Patent Publication Number: US-RE44481-E

Title: Apparel accessory holder

Description:
This in is a continuation in part of my applications, Ser. Nos. 29/236,657, titled “Accessory Holder”, filed Aug. 19, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. D.546,601; and 29/275,359, titled “Accessory Holder”, filed Dec. 21, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. D.558,497, which applications are herein incorporated by this reference. 
    
    
     This invention relates to devices and methods for hanging and/or displaying articles associated with wearing apparels, and in particular accessory items such as scarves and handbags. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     An everyday problem noted particularly by women is how to conveniently store and then access when necessary ubiquitous accessory apparel items, as, for example, scarves and handbags. Typical solutions include closet hangers; shelves, and the closet floor. Results are invariably aesthetically unpleasant and even potentially harmful to the articles being stored. 
     Obviously many attempts have been made to provide an answer to these common problems. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,910 B1 a device for storing or displaying caps is disclosed. An elongated spine  10  having a hook  9  at one or both ends ( FIG. 1 ) provides the means for securing and displaying a series of caps, such as baseball style caps, along the spine. The caps  13  are secured to the spine  10  by means of a clip  12  ( FIG. 2 ). The spine can be either flexible or rigid, and positioned vertically or horizontally, or both at the same time. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,981 a clothes hanger organizer is disclosed. A generally vertically disposed planar hanger  12  having a hook  14  at one end ( FIG. 1 ) accommodates a series of horizontally positioned clothes hangers ( 41 ,  42 ,  43 ). The hangers are secured to clips  20  ( FIG. 3 ) which are positioned a spaced distance apart in vertical alignment along the central axis of the panel, with the clips being connected to both sides of the panel ( FIG. 1 ). The horizontal width of the panel is at least ⅓ the width of the largest hanger so as to prevent entanglement of the hangers. 
     Additional United States Patents illustrating similar approaches include: A Cap Holder, Des. 377,123; Garment Hanger Support, Des. 195,751; Combined Garment Bag Hook And Strap Therefore, Des. 339,979; Hair Bow And Head Band Hanger, Des. 343,750; Accessory Hanger, U.S. D 496,581 S. 
     While the above noted inventions describe a variety of useful methods and devices for dealing with storing and retrieving issues regarding apparels and related accessories, they do not envision the additional conveniences, aesthetic appeal, and economies in fabrication inherent in the present invention. 
     It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide for convenient and rapid storage and retrieval of apparel accessories. 
     A further object is to provide a convenient means for displaying at least tow two different merchandise categories in vertical, linear arrangement on a panel on both the front and rear sides of the panel. 
     An additional object is to provide for storage and retrieval of scarves on one side of the panel, and handbags on the other side of the panel. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide for storage of scarves in a secure manner with minimum pressure being exerted on any portion of a secured scarf 
     Yet another object is to provide a clear, aesthetic sense to the user, as well as written indicia as to the proper side of the panel for storing scarves, and the proper side of the panel for storing handbags. 
     A further object is to provide for virtually unlimited positional access for storage and retrieval of apparel accessories, even within the confines of a crowded closet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objects are obtained with the apparel accessory holder of the present invention. 
     As noted above storage of items of apparel and their related accessories is everyone&#39;s everyday problem. Particularly for bulky items such as handbags, and amorphous one&#39;s such as scarves, the problem becomes increasingly difficult. Further exacerbating the situation is the fact that these items are often expensive, and therefore deserve careful attention. 
     It occurred that structures analogous to merchandise displays and personal closet organizers could provide a unique answer for these common inconveniences. To this end an apparel accessory holder has been devised with convenient storage and retrieval facilities especially for scarves and handbags. The holder is comprised of an elongated panel having a rod engaging mechanism such as a hook at one end for securing to a typical closet rod. A plurality of connectors for securing a handbag are affixed to one side or both sides of the panel, with a plurality of connectors for securing a scarf are affixed to the opposite side. In both cases the The connectors are positioned a spaced distance apart and in vertical alignment along a substantially central axis of the panel. The connectors are used to secure the accessory, such as a handbag or scarf, to the panel. 
     TheIf the rod engaging mechanism is a hook it can be either a fixed or rotatable hook. If a fixed hook configuration, the hook typically would be mounted to a cross member that extends left and right, from the connection to the vertical portion of the hook, along the top edge of the panel. If rotatable the hook at the top of the panel has its linear descending portion secured through a hole in a tube rotatably affixed to the panel along the top width of the panel. Thus the hook is free to rotate a full 360° in a plane parallel to the panel when hanging in a vertical position, with the panel itself being free to rotate 360° up or down in reference to a securing rod which will be more fully explained below. 
