An ironing board with an improved caddy for an iron FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an ironing board, and in particular to a support for an iron which depends from the ironing board, commonly known as 'a caddy'.

PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority from:

Australian Provisional Patent Application 2011900998, titled "An ironing board with an improved caddy for an iron", and filed on 18 March 2011.

The entire content of this application is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND

Many ironing boards are fitted with a caddy for supporting the iron (and other items associated with iromng) when the iron is not in use.

One problem with many ironing board caddies is that, aside from being retractable with respect to the board for added storage convenience, the position of these with respect to the ironing board is fixed. This position can be inconvenient for some users.

A further problem is that a conventional iron is reasonably heavy, and many caddies do not provide a solid and stable support for the iron.

It is against this background that the problems and difficulties associated therewith that the present invention has been developed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention may be said to reside in an ironing board comprising a caddy for an iron which is movable along at least a portion of a periphery of the ironing board, and which is supported, at least in part, at or near the periphery of the board throughout at least a substantial portion of its range of movement.

In one form, the caddy depends from the ironing board.

In one form, the caddy is movable between positions extended and retracted with respect to the ironing board.

In one form, the ironing board comprises first and second ends and first and second sides, and the caddy's range of movement extends around the periphery of at least one end of the board from one side to the other.

In one form, the caddy is pivotably mounted with respect to the board at or near a proximal end thereof, and provides a rest for an iron at or toward a distal end thereof.

In one form, at least the rest for the iron extends beyond the periphery of the board when the caddy is its extended position with respect to the board.

In one form, at least the rest for the iron is inaccessible when the caddy is in its retracted position with respect to the board.

In one form, the caddy and the board each comprise means operatively associated to effect support of the extended caddy at or near the periphery of the board throughout the range of movement of the caddy.

In one form, the operatively associated support means comprise a caddy supporting carriage, and a track depending from the board on which the carriage runs.

In one form, the operatively associated support means are selectively engageable, the carriage engaging the track as the caddy is extended with respect to the board, and disengaging from the track as the carriage is retracted with respect to the board.

In one form, the ironing board comprises a collapsible leg assembly.

In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in an ironing board comprising a caddy for an iron which is movable around at least an end of the board and which is supported, at least in part, at or near a periphery of the board throughout at least a substantial portion of a range of movement thereof. In one form, the caddy is movable along at least a portion of a periphery of the ironing board.

In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a caddy for an iron adapted to depend from an ironing board so as to be movable around at least an end of the board, and which is supported, at least in part, at or near a periphery of the board throughout at least a substantial portion of a range of movement thereof.

In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a caddy for an iron adapted to depend from an ironing board so as to be movable between positions extended and retracted with respect to the ironing board, and movable along at least a portion of a periphery of the ironing board when extended, the caddy and the board each comprising means operatively associated to effect support of the caddy, at least in part, at or near the periphery of the board throughout the range of movement of the caddy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of this disclosure it will now be described with respect to one or more exemplary embodiments, which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ironing board, illustrating a caddy for an iron in an extended position with respect to the board;

Figure 2 is a detail view of the extended carry of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a detail view of the carry of Figure 1 in a retracted position with respect to the board;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the ironing board of Figure 1, illustrating the extended caddy positioned on a first side of the board;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the ironing board of Figure 1 , illustrating the extended caddy positioned on an opposite side of the board to that in Figure 4;

Figures 6 and 7 are views of the underside of the board in Figure 1 , illustrating the caddy in an extended position with respect to the board;

Figure 8 is an exploded view of the caddy, a hub and a mounting bracket for the caddy; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the caddy and hub illustrated in Figure 8; Figure 10 is a detail view of a caddy carriage engaging a track for the same;

Figure 1 1 is plan view of the ironing board, illustrating the caddy in an extended position with respect to the board;

Figure 12 is a plan view of the ironing board, illustrating the extended caddy positioned on a first side of the board; and

Figure 13 is a plan view of the ironing board, illustrating the extended caddy positioned on an opposite side of the board to that in Figure 12.

In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to Figure 1 , where there is illustrated an ironing board 1 (illustrated minus a table top surface and dress cover to aid visibility) comprising a table top 2 supported by legs 6 which are pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends, and connected to the table top 2 through transversely extending longitudinally spaced pivot pins.

These pins are mounted for relative movement toward and away from each other to permit adjustment of table top 2 height and to provide for collapse of the legs 6 for storage. One pivot pin may, for example, be mounted in a fixed location, and the other pivot pin may be slidably mounted and secured in any desired position by a latch (which is selectively controlled by a handle or by the effect of gravity incident to tilting of the table in setting it up or collapsing it.

