Patent Publication Number: US-6334559-B1

Title: Hanger with an openable main body

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to a hanger which can hold several items which contain a loop portion, such as ponytail holders, often referred to as scrunchies, belts, etc. The hanger of the present invention has a design in which a center portion is openable to easily place the loop items onto the hanger and to easily remove the loop items from the hanger. 
     2. Discussion of the Background 
     It is often troublesome for someone to store items with loop portions. For example, it is often difficult to find the proper storage for belts, ponytail holders often known as scrunchies, etc. Since these items have a loop portion they are often placed on a single hook in a closet. However, if a person has many of such items, it may be difficult to have enough storage space on the hook. Also, particularly with respect to items such as ponytail holders which are small, it is often very difficult to keep track of all of the ponytail holders a person may have and to keep all of the ponytail holders from becoming disordered and messy. 
     Further, in a case of a person who has many ponytail holders, if the ponytail holders are placed on a hook and a person wants to retrieve a ponytail holder at the bottom of the hook, the person may have to remove all of the ponytail holders above that desired ponytail holder to properly get at the desired ponytail holders. As a result, the person may not place back all of the ponytail holders or feel annoyed at the effort required to get at the desired ponytail holder. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a novel hanger design which allows a person to easily store items with loop portions such as ponytail holders, belts, etc. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel hanger design which allows a person to store items such as ponytail holders, belts, etc. in a manner such that the person can easily access a desired ponytail holder, belt, etc. stored on the hanger. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel hanger for items such as ponytail holders, belts, etc. which is simple in design. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel hanger for storing items such as ponytail holders, belts, etc. which can be easily manufactured. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides a novel hanger which includes a hooking portion to be hooked onto a closet rod, hook, etc. Further, a main body of the hanger is connected to the hooking portion and includes first and second connecting/disconnecting portions which can connect and disconnect with each other. Both of the first and second connecting/disconnecting portions connect and disconnect at a central portion of the main body. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, 
     FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the novel hanger design of the present invention in a connected state; and 
     FIG. 2 shows a construction of the novel hanger design of the present invention in a disconnected state. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the novel hanger design of the present invention is shown in detail. 
     As discussed above, the novel hanger design of the present invention is particularly well suited for allowing the hangings of items with loop portions such as ponytail holders, belts, etc., although the hanger of the present invention is not limited to such a use and may find use storing many different kinds of items. 
     To allow the easy storage of such items with a loop portion, the hanger of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a hooking portion  12  for hooking onto a closet rod, a hook, etc., as in a standard hanger design. Attached to the hooking portion  12  is a main body portion  13 . In the example of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the main body portion  13  is hexagonal shaped. 
     Further, at a center of a bottom of the main body portion  13 , first and second connecting/disconnecting portions  14  and  16  are respectfully provided. That is, the main body portion  13  is formed as a single portion bent into a hexagon shape in which the ends are curved back on themselves to form respective connecting/disconnecting portions  14  and  16  each in a hook shape which can be connected and disconnected from each other. 
     FIG. 1 shows a construction in which the first and second connecting/disconnecting portions  14 ,  16  are in a connected state. 
     FIG. 2 shows a state in which the first and second connecting/disconnecting portions  14  and  16  are in a disconnected state. 
     In the state of FIG. 2, when the first and second connecting/disconnecting portions  14  and  16  are disconnected, due to the elasticity of the main body portion  13 , a space  15  is formed between the first and second connecting/disconnecting portions  14 ,  16 . That space  15  allows the items such as the ponytail holders, belts, etc., to be inserted and placed on the main body portion  13 . After the item such as the ponytail holders, belts, etc. are placed onto the main body portion  13 , the connecting/disconnecting portions  14  and  16  can then be connected such as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     With such a construction a person can easily place the loop items onto the main body portion  13 , and then can also easily undue the connecting/disconnecting portions  14 ,  16  to access the items placed on the main body  13  to remove them from the main body portion  13 . 
     In the present invention it is also a significant point that the connecting/disconnecting portions  14 ,  16  are formed at a central portion of the main body portion  13 . That allows easy access of all items stored on the main body portion  13  even if many items are stored on the main body portion  13 . That is, if a person has stored many ponytail holders, as an example, on the main body portion  13 , and the person desires to retrieve one particular ponytail holder, then with the hanger design of the present invention all the person has to do is slide all of the ponytail holders on one side of the desired ponytail holder to one side of the main body portion  13 , then disconnect the connecting/disconnecting portions  14 ,  16 , and at that state the desired ponytail holder will be right next to the space  15 . The person can then simply remove the desired ponytail holder as it is next to the space  15  and then reconnect the connecting/disconnecting portions  14 ,  16 . 
     In such a way, by appropriately placing the portion of the connecting/disconnecting portions  14 ,  16  at the center of the main body portion  13  a person can more easily access any of the desired items placed on the main body portion  13 . 
     The shape of the main body portion  13  is not limited to the hexagonal shape as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, the hexagonal shape shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may provide an advantage in that the hexagon shape can be created by a simple modification of the existing standard hanger design. That is, the hexagonal shape for the main body portion  13  shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be easily generated by adopting the standard hanger design and introducing two more bends and the connecting/disconnecting portions  14 ,  16  thereto. That may simplify the manufacture of the hanger of FIGS. 1 and 2. Although, the hanger of the present invention is not limited to such a shape. 
     In FIGS. 1 and 2 the connecting/disconnecting portions  14  and  16  are shown as simple hook portions integrally formed at the end of the main body portion  13 . Clearly, other connecting/disconnecting designs, including designs not integral to the main body portion, could be utilized. 
     Obviously, numerous additional modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practice otherwise than as specifically described herein.