Abstract:
A frame which can be moved between a folded-in position and a folded-out position includes suspension means for suspending the frame from a vertical element, an arm assembly having at least three arms and a rod assembly which cooperates with the arm assembly. The arm and rod assemblies are designed such that the arms may extend between a folded-in position and a folded-out position. The suspension means cooperate with a section of the arm assembly and/or with a section of the rod assembly which is/are at the periphery of the planes defined by the assemblies.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a frame which can be moved between a folded-in position and a folded-out position and which is provided with suspension means intended for suspending the frame from a vertical element, an arm assembly comprising at least three arms which, at one end, are hingedly connected to an arm joint and a rod assembly, the rods of which, at one end, are hingedly connected to a rod joint which cooperates with the arm assembly, which assemblies are designed such that the arms extend substantially in the same direction in the folded-in position at a relatively small distance next to one another and occupy a relatively small area in a direction transverse thereto, and in the folded-out position occupy a relatively large area in a direction transverse thereto. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A frame of this type is known for example from rotary clotheslines. These rotary clotheslines have a central column or pole, relative to which usually four arms can be folded out or in. The pole has to be placed in a sleeve which is arranged in the ground, or in a base which serves to ensure the stability of the drying device. 
     Although the known rotary clotheslines have been in use for a long time and are also relatively user-friendly, they nevertheless also have drawbacks. The fact is that a rotary clothesline is often not installed permanently in a specific position. This is due to the space a rotary clothesline occupies; even in the folded-in position, the rotary clothesline is an inconvenient obstacle. Furthermore it is often not a viable option to install the rotary clothesline permanently because of its less attractive appearance. 
     For these reasons, the rotary clothesline is re-installed with every use and then removed again. This is inconvenient and leads to the user being less satisfied. In addition, this makes it less attractive to use the rotary clothesline for small amounts of washing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a frame of the abovementioned type, for example for a drying device, which does not have these drawbacks. This object is achieved by the suspension means cooperating with a section of the arm assembly and/or with a section of the rod assembly which is/are at the periphery of the planes defined by the frame. 
     Positioning the suspension means on the periphery of the frame results in a number of advantages which were hitherto impossible to achieve with the known rotary clotheslines. First and foremost, it is no longer necessary to use a pole. As there no longer is a pole under the frame, the frame can be used to better advantage. Another important fact is that the frame can be folded up, for example against a wall. Such a position is usually at such a distance from the open space that it is not inconvenient to permanently attach the frame which has been folded in such a manner to a wall or the like. This increases user-friendliness. It is then no longer necessary to hang the frame or put it away each time it is being used. The frame only has to be folded out and is then ready for use. 
     The suspension means can in particular be connected to at least one of the arms; alternatively or additionally, the suspension means are connected to at least one of the rods. As is conventional, the arms are hingedly connected at one end to an arm joint and the rods of the rod assembly are hingedly connected at one end to a rod joint; each of these rods is connected to an associated arm at a distance from the rod joint by means of a hinge pin, which hinge pin is located between the ends of this arm. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, one of these rods extends beyond the hinge pin of the associated arm; this rod and arm support the suspension means at their end which is remote from the end remote from the rod joint and arm joint, respectively. The aim joint and the arms are provided with stops which interact with one another in the folded-out position; the rod joint and the rods are likewise provided with stops which interact with one another in the folded-out position. 
     The arm which is provided with the suspension means is preferably designed in two sections, comprising two parallel arm sections enclosing a gap. The associated rod which is also provided with suspension means is accommodated between those arm sections and hingedly connected thereto. 
     The suspension means connected to the arm preferably comprise a suspension piece which can be connected to the vertical element, which suspension piece is connected to the arm by means of a fixed hinge; the suspension means connected to the rod preferably comprise a detachable coupling. 
     The detachable coupling can be designed in various ways. By way of example, an embodiment is mentioned in which the detachable coupling comprises a base piece which can be connected to the vertical element and counterpiece connected to the rod, which base piece has at least one stop face and which counterpiece has at least one stop element such that the stop face is directed transversely to the rod in the stop position of the rod, in which the stop element bears against the stop face. By tilting the frame about the fixed coupling of the arm, the rod can be coupled and uncoupled, respectively. Such a coupling movement is easy to carry out when putting the frame away or putting it out to use. 
     Furthermore, locking means may be provided for locking the rod relative to the base piece. These locking means may comprise a snap element which is under resilient prestress and can be displaced counter to the spring prestress by the counterpiece and which, once the stop position of the counterpiece has been reached, can rebound relative to the base piece in order to lock the counterpiece relative to the base piece. 
     In a very stable embodiment, two stop faces and associated stop elements may be provided, the snap element being located between the two stop faces. 
     A guide may be provided opposite each stop face, which stop face and which guide enclose a guide slot in such a manner that the associated stop element can be guided to the stop position through the guide slot. 
     The suspension means may comprise a suspension plate which is connected to one of the arms and one of the rods; the suspension means can preferably pivot about a hinge pin which is parallel to the direction in which the folded-in arms extend. 
