Foldable rack

Abstract

A foldable rack includes a lower rack frame having front and rear frame-halves each including left and right upright rods and a plurality of vertically spaced-apart horizontal plates, and left and right guide rods disposed between the left and right upright rods of the front and rear frame-halves. The horizontal plates of the front and rear frame-halves are respectively aligned with each other. Each horizontal plate of the front and rear frame-halves is disposed between and connected pivotally to the left and right upright rods and the left and right guide rods. An upper rack frame is disposed above the lower rack frame, and includes left and right guide rod extensions that are respectively connected to and that extend upwardly from the left and right guide rods.

1 . A foldable rack comprising:
 a lower rack frame that includes
 front and rear frame-halves each of which includes left and right upright rods, and a plurality of vertically spaced-apart horizontal plates each disposed between and connected pivotally to said left and right upright rods, said horizontal plates of said front frame-half being disposed in front of and aligned with said horizontal plates of said rear frame-half, respectively, 
 left and right guide rods, said left guide rod being disposed between said left upright rods of said front and rear frame-halves, said right guide rod being disposed between said right upright rods of said front and rear frame-halves, each of said horizontal plates of said front and rear frame-halves being further connected pivotally to said left and right guide rods, 
 two slide pieces each sleeved slidably on one of said left and right guide rods, 
 two locking units respectively fixed to said left and right guide rods, each of said locking units including a locking element engageable with a respective one of said slide pieces to lock movement of the respective one of said slide pieces, and 
 two pairs of link rods each having top and bottom ends, said top ends of each pair of said link rods being connected pivotally to one of said slide pieces, said bottom ends of one of said pairs of said link rods being connected pivotally and respectively to said left upright rods of said front and rear frame-halves, said bottom ends of the other one of said pairs of said link rods being connected pivotally and respectively to said right upright rods of said front and rear frame-halves; and 
   an upper rack frame disposed above said lower rack frame, and including left and right guide rod extensions that are respectively connected to and that extend upwardly from said left and right guide rods.   
     
     
         2 . The foldable rack of  claim 1 , wherein each of said left and right guide rod extensions is connected integrally as one piece with a respective one of said left and right guide rods. 
     
     
         3 . The foldable rack of  claim 2 , wherein said upper rack frame includes four upper rod sections extended respectively from said upright rods of said front and rear frame-halves, and at least two horizontal plates that are aligned horizontally, one of said horizontal plates of said upper rack frame being connected pivotally to said left and right guide rod extensions and two of said upper rod sections, the other one of said horizontal plates of said upper rack frame being connected pivotally to said left and right guide rod extensions and the other two of said upper rod sections. 
     
     
         4 . The foldable rack of  claim 2 , wherein said upper rack frame includes two upper rod sections extended integrally and respectively from said left and right upright rods of said rear frame-half, and a horizontal plate connected pivotally to said upper rod sections and said left and right guide rod extensions. 
     
     
         5 . The foldable rack of  claim 1 , wherein said upper rack frame includes a transverse holding member extending between and connected to top ends said left and right guide rod extensions. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable rack of  claim 1 , further comprising two connectors each connected between one of said left and right guide rod extensions and a respective one of said left and right rods so that said left and right guide rod extensions can be connected detachably and respectively to said left and right guide rods. 
     
     
         7 . The foldable rack of  claim 1 , further comprising a positioning element fixed around each of said left and right guide rods, each of said slide pieces having a protrusion projecting therefrom to engage said locking element, each of said locking units further including a locking plate connected pivotally to said positioning element, and a biasing element, said locking plate having said locking element provided on one end thereof, and a trigger portion opposite to said locking element, said biasing element being disposed between said positioning element and said trigger portion to bias said trigger portion away from said positioning element and to bias said locking element to engage said protrusion.