Collapsible laundry rack

Abstract

A collapsible laundry rack is provided that can be formed from a pair of collapsible legs and a plurality of cross members extending between the legs. A connector is provided between the cross members and the legs to secure the cross members relative to the legs. The connector is configured to allow for sequential assembly and disassembly of the cross members relative to the legs in order to simply assembly and disassembly operations.

1 . A collapsible laundry rack convertible between an expanded position and a collapsed position, the rack comprising: 
 a pair of collapsible legs spaced a predetermined distance apart, each of the legs comprising a plurality of members configured in a scissor linkage arrangement;    a plurality of connector tabs attached to each of the pair of collapsible legs, the connector tabs on one of the pair of collapsible legs being aligned with the connector tabs attached to the other of the pair of collapsible legs; and    a plurality of cross members extending between the pair of collapsible legs, each of the cross members having a connector socket attachable to the aligned connector tabs on the collapsible legs while the legs are spaced the predetermined distance apart to selectively secure the cross members to the collapsible legs.    
   
   
       2 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the connector tabs include a disc and a stem portion extending from the disc, the stem portion being adapted to connect the connector tab to the collapsible legs, the connector sockets each have a first opening and a second opening, the first opening having a cross section adapted to receive the stem of the connector tab therethrough, the second opening being adapted to receive the disc of the connector tab and selectively secure the cross member relative to the collapsible leg.  
   
   
       3 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the connector socket is generally U-shaped.  
   
   
       4 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the connector sockets each have a pocket configured for receiving the connector tab, the pocket being defined by a first and second opposing end walls and at least one sidewall connecting the end walls, the first end wall being secured adjacent the end of one of the cross members, the second end wall being positioned to face away from the cross member and having the first opening formed therein.  
   
   
       5 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the first opening is sized larger than a cross section of the stem portion to allow the stem portion to pass therethrough and smaller than a cross section of the disc of the connector tab to prevent the disc from passing therethrough in order to retain the disc between the first and second opposing end walls.  
   
   
       6 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the sidewall defines the second opening, the second opening being sized to allow for the connector tab to be inserted therethrough and positioned between the opposing end walls.  
   
   
       7 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of members configured in a scissor linkage arrangement of the legs further comprises at least a pair of members pivotably connected between ends thereof by a pin, the pin securing the stem of one of at least one of the connector tabs adjacent one of the pair of collapsible legs relative to the pair of members.  
   
   
       8 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 at least one linkage forming at least part of each of the legs, each of the linkages having a pair of members being pivotably connected between their ends to convert the laundry rack between a expanded position and a collapsed position;    one of the cross members extending between ends of one of the members of each of the linkages of the legs;    a support arm having first and second ends, the first end being pivotably attached to an end of one of the members of at least one of the linkages, the member having the support arm attached being different than the member having the cross member, the support arm being pivotable between a configuration allowing the linkages to shift to the collapsed position and a configuration maintaining the linkage in the expanded position by engagement of the second end of the support arm and the cross member to maintain a predetermined spacing between the pair of members forming the linkages of the legs; and    a clasp pivotably connected to the second end of the support arm, the clasp being pivotable between a locking position securing the support arm to the cross member when the support arm is in the configuration securing the pair of collapsible legs in the expanded configuration.    
   
   
       9 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cross members can be selectively attached and removed from between the pair of legs without disengaging another of the cross members from the pair of legs, thereby maintaining the predetermined distance between the pair of legs.  
   
   
       10 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the first end wall is secured adjacent the end of a cross member and includes a stem extending therefrom, the stem having a cross section sized to be press fit into the cross member.  
   
   
       11 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the first end wall of the connector socket secured adjacent the end of a cross member and includes a socket extending from the first end wall, the socket having a cross section sized to receive the cross member and adapted to secure the connector socket thereto.  
   
