US20020195410A1

US20020195410A1 - Screwless angle bar rack

Info

Publication number: US20020195410A1
Application number: US09/901,278
Authority: US
Inventors: Jin Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-07-17
Filing date: 2001-07-09
Publication date: 2002-12-26
Also published as: TW475380U

Abstract

An angle bar rack formed of horizontal bars and vertical angle bars, the horizontal bars having hook holes and recessed retaining holes respectively disposed at the inner sidewall of each horizontal bar adjacent to the hook holes, the vertical angle bars having upward hooks respectively hooked in the hook holes of the horizontal bars, each upward hook having a retaining portion curved outwards and respectively engaged into the recessed retaining holes of the horizontal bars.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a screwless angle bar rack formed of vertical angle bars and horizontal bars and, more particularly, to such a screwless angle bar rack in which the horizontal bars are secured to the inner sidewall of each of the vertical angle bars so that multiple screwless angle bar racks can be set together and closely attached to one another.

Regular angle bar racks (combination racks) are formed of vertical angle bars and horizontal bars. Similar designs are seen in Taiwan Patent Publication No. 219037 (Application Serial No. 86209238), entitled “Structure of combination rack”; Publication No. 370826 (Application Serial No. 87215018), entitled “improved structure of angle bar rack”. According to these designs, the vertical angle bars each have hook holes and retaining holes alternatively arranged into longitudinal series (in No. 370826, the retaining holes are recessed holes), and the horizontal bars each have smoothly arched, downwardly extended hooks respectively hooked in the hook holes of the vertical angle bars and forced into engagement with the retaining holes. After connection between the

vertical angle bars

10 and the horizontal bars 20, as shown in FIG. 1, the hooks 201 of the horizontal bars 20 protrude over the outer sidewall of each of the vertical angle bars 10. When two screwless angle bar racks are put together, the protruding hooks 201 hinder the racks from being closely abutted against each other. Further, because the protruding hooks 201 of one rack may be stopped against the protruding hooks 201 of the other when two screwless angle bar racks are put together, thereby causing the user unable to freely remote a horizontal bar 20 from the racks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished to provide a screwless angle bar rack, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. It is one object of the present invention to provide a screwless angle bar rack formed of vertical angle bars and horizontal bars, wherein the horizontal bars are secured to the inner sidewall of each of the vertical angle bars so that multiple screwless angle bar racks can be set together and closely attached to one another. It is another object of the present invention to provide a screwless angle bar rack, which enables the user to freely remove either horizontal bar from the vertical angle bars. According to one aspect of the present invention, the screwless angle bar rack is formed of vertical angle bars and horizontal bars. The horizontal bars each comprise a plurality of hook holes, and recessed retaining holes respectively disposed at the inner sidewall of each horizontal bar adjacent to the hook holes. The vertical angle bars each comprise a plurality of upward hooks respectively hooked in the hook holes of the horizontal bars, each upward hook having a retaining portion curved outwards and respectively engaged into the recessed retaining holes of the horizontal bars and stopped at the inner sidewall of each of the vertical angle bars. According to another aspect of the present invention, the retaining holes can be recessed holes formed in the inner sidewall of each of the horizontal bars, or through holes through inner and outer sidewalls of each of the horizontal bars.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the construction of a screwless angle bar rack constructed according to the prior art. [0004]
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a part of an angle bar rack according to the present invention. [0005]
FIG. 3 is an assembly view of the present invention.[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a screwless angle bar rack is comprised of vertical angle bars [0007] 1 and horizontal bars 2 respectively connected to one another. Each vertical angle bar 1 comprises at least one, for example, two longitudinally series of equally spaced hooks 11 respectively projected from the inner sidewall. The hooks 11 are formed integral with the inner sidewall of the respective angle bar 1 and curved upwards, each having a top end terminating in an outwardly curved retaining portion 22. Each horizontal bar 2 comprises a plurality of hook holes 21 adapted to receive the hooks 11 of the vertical angle bars 1, and a plurality of retaining holes 22 respectively disposed adjacent to the hook holes 21 and adapted to receive the retaining portions 22 of the hooks 11. The retaining holes 22 can be recessed holes respectively formed on the inner sidewall of the respective horizontal bar 2, or through holes through the inner and outer sidewalls of the respective horizontal bar 2. The retaining holes 21 can be formed in the respective horizontal bar 2 and respectively spaced above or below the hook holes 21. Alternatively, the retaining holes 21 can be arranged in pair, and equally spaced from the hook holes 21 at different elevations.
During installation, the [0008] hooks 11 of the vertical angle bars 1 are respectively hooked in the hook holes 21 of the horizontal bars 2 to force the retaining portions 22 of the hooks 11 into engagement with the retaining holes 22 of the horizontal bars 2. When installed, the hooks 11 of the vertical angle bars 1 are respectively stopped at the inner sidewall of each of the horizontal bars 2, and therefore the outer wall of each of the vertical angle bars 1 is maintained smooth.
A prototype of angle bar rack has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 2 and 3. The angle bar rack functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier. [0009]
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. [0010]

Claims

What the invention claimed is:

1. An angle bar rack comprising a plurality of vertical angle bars and a plurality of horizontal bars respectively connected to one another, wherein said vertical angle bar each comprise an inner sidewall and at least one longitudinally series of equally spaced upward hooks respectively projected from the inner sidewall, said upward hooks, each having a top end terminating in an outwardly curved retaining portion; said horizontal bars each comprise a plurality of hook holes adapted to receive the hooks of said vertical angle bars, and a plurality of retaining holes respectively disposed adjacent to said hook holes and adapted to receive the retaining portions of said hooks, keeping the top end of each of said hooks to be respectively stopped at an inner sidewall of each of said horizontal bar.

2. The angle bar rack of claim 1 wherein said retaining holes are recessed holes respectively formed on an inner sidewall of each of said horizontal bar.

3. The angle bar rack of claim 1 wherein said retaining holes are through holes through inner and outer sidewalls of each of said horizontal bars.

4. The angle bar rack of claim 1 wherein said retaining holes are respectively spaced above said hook holes.

5. The angle bar rack of claim 1 wherein said retaining holes are respectively equally spaced from said hook holes at different elevations.