COLLAPSIBLE WALL UNIT FOR CLOTHES

DISPOSITIF MURAL DEMONTABLE POUR ACCROCHER DES VETEMENTS

English Abstract

There is described a collapsible wall unit for clothes which has at least one frame unit which is of generally triangular shape and consists of a first plate portion, a rod portion, and a second plate portion. A rail can be positioned between the frame units and used to support clothes. Alternatively, clothes can be hung on the rod portion of a single frame unit. When not in use, the frame unit can be disassembled and rests against the wall.

French Abstract

Un dispositif mural démontable décrit sert à accrocher des vêtements et comporte au moins un élément de cadre qui est de forme généralement triangulaire et comprend une première portion de plaque, une portion de tige et une deuxième portion de plaque. Un rail peut être positionné entre les éléments de cadre et utilisé pour accrocher des vêtements. Autrement, les vêtements peuvent être accrochés à la portion de tige d'un élément de cadre simple. Entre les utilisations, l'élément de cadre peut être démonté et appuyé contre le mur.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A collapsible wall unit for clothes, comprising:
at least one frame unit, including,
(i) a first plate portion having a top end and a bottom end;
(ii) a clothes-hanging rod portion having a first end and a second
end, the first end being hinged with the bottom end of said first
plate portion; and
(iii) a second plate portion, having a top end and a bottom end,
capable of being, in use, affixed to a wall in a substantially
vertical orientation, the top end of said second plate portion
hingeably engaging the top end of the first plate portion, said
second plate portion having a recess for engaging the second
end of the rod portion,
wherein one of said first plate portion and said second plate portion is
rectangular; and
the second end of the rod portion is L-shaped.
2. The collapsible wall unit according to claim 1, wherein:
the recess in said second plate portion is a substantially vertical channel,
and
said second end of the rod portion is adapted to fit the substantially
vertical
channel and move within said channel.
3. The collapsible wall unit according to claim 2, wherein:
the second end of the rod portion is wider than the substantially vertical
channel, and
said channel has an entry slot for receiving the second end of the rod
portion,
such that the second end of said rod portion is slidably engaged within said
channel.
4. The collapsible wall unit according to claim 1, wherein:
the recess in said second plate portion is a half round trim ring.
5. The collapsible wall unit according to claim 1, further comprising:
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a rail, wherein said at least one frame unit is at least two frame units, and
said rail rests on the rod portion of each frame unit.
6. The collapsible wall unit according to claim 1, further comprising:
a rail having two ends each of which has a hole, wherein said at least one
frame
unit is at least two frame units, and
said hole at each said end of said rail is of sufficient diameter to allow the
rod portion of each frame unit to pass through said hole such that the rail
rests on the rod portions.
7. The collapsible wall unit according to claim 6, wherein: the hole is a
slot.
8. A collapsible wall unit according to claim 1, wherein: said first plate
portion is rectangular.
9. A collapsible wall unit according to claim 1, wherein: said second plate
portion is rectangular.
10. A collapsible wall unit according to claims 6 or 7 wherein: said rail is
telescopic.

