US3586276A

US3586276A - Supporting structure and basket

Info

Publication number: US3586276A
Application number: US838183A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard A O'mahoney
Original assignee: VELCOR
Current assignee: VELCOR
Priority date: 1969-07-01
Filing date: 1969-07-01
Publication date: 1971-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-22

Abstract

A basket is provided with an upper hook secured to its rear portion and first and second elongated lower clip means pivoted adjacent to the lower left and right corners of the basket. These first and second clip means are in the form of baseplates pivoted to the corner portions and extending to terminate in free ends in resilient clips such that the same may be swung in a plane parallel to the plane of the rear of the basket. The arrangement is such that the upper hook may readily be positioned about a horizontal tubular frame structure and the lower clips positioned spatially to engage other tubular members of the frame structure to stabilize the position of the basket. Such frame structures may constitute bedside rails in hospitals or portable walkers for crippled people.

Description

I United States Patent 1 3,586,276

[72] lnventor Richard A. O'Mahoney 3,126,186 3/1964 Halligan 248/311 Burbank, Calif. 2,400,829 9/1968 Youngson 211/128 [21] Appl. No. 838,183 3,473,772 10/1969 Nilson 248/311 {22] Filed 1969 Primary Examiner-Marion Parsons, Jr. [45] Patented June 22, 1971 A me Pastoriza & Ken 73 Assignee Velcor Y [54] SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND BASKET ABSTRACT A basket is provided with an upper hook 3 Claims. 1 Drawing Fig. secured to its rear portion and first and second elongated lower cllp means pivoted ad acent to the lower left and rlght U.S. comers of he basket These first and second means are in 248M501 248/25, 248/ 31 248/360 the form of baseplates pivoted to the comer portions and ex- [51] Int. Cl A471: l/04 tending to terminate in f ends in resilient u such that h [50] Field of Search 248/128, same may be swung in a plane n to the plane f the rear 150, 25311324340359, 360 of the basket. The arrangement is such that the upper hook may readily be ositioned. about a horizontal tubular frame [561 References Cited structure and th: lower clips positioned spatially to engage UNITED STATES PATENTS other tubular members of the frame structure to stabilize the 2,289,695 7/1942 Bryant 248/150 position of the basket. Such frame structures may constitute 2,633,278 3/1953 Muniz 248/31 1 bedside rails in hospitals or portable walkers for crippled peo- 2,746,527 5/1956 Liebich ple.

PATENTED JUH22|97| 3586276- INVENTOI?! RICHARD A. O'MAHONEY BY 5mm 97% a),

ATTORN S.

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND BASKET This invention relates generally to basket structures and more particularly to a unique basket with securing means for cooperation with a supporting tubular frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is very desirable to provide some type of container or carrying means such as a basket for use by patients in hospitals alongside their bed or for attachment to tubular frames such as walkers for the convenience of partially crippled patients.

Since bedside stands or railings are of various geometrical configurations and likewise since tubular frame type walkers are of varying dimensions, there is no ready means for easily attaching a basket or other container to the structure for use by a patient. Either a basket structure with suitable securing means must be specifically fabricated for a particular type of frame structure, in which case it is adaptable to only one particular use, or some permanent type of securing means must be used in which case it is very time consuming to remove the basket or container or reposition the basket or container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Bearing the foregoing considerations in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a unique basket structure particularly useful in combination with a supporting tubular frame such as a bedside stand, rail structure, or walker wherein problems encountered heretofore with the securement and release of such baskets are overcome.

More particularly, the invention contemplates a basket incorporating fastening means having a relatively wide adjustment range so as to readily adapt the fastening to various different types of tubular support frames. In the preferred embodiment, the basket includes an upper hook means secured to the upper rear portion of the basket defining an upper hook above the upper edge of the rear portion. First and second elongated lower clip means in turn have base ends pivoted adjacent to the lower left and right comers of the basket and extending second ends terminating in resilient clips for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the plane of the rear of the basket.

With the foregoing arrangement, the upper hook may encircle a horizontal portion of a tubular frame to suspend the basket and the resilient clips may then be spatially positioned to engage other portions of the tubular frame and thus stabilize the basket in a desired position.

