Clothes rack

Abstract

The present invention relates to a clothes rack (1) with a rack element (8) which can be moved from a 0 degree position parallel to the wall to an acute angle, which rack element (8) is connected to a wall by means of one or more hinge elements

Description

[0001] Clothes rack

[0002] Technical field of the invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a clothes rack preferably for drying of clothes.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] In the field of clothes racks, and especially clothes racks for indoor use for drying of laundry, several types are known and used. The most commonly used clothes racks are foldable implements for placing on the floor. They come in many shapes and materials often with a collapsible frame made of steel, aluminium or plastic and with areas for hanging of the clothes made of a thin rod or strand of similar materials or a clothes line. There are also several types of clothes racks for mounting on walls. Generally they comprise an upper rack with an area for hanging clothes and a rod or a lower rack which is used to support the upper rack. They will often involve more than one movement of the racks to make them ready for use and they are often not very visually appealing.

[0006] Object of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a clothes rack which overcomes the above drawbacks of the prior art techniques and which provides a visually appealing implement that is easy to use.

[0008] Summary of the Invention

[0009] One aspect of the present invention relates to a clothes rack preferably for drying of clothes, and comprising a rack element with two side members and an outer rack end member, which rack element is connected to a wall by means of one or more hinge elements and can be moved from a 0 degree position parallel to the wall to an acute angle, and wherein the outer end of said rack element is provided with means for holding ends of several preferably generally parallel clothes lines, which clothes lines are fastened in the other end directly to the wall or to an elongate cross member that is fastened to the wall in a location above the hinge element, and wherein the length of the clothes lines is adjusted so that the clothes lines are generally horizontal when the lower rack element is fully extended, said rack element being provided with means for keeping it generally fully extended.

[0010] In this way it is easily possible to get the implement ready for use and the load of the clothes will not make the lines sag.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the clothes rack the means for keeping the rack element fully extended is capable of applying both a force to keep it in the vertical position and a force to keep it in the generally fully extended position.

[0012] This ensures that the rack element will stay in position both when in use and in resting position.

[0013] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention the means for keeping the rack element fully extended is one or more gas dampers and preferably gas dampers of the type that are often used in hatchback cars for keeping the rear door fully open or fully closed.

[0014] According to another embodiment of the invention the means for keeping the rack element fully extended is one or more counterweights that can also be used for keeping the rack element in position both when in use and in resting position, and other means such as springs, hydraulic dampeners, elastic chord, other types of pneumatic dampers etc. can also be used to obtain this effect. Advantageously, the cross elongate member will be placed on the wall in a height that is considered to be a good working height. This will obviously depend on the user and in an embodiment that is not further disclosed herein the cross elongate member can be made moveable in the lateral direction.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the clothes rack comprises a frame for mounting on the wall or the like with two side elongate members and a lower elongate member and the cross elongate member, and wherein the lower elongate member is hinged to an inner end member of the rack element.

[0016] In this way, the clothes rack can be produced and distributed as a unit ready to put up on the wall by a costumer.

[0017] According to yet another preferred embodiment the elongate side members extend further up and are connected to a further uppermost elongate member so as to provide a generally rectangular frame, in which the rack element will be stored when in vertical position, and which can be used as background for a front element, such as a mirror, a painting, a photo, an electronic screen, a calendar, a memo board or the like.

[0018] This embodiment enables an aesthetically pleasing dual purpose implement that can even be put in the living room or similar places in a house or a flat.

[0019] Advantageously the front element is hinged to one of the elongate side members.

[0020] According to the invention the clothes lines are provided by means of one long line that is fixed in each end with knots, stables, nails, screws etc. or several individual pieces of generally the same length.

[0021] The clothes lines are preferably provided with weights and are lines with a low tendency to stretch under load for example High Modulus Polyethylen (HMPE lines with a low tendency to stretch under load for example High Modulus Polyethylen (HMPE).

[0022] In this way it is easy to avoid tangling and sagging clothes lines as the tendency to stretch over time is also limited.

[0023] According to an aspect of the invention the clothes rack preferably comprises a frame for mounting in a cupboard or the like with two side elongate members and an uppermost elongate member, a central elongate member and a lower elongate member, wherein the central elongate member of the frame is provided with means for holding several preferably generally parallel clothes lines, and wherein a rack element with two side members and an outer rack is hinged to the frame on or near the lower elongate member, which rack element can be moved from a vertical position to an acute angle, and wherein the outer end of said rack element is also provided with means for holding ends of the several preferably generally parallel clothes lines, and wherein the length of the clothes lines is adjusted so that they form a generally vertical area when the lower rack element is fully extended, said rack element being provided with means for keeping it generally fully extended.

[0024] This aspect gives the possibility of hiding the clothes rack in a standard cupboard. The cupboard door can be opened to access the drying unit, but it is also possible to let the drying unit follow the door when it is opened, so that the cupboard can be used in a normal way.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the invention, the clothes rack comprises an added transverse elongate member that can be moved in a lateral direction and fastened, which is located above the cross elongate member so as to enable an adjustment of the working height of the clothes lines by moving and fastening the added transverse elongate member in such a way that the clothes lines will simply slide along the added transverse elongate member.

[0026] This gives the possibility for a fast and easy adjustment of the working height.

[0027] Brief description of the figures

[0028] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a clothes rack according to the invention in a folded out and ready to use position,

[0029] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the clothes rack according to the invention in a position between the ready to use position and a resting position,

[0030] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the clothes rack according to the invention in the resting position,

[0031] Fig. 4 shows the clothes rack according to the invention with a screen element in front of the drying unit,

[0032] Figure 5 shows a clothes rack for mounting in a cupboard, and

[0033] Figure 6 shows a clothes rack with features for easy adjustment of the working height.

[0034] Detailed description of the invention

[0035] Figure 1 shows a clothes rack 1 according to the invention preferably for drying of clothes. It comprises a frame 2 for mounting on a wall or the like and with two side elongate members 3, 4 and a cross elongate member 5 and a lower elongate member 6, wherein the cross elongate member 5 is provided with means for holding several preferably generally parallel clothes lines 7a-n, and wherein the lower elongate member 4 is hinged to one end of a rack element 8 with two side members 9, 10 and an outer rack end member 11 . The rack element 8 can be moved from a vertical position parallel to the wall 2 to an acute angle, and the outer end member 11 of said rack element 8 is also provided with means for holding ends of the several preferably generally parallel clothes lines 7a-n. As shown, the length of the clothes lines 7a-n is adjusted so that a generally 90 degree angle is formed between the wall 2 and the clothes lines 7a- n when the lower rack element 8 is fully extended. This is the case if the wall is generally vertical, but the invention can also be used on sloping walls, in which case the adjustment is performed so that the clotheslines will be generally horizontal when the implement is in use. In order to keep the clothes lines 7a-n fully extended, even when loaded with wet laundry, the rack element 8 is provided with means for keeping it generally fully extended here shown as two gas dampers 12.

[0036] According to the invention many different types of means for keeping the rack element 8 fully extended are possible. For instance springs, rods, split rods, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, electric actuators, ratchet means similar to systems used in roller blinds (hinge and extension means can be one unit). Presently preferred is one or more gas dampers similar to the type that is used for keeping the rear door in a hatchback car open as they have the ability to apply both a force to keep the lover rack in the vertical position and a force to keep it in the generally fully extended position.

[0037] The elongate cross member 5 is advantageously placed on the wall in a height that is considered to be a good working height. A good working height will of course be different from person to person, and it will be possible to make the system adjustable even after mounting, but often a compromise will be sought.

[0038] In the drawing the elongate side 3, 4 members extend further up past the elongate cross member 5 and are connected to a further uppermost elongate member 13 so as to provide a generally rectangular frame 14, in which the rack element 8 will be stored when in vertical position, and which can be used as background for a front element 15 (Figure 4). The front element 15 can be a mirror, a painting, a photo, an electronic screen, a calendar, a memo board or the like.

[0039] The front screen element that is shown in Figure 4 is hinged to one of the elongate side members so it will be easy to open the front screen element 15 to access the drying unit with one arm and bring the drying unit into working position with the other arm.

[0040] As stated above the clothes lines are at one end mounted on the upper elongate member and at the other end on the outer end rack member. The clothes lines can be provided by means of one long line that is fixed in each end with knots, stables, nails, screws etc. or several individual pieces of generally the same length. The clothes lines shown in the drawing are lines with a low tendency to stretch under load for example High Modulus Polyethylen (HMPE) (trademarks such as Dyneema or Spectra). Those are lines that will not sag, not even when loaded with wet laundry. If needed, small weights can be added to the clothes lines to reduce the risk of the lines tangling.

[0041] When the clothes rack according to the invention is going to be used for laundry it is moved from the position in Figure 3 or 4. If a front screen is mounted (Figure 4), it is first opened as an ordinary door, and the rack element is grabbed and moved in an arc from the 0 degree position (Figure 3) parallel to the wall to an acute angle via the position in Figure 2 to the position in Figure 1 . Initially, a little force will be needed to move the rack and thereafter the gas dampers will help to put the rack to the fully extended position, where the clothes lines are fully stretched, and due to the force from the gas dampers the clothes lines will remain fully stretched, even after being loaded with wet laundry.

[0042] When the laundry is dry and removed from the clotheslines, the rack can be brought back to the resting position by grabbing it and applying some force and moving it in an arc from the generally horizontal position via the position in Figure 2 to the position parallel to the wall (Figure 3), and again the gas damper will help the movement towards the end position. If fitted, the front screen can subsequently be closed. As described above the means for keeping the rack element fully extended is preferably a gas damper, but many other means can be used such as one or more of counterweights, springs, rods with notches or holes, hinged rods with central hinge elements, elastic chord, hydraulic cylinders or pneumatic cylinders or any combination thereof.

[0043] According to an interesting aspect the clothes rack with the front screen fitted can be implemented in a standard or modular cupboard that is generally used in kitchens, wardrobes etc. An example of a clothes rack mounted in a cupboard is shown in Figure 5, where the clothes rack preferably comprises a frame for mounting in a cupboard or the like with two side elongate members and an uppermost elongate member, a central elongate member and a lower elongate member, wherein the central elongate member of the frame is provided with means for holding several preferably generally parallel clothes lines, and wherein a rack element with two side members and an outer rack is hinged to the frame on or near the lower elongate member, which rack element can be moved from a vertical position to an acute angle, and wherein the outer end of said rack element is also provided with means for holding ends of the several preferably generally parallel clothes lines, and wherein the length of the clothes lines is adjusted so that they form a generally vertical area when the lower rack element is fully extended, said rack element being provided with means for keeping it generally fully extended. Such an aspect may form the basis for a subsequent application. The frame is hinged to the cupboard in one side, and can in closed position be fastened to the door of the cupboard and move with the door, so that the cupboard can be used in a normal way.

[0044] Figure 6 shows another example of a clothes rack mounted in a cupboard and with an added transverse elongate member mounted above the cross elongate member. In this embodiment that can also be used in connection with the first aspect of the invention, it is possible to change the working height of the clothes lines by moving and fastening the added transverse elongate member. When moving the added transverse elongate member the clothes lines will simply slide along the added transverse elongate member, so that the clothes lines will be shorter, if the added transverse elongate member is fastened in a higher position.

Claims

Claims1 . Clothes rack (1 ) preferably for drying of clothes, and comprising a rack element (8) with two side members (9, 10) and an outer rack end member (11 ), which can be moved from a 0 degree position parallel to a back wall to an acute angle, which rack element (8) is connected to the wall by means of one or more hinge elements, and wherein the outer end member (11 ) of said rack element (8) is provided with means for holding ends of several preferably generally parallel clothes lines (7a-n), which clothes lines (7a-n) are fastened in the other end directly to the wall or to an elongate cross member (5) that is fastened to the wall in a location above the hinge elements, and wherein the length of the clothes lines (7a-n) is adjusted so that the clothes lines (7a-n) are generally horizontal when the lower rack element (8) is fully extended, said rack element (8) being provided with means (12) for keeping it generally fully extended.

2. Clothes rack (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the means (12) for keeping the rack element (8) fully extended is capable of applying both a force to keep it in the vertical position and a force to keep it in the generally fully extended position.

3. Clothes rack (1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the means (12) for keeping the rack element (8) fully extended is one or more of counterweights, springs, rods with notches, hinged rods with central hinge elements, elastic chord, hydraulic cylinders or pneumatic cylinders such as gas dampers or any combination thereof.

4. Clothes rack (1 ) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the means (12) for keeping the rack element fully extended is a gas damper (12).

5. Clothes rack (1 ) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cross elongate member (5) is to be placed on the wall in a height that is considered to be a good working height.

6. Clothes rack (1 ) according to any of claims 1 -5, wherein the clothes rack (1 ) comprises a frame (2) for mounting on the wall or the like with two side elongate (3, 4) members and a lower elongate member (6) and the cross elongate member (5), and wherein the lower elongate member (6) is hinged to the inner end of the rack element (8).

7. Clothes rack (1 ) according to any of claims 1 -6, wherein the elongate side members (3, 4) extend further up and are connected to a further uppermost elongate member (13) so as to provide a generally rectangular frame (2), in which the rack element (8) will be stored when in vertical position, and which can be used as background for a front element (15), such as a mirror, a painting, a photo, an electronic screen, a calendar, a memo board or the like.

8. Clothes rack (1 ) according to any of claims 1 -5, wherein the front element (15) is hinged to one of the elongate side members (3, 4).

9. Clothes rack (1 ) according to any of claims 1 -6, wherein the clothes lines (7a- n) are provided by means of one long line that is fixed in each end with knots, stables, nails screws etc. or several individual pieces of generally the same length.

10. Clothes rack according to any of claims 1 -7, wherein the clothes lines (7a-n) are provided with weights (not shown) and are lines with a low tendency to stretch under load for example High Modulus Polyethylen (HMPE).11 . Clothes rack preferably for drying of clothes, and comprising a frame for mounting in a cupboard or the like with two side elongate members and an uppermost elongate member, a central elongate member and a lower elongate member, wherein the central elongate member of the frame is provided with means for holding several preferably generally parallel clothes lines, and wherein a rack element with two side members and an outer rack is hinged to the frameon or near the lower elongate member, which rack element can be moved from a vertical position to an acute angle, and wherein the outer end of said rack element is also provided with means for holding ends of the several preferably generally parallel clothes lines, and wherein the length of the clothes lines is adjusted so that they form a generally vertical area when the lower rack element is fully extended, said rack element being provided with means for keeping it generally fully extended.

12. Clothes rack according to any of claims 1 -11 , wherein an added transverse elongate member that can be moved in a lateral direction and fastened is located above the cross elongate member so as to enable an adjustment of the working height of the clothes lines by moving and fastening the added transverse elongate member in such a way that the clothes lines will simply slide along the added transverse elongate member.

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