Double-decker cloth rack

Abstract

A double-decker cloth rack including a base, at least two vertical tubes, one middle horizontal tube, top horizontal tube, two tri-connect coupler with a screw-on locking nut, wherein the tri-connect coupler connects the vertical tubes to the middle horizontal tube. There are also two tri-connect horn coupler to which two extension pieces are respectively connected.

Claims

1. A double-decker cloth rack comprising: a base; two bottom vertical tubes coupled to the base, each of said two bottom vertical tubes has a top end; two tri-couplers; a middle horizontal tube disposed between said two bottom vertical tubes, and has two terminal ends each of which is respectively coupled to each of said two tri-connect couplers; each of said two tri-connect couplers is respectively coupled to said top end of each one of said two bottom vertical tubes; two top vertical tubes; a top horizontal tube disposed between said two top vertical tubes; two tri-connect horn couplers each of which is coupled to said top end of each one of said two top vertical tubes; two movable locking nuts freely disposed on the middle horizontal tube; wherein each of said movable locking nuts is adapted to lockingly couple to a horizontal tubular extension of each of the two tri-connect couplers; and a vertical slit disposed on each of the two tri-connect couplers, and a horizontal slit disposed on the horizontal tubular extension, and wherein the horizontal slit is connected to the vertical slit.

2. The cloth rack as recited in claim 1 further comprising a helical track disposed on an outside of the horizontal tubular extension.

3. The cloth rack as recited in claim 1 further comprising an elbow corner support disposed on each of the two tri-connect horn couplers, and wherein the base includes two horizontal slats and two end pieces, and further comprising two transversely disposed supports provided within an interior of each end piece to provide structural integrity of the two end pieces.

4. The cloth rack as recited in claim 1 further comprising two extension pieces each of which is telescopically coupled to a terminal end of the top horizontal tube, and each of which has at least one notch provided thereon.

5. The cloth rack as recited in claim 4 further comprising two end caps each of which is disposed at a terminal end of each of the two extension pieces, wherein each of the two end caps includes a disc top integrally formed with a tubular insert piece.

6. A double-decker cloth rack comprising: a base; two bottom vertical tubes coupled to the base, each of said two bottom vertical tubes has a top end; two tri-couplers; a middle horizontal tube disposed between said two bottom vertical tubes, and has two terminal ends each of which is respectively coupled to each one of said two tri-connect couplers; each of said two tri-connect couplers is respectively coupled to said top end of each one of said two bottom vertical tubes; two top vertical tubes; a top horizontal tube disposed between said two top vertical tubes; two tri-connect horn couplers each of which is coupled to said top end of each one of said two top vertical tubes; two movable locking nuts freely disposed on the middle horizontal tube; wherein each of said movable locking nuts is adapted to lockingly couple to a horizontal tubular extension of the tri-connect coupler; and an elbow corner support disposed on each of the two tri-connect horn couplers, and wherein the base includes two horizontal slats and two end pieces, and further comprising two transversely disposed supports provided within an interior of each end piece to provide structural integrity of the two end pieces.

7. The cloth rack as recited in claim 6 further comprising a vertical slit disposed on each of the two tri-connect couplers, and a horizontal slit disposed on the horizontal tubular extension, and wherein the horizontal slit is connected to the vertical slit.

8. The cloth rack as recited in claim 7 further comprising a helical track disposed on an outside of the horizontal tubular extension.

9. The cloth rack as recited in claim 6 further comprising two extension pieces each of which is telescopically coupled to a terminal end of the top horizontal tube, and each of which has at least one notch provided thereon.

10. The cloth rack as recited in claim 9 further comprising two end caps each of which is disposed at a terminal end of each of the two extension pieces, wherein each of the two end caps includes a disc top integrally formed with a tubular insert piece.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) It should be noted that the drawing figures may be in simplified form and might not be to precise scale. In reference to the disclosure herein, for purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms such as top, bottom, left, right, up, down, over, above, below, beneath, rear, front, distal, and proximal are used with respect to the accompanying drawings. Such directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the embodiment in any manner.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the double-decker cloth rack according to an aspect of the disclosure.

(3) FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the top portion of the embodiment of FIG. 1 having wheels.

(4) FIG. 3 is a fully exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates the bottom portion of the embodiment of FIG. 1, wherein the top portion has been removed.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates the removal of two vertical tubes from the base of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the horizontal tube and two tri-connect coupler of the cloth rack of FIG. 1.

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a tri-connect horn coupler, according to one aspect of the disclosure.

(9) FIG. 8 is a front view of the tri-connect horn coupler of FIG. 7.

(10) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an end cap according to an aspect of the disclosure.

(11) FIG. 10 is a bottom view of an end piece of the base showing two transversely disposed supports that provide structural integrity to the end piece.

(12) FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the tri-connect coupler according to an aspect of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(13) The different aspects of the various embodiments can now be better understood by turning to the following detailed description of the embodiments, which are presented as illustrated examples of the embodiments as defined in the claims. It is expressly understood that the embodiments as defined by the claims may be broader than the illustrated embodiments described below.

(14) As shown in FIGS. 1-11, a double-decker cloth rack includes a base 1, at least two vertical tubes 2 that are coupled to the base 1. There can be a middle horizontal tube 3 that is disposed between the two vertical tubes 2. There can be a top horizontal tube 4 disposed between and coupled to the top ends of the two vertical tubes 2. There can be two tri-connect couplers 5 that functions to connect the two terminal ends of the middle horizontal tube 3 onto the two vertical tubes 2. There can be two tri-connect horn couplers 6 that functions to connect the top horizontal tube 4 to the top ends of the two vertical tubes 2.

(15) In one embodiment, each of the tri-connect couplers 5 can include a vertical tube body 501, a vertical tube body 502 that functions to enclose a terminal end of the middle horizontal tube 3. Vertical tube body 502 and horizontal tube body 502 can be made of one integral part. As shown in FIG. 6, there can be a detachable locking nut 503 that can screw onto the vertical tube body 502 in order to clamp the vertical tube body 502 onto a terminal end of the middle horizontal tube 3. In one embodiment, the horizontal tube body 501, the vertical tube body 502, and the locking nut 503 each has a diameter that is different from one another.

(16) Referring now to FIG. 3, each side of the vertical tubes 2 consists of two parts, a top tube 201 and bottom tube 202. Top tube 201 can be telescopically received within bottom tube 202. There can be a leaf spring push button 201a disposed within the top tube 201 to complementarily fit within openings 202a (see FIG. 4) disposed on the top portion of the bottom tube 202. By fitting the leaf spring push button 201a into the opening 202a, the top tube 201 and bottom tube 202 forms one sturdy vertical tube 2. Such structure is commonly known.

(17) Referring now to FIG. 11, the tri-connect coupler 5 can have a vertical slit 501a disposed on a side of the vertical tube body 501 where the vertical tube body 502 is disposed. There can be a horizontal slit 502a disposed on the top and bottom sides of the horizontal tube body 502, thereby dividing the horizontal tube body 502 into two liked arcuate pieces. These two arcuate pieces are an integral part of the vertical tube body 501. Each of these two arcuate pieces is disposed opposite of each other on opposite sides of the vertical slit 501a. The horizontal slit 502a connects with the vertical slit 501a to make one single slit disposed on the tri-connect coupler 5.

(18) On the outside of the vertical tube body 502 can be disposed helical tracks 502a to receive complementary grooves disposed on the inside wall of the locking nut 503.

(19) Referring now to FIG. 8, there can be a structural support piece 601 disposed on the tri-connect horn coupler 6 to strengthen the structural integrity of the coupler 6.

(20) Referring now to FIG. 4, similar to the base of known cloth racks, the herein disclosed base 1 can have two horizontal slats 101 coupled to two end pieces 102. The end piece 102 can be a plastic piece with a hollow interior. A bottom view of the end piece 102 is shown in FIG. 10. Within the hollow interior of the end piece 102 there can be two transversely disposed support pieces disposed near the end of the end piece 102. The two transversely disposed support pieces can provide structural integrity to the base 1.

(21) Referring now to FIG. 3, the top horizontal tube 4 can have terminal extension pieces 7 disposed on either terminal ends of the top horizontal tube 4. Each extension piece 7 can have one or more scale notches 701 indicated on the side of the extension piece 7 so that a user would know the limit of the extension without overextending the extension pieces 7.

(22) This is important because overextension may also damage the tri-connect horn coupler 6 when a heavy load of clothing forces the overextended extension piece 7 to collapse. If and when the tri-connect horn coupler is damaged, the entire cloth rack can be rendered useless.

(23) Referring now to FIG. 7, the tri-connect horn coupler 6 can have a locking clamp 602. Locking clamp 602 can lockingly secure the extension piece 7 in place. Releasing of the locking clamp 602 unlocks the extension piece 7 thereby allowing the extension piece 7 to be freely removed from the tri-connect horn coupler 6.

(24) Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 9, where an end cap 8 is shown disposed within the extension piece 7. The end cap 8 can have a round disc top 801 and an integral tube insert 802. The end cap 8 can fittingly insert within a terminal end of the extension piece 7, which is hollow.

(25) It will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended; any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates.