Dual Position, Vertically Adjustable Garment Hanger

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Number U.S. 63/681,816, filed 2024 Aug. 10 by the present inventor.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field Of Invention

The present invention relates to garment hangers, specifically to such garment hangers that can be adjusted vertically for easy, single-handed storage and access of apparel or fashion accessories from below.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior Art

Common garment hangers are often used to support clothing in a raised position along a horizontal rod, such as those typically found in a closet. Common garment hangers typically consist of a unitary, fixed structure that is hung from the horizontal rod via a supporting hook. Common garment hangers store garments at a standard height in relation to one another. When all garments are stored on the same horizontal support rod, the width of the storage space within the closet is limited. For many individuals living in older homes, the only way to expand apparel storage space in existing closets is to add a second horizontal support rod above the original. While providing additional apparel storage, standard garment hangers can be difficult to reach. Indeed, people of short stature, children, handicapped, or otherwise injured individuals may have difficulty reaching for a garment hanger hung on a horizontal support rod at a more traditional height. While individuals can utilize a step ladder or chair to reach the garment, this poses an inconvenience and a potential safety hazard. There is a need for a dual position, vertically adjustable garment hanger to allow aforementioned individuals to store garments out of reach and access their apparel or fashion accessories easily from below.

Vertically adjustable garment hangers exist in prior art; however, these devices often have expensive components, locking mechanisms that are difficult to reach from below, don't support one-handed operation, or include many interchangeable components that require time and effort to reconfigure.

Several types of vertically adjustable hangers have been proposed, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 157,155 to Howsey (2015) uses a spring-biased spool to allow the garment to be raised and lowered, but these can be an expensive and a difficult to use component. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 157,155 as well as U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,190 to Mole (1974), 2,151,621 to Silverman (1939), and 9,993,100 to Tucker (2018) force the user to reach all the way up to the hanger body or, in some cases, pull the garment off the hanger body while it is still out of reach. This could be potentially damaging to delicate fabrics, the hanger, or, indeed, the horizontal rod. Additionally, the interface of U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,621 is frictional and heavier apparel items would be unlikely to remain at the higher level for long term storage.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,838 to Campbell (1987) allows for the use of multiple hangers spaced vertically but unmoving, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,237 to Timbrook (1999) in which the hanger body can be configured to different heights by using an assortment of different hooks. Regardless of which hook is chosen, the end user must always be able to reach the hanger body to select a new hook to raise or lower their apparel or fashion accessory. Hanging it from the lowest hook to push the hanger up and out of the way for storage could be difficult, as well as pulling it down again from below.

Other types of vertically adjustable hangers exist that require a two-hand operation such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,009,522 to Hunter (1911). It would be very difficult to raise and lower the hanger body without holding the rope taught while doing so. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,233 to Brickhouse (1986) shows a hanger which is accessible from below, but must be removed from the horizontal bar to lower the hanger body, which would be arduous for a user with only one arm or hand to hold the hanger while removing apparel.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,248 to Frassinelli (2006) allows for the hanger body to be in multiple positions, but it must be reconfigured for this change, and considerable pressure is needed to pull the hanger body down once it has been set to the higher level.

It is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequentially it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing garment hangers. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills these needs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Objects and Advantages

The present invention requires no interchangeable components and can be stored in a retracted position, or can be easily extended to lower the hanger body for convenient access to apparel or fashion accessories from below, with no structural changes. The dual position, vertically adjustable garment hanger can support the storage of heavier apparel or fashion accessories. The locking mechanism is located for easy access below the hanger body near the bottom of the slider, and can be disengaged and engaged with one hand. The present invention is simple to use, and does not require any complicated or expensive components.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a dual position, vertically adjustable garment hanger can be suspended from a horizontal supporting rod that is, for any number of reasons, out of reach of the user. The apparel or fashion accessory item supported by the hanger body can be lowered from below for convenient access, and then easily returned to its retracted storage position using only one hand.

DRAWINGS

Figures

The figures of the drawings are briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a dual position, vertically adjustable garment hanger according to the present invention in a fully extended position for easy apparel or accessory access by user.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a dual position, vertically adjustable garment hanger according to the present invention with the two-part locking mechanism engaged for compact storage of an apparel or accessory item.

DRAWINGS

Reference Numerals

• 109 dual position, vertically adjustable garment hanger
• 110 supporting hook
• 111 curved upper end
• 112 lower end
• 113 slider
• 114 hanger body
• 115 member of a two-part locking mechanism
• 116 additional member of a two-part locking mechanism

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2

Preferred Embodiment

References are made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the dual position, vertically adjustable garment hanger. For the purposes of representing a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as hung on a horizontal supporting rod in a closet. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to the FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a side view of a dual position, vertically adjustable garment hanger (109) which comprises a hanger body (114) pictured as a simplified hanger shape, while it is understood that other forms and methods of clothing/accessory attachment may be used. Additionally pictured is a curved upper end (111) and a lower end (112) that terminates at a member of a two-part locking mechanism (115). The curved upper end (111) of a supporting hook (110) is pictured as a hook shape that is uncommon to garment hangers, and it is understood that other contours may be used. The lower end (112) of the supporting hook (110) is pictured attached to the member of a two-part locking mechanism (115). The method of attachment will determine if the curved upper end (111) of the supporting hook (110) is held rigid or allowed to rotate freely. The lower end (112) of the supporting hook (110) functions as a guide inside a slider (113) where the slider (113) can be of any functioning length. An additional member of a two-part locking mechanism (116) is attached to the approximate end of the slider (113) farthest from the hanger body (114).

The member of a two-part locking mechanism (115) and the additional member of a two-part locking mechanism (116) form the locking mechanism in FIGS. 1 and 2, which is an exemplar of a two-part locking mechanism that allows for easy single-handed use. Other embodiments may use another type of two-part locking mechanism to hold the hanger body (114) securely in a retracted position.

OPERATION OF INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2

FIG. 1: When the member of a two-part locking mechanism (115) is disengaged with the additional member of a two-part locking mechanism (116), the hanger body (114) is extended a distance below the horizontal supporting rod for easy user access from below.

FIG. 2: When the member of a two-part locking mechanism (115) is engaged with the additional member of a two-part locking mechanism (116), the hanger body (114) is raised and held in proximity below the horizontal supporting rod for out-of-the-way storage.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATION, AND SCOPE

Thus the reader will see that the present invention provides a convenient solution for hard-to-reach apparel or fashion accessory storage. When the garment hanger is retracted and the hanger body is locked in a storage position, the locking mechanism is easily reachable from the bottom of the slider, below the hanger body, and can be raised and lowered with one hand. Expanding or retracting the garment hanger also conveniently requires no complicated change to the structure of the hanger.

While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, the slider can be of different lengths for various uses and the shape of the hanger body can be customized for many different types of apparel or fashion accessories. Also, as pictured the curved upper end of the supporting hook is shaped to aid in the ease of pushing the hanger body up for storage, but many other shapes can provide the same benefit. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

It is therefore submitted that this invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only on the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.