Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02766741 2012-11-01
-1-
AUXILIARY DEVICE FOR A CLOTHESLINE THAT FACILITATES DRYING OF
LAUNDRY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an auxiliary device for clothesline for improving the
drying time of laundry hung on the clothesline, comprising portions for
receiving the
clothesline.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Our everyday hygiene involves keeping clothes and other commonly used
textiles such as towels and bedclothes clean by washing and drying.
The prior art includes a great number of devices for drying clothes that
usually
focus on securing the laundry to the drying device. Several types of clothes
pegs are
known for this purpose (see e.g. the document GB 539611).
The drying of bulkier clothes poses significant problems caused on the one
hand by their large surface and on the other by the significantly increased
drying times.
The document CN 201180233 for instance discloses a multi-function clothes
hanger that is capable of drying large-surface clothes in one of its operating
positions.
Although drying times are shortened due to a relatively large aired surface,
the
disadvantage of this solution is its large footprint.
The document with the publication number AU3304371 discloses a clothes peg
arrangement that can be secured on the clothesline and can receive the clothes
to be
dried.
European patent specification EP 0882833 discloses a clothes drying stand
having an upright post, with an expanding frame with several arms being
mounted on
the post via support struts.
None of the above cited solutions address the problem of improving the air
flow
between the two parallelly hanging clothes surfaces by arranging the large-
surface
clothes on a conventional clothesline in a specific manner.
The prior art includes a number of solutions where the distance between the
parallelly hanging clothes surfaces may be increased by applying an auxiliary
device
CA 02766741 2012-11-01
-2-
in order to improve the air flow between the clothes surfaces and thereby
shorten the
drying time.
Such solutions are disclosed in the documents JP2006175190 and
JP10127987.
The principal disadvantages of these solutions are that the surface region
where the clothes are supported by the device is too narrow, and that the
lightweight
clothesline may easily slip out from the line-receiving portion of the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect provides provide an auxiliary device that attempts to address the
disadvantages of known devices by providing adequate support surface for the
clothes
to be dried.
Another aspect provides an auxiliary device that comprises a groove for
receiving the clothesline and constituent pieces adapted for keeping the
parallelly
hanging stretches of drying clothes at a predetermined distance from each
other, the
device being characterised by that it has a regular or irregular polygonal,
circular or
elliptic prism shaped body constituted by two constituent pieces, each
constituent
piece having a groove for receiving the clothesline.
A further aspect provides an auxiliary device for clotheslines for improving
the
drying time of laundry hung on the clothesline, comprising a groove for
receiving the
clothesline and constituent pieces adapted for keeping the parallelly hanging
stretches
of drying clothes at a predetermined distance from each other, it has a
regular or
irregular polygonal, circular or elliptic prism shaped body constituted by a
first and a
second constituent piece, each constituent piece having a groove for receiving
the
clothesline, wherein the first constituent piece thereof has a groove adapted
for
receiving the clothesline, a first group of pins arranged at a predetermined
spacing
distance in a single row above the groove, and a second group of pins arranged
in an
aligned manner in two rows extending along the portion below the groove
parallelly
with each other and with the first group of pins disposed above the groove,
and the
second constituent piece thereof has a groove adapted for receiving the
clothesline,
and recess holes adapted for receiving the first and second groups of pins of
the first
CA 02766741 2012-11-01
-3-
constituent piece, where the arrangement of the recess holes corresponds to
that of
the first and second group of pins of the first constituent piece.
A preferred embodiment of the auxiliary device according to the invention has
mirror-symmetrical, regular or irregular polygonal, circular or elliptic prism
shaped
constituent pieces.
The first constituent piece of the auxiliary device according to the invention
has
a groove adapted for receiving the clothesline, pins arranged at a
predetermined
spacing distance in a single row above the groove, and pins arranged in an
aligned
manner in two rows extending along the portion below the groove parallelly
with each
other and with the row of pins disposed above the groove, while the second
constituent piece thereof has a groove for receiving the clothesline, and
recess holes
arranged identically to the pins of the first constituent piece and adapted
for receiving
said pins.
