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(11) | EP 2 524 630 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Laundry aid |
| (57) An apparatus (10) for supporting at least one garment (40) comprises an attachment
part (12) for mounting the apparatus (10) to a support such as a washing line (50)
or radiator (60); and at least one gripping part (18) having a respective elongate
resiliently deformable portion for engaging and enabling gripping of at least one
garment (400). The apparatus (10) may include a plurality of arms (14) extending radially
from a central support (16) during use, wherein at least one arm (14) comprises a
gripping part (18). The attachment part (12) comprises two hook portions (36a, 36b)
fixed to a shaft (38) at an angle relative to each other. The free end of each hook
portion (36a, 36b) extends away from the shaft (38) in a direction substantially transverse
to the shaft (38).
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[0001] The present application relates to an apparatus for hanging items of laundry for drying, in particular, but not exclusively, to an apparatus which can be mounted on a washing line or other fixture.
[0002] Pegging many small items of laundry such as socks onto a conventional washing line can be time-consuming, as is removing all the laundry from the line. Small items of laundry can also take up a disproportionate amount of space on the line, and it can be difficult to keep paired items together.
[0003] For these reasons, it is known to use a laundry aid which includes a frame from which a number of pegs are suspended, and which is provided with a hook for hanging the laundry aid on a washing line. A number of small laundry items to be attached to the pegs of the laundry aid, so that they can be hung outdoors or brought back indoors in a single batch.
[0004] However, known laundry aids are awkward to use, take up excessive space when not being used, and are difficult to hang in other locations around the home.
[0005] The present invention seeks to overcome one or more of the above disadvantages of the prior art.
[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for supporting at least one garment, comprising:
an attachment part for mounting the apparatus to a support; and
at least one gripping part having a respective elongate resiliently deformable portion for engaging and enabling gripping of at least one garment.
[0007] The advantage of providing at least one gripping part having a respective elongate resiliently deformable portion for engaging and enabling gripping of at least one garment is that the apparatus of the present invention is easy to use. Garments or other laundry items can be simply pushed into the gripping part by deforming the resiliently deformable portion. This is much easier and quicker than attaching garments to suspended pegs, and can even be performed single-handedly. Because the resiliently deformable portion is elongate, the user does not need to be so accurate about positioning a garment when pushing it in to the gripping part, which also makes the apparatus easy to use. The skilled person will appreciate that the gripping part, and its respective elongate resiliently deformable portion, is not necessarily straight, but may be curved or formed into a loop.
[0008] Preferably, at least one said gripping part comprises at least two said elongate resiliently deformable portions for engaging and gripping at least one garment therebetween.
[0009] Preferably, said at least two elongate resiliently deformable portions extend towards each other from respective support elements.
[0010] At least one said resiliently deformable portion may comprise a plurality of resilient members.
[0011] Said plurality of resilient members may be distributed along the length of a respective elongate support element.
[0013] In one embodiment, at least one said resiliently deformable portion is supported along a length of an elongate support element.
[0016] The advantage of this feature is that deforming one part of the resilient sheet has less effect on another portion of the resilient sheet so that several items can be held in the gripping part.
[0018] In one embodiment, the apparatus may further comprise a plurality of arms which, in a usage configuration, extend radially from a central support, wherein at least one said arm comprises at least one said gripping part.
[0019] Each arm may be connected to the central support by a respective hinge member to allow the arms to be rotated into a storage configuration in which the arm extends substantially along the direction of a central axis.
[0021] At least one arm may further comprise a notch or detent for engaging a respective detent or notch in the central support when said arm is rotated to the storage configuration.
[0022] An end of at least one arm proximal its respective hinge member may extend beyond the hinge member to form a stop member which, in the usage configuration, abuts the central support to prevent rotation of the arm beyond the usage configuration.
[0023] An advantage of this feature is that the stop member is in line with the arms, so that the apparatus is compact and streamlined when in the storage configuration.
[0027] The attachment part may comprise at least one hook attached to a shaft, wherein the free end of said hook extends away from the shaft in a direction substantially transverse to the shaft.
