Clothes horse for suspending and drying laundry

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drying racks lack flexibility and adaptability in usable area for hanging laundry, often requiring fixed frames and additional cross struts that interrupt the grid area, limiting the ability to accommodate large items and adjust to different spatial conditions.

Innovation Solution

A foldable drying rack with two laundry grids that can be displaced relative to each other and the support frame, featuring coaxially aligned and telescopically connected laundry rods, eliminating the need for a stationary main grid and cross struts, allowing for stepless adjustment of the usable area without altering the standing footprint.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a fixed main grid with four-sided frame and cross struts is used, then structural stability is improved, but the grid area is interrupted and flexibility for hanging large items is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidflexibility for hanging large items
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the cross struts that interrupt the grid area from the traditional four-sided frame structure. By extracting these obstructive elements, the grid area becomes continuous and uninterrupted, allowing large items to be hung without obstruction while maintaining structural stability through the remaining frame configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The drying rack is divided into two independently displaceable laundry racks mounted on the support frame. This segmentation allows each rack to be moved independently to adjust the usable area, providing flexibility for different laundry sizes while maintaining overall structural integrity through the support frame

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Area of moving object

If the usable area is enlarged by adding more cross struts and structural elements, then the grid area increases, but the device complexity and assembly difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveusable areaVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs two laundry racks that can be displaced relative to each other and to the support frame, creating a dynamic structure that adjusts the usable area through movement rather than through additional fixed structural elements. This dynamic approach increases usable area without proportionally increasing structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The two laundry racks are coupled to each other in a nested arrangement where they can be pushed together or pulled apart. This nesting configuration allows the usable area to be adjusted by extending or retracting the racks, effectively increasing the area when needed while maintaining a compact form when not in use, without requiring complex additional structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of manufacture

If the drying rack is designed with fixed dimensions, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but adaptability to different spatial conditions and laundry sizes is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidadaptability to different spatial conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a dynamically adjustable structure where the two laundry racks can be displaced independently relative to the support frame and relative to each other. This allows the usable area to be continuously adjusted to match different spatial conditions and laundry sizes, while the basic modular design maintains manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention enables continuous adjustment of the usable area parameter by allowing the laundry racks to be positioned at various distances from each other and from the support frame. This parameter change capability provides adaptability to different conditions while the modular design keeps manufacturing relatively simple

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Strength

If cross struts are added to increase structural rigidity, then stability is improved, but the grid area is interrupted and flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural rigidityVSAvoidflexibility for hanging laundry
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the cross struts that interrupt the grid area from the traditional design. By removing these obstructive elements, the grid area becomes continuous, improving ease of operation for hanging laundry while structural rigidity is maintained through the alternative frame configuration and the coupling mechanism between the two laundry racks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3323931B1Clothes horse for suspending and drying laundry
Publication Date: 2022.02.16 CASA SI MARKETING & VERTRIEBSGMBH
  • EP3323931B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a clothes horse (1) for hanging up and drying laundry. The stand (1) has a foldable support frame (2) and two laundry grids (11) for holding items of laundry. The laundry grate (11) each have a transverse bar (12) from which several parallel laundry rods (13) extend. The two laundry racks (11) are mounted on the carrier frame (2) so that they can be displaced relative to the carrier frame (2) and are coupled to one another in such a way that the two laundry racks (11) can be displaced relative to one another between a first end position pushed together and a second end position pulled apart .