Abstract:
A closet device or wardrobe whereby cross-supports to the bars for hanging clothing lead to increased stability and load capacity. A cross-support is simply connected to the top of the frame and can be a wire with bends at its two ends and two body sections that lead to a middle section wherein an obtuse angle is made as the two halves of the cross-support come together. The bends hook or hang on opposite sides of the upper frame of the wardrobe . The hang bar can rest on the angled middle section of the cross support, which provides additional support to the hang bar from the usual connections of the hang bar to the frame at the hang bar&#39;s two ends. This additional support to the hang bar results in increased stability, durability and load capacity for the wardrobe or closet device. The cross support can be in the form of a wire, a tube a rod, a beam, or any other structural type supporting element. The cross support and also the frame can be made from any suitable material such as metal, plastic, or any known resilient material.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a non provisional application and hereby claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119e from provisional application 60/863,416 filed on Oct. 30, 2006, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a closet device or wardrobe whereby cross-supports to the bars for hanging clothing lead to increased stability and load capacity. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The invention relates to a closet device or wardrobe whereby cross-supports to the bars for hanging clothing lead to increased stability and load capacity. A cross-support is simply connected to the top of the frame and can be a wire with bends at its two ends and two body sections that lead to a middle section where an obtuse angle is made as the two halves of the cross-support come together. The bends hook or hang on opposite sides of the upper frame of the wardrobe. The hang bar can rest on the angled middle section of the cross support, which provides additional support to the hang bar from the usual connections of the hang bar to the frame at the hang bar&#39;s two ends. This additional support to the hang bar results in increased stability, durability, and load capacity for the wardrobe or closet device. The cross support can be in the form of a wire, a tube, a rod, a beam, or any other structural type supporting element. The cross support and also the frame can be made from any suitable material such as metal, plastic, or any other known resilient material. 
         [0004]    In two embodiments the cross support is made of a wire metal and is called a crosswire, a cross beam or cross bar. While in the description of the drawings the term crosswire or cross bar will be used, any term for a cross supporting member can also be correctly used in describing this device. One embodiment shows a wardrobe with one main section and one crosswire or cross bar. Another embodiment shows a wardrobe or closet device with two main sections and two crosswire or cross bars. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0005]    Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
           [0006]    In the drawings wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the assembly of the bottom frame of the closet device; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bottom frame of the closet device with a fabric cover stretched around the bottom frame; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the center portion of the frame being assembled and attached to the bottom support tubes of the closet device; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the assembly of the top of the frame of the closet device; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the assembled top portion being attached to the combined center and bottom of the frame of the closet device, with a fabric cover around the bottom frame; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the assembled top, center and bottom of the closet device with the fabric cover stretched over the top and bottom of the frame but with the fabric cover not being zipped shut so inside portions of the frame are still viewable; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the assembled closet device with the fabric cover completely stretched over the device and zipped shut; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the assembly of the bottom frame of another embodiment of the closet device; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the bottom frame of this second embodiment of the closet device with a fabric cover stretched around the bottom frame; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the center portion of the frame being assembled and attached to the bottom support tubes of this second embodiment of the closet device; 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the assembly of the top of the frame of this second embodiment of the closet device; 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the assembled top portion of the frame being attached to the combined center and bottom portions of the frame of this second embodiment of the closet device, with a fabric cover around the bottom frame; 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the assembled top, center and bottom of this second embodiment of the closet device with the fabric cover stretched over the top and bottom of the frame but with the fabric cover not zipped shut so inside portions of the frame are still viewable; 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of this assembled second embodiment of the closet device with the fabric cover completely stretched over the device and zipped shut; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 15  is a front view of the cross-wire of the closet devices. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the closet device  10  which is able to support a heavier load by hangers hanging onto a tube supported by an angled crosswire or cross bar  16 .  FIGS. 1-7  show a step-by-step assembly of the closet device.  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a base frame formed by bracket  2  connecting to beams  6 . Straight tubes or columns  4  can be inserted into slots  201  in the top side of bracket or corner supports  2  so that these columns  4  are directly across from and not diagonal to each other, and are vertically-oriented. Two reduced tubes forming columns  14  are inserted into the other two slots  201  on the other end of the corner supports  2  resulting in each reduced tube  14  being straight across from the reduced tube  14  connected to the opposite corner support  2  with reduced tubes  14  being vertically oriented. The end of the reduced tube  14  not connected to the bottom corner support is a male end  15 . Beams  6  which can be longer than the first set of straight tubes  4  has both ends inserted into slots  202  on the inside face of the corner supports  2  and are horizontally oriented. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows the assembled bottom portion of the closet device with a fabric cover  20  stretched around both straight tubes  4  and reduced tubes  14 .  FIG. 3  shows two side connectors  18  being connected from the bottom  180  of its three openings to the top ends of straight tubes  4 . Two openings  180  and  181  on each side connector  18  are meant to be used with tubes in a vertical orientation. Each of the three openings  180 ,  181 , and  182  in each side connector  18  fits tubes of equal diameter. Each end of a long straight tube  10  is inserted into a side connector  18  in the opening  182  meant to fit horizontally-oriented tubes. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  shows the assembly of the top of the frame. Two straight tubes forming columns  4  are inserted into two bottom openings  201  in two additional corner supports  2  so that they are directly across from each other and not diagonal to each other and are vertically oriented. Two straight tubes  12 , marginally longer than straight tubes  4 , are inserted in a vertical orientation into the two remaining bottom openings  201  at the other ends of the corner supports. The unreduced ends  120  of the straight tubes  12  allow them to act as female ends which will eventually connect with the male ends  15  of reduced tubes  14 . Two long straight tubes  6 , in addition to the two tubes  6  at the bottom of the frame, are inserted into the four outside slots  202  on the inside face of these upper corner supports  2 , resulting in these tubes  6  being horizontally oriented and parallel to each other. A straight hang bar  8  of the same length as straight tubes  6  is inserted into center slots  203  on the inside face of upper corner supports  2 . The straight hang bar  8  lies with the same horizontal orientation as straight tubes  6  forming top cross beams. After assembly of the top of the frame straight tubes  6  and straight bar  8  have no unattached ends. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  shows the top of the frame being inserted into the combined center and bottom of the frame. The unattached ends of straight tubes  4  insert into the remaining openings  181  of side connectors  18 . Unattached ends  120  of straight tubes  12  connect with male ends  15  of reduced tubes  14 . A floor support  22  fits snugly in between opposing bottom corner supports  2 . An angled crosswire or cross bar  16  (See  FIG. 15  for greater detail) hooks onto upper straight tubes  6  and supports straight hang bar  8 . Bends  54  at the end of the angled crosswire or cross bar  16  enable it to hook onto tubes  6 . The cross bar  16  runs from each end to a middle section  58  at which both halves of the cross bar are connected at an obtuse angle. The angled middle section  58  cradles the straight hang bar  8 .  FIG. 6  shows the closet device  10  with top, center, and bottom of the frame connected together and the fabric cover  20  stretched over the outside and top of the frame but not completely closed.  FIG. 7  shows the finished product of the closet device  10  with cover  20  completely stretched out and zipped up. In this case the cover  20  has a closure or fastener such which can be in the form of any known fastener such as hook and loop fastener, zipper, snaps, ties, and laces. 
         [0026]    Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 13  shows a perspective view of another embodiment  100  of the closet device which also is able to support a heavier load by hangers hanging onto a bar supported by an angled cross bar  16 . Embodiment  100  is larger than closet device  10  and is bi sectioned whereas device  10  had only one main section.  FIGS. 8-14  show a step-by-step assembly of this bi-sectioned variation  100 . 