[0028] The advantage of this feature is that it enables the apparatus to be mounted to other fixtures, for example a radiator.
[0029] The attachment part may comprise two hook portions fixed to a shaft at an angle relative to each other.
[0030] Advantageously, when the apparatus is hung on a washing line, the washing line is caused to bend around the shaft, thereby helping to prevent the attachment part from sliding along the washing line and reducing the likelihood of the apparatus being blown off the line.
[0031] The free end of each said hook portion may extend away from the shaft in a direction substantially transverse to the shaft.
[0032] The advantage of this feature is that it enables the apparatus to be mounted to other fixtures, for example a radiator. The presence of two hook portions means the apparatus can be mounted more stably.
[0033] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for supporting at least one garment, the apparatus comprising:
at least one gripping portion for holding at least one garment; and
an attachment part for hanging the apparatus on a washing line, the attachment part comprising at least one hook attached to a shaft, wherein the free end of said hook extends away from the shaft in a direction substantially transverse to the shaft.
[0034] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for supporting at least one garment, the apparatus comprising:
at least one gripping portion for holding at least one garment; and
an attachment part for hanging the apparatus on a washing line, the attachment part comprising two hook portions fixed to a shaft at an angle relative to each other.
[0035] Preferably, the free end of each said hook portion extends in a direction substantially transverse to the shaft.
[0036] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 folded into a storage configuration;
Figure 3 illustrates a detail of a central portion of the apparatus of Figure 1;
Figures 4A and 4B show a top view and side view respectively of one of the arms of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;
Figure 5 illustrates a partial cross-section of a detail of a central portion of the apparatus of Figure 1, when folded into the storage configuration;
Figure 6 shows a top view of the apparatus of Figure 1 folded into a storage configuration;
Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 hung on a washing line;
Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 mounted on a radiator;
Figure 9 illustrates a detail of an attachment part of the apparatus of Figure 1 when mounted on a radiator;
Figure 10 illustrates a gripping part of an apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention;
Figure 11 illustrates a gripping part of an apparatus according to a third embodiment of the invention;
Figure 12A illustrates a gripping part of an apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; and
Figure 12B shows a cross-section of the gripping part illustrated in Figure 12A.
[0037] An apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 1 and 2, which show the apparatus 10 in a usage configuration (Figure 1) and folded into a storage configuration (Figure 2).
[0038] The apparatus 10 includes an attachment part 12 in the form of a double hook, which enables the apparatus to be mounted to a support, such as a washing line or a radiator, and which will be described in more detail below.
[0039] The apparatus 10 includes a plurality of arms 14, each of which, in use, extends radially from a central support 16. Each arm 14 comprises a gripping part 18 which extends along most of the length of the respective arm 14. The gripping parts 18 are capable of receiving small items of laundry such as socks, underwear and handkerchiefs.
[0040] Each gripping part 18 includes two elongate resiliently deformable portions 22a, 22b, which extend towards each other from respective support elements 20a, 20b. The support elements 20a, 20b are arranged substantially parallel to each other. Garments can be gripped in each gripping part 18 by inserting a part of the garment between the two resiliently deformable portions 22a, 22b.
[0041] In this embodiment, the resiliently deformable portions 22a, 22b comprise a plurality of resilient members, in the form of resilient bristles. The bristles 22a, 22b are distributed along the length of their respective support element 20a, 20b, and extend towards each other so that their free ends reach the centre of the gap between the two support elements 20a, 20b. In this way, the bristles 22a, 22b effectively fill the gap between the support elements 20a, 20b. The bristles 22a, 22b are preferably formed from polyester and/or nylon, although other materials, including natural materials, may be used.
[0042] In order to hang a garment on the apparatus 10, a portion of the garment is pushed through one of the gripping parts 18. The bristles of the resiliently deformable portions 22a, 22b deform by bending to allow the garment to be received in the gripping part 18. The resilience of the bristles 22a, 22b causes them to resile towards each other to engage and grip the garment. Garments can be held at various positions along the gripping part 18, and several items can be held in a single gripping part 18. The elongate gripping parts 18 also enable items to be gripped along an extended area, rather than at a single point as when a peg is used, which can reduce the likelihood of damaging delicate items.
