Collapsible clothes drying rack

Abstract

A collapsible clothes drying rack is disclosed herein. An embodiment of the collapsible drying rack has a first frame member that is collapsible between a folded position and an extended position. The first frame member may have a first locking arm engaged thereto. The embodiment may also have a plurality of rods, wherein each rod may be of equal length. Each rod may have a first end and a second end, and the first end of each rod may be selectively engaged to either the first frame member or the first locking arm. The embodiment may also have a second frame member collapsible between a folded position and an extended position. The second frame member may have a second locking arm engaged thereto. The second end of each of rod may be selectively engaged to either the second frame member or the second locking arm.

1 . A collapsible clothes drying rack comprising: 
 a first frame member collapsible between a folded position and an extended position, the first frame member comprising a first locking arm engaged thereto;    a plurality of rods, wherein each rod is of equal length and comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each rod is selectively engaged to either the first frame member or the first locking arm; and    a second frame member collapsible between a folded position and an extended position, the second frame member comprising a second locking arm engaged thereto, wherein the second end of each of rod is selectively engaged to either the second frame member or the second locking arm.    
   
   
       2 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of long end clips engaged to the first frame member, wherein each of the long end clips is releasably secured to the first end of one of the plurality of rods such that the rod is generally perpendicular to the first frame member.  
   
   
       3 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of short end clips engaged to the first locking arm, wherein each of the short end clips is releasably secured to the first end of one of the plurality of rods such that the rod is generally perpendicular to the first frame member.  
   
   
       4 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of long end clips engaged to the second frame member, wherein each of the long end clips is releasably secured to the second end of one of the plurality of rods such that the rod is generally perpendicular to the second frame member.  
   
   
       5 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of short end clips engaged to the second locking arm, wherein each of the short end clips is releasably secured to the second end of one of the plurality of rods such that the rod is generally perpendicular to the second frame member  
   
   
       6 . A collapsible clothes drying rack comprising: 
 a first frame member collapsible between a folded and an extended position, the first frame member comprising a first series of vertically-arrayed, generally “X”-shaped subassemblies, wherein each subassembly comprises a first arm and a second arm, rotatably joined at a pivot point, and wherein each of the subassemblies in the first series is pivotably attached to at least one vertically adjacent subassembly;    a first locking arm rotatably engaged to the first arm of one of the first frame member's subassemblies;    a plurality of rods, wherein each rod is of equal length and comprises a first end, selectively engaged to the first frame member, and a second end;    a second frame member collapsible between a folded position and an extended position, wherein the second frame member is selectively engaged to the second end of each of the plurality of rods, the second frame member comprising a second series of vertically-arrayed, generally “X”-shaped subassemblies, wherein each subassembly of the second series comprises a first arm and a second arm, rotatably joined at a pivot point, and wherein each of the subassemblies in the second series is rotatably attached at least one of its extremities to a vertically adjacent subassembly; and    a second locking arm rotatably engaged to the first arm of one of the second frame member's subassemblies;    wherein the plurality of rods maintains each frame member in a spaced, parallel relationship in both the extended position and the folded position    
   
   
       7 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the first locking arm is rotatably engaged to the uppermost subassemblies of the first frame member, and the second locking arm is rotatably engaged to the uppermost subassembly of the second frame member.  
   
   
       8 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of long end clips engaged to each of the subassemblies of each of the frame members and a plurality of short end clips engaged to each locking arm.  
   
   
       9 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein each of the short end clips attached to the first locking arm is in a paired relationship with a corresponding short end clip attached to the second locking arm.  
   
   
       10 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein each of the long end clips attached to the subassemblies of the first frame member is in a paired relationship with a corresponding long end clip attached to the subassemblies of the second frame member.  
   
   
       11 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising an end cap attached at the first end and the second end of each rod, wherein each end cap is formed to cooperate with a short end clip or long end clip such that any rod may be releasably secured to any pair of short end clips or long end clips.  
   
