Foldable Hanger

Abstract

A foldable portable hanger for hanging clothes or laundered garments comprises a suspending rod, a plurality of shoulder rods each pivotally mounted on said suspending rod and becoming immobile at a substantially horizontal position, a plurality of leg rods each pivotally mounted on said suspending rod and becoming immobile at an oblique position, and one to several hanging rods mounted on both said shoulder rods and said leg rods, and serves to suspend clothes and wash.

Description

The present invention relates to a hanger, and more particularly to a portable hanger foldable into a small size which can be used for suspending dresses, underwear, stockings, handkerchiefs, etc., and for hanging such items of clothing for drying after laundering.

The portable hanger according to the present invention is constructed by forming of, e.g., a synthetic resin material. Arcuate grooved portions which are subjected to an especially heavy load are made thick to increase their mechanical strength. The rear surface of each of the thick portions has a peripheral edge formed into a rib and has its inner part depressed, thus being reinforced so as to prevent a rod from being torsionally bent.

Further, hanging rods provided at the free ends of the rods are especially suitable to prevent small washing articles from falling and slipping off and to adjust the shapes thereof.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which shows an embodiment of the portable hanger and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment in the folded state for carrying;

FIG. 2 is a front view in the expanded state for use;

FIG. 3 is a plan view for FIG. 2, and partially in section;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view for FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5a to 5d are sectional front views of arcuate groove portions of the respective rods as taken along lines a--a, b--b, c--c and d--d in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a front view partially broken away, showing the relations between the respective arcuate grooves and pins.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, numeral designates a suspending rod which is formed at one end with suspending hole 2 for passing a nail, string or the like therethrough. The other end of suspending rod is provided with hole 3. Shaft 4 is provided through the hole and arcuate pin 5 (FIG. 4) is formed on suspending rod 1 to turn along a fixed arc about the shaft 4.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, each trunk portion 8 is constructed such that the front surface is substantially flat, that rib 6 is formed at the peripheral edge on the back surface, and that inner central part 7 is depressed. One trunk portion 8 and one flat portion 9 constitute each shoulder rod 10, 10' and leg rod 11, 11'. The shoulder rods and the leg rods are pivotably fitted on the shaft 4 by means of holes 12. Pins 5 enter into shoulder rods 10, 10' with the arc thereof concentric with the shaft 4. In the illustrated embodiment, arcuate holes 13, 13' approximately 90.degree. in circumferential length are provided in rods 10, 10' concentric with the respective holes 12 thereof. Similar arcuate grooves 14, 14' approximately 120.degree. in circumferential length are provided in leg rods 11, 11'. Holes 13, 13' and grooves 14, 14' fit over the pin 5 of suspending rod 1. Parts at which arcuate holes 13, 13' and grooves 14, 14' are formed are made equal in thickness to those parts of trunk portions 8 which include ribs 6 of the respective rods 10, 10' and 11, 11'.

Hanging rods 15 are provided on shoulder rods 10, 10', the far ends of flat portions 9, while a pair of hanging rods 15' and 15" are provided on each of leg rods 11, 11', the hanging rods of each pair being attached to opposite sides of the flat portion 9 of each leg rod. The hanging rods 15 are mounted so as to be turnable or be engaged at predetermined positions by means of pivotal shafts 16.

A simple scale 17 may be provided on the surface of shoulder rods 10, 10' and hanging rods 15 which can be expanded linearly. Thus, for example, this scale can be used by a traveller to determine whether a package is within the dimensional limits on postal packages. The arrows 18 indicate the rotational directions of the respective rods in expanding the hanger for use. Thus, the hanger can be opened and used without delay.

The hanger is especially suitable for carrying in the folded state if it is constructed such that, as illustrated in FIG. 4, each hanging rod 15, 15', 15" lies over its flat portions 9 so that these two members in combination are equal in thickness to and level on both sides with the respective trunk portion 8 in the folded state.

When the hanger of the present invention is used, suspending rod 1 is rotated and taken out. The respective rods are turned in the directions of the arrows 18 around suspending rod 1. More specifically, first of all, shoulder rod 10 is rotated clockwise about shaft 4, while shoulder rod 10' is turned anti-clockwise. Then, both rods 10, 10' are engaged and fixed in the horizontal state at positions of 90.degree. with respect to suspending rod 1 by means of holes 13, 13' and pins 5. Further, leg rods 11, 11' are respectively turned in the directions of arrows 18. That is to say, leg rod 11 is turned clockwise, while leg rod 11' is turned anti-clockwise. Then, grooves 14, 14' and pins 5 are engaged and fixed at positions of 120.degree. with respect to suspending rod 1. In case of suspending for example, a shirt or the like, the angle of hanging rods 15 is suitably selected according to the shoulder width of the garment. In addition, the body portion of the shirt is held out by hanging rods 15, 15". Thus, the shirt is suspended with its shape properly maintained. Stockings 19 or the like are hung on hanging rods 15' or 15" by bending the rods in the form of a hook. Underwear 20 or the like is inserted on hanging rods 15' or 15" by rotating the rods into opposing horizontal positions.

The hanger can be used, by utilizing the respective hanging rods as described above, for suspension of various kinds of articles without danger of their slipping or dropping due to wind. In addition, the hanger is reduced to a small size when folded and is effective especially overseas travel.

Claims

I claim:

1. A foldable portable hanger comprising, in combination,

A suspending rod having a suspending hole at one end and a pivotal shaft at the other end,

a plurality of shoulder rods each being pivotally mounted at one end on and to either side of said suspending rod by said pivotal shaft, means for maintaining said shoulder rods in a substantially horizontal position,

a plurality of leg rods each being pivotally mounted at one end on and depending from said suspending rod by said pivotal shaft means for maintaining said leg rods in an inclined position below said shoulder rods, and

at least one hanging rod pivotally mounted at the free ends of said leg rods,

all of said rods being substantially flat and lying one upon the other in alignment when said portable hanger is folded.

2. A hanger according to claim 1, wherein said means for maintaining said rods in horizontal and inclined positions are pins in said suspending rod, and arcuate holes in said shoulder rods and said leg rods for engaging said pins.

3. A hanger according to claim 1, including at least one hanging rod pivotally mounted at the free ends of said shoulder rods.