AU783988B2 - Foldable clothes hoist - Google Patents

Abstract

At the sliding boss (6), arms (3) and/or flap (13) rotary axes, are spaced further from the mast (2), than at the mast end (11). They subtend an acute angle with the mast.

Description

Our Ref:7697500 P/00/011 Regulation 3:2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): Leifheit Ag Leifheitstrasse D-56377 Nassau Germany Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Invention Title: Foldable clothes hoist The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- P:\WPDOCS\GXS\LNM\2005\spm6\7 Oc-LEIFH EIT AG_7697500do 12/10105 -1- Foldable clothes hoist Field of the Invention The invention relates to a foldable clothes hoist.

Background to the Invention A known clothes hoist is described in EP 0 219 571 Bl. Such a clothes hoist can be brought from an operative position, in which a clothes line is stretched between arms (in the embodiment shown, four arms) that protrude, said clothes line thus being ready to accommodate the clothes, to a folded up inoperative position in which the sections of clothes line between the arms hang down loosely. In this arrangement, these hanging down sections of clothes line are covered by flaps arranged on the arms. Such a foldable Sclothes hoist is associated with the disadvantage in that when the arms are folded up into i the inoperative position, the sections of clothes line dangle uncontrollably and are located outside the flaps. In order to place said sections of clothes line behind the cover flaps, the individual sections have to be pushed behind the cover flaps. Frequently, sections of 20 clothes line are jammed between the gaps of the flaps.

Furthermore, a foldable clothes hoist is known from DE 32 00 013 BI in which the sections of clothes line are retracted into the arms when the clothes hoist is folded up. However, in this design, an albeit short section of clothes line remains unprotected between the arms, and the design is comparatively expensive.

The present invention seeks to ameliorate one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages.

P \WPDOCSGXS\LNM2OO5\.pqiN7 OcLEIFHEIT AG_76975D0dc-12/IOOI -2- Summary of the invention According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a foldable clothes hoist including: a standard for mounting a moveable carriage; a plurality of clothes line support arm assemblies pivotally mounted by a pivot at one end on the movable carriage, the support arm assemblies for supporting clothes line along respective lengths of a support arm element; the moveable carriage being adapted to move the support arm assemblies from a deployed position to a stowed position, wherein in at least the stowed position a carriage end of the support arm assemblies is lower than the other end of the support arm assemblies; a plurality of cover element assemblies for closing a space between two adjacent arm elements in the stowed position, the cover element assemblies mounted on respective 0 .0* 0.00. 15 arm elements such that a lower mount is spaced a selected distance from the standard in the stowed position, the selected distance being greater than an upper mount so that the cover element assemblies pivot about an axis that is angled at an acute angle to a :00.e.

0 longitudinal axis of the standard to provide gravity assisted automatic pivoting of cover 2 elements to a closed position.

.0 S Advantageously, the Christmas-tree-like design of preferred embodiments of the foldable clothes hoist ensures that the clothes line or the sections of clothes line clearly remain within the projection area of the flaps covering the sections of clothes line and that said 0 0clothes line or sections of clothes line are reliably covered by said flaps, without jamming.

With the flaps arranged in this way, the centre of gravity of said flaps is within the rotational axis or swivelling axis of the flaps in the direction of view towards the pole, so that these flaps close as a result of gravity. This has a further advantage in that in the area where most of the clothes are, the free space is largest.

The Christmas-tree-shaped design of preferred embodiments of this foldable clothes hoist has a further advantage in that, if-no flaps are installed but the foldable clothes hoist is P \WPDOCSNGXS\LNM\2OO5\sp\7 Oct-LEIF EIT AG_769750 -3covered by a hood, as a result of the conical shape it is very much easier to put said hood in place.

Preferably, the closing movement of the flaps takes place by way of a spring or a drive controlling movement of the arms. The flaps can either be in a single part, i.e. one flap for each arm, or in two parts.

It is also possible for one flap to be provided on both sides of two opposite arms, with said arms with flaps then abutting the two arms without flaps.

0 To provide protection against unintended opening during wind or during transport, it is preferred and advantageous if the flaps comprise a snap-in locking device. A locking arrangement using magnetic strip is a particularly elegant solution.

Descrintion of a Preferred Embodiment A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to drawings The following are shown: Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 a view of the foldable clothes hoist in its folded up state; a half view in the folded up state, and a half view in the folded out state, without flaps; a section corresponding to line II-II in Figure 1; a section corresponding to line II-II in Figure 1; an alternative solution corresponding to a view according to Figure 4; and PA\WPDOCS\GXSU MM205sp\Ai\7 OaLEFHEIT AG76975ODdm- 12/1015 -3A- Figure 6 a section corresponding to line VI-VI in Figure Referring to the drawings, a foldable clothes hoist 1 comprises four arms 3 arranged at equal distance from each other around a vertical pole 2, said arms together carrying a clothes line 4 whose sections 5 of clothes line extend from arm 3 to arm 3 if said arm 3 is in the opened up position (operative position of the foldable clothes hoist), as shown on the left in Figure 2. The connection between the arms 3 and the pole 2 is by way of a sliding star 6 which is arranged so as to be slidable along the pole 2. The sliding star 6 comprises radially protruding stays 7, with the lower end of each arm 3 being swivellably connected to the respective stay 7 by way of swivelling axes 8. In addition, a brace 9 has been provided on each arm 3, with said brace 9 being connected by means of holding axes 10 at the upper end 11 of the pole 2, as well as by means of link pins 12 in the arms 3.

When the foldable clothes hoist 1 is not in use, the arms 3 are folded against the pole and 15 so are the braces 9. The sliding star 6 is in its lowermost position and the previously tensioned sections 5 of clothes line hang loosely between the arms, as is shown in the right hand view in Figure 2. As a result of the arms 3 being arranged in an inclined position, the S• sections 5 of clothes line are always within these arms 3, i.e. always within the space formed between the pole 2 and the imaginary connection surface of two arms 3.

In order to prevent the loosely hanging sections 5 of clothes line from becoming dirty in the inoperative position, flaps 13 are rotationally or swivellably arranged between the arms 3. The flaps 13 can extend in a single piece, i.e. from arm 3 to arm 3, or they can be .1 divided in the middle (Figure The inclined position of the flaps 13 can be achieved by an inclined position of the arms 3 which results in an acute angle 14 between the arm 3 and the pole 2. However, it is also possible to achieve this in that, as shown in Figure 6, the rotational axis of the flap 13 extends from the inner edge 15 to the outer edge 16 of the arms 3, wherein the arms 3 can be positioned vertically in the folded-up state. Those two options can of course additionally be superimposed one on the other.

4 Magnetic strips 17 are provided for fixing the flaps 13 to each other or to the adjacent arm.

The greater the spacing 18 firom the pole to the outer edge 16 of the arm 3, the more pronounced is the inclined position and the more pronounced is the closing moment of the flaps 13.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that, that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims (13)

1. A foldable clothes hoist including: a standard for mounting a moveable carriage; a plurality of clothes line support arm assemblies pivotally mounted by a pivot at one end on the movable carriage, the support arm assemblies for supporting clothes line along respective lengths of a support arm element; the moveable carriage being adapted to move the support arm assemblies from a deployed position to a stowed position, wherein in at least the stowed position a carriage end of the support arm assemblies is lower than the other end of the support arm assemblies; a plurality of cover element assemblies for closing a space between two adjacent arm elements in the stowed position, the cover element assemblies mounted on respective arm elements such that a lower mount is spiced a selected distance from the standard in the stowed position, the selected distance being greater than an upper mount so that the 15 cover element assemblies pivot about an axis that is angled at an acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the standard to provide gravity assisted automatic pivoting of cover elements to a closed position.

2. A foldable clothes hoist according cover elements to Claim 1 wherein the cover 20 elements are flaps. ooo

3. A foldable clothes hoist according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the selected distance from the standard is at least equal to a support arm element depth.

4. A foldable clothes hoist according to any previous claim wherein the support arm assembly includes a spacer arm element which is pivotally mounted at one end to the carriage to space one end of the support arm element a selected distance from the carriage. A foldable clothes hoist according to any previous claim wherein a cover assembly is disposed on every second arm and arranged so as to cover a space adjacent each side of the every second arm.

PAWPDOCS XS\LNM\2OO05\q*,c\7 O0LEIFHEIT AG_7975Odo0.I2/10/O5 a. a. a a a a. -6-

6. A foldable clothes hoist according to any previous claim wherein the cover elements are connected to the arms by film hinges.

7. A foldable clothes hoist according to any previous claim wherein a driving device for facilitating automatic closure of the cover element is provided.

8. A foldable clothes hoist according to Claim 7 wherein the device is a biasing means.

9. A foldable clothes hoist in accordance with Claim 8 wherein the biasing means is a spring.

A foldable clothes hoist according to any previous claim wherein the cover elements include a retaining device for retaining the cover assemblies against each other or 15 against adjacent arm elements when in the stowed position.

11. A foldable clothes hoist according to Claim 10 wherein the retaining device is a magnetic lock device. 20

12. A foldable clothes hoist according to Claim 10 wherein the retaining device is a snap lock and catch.

13. A foldable clothes hoist substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. DATED this 12 1 h day of October 2005. LEIFHEIT AG By Its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE