Patent Publication Number: US-2018035835-A1

Title: Hanging Garment Wrinkle Remover

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/370,714 filed on Aug. 4, 2016, which is included herein in its entirety, by this reference thereto. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present device relates to hangers which are employed to hold clothing and support the clothing in an elevated position by engagement of the hanger to a mount. More particularly, the disclosed device includes such a hanger having angled garment support arms and a removably engageable base member adapted for engagement to the garment for wrinkle removal and prevention. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Clothing hangers have been employed to hold and store clothing for many decades. Conventionally, such clothing hangers have a pair of angled garment support arms which engage at one end with a hook, and at the opposite end with one end of a horizontally-disposed base member. Conventionally, such hangers are employed to support and hold clothing in a free hanging elevated position. Such is done in order to minimize the wrinkles imparted to the fabric of the clothing so supported. 
     Conventionally, wire and wooden and metal hangers are formed to a generally triangular shape and have a hook located at an upper end which is adapted to removably engage the hanger to a horizontal member or pole. The pair of downward sloping clothing support arms are situated to contact the interior of a shirt or the like in a manner similar to the contact of the shoulders of a wearer of such clothing. The support member is horizontally disposed between engagements at opposing ends with the distal ends of the support arms. 
     In use, a garment normally worn on the torso of a user is engaged to the two sloping support arms, and the hook of the hanger is then engaged upon a pole such as that positioned in most closets. The support member is employed to support a pair of pants or the like, over a top surface of the support member. 
     However, conventional garment hangers are only designed to provide two-dimensional support to a garment such as shirts or pants. Such poses at least two concerns, in that the body of a wearer of a shirt, blouse or pants is generally three dimensional. However, the thin hanger configuration, with the support arms and support member formed within the same plane, can actually over time, impart wrinkles to a shirt hung upon the thin sloping support arms. Further, if a garment is hung upon the hanger in a wrinkled condition, the best conventional hangers can accomplish over time, is to maintain that wrinkled condition and give the user hope that some of the wrinkles might dissipate over time while the garment hangs. 
     The device and method herein disclosed, provides a de wrinkling support member engageable to the garment and which may also be engaged with the clothing hanger which is configured to aid in both the prevention of new wrinkles, and the elimination of wrinkles in hung clothing. Through the provision of the removably engageable support member, which is adapted for engagement to a garment such as a shirt, blouse, or other clothing while it is supported on the sloping hanger arms, the device herein provides great utility to the user for wrinkle removal and abatement. 
     The forgoing examples of hangers employed for support and elevated storage of clothing, and the limitations related therewith, are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. The disclosed examples and background does not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various other limitations of the related art in clothing hangers are known, or such will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The device and system herein disclosed and described provides a solution to the shortcomings in prior art of garment wrinkles and clothing hangers and achieves the noted objects herein, through the provision of a garment engageable support member for de wrinkling. The support member can be provided for use with garments on any hanger, or can be provided in combination with a clothing hanger having the support member which is removably engageable to a first position, in-between the distal ends of the sloping support arms. If provided in a combination with a hanger, in this first position the support member is configured to support pants, belts, or other clothing items generally stored with horizontal support underneath. 
     The support member alone, or in the removable engagement with the distal ends of the sloping arms, is adapted for locating to a second position, where it is removably engageable upon the garment or clothing being supported by the sloping arms of a clothes hanger. Of course for convenience, the engaged hanger and support member configuration is preferred since it keeps the support member in position for use but provides clothing support when not in use. 
     In all modes of the device, the support member has a first member component which is removably engageable on both sides of a garment sandwiched therebetween with a second member component. In a particularly preferred mode of the device herein, the removable engagement of a side of first member component to a biased engagement against a side of the second member component is a magnetic attraction therebetween. 
     Using this magnetic attraction between the first and second member components, both may be positioned on opposite side surfaces of a garment being supported in an elevated position by the sloping arms of a hanger. The magnetic attraction will communicate through the layers of the garment and hold a side surface of the first member component tightly biased against or toward a side surface of the second member component, in an engaged position, with the garment in a sandwiched biased engagement therebetween. 
