DRESS FORM STAND

Abstract

A dress form stand has a joint connector formed as a socket body. The socket body has a socket for connecting to a vertical post, and the vertical post connects to a dress form. A plurality of swivel legs each have a hook joint formed as a hook, and each swivel leg has a leg abutment inside surface that opposes the abuts against a socket body inside abutment surface formed on the socket body when the hook joint is in an engaged configuration. A plurality of leg extension tips are formed at a distal end of the plurality of swivel legs.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of dress form stands.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

In the fashion industry, there are variety of different dress forms having dress form stands. A variety of different stands can be used with dress forms. Some have rollers and some have static footings. A variety of United States patent, some about a century old describe stands for dress forms.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,168,653 by inventor Kubal, entitled Dress Form describes, “A dress form comprising a base, a tube mounted thereon, a lower rod telescoped by the tube, means for clamping said rod to the tube, a socket mounted on the rod, an upper rod stepped into the socket, a plurality of spreaders carried by the lower rod . . . legs may be lifted out of socket . . . ”, which was, registered Jan. 1, 1916, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,267,937 by inventor Ufford, entitled Dress Form and inventor describes, “The form is supported by a stand of usual construction which is provided with a central supporting member extending up through the form. In the present embodiment of my invention this central supporting member comprises a rod which sets at its lower end into the upper end of the stand . . . ”, which was registered May 28, 1918, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,271,889 by inventor Granger, entitled Dress Form describes, “The upper section is secured to the body, which the various sections of the body portion are adjustably secured, all as is usually found in dress forms of this nature. The connection between the skirt portion of the dress form and the intermediate section is herein provided for by a collar, which is loosely mounted on the lower section, between the lower end of the intermediate section and the pedestal, and to which the lower end of the skirt portion is connected . . . ”, which was granted Jul. 9, 1918, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,272,678 by inventor Kroll, entitled Dress Form Stand describes, “A stand which includes a plurality of telescoping tubes carried by a base . . . there are two tubes being rigidly secured to a base and extending within the other tube. The base may be of any suitable construction, but preferably is somewhat in the form of a spider, a plurality of legs, each of which may have a caster to facilitate easy movement from place to place . . . ”, issued Jul. 16, 1918, the disclosure which is incorporated herein by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,429 by inventor Cavdek, entitled Dress Clothing Form describes, “The housing is asymmetrically mounted on a pedestal to which are attached a plurality (normally four) of casters. One caster includes a brake as is well known in the art. Also attached to pedestal is a pedal attached to an elongated brake lever . . . ”, issued Mar. 6, 2001.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A dress form stand has a joint connector formed as a socket body. The socket body has a socket for connecting to a vertical post, and the vertical post connects to a dress form. A plurality of swivel legs each have a hook joint formed as a hook, and each swivel leg has a leg abutment inside surface that opposes the abuts against a socket body inside abutment surface formed on the socket body when the hook joint is in an engaged configuration. A plurality of leg extension tips are formed at a distal end of the plurality of swivel legs.

A hook axle connection formed as a hook is formed between a left hook receiver extension and a right hook receiver extension. A hook receiver opening is formed between the left hook receiver extension on the right hook receiver extension. The hook axle is configured to receive the hook joint formed as a hook. The hook axle can be formed as a cylinder spanning between the receiver extensions that are formed as flanges. The post socket continues through the socket body to form a post socket opening.

The vertical post is secured to the socket body by a post retainer nut, and the vertical post passes through the post retainer nut. The post retainer nut is threaded to engage to socket body threads. A swivel ball extends downwardly from the leg extension tip, and a swivel base connects to the swivel ball in a swivel joint connection. The leg has lower depressions on the swivel leg that are arranged in an array so that a plurality of lengthwise ribs and widthwise ribs are formed on an underside of the swivel leg. The hook joint has a pair of hook sidewalls that define a pair of hook insets. The leg extension has a leg extension abutment lower surface that is configured to abut a socket body abutment upper surface formed on the socket body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top exploded view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side exploded view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a bottom exploded view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a general diagram of the present invention which includes the stand and the dress form.

The following call out list of elements can be a useful guide in referencing the call numbers of the drawings.

• 15 Dress Form
• 16 Dress Form Stand
• 20 Swivel Leg
• 21 Swivel Base
• 22 Swivel Ball
• 23 Hook Joint
• 24 Leg Abutment Inside Surface
• 25 Leg Extension
• 26 Leg Extension Upper Surface
• 27 Leg Extension Tip
• 28 Hook Receiver Axle
• 29 Leg Extension Abutment Lower Surface
• 30 Joint Connector
• 31 Vertical Post
• 32 Post Retainer Nut
• 33 Post Socket
• 34 Post Socket Thread
• 35 Socket Body
• 36 Socket Body Inside Abutment Surface
• 37 Hook Axle Connection
• 38 Socket Body Abutment Upper Surface
• 39 Hook Receiver Opening
• 41 Hook Gap
• 42 Leg Extension Openings
• 43 Swivel Ball Post
• 44 Hook Sidewall
• 45 Left Hook Receiver Extension
• 46 Right Hook Receiver Extension
• 47 Post Socket Opening
• 48 Hook Inset
• 49 Leg Lower Depressions
• 50 Retainer Sleeve
• 51 Lengthwise Rib
• 52 Widthwise Rib

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As seen in FIG. 4, the dress form stand apparatus includes a dress form 15 that is typically used in the retail and fashion clothing industry for displaying clothing. Clothing can be draped over the dress form 15. The dress form 15 can be a humanoid figure or can be a basic geometric shape.

As seen in FIGS. 1-3, the dress form stand 16 supports the dress form 15. The dress form stand of the dress form stand apparatus includes a swivel leg 20 connected to a joint connector 30. The swivel leg 20 preferably is made of an injection molded plastic having a smooth upper surface which is the leg extension upper surface 26 of the leg extension 25. The leg extension 25 is preferably made of a single injection molded piece of plastic that has a leg extension tip 27 near a swivel base 21. The swivel base 21 is mounted to a swivel ball 22. The swivel ball 22 faces downward and protrudes downwardly from the leg extension tip 27. The swivel base 21 has a depression that is semi-spherical and receives the surface of the swivel ball 22. The swivel base 21 can be made as a caster roller so that the dress form 15 can roll around on wheels such as 3 wheels in the tripod configuration as seen in the 1st figure. The swivel base 21 is preferably made of an elastomeric member.

The leg extension 25 has a preferably smooth leg extension upper surface, and is partially hollow. The leg extension 25 has a leg abutment inside surface 24 that abuts a socket body inside abutment surface 36 when the leg extension 25 is engaged to the joint connector 30. The hook the joint 23 hooks to the hook axle connection 37 in a swivel motion. The swivel motion is limited by the abutment of the leg abutment inside surface 24 to the socket body inside abutment surface 36.

The hook joint 23 has a hook that passes through the hook receiver opening 39. The hook joint 23 preferably has a circular profile for retaining to the hook axle connection 37. The socket body abutment upper surface 38 is formed on the socket body 35 and abuts the leg extension abutment lower surface 29. The leg extension abutment lower surface 29 can have a right angle to the leg abutment inside surface 24. Similarly, the socket body inside abutment surface 36 can have a right angle to the socket body abutment upper surface 38.

The post socket thread 34 receives the post retainer nut 32. The post retainer nut 32 has an opening that receives the vertical post 31. The vertical post 31 passes through the opening in the post retainer nut 32. The vertical post connects between the dress form 15 and the dress form stand 16. The vertical post 31 can be telescopic and height adjustable. The vertical post 231 fits into the post socket 33 of the socket body 35. The post socket 33 snugly receives the vertical post 31. Optionally, a retainer sleeve 50 can bias against an outside portion of the vertical post 31 when the vertical post 31 is inserted into the post socket 33. If the post socket 33 has a sloped sidewall, then the post retainer nut 32 can push the retainer sleeve 50 against the outside surface of the vertical post 31 when the post retainer nut 32 pushes the retainer sleeve 50 downward into the sloped sidewall of the post socket 33. As the retainer sleeve 50 lower edge lodges between the sloped sidewall of the post socket 33 and the vertical post 31, the connection of the vertical post 31 is strengthened. The post socket thread 34 of the socket body 35 engages the thread of the post retainer nut 32.

The hook joint 23 protrudes from a plane formed by the leg extension abutment lower surface, and the leg extension abutment lower surface 29 is parallel to the socket body abutment upper surface 38 when the hook joint 23 is in an engaged position. Similarly, the leg abutment inside surface 24 is parallel to the socket body inside abutment surface 36. The hook axle connection 37 receives the hook joint 23 where the hook gap 41 is curved to receive the profile of the hook axle connection 37. The hook joint 23 has a pair of hook sidewalls 44 on a left and right side of the hook joint 23. Also on a left and right side of the hook joint 23 are hook insets 48 which are depressions that form the hook sidewalls 44 and the leg extension abutment lower surfaces 29. The leg extension abutment lower surfaces 29 are preferably perpendicular to the hook sidewalls 44. The hook axle connection 37 is formed between a right hook receiver extension 46 and a left hook receiver extension 45 of the socket body 35. The right hook receiver extension and the left hook receiver extension extend outwardly from the socket body 35 in a radial direction which is preferably symmetrical in a 120° or 90° configuration depending upon if there are 3 or 4 legs used for the dress form stand apparatus.

The leg extension has leg extension openings 42 on an underside of the leg extension. The openings can be in a regular configuration such as an array so as to form lengthwise ribs 51 and widthwise ribs 42 which are structural and seen from the bottom view of the present invention such as in FIG. 3.

The swivel ball post 43 has a swivel ball mounted to the swivel ball post 43. The swivel ball post 43 extends downwardly from the leg extension 25. The swivel base 21 connects to the swivel ball post 43 and allows the leg extension to stand on uneven ground. The post socket opening 47 can be formed to pass through the post socket 33 so that the vertical post 31 extends through the socket body 35.

Claims

1. A dress form stand comprising:

a. a joint connector formed as a socket body, wherein the socket body has a socket for connecting to a vertical post, wherein the vertical post connects to dress form;

b. a plurality of swivel legs, wherein each swivel leg has a hook joint formed as a hook, wherein each swivel light has a leg abutment inside surface that opposes and abuts against a socket body inside abutment surface formed on the socket body when the hook joint is in an engaged configuration;

c. a plurality of leg extension tips formed at a distal end of the plurality of swivel legs;

d. a hook axle connection formed between a left hook receiver extension and a right hook receiver extension, wherein a hook receiver opening is formed between the left hook receiver extension on the right hook receiver extension, wherein the hook axle is configured to receive the hook joint formed as a hook.

2. The dress form stand of claim 1, wherein the post socket continues through the socket body to form a post socket opening.

3. The dress form stand of claim 1, wherein the vertical post is secured to the socket body by a post retainer nut, wherein the vertical post passes through the post retainer nut, wherein the post retainer nut is threaded to engage to socket body threads.

4. The dress form stand of claim 1, wherein a swivel ball extends downwardly from the leg extension tip, wherein a swivel base connects to the swivel ball in a swivel joint connection.

5. The dress form stand of claim 1, wherein the leg has lower depressions on the swivel leg that are arranged in an array so that a plurality of lengthwise ribs and widthwise ribs are formed on an underside of the swivel leg.

6. The dress form stand of claim 1, wherein the hook joint has a pair of hook sidewalls that define a pair of hook insets.

7. The dress form stand of claim 1, wherein the leg extension has a leg extension abutment lower surface that is configured to abut a socket body abutment upper surface formed on the socket body.

8. The dress form stand of claim 7, wherein the post socket continues through the socket body to form a post socket opening.

9. The dress form stand of claim 7, wherein the vertical post is secured to the socket body by a post retainer nut, wherein the vertical post passes through the post retainer nut, wherein the post retainer nut is threaded to engage to socket body threads.

10. The dress form stand of claim 7, wherein a swivel ball extends downwardly from the leg extension tip, wherein a swivel base connects to the swivel ball in a swivel joint connection.

11. The dress form stand of claim 7, wherein the leg has lower depressions on the swivel leg that are arranged in an array so that a plurality of lengthwise ribs and widthwise ribs are formed on an underside of the swivel leg.

12. The dress form stand of claim 7, wherein the hook joint has a pair of hook sidewalls that define a pair of hook insets.