         [0027]    For example,  FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of three straight tubes forming columns  32  being inserted into slots  201  in the top openings of two bottom corner supports or brackets  2  and the top opening  260  of bottom center support or bracket  26  resulting in a vertical orientation for tubes or columns  32 . These three tubes or columns  32  are inserted into the openings  201  and  260  on the same ends of support brackets  2  and  26  so a line can be formed between the three tubes or columns  32 . Three columns which can be formed by reduced tubes  38  are inserted into the slots  201  and  260  on the other end of the top face of brackets formed from the corner supports  2  and center supports  26  resulting a vertical orientation for the three columns or reduced tubes  38 . The male end  39  of each column which can be in the form of a reduced tube  38  is left unattached. Each reduced tube  38  stands opposite a straight tube  32  on its own support and in line with the other two reduced tubes  38  on the other corner supports  2  or center support  26 . 
         [0028]    Assembly of the bottom of the frame results in six vertically-oriented tubes  32  and  38  each with one unconnected end. 
         [0029]    Two straight tubes  36  which are longer than the straight tubes  32  but shorter than reduced tubes  38  are inserted at one end into a slot  202  on the inside face of a corner support  2  and at the other end into the side of center support  26  in a slot  261  meant for horizontally-oriented tubes. Similarly, two reduced tubes  40  of the same length as tubes  36  insert at one end into slots  202  on the inside face of a corner support  2  and with its male end  400  into slots  262  on the center support  26  meant for horizontally-oriented tubes and sized to hold male ends. 
         [0030]      FIG. 9  shows the assembled bottom portion of the closet device with a fabric cover  50  stretched around all three sets of vertically-oriented tubes and around both sections of the bottom frame.  FIG. 10  shows two side connectors  18  being connected from the bottom  180  of its three openings to the top ends of the two outside tubes of the three tubes  32 . Side connector  18  here is the same size and has openings of the same size as side connectors  18  in the previous embodiment of the closet device. The unconnected end of the middle of the three tubes  32  fits into the center connector  46  in the bottom of its two openings meant to hold tubes in a vertical orientation. Two straight tubes  34  each fit at one end into a side connector  18  at an opening  182  meant for horizontally-oriented tubes and fit at the other end into the center connector  46  at the center connector&#39;s one of two openings  462  meant to hold horizontally-oriented tubes. The bottom  460  of the center connector&#39;s two openings for vertically-oriented bars connects to the top of the straight tube  32  attached to the center support  26 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 11  shows the assembly of the top of the frame. Six straight tubes  28  of the same length as previous reduced tubes  38  are inserted into the bottom openings  201  of two upper corner supports  2  and bottom openings  260  of uppercenter support  26 . Two long straight tubes  36 , in addition to the two tubes  36  at the bottom of the frame, are inserted at one end into the two outside slots  202  on the inside face of one of the upper corner supports  2 , and at the other end into the two outside slots  261  on the uppercenter support  26 . Each tube  36  is horizontally oriented and parallel to the other tube  36 . Similarly, two reduced tubes  40 , in addition to the two  40  at the bottom of the frame, insert at one end into slots  202  on the inside face of the opposite corner support  2  and with its male end  401  into slots  262  on the center support  26  meant for horizontally-oriented tubes and sized to hold male ends. A straight hang bar  30  of the same length as straight tubes  36  is inserted at one end into a center slot  203  on the inside face of an upper corner support  2  and at the other end into the uppercenter support  263  in a middle slot meant for horizontally-oriented bars. The straight hang bar  30  lies with the same horizontal orientation as straight tubes  36 . A reduced hang bar  42  of the same length as straight hang bar  30  is inserted at its unreduced end into a center slot  203  on the inside face of an upper corner support  2  and at its male end  41  into the uppercenter support  26  in a middle slot  264  meant for horizontally-oriented bars sized to hold male ends. After assembly of the top of the frame straight tubes  36 , reduced tubes  40 , straight hang bar  30 , and reduced hang bar  42  have no unattached ends. 
