WO2015027344A1

WO2015027344A1 - Clothesline system and method of mounting a spring in a clothespin

Info

Publication number: WO2015027344A1
Application number: PCT/CA2014/050832
Authority: WO
Inventors: Léandre Vachon
Original assignee: Groupe DSD Inc
Current assignee: Groupe DSD Inc
Priority date: 2013-08-30
Filing date: 2014-08-29
Publication date: 2015-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 2016-02-29

Abstract

The clothesline system (100) includes a main supporting frame (120) positioned at a loading end (102), a remote supporting frame (122) positioned at a remote end (104), a first end pulley (110) mounted for rotation on the main supporting frame (120), a second end pulley (112) mounted for rotation on the remote supporting frame (122) and a clothespin laying pulley (150) mounted for rotation on the main supporting frame (120). The clothespin laying pulley (150) is positioned in-between the first end pulley (110) and the second end pulley (112). Two tensioning units (160, 162) are provided, both tensioning units (160, 162) being independent and spaced-apart from one another. Each tensioning unit (160, 162) has three separately- rotatable turning pegs (192). The clothesline system (100) further includes three individual clothesline cables (152, 154, 156) and a plurality of spaced-apart and removable clothespins (170). A method of mounting springs in the clothespins (170) is also disclosed.

Description

CLOTHESLINE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MOUNTING A SPRING

IN A CLOTHESPIN

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

The present case claims the benefits of U.S. patent application No. 61/872,372 filed 30 Aug. 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field relates generally to clothesline systems. It also relates generally to methods of mounting a spring in a clothespin, in particular the clothespins of the clothesline systems.

BACKGROUND Clothesline systems are a popular means for drying clothes outdoors. In addition to the clothes attaining a fresh outdoors scent, the savings in electricity by not using an electric dryer can be substantial. Traditional clothesline systems provide a support onto which wet clothes can be placed to dry. They include an endless loop cable extending between two spaced-apart pulleys. The lower run of the cable provides a suitable support on which to hang wet clothes. Clothespins are manually positioned onto the clothes to hold them in place. When it is desired to remove the clothes, the clothespins are manually removed and stored.

U.S. Patent No. 4,519,509 issued 28 May 1985 suggests a clothesline system capable of automatically positioning clothespins onto clothes when the clothes are moved away from the user and also to automatically remove the clothespins from the clothes when the clothes are moved back towards the user. The clothesline system includes a first cable extending between two spaced-apart pulleys. A clothespin laying pulley, located between the two pulleys features, a V-shaped recess acting to receiving a series of clothespins in a normally closed position located on a second cable. The ends of the second cable are attached to the first cable such that when the first cable is moved away from the user, the second cable is moved in a cooperative manner with the first cable, thereby bringing clothespins secured on the second cable into engagement with the clothespin laying pulley. The clothespins are automatically brought into an opened configuration, releasing them in succession from the first cable and allowing them to travel over a substantially arcuate path as defined by the periphery of the clothespin laying pulley. Continued rotation of the clothespin laying pulley causes the clothespins to re-engage upon a section of the first cable on which the clothes are placed. As a result, the clothes receive the closing clothespins thereon and become detachably secured onto the first cable. Although this system facilitated the securement of clothes thereon, it failed to provide a way of preventing the first cable from sagging beyond an acceptable range. More specifically, upon placing wet clothes onto the first cable, the first cable tended to pull away from the second cable. In some instances, the weight of the clothes could pull the first cable significantly downwards, thereby displacing the first cable from the second cable beyond a distance where clothespins can engage the first cable as intended.

U.S. Patent No. 6,454,109 issued 24 Sep. 2002 suggests a clothesline system including a clothesline lay-down arm with a first cable support configuration maintaining a preferred distance between the first and second cables at the point of engagement of the wet clothes with the clothespins. The clothespins are of unitary construction and provide multiple clothes holding positions as a means of successfully engaging articles of clothing placed over the first cable. Even with the preferred distance provided by the lay-down arm, the weight of wet clothes on the first cable can still stretch the first cable to the point where some clothespins will become disengaged from the clothes.

U.S. Patent No. 7,878,342 issued 1 Feb. 2011 suggests a clothesline system having two separate cables that are independently tensionable. Each cable is wound around a separate pair of pulleys. The various pulleys of this system are also dimensioned to eliminate the need for an upper guide member at the loading end of the clothesline system.

