose out of the two opening ends of the sheaths.
  • the stiffeners are hollow tubes or rods made of plastic, or metal, or wood, the quantity of the stiffeners is two or more; when the quantity is two, it is best to dispose the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides of the left side, the right side of the flexible wardrobe, or one upper and one lower, or to dispose the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides of the top, the bottom of the flexible cabinet body; when the quantity is three, it is best to dispose two of the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the top of the left side, the right side, to dispose the other stiffener in the middle of the bottom of the flexible cabinet body, or to dispose two of the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the bottom of the left side, the right side, to dispose the other stiffener in the middle of the top of the flexible cabinet body; when the quantity is four, it is best to dispose two of the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the top of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body, to dispose the remaining two stiffeners in parallel on the two
  • the foldable wardrobe further comprises one or more hanging rods adapted for hanging clothing articles.
  • the hanging rod can be a one-piece hanging rod or a foldable hanging rod, the hanging rod is a hollow tube or a rod made of plastic, or metal, or wood.
  • the material of the flexible cabinet body is a flexible material, such as, fabric, yarn, mesh, flexible plastic materials and so on. It can be made by one kind of material or a combination of multiple materials but is at least made of one layer or more layers of materials.
  • the flexible cabinet body is disposed with one or more transverse partitions, the transverse partition is disposed on the upper part inside the flexible cabinet body, sewn and joined to the left side, the right side and the back side of the flexible cabinet body, as to provide a partition for placing clothing articles and simultaneously to provide a transverse supporting function.
  • the bottom of the transverse partition is disposed with two or more loops, the hanging rod can be engaged into the loops.
  • the quantity of the loops is two or more; when the quantity is two, it is best to dispose the loops in parallel at the two ends of the left side, the right side of the bottom of the transverse partition; when the quantity is three, it is best to dispose two of the loops in parallel at the two ends of the left side, the right side of the bottom of the transverse partition, to dispose the other loop in parallel in the middle of the bottom of the transverse partition.
  • the flexible cabinet body is further disposed with a vertical partition, the vertical partition is disposed between the transverse partition and the top of the flexible cabinet body as to strengthen the support to the top, the vertical partition can be one piece, or formed of two overlapping pieces or formed of a plurality of overlapping pieces.
  • the flexible cabinet body further comprises one or more stiffening transverse rods, as to provide a transverse supporting function.
  • the stiffening transverse rod can be a one-piece transverse rod or a foldable transverse rod, the stiffening transverse rod is a hollow tube or a rod made of plastic, or metal, or wood.
  • the panels of the front side or the back side of the flexible cabinet body are disposed with one or more transverse rod sheaths each of which is open at least at one end, the stiffening transverse rods can be inserted into the transverse rod sheaths from the openings and can be taken out of the transverse rod sheaths from the openings.
  • the quantity of the stiffening transverse rods is one or more; when the quantity is one, it is best to engage the stiffening transverse rod in the middle or in a position beneath the middle on the front side of the flexible cabinet body; when the quantity is two, it is best to engage one of the stiffening transverse rods in the middle or in a position beneath the middle on the front side of the flexible cabinet body, to engage the other in the middle or in a position beneath the middle on the back side of the flexible cabinet body.
  • transverse rod sheaths are disposed with nylon tapes (magic tapes) or other devices which are releasably removable connected for tightening or closing the openings, as to prevent the stiffening transverse rods from sliding out of the openings.
  • nylon tapes magic tapes
  • other devices which are releasably removable connected for tightening or closing the openings, as to prevent the stiffening transverse rods from sliding out of the openings.
  • the closable opening is disposed with a zipper or a zip lock seal or other removable connection devices such as nylon tapes (magic tapes) for convenient opening or closing.
  • the closable opening can upwardly be open from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to its top as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles inside the flexible cabinet body, or to any position beneath the middle, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles inside the bottom of the flexible cabinet body, the closable opening can upwardly be open to any position from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body.
  • the closable opening can upwardly be open from the middle or from any position close to the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to its top, or to any position beneath its top, as to conveniently store or take out the clothing articles inside the top of the flexible cabinet body.
  • the front side of the flexible cabinet body may be disposed with two closable openings, the first opening is open from the middle or from any position close to the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to its top, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles placed inside the top of the flexible cabinet, the second opening is upwardly open from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to any position beneath the middle, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles placed inside the bottom of the flexible cabinet body.
  • the front side of the flexible cabinet body may be disposed with three closable openings, the first opening is upwardly open from the middle or from any position close to the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to its top, as to conveniently store or take out the clothing articles placed inside the top of the flexible cabinet body, the second opening is upwardly open from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to any position beneath the middle, as to conveniently store or take out the clothing articles placed inside the bottom of the flexible cabinet body, the third opening encompasses the first opening and the second opening within its area, as to conveniently store or take out all the clothing articles placed inside the flexible cabinet body.
  • the left side or the right side or both of the left side, the right side each may be disposed with one or more closable openings as to conveniently store or take out the clothing articles placed inside the flexible cabinet body.
  • the position where the top of flexible cabinet body is sewn and joined to the back side is disposed with one or more hanging loops, as to engage the loop onto the nail or the hanging hook on a wall to hold the flexible cabinet body in position, the bottom of the flexible cabinet body can be placed on the floor.
  • the foldable wardrobe can further comprise a sling bag which can be engaged onto the exterior of the flexible cabinet body after it is twisted and folded, as to keep the wardrobe in the twisted and folded state.
