The invention relates to shoe racks and more particularly to such a shoe rack having means adapted to adjust height between shoe supports of the same subassembly and being highly adaptable so as to fully utilize space.

Typically, pairs of shoes are stored in a shoe cabinet. The conventional shoe cabinet has a large storage space. Thus, the conventional shoe cabinet may occupy a large space of a room. Furthermore, internal space of the conventional shoe cabinet is divided into multiple tiers for storing shoes. However, these pairs of shoes may be different styles with different heights. The storage space of a tier is not effectively utilized if only pair of high-heeled shoes is stored therein with pairs of slippers being stored side by side in the remaining space. The conventional shoe racks also have the same drawback.

The invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantage of the conventional shoe cabinet/rack.

Document US-A-5 127 342 discloses a shelving system comprising superimposed supports adjustable in distance to each other and fixed in the wanted position through a conical collar system compring longitudinal ridges, annular projections and a pole with a plurality of regularly spaced annular grooves.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a shoe rack having means adapted to adjust height between shoe supports of the same subassembly and being highly adaptable so as to fully utilize space.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

• FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a shoe support subassembly for a shoe rack according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 2 is a side elevation in part section of the shoe support subassembly where a distance between the lower support and the lower support is a minimum;
• FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 where the distance is greater than that shown in FIG. 2 after adjusting;
• FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a shoe cabinet having an upper compartment mounted with at least one shoe support subassembly having two shoes supported thereon, and a lower compartment mounted with at least one shoe support subassembly having two shoes supported thereon as a first configuration of the first preferred embodiment of the invention; This support subassembly is a sub-port of a first embodiment of a shoe rack according to the invention;
• FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the shoe support subassembly where the lower support and the upper support of the shoe support subassembly, as one of a plurality of such shoe support subassemblies, are to be assembled on a tube of circular section as a second configuration of the first preferred embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 6 is a side elevation in part section of the shoe support subassembly and the tube shown in FIG. 5 where a distance between the lower support and the lower support is a minimum;
• FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 where the distance is greater than that shown in FIG. 2 after adjusting;
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a shoe rack assembled as a stand according to the second configuration of the first preferred embodiment of the invention where the shoe support subassemblies are longitudinally aligned;
• FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 where any shoe support subassembly is oriented about 90 degrees with respect to an adjacent one when the shoe rack is disposed on a room corner;
• FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the shoe rack shown in FIG. 8 where a transparent dust cover is mounted therearound according to a third configuration of the first preferred embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a wall mounted shoe rack according to a fourth configuration of the first preferred embodiment of the invention;
• FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of a shoe rack where one shoe support subassembly has been mounted on a tube of rectangular section and the other shoe support subassembly is to be assembled thereon according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention;
• FIG 13 is a side view in part section of the lower shoe support subassembly shown in FIG. 12 with two shoes being supported thereon; and
• FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a portion of a shoe rack assembled as a stand according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a shoe support subassembly according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The shoe support subassembly comprises a lower support 10 and an upper support 20. Each component is discussed in detail below.

The lower support 10 is substantially shaped as a sole and comprises a sleeve 11 longitudinally passing through a rear portion and upward extending a predetermined distance. A channel 116 of reduced diameter is provided to divide an internal space of the sleeve 11 into a lower space 113 and an upper space 115 in communication with the lower space 113. An inner wall of the upper space 115 is formed with a longitudinal ridged section 114. A plurality of longitudinal slits 111 are formed on an upper portion of the sleeve 11 so as to make the upper portion flexible. An annular upper projection 112A is formed around the mouth of the upper space 115 and extends inwards. An annular lower projection 112B is formed around an intermediate portion of the inner wall of the upper portion of the sleeve 11.

The upper support 20 is also substantially shaped as a sole and is inclined toward its rear. The upper support 20 comprises a hollow cylinder 21 longitudinally passing through a rear portion and downward extending a predetermined distance. An outer surface of the lower support 20 is formed with a longitudinal ridged section 212. An annular upper groove 211A is formed at a joining point of the upper support 20 with the inclined section of thereof. An annular lower groove 211 B is formed around an intermediate portion of the outer surface of the upper support 20.

The cylinder 21 has an outer diameter substantially the same as an inner diameter of the sleeve 11. Thus, the cylinder 21 is adapted to fully insert into the sleeve 11 to be pivotably frictionally secured thereto by matingly engaging the upper groove 211A with the upper projection 112A and the lower groove 211B with the lower projection 112B respectively (see FIG. 2). Further, a distance between the lower support 10 and the upper support 20 as shown in FIG. 2 can be adjusted depending on applications by pulling the upper support 20 upward to engage the lower groove 211B with the upper projection 112A (see FIG. 3).

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a shoe cabinet 60 having a shelf 61 for dividing an internal space thereof into an upper compartment mounted with at least one shoe support subassembly (only one is shown) having two shoes supported on the lower support 10 and the upper support 20 respectively, and a lower compartment with at least one shoe support subassembly (only one is shown) having two shoes supported on the lower support 10 and the upper support 20 respectively as a first configuration of the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 9, a second configuration of the first preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and its characteristics are detailed below. A tube 31 of circular section has an outer diameter substantially the same as an inner diameter of the reduced member and the inner diameter of the cylinder 21. Also, a flexible ring 311 is adapted to put on the tube 31. Thus, the tube 31 is adapted to pass through the sleeve 11 and the cylinder 21 and the flexible ring 311 is urged against the bottom of the reduced member. The provision of the flexible ring 311 is to enhance the frictional fastening of the lower support 10 and the upper support 20 with the tube 31. In addition to the feature of adjusting a distance between the lower support 10 and the upper support 20 as described above and the shoe support subassemblies being adapted to assemble as longitudinally aligned ones (see a stand 30 of FIG. 8), any shoe support subassembly is adapted to orient about 90 degrees with respect to an adjacent one by frictionally pivoting itself about the tube 31 when the shoe rack is disposed on a room corner (see FIG. 9). This can reserve space for storing larger shoes on the upper supports 20 when such need arises.

Referring to FIG. 10, the shoe rack shown in FIG. 8 is additionally provided with a zipped transparent dust cover 50 therearound according to a third configuration of the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 11, a rounded enlarged member 40 is formed at either top or bottom end of the tube 31. Also, each rounded enlarged member 40 extends laterally to be secured to a wall. This wall mounted shoe rack is according to a fourth configuration of the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 12 to 13, a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are detailed below. The pole 31 is eliminated. The shoe rack comprises a tube 32 of rectangular section. A plurality of horizontal slits 321 are formed along one surface of the tube 32. A hook 12 is formed on the rear end of the lower support 10. The hook 12 is adapted to insert into the slit 321 to mount the shoe support subassembly on the tube 32.

Referring to FIG. 14, an embodiment which does not fall within the scope of the claims is shown. The characteristics of the third preferred embodiment are detailed below. The upper supports 20 are eliminated and each lower supports 10' is adapted to support a pair of shoes (not shown) thereon.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.