Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02639580 2008-09-16
FoLDiNG IItONING BOARD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ironing board, and more particulariy to a
folding ironing board, which is mounted on a cabinet, or other support and can
be
adjusted to occupy less space.
Description of the Prior Art
Referring to Figs.1415, a-conventional ironing boaird essentially comprises
a support board 90, which is fixed to a vertical fixing surface A through
pivot pins 91.
With the pins 91, the support board 90 can be selectively attached to or
laterally
unfolded with respect to the vertical fixing surface A. In addition, the
support board
90 is provided with a board member 92, the tail end of which is pivoted to the
support board 90. The board member 92 is provided with two opposite slide
rails 921
on a lower surface at the tail end thereof, and a pair of rotatable support
legs .93 at
the front end thereof. The height of the support legs 93 must be equal to the
distance
of the surface member 92 from the ground surface, and each side of the board
member 90 is provided with a crankshaft assembly 94, which is connected to the
support board 90,'the slide rail '921, and the support leg 93, respectively.
With the
crankshaft assembly 94, the board member 92 can be folded or unfolded to drive
the
support legs 93 to fold and unfold synchronously.
The above conventional ironing board suffers from . the following
disadvantages:
1. The ironing board has a certain weight and is located at a high position,
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and the ironing board is manually laid down or unfolded without using any
ancillary
support, so that the operation of such a structure is labor-intensive.
2. The ironing board is set down by laying the board member 92 down from
a higher position, so that it is possible that the children can unconsciously
put the
board member down during play, since there is not any buffer design to slower
the
falling speed of the board member 92, the board member 92 is likely to lay
down
suddenly to hit the children, thus lack of safety.
3. In the structure design of the ironing board, when the board member 92 is
laid flat, its tail end must be pivoted to the support board 90, and its front
end must
be supported by the support legs 93, so that the height of the support legs 93
must be
equal to the distance of the board member 92 from the ground surface,
therefore, the
height of the ironing board cannot be adjusted according to a desired height.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the
afore-described disadvantages.
SUMdARY OF THE INVENTION
The technical problems to be solved:
The conventional folding ironing boards surfer from many disadvantages as
descn'bed above, such as: consuming lots of labor since there is not any
ancillary
support, lack of safety since there is not any buffer design to slower the
falling speed
of the ironing board, and the height of the irouing board cannot be adjusted
according to a desired height.
In order to solve the above problems, a folding ironing board in accordance =
with the present invention comprises a fixing frame, a support frame, a
crankshaft'
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assembly, a slide rod assembly, a linking rod assembly and a movable frame.
One
side of the fixing frame is pivoted to one side of the support firame, and the
other side
of the fixing frame is pivoted to one end of the crankshaft assembly. One end
of the
support frame is pivoted to the fixing frame, and the other side of the
support frame
is pivoted to the other end of the crankshaft assembly. The support frame is
pr+ovided
with a linkage rod pivoting portion on the middle position of the front
surface
thereof, and a lower portion pivoted to the linldng rod assembly. A crank
assembly
includes a first support rod having one end pivoted to one end of a second
support
rod, the second support rod has a middle portion to be pivoted to a first
pressure
cylinder and a linkage member, the first support rod has the other end
provided with
a first pivoting portion to be pivoted to the first pivoting portion of the
fixing frame,
the second support rod has the other end provided with a second pivoting
portion
to be pivoted to the second pivoting portion of the support frame, the fust
pressure
cylinder has one end to be pivoted to the second support rod and the other end
to be
pivoted to the support frame. The linking rod assembly includes two
slantways-resisting rods, a linkage rod and a second pressure cylinder, the
slantways-resisting rods each have one end provided with an upper pivoting
portion
and the other end provided with a lower pivoting portion to be pivoted to the
lower
pivoting portion of the support frame, the linkage rod has a middle portion to
be
pivoted to the linkage rod pivoting portion of the support frame, an upper end
to be
pivoted to the linkage member and a lower end provided with a pivoting portion
to
be pivoted between the slantways-resisting rods, the second pressure cylinder
has .:;
one end to be pivoted between the slantways-resisting rods. The movable frame
has
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an upper end provided with a movable pivoting portion to be pivoted to the
slide rod
assembly and a middle portion provided with two upper pivoting portions to be
pivoted to the upper pivoting portions of the slantways-resisting rods, the
other end
of the second pressure cylinder is also pivoted to the middle portion of the
movable
frame.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a folding
ironing board, which can utilize the cooperation of the crankshaft, the slide
rod
assembly and the linking rod assembly to realize the operation between the
fixing.
