Patent Publication Number: US-2007114196-A1

Title: Retractable Hanging Apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority to, and is a continuation-in-part of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/895,531, filed on Jul. 21, 2004. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The invention relates in general to the field of lifting mechanisms and more particularly to an apparatus that includes one or more lines that are connected to a spring-biased roller assembly and is especially useful for hanging items such as clothing and the like.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      The general concept of a “retractable hanger” has been used for many years, mainly for indoor closet and vehicle applications. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,357 by Johnston describes a retractable garment hanger assembly (for an automobile) that pulls down via “lines” from its mount when it is urged to do so by a user or by hanging clothing upon a bar portion of the structure. When the downward force is removed, the “bar” then retracts into the mounting member.  
      However, the lines holding the bar on Johnston&#39;s invention are constantly urged upward due to a biasing spring. Thus, when the weight being hung upon the bar is removed, a sudden “snapping” action can occur, which potentially can result in a user being pinched or otherwise injured.  
      Spring-biased roller assemblies (similar to those used in common “roller blinds” for windows) have also been used to provide or hang shower curtains. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,559 discloses a retractable shower screen unit. The unit basically includes a roller blind of woven glass fiber material housed in an elongate extruded plastics material casing. Two freely rotatable water absorbent sponge rollers are also housed in the casing and the screen passes therebetween.  
      While the aforementioned inventions have provided suitable function for their intended purpose, none are believed to provide an apparatus that can hang a variety of articles and that does not “snap” to a retracted position unexpectedly. Therefore, in view of the above, it would be desirable to have a retractable hanging apparatus that is simple and durable, that can be used with a variety of lines, and that can be secured to a ceiling or housed out-of-sight in a sub-ceiling.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention relates to a method of hanging articles and a retractable hanging apparatus that mounts to a wall or ceiling. The structure of the hanger includes an engagement means (for example, a bar) upon which an article (e.g., clothing) is hung or secured. The engagement means is suspended by one or more “lines” that are attached to a roller assembly that is mounted between two bracket means alone or bracket means disposed inside a housing structure. The line or lines are secured to the roller assembly so that the article may be lowered to a particular height or may be elevated as desired.  
      In one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus includes a locking or braking system for a spring-biased roller assembly that reduces the tendency for the assembly to unexpectedly “snap” to a retracted position. Also, the invention preferably includes alignment pads disposed to frictionally engage the line or lines attached to the roller assembly in order to keep the winding motion orderly (i.e., in a particular place on the roller) and to prevent line entanglement with other roller assembly components. Furthermore, some embodiments of the invention include a constant-tension spring-biased roller assembly, “break-away” lines for releasing the engagement means if too much force is applied, or an adjustable-tension hanging bar.  
      In another embodiment, the engagement means includes hangers, hoops, clamps, bars and other structures (such as a hamper or bag) useful for securing or hanging an article to the invention. Thus, depending upon the engagement means utilized, a variety of items may be displayed, hung, or raised, such as, but not limited to, clothing, signage, decorations, and the like.  
      In yet another embodiment of the invention, the roller assembly includes a braking mechanism that includes an arm having one or more protrusions at a first end and a hole at a second end, wherein said arm to pivotally attached to said end at the hole and is held in a unengaged position by a magnet disposed upon the end of the roller assembly; and a cog arrangement disposed upon the bracket, wherein centrifugal force swings the arm free of the magnet such that the protrusions engage a cog of the cog arrangement disposed upon the bracket, thereby braking radial acceleration of the roller assembly.  
      In still another embodiment of the invention, the roller assembly is powered by a rotary motor.  
      Thus, in view of the disclosure herein, a new and improved retractable hanging apparatus is provided. Moreover, a new and improved article-hanging method is provided. The method involves providing a retractable hanging apparatus that includes a pair of mounting bracket means, a roller assembly mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis on the pair of mounting brackets means, at least one line connected in spooling arrangement with the roller assembly, and an engagement means for engaging an article disposed at the second end of the line; hanging or securing the article to the engagement means of the apparatus; and raising the article by applying either a manual or motorized pulling force to the line or engagement means.  
      Various other purposes and advantages of the invention will become clear from its description in the specification that follows. Therefore, to the accomplishment of the objectives described above, this invention includes the features hereinafter fully described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, and particularly pointed out in the claims. However, such description discloses only some of the various ways in which the invention may be practiced.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a first embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a front elevational and partially exploded view of a second embodiment.  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic top-view of the housing component of  FIG. 2  (shown with the roller assembly removed) and a cover.  
