Sports clothes drying rack

Abstract

A base for supporting an upstanding post having a first base member and at least one second base member. The first base member includes a first socket portion and a first support portion. Each second base member includes a second socket portion and a second support portion. The first and second base members are connected to each other and the first and second socket portions together define a post socket. The post socket has a plurality of walls defining a perimeter and extending from a bottom support for surrounding an end of the upstanding post. The first and second support portions each include at least one bearing point remote from a respective one of the socket portions to engage a support surface. A sports equipment rack and a kit for an assembly of a sports equipment rack is also disclosed.

1 . A base for supporting an upstanding post, the base comprising: 
 a first base member including a first socket portion and a first support portion; and    at least one second base member each including a second socket portion and a second support portion, the first and second base members being connected to each other and the first and second socket portions together defining a post socket having a plurality of walls defining a perimeter and extending from a bottom support for surrounding an end of the upstanding post, the first and second support portions each including at least one bearing point remote from a respective one of the socket portions to engage a support surface.    
   
   
       2 . The base as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second base member includes a single second base member, the first and second base members being detachably connected to each other in a substantially perpendicular manner, the support portion of the first base member defining two spaced apart first bearing points with the first socket portion being located therebetween, and the second base member defining two spaced apart second bearing points with the second socket portion being located therebetween.  
   
   
       3 . The base as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the first base member includes a first slit defined from a top edge thereof between the two first bearing points, and the second base member includes a second slit defined from a bottom edge thereof between the two second bearing points, the first and second base members being connected with a bottom section of the first base member defined under the first slit received within the second slit and a top section of the second base member defined over the second slit received into the first slit.  
   
   
       4 . The rack as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls are detachably interconnected to each other to form the perimeter.  
   
   
       5 . A sports equipment rack comprising: 
 an elongated central post having opposed bottom and top ends;    a plurality of hanger members extending from the central post and adapted to receive at least one article thereon; and    at least two base members each including a socket portion and a support portion, the base members being detachably connected to each other with the socket portions together forming a post socket having a plurality of walls extending from a bottom support, the elongated post being retained by the post socket to extend substantially upwardly with the bottom end resting against the bottom support and retained by the plurality of walls, the support portion of each of the connected base members providing at least one bearing point remote from the socket to support the rack on a support surface.    
   
   
       6 . The rack as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the at least two base members include first and second base members detachably connected to each other in a substantially perpendicular manner, the support portions of the first and second base members each defining two spaced apart bearing points with the socket portion being located therebetween.  
   
   
       7 . The rack as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the first base member includes a first slit defined from a top edge thereof, and the second base member includes a second slit defined from a bottom edge thereof, the first and second base members being connected with a bottom section of the first base member defined under the first slit received within the second slit and a top section of the second base member defined over the second slit received into the first slit.  
   
   
       8 . The rack as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the bottom end of the central post has a square cross-section and the plurality of walls of the socket include two pairs of substantially parallel spaced apart walls, each pair being integral with a respective one of the first and second base members, the two pairs of walls together forming a substantially square perimeter snuggly surrounding the bottom end of the central post.  
   
   
       9 . The rack as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of walls of the post socket include adjacent walls forming a closed perimeter and frictionally retaining the bottom end of the central post.  
   
   
       10 . The rack as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the adjacent walls are detachably interconnected to each other.  
   
   
       11 . The rack as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the central post is formed of two segments each having a hollow end, the hollow ends being interconnected by a connecting member having a body defining opposed ends and a central portion, each of the opposed ends being freely insertable into the hollow end of a respective one of the segments, and the central portion being simultaneously frictionally retained into the hollow end of the two segments.  
   
   
       12 . The rack as defined in  claim 11 , wherein at least one transversal dimension of the body of the connecting member increases along a longitudinal direction thereof from each of the opposed ends to the central portion.  
   
   
       13 . The rack as defined in  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a top member having a bottom end frictionally retained into a hollow top end of the central post, the top member having a top surface with a recess defined therein; and    an elongated pin retained into the recess and extending substantially parallel to the central post, the elongated pin being adapted to retain a piece of equipment over the central post.    
   
   
       14 . A kit for an assembly of a sports equipment rack comprising: 
 a first base member including a first socket portion and a first support portion;    at least one second base member each including a second socket portion and a second support portion, the first and second base members being connectable to each other and the first and second socket portions being complementary to together define a post socket having a plurality of walls extending from a bottom support when the first and second base members are interconnected, the first and second support portions each including at least one bearing point remote from a respective one of the socket portions to engage a support surface;    an elongated central post having opposed bottom and top ends, the bottom end being receivable into the post socket to rest against the bottom support and be supported by the plurality of walls such that the central post extends substantially perpendicularly to the support surface; and    a plurality of hanger members attachable to the central post and adapted to receive at least one article thereon.    
   
   
       15 . The kit as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one second base member includes a single second base member, the first and second base members being detachably connectable to each other in a substantially perpendicular manner, the first support portions defining two spaced apart first bearing points with the first socket portion being located therebetween and the second support portions defining two spaced apart second bearing points with the second socket portion being located therebetween.  
   
   
       16 . The kit as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the first base member includes a first slit defined from a top edge thereof between the two first bearing points, and the second base member includes a second slit defined from a bottom edge thereof between the two second bearing points, a bottom section of the first base member defined under the first slit being receivable within the second slit, and a top section of the second base member defined over the second slit being receivable into the first slit.  
   
   
       17 . The kit as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the first and second support portions each include a pair of opposed walls, the pairs of opposed walls being engageable to each other to form the plurality of walls of the post socket, the plurality of walls defining a closed perimeter, and the bottom end of the central post is snuggly receivable within the closed perimeter.  
   
   
       18 . The kit as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the first and second support portions each include at least one wall, the at least one wall of the support portions being interconnectable to form the plurality of walls of the post socket, the plurality of walls defining a substantially square perimeter.  
   
   
       19 . The kit as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the central post is a first central post with the top end thereof being hollow, and the kit further comprises: 
 a second central post having a hollow bottom end;    a plurality of hanger members attachable to the second central post and adapted to receive at least one article thereon; and    a connecting member having a body defining first and second opposed ends and a central portion, the first end being insertable into the hollow top end of the first central post, the second end being insertable into the hollow bottom end of the second central post, and the central portion being simultaneously frictionally retainable into the hollow top of the first central post and the hollow bottom end of the second central post to interconnect the first and second central posts.    
   
   
       20 . The kit as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the top end of the central post is hollow, the kit further comprising: 
 a top member having a bottom end frictionally retainable into the hollow top end of the central post, the top member having a top end with a recess defined therein; and    an elongated pin snuggly insertable into the recess such as to extend substantially parallel to the central post when the top member in retained in the top end, the elongated pin being adapted to retain a piece of equipment over the central post.