US20080173679A1

US20080173679A1 - Clothes hanger

Info

Publication number: US20080173679A1
Application number: US11/625,425
Authority: US
Inventors: Noah McNeely; Allison Guyton
Original assignee: Evercare Co
Current assignee: Evercare Co
Priority date: 2007-01-22
Filing date: 2007-01-22
Publication date: 2008-07-24
Also published as: EP1946683A2; CA2618291A1

Abstract

A clothes hanger having a shoulder bar with two spaced ends. An elongated pant bar having two ends is disposed between the shoulder bar so that one end of the pant bar is secured to one end of the shoulder bar, while the other end of the pant bar is secured to the other end of the shoulder bar. A hook is attached to the midpoint of the shoulder bar for mounting the hanger on a closet rod. The shoulder bar and pant bar each include at least one elongated airflow through slot which facilitates air circulation through the hanger.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a clothes hanger.
II. Description of the Material Art
Clothes hangers have long been used to hang shirts, sweaters, pants and other clothing in the closet. The previously known clothes hangers typically include an elongated shoulder bar having two downwardly extending legs which intersect each other at a midpoint. A hook is secured to the junction at the shoulder bar legs for hanging the hanger in a closet.
The previously known clothes hangers also typically include an elongated pant bar. One end of the pant bar is secured or attached to one end of the shoulder bar while, similarly, the other end of the pant bar is attached or secured to the other end of the shoulder bar.
The previously known clothes hangers have been made from a number of different materials, such as plastic, wood, and the like. Oftentimes, the clothes hanger is of a one-piece construction while, in other cases, the clothes hanger is formed from a number of different components which are assembled together.
Regardless of the material used to construct the clothes hanger, however, the previously known clothes hangers all use shoulder bars and pant bars having a solid construction. It was believed that such a solid construction was necessary for the overall strength of the clothes hanger.
One disadvantage of these previously known clothes hangers, however, is that the solid construction of both the shoulder bar, as well as the pant bar, inhibited the airflow through the hanger. Such an airflow, however, is advantageous when wet clothes are hung for drying as well as for deodorizing the clothes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a clothes hanger which overcomes all of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the previously known clothes hangers.
In brief, tie clothes hanger of the present invention comprises a shoulder bar having two spaced ends. Preferably, the shoulder bar includes two legs which obliquely intersect each other at a midpoint. A hook is then swivelly connected to the junction between the shoulder legs for hanging clothes on a rod or similar structure.
An elongated pant bar also has two ends. The pant bar extends between the ends of the shoulder bar and one end of the pant bar is connected to one end of the shoulder bar and, similarly, the other end of the pant bar is connected to the other end of the shoulder bar.
At least one of the shoulder bar and pant bar, and preferably both, include one or more elongated through slots. These through slots facilitate air circulation through the pant or shoulder bar to enhance drying of clothes on the clothes hanger, as well as air circulation for deodorizing the clothing.
A scent insert is also preferably connected to the shoulder bar at the junction of the two shoulder bar legs. This scent insert is preferably replaceable and enhances the overall scent of the clothes, as well as repelling insects, such as moths.
Preferably, the shoulder bar is made of a one-piece plastic construction and, similarly, the pant bar is also of a one-piece plastic construction for low cost, yet durable operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the present invention similar to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an elevational exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a view of circle 4A in FIG. 4 and enlarged for clarity;

