FOLDABLE HANGER

Abstract

A foldable hanger may include a body equipped with a hanging element with a firm arm and a movable arm pivotably attached to the body, wherein said body further contains a spike and arresting pin slidable along the spike and exerting a force on the arresting pin, wherein the arresting pin has a shank with a relief snapping to an arresting groove of a sliding-block guide which moves between open and closed positions and contains a guiding slot for a shank of the arresting pin and allowing free movement of a relief of the arresting pin; an arresting groove at the closed end of the guiding slot accommodating the relief; a flexible element exerting a force on the sliding-block guide; sliding-block guide cogs coordinating with cogs at the proximal end of the movable arm; wherein the sliding-block guide is adapted for movement between a closed position and an open position.

Claims

1. A foldable hanger containing a body equipped with a hanging element and one firm arm fixed to the body and one movable arm pivotably attached to the body, wherein the body further comprises: a spike, an arresting pin adapted for operation by a user, mounted on the spike in a flexibly slidable manner for ensuring slidable movement of the arresting pin along the spike and for creating a continual force pushing the arresting pin off the spike, wherein the arresting pin consists of a shank having, at its bottom part, a relief adapted to fit into an arresting groove of a sliding-block guide; a sliding-block guided adapted for operation by a user, movably positioned in the body, wherein the sliding-block guide is adapted for a movement between an open position and a closed position and contains: a guiding slot for accommodation of the shank of the arresting pin, a space for free movement of the relief of the arresting pin formed along an entire length of the guiding slot, an arresting groove adapted for accommodation of the relief of the arresting pin formed at a closed end of the guiding slot, a prestressed flexible element adapted to create a continual force moving the sliding-block guide to its open position, sliding-block guide cogs adapted for collaboration with cogs of the movable arm, wherein the movable arm is equipped with the cogs at its proximal end, which cogs are adapted for collaboration with the sliding-block guide cogs, and wherein the sliding-block guide is adapted for the movement between: the closed position, in which the relief of the arresting pin is sunk in the arresting groove of the sliding-block guide, and the movable arm is in a standard position, arranged symmetrically to the firm arm, and the open position, in which the arresting pin is arranged at an entry of the guiding slot, and the relief of the arresting pin is out of the arresting groove in the space for free movement of the relief resulting in a movement of the sliding-block guide to the position, in which the sliding-block guide is accessible for operation by a user and the movable arm is displaced from the standard position in this position of the sliding-block guide.

2. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the firm arm forms an integral part of the body.

3. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the flexible element forms an integral part of the sliding-block guide.

4. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the flexible element is a steel or plastic spring, pushing spring, or traction string.

5. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the body is equipped with a cover.

6. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the sliding-block guide comprises a side wall, which side wall is arranged in the body in such a way that in the closed position the side wall of the sliding-block guide is aligned with the body, and in the open position the sliding-block guide partially projects from the body in order to enable a user to operate the sliding-block guide.

7. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the firm arm and the movable arm have shapes adapted for a mutual engagement in the open position of the sliding-block guide.

8. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the sliding-block guide cogs are arch shaped.

9. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the cogs the movable arm are arch shaped.

10. The foldable hanger according to claim 5, wherein the body with the cover have in the closed position of the sliding-block guide a shape of a cylinder, a block or a flat block.

11. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the arresting pin is equipped with a head for operation by a user arranged in such a way that it is aligned with the body or cover.

12. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the guiding slot of the sliding-block guide is arch shaped.

13. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the sliding-block guide is pivotably positioned in the body.

14. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the sliding-block guide is slidably positioned in the body.

15. The foldable hanger according to claim 5, wherein the sliding-block guide comprises a side wall, which side wall is arranged in the body in such a way that in the closed position the side wall of the sliding-block guide is aligned with the cover, and in the open position the sliding-block guide partially projects from the body in order to enable a user to operate the sliding-block guide.

16. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the arresting pin is equipped with a head for operation by a user arranged in such a way that it extends from an opening for the arresting pin or it is slightly sunk in the body, but accessible for a finger of a user.

17. The foldable hanger according to claim 1, wherein the arresting pin is equipped with a head for operation by a user arranged in such a way that it is slightly sunk in the body but accessible for a finger of a user.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the disclosure and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout all views.

[0023] FIG. 1a shows an embodiment of a foldable hanger according to the present disclosure with its sliding-block guide in a closed position.

[0024] FIG. 1b shows a cover of the embodiment of FIG. 1a.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows the foldable hanger of FIG. 1a with the sliding-block guide in an open position.

[0026] FIGS. 3a and 3b show an embodiment of a sliding-block guide for a foldable hanger in front and side views, respectively.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a hanger body for a foldable hanger.

[0028] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of an arresting pin for a foldable hanger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following description of technology is merely exemplary in nature of the subject matter, manufacture and use of one or more inventions, and is not intended to limit the scope, application, or uses of any specific invention claimed in this application or in such other applications as may be filed claiming priority to this application, or patents issuing therefrom. The following definitions and non-limiting guidelines must be considered in reviewing the description of the technology set forth herein.

[0030] The headings (such as “Background” and “Summary”) and sub-headings used herein are intended only for general organization of topics within the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the disclosure of the technology or any aspect thereof. In particular, subject matter disclosed in the “Introduction” may include novel technology and may not constitute a recitation of prior art. Subject matter disclosed in the “Summary” is not an exhaustive or complete disclosure of the entire scope of the technology or any embodiments thereof. Classification or discussion of a material within a section of this specification as having a particular utility is made for convenience, and no inference should be drawn that the material must necessarily or solely function in accordance with its classification herein when it is used in any given composition.

