Telescoping Hanger Brackets

Abstract

The telescoping multi-section hanger bracket for use in a luggage case wherein the hanger supporting means has a downward slope toward the back of the case, whereby the hangers tend to continually move to the back of the case. For loading or unloading the hangers, the bracket is extended outwardly from the case to a distance approximately twice the depth of the case and includes a minimum of two-point support for each of the sections during the entire extension, thereby preventing twisting or bending of the bracket when loaded and extended.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It has long been the desire of travelers to be able to carry such things as suits, dresses, coats and the like suspended to their full length such that when the travelers arrive at their destination the garments will be relatively wrinkle free.

In an effort to satisfy the demand for these carrying elements, the manufacturers of luggage cases have devised cases which have a relatively soft midsection whereby they may be folded. The folded case is more easily stored and carried and yet when the destination is reached they may be suspended from one end and the clothing in them will be hung at full length. The full length suspension will quickly hang out any wrinkles that may have developed during folding.

One of the problems which has become apparent with the type of case herein above described is the difficulty in getting the clothing hung neatly within the bags such that wrinkles are not generated. The hanger supporting means is usually rigidly secured to one end of the case extending the full depth and the clothing must be forced inside the case before it is possible to hang its supporting hanger on the bracket. Further, with this type of a case it is difficult for the traveler to locate the particular item of clothing he desires since each item of clothing is necessarily hidden, either totally or partially, behind the garment suspended immediately in front of it.

In an effort to eliminate the above noted inconveniences a bracket has been designed for use in conjunction with a folding luggage case wherein the support means for the clothes hangers upon which the garments are placed is mounted in a telescopic fashion. The hanger support may be pulled forwardly out of the case to a position free of the case confines where the traveler may have ready access to his clothing. Additionally, the garments are free of the garment bag and thus exposed to the air and able to hang the wrinkles out more quickly and easily.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a telescoping hanger bracket for use in a luggage case wherein the hanger bracket is capable of extending to approximately double the length it requires when closed and yet the bracket takes very little room within the case when closed, leaving the extra room available for the hanging of the clothing.

A further object is to provide a rigid telescoping hanger support which, when extended, has a minimum of two-point support for each section, greatly decreasing the possibility of structural failure because of overloading the bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental view showing the type of luggage in which the inventive hanger bracket will be secured;

FIG. 2 is a view of the hanger bracket as viewed in closed condition as seen from the end of the bracket;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the bracket in a closed or collapsed condition;

FIG. 4 is a section to the bracket along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the inventive bracket with portions broken away exposing the means of securing one section to another;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the inventive bracket in an extended position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the hanger bracket in an extended position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Seen in FIG. 1 is a luggage case of the soft sided folding type which would use the inventive bracket hereinafter disclosed. The case comprises a generally elongated covering or protective member 2 which is capable of being folded in the center where it would be normally compressed by a belt 6 enabling the case to be in a more compact condition when stored in a car or other vehicle. The case is opened or closed by means of a zipper 8 which extends substantially around three sides of the periphery allowing ready access to the contents of the case when suspended from one end. A hanger supporting bracket, generally designated as 10, is secured to the end of the case designed to be hung uppermost providing support for a multiplicity of garments suspended by clothes hangers.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 6 the inventive telescoping bracket comprises a first section 20 adapted to be riveted to the end of the luggage case normally reinforced or stiffened in some fashion. When in its operational position, i.e., with the case suspended from the end upon which the bracket is mounted, the first section 20 has a downwardly protruding center section 22 between two outwardly protruding ribs 28 which serve as bearing points for the second section of the hanger bracket.

Secured to the center section 22 of the supporting element 20 in a spaced relationship is an elongated plate member 30 of approximately the same width as the distance between the ribs 28 but less length than supporting element 20 which in the preferred embodiment is fixed in parallel relationship by rivets 31 but which could be secured thereby by any well known fastening means.

Mounted between the plate 30 and the ribs or contact members 28 is a second telescoping section 32 of a generally squared inverted "U" shaped cross-section. The second telescoping section 32 includes a slot 34 in its upper surface 36, normally the base, to accommodate the rivets 31 which secure the plate 30 to the main supporting member 20. Although as described herein above the second telescoping member 32 is of generally a "U" shaped cross-section when viewed from the end but as can be seen in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 the section 32 is of an irregular shape. The base 36 is of approximately the same length as the base 20 and the slot 34 although closed at both ends extends substantially the entire length of the base 36. The right leg 38, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, extends from the front 40 of the section 32 approximately three fourths the length of the base 36. The left leg 42, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, extends from the front approximately three fourths of the distance rearwardly. Each of the legs 38, 42 includes a slot 44 parallel to the base 36 closed at both ends and extending substantially the full length of the legs.

Mounted for sliding relationship between the legs 38, 42 of the second telescoping section 32 is a third section 46 telescopically related to the second section. The third section 46 includes a pair of upwardly extending ears 48, 50 which are designed to interact with the slots 44 in the legs 38, 42 of the second section 32 and are located such that the rivets 52 which extend from the ears 48, 50 and pass through the slots 44 making a sliding securement thereto will simultaneously contact the end of the slots 44. The main body portion of the third section 46 is a closed loop having a top portion having a rear section 54 disposed approximately parallel to the edges of legs 38, 42 having integral therewith the ears 48, 50 and a forward section 56 extending upwardly in an angular direction to terminate at a point where it will just clear the inside of second section 32 when in a closed or collapsed condition. The front portion 58 of section 46 is of a lesser width than the remainder such that the standard suitcase hanger may pass thereby and rest upon the rearwardly sloping bottom portion 60. The loop is closed by a solid rear portion 62.

Referring now to FIG. 7 it can be seen that the rear portion of the main supporting section 20 is relieved at 64 to allow the hanger element 66 to extend upwardly therefrom to support the hanger case. The top forward portion 56 of the third section 46 has a hole 68 for attachment of a supporting chain 70 which could be fastened to the hanger element 66 preventing sag of the case during use. Alternatively, the hole 68 could be used as a fastening position for a pull tab or the like for ease in extending the bracket.

As can be seen, the inventive bracket makes full length garment bags more convenient and practical and further resolves the problems with prior hangers.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A telescoping hanger bracket for use in soft sided luggage cases comprising:

an elongated base element having generally coplanar outwardly extending side portions for securement to the top of the case, a central portion outside the plane of the side portions extending in a downwardly direction from the top, and a pair of parallel ribs extending substantially the length of said central of the base element,

a first telescoping section comprising an elongated element, generally U-shaped in cross section, having a base and generally parallel legs, said telescoping section being inverted and having an elongated slot in the base and in each of the legs, a pair of fastening elements secured to the elongated base element and extending downwardly to terminate in a head portion larger than the width of the slot in the base of the first telescoping section, said fastening elements being spaced along a line parallel to the ribs of the base element whereby the first telescoping element has continual spaced support along and lateral to the path of travel provided by the ribs and the fastening elements,

a second telescoping section slidably secured to the first telescoping section, said second telescoping section including a pair of spaced upstanding ears for securement juxtaposed with the legs of the first telescoping section,

fastening means spaced along the path of travel, for securing each of the ears of the second telescoping section to the first telescoping section whereby the second telescoping section has continuous spaced support along and lateral to the path of travel while allowing free access to the clothing suspended therefrom, the entire structure being highly resistant to the bending and twisting torques to which a device of this nature is normally subjected.

2. A hanger bracket as in claim 1 wherein the second telescoping section is in the form of a closed loop with the lower portion sloping generally rearwardly whereby the hangers supported are continuously urged rearwardly.

3. A hanger bracket as in claim 1 and including means attached to the outermost end of the second telescoping section for supporting said section when the bracket is extended.