The pins of the first constituent piece of the auxiliary device according to
the
invention have a head portion capable of undergoing elastic deformation, and
the
device is made from plastic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the auxiliary device according to the present
invention will be described in detail referring to the attached figures where
Fig. 1 shows the perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the
auxiliary device according to the invention,
Fig. 2 is the perspective view of the first constituent piece of the auxiliary
device
of Fig 1,
Fig. 3 is the perspective view of the second constituent piece of the
auxiliary
device of Fig 1,
Fig. 4 is the perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the
auxiliary
device according to the invention,
Fig. 5 is the perspective view of the first constituent piece of the auxiliary
device
of Fig 4,
, CA 02766741 2012-11-01
,.
-4-
Fig. 6 is the perspective view of the second constituent piece of the
auxiliary
device of Fig 4,
Fig. 7 shows the perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of the
auxiliary device according to the invention,
Fig. 8 is the perspective view of the first constituent piece of the auxiliary
device of Fig 7,
Fig. 9 is the perspective view of the second constituent piece of the
auxiliary
device of Fig 7,
Fig. 10 shows the perspective view of the fourth preferred embodiment of the
auxiliary device according to the invention,
Fig. 11 is the perspective view of the first constituent piece of the
auxiliary
device of Fig 10,
Fig. 12 is the perspective view of the second constituent piece of the
auxiliary
device of Fig 10,
Fig. 13 shows the front view of the fifth preferred embodiment of the
auxiliary
device according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the
auxiliary device according to the invention in its essentially finished state,
placed on
a clothesline 5.
The auxiliary device 1 consists of two constituent pieces 2, 3 that each have
a
groove 4 for receiving the clothesline 5 and constitutes a regular body that
in this
embodiment is a cylindrical body.
Thanks to their mirror-symmetrical configuration, the constituent pieces 2, 3
form the two body halves of this cylindrical body.
In the facing surfaces of the constituent pieces 2, 3 a groove 4 is disposed
at
the top portion - the portion above the median plane - of the pieces for
receiving the
clothesline 5.
Fig. 2 shows the first constituent piece 2. Above the groove 4 a row of
uniformly
spaced pins 8 is disposed, while on the portion below the groove 4 two further
parallel
CA 02766741 2012-11-01
=
-5-
rows of uniformly spaced pins 9 are disposed, the pins being arranged to be
aligned
with the pins 8 in the upper portion.
Fig. 3 illustrates the second constituent piece 3 of the auxiliary device 1.
The second constituent piece 3 has a groove 4 and recess holes 7 in the
portion above the groove 4 for receiving the pins 8 of the first constituent
piece 2, as
well as recess holes 6 in the portion below the groove 4 for receiving the
pins 9 of the
first constituent piece 2.
The diameter of the head portion of the pins 8, 9 of the first constituent
piece
2 is slightly larger than the diameter of the recess holes 7 of the second
constituent
piece 3. Thereby the auxiliary device 1 can be placed on the clothesline 5 by
first
inserting the line 5 into the groove 4 of one of the constituent pieces 2, 3,
and then
closing together the constituent pieces 2, 3. As the constituent pieces 2, 3
get closer
the pins 8, 9 of the constituent piece 2 enter the recess holes 6, 7 of the
constituent
piece 3, and under a slightly larger force the head portion of the pins 8, 9
undergoes
elastic deformation and provides a tight press fit in the recess holes 6, 7.
After the
constituent pieces 2, 3 have been snapped together, the clothesline 5 is
received in
the grooves 4 of the constituent pieces 2, 3 such that is capable of rotating
about the
clothesline 5.
After the desired number of auxiliary device or devices 1 have been put on the
clothesline 5, laundry - usually bulkier pieces of laundry, like towels,
bedding, etc. - is
placed on the devices 1. This provides that there is an increased distance -
that
depends on the diameter of the auxiliary device 1 - between the two parallel
surfaces
of clothes hanging on two sides of the clothesline 5. Thereby the air flow
between the
clothes hung on the line is improved and drying time is shortened. Dried
clothes may
also be removed more easily, because they can be simply pulled of the
clothesline 5
fitted with the auxiliary device by grabbing them at one side as the auxiliary
device 1
may rotate about the line 5. In addition to easier drying, the application of
the auxiliary
device 1 is advantageous also because it can prevent the phenomenon of the
clothesline leaving a trace in the form of a hardened narrow streak on the
dried
clothes. Ironing the clothes dried on the auxiliary device may also become
unnecessary.
CA 02766741 2012-11-01
-6-
Fig. 4 illustrates a second preferred embodiment of the auxiliary device
according to the invention mounted on a clothesline 15. The auxiliary device
11 is
produced by snapping together the constituent pieces 12, 13 shown in Figs. 5,
6,
where pins 18, 19 and recess holes 16, 17 adapted for receiving the pins 18,
19, as
well as grooves 14 adapted for receiving the clothesline 15 are disposed on
adjacent
surfaces of the constituent pieces 12, 13. The arrangement of the grooves,
pins, and
holes are identical to what has been described in relation to Figs. 1-3.
The auxiliary device Ills a regular body with an elliptic cross-sectional
shape,
the outer surfaces of constituent pieces 12, 13 being correspondent to this
shape.
The embodiment of the auxiliary device 21 shown in Fig. 7 is a polygonal prism
formed by the constituent pieces 22, 23 illustrated in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9,
respectively.
The constituent pieces 22, 23 have mirror-symmetrical configuration, with
grooves 24 for receiving a clothesline 25, pins 28, 29 adapted for securing
together the
constituent pieces 22, 23, and recess holes 26, 27 adapted for receiving the
pins 28,
29 being disposed on their adjacent faces.
Fig. 10 illustrates a fourth preferred embodiment of the auxiliary device
according to the invention in a completed state, mounted on a clothesline 35.
The principal configuration of the auxiliary device 31 is that of a regular
triangular prism where the points of the triangle are rounded off. The device
consists
of two constituent pieces 32, 33 having a principally triangular prismatic
shape with a
right angled triangle base, where the groove 34 for receiving the clothesline
35 is
disposed near the point of the triangle.
In addition to groove 34, the adjacent faces of the constituent pieces 32, 33
comprise pins 38, 39 as well as recess holes 36, 37 for receiving the pins 38,
39. The
auxiliary device 31 arrangement shown in Fig. 10 is even better suited for
increasing
the spacing between the parallelly hanging surfaces of drying clothes, as the
auxiliary
device 31 has a shape that is conically extending under the clothesline 35.
A fifth preferred embodiment of the auxiliary device according to the
invention
is illustrated in Fig. 13. The constituent pieces 42, 43 forming the body of
the auxiliary
device 41 are made from plastic and are configured such that the two
constituent
pieces 42, 43 are joined above the groove 44 receiving the clothesline 45 to
form a
CA 02766741 2012-11-01
-7-
single piece after the two pieces are snapped together following the insertion
of the
clothesline 45 in the groove 44.
The main advantage of the auxiliary device according to the invention is that
it
provides improved support for clothes hung on the clothesline, as well as
better air
flow between the surfaces, and thereby shorter drying times can be achieved.
Also,
the line leaves no "imprint" on the dried clothes, diminishing the need for
ironing.
CA 02766741 2012-11-01
-8-
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 auxiliary device
2 constituent piece
3 constituent piece
4 groove
5 clothesline
6 hole
7 hole
8 pin
9 pin
10 auxiliary device
12 constituent piece
13 constituent piece
14 groove
15 clothesline
16 hole
17 hole
18 pin
19 pin
21 auxiliary device
22 constituent piece
23 constituent piece
24 groove
25 clothesline
26 hole
27 hole
28 pin
29 pin
31 auxiliary device
32 constituent piece
CA 02766741 2012-11-01
-9-
33 constituent piece
34 groove
35 clothesline
36 hole
37 hole
38 pin
39 pin
41 auxiliary device
42 constituent piece
43 constituent piece
44 groove
45 clothesline
