Patent Publication Number: US-2023151534-A1

Title: Collapsible clothes rack

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a clothes rack for hanging clothes and, more particularly, to a collapsible clothes rack. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional clothes racks for home use or for use in shops for exhibiting commercial products are commonly made of wooden slats, metal tubes, or plastic members. These conventional clothes racks require much storage space when not in use because they are not collapsible. There are also known detachable clothes racks. When not in use, a detachable clothes rack can be collapsed. However, when the parts of a detachable clothes rack are detached, they must be well kept. If one part of a detachable clothes rack is lost, the detachable clothes rack can no longer be set up again. 
     Even with the prior part patents and prior designs, improvements are warranted and required to provide for different designs and elements not shown, used, described, or implied in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a collapsible clothes rack. The folding collapsible clothes rack includes (a) a lateral center bar extending from a front to a back of the clothes rack and having ends distal to each other, each end being attached to a center hinge assembly, (b) a pair of foldable wing assemblies attached to the center hinge assemblies and extending transversal to the lateral center bar, (c) a pair of collapsible main leg assemblies each attached to the center hinge assemblies, and wherein the center hinge assemblies being configured to pivot the main leg assemblies to a predetermined angle from each other to define a base on a surface, and (d) a leg support assembly secured between the pair of collapsible main leg assemblies, and wherein the leg support assembly includes leg support hinges configured to permit the pair of collapsible main leg assembles to pivot away from each other at the predetermined angle. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may define each of the foldable wing assemblies by including (a) a first wing assembly extending transversal to the lateral center bar and having sides transversally distal to each other, the first wing assembly being secured at one of the sides to the center hinge assemblies and secured at the other side to a pair of first wing hinge assemblies; (b) an outside wing assembly extending transversal to the lateral center bar and having sides transversally distal to each other, the outside wing assembly being secured at one of the sides to the pair of first wing hinge assemblies and having a U-shaped end at the other side; and (c) wherein the pair of first wing hinge assemblies are configured to pivot and maintain the outside wing assemblies in various planes angled from the first wing assemblies, including a plane substantially parallel to the first wing assemblies, a plane angled upwardly from the first wing assemblies, and a plane substantially overlapping the first wing assembles. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may define each one from the pair of collapsible main leg assemblies by including an upper leg assembly, a bottom leg assembly, and a middle leg assembly removably attached at one end to the upper leg assembly and removably attached at the other end to the bottom leg assembly. In addition, the leg support assembly may be secured between the two middle leg assemblies defined on either one of the pair of main leg assemblies. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may define each of the center hinge assemblies to include: (a) a central open to receive an end of the lateral center bar; (b) four hinge members, each defined to include a circular hub with an extending cylindrical tube hollowed to receive an end of a post, the four hinge members are paired to configure one pair extending transversally to connect to the pair of foldable wing assemblies and a second pair extending downwardly to connect to the collapsible main leg assemblies; and (c) wherein each of the hinge members includes an over-flange member configured adjacent to an edge of its circular hub such that when assembled the over-flange members on a paired hinge member restrict movement to prevent over twisting of the hinges. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may define the first wing assemblies to each include: (a) a pair of outside first wing posts and a plurality of first wing lateral cross bars secured therebetween, and (b) each of the pair of outside first wing posts include a first wing interior end configured to connect to the center hinge assemblies, and further include a first wing exterior end distal to the first wing interior end and configured to connect to the pair of first wing hinge assemblies. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may define the pair of first wing hinge assemblies to each include: (a) a front first wing hinge assembly and a rear first wing hinge assembly, (b) each of the front and rear first wing hinge assemblies include a pair of first hinge members, each first hinge member has a circular hub with an extending cylindrical tube hollowed to receive an end of a post, the cylindrical tube further includes a lateral opening, (c) a pair of lateral first wing hinge support bars secured in the lateral openings and extending between the front and rear first wing hinge assemblies, and (d) wherein each of the first hinge members further includes an over-flange member configured when assembled to prevent over twisting of the hinges, and wherein each of the circular hubs in the front and rear first wing hinge assemblies are configured to include radial ribs to divide the circular hub into sections, and where one of the sections includes at least two arcuate cross ribs positioned between two of the radial ribs. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may define each of the outside wing assemblies include: (a) an outside U-shaped support bar having a pair of outside wing post legs and outside wing post end configured to secure to the first wing hinge assemblies; and (b) a plurality of outside wing lateral cross bars secured between the post legs. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may define the upper leg assembly to include a pair of upper leg posts with at least one lateral upper leg bar secured between the pair of upper leg posts, and wherein each of the upper leg posts includes an upper leg first end configured to secure to the center hinge assembly and further includes an upper leg second end, and wherein the upper leg second end tapers to a smaller cylindrical profile such that the upper leg second end secures into a defined middle leg first end on the middle leg assembly. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may define the middle leg assembly to include a pair of middle leg posts with at least one lateral middle leg bar secured between the pair of middle leg posts, and wherein each of the middle leg posts includes the middle leg first end, and a middle leg second end, wherein the middle leg second end tapers to a smaller cylindrical profile such that the middle leg second end secures into a defined lower leg first end on the lower leg assembly. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may define the lower leg assembly to include a U-shaped base member with a pair of lower leg posts and at least two lateral lower leg bars secured between the pair of lower leg posts, and wherein each of the lower leg posts includes the lower leg first end. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may define the leg support assembly to include a pair of leg support hinges with a circular hub hinge and an extending arm, the extending arm includes an arm end with an opening sized to receive the lateral middle leg bar, and wherein the circular hub hinge includes an over-flange member positioned adjacent to the circular hub hinge to restrict over twisting of the hinge. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may further include a wing support on either side of the clothes rack, the wing supports are U shaped supports and configured to connect to the middle leg assemblies and extend upwardly to support the pair of foldable wing assemblies. 
     The clothes rack of the aforementioned embodiment may further include four separate wheel holders secured about a lower end of the leg support assembly; and each wheel holder configured to receive a caster wheel. 
     Numerous advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, and from the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A fuller understanding of the foregoing may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a collapsible clothes rack in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a collapsible clothes rack in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    is a partial exploded view of the collapsible clothes rack from  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is an illustration of the collapsible clothes rack in the collapsed configuration; 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of the first wing assemblies connected to the center hinge assemblies; 
         FIG.  6    is an exploded view of  FIG.  5   ; 
         FIG.  7    is an enlarged view of the center hinge assemblies; 
         FIG.  8    is an exploded view of a center hinge assembly; 
         FIG.  9    is a rear exploded view of a center hinge assembly; 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view of the outside wing assembly connected to the first wing hinge assemblies; 
         FIG.  11    is an exploded view of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  12    is an exploded view of the first wing hinge assemblies; 
         FIG.  13    is another exploded view of the first wing hinge assemblies; 
         FIG.  14    is a perspective view of the leg assemblies connected to the first wing assemblies; 
         FIG.  15    is a perspective view of the leg assemblies connected to the center hinge assemblies; 
         FIG.  16    is a partial exploded view of  FIG.  15   ; 
         FIG.  17    is a perspective view of a leg assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG.  18    is a partial exploded view of  FIG.  17   ; 
         FIG.  19    is an exploded view of  FIG.  17   ; 
         FIG.  20    is a perspective view of the push pin; 
         FIG.  21    is a perspective view of leg support assembly; 
         FIG.  22    is an exploded view of  FIG.  21   ; 
         FIG.  23    is an exploded view of a leg support hinge; 
         FIG.  24    is a front view of the folding aspects of the outside wing assemblies onto the first wing assemblies about the first wing hinge assemblies; 
         FIG.  25    is a partial sectional view illustrating a wing support; 
         FIG.  26    is a partial exploded view illustrating the wing support; 
         FIG.  27    is a perspective view of the wing support; 
         FIG.  28    is a perspective view of the clothes rack in a fully collapsed transportable configuration; 
         FIG.  29    is an alternative embodiment of the clothes rack showing the use of caster wheels; and 
         FIG.  30    is an alternative embodiment of the clothes rack showing the use of side shoe racks. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the claims by the embodiments illustrated. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  through  30   , a folding collapsible clothes rack  100  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The clothes rack  100  is comprised of a lateral center bar  110  (extending front to back). The center bar is secured at each of its ends  112  to a center hinge assembly  115 . Extending transversal to the lateral center bar (extending side to side) are foldable wing assemblies  150  and  155 . Each foldable wing assembly ( 150  and  155 ) are formed from hinge assemblies and wing sections explained from a single side, however, it is configured that each side is substantially similar to each other; such that repetitive descriptions of each side is not necessary. 
     The pair of center hinge assemblies  115  attaches in each side direction to a first wing assembly  120 , which thus extends transversal—extending side to side—from the lateral center bar. The center hinge assemblies  115  are secured about an interior portion  125  of the inside wing assembly  120 . The inside wing assembly  120  further includes an exterior portion  130  connected to a pair of outside or first wing hinge assemblies  135 . The first wing hinge assemblies  135  further connect to an outside wing assembly  140 . 
     The center hinge assemblies  115  also attach to collapsible main leg assemblies  160  extending downwardly from the center hinge assemblies and extending at an angle θ from the each other. Each main leg assembly  160  includes an upper leg assembly  170 , a middle leg assembly  180  and a bottom leg assembly  190 . A leg support assembly  185  is provided about the middle leg assembly  180  and secured between the two main leg assemblies  160  for support. The main leg assemblies can be secured to each other with fasteners or internal push pins (discussed herein below). 
     Continuing to refer to the figures, the sectional and hinge assemblies will be discussed in greater detail. As configured above, the lateral center bar  110  extends front to back with a pair of distal ends  112 . The distal ends  112  are secured to central openings  200  defined in the center hinge assembly  115 . Fasteners  205  are used to secure the distal ends of the lateral center bar  110  to the center hinge assemblies  115 . Each one of the center hinge assemblies  115  are comprised of hinge members  210 . Each hinge member  210  includes a circular hub  215  with an extending cylindrical tube  220  hollowed to receive an end of a post (defined below). The hinge members  210  are paired such that two are configured to extend to connect to the inside wing assemblies  120  (referred to also as side hinge members  210 A) and two are configured to extend downwardly to connect to the leg assemblies (referred to also as downward hinge members  210 B). In addition, each of the hinge members  210  includes an over-flange member  225  positioned adjacent to a portion of an edge of the circular hub  215 . The over-flange member  225  includes an arcuate edge  227  that rests against the circular hub  215  of its pair this help restrict over twisting of the hinges. 
     As noted, one pair of hinge members  210  (side hinge members  210 A) from each center hinge assembly  115  are configured to extend at opposing directions to connect to the interior portions  125  of the first wing assemblies  120 . Each of the first wing assemblies  120  are configured to include a pair of outside first wing posts  230  and a plurality of first wing lateral cross bars  235  secured therebetween. The pair of outside first wing posts  230  include interior ends  127  connecting to the center hinge assemblies  115 , and further include exterior ends  129  distal to the interior ends  127  and configured to connect to the first wing hinge assemblies  135 . 
     Each one of the first wing hinge assemblies  135  are comprised of a pair of first hinge members  250 . Each first hinge member  250  includes a circular hub  255  with an extending cylindrical tube  260 , hollowed to receive an end of a post. The cylindrical tube  260  further includes a lateral opening  262  to receive a lateral first wing hinge support bar  280 . Each of the first hinge members  250  further includes an over-flange member  265  positioned adjacent to a portion of an edge of the circular hub  255 . The over-flange member  265  includes an arcuate edge  267  that rests against the circular hub  255  to restrict over twisting of the hinges. In addition, the circular hub  255  is configured to include radial ribs  270  to divide the circular hub  255  into sections, where one of the sections includes at least two to three arcuate cross ribs  275  positioned between two of the radial ribs  270 . 
     The outside wing assembly  140  include an outside U-shaped support bar  300 , having a pair of post legs  302  and post end  305  configured to be received into the cylindrical tubes  260  of the first wing hinge assemblies  135 . In addition, a plurality of outside wing lateral cross bars  310  are secured between the post legs  302 . 
     As noted above, the center hinge assemblies  115  also attach to collapsible main leg assemblies  160 , which extend downwardly from the center hinge assemblies  115  and which extend at an angle θ from the each other. Each main leg assembly  160  includes an upper leg assembly  170 , a middle leg assembly  180  and a bottom leg assembly  190 . A leg support assembly  185  is provided about the middle leg assembly  180  and secured between the two main leg assemblies  160  for support. The upper, middle, and bottom leg assemblies can be secured to each other with fasteners or internal push pins (discussed herein below). The main leg assemblies  160  are secured to each other to form a V shaped support. 
     The upper leg assembly  170  consisted of a pair of upper leg posts  172  with a lateral upper leg bar  178  secured between the pair of upper leg posts  172 . Each of the upper leg posts  172  include a first top end  174  received by the downward hinge members  210 B defined by the center hinge assemblies  115  and include a second bottom end  176 . The second bottom end  176  of the upper leg posts  172  taper to a smaller profile configured to slide and fit into the top end  184  of the middle leg assembly  180 . 
     The middle leg assembly  180  consists of a pair of middle leg posts  182  with a lateral middle leg bar  188  secured between the pair of middle leg posts  182 . Each of the middle leg posts  182  includes a middle top end  184  hollowed to receive the second bottom end  176  of the upper leg assembly  170 . The middle leg posts  182  further include a second bottom end  186  which includes a tapered end configured to slide and fit into the top end  194  of the lower leg assembly  190 . 
     The lower leg assembly  190  includes a U-shaped base member  192  with a pair of lower leg posts  193 . Each lower leg post includes an upper lower leg end  194  sized to receive the second bottom middle end  186  of the middle leg posts  182 . The lower leg assembly  190  further include one or more lateral lower leg bars  198 . 
     To provide for an easy assembly and disassembly of the leg assemblies  160 , internal push pins  200  are provided to connect the lower second bottom end  176  to the middle top ends  184  of the middle leg assembly  180 . Opening  320  are provided in the ends which align when assembled. The push pin  350  is a v shaped spring  355  with a knob  360  that protrudes through the aligned openings  320 . The v shaped spring biases the knob out of the openings. The user simply has to push the knob through the opening when dissembling the leg assemblies  160 . 
     The leg support assembly  185  extends between the two main leg assemblies  160  by securing about the lateral middle leg bar  188  defined the middle leg assembly  180 . The leg support assembly  185  includes a pair of leg support hinges  380  with a circular hub hinge  385  with an extending arm  390 . The arm end  390  includes an opening  395  sized to receive the middle leg bar  188 . The circular hub hinge  385  includes an over-flange member  387  positioned adjacent to a circular hub hinge  385  to restrict over twisting of the hinge. 
     In addition to the above, the folding collapsible clothes rack  100  may include wing supports  400 . The wing supports are U shaped supports that connect to the middle leg assemblies  180  and extend upwardly to support the first wing assemblies  120  towards the first wing hinge assemblies  135 . The U-shaped supports  400  include legs  410  extending from a U-shaped base  405 . The legs  410  include leg tips  415  extending outwardly to fit into apertures  420  on the middle leg assemblies  180 . The U-shaped base  405  includes shoulders  425  that connect to the legs  410 . The shoulders include an outwardly L shaped indentation  430 . The indentations  430  rest against the pair of outside first wing posts  230 . 
     In another embodiment, the clothes rack  500  includes wheel holders  507  to receive caster wheels  505 . In addition, the leg support assembly  185  may include a mesh netting  515  and a shoe rack  520 . Alternatively, the leg support assembly  185  may include additional lateral supports  388  and a centered lateral support  560 . 
     By utilizing the above configuration, a collapsible folding clothes rack can be economically provided to end users by providing it to them in a partially assembled configuration. In view of the above, it will be seen that several advantages of the present invention have been achieved and other advantageous results have been obtained. From the foregoing and as mentioned above, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific methods and apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.