U.S. patent application number 12/136382 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-02 for manual transporation of articles.
Invention is credited to william D. Garnet, Jacquelynn R. Lueth.
Application Number | 20080237279 12/136382 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39792494 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080237279 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lueth; Jacquelynn R. ; et
al. |
October 2, 2008 |
MANUAL TRANSPORATION OF ARTICLES
Abstract
A garment transportation and storage device comprises a support
rod at the bottom, a hook at the top, and a ball-shaped handle
between the support rod and the hook for transporting garments
supported on the support rod by hangers and for engaging the hook
with a support structure. An article transportation and storage
device comprises an inverted U-shaped frame, a support rod slidably
engageable with the frame, and a hook mounted on the frame for
pivotal movement between extended and retracted positions. A
garment receiving and supporting hanger is provided with an
inflatable garment protection device that prevents wrinkling of
garments supported by the hanger. A garment transportation and
support device comprises opposed garment engaging arms that pivot
outwardly to securely support a garment.
Inventors: |
Lueth; Jacquelynn R.;
(Encino, CA) ; Garnet; william D.; (Encino,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL A. O'NEIL, P.C.
5949 SHERRY LANE, SUITE 820
DALLAS
TX
75225
US
|
Family ID: |
39792494 |
Appl. No.: |
12/136382 |
Filed: |
June 10, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11368873 |
Mar 6, 2006 |
|
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12136382 |
|
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60659248 |
Mar 7, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
223/88 ; 223/85;
294/158 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 25/403 20130101;
A47G 25/1457 20130101; A47G 25/30 20130101; A47G 25/485 20130101;
A47G 25/20 20130101; A47G 25/445 20130101; A47G 25/628 20130101;
A47G 25/4007 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
223/88 ; 223/85;
294/158 |
International
Class: |
A41D 27/22 20060101
A41D027/22; A45F 5/00 20060101 A45F005/00 |
Claims
1. An article transportation and storage device comprising: an
inverted U-shape frame comprising spaced apart downwardly extending
legs and an upper handle extending between and supporting the legs;
a pair of aligned apertures extending through the distal ends of
the legs for receiving a support rod therein; a support rod
slidably receivable in the aligned apertures of the frame for
securing articles to and disengaging articles from the
transportation and storage device; a longitudinally extending slot
formed in the handle; a hook extending into the slot formed in the
handle; means supporting the hook on the handle for pivotal
movement relative thereto between an extended portion wherein the
handle is engageable with a closet rod or the like to support the
article transportation and storage device and articles secured
thereto and a folded position wherein the hook is received in the
slot to facilitate use of the handle in the transportation and
storage of articles.
2. For use in conjunction with a conventional clothes hanger of the
type comprising a nominally horizontally disposed garment support
rod, the improvement comprising: a pneumatically activated flexible
member supported on the support rod of the hanger and extending
downwardly therefrom for expanding garments supported by the hanger
and thereby preventing wrinkling of the garments.
3. An article transportation and storage device comprising: a pair
of substantially horizontally disposed opposed arms having
pivotally connected proximal ends extending in opposite directions;
each of the opposed having garment engaging teeth at the distal end
thereof; a normally vertically disposed hook positioned above and
substantially aligned with the pivotal connection between the
opposed arms; and a lever system connected between the hook and the
opposed arms for pivoting the arms upwardly and outwardly
responsive to the application of weight thereto.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is continuation-in-part application of
application Ser. No. 11/368,873 filed Mar. 6, 2006, currently
pending, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference; which claims priority based on provisional patent
application Ser. No. 60/659,248 filed Mar. 7, 2005, the entire
content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0002] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a clothes hanger
comprising a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0003] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a clothes hanger comprising
a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 1;
[0004] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a clothes hanger comprising
a second embodiment of the present invention;
[0005] FIG. 4 is a front view of the clothes hanger of FIG. 3;
[0006] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a portion of the clothes
hanger of FIG. 3;
[0007] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a garment transportation and
storage device comprising a third embodiment of the invention;
[0008] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a garment transportation and
storage device comprising an alternative version of the third
embodiment;
[0009] FIG. 8 is an exploded view further illustrating the garment
transportation and storage device of FIG. 7;
[0010] FIG. 9 is a front view illustrating a first orientation of
the garment transportation and storage device of FIG. 7;
[0011] FIG. 10 is a front view similar to FIG. 8 illustrating a
second orientation of the garment transportation and storage device
of FIG. 7;
[0012] FIG. 11 is a left side view of the garment transportation
and storage device of FIG. 7;
[0013] FIG. 12 is a right side view of the garment transportation
