Patent Publication Number: US-6334558-B1

Title: Hanger support with horizontally disposed garment hanging grooves

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to hanger supports and more particularly to a hanger support with horizontally disposed garment hanging grooves. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventionally, a garment is hung on a hanger to keep it in shape. However, such supported garments may be messy if there is no hanger support provided for hangers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,710 entitled “Garment Bag And Hanger Support” shown in FIG. 10 is disclosed for providing a solution to above problem. As shown, a limiting pin  7  having two enlarged head ends is passed through near one ends of clamp jaws  3  and  4  to define the open degree of pivotably coupled clamp jaws  3  and  4 . Two facing resilient blocks  5  and  6  are provided on clamp jaws  3  and  4  respectively. A latching device  8  is pivotably provided on the other end of clamp jaw  4 . A link  9  on latching device  8  is operable to fasten clamp jaws  3  and  4  together so that garments already hung between resilient blocks  5  and  6  may be secured by the clamping effect of resilient blocks  5  and  6 . Further, a mount structure or bracket  2  is coupled between clamp jaw  3  and upper wall  1 . 
     But this is unsatisfactory for the purpose for which the invention is concerned for the following reasons: As being limited by the length of limiting pin  7 , both the open degree of clamp jaws  3  and  4  (i.e., angle therebetween) as well as that of resilient blocks  5  and  6  are small. The gap near the pivot ends of clamp jaws  3  and  4  is particularly small. This may hinder the hanging of hanger on hanger support. Further, hanger hanging operation in hanger support is not smooth since latching device  8  and link  9  are provided on the path of above hanger hanging operation (i.e., somewhat hindered). Furthermore as the most important disadvantageous factor, the total weight of hung hangers are borne on clamp jaw  4  which is only supported by limiting pin  7 . In hanger hanging operation, after all hangers having hung garments are placed on resilient block  6 , user has to exert a significant force to lift clamp jaw  4  sufficiently to secure latching device  8 , link  9  and clamp jaws  3  and  4  together in order to clamp hangers between resilient blocks  5  and  6 . In view of above, improvement with respect to hanger support still exists. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a hanger support comprising a base, a pivotal engagement mechanism, a pin, and a pad member wherein the base is pivotably secured to one side of the engagement mechanism. When the engagement mechanism is disposed horizontally by rotation, a large hanger receiving space is formed in each of hanging grooves for facilitating the accessing of hanger. When the engagement mechanism is disposed horizontally by rotation, a hanger may be clamped between the pad member on the engagement mechanism and the hanging groove. Moreover, a torque is generated in rotating the engagement mechanism for facilitating the fastening/unfastening of a hanger. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a hanger support wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a protuberance and the base comprises a recess in an open end for securing the protuberance in a locked position. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a hanger support wherein the base and the hanger grooves are formed integrally for fastening hangers rested on the hanger grooves. In use, simply insert hangers onto the hanger grooves. Thereafter, rotate the engagement mechanism to secure the hangers. This eliminate prior art problem of exerting a great force to lift hanger with hung clothes to a sufficient height prior to securing thereto. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a hanger support comprising a base, a pivotal engagement mechanism, a pin, and a pad member so as to effect a simple construction as compared with prior art. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hanger support wherein the base comprises a flexible first protuberance on the open end and the engagement mechanism comprises a first dent and a second dent so that the engagement mechanism is rotatable to dispose either horizontally for causing the first protuberance to engage with the second dent or vertically for causing the first protuberance to engage with the first dent. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provide a hanger support comprising a base comprising an elongate hollow projection on the top, a horizontal member above the base having a plurality of hanging grooves on the bottom thereof, a vertical member having a hole coupled between one end of the horizontal member and one side of the base being spaced from the projection, a slot at the other end of the horizontal member having a guide and an end recess, and a flexible first protuberance on the edge opposite to the vertical member; a pivotal engagement mechanism comprising an outer knob, an elongate body having a first pivot end and a second pivot end each having a hole, a flexible second protuberance, a first dent, and a second dent; a pin inserted through the hole of the vertical member, the hole of the second pivot end, and the projection into the hole of the first pivot end to pivotably secure the engagement mechanism to the base; and a pad member on the bottom of the body; wherein the engagement mechanism is rotatable to dispose horizontally for causing the first protuberance to engage with the second dent for creating a hanger receiving space between the pad member and the horizontal member in an unlocked state of the hanger support; and the engagement mechanism is further rotatable to dispose vertically for causing the second protuberance to secure in the recess through the guide, the first protuberance to engage with the first dent, and a hanger to clamp between the pad member and the hanging groove. By utilizing this hanger support, the fastening/unfastening of a hanger is by simply turning the engagement mechanism. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hanger support with horizontally disposed garment hanging grooves according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is another perspective view of hanger support viewed in an angle reverse to that of FIG. 1 where hanger support is unlocked; 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 where hanger support is locked; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of FIG. 3 where hanger is hung on a hanging groove but unlocked; 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 where hanger is locked; 
     FIG. 7 is side view schematically showing hangers secured in hanger support; 
     FIG. 8 is top plan view of the locked hanger support; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a hanger hung on the FIG. 1 hanger support mounted on a garment bag; and 
     FIG. 10 is a side view in part section of U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,710. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  6 , there is shown a hanger support constructed in accordance with the invention comprising a base  10 , a pivotal engagement mechanism  20 , a pin  30 , and a pad member  40 . Each of above components is detailed below. Base  10  comprises an elongate hollow projection  11  on the top, a horizontal member  12  above base  10  having a plurality of hanging grooves  121  on the bottom, a vertical member  13  having a through hole  131  coupled between one end of horizontal member  12  and one side of base  10  being spaced from projection  11 , a slot  14  at the other end of horizontal member  12  having a guide  141  and an end recess  142 , and a flexible protuberance  15  on the edge opposite to vertical member  13 . Pivotal engagement mechanism  20  has an outer knob  201  for ease of turning by hand and comprises an elongate body  21  having a first pivot end  211  and a second pivot end  212  each having a hole, a flexible protuberance  22 , a first dent  23 , and a second dent  24  (see FIG.  4 ). Pin  30  is inserted through the hole  131  of vertical member  13 , the hole  2120  of second pivot end  212 , and the bore  110  of projection  11  into the hole (not shown) of first pivot end  211  to pivotably secure the engagement mechanism  20  to the base  10 . Pad member  40  formed of elastomeric material is provided on the bottom of body  21 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5 specifically, when pivotal engagement mechanism  20  is turned to be disposed horizontally, protuberance  15  is engaged with second dent  24 . Further, a gap between pad member  40  and horizontal member  12  is relative large (see FIG.  5 ). Hence, it is easy to hang a hanger  50  on the hanging groove  121  (see FIG.  3 ). At this position, hanger support is unlocked. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6 specifically, when pivotal engagement mechanism  20  is again turned to be disposed vertically, protuberance  22  is secured in recess  142  through guide  141 , protuberance  15  is engaged with first dent  23 , and the hook portion of hanger  50  is clamped between pad member  40  and hanging groove  121  (see FIG.  4 ). In brief, the fastening/unfastening of hanger  50  is by simply turning pivotal engagement mechanism  20 . Hence, it is much easy and labor saving. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, the hook portions of a plurality of hangers  51 ,  52  and  53 , each having a diameter different from the other, are fastened by pad member  40  and horizontal member  12  since the provision of pad member  40  formed of elastomeric material as stated above. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown protuberance  22  secured in recess  142  after passing through guide  141  of slot  14 . 
     Referring to FIG. 9, a garment  50  is hung on the hanger support which is mounted on a garment bag  60  by securing base  10  thereto. 
     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.