     The panel can be either rigid or flexible, with flexible construction preferred for mounting in a typical closet. Materials of fabrication can include metal, wood, or plastic, with cloth preferred for flexibility as note above. One side of the panel can have the written indicia “SCARVES”, and on the other side “BAGS”. In addition, the panel can be fabricated using two different types of cloth as, for example, canvas on one side and suede on the other. The canvas side would contain the handbag connectors, while the softer suede side would contain the scarf connectors. In this manner users would not only have the written indicia as to the correct placement of accessories on the panel, but also an aesthetic “feel” guiding the proper placement of an item. 
     Connectors for securing handbags can be, for example, hook and loop locking pads positioned in vertical alignment. Each pad containing a hook section at one end and a loop section at its other end can be affixed to one side of the panel in any convenient manner, such as via adhesives, sewing, molded within a plastic panel, and so on. To secure a hand bag the hook and loop locking pad is simply flipped open, the loop section of the handbag holder placed within the base of the hook and loop locking pad, and finally the hook and loop sections are re-secured to firmly hold the handbag. 
     For securing scarves on the other side of the panel a magnetic locking pad can be employed. Once again these special types of connectors are secured in vertical alignment. The magnetic locking pads can be affixed to one side or both sides of the panel in any convenient manner as noted above for the hook and loop locking pads. The magnetic locking pad is comprised of a first magnet secured at one end, with a second matching magnet secured at its other end. When the two matching magnets are brought into close proximity their magnetic attraction causes them to snap firmly together, securing an item such as a scarf placed therebetween. To add additional security the first magnet can have a matching cavity to a projecting nub at the center of the second magnet. A significant feature of the magnetic securing arrangement, particularly for delicate and expensive items such as a valued scarf, is that while the item is firmly secured any portion caught up in the locking mechanism is subject only to extremely gentle pressure. And even if accidentally pulled from a magnetically locked pad the item will be quickly and gently released without harm. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one version of the apparel accessory holder of the invention, showing the holder secured to a closet rod with scarves shown in phantom as attached to one side of the holder. 
         FIG. 2  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 1  showing the holder swiveled through a 180° angle to show the opposite side of the holder, with both handbags and scarves shown in phantom as attached to the holder. 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of one version of the apparel accessory holder of the invention, illustrating hook and loop locking pads on one side and magnetic locking pads on the opposite side, with secured hand bags and scarves shown in phantom. 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan fragmentary view of the multi-positionable hook connector for the apparel accessory holder of the invention, illustrating the degree of motion imparted to the holder by the hook connection. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 , illustrating the rotatable tube support for the hook connection of the apparel accessory holder. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 , illustrating the base linear section of the hook as rotatably secured within an aperture in the tube support. 
         FIG. 7  is a fragmentary view of one side of an apparel accessory holder, showing a magnetic locking pad in closed position securing a scarf shown in phantom. 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmentary view of one side of an apparel accessory holder, showing a magnetic locking pad in open position. 
         FIG. 9  is a fragmentary view of one side of an apparel accessory holder, showing a hook and loop locking pad in closed position, securing a handbag loop connector shown in phantom. 
         FIG. 10  is a fragmentary view of one side of an apparel accessory holder, showing a hook and loop locking pad in open position. 
       FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a single-sided version of the apparel accessory holder of the invention, showing the holder suspended from an in-place closet rod with scarves and handbags shown in phantom on the single-side. 
       FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view of a fixed hook version of the rod engaging mechanism for the apparel accessory holder of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning now to the drawings wherein similar structures having the same function are denoted with the same numeral, in  FIGS. 1 and 2  a version of the apparel accessory holder  10  of the invention is depicted. The holder  10  is comprised of an elongated panel  12  having a rod engaging mechanism such as a hook  18  affixed at one end of the panel. Typical dimensions for the holder can be approximately, for example, 45″ in length×3½″ wide×⅛″ in thickness. The holder can be fabricated in a variety of materials at designer preference, with rigid plastic or metal preferable for the hook  18 . The panel itself can be fabricated in rigid materials including wood, metal, or plastic, but preferably in a flexible cloth or plastic. 
     The hook, for example, 54 in FIG. 12, at the top of the holder is either fixed as shown in FIG. 12, or rotatably affixed approximately midway along the width of the panel for convenient connection to a closet rod  20  or similar support structures that may be employed for merchandise displays. Once. Whether fixed or rotatable, the hook includes a first segment 56 and a second segment 58. Together they define an opening, indicated by the arcuate arrow 60. The opening 60 is of sufficient breadth that a support rod, such as the in-place closet rod 20, will pass through the opening. Once the rod is disposed inside the area defined by the hook contour and opening 60, a portion of the inner surface of the hook contacts the upper surface 62 of the rod 20 to provide support for the accessory holder. Thus easy placement, removal and replacement on the support rod 20 is accommodated even though the ends of the rod may not be accessible. This configuration of the hook member and interplay with the support rod, once again, is identical for the rotatable hook 18. The hook 54 has a vertical portion 64 which is fixedly secured by a weld, for example, to a cross member 66 that extends left or right from the vertical portion 64 along the top edge 68 of the panel 70. With the rotatable hook connection, and the hook 18 connected to a rod  20 , the top edge of the panel  12  can be rotated 360° in a plane parallel to the rod, or rod; or the panel can be rotated, up and down 360° in relation to the rod as will be more fully explained. 
