WO2005095065A1

WO2005095065A1 - Rack for holding tools and other implements

Info

Publication number: WO2005095065A1
Application number: PCT/IL2005/000363
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zvi Zak
Original assignee: Keter Plastic Ltd.
Priority date: 2004-04-01
Filing date: 2005-03-31
Publication date: 2005-10-13

Abstract

A rack (1) for holding implements (11) in which a shelf-like projection (4) projects from a back support (2). The projection has one or more notches (5) configured to receive a portion of at least one implement. At least one notch has a lining (6) configured to hold a portion of an implement by frictional forces between the lining and the portion of the implement.

Description

RACK

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a rack from which implements may be hung.

BACKGROUND For storage purposes and convenient access, implements are often hung from a rack. Various racks have been devised for storing tools and implements in appropriate work places such as garages and basements and or culinary tools for storage in a kitchen. A typical rack includes an elongated wood or plastic plank which is bored or notched to receive and support a plurality of implements or has projections for hanging the implements. Generally these implements comprise a wide end and are commonly hung in a manner so that the wide end rests on the notches or projections. US 4,071-212 (Burrows et al) discloses an implement rack having upper and lower slotted members mounted on a support. The slots are shaped and disposed to receive knife blades at off-vertical angles. Tongues between the members prevent the blades from being withdrawn forwardly from the rack in their vertical or more nearly vertical positions. The rack also can be used for culinary utensils. US 5,097,966 (Miller) describes a storage rack for supporting an ensemble of implements alongside an upright support surface and includes a base member and a plurality of removable supports rods. The base member has a plurality of equidistantly spaced, angled support rod bores in its front face, and each support rod has a first end portion sized for close-fitting, slideable mated engagement in each of the support rod bores. Preferably, the support rod bores are at an acute angle to the front surface so that, when a support rod is inserted, the rod extends forwardly and upwardly to terminate in a free end. US 6,681,940 (Cash et al) provides a tool rack organizer having a support assembly including rows of horizontal arms normally disposed in parallel spaced relation to a storage wall. Outer arms are pivotally connected to the support assembly for independent movement between a closed position and an open position. The arms are provided with a series of longitudinally spaced openings for attaching implement hooks to thereby hang customary tools, equipment and other implements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a rack for hanging or holding one or more implements. The terms implement and implements in the specification and claims will be used in their broadest terms and used to denote items including, but not limited to: tools/appliances and other items comprising handles or elongated or tubular portions, for example, rakes, shovels, hedge clippers, sickles, garden utensils, hose (e.g. garden hose), beach chairs, toilet plungers, flash lights, bicycle pumps, squeegees, brooms, hoes, hammers, screw drivers, culinary accessories, skis, ski poles, tennis rackets, skateboards, baseball bats and so forth. The rack of the present invention includes one or more notches dimensioned to receive a cylindrical handle of an implement. At least one notch is provided with a lining that contacts the handle or tubular or elongated portion

(hereinafter "handle") of an implement inserted into the notch. The lining is formed from a material that provides a relatively high friction coefficient to the interface between the lining and the handle. The lining may be formed, for example, from rubber or plastic. The handle is snugly gripped by the notch lining so that the implement is held in place by a frictional force between the handle and the lining. This allows an implement to be held by the rack irrespective of the orientation of the implement in the notch. The present invention thus provides a rack for holding implements comprising:

(a) a back support;

(b) a shelf-like projection projecting from the back support, the projection having one or more notches configured to receive a portion of at least one implement, at least one notch having a lining configured to hold a portion of an implement by frictional forces between the lining and the portion of the implement. As such, the implements may be hung regardless of whether they have a wide portion (e.g. as with a rake and broom) and without regard to whether that wide portion is facing upward or downward. Further, the wide portions may be staggered so as not to interfere with each other, thereby allowing more convenient storage and potentially the storage of more implements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a rack in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 shows the rack of Fig. 1 including a level; Fig. 3 shows the rack of Fig. 1 holding implements in notches thereof; Fig. 4 shows another embodiment of the rack of the present invention designed for holding two implements in one notch; and Fig. 5 illustrates an example of a notch configuration of the rack of the present invention for receiving a lining associated therewith and a modification of the notch, for adjusting its width.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Fig. 1 shows a rack 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The rack 1 has a back support 2 that is provided with a plurality of holes 3 for affixing the rack to a wall or the like. A shelf-like projection 4 extends from the back support 2 and comprises a plurality of notches 5a to 5i. The notches 5c to 5g are configured to receive a rubber lining 6. The lining 6 may be provided with projecting ribs 7 so as to form a compressible lining in the notch 5. The notches 5a, 5b, 5h and 5i are not provided with such a lining. The rack 1 may be adapted to have a recess 8 in the back support 2 configured to receive a level 9. Fig. 2 shows a portion of the rack 1 in which the level 9 has been inserted into the recess 8. The level 9 facilitates accurate positioning of the rack 1 when being mounted on a wall or the like, as explained above. The rack 1 may also be provided with a plurality of hooks 10 from which various small items may be hung. The rack 1 may be formed from any sturdy material. The back support 2 and the shelf-like projection 4 may be formed in a single molding operation. Alternatively, the shelf-like projection 4 may be formed separately from the back support 2 and attached to the back support 2 by screws or any other fastening means. The shelf-like projection 4 and the linings 6 may be produced by a two component injection process. Alternatively the shelf-like projection 4 and the linings 6 may be produced separately, and the linings 6 subsequently inserted into notches 5. Fig. 3 shows the rack 1 after insertion of implements 11. Since the notches 5a, 5b, 5h and 5i do not have linings 6, implements 11 placed in these notches cannot be held therein by factional forces. These implements 11 can only be held in notches 5a, 5b, 5h and 5i by a portion 12 of the implement, being a portion that is wider than the notch, resting on the rim of the notch. Notches 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, and 5g on the other hand, have been provided with a rubber lining 6 in accordance with the invention. Implements 11 inserted into any one of the notches 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f and 5g (e.g. the implements lie, lid and llg) are held in place by frictional forces between the implement and the lining 6 of the notch as explained above. In this case the implement 11 does not have to be held in the notch in any particular orientation. Further, the wide portions of the implements 11 may be staggered so as not to interfere with each other, thereby allowing more convenient storage and potentially the storage of more implements - as illustrated by implements lie, lid and llg. Also shown in Fig. 3 are various items 13 that have been suspended from hooks 10. Fig. 4 shows the rack 1 wherein it comprises at least one notch 5 being deep enough to hold two implements 11 in the same notch. Fig. 5 shows an enlarged view of one of the notches being a notch designed for receiving the lining 6, for example notch 5c (shown without its lining 6). This figure illustrates one example of a notch configuration for receiving the lining 6 wherein the notch 5c has a groove 14 - i.e. a female connection configuration - such that the lining 6 may be removably received and held in the notch 5c via a corresponding male connection (not shown). In the embodiment described with reference to Fig. 5, wherein the lining 6 is removably received - i.e. it can be removed - the lining 6 can be replaced by a lining of a different thickness or caliber so that implements 11 of different handle sizes may be conveniently held in the rack 1. The possibility adjusting the effective notch width is further discussed below. It should be understood that the configuration can be reversed (the notch having a male connector configuration and the lining having a female configuration) or the connection may be achieved by any of several other configurations, methods and connection designs (e.g. snap fit, adhesive, mechanical fasteners, etc.) whereby the lining 6 is securely held in the notch 5c. In Fig. 5 there is further illustrated an example of a modification of the notch 5c wherein it comprises a mechanism 15 associated therewith for adjusting the width of the notch. As noticed, the notch 5c may have two projections or arms 16 defining therebetween a width "w". Naturally, in the case of the notches 5c - 5g which have linings 6, it is the distance between arms of the linings 6 which is critical to the size of the handle of the implement 11 that can be frictionally held therein - and it should be understood that the width "w" will affect that distance. The mechanism 15 illustrated is one comprising a set screw 17 (partially shown with dashed lines) and the notch 5c should be configured, mutatis mutandis, to allow at least one arm 16 thereof to move in accordance with a setting of the mechanism 15 (e.g. via set screw 17, a knob, etc.). If the arms 16 are spread apart in order to set width "w" to a wider distance, the notch 5c may have a space 18 therein. Thus, the width of one or more of the notches 5a - 5i may be adjusted to allow the rack 1 to hold implements 11 of different handle sizes. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the invention is defined by the claims that follow.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A rack (1) for holding implements (11) comprising:

(a) a back support (2);

(b) a shelf-like projection (4) projecting from the back support (2), the projection (4) having one or more notches (5) configured to receive a portion of at least one implement (11), at least one notch (5) having a lining (6) configured to hold a portion of an implement (11) by frictional forces between the lining (6) and the portion of the implement (11).

2. The rack (1) according to Claim 1, further comprising a level (9).

3. The rack (1) according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising one or more hooks (10).

4. The rack (1) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the lining (6) is formed from rubber.

5. The rack (1) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the lining (6) has projecting ribs (7).

6. The rack (1) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the back support (2) and the shelf-like projection (4) are formed in a single molding operation.

7. The rack (1) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the back support (2) and the shelf-like projection (4) are formed separately.

8. The rack (1) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein at least one of the notches (5) has associated therewith a mechanism (15) for adjusting the width of the notch (5).

9. The rack (1) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein at least one of the notches (5) is configured to removably receive the lining (6) thereby allowing linings of different sizes/calibers to be received.