and storage device of FIG. 7;
[0014] FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic illustrating a first utilization
of the garment transportation and storage device of FIG. 7;
[0015] FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a second
utilisation of the garment transportation and storage device of
FIG. 7;
[0016] FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a third
utilization of the garment transportation and storage device of
FIG. 7;
[0017] FIG. 16 is a front view of a clothes hanger comprising a
fourth embodiment of the invention;
[0018] FIG. 17 is a side view of the clothes hanger of FIG. 16;
[0019] FIG. 18 is a front view of a garment transportation and
storage device comprising a fifth embodiment of the invention in
which the garment transportation and storage device is shown in its
folded configuration;
[0020] FIG. 19 is a side view of the garment transportation and
storage device of FIG. 18;
[0021] FIG. 20 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a first
utilization of the garment transportation and storage device of
FIG. 18;
[0022] FIG. 21 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a second
utilization of the garment transportation and storage device of
FIG. 18.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Referring now to the Drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1
thereof, there is shown a clothes hanger 10 comprising a first
embodiment of the invention. The clothes hanger 10 comprises a
conventional clothes hanger 12 including a length of wire 14
comprising an upper hook portion 16 extending to a twisted portion
18 which in turn extends to a pair of downwardly and outwardly
extending arms 20 terminating in support members 22. A cardboard
garment support tube 24 extends between the support members 22 and
is supported thereby,
[0024] As is well known, utilization of the hanger 10 and similar
clothes hangers in the transportation and storage of garments
incorporates inherent difficulties. First, the cardboard garment
support tube 24 defines a relatively small diameter garment support
surface which tends to form creases in garments supported thereon
for even a short period of time. Second, the cardboard garment
support tube 24 is frequently provided with a light adhesive
coating which can damage delicate fabrics and can also damage more
durable fabrics if supported on the clothes hanger 10 over an
extended period of time.
[0025] In accordance with a first embodiment of the present
invention a soft sponge rubber tube 26 is received on and supported
by the cardboard tube 24. The soft sponge rubber tube 26
substantially increases the effective diameter of the garment
support surface of the hanger 10 thereby substantially decreasing
the probability that garments supported thereon will be creased.
Additionally, the soft sponge rubber tube 26 does not require a
light adhesive coating as does the cardboard tube 24 thereby
eliminating the possibility of damage to garments supported on the
hanger 10 due to contact thereof with the light adhesive coating
which is typically provided on the exterior surface on the
cardboard tube 24.
[0026] For example, the cardboard garment support tube of a typical
clothes hanger has an outside diameter of about 1/2 inch. The soft
sponge rubber tube of the present invention has an outside diameter
of about 1.25 inches. Thus, the effective diameter of the garment
support surface of the hanger of the present invention is 21/2
times as large as the effective diameter of the garment support
surface of a conventional clothes hanger.
[0027] The soft sponge rubber tube 26 is provided with a radial
slit 28 which extends the entire length of the tube 26 thereby
facilitating deployment of the tube 26 over the cardboard tube 24.
The opposite ends of the slit 28 comprising the tube 26 may be
provided with, lengths of double sided adhesive tape 30 whereby the
ends of the slit are secured against opening during utilization of
the hanger 10.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a clothes hanger 40
comprising a variation of the clothes hanger 10 illustrated in the
first sheet of drawings. Many of the component parts of the clothes
hanger 40 are substantially identical in construction and function
to component parts of the hanger 10. Such identical component parts
are designated on the second sheet of drawings with the same
reference numerals utilized above in the description of the clothes
hanger 10 but are differentiated therefrom by means of a prime (')
designation.
[0029] The clothes hanger 40 differs from the clothes hanger 10 in
that rather than being provided with a soft sponge rubber tube
surrounding the cardboard tube 24', the clothes hanger 40 is
provided with a tube 42 comprising a roll of fabric secured in
place by an adhesive layer 44. The function of the tube 42 is to
substantially increase the effective diameter of the clothing
support surface of the hanger 40. In this manner the likelihood
that garments supported by the clothes hanger 40 will be creased
during utilization thereof is substantially reduced. Additiona1ly,
the tube 42 does not require use of a light adhesive coating as is
frequently required in the use of the cardboard tube 24 thereby
further diminishing the possibility of damage to garments supported
by the clothes hanger 40.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 there is shown a clothes
hanger 50 comprising a second embodiment of the invention. The
clothes hanger 50 comprises a plastic frame 52 having a metal hook
54 extending upwardly therefrom. A metal support rod 56 extends
between and is supported on the opposite ends of the plastic frame
52. A pair of wings 58 are supported on the support rod 56 for
longitudinal movement therealong. Each wing 58 is provided with a
spring loaded clip 60 which functions to secure the wing at a
predetermined location along the support rod 56 depending upon the
requirements of particular applications of the invention.
