Abstract:
A modular folding shoe rack includes first and second side rails; first and second arms pivotably connected with the side rails at a first end of the arms; a first crossbar connected with the opposite ends of the arms; and a second crossbar connected with the side rails. Each side rail may also include complementary male/female connectors at its opposite ends to allow for connection of one side rail to another, resulting in a modular design.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the priority of provisional application Ser. No. 60/798,930, filed May 9, 2006. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to footwear storage and in particular to storage assemblies for mounting on vertical surfaces such as doors.  
       RELATED ART  
       [0003]     Door-mounted shoe racks are a popular item since they represent a relatively simple way to create additional space in a closet or other room. Numerous shoe rack designs have been developed. However, many of these designs suffer from defects such as those listed below.  
         [0004]     Many prior art racks have arms that project outwards but do not fold up, requiring the rack to take up a lot of space even when not in use or when in transport. In addition, the crossbars of non-folding racks can interfere with the storage of taller items such as boots. Other racks have a single crossbar at each level, rather than a pair, which limits the types of articles that can be held to those which will hook onto the single crossbar. Still other racks are complicated and expensive to manufacture and are cumbersome to transport. Others are difficult to install and cause damage to the structure onto which the rack is installed, for example requiring drilling of holes and attachment of fasteners. Yet others have a fixed design that does not offer modularity and flexibility in use.  
         [0005]     Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide an improved shoe rack that is modular and can be expanded to attach additional racks; is simple to manufacture and assemble; is lightweight yet durable; can hold a variety of articles, and can fold up when not in use or to accommodate larger items.  
         [0006]     The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     One aspect of the invention generally pertains to an improved shoe rack that is capable of folding to reduce its overall size and to accommodate items of larger or bulkier size.  
         [0008]     Another aspect of the invention relates to an improved shoe rack that is modular in nature to allow for ready expansion of the rack.  
         [0009]     In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a modular folding shoe rack that includes first and second side rails, each of the side rails having first and second ends; first and second arms, each of the arms having a first and a second end and wherein the first end of the first arm is pivotably connected with the first side rail and the first end of the second arm is pivotally connected with the second side rail; a first crossbar having first and second ends, the first end of the first crossbar connected with the second end of the first arm and the second end of the first crossbar connected with the second end of the second arm; and a second crossbar having first and second ends, the first end of the second crossbar connected with the first side rails and the second end of the second crossbar connected with the second side rail.  
         [0010]     In another embodiment, each side rail may also include complementary male/female connectors at its opposite ends to allow for connection of one side rail to another, resulting in a modular design.  
         [0011]     These aspects are merely illustrative of the innumerable aspects associated with the present invention and should not be deemed as limiting in any manner. These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a folding shoe rack with its arms folded according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the folding shoe rack of  FIG. 1  with its arms unfolded.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a close-up side view of a side rail for a folding shoe rack according to another embodiment.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an arm for a folding shoe rack according to another embodiment.  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a view of the connection of two side rails according to another embodiment.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a view of the opposite side of the connected side rails of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a folding shoe rack with hanging clips according to another embodiment.  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  includes front and side view of a hanging clip for use with a folding shoe rack according to an embodiment.  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a close-up view of the upper end of a side rail for a folding shoe rack according to another embodiment.  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a close-up view of the lower end of a side rail for a folding shoe rack.  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a close-up view of the connection between two side rails according to another embodiment.  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is an illustration of the connection between a folding arm and crossbar (side rail not shown) in an embodiment of the invention  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is another illustration of the folding arm and crossbar of  FIG. 13 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is an illustration of the connection between a folding arm and crossbar (side rail not shown) in another embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]     In the following detailed description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. For example, the invention is not limited in scope to the particular type of industry application depicted in the figures. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention. The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.  
         [0028]     A modular folding shoe rack  10  comprises a pair of side rails  12 , at least one pair of folding arms  14 , and at least one pair of crossbars  16 .  
         [0029]     In one embodiment as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8 , the side rails  12  comprise a straight portion  18  with a curved portion  20  at each end. The side rails  12  have a medial face  22  and a lateral face  24 , wherein the medial face  22  is designed for one of the pair of crossbars  16  to attach thereto. Centered coaxially at the point where the crossbar  16  attaches to the side rail  12  is a hinge point of the folding arm  14 . In one embodiment, the folding arm  14  has a pair of tabs or an expansion plug  26  protruding therefrom which snap into a hole  28  in the side rail  12 . The curved end portions  20  of the side rails  12  help to hold the straight portion  18 , which has the crossbars  16  attached thereto, away from a door or other structure to which the rack  10  is attached. This permits shoes or other items to hang over the crossbars  16  so that they can be properly balanced on the rack  10 .  