     Preferably, the support member components are formed of a heavy material such as steel, stainless steel, or other components which will impart the force of their mass or weight to the engaged garment when the two member components are in an engaged position thereon. The weight of the biasly engaged support member is currently an aggregate weight of the engaged two components between six to sixteen ounces. Over time, the force of gravity on the mass or weight of the engaged support member will act to elongated the fibers of the garment to which it engages. 
     Further over time, the engaged support component will act to remove or significantly reduce any wrinkles in the garment to which it is operatively engaged at or adjacent a lower end. In the preferred mode of the device, where the hanger provides a mount at lower ends of slanted portions, subsequent to use for de wrinkling, the support member can be disengaged from the clothing, and re engaged in-between the distal ends of the sloping arms. This provides a convenient storage position where it may remain until re engaged on clothing, or for support of pants or the like on the hanger. The combined hanger and support member is preferred since it renders the support member handy and not easily lost, especially when the device is taken on travel. 
     The support member can be enhanced with additional components such as a vibrator which will vibrate the support member components while engaged on a garment, which will impart vibration in a standing wave to the garment fibers to aid in de wrinkling. In another mode, an electro magnet may be employed for the magnetic engagement between the first and second member components. In this mode, using a controller to impart timely flux adjustment and gravity, the engaged member components can be made to progress across the garment in an ironing fashion. Further, the support member can also be made with separable halves which biasly engage against opposing sides of the garment when mounting, and can be held in such a biased engagement by springs attached to a hinge or pivot. 
     With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the clothing hanger disclosed and described herein in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The wrinkle eliminating hanger invention herein described and shown is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other clothing hanger devices which remove or mitigate wrinkles, and for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosed device. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     As used in the claims to describe the various inventive aspects and embodiments, “comprising” means including, but not limited to, whatever follows the word “comprising”. Thus, use of the term “comprising” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present. By “consisting of” is meant including, and limited to, whatever follows the phrase “consisting of”. Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, and that no other elements may be present. By “consisting essentially of” is meant including any elements listed after the phrase, and limited to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the activity or action specified in the disclosure for the listed elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the listed elements are required or mandatory, but that other elements are optional and may or may not be present depending upon whether or not they affect the activity or action of the listed elements. 
     It is an object of this invention, to provide a biasly engaged support member which will engage upon a garment and impart force to de wrinkle the garment over time. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide the biasly engageable support member alone, or in a combination with a clothing hanger which is configured for use in conventional closets and the like. 
     It is an additional object of this invention to provide such a clothing hanger device, which is employable to remove wrinkles in the support clothing through the provision of a support member which will engage with the fabric of the garment on the hanger and act to remove or mitigate wrinkles in the garment. 
     These and other objects, features, and advantages of the disclosed clothing hanger invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements described in this specification and hereinafter described in the following detailed description, which fully discloses the invention, but should not be considered as placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive examples of embodiments and/or features of the disclosed clothing hanger device. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative of the invention herein, rather than limiting in any fashion. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  depicts the combination device of a support member and clothing hanger which is shown in an assembled configuration with the support member engaged at opposite ends with distal ends of the support arms extending from the hook. 
         FIG. 2  depicts an exploded view of the combination device of  FIG. 1 , showing the engaged two members of the horizontal support member which itself is disengaged from mounts positioned at distal ends of the angled support arms. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a support member which is employed for de wrinkling garments having a first member component and second member component forming the support member, and showing magnets employable to hold respective sides of each of the two components biasly engaged against or toward each other. 
         FIG. 4  shows a top plan view of a first side of the hanger of the combined hanger and support member, as shown in the perspective view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  depicts a top plan view of a rear or second side of the hanger device opposite the view of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is an end view of the hanger device shown in  FIGS. 4-5 . 
         FIG. 7  depicts the hanger device of  FIG. 1 , in an as-used position, supporting a garment on the angled support arms, and with the fabric of the garment in a sandwiched engagement in between the first member component which is in a removable biased engagement with the second member component of the support member. 