frame, the support frame and the movable frame, so that it is only necessary
to pull
open the support frame first, and then other elements of the ironing board
will be
driven to unfold the ironing board, on the eontrary, applying a pressing-down
force
to the movable frame can make the overall ironing board fold, thus maldng the
operation smooth.
The secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a folding
ixoning board, which can utilize the cooperation of the crankshafft, the slide
rod
assembly and the linking rod assembly to realize the operation between the
fixing
frame, and the crankshaft assembly and the linking rod assembly are
respectively
provided with a first pressure cylinder and a second pressure cylinder, which
are
used to assist in automatic opening operation of the support fisme, the
movable
.20 frame and the slide rod assembly for saving labor.
The third objective of the present invention is to provide a folding ironing
board, in which the movable frame is supported by the support frame and the
linking
rod assembly which is inclined with respect to the support frame, so that the
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installing height of the ironing board is not limited and can be adjusted
according to
a desired heigbt.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA WINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a folding state of a folding ironing board in
accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the folding ironing board in accordance with
the present invention;
Fig. 3 is another exploded view of the folding ironing board in accordance
with the present invention;
10. Fig. 4 is a side view of the folding state of the folding ironing board in
accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 5 is a top view illustrating that folding ironing board in accordaace
with
the present invention is folded;
Fig. 6 is a top view of the folding ironing board in accordance with the
present invention which is being opened, illustrating the pushing motion of
the
crankshaft assembly;
Fig. 7 is a top view of the folding ironing board in accordance with the
present invention, which is being opened, illustrating that the crankshaft
assembly
pulls the linking rod assembly;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the folding ironing board in accordance with
the present invention, which is being opened, illustrating that the crankshaft
assembly pulls the linking rod assembly;
Fig. 9 is a top view of the folding ironing board in accordance with the
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present invention, which is being opened, illustrating that the movable frame
is to
unfold;
Fig. 10 is a side view illustrating that the folding ironing board in
accordance with the present invention has unfolded already;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating that the folding ironing board in
accordance with the present invention has unfolded already;
Fig. 12 illustrates the locking state of the fastening member of the folding
ironing board in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 13 illustrates that the fastening member is pulled by the linkage
fastening rod to disengage from the fastening hole in accordance with the
present
invention;
Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a folding state of a conventional ironing
board; and
Fig. 15 is a perspective view of an unfolding state of the conveintional
ironing board.
DETAILED DESCRiPTiON OF'THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will be clearer from the following description when
viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of
illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in, accordance with the present
invention.
Referring to Figs.1-5 first, a folding ironing board in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises: a fixing frame 'Z0,
a.
support frame 20, a crankshaft assembly 30, a slide rod assembly 40, a Iinking
rod
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assembly 50 and a movable frame 60.
The fixing frarne 10 has a back surface mounted on a fixed surface that is
vertical to the ground and is provided on one vertical side of a front surface
thereof
with at least one support pivoting portion i 1 and an engaging catch 13 arid
on the
other vertical side of the front surface thereof with a first pivoting portion
12. Further,
the fixing frame 10 is provided with a buffer column 14 on the front surface
thereof.
The support frame 20 is pivoted to the fixing frame 10 and provided on one
vertical side of a back surface thereof opposite to the front surface of the
fixing
frame 10 with at'least one support pivoting portion 21 to be pivoted to the at
least
one support pivoting portion 11 of the fixing frame 10 and at the other
vertical side
of the back surface thereof opposite to the front surface of the fixing frame
10 with a
second pivoting portion 22. The support frame 20 is further provided with a
linkage
rod pivoting portion 23 on the middle position of the front surface thereot
and two
lower pivoting portions 24 at the lower position of the front surface thereof
The
support frame 20 is further provided with a fastening rod 25 extending from
top to
bottom. The fastening rod 25 is provided with a fastening member 26 one end of
which is held in a locked state by the weight of the fastening rod 25, and the
other
end of the fastening member 26 is connected with a buffer spring 27. The
support
frame 20 is further provided with at least one abutting plate 28 on the front
surface
thereof.
The crankshaft assembly 30 includes a first support rod 31 having one end
pivoted to one end of a second support rod 32. The second support rod 32 has
a.:,
middle portion to be pivoted to a first pressure cylinder 33 and a linkage
member 34
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(the linkage member 34 is a rope). The first support rod 31 has the other end
provided with a first pivoting portion 311 to be pivoted to the first pivoting
portion
12 of the fixing frame 10. The second support rod 32 has the other end
provided with
a second pivoting portion 321 to be pivoted to the second pivoting portion 22
of the
support frame 20. The first pressure cylinder 33 has one end to be pivoted to
the
second support rod 32 and the other end to be pivoted to the support frame 20.
The slide rod assembly 40 consists of more than one slide rod 41. The slide
rod 41 at the bottom of the slide rod assembly 40 is combined in front of the
support
frame 20- in such a manner that other slide rods 41 can be successively
slidably
arranged. The slide rod 41 at the top of the slide rod assembly 40 is provided
at an
upper end thereof with a movable pivoting portion 42 and in the lower end
thereof
with a fastening hole 43 corresponding to the fastening member 26 of the
support
firame 20.
The linking rod assembly 50 includes two slantways-resisting rods 51, a
linkage rod 52 and a second pressure cylinder 53. The slantways-resisting rods
51
each have one end provided with an upper pivoting portion 511 and the other
end
provided with a lower pivoting portion 512 to be pivoted to the lower pivoting
portion 24 of the support frame 20. The linkage rod 52 has a middle portion to
be
pivoted to the linkage rod pivoting portion 23 of the support frame 20, an
upper end
to be pivoted to the linkage member 34 and a lower end provided with a
pivoting
portion 521 to be pivoted between the two slantways-resisting rods 51. The
second
pressure cylinder 53 has one end to be also pivoted between the'. two
slantways-resisting rods 51. The linking rod assembly 50 is further provided
oli'one
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of the two slantways-resisting rods 51 with an engaging ring 513 corresponding
to
the engaging catch 13.
The movable frame 60 has an upper end provided with a movable pivoting
portion 61 to be pivoted to the movable pivoting portion 42 of the slide rod
assembly
40 and a middle portion provided with two upper pivoting portions 62 to be
pivoted
to the upper pivoting portions 511 of the slantways-resisting rods 51. The
other end
of the above pressure cylinder 53 is also pivoted to the middle portion of the
movable fraume 60.
With the above structures, the movable frame 60 can be controlled to fold
up against the support finme 20 in such a manner that the movable frame 60 is
finally vertical to the ground, or unfold in such a manner that the movable
frame 60
is finally in a horizontal state. Referring to Fig. I again, when the folding
ironing
board is not in use, the movable frame 60 is folded up towards the fixing
frame 10
which is fixed on a vertical surface such as a cabinet or a wall. When the
folding
ironing board is to be used, the support firame 20 is directly unfolded from
one side
of the fixing fxame 10 through the support pivoting portions 11, 21, as shown
in tig.
6, meanwhile; the first support rod 31 and the second support rod 32 which are
originally closed with respect to each other are opened. When the opening
angle of
the first support rod 31 and the second support rod 32 is greater than 90
degrees, the
first pressure cylinder 33 will be automatically actuated to push the first
support rod
31 and the second support rod 32 outwards continuously, as shown in Fig. 7,
and the
second support rod 32 will pull the linkage member 34 outwards, as shown
in'Figs. -:.
