Garment rack with rotatable bumpers

Abstract

An over-the-door garment drying rack has a stationary frame affixable to a door, and a drying pane pivotably coupled to the stationary frame. At least one rotatable and slidable bumper is coupled to the drying pane and fixed for rotation and slidable movement relative to the drying pane. Upon opening of the door when the drying rack is in an open configuration, the bumper comes into contact with an adjoining wall surface prior to any other component of the drying rack. The rotatable and slidable nature of the bumper serves to protect the wall and the drying rack and to further inhibit damage or marring to the wall or the drying rack that may otherwise occur as a result of contact between the drying pane and the wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A garment rack affixable to a door, the door having a first surface and a wall disposed proximate the first surface of the door upon movement of the door towards a fully open position, the garment rack comprising:
 a pivoting member fixed for rotation relative to the first surface of the door upon attachment of the garment rack to the door and movable relative to the door from a retracted position in proximity to the door to a deployed position; and   at least one bumper coupled to the pivoting member, the bumper being fixed for at least one of rotatable movement and slidable movement relative to the pivoting member, the bumper being positioned to come into contact with the wall prior to any other portion of the garment rack upon movement of the door towards the fully open position.   
     
     
         2 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is toroidal in shape. 
     
     
         3 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper includes a bearing surface contacting a cylindrical portion of the pivoting member. 
     
     
         4 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper rotates about a generally vertically oriented axis of a portion of the pivoting member. 
     
     
         5 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper rotates about a generally horizontally oriented axis. 
     
     
         6 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is slidable about a generally vertically oriented axis of a portion of the pivoting member. 
     
     
         7 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is slidable about a generally horizontally oriented axis of a portion of the pivoting member. 
     
     
         8 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is fixed for both rotatable movement and slidable movement relative to the pivoting member. 
     
     
         9 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is both rotatable about and slidable along a generally vertically oriented axis of a portion of the pivoting member. 
     
     
         10 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is both rotatable about and slidable along a generally horizontally oriented axis of a portion of the pivoting member. 
     
     
         11 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is constructed of two identically configured members joined together. 
     
     
         12 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is constructed of two hemispherical members joined together. 
     
     
         13 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment rack further includes a stationary member affixable to the door, the pivoting member being fixed for rotation relative to the stationary member. 
     
     
         14 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the stationary member includes at least one hook configured to suspend the garment rack from a top surface of the door. 
     
     
         15 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivoting member includes a plurality of drying bars from which articles of clothing may be hung. 
     
     
         16 . The invention according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment rack further includes a stationary member affixable to the door, and the pivoting member further includes a stop member and a drying pane having a plurality of drying bars, the pivoting member being precluded from further rotation towards the stationary member and the drying pane being precluded from reaching a fully vertical orientation upon contact of the stop member with at least a portion of the stationary member as the pivoting member is rotated towards the stationary member. 
     
     
         17 . The invention according to  claim 16 , wherein the stop member is disposed at an oblique interior angle relative to a vertical axis of the door upon affixation of the garment rack to the door and when the pivoting member is in the retracted position.