EXPANDABLE CLOTHING HANGER

Abstract

An expandable garment hanger assembly has a central frame and housing assembly. An arm pair assembly with a right and left side arm portion is pivotally coupled to an interior portion of the frame and housing assembly and designed to be folded or laterally extended. The right and left side arm portions are rotatably engaged to move rotationally and simultaneously in the opposite direction. A release spring and lock assembly is disposed within the frame and housing assembly and designed to be locked when the arm pair assembly is closed. At least one depressible release assembly is coupled to the spring and lock assembly designed to release the spring and lock assembly to extend the right and left side arm portions. A right and left side arm extender portion is slidably coupled to the distal ends of the right and left side arms respectively and designed to extend or retract.

Claims

1. An expandable garment hanger assembly comprising: a central frame and housing assembly; an arm pair assembly with a right side arm portion and a left side arm portion pivotally coupled to an interior portion of the central frame and housing assembly at a proximal end portion of the right side arm portion and a proximal end portion of the left side arm portion, the arm pair assembly adapted to be in a folded and substantially parallel state or a laterally extended state, wherein the right side arm portion and the left side arm portion rotatably engaged to move rotationally and simultaneously in the opposite direction; a release spring and lock assembly disposed within the central frame and housing assembly and coupled to the proximal end of the right side arm portion and the proximal end of the left side arm portion, the spring and lock assembly adapted to be releasably locked when the arm pair assembly is in a closed state; at least one depressible release assembly coupled to the spring and lock assembly and disposed substantially through a distal face or a proximal face of the central frame and housing assembly, the depressible release assembly adapted to release the spring and lock assembly allowing a spring assembly or member of the spring and lock assembly to laterally and simultaneously extend the right side arm portion and the left side arm portion; and a right side arm extender portion slidably coupled to a distal end portion of the right side arm portion, and a left side arm extender portion slidably coupled to a distal end portion of a left side arm portion, the right side arm extender portion and the left side arm extender portion adapted to be in an extended or retracted state.

2. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein a rotatable hook assembly is coupled to the central frame and housing assembly and adapted to suspend from a bar or other substantially rigid surface.

3. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein a second lock assembly is disposed within the central frame and housing assembly and adapted to releasably lock the arm pair assembly into an extended state.

4. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein the right side extender portion is disposed at least partially inside a right sleeve portion of the distal end of the right side arm portion and the left side extender portion is disposed at least partially inside a left sleeve portion of the distal end of the left side arm portion.

5. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 4 wherein a right gap portion is disposed between a distal end of the right side extender portion and the distal end of the right side arm portion when the right side extender portion is at least partially extended, and a left gap portion is disposed between a distal end of the left side extender portion and the distal end of the left side arm portion when the left side extender portion is at least partially extended, the right gap portion and the left gap portion adapted to keep garment straps from slipping off the arm pair assembly.

6. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein a polymer grip portion is planarly disposed on a top surface of the arm pair assembly.

7. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein a fabric grip portion is planarly disposed on the top surface of the arm pair assembly.

8. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 1 wherein the central frame and housing assembly and the arm pair assembly are made substantially from one of a group of: wood, plastic, and aluminum.

9. A method of using an expandable garment hanger assembly, the method comprising: at least partially inserting a central frame and housing assembly in a folded state, with a right side arm portion and a left side arm portion substantially parallel, into an open portion of a garment member, the right side arm portion and a left side arm portion extending from a proximal end of the housing assembly and through the open portion of the garment member, a rotatable hook portion substantially outside the open portion of the garment member; depressing a release spring and lock assembly disposed within the central frame and housing assembly and coupled to the proximal end of the right side arm portion and the proximal end of the left side arm portion, the spring and lock assembly adapted to be releasably locked when the arm pair assembly is in a closed state and unlocked when depressed; facilitating the right side arm portion and the left side arm portion simultaneously rotating in the opposite directions to a fully opened state within the open portion of the garment member and against an inside surface of the garment member; engaging the spring and lock assembly to hold extended the right side arm portion and the left side arm portion; and slidably coupling as needed a right side arm extender portion slidably coupled to a distal end portion of the right side arm portion, and a left side arm extender portion slidably coupled to a distal end portion of the left side arm portion, the right side arm extender portion and the left side arm extender portion adapted to be in an extended or retracted state.

10. The method of using an expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 9, the method further including suspending the central frame and housing assembly from a bar or other substantially rigid surface via a rotatable hook assembly coupled to the central frame and housing assembly.

11. The method of using an expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 9, the method further including engaging a second lock assembly disposed within the central frame and housing assembly and adapted to releasably lock the arm pair assembly into an extended state.

12. The method of using an expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 9, the method further including sliding the right side extender portion disposed at least partially inside a right sleeve portion of the distal end of the right side arm portion and sliding the left side extender portion disposed at least partially inside a left sleeve portion of the distal end of the left side arm portion.

13. An expandable garment hanger assembly comprising: a central frame and housing assembly having a rounded top end and a rounded bottom end; an arm pair assembly with a right side arm portion and a left side arm portion pivotally coupled to an interior portion of the central frame and housing assembly at a proximal end portion of the right side arm portion and a proximal end portion of the left side arm portion, the arm pair assembly adapted to be in a folded and substantially parallel state or a laterally extended state, a distal end of the right side arm and a distal end of the left side arm rounded and adapted to parallelly abut when the right and left arm assemblies are in a folded state, when abutted to form a substantially U shape, adapting the central frame and housing assembly to be packed without entangling adjacent garment members, wherein the right side arm portion and the left side arm portion rotatably engaged to move rotationally and simultaneously; a release spring and lock assembly disposed within the central frame and housing assembly and coupled to the proximal end of the right side arm portion and the proximal end of the left side arm portion, the spring and lock assembly adapted to be releasably locked when the arm pair assembly is in a closed state; at least one rounded and depressible release assembly coupled to the spring and lock assembly and disposed substantially through a distal face or a proximal face of the central frame and housing assembly, the depressible release assembly adapted to release the spring and lock assembly, allowing a spring assembly of the spring and lock assembly to laterally and simultaneously extend the right side arm portion and the left side arm portion; and a right side arm extender portion slidably coupled to a distal end portion of the right side arm portion, and a left side arm extender portion slidably coupled to a distal end portion of a left side arm portion, the right side arm extender portion and the left side arm extender portion adapted to be in an extended or retracted state and forming at an obtuse angle.

14. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 13 wherein a rotatable hook assembly is coupled to the central frame and housing assembly and adapted to suspend from a bar or other substantially rigid surface.

15. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 13 wherein a second lock assembly is disposed within the central frame and housing assembly and adapted to releasably lock the arm pair assembly into an extended state.

16. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 13 wherein the right side extender portion is disposed at least partially inside a right sleeve portion of the distal end of the right side arm portion and the left side extender portion is disposed at least partially inside a left sleeve portion of the distal end of the left side arm portion and secured via a friction fit.

17. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 16 wherein a right gap portion is disposed between a distal end of the right side extender portion and the distal end of the right side arm portion when the right side extender portion is at least partially extended, and a left gap portion is disposed between a distal end of the left side extender portion and the distal end of the left side arm portion when the left side extender portion is at least partially extended, the right gap portion and the left gap portion adapted to keep garment straps from slipping off the arm pair assembly.

18. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 13 wherein a polymer grip portion is planarly disposed on a top surface of the arm pair assembly.

19. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 13 wherein a fabric grip portion is planarly disposed on the top surface of the arm pair assembly.

20. The expandable garment hanger assembly of claim 13 wherein the central frame and housing assembly are made substantially from one of a group of: wood, plastic, and aluminum.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates the perspective view of the closed version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates the front of the closed version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates the extended view of the closed version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates the left side of the closed version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0023] FIG. 5 illustrates the back of the closed version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0024] FIG. 6 illustrates the right side of the closed version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0025] FIG. 7 illustrates the perspective view of the expanded version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0026] FIG. 8 illustrates the extended view of the expanded version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0027] FIG. 9 illustrates the front view of the expanded version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0028] FIG. 10 illustrates the left side of the expanded version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0029] FIG. 11 illustrates the extended back view of the expanded version of the expandable garment hanger assembly.

[0030] FIG. 12A-12B illustrate a method of using an expandable garment hanger assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Following are more detailed descriptions of various related concepts related to, and embodiments of, methods and apparatus according to the present disclosure. It should be appreciated that various aspects of the subject matter introduced above and discussed in greater detail below may be implemented in any of numerous ways, as the subject matter is not limited to any particular manner of implementation. Examples of specific implementations and applications are provided primarily for illustrative purposes.

[0032] Referring to the Figures, FIGS. 1-11 illustrate one embodiment of the inventive concept. In this embodiment, an expandable garment hanger assembly 100 has a central frame and housing assembly 200 and may have a rounded top end 202 and a rounded bottom end 203. An arm pair assembly 300 with a right side arm portion 320 and a left side arm portion 380 is pivotally coupled to an interior portion 201 of the central frame and housing assembly 200 at a proximal end portion of the right side arm portion 312 and a proximal end portion of the left side arm portion 318, the arm pair assembly 300 designed to be in a folded and parallel state or a laterally extended state. A distal end of the right side arm 361 and a distal end of the left side arm 369 may be rounded and designed to parallelly abut when the right arm assembly 320 and the left arm assembly 380 are in a folded state, when abutted to form a substantially U shape, adapting the central frame and housing assembly 200 to be packed without entangling adjacent garment members. The right side arm portion 320 and the left side arm portion 380 are rotatably engaged to move rotationally and simultaneously in the opposite direction to be parallelly set or set at obtuse angles.

[0033] A release spring and lock assembly exemplary embodiment 400, as illustrated in FIG. 7, is disposed within the central frame and housing assembly 200 and coupled to the proximal end of the right side arm portion 312 and the proximal end of the left side arm portion 318, the spring and lock assembly 400 designed to be releasably locked when the arm pair assembly 200 is in a closed state. At least one rounded and depressible release assembly 250 is coupled to the spring and lock assembly 400 and disposed substantially through a proximal face 210 of the central frame and housing assembly 200, the depressible release assembly 250 designed to release the spring and lock assembly 400, allowing a spring assembly exemplary embodiment 401, as illustrated by FIG. 7, of the spring and lock assembly 400 to laterally and simultaneously extend the right side arm portion 320 and the left side arm portion 380. A right side arm extender portion 321 is slidably coupled to a distal end portion of the right side arm portion 392, and a left side arm extender portion 381 is slidably coupled to a distal end portion of a left side arm portion 398, the right side arm extender portion 321 and the left side arm extender portion 381 designed to be in an extended or retracted state and forming an obtuse angle.

[0034] FIGS. 1-11 further illustrate that in this embodiment of the expandable garment hanger assembly, a rotatable hook assembly 500 is coupled to the central frame and housing assembly 200 and is designed to suspend from a bar or other substantially rigid surface. In this embodiment of the expandable garment hanger assembly, a second lock assembly 404, an example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, is disposed within the central frame and housing assembly 200 and is designed to releasably lock the arm pair assembly 300 into an extended state.

[0035] FIGS. 1-11 further illustrate that in this embodiment of the expandable garment hanger assembly, the right side arm extender portion 321 is disposed at least partially inside a right sleeve portion 323 of the distal end of the right side arm portion 392 and the left side extender portion 381 is disposed at least partially inside a left sleeve portion 383 of the distal end of the left side arm portion 398.

[0036] FIGS. 1-11 further illustrate that in this embodiment of the expandable garment hanger assembly, a right gap portion 325 is disposed between a distal end of the right side extender portion 329 and the distal end of the right side arm portion 392 when the right side extender portion 329 is at least partially extended, and a left gap portion 385 is disposed between a distal end of the left side extender portion 389 and the distal end of the left side arm portion 398 when the left side extender portion is at least partially extended, the right gap portion 325 and the left gap portion 385 designed to keep garment straps from slipping off the arm pair assembly 300 and are secured via a friction fit.

[0037] FIGS. 1-11 further illustrate that in this embodiment of the expandable garment hanger assembly, a fabric grip portion 550, is planarly disposed on a top surface of the arm pair assembly 301. Alternatively, a polymer grip portion 552, illustrated in FIG. 6, may be planarly disposed on the top surface of the arm pair assembly 301. In these embodiments of the expandable garment hanger assembly, the central frame and housing assembly 200 and the arm pair assembly 300 are made substantially from one of a group of: wood, plastic, and aluminum.

[0038] FIG. 12A-12B illustrate a method of using the expandable garment hanger assembly, the method including the step of 700 at least partially inserting the central frame and housing assembly 200 in a folded state, with the right side arm portion 320 and the left side arm portion 380 substantially parallel, into an open portion of a garment member, the right side arm portion 320 and the left side arm portion 380 extending from the bottom end of the housing assembly 203 and through the open portion of the garment member, the rotatable hook portion 500 substantially outside the open portion of the garment member. The method further includes the step of 710 depressing the release spring and lock assembly 400 disposed within the central frame and housing assembly 200 and coupled to the proximal end of the right side arm portion 312 and the proximal end of the left side arm portion 318, the spring and lock assembly 400 designed to be releasably locked when the arm pair assembly 300 is in a closed state and unlocked when depressed. The method further includes the step of 715 facilitating the right side arm portion 320 and the left side arm portion 380 simultaneously rotating in the opposite directions to a fully opened state within the open portion of the garment member and against an inside surface of the garment member. The method further includes the step of 720 engaging the spring and lock assembly 400 to hold extended the right side arm portion 320 and the left side arm portion 380. The method further includes the step of 730 slidably coupling as needed the right side arm extender portion 321 slidably coupled to the distal end portion of the right side arm portion 392, and the left side arm extender portion 381 slidably coupled to the distal end portion of the left side arm portion 398, the right side arm extender portion 321 and the left side arm extender portion 381 designed to be in an extended or retracted state.

[0039] FIGS. 12A-12B further illustrate that the method of using the expandable garment hanger assembly may further include the step of 740 including suspending from a bar or other substantially rigid surface the central frame and housing assembly 200 via the rotatable hook assembly 500 coupled to the central frame and housing assembly 200. The method of using the expandable garment hanger may further include the step of 750 engaging the second lock assembly 404 disposed within the central frame and housing assembly 200 and designed to releasably lock the arm pair assembly 300 into an extended state. The method of using the expandable garment hanger assembly may further include the step of 760 sliding the right side extender portion 321 disposed at least partially inside the right sleeve portion 323 of the distal end of the right side arm portion 361 and sliding the left side extender portion 381 disposed at least partially inside the left sleeve portion 383 of the distal end of the left side arm portion 381.

[0040] The following patents are incorporated by reference in their entireties: U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,177,106, 9,247,838, and 10,085,578.

[0041] While the inventive concept has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the inventive concept is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Upon reading the teachings of this disclosure many modifications and other embodiments of the inventive concept will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which this inventive concept pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure and the appended claims. It is indeed intended that the scope of the inventive concept should be determined by proper interpretation and construction of the appended claims and their legal equivalents, as understood by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.