FOLDABLE RACK
A foldable rack includes a lower rack frame having front and rear frame-halves each including left and right upright rods and a plurality of vertically spaced-apart horizontal plates, and left and right guide rods disposed between the left and right upright rods of the front and rear frame-halves. The horizontal plates of the front and rear frame-halves are respectively aligned with each other. Each horizontal plate of the front and rear frame-halves is disposed between and connected pivotally to the left and right upright rods and the left and right guide rods. An upper rack frame is disposed above the lower rack frame, and includes left and right guide rod extensions that are respectively connected to and that extend upwardly from the left and right guide rods.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/763,673, filed by the applicant on Apr. 20, 2010, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rack, more particularly to a foldable rack.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
Although the aforesaid foldable rack can achieve its intended purpose, because the locking units 3 are fixed respectively to the top ends of the arms of the U-shaped connecting rod 201, it is difficult to add more horizontal plate units 4 to the aforesaid conventional foldable rack so as to increase the height and storage space thereof. Hence, use of the aforesaid conventional foldable rack is limited.
As to conventional computer tables, since they have a fixed structure and cannot be folded, they occupy a substantial space even in an unused state.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTherefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a foldable rack that is capable of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.
According to this invention, a foldable rack comprises a lower rack frame that includes front and rear frame-halves, left and right guide rods, two slide pieces, two locking units, and two pairs of link rods. Each of the front and rear frame-halves includes left and right upright rods, and a plurality of vertically spaced-apart horizontal plates each disposed between and connected pivotally to the left and right upright rods. The horizontal plates of the front frame-half are disposed in front of and aligned with the horizontal plates of the rear frame-half, respectively. The left guide rod is disposed between the left upright rods of the front and rear frame-halves. The right guide rod is disposed between the right upright rods of the front and rear frame-halves. Each horizontal plate of the front and rear frame-halves is further connected pivotally to the left and right guide rods. Each of the slide pieces is sleeved slidably on one of the left and right guide rods. The locking units are respectively fixed to the left and right guide rods. Each of the locking units includes a locking element engageable with a respective one of the slide pieces to lock movement of the respective one of the slide pieces. Each of the link rods has top and bottom ends. The top ends of each pair of the link rods are connected pivotally to one of the slide pieces. The bottom ends of one of the pairs of the link rods are connected pivotally and respectively to the left upright rods of the front and rear frame-halves. The bottom ends of the other one of the pairs of the link rods are connected pivotally and respectively to the right upright rods of the front and rear frame-halves. The foldable rack is characterized by an upper rack frame disposed above the lower rack frame and including left and right guide rod extensions that are respectively connected to and that extend upwardly from the left and right guide rods.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that the same reference numerals have been used to denote like elements throughout the specification.
Referring to
The lower rack frame 100 includes front and rear frame-halves 20, 10 each of which includes left and right upright rods 21, 21′, 11′ (only the left upright rod of the rear frame-half 10 is not visible in
The link unit 30 includes left and right guide rods 31, 31′, two slide pieces 32, and two pairs of link rods 33. The left guide rod 31 is disposed between the left upright rods 21 of the front and rear frame-halves 20, 10. The right guide rod 31′ is disposed between the right upright rods 21′, 11′ of the front and rear frame-halves 20, 10. Each of the left and right guide rods 31, 31′ has a top section 312′ (the top section of the left guide rod 31 is not visible in
Each slide piece 32 is sleeved slidably on a respective one of the left and right guide rods 31, 31′ between the top and bottom sections 311, 312′, 311′ thereof, and has a protrusion 321 projecting therefrom.
Each link rod 33 has top and bottom ends. The top ends of each pair of the link rods 33 are connected pivotally to one of the slide pieces 32. The bottom ends of one of the pairs of the link rods 33 are connected pivotally and respectively to the bottom sections 211 of the left upright rods 21 of the front and rear frame-halves 20, 10. The bottom ends of the other one of the pairs of the link rods 33 are connected pivotally and respectively to the bottom sections 211′, 111′ of the right upright rods 21′, 11′ of the front and rear frame-halves 20, 10.
A positioning element 314 (see
With reference to
The upper rack frame 200 includes left and right guide rod extensions 51, 51′ that are respectively connected to and that extend upwardly from the left and right guide rods 31, 31′, and four upper rod sections 53 extended respectively from the upright rods 21, 21′, 11′ of the front and rear frame-halves 20, 10. In this embodiment, each of the left and right guide rod extensions 51, 51′ is connected integrally as one piece with the respective one of the left and right guide rods 31, 31′, and each upper rod section 53 is connected integrally as one piece with the respective one of the upright rods 21, 21′, 11′ of the front and rear frame-halves 20, 10. The upper rack frame 200 further includes two vertically spaced-apart horizontal plates 52, and two vertically spaced-apart horizontal plates 62 disposed in front of and aligned horizontally and respectively with the horizontal plates 52. Each horizontal plate 52 is disposed between and connected pivotally to two of the upper rod sections 53 and the left and right guide rod extensions 51, 51′. Each horizontal plate 62 is disposed between and connected pivotally to the other two of the upper rod sections 53 and the left and right guide rod extensions 51, 51′.
With reference to
With reference to
It is worth mentioning that, with reference to
Therefore, the foldable rack of the present invention not only can provide a plurality of shelves for holding objects, but also can be folded and unfolded as desired. Further, the locking unit 40 can be operated easily so as to fold and unfold the foldable rack of the present invention.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.
Claims
1. A foldable rack comprising:
- a lower rack frame that includes front and rear frame-halves each of which includes left and right upright rods, and a plurality of vertically spaced-apart horizontal plates each disposed between and connected pivotally to said left and right upright rods, said horizontal plates of said front frame-half being disposed in front of and aligned with said horizontal plates of said rear frame-half, respectively, left and right guide rods, said left guide rod being disposed between said left upright rods of said front and rear frame-halves, said right guide rod being disposed between said right upright rods of said front and rear frame-halves, each of said horizontal plates of said front and rear frame-halves being further connected pivotally to said left and right guide rods, two slide pieces each sleeved slidably on one of said left and right guide rods, two locking units respectively fixed to said left and right guide rods, each of said locking units including a locking element engageable with a respective one of said slide pieces to lock movement of the respective one of said slide pieces, and two pairs of link rods each having top and bottom ends, said top ends of each pair of said link rods being connected pivotally to one of said slide pieces, said bottom ends of one of said pairs of said link rods being connected pivotally and respectively to said left upright rods of said front and rear frame-halves, said bottom ends of the other one of said pairs of said link rods being connected pivotally and respectively to said right upright rods of said front and rear frame-halves; and
- an upper rack frame disposed above said lower rack frame, and including left and right guide rod extensions that are respectively connected to and that extend upwardly from said left and right guide rods.
2. The foldable rack of claim 1, wherein each of said left and right guide rod extensions is connected integrally as one piece with a respective one of said left and right guide rods.
3. The foldable rack of claim 2, wherein said upper rack frame includes four upper rod sections extended respectively from said upright rods of said front and rear frame-halves, and at least two horizontal plates that are aligned horizontally, one of said horizontal plates of said upper rack frame being connected pivotally to said left and right guide rod extensions and two of said upper rod sections, the other one of said horizontal plates of said upper rack frame being connected pivotally to said left and right guide rod extensions and the other two of said upper rod sections.
4. The foldable rack of claim 2, wherein said upper rack frame includes two upper rod sections extended integrally and respectively from said left and right upright rods of said rear frame-half, and a horizontal plate connected pivotally to said upper rod sections and said left and right guide rod extensions.
5. The foldable rack of claim 1, wherein said upper rack frame includes a transverse holding member extending between and connected to top ends said left and right guide rod extensions.
6. The foldable rack of claim 1, further comprising two connectors each connected between one of said left and right guide rod extensions and a respective one of said left and right rods so that said left and right guide rod extensions can be connected detachably and respectively to said left and right guide rods.
7. The foldable rack of claim 1, further comprising a positioning element fixed around each of said left and right guide rods, each of said slide pieces having a protrusion projecting therefrom to engage said locking element, each of said locking units further including a locking plate connected pivotally to said positioning element, and a biasing element, said locking plate having said locking element provided on one end thereof, and a trigger portion opposite to said locking element, said biasing element being disposed between said positioning element and said trigger portion to bias said trigger portion away from said positioning element and to bias said locking element to engage said protrusion.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 23, 2010
Publication Date: Oct 20, 2011
Applicant: (Taichung City)
Inventor: Robert Pong (Taichung City)
Application Number: 12/888,596
International Classification: A47B 43/00 (20060101);