Abstract:
A foldable garment hanger has shoulder support members that can be folded together while supporting a garment thereon. The foldable hanger allows the garment to be quickly folded in half about the centerline of the backside of the garment where the garment can then be folded horizontally one or more times so as to fit into a conventional carry-on baggage. The foldable hanger is further provided with a hook configured such that a traveler can unpack and unfold the garment by simply hanging the foldable hanger on a conventional hanger rod or hook and unfolding the shoulder support members of the invention. When unfolded, the invention can be used in a manner similar to a conventional garment hanger.

Description:
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&#39;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. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a the preferred embodiment of a foldable garment hanger of the invention shown in an unfolded/extended position. 
     FIG. 2 is a detailed partial view of the foldable garment hanger as shown in FIG. 1, showing the top of the main body. 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of the main body of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the main body of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the main body of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of a shoulder support member of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the trouser support member of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the hook of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown supporting a suit coat in a folded manner against an inner compartment of a piece carry-on luggage. 
    
    
     References and characters in the written specification indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiment of the foldable garment hanger  20  is shown in FIG. 1 in an extended/unfolded position and is generally comprised of a main body  22 , two shoulder support members  24 , a trouser support member  26 , and a hook  28 . 
     The main body  22  is preferably formed of a single piece of generally rigid polymeric or acetate resin and serves as a foundation for the other various components of the invention. As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the main body  22  has opposite top  30  and bottom  32  surfaces and opposite front  34  and back  36  portions. A first pair  38  and second pair  40  of blind holes are formed in both the top  30  and bottom  32  surfaces of the main body. Each pair of blind holes comprises a blind hole extending downwardly from the top surface  30  into the main body  22  and a corresponding co-axial blind hole extending upwardly from the bottom surface  32  into the main body. The first  38  and second  40  pairs of blind holes are preferably centered in the main body  22  between the front  34  and back  36  portions of the main body  22  as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. 
     The preferred embodiment of the main body  22  also has an upper ridge  42  that projects upwardly from the top surface  30  adjacent the front portion  34  of the main body and a corresponding lower ridge  44  that projects downwardly from the bottom surface  32  adjacent the front portion of the main body. Additionally, a hook hole  46  extends vertically through the main body  22  from the top of the upper ridge  42  to the bottom of the lower ridge  44  adjacent the front portion  34  of the main body. A similar rear hole  48  extends vertically through the main body  22  from the top surface  30  to the bottom surface  32  adjacent the back portion  36  of the main body. Both the hook hole  46  and the rear hole  48  are preferably positioned between the first  38  and second  40  pairs of blind holes and both have semi-spherical countersinks  50 ,  51  extending upwardly into the main body  22  forming bottom portions of the holes  46 , 48 . In addition to the features described above, the main body  22  preferably has an upper pair of semi-spherical detents  52  extending upwardly from the top surface  30  of the main body and a corresponding lower pair of detents  54  extending downwardly from the bottom surface  32 . Finally, a plurality of decorative holes and indentations  56  extend into the main body  22  to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the foldable hanger  20 . 
     The preferred embodiment of the foldable hanger  20  comprises two identical shoulder support members  24  as shown in FIG.  6 . Each of the shoulder support members  24  is preferably comprised of a structural wire member  58 , made of metal or other suitable materials, and a coarse textured cladding  60  molded around a portion of the wire member. The wire member  58  is formed with a curved upper portion  62  and an end turn that turns abruptly to a horizontal lower portion  64 . Additionally, the wire member  58  has collinear opposite ends  66  that extend vertically toward each other. The opposite ends each have a length that is less than the depth of the first  38  and second  40  pairs of blind holes in the main body  22 . The distance between the opposite ends  66  of the wire member  58  is slightly less than the length of the main body  22  between its top  30  and bottom  32  surfaces. The resilience of the wire member  58  enables the opposite ends  66  to be pulled apart from each other and then to return to their relative positions shown in FIG. 6 when the pulling force is removed. The curved upper portion  62  of each of the shoulder support members  24  is shaped similar to a conventional hanger for supporting a shoulder portion of a garment thereon, and the coarse textured cladding  60  partially encases each of the shoulder support members  24  and functions to prevent garments from sliding off the shoulder support members  24 . Additionally, the cladding  60  is preferably formed with a plurality of grooves  68  to further reduce slippage and to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the foldable hanger  20 . 
     The trouser support member  26  of the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, is similar in construction to the shoulder support members  24 . Like the shoulder support members  24 , the trouser support member  26  has a structural wire member  70  and a cladding  72 . However, the wire member  70  has only a single free end  74 , which extends straight downward and terminates with a threaded portion  76  thereon. The remainder of the wire member  70  preferably extends perpendicularly away from the upper most portion of the free end  74  and then preferably forms a loop comprising a curved upper portion  78  that is connected through an end turn to a horizontal lower portion  80  which is connected through a corner to a vertical portion  82  which intersects the upper portion. The trouser support member  26  is preferably welded or otherwise secured at the intersection of the vertical portion  82  with the upper portion  78  of the wire member to close the loop and prevent undesirable resilient movement of the lower portion  80  of the trouser support member. Unlike the shoulder support members  24  described above, the lower portion  80  of the trouser support member  26 , rather than the upper portion  78 , is configured to support a garment, in this case trousers. However, like the shoulder support members  24 , the trouser support member  26  preferably has a coarse textured cladding  72  with a plurality of grooves  84  encasing a portion of the wire member  70  to prevent the slippage of the garments therefrom. Additionally, the trouser support member  26  preferably has an aesthetically attractive cap  86 , formed of material such as that of the cladding  72 , that is formed around the intersection of the vertical portion  82  with the upper portion  78  of the trouser support member  26  to conceal the weld described above. 
     The hook  28  of the preferred embodiment of the foldable hanger  20  is shown in FIG.  8  and is preferably formed of a single piece of wire similar to the wire used to form the shoulder  24  and trouser  26  support members. The hook  28  has an upper end  88  that is preferably shaped similar to a hook on a conventional hanger and is configured to be removeably attached to a conventional hanger rack or rod such as found in a closet for supporting the foldable hanger  20  and garments thereon. Additionally, the hook  28  of the preferred embodiment has an opposite, straight lower end  90  that terminates with a threaded portion  92 . The length of the lower end  90  is slightly larger than the length of the main body  22  between its upper  42  and lower  44  ridges. 
     As mentioned above, the various components of the preferred embodiment of the foldable hanger  20  are united by the main body  22  as shown in FIG.  1 . To pivotally attach the shoulder support members  24  to the main body  22 , the opposite ends  66  of one of the shoulder support members  24  are resiliently deflected away from each other until the top  30  and bottom  30  surfaces of the main body can be positioned between the opposite ends of the shoulder support member. The opposite ends  66  of the shoulder support member  24  are then aligned with the first pair of blind holes  38  and allowed to resiliently move toward each other into the first pair of blind holes. The other shoulder support member  24  is attached to the main body  22  in a similar manner but in the second pair of blind holes  40 . It is important to note that the main body  22  is configured such that the distance between the top surface  30  and the bottom surface  32  of the main body prevents the opposite ends  66  of the shoulder support members  24  from completely returning to their relative undeflected positions such that the upper  62  and lower  64  portions of the shoulder support members  24  exert a residual compression force on the top and bottom surfaces of the main body. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the trouser support member  26  is pivotally attached to the main body  22  by passing the straight, free end  74  of the trouser support member through the rear hole  48  of the main body from above the main body. A standard ball nut (not shown) is then threaded onto the threaded portion  76  of the free end  74  of the trouser support member  26  from below the main body  22 . Once assembled, the ball nut engages the semispherical countersink  51  of the rear hole  48  of the main body  22  to prevent the removal of the trouser support member  26  from the main body. When the trouser support member  26  is attached to the main body  22  as shown in FIG. 1, a gap  94  is formed between the vertical portion  82  of the trouser support member  26  and the back portion  36  of the main body  22 . An opening  96  at the bottom of the gap  94  is configured to allow a portion of a garment to be passed up through the opening and into the gap from beneath the foldable hanger  20 . 
     Finally, the hook  28  of the preferred embodiment is pivotally attached to the main body  22  in a manner similar to the trouser support member  26 . The lower, straight end  90  of the hook is inserted through the hook hole  46  of the main body from above, and a ball nut (not shown) is threaded onto the threaded portion  92  of the lower end of the hook. Like the assembly of the trouser support member  26 , once assembled, the ball nut engages the semispherical countersink  50  of the hook hole  46  to prevent removal of the hook  28  from the main body  22 . 
     When the foldable hanger  20  of the preferred embodiment is assembled as described above, the shoulder support members  24  can be pivoted about the vertical axis of the main body  22  to an open position where they extend in generally opposite directions from each other, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this unfolded/extended position, the upper portion  62  of each of the shoulder support members  24  rest between the upper pair of detents  52  and the upper ridge  42  of the main body  22 . Likewise, the lower portion  64  of each of the shoulder support members  24  rest between the lower pair of detents  54  and the lower ridge  44  of the main body  22 . As shown in the detailed view of FIG. 2, the upper  42  and lower  44  ridges are positioned on the main body  22  where they will prevent the shoulder support members  24  from rotating about the main body past the unfolded/extended position toward the front portion  34  of the main body. Additionally, the upper  52  and lower  54  pairs of detents are positioned on the main body  22  where they prevent the shoulder support members  24  from freely rotating towards the back portion  36  of the main body without exerting a force sufficient to deflect the opposite ends  66  of each of the shoulder support members away from each other so as to allow the shoulder support members to pass over the upper and lower pairs of detents. Thus when the foldable hanger  20  of the preferred embodiment is extended/unfolded, a suit coat or other garment can be placed on the foldable hanger by positioning a portion of the garment in the gap  94  between the main body  22  and the trouser support member  26 , with the backside of the garment facing away from the main body and with the shoulder portions of the garment supported on the shoulder support members  24  in a conventional manner. Alternatively, the garment can be hung over the shoulder support members  24  on the opposite side of the main body  22  from the trouser support member  26 . The hook  28  can then be used to suspend the garment from a standard hanger pole or rod. Additionally, trousers can simultaneously be placed on the lower portion  30  of the trouser support member  26  and supported thereon in a conventional manner. 
     When desired, the invention can be used to compactly fold the garments supported on the hanger  20  for traveling. In the preferred embodiment, this is done by folding the shoulder support members  24  of the foldable hanger  20  toward each other by exerting a force sufficient to pass the shoulder support members over the upper and lower  54  pairs of detents extending from the main body  22  as described above. When doing so, the vertical portion  82  of the trouser support member  26  engages the backside of the garment supported on the shoulder support members  24  and acts to facilitate folding the garment in half about the centerline of the backside of the garment. When the foldable hanger  20  is completely folded, the shoulder portions of the garment are adjacent to each other with the trouser support member  26 , and any trousers, suspended thereon therebetween. The lower portion of the garment supported on the shoulder support members  24  and any trousers supported on the trouser support member  26  can then be folded horizontally upward one or two times as required to further reduce the dimensions of the folded garments such that they may be placed within a standard piece of carry-on luggage as shown in FIG.  9 . 
     In conjunction with the invention, an optional garment sleeve (not shown) specifically configured for use with a foldable hanger of the invention can be placed over the garments to protect the garments when traveling. The garment sleeve is similar to conventional garment sleeves or bags which are configured to drape over a garment on a hanger and which have an opening through which hanger hooks can be extended. Unlike conventional prior are garment sleeves that generally slope down towards opposite vertical sides from the centrally positioned hook opening at the top of the garment sleeve, the sleeve preferably used with the invention has a hook opening positioned adjacent the top of one vertical side of the garment sleeve and slopes downward toward an opposite vertical side of the sleeve to accommodate a garment supported on a folded hanger in accordance with the invention. Additionally, the garment sleeve preferably used with the invention has a rectangular, semi-rigid backing sheet attached adjacent a lower portion of the garment sleeve that can be utilized to facilitate folding of the lower portions of the garments horizontally upward. The backing sheet also acts to prevent such garments from moving within luggage when traveling. 
     Although the invention has been described above in reference to the preferred embodiment, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments and numerous alternative embodiments or changes to these embodiments could be made without departing from the scope of the invention. As an example, in an alternative embodiment the trouser support member could be formed as an integral protrusion of the main body or could even be eliminated altogether. Additionally, neither the trouser support member nor the hook need be pivotally attached to the main body. In yet another alternative embodiment, one skilled in the art could fashion a foldable hanger in accordance with the invention wherein the various components of such a hanger are directly attached to each other without utilizing a main body or separate foundation. Furthermore, various configurations of shoulder support members and trouser support members are known in the art and various configurations and materials could be used in place of those described above. Likewise, various components could be pivotally attached by numerous means known in the art such as by using flexible material in place of articulating joints. 
     Thus it should be clear that modifications and variations of the invention could be made without departing from the scope of the invention which should be considered as being limited only by the scope of the claims and their equivalents.