1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to storage racks and, more particularly, to an extendable storage rack adapted for storing apparel articles such as neckties, scarves, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Extendable racks developed to fit inside wardrobes are already known. Among others, attempts have been made in the past by the same inventors as the present ones to develop an improved extendable rack. Thus, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0192845, published Oct. 16, 2003 under the title “Extendable rack” describes an extendable rack adapted for retaining one or more cantilever support(s) and for attaching to a panel via a slide. The extendable rack comprises an elongated body incorporating, at one side, a longitudinal channel for retaining the cantilever support(s), and, at another, opposite side, a longitudinal passage adaptable for locating, almost entirely, the slide and for firmly securing one side of it. This extendable rack is considered to have shortcomings. First, the use of cantilever support(s) suspended at one side of the extendable rack requires more space. Second, due to the remote position of cantilever support(s) with stored apparel with respect to an attachment of the slide to a panel, a distance between the former and the latter is relatively greater. As a result, the bending moment acting on the attachment is significant.
In view of the mentioned shortcomings, there is a need to develop an extendable rack that eliminates, or, at least alleviates those concerns.
Broadly stating, the extendable storage rack, according to the present invention, comprises
In one aspect of the present invention, the continuous surface has at one side a curvilinear surface with a cross-section similar to an a inverse C, while at an opposite side has the longitudinal passage delimited by a vertically positioned web and by a pair of shelves extending horizontally at the extremities of the latter. The longitudinal passage has in general a U-shape contour, which can be specifically defined as a U-shape contour rotated at 90°.
In another aspect of the present invention, use is made of a pair of caps, one for each end of the elongated horizontal housing. Each one of the pair of caps has a lateral base and a centering element projecting perpendicularly from the lateral base. A central rectangular window is formed in the lateral base and a recessed zone follows at a relatively small distance a contour of the central rectangular window. The centering element is inserted into a space limited by an interior face of the continuous surface and the vertically positioned web. A stopper, usually of plastics, is inserted in the recessed zone for preventing a movement in one direction of the elongated horizontal housing, past an end of that part of the slide that is secured to a panel.
Although the characteristic features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and the manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood by referring to the following description and accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings in which:
The accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of an extendable storage rack 10. At the onset, it is to be agreed, those terms, such as “top”, “bottom”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “upwardly”, “downwardly” and “outwardly” are conventionally employed in the present specification with reference to the normal position in which extendable storage rack 10 would be used.
In general, see
A slide 200 is adaptable to be located almost entirely in longitudinal passage 104, wherein is secured, via rivets 105, with one part, while with another, opposite part is adapted to be attached, via bolts 105′, to a panel (not shown). Thus, elongated horizontal housing 100 is glidingly assembled on slide 200.
Several successive hanger members 300, guided in longitudinal channel 106, are kept pending from the latter.
Referring now in detail to
At the top, an uppermost end 114 of continuous curvilinear surface 102 is joined to one of the pair of shelves 110 that is at the top, respectively an outermost end 116 of the latter, by a vertical segment 118. Thus, a closed niche 120 is formed.
At the bottom, continuous curvilinear surface 102 has an interruption 122, while a vertical segment 118′, which starts from one of the pair of shelves 110 that is at the bottom, ends with a protuberance 124 deflected towards continuous curvilinear surface 102. Thus, a gap 126 is formed between protuberance 124 and interruption 122 of continuous curvilinear surface 102.
Between the latter and one of the pair of shelves 110 that is at the bottom, a first wedge-shaped recess 128 is formed, while between vertical segment 118′ and protuberance 124 a second wedge-shaped recess 130 is formed. The purpose of first and second wedge-shaped recesses 128 and 130 will be explained later in the present disclosure.
Extendable storage rack 10, according to the present invention, incorporates several successive hanger members 300 of identical structure and purpose, or several hanger members 300 structurally different, to accommodate various purposes.
A hanger member of general purpose 300, depicted in
A thickness of each one of the pair of arcuate, divergent arms 306 is so chosen as to allow an easy insertion into and movement along longitudinal channel 106. When reaching an interior of longitudinal channel 106, each end of the pair of arcuate, divergent arms 306 is provided with a guiding member 308 to compliment and glidingly fit to an upper contour of the former, which contour is delimited by one of the pair of shelves 110 that is at the bottom and first and second wedge-shaped recesses 128 and 130.
A neckties hanger member 300′, depicted in
A scarf hanger member 300″, depicted in
It is obvious, that various structures intended to be employed as hanger members of general use and as neckties and scarf hanger members can be envisaged without departing from the present invention concept, described in the foregoing disclosure. For example, one or more guiding members, a continuous guiding member, etc. can be contemplated.
Elongated horizontal housing 100 is provided at each end with a cap 321. Cap 321 has a lateral base 322 and a centering element 324 projecting perpendicularly from lateral base. Lateral base 322 is, generally, semicircular and has a central rectangular window 326 opened towards a back of elongated horizontal housing 100. A recessed zone 328 following at a relatively small distance a contour of central rectangular window 326 is formed in lateral base 322. Basically, the latter covers continuous curvilinear surface 102, web 108 and the pair of shelves 110. Furthermore, lateral base 322 has a prominent zone 340 projecting outwardly, beyond continuous curvilinear surface 102. Prominent zone 340 is used for grasping and displacing elongated horizontal housing 100 with respect to that part of slide 200 that is attached to a panel. Centering element 324 is inserted into the space limited by an interior face of continuous curvilinear surface 102 and web 108. For this purpose it has a flat member 342 which, at one side, is intended to be tangent to web 108; another side is provided with two pairs of spacers 344 for contacting the interior face of continuous curvilinear surface 102. Flat member 342 is provided with a hole for securing through a rivet (not shown) to one of the several perforations 112.
A stopper 346 (see
As required, a detailed embodiment of the present invention is disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary for this invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed therein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2499159 | Pestyner | Feb 1950 | A |
2683890 | Rosenbaum | Jul 1954 | A |
2683891 | Rosenbaum | Jul 1954 | A |
2715966 | Tieck | Aug 1955 | A |
3027015 | Miller | Mar 1962 | A |
3954182 | McEvers | May 1976 | A |
4569450 | Dillingham | Feb 1986 | A |
4581788 | Baumann | Apr 1986 | A |
5472272 | Hoffman | Dec 1995 | A |
5960967 | Neil | Oct 1999 | A |
6644483 | Lai | Nov 2003 | B1 |
6679392 | Costa | Jan 2004 | B1 |
6698603 | Lawson et al. | Mar 2004 | B1 |
6719158 | Goldberg | Apr 2004 | B1 |
6871749 | Bostik et al. | Mar 2005 | B1 |
20030192845 | Lawson et al. | Oct 2003 | A1 |