U.S. patent application number 14/595200 was filed with the patent office on 2016-11-10 for ergonomic clothing hangers.
The applicant listed for this patent is UNDERWATER KINETICS. Invention is credited to Luis PREZLIN, Alan K. UKE.
Application Number | 20160324353 14/595200 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48944774 |
Filed Date | 2016-11-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160324353 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
UKE; Alan K. ; et
al. |
November 10, 2016 |
ERGONOMIC CLOTHING HANGERS
Abstract
The present invention relates to ergonomically designed clothing
hangers adapted for ease of hand-carrying and hanging on a closet
rod. These ergonomic hanger designs feature a rod hook or
suspension portion that includes at least two, and preferably
three, linearly arrayed curved regions each adapted to
ergonomically engage an adult human finger. In this way, for
example, the index, middle, and ring fingers of one hand of a
person carrying the hanger can easily and comfortably grasp the
hanger by the suspension portion. When simultaneously carrying one
or several such clothing hangers loaded with clothes, the resultant
load is better distributed across the person's hand, allowing for
easier, more comfortable, and less fatiguing transportation of the
clothing item(s) hanging on the hangers. In preferred embodiments,
at least one of the curved regions (often the central or second
region among three) is also adapted to conform to the outer
dimension and shape of a closet rod.
Inventors: |
UKE; Alan K.; (Del Mar,
CA) ; PREZLIN; Luis; (Santa Barbara, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
UNDERWATER KINETICS |
Poway |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
48944774 |
Appl. No.: |
14/595200 |
Filed: |
January 12, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13763703 |
Feb 10, 2013 |
|
|
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14595200 |
|
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|
61597699 |
Feb 10, 2012 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 25/32 20130101;
A47G 25/14 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47G 25/32 20060101
A47G025/32 |
Claims
1. An ergonomic clothing hanger, comprising: a. a suspension
portion that comprises at least two linearly arrayed
finger-engaging regions each adapted to ergonomically engage an
adult human finger; and b. below and connected to the suspension
portion via a connector portion, a clothing support portion.
2. An ergonomic clothing hanger according to claim 1 wherein the
suspension portion comprises first, second, and third linearly
arrayed finger-engaging regions each adapted to ergonomically
engage an adult human finger, and wherein one of finger-engaging
regions is also adapted for secure hanging association with a
closet rod of substantially circular or ovoid cross-section.
3. An ergonomic clothing hanger according to claim 1 wherein at
least one, some, or all of the finger-engaging regions are
arcuate.
4. An ergonomic clothing hanger according to claim 1 wherein 2
wherein the second finger-engaging region is adapted for secure
hanging association with the closet rod.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application (and any resulting patent) is a
continuation of and claims priority from pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/763,703 of the same title, filed 2 Feb.
2013 (attorney docket no. UWK-7000-UT); which claims the benefit of
and priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No.
61/597,699 of the same title, filed 10 Feb. 2012 (attorney docket
no. UWK-7000-PV), the content of which is hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety for any and all purposes.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates to improved, ergonomically designed
clothing hangers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Clothing hangers are well known and widely used, and
numerous designs have appeared over time. Despite their ubiquity,
clothing hangers are difficult to comfortably grasp, particularly
when used to hang heavy garments or when carrying several
clothing-laden hangers together. This is because when clothes are
hung on a conventional clothing hanger (a wire-based example of
which is shown in FIG. 1(a)), only the hook or suspension portion
(10) is available to be grasped. While the hook or suspension
portion (10) is effective for suspending the hanger (1) from, for
example, a closet rod, it is not well designed for grasping by two
or more fingers. The present invention solves this long-standing
design flaw by providing clothing hangers in which the hook or
suspension portion (10) incorporates features adapted for being
grasped by two or more human fingers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The ergonomic clothing hangers of the invention comprise a
hook or suspension portion that, when viewed from the side,
comprises at least two, preferably linearly arrayed and preferably
arcuate, finger-engaging regions at least one, and preferably all,
of which, are adapted to ergonomically engage an adult human
finger. The hangers of the invention each further include a
connector portion that connects the hook or suspension portion to
the clothing support portion of the clothing hanger.
[0005] In preferred embodiments, the hangers of the invention are
substantially planar and have suspension portions that comprise
first, second, and third, or first, second, third, and fourth,
linearly arrayed finger-engaging regions each adapted to
ergonomically engage an adult human finger (preferably by having an
arcuate or curved profile). In many preferred embodiments, one of
the finger-engaging regions is also adapted for secure hanging
association with a closet rod of substantially circular or ovoid
cross-section, although finger-engaging regions, or suspension
regions interspersed between finger-engaging regions, adapted for
suspension from a closet rod of any particular geometric
cross-section (e.g., ovoid, circular, or polygonal) are also within
the scope of the invention.
