Footwear rack

A footwear rack has at least one pan configured and sized for supporting a pair of footwear. The pan has a pair of hooks extending rearwardly therefrom and which are releasably attached to slotted hooking columns. The columns have a plurality of slots configured and sized for connecting with the hooks. The columns can be fixedly attached to a wall or to a mounting stand. The mounting stand is designed to be free standing by having a base from which perpendicularly extend the columns. The pan has a sloping surface for concentrating the water away from the footwear.

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Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to shelves and racks but more particularly to a footwear rack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is very inconvenient to have several pairs of wet boots or shoes laying on the floor, so that is why several types of racks have been developed over the years. Still, there is room for improvement in practicality, cost, etc. . .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known devices now present in the prior art, the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide objects and advantages which are:

To provide for a footwear rack that is practical and cost effective.

In order to do so, the invention comprises a mounting stand including at least two hooking columns, a top connector member adapted to hold the at least two hooking columns parallel to one another, and a base member adapted to hold the at least two hooking columns in a vertical orientation to a floor surface. The base member is formed as a pan member having four sides and a bottom portion that includes two surface areas, a first surface area being flat and adapted to be parallel to the floor surface, and a second surface area that is formed at an angle to the first surface area.

At least one pan member is adapted to be removably attached to two of the at least two hooking columns at a chosen distance from the base member, the at least one pan member having four sides and a bottom portion that includes two surface areas, a first surface area being flat and adapted to be parallel to the floor surface, and a second surface area that is formed at an angle to the first surface area, such that the base member and the at least one pan member are adapted to hold footwear upon each the second surface and allow the drainage and removal of debris and liquids from the footwear into the first surface areas for easy removal.

The at least two hooking columns have a series of slots therein along a length thereon, and the at least one pan member has two hooks on a back portion thereof and spaced a distance to correlate to the space created between respective slots of adjacent hooking columns, such that the at least one pan member can be easily removably attached to two hooking columns at a chosen distance from the base member.

The rack has at least two pan members removably attached to the two hooking columns at different chosen distances from the base member.

The second surface area of the base member and the at least one pan member each include a plurality of raised elongated ridges thereon oriented in a direction facilitating the drainage and removal of debris and liquids from the second surface areas into the first surface areas for easy removal. The elongated ridges are orientated in a direction that is perpendicular to the distance between the at least two hooking columns.

There are four hooking columns; and at least one pan member connected between respective adjacent hooking columns.

The mounting stand and the at least one pan member are formed from a material chosen from a group of materials comprising aluminum, steel, plastic, fiberglass, and resins.

The rack has at least one mechanical fastener attached to a surface of at least one of the at least two hooking columns that is adapted to securely hold the mounting stand to a vertical wall surface.

The slots and the hooks are formed in a rectangular shape adapted to allow the hooks to easily and removably fit within the slots and be securely held therein.

The rack has the base member and the at least one pan member have a third surface area in between each the first surface area and each the second surface area, wherein the third surface area is formed at an angle to each the first surface area that is larger than the angle formed by each the second surface area, such that a retaining volume is formed between three of the four sides and the third surface area of each the pan member and the base member that is adapted to hold the debris and liquids therein for a more secure and easy removal.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter which contains illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Isometric view of the invention.

FIGS. 2a-b Isometric view favoring the front and the rear of the pan.

FIGS. 3a-b Isometric view and detail of the stand.

FIG. 4 Side view of the invention.

FIG. 5 Isometric view of two racks side by side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A footwear rack (10) has at least one pan member (12) configured and sized for supporting a pair of footwear (not shown). The pan member (12) has a pair of hooks (16) extending rearwardly therefrom and which are releasably attached to slotted hooking columns (18).

The columns (18) have a plurality of slots (20) configured and sized for connecting with the hooks (16).

The columns (18) can be fixedly attached to a wall (not shown) using mechanical fasteners (19), or to a mounting stand (24). The mounting stand (24) is designed to be free standing by having a base member (26) from which perpendicularly extend the columns (18) which are frictionally inserted thereto, and a connecting member (11) located at the upper part of the mounting stand (24).

The pan member (12) has a first surface area (13), a second surface area (15), and a third surface area (19). The second surface area (13) of the base member (26) and at least one pan member (12) each include a plurality of raised elongated ridges (17) thereon oriented in a direction that is preferably but not necessarily perpendicular to the distance between the at least two hooking columns (18) so as to facilitate the drainage and removal of debris and liquids from the second surface area (13)s into the first surface area (15) for easy removal.

The pan member (12) can easily be removed from the columns (18) for draining water and/or cleaning them. The footwear rack (10) is highly customizable by adding pan members (12) to each pair of columns (18) or by simply adding columns (18) side by side.

Preferably, the mounting stand (24), and pan members (12) are formed from a material chosen from a group of materials comprising aluminum, steel, plastic, fiberglass, and resins.

As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A rack for supporting footwear, comprising a mounting stand including at least two hooking columns, a top connector member adapted to hold said at least two hooking columns parallel to one another, and a base member adapted to hold said at least two hooking columns in a vertical orientation to a floor surface, wherein said base member is formed as a pan member having four sides and a bottom portion that includes two surface areas, a first surface area being flat and adapted to be parallel to said floor surface, and a second surface area that is formed at an angle to said first surface area; and at least one pan member adapted to be removably attached to two of said at least two hooking columns at a chosen distance from said base member, said at least one pan member having four sides and a bottom portion that includes two surface areas, a first surface area being flat and adapted to be parallel to said floor surface, and a second surface area that is formed at an angle to said first surface area, such that said base member and said at least one pan member are adapted to hold footwear upon each said second surface and allow the drainage and removal of debris and liquids from said footwear into said first surface areas for easy removal.

2. The rack of claim 1, wherein said at least two hooking columns have a series of slots therein along a length thereon; and wherein said at least one pan member has two hooks on a back portion thereof and spaced a distance to correlate to the space created between respective slots of adjacent hooking columns, such that said at least one pan member can be easily removably attached to two hooking columns at a chosen distance from said base member.

3. The rack of claim 1, wherein there are at least two pan members removably attached to said two hooking columns at different chosen distances from said base member.

4. The rack of claim 1, wherein said second surface area of said base member and said at least one pan member each include a plurality of raised elongated ridges thereon oriented in a direction facilitating the drainage and removal of debris and liquids from said second surface areas into said first surface areas for easy removal.

5. The rack of claim 4, wherein said elongated ridges are orientated in a direction that is perpendicular to the distance between said at least two hooking columns.

6. The rack of claim 1, wherein there are four hooking columns; and at least one pan member connected between respective adjacent hooking columns.

7. The rack of claim 1, wherein said mounting stand and said at least one pan member are formed from a material chosen from a group of materials comprising aluminum, steel, plastic, fiberglass, and resins.

8. The rack of claim 1, further comprising at least one mechanical fastener attached to a surface of at least one of said at least two hooking columns that is adapted to securely hold said mounting stand to a vertical wall surface.

9. The rack of claim 2, wherein said slots and said hooks are formed in a rectangular shape adapted to allow said hooks to easily and removably fit within said slots and be securely held therein.

10. The rack of claim 1, wherein said base member and said at least one pan member have a third surface area in between each said first surface area and each said second surface area, wherein said third surface area is formed at an angle to each said first surface area that is larger than the angle formed by each said second surface area, such that a retaining volume is formed between three of said four sides and said third surface area of each said pan member and said base member that is adapted to hold said debris and liquids therein for a more secure and easy removal.

Patent History
Publication number: 20150136715
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 21, 2013
Publication Date: May 21, 2015
Inventor: Eric Tremblay (Ste-Madeleine)
Application Number: 14/085,868
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: With Shelves (211/36)
International Classification: A47F 7/08 (20060101); A47B 57/10 (20060101);