The table top 2 has a periphery P and comprises first and second ends 2a and 2b and first and second sides 4a and 4b, and in this illustrative embodiment, is shaped so that one end 2b is wider and more rounded than the other 2a.

The ironing board further comprises a caddy 10 for an iron and a mounting 12 for the caddy 10. The caddy 10 comprises an arm 14 and a rest 16 for the iron, and the arm 14 bridges the mounting 12 and the rest 16. The caddy 10 has a 'home' position. When positioned in this home position the caddy 10 is permitted by its mounting 10 to slide in and out (i.e. extend and retract) with respect to the table top 2. In this illustrative embodiment, the home position orientates the caddy 10 so that a direction of elongation of the table top 2 and a direction of elongation of the caddy arm 14 are aligned, as illustrated in Figure 1.

In the retracted position the rest 16 is located beneath the table top 2, as illustrated in Figure 3. When extended, the rest 16 extends outward beyond the periphery P of the table top 2 to such an extent that it can support at least an iron, and optionally, other associated items, such as spray bottles, jugs, clothes hangers, spray starch etc,

The mounting 12 permits the caddy 10 to rotate and thereby move around the periphery P of the table top 2, and to slide in and out with respect to the table top 2 between its extended and retracted positions.

Referring now to Figure 8, where it can be seen that the mounting 12 comprises a generally circular hub 20 pivotably mounted by way of a bolted connection to a bracket 22 on an underside of the body of the table top 2 at a position toward the wider end 2b of the table top 2. The bracket 22 defines a space sized to receive the caddy 10 when this is in the home position. If any attempt is made to retract the caddy 10 when this in other than the home position, then the caddy 10 will foul against this bracket 22.

In this illustrative embodiment the caddy 10 comprises a frame 24 of small diameter steel bar with a stylised plastic cover 25. The arm 14 of the caddy 10 then is comprised of a pair of substantially parallel arm elements 26, each being a length of this small diameter steel bar.

The hub 20 is comprised of an upper portion 30 and a lower portion 32 between which the arm elements 26 of the caddy 10 are captured. The lower hub portion 32 comprises an upwardly extending boss 34, which passes through a circular aperture 36 in the upper hub portion 30. The bolt which secures the hub 20 to the bracket 22 passes through aligned holes in the boss 34 and the bracket 22.

The substantially parallel arm elements 26 extend either side of the hub boss 34 before being bridged behind this. In this way, the hub 20 forms a guide for the arm elements 26, where this guide permits the arm elements 26 to move with a sliding action with respect to the hub 20 until stopped by the bridging portion fouling against the boss 34. Similarly, when the caddy 10 is fully extended, the parallel arm elements 26 can pivot with the upper portion 30 of hub 20 to permit movement of the caddy 10 around the periphery P of the end 2b of the table top 2. The lower portion 32 of the hub 20 will remain fixed in place with the bracket 22 to help take the load of the caddy 10, and an iron positioned in the rest 16.

Referring now to Figure 6, where it can be seen how the ironing board 1 comprises a track 40 extending around the periphery P of the table top 2 at the wider end 2b thereof. In this illustrative embodiment, this track 40 takes the form of a lip extending inwardly from the periphery P of the table top 2 on the underside thereof.

With reference to Figure 8, it can be seen that the caddy 10 is equipped with a carriage 50 which extends upwardly from the arm 14 of the caddy 10 at a position toward where the arm 10 meets the rest for the iron 16. In this illustrative embodiment this carriage 50 comprises a carriage body with an outwardly projecting tab 52.

The carriage tab 52 of the caddy 10 travels along a guiderail as it is drawn outward from its retracted position to a position approaching its extended position, at which the point the carriage tab 52 leaves the guiderail and locates on the inwardly extending lip of the track 40.

The extended caddy 10 can then be moved around the periphery P of the end 2b of the table top 2, the tab 52 sliding along the inwardly extending lip of the track 40 as the carriage 50 is moved.

In this way, the caddy 10 is supported at a position near the rest 16 for the iron when the caddy 10 is in its extended position. This improves the stability and guidance of the extended caddy 10. What is more, the caddy 10 is similarly supported throughout its full range of movement along the periphery P of the wider end 2b of the table top 2.

Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words "comprise" and "include" and variations such as "comprising" and "including" will be · understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an

acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that various modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be understood to include all such modifications in its scope.