Patent Application
20120138557
The present invention relates, in general, to a hanger for hanging clothes or towels and, more particularly, to a hanger in which a hanger unit for hanging articles and a base unit for supporting the hanger are provided with not only a stepwise rotating function, but also a stable rotating structure capable of firmly supporting respective parts, to thereby improve user conveniences such as space utilization and the like and to achieve structural stability.
Generally, hangers for hanging the laundry include a hanger which is folded or unfolded in an “A” shape to be used, and a hanger which is used by unfolding hanger rods in opposite directions using holding bars. Among these hangers, the hanger which spreads the hanger rods in opposite directions when it is in use includes two support units which are erected on the ground, the holding bars which are coupled to the corresponding support units, and the hanger rods which are coupled at opposite ends thereof to the holding bars.
Such a hanger is used as a drying rack which dries the laundry by hanging out the laundry on the hanger rods which are spread on opposite sides of each support unit and are held by the holding bars. In order for a large amount of laundry to be hung, a plurality of holding bars and hanger rods are connected to outer surfaces of the support units.
However, such a drying rack is problematic in that the hanger rods for connecting opposite sides and upper and lower sides of a frame are simply coupled using concave and convex parts, so that the connection of the hanger rods is very weak, and thereby the drying rack may be used in one fixed place, but it is very difficult to use while moving from place to place. Further, the connection of a drying unit installed in two steps is not firm, so that the drying rack shakes a lot and is unstable. Lower and upper poles are connected to each other in two rows and the width between the poles is large, so that the connection may be stable; however, the drying rack is not stably supported despite the large width, and occupies too large of a space when it is assembled, so that it is impossible to store the drying rack after folding it and thus all parts are separated and packed. Thereby, it is very difficult for a consumer to assemble the purchased drying rack, and furthermore the assembly time requires 30 minutes or more, thus making it very difficult to popularize the drying rack.
Further, as for a multi-step hanger, when it is spread out, spaces for hanging and drying the laundry are formed on opposite sides. Thus, the multi-step hanger is problematic in that it occupies too large of a space, so that it is very difficult to be used in a narrow space such as a veranda. Since a support for the drying unit is foldable, space for storing the hanger is minimized. However, a frame occupies a large amount of space, so that the packing space is too large and occupies a large area.
Therefore, recently, there have been proposed hanger units for hangers, which are intended to fold or unfold the holding bars for holding the hanger rods, relative to the support units.
As one example of the hanger units, Korean U.M. Registration No. 20-0307537 has been proposed, which pertains to a structure for adjusting an angle of a holding bar of a wall-attaching-type hanger. The angle adjusting structure for the holding bar is advantageous in that the angle of the holding bar can be adjusted merely by grasping and rotating the holding bar to slightly push or pull it, thus making it very convenient to use the holding bar.
The hanger is the wall-attaching-type hanger in which a holding-bar support must be first mounted to a wall. Hence, it is not easy to apply the structure to the hanger unit coupled to the support unit.
Further, in order to support a connector which holds the installed hanger rod and may vary an angle, a locking part is provided in the holding-bar support. Since the locking part has a narrow width, the locking part of the holding-bar support does not reliably support the connector that varies the angle when the load of heavy laundry is applied to the connector, and thereby the connector may frequently become removed from the locking part.
Moreover, when the connector has become removed from the locking part, the laundry may fall from the hanger rod of the connector. As the clean washed laundry falls to the ground, the laundry should be washed again.
Furthermore, since the conventional hanger units have a complicated construction, a long assembly time is required and productivity is lowered, thus resulting in remarkable reductions in production efficiency and workability.
Concerning a hanger pedestal, Korean U.M. Registration No. 20-0387962 has been proposed, which is directed to a pedestal for a hanger with an improved structure. The pedestal effectively reduces a packing space, thus reducing packing and transporting costs, and enables simple and rapid assembly, thus satisfying DIY assembling requirements, and improving the appearance.
