US20040112854A1

US20040112854A1 - Detachable clothes rack

Info

Publication number: US20040112854A1
Application number: US10/320,440
Authority: US
Inventors: Kuo-Ping Lai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-12-17
Filing date: 2002-12-17
Publication date: 2004-06-17

Abstract

A detachable, height adjustable clothes rack comprises a lower, metal cross tube, two telescopic vertical tubes, an upper, metal cross tube having ends releasably coupled to each vertical tube, and two plastic bases each having top and side sockets, each socket comprising a plurality of vertically extending, parallel ridges equally spaced apart around its inner surface and a concentric inner tube. In assembly, a lower end of each vertical tube is inserted into a gap between the top socket and its inner tube with the vertical tube urged therebetween by the ridges. Also, either end of the cross tube is inserted into a gap between the side socket and its inner tube with the cross tube urged therebetween by the ridges.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to clothes racks and more particularly to a detachable, height adjustable clothes rack with improved characteristics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional detachable clothes rack is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The clothes rack comprises two plastic bases (one is shown) A each having a top socket A 1 and a side socket A2, a lower, metal cross tube C having ends inserted into and fastened in the side sockets A2, two telescopic vertical tubes (one is shown) B each having a lower end inserted into and fastened in the top socket A1, and an upper, metal cross tube (not shown) having ends inserted into side sockets of both vertical tubes B for fastening.

However, the prior art suffered from a disadvantage. For example, the fastening of any two coupled components may be neutralized (i.e., loose) as time passes because the bases A are formed of a material (e.g., plastics) different from that (e.g., metal) of other components. In detail, the sockets A 1 and A2 may become larger or even deform after a period time of use. In a case that it collapses due to loosening of components and a child is or children are playing therearound, the child or children may be hurt. It is not safe. A solution to this problem is to use metal bases to replace the plastic ones and weld all components together. However, this can neutralize the detachability of the clothes rack (i.e., the purposes of saving storage and ease of transporting). Hence, it is not practical. Thus improvement exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a detachable, height adjustable clothes rack comprising a lower, metal cross tube; two telescopic vertical tubes; an upper, metal cross tube having ends releasably coupled to each of the vertical tubes; and two plastic bases each having a top socket and a side socket, each of the sockets comprising a plurality of vertically extending, parallel ridges equally spaced apart around its inner surface and a concentric inner tube, wherein a lower end of each of the vertical tubes is inserted into a gap between the top socket and its inner tube with the vertical tube urged therebetween by the ridges, and either end of the cross tube is inserted into a gap between the side socket and its inner tube with the cross tube urged therebetween by the ridges.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is an exploded view of portion of a conventional detachable clothes rack; [0006]
FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of assembled base, cross tube, and vertical tube of FIG. 1A; [0007]
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of portion of a detachable clothes rack according to the invention; [0008]
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of socket shown in FIG. 2; [0009]
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of assembled base, cross tube, and vertical tube of FIG. 2; and [0010]
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled clothes rack.[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, [0012] 4, and 5, there is shown a detachable clothes rack constructed in accordance with the invention comprising two plastic bases (one is shown) 1 each having top and side sockets 11, a lower, metal cross tube 3 having ends inserted into and fastened in the side sockets 11, two telescopic vertical tubes (one is shown) 2 each having a lower end inserted into and fastened in the top socket 11, and an upper, metal cross tube (not numbered) having ends inserted into side sockets of both vertical tubes 2 for fastening.
The characteristics of the invention are detailed below. Each [0013] socket 11 of the base 1 comprises a plurality of vertically extending, parallel ridges 12 equally spaced apart around its inner surface and a concentric inner tube 13. In assembly, a user may insert the lower end of the vertical tube 2 into a gap between the socket 11 and the inner tube 13 with the vertical tube 2 urged therebetween by the ridges 12. This can secure the vertical tube 2 to the base 1. The fastening of the cross tube 3 and the base 1 will not be described in detail below since it is a mirror image of the above fastening of the vertical tube 2 and the base 1.
Referring to FIG. 5 specifically, there is shown a perspective view of the assembled clothes rack. In addition to the well known characteristics of detachability and height adjustment of the vertical tubes, the reliable fastening of rack's components is also achieved by the invention. [0014]
While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. [0015]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A detachable, height adjustable clothes rack comprising:

a lower, metal cross tube;

two telescopic vertical tubes;

an upper, metal cross tube having ends releasably coupled to each of the vertical tubes; and

two plastic bases each having a top socket and a side socket, each of the sockets comprising a plurality of vertically extending, parallel ridges equally spaced apart around its inner surface and a concentric inner tube,

wherein a lower end of each of the vertical tubes is inserted into a gap between the top socket and its inner tube with the vertical tube urged therebetween by the ridges, and either end of the cross tube is inserted into a gap between the side socket and its inner tube with the cross tube urged therebetween by the ridges.