     The invention also relates to a drying device, comprising a frame as described above, and to lines extending in each case between two neighboring arms. Finally, the invention relates to a screen device comprising a frame of this type and screens extending in each case between two neighboring arms. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment of a frame which forms a section of a wall drier illustrated in the figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a vertical section through the wall drier according to the invention in the folded-out position; 
         FIG. 2  shows the semi-folded position; 
         FIG. 3  shows the folded-in position; 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the folded-out frame of the wall drier according to  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a plan view of the folded-out wall drier; 
         FIG. 6   a  shows a detail on an enlarged scale according to VI of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6   b  shows the operational principle of the detail of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 6   c  shows the locking action of the detail of  FIG. 6   a;    
         FIG. 7  shows the detail of  FIG. 6  in the position where it is almost locked; 
         FIG. 8  shows the detail of  FIG. 6  in the unlocked position; 
         FIG. 9  shows a cross section along IX-IX according to  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 10  shows the view X-X from  FIG. 6   c.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The wall drier illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  and  5  comprises an arm assembly denoted overall by reference numeral  1  and a rod assembly denoted in its entirety by reference numeral  2 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, the arm assembly comprises four arms  3 ,  4 , which are hingedly connected to one another at the arm joint  5 . The rod assembly comprises four rods  6 ,  7  which are hingedly connection to one another by a rod joint  8 . 
     Approximately halfway along its length, each of the arms  3  is connected to a rod  6  by means of a respective hinge  9 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , a handle  41  is provided on a section of the arm assembly  1  which is remote from the section of the arm assembly  1  on which a suspension piece  13  is provided. The arm  4  is designed in two sections and comprises two adjacent arm sections  4 ′,  4 ″, which enclose a gap  10  between them. The rod  7  is accommodated in this gap. This rod  7  is hingedly connected to both arm sections  4 ′,  4 ″ of the arm  4  by means of a hinge  11  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). The rod  7  has centering tracks  40  which extend transverse to its longitudinal direction for centering the rod  7  between the coupling parts  27  when the rod  7  is swung to the coupled state. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the end of the arm sections  4 ′,  4 ″ remote from the arm joint  5  is connected to the suspension piece  13  by means of the hinge  12 . The suspension piece  13  can pivot about a hinge pin  12  which is perpendicular to the direction in which the arms  3 ,  4  extend in the folded-in position. The rod  7  is connected in turn to the suspension piece  13  by means of a detachable coupling  14 . The detachable coupling  14  includes a base piece  23  which can be connected to the vertical element, and a counterpiece  25 , e.g., a pin  25 , connected to the rod  7 , which base piece  23  has at least one stop face  24  and which counterpiece  25  has at least one stop element such that the stop face  24  is directed transversely to the rod  7  in the stop position of the rod  7 , in which the stop element bears against the stop face. The suspension piece  13  has a top cover  15  and a bottom cover  16 , within the contour of which the rod  7  and arms  3 ,  4  of the frame can fall in the folded-in position. The suspension piece  13  may, for example, be attached to a wall, i.e., the vertical element. Incidentally, the other portion of the suspension piece  13 , which is below the coupling  14 , can also be omitted. 
     Each of the arms  3 ,  4  has holes  17  for passing washing lines through, which are taut when the frame is in its folded-out position. In the plan view of  FIG. 5 , the washing lines  22  are illustrated which are pulled taut between the arms  3 ,  4 . 
     Both the arm joint  5  and the rod joint  8  have stops  18  and  19 , respectively, against which the flat sides  20  and  21  of the arms  3 ,  4  and  6 ,  7 , respectively, come to bear in the completely folded-out position. Thus a stable folded-out position of the frame is ensured. 
     The enlarged detail of  FIGS. 6   a  to  8  illustrates the detachable coupling  14 . This coupling comprises a base piece  23  which has a stop face  24 . In the coupled state, the longitudinal direction of the rod  7  runs approximately perpendicular to the stop face  24 . As a result, the pin  25  connected to this rod  7  rests against the stop face  24  in a stable manner. 
     When the arm  7  is coupled to the base piece  23 , the pin  25  slides along the stop face  24  and beyond the snap element  37  (see also  FIG. 10 ). This can be resiliently pushed back counter to the prestress, for example by spring  39 . Once the pin  25  has parried the snap element  37 , the snap element  37  snaps back and the arm  7  is locked behind the nose  38  of the snap element  37 . 
     The arm  7  is furthermore connected to the base piece  23  by the coupling element  26 . To this end, the coupling element  26 , which has two parallel arms  27  (see also  FIG. 9 ), is connected on one side to the rod  7  via hinge  28  and on the other side to the base piece  23  via hinge  29 . The hinge  28  is accommodated in a sliding piece  30 , which is held against the stop face  32  by means of the prestressing spring  31 , i.e. away from the base piece  23 . In the position of  FIG. 6 , the spring  31  thus continuously pushes the pin  25  against the stop face  24 . The coupling element  26  also facilitates displacement of the pin  25  in the slot  35  and over the stop face  24 . 
     When the coupling  14  is uncoupled, the frame is withdrawn in the direction away from the base piece  23 , in such a manner that the pin  25  falls into the slot  34  via the curved slot  33  and can be pushed down. In this case, the coupling element rotates about the hinges  28 ,  29 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , to the folded-in position. 
       FIG. 10  shows that the stop face consists of two parts  24 , between which the snap element  37  is accommodated. The pin  25  of the arm  7  rests on one respective part  24  with both ends and hooks behind the two sets of noses  38  of the snap element  37 . 
     Although a particular suspension method has been described above, the invention is not limited thereto. It is also possible to connect the rod  7  to the suspension piece  13  so as to be displaceable. If required, the rod  7  can also be coupled to the suspension piece by means of a coupling element  26  which is hingedly connected to the suspension piece  13  on one side and to the rod  7  on the other side. It is also possible for the rod  7  to be of articulated design and to connect it to the suspension piece by means of a fixed hinge.