Ironing board storage device assembly and method

• US 9,119,467 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2014
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Household Essentials, LLC
• Original Assignee: Household Essentials, LLC
• Inventors: Elizondo, Baldemar Jr., Glenn, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Izaguirre, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US14/157,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20140246963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 381/03, 381/04, 38137-139, 108/38, 108/39, 108/40, 108/48, 312/237, 312/242
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 46/005 by displacement in a vertical plane; by rotating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 5/04 foldable
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 77/10 with members movable outwards to a position of use, e.g. tables, ironing boards A47B77/16 takes precedence; surfaces adapted to be brought into position for use by extension or pivoting in general A47B46/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 81/06 attachable to independent supports, e.g. walls

Abstract

The present invention is an ironing board storage device that removeably attaches to a wall and rests on a support surface. The device includes an ironing board moveably mounted to a frame assembly within a housing for vertical movement between different elevations and pivotal movement of the ironing board between a generally vertical storage position with a distal end positioned beneath the proximal end to and generally horizontal operating position.

Claims

1. An ironing board storage device assembly, comprising:

a housing, the housing having first and second side walls;

a frame assembly having first and second generally vertically extending side members spaced from each other, the frame having an upper horizontal member and a lower horizontal member in rigid connection relative to the first and second vertical frame side members;

the first and second housing side walls having corresponding first and second tracks configured to slidingly receive the first and second frame side members, respectively, for allowing the frame assembly to slide between different elevation;

an ironing board having a proximal end and a distal end, the ironing board being pivotally connected to the frame assembly near the ironing board'"'"'s proximal end, for movement between a substantially vertical storage position wherein the ironing board proximal end is above the ironing board distal end, and a substantially horizontal operating position wherein the ironing board proximal end is closer to the housing than the ironing board distal end;

a support brace comprising a first brace bar member and a second brace bar member, the first and second brace members each having an outer end and an inner end, the first brace member near its outer end being pivotally connected to the frame assembly, the outer end of the second brace member being pivotally connected to the ironing board, the first and second brace members being pivotally connected to each other to pivot in the same plane which plane is generally perpendicular to the ironing board, so that in a first extended position the first and second brace members are generally aligned with each other to extend generally in the same direction, and capable of pivoting in the same plane to a folded collapsed position;

at least one of the first or second brace members having a first longer section located to one side of its pivotal connection to the other brace member, and a shorter second overlap section located to the other side of the pivotal connection to the other brace member, the configuration of the brace members allowing the first and second brace members to be capable of pivoting to the extended position with the second overlap section of one brace member extending alongside the other brace member in overlapping relationship;

a securement member associated with the support brace, the securement member generally having a sleeve shape and configured to be mounted in sliding relationship to one of the brace members in an unlocked position, and configured so that when the first and second brace members are in the extended position the securement member is capable of sliding to a locked position wherein the securement member fits about and engages one brace member and fits about and engages the second overlap section of the other brace member to lock the two brace members to resist pivotal movement of the brace members relative to one another, and wherein when the first and second brace members are in a locked position with the sleeve member, the securement member is configured to be capable of sliding to an unlocked position wherein the securement member does not fit about or engage the second overlap brace member section to resist pivotal movement of the brace members to a folded position;

a positioning assembly operatively associated with the ironing board and with the frame member for positioning and securing the frame member at different elevations, the positioning assembly comprising a ratchet and pawl assembly, the ratchet having a first rack and a second rack, the first rack being mounted in association with the first housing side wall, and the second rack being mounted in association with the second housing wall, the first and second racks each having a plurality of detents located at different elevations relative to the side walls;

the ratchet and pawl assembly comprising a pawl assembly mounted to rotate relative to the horizontal frame member, the pawl assembly comprising a generally horizontal pawl bar, the pawl bar and the rack detents being configured for the pawl bar to rest above and upon rack detents to be supported thereby, at least one pawl assembly connection member extending from connection with the pawl bar to association with a pawl bushing, said bushing pivotally connected relative to the upper horizontal frame member, a generally horizontal shaft extending through the bushing, the shaft being supported by the upper horizontal frame member;

a first handle connected to the bushing, the handle having a gripping portion located above the ironing board when the ironing board is in the horizontal operating position, the gripping portion being sized and configured to be capable of being grasped by a human hand to pivot the bushing and the pawl bar relative to the ratchet racks to locate the pawl bar to be supported by selected rack detents when the ironing board is in the horizontal operating position;