[0043] Each arm 14 is connected to the central support 16 by a respective hinge 24 so that the arms can be rotated by approximately 90° into a storage configuration in which the arms extend substantially along the direction of a central axis of the apparatus 10, as shown in Figure 2. The hinges 24 can been seen more clearly in Figure 3, which shows in detail a central part of the apparatus 10, the arms 14 being rotated part way between the usage and storage configurations. Each hinge 24 includes a hinge pin 26 provided on the respective arm 14, and a hinge barrel 28, in the form of a partial cylinder, provided on the central support 16.
[0044] With reference to Figures 3, 4A, 4B and 5, each arm 14 also includes a pair of extensions 30a, 30b, adjacent to the hinge pin 26. Each extension 30a, 30b includes a notch 31a, 31b. When the arms 14 are rotated to the storage position, the extensions 30 hook around the central support 16, such that each notch 30a engages a detent 32 on the central support 16 to hold the arms 14 in the storage configuration.
[0045] With further reference to Figures 4A, 4B and 5, each arm 14 includes a stop portion 34, formed by an end of the arm 14 extending beyond the hinge pin 26. When the arms 14 are in the usage configuration, extending radially from the central support 16, a surface 34a of the stop portion 34 abuts a bottom surface 16a of the central support 16. This prevents the arms 14 form rotating beyond the usage configuration. When the arms 14 are in the storage configuration, the stop portions 34 act as supporting feet enabling the apparatus 10 be stored upright on a horizontal surface.
[0046] With further reference to Figures 1, 2, 4A and 4B, a hook 36 is formed at the end of each arm 14, on which further items of laundry can be hung.
[0047] With reference to Figures 3, 6, 7 and 8, the attachment part 12 of the apparatus 10 will now be described in more detail. In this embodiment, the attachment part 12 is a double-hook arrangement comprising two hook portions 36a, 36b attached to a shaft 38. The two hook portions 36a, 36b are fixed at an angle α relative to each other, as indicated in Figure 6, the angle α being about 112°, and preferably in the range 90° to 180°, and more preferably in the range 90° to 140°. When the apparatus 10 is hung on a washing line 50, as shown in Figure 7, the washing line 50 is caused to bend around the shaft 38. This increases the friction between the attachment part 12 and the washing line 50, helping to prevent the apparatus 10 from sliding along or being blown off the washing line 50.
[0048] The skilled person will appreciate that the double-hook feature, comprising two hook portions fixed to a shaft at an angle relative to each other, is applicable as an attachment means for various different types of laundry aid.
[0049] With reference to Figures 3, 8 and 9, hook portions 36a, 36b of the attachment part 12 also include end portions 40a, 40b which extend away from the shaft 38 in a direction substantially transverse to the shaft. This enables the apparatus 10 to be mounted to a fixture such as a radiator 60, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. The dimensions of the end portions 40a, 40b, and the separation between the end portions 40a, 40b and the central support 16, are selected so that a radiator panel of a single-panel or double-panel radiator can be received in the gap between the end portions 40a, 40b and the central support 16. The large angle α between the two hook portions 36a, 36b ensures that the attachment part 12 engages the radiator 60 over a relatively wide area.
[0050] The skilled person will appreciate that above feature of the attachment part 12 is applicable to various different types of laundry aid, especially laundry aids including star-like arrangement of radially-extending arms. Also, the above feature is applicable not only to a double-hook arrangement as in the present embodiment, but also to a single hook attached to a shaft, wherein the free end of the hook extends away from the shaft in a direction substantially transverse to the shaft.
[0051] With reference to Figures 10 to 12, gripping parts 118, 218, 318 according to further embodiments of the invention will be described.
