Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to clothes hangers and, more particularly, to an adaptable clothes hanger for use during and after laundry procedures. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Doing laundry is perhaps one of the most hated chores performed in households. The gathering, sorting, washing, drying, folding, ironing and returning of the clean clothes to their storage location is a difficult, time consuming, and ever-repeating task. In most instances, laundry areas are not located right next to storage closets. In such instances, when clothes are removed from the washer, the user is typically forced to put the clothes in a basket, spread them out on top of the washer or dryer, or hang them on the back of a chair. None of these solutions are ideal, as the clothes tend to get more wrinkled, perhaps get dirty, or make the laundry area look unorganized or unattractive. The same problems are encountered when ironing clothes away from a closet area as well. 
     Several attempts have been made in the past to provide a means for conveniently hanging clothes outside of a closet during laundry procedures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,748 in the name of Fabian discloses a foldable hanger assembly for mounting on a wall. The assembly includes an elongated housing to which is pivotally connected a hanger arm that is stored in the housing when not in use. The hanger arm is dropped to a horizontal position for supporting clothes hanger or the like and a brace is hingedly positioned at one end on the hanger arm and the opposite end thereof is slidably engaged with the housing at a point intermediate its length. Unfortunately, this prior art example is not portable and requires a large amount of wall space for mounting. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,065 in the name of Olson discloses a portable clothes hanger to suspend articles of clothing for drying, displaying, or storing purposes. The hanger includes a center support member which may be suspended from a shower curtain rod, a door, or other fixture. A base is coupled to the lower end of the center support member and a plurality of arms are pivotally coupled around the base. The arms may be positioned in a parallel relationship with the center support member for travelling or storage, or pivoted into a nearly horizontal, radially extending position such that articles of clothing and the like may be draped over each arm. A pair of clips are slidably disposed on each arm and are operable to secure such articles to their respective arms. Unfortunately, this prior art example consumes a lot of space in both an open and a closed position. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,812 in the name of Demarest describes a self-contained, portable dryer for use in drying articles of clothing. The apparatus includes a hanger bar with telescoping segments for selective collapse and extension, and a plurality of hangers stored within the telescoping segments and retrievable from within the hanger bar for erection and suspension from the hanger bar in one of two selectable configurations to accommodate the various articles of clothing ordinarily washed or rinsed out by travelers and hung out to dry at facilities available to such travelers. Unfortunately, this prior art example is not provided with a means for easy installation. 
     None of the prior art particularly describes a portable clothes hanging rod for use during and after laundry procedures. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which laundry on hangers can be temporarily hung in an easily accessible location without the disadvantages as described above. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an apparatus that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, and designed for hanging clothes outside of a closet. The portable clothes hanging rod provides a means for a wall-mounted apparatus that can be folded down in order to hang clothes straight out of the dryer to keep them wrinkle-free until they can be stored in a closet. The present invention is simple to use, inexpensive, and designed for many years of repeated use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, it has been observed that there is need for a portable clothes hanging rod for use during and after laundry procedures. 
     The present invention is a deployable rod for hanging clothes in a laundry room after removal from a dryer. The invention utilizes a circular rod, envisioned to be approximately 1 foot long, but can vary in length per the application and needs. It is attached to a vertical wall surface by the use of hinge mechanism. In its retracted state, it is folded up against the wall such that it does protrude into the space. In its deployed state it is extended outward in a perpendicular manner. It is supported in this position by a chain that extends from the outer end back to the wall surface at a 45 degree angle. This support system provides strength for holding a multitude of clothes on hangers. To use the invention, the user removes clothes from the dryer, immediately places them on a hanger and then hangs them from the invention. When all clothes are removed, the entire group can be removed and stored in a closet, or pass on to the next step of ironing if required. The use of the present invention provides a handy helping hand on laundry day that keeps clothes clean, organized and neat without stacking them on top of the dryer or risking creasing in a clothes basket. 
     A portable clothes-hanging rod includes a rectilinear wall-mounted plate attached to a vertical support surface and a pair of tubular telescoping rods pivotally attached to the mounting plate. A first one of the pair of telescoping rods has a pair of diametrically opposed holes formed in an inner end thereof. The rod further includes a flexible cable with opposed top and bottom ends respectively. Such a top end of the cable is attached to the mounting plate while the bottom end of the cable is attached to the first rod of the pair of telescoping rods. The cable provides a support mechanism for holding the first and second rods respectively along the horizontal plane while supporting the weight of clothing and hangers thereon when the portable clothes-hanging rod is in the deployed state. The cable further extends between the storage clip and the rod bracket respectively. The clothes-hanging rod folds into a vertical position when in a retracted state and extends horizontally outward in a telescoping manner when in a deployed state. The clothes-hanging rod is supported in the deployed state by the cable extending from an outer end of the first rod of the pair of telescoping rods back to the mounting plate at a 45° angle to support existing clothing and hangers and other articles respectively thereon. 
     The portable clothes-hanging rod further includes a storage clip integrally attached to an inner surface of the mounting plate. Such a storage clip is located adjacent to a top end of the mounting plate and extends away therefrom. The storage clip includes a U-shaped clamp provided with a closed end connected directly to the inner surface of the mounting plate and has an open end extending outwardly and away from the closed end of the storage clip. Such an open end of the storage clip receives and captures the distal end of the second rod when the first rod and the second rod are simultaneously biased to the vertical position when the portable clothes-hanging rod is in the retracted state. 
     The apparatus further includes a pivot bracket integrally attached to the inner surface of the mounting plate. Such a pivot bracket is located adjacent to a bottom end of the mounting plate and has a pair of laterally opposed tabs extending outwardly therefrom. Each of such tabs has a bore formed therein, and each of such bores has a centrally registered axis oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal length of the mounting plate. The apparatus further includes a pair of cable crimps integrally attached to the respective top and bottom ends of the cable such that each of the crimps cooperates with each of the top and bottom ends respectively of the cable to form an upper cable loop and a lower cable loop respectively. 
     The apparatus further includes an eyelet bolt statically connected to the inner surface of the mounting bracket and extending away therefrom. Such an eyelet bolt is located subjacent to the storage clip, and the upper cable loop of the cable is slidably attached to the eyelet bolt. The apparatus further includes a rod bracket statically affixed to the outer surface of the first rod. Such a rod bracket is located adjacent to the outer end of the first rod, and the lower cable loop of the cable is removably attached directly to the rod bracket. Further, a rod clamping mechanism is rotatably attached to the outer surface of the outer end of the first rod. 
     The portable clothes-hanging rod further includes a second rod telescopically connected to the first rod. Such a second rod has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the first rod such that the second rod is telescopically interfitted within the first rod during non-operating conditions. The second rod is prohibited from prematurely and undesirably shifting during operating conditions via manipulation of the rod clamping mechanism. The apparatus further includes a plurality of clothes hanger grooves monolithically formed in an outer surface of the second rod and the outer surface of the first rod respectively. Such grooves are equidistantly spaced along respective longitudinal lengths of the first and second rods. Further, an end cap is removably interfitted over a distal end of the second rod such that the end cap prohibits the second rod from being completely interfitted within the first rod during non-operating conditions. 
     The apparatus further includes a pivot bolt removably and simultaneously penetrated through the bores of the tabs and the holes of the inner end of the first rod such that the inner end of the first rod is pivotally attached to the pivot bracket. The first and second rods respectively are simultaneously biased upwardly and downwardly respectively 45 degrees along an arcuate path defined by the pivot point of the pivot bracket. The first and second rods simultaneously reside along the vertical plane when in the retracted state and alternately simultaneously reside along the horizontal plane when in the deployed state. The apparatus further includes a plurality of fasteners for removably fastening the mounting plate to a vertical support surface and the storage clip and the pivot bracket respectively to the inner surface of the mounting bracket and the lower cable loop to the rod bracket respectively. 
     A method for installing and utilizing a portable clothes-hanging rod includes the steps of: locating an appropriate wall surface with an inclusive wall stud on which to secure a mounting plate; installing the mounting plate by penetrating a plurality of fasteners into the wall and stud; deploying a first rod by releasing and pivoting the first rod downward in a pivoting movement from a storage clip until a cable is taut; releasing a rod clamping mechanism by rotating a second rod one full turn in a counter-clockwise direction; extending the second rod outward in a lateral movement until obtaining a desired length; securing the position of the second rod by rotating the second rod one full turn in a clockwise direction; loading clothing and hangers onto the first rod and the second rod respectively by using clothes hanger grooves formed in outer surfaces of the first and second rods respectively; and storing the portable clothes-hanging rod after drying and removal of the clothing and hangers respectively by retracting and pivoting the first and second rods respectively to the vertical retracted state. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1   a  is a perspective view of the portable clothes hanging rod  10  in a deployed state, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1   b  is a perspective view of the portable clothes hanging rod  10  in a stored state, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 2  is a close-up view of the connection portion of the portable clothes-hanging rod  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 10 
                 portable clothes hanging rod 
               
               
                   
                 20 
                 mounting plate 
               
               
                   
                 21 
                 storage clip 
               
               
                   
                 22 
                 pivot bracket 
               
               
                   
                 24 
                 cable 
               
               
                   
                 25 
                 cable crimp 
               
               
                   
                 26 
                 eyelet bolt 
               
               
                   
                 27 
                 upper cable loop 
               
               
                   
                 28 
                 lower cable loop 
               
               
                   
                 30 
                 first rod 
               
               
                   
                 31 
                 rod bracket 
               
               
                   
                 32 
                 rod clamping mechanism 
               
               
                   
                 33 
                 second rod 
               
               
                   
                 34 
                 clothes hanger grooves 
               
               
                   
                 35 
                 end cap 
               
               
                   
                 40 
                 fasteners 
               
               
                   
                 41 
                 pivot bolt 
               
               
                   
                 42 
                 pivoting movement 
               
               
                   
                 43 
                 lateral movement 
               
               
                   
                 50 
                 clothing/hangers 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1   a  through  2 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention, and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes an apparatus and method for a portable clothes-hanging rod (herein described as the “apparatus”)  10 , which provides a means for a deployable rod for hanging clothes after removal from a dryer. The apparatus  10  provides a wall-mounted plate  20  and a pair of tubular telescoping rods  30 ,  33  which are attached to a vertical wall surface. In a retracted state, the apparatus  10  folds compactly into a vertical position. In a deployed state, the apparatus  10  extends horizontally outward in a telescoping manner. The apparatus  10  is supported in an extended outward position by a cable  24  that extends from an outer end of a first rod  30  back to a mounting plate  20  at a 45° angle to effectively support clothing/hangers  50  and other articles. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b , perspective views of the apparatus  10  in a deployed and a stored state, respectively, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, are disclosed. The apparatus  10  comprises a mounting plate  20 , a storage clip  21 , a pivot bracket  22 , a cable  24 , a pair of cable crimps  25 , an upper cable loop  27 , a lower cable loop  28 , an eyelet bolt  26 , a first rod  30 , a rod bracket  31 , a rod clamping mechanism  32 , a second rod  33 , a plurality of clothes hanger grooves  34 , an end cap  35 , a pivot bolt  41 , and a plurality of fasteners  40 . 
     The mounting plate  20  provides an attachment means for the apparatus  10  thereto a vertical wall surface using a plurality of fasteners  40  such as screws, anchors, or the like. The mounting plate  20  comprises a rectangular base of approximately twenty-four (24) inches in length by three (3) inches wide and is envisioned being made using materials such as wood, plastic, metal, or the like. The mounting plate  20  further provides an attachment means to a storage clip  21  and a pivot bracket  22 . The storage clip  21  is located at the top of the mounting plate  20  and comprises a “U”-shaped fixture providing mounting holes for attachment to the mounting plate  20  via fasteners  40  such as screws, bolts, or the like. The storage clip  21  is envisioned to be a commercially available spring type clamping fixture designed to secure vertical tubular objects. The storage clip  21  is further envisioned to be made using materials such as chrome plated steel, stainless steel, or the like. 
     The pivot bracket  22  is secured to a bottom portion of the mounting plate  20  using fasteners  40  such as screws, bolts, or the like. The pivot bracket  22  provides an attachment and rotation means for a first rod  30  enabling a pivoting movement  42  from the horizontal deployed state to the vertical stored state. The pivot bracket  22  is envisioned being made preferably of chrome plated steel and comprises a “U”-shape bracket having two (2) opposing vertical faces and a pivot bolt  41 . The first rod  30  is attached to the pivot bolt  41  via a drilled hole. The first rod  30  comprises a metal tube approximately seventeen (17) inches in length and approximately one (1) inch in diameter. The first rod  30  provides a plurality of clothes hanger grooves  34  formed along a top surface to prevent lateral sliding of clothing/hangers  50 . The first rod  30  is envisioned to be made using materials such as stainless steel tubing, chrome plated steel tubing, or the like. Also attached to the first rod  30  is a rod bracket  31  which provides an attachment means for a support cable  24  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
     The second rod  33  comprises similar materials and construction as the first rod  30 ; however, provides a smaller diameter tubing of approximately ¾″, thereby enabling the second rod  33  to be slidingly inserted with a lateral movement  43  within the first rod  30 . The first rod  30  provides a telescoping and locking attachment means to the second rod  33  via a rod clamping mechanism  32  (see  FIG. 2 ). The second rod  33  provides the capability to extend beyond the end of the first rod  30  by approximately twelve (12) inches. The second rod  33  also comprises a plurality of clothes hanger grooves  34  formed along a top surface and a plastic end cap  35 . 
     The cable  24  provides a strong support means to hold the first rod  30  at a horizontal attitude while supporting the weight of clothing/hangers  50 . The cable  24  comprises an upper cable loop  27  and a lower cable loop  28 . The two (2) cable loops  27 ,  28  are formed into loops using cable crimps  25  common in the industry. The upper cable loop  27  is secured to the mounting plate  20  via an eyelet bolt  26  providing a threaded shank which extends through the mounting plate  20  and is secured with fasteners  40  such as a nut, washer, and the like. The lower cable loop  28  is fastened to the rod bracket  31  via the aforementioned fastener  40 . The cable  24  is envisioned to be made using standard braded or stranded stainless steel wire rope having an approximate diameter of 1/16″ to ⅛″. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a close-up view of the connection portion of the apparatus  10 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The connection portion of the apparatus  10  comprises a rod bracket  31 , a plurality of fasteners  40 , a cable  24 , a lower cable loop  28 , a cable crimp  25 , and a rod clamping mechanism  32 . The rod bracket  31  comprises a ring shaped clamping device being secured to the first rod  30  using fasteners  40  such as bolts, nuts, and the like. The rod bracket  31  is envisioned to be made using rugged materials such as fiber-filled plastic, chrome plated steel, stainless steel, or the like. 
     The rod clamping mechanism  32  is located at the free end of the first rod  30  and provides a bushing means between the rods  30 ,  33  to enhance the smooth extension of the second rod  33 . The rod clamping mechanism  32  further provides a locking means to secure a desired position of the second rod  33  by providing an integral single-turn locking feature. The rod clamping mechanism  32  is envisioned to be made of injection molded plastic parts. 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the apparatus  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b.    
     The method of installing and utilizing the apparatus  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: locating an appropriate wall surface with an inclusive wall stud on which to secure the mounting plate  20  portion of the apparatus  10 ; installing the apparatus  10  using the provided fasteners  40  into said wall and stud; deploying the first rod  30  by releasing and pivoting said first rod  30  downward in a pivoting movement  42  from the storage clip  21  until the cable  24  is taut; releasing the rod clamping mechanism  32  by rotating the second rod  33  one full turn in a counter-clockwise direction; extending the second rod  33  outward in a lateral movement  43  until obtaining a desired length; securing the position of the second rod  33  by rotating one full turn in a clockwise direction; loading clothing/hangers  50  onto the first rod  30  and second rod  33  using the clothes hanger grooves  34 ; storing the apparatus  10  after drying and removal of the clothing/hangers  50  by retracting and pivoting the rods  30 ,  33  to the vertical stored state; and, enjoying the quick deployment, storage, and space-saving benefits of the present invention  10 . 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention and method of use to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.

Technology Category: 1