[0031] The citation of references herein does not constitute an admission that those references are prior art or have any relevance to the patentability of the technology disclosed herein. All references cited in the “Description” section of this specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0032] The description and specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the technology, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the technology. Moreover, recitation of multiple embodiments having stated features is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional features, or other embodiments incorporating different combinations of the stated features. Specific examples are provided for illustrative purposes of how to make and use the apparatus and systems of this technology and, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are not intended to be a representation that given embodiments of this technology have, or have not, been made or tested.

[0033] “A” and “an” as used herein indicate “at least one” of the item is present; a plurality of such items may be present, when possible. “About” when applied to values indicates that the calculation or the measurement allows some slight imprecision in the value (with some approach to exactness in the value; approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If, for some reason, the imprecision provided by “about” is not otherwise understood in the art with this ordinary meaning, then “about” as used herein indicates at least variations that may arise from ordinary methods of measuring or using such parameters. In addition, disclosure of ranges includes disclosure of all distinct values and further divided ranges within the entire range.

EXAMPLE 1

[0034] A foldable hanger 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure as shown on FIG. 1a may contain a flat body 2 containing a bottom having two side walls. The body has a cover 2.1 with an opening 2.2 for an arresting pin (FIG. 1b). The body 2 further contains a hanging element 3 in the form of a hook integrally connected with one side wall of the body 2. At its bottom part the body 2 contains a firm arm 4 and movable arm 5 arranged in a standard position. There is a pin at the bottom of the body 2, approximately in its right top corner, which pin bears a pivotable sliding-block guide 8. The sliding-block guide 8, illustrated also in FIGS. 3A and 3b, contains a side wall 8.6 and arch shaped guiding slot 8.1. A space 8.2 is formed around the guiding slot 8.1 at one side 8.2 of the sliding-block guide 8 and there is a circular arresting groove 8.3 formed at the end of the guiding slot 8.1 from the side of the space 8.2 (FIG. 3b). In its top part the sliding-block guide 8 is equipped with a prestressed flexible element 8.4, which, in this case, leans on the body side wall. On the side adjacent to the arms 4, 5, the sliding-block guide 8 is equipped with arch-shaped cogs 8.5 having attached the movable arm 5 in a locked position, via partially circular cogs 5.1. This locked position is secured via the position of an arresting pin 7 mounted on a spike 6 on the pushing spring enabling flexible movement along the spike 6. The spike 6 position is visible in FIG. 4. The arresting pin 7 presented in FIG. 5 contains a shank 7.1, and a relief 7.2 in its bottom part, which relief is sunk in a circular arresting groove 8.3 in its standard locked position.

EXAMPLE 2

[0035] Another embodiment of a foldable hanger shown at FIG. 2 consists of similar elements as the hanger of FIG. 1A, but the position of the movable arm 5, the position of the sliding-block guide 8, and the position of the relief 7.2 of the arresting pin 7 are different. The movable arm 5 is present in its folded locked position under the firm arm 4 and on the same side as the firm arm 4, and therefore the width of the foldable hanger 1 is reduced by approximately half. This position enables an easy hanging of the cloth through its neck opening on the hanger 1. The sliding-block guide 8 is in its open position and partially extends from the body 2. The flexible element 8.4 of the sliding-block guide 8 loosely leans on the wall of the body 2 and thus holds the sliding-block guide 8 in its open position. The arresting pin 7 is present at the free end of the guiding slot 8.1 and the relief 7.2 of the arresting pin 7 is released from the arresting groove 8.3 of the sliding-block guide 8, and it is positioned in the space 8.2 of the sliding-block guide 8 for free movement of the relief 7.2. In this position the hanger 1 is prepared for the hanging of cloth.

EXAMPLE 3

[0036] Embodiments of foldable hangers according to the present disclosure may work as follows. The cloth hanged on the foldable hanger 1 according to this present teaching can be hanged without extension of its neck opening. It is possible to change the position of the movable arm 5 from its standard position to its folded position by one hand—one finger of the hand, in which a man holds the hanger 1.

[0037] Pressing of the arresting pin 7 mounted on the flexible element 8.4 slidable along the spike 6 results in the moving of the relief 7.2 of the arresting pin 7 out of the arresting groove 8.3 of the sliding-block guide 8 releasing the sliding-block guide 8, which sliding-block guide 8 is partially turned by the effect of the prestressed flexible element 8.4 in such a way that its part is moved out of the body 2, thus forming open position of the sliding-block guide 8. By this way the arresting pin 7, being mounted on the fixed spike 6, comes to the free end of the guiding slot 8.1, and the movable arm 5 is turning via the cogs 5.1 at the proximal end over the cogs 8.5 at the bottom end of the sliding-block guide 8 until it hits the firm arm 4.

[0038] After putting of the cloth on the hanger, a hand holding the foldable hanger 1 at the body 2 presses the part of the sliding-block guide 8 extending out of the body 2. This pressing acts against the flexible element 8.4 of the sliding-block guide 8, which flexible element 8.4 is deformed against the wall of the body 2 coming to the prestressed position, and the whole volume of the sliding-block guide 8 becomes accommodated in the body 2; the guiding slot 8.1 moves together with the sliding-block guide 8 until the shank 7.1 of the arresting pin 7 comes to the end of the guiding slot 8.1, where the arresting groove 8.3 is formed, and the relief 7.2 of the arresting pin 7 falls into the arresting groove 8.3 due to the flexible mounting of the arresting pin 7 on the spike 6. The movable arm 5 connected with the sliding-block guide 8 via the gearing is forced to turn until reaching the locked standard position. The locking of the standard position is achieved by the sinking of the relief 7.2 of the arresting pin 7 into the arresting groove 8.3 of the sliding-block guide.

[0039] The preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been described above to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention. However, as various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings, including all materials expressly incorporated by reference herein, shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by the above-described exemplary embodiment but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.