  • the front side and the back side of the flexible cabinet body can be disposed with a corresponding removable connection device, such as magic tapes, rubber cords and so on, adapted for fastening up the twisted and folded wardrobe, as to keep the wardrobe in the twisted and folded state.
  • a removable connection device such as magic tapes, rubber cords and so on
  • the foldable wardrobe of the present invention is operated as follows: First, the wardrobe is taken out from the sling bag or the removable connection device is released, the twistable frames, not subject to pressure, pop open instantly and return to the original state, thereby simultaneously expanding the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body; then the stiffeners are inserted into the sheaths from the openings of the sheaths, if the two ends of the stiffeners are hooks or fasteners, the hook parts or the fasteners expose out of the openings of the two ends of the sheaths and the hook parts or the fasteners are hooked or fastened to the twistable frames inside the peripheries, and then the stiffening transverse rod is inserted into the transverse rod sheath from the opening of the transverse rod sheath to support the wardrobe and hold it in form, if the two ends of the stiffeners do not have any hook or fastener, nylon tapes (magic tapes) or other devices are adapted for tightening or closing the openings, as to prevent the
  • the present invention is foldable for stowing and carrying, the detail procedures are as follows: First, the hanging rod is taken out from the loops, the stiffening transverse rod is taken out from the opening of the transverse rod sheath, the stiffeners are taken out from the opening of the sheaths, then the pair of frames is overlapped together, the two corresponding parallel sides of the frames are held by hands, twisted and folded, then a sling bag or a removable connection device is adapted for engaging the folded wardrobe inside or fastening it up, as to keep the wardrobe in the twisted and folded state.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the first embodiment of the foldable wardrobe of the present invention after expansion.
  • FIG. 2 is a view showing the first embodiment of FIG. 1 at the beginning of being folded.
  • FIG. 3 is a view showing the first embodiment of FIG. 1 in the process of being folded.
  • FIG. 4 is a view showing the state of the first embodiment of FIG. 1 after being folded.
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the second embodiment of the foldable wardrobe of the present invention after expansion.
  • FIG. 1 shows the construction of the first embodiment of the present invention.
  • the present embodiment comprises a flexible cabinet body 1 , twistable frames 2 and stiffeners 3 .
  • the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1 are two separate panels, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side are a plurality of separate panels, each of the panels is sewn and joined together to form a flexible cabinet body 1 ; in other embodiments, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side may be one panel, not shown in the drawing.
  • each sleeve 11 respectively holds one of the twistable frames 2 inside, the twistable frames 2 are flexible rods, the material can be made of metal, or plastic, or other flexible materials.
  • the material of the flexible cabinet body 1 is a flexible material, such as, fabric, yarn, mesh or flexible plastic materials, can be made of one kind of material or a combination of multiple materials but is at least made of one layer or more layers of the materials.
  • the stiffeners 3 are hollow tubes made of plastic, the quantity of the stiffeners is eight, the panels of the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side of the flexible cabinet body 1 each is disposed with sheaths 12 open at one end, eight sheaths 12 in total, the first sheath 12 is disposed in the middle of the top of the flexible cabinet body 1 , the second sheath 12 is disposed in the connecting position of the top and the left side of the flexible cabinet body 1 , the third sheath 12 is disposed in the middle of the left side of the flexible cabinet body 1 , the fourth sheath 12 is disposed in the connecting position of the left side and the bottom of the flexible cabinet body 1 , the fifth sheath 12 is disposed in the middle of the bottom of the flexible cabinet body 1 , the sixth sheath 12 is disposed in the connecting position of the bottom and the right side of the flexible cabinet body 1 , the seventh sheath 12 is disposed in the middle of the right side of the flexible cabinet body 1 , the eighth shea
  • the opening ends of the sheaths 12 are disposed with nylon tapes 13 (magic tapes), or other devices which are releasably removable connected for tightening or closing the openings, not shown in the drawing, as to prevent the stiffeners 3 from sliding out of the openings.
  • the stiffeners 3 may be hollow tubes or rods made of metal or wood, the quantity of the stiffeners 3 may be two or more, or three, or nine, and is not confined, not shown in the drawing, the larger the size of the flexible cabinet body the more the stiffeners 3 are required, in general the stiffeners 3 are disposed in parallel.
  • the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 is disposed with a closable opening.
  • the front side of flexible cabinet body 1 is disposed with three closable openings, the first opening 41 is upwardly open from the middle or a position close to the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 to its top, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles placed inside the top of the flexible cabinet body 1 , the second opening 42 is upwardly open from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 to a position beneath the middle, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles placed inside the bottom of the flexible cabinet body 1 , the third opening 43 is upwardly open from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 to its top, the third opening 43 encompasses the first opening 41 and the second opening 42 within its area, as to conveniently store and take out all the clothing articles placed inside the flexible cabinet body; in other embodiments, the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 may be disposed with one, two or more than three closable openings, the left side or the right side
  • the closable openings 41 , 42 , 43 are disposed with zippers 44 , as for convenient opening or closing.
  • the closable openings may be disposed with zip lock seals or other removable connection devices such as nylon tapes (magic tapes) and so on, not shown in the drawing.
  • the present embodiment further comprises a hanging rod 5 , the hanging rod 5 is a hollow tube made of plastic, foldable and is adapted for hanging clothing articles.
  • the hanging rod 5 may be more than one piece, may be hollow tubes or rods made of metal or wood, may be one-piece non-foldable, not shown in the drawing.