[0006] These and other aspects and embodiments of the invention are
discussed in greater detail in the sections that follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 shows two side-view illustrations, (a) and (b), of
conventional clothing hangers. The illustration in FIG. 1(a)
depicts a wire clothing hanger, while that in FIG. 1(b) depicts a
clothing hanger formed from plastic.
[0008] FIG. 2 shows two side-view illustrations, (a) and (b), of
clothing hangers according to the invention. The illustration in
FIG. 2(a) depicts a hanger having a suspension portion (10) with
two curved finger-engaging regions (11, 12). The illustration in
FIG. 2(b) depicts a hanger having a suspension portion (10) with
three curved finger-engaging regions (11, 12, 13).
[0009] FIG. 3 shows four side-view illustrations, (a)-(d), of
representative hook or suspension portions (10) of clothing hangers
according to the invention (connector and clothing support portions
(50, 100) are not shown).
[0010] FIG. 4 shows two representative embodiments, depicted in
panels (a) and (b). Each panel contains a side view and a
cross-section of a hook or suspension portion (10) of a hanger of
the invention.
[0011] FIG. 5 shows three representative embodiments, depicted in
panels (a), (b), and (c). Each panel contains a side view and a top
view (from above) of a hook or suspension portion (10) of a hanger
of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] In the drawings, features common among clothing hangers may
be commonly designated. A clothing hanger (1) includes a hook or
suspension portion (10) connected to the clothing support portion
(100) via a connector portion (50). The clothing support portion
(100) can have any desired shape and configuration, whether now
known or later developed. Indeed, a multitude of such shapes and
configurations are known due to the tremendous variety of clothing
types stored by hanging, including coats, pants, and jackets. For
example, the clothing support portion can have a pair of downwardly
inclined members, the distal ends of which may or may not be
connected via a support member. As will be appreciated, support
members, when present, can be used to hang coats, pants, and/or
shirts, for example. In other embodiments, the clothing support
portion of a hanger may be flat or straight, and may be comprises
of one or more pieces. For example, in some embodiments wherein the
clothing support portion is flat, it is comprised of two opposing
pieces connected via a spring mechanism than allows a garment to be
clasped there between.
[0013] As will be appreciated, any now known or later developed
clothing support portions and/or connector portions can be adapted
for combination with an ergonomic hook suspension portion (10).
Generally, the hook or suspension portion (10) and connector region
(50) are designed to connect to the clothing support portion (100)
so that the hanger will, when loaded with one or more articles of
clothing, hang in a balanced way when suspended from a closet rod,
coat hook, cable, or the like.
[0014] Moreover, the hangers of the invention can be manufactured
from any suitable material, or combination of materials. Suitable
materials include metal wire and plastics or other polymeric
materials that can be readily formed into desired shapes and
configurations. Plastics are particularly preferred, as various
widely available manufacturing processes, including injection
molding and extrusion.
[0015] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 2(a) shows a clothing
hanger (1) according to the invention that comprises a suspension
portion (10) connected via a connector portion (50) to a clothing
support portion (100). The suspension portion (1) is preferably
substantially planar and, as shown in the embodiment shown in FIG.
2(a), includes at least two finger-engaging regions (11, 12) in a
linear array (i.e., adjacently positioned).
[0016] FIG. 2(b) shows an alternative hanger embodiment wherein the
hook (10) includes three arcuate or curved regions (11, 12, 13) in
a linear array. In these and other embodiments of the invention,
each of the finger-engaging regions (e.g., 11, 12, and/or 13) are
arcuate or curved or otherwise ergonomically shaped to fit an adult
human finger (typically an index, middle, or ring finger), although
the invention also envisions embodiments where at least one, but
fewer than all, of the finger-engaging regions has ergonomically
adapted dimensions and curvature to be comfortably held by an adult
human finger.
[0017] FIG. 3(a) shows an embodiment wherein the hook (10) includes
three linearly arrayed finger-engaging regions (11, 20, 13),
wherein the central finger-engaging region (20) is of a size and
shape that substantially complements the outer diameter of a closet
rod (30) having a circular cross section. For example, standard
wooden or metal closet rods in the United States have a diameter of
about 1.25 inches, although closet rods of numerous cross-sectional
shapes and sizes exist. As will be appreciated, the region of the
suspension portion of a clothing hanger according to the invention
intended to engage a closet rod can be manufactured to fit any
desired closet rod shape and/or size. Indeed, the invention
envisions kits that comprise a hanger of the invention and one or
more adapter pieces that can be associated with the suspension
portion of the hanger in order to accommodate closet or hanger rods
of different shapes and/or sizes.
[0018] FIG. 3(b) shows an embodiment wherein the hook (10) includes
two arcuate finger-engaging regions (11, 12) interspersed with an
engaging element (21) designed to engage a closet rod (31) having a
rectangular cross-section. In this embodiment, the engaging element
(21) is not optimized for engaging a human finger.
[0019] FIG. 3(c) shows an embodiment wherein the hook (10) includes
three linearly arrayed finger-engaging regions (15, 11, 16),
wherein the central finger-engaging region (11) is arcuate and is
bounded on either side by finger-engaging regions (15, 16) that
have substantially planar surfaces in the areas intended to contact
fingers. The central region (11) is of a size and shape that
substantially complements the outer diameter of a closet rod (not
shown) having a circular cross section.
[0020] FIG. 3(d) shows an embodiment wherein the hook (10) includes
four linearly arrayed, arcuate finger-engaging regions (11, 12, 13,
14).
[0021] Those in the art will appreciate that the clothing hangers
of the invention provide improved ergonomics as compared to
conventional clothing hangers. Preferably, some or all of the
finger-engaging regions of the hook or suspension portion (10) are
configured to conform to the shape of an adult human finger that
will engage that region when the hanger is being held or grasped by
a person. In some embodiments, a finger-engaging region will have a
curved or arcuate shape when viewed from the side. In some
embodiments, including some having three linearly arrayed
finger-engaging regions, at least one of the finger-engaging
regions may be large enough to comfortably accommodate two (less
preferably, three) fingers when grasped by a person carrying the
hanger. The surface of the finger-engaging region intended for
contact with a human finger (i.e., a "finger contact region")
preferably has an ergonomic shape or surface profile. FIGS. 4(a)
and (b) show two such shapes. FIG. 4(a) shows a cross-section taken
at the plane defined by A-A' of the suspension portion (10) of a
hanger of the invention having three finger-engaging regions (11,
12, 13), the center of which (12) is also intended to engage a
closet rod (not shown) of circular or ovoid cross-section. In the
depicted embodiment, the finger contact area (30) of the first
finger-engaging region (11), which typically spans from a hanger
hook's front face (41) to its rear face (42), has a slightly convex
surface, whereas in the representative embodiment depicted in FIG.
4(b), the corresponding finger contact area (30) has a
substantially planar surface. As will be appreciated, in some
embodiments, each finger contact region of a particular hanger can
have the same or substantially similar surface profile (e.g., a
slightly convex or substantially planar surface), or the different
finger contact regions can have different surface profiles. For
example, in one embodiment wherein the suspension portion (10) has
three adjacent finger-engaging regions, the finger contact region
of each may be slightly convex. In a similar such embodiment, the
three finger contact regions have substantially planar surfaces. In
yet another similar such embodiment, the central finger contact
region has a substantially planar surface (to promote stable closet
rod engagement in addition to user comfort) while the finger
contact regions on either side of the central finger contact region
have slightly convex surface profiles.
[0022] For user comfort, the regions where the front or rear hook
(or suspension portion) face meets the finger contact area of a
finger-engaging region preferably provide for a smooth transition
from one surface to the other, for example, through the use of a
rounded, beveled, or otherwise tapered corner.
[0023] In some preferred embodiments, the front and/or rear face(s)
(41, 42) of the suspension portion (10) can also have a surface
that includes one or more features adapted for comfortable,
ergonomic engagement with those parts of a person's fingers that
contact the those surfaces while the person is holding or grasping
the hanger. FIG. 5 illustrates top views of three such
representative ergonomic suspension portions (10) having three
linearly arrayed finger-engaging regions (11, 12, 13). In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 5(a), the front face (41) of the
suspension portion (10) includes three convex indentations formed
therein (43, 44, 45) to comfortably accommodate the distal portions
of a user's fingers (not shown) or that part of the palm of a
user's hand (not shown) adjacent to her/his that will engage the
face during grasping. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5(b), both
the front and rear faces (41, 42) of the suspension portion (10)
have surfaces that include ergonomic features (43, 44, 45, 43', 44'
45') adapted to provide comfortable, ergonomic engagement with a
person's fingers when grasping the hanger. Having the same
ergonomic features on both the front and rear faces of the hook
allow the hanger to be comfortably grasped by either a left or
right hand regardless of whether the hanger is facing forward or
backward. In contrast, the embodiment shown in FIG. 5(c) has a
suspension portion (10) wherein one face (e.g., the front face
(41)) includes convex indentations formed therein (43, 44, 45)
accommodate the distal portions of a user's fingers (not shown),
while the other face (e.g., the rear face (42)) includes a single,
large, slightly convex indentation (46) intended for engagement by
the palm of the hand grasping the suspension portion (10)
hanger.
[0024] The terms and expressions which have been employed are used
as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no
intention that in the use of such terms and expressions of
excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or
portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications
are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Also, the
invention illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced
in the absence of any element(s) not specifically disclosed herein.
Thus, for example, in each instance herein any of the terms
"comprising", "consisting essentially of", and "consisting of" may
be replaced with either of the other two terms. Furthermore, while
the articles and methods of this invention have been described in
terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of
skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions
and methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the
method described herein without departing from the spirit and scope
of the invention. Thus, it should be understood that although the
present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred
embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of
the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled
in the art, and that such modifications and variations are
considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by
the appended claims.
* * * * *