Laundry Basket And Stand Therefor

Abstract

A free standing laundry basket and stand are disclosed. The stand comprises foldable legs adapted to be removably coupled to the underside of the basket, the legs serving to support the basket in an operative position.

Description

This invention relates to a laundry basket and stand therefor, and more particularly, to a laundry basket and stand construction wherein a stand supports a laundry basket at a convenient working height, and provides a wheeled base for ease of movement of the basket whether loaded or not.

The utility of a laundry basket, it has been found, can be greatly increased it if is associated with a stand maintaining it at proper height, and providing wheels, casters, or the like, by means of which it can be transported without undue lifting.

For maximum utility, however, the stand should itself be of simple construction, light in weight, and readily disassociated with the basket. Moreover, the advantages associated with the use of such a stand are best realized when the stand is foldable, when not in use, to a small, easily stored unit.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a free standing laundry basket and stand, wherein the stand can be readily disassociated from the basket for storage.

It is another object of this invention to provide a basket and stand wherein the stand provides a wheeled support for the basket.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The foregoing and other objects are accomplished, in a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, by apparatus comprising a laundry basket having a generally flat bottom portion, and a stand comprising a pair of pivotably interconnected rigid support members adapted to be coupled to the underside of the basket in an operative position. The support members are preferably provided with wheels, casters, or the like, to facilitate movement of the apparatus on a support surface.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing apparatus in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, but showing a modified form of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, showing another modified form.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, showing yet another embodiment.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is seen in FIG. 1 an apparatus, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, and comprising a basket 12 and a collapsible stand, designated generally by the reference numeral 14, for supporting the basket 12.

The stand 14 comprises a pair of pivotably interconnected rigid support members, in the form of generally U-shaped bail members 16 and 18 in the illustrated embodiment.

The bail members 16 and 18 include bight portions 20, 22 and respective pairs of parallel legs 24, 26, extending generally at right angles to the bight portions 20, 22. Wheeled casters 28, 30, are preferably coupled to the bight portions 20, 22.

In the illustrated embodiment, the bail members 16, 18 are pivotably interconnected at respective medial portions of their legs 24, 26 by rivets 32, 34.

Upper portions of respective legs 24, 26 are interconnected by articulated links 36, 38 or the like, which limit relative pivoting of the bail members 16, 18 in one direction. As is apparent in FIG. 1, opposite respective ends of the links 36, 38 are pivotably secured to legs 24 and 26, and adjacent inner ends of the links 36, 38 are themselves pivotably interconnected. It should be apparent, therefore, that the rivets 32, 34 define an axis A about which the bail members 16, 18 can pivot toward positions wherein they are more or less in alignment. The articulated links 36, 38, however, permit pivoting of the bail members 16, 18 in the opposite direction only as far as the operative position shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is seen the manner in which an upper end 40 of the leg 24 is coupled to the basket 12.

The basket 12, it should be understood, is preferably of molded construction, of any suitable plastic polymeric material. The bail members 16, 18 may be constructed of suitable tubular material, such as seamless steel or aluminum tubing.

In FIG. 2, there is seen a boss 42 molded integrally with a bottom portion 44 of the basket 12. The boss 42 includes a central opening 46, adapted to receive a reduced diameter portion 48 of the leg 24. When the basket 12 is properly positioned, a bottom edge of the boss 42 rests on the shoulder 50 adjacent the reduced diameter portion 48.

The foregoing description is with reference to the upper end 40 of one of the legs 24. It should be understood, however, that the upper portions of each of the legs 24, 26 are constructed in a similar manner, and that the basket 12 includes a boss 42 and opening 46 corresponding to each of the legs. It is apparent, therefore, that the stand 14 provides a stable platform for the basket 12, and supports the basket 12 in spaced relation from a supporting surface, such as a floor. The casters 28, 30 make movement of the basket 12 on the floor a simple matter, and eliminate the need for lifting of the basket 12 when the basket 12 is full. The basket 12 can, however, be readily removed from the stand 14 and used separately. Also, the stand 14 can be readily folded for storage purposes.

The end of the reduced diameter portion 48 can be provided with a conventional cap 52, or the like, to enhance its appearance, and to avoid the presence of sharp edges.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is seen an alternative form of the apparatus, wherein elements corresponding to those previously described are designated by like primed reference numerals.

The basket 12' in FIG. 3 includes at its bottom portion 44' a downwardly extending blind socket 54. The upper end 40' of the leg 24' can be received in the socket 54 to retain the basket 12' in association with the leg 24'.

There is seen in FIG. 5 another alternative form of the invention, wherein elements corresponding to those previously described are designated by like double-primed reference numerals. In the embodiment in FIG. 5, the basket 12" includes at its bottom portion 44" a downwardly extending cylindrical projection 56. The projection 56 is received within the walls of the upper portion 40" of the leg 24".

Still another embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein elements corresponding to those previously described are indicated by like triple-primed numerals. The basket 12'" includes in its bottom portion 44 a recessed blind socket 58, adapted to receive the upper end 40'" of the leg 24'" in much the same manner as the previously described blind socket 54.

As with the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the embodiments of the invention shown in FIG. 3 to 5 in no way diminish the utility of the basket 12 when used apart from its stand 14. The sockets 54 and 58 and the projection 56, however, do permit ready removal of the basket from the stand 14 for independent usage.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof.

Claims

I claim:

1. A laundry basket and a stand separable therefrom including a laundry basket having self-sustaining sides and a rigid bottom portion, said bottom portion comprising a plurality of downward directed leg engaging members disposed thereon in spaced relation to each other, a stand for said laundry basket, said stand having means for being releasably connected to said basket in supporting relation thereto, said stand being movable between open and closed positions and being comprised of a plurality of mutually interconnected leg members pivotally movable about said interconnection between said open and closed positions, said leg members including a plurality of spaced upwardly projecting connection members, respective ones of said connection members and said leg engaging members being comprised of similar cross sections of different sizes so that the basket can be selectively supported and released by sliding telescopic engagement between said leg engaging members and their respective connection members when said stand is in its open position, and means for holding said stand in its open position when said basket is separated therefrom.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said leg engaging members comprise openings formed in said bottom portion of said basket, said connection members comprising a reduced diameter portion adjacent the upper end of each of said leg members, said reduced diameter portion defining a ledge, and said ledge is in supporting contact with said bottom portion when said reduced diameter portion is received within said opening.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said leg engaging members comprise hollow members defining downwardly facing sockets formed on said bottom portion, each of said sockets including sidewall means and an end wall, said connection members being of the same configuration as said sockets and of smaller cross section so that each of said connection members is receivable in its respective socket until it engages said end wall.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said leg engaging members comprise downwardly projecting elongated members, said connection members being hollow and having an internal cross section of the same configuration as said downwardly projecting members and of larger cross section so that each of said connection members can receive its respective leg engaging member.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said leg members comprise a pair of generally U-shaped bail members, each having a bight portion and a pair of parallel leg portions extending from opposite ends of said bight portions, said pivot means pivotably interconnecting adjacent medial portions of corresponding leg portions in crossed relation, the upper ends of said support members being remote ends of said leg portions.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 and wheeled means coupled to said bight portions for rollingly supporting said frame in an operative position.