However, the pedestal is problematic in that it is integrated with a support unit in such a way as to extend outwards from the support unit, so that the lower space of the hanger is not effectively used, and the pedestal is installed to cross the support unit, so that a user or resident may frequently fall over the installed pedestal.
Moreover, even when the hanger which is not in use is stored, the pedestal secured to the support unit in such a way as to cross the support unit occupies a large space, thus making poorer use of the storage space.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problem occurring in a connector for connecting a support unit to a hanger unit, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hanger, in which support grooves are formed in a hanger unit body fitted over an outer surface of the support unit and two or more support protrusions are provided to be selectively coupled to the support grooves, thus allowing the rotating angle of a rotating bar to be adjusted stepwise when the support protrusions are fastened to the support grooves, and the support grooves are formed long in opposite horizontal directions of the body, thus considerably improving the force with which a rotating bar, which changes an installation angle relative to the body, is supported and thereby allowing the load of laundry hung on the hanger to be firmly supported even when the installation angle changes, and improving assemblability and productivity because of a simple construction.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hanger, in which opposite sides of a base unit coupled to a lower end of a support unit are stepwise and stably folded towards the support unit or unfolded outwards from the support unit, thus enhancing the utilization of a lower space of the hanger and preventing a resident or a user from falling over the base unit, and the base unit is folded towards the support unit when the hanger is stored, thus reducing a storage space and thereby maximizing the utilization of the storage space.
In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a hanger having a stable stepwise folding function comprising a support unit, at least one hanger unit coupled to the support unit to hang an article, and a base unit coupled to a lower end of the support unit to support the support unit, wherein the hanger unit includes a hanger unit body including a joint shaft having a joint hole into which the support unit is inserted, a guide plate unit provided on an outer circumferential surface of the joint shaft, with a support groove being provided in the guide plate unit, and a hinge pin provided on an outer portion of the guide plate unit; and a rotating bar including a support protrusion unit inserted into the support groove to support the hanger unit and adjust an angle of the supported hanger unit, a frame connected to the support protrusion unit, with a hanger rod being coupled to the frame, and a hinge hole through which the hinge pin of the hanger unit body passes, the hinge hole having a size that limits a moving area of the hanger unit during entry or exit of the support protrusion unit.
Further, the base unit may include a base unit body coupled to the support unit, and a rotating wing coupled to each of opposite sides of the base unit body and having a rotating function. The base unit body may include a support-unit coupling hole into which the support unit is inserted, and a fastening hole provided on each of opposite sides thereof so that the rotating wing is fastened thereto. The rotating wing may include a fitting fastening part having a fastening protrusion which is inserted into the fastening hole. An angle adjusting means may be provided on an outer surface of the fitting fastening part and an inner surface of the base unit body which meets the outer surface of the fitting fastening part, thus allowing the rotating wing to stepwise form a rotating angle relative to the base unit body.
According to the present invention, a rotating bar into which a hanger rod is fitted freely changes an installation angle relative to a hanger unit body coupled to a support unit, and the rotating bar which may change the installation angle is firmly supported on the body, thus being capable of firmly bearing the load of the heavy laundry and preventing the hung laundry from falling, and the rotating bar further includes on a lower surface thereof a plurality of hooks, thus hanging and drying socks or neckties, and support protrusions of the rotating bar are fitted and supported into support grooves of the body, thus remarkably increasing the force supporting the rotating bar changing the installation angle, and a fastening clip allows the body to be easily detachably mounted to the support unit of a hanger, thus considerably improving assemblability.
Further, a base unit is constructed so that rotating wings are provided on opposite sides of a base unit body to which a support unit is coupled and rotate inwards and outwards relative to the base unit body to be folded or unfolded, thus allowing the rotating wings to be folded towards or unfolded from the support unit depending on a place in which a hanger is installed, therefore remarkably improving the utilization of installation space, and the base unit further includes an angle adjusting means to restrain the rotating radius of the rotating wings, thus allowing the rotating wings to be firmly supported with the rotating angle of the rotating wings being changed, therefore enabling the hanger to be firmly supported, and preventing a resident or a user from falling over the base unit, and the rotating wings are folded towards the support unit when the hanger is stored, thus reducing the storage space and maximizing the utilization of the storage space.
Hereinafter, the construction and operation of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terms or words used in the description and the claims of the present invention should be interpreted as having the meanings and concepts falling within the scope of the invention on the basis of the principle that the inventor(s) can appropriately define the terms in order to describe the invention in the best way.
As shown in
As shown in the drawing, as necessary, one or more hanger units 2 may be coupled to the support units 1 which extend in the longitudinal direction thereof. Three hanger units are shown in
The base units 3 are coupled to the respective support units 1. The base units are connected to each other via a lateral support bar 4.
In detail, the hanger unit 2 includes the hanger unit body 10 and rotating bars 20. The base unit 3 includes a base unit body 30 and rotating wings 40. Further, hanger rods 5 for hanging the articles are provided to connect the rotating bars 20 to each other.
As shown in
That is, guide plates are provided, respectively, on opposite sides of the joint shaft 11, thus forming the guide plate unit 13. One or more support grooves 14 are formed in the guide plate unit 13, and the hinge pins 15 are coupled to ends of the guide plate unit 13.
Further, a hinge hole 21 is formed through the rear portion of the rotating bar 20 so that each hinge pin 15 of the hanger unit body 10 is fitted therein.
A support protrusion unit 23 is provided on the rear end of the rotating bar and includes three support protrusions 23a, 23b, and 23c which are fitted into and supported in the support grooves 14 formed in the guide plate unit 13 of the hanger unit body 10.
Rod inserting holes 29 are formed through an inner surface of the rotating bar so that the hanger rods 5 are coupled thereto.
Hooks 27 are provided on the lower surface of the rotating bar.
Particularly, each hinge hole 21 through which the hinge pin 15 passes serves to limit an area within which the hanger unit is movable when the support protrusion unit 23 goes into and out of the support grooves 14.
The size of the hinge hole 21 is set to permit the free movement of the rotating bar 20 during entry and exit of the support protrusion unit 23, while preventing the rotating bar 20 from being removed from the hanger unit body 10.
Further, in the accompanying drawings, the support protrusion unit 23 includes three support protrusions 23a, 23b, and 23c. However, according to the direction of forming the support protrusions which are inserted into the plurality of support grooves 14, the rotating angle of the rotating bar 20 relative to the hanger unit body 10 may be implemented.
Guide panels 14a are preferably provided between the support grooves 14 so as to naturally form an angle to the support protrusion unit 23 inserted into the support grooves 14 and to stably support the support protrusion unit relative to the support grooves 14.
That is, as shown in the drawing, the guide panel 14a is shaped such that its height is increased in a direction from an outer position to an inner position of the hanger unit body 10, thus allowing the rotating bar 20 to naturally form a stable angle during the insertion of the support protrusion unit 23.
Next, the fastening clip 12 which is the fastening means constructed to be exposed to the outer surface of the hanger unit body 10 functions to fasten the hanger unit body 10 to the outer surface of the support unit 1.
If the support unit 1 is fitted into the joint hole 11a of the hanger unit body 10 and then the fastening clip 12 is pushed down, the inner surface of the fastening clip 12 comes into close contact with the support unit 1, so that the hanger unit body 10 having the fastening clip 12 is firmly fastened to the outer surface of the support unit 1.
Further, the hooks 27 provided on the lower surface of a frame 25 are used to hang the small laundry such as socks or neckties or small clothes, thus storing or drying the laundry or clothes.
As shown in the drawings, since each hook 27 is bent into an arc shape, the hook may comprise a clip having elastic force. Thus, it is easy to hang and store the small laundry or clothes.
The plurality of rod inserting holes 29 are formed in the frame 25 of the rotating bar 20 so that the hanger rods 5 are fitted therein. Since the rotating bars 20 are constructed to change the installation angle relative to the hanger unit body 10, it is easy to hang and store the laundry on the hanger rods 5.
That is, as shown in
Particularly in the state in which the installation angle has been changed, any one of the support protrusions of the support protrusion unit 23 of the rotating bar 20 is fitted and supported into the corresponding support groove 14 (generally a middle support groove) of the hanger unit body 10, thus firmly supporting the load acting on the rotating bar 20, therefore preventing the rotating bar 20 from sagging or dropping down because of the load of the laundry.
Moreover, when a user desires to store the hanger, as shown in
In this case, the hinge pin 15 is placed on a side opposite to the hinge hole 21, thus holding the rotating bar 20 while preventing the removal of the rotating bar 20 from the hanger unit body 10.
Next, the construction of the base unit 3 for supporting the support unit 1 will be described with reference to
The base unit 3 is coupled to the lower portion of the support unit 1 to support the support unit, and includes a base unit body 30 and rotating wings 40 coupled to opposite sides of the base unit body 30. The rotating wings 40 have a rotating function, which will be described below, so that the rotating wings may be completely folded when the hanger is not in use, thus enhancing space utilization together with the rotating bars 20.
A support-unit coupling hole 31 is formed in the central portion of the base unit body 30 so that the support unit 1 is fitted therein. A first wheel 37 is provided on the bottom of the base unit body, fastening holes 33 are formed through opposite ends in the base unit body, and a bar coupling member 35 is formed on the back of the base unit body so that the lateral support bar 4 is coupled thereto.
Each of the rotating wings 40, which are provided on the opposite sides of the base unit body 30, includes on an end thereof a fitting fastening part 42 having a fastening protrusion 41 which is fitted into the fastening hole 33 formed through each of the opposite ends in the base unit body 30. A second wheel 43 is provided on the lower end of the rotating wing.
As shown in the drawings, the fastening protrusion 41 of the rotating wing 40 fitted into each fastening hole 33 of the base unit body 30 is partially cut, so that the fastening protrusion itself has an elastic restoring force. Thus, when the fastening protrusion is fitted into the fastening hole 33, the fastening protrusion is closed inwards. When the fastening protrusion has been fitted into the fastening hole 33 and is exposed to the outside of the top of the fastening hole 33, the fastening protrusion returns to its original position and is open outwards.
Therefore, since the fastening protrusion 41 which is cut to be imparted with elastic force can be easily fitted into the fastening hole 33, the two rotating wings 40 can be easily coupled to the opposite sides of the base unit body 30, and thereby assemblability is considerably improved.
Particularly, the base unit 3 constructed as described above further includes two rotating wings 40 on the opposite sides of the base unit body 30 into which the support unit 1 is fitted and supported. Since the two rotating wings 40 rotate about the fastening protrusions 41 fitted into the fastening holes 33 to be closed inwards or opened outwards relative to the base unit body 30, a user may close or open the two rotating wings 40 as necessary, and thereby space utilization is remarkably improved because of a reduction in the installation space.
That is, the two rotating wings 40 may be folded inwards about the support unit 1 during the installation of the hanger, thus preventing a user or resident from falling over the base unit of the hanger.
Moreover, the first wheel 37 is provided on the bottom of the base unit body 30, and the second wheels 43 are provided on the bottoms of the two rotating wings 40, respectively, so that mobility is improved. Further, the second wheels 43 provided on the bottoms of the two rotating wings 40 allow the rotating wings 40 to easily be closed inwards or opened outwards relative to the base unit body 30, so that use efficiency is considerably improved.
Furthermore, as shown in
Thereby, the stopper protrusion is locked to the locking protrusion, thus maintaining the variable angle of the rotating wings 40 when they are closed inwards or opened outwards relative to the base unit body 30, therefore more firmly supporting the hanger.
As necessary, a plurality of locking protrusions 52 may be formed on the inner surface of the lower portion of the base unit body 30 having the fastening hole 33, thus serving as an angle adjusting means 50 of the present invention.
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20-2009-0010769 | Aug 2009 | KR | national |
| 20-2009-0010770 | Aug 2009 | KR | national |
| 10-2009-0117928 | Dec 2009 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2010/005328 | 8/13/2010 | WO | 00 | 6/16/2011 |
