Patent Publication Number: US-7909186-B1

Title: Clothes hanger apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The plurality of devices provided for hanging clothes is testimony to the varying needs for such devices. Several concerns exist in clothes hanging. First, many hangers are quite prone to tangle, and therefore very inconvenient to use and tolerate. Further, clothes on most hangers, especially heavy clothes, are often difficult to move laterally on what ever device or bar is supporting them. Additionally, hanger theft and loss is frequent with many hanger systems and devices. The present apparatus offers solutions to these and other problems with a mobile apparatus which is length adjustable. The apparatus provides smooth sliding and positioning of any hung clothes. The apparatus provides theft deterrence in that the hanger mustaches are selectively separable from the remaining apparatus, thereby providing a hanger mustache of no use with any other system or device. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The clothes hanger apparatus relates to devices for hanging clothes and more especially to a length adjustable clothes hanging apparatus which provides for easy movement of hanging clothes without entanglement and also provides for selective separation of the hanger mustache from the remainder of the apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the clothes hanger apparatus, described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a clothes hanger apparatus which has many novel features that result in an improved clothes hanger apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by prior art, either alone or in combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the clothes hanger apparatus provides for convenience and ease of use in hanging various clothing in a closet or any other space in which the apparatus can be selectively located. The apparatus negates hanger tangle associated with most clothes hanging devices. The removable horizontal slotted tube provides for various tube lengths of tubes to be used, to accommodate a variety of spaces into which the apparatus can be removably located. The removable tube also provides for a varied number of roller assemblies to be fitted to the tube, thereby increasing or decreasing the number of hanger mustaches offered for clothes. 
     Further convenience is provided by the removable mustaches onto which clothes are hung. The separable mustaches also discourage theft, as in a commercial setting, because the mustaches are of no use without the mustaches mates. The outer perimeter tapers and design of the roller assemblies are important in providing for ease of movement of the roller assemblies within the slotted tube. The apparatus can be made from a variety of materials, including metals and synthetics, with plastics being ideal due to light weight and lack of expense. The apparatus is also provided in a more basic version without the vertical members and foot assemblies, whereby the slotted tube can be positioned as desired, with roller assemblies and mustaches used as with the more complete embodiment. 
     Thus has been broadly outlined the more important features of the improved clothes hanger apparatus so that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
     An object of the clothes hanger apparatus is to provide for conveniently hanging clothing without hanger tangle. 
     Another object of the clothes hanger apparatus is to deter theft of hangers. 
     A further object of the clothes hanger apparatus is to provide for fit to a variety of space sizes. 
     An added object of the clothes hanger apparatus is to be free standing and portable. 
     And, an object of the clothes hanger apparatus is to provide for selective separation of the hanger mustache from the apparatus. 
     These together with additional objects, features and advantages of the improved clothes hanger apparatus will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the improved clothes hanger apparatus when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the improved clothes hanger apparatus in detail, it is to be understood that the clothes hanger apparatus is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept of this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the improved clothes hanger apparatus. It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the clothes hanger apparatus. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view toward one end of the apparatus. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cross sectional end view. 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of one end of the apparatus. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of one end of the apparatus. 
         FIG. 6  is a partially exploded view of one roller assembly and one mustache mate. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of clothing hung on the apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular  FIGS. 1 through 7  thereof, the principles and concepts of the clothes hanger apparatus generally designated by the reference number  10  will be described. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the apparatus  10  provides for removably hanging clothing  90 , with hanger mustaches  30  removably fitted to each mustache mate, for convenience in adding or removing clothing  90 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , the clothes hanger apparatus  10  comprises, in combination, a pair of spaced apart foot assemblies  26  providing support for the apparatus  10 . A vertical member  24  is extended upwardly from each foot assembly  26 . A right angle bend  22  is disposed at the top of each vertical member  24 . A sleeve  23  is extended from each bend  22 . A horizontal tube  20  thereby removably inserts within and connects the bends  22 . The slot  20   a  is disposed in the bottom and throughout the length of the tube  20 . The plurality of roller assemblies  50  is provided. Each roller assembly  50  is removably fitted within the tube  20 . 
     Each roller assembly comprises a female semispherical  52  having an outer perimeter taper  55 . A receiver  53  is disposed in the center of the each female semispherical  52 . The receiver  53  is disposed opposite the outer perimeter taper  55 . A male semispherical  54  is provided to mate with each female semispherical  52 . Each male semispherical  54  has an outer perimeter taper  55 . Each male semispherical  54  further comprises an inner diameter step  56  disposed opposite the taper  55 . A shaft  58  is extended from the inner diameter step  56 . The wedge insert  60  is extended from the shaft  58 . The gap  62  is provided in the end of the wedge insert  60  in order to assist with insertion of the insert  60  into the female semispherical  52  receiver  53 . A plurality of mustache mates  41  is provided with each apparatus  10 . Each mustache mate  41  provides for connection between one mustache  30  and one roller assembly  50 . A pair of spaced apart flex clips  46  is attached to the connector  42  of each mustache mate  41 . Each flex clip  46  has an outward flare  47  ending in a retainer  48 . A brace  44  further connects each pair of flex clips  46 . Flex clips  46  are squeezed inwardly in order to be inserted into the entrance  34  to the opening  32  of a mustache  30 , then released for retention of the retainers  48  by the lips  36 . The stem  40  has an upper end and a lower end. Positive, removable retention of mustache mates  41  to mustaches  30  is thereby provided. The upper end of each stem  40  is pivotally fitted around the inner diameter step  56  of the male semispherical  54 , prior to assembly of the male semispherical  54  to the female semispherical  52 . The lower end of the stem  40  is pivotally fitted around the connector  42 .
 
Pivotal fit at each end of the stem  40  is important in that pivot provides for clothes to easily hang straight downwardly from the slotted tube  20 , without any tendency toward fore or aft tilt.
 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the clothes hanger apparatus, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and the manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the clothes hanger apparatus. 
     Directional terms such as “front”, “back”, “in”, “out”, “downward”, “upper”, “lower”, and the like may have been used in the description. These terms are applicable to the embodiments shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. These terms are merely used for the purpose of description in connection with the drawings and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the clothes hanger apparatus may be used. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the clothes hanger apparatus. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the clothes hanger apparatus to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the clothes hanger apparatus.