         FIG. 8  shows a mode of the device wherein a vibrator is connected to a central area of the engaged support member for imparting vibration thereto and into the stretched fibers of the garment. 
         FIG. 9  depicts an optional secondary member having removably engageable first and second portions which may be biasly engaged to sleeves of a garment for de wrinkling thereof. 
         FIG. 10  depicts a mode of the device as in  FIG. 8 , showing that the vibration of the vibrator can be adjusted in frequency and force using a controller, to cause the support member engaged on the garment, to traverse downward thereover in an ironing motion from top to bottom. 
         FIG. 11  depicts a mode of the support member having an electro magnet shown in  FIG. 12 , which is engageable to traverse through the garment to hold the two members in a varying biased engagement and thereby move in an ironing action through adjustment of the force of the magnet and thereby the biased engagement, to allow gravity to pull the support member downward while engaged. 
         FIG. 12  shows the support member of the device as employed in the biased sandwiched engagement at the upper end of the garment of  FIG. 11 , showing a recess formed in first member components defining a passage for buttons, and showing the battery-powered electro magnet which provides the magnetic force to hold the first member component to the second member component, and which has a controller to vary the magnetic attraction to cause the engaged members to move from an upper to a lower end of the garment in an ironing action. 
         FIGS. 13-14  show another configuration for the support member wherein the first member component is biased against the second member component by a spring loaded pivot. 
         FIG. 15  depicts a mode of the support member showing a garment sandwiched between the first member component which is biased toward the second member component by a spring loaded hinge. 
         FIG. 16  depicts a mode of the device herein wherein the support member is shown in a sandwiched engagement at lower ends of a plurality of garments which can be hung on a plurality of hangers. 
         FIG. 17  shows a mode of the device herein where the support member is also engageable with a plurality of garments for de wrinkling, each of which would be on a separate hanger or similar support. 
         FIG. 18  depicts a mode of the device similar to that of  FIG. 15 , where a plurality of garments are in a sandwiched engagement at lower ends between the first member component which is biased toward the second member component by a spring loaded hinge. 
         FIG. 19  shows a mode of the device herein showing a slot positioned to allow easy traverse over buttons on the garment similar to that of  FIG. 11 , and showing a separate support member having two halves engaged to the bottom end of the garment. 
         FIG. 20  depicts a mode of the device where the support member configured as in  FIG. 12  is separate from the hanger, and can be engaged with a garment hanging on any type of hanger. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms of direction or position, refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only, and such are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation. 
     Now referring to drawings in  FIGS. 1-20 , wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there can be seen in  FIG. 1  a depiction of the clothing hanger device  10  herein, in an assembled configuration. As shown, the horizontally disposed support member  12  is engaged at opposite ends, in respective removable engagements with respective distal ends of the support arms  14  which intersect at a connection to a hook  16 . 
     The removable engagements  18  of the opposite ends of the support member  12 , with the distal ends of the angled support arms  14 , can be any removable engagement  18  adapted to the task herein, such as cooperative connectors, hook and loop fabric, magnets, or other removable engagement of both ends of the support member  12 , which will hold the assembled support member  12  in a fixed position such that weight of clothing or other supported items can be supported. 
     Shown in  FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the device  10  of  FIG. 1 . As show, the support member  12  is disengaged from the removable engagement of ends thereof with the distal ends of the support arms  14 . The support member  12  is shown with one side surface of the first member component  20  in a biased engagement against a side surface of the second member component  22 . This biased engagement is preferably provided by magnets  24  shown in  FIG. 3 , which is particularly preferred for reasons noted herein. 
     Also shown in  FIG. 2 , is an enlargement of a slot  26  positioned proximate to both the distal ends of each of the angled support arms  14 . Each slot  26  is sized to frictionally engage around one end of the assembled support member  12 , and hold the opposing ends of the support member  12  in a weight bearing removable engagement with the respective distal ends of the support arms  14 . As noted other removable engagements may be employed such as magnets  24 , hook and loop fabric, or mating connectors on each of the support member  12  and the distal ends of the support arms  14 . 