   
       12 . A collapsible clothes drying rack comprising: 
 a first frame member comprising: 
 at least one generally “X”-shaped subassembly;  
 a plurality of long end clips attached to each of the at least one subassembly of the first frame member;  
 a first locking arm attached to the at least one subassembly; and  
 a plurality of short end clips attached to the first locking arm;  
   a second frame member, wherein the second frame member is parallel to the first frame member and comprises: 
 at least one generally “X”-shaped subassemblies;  
 a plurality of long end clips attached to each of the at least one subassembly of the second frame member;  
 a second locking arm attached to the at least one subassembly; and  
 a plurality of short end clips attached to the second locking arm; and  
   a plurality of rods, wherein each rod is of equal length and comprises a first end, selectively engaged to either the long end clips attached to the at least one subassembly of the first frame member or the short end clips attached to the first locking arm, and a second end, selectively engaged to either the long end clips attached to the at least one subassembly of the second frame member or the short end clips attached to the second locking arm.    
   
   
       13 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 12 , further comprising an end cap formed on the first end and on the second end of each rod, wherein each end cap engages either a short end clip or a long end clip such that the rod is oriented perpendicular to both the first frame member and the second frame member.  
   
   
       14 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein each of the short end clips attached to the first locking arm is in a paired relationship with a short end clip attached to the second locking arm.  
   
   
       15 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein each of the long end clips attached to the at least one subassembly of the first frame member is in a paired relationship with a long end clip attached to the at least one subassembly of the second frame member.  
   
   
       16 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the first frame member comprises a plurality of generally “X”-shaped subassemblies.  
   
   
       17 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the second frame member comprises a plurality of generally “X”-shaped subassemblies.  
   
   
       18 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the first frame member and the second frame member are collapsible between an extended position and a collapsed position.  
   
   
       19 . A collapsible clothes drying rack comprising: 
 a first frame member collapsible between a collapsed position and an extended position, the first frame member comprising: 
 at least one long end clip having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is engaged to the first frame member and the second end forms a long end clip connecting element; and  
 at least one short end clip having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is engaged to the first frame member and the second end forms a short end clip connecting element;  
 wherein the second end of the at least one short end clip engaged to the first frame member lies in a common plane with the second end of the at least one long end clip engaged to the first frame member;  
   a second frame member collapsible between a collapsed position and an extended position, the second frame member comprising: 
 at least one long end clip having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is engaged to the second frame member and the second end forms a long end clip engagement element; and  
 at least one short end clip having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is engaged to the second frame member and the second end forms a short end clip engagement element;  
 wherein the second end of the at least one short end clip engaged to the second frame member lies in a common plane with the second end of the at least one long end clip engaged to the second frame member; and  
   a plurality of rods positioned between and selectively engaged to the first frame member and the second frame member;    
   
   
       20 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of rods comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each rod alternatively engages the long end clip engagement element or the short end clip engagement element formed on the at least one long end clip and the at least one short end clip engaged to the first frame member, and wherein the second end of each rod alternatively engages the long end clip engagement element or the short end clip engagement element formed on the at least one long end clip and the at least one short end clip engaged to the second frame member.  
   
   
       21 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the first frame member further comprises a first locking mechanism.  
   
   
       22 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the second frame member further comprises a second locking mechanism.  
   
   
       23 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the at least one short end clip engaged to the first frame member is located on the first locking mechanism.  
   
   
       24 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the at least one short end clip engaged to the second frame member is located on the second locking mechanism.  
   
   
       25 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein a first sound is produced when the first end of any of the plurality of rods engages either the long end clip engagement element or the short end clip engagement element, and wherein a second sound is produced when the second end of any of the plurality of rods engages either the long end clip engagement element or the short end clip engagement element.  
   
   
       26 . The collapsible clothes drying rack as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the first sound is the same as the second sound.