It is well known in the art to provide a versatile sports rack capable of storing bicycles, skis, golf bags, skates, and the like. Such a sports rack is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,505 (1991) to Spratt. Spratt teaches a horizontally arranged storage rack for bikes, surf boards, shoes, and the like. Skis can be hung vertically from a top horizontal bar. The entire apparatus is supported by a pair of floor to ceiling support rods. Vertical adjustment can be done with wing nut clamps riding on the main support rods. A bicycle body clamp to repair a bicycle projects to the side from a support rod.
Spratt requires a pair of floor to ceiling support rods for providing structural integrity. Thus, the Spratt device cannot be easily moved. Also, the Spratt device stores the items horizontally which uses up considerably more floor space than storing the same items vertically.
U.S. Pat. No. 907,171 (1908) to Knight discloses an inclined rack for golf clubs, umbrellas, brushes, and the like. Numerous ledges protrude from the single vertical inclined upright rod. Numerous loops also protrude above each ledge so that an umbrella could rest in a loop and a ledge below and rest in a perpendicular position. This is the closest known prior art. It does not teach adjustable slots, a bike brace, nor a ski bracket. The Knight device does not have rollers for ease of transport along the ground. Indeed, the Knight device is not designed as a heavy sports equipment storage rack. Rather, it is designed primarily as an umbrella stand.
There is an unmet need in the marketplace for a vertical storage device like Knight which can vertically store similar heavy sports equipment as does Spratt. The present vertical sports rack is a hybrid between Knight and Spratt. Other unique features of the vertical sports rack not taught by either Knight or Spratt include a plurality of vertical grooves functioning to provide versatile placement of each support brace.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds