Adjustable Drying Rack Frame for Space-Saving Laundry Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional drying racks lack flexibility and space efficiency, making them unsuitable for apartments with limited space and requiring additional mechanisms for adjusting angles and folding to accommodate varying laundry sizes and storage needs.

Innovation Solution

A drying rack with adjustable longitudinal and transverse bars, articulated devices, and optional legs, allowing for customizable angles and folding mechanisms to optimize space usage and accommodate large items without compromising stability or ease of use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional drying racks are used with fixed structure, then manufacturing is simple, but adaptability to different laundry sizes and space conditions is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different laundry sizesVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drying rack employs adjustable transverse bars that can be repositioned along the longitudinal bars at different heights and angles. This dynamic configuration allows the rack to adapt to various laundry sizes and drying needs, transforming a static structure into a flexible system that responds to different usage requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The drying rack is divided into modular components: longitudinal bars, adjustable transverse bars, and articulated devices. Each transverse bar can be independently positioned and adjusted, allowing selective adaptation of different sections of the rack to match specific laundry items, from small handkerchiefs to large blankets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Area of stationary object

If drying rack has fixed angle bars, then structure is stable, but space efficiency in folded state is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage space requirementVSAvoidstructural stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The articulated devices enable the transverse bars to be adjusted between different angular positions relative to the longitudinal bars. When folding for storage, the bars can be repositioned to minimize the rack's footprint, while during use, they can be set to stable configurations that provide structural support for hanging laundry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanism allows the drying rack to transform its spatial configuration by changing the angle between transverse and longitudinal bars. This dimensional flexibility enables compact folding along the longitudinal axis while maintaining sufficient width and stability when deployed for drying various sized laundry items.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If drying rack bars are rigidly connected, then structural strength is high, but adjustability for different configurations is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustability of bar positionsVSAvoidjoint strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The articulated devices provide a dynamic connection between longitudinal and transverse bars, replacing rigid fixed joints with adjustable connections. These joints maintain structural integrity when locked in position while allowing reconfiguration to different angles and heights, enabling both strength and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustment mechanism allows changing key geometric parameters of the rack structure, including the angle between bars, the height of transverse bars, and their spacing. These parameter changes enable adaptation to different laundry configurations while the locking mechanism ensures sufficient joint strength for each selected configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3350366A1Drying racks or laundry airers
Publication Date: 2018.07.25 BOBBERT CORNELIUS

AI summary

The invention relates to drying racks (1) for hanging up laundry to dry, comprising at least one laundry support (3), having at least one frame having, or consisting of, transverse bars (5a, 5b) and longitudinal bars (7a, 7b); and support legs (4) for the laundry support (3), having at least one adjusting device, by means of which the distance of the longitudinal bars (7a, 7b) from each other can be adjusted.