Description

CA 02268510 2006-04-10
COLLAPSIBLE WALL UNIT FOR CLOTHES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a wall unit for clothes. More particularly this
invention
relates to a collapsible wall unit which lies flush against a wall when not in
use and
extends upon use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Home owners and apartment dwellers often have difFculty in organizing their
1 o wardrobes.
Most homes and apartments are provided with permanent closets. These closets
frequently do not provide enough space for the owner's clothes, and additional
storage
space would be desirable.
In other cases, these permanent closets are not needed and, in fact, take up
15 usable space.
Several alternatives currently available in the marketplace for this purpose
are '
over-the-door', hanging door racks and garment racks. However, these methods
are
often cumbersome and unattractive.
Outside people employed clotheslines using either a pulley system or use a
2o stationary apparatus often set in the ground. These effectively limited
one's use of the
garden and provided unsightly rows of drying clothes.
It would be advantageous to provide a wardrobe which can be used either on a
temporary or a permanent basis depending upon the owner's needs.
25 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible wall unit
for
clothes.
Accordingly, there is provided a collapsible wall unit for clothes which has
at
least one frame unit, comprising, a first plate portion having a top end and a
bottom
30 end, a clothes-hanging rod portion having a first end and a second end, the
first end
being hinged with the bottom end of said first plate portion; a second plate
portion,
having a top end and a bottom end, capable of being, in use, affixed to a wall
in a
substantially vertical orientation, the top end of said second plate portion
hingeably
engaging the top end of the first plate portion; said second plate portion
having a
35 recess for engaging the second end of the rod portion.
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CA 02268510 2006-04-10
A substantially vertical channel can be provided in the second plate portion
for
engaging the second end of the rod portion, with an optional entry slot
provided to
receive the second end of the rod portion.
Where two or more frame units are used, a rail can be positioned between the
frame units to permit clothes to be hung on the rail. The rail could rest on
the rod
portions of the frame units, or the rail could be provided with a hole or slot
at each end
into which the rod portion could be inserted for a more secure fit.
A number of advantages of the collapsible wall unit will be readily apparent.
The collapsible wall unit can lie flush against the wall when not in use and
can
to thus provide permanent or temporary hanging space.
The wall unit can be used to hang clothes in any areas where people have
limited space and are trying to maximize space.
The collapsible wall unit can be used anywhere. For example, the wall unit can
be used in the laundry room to dry clothes or hold ironed clothes.
Alternately, the wall
15 unit can be used outside for drying and freshening clothes. Other possible
locations
include mud rooms, studios, bedrooms, offices, garages, cottages, recreational
vehicles, yachts, hotels, motels, dormitories, restaurants, hospitals and the
like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
20 Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with
reference to the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wall unit frame according to a embodiment
of the invention;
FIG. 1 a is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating an alternative embodiment.
25 FIG. 2 is a front view of the second plate portion according to one
embodiment
of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a side view of the rod portion for hanging clothes according to one
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the rod portion of FIG. 3; and
30 FIG. 5 is a side view of the rail according to one embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment using two frames.
The same reference numerals are used for like parts throughout.
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CA 02268510 2004-O1-30
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIG, l, the collapsible wall unit has at least one frame unit 2
which is of generally triangular shape and consists of three parts: a first
plate portion 4,
a rod portion 6, and a second plate portion 8.
The first plate portion 4 is hingedly engaged along its top end 10 with the
top
end 12 of the second plate portion 8.
The rod portion 6 is hinged at its first end 14 with the bottom end 16 of the
first
plate portion 4, while the second end 18 of the rod portion 6 is engaged in a
recess 20
in the second plate portion 8.
Referring to FIG. 2, the second plate portion is affixed to a wall (not
shown),
preferably by means of screws (not shown) through two holes 22 and 24 which
are at
the top and bottom of the second plate portion 8.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the second plate portion 8 is
provided with a substantially vertical channel 20 in which the second end 18
of the rod
is portion 6 may be slidably positioned. Preferably, the channel 20 is
slightly narrower
than the width of the end of the rod 6, and the channel is provided with an
entry slot 28
which receives the rod 6. In this manner, the rod 6 is slidable within the
channel 20 but
can only enter or exit the channel 20 via the entry slot 28.
A lip or cavity 30 could be provided to receive the rod 6 when it is at the
2o bottom of the channel 20 so that the rod 6 is inclined to remain in
position.
According to a manufactured embodiment of the invention, the dimensions of
the second plate portion 8 were 9.5 cm wide and 55.25 cm high (including
hinge) with
the top and bottom screw holes 22 and 24 being located approximately 4.7 cm
from
the ends 12 and 32 of the second plate portion 8.
2s The first plate portion 4 is generally of the same size and shape as the
second
plate portion 8 and is adapted to hinge along its top end 10 with the top end
12 of the
second plate portion 8.
A number of hinges are known and could be used. For example, the first plate
portion 4 and second plate portion 8 could be of unitary construction and have
a crease
30 (not shown) at which point the first plate portion 4 and second plate
portion 8 would
hinge.
Alternatively, there could be provided a metal rod (not shown) which passes
through the top end 10 of the first plate portion 4 and second plate portion
12 to allow
the two parts to hinge.
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CA 02268510 2004-12-29
According to the embodiment shown in F1G. 1, the top end l 0 of the Frst plate
portion 4 is provided with a T-shaped arm (not shown) which is adapted to fit
within a
corresponding cavity in the top end 12 of the second plate portion 8.
The rod portion 6 is hingedly attached at its' first end 14 to the bottom end
of
the first plate portion 16. The second end 18 is adapted to slide within the
substantially
vertical channel 20 of the second plate portion 8.
Alternatively, the second end 18 ofthe rod 6 could be adapted to fit within a
corresponding recess in the second plate portion 8 such as a half round trim
ring (not
shown).
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 the rod 6 is provided with one or more depressions
34 along its length and has an L-shaped end 18.
Referring to FIG. 5 a substantially horizontal rail 35 having two slots 36 and
38
through which the respective rod portion 6 of two or more frame units 2 could
be
passed, whereby the rail 35 would rest in the depressions 34 of the rod
portions 6 as
shown in FIG. 6.
Alternatively, the rail 35 could rest freely on top of the depression 34 of
the rod
portion 6 of two or more frame units 2.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the rail 35 could be
telescopic by having two corresponding sections to allow for a variable length
of the
rai135.
It is intended that a number of frame units 2 would be affixed along a wall
(not
shown), preferably with 48" to 72" between each frame unit 2. The rail 35
would then
be used to provide the resting rail on which clothes would be hung.
A third optional screw hole 26, as shown in FIG. 2, can be provided for use as
reinforcement where the rail (and two frame units 2) are installed in a hollow
dry wall
installation.
An optional door mounting bracket (not shown) could be provided to allow the
frame units 2 to be fastened to the rear side top of the second plate portion
8. Two
3o nuts, bolts, washers would be supplied to fasten the bracket to the frame
unit 2 by
utilizing the two mounting holes 22 and 26 at the top of the second plate
portion. This
will enable the user to hang the wall unit from the top of a door (not shown)
as
opposed to fastening the frame unit to a wall (not shown). It will be sold in
two sizes to
accommodate the two standard door thicknesses that being 13/4" & 13/8".
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CA 02268510 2004-O1-30
It will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art that a number of
variations and modifications can be made without departing from the true
spirit of the
invention which will now be pointed out in the appended claims.
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Representative Drawing