Angled rack for supporting footwear
An angled rack for supporting footwear includes a plurality of angled brackets securable with conventional fasteners to a vertical wall or door. Each of the angled brackets define a plurality of apertures therethrough which cooperate and support a corresponding plurality of elongated cylindrical rods. The rods pass through the apertures formed in the brackets to provide a supporting platform or footwear or the like. The angled disposition of the brackets and the resulting angled disposition of cylindrical rods provides a convenient stable surface for footwear to rest upon.
This invention relates generally to apparatus for organizing storage within closet spaces or the like and particularly to apparatus utilized in storing and supporting footwear such as shoes or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThrough the years a need has arisen for apparatus and systems which facilitate orderly storage of clothing articles and accessories within closet areas or the like. Not surprisingly, this need has prompted practitioners in the related arts to create a variety of storage and organizing apparatus for use in such areas. In a related art, practitioners have also provided apparatus for displaying clothing articles and accessories which tends to be vary similar in many instances to the closet organizing apparatus.
Perhaps one of the most difficult tasks arising in the organization and storage of such clothing and accessory articles is found in association with footwear such as shoes, boots and slippers. All too often, even the most organized closets simply provides for the arrangement of footwear upon the closet floor space. Typically, the floor space utilized is designated about the periphery of the floor space adjacent the defining walls.
Practitioners in the art quickly realize that some type of convenient footwear storage beyond simple floor storage was needed. As practitioners in the related arts endeavored to provide improved apparatus for storing footwear, a virtually endless variety of devices were put forth by practitioners. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,276,141 issued to Atkinson sets forth a SHOE RACK which provides an illustration of early attempts to create suitable apparatus for storing footwear. The shoe rack described therein utilizes a metal frame having a pair of supporting end portions coupled to a quartet of telescoping transverse elements. The telescoping transverse elements are arranged in angled pairs to provide support for a plurality of shoes or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,816 issued to Kline et al. sets forth a SHOE RACK which is modular in structure and consists of a pair of rod extending between and supported by a pair of side frames. The side frames are generally rectangular in configuration and are identical in construction. Each side frame includes a groove arrangement and mating tongue arrangement such that the side frames may be stacked upon each other in a stable manner. Each side frame further includes a receiving hole at each end thereof sized to receive the rods. An additional pair of rods may be inserted into the receiving holes and a third side frame connected to the free end of theses additional rods to provide modular expansion of the shoe rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,959 issued to Klein et al. sets forth a SHOE RACK having a pair of side frames configured to define a substantially rectangular shape. Each side frame includes a plurality of V-Shaped support members containing two intersecting support bars. Each support bar within a support member includes a recess at its base to receive one support rod and a recess on the opposite end of each support member to receive a second support bar. The second support bar is moved between the recess pair in the upper support members to the recess pair of the lower support members depending upon the alignment of the shoe rack horizontally or vertically.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,547 issued to Rice sets forth a CLOTHING ACCESSORIES STORAGE RACK having a rotatable upper and lower support and a plurality of vertically extending support members. Each support member further supports a plurality of shoe receivers which are arranged in pairs and which are generally upwardly tapered. A plurality of shoes or other similar footwear may be placed upon the tapered shoe receivers to support the shoes upon the storage rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,695 issued to Allsop et al. sets forth a SHOE MERCHANISING AND HANDLING APPARATUS having a rotatable rack supporting a plurality of radially extending supports connected thereto. The plurality of radially extending supports are capable of receiving and supporting a corresponding plurality of shoes, boots or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,670 issued to Doherty sets forth a HANGER ASSEMBLY suitable for mounting on a door or similar structure. The hanger assembly includes a pair of vertically oriented spaced-apart support members and a plurality of transversely extending support rods. The support rods form a ladder-like structure upon which a plurality of shoe receiving brackets defining generally upwardly tapered spaced-apart wire frames are supported.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,353 issued to Leifheit sets forth a STAND FOR STORAGE OF SHOES having a pair of generally flat parallel ridged end supports and telescopic cross ties extending therebetween. The end supports are configured to nest vertically with other end supports to provide a stacked array of the stand structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,313 issued to Klein et al. sets forth a CLOTHES HANGER WITH SLIDING HOOKS suitable for mounting upon a door or similar structure. The hanger includes a pair of end brackets configured to hang from the upper edge of a door which are arranged in a spaced-apart manner. A plurality of rods extend between the spaced brackets and in turn support a plurality of hooks which are movable upon the rods to adjust the position thereof.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved the art and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for ever more improved, effective and efficient storage apparatus for supporting footwear.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved supporting apparatus for footwear. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved supporting apparatus for footwear which is flexible in its utilization and is expandable in the number of shoes accommodated by the apparatus. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an angled rack for supporting footwear, the rack comprising: a plurality of brackets each having a bracket portion defining a plurality of rod apertures therethrough and a mounting flange for supporting the bracket at an upwardly directed angle when the mounting flange is placed against a vertical surface; means for securing the mounting flanges against a vertical surface in a spaced-apart line; and a plurality of elongated rods received within the rod apertures spanning the distance between the brackets. The invention further provides an angled rack for supporting footwear, the rack comprising: a pair of end brackets each having a mounting flange and means for attaching the flange to a vertical surface in a spaced relationship, each bracket further defining an upwardly angled member having a plurality of rod apertures therethrough; and a center bracket substantially identical to the end brackets positioned between the end brackets and having the rods passing therethrough.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements and in which:
More specifically, rack 10 includes a trio of angled brackets 11, 12 and 13 in which brackets 11 and 13 comprise end brackets while bracket 12 comprises a center bracket. Brackets 11, 12 and 13 define respective mounting flanges 14, 15 and 16 which are joined to the remainders of brackets 11, 12 and 13 and which are secured to a supporting surface 20 by a plurality of angulated exposed fasteners 17, 18 and 19. Rack 10 further includes a plurality of elongated generally cylindrical rods 21, 22, 23 and 24 which are received within apertures formed within brackets 11, 12 and 13 in the manner set forth below in
It will be noted that in the typical use of the present invention angled rack, the shoes shown in phantom line depiction rests upon rods 21 through 24 and are maintained in position due to the angle formed between the plane of rods 21 through 24 within respect to support surface 20. Similarly, it will be noted in the phantom line depiction of the footwear shown in
For purposes of easy attachment and as is better seen in
More specifically, rack 10 includes a trio of angled brackets 11, 12 and 13 in which brackets 11 and 13 comprise end brackets while bracket 12 comprises a center bracket. Brackets 11, 12 and 13 define respective mounting flanges 14, 15 and 16 which are joined to the remainders of brackets 11, 12 and 13 and which are secured to a supporting surface 20 by a plurality of angulated exposed fasteners 17, 18 and 19. Rack 10 further includes a plurality of elongated generally cylindrical rods 21, 22, 23 and 24 which are received within apertures formed within brackets 11, 12 and 13 in the manner set forth below in
A plurality of fasteners 50, 51 and 52 are secured to mounting flanges 14, 15 and 16 of brackets 11, 12 and 13 respectively to further secure flanges 14, 15 and 16 to supporting surface 20. Since brackets 11, 12 and 13 are angled upwardly away from the portions of flanges 14, 15 and 16 receiving fasteners 50, 51 and 52, the angled disposition of fasteners set forth above for fasteners 17, 18 and 19 on the upper side of flanges 14, 15 and 16 is not required. Accordingly, fasteners 50, 51 and 52 may be simply driven into surface 20 in a straight line alignment.
Bracket 12 defines a plurality of apertures 40, 41, 42 and 43 through which rods 21, 22, 23 and 24 respectively pass. A plurality of fasteners 57, 58, 59 and 60 are driven upwardly through the underside of bracket 12 and into rods 21 through 24 respectively. Thus, the attachment of fasteners 57 through 60 secures the centered positions of rods 21 through 24 within bracket 12.
With temporary return to
Returning to
Bracket 11 further defines an angled portion 66 having an angled aperture 67 defined therein. Flange 14 further defines an aperture 68. Fasteners 17 and 50 (seen in FIGS. 1 and 2) are driven through apertures 67 and 68 respectively to secure flange 14 against the selected mounting surface such as surface 20 set forth above. As mentioned above, the structure of bracket 11 and brackets 12 and 13 is substantially identical. As is also described above, the structure and assembly relationship between bracket 11 and rods 21 through 24 is substantially identical to the structure and assembly relationship between bracket 13 and rods 21 through 24 (bracket 13 seen in
What has been shown in an angled rack for supporting footwear which provides simple fabrication and light-weight construction while simultaneously providing substantial support for a number of footwear articles in convenient locations within an area such as a closet or the like. The angled rack shown and described may be fabricated entirely from molded or extruded plastic components and is extremely light-weight and strong. In addition, the present invention angled rack may be readily disassembled and moved to other locations within the area and thereafter reassembled and reattached for further use. As is also mentioned, a plurality of angled racks may be utilized in a vertical generally parallel stacked arrangement to further utilize a convenient support surface such as a closet wall or door or the like.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. An angled rack for supporting footwear, said rack comprising:
- a plurality of brackets each having a bracket portion defining a plurality of rod apertures therethrough and a mounting flange for supporting said bracket at an upwardly directed angle when said mounting flange is placed against a vertical surface;
- means for securing said mounting flanges against a vertical surface in a spaced-apart line; and
- a plurality of elongated rods received within said rod apertures spanning the distance between said brackets.
2. The rack set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for securing includes at least one aperture defined in said mounting flanges and a plurality of fasteners passing through said apertures in said flanges engaging a vertical surface.
3. The rack set forth in claim 2 wherein said brackets each further include a plurality of fastener apertures extending into each of said rod apertures and a plurality of fasteners passing through said fastener apertures to engage said rods therein.
4. The rack set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of brackets includes three brackets arranged to provide opposed end brackets and a center bracket therebetween.
5. The rack set forth in claim 4 wherein said rod apertures are generally circular in cross-section and wherein said rods are generally cylindrical.
6. The rack set forth in claim 5 wherein each of said rods is tubular and each defines opposed end portions each end portion including an end cap.
7. An angled rack for supporting footwear, said rack comprising:
- a pair of end brackets each having a mounting flange and means for attaching said flange to a vertical surface in a spaced relationship, each bracket further defining an upwardly angled member having a plurality of rod apertures therethrough; and
- a center bracket substantially identical to said end brackets positioned between said end brackets and having said rods passing therethrough.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 19, 2005
Publication Date: Jun 21, 2007
Inventor: David Haberman (Mission Viejo, CA)
Application Number: 11/313,478
International Classification: A47F 7/08 (20060101);