System for hanging sports equipment

Abstract

System for hanging sports equipment comprising basic structural member (1) in shape of letter "U", crossbar (2), upper member (4), at least one central member (5), and at least one lower member (6), each central member (5) and each lower member (6) are connected to basic structural member (1), upper member (4) passes through central part of crossbar (2), crossbar (2) is connected to basic structural member (1) with crossbar (2) length exceeding basic structural member (1) width and crossbar (2) being lower than tips of basic structural member (1). System further comprises hanger (3) connected to any of system's components, basic structural member (1) carries at least two hooks (11), crossbar (2) carries at least two hooks (21), each central member (5) carries at least one hook (51), and each lower member (6) comprises at least one hook (61). Upper member (4) advantageously carries at least one hook (41).

Description

System for hanging sports equipment

[0001] The invention relates to the field of household implements used in connection with wearing apparel, specifically clothes holders in the form of racks and collapsible hangers for hanging complete sport outfits, and to the field of supporting means for garments to be dried adapted to retain the shape of particular articles being dried.

[0002] Sports that require complex and bulky equipment, such as ice hockey, present a number of challenges for athletes, one of which is storing and drying the equipment after training. Ice-hockey equipment includes three pairs of protective equipment in the form of elbow pads, shin pads and gloves, three single pieces of protective equipment in the form of a helmet, a vest with shoulder pads, and pants, along with skates and a whole range of other equipment, such as socks, a jockstrap, a jersey, or underwear. It takes 12 to 24 hours for this set to dry naturally, depending on the surrounding conditions. However, many ice-hockey players, especially amateurs, do not have a suitable space available to spread out the equipment and ensure sufficient air access for its complete drying.

[0003] Various technical solutions to the above-mentioned problem are known from the prior art. Document CA2512691A1 describes a sports-equipment holder in the form of a steel tripod with a cross-shaped structure equipped with hooks. However, this solution is not suitable for heavy ice-hockey equipment due to its low stability and insufficiently robust structure. Furthermore, it lacks elements for hanging skates and it takes up too much space in the room, as it needs to be placed on the ground. Solution known from document US2003222038A1, representing a stand made of a massive structure specifically shaped for ice-hockey equipment, is also characterized by excessive space requirements, and is therefore not suitable for locker rooms or home conditions. On top of that, it cannot be easily transported in the event that the athlete needs to travel to a match or training. A solution seemingly adapted for transport is a folding stand on wheels described in document US6073783A. Like all dryers adapted to be placed on the ground, this one is characterized by excessive space requirements. Additionally, due to the number of moving elements and joints required by its folding nature, it is unsuitable for heavy equipment, which could cause damage to the stand. Moreover, even when folded, the stand is too bulky to be transported, especially in a hand luggage.

[0004] The problem of transportability is solved, for example, by document CA3232973A1 describing a box for storing sports equipment, which is equipped with folding elements in the form of bars for drying the stored equipment. However, due to the insufficient internal volume of the box and the insufficient variability and capacity of the hanging elements, it is unsuitable for transporting and drying complex, bulky, and heavy ice-hockey equipment. Other problems mentioned above, such as the variability of placing the dryer in space and the floor space occupied, are solved by hanging dryers. Document CA2644226A1 describes a hanging bar with several crossbars equipped with clothespins for drying sports equipment. However, due to a low variability of its structural elements, it does not allow for laying out a complex ice-hockey equipment for optimal drying, and its pins are not suitable for a reliable attachment of heavy components of the equipment. Other hanging clothes dryers are also known from the prior art, for example from documents US2012018394A1 or CN201504954U, and their common feature is an instability resulting from an attachment with a hook at only one point and from an absence of any other stabilizing elements. This makes a one-handed manipulation, which is often necessary for a user when taking off or putting on sports equipment, impossible, and leads to the unbalanced equipment falling to the ground.

[0005] Goal of the present invention is to introduce a solution for hanging and drying complex, bulky, and heavy sets of sports equipment, for example ice-hockey equipment, which eliminates the identified shortcomings of the prior art, and therefore is sufficiently strong, can accommodate a complete equipment set, is stable enough to be operated with one hand and can hold even unbalanced equipment, is space-saving, does not take up floor space and as such can be used anywhere, and is light and portable, even via a hand luggage.

[0006] The present invention is a system for hanging sports equipment comprising a basic structural member in the shape of a letter “U”, a crossbar, an upper member, at least one central member, and at least one lower member, wherein the crossbar, the central member and the lower member are connected to the basic structural member and the upper member is connected to the crossbar, wherein the upper member passes through a central part of the crossbar. The crossbar is connected to the basic structural member in such a way that length of the crossbar exceeds width of the basic structural member and at the same time the crossbar is lower than tips of the basic structural member.

[0007] Furthermore, the system can comprise a hanger connected to any of the components of the system according to the present invention, i.e., to the basic structural member, the crossbar, the central member, the lower member, or the upper member.

[0008] System according to the present invention is further provided with a plurality of hooks. The basic structural member carries two hooks, one on each of its verticals. The crossbar carries two hooks, one on each of its parts that extend beyond the width of the basic structural member. The upper member carries one hook. Each central member carries one hook. Each lower member carries one hook or the lower member can be a hook itself. The basic structural member, the crossbar, the central member, and the lower member are considered as such when they are capable of carrying sports equipment by hanging.

[0009] System for hanging sports equipment according to the present invention can be used to hang various sports equipment, and is adapted to optimally accommodate even a complex ice-hockey equipment. Hockey skates are hung on the hooks of the basic structural member, elbow and shin pads are hung on the hooks of the crossbar, hockey pants are hung on the hooks of the lower members, gloves are put on the tips of the basic structural member, other equipment such as a helmet, a jersey, or socks are hung on the hooks of the central members, and shoulder pads are hung on the hanger.

[0010] The upper member, the central member, the lower member, and a vertical of the hanger can be rigid, typically made of a tube, or flexible, typically made of straps. The upper member in a rigid form passes through the central part of the crossbar for example in a way that it is connected to the crossbar by a contact of their surfaces. The upper member in a flexible form passes through the central part of the crossbar for example in a way that the upper member is threaded through an opening in the crossbar. Advantageously, the upper member, the central member, and the lower member can be formed by a single strap divided by its connection points into the aforementioned components.

[0011] Advantageously, the upper member is in the shape of an inverted letter “Y”, and is therefore connected to the crossbar at two points, which leads to a higher stability of the system according to the present invention. Furthermore, the upper member is advantageously provided with a hook at its upper end, which leads to a high flexibility in the placement options of the system aiding its portability. The hook can be in the form of a simple or a multifunctional hook. The multifunctional hook has two parts designated for hanging the system, each on a support of a different thickness, while the part that is not being used for hanging the system serves as an additional hook for hanging other equipment.

[0012] Advantageously, the hanger is provided with a loop for a variable connection to other components via hooks.

[0013] Through its above-described construction, the system according to the present invention resolves all identified drawbacks of the prior art. Structure of the carrier elements is adapted to accommodate all components of a complex equipment kit, and beside ice hockey, it can also be used for other sports such as American football or lacrosse. Placement of carrier elements for specific parts of the kit ensures their optimal layering leading to an optimized drying. Hockey skates are hung on the hooks of the basic structural member upside down, which allows for a good ventilation of the inside of the shoe and allows large amounts of sweat to drain from the shoe outwards by gravity. Elbow and shin pads are hung symmetrically on hooks on the left and right sides of the crossbar with their plastic sides facing outwards so that wet parts of the pads do not come into contact with other parts of the equipment. Hockey pants, as the bulkiest part of the equipment, are hung on the hooks of the lower members so that they do not obstruct other parts of the equipment, while air circulates through the wide legs by a chimney effect and flows into the upper part of the system according to the present invention. Gloves are put on the tips of the basic structural member with their opening facing down, allowing excess sweat to be drained from the gloves by gravity. Shoulder pads are hung on the hanger, which allows for a variable placement depending on the dimensions of other components of the equipment. Other pieces of equipment like helmet, jersey, and socks, are arranged on the hooks of the central members, which makes it easy to hang them as a last layer on the drying rack. Furthermore, it is possible to hang a goalkeeper equipment, which is even more voluminous, on the system according to the present invention. This is not possible even with solutions known from the prior art that are specialized for ice hockey. The described arrangement leaves enough space between the individual parts of the equipment for a sufficient air circulation, and therefore for an optimal drying of the equipment.

[0014] The advantageous embodiment of the upper member in the shape of an inverted letter “Y” minimizes movement of the system according to the present invention during hanging of the equipment. This allows for a reliable operation even with one hand and ensures a stability of the system even when imbalanced by a gradual hanging of paired parts of the equipment. Further advantageous embodiment of the upper member in the form of a strap provided with a hook at its upper end allows the system according to the present invention to be hung variably, for example on shelves of different thicknesses, on doors of different thicknesses, or on another hook, without the risk of it falling. Alternatively, the textile strap can be wrapped around a pipe, a branch, or a rope. System according to the present invention is thus space-saving, does not take up floor space, and can be used for drying sports equipment in professional stadiums as well as at home.

