Telescopic Drying Rack Structure With External Sliding Bars

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional telescopic clothes drying racks face issues with corrosion due to openings in the longitudinal members and require additional plastic blocks for leg pivoting, increasing production and assembly costs.

Innovation Solution

The telescopic clothes drying rack design features lateral bars of the U-shaped frame sliding externally along the longitudinal members, guided by plastic supports with through holes, eliminating the need for internal openings and allowing direct pivoting of legs to the frame, thus enhancing corrosion resistance and simplifying production and assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the lateral bars slide within the longitudinal members of the quadrangular frame, then the telescopic function is achieved, but openings are created in the tubes which compromise corrosion resistance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetelescopic functionVSAvoidcorrosion resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces plastic guide blocks as intermediary elements that mediate between the lateral bars and longitudinal members. These blocks are fixed to the longitudinal members and provide through-holes for the lateral bars to slide through, eliminating the need for direct internal sliding within the tubes while maintaining the telescopic function. This resolves the corrosion issue by preserving the integrity of the tube openings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If plastic blocks are used to surround the longitudinal members for leg pivoting, then the legs can be hinged properly, but production and assembly costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleg pivoting capabilityVSAvoidproduction and assembly cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the longitudinal members multi-functional by enabling them to serve both as structural support elements and as pivoting points for the legs. Through-holes are provided in the longitudinal members to allow direct attachment of legs via pins, eliminating the need for separate plastic blocks. This reduces component count and simplifies manufacturing while maintaining the leg pivoting capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If additional plastic blocks are used for leg attachment, then proper pivoting is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleg pivotingVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the function of the longitudinal members with the pivoting mechanism by integrating through-holes directly into the longitudinal members. This allows the legs to be attached directly to the frame structure without requiring separate plastic block components. The merging of functions reduces the overall number of parts and simplifies the device structure while maintaining full pivoting functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2695987B1Telescopic clothes drying rack
Publication Date: 2015.12.09 GIMI
  • EP2695987B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2695987B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2695987B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A telescopic clothes drying rack (10), comprising a quadrangular frame (11) with first, tubular, rodlike components (12) which define a main rack (13) for hanging laundry, and with supporting legs (14); the main rack (13) is extendable in the direction of extension of the first rodlike components (12) by way of at least one associated extractable secondary rack (15), which comprises a U-shaped frame (17) from which second rodlike components (18) extend which can be extracted telescopically from the first rodlike elements (12), the lateral bars (19, 20) of the U-shaped frame (17) of the secondary rack (15) being arranged so as to slide externally to the longitudinal members (21, 22) of the main rack (13), each one supported and guided by a corresponding support (23, 24) on which a through hole (25, 26) for the guiding and sliding of the corresponding lateral bar (19, 20) is defined, the support (23, 24) being fixed to the quadrangular frame (11).