[0052] Figure 10 shows a gripping part 118 according to a second embodiment, including two elongate support elements 120a, 120b. Two resiliently deformable portions 122a, 122b, in the form of resilient sheets, are each secured along one edge to a respective support element 120a, 120b, and extend towards each other so that their opposing edges 124a, 124b meet. The opposing edges 124a, 124b of the resilient sheets 122a, 122b are provided with a plurality of slits 126 to form a plurality of resilient "fingers" 128 along the length of the gripping part 118, between which various items, such as sock 400, can be held. The resilient sheets 122a, 122b are preferably made of silicone, although other materials such as rubber may be used.
[0053] Figure 11 shows a gripping part 218 according to a third embodiment, including two elongate support elements 220a, 220b, each supporting a resilient sheet 222a, 222b. The third embodiment differs from the second embodiment only in that the opposing edges 224a, 224b of the resilient sheets 222a, 222b are provided with slots 226 rather than slits, to allow easier relative movement of the fingers 228 of the resilient sheets 222a, 222b
[0054] Figure 12A shows a gripping part 318 according to a fourth embodiment, including two elongate support elements 320a, 320b, each supporting a resilient sheet 322a, 322b. The fourth embodiment differs from the second and third embodiments in that the opposing edges 324a, 324b of the resilient sheets 222a, 222b have a wavy shape, thereby forming a number of protrusions 328. The resilient sheets 222a, 222b are arranged so that the protrusions 328 overlap, as shown in Figure 12B.
[0055] Preferred materials for the resiliently deformable portions 22, 122, 222, 322 have been mentioned above. The other components of the apparatus 10, 110, 210, 310 are preferably formed from moulded plastics, but the skilled person will appreciate that other materials could be used, for example formed or machined wood composites or ply may be used for ecological purposes or to achieve a natural appearance. Preferably, the support elements 20, 120, 220, 320, are formed of a material which is less flexible than the resiliently deformable portions 22, 122, 222, 322.
[0056] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only, and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
[0057] The skilled person will appreciate that the configuration of the gripping part may be varied. For example, one or more gripping parts may be arranged in a loop or ring, or in a rack or grid configuration.
an attachment part for mounting the apparatus to a support; and
at least one gripping part having a respective elongate resiliently deformable portion for engaging and enabling gripping of at least one garment.
(i) wherein said plurality of resilient members are distributed along the length of a respective elongate support element; or
(ii) wherein said resilient members are bristles.
(i) wherein at least one said resiliently deformable portion is supported along a length of an elongate support element; or
(ii) wherein at least one said resiliently deformable portion comprises a silicone material.
further comprising a plurality of arms which, in a usage configuration, extend radially from a central support,
wherein at least one said arm comprises at least one said gripping part.
(i) wherein each arm is connected to the central support by a respective hinge member to allow the arms to be rotated into a storage configuration in which the arms extend substantially along the direction of a central axis;
(ii) wherein at least one said arm further comprises a notch or detent for engaging a respective detent or notch in the central support when said arm is rotated to the storage configuration;
(iii) wherein an end of at least one arm proximal its respective hinge member extends beyond the hinge member to form a stop member which, in the usage configuration, abuts the central support to prevent rotation of the arm beyond the usage configuration; or
(iv) wherein at least one said arm further comprises a hook or clip for receiving a further garment.
(i) wherein the attachment part comprises at least one hook attached to a shaft, wherein the free end of said hook extends away from the shaft in a direction substantially transverse to the shaft;
(ii) wherein said attachment part comprises two hook portions fixed to a shaft at an angle relative to each other; or
(iii) wherein the free end of each said hook portion extends away from the shaft in a direction substantially transverse to the shaft.
at least one gripping portion for holding at least one garment; and
an attachment part for hanging the apparatus on a washing line, the attachment part comprising at least one hook attached to a shaft, wherein the free end of said hook extends away from the shaft in a direction substantially transverse to the shaft.
at least one gripping portion for holding at least one garment; and
an attachment part for hanging the apparatus on a washing line, the attachment part comprising two hook portions fixed to a shaft at an angle relative to each other.