Since only a hook and resilient clip structures are employed, it is very easy to secure or remove the baskets from the frame structure. Moreover, the pivoting arrangement of the first and second lower clip means permits the same to be readily swung or folded into positions such that they lie against the rear portion with the extending resilient hooks adjacent to the upper hook means, thereby providing a compact basket structure for storing or shipping purposes when not in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A better understanding of the invention will be had by referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as disclosed in the accompanying drawing in which:

The single FIG. constitutes a fragmentary perspective view of a tubular frame structure showing the basket of this invention secured thereto in a desired position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, there is shown a basket or container having an upper hook means designated generally by the numeral 11 secured to the rear upper portion of the basket. First and second lower clip means designated generally by the

numerals

12 and 13 in turn are secured adjacent the lower leftand right-hand comers of the rear portion of the basket.

The foregoing described hook and first and second clip means are arranged to be secured to a tubular frame structure which might constitute a horizontal portion 14 about which the hook means 11 is positioned and other tubular portions which may be horizontal or vertical or even angulated such as indicated at 15 and 16 for receiving the first and second clip means 12 and 13.

In the preferred construction, the upper hook means 11 is in the form of a single elongated bent rod having its ends 17 and 18 secured in spaced positions to the rear portion of the basket 10. These ends extend generally parallel to each other in an upper direction and thence curve rearwardly over as indicated at 19 and 20, and thence extend laterally towards each other to connect together at 21. There is thus defined an upper hook for engaging about a horizontal tubular member as described at 14, which hook is simple and rugged in construction and provides a desirable support for suspending the basket while inhibiting swinging of the basket in the plane of its rear surface.

Each of the lower

resilient clips

12 and 13 are identical in construction and therefore a detailed description of one will suffice for both. Thus, referring to the resilient clip means 12, the structure includes a baseplate 22 pivoted at 23 to the lower rear left portion of the basket 10 for swinging or pivoting movement about an axis A. First and second

parallel rods

24 and 25 in turn extend from the baseplate 22 and terminate in a clip plate 26 to which a resilient clip 27 is pivoted as at 28. The arrangement is such that the resilient clip 27 may be rotated about an axis B which runs parallel to and is spaced from the axis A. The resilient clip 27 faces rearwardly as shown but its entrance slot may be aligned either horizontally, vertically, or at any angle there between.

The distance between the pivot axes A and B designated d and lies between one-half and one times the vertical length L of the basket 10. Further, these axes are both normal to the plane of the rear of the basket 10 so that swinging movement of the resilient clip 27 can take place in a plane parallel to this plane.

In the drawing, the clip means 13 is shown in a pivoted to spatially position its corresponding resilient clip at a desired distance from the resilient clip 27 of the first clip means 12.

OPERATION The operation of the fastening means will be evident from the foregoing description. Initially, when it is desired to attach the basket to a bedside frame structure or to a walker or other tubular frame, the upper hook means 11 is simply positioned over a horizontal tubular member such as the member 14 described. With this fastening, the basket 10 is suspended but is still capable of swinging movement in a fore-and-aft direction as viewed in the drawing.

The foregoing movement of the basket is stabilized by the first and second resilient clip means 12 and 13. These clip means are suitably pivoted to position the resilient clips themselves spatially such that the same can receive in clipping engagement other tubular portions of the frame structure. For example, the resilient clip 27 has been pivoted about its pivot axis B relative to the clip plate 26 so that its entrance opening is horizontal to receive a lower horizontal tubular member 15. The second clip means 13, on the other hand, has been swung laterally and its corresponding resilient clip positioned with its entrance opening vertical to receive the lower portion of the tubular member 16.

The pivots themselves are provided with some friction so that after the clip means have been pivoted and the resilient clips themselves pivoted to desired positions, they will ordinarily stay in such position until a positive force is applied. Accordingly, the basket is completely stabilized by the first and second lower clips.

Because of the relatively long length of the clip means as defined by the distance d, the resilient clips themselves may assume many different spatial positions relative to the upper hook means and thus the fastening for the basket is readily adaptable to different geometries of tubular frames, the basket itself always being positioned upright as shown.

When the basket is not in use and it is desired to store the same or perhaps ship the same to another location, the first and second clip means 12 and 13 may be swung completely about their pivot axes to upright positions such that the outer rods (for example, the rod 24 for the first clip means 12) engage respectively the ends 17 and 18 of the upper hook means. Since the distance dis less than L, there will be no overlapping projections beyond the exterior borders of the rear surface of the basket so that a compact configuration results. Further, the engagement of the outer rods of the clip means with the ends 17 and 18 of the upper hook means will prevent further inward swinging of the clip means so that a neat packaging results.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the present invention has provided a greatly improved basket for use with the various different types of tubular supporting structures all to the end that great convenience is provided particularly for patients in hospital beds or partial cripples who rely on a walker for mobility.

