Folding Clothes Hanger

The present invention relates to a folding clothes hanger. In particular, the folding clothes hanger of the present invention is formed as a portable piece of furniture which is usable as a clothes hanger, a screen, or it may be formed to provide for a small enclosure for trying on clothes.

The folding clothes hanger of the present invention may be easily moved to different positions and may be constructed to be light enough to be carried by a boy or girl. The clothes hanger of the present invention may be positioned in the corner of a room so as to take up a very small amount of space, or the clothes hanger may be positioned at a central position in a room so as to serve as a screen or room divider.

The folding clothes hanger of the present invention provides for a convenient receptacle for hanging clothes and with these clothes visible, such as for guests, and the clothes hanger of the present invention may also be used for drying wet clothes or for segregating one group of clothes from another.

The folding clothes hanger of the present invention may also include panel means so that a small enclosed space may be provided, such as for trying on clothes. All of the above advantages may be obtained in an economical fashion using the design of the folding clothes hanger of the present invention. It is to be appreciated that the clothes hanger may be constructed of a variety of different materials or a combination of materials, such as wood, aluminum, steel, plastic, etc.

The folding clothes hanger of the present invention includes a pair of wall members hinged relative to each other and extending from a central post section. Each wall member may include hangers for receiving clothes and each wall member may be cut out so as to reduce the weight. One or more rods may extend between the wall members to fix the wall members in a position where the wall members are at right angles to each other. Separate panel members may be pivotably mounted at one or more positions within the wall members. The panel members may be positioned in a recessed position and folded flat against a back wall of the wall member so that the entire structure may be folded together and be completely self contained. Alternatively, when the folding clothes hanger of the present invention is opened to a right angle position, the panel members may be pivoted from an outside position and may be pivoted to a number of different positions to provide for alternative configurations of the folding clothes hanger of the present invention.

A clearer understanding of the present invention may be had with reference to the following description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the folding clothes hanger of the present invention without the panel members in position;

FIG. 2 is a top cross-sectional view of the folding clothes hanger of the present invention showing the panel members in a number of different positions;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view, partially broken away, of the folding clothes hanger of the present invention showing the panel members in a particular position;

FIG. 4 is a top folded view of the folding clothes hanger of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a front view of a portion of the folding clothes hanger showing one panel member in a particular position.

As shown in the figures, the folding clothes hanger of the present invention includes a first wall member 10 and a second wall member 12. Both wall members may have cut-out portions so as to reduce their weight. The first wall member 10 extends from a central box-like post portion 14. The first wall member may be permanently connected to one side of the central post portion 14. The second wall member 12 is hinged to another side of the central post portion 14 by hinges 16 and 18 to be angularly spaced from the first wall member.

The first wall member may also include a top wall portion 20 and a side wall portion 22. Similarly, the second wall member may include a top wall portion 24 and a side wall portion 26. A plurality of clothes hangers 28 are supported by a first wall member 10 and a second plurality of clothes hangers 30 are supported by the second wall member 12. It is to be appreciated that any particular number of clothes hangers may be used and the particular position of the hangers can be varied. A rod member 32 extends between the wall members 10 and 12 to fix the wall members at right angles to each other. A right angle end portion of the rod member 32 may be received in an eye member 34, as shown in FIG. 3, when it is desired to maintain the wall members in a right angle configuration as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The rod member 32 may be disengaged from the eye member 34 to lie in a downward position so that the wall member 12 may be closed to provide for the clothes hanger in the folded position, as shown in FIG. 4. A hook 36 and latch 38 may be used to lock the clothes hanger in the closed position as shown in FIG. 4.

The folding clothes hanger of the present invention may also include a pair of pivoted panel members 40 and 42. One or both of the panel members may include a mirror portion as shown by mirror portion 44 on panel member 40. The panel members 40 and 42 are supported for pivotable movement from the side wall portions 22 and 26 at one of two fixed positions. Specifically, panel member 40 includes two hook members 46 that are received in two eye members 48 to allow for pivotable movement of the panel member 40 at a first pivotal position along the side wall portion 22 of the wall member 10. The hook members 46 may also be received in a second pair of eye members 50 located at a second pivotal position along the side wall portion 22.

In a similar fashion, the panel member 42 includes hook members 52 which may be received in eye members 54 or 56 located at two positions along the side wall portion 26. It is to be appreciated that other means may be used for providing for the pivotable mounting of the panel members and that more than two positions may be used or even a continuous positioning may be used.

The pivotable mounting of the panel members 40 and 42 at different positions allows for a great variety of positioning of the panel members 40 and 42. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the panel members may be positioned to lie parallel to the wall members 10 and 12. This allows for a small enclosed space in which clothes may be hung and provides for protection for the clothes. Hook members 58 and 60 which are received in slots 62 and 64 allow for the panel members 40 and 42 to be fixed in the position shown in FIG. 2 in solid lines. The hook member 60 is longer and the panel member 42 is spaced from the central post portion 14 so that, as shown in FIG. 4, the panel member 42 will fit within the clothes hanger when in the folded position. It is to be appreciated that the panel member 42 may be made longer and with storage provided other than as shown in FIG. 4.

In FIG. 2, two alternate positions for the panel members 40 and 42 are shown in dotted portion. FIG. 3 shows the panel members in the middle one of the alternate positions. It is to be appreciated, of course, that any number of arrangements for the panel members 40 and 42 may be provided and that the particular sizes and shapes of the panel members may be altered. As shown in the dotted positions for the panel members in FIG. 2, the panel members may provide for a small enclosed space so that the folding clothes hanger may serve as a dressing room for trying on clothes or for other purposes.

The clothes hanger of the present invention may be, of course, placed in a corner position of a room or may be placed in a middle position of a room so as to serve as a screen or room divider. When the folding clothes hanger of the present invention is not in use, then the panel members 40 and 42 may be moved to their inner pivot positions and the wall members 10 and 12 may be folded together to provide for the closed compact structure shown in FIG. 4.

Although the present invention has been shown with reference to a particular embodiment, it is to be appreciated that various adaptations and modifications may be made and the invention is only to be limited by the appended claims.