Patent Publication Number: US-2009223912-A1

Title: Multi-function towel and storage rack

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a towel and storage rack, more particularly to a multi-function towel and storage rack capable of being assembled by a user according to the user&#39;s habits and space designs. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A towel rack is often installed on a wall of bathroom or kitchen for hanging towels or wipers; a conventional installing means is that two fixing seats are fixed on a wall and at least one rod member is provided in between, so a towel or a wiper can be folded and hanged on the rod member. Regardless the towel rack has one rod member, or plural rod members, the length of the rod member is fixed and is not able to be extended or retracted according to the space designs of the bathroom or kitchen, so for a family having many members, towels are often stacked on each other because of the limited hanging space provided by a towel rack, so the towels are not easy to dry, mold or germs are likely to formed, and a top portion of a non-open type towel rack is served for storing objects so an operation of towel hanging is not convenient. 
     Skilled people in the art have developed a rack member combing a towel rack and a storage rack, a frame member having an open end is provided at front ends of two fixing seats, two ends of the frame member are in parallel provided with plural rod members, so a towel and storage rack is obtained, the top end of the rack member can be served to store objects, e.g. cloths, and each of the rod members can be served to hang towels. The disadvantage of said towel and storage rack is that the length of the frame member and the lengths of the rod members are all fixed so can be used to satisfy space designs. 
     And for hanging towels or wipers, people use either their right hands or left hands according to their using habits, so a multi-function towel and storage rack capable of meeting space deigns and user&#39;s using habits shall be developed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The applicant of the present invention has devoted himself to overcome disadvantages that lengths of a conventional towel rack or a towel and storage rack is fixed and not able to be flexibly used according to space designs, after try and error, the towel and storage rack is provided by the present invention. 
     One object of the present invention is to provide a multi-function towel and storage rack, either side of a main rack member is moveably provided with at least one retractable rod, so the retractable rack is able to be extended from a main supporting rack provided at one side of the main rack member or retracted in a fixing rod, needs for spaces designs are therefore satisfied. 
     Another object of the present invention to provide a multi-function towel and storage rack capable of meeting using habits of users, a secondary rack member can be provided at a bottom end of a fixing seat so a dual-layer rack member is obtained, the secondary rack member is in an open status and is able to be installed according to hand-using habits of users. 
     For achieving the above mentioned objects, a multi-function towel and storage rack is provided by the present invention, includes a pair of fixing seats oppositely provided; a main rack member having a pair of main supporting racks, each of the main supporting racks is vertically connected to a front end of the fixing seat, and at least one fixing rod is provided between the pair of main supporting racks, a proper location on each of the fixing rods has a positioning hole, and an outer end of one of the main supporting racks is provided with a retractable hole with respect to an open end of each of the fixing rods; at least one retractable rod passed through the retractable hole and sleeved in the fixing rod, an inner end of each of the retractable rods is provided with a buckling member with respect to the locations where the positioning holes are provided; so when the buckling member is buckled on or released from the positioning hole, the retractable rod is extended from the main supporting rack provided at one end of the main rack member or is retracted in the fixing rod. 
     Another solution provided by the present invention is to provide a multi-function towel and storage rack, includes a pair of fixing seats oppositely provided; a main rack member having a pair of main supporting racks, each of the main supporting racks is vertically connected to a front end of the fixing seat, and at least one fixing rod is provided between the pair of main supporting racks; a secondary rack member provided at a bottom end of the main rack member, having a secondary supporting rack vertically connected to a front end of either of the fixing seats, and at least one hanging rod provided at an inner side of the secondary supporting rack, the length of each of the hanging rods is shorter than the length of the fixing rod and an inner end thereof has a sealed edge, so a open-type rack member is obtained. 
     One another solution provided by the present invention is to provide a multi-function towel and storage rack, includes a fixing seat having an opening for being fixed on a surface; a main supporting rack vertically connected to a front end of the fixing seat via the opening, one end thereof has at least one fixing hole; and at least one fixing rod, one end thereof is provided on the main supporting rack via the fixing hole, the other end thereof is served to hang towels or store objects. 
     One another solution provided by the present invention is to provide a multi-function towel and storage rack, includes a fixing seat having an opening for being fixed on a surface; a main supporting rack vertically connected to a front end of the fixing seat via the opening, two ends thereof respectively have at least one fixing hole; and at least one fixing rod, one end thereof is provided on one side of the main supporting rack via the fixing hole, and the fixing rod has a positioning hole; and at least one retractable rod capable of being sleeved in the fixing rod via the fixing hole provided at the other side of the main supporting rack, and an inner end of each of the retractable rods is provided with a buckling member with respect to the locations where the positioning holes are provided; when the buckling member is buckled on or released from the positioning hole, the retractable rod is extended from the main supporting rack provided at one end of the main rack member or is retracted in the fixing rod as to as hang towels or store objects. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a 3D exploded view of the multi-function towel and storage rack provided by the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a 3D view of the present invention after being assembled and the retractable rod is in an extended status; 
         FIG. 3  is another 3D view of the present invention after being assembled and the retractable rod is in a retracted status; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 2  intercepted along an A-A line; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 3  intercepted along a B-B line; 
         FIG. 6  is a 3D view of another prospect of the multi-function towel and storage rack provided by the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a 3D view of another prospect of the multi-function towel and storage rack provided by the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a 3D view of another prospect of the multi-function towel and storage rack provided by the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a 3D view of the secondary rack member of another embodiment of the multi-function towel and storage rack provided by the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a 3D exploded view of another preferred embodiment of the multi-function towel and storage rack; 
         FIG. 11  is a 3D view of the multi-function towel and storage rack shown in  FIG. 10 , after being assembled. 
         FIG. 12  is a 3D exploded view of one another preferred embodiment of the multi-function towel and storage rack of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a 3D view of the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 12  being assembled and the retractable rod is in an extended status; 
         FIG. 14  is a 3D view of the preferred embodiment shown  FIG. 12  being assembled and the retractable rod is in a retracted status; 
         FIG. 15  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 13  intercepted alone an A-A line; 
         FIG. 16  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 14  intercepted alone a B-B line. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown from  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 5 , the multi-function towel and storage rack provided by the present invention includes a pair of fixing seats  1 , a main rack member  2  and at least one retractable rod  3 . According to using habits of a user, the multi-function towel and storage rack can be further provided with a secondary rack member  4  and/or a hanging ring device  5 , so the multi-function towel and storage rack provided by the present invention is a in dual layer status. 
     The two fixing seats  1  are oppositely disposed so the main rack member  2  is able to be extended from front ends of the fixing seats  1 ; wherein each of the fixing seats  1  is a vertical sheet, a main supporting rack  21  of the main rack member  2  is vertically extended from each of the fastening seats  1 , each of the main supporting racks  21  and the corresponding fixing seat  1  are connected via a screw-fitting means but not limited to said means, the fixing seat  1  and the main supporting rack  21  can also be connected via a welding means. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the pair of fixing seats  1  is screw-fitted on a wall with a conventional screw-fitting means that a screw-fitting section of a screw is passed through the fixing seat  1  then is screw-fitted in a plastic expanding member preset in a drilled hole on the wall, so each of the fixing seats  1  is able to be stably fixed on the wall, then a connecting member combined with the outer end of the screw-fitting section of the screw is screw-fitted with a wall button, so the connecting position of the fixing seat  1  and the wall is able to be embellished. 
     The difference between the main supporting rack  21  of the present invention and a conventional supporting rack is that one of the main supporting racks  21  is transversally and throughly provided with at least one pair of fixing holes  211 , an inner end and an outer end of the other main supporting rack  21  are respectively provided with at least one pair of fixing holes  211  and retractable holes  212  communicating with the fixing holes  211 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , each of the main supporting racks  21  is in parallel provided with four pairs of holes for being connected to four fixing rods  22  and retractable rods  3 . 
     The fixing rod  22  is a pipe member having a rectangular cross section, an outer end of the fixing rod  22  is provided with an ending member  221  having a caliber larger than the caliber of the fixing hole  211 , and an inner middle portion of the fixing rod  22 , preferably an inner lateral side, is provided with a positioning hole  222 . When being assembled, each of the fixing rods  22  is passed through one pair of the fixing holes  211  of the main supporting rack  21 , so the ending member  221  is provided against the fixing hole  211  disposed at the outer end of the main supporting rack  21 ; the other end of the fixing rod  22  is passed through the fixing holes  211  of the other main supporting rack  21  and is provided against an inner wall of the retractable hole  212 , so two ends of the fixing rod  22  are respectively fixed on one of the main supporting racks  21 , and an opening  223  provided at an inner end of the fixing rod  22  is aimed to the retractable hole  212 . 
     The retractable rod  3  is a rectangular pipe member having an outer caliber with respect to the inner caliber of the fixing rod  22 , an outer end of thereof is also provided with an ending member  31  having a caliber larger than the caliber of the retractable hole  212 , and an inner side thereof is provided with a buckling member  32  with respect to the location where the positioning hole  222  is provided, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the buckling member  32  is that a sleeve  321  having an opening being provided with a resilient member therein(not shown), e.g. a spring, and a buckling ball  322  is provided between the resilient member and a cover  323  fixed on the opening, and part of the buckling ball  322  is exposed to outside for being buckled in the positioning hole  222 . 
     When being assembled, each of the retractable rods  3  is sleeved in from the retractable holes  212  of one of the main supporting racks  21  and sleeved in the opening  223  of the fixing rod  22 , when the buckling member  32  is moved to the positioning hole  222 , the buckling ball  322  is bounced due to an elastic force and is buckled in the positioning hole  222 , thus a status as shown in  FIG. 2  is obtained, the extractable rods  3  are extended from the right side of the main rack member  2 ; wherein the main rack member  2  formed by the plural fixing rods  22  in parallel provided on the two main supporting racks  21  is able to be served as a storage rack; outer ends of the plural extractable rods  3  that are lateral extended are in an open status, so towels are able to be received and hanged from the lateral end of each of the extractable rods  3 . For increasing storage spaces of the present invention, a top end and a bottom end of the pair of fixing seats  1  can be respectively provided with a main rack member  2 , so each of the fixing rods  22  is connected to an extractable rod  3 , the towel and storage rack provided by the present invention is therefore provided with double spaces for storing and hanging objects. 
     As shown from  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 5 , if the retractable rod  3  is desired to be extracted in the fixing rod  22 , a force is applied on each of the retractable rods  3  so the buckling ball  322  of the buckling member  32  is pressed by the positioning hole  222  and retracted into the sleeve  321 , so the whole extractable rod  3  is retracted in the fixing rod  22  so as to reduce spaces occupied. A user can individually operate the extractable rods  3  to meet the desired quantity of towels or bath towels to be hanged or stored. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the towel and storage rack provided by the present invention further comprises an open-type secondary rack member  4 , composed by a secondary supporting rack  41  and at least one hanging rod  42 . 
     The secondary supporting rack  41  is connected to bottom ends of the fixing seats  1  with the same means as the main supporting rack  21  being connected to the fixing seats  1 , and the at least one hanging rod  42  is provided at an inner end of the secondary supporting rack  41 ; wherein the length of each of the hanging rods  42  is shorter than the length of the fixing rods  22 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , for increasing the quantity of towels to be hanged, the secondary supporting rack  41  is transversally provided with a plurality of the hanging rods  42  having sealed edges  421  at inner ends, so towels are able to be received and hanged on each of the hanging rods  42  from the inner ends of the hanging rods  42 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the secondary rack member  4  is able to be provided with the main rack member  2  having functions of retracting and folding so as to obtain a dual-layer rack member. The present invention further includes a hanging ring device  5 , a ring rack  51  is vertically provided at a bottom end of the fixing seat  1 , and a front end of the ring rack  51  is pivotally connected with a hanging hook  52 , so towels are able to be hanged in the hanging hook  52  for rubbing hands. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a top end of the secondary rack member  4  is able to be provided with a conventional main rack member  2 , e.g. at least one fixing rod  22  being provided between two main supporting rods  21 , so a dual-layer rack member is obtained. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , which is another prospect of the present invention, locations where the secondary rack member  4  and the hanging ring device  5  provided at the bottom layer of the main rack member  2  are interchanged, so a hanging operation for a user who uses his right hand to hang towels is more convenient. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the means for providing the secondary rack member  4  is easier for a user who uses his left hand to hang towels. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , which is one another prospect of the present invention, locations where the two fixing seats  1 , the plural fixing rods  22  and the plural retractable rods  3  provided are interchanged, so the extractable rods  3  are extended or retracted from the left side of the main rack member  2 , thus the towel and storage rack provided by the present invention is capable of being adjusted according to actual needs to dispose the extractable rods  3  at either side of the main rack member  2 , as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 7 ; the described arrangement not only meets space variation but also meets the using habit of a user. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , which is one another prospect of the present invention, the difference between  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8  is that locations where the secondary rack member  4  and the hanging ring device  5  being disposed on the fixing seat  1  are interchanged; said difference is made while the towel and storage rack is assembled by a user with his own preferences. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , which is schematic view of the secondary rack member  4  of another embodiment of the present invention, the difference between the secondary rack member  4  shown in  FIG. 9  and the secondary rack member  4  mentioned above is that the secondary supporting rack  41  is bended at an angle so is in a tilted status, therefore the plural hanging rods  42  extended from one end of the secondary supporting rack  41  have height variations, a special viewing sensation is therefore provided. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 , which are schematic views of the multi-function towel and storage rack of another embodiment of the present invention; the multi-function towel and storage rack of the another embodiment of the present invention includes a fixing seat  1 , a main supporting rack  21  and at least one fixing rod  22 ; wherein the described units having same unit numbers as what are numbered in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 9  are the same units. 
     The fixing seat  1  has an opening  11  for being fixed on a surface, e.g. but not limited to a wall; the fixing seat  1  is a vertical sheet. 
     The main supporting rack  21  is vertically connected to a front end of the fixing seat  1  via the opening  11 , one end thereof has at least one fixing hole  211 , e.g. but not limited to the right side; the main supporting rack  21  and the fixing seat  1  are connected via a means of screw-fitting or via a resilient sheet, the fixing seat  1  and the main supporting rack  21  is also able to be connected via a welding means. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the fixing seat  1  is screw-fitted on a wall with a conventional screw-fitting means that a screw-fitting section of a screw is passed through the fixing seat  1  and is screw-fitted in a plastic expanding member preset in a drilled hole on the wall, so the fixing seat  1  is able to be stably fixed on the wall, then a connecting member combined with the outer end of the screw-fitting section of the screw is screw-fitted with a wall button, so the connecting position of the fixing seat  1  and the wall is able to be embellished. 
     One end of the fixing rod  22  is provided on one side or both sides of the main supporting rack  21  via the fixing hole  211 , the other end thereof is served for hanging towels or storing objects; in this embodiment two fixing rods  22  are provided at the right side of the main supporting rack  21  for illustration not serving as a limitation, in fact a plurality of fixing rods  22  can be respectively provided at both sides of the main supporting rack  21 , so the both sides of the main supporting rack  21  can be used for hanging towels. The fixing rod  22  is a pipe having a rectangular cross section, an outer end thereof has an ending member  221 . The quantity of the fixing rods  22  provided is relative to the actual needs, in this embodiment two fixing rods  22  are adopted for illustration and not served as a limitation. 
     When being assembled, each of the fixing rods  22  is passed through from the fixing hole  211  provided at the right side of the main supporting rack  21 , so an end section thereof is stopped at the other end of the main supporting rack  21 ; then the ending member  211  is inserted in the end section of the fixing rods  22 , the assembly is therefore complete and the fixing rod  22  is able to be used for hanging towels or storing objects. 
     As shown from  FIG. 12  to  FIG. 16 , where are schematic views of the multi-function towel and storage rack of one another embodiment of the present invention. The multi-function towel and storage rack of the one another embodiment of the present invention includes a fixing seat  6 , a main supporting rack  7 , at least one fixing rod  8  and at least one retractable rod  9 . 
     The fixing seat  6  has an opening  61  for being fastened on a surface, e.g. but not limited to a wall; the fixing seat  6  is a vertical sheet. 
     The main supporting rack  7  is vertically connected to a front end of the fixing seat  6  via the opening  61 , two ends thereof respectively has at least one fixing hole  71 ; the main supporting rack  7  and the fixing seat  6  are connected via a means of screw-fitting or via a resilient sheet, the fixing seat  6  and the main supporting rack  7  is also able to be connected via a welding means. As shown in  FIG. 12 , the fixing seat  6  is screw-fitted on a wall with a conventional screw-fitting means that a screw-fitting section of a screw is passed through the fixing seat  6  and is screw-fitted in a plastic expanding member preset in a drilled hole on the wall, so the fixing seat  6  is able to be stably fixed on the wall, then a connecting member combined with the outer end of the screw-fitting section of the screw is screw-fitted with a wall button, so the connecting position of the fixing seat  6  and the wall is able to be embellished. 
     One end of the fixing rod  8  is provided on one side of the main supporting rack  7  via the fixing hole  71 , e.g. but not limited to a right side, and the fixing rod  8  has a positioning hole  81  which is provided at an inner side of the fixing rod  8  and close to an open end of the fixing rod  8 . The fixing rod  8  is a pipe having a rectangular cross section, an outer end thereof has an ending member  82 . The quantity of the fixing rods  8  provided is relative to the actual needs, in this embodiment two fixing rods  8  are adopted for illustration and not served as a limitation. 
     The at least one retractable rod  9  is received in the fixing rod  8  via the fixing hole  71  provided at the other end of the main supporting rack  7  (e.g. but not limited to a left side), an inner end of each of the retractable rods  9  is provided with a buckling member  91  with respect to the positioning hole  81 ; when the buckling member  91  is buckled in or released from the positioning hole  81 , the retractable rod  9  is extended from or received in the fixing rod  8  from the other side of the main supporting rack  7 , e.g. but not limited to a left side, so as to be used for hanging towels or storing objects. 
     The buckling member  91  further includes a resilient sheet  911  and a tenon  912 , wherein the shape of the resilient sheet  911  is e.g. but not limited to a bow-shape, the resilient sheet  911  is disposed in the retractable rod  9  and close to the bottom end of the positioning hole  81 ; the tenon  912  is provided on a top end of the resilient sheet  911 , and part of the tenon  912  is exposed outside of the positioning hole  81  for being buckled in the positioning hole  81 . 
     When being assembled, each of the retractable rods  9  is sleeved in from the open end of the fixing rod  8 , when the buckling member  91  is moved to the positioning hole  81 , the tenon  912  is bounced via an elastic force and is buckled in the positioning hole  81 , so a status shown in  FIG. 13  is obtained, the retractable rods  9  are extended from the left side of the main supporting rack  7 . The two main supporting racks  7  are provided in parallel so can be served as a storage rack; outer ends of the retractable rods  9  laterally extended are in an open status, so towels are easy to be received and hanged on the retractable rods  9 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 , if the retractable rod  9  is desired to be retracted in the fixing rod  8 , a force is applied on the retractable rod  9  so the tenon  912  of the buckling member  91  is pressed by the positioning hole  81  and is retracted in the retractable rod  9 , so the whole retractable rod  9  is able to be received in the fixing rod  8 , so as to reduce spaces occupied. A user can individually operate the extractable rods  9  to meet the needed quantity of towels or bath towels to be hanged or stored. 
     The features of the present invention are as following: a main rack member is connected to a front end of a pair of fixing seats, so at least one retractable rod is able to extended from or received in a fixing rod via a main supporting rack provided at one end of the main rack member, so as to meet space designs; a secondary rack member is provided on either of the fixing seats so a dual-layer rack is obtained, and the secondary rack member is in an open status so is able to be installed according to a user&#39;s operating habit; for providing more functions, a hanging ring device is provided at the fixing seat opposite to the fixing seat where the secondary rack member is disposed, so a towel for rubbing hands is able to be hanged thereon; the towel and storage rack provided by the present invention is able to be flexibly adjusted according to spaces limitation or user&#39;s needs and habits. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.