Abstract:
A hanger designed with hook member having a loop section is presented. The loop section, which is shaped in forms including a triangular shape, a rectangular shape, a circular shape and the like, allows other hanger hooks to be placed in the shape (e.g., triangular shape, circular shape). The frame can be made of wood or plastic material. With this new design, hangers can be stacked to utilize vertical space when needed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
   This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/438,961, filed Jan. 9, 2003. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention pertains to garment or clothes hangers, and more particularly relates to hangers that can be stacked on other hangers. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   With conventional clothes hangers, there exists the problem that hangers cannot easily be stacked vertically to reduce space for storing clothes and to allows more garments to be carried by a person at a time. To combat this and other problems, some plastic hangers have been developed with small hooks near the base of the neck to hook onto other hangers. 
   While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the devices are not without their drawbacks. For example, a slight bump of many such hangers causes the hangers to come apart, defeating the purpose of such hangers. Additionally, the hooks often get tangled up with shirt collars. Accordingly, the present invention discloses a new garment hanger that allows hangers to remain together until removed by a user and that is simple and easy to use. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention provides a hanger with a hook member having a loop in the neck section. The loop portion is at a 90 degree to the hook surface and the loop can be a circular shape, a triangular shape, a rectangular shape, etc. The hanger generally comprises a frame and a hook member. The frame includes two arms projecting outwardly to define opposing outer ends of the frame. The hook member extends upwardly from the frame. The loop section is between the hook portion of the hook member and the frame. 
   According to more detailed aspects of the invention, the frame is preferably made of wood or plastic, while the hook member is preferably made of wire or plastic. The triangular section is sized such that a hook portion of another hanger is easily placed in the triangular section while not taking up too much horizontal space. 
   In another embodiment of the invention, the hook member has a circular shaped neck section. The circular shaped neck section allows a multitude of hangers to be placed in the “circle.” 
   These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b , and  1   c  depict front, top, and cross-sectional views of the hanger assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c  depict front, top and cross-sectional views of an alternate embodiment of the hanger assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  depicts the hanger assembly of  FIG. 1  in a stack; 
       FIGS. 4   a – 4   h  depict cross-sectional views of alternate embodiments of the hanger assembly in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another embodiment of the hanger assembly that has an open circular shape in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of the hanger assembly of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the hanger assembly of  FIG. 5  in a stack; 
       FIG. 8   a  illustrates a further embodiment of the hanger assembly that has an open loop; and 
       FIG. 8   b  illustrates a side view of the hanger assembly of  FIG. 8   a  in a stack. 
   

   While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention provides a garment hanger that allows hangers to remain together until removed by a user that is simple and easy to use. The garment hangers can be stacked together without getting tangled up with garments hung on the hangers. 
   Turning now to the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like elements.  FIG. 1  illustrates a hanger assembly  20  constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. The frame  30  generally includes two arms  31 ,  32  projecting outwardly from the center of the frame to define opposing outer ends  33 ,  34  of the frame. A hook member  36  is attached to the center of the frame  30  for attaching the hanger to a rod or other support. The frame  30  is preferably constructed of wood, although it will be appreciated that any material such as metal or plastic can be used. The arms  31 ,  32  have been illustrated as extending downwardly and outwardly in a generally straight configuration, although it will be recognized that the arms may be of any size, configuration or cross-sectional shape as is known in the art. 
   The hook member  36  includes a hook section  38 , a loop section  40 , and a mount section  42 . The loop surface is generally approximately perpendicular to the hook section  38 . In the embodiment shown, the loop section  40  is triangular shaped. The hook section  38  is for attaching the hanger to a rod or other support, including a triangular shaped section of another hanger as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . While  FIG. 3  shows a hanger  24  with a triangular shaped section hooked in a triangular section of hanger  22 , it will be recognized that any type of hanger can be put within the triangular shaped section  40  of hanger  22 . The mount section  42  is attached to the hanger via conventional means. The loop section  40  can be formed in different sizes and shapes. The loop section is typically formed into a closed shape, although it may have a slight opening to allow hangers to slide through the opening. As used herein, the term “substantially closed” refers to both “closed” loop shapes and loop shapes that have a slight opening. The size in one embodiment is dependent on the thickness of the hanger frame. For example, the triangular shaped section  40  of the hanger of  FIG. 3  is sized such that the distance of the outermost section  44  of section  40  from the mount section  42  is longer than the width of the frame  30 . 
   While  FIGS. 1   a – 1   c  illustrate a triangular shaped loop section, it is recognized that other shapes may be used such as circular, rectangular, trapezoidal, etc. For example,  FIGS. 2   a – 2   c  illustrate a hanger  26  having a circular shaped section  50 . The size of the circular shaped section  50  can vary from a small circle that a single hanger fits within the circle or a larger circle where a plurality of hangers can fit within the circle.  FIGS. 4   a – 4   h  illustrate other shapes of the loop section.  FIG. 4   a  shows an alternative triangular shaped section  60   1 .  FIG. 4   b  shows a shark-fin shaped section  60   2 .  FIG. 4   c  shows a rectangular shaped section  60   3 .  FIG. 4   d  shows a square shaped section  60   4 .  FIG. 4   e  shows a trapezoid shaped section  60   5 .  FIG. 4   f  shows a parallelogram shaped section  60   6 .  FIG. 4   g  shows an octagon shaped section  60   7 .  FIG. 4   h  shows a right triangular shaped section  60   8 . Other shapes include polygons, quadrilaterals, rhombus, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, nonagon, decagons, and the like. 
   As previously stated, the loop section may have an opening to allow hangers to slide into the loop. This is illustrated in  FIGS. 5 to 8   b .  FIGS. 5 and 6  show a hanger  70  with a circular loop section  72  that has an opening  74 .  FIG. 7  illustrates hangers  70  being stacked.  FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  illustrate hanger  80  having a loop section  82  within opening  84 . The hanger  80  is stackable in two ways. The first way is such that the hangers  80  stack apart from each other as shown by hangers  80   1  and  80   2  (see  FIG. 8   b ). The second way is shown in dashed lines where the hangers stack on top of each other as shown by the dashed outline of hanger  80   3  beneath hanger  80   1 . 
   Accordingly, it can be seen that the hook member with the loop shaped section (e.g., triangular shape and circular shaped, etc.) allows hangers to be stacked. The shapes allow one or more hangers to be placed within the shape without catching clothes when the hangers are removed from the shaped sections. Alternatively, hangers can be placed on top of the shape, which also allows one or more hangers to be held. 
   In these respects, the garment hanger with the shaped section in the hook member substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and therefore provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of permitting hangers to be stacked on top of each other based on a user&#39;s available space. 
   The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
   Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.