Abstract:
An undergarment hanger suspending by a hanger or hook; thin and dual sided receiving pouches with side access openings for storing a wide range and sizes of undergarment clothing, accessories, and swimsuits. In addition, the shape of the undergarment hanger reduces creases and dimples formed on the stored article of clothing and the like. Fabric or other material may be provided adjacent the top, bottom and side access openings to rigidize the undergarment receiving pouches.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/206,603, filed Feb. 2, 2009. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a garment hanger storage and, more particularly, to an undergarment hanger for storing undergarments of numerous types in compartments, pockets, or pouches while hanging in a closet, on a hook, or a door knob and the like. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The availability of adequate storage space for personal undergarment items in the home has been a constant problem. Such items are commonly stored on a hanger, in a dresser drawer, in drawer boxes, in a laundry room, or in bathrooms. Undergarments require considerable space in a dresser drawer or other locale and are difficult to maintain in an organized state. Further, the unique storage requirements of bras to maintain their shape render typical clothing storage locations and methods ineffective. 
         [0004]    Several methods have been developed in the past in an effort to solve the continual problem of storing such undergarments. Undergarment items have been stored in boxes, bins or other containers, and in other manners. None of the known techniques of undergarment storage like the bra box and panty box and a barrel organizer have the combined desired objective of creating additional storage space with an economical system, which can hook onto a horizontal structure, such as a closet rod, door knob, or a hook. 
         [0005]    Known storage systems are bulky and take up valuable space where positioned and do not provide the high degree of undergarment organization and protection which is desirable. Many known storage systems inconveniently require assembly, or tools and the drilling of holes in walls or other structures for installation. These storage systems take up valuable drawer, shelf or floor space in a room. They do not allow several undergarment items to be stored hanging in a central location. Furthermore, these storage systems require rummaging through barrels, boxes, baskets or drawers to locate an undergarment item, causing undergarment and their matching sets to separate or be misplaced. For these and other reasons, it is desirable to provide an improved undergarment organizer storage system capable of effectively and economically storing and protecting personal undergarment items and the like while hanging on an existing structure. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present invention to provides an undergarment hanger having a hook and a support body, which can easily hang on a rod, door knob, or hook, or other suitable structure. In its vertical hanging position, the undergarment hanger of the present invention presents unique separate storage compartments, pockets, or pouches, which are sloped downwardly and inwardly and are accessible from either side of the undergarment hanger. Each individual storage compartment may be rigidized to provide easy access and to prevent undesired damage to undergarment items during support and storage. 
         [0007]    The undergarment hanger of the present invention may be collapsed and folded for compact transportation and storage when not hanging on a closet rod or other like locations. Each of the compartments of the undergarment hanger neatly supports one or more undergarment items in an organized and visible manner, while hanging in a closet or on another suitable structure. The undergarment hanger may be easily hung from a built in hanger or hook that requires no tools or other fasteners for hanging. The invention is intended to store countless types of undergarments, such as, for example, personal undergarment clothing items; bras, bra pads, bra straps, bra jewelry, underwear, hosiery, socks and other like undergarments and undergarment accessories. 
         [0008]    The undergarment hanger of the present invention is slender and takes minimal space and reduces the possibility of misplacing or losing undergarments and their coordinating undergarment accessories. It may store from small sized fitting undergarments to larger sized fitting undergarments efficiently utilizing limited closet space and the like. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view, of the undergarment hanger of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a back elevational view, of the undergarment hanger of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the undergarment hanger of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed configuration for transport and storage. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the undergarment hanger of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring to the figures, an undergarment hanger of the present invention is generally designated by reference numeral  2 , and which may be attached in hanging relationship in a closet or other structure. As will be apparent the undergarment hanger  2  is generally collapsible along its vertical axis as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  for compact transport and storage when not in use. 
         [0014]    Undergarment hanger  2  includes a compartment storage body  4  having a continuous base panel  6  fabricated from a suitable material, such as, for example, vinyl, duck cloth, nylon and the like. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a first side  3  of undergarment hanger  2  includes a plurality of compartments or pouches with a sweet-heart shape  8 . Although three compartments  8  are illustrated, the number of compartments shown is for demonstrative purposes only and the present invention is not so limited. Other configurations of the present invention may include one or more compartments  8 . 
