US20150083176A1

US20150083176A1 - Portable Change Room

Info

Publication number: US20150083176A1
Application number: US14/467,235
Authority: US
Inventors: Wendy Douglass
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-09-24
Filing date: 2014-08-25
Publication date: 2015-03-26
Also published as: AU2013231184A1

Abstract

A portable change room including a frame and a curtain member attached to the frame. The curtain extends around the frame so that in use the curtain forms a continuous wall defining a change space.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates broadly to change rooms, and in particular to portable change rooms.

BACKGROUND ART

During dance competitions it is common for children to require several costume changes. Often, due to space constraints, there is limited space available for changing. Options may include a general change area, or a public bathroom. There are a number of shortcomings with these options. These areas are not always clean, and the costumes are costly and need to be carefully handled so as not to soil or damage them. Trying to change in a small dirty bathroom can be stressful and unhygienic. Additionally, the bathrooms are often crowded making it difficult to dress and undress. In some cases, changing areas often host both male and female parents helping their children, and many children find it uncomfortable and embarrassing to change in front of strangers, and in particular, the opposite sex.
There are portable change rooms available, but these are often heavy and cumbersome. Additionally, the available portable change rooms tend to be directed more for commercial use to be rented out and are therefore more structural in nature and complex to assemble and disassemble.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a portable changing room to overcome or ameliorate one or more of these disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a portable change room including a frame and a curtain member attached to the frame. The curtain extends around the frame so that in use the curtain forms a continuous wall defining a change space.
Preferably, the curtain member includes a first edge and a second edge. The edges are attachable together to form the wall.
Preferably, the curtain member is slidably attached to the frame.
Preferably, the curtain member is removable from the frame.
Preferably, the curtain includes fastening means such as snaps or buttons for bustling the curtain to a shorter length.
Preferably, the frame is circular.
Preferably, the frame includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the portions are selectively detachable.
Preferably, the first portion is slidable within the second portion to form the frame.
Preferably, the first portion includes at least one depressible button biased toward an extended position and the second portion includes a corresponding aperture for receiving the at least one depressible button.
Preferably, the frame includes a pair of hinged portions, the hinged portions adapted to fold together for storage and transport.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to achieve a better understanding of the nature of the present invention, non-limiting preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a mobile change room in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows the portable change room in use with edges of the curtain spaced apart to;

FIG. 3 shows the portable change room in use with edges of the curtain attached together so as to form a continuous wall;

FIG. 4 shows the portable change room not in use;

FIG. 5 shows the portable change room folded up for transport and storage; and

FIG. 6 shows an adjustable frame of the portable change room.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate a portable change room 10 suitable for use in areas where changing space is limited or changing rooms are unavailable. Referring to FIG. 1 the portable change room 10 includes a frame 12 and a curtain 14. The curtain 14 has a top edge 16 that attaches to the frame 12. The curtain 14 extends around the frame 12. In use the frame 12 is held generally parallel to the floor, and curtain 14 extends from the frame 14 to the floor to form a wall 15 defining a change space 18.
The frame 12 is circular in shape with a diameter of about 230 cm. This creates a change space 18 large enough for a user 28 to change a tutu, as well as for another user (not shown) to be in the change space 18 to help with costume changes and the like. The frame 12 may be a tube formed from plastic, aluminium, or other lightweight suitable material. Referring to FIG. 6, the frame 12 may include a first portion 12 a and a second portion 12 b joined together. The portions 12 a, 12 b may be joined together using a 25 mm joiner (not shown), a dowel in between two ends of the tube (not shown), or a depressible button 32 and corresponding aperture 34. As shown in FIG. 6, the first portion 12 a includes tapered ends 28 having at least one depressible button 32 biased toward an extended position. The second portion 12 b includes two ends 30 having an aperture 34 for receiving the corresponding depressible button 32. The frame 12 may include two or more depressible buttons 32 and corresponding apertures 34 to provide an adjustable frame 12. The adjustable frame 12 may be useful in areas where space is very limited and a large diameter change space 18 is not required. It will be appreciated that the frame 12 may be other shapes such as oval, or rectangular.
The curtain 14 may be made of cotton, polyester or other suitable material so long as the material forms a wall 15 that people outside cannot see through. As best seen in FIG. 1 to achieve the desired length it may be necessary to sew two panels 14 a, 14 b of material together at a seam 13. The seam 13 may be covered by decorative lace or the like. Alternatively, it may be possible to use just one panel of material depending on the length required. The curtain 14 may be adjustable with buttons or snaps (not shown) sewn on the curtain 14 to bustle the material up when maximum height is not needed. The curtain 14 may include decorative trim or labels identifying a particular dance school, dancer, or the like. The curtain 14 may be attached to the frame 12 by folding the top edge 16 around the frame 12 and attaching it to a lower portion 17 of the curtain 14 to create a sleave 19 around the frame 12. This attachment method allows for the curtain 14 to slide along the frame 12. The top edge 16 may be sewn to the lower portion 17. Alternatively, snaps, buttons, or hook and loop fasteners may be used so that the curtain 14 may be removed from the frame 14 for cleaning.
As shown in FIG. 1, the curtain 14 includes a first side edge 20 and a second side edge 22. The side edges 20, 22 run generally perpendicular to the frame 12 when the portable change room 10 is in use, and the frame 12 is held generally parallel to the floor. The side edges 20, 22 of the curtain 14 include hook and loop attachments 24 to secure the side edges 20, 22 of the curtain 14 together to form continuous wall 15 around the frame 12 defining the change space 18. It will be appreciated that other attachment means may also be used such as buttons, snaps or the like.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, when in use, the frame 14 is held by a first user 26 so that the frame 12 is generally parallel to the floor, and the curtain 14 hangs toward the floor to create the change space 18 for a second user 28. The frame 14 may be held at any suitable height for the second user 28. As shown in FIG. 3, the frame 12 is held just above the second user's 28 head. The second user 28 may enter the change space 18 through an opening 28 defined between the side edges 20, 22 of the curtain 14. Once the second user 26 is within the change space 18 the side edges 20, 22 may be secured together using the hook and loop attachment 24 to create a continuous wall 15 around the second user 28. Once inside the change space 18 the second user 28 is able to safely and privately change clothing.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the portable change room 10 may be folded flat for easy transport and storage when not in use. The curtain 14 may be folded around the frame 12 to be either carried as is, or placed into a tutu bag (not shown). In another embodiment the frame 14 may be hinged on either side of the circular diameter so that the frame 14 may be halved prior to folding the curtain 14 around it.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. All such variations and modifications are to be considered within the scope and spirit of the present invention the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.

Claims

1. A portable change room including:

a frame; and

a curtain member attached to the frame, wherein

the curtain extends around the frame so that in use the curtain forms a continuous wall defining a change space.

2. The portable change room according to claim 1, wherein the curtain member includes a first edge and a second edge, the edges being attachable together to form the continuous wall.

3. The portable change room according to claim 1, wherein the curtain member includes a top edge slidably attached to the frame.

4. The portable change room according to claim 1, wherein the curtain member is removably attached to the frame.

5. The portable change room according to claim 1, wherein the curtain includes fastening means for bustling the curtain to a shorter length.

6. The portable change room according to claim 1, wherein the frame is circular.

7. The portable change room according to claim 1, wherein the frame includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the portions are selectively detachable.

8. The portable change room according to claim 7, wherein the first portion is slidable within the second portion to form the frame.

9. The portable change room according to claim 8, wherein the first portion includes at least one depressible button biased toward an extended position and the second portion includes a corresponding aperture for receiving the at least one depressible button.

10. The portable change room according to claim 5, wherein the frame includes a pair of hinged portions, the hinged portions adapted to fold together for storage and transport.