       FIG. 4  is a front elevational, partially exploded view of a spring-biased roller assembly of the invention.  
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged, side elevational view of a braking mechanism of the invention taken from the direction indicated by arrow  5  in  FIG. 4 .  
       FIG. 6  illustrates the braking mechanism of  FIG. 5  in both an unengaged and engaged (shown in phantom line) position.  
       FIG. 7 . is a front elevational view of a third embodiment of the invention.  
       FIGS. 8-11  illustrate alternative engagement means according to the invention.  
       FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective and an exploded view of an engagement means from a fourth embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 13  is a front elevational view of a fifth embodiment of the invention showing a magnified detail of the components indicated by arrows Z.  
       FIGS. 14A and 14B  are front elevational views of an adjustable engagement means of the invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The invention relates to a retractable hanging apparatus that mounts to a wall or ceiling. The structure of the hanger includes an engagement means (for example, a bar) upon which an article (e.g., clothing) is hung or secured. The engagement means is suspended by one or more “lines” that are attached to a spring-biased roller assembly that is mounted between two bracket means alone or bracket means disposed inside a housing structure. The “lines” are secured to a roller assembly so that the article may be lowered to a particular height or may, through a short but gentle pull of the engagement means or activation of a motor, be elevated as desired.  
      Turning to  FIG. 1 , a front elevational view of a first embodiment of the invention is shown. The retractable hanging apparatus  2  features an engagement means (in this case, bar  4 ) that is suspended by lines  6 . Lines  6  are wound around a motorized roller assembly (see  FIG. 2 ) and contained within a housing  8 . In this embodiment, the invention functions in that user may secure or suspend an article (not shown) from bar  4  and then locate the article to a desired height by actuating the motorized roller assembly through a wired switch or remote control (not shown). Alternatively, the roller assembly can be a spring-biased roller assembly as depicted in  FIG. 4 ., and, hence, would function through the application of a manual pulling force by the user.  
      Thus, as indicated by arrow A and the illustrated phantom lines, the position of bar  4  is easily lowered. Conversely, the bar  4  may be raised through reversing the direction of the motorized roller assembly. Depending upon the line material (e.g., monofilament line, nylon rope, cables, twine, or fibers) and rating of the roller assembly utilized (e.g., light or heavy duty), a user may hang items that comprise a large range of weight.  
      A partially exploded view of a second embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 2 . Here, bar  10  is suspended by lines  12  that are attached to and wound around a motorized roller assembly  14  that is electrically connected to power source  17 . Roller assembly  14  may be disposed within housing  16  as indicated by arrows B by placing pin  18  and tab  20  into appropriate mounting brackets or slots within housing  16  (see  FIG. 3 ). Of course, the roller assembly  14  may also simply be mounted between two suitable brackets directly to a ceiling or wall without the housing  16 , if desired. While not limited to any particular shape or material, the housing  16  is preferably manufactured in the form of a box out of lightweight plastic or wood. However, metal or other lightweight material may also be used.  
      As indicated by arrows C, a cover  22  may be disposed atop the housing  16 . The cover  22  preferably features alignment pads  24 , the purpose of which is to keep lines  12  in place upon the roller  14  such that entanglement with pin  18  or tab  20  is prevented. However, the alignment pads  24  may be disposed upon a surface of the interior of the housing other than the cover or upon the ceiling itself if a housing is not used (not shown). Also preferably, cushions  26  are disposed at the bottom of housing  16  where each line  12  passes through so that noise may be minimized upon full retraction of bar  10 .  
       FIG. 3  illustrates in top view the housing component  16  and the cover  22  of  FIG. 2  (shown with the roller assembly removed). In this view, the apertures  30  through which lines  12  pass and mounting brackets  32  are more clearly seen. Moreover, mounting slots  23  disposed within cover  22  may be used to mount the housing  16  to a wall or ceiling.  
      Turning to  FIG. 4 , a partially exploded view of a roller assembly of the invention is shown. The roller assembly  36  is a spring-biased roller assembly of the type commonly used in window roller blinds. Thus, the roller assembly  36  includes a pin flange  38  at a first end and a lockable bearing flange  40  at the second end. The bearing flange  40  has a spring  42  (e.g., a tension, torsion, or compression spring) connected to its inner end and a tab  44  disposed upon it outer end. As would be known to one skilled in the art, the winding of the spring  42  produces the rotational force needed to move the assembly  36  (and retract anything attached thereto).  
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged, side elevational view of a braking mechanism of the invention taken from the direction indicated by arrow  5  in  FIG. 4 . An arm  48  having a one or more protrusions (in this case, teeth  50 ) is attached to by pivot  52  to the outer surface  54  of pin flange  56 . Although not shown in the figures, the protrusion also may be a tab, serration, or squared end (such that a corner engages another surface). Magnet  58  keeps arm  48  in an unengaged position during normal “down pull” rotation of the roller bar assembly.  
      Thus,  FIG. 6  illustrates how the braking mechanism of  FIG. 5  engages (shown in phantom line) the surface  60  (which may be, for example, compliant plastic or rubber) is provided within a bracket  62 . As indicated by arrow D, the arm  48  is released by magnet  58  and swings out during abrupt rotation, such as during the accidental release of the bar. In other words, the pivotable arm  48  is engaged by the magnet  58  unless rotational force (caused by the actuating rotation of the roller) causes the arm to swing out and engage surface  60  to thereby provide a braking action for the roller assembly. As one skilled in the art would understand, magnets can be attached to the roller through conventional means (e.g., glue), and the strength of the magnet needed such that the arm disengages the magnet during rotation in a particular direction is available from standard tables or may be routinely derived.  
      Many “industrial ceilings,” such as those found in a retail shopping establishment, contain sub-ceilings that conceal a crawl space. Thus, the invention may be installed out of view by locating it within a sub-ceiling as shown in  FIG. 7 . The apparatus  70  is installed above a sub-ceiling  72  such that single line  74  protrudes therefrom and attaches to bar  76 .  
      Turning to  FIGS. 8-11 , several alternative engagement means are illustrated. Thus, depending upon the ultimate needs of a user, clamps  78 , hoops  80 , hangers  82 , or a bag  84  may be employed in lieu of a bar or similar structure.  
       FIG. 12  illustrates a perspective and an exploded view of an engagement means from a fourth embodiment of the invention. An adjustable-tension hanging bar  90  has a rotatable inner rod  92  nested within a hollow outer rod  94 , with the inner rod  92  further having at least one groove  96  within which at least one line  97  is disposed in spooling arrangement therewith and connected to a roller assembly (as shown on other embodiments), and a locking mechanism, such as cotter pin  98  disposed within an opening in the end of rod  92 . Activation of the locking mechanism  98  prevents rotation of the inner rod, while removal of pin  98  allows for rotation of the inner rod  92 . The rotation of the inner rod  92  allows a user to increase or decrease the initial tension of the line  97 , which has the additional effect in spring-biased roller assembly embodiments of increasing or decreasing the tension of the spring.  
      Turning to  FIG. 13 , wherein like numbers represent like components found in other embodiments, a front elevational view of a fifth embodiment of the invention having a magnified detail of the top, side, and perspective views of the components  21 A and  21 B (indicated by arrows Z and X) is shown. The spring-biased roller assembly  14 S of this embodiment further includes areas of varying radius, such as conical areas  21 A and  21 B. Conical areas  21 A and  21 B are disposed in contact with line  12  such that changing spring tension is at least partially offset thereby. Preferably, conical areas  21 A and  21 B having a thread or groove  100  disposed thereupon (shown in magnified detail by arrow X) to engage line  12  in contact therewith (and thereby prevent slippage).  
       FIGS. 14A and 14B  illustrate an adjustable engagement means of the invention in which tension in the return spring of the spring-biased roller assembly may be adjusted by changing the length of line wound upon a spool. As shown in  FIGS. 14A and 14B , roller assembly  100  contains spools  101  and  102  disposed within rod  103 . Spools  101  and  102  are used to anchor the lines  105 A and  105 B that pass through openings  104  and into the hollow hanging rod  103 . By increasing or decreasing the total length of line by winding the line around each spool, the height of rod  103 , as well line tension, may be adjusted. After adjusting line length, the spools are concealed inside the hanging rod  103  as shown in  FIG. 14B .  
      Various changes in the details and components that have been described may be made by those skilled in the art within the principles and scope of the invention herein described in the specification and defined in the appended claims. Therefore, while the present invention has been shown and described herein in what is believed to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures can be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent processes and products.