Abstract:
The present invention is an apparatus for organizing clothing accessories such as jewelry, neckties, scarves, and other like items. The organizer can hang from a closet rod and has a slidable track so that the items hanging from hooks attached to the slidable track can be easily accessed. The organizer provides dynamic motion of the slidable track without the need for electricity.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to clothing and garment storage systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for organizing clothing accessories such as neckties, scarves, jewelry, and the like.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    The storage of clothing accessories, such as neckties, scarves, belts, and other similar articles, is difficult because such accessories are typically flexible and have narrow widths and long lengths. Various static devices, such as conventional clothing hangers, hooks, rods, and the like, have been used to store clothing accessories. These static devices suffer from the disadvantage that the accessories are positioned very close together, often overlapping, such that an individual accessory cannot be located and retrieved without disturbing, or even removing, other accessories.  
           [0003]    There are several dynamic devices on the market for storing clothing accessories. However, these dynamic devices suffer from a number of disadvantages, a few of which are inadequate controls for easy location and retrieval of accessories, inadequate lighting, difficult installation and inefficient use of space.  
           [0004]    Thus, there is a need for an apparatus to store clothing accessories which overcomes the disadvantages of the above mentioned static and dynamic devices.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention provides an apparatus for organizing clothing accessories. The apparatus includes a housing containing a biasing mechanism to release a slidable track when a release button is depressed. The slidable track has several hooks attached, allowing an individual to hang multiple clothing accessories from each hook.  
           [0006]    In another embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for organizing clothing accessories has an extendable stabilizing rod to limit movement of the apparatus as it is hanging from a closet rod. The stabilizer allows the apparatus to hang from a closet rod and remain substantially horizontal.  
           [0007]    In yet another embodiment a hook of the embodiment of the invention is adapted to hang multiple clothing accessories. It is an object of the present invention to store various clothing accessories in a manner so that the clothing accessories can be brought towards an individual without the need for the apparatus requiring batteries.  
           [0008]    It is yet another object of the present invention to store clothing accessories in a manner such that the clothing accessories can be easily removed from the apparatus without the need for additional light.  
           [0009]    A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of the invention and accompanying drawings which set forth an illustrative embodiment in which the principles of the invention are utilized. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1 with a side cover removed to illustrate several internal features; and  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention of FIG. 1 with a side cover and several internal components removed to illustrate the biasing mechanism.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 3 , the accessory organizer  100  has a housing  101 , a slidable track  102 , hooks  106  and a release button  104 .  
         [0014]    The slidable track  102  has a groove  126  on each side to limit the length of extension out of the housing  101 . The slidable track  102  extends out from the housing  101  up to a length where the track wheels  103  come into contact with the end of the groove  126 . Preferably, the grooves  126  extend approximately three quarters of the length of the slidable track  102  so that the slidable track  102  will extend out far enough for an individual to reach any clothing accessories hanging from a hook  106  near the back. In a preferred embodiment, the slidable track  102  will extend approximately nine inches out from the housing which is about twelve to twenty inches long. The slidable track  102  also has two track retaining holes  113  located near the front end of the slidable track  102 .  
         [0015]    The latch mechanism  110  holds the slidable track  102  within the housing  101  until an individual depresses the release button  104 . The latch mechanism  110  includes two prongs  111 , a pivot pin  109  and a spring  107 . The prongs  111  insert into the retaining holes  113  located near the front end of the slidable track  102 . The pivot pin  109  connects the latch mechanism  110  with the housing  102 . The pivot  109  pass through one edge of the latch mechanism  110  and engages pin holes located in the housing  101  (see FIG. 3). When the release button  104  is depressed, the button  104  presses against the face  105  of the latch mechanism  110  and the latch mechanism  110  rotates about the pin  109 .  
         [0016]    The slidable track  102  will then extend out of the housing  101  as described below. There is a spring  107  attached with the latch mechanism  110  to bias the latch mechanism  110  forward. Thus, the spring  107  keeps the prongs  111  inserted into the holes  113  until the release button  104  is depressed.  
         [0017]    Each hook  106  has a lower finger  128 , a middle finger  130  and a tab  132 . The multiple fingers allow several objects to be retained simultaneously from a single hook  106 . The lower finger  128  has multiple ridges along the length of the finger. The multiple ridges allow clothing accessories, such as a bracelet or a chain or belts, to be hung from the lower finger  128  without sliding across the surface of the lower finger  128 . Essentially, each ridge functions as a slot by which a piece of jewelry may hang from. Additionally, the ridges do not allow the jewelry to slide into another piece of jewelry hanging from the same lower finger  128 . In a preferred embodiment the ridges have located there between grooves. In this preferred embodiment there is a central deep groove  131  with shallower grooves  127  and  129  located on either side of the deeper groove  131 . Thus finger  128  has an uneven surface. The middle finger  130  has a smooth horizontal surface. Preferably, the smooth surface is used to hang clothing accessories such as neckties, scarfs and other like items. Jewelry, such as the previously mentioned bracelet or chain may also be hung from the middle finger  130 . However,jewelry and other similar clothing accessories with a smooth surface will tend to slide around and become tangled on the middle finger  130 . Thus, the lower finger  128  is preferred to hang such items. The hook  106  also contains a tab  132 . The tab  132  is preferably used to hang clothing accessories such as a belt. The three fingers allow an individual to hang several clothing accessories from a single hook  106 . By way of example only, a single hook  106  can carry several pieces of jewelry, a necktie and a belt.  
         [0018]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the accessory organizer  100  has twenty hooks  106 . One can appreciate that the accessory organizer  100  can have fewer than twenty hooks  106  or more than twenty hooks  106 . When the accessory organizer has twenty hooks  106 , the hooks  106  are connected with the slidable track  102  in four groups. Each group contains five hooks  106 . Within each group, each hook  106  has a limited range of horizontal motion so that an individual may separate the hooks  106 . It becomes easier to access the clothing accessories hanging from each hook  106  when some space is made between each hook  106 . Additionally, each hook  106  can pivot at the point that the hook  106  is connected with the slidable track  102 . Allowing each hook  106  to pivot slightly also makes it easier to access the clothing accessories hanging from the several hooks  106 .  
         [0019]    The accessory organizer  100  is preferably hung from a closet rod  123  or metal closet system, helping an individual to better organize their clothing accessories. The accessory organizer  100  has a rod engaging device  122  and a stabilizing rod  120  to allow the accessory organizer to hang from a closet rod or metal closet system. To hang the accessory organizer  100  from a closet rod, the rod cover  121  must first be removed. An individual can then lift the accessory organizer  100  up towards the closet rod until the closet rod engages the rod engaging device  122 . The rod engaging device  122  is a semicircular shaped cavity in the housing  101 . With the closet rod within the rod engaging device  122 , the individual can then replace the cover  121  back onto the housing  101 . The cover also has a semicircular cavity to accommodate the closet bar. With the cover  121  replaced and screwed into place, the accessory organizer  100  can now hang from the closet rod. However, since the length of the accessory organizer  100  is not typically equal to the depth of the closet, the accessory organizer  100  will tend to swing from the closet rod.  
         [0020]    To limit the movement of the accessory organizer  100 , the housing  101  includes a stabilizing rod  120 . Rod  120  is pulled out of the housing  101  to release the stabilizing rod  120  from the located position, an individual depresses the release button  119 . While the release button  119  is depressed, the stabilizing rod  120  maybe pushed back into the housing  101 . The stabilizing rod  120  extends from the back of the housing  101  towards the back wall of the closet. When the stabilizing rod  120  contacts the closet back wall, the accessory organizer  100  will not be free to swing from the closet rod.  
         [0021]    While the accessory organizer  100  sits in a closet, the slidable track  102  generally remain within the housing  101  to minimize the space that each accessory organizer  100  takes up in the closet. When an individual needs to retrieve a clothing accessory hanging from a hook  106 , the slidable track  102  is released from the housing  101 . To release the slidable track  104  from the housing  101  the individual depresses the release button  104 . By pressing the release button  104 , the face  105  of the latch mechanism  110  compresses the spring  107  and the latch mechanism pivots about the pin  109 . When pivoting about the pin  109 , the two engagement elements  111  are vertically raised out of the retaining holes  113 . Thus, the sidable track  102  will extend out of the housing  101 , towards the individual.  
         [0022]    A biasing mechanism urges the slidable track  102  out of the housing  101  when the release button  104  is depressed. The biasing mechanism includes a cord  116 , a stationary tab  118 , a gear  112  and an axis wheel  114 . The stationary tab  118  is connected with the top surface of the slidable track  102 , near the back. One end of the cord  116  is tied to the stationary tab  118 . The other end of the cord  116  is attached to the gear  112 . The gear  112  is connected with the housing  101  near the front end of the slidable track  102 . When the slidable track  102  is retained within the housing  101 , there is tension within the cord  116 . The tension within the cord  116  results because the spring (not shown) in the gear  112  is at its maximum stored potential energy state when the stationary tab  118  is at the farthest position from the gear  112  (see FIG. 3).  
         [0023]    The slidable track  102  extends linearly from the housing  101 . The positioning of the gear  112  is such that the cord  116  contacts the gear  112  not substantially along the centerline of the slidable track  102 . Accordingly, the cord  116  between the gear  112  and the stationary tab  118  would normally be at an angle relative to the centerline of the slidable track  102 . If the cord  116  was allowed to remain at an angle to the centerline of the slidable track  102 , the slidable track  102  would have to overcome stronger resistance forces to extend from the housing  101 . So that the slidable track  102  encounters minimum resistance while extending linearly from the housing  101 , the biasing mechanism includes the axis wheel  114 . The axis wheel  114  places the cord  116  that is between the axis wheel  114  and the stationary tab  118  in a straight line. The straight line is preferably directly over the centerline of the slidable track  102 .  
         [0024]    When the release button  104  is depressed, the gear  112  will draw the stationary tab  118  closer. With the aid of the axis wheel  114 , the stationary tab  118  is brought towards the gear  112  is a substantially straight line. As mentioned previously, the stationary tab  118  is connected to the slidable track  102 . Therefore, when the stationary tab  118  is pulled towards the gear  112 , the slidable track  102  extends from the housing  101 .  
         [0025]    The slidable track  102  extends linearly from the housing  101 , remaining substantially horizontal throughout the entire range of motion. The slidable track  102  moves along track wheels  103  that engage the grooves  126  in the slidable track  102 . Thus, the slidable track  102  hangs from the track wheels  103 . The housing  101  preferably contains four track wheels  103  to provide support for the slidable track  102 . The speed at which the slidable track  102  extends from the housing  101  is governed by the rate at which the gear  112  pulls the stationary tab  118  towards it. To help govern this speed, the track wheels  103  further limit the speed at which the slidable track  102  may extend from the housing  101 . The track wheels  103  are manufactured from preferably an engineering plastic, with a graphite bearing so that the materials provides resistance simply by the track wheels  103  rotating. The track wheels  103  and bearings may be manufactured from other material.  
         [0026]    When a clothing accessory has been removed from a hook  116 , the slidable track  102  should be returned back into the housing  101 . By applying pressure to the forward edge of the sliding track  102 , the spring in the gear  112  will be compressed and the slidable track  107  can be eased back into the housing  101 . The engaging elements  111  of the latch mechanism  110  will insert back into the holes  113  holding the slidable track  102  within the housing  101  for the next use.  
         [0027]    The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to the practitioner skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalence.