Apparel apparatus – Garment hangers – Coat or dress
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-28
2001-09-25
Mohanty, Bibhu (Department: 3765)
Apparel apparatus
Garment hangers
Coat or dress
C223S089000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293443
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of garment hangers. More particularly, this invention pertains to a foldable hanger that allows a garment to be folded in half along the centerline of the backside of the garment for transporting the garment in a compact luggage piece when travelling. When removed from the luggage piece, the hanger can be unfolded and used to support the garment on a standard hanger rod or pole in a manner similar to a conventional hanger.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Travelers often desire to travel light, carrying with them as few pieces of luggage as possible. It is also desirable for travelers on airplanes to avoid delays associated with checking-in luggage before their flight and retrieving luggage after their flight by stowing their items in the carry-on luggage.
In addition to carrying standard luggage, business travelers are often burdened with the additional need to carry a separate garment bag to transport easily wrinkled items of clothing, such as suits. Such garment bags pose numerous disadvantages for travelers attempting to travel light and avoid delays. One such disadvantage is that garment bags are usually relatively large since they are designed to hold garments generally unfolded. Thus, when attempting to use a garment bag as carry-on luggage while traveling on an airplane, it is often necessary to forcibly compact the garment bag into an overhead compartment. However, compacting the garment bags in this manner has a tendency to wrinkle the garments being transported. Furthermore, airlines are increasingly placing restrictions on the allowable size of carry-on luggage, thereby requiring passengers to check-in larger pieces luggage such as garment bags, which inevitably causes delays for many travelers. Another disadvantage associated with conventional garment bags is that they are typically non-rigid and therefore unsuited for being provided with towing wheels as have become increasing desirable to travelers. Thus, garment bags are often burdensome since travelers can not tow such luggage, but rather must carry the luggage by hand or support the luggage on their shoulder.
As an alternative to using a garment bag, some travelers prefer to fold their garments in a manner suitable for stowing in a conventional piece of carry-on luggage. However, it is often difficult to fold garments, such as suits, in a manner that prevents wrinkling. Additionally, it is often burdensome for travelers to remove the garments from the luggage and place those garments back on hangers when the traveler reaches his or her destination.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior art devices used to transport garments by providing a foldable hanger that allows various garments such as suits, shirts, and blouses to be quickly folded into a compact dimension small enough to be transported securely in a standard piece of carry-on luggage. Thus, no additional burdensome garment bag is needed for traveling. The foldable hanger of this invention also allows a traveler to quickly unpack such garments by simply hanging the invention on a conventional hanger rack or rod and unfolding the hanger.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foldable hanger of the present invention is configured to support a typical garment in a conventional manner on shoulder support members and to quickly allow the garment to be folded in half along the centerline of its backside, bringing the shoulder portions of the garment together. The lower portion of the garment can then be folded horizontally over itself several times, making the garment compact enough to be stowed in a typical piece of carry-on luggage. When unpacking the stowed garment, the invention can be hung on a conventional hanger rack or rod unfolded, without having to remove the garment from the hanger.
In general, the foldable hanger of the present invention comprises two pivotally coupled shoulder support members and a hook for hanging the invention on a conventional hanger rack or rod. With the exception of being pivotally attached to each other, the two shoulder support members are similar in size and configuration to the opposite ends of common conventional hangers of the type used to support garments from the shoulder portions or shoulder straps of the garment.
The preferred embodiment of the foldable hanger of the present invention comprises a main body portion, the hook, the two shoulder support members, and a trouser support member. The hook, shoulder support members, and trouser member are all attached to the main body portion for pivoting movement relative to the main body portion. The trouser support member of the garment hanger of the preferred embodiment is generally triangular in shape and is attached only to the top of the main body such that a gap is formed between a vertical edge of the trouser support member and the main body. The gap is open from below to allow a portion of a garment to be passed from beneath the garment hanger upwardly through the opening and into the gap when placing the garment on the shoulder support members. Additionally, the foldable garment hanger of the preferred embodiment is configured such that the shoulder support members and the trouser support member can all be folded to adjacent positions overlapping each other while supporting both trousers and a garment such as a suit coat. As the shoulder support members of the hanger are folded toward each other on opposite sides of the trouser support member, the vertical edge of the trouser support member engages the middle of the garment's backside to hold the middle of the garment adjacent the main body of the hanger, thereby facilitating the folding of the garment suspended on the shoulder support members. Finally, the preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes a hook that is pivotally attached to the main body where it can be used to support the hanger and garments on a conventional hanger rack or rod with the shoulder support members spread apart.
While the principle advantages and features of the present invention have been described above, a more complete and thorough understanding and appreciation for the invention may be attained by referring to the drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which follow.
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Howell & Haferkamp LC
Mohanty Bibhu
TRG Accessories LLC
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