Title:

Garment hangar system

United States Patent Application 20040182808

Kind Code:

A1

Abstract:

The present invention is a system for hanging garments. In one embodiment the system comprises first and second bracket members. The system further comprises a mounting member comprising a first end portion engaged with the first bracket member and a second end portion engaged with the second bracket member. The mounting member further comprises first and second outside surfaces and an upper surface. The first outside surface is substantially parallel to the second outside surface. Each of the first and second outside surfaces are perpendicular to the upper surface. The system further comprises a hangar member comprising a body portion adapted to receive the garment and an engagement portion adapted to engage with the mounting member. The engagement portion comprises an open engagement portion defined by first and second inside surfaces and an upper surface. The first inside surface is substantially parallel to the second inside surface. Each of the first and second inside surfaces are substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the engagement portion. Upon engagement of the hangar member with the mounting member, the upper surface of the engagement portion of the hangar member is engaged with the upper surface of the mounting member, and the first and second inside surfaces of the engagement portion of the hangar member are adjacent the first and second outside surfaces of the mounting member, respectively, thereby preventing the hangar member from substantial swinging inward and/or outward relative to the mounting member which reduces the tendency of a garment to slide or otherwise move relative to the hangar and entanglement with adjacent hangar members.

Inventors:

John Sr., Norris F. (Bourne, MA, US)

Application Number:

10/391738

Publication Date:

09/23/2004

Filing Date:

03/19/2003

Export Citation:

Click for automatic bibliography generation

Assignee:

NORRIS JOHN F.

Primary Class:

211/123

Other Classes:

211/105.1

International Classes:

A47B61/00; A47G25/06; A47G25/32; (IPC1-7): A47H1/02

View Patent Images:

Download PDF 20040182808

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Primary Examiner:

GIBSON, ROBERT W

Attorney, Agent or Firm:

STEVEN N. FOX, ESQ. (Sharon, MA, US)

Claims:

What is claimed:

1. A system for hanging garments comprising: (a) a first and second bracket members; (b) a mounting member comprising a first end portion engaged with said first bracket member and a second end portion engaged with said second bracket member, said mounting member comprising first and second outside surfaces and an upper surface; said first outside surface is substantially parallel to said second outside surface; each of said first and second outside surfaces are perpendicular to said upper surface; (c) a hangar member comprising a body portion adapted to receive the garment and an engagement portion adapted to engage with said mounting member, said engagement portion comprises an open engagement portion defined by first and second inside surfaces and an upper surface; said first inside surface is substantially parallel to said second inside surface; each of said first and second inside surfaces are substantially perpendicular to said upper surface of said engagement portion; and (d) whereby upon engagement of said hangar member with said mounting member said upper surface of said engagement portion of said hangar member is engaged with said upper surface of said mounting member and said first and second inside surfaces of said engagement portion of said hangar member are adjacent said first and second outside surfaces of said mounting member, respectively, thereby preventing said hangar member from substantial swinging relative to said mounting member.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first inside surface of said engagement portion of said hangar member is spaced from said second inside surface of said engagement portion.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said upper surface of said engagement portion of said hangar member is disposed at the uppermost portion of said first and second inside surfaces of said engagement portion.

4. The system of claim 4, wherein said mounting member further comprises a plurality of recess portions disposed along said upper surface.

5. The system of claim 5, wherein said recesses portions are substantially perpendicular to said mounting member.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second outside surfaces and said upper surface of said mounting member comprise a substantially solid material.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second outside surfaces and said upper surface of said mounting member comprise and are defined by a plurality of wire rods.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said mounting member is made from steel.

9. A hangar for use in hanging a garment on a mounting member, the hangar comprising: a body portion adapted to receive the garment and an engagement portion adapted to engage with the mounting member; said engagement portion comprises an open engagement portion defined by first and second inside surfaces and an upper surface; said first inside surface is substantially parallel to said second inside surface; each of said first and second inside surfaces are substantially perpendicular to said upper surface of said engagement portion.

10. The hangar of claim 6, wherein said first inside surface is spaced from said second inside surface and said upper surface is disposed at the uppermost portion of said first and second inside surfaces of said engagement portion.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] A variety of garment hanging systems have been developed that allow a person to hang garments, such as pants and shirts on a support member. For example, a well known and widely used system includes of a hangar that can be engaged with a wooden pole mounted within a closet. By way of further example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,800 discloses a hangar engageable with a hangar bar. Such conventional devices have several draw backs. By way of example only, such conventional systems allow the hangars to swing inward and outward relative to the hangar bar or wooden pole thereby causing garments such as pants to slide and become wrinkled, and adjacent hangars to become entangled during use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention is a system for hanging garments. In one embodiment, the system comprises first and second bracket members. The system further comprises a mounting member comprising a first end portion engaged with the first bracket member and a second end portion engaged with the second bracket member. The mounting member further comprises first and second outside surfaces and an upper surface. The first outside surface is substantially parallel to the second outside surface. Each of the first and second outside surfaces are perpendicular to the upper surface. The system further comprises a hangar member comprising a body portion adapted to receive the garment and an engagement portion adapted to engage with the mounting member. The engagement portion comprises an open engagement portion defined by first and second inside surfaces and an upper surface. The first inside surface is substantially parallel to the second inside surface. Each of the first and second inside surfaces are substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the engagement portion. Upon engagement of the hangar member with the mounting member, the upper surface of the engagement portion of the hangar member is engaged with the upper surface of the mounting member, and the first and second inside surfaces of the engagement portion of the hangar member are adjacent to the first and second outside surfaces of the mounting member, respectively, thereby preventing the hangar member from substantial swinging inward and/or outward relative to the mounting member which reduces the tendency of a garment to slide or otherwise move relative to the hangar and become wrinkled, and entanglement with adjacent hangar members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] The following detailed description of the invention will be more fully understood with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0004] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention showing a square shaped engagement portion of a hangar member mounted to a square shaped mounting member supported by mounting brackets;

[0005] FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the square shaped mounting member;

[0006] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the hangar member;

[0007] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing the square or orthogonally shaped engagement portion of the hangar member engaged with the square or non-orthogonally shaped mounting member;

[0008] FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view showing an obtuse shaped engagement portion of the hangar member engaged with an obtuse shaped mounting member;

[0009] FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing a triangular shaped engagement portion of the hangar member engaged with a triangular shaped mounting member; and

[0010] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention showing a square shaped engagement portion of a hangar member mounted about a square shaped series of open vinyl coated wires.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the system 10 of the present invention generally comprises a plurality of hangar members 14 engageable with a mounting member 12 such that the hangar members 14 are substantially, if not completely, prevented from swinging inward and outward from the longitudinal axis of the mounting member 12. The system 10 further comprises first and second bracket members 24 and 25 (only one is shown) adapted to support and mount the mounting member 12 to a surface such as a closet wall (not shown).

[0012] The first and second bracket members 24 and 25 each comprise a base portion 27 having a plurality of thru-holes or openings 26. The openings 26 are adapted to receive a conventional fastener such as a screw (not shown) to secure each base portion 27 to the closet wall (not shown). Each of the first and second bracket members 24 and 25 further comprise an engagement portion 20 which in the embodiment shown is a square shaped cavity 22 having sidewalls 23.

[0013] The mounting member 12 comprises a first end portion 16 engaged with the engagement portion 20 of the first bracket member 24 and a second end portion 18 engaged with the engagement portion 20 of the second bracket member 25 (not shown).

[0014] The mounting member 12 further comprises first and second outside surfaces 40 and 44, an upper surface 42, and a lower surface 48. The first outside surface 40 is substantially parallel to the second outside surface 44. Each of the first and second outside surfaces 40 and 44 are perpendicular to the upper surface 42. In the embodiment shown, the mounting member 12 is square shaped.

[0015] The hangar member 14 comprises a body portion 28 adapted to receive the garment (not shown) and an engagement portion 30 adapted to engage with the mounting member 12. The engagement portion 30 comprises an open engagement portion 32 defined by first and second inside surfaces 34 and 36, and an upper surface 38. The first inside surface 34 is substantially parallel to the second inside surface 36. Each of the first and second inside surfaces 34 and 36 are substantially perpendicular to the upper surface 38 of the engagement portion 30. In the embodiment shown, the open engagement portion 32 is square shaped.

[0016] Upon engagement of the hangar member 14 with the mounting member 12, the upper surface 38 of the engagement portion 30 of the hangar member 14 is engaged with the upper surface 42 of the mounting member 12, and the first and second inside surfaces 34 and 36 of the engagement portion 30 of the hangar member 14 are adjacent to the first and second outside surfaces 44 and 40 of the mounting member 12, respectively, thereby preventing the hangar member 14 from substantial swinging inward and/or outward relative to the mounting member 12 which reduces the tendency of a garment to slide or otherwise move relative to the hangar member 14 and become wrinkled, and entanglement with adjacent hangar members 14.

[0017] The mounting member 12 may further comprises a plurality of indentations or channels 46 continuously spaced along a portion or substantially the entire length of the mounting member 12. The channels 46 are adapted to engage with the upper surface 38 of the engagement portion 30 of the hangar member 14 to prevent lateral or side-to-side movement of the hangar member 14 along the mounting member 12 and entanglement with adjacent hangar members 14.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 5, wherein another embodiment of the invention, the system 10 may comprise an obtuse shaped engagement portion 30 of the hangar member 14 engaged with an obtuse shaped mounting member 12. The engagement portion 30 comprises an open engagement portion 32 defined by first and second inside surfaces 58 and 60, and an upper surface 62. Each of the first and second inside surfaces 58 and 60 are obtuse to the upper surface 38 of the engagement portion 30. In the embodiment shown, the open engagement portion 32 is obtuse shaped. The mounting member 12 comprises first and second outside surfaces 50 and 54, an upper surface 52, and a lower surface 56. Each of the first and second outside surfaces 50 and 54 are obtuse to the upper surface 52. In the embodiment shown, the mounting member 12 is obtuse shaped. Upon engagement of the hangar member 14 with the mounting member 12, the upper surface 62 of the engagement portion 30 of the hangar member 14 is engaged with the upper surface 52 of the mounting member 12, and the first and second inside surfaces 58 and 60 of the engagement portion 30 of the hangar member 14 are adjacent to and engaged with the first and second outside surfaces 54 and 50 of the mounting member 12, respectively, thereby preventing the hangar member 14 from substantial swinging inward and/or outward relative to the mounting member 12 and entanglement with adjacent hangar members 14.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 6, wherein another embodiment of the invention, the system 10 may comprise a triangular shaped engagement portion 30 of the hangar member 14 engaged with a triangular shaped mounting member 12. The engagement portion 30 comprises an open engagement portion 32 defined by first and second inside surfaces 72 and 74, and an apex portion 76. Each of the first and second inside surfaces 72 and 74 are obtuse to the apex portion 76. In the embodiment shown, the open engagement portion 32 is triangular shaped. The mounting member 12 comprises first and second outside surfaces 64 and 66, an upper apex portion 67, and a lower surface 68. Each of the first and second outside surfaces 64 and 66 are obtuse to the apex portion 67. In the embodiment shown, the mounting member 12 is triangular shaped. Upon engagement of the hangar member 14 with the mounting member 12, the apex portion 76 of the engagement portion 30 of the hangar member 14 is engaged with the apex portion 67 of the mounting member 12, and the first and second inside surfaces 72 and 74 of the engagement portion 30 of the hangar member 14 are adjacent to and engaged with the first and second outside surfaces 66 and 64 of the mounting member 12, respectively, thereby preventing the hangar member 14 from substantial swinging inward and/or outward relative to the mounting member 12 and entanglement with adjacent hangar members 14.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 7, wherein another embodiment of the invention the system 10, the quare shaped engagement portion of the hangar member 14 is mounted about the mounting member 12 and the first and second outside surfaces 40 and 44, upper surface 42, and lower surface 48 are defined by a plurality of vinyl coated wires.

[0021] The first and second bracket members 24 and 25 should be designed to safely withstand the structural load due to the weight of the garments on the mounting member 12. The first and second bracket members 24 and 25 may be made from a variety of materials such as steel, aluminum or plastic and formed by conventional casting, molding and/or machining processes. The mounting pole 12 should be designed to safely withstand the structural load due to the weight of the garments. The mounting pole 12 may be made from a variety of materials such as wood, aluminum or plastic and formed by conventional extrusion, molding and/or machining processes. The hangar member 14 should be designed to safely withstand the weight of a garment without any substantial twisting and/or deformation. The hangar member 14 may be made from a variety of materials such as plastic and formed by conventional molding and/or machining processes.

[0022] The foregoing description is intended primarily for purposes of illustration. This invention may be embodied in other forms or carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Modifications and variations still falling within the spirit or the scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art.

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