  • the flexible cabinet body 1 is disposed with a transverse partition 6 , the transverse partition 6 is disposed on the upper part inside the flexible cabinet body 1 , sewn and joined to the left side, the right side and the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1 , as to provide a partition for placing clothing articles and simultaneously to provide a transverse supporting function.
  • the transverse partitions 6 may be more than one, not shown in the drawing.
  • the bottom of the transverse partition 6 is disposed with loops 61 , the hanging rod 5 can be engaged into the loops 61 .
  • the quantity of loops 61 is three, two are disposed in parallel at the two ends of the left side, the right side of the bottom of the transverse partition 6 , the other is disposed in parallel in the middle of the bottom of the transverse partition 6 .
  • the quantity of the loops 61 may be two or more than three, not shown in the drawing.
  • the flexible cabinet body 1 is further disposed with a vertical partition 7 , the vertical partition 7 is disposed between the transverse partition 6 and the top of the flexible cabinet body 1 as to strengthen the support to the top.
  • the vertical partition 7 is formed of two overlapping pieces. In other embodiments, the vertical partition 7 may be one piece or formed of more overlapping pieces, not shown in the drawing.
  • the present embodiment further comprises a stiffening transverse rod 8 , the stiffening transverse rod 8 is a foldable hollow tube made of plastic; the middle or the position beneath the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 is disposed with a transverse rod sheath 14 open at one end, the stiffening transverse rod 8 can be inserted into the transverse rod sheath 14 from the opening, and can be taken out of the transverse rod sheath 14 from the opening, as to provide the transverse supporting function.
  • the stiffening transverse rod 8 is a foldable hollow tube made of plastic; the middle or the position beneath the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 is disposed with a transverse rod sheath 14 open at one end, the stiffening transverse rod 8 can be inserted into the transverse rod sheath 14 from the opening, and can be taken out of the transverse rod sheath 14 from the opening, as to provide the transverse supporting function.
  • the opening end of the transverse rod sheath 14 is disposed with nylon tapes 15 (magic tapes), or other devices which are releasably removable connected for tightening or closing the opening, not shown in the drawing, as to prevent the stiffening transverse rod 8 from sliding out of the opening.
  • nylon tapes 15 magic tapes
  • the stiffening transverse rod 8 may be a hollow tube or a rod made of metal or wood, may be a non-foldable one-piece, the stiffening transverse rod 8 may be more than one piece, when the quantity is two, it is best to engage one in the middle or a position beneath the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 , to engage the other in the middle or a position beneath the middle of the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1 , not shown in the drawing.
  • the position where the top of the flexible cabinet body 1 is sewn and joined to the back side is disposed with a hanging loop 16 , as to engage the hanging loop 16 onto the nail or the hanging hook on a wall as to hold the flexible cabinet body 1 in position, the bottom of the flexible cabinet body 1 can be placed on the floor.
  • the quantity of hanging loops 16 may be more than one, not shown in the drawing.
  • the present embodiment further comprises a sling bag, not shown in the drawings, which can be engaged onto the exterior of the flexible cabinet body 1 after being twisted and folded as to keep the flexible cabinet body 1 in the twisted and folded state.
  • a sling bag not shown in the drawings, which can be engaged onto the exterior of the flexible cabinet body 1 after being twisted and folded as to keep the flexible cabinet body 1 in the twisted and folded state.
  • the front side and the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1 can be disposed with a corresponding removable connection device, such as magic tapes, rubber cords and so on, adapted for fastening up the twisted and folded flexible cabinet body 1 , not shown in the drawing, as to keep the flexible cabinet body 1 in the twisted and folded state, the twisted and folded state as shown in FIG. 4 .
  • a removable connection device such as magic tapes, rubber cords and so on
  • the present embodiment is operated as follows: First, the wardrobe is taken out from the sling bag or the removable connection device is released, the twistable frames 2 , subject to no pressure, instantly pop open and return to the original state, thereby simultaneously expanding the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1 ; then the stiffeners 3 are inserted into the sheaths 12 from the openings of the sheaths 12 , and then the stiffening transverse rod 8 is inserted into the transverse rod sheath 14 from the opening of the transverse rod sheath 14 to support and hold the wardrobe in form, then nylon tapes 13 , 15 are adapted for closing the opening as to prevent the stiffeners 3 or the stiffening transverse rod 8 from sliding out of the openings; after that, by means of engaging the hanging loop 16 onto the nail or the hanging hook arranged beforehand on the wall to hold the flexible cabinet body 1 in the predetermined position, the bottom of the flexible cabinet body 1 can be placed on the floor, the hanging rod 5 is engaged into the loops 61 , then the closable
  • the present embodiment is foldable for stowing and carrying, the detail procedures are as follows: First, the hanging rod 5 is taken out from the loops 61 , the stiffening transverse rod 8 is taken out from the opening of the transverse rod sheath 14 , the stiffeners 3 are taken out from the openings of the sheaths 12 , the pair of twistable frames 2 is then overlapped together, shown in FIG. 2 , the two corresponding parallel sides of the twistable frames 2 are held by hands, twisted and folded, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , then a sling bag or a removable connection device is adapted for engaging the folded flexible cabinet body 1 inside or fastening it up as to keep the flexible cabinet body 1 in the twisted and folded state.
  • FIG. 5 is the second embodiment of the present invention showing the construction of the stiffeners 3 and the sheaths 12 .
  • the construction of the second embodiment and that of the first embodiment are substantially the same.
  • the other sheaths 12 have openings at both ends, the two ends of the stiffeners 3 each is a hook 31 , the stiffeners 3 and the hooks thereof are inserted into the sheaths 12 , the hook parts 31 expose out of the two opening ends of the sheaths 12 , the hook parts 31 are removably hooked to the twistable frames 2 inside the peripheries 11 .
  • the two ends of the stiffeners 3 each is a fastener, the fastener is removably fastened to the twistable frames 2 inside the peripheries 11 , not shown in the drawing.
  • the present foldable wardrobe expands into form when being taken out, is ready for use, very convenient and does not require special installation tools that an average family member can accomplish the operation by oneself; it does not require disassembly after use and can simply and quickly be folded into a small flat size, is convenient to be stowed and to carried, thereby significantly saving the storage space.
  • the present foldable wardrobe is of more simple and rigid construction, has fewer component parts and is not required to separate the enclosure and the frames first when being stowed and carried and is more convenient and fast for use.
  • the present foldable wardrobe is of simple and rigid construction, does not have many component parts, the manufacturing cost is susceptibly lower and transportation and warehousing fees are far lower, thereby is advantageous for production and promotion in large scale.

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Abstract

The present invention provides a foldable wardrobe comprising a flexible cabinet body, a pair of twistable frames and two or more stiffeners. Each panel of the front side, the back side, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side of the flexible cabinet body is sewn and joined together to form the flexible cabinet body; the outer edges of the two panels of the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body each is formed into a sleeve, each sleeve respectively holds one of the twistable frames inside; the stiffeners each is removably connected with the panel of the top, the bottom, the left side or the right side of the flexible cabinet body or the twistable frames as to support the flexible cabinet body after being expanded; the front side of the flexible cabinet body is disposed with one or more closable openings. The foldable wardrobe of the present invention is of simple and rigid construction, is instantly formed on expansion, can quickly be folded up into a small flat size after use and is convenient to be stowed and carried, thereby substantially saving the storage space. Further, it does not have many component parts, the manufacturing cost is susceptibly lower, and it is advantageous for production and promotion in large scale.

Description

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention relates to a wardrobe and more particularly pertains to a foldable wardrobe in the field of living items.
  • Conventional wardrobes are generally made of wood, and are sturdy and durable. However, the shortcomings are that they are bulky and heavy, and it is difficult to transport and unable to stow. To overcome these shortcomings, lighter foldable wardrobes are provided in the marketplace. This kind of wardrobes is formed by means of a collapsible or bendable connection construction to secure a plurality of supporting frames and to cover the same with an outer covering. The supporting frames are mostly made of aluminum tubes, plastic tubes or other lightweight materials and the outer covering of the wardrobe is made of fabric, plastic or other lightweight materials. The collapsible wardrobes of simple construction lack rigidity, are easily damaged, and cannot repeatedly be assembled and disassembled for many times whereas the collapsible wardrobes of complicated construction are more difficult to be assembled and disassembled and the manufacturing cost is susceptibly higher. Irrespective of whichever constructions, the outer covering and the supporting frames are still required to be separated first when these wardrobes are being stowed or carried. Some even are first required to have the supporting frames separated one by one and are required to be reassembled when being used. For users especially those who are not familiar with the constructions, the existing foldable wardrobes are still not so convenient.
  • BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • In view of the aforesaid disadvantages now present in the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a foldable wardrobe which is of simple and rigid construction, is instantly formed on expansion and can quickly be folded up into a small flat size after use, thereby being convenient to be stowed and carried and substantially saving the storage space. Both expanding and folding of the foldable wardrobe are fast and convenient.
  • To attain this, the present invention adopts the following technical proposal:
  • A foldable wardrobe comprising a flexible cabinet body, a pair of twistable frames and two or more stiffeners, wherein the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body are two separate panels, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side can be one panel or a plurality of separate panels, each panel of the front side, the back side, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side is sewn and joined together to form the flexible cabinet body; the outer edges of the two panels of the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body each is formed into a sleeve, each sleeve respectively holds the twistable frame inside; the two or more stiffeners each is removably connected with the panel of the top, the bottom, the left side or the right side of the flexible cabinet body or the twistable frames as to support the flexible cabinet body after being expanded; the front side of the flexible cabinet body is disposed with one or more closable openings.
  • The twistable frames are flexible rods, the material of which can be made of metal, or plastic, or other flexible materials.
  • The panels of the top, the bottom, the left side or the right side of the flexible cabinet body are disposed with two or more sheaths each of which is open at least at one end, the stiffeners each is inserted into the sheath from the opening and can be taken out of the sheath from the opening, and thus the stiffeners are removably engaged with the panels of the top, the bottom, the left side or the right side of the flexible cabinet body.
  • The stiffeners can wholly be inserted into the sheaths, the opening ends of the sheaths can be disposed with nylon tapes (magic tapes) or other devices which are releasably removable connected for tightening or closing the openings, as to prevent the stiffeners from sliding out of the openings.
  • The two ends of each of the stiffeners can each be a hook or a fastener, the hooks or the fasteners can removably be hooked or fastened to the twisted frames inside the peripheries.
  • The stiffeners are inserted into the sheaths, the hooks or the fasteners expose out of the two opening ends of the sheaths.
  • The stiffeners are hollow tubes or rods made of plastic, or metal, or wood, the quantity of the stiffeners is two or more; when the quantity is two, it is best to dispose the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides of the left side, the right side of the flexible wardrobe, or one upper and one lower, or to dispose the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides of the top, the bottom of the flexible cabinet body; when the quantity is three, it is best to dispose two of the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the top of the left side, the right side, to dispose the other stiffener in the middle of the bottom of the flexible cabinet body, or to dispose two of the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the bottom of the left side, the right side, to dispose the other stiffener in the middle of the top of the flexible cabinet body; when the quantity is four, it is best to dispose two of the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the top of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body, to dispose the remaining two stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the bottom of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body; when the quantity is five, it is best to dispose one of the stiffeners in the middle of the top of the flexible cabinet body, to dispose two of the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the top of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body, to dispose the remaining two stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the bottom of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body; when the quantity is six, it is best to dispose two of the stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the top of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body, to dispose the other two stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the middle of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body, to dispose the remaining two stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the bottom of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body; when the quantity is seven, it is best to dispose one of the stiffeners in the middle of the top of the flexible cabinet body, to dispose the other two stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the top of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body, to dispose the other two stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the middle of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body, to dispose the remaining two stiffeners in parallel on the two sides close to the bottom of the left side, the right side of the flexible cabinet body; when the quantity exceeds seven, to dispose the stiffeners in parallel on the left side, the right side, the top and the bottom of the flexible cabinet body.
  • The foldable wardrobe further comprises one or more hanging rods adapted for hanging clothing articles. The hanging rod can be a one-piece hanging rod or a foldable hanging rod, the hanging rod is a hollow tube or a rod made of plastic, or metal, or wood.
  • The material of the flexible cabinet body is a flexible material, such as, fabric, yarn, mesh, flexible plastic materials and so on. It can be made by one kind of material or a combination of multiple materials but is at least made of one layer or more layers of materials.
  • The flexible cabinet body is disposed with one or more transverse partitions, the transverse partition is disposed on the upper part inside the flexible cabinet body, sewn and joined to the left side, the right side and the back side of the flexible cabinet body, as to provide a partition for placing clothing articles and simultaneously to provide a transverse supporting function.
  • The bottom of the transverse partition is disposed with two or more loops, the hanging rod can be engaged into the loops.
  • The quantity of the loops is two or more; when the quantity is two, it is best to dispose the loops in parallel at the two ends of the left side, the right side of the bottom of the transverse partition; when the quantity is three, it is best to dispose two of the loops in parallel at the two ends of the left side, the right side of the bottom of the transverse partition, to dispose the other loop in parallel in the middle of the bottom of the transverse partition.
  • The flexible cabinet body is further disposed with a vertical partition, the vertical partition is disposed between the transverse partition and the top of the flexible cabinet body as to strengthen the support to the top, the vertical partition can be one piece, or formed of two overlapping pieces or formed of a plurality of overlapping pieces.
  • The flexible cabinet body further comprises one or more stiffening transverse rods, as to provide a transverse supporting function. The stiffening transverse rod can be a one-piece transverse rod or a foldable transverse rod, the stiffening transverse rod is a hollow tube or a rod made of plastic, or metal, or wood.
  • The panels of the front side or the back side of the flexible cabinet body are disposed with one or more transverse rod sheaths each of which is open at least at one end, the stiffening transverse rods can be inserted into the transverse rod sheaths from the openings and can be taken out of the transverse rod sheaths from the openings.
  • The quantity of the stiffening transverse rods is one or more; when the quantity is one, it is best to engage the stiffening transverse rod in the middle or in a position beneath the middle on the front side of the flexible cabinet body; when the quantity is two, it is best to engage one of the stiffening transverse rods in the middle or in a position beneath the middle on the front side of the flexible cabinet body, to engage the other in the middle or in a position beneath the middle on the back side of the flexible cabinet body.
  • The opening ends of the transverse rod sheaths are disposed with nylon tapes (magic tapes) or other devices which are releasably removable connected for tightening or closing the openings, as to prevent the stiffening transverse rods from sliding out of the openings.
  • The closable opening is disposed with a zipper or a zip lock seal or other removable connection devices such as nylon tapes (magic tapes) for convenient opening or closing.
  • The closable opening can upwardly be open from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to its top as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles inside the flexible cabinet body, or to any position beneath the middle, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles inside the bottom of the flexible cabinet body, the closable opening can upwardly be open to any position from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body.
  • The closable opening can upwardly be open from the middle or from any position close to the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to its top, or to any position beneath its top, as to conveniently store or take out the clothing articles inside the top of the flexible cabinet body.
  • The front side of the flexible cabinet body may be disposed with two closable openings, the first opening is open from the middle or from any position close to the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to its top, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles placed inside the top of the flexible cabinet, the second opening is upwardly open from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to any position beneath the middle, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles placed inside the bottom of the flexible cabinet body.
  • The front side of the flexible cabinet body may be disposed with three closable openings, the first opening is upwardly open from the middle or from any position close to the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to its top, as to conveniently store or take out the clothing articles placed inside the top of the flexible cabinet body, the second opening is upwardly open from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body to any position beneath the middle, as to conveniently store or take out the clothing articles placed inside the bottom of the flexible cabinet body, the third opening encompasses the first opening and the second opening within its area, as to conveniently store or take out all the clothing articles placed inside the flexible cabinet body.
  • The left side or the right side or both of the left side, the right side each may be disposed with one or more closable openings as to conveniently store or take out the clothing articles placed inside the flexible cabinet body.
  • The position where the top of flexible cabinet body is sewn and joined to the back side is disposed with one or more hanging loops, as to engage the loop onto the nail or the hanging hook on a wall to hold the flexible cabinet body in position, the bottom of the flexible cabinet body can be placed on the floor.
  • The foldable wardrobe can further comprise a sling bag which can be engaged onto the exterior of the flexible cabinet body after it is twisted and folded, as to keep the wardrobe in the twisted and folded state.
  • The front side and the back side of the flexible cabinet body can be disposed with a corresponding removable connection device, such as magic tapes, rubber cords and so on, adapted for fastening up the twisted and folded wardrobe, as to keep the wardrobe in the twisted and folded state.
  • The foldable wardrobe of the present invention is operated as follows: First, the wardrobe is taken out from the sling bag or the removable connection device is released, the twistable frames, not subject to pressure, pop open instantly and return to the original state, thereby simultaneously expanding the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body; then the stiffeners are inserted into the sheaths from the openings of the sheaths, if the two ends of the stiffeners are hooks or fasteners, the hook parts or the fasteners expose out of the openings of the two ends of the sheaths and the hook parts or the fasteners are hooked or fastened to the twistable frames inside the peripheries, and then the stiffening transverse rod is inserted into the transverse rod sheath from the opening of the transverse rod sheath to support the wardrobe and hold it in form, if the two ends of the stiffeners do not have any hook or fastener, nylon tapes (magic tapes) or other devices are adapted for tightening or closing the openings, as to prevent the stiffening transverse rod from sliding out of the openings; after that, by means of engaging the hanging loop onto the nail or the hanging hook arranged beforehand on the wall to hold the flexible cabinet body in the predetermined position, the bottom of the flexible cabinet body can be placed on the floor, the hanging rod is engaged into the loops, then the closable openings can be open for placing the clothing articles into the wardrobe. The present invention is foldable for stowing and carrying, the detail procedures are as follows: First, the hanging rod is taken out from the loops, the stiffening transverse rod is taken out from the opening of the transverse rod sheath, the stiffeners are taken out from the opening of the sheaths, then the pair of frames is overlapped together, the two corresponding parallel sides of the frames are held by hands, twisted and folded, then a sling bag or a removable connection device is adapted for engaging the folded wardrobe inside or fastening it up, as to keep the wardrobe in the twisted and folded state.
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the first embodiment of the foldable wardrobe of the present invention after expansion.
  • FIG. 2 is a view showing the first embodiment of FIG. 1 at the beginning of being folded.
  • FIG. 3 is a view showing the first embodiment of FIG. 1 in the process of being folded.
  • FIG. 4 is a view showing the state of the first embodiment of FIG. 1 after being folded.
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the second embodiment of the foldable wardrobe of the present invention after expansion.
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  • The preferred embodiment of the present invention is further described in detail with the following embodiments and the accompanying drawings.
  • FIG. 1 shows the construction of the first embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present embodiment comprises a flexible cabinet body 1, twistable frames 2 and stiffeners 3. In the present embodiment, the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1 are two separate panels, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side are a plurality of separate panels, each of the panels is sewn and joined together to form a flexible cabinet body 1; in other embodiments, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side may be one panel, not shown in the drawing. The outer edges of the two panels of the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1 each is formed into a sleeve 11, each sleeve 11 respectively holds one of the twistable frames 2 inside, the twistable frames 2 are flexible rods, the material can be made of metal, or plastic, or other flexible materials. The material of the flexible cabinet body 1 is a flexible material, such as, fabric, yarn, mesh or flexible plastic materials, can be made of one kind of material or a combination of multiple materials but is at least made of one layer or more layers of the materials.
  • In the present embodiment, the stiffeners 3 are hollow tubes made of plastic, the quantity of the stiffeners is eight, the panels of the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side of the flexible cabinet body 1 each is disposed with sheaths 12 open at one end, eight sheaths 12 in total, the first sheath 12 is disposed in the middle of the top of the flexible cabinet body 1, the second sheath 12 is disposed in the connecting position of the top and the left side of the flexible cabinet body 1, the third sheath 12 is disposed in the middle of the left side of the flexible cabinet body 1, the fourth sheath 12 is disposed in the connecting position of the left side and the bottom of the flexible cabinet body 1, the fifth sheath 12 is disposed in the middle of the bottom of the flexible cabinet body 1, the sixth sheath 12 is disposed in the connecting position of the bottom and the right side of the flexible cabinet body 1, the seventh sheath 12 is disposed in the middle of the right side of the flexible cabinet body 1, the eighth sheath 12 is disposed in the connecting position of the right side and the top of the flexible cabinet body 1, the eight stiffeners 3 are correspondingly inserted into the sheaths 12 from the openings, and can be taken out of the sheaths 12 from the openings, the eight stiffeners 3 are engaged in the sheaths 12, thereby supporting the flexible cabinet body 1 after expansion. The opening ends of the sheaths 12 are disposed with nylon tapes 13 (magic tapes), or other devices which are releasably removable connected for tightening or closing the openings, not shown in the drawing, as to prevent the stiffeners 3 from sliding out of the openings. In other embodiments, the stiffeners 3 may be hollow tubes or rods made of metal or wood, the quantity of the stiffeners 3 may be two or more, or three, or nine, and is not confined, not shown in the drawing, the larger the size of the flexible cabinet body the more the stiffeners 3 are required, in general the stiffeners 3 are disposed in parallel.
  • The front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 is disposed with a closable opening. In the present embodiment, the front side of flexible cabinet body 1 is disposed with three closable openings, the first opening 41 is upwardly open from the middle or a position close to the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 to its top, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles placed inside the top of the flexible cabinet body 1, the second opening 42 is upwardly open from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 to a position beneath the middle, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles placed inside the bottom of the flexible cabinet body 1, the third opening 43 is upwardly open from the bottom of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 to its top, the third opening 43 encompasses the first opening 41 and the second opening 42 within its area, as to conveniently store and take out all the clothing articles placed inside the flexible cabinet body; in other embodiments, the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 may be disposed with one, two or more than three closable openings, the left side or the right side or both of the left side and right side of the flexible cabinet body 1 may each be disposed with one or more closable openings, as to conveniently store and take out the clothing articles placed inside the flexible cabinet 1, not shown in the drawing. In the present embodiment, the closable openings 41, 42, 43 are disposed with zippers 44, as for convenient opening or closing. In other embodiments, the closable openings may be disposed with zip lock seals or other removable connection devices such as nylon tapes (magic tapes) and so on, not shown in the drawing.
  • The present embodiment further comprises a hanging rod 5, the hanging rod 5 is a hollow tube made of plastic, foldable and is adapted for hanging clothing articles. In other embodiments, the hanging rod 5 may be more than one piece, may be hollow tubes or rods made of metal or wood, may be one-piece non-foldable, not shown in the drawing.
  • The flexible cabinet body 1 is disposed with a transverse partition 6, the transverse partition 6 is disposed on the upper part inside the flexible cabinet body 1, sewn and joined to the left side, the right side and the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1, as to provide a partition for placing clothing articles and simultaneously to provide a transverse supporting function. In other embodiments, the transverse partitions 6 may be more than one, not shown in the drawing.
  • The bottom of the transverse partition 6 is disposed with loops 61, the hanging rod 5 can be engaged into the loops 61. In the present embodiment, the quantity of loops 61 is three, two are disposed in parallel at the two ends of the left side, the right side of the bottom of the transverse partition 6, the other is disposed in parallel in the middle of the bottom of the transverse partition 6. In other embodiments, the quantity of the loops 61 may be two or more than three, not shown in the drawing.
  • The flexible cabinet body 1 is further disposed with a vertical partition 7, the vertical partition 7 is disposed between the transverse partition 6 and the top of the flexible cabinet body 1 as to strengthen the support to the top. In the present embodiment, the vertical partition 7 is formed of two overlapping pieces. In other embodiments, the vertical partition 7 may be one piece or formed of more overlapping pieces, not shown in the drawing.
  • The present embodiment further comprises a stiffening transverse rod 8, the stiffening transverse rod 8 is a foldable hollow tube made of plastic; the middle or the position beneath the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1 is disposed with a transverse rod sheath 14 open at one end, the stiffening transverse rod 8 can be inserted into the transverse rod sheath 14 from the opening, and can be taken out of the transverse rod sheath 14 from the opening, as to provide the transverse supporting function. The opening end of the transverse rod sheath 14 is disposed with nylon tapes 15 (magic tapes), or other devices which are releasably removable connected for tightening or closing the opening, not shown in the drawing, as to prevent the stiffening transverse rod 8 from sliding out of the opening. In other embodiments, the stiffening transverse rod 8 may be a hollow tube or a rod made of metal or wood, may be a non-foldable one-piece, the stiffening transverse rod 8 may be more than one piece, when the quantity is two, it is best to engage one in the middle or a position beneath the middle of the front side of the flexible cabinet body 1, to engage the other in the middle or a position beneath the middle of the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1, not shown in the drawing.
  • The position where the top of the flexible cabinet body 1 is sewn and joined to the back side is disposed with a hanging loop 16, as to engage the hanging loop 16 onto the nail or the hanging hook on a wall as to hold the flexible cabinet body 1 in position, the bottom of the flexible cabinet body 1 can be placed on the floor. In other embodiments, the quantity of hanging loops 16 may be more than one, not shown in the drawing.
  • The present embodiment further comprises a sling bag, not shown in the drawings, which can be engaged onto the exterior of the flexible cabinet body 1 after being twisted and folded as to keep the flexible cabinet body 1 in the twisted and folded state.
  • The front side and the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1 can be disposed with a corresponding removable connection device, such as magic tapes, rubber cords and so on, adapted for fastening up the twisted and folded flexible cabinet body 1, not shown in the drawing, as to keep the flexible cabinet body 1 in the twisted and folded state, the twisted and folded state as shown in FIG. 4.
  • The present embodiment is operated as follows: First, the wardrobe is taken out from the sling bag or the removable connection device is released, the twistable frames 2, subject to no pressure, instantly pop open and return to the original state, thereby simultaneously expanding the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body 1; then the stiffeners 3 are inserted into the sheaths 12 from the openings of the sheaths 12, and then the stiffening transverse rod 8 is inserted into the transverse rod sheath 14 from the opening of the transverse rod sheath 14 to support and hold the wardrobe in form, then nylon tapes 13, 15 are adapted for closing the opening as to prevent the stiffeners 3 or the stiffening transverse rod 8 from sliding out of the openings; after that, by means of engaging the hanging loop 16 onto the nail or the hanging hook arranged beforehand on the wall to hold the flexible cabinet body 1 in the predetermined position, the bottom of the flexible cabinet body 1 can be placed on the floor, the hanging rod 5 is engaged into the loops 61, then the closable openings 41, 42, 43 can be open for placing the clothing articles into the wardrobe. The present embodiment is foldable for stowing and carrying, the detail procedures are as follows: First, the hanging rod 5 is taken out from the loops 61, the stiffening transverse rod 8 is taken out from the opening of the transverse rod sheath 14, the stiffeners 3 are taken out from the openings of the sheaths 12, the pair of twistable frames 2 is then overlapped together, shown in FIG. 2, the two corresponding parallel sides of the twistable frames 2 are held by hands, twisted and folded, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, then a sling bag or a removable connection device is adapted for engaging the folded flexible cabinet body 1 inside or fastening it up as to keep the flexible cabinet body 1 in the twisted and folded state.
