Suit hangers

A suit hanger includes a hook having a straight portion and a frame connected to the hook. The frame has an articulating section in a middle thereof, thereby allowing the frame to be folded at the articulating section along a pivotal axis that is at an angle with an extending direction of the straight portion of the hook.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to suit hangers, and more particularly to
 suit hangers of the type having a foldable neck to allow easy use.
 2. Description of the Related Art
 When using a suit hanger for hanging up a sweater or T-shirt that has a
 narrow neck hole, one of two shoulder portions of the suit hanger is
 firstly inserted into the neck hole and then the other. Yet, it is common
 that the hook of the suit hanger is stuck in the neck and thus difficult
 to complete insertion of the other shoulder portion into the neck hole. In
 addition, the neck hole might be permanently enlarged if the suit hanger
 is forcibly inserted into the neck hole. A method for avoiding such
 problems is to insert the suit hanger from a bottom hole of the sweater or
 T-shirt, yet it is troublesome. For a place for selling or display of
 clothes, frequent hanging up/taking off of the clothes onto/from suit
 hangers must be completed as soon as possible.
 The present invention is intended to provide suit hangers of the type
 having a foldable neck to mitigate and/or obviate the above problems.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved suit
 hanger having a neck that can be folded along an axis for easy insertion
 of shoulders of the suit hanger into the neck hole of a sweater or
 T-shirt. The suit hanger, including the neck and the shoulders, is made of
 metal (e.g., steel) and covered by resin to prevent falling of the sweater
 or T-shirt. Thus, the suit hanger can be used for knitwear. Alternatively,
 the suit hanger can be integrally formed from plastic material. A card
 with a trademark or manufacturer name thereon may be attached to the
 swivel hook of the suit hanger.
 Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become
 more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in
 conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 The invention will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 through 21.
 Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a suit hanger 10 in accordance
 with the present invention generally includes a frame 11 consisting of two
 shoulders 11a and 11b and a swivel hook 12. Each shoulder 11a, 11b
 includes a neck 14a, 14b extended from an inner end thereof, each neck
 14a, 14b having a distal end articulated at 13. In this embodiment, each
 neck 14a, 14b is pivotally mounted about a pintle section 12a (FIG. 1B) of
 the swivel hook 12. The pintle section 12a is at an angle (preferably
 45.degree.) with a straight portion 12b of the swivel hook 12. As
 illustrated in FIG. 1, the articulating section 13 formed by the necks 14a
 and 14b and the pintle 12a of the swivel hook 12 extends along a direction
 that is at an angle (preferably 45.degree.) with a horizontal plane. As a
 result, the necks 14a and 14b may pivot about the pintle section 12a of
 the swivel hook 12, i.e., shoulder 11a may be pivoted to a position shown
 in FIG. 2, thereby allowing easy insertion of the suit hanger into the
 neck hole 101 of upper wear 100 (FIG. 3). Next, shoulders 11a and 11b are
 returned to their straight positions for hanging up the upper wear 100.
 The frame 11 may be made of steel and covered by resin 15 (FIG. 1A) by
 means of immersing the frame 11 in a resin solution. Thus, the upper wear
 is less likely to slide down along the shoulders 11a and 11b, which is
 advantageous for knitwear. Removal of the suit hanger from the upper wear
 can be easily achieved by reversing the above steps. Undesired enlargement
 of the neck hole is thus avoided. The articulating section 13 of the suit
 hanger 10 is located in a center of the suit hanger 10 and thus avoids
 undesired swaying of the suit hanger when the suit hanger is in its
 extended status.
 Referring to FIGS. 5 through 8, a second embodiment of a suit hanger 20 in
 accordance with the present invention is made of plastic material and
 generally includes a frame 21 consisting of two shoulders 21a and 21b and
 a swivel hook 22. Each shoulder 21a, 21b includes a neck 24a, 24b extended
 from an inner end thereof, each neck 24a, 24b having a distal end
 articulated at 23. A pivotal axis of the articulating section 23 is at an
 angle (preferably 45.degree.) with a straight portion 22b (FIG. 8) of the
 swivel hook 22. In this embodiment, neck 24a has a pivotal member 25
 formed on the distal end thereof and neck 24b has a pivotal member 26
 formed on the distal end thereof. The swivel hook 22 is freely rotatably
 mounted to the pivotal member 26. The pivotal member 25 includes an
 annular groove 25a, a tapered engaging end 25b, and at least two slits 25c
 . The slits 25c extend in the tapered engaging end 25b and a bottom wall
 defining the annular groove 25a and provides resiliency, thereby allowing
 easy assembly of the pivotal member 26 to the pivotal member 25. The
 pivotal member 26 is hollow and includes an inner flange 26a so as to be
 snapped into the annular groove 25a (FIG. 7) with the tapered engaging end
 25b rotatably engaged in a complimentary compartment 26b in the pivotal
 member 26, thereby allowing relative pivotal movements between the pivotal
 members 25 and 26. An end wall 25d, 26c (FIG. 7) of pivotal member 25, 26
 may be omitted.
 By such an arrangement, shoulder 21a may be pivoted to a position shown in
 FIG. 6, thereby allowing easy insertion of the suit hanger into the neck
 hole of upper wear. Use of the suit hanger in this embodiment is identical
 to that in the first embodiment.
 Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a third embodiment of a suit hanger 30 in
 accordance with the present invention is made of plastic material and
 generally includes a frame 31 consisting of two shoulders 31 a and 31 b
 and a swivel hook 32. Each shoulder 31a, 31b includes a neck 34a, 34b
 extended from an inner end thereof. The necks 34a and 34b are
 interconnected by a bendable junction 34c therebetween. The junction 34c
 is a thin, flat member with a V-shape notch 34d defined in one side
 thereof to thereby form an articulating section 33 that has a pivotal axis
 at an angle (preferably 45.degree.) with a straight portion 32b (FIG. 9)
 of the swivel hook 32. The swivel hook 22 is integrally formed with the
 neck 34b.
 By such an arrangement, shoulder 31a may be pivoted to a position shown in
 FIG. 10, thereby allowing easy insertion of the suit hanger into the neck
 hole of upper wear. Use of the suit hanger in this embodiment is identical
 to that in the first embodiment.
 Referring to FIGS. 11 through 13, a fourth embodiment of a suit hanger 40
 in accordance with the present invention is made of plastic material and
 generally includes a frame 41 consisting of two shoulders 41a and 41b and
 a hook 42. Each shoulder 41a, 41b includes a neck 44a, 44b extended from
 an inner end thereof, each neck 44a, 44b having a distal end articulated
 at 43. A pivotal axis of the articulating section 43 is at an angle
 (preferably 45.degree.) with a straight portion 42b (FIG. 13) of the hook
 42. In this embodiment, neck 44a has a circular member 45a with a hole 48a
 formed on the distal end thereof and neck 44b has a circular member 45b
 with a hole 48b formed on the distal end thereof. The hook 42 includes a
 substantially U-shape member 46 formed on a distal end of the straight
 portion 42b thereof. The U-shape member 46 has two lateral walls (not
 labeled) for pivotally receiving the circular members 45a and 45b by means
 of extending a pin 47 through aligned holes 49 in the lateral walls of the
 U-shape member 46 and the holes 48a and 48b.
 By such an arrangement, shoulder 41a may be pivoted to a position shown in
 FIG. 12, thereby allowing easy insertion of the suit hanger into the neck
 hole of upper wear. Use of the suit hanger in this embodiment is identical
 to that in the first embodiment.
 Referring to FIGS. 14 through 16, a fifth embodiment of a suit hanger 50 in
 accordance with the present invention is made of steel and generally
 includes a frame 51 consisting of two shoulders 51a and 51b and a hook 52.
 As described in the first embodiment, the frame 51 may be covered by a
 layer of resin. Each shoulder 51a, 51b includes a neck 54a, 54b extended
 from an inner end thereof, each neck 54a, 54b having a horizontal
 extension 55a, 55b extended from a distal end thereof. The extensions 55a
 and 55b are articulated at 53. In this embodiment, the hook 52 includes a
 substantially U-shape member 56 formed on a distal end of a straight
 portion 52b thereof. The U-shape member 56 has two lateral walls (not
 labeled) defining a compartment therebetween for pivotally receiving the
 extensions 55a and 55b. Two pins 57 are provided to pivotally retain the
 extensions 55a, 56a (FIG. 16) in the compartment of the U-shape member 56.
 A pivotal axis of each extension 55a, 55b is at an angle (preferably
 45.degree.) with the straight portion 52b (FIG. 16) of the hook 52.
 By such an arrangement, shoulder 51a may be pivoted to a position shown in
 FIG. 15, thereby allowing easy insertion of the suit hanger into the neck
 hole of upper wear. Use of the suit hanger in this embodiment is identical
 to that in the first embodiment.
 Referring to FIGS. 17 through 20, a sixth embodiment of a suit hanger 60 in
 accordance with the present invention is made of plastic material and
 generally includes a frame 61 consisting of two shoulders 61a and 61b and
 a hook 62. Shoulder 61a includes an end that is articulated to an end of
 shoulder 61b at an articulating section 63. A pivotal axis of the
 articulating section 63 is parallel to an extending direction of a
 straight portion 62b (FIG. 18) of the hook 62. In this embodiment, the
 articulating section 63 includes a first half 63a on the shoulder 61a and
 a second half 63b on the shoulder 61b, the first half 63a and the second
 half 63b being interconnected by a thin, flat bendable section 63c (FIG.
 20) with a V-shape notch 63d defined in one side thereof.
 By such an arrangement, shoulder 61a may be pivoted to a position shown in
 FIG. 12, thereby allowing easy insertion of the suit hanger into the neck
 hole of upper wear. Use of the suit hanger in this embodiment is similar
 to that in the first embodiment, except for that the shoulders 61a and 61b
 may pivot horizontally to allow easier use. In addition, the first half
 63a has a protrusion 65a and the second half 63b has a groove 65b for
 releasably receiving the protrusion 65a (see FIGS. 19 and 20).
 FIG. 21 illustrates a modified embodiment of the suit hanger in accordance
 with the present invention, wherein a card 200 with a trademark or
 manufacturer name thereon is attached to the swivel hook 12. It is noted
 that the card 200 may be attached to any one of the hooks illustrated in
 all of the embodiments in accordance with the present invention.
 According to the above description, it is appreciated that the suit hangers
 in accordance with the present invention may be inserted into the neck
 hole of upper wear easily and removal of the suit hanger from the upper
 wear can be achieved easily by means of the articulating section located
 in a middle of the suit hanger frame. The suit hangers in accordance with
 the present invention may be made of plastic material or steel covered by
 a layer of resin to thereby prevent falling of the upper wear from the
 suit hangers, which is advantageous to knitwear. Manufacture of the suit
 hangers of plastic material can be accomplished at a lower cost.
 Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred
 embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications
 and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of
 the invention as hereinafter claimed.