What I claim is:

1. In a supporting structure comprised of tubular members, at least one of which extends horizontally a basket for attachment to said structure including, in combination: an upper hook means in the form of a continuous bent rod having its end portions secured to an upper rear portion of said basket, said end portions extending upwardly and thence curving over 180 rearwardly to extend downwardly and thence laterally towards each other to connect together and thereby define a hook for engaging over said one of the tubular members extending horizontally; and first and second lower clip means disposed respectively adjacent to the lower left and right rear comer portions of said basket, each of said lower hook means including a baseplate pivoted to the rear comer portion of said basket; elongated parallel rods extending from said baseplate in a plane parallel to the rear plane of said basket and terminating in a clip plate; and a resilient clip pivoted to said clip plate and facing rearwardly, the axes of pivoting movement of said baseplate and resilient clip being normal to said plane, parallel to each other, and spaced apart by a distance between one-half and one times the vertical length of said basket, whereby the resilient clips of said lower clip means may be adjustably positioned to engage in clipping relationship others of said tubular members to thereby stabilize the position of said basket on said supporting structure.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, in which said lower clip means may each be swung around in to positions such that the outer ones of the parallel rods lie flush against said end portions of said upper hook means to thereby provide a compact basket structure for storing or shipping purposes when not in use.

3. In a supporting structure comprised of tubular members, at least one of which extends horizontally, a basket for attachment to said structure including, in combination: an upper means in the form of a continuous bent rod having its end portions secured to an upper rear portion of said basket for engaging over said one of the tubular members extending horizontally; and first and second lower clip means disposed respectively adjacent to the lower left and right rear corner portions of said basket, each of said lower hook means including a baseplate pivoted to the rear corner portion of said basket; elongated parallel rods extending from said baseplate laterally and terminating in a clip plate; and a resilient clip pivoted to said clip plate and facing rearwardly, the axes of pivoting movement of said baseplate and resilient clip being substantially normal to the rear plane of said basket, parallel to each other, and spaced apart by a distance between onehalf and one times the length of said basket whereby the resilient clips of said lower hook means may be adjustably positioned to engage in clipping relationship others of said tubular members to thereby stabilize the position of said basket on said supporting structure.

Claims

1. In a supporting structure comprised of tubular members, at least one of which extends horizontally a basket for attachment to said structure including, in combination: an upper hook means in the form of a continuous bent rod having its end portions secured to an upper rear portion of said basket, said end portions extending upwardly and thence curving over 180* rearwardly to extend downwardly and thence laterally towards each other to connect together and thereby define a hook for engaging over said one of the tubular members extending horizontally; and first and second lower clip means disposed respectively adjacent to the lower left and right rear corner portions of said basket, each of said lower hook means including a baseplate pivoted to the rear corner portion of said basket; elongated parallel rods extending from said baseplate in a plane parallel to the rear plane of said basket and terminating in a clip plate; and a resilient clip pivoted to said clip plate and facing rearwardly, the axes of pivoting movement of said baseplate and resilient clip being normal to said plane, parallel to each other, and spaced apart by a distance between one-half and one times the vertical length of said basket, whereby the resilient clips of said lower clip means may be adjustably positioned to engage in clipping relationship others of said tubular members to thereby stabilize the position of said basket on said supporting structure.

3. In a supporting structure comprised of tubular members, at least one of which extends horizontally, a basket for attachment to said structure including, in combination: an upper means in the form of a continuous bent rod having its end portions secured to an upper rear portion of said basket for engaging over said one of the tubular members extending horizontally; and first and second lower clip means disposed respectively adjacent to the lower left and right rear corner portions of said basket, each of said lower hook means including a baseplate pivoted to the rear corner portion of said basket; elongated parallel rods extending from said baseplate laterally and terminating in a clip plate; and a resilient clip pivoted to said clip plate and facing rearwardly, the axes of pivoting movement of said baseplate and resilient clip being substantially normal to the rear plane of said basket, parallel to each other, and spaced apart by a distance between one-half and one times the length of said basket whereby the resilient clips of said lower hook means may be adjustably positioned to engage in clipping relationship others of said tubular members to thereby stabilize the position of said basket on said supporting structure.