  • FIG. 5 is the second embodiment of the present invention showing the construction of the stiffeners 3 and the sheaths 12. The construction of the second embodiment and that of the first embodiment are substantially the same. In this embodiment, with the exception to the sheath 12 disposed in the middle of the top, the other sheaths 12 have openings at both ends, the two ends of the stiffeners 3 each is a hook 31, the stiffeners 3 and the hooks thereof are inserted into the sheaths 12, the hook parts 31 expose out of the two opening ends of the sheaths 12, the hook parts 31 are removably hooked to the twistable frames 2 inside the peripheries 11. In other embodiments, the two ends of the stiffeners 3 each is a fastener, the fastener is removably fastened to the twistable frames 2 inside the peripheries 11, not shown in the drawing.
  • The above embodiments are the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The present invention is capable of other embodiments and is not limited to the above embodiments. Any other variation, decoration, substitution, combination or simplification, whether in substance or in principle, not deviated from the spirit of the present invention, is replacement or substitution of equivalent function and falls within the scope of protection of the present invention.
  • The advantages and effects of the present invention in comparison with the prior art are:
  • First, the present foldable wardrobe expands into form when being taken out, is ready for use, very convenient and does not require special installation tools that an average family member can accomplish the operation by oneself; it does not require disassembly after use and can simply and quickly be folded into a small flat size, is convenient to be stowed and to carried, thereby significantly saving the storage space.
  • Secondly, in comparison with the existing foldable wardrobes, the present foldable wardrobe is of more simple and rigid construction, has fewer component parts and is not required to separate the enclosure and the frames first when being stowed and carried and is more convenient and fast for use.
  • Thirdly, in comparison with the existing foldable wardrobes, the present foldable wardrobe is of simple and rigid construction, does not have many component parts, the manufacturing cost is susceptibly lower and transportation and warehousing fees are far lower, thereby is advantageous for production and promotion in large scale.

Claims (9)

1. A foldable wardrobe comprising a flexible cabinet body, a pair of twistable frames and two or more stiffeners, wherein the front side, the back side of the flexible cabinet body are two separate panels, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side can be one panel or a plurality of separate panels, each panel of the front side, the back side, the top, the bottom, the left side and the right side is sewn and joined together to form the flexible cabinet body; the outer edges of the two panels of the front side and the back side of the flexible cabinet body each is formed into a sleeve, each sleeve respectively holds one of the twistable frames inside; the two or more stiffeners each is removably connected with the panel of the top, the bottom, the left side or the right side of the flexible cabinet body or the twistable frames as to support the flexible cabinet body after being expanded; the front side of the flexible cabinet body is disposed with one or more closable openings.
2. A foldable wardrobe as in claim 1, wherein the panels of the top, the bottom, the left side or the right side of the flexible cabinet body are disposed with two or more sheaths each of which is open at least at one end, the stiffeners each is inserted into the sheath from the opening and can be taken out of the sheath from the opening, and thus the stiffeners are removably engaged with the panels of the top, the bottom, the left side or the right side of the flexible cabinet body.
3. A foldable wardrobe as in claim 1, wherein the two ends of each of the stiffeners each is a hook or a fastener, the hooks or the fasteners can removably be hooked or fastened to the twistable frames inside the sleeves.
4. A foldable wardrobe as in claim 3, wherein the stiffeners are inserted into the sheaths, the hooks or the fasteners are exposed from the two opening ends of the sheaths.
5. A foldable wardrobe as in claim 1, wherein the foldable wardrobe further comprises one or more hanging rods, the hanging rods each is a one-piece hanging rod or a foldable hanging rod.
6. A foldable wardrobe as in claim 1, wherein the flexible cabinet body is disposed with one or more transverse partitions, the transverse partitions each is disposed on the upper part inside the flexible cabinet body, sewn and joined to the left side, the right side and the back side of the flexible cabinet body as to provide a partition for placing clothing articles and simultaneously to provide a transverse supporting function.
7. A foldable wardrobe as in claim 6, wherein the bottom of the transverse partition is disposed with two or more loops, the hanging rod is engaged into the loops.
8. A foldable wardrobe as in claim 6, wherein the flexible cabinet body is further disposed with a vertical partition, the vertical partition is disposed between the transverse partition and the top of the flexible cabinet body as to strengthen the support to the top, the vertical partition can be one piece or formed of two overlapping pieces.
9. A foldable wardrobe as in claim 1, wherein the flexible cabinet body further comprises one or more stiffening transverse rods, the stiffening transverse rods each can be a one-piece transverse rod or a foldable transverse rod.
US12/279,541 2007-04-23 2007-04-23 Foldable wardrobe Abandoned US20100156258A1 (en)

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PCT/CN2007/001330 WO2008128382A1 (en) 2007-04-23 2007-04-23 Foldable wardrobe

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CN112493708A (en) * 2020-12-03 2021-03-16 安徽理工大学 Portable wardrobe convenient to it is folding

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CN112493708A (en) * 2020-12-03 2021-03-16 安徽理工大学 Portable wardrobe convenient to it is folding

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GB0900003D0 (en) 2009-02-11
WO2008128382A1 (en) 2008-10-30

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Owner name: POTTER INDUSTRIES LIMITED,HONG KONG

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LI, MANCHIU;REEL/FRAME:021393/0073

Effective date: 20080814

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION