Abstract:
A clothes hanging system wherein a clothes hanger has a metal or magnetic plug in lieu of a hook and may be packaged with metal or magnetic rods, strips or mounting systems for the purpose of hanging clothing to achieve clothes organization while eliminating stretching of collars and tangling of hangers.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applications 61/165,976 filed Apr. 2, 2009 and 61/289,463 filed Dec. 23, 2009 by the present inventors and the applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       NAMES OF PARTIES TO JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING 
       [0004]    Not Applicable 
       DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX 
       [0005]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0007]    This invention relates generally clothes organization and more particularly to a novel hookless clothes hanger system incorporating magnet technology. 
         [0008]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0009]    The traditional clothes hanger, comprised of a hanger body upon which clothing is draped, and a hook for holding the hanger on a pole or rod, has seen very little modification during the course of its history. Modifications in the prior art have consisted of variations of material used to create the hanger body, such as wire, wood or plastic; variations in shape, such as triangular or rectangular; and various methods to keep clothing from slipping off, such as slot areas to hold straps, or friction materials on the shoulder area to keep clothing in place. 
         [0010]    Multiple disadvantages exist with the traditional clothes hanger design. The hooks in the traditional design cause hangers to quickly become tangled if stored in a pile. The necessity of a pole to hang the hook on requires excess space, both vertically and horizontally, and limits clothing storage in certain small areas. When hangers are used in commercial establishments there is a tendency for them to be stolen as they are easily removed from the clothes rod and then used in the thief&#39;s home. The hook feature found on traditional hangers can easily stretch out the collar or neck line of garments as the user attempts to insert the hanger into the article of clothing. In order to avoid stretching out the neck the user must insert the hanger from the bottom of the shirt, pulling it up through the inside of the shirt and grasping it from the top of the shirt. This method is cumbersome and tedious, especially in the retail setting where speed in hanging articles of clothing is important. 
         [0011]    There accordingly remains a need for simple, innovative design for hanging clothing that eliminates the above disadvantages found in the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The disadvantages shown in the prior art are solved by a hookless clothes hanger system. The disclosed invention reveals a traditional hanger structure, with the hook feature eliminated. In its place, the hanger has a small plug for coupling with an attracting surface. 
         [0013]    The disclosed invention poses numerous advantages. The first advantage is that this technology enables clothes hangers to be hung from a variety of places rather than just on a horizontal clothes pole in a closet. The possibilities are endless and are especially useful for commercial applications such as clothing retailers who want to be able to hang clothes from a variety of surfaces and at interesting angles or in tight corners. 
         [0014]    The second advantage is that the elimination of the hook renders a neat, contemporary look to clothes hanging, giving a modern, edgy appearance. 
         [0015]    The third advantage is that the elimination of the hook similarly eliminates the age old problem of stretched out necklines and collars. Without the hook the user is able to insert the hanger much farther into the neck opening of the garment, enabling the user to quickly and one handedly hang a shirt, dress, blouse or sweater with no stretching. 
         [0016]    The fourth advantage is that it is much faster and easier to hang the hanger, especially for shorter individuals, like children. The user need only bring the plug of the hanger near the attracting surface and the hanger quickly adheres, eliminating the need to reach up and hook the hanger over a clothes rod. 
         [0017]    The fifth advantage is that the elimination of the hook eliminates the tangled mess that so quickly materializes when hangers are tossed together in a pile. Without the hook, it is literally impossible for the hangers to tangle, a welcome relief for consumers and retailers alike. 
         [0018]    The sixth advantage is the inherent anti-theft benefit that will be further explained herein. 
         [0019]    The seventh advantage is the space savings. The hook on hangers is several inches tall. With elimination of the hook, several inches of vertical closet space are saved. The closet shelves traditionally above the clothes rod can be lowered accordingly, allowing more accessibility for the user. 
         [0020]    Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying figures, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The drawings contained herein represent preferred embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope. 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front or rear view of the preferred embodiment in accordance with the disclosed invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the preferred embodiment in accordance with the disclosed invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  illustrates a front or rear view of an embodiment in accordance with the disclosed invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment in accordance with the disclosed invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  illustrates a front or rear view of an embodiment in accordance with the disclosed invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of an embodiment in accordance with the disclosed invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  illustrates a top view of an embodiment in accordance with the disclosed invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of an embodiment in accordance with the disclosed invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  illustrates a front view of an embodiment in accordance with the disclosed invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 10  illustrates a front view of a closet using the preferred embodiment of the disclosed invention. 
       
    
    
     NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE 
       [0032]    Certain terms are used throughout the following description to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, design and manufacturing companies may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. 
         [0033]    In the following discussion, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection or through an indirect connection via other intermediate devices and connections. Moreover, the term “system” means “one or more components” combined together. Thus, a system can comprise an “entire system” or “subsystems” within the system. 
         [0034]    The term “metal” when referred to herein may refer to any type of surface that forms an attraction with a magnet, including steel, iron, nickel, cobalt, and other ferrous metals. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0035]    For a detailed description of various embodiments, reference will now be made to the accompanying illustrative drawings: 
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a front or rear view of a clothes hanger  10 , with the body having a traditional triangular shape and presumably constructed of plastic, metal or wood. The clothes hanger  10  has no hook and instead has a small plug  12  in the vicinity of where the base of a traditional hook would sit.  FIG. 1  further illustrates two side arms  14  of equal length, each one projecting down from opposite sides of where the plug  12  is seated and upon which a garment would be draped.  FIG. 1  further depicts a bottom bar  16  with a first and a second end, each end being adhered to the lower end of the side arms  14  and over which a garment such as pants or a sweater would traditionally be draped. In the traditional triangular hanger  10  shown here, the two side arms  14  come together to form the upper point of the triangle body where the hook would traditionally be housed. In lieu of the hook, in a preferred embodiment, the plug  12  is seated, such that the body of the plug  12  is buried in the top of the hanger  10  and a portion of the plug  12  extends out from the top of the hanger  10  to allow coupling with a surface. 
         [0037]    In a preferred embodiment the plug  12  is a magnet of sufficient strength to hold a reasonably heavy article of clothing, for example a large jacket or coat. The magnet may be neodymium due to its strength by weight, or a substantially similar magnet. 
         [0038]    In an alternate embodiment, the plug is a metal to which magnets are attracted and which may include steel. 
         [0039]    In the embodiment where the plug  12  is a magnet or magnetized, the plug hangs from metal (which may include steel) bars, rods, strips, shelves or any metal surface. In the embodiment where the plug  12  is metal, it is used to hang from a magnetic surface, such as a magnetic strip adhered to the underside of a closet shelf. 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the plug  12  in the same type of hanger. As in  FIG. 1 , the plug  12  is seated in the center upper portion of the hanger  10  and the right and left side bars  14  and lower bar  16  are visible. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  is a front or rear view of a traditionally known plastic hanger  10  with equal sized side arms  14  and lower bar  16 . In this type of embodiment, the plug  12  may be injection molded into the top of the plastic hanger body. The plug  12  can be permanently affixed to the top of the hanger  10  by injection molding, by drilling a hole and applying adhesive, by pressed in techniques, by a groove in the plug  12  itself or any known method in the art. 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the same, for better viewing of the plug  12 . In the preferred embodiment, where the plug  12  is a magnet, the magnet may be a neodymium magnet, although other types of magnets may be used. In the preferred embodiment, N 45 -N 52  or stronger magnets are used, however other types and strengths of magnets may be used and the size of the magnet can be varied depending on the strength of the magnet used. The magnet may be coated with one of any variety of materials or thicknesses and may include nickel or copper. The plug  12  may be of any shape that could include sphere, ball, rectangle, square, disc, arc, ring, tube, a threaded screw design or thumb tack design, or any other embodiment that achieves the desired purpose of coupling the hanger body with the attractant surface. In the examples shown herein, the plug  12  was approximately 0.375″ across×0.375″ tall and of a cylinder shape. The plug  12  protrudes from the hanger  10  body by approximately ¼″ to ¾″, although other lengths are possible. 
         [0043]      FIG. 5  is a front or rear view of the plug  12  as used on a rectangular clothes hanger  20  with an upper bar  22  and a lower wire bar  24  with rectangular clips  26  to hold the clothing. 
         [0044]    In a preferred embodiment using the magnet plugs, the plugs may have the magnetic poles facing the same way so that they repel each other to prevent pinched fingers. In an alternate embodiment, the top area of the hanger can be raised up around the plug to provide protection for the magnet and even prevent the magnets from being attracted to each other. 
         [0045]      FIG. 6  is a top or bottom view of a magnetic or metal strip  30  with screw holes  32  for mounting the strip  30  to shelving, walls, cabinets or doorways. The length can vary. This strip  30  can be mounted using screws or other adhesive means, to the top of doorways, in small spaces, to the underside of closet shelving or in other areas where it is desirable to hang clothing. As might be expected, one would use the magnetic plug hangers with the metal strip and the metal plug hangers with the magnetic strip. 
         [0046]      FIG. 7  is an illustration of an adhesive strip  34  that may be used, along with the screws, to mount the magnetic or metal strip  30  to the underside of the closet shelving or other desired location. 
         [0047]      FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of a metal L bracket  40 . This L bracket  40  can be mounted to a variety of vertical surfaces to create convenient hanging space where none was previously available. As an example, the vertical arm  42  of the L bracket  40  could be mounted to the side of a locker, to a wall, to the side of a dresser or innumerable other vertical surfaces. The disclosed invention hanger  10  with the plug  12 , specifically the magnet plug, can then be hung from the horizontal arm  44  of the L bracket  40 , as specifically depicted in  FIG. 8  showing the side view and in  FIG. 9  showing the front view. 
         [0048]      FIG. 10  is a front view of the interior of a closet  50 , showing the garments on the hangers  10  and the plug  12  protruding from the top of the hanger  10 . In the specific view shown, the hangers  10  may be hung from a track  52  where the plugs  12  adhere by attraction to the attracting strip  30  inside of the track  52  or the track itself. A wide variety of sizes and thicknesses of magnetic mounting materials may be used provided the utilized material is capable of holding the weight of clothing upon hangers and is unobtrusive. 
         [0049]    One intended use of the disclosed invention is as an anti-theft device for commercial establishments such as hotels and clothing retailers. Few end users would wish to steal a hanger that could only be used with an installed magnetic mounting system. In a hotel, as an example, the magnetic strip may be installed as part of a track system in the closet. In such an embodiment the metal plug can be a ball bearing such that it easily rolls along the accompanying track system. Additionally, decorative and aesthetic accoutrements could be added to the track system including lighting on one or both sides of the magnetic strip. The hanger can also be solid metal, or just the top portion may be wrapped in metal. The hanger can then be hung from a magnetic strip or rod. The elimination of the hook, and the addition of the steel or metal plug, solves the problems identified in the prior art and offers a neat, contemporary look to clothes hanging. 
         [0050]    In a preferred embodiment, the user may elect to remove the existing clothes pole in the closet and affix the metal strip to the underside of the closet shelving that is typically in place above a clothes pole. The metal strip can be of varying sizes although ½″ wide is sufficient to allow the magnet to adhere and hold garments of average weight and ⅛″ thick allows for minimal visibility of the strip. The user will save approximately 5-6″ of vertical closet space by using this system rather than a closet clothes pole. In addition, the user may elect to affix an additional metal strip a foot or more behind the first strip. Clothes on magnet hangers may be hung on the second strip in a parallel, rather than perpendicular manner to the metal strip. These articles of clothing could lay against the back wall and the second metal strip would thereby provide additional hanging storage, for articles that are used less frequently. 
         [0051]    The same system may be used under laundry room cabinets, in small spaces, under doorways or anywhere that a user desires to hang clothing but does not wish to mount a bulky and unsightly clothes rod, especially if ones uses the metal L bracket to enable even more potential hanging spaces. 
         [0052]    Yet another embodiment for the plug system is for it to be applied to tie or belt holders in the same fashion it is used in place of the hook on hangers. 
         [0053]    One does not necessarily have to eliminate the clothes pole if it is metal and the user desires to keep it, as the disclosed hanger with the magnet plug adheres effectively to even round metal clothes rods. 
         [0054]    The versatility of this system is that the hangers easily adhere and are just as easily removed, providing another benefit in speed of hanging up and removing clothes. Yet another benefit is that, without the hook, the hanger does not have to be lifted in an upward fashion to be removed from a clothes pole. This is a benefit to those of shorter stature, or in areas where the clothes rod or pole is higher than normal. 
         [0055]    The metal strip may be painted a color to blend in with its surroundings. In an embodiment, a ½″ wide by ⅛″ thick metal strip could be mounted to the top of a doorway. If the doorway were white, the metal strip could be painted white. The metal strip would be minimally visible, yet the user could quickly and easily hang clothing in the doorway. This could be of value in a laundry room or even in a living or bedroom. Many people enjoy folding their laundry while watching TV in a living room or den. With this embodiment they can hang their clothes without making multiple trips to the bedroom closet. 
         [0056]    The plugs or the strips may also be covered by paint, powder coating, light plastic, rubber or fabric, provided the material used does not significantly interfere with the strength of the magnet. One benefit of coating or covering the plugs is reduced sound when the plug couples with the surface. 
         [0057]    Although preferred embodiments are illustrated with regard to types, sizes and strengths of magnets and types and sizes of metal strips, there are many types of possible embodiments that would be apparent to one skilled in the art. 
         [0058]    While the figures depict the traditional triangular shape of hangers, other shapes and embodiments can be used. The term hanger used herein can refer to any clothes hanger that has a body capable of supporting an article of clothing. As an example, some clothes hangers are in a rectangular, rather than triangular shape, and may have clips to hold pants or other garments. The type of hanger body or material of which it is constructed is not an obstacle to the use of the magnetic, hookless method. Tie and belt holders are another example. 
         [0059]    While the disclosed invention has been described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments thereof, many changes, modifications, alterations and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention should therefore not be limited to the particular preferred embodiment disclosed but should include all embodiments that could fall within the scope of the claims. 
         [0060]    Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings and described in detail above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting, and various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims set forth below.