Clothes hanger

Abstract

The invention relates to a clothes hanger including a hanger body having a hook portion projecting upwardly therefrom, defining an insertion portion for insertion of a neck portion of a garment, and provided with a movable arm for openably closing an aperture of the insertion portion. The hanger further includes switching means for switching the movable arm between open and close positions. The switching means has a function to open the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body is inclined and to close the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body is returned to its initial horizontal position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a clothes hanger easy to insert in or remove from a garment having a relatively small neck-line size, such as an T-shirt, sweat shirt, high-necked (turtleneck) sweater and the like.

[0003] 2. Description of the Background

[0004] When a common clothes hanger is inserted in or removed from the above garment having a relatively small neck-line size, a neck portion of the garment need be expanded to accommodate a hanger body portion extending between a hook portion and an end thereof. Thus, the insertion/removal of the hanger into/from the garment involves the stretching of the neck portion of the garment, resulting in fast deterioration of texture quality of the garment.

[0005] In view of this, there has been developed a clothes hanger arranged such that a hanger body has a hook portion extending centrally thereof and is formed with an insertion portion for insertion of the neck portion of the garment thereby permitting the garment such as a T-shirt or sweat shirt to be readily hung thereon or removed therefrom without expanding the neck portion more than required (see, for example, JP-A-6-52661 or JP-T-11-509755).

[0006] However, the clothes hanger formed with the insertion portion will encounter a problem that where the insertion portion has an excessively large aperture, the garment is liable to slip down on the hanger because of an insufficient contact area between a shoulder portion of the garment and the hanger body. Consequently, the insertion portion has a limited aperture, which results in a difficult insertion of the hanger through the neck portion of the garment.

[0007] As a solution to this problem, a clothes hanger has been proposed which employs a movable arm for openably closing the aperture of the insertion portion in order to prevent the slip-down of the garment even if the insertion portion functioning as a relief groove for the neck portion of the garment has a large aperture (see, for example, JP-A-2001-314304).

[0008] Specifically, the conventional clothes hanger with the movable arm has an arrangement wherein an upper end of the movable arm is pivoted on an upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion, and that a helical spring is anchored to a pivotal point of the movable arm for constantly biasing the movable arm in a closing direction.

[0009] The conventional clothes hanger having the movable arm openably closing the aperture of the insertion portion has the following problem. Since the movable arm is constantly biased by the helical spring in a direction to close the aperture of the insertion portion, the movable arm must be turned against a resilient force of the helical spring and held in the turned position, thereby opening the insertion portion for permitting the garment to be hung on or removed from the hanger body.

[0010] Thus, in order to insert/remove the conventional clothes hanger via the neck portion of the garment, the movable arm must be directly pushed down with hand and forcibly held in the open position while the neck portion of the garment is inserted in the insertion portion of the hanger body. This rather complicates the operation for inserting/removing the hanger into/from the garment.

[0011] Furthermore, the conventional clothes hanger requires the helical spring to be anchored to the pivotal point of the movable arm. The provision of the helical spring leads to the increased number of components and assembly steps, which results in increased fabrication costs.

[0012] The conventional clothes hanger has another problem associated with the movable arm held in the close position by the resilient force of the helical spring anchored to the pivotal point of the movable arm. Where a heavy garment is hung on the hanger to subject the movable arm to a load overcoming the resilient force of the helical spring, the movable arm may be automatically opened to cause deformation of a shoulder portion of the garment.

[0013] In view of the foregoing, a first object of the invention is to provide a clothes hanger capable of automatically switching the movable arm between the open and close positions without directly applying a force thereto, thereby facilitating the insertion/removal of the hanger into/from the garment.

[0014] A second object of the invention is to reduce the fabrication costs for the clothes hanger by providing an ability to hold the movable arm in the close position without resorting to the biasing member such as a helical spring.

[0015] A third object of the invention is to prevent the deformation of the shoulder portion of the garment by biasing the movable arm toward the close position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] For achieving the first object, the invention adopts the following technical measures.

[0017] In accordance with the invention, a clothes hanger comprising a hanger body having a hook portion projecting upwardly therefrom, defining an insertion portion for insertion of a neck portion of a garment, and provided with a movable arm for openably closing an aperture of the insertion portion, the clothes hanger further includes switching means for switching the movable arm between a position to open the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body is inclined and a position to close the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body is returned to its initial horizontal position.

[0018] More specifically, a clothes hanger according to the invention comprises a hook portion projecting upwardly; a fixed arm formed integrally with the hook portion and extended angularly downwardly from the hook portion toward one transverse side; an insertion portion defined by the fixed arm in a manner to open toward the other transverse side for insertion of a neck portion of a garment; a movable arm pivoted on the fixed arm for openably closing an aperture of the insertion portion and brought into a position to extend angularly downwardly from the hook portion toward the other transverse side when closing the insertion portion; and switching means for switching the movable arm between a position to open the aperture of the insertion portion when the fixed arm is inclined and a position to close the aperture of the insertion portion when the fixed arm is returned to its initial horizontal position.

[0019] According to the invention, the switching means causes the movable arm to open the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body (fixed arm) is inclined, and causes the movable arm to close the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body (fixed arm) is returned to its initial horizontal position. Unlike the conventional clothes hanger with the movable arm, the invention negates the need for holding the movable arm in the open state before the hanger body is inserted/removed into/from the garment. Thus, the inventive hanger may be more easily inserted/removed into/from the garment.

[0020] In a mode of the invention, the switching may be made to shift the movable arm to the open position when the fixed arm is inclined to direct the aperture of the insertion portion downwardly (an embodiment of the invention to be described hereinlater). Conversely, the switching may be made to shift the movable arm to the open position when the fixed arm is inclined to direct the aperture of the insertion portion upwardly.

[0021] However, the former switching mode is more preferred because it is easier to insert the hanger body with the downwardly opened insertion portion into the neck portion of the garment from above than to insert the hanger body with the upwardly opened insertion portion into the neck portion of the garment from below.

[0022] On the other hand, the switching means may comprise a movable linking mechanism which switches the movable arm between the open and close positions utilizing change in relative positions between pivotal fulcrums caused by the gravity of a member operatively associated with change in the inclination degree of the fixed arm.

[0023] The movable linking mechanism operating based on the gravity may have a specific configuration comprising the fixed arm and the movable arm; a link arm transversely bridged between lower ends of the fixed arm and movable arm; a first fulcrum for transversely slidably and pivotally connecting one transverse end of the link arm with the lower end of the fixed arm; a second fulcrum for pivotally connecting the other transverse end of the link arm with the lower end of the movable arm; and a third fulcrum for pivotally connecting a central part of the movable arm with a lower end of the aperture of the insertion portion.

[0024] In this case, when the fixed arm is so inclined as to direct the aperture of the insertion portion downwardly, the link arm is slidably moved away from the fixed arm via the first fulcrum. The link arm thus slidably moved acts as a weight to push up the lower end of the movable arm via the second fulcrum, thereby turning the movable arm about the third fulcrum in a direction to open the aperture of the insertion portion.

[0025] When, conversely, the fixed arm is returned to its initial horizontal position, the link arm is slidably moved toward the fixed arm by its own gravity as turned downwardly about the first fulcrum. The link arm thus slidably moved acts as a weight to push down the lower end of the movable arm via the second fulcrum, thereby turning the movable arm about the third fulcrum in a direction to close the aperture of the insertion portion.

[0026] Where the movable linking mechanism is employed for switching the movable arm between the open and close positions utilizing the change in the relative positions between the pivotal fulcrums caused by the gravity of the movable member operatively associated with the change in the inclination degree of the fixed arm, the movable member can be held in the close position without resorting to the biasing member such as a helical spring. The omission of the helical spring leads to the reduced number of components or assembly steps, which results in the reduced fabrication costs.

[0027] Where the above movable linking mechanism is employed, there is a fear that the movable arm may be turned by a load from the garment in the direction to open the insertion portion, thereby varying the degree of inclination of the movable link to cause the deformation of the shoulder portion of the garment.

[0028] This problem may be solved by making an arrangement wherein the third fulcrum interconnecting the fixed arm and the movable arm is located transversely inwardly from a point of action of the load applied to the movable arm by the shoulder portion of the garment, so that the load from the shoulder portion of the garment may constantly urge the movable arm in the closing direction.

[0029] Where the above movable linking mechanism is employed, it is preferred that the movable arm has an intersection portion at a distal end thereof, the intersection portion intersecting an upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm when the movable arm is placed in the close position.

[0030] In this case, the upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion is completely closed by the intersection portion of the movable arm, so that the shoulder portion of the garment hung on the inventive hanger is prevented from dropping in the insertion portion.

[0031] As the intersection portion of the movable arm, there may be employed a fork portion brought from below into fitting relation with the upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm. The fork portion ensures that the distal end of the movable arm is not disengaged from the upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion if the movable arm or the fixed arm suffers torsional deformation. Hence, the garment is positively prevented from dropping in the insertion portion when the movable arm is in the close position.

[0032] Where the fork portion is formed at the distal end of the movable arm, a slide slot for supporting the first fulcrum may be formed in the fixed arm in a manner to have play of a degree that the first fulcrum does not reach one end of the slide slot in the closed state where the fork portion fits with the upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm. Thus, the turning motion of the movable arm in the closing direction is restricted by the fork portion and hence, the movable arm in the close position is stabilized.

[0033] Furthermore, the slide slot may be provided with play of a degree that the first fulcrum does not reach the other end of the slide slot in the closed state where the fork portion overlaps with a lower side of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm. Thus, the turning motion of the movable arm in the opening direction is restricted by the lower side of the aperture of the insertion portion and hence, the insertion portion can be opened as wide as possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1 is a front view of a clothes hanger according to a first embodiment of the invention for showing a state where an aperture of an insertion portion is closed by a movable arm;

[0035] FIG. 2 is a front view of the above clothes hanger for showing a state where the movable arm is moved to open the aperture of the insertion portion;

[0036] FIG. 3 is an exploded front view showing components of the above clothes hanger;

[0037] FIG. 4 are diagrams explanatory of how to use the above clothes hanger, FIG. 4A showing a state where a neck portion of a garment is inserted in the insertion portion of a hanger body, FIG. 4B showing a state where a base end of the hanger body is inserted in a shoulder portion through the neck portion;

[0038] FIG. 5 is a front view showing the garment hung on the above clothes hanger;

[0039] FIG. 6 is a front view of a clothes hanger according to a second embodiment of the invention for showing a state where an aperture of an insertion portion is closed by a movable arm;

[0040] FIG. 7 is a front view of the above clothes hanger for showing a state where the movable arm is moved to open the aperture of the insertion portion; and

[0041] FIG. 8 is an exploded front view showing components of the above clothes hanger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] Preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinbelow be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate a clothes hanger 1 according a first embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 1 and 2 show an overall configuration of the clothes hanger 1, whereas FIG. 3 shows disassembled components of the clothes hanger 1.

[0044] As seen in these figures, the clothes hanger 1 according to the embodiment includes a hanger body 6 having a hook portion 2 projected upwardly and an insertion portion 5 for insertion of a neck portion 4 of a garment 3; a movable arm 7 for openably closing an aperture of the insertion portion 5; and a link arm 8 for moving the movable arm 7 between an open position and a close position.

[0045] The hanger body 6 and the arms 7, 8 are all constructed from a synthetic resin material such as hard plastics.

[0046] The hanger body 6 includes a fixed arm 9 continuous with the hook portion 2 and extended angularly downwardly therefrom toward one transverse side (the right-hand side as seen in FIG. 1); and the insertion portion 5 defined by the fixed arm 9 in a manner to open to the other transverse side (the left-hand side as seen in FIG. 1) for insertion of the neck portion 4 of the garment 3.

[0047] The fixed arm 9 according to the embodiment includes a pair of upper arm 10 and lower arm 11 which extend angularly downwardly toward the right side. These arms 10, 11 are combined together at their right ends so as to substantially define an elongated V-shape opening to the left side. That is, the insertion portion 5 is defined by an internal space of the V-shape defined by the arms 10, 11.

[0048] The embodiment defines a length of the aperture of the insertion portion 5 (a distance between distal ends of the upper and lower arms 10, 11) to be about a half of the overall length of the movable arm 7 in order that the insertion portion 5 has the widest possible aperture for easy insertion of the neck portion 4 of the garment 3.

[0049] Furthermore, the embodiment defines a length between a bottom of the insertion portion 5 and a right edge of the hanger body 6 to be smaller than a width of a neck line of a common garment 3, such that a necessity for stretching the neck portion 4 is eliminated when a shoulder portion 25 of the garment 3 is inserted to the deepest possible point of the insertion portion 5 and then a base end of the hanger body 6 (an end of the hanger body opposite from the aperture of the insertion portion 5) is inserted through the neck portion 4 of the garment 3.

[0050] The upper and lower arms 10, 11 constituting the V-shaped fixed arm 9 are so configured as to have the greatest width at the right ends thereof forming a bottom of the V-shape for the purposes of achieving strength of a degree to bear a load of the garment 3 and providing for the widest possible aperture and that arms, and as to be progressively decreased in width toward the respective distal ends thereof (the left-hand ends as seen in FIG. 1).

[0051] The fixed arm 9 includes a first connecting portion 12 protruding rightwardly from an outer side of a right end thereof (the intersection of the upper and lower arms 10, 11), the first connecting portion 12 including a semicircularly curved bar-like member formed integrally with the fixed arm. The first connecting portion 12 is provided with a pair of slide brackets 14 at its distal end, each slide bracket including a transversely elongated slide slot 13.

[0052] A first pin (first fulcrum) 15 integrally formed at one longitudinal end (the right end as seen in FIG. 1) of the link arm 8 is inserted in the slide slot 13 of the slide bracket 14, whereby the one end of the link arm 8 is pivotably connected with to a lower end of the fixed arm 9 as allowed to slide transversely relative to the fixed arm.

[0053] It is noted that the slide slot 13 of the slide bracket 14 has such a degree of play that the first pin 15 does not reach either of the ends of the slide slot 13 in a closed state where a fork portion 24A of the movable arm 7 (to be described hereinlater) engages the upper arm 10 (the state shown in FIG. 1) or in an open state where an upper half part of the movable arm 7 overlaps with the lower arm 11 (the state shown in FIG. 2).

[0054] The hook portion 2 has an engaging portion 16 substantially semicircularly curved to protrude upwardly; and a vertical portion 17 extending downwardly from the engaging portion 16. A lower end of the vertical portion 17 is continuous with the distal end of the upper arm 10 constituting the fixed arm 9. The vertical portion 17 of the hook portion 2 and the distal end of the upper arm 10 jointly form a corner portion, which is reinforced by a reinforcing flange 18.

[0055] The movable arm 7 is a bar-like member which has the greatest width at a longitudinally central part thereof, from which the width is progressively decreased toward longitudinally opposite ends. The movable arm 7 is formed with a second connecting portion 19 at a lower end thereof, the second connecting portion including a bar-like member substantially semicircularly curved to protrude leftwardly. The second connecting portion 19 is formed with a pair of pivot brackets 20 (see FIG. 3) at its distal end, each pivot bracket including a circular hole. Pivotally fitted in the circular hole of the pivot bracket 20 is a second pin (second fulcrum) integrally formed at the other longitudinal end of the link arm (the left end as seen in FIG. 1). Thus, the other end of the link arm 8 is pivoted on the lower end of the movable arm 7.

[0056] The movable arm 7 is formed with a fan-shaped support bracket 22 at a lower side of the central part thereof, the support bracket 22 centrally including a circular hole. Pivotally fitted in the circular hole of the support bracket 22 is a third pin (third fulcrum) integrally formed at the distal end of the lower arm 11 constituting the fixed arm 9. Thus, the central part of the movable arm 7 is pivoted on the distal end of the fixed arm 9.