     BothOne or both sides of the panel  12  have a series of accessory connectors positioned a spaced distance apart along substantially the central axis of the panel. FIG. 11 shows a single sided panel 70. A first side  14  can have, for example, a plurality of magnetic locking pads  22  ( FIGS. 7-8 ), specifically for securing apparel accessories such as scarves. The second side  16  similarly has a plurality of accessory connectors, as, for example, hook and loop locking pads  26  ( FIGS. 9-10 ), specifically for securing apparel accessories such as handbags. Either side, or the single sided version, can include a mix of the differently structured accessory connectors to accommodate handbags and scarves, or the like, on one or both sides. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 3 , once the holder  10  is in place on a support rod  20  the panel provides for convenient storage and retrieval of scarves  24  held in place by magnetic latch  38  secured to magnetic locking pads  22  on one side  14  of the panel; and of handbags  30  held in place by hook and loop combination  36  secured to hook and loop locking pads  26  on the opposite side  16  of the panel. Written indicia  28 ,  FIG. 2 , are provided directing users to the correct placement of items on the holder. In addition, the construction of the holder  10  can assist in its proper utilization. Using cloth as the material of fabrication, two types of cloth can be employed, as, for example, canvas and suede. Canvas could be used on one side of the panel for securing handbags, while softer suede could be used on the opposite side for securing scarves. In this manner the user is guided by the aesthetic feel of the panel to recommended accessory connectors. 
       FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6  illustrate the connection of the multi-positionable hook  18  to the panel  12 . Two identical left and right tubular sections  32  affixed at the top of the panel provide the means for securing a rigid tube  34  across the width of the panel top. The tubular sections  32  are connected to the panel top so as to leave a centrally positioned space  44  between the two sections. The rigid tube  34  is secured within the two sections, the tube  34  having a centrally positioned aperture  42  for securing the linear downward shaft portion of the hook  18 , the end  40  of this linear shaft portion having a greater diameter than the diameter of the tube aperture. In this manner, when the hook  12  is connected to a support rod  20  the panel is free to move up or down 360° due to the rotation of the rigid tube  34  in the tubular sections  32 ; and the space  44  between the left and right tubular sections  32 . And, of course, the aperture  42  within the rigid tube permits a full 360° rotation of the top edge of the panel in a plane parallel to the rod 20. 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate magnetic locking pads  22  considered especially suitable for delicate items such as scarves. The magnetic locking pads can be fabricated in the same material as used for the side  14  of the panel. The magnetic locking pad is divided into a top section  22 A affixed to the panel in any convenient manner, and a confluent freely suspended bottom section  22 B. A centrally positioned first magnet  38 A having a center cavity  48  is affixed to the top section  22 A, and a matching centrally positioned second magnet  38 B having a protruding center nub  46  is affixed to the bottom section  22 B. In use a scarf  24  is placed between the top and bottom sections which are then moved into close proximity to each other, causing the magnetically attracted magnets to snap together, firmly securing the scarf. It is important to note that even if a portion of the scarf is caught between the two magnets, the gently pressure will not harm the scarf. And even if the scarf is accidentally pulled out of the magnetic locking pad, the mechanism releases without harm to the scarf. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate a hook and loop locking pad  26  considered especially useful for conveniently securing and retrieving handbags. As noted above for the magnetic locking pad, the hook and loop locking pad  26  consists of a top section  26 A which is affixed in any convenient manner to one side  16  of the panel, and a confluent freely suspended bottom section  26 B. The top section  26 A has a loop area  52  attached across its width, while the bottom section  26 B has a hook area  50  attached across its width. In use the handle of the handbag is simply placed between the hook and loop sections, and the top section  26 A and bottom section  26 B are then simply pressed together to secure the hand bag. 
     As is clear from the above disclosure a convenient new device and method for dealing with difficult to store apparel accessory items such as hand bags and scarves is provided. The holder  10  of the present invention significantly simplifies the storage and retrieval of handbags and scarves in a user&#39;s typically overcrowded closet. The universally positionable hook attachment provides for easy connection and removal of these bulky items. It should be noted that while primarily useful for the average home, the unique features of the holder lends itself to a variety of merchandise displays where access to the ends of the display rods are not accessible and where placement, removal and replacement is preferably facilitated. And while considered particularly useful for securing handbags and scarves the described panel accessory connectors can obviously be employed by users in ways to numerous to list. 
     While the present invention has been disclosed in connection with versions shown in detail, various modification and improvements will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.