[0015] System according to the present invention, dimensionally adapted to hang a standard hockey equipment kit, retains such compact dimensions that it can be easily transported, even in a hand luggage, which provides the athlete with a necessary logistical flexibility.Fig.1

[0016] depicts a system according to the present invention in an advantageous variant.Fig.2

[0017] depicts a system according to the present invention in its simplest functional variant.Example 1

[0018] Example 1 describes a system according to the present invention in an advantageous variant.

[0019] System for hanging sports equipment consists of a U-shaped basic structural member1, a crossbar2, a T-shaped hanger3, a Y-shaped upper member4, two central members5, and three lower members6. The basic structural member1carries two hooks11, one on each of its verticals. The crossbar2carries two hooks21, one on each of its ends. The upper member4carries one hook41located at the point of contact of the three arms of the upper member4and further carries a multifunctional hook42, on which the upper member4is hung. Each central member5carries one hook51. Each lower member6carries one hook61.

[0020] The crossbar2, the central members5, and the lower members6are connected to the basic structural member1, and the upper member4and the central members5are connected to the crossbar2, with the upper member4being connected to the crossbar2at two points. The crossbar2is irremovably connected to the basic structural member1by a weld. The crossbar2is connected to the basic structural member1in such a way that length of the crossbar2exceeds width of the basic structural member1and at the same time the crossbar2is lower than tips of the basic structural member1. The hanger3can be variably suspended on another component of the system via a loop31.

[0021] The basic structural member1, the crossbar2, and a body of the hanger3are made of a coated aluminum tube, and the upper member4, central members5, lower members6, and a vertical of the hanger3are made of flexible fabric straps. The hook42is made of a bent aluminum sheet and hooks11,21,41,51,61are made of plastic.Example 2

[0022] Example 2 describes a system according to the present invention in its simplest functional variant.

[0023] System for hanging sports equipment consists of a U-shaped basic structural member1, a crossbar2, a T-shaped hanger3, an upper member4, a central member5, and a lower member6in the form of a hook61. The basic structural member1carries two hooks11, one on each of its verticals. The crossbar2carries two hooks21, one on each of its ends, and one hook21placed in the middle. The upper member4carries a simple hook42, on which the upper member4is hung. The central member5carries one hook51.

[0024] The crossbar2, the central member5, and the lower member6are connected to the basic structural member1, and the upper member4and the central member5are connected to the crossbar2, with the upper member4being connected to the crossbar2at one point. The crossbar2and the central member5are irremovably connected to the basic structural member1by a weld and also the upper member4and the central member5are connected to the crossbar2by a weld. The crossbar2is connected to the basic structural member1in such a way that length of the crossbar2exceeds width of the basic structural member1and at the same time the crossbar2is lower than tips of the basic structural member1. The hanger3can be variably suspended on another component of the system via a loop31.

[0025] The basic structural member1, the crossbar2, a body of the hanger3, the upper member4, and the central member5are made of a coated aluminum tube, and a vertical of the hanger3is made of a flexible fabric strap. The hook42and hooks11,21,51,61are made of plastic.

[0026] System for hanging sports equipment is industrially applicable as an instrument for hanging and drying sports equipment.

Claims

System for hanging sports equipment,characterized in thatit comprises a U-shaped basic structural member (1), a crossbar (2), an upper member (4), at least one central member (5), and at least one lower member (6), wherein each central member (5) and each lower member (6) are connected to the basic structural member (1), the upper member (4) passes through a central part of the crossbar (2) while being connected to the crossbar (2), and the crossbar (2) is connected to the basic structural member (1) in such a way that length of the crossbar (2) exceeds width of the basic structural member (1) and at the same time the crossbar (2) is lower than tips of the basic structural member (1), and the system is further provided with a plurality of hooks, while the basic structural member (1) carries at least two hooks (11), the crossbar (2) carries at least two hooks (21), each central member (5) carries at least one hook (51), and each lower member (6) comprises at least one hook (61).System according to claim 1,characterized in thatit further comprises a T-shaped hanger (3), which is provided with a loop (31) on top of a vertical of the hanger (3) for a variable connection to other components of the system.System according to claim 1,characterized in thatthe upper member (4) is Y-shaped and is connected to the crossbar (2) at two points for an improved stability.System according to claim 1,characterized in thatthe upper member (4) carries at least one hook (41) for connecting the hanger (3) in the highest position for limiting the overall height of the system.System according to claim 1,characterized in thatthe basic structural member (1), the crossbar (2), and a body of the hanger (3) are made of a rigid, inflexible material for a stabilization of central components, and the upper member (4), each central member (5), each lower member (6), and a vertical of the hanger (3) are made of a flexible material for a better foldability.

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