         [0030]     In one embodiment, the side rails  12  are hollow, with the lateral face  24  being solid while the medial face  22  is open. In a preferred embodiment, the side rails  12  contain on the medial side  22  a plurality of reinforcing webs  30 , which, in one embodiment curve, from side to side within the rail  12 . By having the reinforcing webs  30  curve like this, the webs  30  make contact with all three walls of the hollow side rail  12 . The side rails  12  are made in mirror-image pairs for attachment at each end of the crossbar  16 .  
         [0031]     At each attachment point for a folding arm  14 , the side rails  12  have a curved portion for engagement with the complementary curved portion of the folding arms  14  as well as a flat projection for holding the folding arm  14  in place when it is unfolded.  
         [0032]     The side rails  12  preferably have an upper  32  and a lower  34  dado molded therein for joining side rails  12  together in a vertical orientation. The dadoes  32 ,  34  are preferably in the middle of the curved portions  20  of the side rails  12 . The upper  32  and lower  34  dadoes are also preferably on opposite faces of the side rails  12  to facilitate attachment of racks to one another. In one embodiment, the upper dado  32  is on the medial face  22  of the side rail  12  and the lower dado  34  is on the lateral face  24 . It is also preferred that at least one of the dadoes have a pair of snapping clips  36  associated therewith to keep the racks snugly attached to one another. In one embodiment, such snapping clips  36  are associated with the upper dado  32  on either side of the dado slot. In a preferred embodiment, the top ends of the side rails  12  have slots  38  molded therein for attachment of a hanging clip  40 , for hanging the rack  10  on a door or other structure. The slots  38  in one embodiment comprise a recess in three out of the four sides of the side rail  12 , the exception being the top side, and a detent inside the slot for preventing the hanging clip  40  from sliding out.  
         [0033]     In one embodiment the receptacle for attachment of the crossbars  16  is a cup  42  molded into the folding arm  14  or the side rail  12  that is complementary to the size and circular cross-section of the crossbars  16 . To hold the crossbars  16  more snugly in place there are a plurality of raised ridges molded on the inside walls of the cup  42 , the ridges being disposed parallel to the long axis of the crossbars  16 . The ridges hold the crossbars  16  firmly in place upon installation, which has the added benefit of preventing the crossbars  16  from rotating, where such rotation could allow the materials to slide off the rack.  
         [0034]     The folding arm  14  also comprises a medial side and a lateral side. Pairs of mirror-image folding arms  14  are used for attachment to either end of each crossbar  16  and to permit mounting on a left or right side rail  12 . In one embodiment, the folding arm  14  comprises an oval-shaped flat portion that is on the lateral side of the arm, with a wall on the medial side that is perpendicular to the flat portion. The perpendicular wall attached to the flat portion helps make the folding arm  14  more rigid.  
         [0035]     The folding arm  14  comprises a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end has molded therein the aforementioned cup  42  for holding the crossbar  16 . The proximal end is adapted for hinged attachment to the side rail  12  as further described below. The folding arm  14  in one embodiment has a curved wall portion near its proximal end that is complementary to the outside of the cup  42  that holds the crossbars. This curved wall portion helps to stabilize the folding arm  14  against the side rail  12  while still permitting the folding arm  14  to pivot.  
         [0036]     The pair of crossbars  16  comprises an inner crossbar that is attached to the side rails  12  and an outer crossbar that is attached to the distal ends of the folding arms  14 . The folding arms  14  hold the outer crossbar at a point that is higher than the inner crossbar, such that the folding arms  14  and the pair of crossbars  16  define a plane that is at an angle relative to the side rails  12 . In one embodiment, this plane is at approximately 60 to 65 degrees with respect to the straight portions of the side rails  12 . This angle helps keep the shoes and other items from falling off the rack, particularly if the rack is mounted on a moving object such as a door.  
         [0037]     In one embodiment, the folding arms  14  have an oval shape when viewed from the lateral side. From the medial side the wall portions follow the oval shape for more than half of the perimeter of the oval, although at the proximal end the oval perimeter wall is interrupted to allow for hinged attachment of the arm  14  to the side rails  12 . The wall has the previously-mentioned rounded portion and in addition there is a straight portion that allows the folding arm  14  to fold closer to the side rail  12 . Finally there is a flat edge on the wall that meets a complementary stop that is molded into the side rail  12 , in order to stably hold the arm  14  when it is in the folded out position.  
         [0038]     Projecting from the medial side of the oval-shaped flat portion at the proximal end is a plug or clip  26  for attachment of the folding arm  14  to the side rail  12 . The plug or clip  26  in one embodiment includes a pair of finger-like projections  44  with ridges near the ends, such that the projections bend inward as they are fit through a hole and then the ridges allow the projections to snap into place. An alternate description for this structure is that the plug  26  has a slot running therethrough. The clip  26  is circular in cross-section so as to permit the clip to act as a hinge mechanism for the folding arm  14 .  
         [0039]     The crossbars  16  in one embodiment are made of metal, although other suitably strong materials such as wood or plastic would also work. To prevent materials that are laid on the crossbars from slipping off, in a preferred embodiment the crossbars  16  are given a coating of non-slip material such as paint that contains abrasive (e.g. sand) or a rubber coating. In one embodiment the crossbars  16  are made of metal in order to provide sufficient rigidity while preventing warping or sagging (as could happen with wood or certain plastics) and also providing a good substrate for the non-stick surface.  
         [0040]     To enable attachment of the rack to a door or other structure there is also provided a hanging clip  40 . The hanging clip  40  in one embodiment is a piece of sheet metal that is folded on one end to fit over a door and on other end to fit into a slot  38  on the top of the side rails  12 . The end for attachment to the side rails  12  also has one or more holes for engagement with the ends of the side rails  12 . In one embodiment, one or more of the inner faces of the hanging clip  40  have a soft material affixed thereto in order to prevent damage to the door or other structure on which the clip  40  is hung. In addition the soft material helps to grip the door or other structure to prevent the rack from sliding off. In one embodiment the soft material is a thin sheet of soft plastic and in other embodiments the material is a thin sheet of solid or foam rubber.  
         [0041]     In one particular embodiment there are four pairs of crossbars  16  for each set of side rails  12 , with one of each pair of crossbars  16  being attached to the side rails  12  by a pair of folding arms  14  as described herein. However, the side rails  12  may be adapted to attach various numbers of pairs of crossbars  16 .  
         [0042]     In use, multiple racks can be attached together to form a larger rack system. Furthermore the rack(s) can be attached to a door or other object using the hanging clip  40  described above, where the hanging clip  40  is snapped onto the top end of the side rail  12 . The racks and clips are assembled and hung onto a door and the folding arms  14  are folded downward into position as needed. When no shoes or other items are placed on the racks, the folding arms  14  can be folded upwards to take up less space. In addition, the folding feature permits larger articles such as boots to be stored on the racks without interference from the crossbars of one or more racks above. The relatively light weight of the folding arms  14  and crossbars, along with the small amount of friction between the folding arms  14  and side rails  12 , permits the folding arms  14  to remain in the folded-up position without any need for a device such as a latch or lock to hold the arms up.  
         [0043]     In one embodiment the side rails  12  and folding arms  14  are made of relatively rigid plastics whereas the door clips  40  and crossbars  16  may be made of metal.  
         [0044]      FIGS. 9-14  illustrate another embodiment of a shoe rack  110  of similar design to the fore described embodiment. The side rails  112  of this embodiment utilize a slightly different shape with wider ends  118  that taper to a narrow center section  120 . On the lateral sides of each upper end of the side rails  112 , there are two pin-shaped, laterally extending projections  122 . The medial sides of each lower end of the side rails  112  are provided with recesses  150  that correspond to the projections  148 . Multiple side rails  112  may be connected vertically by mating these projections  148  and recesses  150 . At least one of the projections or recesses may also have a pair of snapping clips  136  associated therewith to keep the racks snugly attached to one another.  
         [0045]      FIGS. 12-14  also illustrate an alternate embodiment for connecting the folding arms  114  and crossbars  116  to the side rails  112 . A plug  126  projects from the medial side of the folding arm  114 . The plug  126  includes a ridge near its end and a pair of intersecting slots. The plug  126  is circular in cross-section to serve as a hinge or pivoting mechanism for the folding arm  114 . An insert  146  is provided within the end of the crossbar  116 . The insert  146  has a cross-sectional shape that corresponds to the intersecting slots of the plug  126 , thereby enabling the insert  146  and plug  126  to engage with one another as the plug  126  is inserted through a hole  128  in the side rail  112 . This arrangement provides increased integrity and helps prevent disengagement of the folding arm  114  and crossbar  116  from the side rail  112 .  
         [0046]     As various modifications could be made to the exemplary embodiments, as described above with reference to the corresponding illustrations, without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.