While prior clothesline systems proved to be very useful and convenient over traditional clotheslines systems, room for improvements always exists in this technical area, particularly to address the challenges of lowering manufacturing costs, simplifying installation of the clotheslines systems by end users and increasing strength.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, there is provided a clothesline system having a loading end and a remote end, the clothesline system including: a main supporting frame positioned at the loading end; a remote supporting frame positioned at the remote end; a first end pulley mounted for rotation on the main supporting frame; a second end pulley mounted for rotation on the remote supporting frame; a clothespin laying pulley mounted for rotation on the main supporting frame and positioned in-between the first end pulley and the second end pulley; an upper tensioning unit and a lower tensioning unit, both tensioning units being independent and spaced-apart from one another, each tensioning unit having a frame and three separately-rotatable turning pegs mounted for rotation on the frame; three individual clothesline cables, each cable having two opposite free ends, one of the two free ends of each cable being attached to a respective one of the turning pegs of the upper tensioning unit and the other one of the two free ends of each cable being attached to a respective one of the turning pegs of the lower tensioning unit, a first one of the three cables extending in a first run from the upper tensioning unit to the first end pulley, passing around the first end pulley and extending in a second run from the first end pulley to the lower tensioning unit, a second one of the three cables extending from the lower tensioning unit to the second end pulley, passing around the second end pulley and extending from the second end pulley to the upper tensioning unit, and a third one of the three cables extending from the upper tensioning unit to the clothespin laying pulley, passing around the clothespin laying pulley and extending from the clothespin laying pulley to the lower tensioning unit; and a plurality of spaced-apart clothespins, each having a front side and a rear side, the rear side of the clothespins being attached along the third cable, each clothespin including a pair of spring-loaded jaws having a normally closed position, during which the jaws are closed around the first or the second run of the first cable, and an open position during which the jaws are separated from the first and the second runs of the first cable, the clothespin jaws being in the open position when engaging an interior of the clothespin laying pulley. In another aspect, there is provided a method of mounting a blade spring inside each of the clothespins of the clothesline system as previously defined, each clothespin having a clothesline body and a curved lateral slot provided in the clothesline body, the method including: inserting the blade spring partially inside a hand-actuated spring insertion tool; curving the blade spring until the blade spring matches a curvature of the curved lateral slot of the clothesline body; partially inserting the blade spring inside the curved lateral slot while the blade spring is held by the hand-actuated spring insertion tool; removing the hand-actuated spring insertion tool from the blade spring once the blade spring is inside the curved lateral slot; and forcing the blade spring fully inside the curved lateral slot, preferably by pressing on an opposite face of the clothespin body on a rigid work surface.

Details on the various aspects and features of the proposed concept will be apparent from the following detailed description and the appended figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an example of an improved clothesline system as proposed herein;

FIG. 2 is a side view of an example of a clothespin for use in the clothesline system of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an example of a single blade spring used in the clothespin of

FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are two isometric views, each from a different angle, of an example of a tensioning unit used in the clothesline system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of one of the turning pegs provided in the tensioning unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5; FIG. 7 is an isometric view of frame of the tensioning unit shown in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of an example of a hand-actuated spring insertion tool for mounting the spring of FIG. 3 inside the body of a clothespin;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the clothesline elevator assembly provided at the loading end of the clothesline system of FIG. 1; FIG. 10 is an isometric view of an example of a hanger holder for use with the clothesline system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is an end view of the hanger holder shown in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a side view of the hanger holder shown in FIG. 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating an example of a clothesline system 100 as proposed herein. This clothesline system 100 includes improvements over the clothesline systems suggested in U.S. Patents Nos. 4,519,509, 6,454, 109 and 7,878,342. The entire disclosures of U.S. Patents Nos. 4,519,509, 6,454,109 and 7,878,342 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

It should be noted that in FIG. 1, the clothesline system 100 appears to be very short in length. This is only for the sake of illustration.

Once fully assembled, the clothesline system 100 extends between a loading end 102 and a remote end 104. In use, one or more wet clothes are placed on the clothesline system 100 by a user standing next to the loading end 102. The loading end 102 is also where the dry clothes are removed afterwards. Accordingly, in the present context, the expression "loading end" also refers to the location where cloths are removed, i.e. unloaded, from the clothesline system 100.

It should be noted that the word "clothes" and all related words and expressions are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for the purpose of limiting the system 100 to hang items that are clothing. The clothesline system 100 includes two diametrically-opposite end pulleys 110, 112 that are positioned so as to be substantially coplanar with reference to a longitudinally-extending mesial plane of the clothesline system 100. The mesial plane is substantially vertical in the illustrated example. The first end pulley 110 is at the loading end 102 and the second end pulley 112 is at the remote end 104. They are each freely rotatable around a corresponding axle, which axles are transversally disposed with reference to the longitudinal direction 114 of the clotheslines system 100. The longitudinal direction 114 is coincident with the mesial plane. The axle for the first end pulley 110 is supported by a main supporting frame 120 and the axle for the second end pulley 112 is supported by a remote supporting frame 122. Both axles extend substantially horizontally in the illustrated example. Depending on the implementation, bushings and/or bearings can be provided between the end pulleys 110, 112 and their corresponding axle, or between the axles and their corresponding supporting frame 120, 122. Variants are possible as well.