[0031] Because the wings 58 are movable inwardly and outwardly on
the rod 56, the hanger 50 is adapted for use with garments
comprising a wide range of sizes, for example, from size 2 through
and including size 20. The inward and outward movement of the wings
53 allows the hanger 50 to support garments thereon with no tension
or stretching.
[0032] In the utilisation of the hanger 50 the plastic wings 58 are
moved outwardly until the end surfaces 62 thereof engage interior
surfaces of a skirt, a pair of shorts, or other garment. In use,
the wings 58 function to secure a garment on the hanger 50 during
transportation and storage of the garment. More importantly, the
wings 58 function to prevent damage to of the garment during
transportation and support thereof on the hanger 50. The use of the
hanger 50 facilitates support and transportation of garments with
no marking, no clip mark, or other damage as is sometimes
experienced in the use of conventional clothes hangers.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a garment transportation
and storage device 70 comprising a third embodiment of the
invention. The device 70 comprises length of wire 72 which is
formed into a support hook 74 at the upper end thereof. The length
of wire 72 extends downwardly from the hook 74 through a central
portion 76. At the lower end of the device 70 a length of wire 77
is bent into a triangular configuration 78 thus providing a hanger
support rod 80. The hook 74 is rotatably connected to the support
rod 80.
[0034] A ball-shaped handle 82 is secured around the central
section 76 of the length of wire 72, it being understood that other
handle configurations can he utilised in the practice of the
invention. The handle 82 may comprise a unitary construction formed
from molded plastic or molded rubber. Alternatively, the handle 82
may comprise a two part construction which snaps together around
the central portion 72 of the length of wire 72 as shown.
[0035] In use, the garment transportation and storage device 70 is
employed to receive garments from a laundry or dry cleaner.
Garments supported on conventional hangers of the type utilized by
laundries and dry cleaners are supported on the support rod 80 by
engaging the nooks of the hangers therewith in the conventional
manner. After the hangers which support all of the garments
received from a particular laundry or dry cleaner are engaged with
the support rod 80 the handle 82 is utilized to transport the
device 70 and the garments supported thereby, for example, from the
laundry or dry cleaners to a vehicle. At that point the hook 74 of
the device 70 is utilized to support the device 70 and the garments
supported thereby from the coat hanger of the vehicle. Another
important use of the device 70 is the transportation of garments
supported on hangers from a laundry or dry cleaners to a residence
in crowded urban areas such as New York City.
[0036] Upon arrival at a particular designation the device 70 is
utilized to transport the garments supported by the support rod 80
to a storage location, for example, a closet. Once again the handle
is utilized to facilitate lifting and carrying the garments
supported on the support rod 80. The hook 72 may be utilized to
support the garments on a closet rod or the like while the garments
are being individually disengaged from the support rod 80.
Thereafter the garments are preferably disengaged from the hangers
utilized by the laundry or the dry cleaners to deliver garments to
customers and are transferred to hangers comprising the present
invention, for example, the hangers shown in FIGS. 1 through 5,
inclusive, hereof.
[0037] Referring to FIGS. 7 through 16, inclusive, the present
invention further comprises an alternative version of the garment
transportation and storage device 70 illustrated in FIG. 6 and
described hereinabove in conjunction therewith. Referring to FIG.
7, an article transportation and storage device 86 comprises an
inverted U-shaped frame 88 comprising spaced apart downwardly
extending legs and a handle extending between and connecting the
legs. Aligned apertures 90 extend through the distal ends of the
legs. An article support rod 92 is slidably received in the
apertures 90 for support by the frame 88. As is shown in FIG. 8 the
rod 92 is adapted for disengagement from the frame 88 to facilitate
its engagement with or disengagement from articles transported by
the article transportation and storage device 86.
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 7 through 13, inclusive, the frame 88 of
the article transportation and storage device 86 has a slot 94
formed in the upper portion thereof. A hook 96 is pivotally
supported on the frame 88 and extends into the slot 94. Referring
particularly to FIG. 9 the hook 96 is adapted for pivotal movement
relative to the frame 88 in the manner indicated by the arrow 88.
FIG. 10 shows the hook 96 in its fully retracted orientation to
facilitate use of the handle comprising the U-shaped frame 88 in
the transportation of articles. FIG. 8 illustrates the utilization
of the hook 96 to support the article transportation and storage
device 86 and articles supported thereby from a closet rod CR or
similar structure.
[0039] FIG. 13 illustrates the use of the article transportation
and storage device 86 in the transportation of a plurality of
hanger-borne clothes from a first location such as a retail store,
a dry cleaner, a laundry, etc. to a second location such as a
residence, an office, or other location selected by the owner and
user of the article transportation and storage device 86.
[0040] FIG. 14 illustrates the use of the article storage and
transportation device 86 in the transportation of articles other
than clothing. In particular, FIG. 14 illustrates the support and
transportation of a pair of plastic bags which in turn support and
transport a plurality of individual articles. The disengageability
of the support rod 92 from the frame 88 of the article
transportation and storage device 86 is particularly advantageous
when engaging the device 86 with and disengaging the device 86 from
articles such as those illustrated in FIG. 14. FIG. 15 illustrates
the article transportation and storage device 86 utilized to
support a plurality of hanger-borne articles from a closet rod CR
or other structure.
[0041] FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate a clothes hanger 100 comprising a
fourth embodiment of the invention. The upper portion of the
clothes hanger 100 comprises a conventional plastic clothes hanger
102 which includes a plastic frame 104, a metal hook 106 adapted to
support the clothes hanger 100 on a closet rod and a metal clothing
support rod 108 extending between the opposed legs comprising the
plastic frame 104.
[0042] An inflatable garment protecting device 110 is supported on
the rod 108 and is provided, with an inflation/deflation port 112
including a stopper 114 adapted to retain the garment protection
device 110 in its inflated configuration.
[0043] As is well known garments supported from a hanger, such as
the hanger 102 illustrated in 16 and 17, for an extended period of
time become wrinkled and misshapened. In accordance with the
present invention the garment protection 110 is inflated by
disengaging the stopper 114 and blowing through the port 112 until
the garment protection device 110 assumes the inflated the
configuration illustrated in FIG. 17. Thereafter the stopper 114 is
re-engaged with the port 112 to prevent deflation of the garment
protection device 110.
[0044] When inflated the garment protection device 110 functions to
expand garments supported by the hanger 102. In this manner the
garments are retained in an expanded condition which eliminates the
problem of garments becoming wrinkled and misshapened when they are
hung from a conventional hanger.
[0045] FIGS. 18 though 21, inclusive, illustrate a clothes hanger
120 comprising a fifth embodiment of the invention. The clothes
hanger 120 comprises a pair of opposed arms 122 and 124 having
proximal ends that are pivotally connected to one another at 126.
The distal ends of the arms 122 and 124 are provided with garment
engaging teeth 128. A metal support hook 130 extends to a
connecting block 132. A pair of control arms 134 and 136 are
pivotally connected to the block 132 at 138 and are pivotally
connected to the arms 122 and 124, respectively, at 140 and 142,
respectively.
[0046] FIG. 20 illustrates the garment transportation device 120
utilised to support and transport a garment G1 which may comprise a
skirt or pair of slacks. The teeth 128 of the garment
transportation device 120 engage the interior surfaces comprising
the waist band WB of the garment G1. As will be appreciated by
those skilled in the art the weight of the garment G1 tends to pull
the arms 122 at 124 downwardly. However, because the arms 122 and
124 are connected to the garment support member 130 by the block
132 and the arms 134 and 136 any downward movement of the arms 122
and 144 causes outward movement of the distal ends thereof thereby
forcing the teeth 128 into firm griping engagement with the
interior surface of the waistband WB of the garment G1. In this
manner the garment G1 is firmly secured on the garment
transportation device 120 during both transportation and storage
thereof.
[0047] FIG. 21 illustrates the garment transportation device 120
utilized to transport and support a garment G2 comprising a jacket
or a dress. Once again, the weight of the G2 tends to pull the arms
122 and 124 downwardly. However, because the arms 122 and 124 are
secured to the garment support member 130 by the block 132 and the
arms 134 and 136 any downward movement of the arms 122 and 124
caused by the weight of garment G2 causes the arms 122 and 124 to
pivot outwardly thereby securely retaining the garment G2 on the
garment transportation device 120.
[0048] Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the
foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the
invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is
capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and
substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the
spirit of the invention.
* * * * *