Hanging clothes drying rack

Abstract

 A hanging clothes drying rack comprising an open or closed perimetric frame (10), between peripheral regions of which there are rod-like elements (14) over which the clothes are hung, the frame (10) being associated in two mutually opposite regions with respective supporting arms (15); each one of the arms (15) is pivoted to a corresponding frame element (11) and is coupled so that it can slide along the frame element (11), the portion of the arm (15) designed for coupling to the frame (10) being provided with a comb-shaped edge (18), between the teeth (19) of which at least one of the rod-like elements (14) over which the clothes are hung is arranged in abutment when the arm (15) is at right angles to the plane of arrangement of the frame (10).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a hanging clothes drying rack.

[0002] As is known, a considerable variety of types of clothes drying rack is currently commercially available; one of these types, known as hanging clothes drying rack, is shaped so that it can be hung from the edge of a rail, wall, windowsill, or radiator.

[0003] This type of clothes drying rack is structurally provided with a perimetric frame that forms at least three sides of a rectangular border; parallel rod-like elements are arranged between two of said sides that are arranged mutually opposite, and are monolithic with respect to said frame or are joined to it by welding; the clothes are hung over said rod-like elements.

[0004] The entire frame with the rod-like elements, if made of a metallic material that is susceptible to oxidation, is conveniently sheathed with a bath of protective plastic material against oxidation or of a protective electroplating coat.

[0005] Adjustable coupling elements are associated with the two mutually opposite sides between which the rod-like elements are arranged.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is to provide a hanging clothes drying rack with coupling elements that can be adjusted simply and rapidly so as to adapt in a substantially precise manner to the thickness of the support from which said rack is to be hung.

[0007] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a hanging clothes drying rack that is stable and sturdy once it is coupled.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a clothes drying rack that is structurally simple and has a low cost.

[0009] This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a hanging clothes drying rack that comprises an open or closed perimetric frame, between peripheral regions of which there are rod-like elements over which the clothes are hung, said frame being associated in two mutually opposite regions with respective supporting arms, said clothes drying rack being characterized in that each one of said arms is pivoted to a corresponding frame element and is coupled so that it can slide along said frame element, the portion of said arm designed for coupling to the frame being provided with a comb-shaped edge, between the teeth of which at least one of said rod-like elements over which the clothes are hung is arranged in abutment when said arm is at right angles to the plane of arrangement of said frame.

[0010] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clothes drying rack according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged-scale perspective view of a detail of the clothes drying rack of Figure 1 in the frame coupling region of a supporting arm;

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views of the detail of Figure 2 in two different steps of the adjustment of the clothes drying rack.

[0011] With reference to the figures, a hanging clothes drying rack according to the invention comprises a perimetric frame 10, which in this case consists of elements made of metal tube having a circular cross-section and forms four elements, respectively shorter elements 11 and longer elements 12 that correspond to the sides of a rectangle.

[0012] Elements 13 made of plastic material are arranged at the comers.

[0013] Parallel metallic rod-like elements 14 over which the clothes are hung are welded between the two mutually opposite elements 11 so as to rest substantially on the lower point of tangency.

[0014] The frame 10 can be made of a metal that does not oxidize or can be sheathed with material that does not oxidize, such as plastic material or electroplating.

[0015] In other embodiments, the frame 10 can be made of plastic material or wood, and can have another closed or open shape.

[0016] The frame 10 is associated in two mutually opposite regions, in particular in this case at the elements 11, with respective arc-like supporting arms 15 made of molded plastic material.

[0017] According to the invention, each one of the arms 15 is pivoted to a corresponding frame element 11 and is coupled so that it can slide along said frame element.

[0018] Each arm 15 is in fact shaped so as to form a portion for coupling to the frame that is constituted by a front foot 16 that has a semitubular cross-section that partially surrounds the corresponding element 11 of the frame 10.

[0019] The foot 16 in fact has an open region 17 that is narrower than the diameter of the element 11, so that the foot 16 can be applied by pressing radially the open region 17 onto the element 11, so that it opens by elastic deformation and then closes so as to engage said element.

[0020] The hinge-type coupling allows the rotation of the arm 15 between an inactive configuration, in which the clothes drying rack is packed and said arm is adjacent to the elements 14, and an active configuration, in which it is at right angles to said elements.

[0021] The extension and position of the open region 17 is such that when the arm 15 is at right angles to the elements 14, its lower edge 18 is adjacent to said elements.

[0022] According to the invention, the edge 18 is shaped like a comb, between the teeth 19 of which, when the arm 15 is at right angles to the plane of arrangement of the frame 10, at least one of the rod-like elements 14 is arranged in abutment.

[0023] Accordingly, by turning the arm 15 into a position that is intermediate between the inactive configuration and the active configuration, the teeth 19 disengage from the elements 14 and said arm can be made to slide along the element 11 in order to adjust its position.

[0024] As regards operation, by turning each arm 15 about the corresponding element 11 of the frame 10 by the extent allowed by the open region 17, the rod-like elements 14 can be disengaged from the teeth 19 and the arm 15 can be made to slide in order to vary the position of the foot 16.

[0025] By turning the arm 15 in the opposite direction, the teeth 19 are again made to abut against the rod-like elements 14, locking the sliding on the new position.

[0026] This allows to adapt the clothes drying rack easily, rapidly and precisely to the type of support from which it is to be hung.

[0027] In practice it has been found that the intended aim and objects of the present invention have been achieved.

[0028] The hanging clothes drying rack in fact has coupling elements that can be adjusted simply and rapidly in order to adapt in a substantially precise manner to the thickness of the support from which it is to be hung.

[0029] Moreover, the hanging clothes drying rack, once coupled, is stable and sturdy.

[0030] Finally, the clothes drying rack is structurally simple and has a low cost.

[0031] In practice, the materials employed, so long as they are compatible with the contingent use, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements.

[0032] The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No. PD2003U000006 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

[0033] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A hanging clothes drying rack that comprises an open or closed perimetric frame (10), between peripheral regions of which there are rod-like elements (14) over which the clothes are hung, said frame being associated in two mutually opposite regions with respective supporting arms (15), said clothes drying rack being characterized in that each one of said arms (15) is pivoted to a corresponding frame element (11) and is coupled so that it can slide along said frame element, the portion of said arm (15) designed for coupling to the frame being provided with a comb-shaped edge (18), between the teeth (19) of which at least one of said rod-like elements (14) over which the clothes are hung is arranged in abutment when said arm (15) is at right angles to the plane of arrangement of said frame (10).

2. The clothes drying rack according to claim 1, characterized in that said frame (10) has a circular cross-section and forms four elements, respectively two shorter ones (11) and at least one longer one (12), that correspond to the sides of a rectangle, parallel rod-like elements (14) over which the clothes are hung being arranged between two mutually opposite elements (11) and being connected substantially to the lower point of tangency.

3. The clothes drying rack according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame elements (11, 12) are metallic and said rod-like elements (14) for hanging the clothes are also metallic and are welded to said frame elements (11, 12).

4. The clothes drying rack according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supporting arms (15) are made of plastic material and each one is shaped so as to perform a portion for coupling to the frame (10) that is constituted by a front foot (16) that has a semitubular cross-section and partially surrounds the corresponding element (11) of the frame (10).

5. The clothes drying rack according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each one of said feet (16) has an open region (17) that is narrower than the diameter of the corresponding one of said elements (11), so that said foot (16) can be applied by radially pressing said open region (17) onto said element (11), so that it opens by elastic deformation and then closes so as to engage said element (11).

6. The clothes drying rack according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hinge coupling allows the rotation of said arm (15) between an inactive configuration, in which the clothes drying rack is folded and said arm is adjacent to said elements (14), and an active configuration in which it is at right angles to said elements, the configuration and position of said open region (17) being such that when the arm (15) is at right angles to said elements (14) the lower edge (18) of said region is adjacent to said elements.

7. The clothes drying rack according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said edge (18) of said open region (17) is shaped like a comb, between the teeth (19) of which at least one of said rod-like elements (14) arranges itself in abutment when said arm (15) is at right angles to the plane of arrangement of said frame (10).

Drawing