The main supporting frame 120 of the illustrated example includes a V-shaped bracket extending rearwards and that is coupled to a first mechanical connector 124, for instance a J- shaped mounting hook as illustrated. The first mechanical connector 124 is directly or indirectly attached to a first supporting structure 126, such as a post, a mast, a building wall, etc. Other kinds of first mechanical connectors 124 and arrangements can be used as well, depending on the exact implementations.

The remote supporting frame 122 of the illustrated example is coupled to a second mechanical connector 130, for instance a mounting hook as illustrated. The second mechanical connector 130 is attached to a second supporting structure 132, such as a post, a mast, a building wall, etc., through a V-shaped bracket section. Other kinds of second mechanical connectors 130 and arrangements can be used as well, depending on the exact implementations.

The main supporting frame 120 of the illustrated example includes an upper arm 140 and a lower arm 142. When the clothesline system 100 is assembled, both arms 140, 142 extend generally towards the remote end 104 from the frame section holding the axle of the first end pulley 110. The arms 140, 142 are thus generally parallel to the longitudinal direction 114 over a major portion of their length. The upper arm 140 of the illustrated example includes a proximal oblique section, an intermediate horizontal straight section and a distal oblique section. Likewise, the lower arm 142 of the illustrated example includes a proximal oblique section, an intermediate horizontal straight section and a distal oblique section. The arms 140, 142 are in alignment with the mesial plane.

The body of the main supporting frame 120 can be made of a material injected inside a mold. An example of material is a plastic material, such as a thermoplastic. The body of the main supporting frame 120 can be molded in two halves, namely a right half and a left half. Both halves can be secured together using fasteners, for instance screws. To save on material and labor costs, the fasteners can be inserted directly into the material of the opposite half instead of using nuts. The same also applies to the body of the remote supporting frame 122. Other materials and manufacturing methods can be used as well.

The main supporting frame 120 holds a clothespin laying pulley 150. The clothespin laying pulley 150 is rotatably connected to the free end of the distal oblique section of the upper arm 140. The clothespin laying pulley 150 is positioned so as to be substantially coplanar with the mesial plane of the clothesline system 100. It is positioned between the first and the second end pulleys 110, although it is closer to the first end pulley 1 10, 112 since it is mounted on the main supporting frame 120. Again, FIG. 1 shows the clothesline system 100 being very short in length but this is only for the sake of illustration.

The clothespin laying pulley 150 is freely rotatable around a corresponding axle disposed transversally with reference to the longitudinal direction 114 of the clothesline system 100. This axle extends substantially horizontally in the illustrated example. Depending on the implementation, a bushing and/or a bearing can be provided between the clothespin laying pulley 150 and it axle, or between the axle and the supporting frame 120. Variants are possible as well.

The winding diameter of the clothespin laying pulley 150 is smaller than that of the two end pulleys 110, 112 of the illustrated example. For instance, the winding diameter of the two end pulleys 110, 112 can be 9 inches while the winding diameter of the clothespin laying pulley 150 is 8 inches. Other dimensions are possible as well.

The clothesline system 100 further includes a set of three individual clothesline cables 152, 154, 156. Each cable 152, 154, 156 can be, for instance, an elastomeric coated stranded steel cable. Variants are possible as well. All three cables 152, 154, 156 are mounted inside the clothesline system 100 using two tensioning units 160, 162. Each tensioning unit 160, 162 receives a corresponding one of the free ends of each cable 152, 154, 156.

The tensioning units 160, 162 are independent and are spaced apart from one another. One is the upper tensioning unit 160 and the other is the lower tensioning unit 162. The tensioning units 160, 162 move in opposite direction and over a same distance between the second end pulley 112 and the clothespin laying pulley 150. When configured as shown in FIG. 1, the tensioning units 160, 162 will pass one over the other about halfway between the clothespin laying pulley 150 and the second end pulley 112. The tensioning units 160, 162 also act as stoppers to limit the movements of the cables 152, 154, 156 within the desired range.

In the illustrated example, the first cable 152 extends from the upper tensioning unit 160 towards the loading end 102, turns around the first end pulley 110 and then reaches the lower tensioning unit 162. The third cable 156 extends from the upper tensioning unit 160 towards the loading end 102, turns around the clothespin laying pulley 150 and then reaches the lower tensioning unit 162. The second cable 154 extends from the lower tensioning unit 162 towards the remote end 104, turns around the second end pulley 112 and then reaches the upper tensioning unit 160.

Once all parts are installed, the various cables and pulleys will be substantially coplanar with the mesial plane of the clothesline system 100. As can be seen, the third cable 156 is kept within the space defined by the first cable 152 and the second cable 154.

In the illustrated example, the upper straight run of the first cable 152 passes right over the upper arm 140 into guide members projecting over the top surface thereof. The first cable 152 can slide freely in these guides. The guides assist in supporting weight. The top of the interior surface of the first end pulley 110 is in alignment with the top surface of the upper arm 140. Variants are possible.

Still, in the illustrated example, the lower straight run of the first cable 152 is in engagement with a guide 164 located at the free end of the distal oblique section of the lower arm 142. The lower run of the first cable 152 can slide freely on the guide 164, for instance by using a roller located in the guide 164 and under the lower run of the first cable 152. In the illustrated example, the guide 164 also includes a top portion that confines the first cable 152 in a channel located right above the roller or bearing. The guide 164 helps supporting the weight of the clothes when they are on the lower run of the first cable 152. This feature mitigates the sag of the first cable 152 at the loading end 102. Variants are possible as well. A plurality of spaced-apart and removable clothespins 170 is provided. The rear end of these clothespins 170 always remain attached to the third cable 156. They are also simultaneously attached to the first cable 152 where the first and third cables 152, 156 are adjacent to one another. In FIG. 1, the clothespins 170 are shown in a position immediately prior to loading clothes on the clothesline system 100. FIG. 2 is a side view of an example of a clothespin 170 for use on the clothesline system 100 of FIG. 1. The clothespin 170 includes a pair of opposite spring-loaded jaws 172 and also a rear hook 174 for removably attaching the clothespin 170 to the third cable 156. The hook 174 is located at the distal end of an elongated rearward-extending stem. A relatively large number of clothespins 170 is provided on the clothesline system 100. They are kept attached on the clothesline system 100 and are automatically engaging or removed from the clothes at the loading end 102, depending on the direction of movement. The clothespins 170 have a plane of symmetry extending in-between the opposite jaws 172. Variants are possible as well.

Each clothespin 170 includes an internal spring 176. In the illustrated example, the spring 176 is an arc-shaped (or substantially V-shaped) single blade spring and is inserted into a curved lateral slot 178 provided across the width of the clothespin body. The spring 176 is mounted inside the clothespin body under tension so as to urge the clothespin 170 towards a normally closed position, thus in a position where the tip of the j aws 172 are brought together with force. This way, cloth articles positioned on the system 100 can be firmly clamped by the jaws 172 to the lower run of the first cable 152. The mating faces of the jaws 172 include voids or the like to receive the first cable 152. Variants are possible as well.

The clothespin 170 of FIG. 2 is shown with a cloth article 180 positioned on the first cable 152 and clamped between the j aws 172 thereof.

The body of the clothespin 170 can be made of a material injected inside a mold, for instance a plastic material. Other materials are possible as well. The body of the clothespin 170 is designed so that the jaws 172 and the levers 182 extending rearwards from the jaws 172 are relatively rigid but the inner portion around the curved lateral slot 178 and interconnecting the two sides of the clothespin 170 remain relatively flexible, thereby allowing the jaws 172 to pivot around a central pivot point.

The curvature of the lateral slot 178 is tighter than that of the natural curvature of the spring 176. The spring 176 must thus be inserted under tension, i.e. with the opposite free ends being closer to one another. Once in place, the residual spring force in the spring 176 will urge the jaws 172 closer to one another. The jaws 172 can be opened by pressing the rear end of the levers 182 inwards, i.e. towards one another.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an example of a single blade spring for use in the clothespin 170 of FIG. 2. As can be seen, the illustrated spring 176 is an arc-shaped single blade spring. It has a substantially flat construction and is curved sharply at the center, thereby defining a substantially V-shape profile. This blade spring 176 can be made of a single-layer strip of metal, such as stainless steel or the like. Other materials are possible as well, depending on the implementation. Stainless steel, however, offers the advantages of being rust-free, thereby preventing clothes from being stained.

Prior to installation, the spring 176 is inserted from the side into a corresponding curved lateral slot 178 provided in the body of the clothespin 170. The side edges at the opposite ends of the spring 176 are beveled or rounded to facilitate the insertion of the spring 176 inside the curved lateral slot 178. Variants are possible as well.

The illustrated single blade spring 176 is both simple, effective for generating the desired level of spring force and also cost efficient from the manufacturing standpoint. Nevertheless, one can use a spring having a different construction, for instance being formed by more than one superimposed blade layers. One can also use a completely different kind of spring in some implementations, for instance a torsion spring. Still, although using a single blade spring 176 for each clothespin 170 is generally desirable for keeping the manufacturing costs to a minimum, one can design a clothespin having more than one blade spring therein. Other variants are possible. When the lower run of the first cable 152 is manually pushed by a user towards the remote end 104, the clothespins 170 advancing towards the clothespin laying pulley 150 on the upper run of the first and third cables 152, 156 are forced into a wide open position when they pass around the clothespin laying pulley 150. The interior of the clothespin laying pulley 150 includes a recess for receiving the third cable 156 therein. The opposite walls surrounding the recess are configured and disposed so as to press inwardly on the sides of the clothespins 170 and keep them wide open against the biasing force from their corresponding spring 176. They also open to release the upper run of the first cable 152 since the first cable 152 and the third cable 156 separate at the clothespin laying pulley 150. At least the interior walls forming the substantially V-shaped recess of the clothespin laying pulley 150 are made of a material having a relatively low coefficient of friction. This feature facilitates the contact of the levers 182 of the clothespins 170 with the clothespin laying pulley 150, making the levers 182 easier to slide on the side walls. The motion of the moving parts of the clothesline system 100 is thus made easier for the user.