         [0015]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a second side  5  of undergarment hanger  2  includes a plurality of compartments or pouches with a rectangular shape  10 . Although three compartments  10  are illustrated, the number of compartments shown is for demonstrative purposes only and the present invention is not so limited. Other configurations of the present invention may include one or more compartments  10 . Further, the undergarment hanger  2  may include only sweet-heart shaped compartments  8  on both sides  3  and  5 . 
         [0016]    Each side of the compartments or pouches  8  and  10  is separated from an adjacent compartment or pouch respectively by the base panel  6 . Each compartment panel  8  and  10  opens at the top and slopes downwardly and inwardly from each edge or side of storage body  4 . The sweet-heart shape compartments or pouches  8  and rectangular shape compartment or pouches  10  may be stitched, heat sealed, bonded or otherwise affixed to the base panel  6 . These methods rigidize the compartments or pouches  8  and  10  and generally maintaining the shape of each of the compartments or pouches  8  and  10 , therefore creating compartment storage body  4 . The base panel  6  may extend from the top edge  7  to the bottom edge  9  of the undergarment hanger  2  or may present a frame with an open center area to allow access from either side  3  or  5  from one compartment  8  to the opposite compartment  10 . 
         [0017]    An upper most compartment panel  12  may be covered by an additional layer of fabric  14 , such as nylon, duck cloth, or poplin and the like wrapping over the top edge  7  of the body  4  and the top of the base panel  6 . The additional layer of fabric  14  wrapping around the uppermost compartment panels  12  and may be stitched or heat sealed or utilize a like method to be affixed to the base panel  6 . Upper compartment panels  12  provide additional strength and rigidity to the undergarment hanger  2  and conceal horizontal members  15  which are secured to a hanger or hook  16 . The horizontal members  15  and hook  16  may be fabricated from steel, heavy plastic or other suitable material to provide support for the undergarment hanger  2 . The horizontal members  15  and hook  16  may be fabricated from a single piece of rigid wire or other structural material or hook  16  may be pivotally secured to the horizontal members  15  to allow the undergarment hanger  2  to be pivoted while the hook  16  is hooked over a rod in a closet, for example. 
         [0018]    The uppermost compartment panels  12  and additional layer of fabric  14  may be reinforced with an additional layer of fabric material  18 , such as nylon, duck cloth, or the like, which may be finished by horizontally wrapping around the bottom edges of the additional layer of fabric  14  and affixed to the base panel  6 . The additional fabric layer  18  further stiffens the compartment storage body  4  above the upper most compartment panels  12 . 
         [0019]    Each compartment or pouch  8  and  10  includes a pleat  20  and  21  respectively along left and right edges  22 . The pleats  20  and  21  allow the compartments  8  and  10  respectively to expand as necessary to hold an undergarment or accessory. Further, the pleat  20  along the lower edge of the compartments  8  and  10  tends to keep the compartments  8  and  10  open at the upper edges  11  and  13  respectively. 
         [0020]    The compartment panels  8  and  10  are reinforced along the bottom edges  15  and  17  respectively in the center with inverted V-shaped panels  24  and  25  respectively which are stitched, or bonded to the compartment panels  8  and  10  respectively through the base panel  6 . The inverted V-shaped panels  24  and  25  may be constructed of a fabric material, such as, for example, vinyl, duck cloth, nylon and the like. The bottom edges  15  and  17  of compartments  8  and  10  are reinforced with an additional layer of fabric material  26  and  27  respectively, such as nylon, duck cloth, or the like, horizontally wrapping around the bottom edges  15  and  17  of the compartments or pouches  8  and  10  and is affixed to the base panel  6 . 
         [0021]    The upper horizontal edges  11  and  13  compartment panels  8  and  10  may be stiffened by an additional layer of fabric material  28  and  30  respectively, such as nylon, duck cloth, or the like, which is wrapped over the edges  11  and  13  and stitched, bonded, or otherwise secured to the compartment panels  8  and  10 . 
         [0022]    The undergarment hanger  2  is reinforced along vertical edges  32  and  34  with a fabric material  36  and  38 , such as nylon, duck cloth, or the like, vertically wrapping around the outer edge portions  32  and  34  of the undergarment hanger  2 . 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the undergarment hanger  2  is shown in a collapsed configuration for economy of space for transport, packaging and storage. Such an effective collapse is attained because of the flexible material of base panel  6 , compartments  8  and  10  and the geometric arrangement of the compartments  8  and  10  and the hanger  16 . 
         [0024]    It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except in so far as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.