8-9, when the linkage member 34 is pulled, the upper end of the linkage rod 52
will
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be pulled backwards, and then the linkage rod 52 will be pivoted about the
linkage
rod pivoting portion 23 to pull the lower end of the linkage forwards. The
lower end
of the linkage rod 52 will pivot about the linkage rod pivoting portion 23 to
pull the
slantways-resisting rods 51 in such a manner that the slantways-resisting rods
51
which are closed with respect `to the support frame 20 will pivot about the
lower
pivoting portions 24, 512 to open with respect to the support frame 20. When
the
linking rod assembly 50 is opened at a predetennined angle with respect to the
support frame 20, the second pressure cylinder will be actuated to pull the
movable
frame 60 connected with the linking rod assembly 50 to lift the lower eind of
the
movable frame 60. Since the middle portion of the movable frame 60 is
connected
with the slantways-resisting rods 51, the upper end of the movable frame 60
will
move downwards to make the respective slide rods 41 of the slide rod assembly
40
slide relative to one another to fold the slide rod assembly 40 until the
movable
fimme 60 touches the abutting plate 28 and finally becomes horizontal, namely
the
movable frame 60 is finally parallel to the ground, as shown in Figs.10-11.
When the slide rods 41 of the slide rod assembly 40 are folded, the
fastening member 26 of the support frame 20 is fastened to the fastening hole
43 of
the slide rod 41 at the top of thc slide rod assembly 41, thus firmly
restricting the
slide rod assembly 40 and preventing the respective slide rods 41 from moving
relative to the movable frame 60 unexpectedly.
As shown in Figs. 12-13, when the movable frame 60 is to be folded, the
fastening rod 25 will be pulled upwards to control the fastening member.26
disengage from the fastening hole 43 of the slide rod 41 at the top of the
slide rod '
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assembly 41, so as to release the slide rod assembly 40, and then a pressing-
down
force greater than the force outputted from the second pressure cylinder 53
will be
directly applied to the movable fiame 60, and synchronously the movable
ffirdme 60
and the support frame 20 will be pulled backwards to close up to each other.
Additionally, when the fastening rod 25 is released, the fastening member 26
will be
pressed downwards by the weight of the fastening rod 25 to return to its
locked state.
Moreover, when the fastening rod 25 is pulled upwards, and the fastening
member
26 disengages from the fastening hole 43 to present an opening state, the
buffer
spring 27 will be used to cushion the restoring force.
The abutting plate 28 of the support frame 20 is defined with an inserting
groove provided with plural rollers at both sides thereof. The movable frame
60 is
provided with a corresponding inserting plate, so that when the movable frame
60
presents the horizontal state and utilizes the upper end thereof to touch the
abutting
plate 28 of the support frame 20, the inserting plate will be just inserted in
the
15. inserting groove, and the rollers will synchronously cushion the movable
frame 60,
thus keeping quiet.
When the support frame 20 is folded on the fixing frame 10, the engaging
catch 13 is used to engage with the engaging ring 513 at a predetermined angle
for
preventing the support frame 20 from unfolding.
When the support frame 20 is folded toward the fixing frame 10, the buffer
column 14 is provided to =cushion the support frame 20 to avoid the metal
striking
noise.
With the above structure, the present invention can offer the following
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advantages:
1. The operation between the fixing frame 10, the support frame 20 and the
movable frame 60 are realized through the cooperation of the crankshaft
assembly
30, the slide rod assembly 40 and the linlcing rod assembly 50, and it is only
necessary to pull open the support frame 20 first, and then other elements of
the
ironing board will be driven to move to unfold the ironing board, on the
contrary,
applying a pressing-down force to the movable frame 60 can make the overall
ironing board fold, thus making the operation smooth.
2. The operation between the fixing frame 10, the support frme 20 and the
movable frame 60 are realized through the cooperation of the crankshaft
assembly
30, and the crankshaft assembly 30 and the linldng rod assembly 50 are
respectively
provided with a fnst pressure cyli.nder 33 and a second pressure cylinder 53,
which
are used to assist the automatic opening operation of the support frame 20,
the
movable frame 60 and the slide rod assembly 40 for saving labor.
3. The movable frame is unfolded from up to down and controlled by the
first pressure cylinder 33 and the second pressure cylinder 53 to slow.the
unfolding
speed, so that the movable frame 60 is unlikely to fall off suddenly, thus
improving
the safety of use.
4. After being unfolded, the movable frame 60 is supported by the linldng
rod assembly 50, which is inclined with respect to the support frame 20, so
that the
installing height of the ironing board can be adjusted according to a desired
height.
While we have shown and descnbed various embodiments in accordance
with the present invention, it is clear to those sldlled in the art that
further'
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embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention.
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