In use, wet clothes are inserted over the lower run of the first cable 152 that is immediately upstream the clothespin laying pulley 150. Moving the lower run of the first cable 152 towards the remote end 104 will bring the clothes between the lower side the clothespin laying pulley 150 and the lower run of the first cable 152. Wide opened clothespins 170 will be individually brought in contact with the clothes as the clothespin laying pulley 150 is rotated and they will be closed over the clothes once they leave the recess of the clothespin laying pulley 150, thereby pinching the clothes over the lower run of the first cable 152. The user only needs to move the first cable 152 to automatically open and close the clothespins 170. The user can attach the clothes that are put on the lower run of the first cable 152 without ever touching the clothespins 170. The clothespins 170 will be supplied one by one as the first cable 152 is moved. If no clothes are present where a clothespin 170 closes on the lower run of the first cable 152, the empty clothespin 170 will simply be attached to the first cable 152. The second cable 154 and the third cable 156 will be moved in synchronization with the movement of the first cable 152.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are two isometric views, each from a different angle, of an example of a tensioning unit, in this case the tensioning unit 162, used in the clothesline system 100. In the illustrating example, both tensioning units 160, 162 are identical in construction. Thus, the description of the tensioning unit 162 also applies to the tensioning unit 160. The tensioning units 160, 162 attach the cables 152, 154, 156 to one another. They also provide a very convenient way of adjusting the tension of the cables 152, 154, 156 during the initial installation and also afterwards whenever needed.

The tensioning unit 162 includes a frame 190 with three separately-rotatable turning pegs 192. This frame 190 has a monolithic constructions in the illustrated example, for instance being molded in one piece. Variants are possible as well. For instance, the frame 190 can be made of an assembly of subparts that are rigidly attached together.

Each turning peg 192 includes a spool 194 that is made integral with a finger-actuated knob 196 extending outside the tensioning unit 162. Each spool 194 is held in place using two corresponding openings 198 made on the frame 190. The free end of each spool 194 includes a circumferential groove or notch 200 engaging the inner rim of the corresponding opening 198 on the frame 190. This prevents the spool 194 from being easily pulled out of its location inside the frame 190. The opening 198 on which the groove 200 is set is engaged has a rounded keyhole shape periphery. The groove 200 is engaged with the small portion of the opening 198 but it can be moved out of the opening 198 through the adjacent larger portion. The free end of the spool 194 is skewed sideways until it can be pulled out. This feature facilitates the insertion and removal of the turning peg 192 from the frame 190.

The finger-actuated knob 196 includes large opposite wings to facilitate handling. Each finger- actuated knob 196 further include a base 210 having a plurality of teeth 212 cooperating with corresponding teeth 214 provided over the frame 190 of the tensioning unit 162 to form a ratchet mechanism 216. The ratchet mechanism 216 blocks the rotation of the corresponding turning peg 192 in one direction once the opposite teeth 212, 214 passed one over the other. For instance, the illustrated example prevents the turning peg 192 from rotating after each ¼ turn increment. The material of the frame 190 is slightly flexible and the variations in height of the turning peg 192, when the teeth 212, 214 pass one over the other, are compensated by the flexibility of the material. Other configurations and arrangements are possible as well. Each spool 194 includes a through hole 220 for receiving the corresponding free end of the corresponding cable. Each spool 194 is only connected to a single free end. Before insertion in the through hole 220, the corresponding free end is inserted in another through hole 222 made at an end of a corresponding section 230 of the frame 190. The spool 194 is rotated to wind a given length of cable and obtain the required tension in the cable. The through holes 222 are centered with reference to the corresponding housing 232 in the illustrated example. Variants are possible as well.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of one of the turning pegs 192 provided in the tensioning unit 162 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The turning peg 192 is shown alone for the sake of illustration.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of frame 190 of the tensioning unit 162 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. As can be seen, there are three offset sections 230 in the tensioning unit 162. Each section 230 generally defines a housing 232 extending along a longitudinal axis of the tensioning unit 162. Each section 230 has a substantially oblong shape when viewed from the side. The walls are generally flat in shape. A respective one of the turning pegs 192 is positioned across the housing 232 of each section 230. Overall, six points of adjustments are provided by the two tensioning units 160, 162 and each cable 152, 154, 156 can be adjusted at any one of its free end. This feature can greatly simplify the installation of the clothesline system 100 by an end user. Maintenance and adjustments during the lifespan of the clothesline system 100 are also greatly facilitated. Yet, the installation of the clothesline system 100 is facilitated by the shorter lengths of the cables 152, 154, 156. Most users will find that it is easier to work with three shorter cables than two longer cables during the installation. The tensioning units 160, 162 also maintain the spacing between the first and third cables 152, 156 near their free ends. No additional connector is required since the tensioning units 160, 162 combine all the functions. The clothesline system 100 is also stronger with the proposed concept.

