Clothes airer

Abstract

The airer 10 includes a flexible and extendable elongate support 14 for laundry items and at least two end supports 13 between which the elongate support extends. Each end support has a first, distal

Description

Clothes Airer This invention relates to a clothes airer suitable for airing and drying clothes and other laundry items. The invention relates in particular, but not exclusively, to a clothes airer which can adopt a closed, collapsed orientation for storage and adopt an erected, open orientation for supporting clothes and other laundry items. It is well known to provide a clothes airer of the so-called tiered type. Airers of that type typically comprise a frame assembly formed from relatively pivotable side frame members arranged with elongate hanging rails extending between the side members at opposite sides of the airer and from which clothes and other such laundry items may be hung. The relatively pivotable side members allow the frame to adopt a collapsed, substantially flat configuration or an extended, erected configuration in which the handing rails extend horizontally one above the other in a tiered configuration. It is well known also to provide a clothes airer of the rotary type comprising a post-like support member which locates in a ground socket and which provides support for support arms that support an elongate flexible but non- extendable clothes line. The support arms are movable between a first position in which they lie substantially alongside the support member thereby to be convenient for storage and a second position in which they extend outwards from the support member whereby laundry items may be suspended from elongate clothes line section extending between the support arms. Although clothes airers of the aforedescribed types function satisfactorily, their use can be inconvenient and also time consuming particularly when a large number of small laundry items need to be suitably secured to the elongate hanging rails or line sections. Various forms of pegs and clips have been designed for securing laundry items to an airer but their use is not always as convenient as may be desired. Additionally the size of known airers is such that they are not convenient for use when needing only to dry and air only a small number of small laundry items. The present invention seeks to provide a clothes airer which addresses or mitigates the aforedescribed disadvantages associated with conventional clothes airers. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a suspendable clothes airer comprises a flexible and extendable elongate support for supporting one or more laundry items and at least two end supports between which the elongate support extends, each end support having a first, distal end and a second, attachment end at which the end support is pivotally secured to a central hub, said central hub pivotally supporting the end supports for pivotal movement between a first position at which the end supports extend substantially radially outwards from the central hub and a second position at which the distal ends of the end supports are closer together than when in the first position, said end supports being pivotally mounted for movement about an axis which is parallel with or contained in a plane that contains the axis about which another of the end supports is mounted for pivotal movement, and wherein distal ends of the end supports reside at one side of said plane when in said second position and at the other side of said plane when in the first position, the suspendable clothes airer further comprising suspension means secured in position relative to the central hub in use to facilitate suspension of the airer from an elevated support. The central hub may be secured to or formed integrally with the suspension means for suspending the clothes airer from a clothes line or other such elevated support. The suspension means may comprise, for example, a clip or one or more hooks for securing the airer to an elevated support. The suspension means may comprise two hooks which may be of equal or different sizes. Two hooks may be provided in a side by side configuration in which an elongate support such as a support line or cord may pass through each of the hooks in a manner which inhibits movement of the airer along the length of the line or cord. A central post may be secured to or formed integrally with the central hub. The suspension means may be secured to or formed integrally with that end of the post remote from the central hub. In a suspendable clothes airer in which the central hub is integral with or has secured thereto a central post, the post defines a fixed spacing between the central hub and the suspension means. The post may have a length substantially equal to the length of the pivotally mounted end supports. Preferably the length of the post and suspension means is no more than 30% greater than the length of each of the pivotally mounted end supports. Although the airer may comprise pivotally mounted end supports of any length, the present invention is directed in particular to providing an airer that has an overall length of less than 400mm, more preferably less than 300mm. Preferably said central hub comprises abutments to restrict the angle of movement of the end supports to less than 30°, preferably to less than 15°, between said plane and the first position. Preferably the clothes airer comprises three or, more preferably, four pivotally mounted end supports. Preferably the distal ends of the end supports are devoid of any interconnection therebetween other than that of one or more extendable elongate supports. The flexible and extendable elongate support may comprise one and more preferably two elongate elastic members. Two elastic members may be provided in a twisted configuration as hereinafter described. Preferably the or each elastic member extends in length by at least fifty percent, more preferably by at least seventy five percent, when extended elastically from an unstretched condition. The extendibility may be at least one hundred percent. Preferably an elastic member is secured to at least one of the pivotally mounted end supports but alternatively may extend freely through each pivotally mounted end supports. The elongate support may comprise a first elongate member and a second elongate member and wherein the first and second elongate members are in contact with one another at a plurality of positions between the end supports. A first elongate member may provide support for a second elongate member at each of said positions at which the elongate members are in contact with one another. A second elongate member may provide support for a first elongate member at each of said positions at which the elongate members are in contact with one another. The first and second elongate members may be in contact with one another only at positions spaced apart along the length of the elongate support. Alternatively they may be in substantially continuous contact with one another along the length of the adjacent elongate members. The second elongate member may extend spirally around the first elongate member. Additionally or alternatively the first elongate member may extend spirally around the second elongate member. Preferably at least one and more preferably each of the first and second elongate members is elastic. Thus the two elongate members may be locally separated from one another to provide an opening into which part of a laundry item may be inserted and following which the elasticity of the elongate member(s) will cause the elongate members to bear on the laundry item to retain it suspended from the elongate support. The first and second elongate members may be twisted about one another whereby the first elongate member extends around a second elongate member. The first elongate member may extend around the second elongate member for the same number of turns as the number of turns for which the second elongate member extends around the first elongate member. At least one end of at least one elongate member may be secured to an end support whereby movement of the elongate member relative to the end support is inhibited At least one end support may define a passage through which an end region of an elongate member may move substantially freely. An elongate member may be movable substantially freely through each of the passages through which it extends. Preferably the end supports are pivotable between a first position at which they lie substantially alongside one another and a second position at which they extend substantially radially outwards from the central support. Preferably the end supports are pivotable through at least 90°, more preferably at least 95° relative to the direction of an axis that extends perpendicular to the axes about which the end supports are pivotally mounted. The central hub preferably defines first abutment surfaces each to restrict the angle of movement of one of the pivotally mounted end supports when moved from the second to the first position. The central hub may comprise a plurality of formations, such as protrusions, each to engage with an end support temporarily to retain the end supports in the second position, substantially alongside one another for storage. The central hub may comprise a protrusion that bears against a cam surface at the pivoted end of each of the end supports thereby to assist in retaining the end supports in the storage orientation alongside one another and to restrain movement from said second position to said first position. The protrusion and cam surface may restrain movement from said first to said second position. A suitable material for the end supports is polypropylene. The properties of the elongate support may be selected having regard to the constructional features of the airer and in particular for example the length of the elongate support between end supports that provide support for the elongate supports or to which it is attached. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying images in which:- Figure 1 is a side view of a collapsible airer of a first embodiment of the invention when in an extended orientation: Figure 2 shows the airer of Figure 1 in a collapsed orientation; Figure 3 shows the airer of Figure1 in an orientation between the orientations of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 shows a pivot region of the airer of Figure 1, and Figure 5 shows a part of the airer of Figure 1 in use to hold captive a duster. A collapsible airer 10 for the airing of small size items such as socks comprises a central hub 12 which pivotally supports four support arms 13 that in turn support two lengths of twisted elastic cords 14. The central hub is moulded integrally with a central post 15 at the top of which it is formed integrally with a suspension means comprising two hanging hooks 17 disposed in a side by side configuration. The four support arms each serve as end supports for sections 14a of the two elastic cords extending between the successive arms13. The cords each extend freely through apertures 20 in three of the arms but have two ends which are each secured to one 13a of the support arms. Each of the twisted elastic cords comprises two elongate elastic members which serve as elastic support members, said two cords being twisted about one another and retained in that twisted form by their attachment to the support arm 13a. A suitable elongate elastic member comprises a latex core surrounded by an outer fabric material of polyester drawn textile yarn. Each elongate elastic member typically may have a diameter in the order of 2.5 to 3.0 mm and have a degree of elasticity that enables it to double in length when stretched elastically. The arms pivot about axes that lie in a common plane X-X (see Figure 5) which is perpendicular to the length of the central post 15. In a first, extended orientation the arms extend radially outwards from the central hub (see Figures 1 and 5) and lie beneath the plane X-X. In a second, collapsed orientation (see Figure 2) the arms extend alongside the post for storage. In this orientation the distal ends 18 of the support arms are close to but spaced slightly from the hooks 17. When the arms are moved from the storage orientation to the extended orientation of Figure 1 they pass through the plane X-X, the apertures 20 of successive arms then being at their maximum spacing. The elasticity and length of the cords is selected such that they allow sufficient extension for the arms to pass thought the plane X-X in an over-centre type manner whilst also remaining sufficiently taut for the support of items when in the extended orientation. In that extended orientation of Figure 1 the elasticity of the cords restrains the arms from moving freely towards the storage orientation. Thus the cords provide the over-centre type action to retain the arms either above or below the plane X-X in the absence of user action. The central hub comprises four abutments 21 (see Figure 4) to limit angular movement of the arms away from the plane X-X. The hub also comprises four protrusions 22 that bear against a cam surface at the pivoted ends of each of the arms to assist in retaining the arms in the storage orientation alongside the post 15. In use the twisted cords may be readily separated to provide a space 25 into which a laundry item may be introduced as shown in Figure 5. Subsequent to that insertion the elasticity of the cords will cause them to bear against the laundry item and retain it in a suspended manner when the airer is hung above ground level by means of the hooks 17. From the foregoing it will be understood that the invention advantageously enables laundry items to be secured to an airer without the need to employ conventional pegs or clips. The invention also enables a small number of small laundry items to be dried and aired without the need to employ a conventional and relatively large rotary type airer or a tiered type airer. This results in an improved convenience of use and saving of time.

