Abstract:
A garment hanger is disclosed having a hook insert therein wherein the hook may be inserted into the body of its hanger to facilitate the nesting of one hanger with the other like hanger.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part and claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/008,970, filed on Jan. 19, 2011 now abandoned, entitled, “Nestable Hangar With Articulating Integrated Hook”, which is a continuation-in-part and claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/182,351, filed on Jul. 30, 2008 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,938,300, entitled Nestable Hangar With Integrated Cascade Hook, both of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to the field of clothing hangers and in particular to the field of nestable hangers having hanger supporting means for supporting additional hangers therefrom. Specifically, the present invention pertains to a clothing hanger that includes an articulating hook for attaching an additional hanger thereto. By having such functionality, a clothing hanger can both add additional hangers and be stored in a nested fashion thereby using a minimal amount of storage. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Hangers having nestable configurations are disclosed in the prior art, as are hangers having hanger supporting means for supporting additional hangers therefrom. 
     One example of a hanger having hanger supporting means for supporting additional hangers therefrom may be found, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,678 to Blanchard et al., which discloses a “ganging hook” via which additional hangers may be supported. The “ganging hook” disclosed in Blanchard et al. extends downwardly from the hanger body. The “ganging hook” of Blanchard et al. does not provide any nesting functionality to the hanger. 
     Another example of a hanger having supporting means for supporting additional hangers therefrom is U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,098 to Bredeweg et al. The hanger disclosed in Bredeweg et al. discloses a “hook socket for ganging hangers”. As with Blanchard et al., the “hook socket” of the hanger disclosed in Bredeweg et al. extends downwardly from hanger body and does not provide any nesting functionality. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,445 to Chen discloses a garment hanger with a “ganging hook” extending from the hanger body. The position of the “ganging hook” of Chen impedes nesting of hangers. 
     Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,321 to Willinger et al. discloses a hanger having “ganging element” extending downwardly from the hanger body. As with the previously cited prior art, the “ganging element” of the hanger disclosed in Willinger et al. does not promote nesting of hangers. Like hangers may also be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,772 to Bond; U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,834 to Cohen; U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,872 to Duerr et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,658 to Oik et al. 
     None of the foregoing prior art discloses hangers with hanger supporting means for supporting additional hangers therefrom configured in such a manner so as to allow for nesting of hangers. It is therefore desirable to have a hanger which not only includes hanger supporting means for supporting additional hangers therefrom, but further readily provides for nesting of hangers. There is therefore a great need in the art for a hanger providing such characteristics. 
     Accordingly, there is now provided with this invention an improved clothing hanger that effectively overcomes the aforementioned difficulties and longstanding problems discussed above. These problems have been solved in a simple, convenient, and highly effective way by which to form a clothing hanger. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, a new and useful hanger having a hanger supporting means in the form of a cascade hook for supporting additional hangers therefrom, wherein the cascade hook facilitates the nesting of one hanger with another similar hanger is disclosed. 
     One embodiment of the present invention includes a garment hanger comprising a hanger frame comprising a hanger body, the hanger body having a front surface and a rear surface, a top and a bottom; a hook member extending from the top of the hanger body, the body having a hole formed therethrough, the hole having a front aperture formed in the front surface and a rear aperture formed in the rear surface; the body having a cascade hook member extending from the front surface and disposed in front of the front aperture. In these embodiments, the hole is adapted to receive through the rear aperture a cascade hook member from a first identical garment hanger and the cascade hook member is adapted to be inserted into a rear aperture of a hole in a second identical garment hanger. 
     In certain embodiments, the cascade hook member has an inclined portion having a first end disposed at the bottom of the hole and a second end disposed opposite from the first end, and a second portion extending upwardly from the second end of the inclined portion embodiments, the cascade hook member has an inclined portion having a first end disposed at the bottom of the hole and a second end disposed opposite from the first end, and a second portion extending upwardly from the second end of the inclined portion. 
     In any of the foregoing embodiments, the cascade hook member may comprise a rear surface substantially facing the front surface of the body; a front surface substantially facing away from the front surface of the body. A projection of the cascade hook member onto a plane containing the front surface of the body may be shaped substantially the same as the front aperture, and the projection may have an area less than the area of the front aperture. The rear aperture may have an area greater than the area of the front aperture. There may also be a concavity formed in the rear surface of the cascade hook member. 
     Furthermore, in any of the foregoing embodiments, the cascade hook member may be adapted to be inserted through the hole of the second identical garment hanger and extend out of a front aperture of the hole of the second identical garment hanger. Upon being inserted through the hole of the second identical garment hanger, the front surface of the cascade hook member may abut a portion of a rear surface of a cascade hanger member of the second identical garment hanger. 
     A channel may be formed between a portion of the front surface of the cascade hook member and a portion of the rear surface of the cascade hook member of the second identical hanger. Similarly, a cavity may be formed between a portion of the front surface of the cascade hook member and a concavity formed in the rear surface of the cascade hook member of the second identical hanger. Where both a cavity and a channel are formed, the width of the channel may be smaller than the width of the cavity. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, a garment hanger is disclosed comprising a hanger body having a front surface, a rear surface, and a hole therethrough, and a hook attached within the hole to the hanger body, wherein the hook is adapted to articulate between a first position extending beyond the front surface and a second position extending beyond the rear surface. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, a pair of substantially identical nested first and second garment hangers are disclosed wherein each of the first and second garment hangers comprise a hanger body having a front surface, a rear surface, a hole therethrough, and a hook attached within the hole to the hanger body. The hook is adapted to articulate between a first position extending beyond the front surface and a second position extending beyond the rear surface. When the hook of the first hanger is in the first position, the hook extends into the hole of the second hanger and the front surface of the first hanger abuts a rear surface of the second hanger so that the first and second hangers are nested in a common horizontal plane relative to one another. 
     In yet another embodiment of the invention, a pair of substantially identical nested first and second garment hangers are disclosed wherein each of the first and second garment hangers comprise a hanger body having a front surface, a rear surface, a hole therein, and a hook attached within the hole to the hanger body. The hook is adapted to articulate between a first position extending beyond the front surface and a second position housed within the body. When the hook of the first hanger is in the second position, the front surface of the first hanger abuts a rear surface of the second hanger so that the first and the second hangers are nested in a common horizontal plane relative to one another. 
     These and other aspects of the subject invention will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings described herein. Additional objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description. 
     The method and apparatus of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed discussion of specific embodiments and the attached figures which illustrate and exemplify such embodiments. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A specific embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the following drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional detail of the preferred embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front plan view of two hangers of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in a nested configuration. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional detail of the hangers depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an orthogonal view of two hangers of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in a nested configuration. 
         FIG. 6  is an orthogonal view of two hangers of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in a cascaded configuration. 
         FIG. 7  is a substantially rear orthogonal view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an orthogonal view of another embodiment of a hanger of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of a hole in a body of an embodiment of a hanger of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is an orthogonal view of a hook of an embodiment of a hanger of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is an orthogonal view of the hook in the body of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 12  is an orthogonal view of the hook housed within the body of a hanger of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12A  is a sectional view of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 13  is an orthogonal view of the hook extending beyond the rear surface of a hanger of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13A  is a sectional view of  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 14  is an orthogonal view of a pair of nested hangers of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 14A  is a sectional view of  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 15  is an orthogonal view of a pair of hangers of  FIG. 8  showing one hanger hanging from another. 
         FIG. 16  is a front orthogonal view of a hook insert for another embodiment of a hanger of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a rear orthogonal view of a hook insert for the embodiment of a hanger of  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 18  is a sectional view of  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 19  is an orthogonal view of the hook insert set in the embodiment of a hanger of  FIG. 16 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following preferred embodiment as exemplified by the drawings is illustrative of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention as encompassed by the claims of this application. A nestable clothes hanger with an integrated articulating hook is disclosed herein. 
     Referring generally to the Figures, the hanger generally comprises hanger frame  1  and hook member  2  extending upwardly therefrom. Hanger frame comprises body  4  and arms  5  extending from each side of body  4 . Hook member  2  is connected to frame  1  via vertical portion  3 . 
     Hanger body  4  includes a generally planar front surface  10  and a rear surface  11  substantially collateral with front surface  10 . Cascade hook  20 , which may also be called a “finger”, extends from front surface  10 . 
     Cascade hook  20 , shown in  FIG. 1  and in cross section in  FIG. 2 , has a front surface  21  and a rear surface  22 , a vertical portion  27  substantially collateral with front surface  10  of hanger body  4  and an inclined portion  28  extending upwardly and outwardly from front surface  10  of hanger body  4 . Inclined portion  28  may form an angle of less than 90 degrees from vertical (i.e., less than 90 degrees from the plane of front surface  10 ). Cascade hook  20  may omit a vertical portion, and inclined portion  28  may be arranged perpendicularly to front surface  10  without departing from the invention disclosed herein, provided that cascade hook  20  may function to support additional hangers therefrom and allows for nesting of hangers, as will be described in greater detail below. 
     Cascade hook  20  may include a concavity  23 , which may be formed at the intersection of the vertical portion  27  and inclined portion  28 . Alternatively, concavity  23  may be omitted. 
     Body  4  includes a hole  26 . The hole may either be formed completely through the body, or alternatively, may be only a recess in the body. When the hole is through the body, the hole  26  has a rear aperture  24  formed in the rear surface  11  and a front aperture  25  formed in front surface  10 . Rear aperture  24  may include chamfer  30  (depicted more clearly in  FIG. 7 ). Each of the front and rear apertures have a certain area, that is, each has a certain measure of the planar extent it defines. Cascade hook  20  is shaped substantially the same as front aperture  25 , that is, if one projects the shape of cascade hook  20  on the same plane as that occupied by aperture  25  (which is the same as the plane of front surface  10 ), the projected shape of cascade hook  20  will be substantially the same as the shape of aperture  25 . One in the art will readily understand that the projection disclosed herein is not a physical structure, but instead an orthographic projection, that is, a representation of the three dimensional cascade hook  20  on a planar surface corresponding to the plane containing aperture  25 . 
     Front surface  10  may also be curved, in which case apertures  24  and  25  would likewise be curved. In this case, the projection of cascade hook  20  onto a plane would have substantially the same shape as a projection of aperture  25  onto the same plane. 
     The surface area of front surface  10  which is not occupied by cascade hook  20  may be at least approximately twice that of the surface area occupied by cascade hook  20 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , two hangers of one embodiment of the present invention may be seen in a nested configuration. Hanger  50  is placed in front of hanger  60 , which is nested with hanger  50 . Cascade hook  61  of hanger  60  extends through rear aperture  52  of hanger  50 , through hole  53 , and partially out front aperture  54  of hanger  50 . Front surface  60  of the inclined portion of cascade hook  61  abuts rear surface  55  of cascade hook  51 . Front surface  62  of hanger  60  abuts rear surface  56  of hanger  50 . Cascade hook  61  may be dimensioned to closely conform to the dimensions of front aperture  54 , thereby nesting hanger  60  to hanger  50 . Rear aperture  53  may be dimensioned larger than front aperture  54  to more easily receive cascade hook  61  in hole  53 . 
     When nested as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 , cascade hooks  51  and  61  form channel  71  therebetween, terminating in cavity  72 , formed in part by concavity  73  and the front face of cascade hook  61 . Concavity  73  may be dimensioned so as to hold a hook member of another hanger therein, while channel  71  may be of smaller dimensions, prohibiting a hook member present in cavity  72  from moving through channel  71 , thereby maintaining the hook member in cavity  72 . Cavity  72  may be dimensioned to closely approximate the diameter of hook member  2 , depicted, for example, in  FIGS. 1 and 6 . 
     Another embodiment of the invention is depicted in  FIGS. 8-15 . As shown specifically in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the hook  20  may be attached within the hole  26  of the body. As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , one manner of attaching the hook within the hole may be by providing a pin hole  80  for receiving a projection  82  of the hook. In this embodiment, the hook may have arms  84  extending from each of the projections adapted for resting upon and being supported by the lower portion  86  of the hole. The arms  84  of the hook are joined to each other by an arch  88  completing the hook of this embodiment. 
       FIG. 11  depicts an enlarged orthogonal view of the hook extending beyond the front surface of the hanger for another hanger to hang therefrom. 
     As further illustrated in  FIGS. 12 and 12A , the hook may articulate between a first position extending beyond the front surface of the hanger for another hanger to hang therefrom ( FIG. 11 ) to a second position in which the hook is completely housed within the body of the hanger. The articulation is accomplished by the pivoting of the projections within the pinholes. When the hook is in the position thus depicted, multiple hangers may be stored in a nested fashion for minimizing the storage space they occupy. 
     As more specifically shown in  FIG. 12A , the hanger may be formed by joining two portions along a joint  90 . Alternatively, the hanger may be made monolithically with a hole therethrough, as shown in  FIG. 13  A. 
       FIG. 13  shows a further embodiment of the present invention in which the hook may articulate between a first position extending beyond the front surface of the hanger for another hanger to hang therefrom ( FIG. 11 ) to a second position in which the hook extends beyond the rear surface of the hanger. The articulation is accomplished by the pivoting of the projections within the pinholes. Another hanger may be hung from the hook when it extends beyond the rear surface of the hanger. In this embodiment, an intermediate position is provided in which the hook may be housed within the body for storing multiple hangers in a nested fashion thereby minimizing the storage space they occupy. 
       FIGS. 14 and 14A  illustrate an alternative way to nesting the hangers from that of positioning the hooks within the body. In this embodiment, the hangers may be nested with the hook in a position extending beyond the front surface of the hanger. As shown therein, the hook extending beyond the front surface of a first hanger extends into the hole of a second hanger positioned in front of the front surface of the first hanger. The front surface of the first hanger abuts a rear surface of the second hanger so that the first and the second hangers are nested in a common horizontal plane relative to one another. 
     Still another embodiment of the present invention is depicted in  FIGS. 16-19 .  FIG. 16  is a front orthogonal view of a hook insert  90  for another embodiment of a hanger of the present invention. The hook insert  90  may be made of any material, for example, either metal or plastic. 
     The hook insert is configured to be inserted into a hole  92  in the hanger. The shape of the hole may be of any shape, be it polygonal, elliptical, or circular. In the particular embodiment depicted, the hole  92  in the hanger is circular thereby matching the circular configuration of the hook insert  90 . The hook insert  90  has a flange  94  on one side. The flange  94  is circumferential in shape, matching the shape of the hook insert itself. The circumferential flange  94  is configured to fit snugly within a corresponding recess  96  in the hanger which is slightly larger than the hole itself. 
       FIG. 17  is a rear orthogonal view of the hook insert and more particularly illustrates the flange  94  and its corresponding recess  96  in the hanger. 
       FIG. 18  is a sectional view of  FIG. 16  showing the hook insert set in the hanger. In this view, the form fitting hole of the hanger is shown as well as the setting of the flange in the recess. On the side of the hook insert opposite that of the flange is a hook  98  that has a similar profile to the hooks previously described in the present application. As shown, the hook  98  is attached at its base to the hook insert and curves upwardly and outwardly therefrom by an inclined portion  100 . The hook may form an angle of less than 90 degrees from vertical (i.e., less than 90 degrees from the plane of the front of the hanger) and typically has an arcuate top portion. 
     The hook  98  may include a vertical portion  102  and a concavity  104 , which may be formed at the intersection of the vertical portion  102  and the inclined portion  100 . Alternatively, the concavity  104  may be omitted. 
     Further shown in both  FIGS. 17 and 18  is insert cavity  106 . Insert cavity  106  may be dimensioned to closely approximate the size of the hook  98 . In this manner, one hanger having an insert therein may be nested with another hanger having an insert therein. 
       FIG. 19  is an orthogonal front view of the hook insert set in the embodiment of a hanger of  FIG. 16 . 
     Although the particular embodiments shown and described above will prove to be useful in many applications in the clothing storage art to which the present invention pertains, further modifications of the present invention will occur to persons skilled in the art. All such modifications are deemed to be within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.