Collapsible rack unit

Abstract

Provided herein is a collapsible rack unit that includes a housing, a hanging bar, and a pair of hinged arms that extend between the housing and the hanging bar. The hinged arms extend generally parallel to the housing in a closed position and extend generally perpendicular to the housing in an open position. In preferred embodiments, the hinged arms include a base portion that is associated with the housing and an arm portion that is hingedly connected to the base portion.

1 . A rack unit comprising:
 a housing,   a hanging bar, and   a pair of hinged arms that extend between the housing and the hanging bar,   wherein the hinged arms extend generally parallel to the housing in a closed position and wherein the hinged arms extend generally perpendicular to the housing in an open position.   
     
     
         2 . The rack unit of  claim 1  wherein the housing is adapted to be affixed to a wall. 
     
     
         3 . The rack unit of  claim 1  wherein the hinged arms include a base portion that is associated with the housing and an arm portion that is hingedly connected to the base portion. 
     
     
         4 . The rack unit of  claim 1  wherein the hanging bar includes a pair of openings defined therein that each receive one of the hinged arms, and wherein the hanging bar is slidable on the hinged arms. 
     
     
         5 . The rack unit of  claim 1  wherein the hanging bar includes a plurality of fingers that cooperate to define a plurality of hanging slots. 
     
     
         6 . The rack unit of  claim 1  wherein the housing includes a back portion and a flange extending outwardly from the back portion, wherein the back portion and flange cooperate to define a recess into which at least a portion of the hanging bar is received when the rack unit is in the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The rack unit of  claim 1  wherein the hanging bar is locked in place in the open position. 
     
     
         8 . The rack unit of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the hinged arms includes an outwardly biased ball bearing that locks the hanging bar in place in the open position. 
     
     
         9 . The rack unit of  claim 4  wherein the hinged arms each include a stopper on an end thereof, wherein at least a portion of the diameter of the stoppers are greater than the diameter of the openings in the hanging bar. 
     
     
         10 . The rack unit of  claim 9  wherein the stoppers are removable. 
     
     
         11 . The rack unit of  claim 1  wherein the hanging bar is in contact with the housing when the unit is in the closed position and is spaced from the housing when the unit is in the open position. 
     
     
         12 . The rack unit of  claim 3  wherein the hinged arm includes a locking mechanism for maintaining the arm portion in the closed and open positions. 
     
     
         13 . A method of hanging an article, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a rack unit that is affixed to an object,   (b) moving a pair of arms from a closed position to an open position,   (c) moving a hanging bar along the pair of arms, and   (d) hanging the article on the hanging bar.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein step (b) includes pivoting the arms from the closed position where the arms are generally parallel to the hanging bar to the open position where the arms are generally perpendicular to the hanging bar. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the hanging bar includes openings defined therein through which the arms extend, and wherein step (c) includes sliding the hanging bar along the arms. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the arms includes an outwardly biased ball bearing that locks the hanging bar in place in the open position. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the hanging bar includes a plurality of fingers that cooperate to define a plurality of hanging slots. 
     
     
         18 . A collapsible rack unit for hanging articles, the rack unit comprising a base, a hanging bar and a collapsing mechanism, wherein the unit has at least two modes, one mode where the base, hanging bar and collapsing mechanism are collapsed together in a generally cylindrical package and another mode where the base is spaced from the hanging bar in an extended position spaced by the collapsing mechanism.