Claims

Claims.

1. A suspendable clothes airer comprising a flexible and extendable elongate support for supporting one or more laundry items and at least two end supports between which the elongate support extends, each end support having a first, distal end and a second, attachment end at which the end support is pivotally secured to a central hub, said central hub pivotally supporting the end supports for pivotal movement between a first position at which the end supports extend substantially radially outwards from the central hub and a second position at which the distal ends of the end supports are closer together than when in the first position, said end supports being pivotally mounted for movement about an axis which is parallel with or contained in a plane that contains the axis about which another of the end supports is mounted for pivotal movement, and wherein distal ends of the end supports reside at one side of said plane when in said second position and at the other side of said plane when in the first position, the suspendable clothes airer further comprising suspension means secured in position relative to the central hub in use to facilitate suspension of the airer from an elevated support.

2. A clothes airer according to claim 1 wherein said elongate support comprises a first elongate member and a second elongate member and wherein the first and second elongate members are in contact with one another at a plurality of positions between the end supports.

3. A clothes airer according to claim 2 wherein the first elongate member extends spirally around the second elongate member.

4. A clothes airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the elongate support is elastic.

5. A clothes airer according to claim 4 wherein the elongate support extends in length by at least fifty percent when extended elastically from an unstretched condition.

6. A clothes airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one end support is secured to the elongate support to inhibit movement of the elongate support relative to the end support. fl. A clothes airer according to claim 6 wherein each end support inhibits movement of the elongate support relative to the respective end support.

8. A clothes airer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein at least one end support defines a passage through which an end region of an elongate support may move substantially freely.

9. A clothes airer according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the elongate member is moveable substantially freely through each of the passages through which it extends.

10. Aclothes airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the end supports are pivotable to lie substantially alongside one another when in the second position.

11. Aclothes airer according to claim 10 wherein the end supports are pivotable through an angle of at least 90° about the respective axes at which the end supports are pivotally mounted.

12. Aclothes airer according to claim 11 wherein the end supports are pivotable through an angle of at least 95°.

13. Aclothes airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the angle of movement of the end supports between said plane and the first position is less than 30°.

14. Aclothes airer according to claim 13 wherein said angle of movement is less than 15°.

15. Aclothes airer according to any one of the preceding claims and comprising at least three said end supports for pivotal movement between said first and second positions.

16. Aclothes airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the suspension means is secured to or integral with the central hub.

17. Aclothes airer according to any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein the central hub is secured to or integral with a central post and the suspension means is secured to or integral with that end of the central post furthest from the central hub.

18. Aclothes airer according to claim 17 wherein the end supports lie alongside the central post when in said second position.

19. Aclothes airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the suspension means comprises at least one hook.

20. Aclothes airer according to claim 19 wherein the suspension means comprises two hooks arranged in a side by side configuration.

21. Aclothes airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the central hub comprises abutments each to restrict the angle of movement of a respective end support from the second to the first position.

22. Aclothes airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the central hub comprises a plurality of formations each to engage with a respective end support to tend temporarily to resist movement of the end supports from the second to the first position.

23. Aclothes airer according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the length of the airer is less than 400mm when the end supports are in the second position.

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