a second handle connected to the pawl bar beneath the ironing board when the ironing board is in the extended position, the second handle having a gripping portion being sized and configured to be capable of being grasped by a human hand to pivot the pawl bar and the bushing relative to the ratchet racks to locate the pawl bar to be supported by selected rack detents when the ironing board is in the horizontal operating position; and

a biasing member comprising a spring, the spring having a torsion spring section through which the shaft extends, the spring having a first extension that extends from a first part of a the torsion spring section, the first spring extension being held in a generally fixed relationship relative to the frame, the spring having a second extension that extends from a second part of the torsion spring section, the second extension being held in a generally fixed relationship relative to the pawl assembly.

2. The ironing board storage device assembly of claim 1, wherein in the extended position the second brace member is positioned to be higher than the first brace member, the securement member having a passageway extending there through, the first brace member and second brace member each having a cross section area, the cross section area of the first member towards its inner end being larger than the cross section area of the second member near its inner end, with the said securement member passageway sized to be capable of sliding the securement member from a position about the second brace member to a position to simultaneously extend about both the second brace member near its inner end and about the first brace member inner end and engage the larger cross section inner end of the first brace member to resist movement of the securement member beyond the second member, and to engage both the first brace member and second brace member to hold those brace members in the extended position.

3. The ironing storage device assembly of claim 2 wherein the securement member passageway is generally of a frustoconical shape having a tapered inner surface to have a smaller opening at its end located toward the outer end of the second brace member and to decrease in size in the direction toward the inner end of the second brace member, and wherein the inner end of the first brace member is tapered to be generally in alignment with the slope of the frustoconical inner surface of the passageway and to decrease in size towards the inner end of the first brace member.

4. The ironing board storage device assembly of claim 3 wherein the second upper brace member is configured to have wall structure and the first lower brace member is configured to have wall structure, with the wall structure of the inner end of the second brace member sized to fit within the wall structure of the inner end of the first brace member, and for the wall structure of the second upper brace member to engage the wall structure of the first lower member to resist upward pivotal movement of the second brace member when the brace members are in the extended position.

5. The ironing board assembly of claim 4 wherein the wall structure inner end of the second upper brace member has at least three walls at general right angles to each other, and the first lower brace member wall structure has a generally channeled shape configuration with three walls at generally right angles to each other and sized to snuggly receive the walls of the second brace member inner end when the brace members are in the extended position.

6. The ironing board assembly of claim 1 wherein the rack detents have a generally horizontal upper edge which at its distal end angles downwardly and inwardly to form a sloping edge;

and further comprising a detent at the lowest elevation which has a notch in the rack with an upwardly projecting tooth located to the rear of notch, the notch and tooth being configured and sized to hold the pawl bar securely within the notch when the pawl bar is in the lowest position;

the assembly further comprising at least one stop mounted in association with a side wall and projecting therefrom and positioned to engage the frame assembly to resist downward movement of the frame assembly.

7. The ironing board assembly of claim 6 wherein the housing further comprises:

a rectangular box shape having a front face and a cavity located between the two sidewalls and sized to contain the ironing board assembly when the ironing board assembly is in a collapsed position;

a door having a first horizontal end and a second horizontal end;

a first track capable of being releasably secured towards the top of the housing, and a second track capable of being releasably secured to the bottom of the housing, the first track and second track each having a stop located at one end of the track with the two stops being vertically aligned with each other to a first side of the housing when door tracks are in a first position;

the door having structure mounted at its first horizontal end and at its second horizontal end for sliding within the tracks so that in a first position the door is capable of sliding in a first direction to a position to expose the cavity when the ironing board assembly is in a collapsed position, and in a second direction to second position cover the cavity, with the track stops positioned to engage door structure to prevent movement of the door beyond the stops in the second when the door is in the second position;

the door tracks being configured to be capable of being detached from their first position and repositioned to a second position with the first track secured to the bottom of the housing and the second track secured to the top of the housing, with the stops of the first and second tracks in the second tracks position located to be vertically aligned to a second side of the housing opposite from their location in the first position, and the door being capable of being repositioned so that its first end in the first door positon is repositioned to slide with the repositioned first track and the door'"'"'s second end is repositioned to slide with the repositioned second track so that the door can slide in a direction opposite its aforesaid first direction to expose with cavity, and slide in a direction opposite its aforesaid second direction to be in front of the cavity, with the track stops located to be capable of engaging the door structure to prevent movement of the door beyond the stops.

8. An ironing board storage device assembly, comprising:

a housing, the housing having first and second side walls;

a frame assembly having first and second generally vertically extending side members spaced from each other, the frame having an upper horizontal member and a lower horizontal member in rigid connection relative to the first and second vertical frame side members;

the first and second housing side walls having corresponding first and second tracks configured to slidingly receive the first and second frame side members, respectively, for allowing the frame assembly to slide between different elevation;

an ironing board having a proximal end and a distal end, the ironing board being pivotally connected to the frame assembly near the ironing board'"'"'s proximal end, for movement between a substantially vertical storage position wherein the ironing board proximal end is above the ironing board distal end, and a substantially horizontal operating position wherein the ironing board proximal end is closer to the housing than the ironing board distal end;

a support brace comprising a first brace bar member and a second brace bar member wherein in the extended position the second brace member is positioned to be higher than the first brace member, the first and second brace members each having an outer end and an inner end, the first brace member near its outer end being pivotally connected to the frame assembly, the outer end of the second brace member being pivotally connected to the ironing board, the first and second brace members being pivotally connected to each other to pivot in the same plane which plane is generally perpendicular to the ironing board, so that in a first extended position the first and second brace members are generally aligned with each other to extend generally in the same direction, and capable of pivoting in the same plane to a folded collapsed position;

the first brace member having a first longer section located to one side of its pivotal connection to the second brace member, and a shorter second overlap section located to the other side of the pivotal connection to the second brace member, the configuration of the brace members allowing the first and second brace members to be capable of pivoting to the extended position with the second overlap section of the first brace member extending alongside the second brace member in overlapping relationship;

a securement member associated with the support brace, the securement member generally having a sleeve shape and a passageway having a tapered inner surface to have a smaller opening at its end located toward the outer end of the second brace member and to decrease in size in the direction toward the inner end of the second brace member, so that when the first and second brace members are in the extended position the securement member is capable of sliding along the second brace member to a locked position wherein the securement member fits about and engages the first brace member and about the second overlap section of the first brace member to lock the two brace members to resist pivotal movement of the brace members relative to one another, and wherein when the first and second brace members are in a locked position with the sleeve member the securement member is configured to be capable of sliding to an unlocked position wherein the securement member does not fit about or engage the second overlap brace member section to resist pivotal movement of the brace members to a folded position.

9. The ironing board storage device assembly of claim 8, wherein the first brace member and second brace member each have a cross section area, the cross section area of the first brace member towards its inner end being larger than the cross section area of the second member near its inner end, with the said securement member passageway sized to be capable of sliding the securement member from a position about the second brace member to a position to simultaneously extend about both the second brace member near its inner end and about the first brace member inner end and engage the larger cross section inner end of the first brace member to resist movement of the securement member beyond the second member, and to engage both the first brace member and second brace member to hold those brace members in the extended position.

10. The ironing storage device assembly of claim 9 wherein the securement member passageway is generally of a frustoconical shape having a tapered inner surface to have a smaller opening at its end located toward the outer end of the second brace member and to decrease in size in the direction toward the inner end of the second brace member, and wherein the inner end of the first brace member is tapered to be generally in alignment with the slope of the frustoconical inner surface of the passageway and to decrease in size towards the inner end of the first brace member.

11. The ironing board storage device assembly of claim 10 wherein the second upper brace member is configured to have wall structure and the first lower brace member is configured to have wall structure, with the wall structure of the inner end of the second brace member sized to fit within the wall structure of the inner end of the first brace member, and for the wall structure of the second upper brace member to engage the wall structure of the first lower member to resist upward pivotal movement of the second brace member when the brace members are in the extended position.

12. The ironing board assembly of claim 11 wherein the wall structure inner end of the second upper brace member has at least three walls at general right angles to each other, and the first lower brace member wall structure has a generally channeled shape configuration with three walls at generally right angles to each other and sized to snuggly receive the walls of the second brace member inner end when the brace members are in the extended position.