The body of the clothespins 170 can be mass produced at a reasonable cost. Blade springs 176 can also be mass produced at a reasonable cost. However, the insertion of the spring 176 inside the curved lateral slot 178 of the body of each clothespin 170 requires an additional labor or a custom-made machine. To save costs, the insertion of the springs 176 inside the body of the clothespins 170 can be left to the end users and this can result in considerable cost savings for the customers. It is however relatively difficult to insert the spring 176 in place, especially using only fingers, mostly because of the relatively high compression force required to shape the spring 176 in the suitable manner. Using tools commonly found in homeowners' toolboxes is also not necessarily helpful or desirable. To overcome this challenge, end users can be supplied with a dedicated handheld tool that will be very easy to operate.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of an example of a hand-actuated spring insertion tool 300 for mounting the spring 176 inside the body of the body of a clothespin 170. This tool 300 can be sold with the clothesline system 100 or by otherwise provided to the end user for mounting each blade spring 176 inside the clothespins 170. This can be very helpful for further lowering the manufacturing costs. While it always remain possible to mount the blade springs 176, or any other kind of springs, inside the body of the clothespins 170 before they get into the hands of the end users, their final assembly by the end users can yield considerable manufacturing cost savings. The challenge is to keep the spring mounting operation very simple and easy to achieve by a majority of end users. The tool 300 is designed to greatly facilitate the mounting of the blade springs 176 by an unskilled person. In the illustrated clothespin 170, the blade spring 176 is inserted with a spring preload force and with a shape corresponding to that of the curved lateral slot 178.

As can be seen, the tool 300 has a generally curved shape. Each of its opposite ends includes a holding portion 302 that a user can easily operate by hand. The tool 300 is made flexible at the center and can bend within the plane corresponding to its curvature. End portions are made thicker than the center portion. Variants of this design are possible as well.

The body of the tool 300 can be made of a material injected into a mold, such as a plastic material. Other materials are also possible.

In use, the blade spring 176 is first partially inserted on the inner surface 304 of the tool 300 in its resting position. The tool 300 is made longer than the spring 176 and this will create a leverage of the force required to bend the spring 176 inwards. The edge of the spring 176 rests on two side flanges 306 and the center portion of the spring edge is wedged between the interior of a holding tooth 308 and the inner surface 304 of the tool 300. The end user simply needs to curve the spring 176 inwards with the tool 300, align the spring 176 with the curved lateral slot 178 by adjusting the preload force to which the spring 176 is subjected, and push the spring 176 in place. Once in place, the tool 300 is withdrawn and the spring 176 is then partially mounted inside the curved lateral slot 178. The end user completes the assembly by pushing on the outer edge of the spring 176 so that the spring 176 can be inserted all the way into the curved lateral slot 178. This can be done, for instance, by pivoting the clothespin 170 towards the work surface and applying a downward force on the clothespin body. Variants are possible as well.

Overall, with the tool 300, the above-mentioned method of mounting the spring 176 can be completed within a few seconds. This only needs to be done once, namely before new clothespins 170 are installed.

It should be noted that although the illustrated tool 300 is primarily designed for an end user, it can also be used by workers for mounting the springs 176 as part of the manufacturing process. In other instances, the tool 300 can be included in clothespins for the aftermarket. Variants are possible.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the clothesline elevator assembly 400 provided at the loading end 102 of the clothesline system 100 shown in FIG. 1. The clothesline elevator assembly 400 is also shown in FIG. 1. Using the clothesline elevator assembly 400 can be desirable in some implementations to keep the lower of the clothes further away from the ground but without having the loading end too high when a user loads or unloads the clothes. One can also omit the clothesline elevator assembly 400, depending on the implementation.