     As noted, in  FIG. 3  is shown, a view of the support member  12 , having a first end and second end and showing the first support component  20  disengaged from the second support component  22 . As can be seen, magnets  24  positioned on one side surface of one or both of the first support component  20  or second support component  22 , provide a magnetic attraction between the two side surfaces. This magnetic attraction will hold a side surface of the first support component  20  biased toward or in a biased contact against, a side surface of the second support component  22 . If the first support component  20  and second support component  22  are formed of a magnetically attractive material such as steel or nickel, then magnets  24  need only be on one of the two. If the first and second support components are formed of non magnetically attractive materials, then magnets  24  are positioned on both and aligned, preferably with reversed polarity of each to the other. 
     Views of the device  10  of  FIG. 1 , in an assembled configuration, can also be seen in the top plan view of a first side of the hanger device  10  of  FIG. 4 , the top plan view of a rear or second side of the hanger device  10  of  FIG. 5  which is opposite the view of  FIG. 4 . An end view of the device  10  if  FIGS. 1, 4-5 , is provided in  FIG. 6 . 
     Shown in  FIG. 7  is the hanger device  10  of  FIG. 1 , in an as-used position. In this as-used position, the two angled support arms  14  support a garment  28  much like the shoulders of a wearer. At a lower end of the garment  28 , the support member  12  is operatively engaged to the fabric of the garment  28 . This engagement of the support member  12  positions the garment  28  sandwiched in-between the first member component  20  and second member component  22 . The magnets ( FIG. 3 ) cause a magnetic attraction of the first member component  20  toward the second member component  22  and thereby form a biased contact of first member component  20  against one side of the garment  28  and the second member component  22  in a biased contact with the opposite side of the garment  28 , and hold the support member  12  in a sandwiched engagement with the garment  28 . In this engagement, the weight of the support member  12 , acts on the fibers of the garment  28 , to stretch them and remove or mitigate any wrinkles in the fabric forming the garment  28 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a mode of the device  10  which has a support member  12  which will engage in a biased sandwiched engagement with the garment  28  as in  FIG. 7 or 10  using the magnetic attraction or other means to bias the first member component  20  toward the second member component  22  with sufficient force to hold it upon the garment  28  sandwiched therebetween. 
     However, as shown in  FIG. 8 , a vibrator  30  powered by a battery  32 , is engaged with the first member component  20 . In use with the support member  12  in a sandwiched engagement with the garment  28 , such as shown in  FIG. 7 , the vibrations communicated to the first member component  20  from the vibrator  30 , are communicated into the fibers of the garment  28  in a wave which combined with the weight of the support member  12 , enhance the removal or mitigation of wrinkles in the fabric of the garment  28 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , optionally, a controller  32  of the vibrator  30  can control the frequency and strength of the vibrations, to cause the brief loosening of the biasing of the two components forming the support member  12 . This will cause the support member  12  to slide down the garment  28  while in the sandwiched engagement therewith, and impart an ironing to the fabric of the garment  28  from the biased contact therewith. 
     Another option of the device  10  is shown in  FIG. 9  where one or a plurality of secondary members  34  can be provided which are sized for engagement to sleeves  29  of a garment  28  such as in  FIG. 10 . Each secondary member  34  is formed of a first half member  36  and second half member  38  which are held in biased contact with sleeves  29  positioned therebetween by magnets  24  and the magnetic force between the two halves. 
     In  FIGS. 11-12  is shown a mode of the device  10  having an electro magnet  40  which is energized by an onboard battery  33  or other power supply. In this mode the magnetic attraction between the first member component  20  to bias it toward or against the second member component  22 , may be varied by a controller  32 , to thereby vary the amount of biasing force while the support member  12  is engaged to a garment  28  as in  FIG. 11 . By varying the magnetic force, the bias of the sandwiched engagement on the garment  28  can be varied to allow gravity to overcome a lower biasing force, which will pull the support member  12  in an ironing motion, from the upper end of the garment  28  toward a lower end of the garment  28  over time. To aid the support member  12  in traversing over garment buttons  42  in a gravity induced ironing action, during travel over the garment  28 , a slot  44  is provided which depends into the exterior surface of the first member component  20  to allow the buttons  42  to pass therethrough. 
     This recess or slot  44  is also shown in  FIG. 12  is an enlargement of the support member  12  as employed in  FIG. 11 . As noted also depicted is the electro magnet  40  which when energized by the onboard battery  33  provides the magnetic biasing force to hold the first member component  20  to the second member component  22 , and which has a controller  32  to vary the biasing force of this magnetic attraction overt time, to enable the assembled support member  12  to slip with gravity, but concurrently maintain a biased sandwiched engagement of the garment  28  and act in an ironing motion as gravity draws the support member  12  downward. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 13-14 , the support member  12 , may also be configured to yield a biased engagement of the garment  28  using a configuration for the support member  12  wherein the first member component  20  is biased against the second member component  22  by a spring loaded pivot  46 . As shown, a pair of pivoting members  48  are in a pivoting engagement and each biases one of the first member component  20  and second member component  22  toward each other. The garment  28  is thus held in contact and in-between the biased first member component  20  and second member component  22 . In this mode, the removable engagement  18  of the opposite ends of the support member  12  would be in respective slots  26  adapted to hold the pivoting members  48  while in the rotational engagement therebetween. 
     Shown in  FIG. 15  is another mode of configuration of the support member  12  showing the lower end of the garment  28  sandwiched between the first member component  20  which is biased toward the second member  22  component by a spring  50  operatively connected with a hinged connection  51  between the first member component  20  and second member component  22 . Two handles  52  operatively extending from connections with the first and second member components, allow a user to separate the biased contacting first and second member components, and position the end of the garment  28  therebetween. Once the handles  52  are released, the support member  12  is engaged upon the garment  28  in a biased contact between the first member component  20  and second member component  22 . This places the support member  12  in an engaged position to help de wrinkle the garment  28 . 
     Another mode of the device  10  where the support member  12  can be used alone without an engagement to a hanger is shown in  FIGS. 16-20 . In  FIGS. 16-18  is shown that a support member  12  can be concurrently engaged with a plurality of garments  28  each of which can be engaged upon any type of hanger. In all depicted modes of such in  FIGS. 16-18 , the plurality of garments  28  is placed into a biased sandwiched engagement between a first member component  20  which is biased under force toward a second member component  22 . Such may be with a spring  50  or similar bias imparting component, with sufficient force to compress lower ends of all the garments  28  in between the first member component  20  and second member component  22 . 
     Shown in  FIGS. 19-20  is a mode of the device, which as noted also may be employed with the support member  12  above in  FIG. 12 , but which need not engage with a hanger when not in use. In this mode a recess or slot  44  which is also shown in  FIG. 12 , is provided and will function to impart an ironing action would employ the electro magnet  40  as described with  FIG. 12 , which when energized by the onboard battery  33  provides the magnetic biasing force to hold the first member component  20  to the second member component  22 . In use, a controller  32  will vary electric power and biasing force of this magnetic attraction over time, to enable the assembled support member  12  to slip with gravity but concurrently maintain a biased sandwiched engagement on the garment  28  and act in an ironing motion as gravity draws the support member  12  downward. As noted above, the slot  44  positioned in a central area of the first or second member components, is provided which allows easy traverse of buttons  42  therethrough. 
     It should be noted than any of the different depicted and described configurations and components of the de wrinkling hanger device in different drawn figures, can be employed with any other configuration or component shown and described as part of the device herein. Additionally, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof and steps in the method of production, a latitude of modifications, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, it will be appreciated that in some instance some features, or configurations, of the invention could be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. All such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this invention as broadly defined in the appended claims. 
     Further, the purpose of any abstract of this specification is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. Any such abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting, as to the scope of the invention in any way.