   
       12 . A collapsible laundry rack convertible between an expanded position and a collapsed position, the rack comprising: 
 a pair of collapsible legs, each of the legs comprising a plurality of members configured in a scissor linkage arrangement;    a plurality of connector tabs attached to each of the pair of collapsible legs, each connector tab having a disc and a stem extending therefrom adapted to attach the connector tab to the collapsible legs, the connector tabs on one of the pair of collapsible legs being aligned with the connector tabs on the other of the pair of collapsible legs; and    a plurality of cross members extending between the pair of collapsible legs, each of the cross members having a pair of connector sockets at opposite ends thereof, the connector sockets having a first opening facing away from the cross member, each of the connector sockets being attachable to the aligned connector tabs on the collapsible legs through a second opening of the connector socket to position the stem through the first opening of the socket to selectively secure the cross members to the collapsible legs.    
   
   
       13 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the cross members has the connector sockets selectively removable from and attachable to the connector tabs between the pair of legs without disengaging the connector sockets of another of the cross members from the connector tabs between the pair of legs, thereby maintaining a predetermined distance between the legs.  
   
   
       14 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the connector sockets each have a pocket configured for receiving the connector tab, the pocket being defined by a first and second opposing end walls and at least one sidewall connecting the first and second end walls, the first end wall being secured to one end of one of the cross members, the second end wall being positioned to face away from the cross member and having a first opening formed therein.  
   
   
       15 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the first opening is sized larger than a cross section of the stem extending from the disc of the connector tab to allow the stem to pass therethrough and smaller than a cross section of the disc to prevent the disc from passing therethrough in order to retain the disc between the first and second opposing end walls.  
   
   
       16 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 15 , including a second opening, the second opening being sized to allow for the disc to be inserted therethrough and positioned between the opposing end walls.  
   
   
       17 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the first end wall of the connector socket is attached to the cross member and includes a stem extending therefrom, the stem having a cross section sized to be press fit into the cross member.  
   
   
       18 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the first end wall of the connector socket is attached to the cross member and includes a pocket extending therefrom, the pocket having a cross section sized to receive the cross member and adapted to secure the connector socket thereto.  
   
   
       19 . A collapsible laundry rack in accordance with  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 at least one linkage forming at least part of each of the legs, each of the linkages having a pair of members being pivotably connected between their ends to convert the laundry rack between a expanded position and a collapsed position;    one of the cross members extending between ends of one of the members of each of the linkages of the legs;    a support arm having first and second ends, the first end being pivotably attached to an end of one of the members of at least one of the linkages, the member having the support arm attached being different than the member having the cross member, the support arm being pivotable between a configuration allowing the linkages to shift to the collapsed position and a configuration maintaining the linkage in the expanded position by engagement of the second end of the support arm and the cross member to maintain a predetermined spacing between the pair of members forming the linkages of the legs; and    a clasp pivotably connected to the second end of the support arm, the clasp being pivotable between a locking position securing the support arm to the cross member when the support arm is in the configuration securing the pair of collapsible legs in the expanded configuration.    
   
   
       20 . A method of assembling a collapsible laundry rack from a set of components, the components comprising a pair of collapsible legs each having a plurality of members configured in a scissor linkage arrangement, a plurality of connector tabs attached to each of the pair of collapsible legs, the connector tabs on one of the pair of collapsible legs being aligned with the connector tabs on the other of the pair of collapsible legs, a plurality of cross members, and a connector socket positioned on each of the ends of the cross members removably attachable to the aligned connector tabs on the collapsible legs to selectively secure the cross members to the collapsible legs, the method comprising: 
 spacing the pair of collapsible legs a predetermined distance apart by attaching the connector socket of a first one of the plurality of cross members to a pair of aligned connector tabs attached to the pair of collapsible legs; and    attaching the connector socket of at least a second one of the plurality of cross members to a pair of aligned connector tabs attached to the pair of collapsible legs while the collapsible legs are spaced the predetermined distance apart.