         [0032]      FIG. 12  shows the top of the frame being inserted into the combined center and bottom of the frame. Three unattached ends of straight tubes  28  insert into the remaining top openings  181  of the two side connectors  18  and remaining opening  461  of center connector  46 . The other three unattached ends of straight tubes  28  connect with male ends  39  of reduced tubes  38 . A floor support  52  fits snugly in between opposing bottom bracket in the form of corner supports  2  and on the bottom center support  26 . An angled cross bar  16  hooks at one end on one upper straight tube  36  and at the other end to the other upper straight tube  36  and supports straight hang bar  30 . See  FIG. 15  for greater detail. Straight hang bar  30  rests on cross bar 16 . A second angled cross bar  16  hooks at one end on one upper reduced tube  40  and at the other end to the other upper reduced tube  40  and supports reduced hang bar  42 . Reduced hang bar  42  rests on cross bar  16 .  FIG. 13  shows the closet device  100  with top, center, and bottom of the frame connected and the fabric cover  50  stretched over the outside and top of the frame but not completely closed.  FIG. 14  shows the finished product of the closet device  100  with cover  50  completely stretched out and zipped up. 
         [0033]      FIG. 15  shows the cross bar  16 , of the closet device. Bends  54  at the ends of the wire and end sections  53  allow the cross bar to conveniently and simply attach or hook onto weight-bearing members of the frame such as straight tubes  6 ,  36  or reduced tubes  40 . The body sections  56  of the cross bar run from the bends  54  to a middle section  58 . The middle section  58  forms an obtuse angle on which a hang bar such as straight hang bar  8  or  30  or reduced hang bar  42  can be cradled. 
         [0034]    Without the cross bar  16 , the weight of items hanging in the closet are carried by the straight  30  or  8  or reduced  42  hang bar and only transferred to the rest of the frame structure through the hang bar&#39;s two connections  203  and  263  and  264  to the corner supports or bracket  2  and center support or bracket  26 . The cross bar  16  enables the weight on the hang bar  8 ,  30 , or  42  to be more efficiently distributed to the rest of the frame of the closet device as it provides further means of transferring some of the load. This dramatically stabilizes the closet device, greatly increases its overall weight bearing capacity and increases the durability of the closet device. Setup of the cross bar  16 , is convenient and simple because it connects to the frame through the bends  54  in the wire and end sections  53  and the cross bar  16 , cradles the hang bar  8 ,  30 ,  42 . 
         [0035]    Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
       Reference Numeral List: 
       [0000]    
       
           2  corner support, bracket 
           4  straight tube or beam, column 
           6  straight tube or beam longer than 
           8  straight hang bar, middle beam 
           10  device, first embodiment 
           12  straight column or tube marginally longer than  4   
           14  reduced column or tube 
           15  male end of reduced tube or column  14   
           16  angled crosswire or cross beam 
           18  side connector or bracket 
           20  fabric cover 
           22  floor support 
           24  corner support or bracket—similar as  2   
           26  center support or bracket 
           28  straight tube or column 
           30  straight hang bar, center or middle beam 
           32  vertically oriented straight tube, or column 
           34  horizontal straight tube that connects with side connectors, or beam, such as top beam 
           36  straight tube longer than  32  and shorter than  38 , beam 
           38  column in the form of a reduced tube 
           39  male end of reduced tube  38   
           40  beam in the form of a reduced tube same length as  36   
           41  male end of reduced hang bar, or middle beam 
           42  reduced hang bar, center or middle beam 
           46  center connector or bracket 
           50  fabric cover 
           52  floor support 
           53  end section of cross bar 
           54  end bend of cross bar 
           56  body section of cross bar or crosswire 
           58  middle or center curve of cross bar or cross wire 
           100  alternative embodiment of closet 
           120  unreduced end of straight tube or column 
           180  bottom vertical opening of side connector or bracket 
           181  top vertical opening of side connector or bracket 
           182  horizontal opening of side connector or bracket 
           201  vertical corner support slot in a bracket 
           202  horizontal corner support slot in bracket 
           203  center horizontal corner support slot in bracket positioned lower than hole  202   
           204  center horizontal corner support slot in bracket positioned above hole  203   
           260  vertical opening of center support 
           261  normal-sized side slot of center support 
           262  male end-sized side slot of center support 
           263  normal-sized side slot of center support 
           264  male end-sized side slot of center support 
           400  male end of reduced tube  40   
           401  male end of reduced tube  40   
           461  top vertical opening of center connector 
           462  horizontal opening of center connector