The illustrated clothesline elevator assembly 400 includes a substantially vertical tube 402, for instance a metallic tube, supported by an upper bracket 404 and a lower bracket 406. The brackets 404, 406 are fastened to the first supporting structure 126 (FIG. 1). The clothesline elevator assembly 400 also includes a vertically-movable carriage 410 having internal rollers engaging the outer surface of the tube 402. The carriage 410 is selectively movable between an upper position and a lower position along the length of the tube 402. A loop cable 412 is provided to lift and lower the carriage 410. The upper portion of the cable 412 passes around a small pulley 414 located on the upper bracket 404 and the cable 412 is attached to the carriage 410. The bottom end of the cable 412 can be attached to or near the lower bracket 406 in order to support the carriage 410. This prevents the carriage 410 from moving downwards by itself when raised. Variants are possible. As can be seen, the upper bracket 404 of the illustrated example is smaller in length than the lower bracket 406. The tube 402 thus defines a small angle with reference to the vertical. This design feature increases the spacing between the first end pulley 110 and the second end pulley 112 when main supporting frame 120 is raised, thereby adding tension in the cables 152, 154, 156. The first mechanical connector 124 is attached to the lower end of the carriage 410. The carriage 410 also features an upper connection point to which an additional mechanical connector 420 is attached, for instance another mounting hook. This additional mechanical connector 420 holds a rigid support 422 (FIG. 1) extending to the upper arm 140 of the main supporting frame 120. The rigid support 422 can be made of a shaped length of wire. It helps keeping the arms 140, 142 of the main supporting frame 120 in alignment with the second end pulley 112, especially when heavy clothes are placed on the clothesline system 100. Adjacent slots can be provided under the upper arm 140 for adjusting the position of the rigid support 422, thereby adjusting the angle of the upper arm 140. The first and the additional mechanical connectors 124, 420 are vertically spaced from one another. Variants are possible as well. FIG. 10 is an isometric view of an example of a hanger holder 500 for use with the clothesline system 100. FIGS. 11 and 12 are an end view and a side view of the hanger holder 500 shown in FIG. 10, respectively. The hanger holder 500 has an inverted and generally U-shape cross section. The inner channel 502, formed at the common convex upper edge of the two spaced and parallel side walls 504, can fit over the third cable 156 between two successive clothespins 170. The openings 506 made through the side walls 504 provide a space for receiving the hook of one or more hangers. The lower end of the openings 506 is tapered so as to prevent the hook or hooks from moving. Three sets of openings 506 are provided in the illustrated example but using a different number is also possible.

The present detailed description and the appended figures are meant to be exemplary only, and a skilled person will recognize that variants can be made in light of a review of the present disclosure without departing from the proposed concept. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

100 clothesline system

102 loading end

104 remote end

110 first end pulley

112 second end pulley

114 longitudinal direction

120 main supporting frame

122 remote supporting frame

124 first mechanical connector

126 first supporting structure

130 second mechanical connector

132 second supporting structure

140 upper arm

142 lower arm

150 clothespin laying pulley

152 first cable

154 second cable 156 third cable

160 upper tensioning unit

162 lower tensioning unit

164 guide

170 clothespin

172 jaw

174 hook

176 spring

178 curved lateral slot

180 cloth article

182 lever

190 frame

192 turning peg

194 spool

196 finger-actuated knob

198 opening

200 groove

210 base

212 teeth

214 teeth

216 ratchet mechanism

220 through hole (spool)

222 through hole (frame)

230 offset section

232 housing

300 hand-actuated spring insertion tool

302 holding portion

304 inner surface

306 side flanges

308 holding tooth

400 clothesline elevator assembly 402 tube

404 upper bracket

406 lower bracket

410 carriage

412 cable

414 pulley

420 additional mechanical connector

422 rigid support

500 hanger holder

502 inner channel

504 side walls

506 opening

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A clothesline system (100) having a loading end (102) and a remote end (104), the clothesline system (100) including:

a main supporting frame (120) positioned at the loading end (102);

a remote supporting frame (122) positioned at the remote end (104);

a first end pulley (110) mounted for rotation on the main supporting frame (120); a second end pulley (112) mounted for rotation on the remote supporting frame (122); a clothespin laying pulley (150) mounted for rotation on the main supporting frame (120) and positioned in-between the first end pulley (110) and the second end pulley (112);

an upper tensioning unit (160) and a lower tensioning unit (162), both tensioning units (160, 162) being independent and spaced-apart from one another, each tensioning unit (160, 162) having a frame (190) and three separately-rotatable turning pegs (192) mounted for rotation on the frame (190); three individual clothesline cables (152, 154, 156), each cable (152, 154, 156) having two opposite free ends, one of the two free ends of each cable (152, 154, 156) being attached to a respective one of the turning pegs (192) of the upper tensioning unit (160) and the other one of the two free ends of each cable (152, 154, 156) being attached to a respective one of the turning pegs (192) of the lower tensioning unit (162), a first one (152) of the three cables (152, 154, 156) extending in a first run from the upper tensioning unit (160) to the first end pulley (110), passing around the first end pulley (110) and extending in a second run from the first end pulley (110) to the lower tensioning unit (162), a second one (154) of the three cables (152, 154, 156) extending from the lower tensioning unit (162) to the second end pulley (112), passing around the second end pulley (112) and extending from the second end pulley (112) to the upper tensioning unit (160), and a third one (156) of the three cables (152, 154, 156) extending from the upper tensioning unit (160) to the clothespin laying pulley (150), passing around the clothespin laying pulley (150) and extending from the clothespin laying pulley (150) to the lower tensioning unit (162); and

a plurality of spaced-apart clothespins (170), each having a front side and a rear side, the rear side of the clothespins (170) being attached along the third cable (156), each clothespin (170) including a pair of spring-loaded jaws (172) having a normally closed position, during which the jaws (172) are closed around the first or the second run of the first cable (152), and an open position during which the jaws (172) are separated from the first and the second runs of the first cable (152), the clothespin jaws (172) being in the open position when engaging an interior of the clothespin laying pulley (150).