FIG. 5 is an exploded bottom perspective view illustrating the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a view taken substantially along line 6-6 in FIG. 2 and enlarged for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the clothes hanger 10 of the present invention is shown. The clothes hanger includes a shoulder bar 12 having two elongated legs 14 and 16 which obliquely intersect each other at a junction 18. In doing so, the shoulder bar 14 includes two spaced-apart ends 20.
An elongated pant bar 22 having two ends 24 and 26 is disposed between the ends 20 of the shoulder bar 12. Furthermore, one end 24 of the pant bar 22 is secured to one end 20 of the shoulder bar 12 while, similarly, the other end 26 of the pant bar 22 is secured to the other end 21 of the shoulder bar 12. With reference now to FIGS. 4A, 5, and 6, although any means may be used to attach the ends 24 and 26 of the pant bar 22 to the ends 20 and 21 of the shoulder bar 12, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, an elongated pin 30 protrudes outwardly from each end 24 and 26 of the pant bar 22. As best shown in FIG. 4A, each pin 30 includes a central slot 32 which divides the pin 30 into two halves 34. A locking tang 38 protrudes outwardly from each half 34 and 36 while the slot 32 allows the pin halves 34 and 36 to flex towards each other.
As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a recess 40 is formed in each end 20 and 21 of the shoulder bar 12. This recess 40, furthermore, is dimensioned to receive the pin 30 in a snap fit. Upon insertion of the pin 30 into the socket 40, the locking tabs 38 flex outwardly into recesses 42 formed in the ends 20 and 21 of the shoulder bar 12, thus locking the shoulder bar and pant bar 22 together.
With reference now particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, a hook 50 is swivelly connected to the shoulder bar 12 by a conventional swivel connector 52. Preferably, the swivel connector 52 is mounted at a midpoint between the ends 20 and 21 of the shoulder bar 12 and thus, at the junction of the shoulder bar legs 14 and 16.
Still referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, an aromatic scent cartridge 60 is removably attached to the shoulder bar 12, preferably at the junction 18. The scent cartridge contains an aromatic material which freshens and deodorizes clothes hung on the hanger 10. Alternatively, the scent cartridge 60 may contain an insect repellant material, such as cedar scent, to repel insets, such as moths.
With reference now to FIGS. 3 and 5, at least one, and preferably several, elongated through slots 70 are provided through either the shoulder bar 12, the pant bar 22 or both. The through slots 70 extend longitudinally along the shoulder bar 12 and/or pant bar 22 and preferably contain two or more side-by-side through slots 70.
With reference again to FIGS. 1 and 2, as shown in FIG. 1, the through slots through the shoulder bar 12 and pant bar 22 increase the air circulation as indicated by arrows 80, through a sweater or top garment 82 hung on the hanger 10. This, in turn, facilitates drying of the garment 82, as well as maintaining a fresh aroma for the garment 82.
Similarly, when a pair of pants 84 is hung by the hanger 10 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the slots 70 through the pant bar 22 facilitate air flow into and through the pants 84, as shown by arrows 86. As before, this facilitates the drying of the pants 84, as well as maintaining the freshness of the pants 84.
Preferably, the shoulder bar 12, pant bar 22, and hook 50 are each of a one-piece plastic construction. Any conventional plastic material, such as polypropylene, maybe used.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides a simple and yet effective clothes hanger which is especially useful for facilitating drying of clothes on the hanger. Having described my invention, however, many modifications thereto will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviation from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A clothes hanger comprising

an elongated shoulder bar having two spaced ends,

an elongated pant bar having two ends, said pant bar extending between said shoulder bar and having one end secured to one end of said shoulder bar and its other end secured to the other end of said shoulder bar,

a hook attached to a midpoint of said shoulder bar,

wherein said shoulder bar and said pant bar define a generally triangular space between said shoulder bar and said pant bar,

wherein said shoulder bar and said pant bar each have a plurality of elongated air flow through slots, each air flow slot having two spaced apart ends and two spaced apart straight elongated sides, at least two of said slots being positioned in a side-by-side relationship in each of said pant bar and shoulder bar so that said slots extend longitudinally along both said shoulder bar and said pant bar, each air flow through slot forming an opening which is open to said generally triangular space to thereby enhance air circulation through said generally triangular space.

2-3. (canceled)

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said shoulder bar comprises two legs which intersect each other obliquely at a junction, said hook being attached to said shoulder bar at said junction.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said hook is swivelly mounted to said shoulder bar at said junction.

6-8. (canceled)

9. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said shoulder bar includes a socket at each end and wherein said pant bar includes a pin extending outwardly from each end, each said pin dimensioned to be slidably received in one of said sockets.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 and comprising a lock tab extending outwardly from each pin, each said lock tab dimensioned to be received in a recess in said socket.

11. The invention as defined in claim 1 and comprising a scent cartridge attached to said shoulder bar.