Patent Publication Number: US-2020299893-A1

Title: Garment Holder with Lock Mechanism

Description:
This application claims priority to provisional application No. 62/820,479, filed Mar. 19, 2019. 
     The present invention pertains to a lock for a garment holder that secures two halves together. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Garment holders such as nested balls/spheres are known in the art for holding garments in place during washing and drying cycles using domestic washing machines and dryers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. D524,500 is for a Garment Cage Assembly. Yet these known devices do not have sufficient mechanisms to securely lock a first half of the assembly to a second half of the assembly. The present invention overcomes that shortcoming. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a garment holder comprising a first half and a second half including the first half having a first lock, the first lock including a pin having a winged base. The pin is to be received in a first hole having a corresponding shape to the base. The pin is rotatable within the first hole between a locked and unlocked position. 
     In an embodiment the first lock resides on the first half and the second half includes the second hole, the pin including a locking member disposed at a distal end of the pin, the locking member for engaging the second hole. The pin may be formed of a barrel having a longitudinal axis and the distal end may pivot outwardly away from the axis to an engaged position and pivot inwardly to a disengaged position, wherein in the engaged position the pin is traveling through the second hole and in the disengaged position the pin is seated within the second hole so that the winged base extends beyond the second hole. 
     In an embodiment, the pin in the engaged position the distal end of the locking member rides against a wall forming the second hole. In the engaged position the distal end of the locking member may ride against a wall forming the first hole. A flange may be disposed on the second half and a pair of ramps may protrude from the flange. The winged base may engage the ramps when the pin is rotated approximately 45 degrees, so that in the locked position the winged base rides along the ramps into a position between the ramps. 
     In an embodiment, the pin may be in an unlocked position when the winged base is adjacent the ramps, prior to rotation of the pin. The attachment of the first half to the second half may form a ball and captured within the ball is a mini-ball upon which a garment may be attached. The first and second halves may be joined at a rim, the rim having tabs engaged by guides in order to secure the first half to the second half. 
     In a further embodiment a locking member may lock a first half of a garment holder to a second half of the garment holder and the locking member may comprise a pin having a winged base to be received in a hole having a corresponding shape, the pin being rotatable within the hole between a locked and unlocked position. The pin may include a locking member disposed at a distal end of the pin, the locking member for engaging a hole. 
     The pin may be formed of a barrel having a longitudinal axis and the distal end may pivot outwardly away from the axis to an engaged position and pivot inwardly to a disengaged position, wherein in the engaged position the pin is traveling through the hole and the disengaged position where the pin is seated within the hole so that the winged base extends beyond the hole. 
     In an embodiment, in the engaged position the distal end of the locking member may ride against a wall forming the hole. A flange may be disposed on the second half and a pair of ramps protruding from the flange, the winged base engaging the ramps when the pin is rotated approximately 45 degrees, so that in the locked position the winged base rides along the ramps into a position between the ramps. The pin may be in an unlocked position when the winged base is adjacent the ramps, prior to rotation of the pin. 
     In an embodiment the invention provides a method of locking a first member to a second member comprising the steps of holding the first member adjacent the second member so that a pin is located in proximity to a first hole of the first member and a second hole of a second member. The invention also comprises the steps of inserting the pin through the first hole and inserting the pin through the second hole, so that a distal end of the pin is pivoted between an engaged position and a disengaged position. 
     In an embodiment the method further comprises rotating the pin approximately 45 degrees between the engaged and disengaged positions. A pair of ramps may be disposed on a flange of the second member, the flange having the second hole and the ramps for engaging a winged base of the pin. Rotating the pin approximately 45 degrees provides the winged base in engagement between the ramps. The method further provides a visual indicator disposed on a rim of the member to indicate the locked condition of the first member to the second member and placing a garment within the members when in the locked condition. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the garment holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a further exploded view of the garment holder of the present invention showing inner ball, ejected from the halves of the outer ball; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the garment holder in a closed position holding a garment; 
         FIG. 4A  is an exploded perspective view of the outer ball of the garment holder of the present invention in an open and unlocked position; 
         FIG. 4B  is a perspective view from above the lock of the outer ball of the garment holder of the present invention in a closed and locked position; 
         FIG. 4C  is an enlarged perspective view from below the lock of the outer ball of garment holder of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the pin-lock mechanism of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts the inner ball  5  nested within the outer ball halves  10   a ,  10   b  and a garment such as a brassiere  7  enclosed within the outer ball and surrounding the inner ball  5 . “Ball” is used throughout this application, but it is clear that the preferred embodiment is a sphere. However, other shapes and sizes of the present invention may be provided to provide a holder for many types of garments. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the inner ball  5  ejected from the outer ball halves  10   a ,  10   b . The halves  10   a ,  10   b  of the ball include a first half  10   a  having a first rim  11  and the second half  10   b  having a second rim  12 . Locking tabs  21 ,  22 ,  23  are depicted on the second half  10   b  adjacent the rim  12 . The tabs  21 ,  22 ,  23  are received by the guides  24 ,  25 ,  26  on the first half  10   a . The second half  10   b  includes a first alignment number  41  adjacent the rim  12  and the first half  10   a  includes a second alignment number  43  adjacent the rim  11 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the first half  10   a  is secured to the second half  10   b  when the tabs  21 ,  22 ,  23  are aligned with the guides  24 ,  25 ,  26  and the first rim  11  is aligned with the second rim  12  and rotated, so that the tabs  21 ,  22 ,  23  are locked within the guides  24 ,  25 ,  26 . Upon locking of the tabs  21 ,  22 ,  23  within the guides  24 ,  25 ,  26 , the first alignment member  41  aligns with the second alignment member  43  providing a visual indication that the first half  10   a  is locked to the second half  10   b.    
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the halves of the ball  10  are locked together so that the first rim  11  is aligned with the second rim  12 . In this position, the inner ball  5  is nested within and locked within the outer ball  10 . 
       FIG. 4A  depicts the pin-locking member  30  which in a preferred embodiment further secures the first half  10   a  to the second half  10   b . The pin  30  (depicted in  FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C  and  FIG. 5 ) includes a handle  31 , a barrel  33 , a distal end  35  of the latch member, and a proximal end  38  of the latch member, and a winged base  39 . In a preferred embodiment, the steps of securing the pin  30  within the lock holes  51 ,  52  are as follows: a winged base  39  is aligned with the first lock hole  51  of the first half  10   a  and is inserted therethrough. The alignment of the first rim  11  to the second rim  12  occurs as discussed above. The pin  30  is then pushed downward to insert the winged base  39  through the second hole  52  that has a corresponding shape to the winged base  39 . The first hole  51  is disposed on flange  61  and the second hole  52  is disposed on a flange  62  protruding from the second rim  12 . As the pin  30  is pushed downward and into the second hole  52 , the distal end  35  of the latch member is pressed inward as it rides against the outer portion of the first hole  51  then second hole  52 . 
     As a finger and thumb are used on the handle  31  to push the pin  30  toward the seated position within the holes  51 ,  52 , the distal end of the locking member  35  will expand outward and snap in a mated position with the distal end  35  of the pin  30  expanded outward beyond the edges of the barrel  33 . Turning to  FIG. 4C , ramps  63   a, b, c, d  are provided on the bottom portion of the flange  62  and the wings  39  of the pin  30  are engaged upon the ramps  63   a, b, c, d  so that the wings  39  are elevated away from the flange  62  upon rotation of the pin  30  when the handle  31  is rotated. Once the pin  30  is rotated 90 degrees, the wings  39  are seated between the pair of ramps  63   a ,  63   d  and the other pair of ramps  63   b ,  63   c , so that the pin  30  is restricted from rotating (without substantial finger pressure) back to its original mated position. 
     When it is desired to unlock the first half  10   a  from the second half  10   b  of the ball, the pin  30  is grasped with fingers and pressure applied to push downward and rotate back 90 degrees, so that the wings  39  are disposed between the first ramps  63   a ,  63   b  and ramps  63   c ,  63   d , respectively. And then the pin may be lifted out of the holes  51 ,  52  causing the distal end  35  of the latching member to move inward away from the barrel  33 , so that the pin  30  may be removed completely from the second hole  52 . 
     The ball first half  10   a  may then be rotated with respect to the second half  10   b  and the tabs  21 ,  22 ,  23  may be removed from the guide members  24 ,  25 ,  26  and the first rim  11  separated from the second rim  12 . Other means of securing the first half  10   a  to the second half  10   b  are anticipated by the present invention, including snap lock, latches, ramps, straps such as Velcro straps, gear, clamp, hook, lug, nut, rivet, seam and other types of fasteners that may be used to removably secure first half  10   a  to the second half  10   b  of the garment holder.