The clothesline system (100) as defined in claim 1, wherein the frame (190) of each tensioning unit (160, 162) includes three offset sections (230), each turning peg (192) being positioned across a respective one of the offset sections (230).

The clothesline system (100) as defined in claim 2, wherein in each tensioning unit (160, 162), the turning pegs (192) are disposed parallel to one another.

4. The clothesline system (100) as defined in claim 2 or 3, wherein each offset section (230) defines an oblong-shaped housing (232) and is open from both lateral sides.

5. The clothesline system (100) as defined in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein each turning peg (192) includes a spool (194) extending inside the frame (190) and that is made integral with a knob (196) extending outside the frame (190) of the corresponding tensioning unit (160, 162).

6. The clothesline system (100) as defined in claim 5, wherein each knob (196) includes a flanged base portion (210) having a plurality of teeth (212) in cooperating engagement with corresponding teeth (214) provided over the frame (190) of the corresponding tensioning unit (160, 162) to form a ratchet mechanism (216).

7. The clothesline system (100) as defined in any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the frame (190) of each tensioning unit (160, 162) includes a through hole (222) for each of the three offset sections (230), each of the three cables (152, 154, 156) passing into a respective one of the through holes (222).

8. The clothesline system (100) as defined in any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the frame (190) of each tensioning unit (160, 162) has a monolithic construction and is preferably made of a plastic material.

9. The clothesline system (100) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein each clothespin (170) includes a single spring (176) inserted into the clothespin body.

10. The clothesline system (100) as defined in claim 9, wherein each spring (176) is a blade spring inserted into a corresponding curved lateral slot (178) of the clothespin body, each blade spring (176) being preferably made of a single-layer strip of a metallic material.

11. The clothesline system (100) as defined in claim 9 or 10, further including a hand- operated spring insertion tool (300), the hand-operated spring insertion tool (300) having a flexible curved body with an inner surface (304) that is longer than a length of the spring (176), the inner surface (304) of the hand-operated spring insertion tool (300) receiving and engaging the spring (176) when the spring (176) is curved inwards to create a spring preloading force prior to insertion of the spring (176) into the corresponding curved lateral slot (178).

12. The clothesline system (100) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein each clothespin (170) includes an elongated rearward-extending stem having a hook (174) by which the clothespin (170) is removably attached to the third cable (156).

13. The clothesline system (100) as defined in claim 12, wherein the clothespins (170) are attached on the third cable (156) with the hook (174) of successive clothespins (170) being oriented opposite one another.

14. The clothesline system (100) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein each clothespin (170) has a plane of symmetry extending in-between the opposite jaws (172).

15. The clothesline system (100) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 14, further including a clothesline elevator assembly (400) positioned between the main supporting frame (120) and a first supporting structure (126).

16. The clothesline system (100) as defined in claim 15, wherein the clothesline elevator assembly (400) includes a tube (402) extending between an upper bracket (404) and a lower bracket (406), the tube (402) being engaged by a movable carriage (410) to which the main supporting frame (120) is removably connected, the upper bracket (404) being preferably shorter than the lower bracket (406).

17. The clothesline system (100) as defined in claim 16, wherein the carriage (410) includes two vertically-spaced connection points for the main supporting frame (120).

18. The clothesline system (100) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 17, further including a hanger holder (500), the hanger holder (500) having a pair of spaced and parallel side walls (504) connected together at a common convex upper edge, the upper edge forming an inverted and substantially U-shaped inner channel (502) fitting over one of the cables (152, 154, 156) of the clothesline system (100), preferably the third cable (156), the hanger holder (500) including at least one opening (506) made across both side walls (504) to receive a hanger hook.

19. The clothesline system (100) as defined in claim 18, wherein the at least one opening (506) includes a tapered lower end.

20. A method of mounting a blade spring (176) inside each of the clothespins (170) of the clothesline system (100) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8, 18 and 19, each clothespin (170) having a clothesline body and a curved lateral slot (178) provided in the clothesline body, the method including:

inserting the blade spring (176) partially inside a hand-actuated spring insertion tool (300); curving the blade spring (176) until the blade spring (176) matches a curvature of the curved lateral slot (178) of the clothesline body;

partially inserting the blade spring (176) inside the curved lateral slot (178) while the blade spring (176) is held by the hand-actuated spring insertion tool (300); removing the hand-actuated spring insertion tool (300) from the blade spring (176) once the blade spring (176) is inside the curved lateral slot (178); and forcing the blade spring (176) fully inside the curved lateral slot (178), preferably by pressing on an opposite face of the clothespin body on a rigid work surface.