Rod rack supporting structure

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6216889
  • Patent Number
    6,216,889
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, January 26, 2000
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 17, 2001
    24 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Gibson, Jr.; Robert W.
    Agents
    • Liauh; W. Wayne
Abstract
A rod rack supporting structure comprises two support frames, a rod, and two locating members. The support frames are provided with a cross rod which is in turn provided with a plurality of retainers for retaining the rod. The retainers are provided in both plate surfaces of the opening thereof with a slide block. The locating members are provided in the inner side thereof with an arcuate slot and a slide slot corresponding to the slide block. The rod rack is securely located by the two slide blocks which are engaged with the two slide slots.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to a rod rack supporting structure.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, a support frame


1


of the prior art is provided in the vertical plate thereof with a through hole


2


for receiving a bolt, and in the horizontal plate thereof with with an arcuate slot


3


for locating a blind holding rod


4


. The support frame


1


is further provided in an outer side plate


31


thereof with a through hole


32


for engaging a locating bolt


5


. The blind holding rod is vulnerable to damage by the locating bolt. When the locating bolt is exerted on by an external force, the outer side plate is susceptible to deformation. As a result, the support frame is incapable of supporting securely the holding rod.




As shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

, a prior art support frame


6


is provided in the vertical plate thereof with a hole


7


for receiving a bolt, and in the horizontal plate thereof with a retainer


8


for retaining a bathroom rod


9


in conjunction with a plate surface


81


. The retainer is not structurally strong to withstand an external force exerting thereon.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a rod rack supporting structure which is free from the drawbacks of the prior art support structures described above.




In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a rod rack supporting structure comprising two support frames, a rod, and two locating members. The support frames are provided with a cross rod which is in turn provided with a plurality of retainers for retaining the rod. The retainers are provided in both plate surfaces of the open end thereof with a slide block. The locating members are provided in the inner side thereof with an arcuate slot and a slide slot corresponding to the slide block. The rod rack is securely located by the two slide blocks which are inserted into the two slide slots.




The arcuate slot and the two slide slots of the locating member have a front end which is gradually thickened toward the rear end so as to form an inclined inner surface. When the locating member is engaged with the retainer, the rod rack is urged by the inclined inner surface. The slide block is provided with a position confining block in cooperation with a recess of the slide slot, thereby preventing the locating member to move about.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

shows an exploded view of a support frame of the prior art.





FIG. 2

shows a schematic view of the prior art support frame in combination.





FIG. 3

shows a perspective view of a support frame of another prior art.





FIG. 4

shows a schematic view of the prior art as shown in FIG.


3


.





FIG. 5

shows an exploded view of the present invention.





FIG. 6

shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line A—A as shown in FIG.


5


.





FIG. 7

shows a sectional view of a portion taken along the direction indicated by a line B—B as shown in FIG.


5


.





FIG. 8

shows a schematic view of the present invention in combination.





FIG. 9-1

shows a sectional view taken along the direction C—C as shown in FIG.


8


.





FIG. 9-2

shows a sectional view taken along the direction D—D as shown in FIG.


8


.





FIG. 10

shows a schematic view of the present invention in use for supporting a window blind rod.





FIG. 11

shows a schematic view of the present invention in use for supporting a bathroom rod rack.





FIG. 12

shows another schematic view of the present invention in use for supporting a bathroom rod rack.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




As shown in

FIGS. 5-7

, the present invention comprises: A rod


10


.




Two support frames


20


having a locating plate


21


with a plurality of holes


22


. The locating plate


21


is provided with a cross member


23


provided with retainer


24


having a plurality of openings facing upward. The width of the opening of the retainer


24


is slightly smaller than the diameter of the rod


10


so as to enable the rod


10


to be retained therein. The two side plates


241


of the retainer


24


are each provided at the top thereof with a wing plate


242


which is provided with a position confining block


243


in the form of a transversely disposed ridge;




Two locating members


30


. The locating members


30


are provided in the middle of the inner surface with an arcuate cover


31


. The front end of the inner surface of the arcuate cover


31


is thickened toward the rear end. The arcuate cover


31


thus has an inclined plane, as shown in FIG.


6


. The arcuate cover


31


is provided in both sides thereof with a receiving groove


32


corresponding to the wing plate


242


of the support frame


20


. The receiving groove


32


is similar in construction to the arcuate cover


31


, as shown in FIG.


7


. The receiving groove


32


is provided with a recess


33


corresponding to the position confining block


243


of the retainer


24


.




As shown in FIGS.


8


-


9


-


2


, the rod


10


is retained in the retainer


24


of the support frame


20


such that the wing plate


242


of the retainer


24


are retained in the receiving groove


32


of the locating member


30


, and that the inclined plane of the receiving groove


32


urges the wing plate


242


, and further that the recess


33


is engaged with the position confining block


243


of the wing plate


242


. The inclined plane of the arcuate cover


31


of the locating member


30


urges the rod


10


.




As shown in

FIG. 10

in conjunction with

FIGS. 5-7

, the present invention is used to support the window blind rod. The retainer


24


of the support frames


20


holds a rod


40


securely such that the receiving groove


32


of the locating member


30


are engaged with the wing plate


242


of the two side plates


241


of the retainer


24


. In addition, the inclined planes of the receiving groove


32


and the arcuate cover


31


urge intimately the wing plate


242


and the rod


40


. Moreover, the recess


33


of the receiving groove


32


is engaged with the position confining block


243


of the wing plate


242


. The rod


40


is thus held securely by the support frames


20


in conjunction with the locating members


30


.




As shown in

FIGS. 11 and 12

, in conjunction with

FIGS. 5-7

, the support frames


20


are fastened onto the bathroom wall by a plurality of fastening bolts which are received in the through holes


22


of the locating plates


21


. A rod rack


50


is held securely by the retainers


24


of the support frames


20


in conjunction with the locating members


30


. The receiving groove


32


of the locating members


30


are engaged with the wing plate


242


of the two side plates


241


of the retainers


24


. The rod rack


50


is intimately urged by the inclined planes of the receiving groove


32


and the arcuate cover


31


.



Claims
  • 1. A rod rack supporting structure comprising:(a) a plurality of support frames each having: (i) a locating plate for mounting said support frame, and (ii) a cross member extending from said locating plate, said cross member containing a retainer for receiving a rod, said retainer containing a pair of side plates and a pair of wing plates disposed on top of said side plates, respectively, said wing plate containing a position confining protrusion in the form of a transversely disposed ridge; (b) a plurality of locating members for affixing a rod to said cross members, each having: (i) an arcuate cover, and (ii) a pair of receiving grooves at both sides of said arcuate cover for receiving said wing plates, respectively, each of said receiving grooves having a recess on a top inner surface of said receiving groove for receiving a corresponding position confining protrusion.
  • 2. The rod rack supporting structure according to claim 1 wherein said arcuate cover has a varying thickness which decreasing from one end to another to form an inclined surface.
  • 3. The rod rack supporting structure according to claim 1 wherein said receiving groove has a varying thickness which decreasing from one end to another to form an inclined surface.
  • 4. The rod rack supporting structure according to claim 1 wherein both said arcuate cover and said receiving groove have a varying thickness which decreasing from one end to another to form an inclined surface.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Number Name Date Kind
356741 Beckman Feb 1887
758419 Cooke Apr 1904
869328 Pearson Oct 1907
928190 Flynn Jul 1909
983347 Buschor Feb 1911
1203765 Miller Nov 1916
3095033 Polkosnik Jun 1963
4283035 Oiembarrena et al. Aug 1981
5395079 Jensen et al. Mar 1995
5605309 Nadherny Feb 1997