[0057] According to the embodiment, a length of the upper half part of the movable arm 7 (a portion extended between the third pin 23 and an upper end of the arm) is substantially equal to or somewhat greater than the aperture of the insertion portion 5 of the fixed arm 9. In addition, the movable arm 7 is further formed with an intersection portion 24 at the upper end thereof, which intersects the distal end of the upper arm 10 (the upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion 5 of the fixed arm 9).

[0058] More specifically, the intersection portion 24 of the movable arm 7 includes a bifurcate fork portion 24A brought from below into removable engagement with the distal end of the upper arm 10 in a manner to fit therewith.

[0059] The slide slot 13 has such a play that the first fulcrum 15 does not reach the right end thereof in the closed state where the fork portion 24A is fitted with the distal end of the upper arm 10. In addition, the slide slot 13 also has such a play that the first fulcrum 15 does not reach the left end thereof in the open state where the movable arm 7 overlaps with a lower side (an upper side of the lower arm 11) of the aperture of the insertion portion 5 of the fixed arm 9.

[0060] Accordingly, when the movable arm 7 is turned counterclockwise about the third pin 23, the turning motion thereof is inhibited at the point of time that the fork portion 24A engages the distal end of the upper arm 10. At this time, the movable arm 7 is positioned to incline downwardly from the hook portion 2 and to extend toward the other transverse side, so that the upper half part of the movable arm 7 closes the aperture of the insertion portion 5 (the state shown in FIG. 1).

[0061] On the other hand, when the movable arm 7 is turned clockwise about the third pin 23, the turning motion thereof releases the fork portion 24A from the distal end of the upper arm 10 and then is inhibited at the point of time that the upper half part of the movable arm 7 abuts against the upper side of the lower arm 11. Thus is opened the aperture of the insertion portion 5 (the open state shown in FIG. 2)

[0062] As mentioned supra, the embodiment provides the play at the opposite ends of the slide slot 13. Therefore, the turning motion of the movable arm 7 in the closing direction is restricted by the fork portion 24A so that the movable arm 7 can establish a stable closed state. On the other hand, the turning motion of the movable arm 7 in the opening direction is restricted by the lower side of the aperture of the insertion portion so that the insertion portion 5 may be opened as wide as possible.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the distal end of the lower arm 11 is pivoted on the movable arm 7 as sandwiched between the pair of fan-shaped support brackets 22. This prevents the upper half part of the movable arm 7 vertically pivoted from being deviated with respect to the fixed arm 9. Hence, the movable arm 7 can be switched between the open and close positions as maintained in proper alignment with the upper arm 10 or the lower arm 11.

[0064] The movable arm 7 may be configured such that a lower half part thereof extended downwardly from the third pin 23 is heavier than the upper half part thereof extended upwardly from the third pin, whereby the movable arm 7 is constantly urged in the closing direction without resorting to a load via the second pin 21 of the link arm 8. This contributes to a stable shape of the hanger body 6 in the closed state.

[0065] According to the embodiment, a fixing position of the third pin 23 with respect to the movable arm 7 is located transversely inwardly from a point of action (dot P in FIG. 5) of a load applied to the movable arm 7 by the shoulder portion 25 of the garment 3. Therefore, the movable arm is also urged in the closing direction by the load applied from the shoulder portion 25 of the garment 3 hung on the hanger body 6 and hence, the shape of the hanger body 6 in the closed state is further stabilized.

[0066] In this manner, the clothes hanger 1 of the embodiment utilizes the load from the garment 3 for urging the movable arm 7 in the closing direction, so that the hanger body 6 with the garment 3 hung thereon does not loose its shape. Hence, the shoulder portion 25 of the garment 3 is prevented from being deformed.

[0067] The link arm 8 is a transversely elongated bar-like member having the first pin 15 and the second pin 21 projecting integrally from respective ends thereof. The bar-like member is integrally formed with clip portions 26 at transversely opposite ends thereof for holding edges of trousers or a towel. The link arm 8 is transversely slidably and pivotally connected with the slide bracket 14 of the fixed arm 9 via the first pin 15 and pivotally connected with the pivot bracket 20 of the movable arm 7 via the second pin 21, thereby transversely movably bridging between the lower ends of the arms 7, 9.

[0068] Therefore, the clothes hanger 1 of the embodiment provides the following operations. When the fixed arm 9 is inclined to direct the aperture of the insertion portion 5 downwardly, as shown in FIG. 2, the link arm 8 is slidably moved away from the fixed arm 9 via the first pin 15. The link arm 8 thus slidably moved acts as a weight to push up the lower end of the movable arm 7 via the second pin 21, thereby turning the movable arm 7 clockwise about the third pin 23 to open the aperture of the insertion portion 5.

[0069] Conversely, when the fixed arm 9 is returned to its initial horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 1, the link arm 8 is slidably moved by its own gravity toward the fixed arm 9 as pivoting downwardly about the first pin 15. The link arm 8 thus slidably moved acts as a weight to push down the lower end of the movable arm 7 via the second pin 21, thereby turning the movable arm 7 counterclockwise about the third pin 23 to close the aperture of the insertion portion 5.

[0070] According to the clothes hanger 1 of the embodiment, the fixed arm 9, movable arm 7 and link arm 8 jointly with the first to third pins 15, 21, 23 for pivotally interconnecting the respective ends thereof constitute a movable linking mechanism 27 which switches the movable arm 7 between the open and close positions utilizing the change in the relative positions between the pins 15, 21, 23 caused by the action of the gravity of the movable member (the gravity of the link arm 8 in this embodiment) operatively associated with the change in the inclination degree of the hanger body 6 (fixed arm 9).

[0071] According to the clothes hanger 1 of the embodiment, the movable linking mechanism 27 utilizing the gravity of the link arm 8 for opening or closing the movable arm 7 constitutes switching means 28 for switching the movable arm between the open and close positions such that the aperture of the insertion portion 5 is opened by inclining the fixed arm 9 to direct the aperture of the insertion portion 5 downwardly and that the aperture of the insertion portion 5 is closed by returning the fixed arm 9 to its initial horizontal position.

[0072] Next, the use and operations of the clothes hanger 1 of the above arrangement are described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0073] Firstly, the clothes hanger 1 of the embodiment may be inserted in a garment 3 like a T-shirt having a relatively small neck-line size in the following manner. As shown in FIG. 4A, the hanger body 6 is inclined to direct the aperture of the insertion portion 5 downwardly so that the movable arm 7 is switched open by means of the switching function of the movable linking mechanism 27. In this state, the neck portion 4 of the garment 3 is inserted to the deepest point of the insertion portion 5 of the hanger body 6.

[0074] Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the base end (the opposite end of the insertion portion 5 from the aperture) of the hanger body 6 is inserted through the neck portion 4 of the garment 3. Subsequently, the hanger body 6 is returned to its initial horizontal position as shown in FIG. 5 and then the hook portion 2 may be hooked over a clothespole or the like to permit the hanger 1 to dangle therefrom. The clothes hanger 1 of the embodiment may be removed from the garment 3 by reversing the above procedure.

[0075] The hanger 1 of the embodiment is arranged such that the movable arm 7 automatically opens the aperture of the insertion portion 5 as operatively associated with the inclined hanger body 6 and that the movable arm 7 automatically closes the aperture of the insertion portion 5 as operatively associated with the hanger body 6 returned to the initial horizontal position. Therefore, unlike the conventional hanger with the movable arm, the movable arm 7 need not be held open by directly applying a force thereto before the hanger body 6 is inserted into or removed from the garment. Thus is facilitated the insertion/removal of the hanger into/from the garment.

[0076] Furthermore, the hanger 1 of the embodiment employs the movable linking mechanism 27 adapted to switch the movable arm 7 between the open and close positions utilizing the change in the relative positions between the pins 15, 21, 23 caused by the action of the gravity of the link arm 8 operatively associated with the change in the inclination degree of the fixed arm 9. Therefore, the hanger of the embodiment can hold the movable arm 7 in the close position without resorting to the biasing member such as a helical spring or the like. In this respect, an advantage of reducing the fabrication costs is provided.

[0077] FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate a clothes hanger 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0078] The hanger 1 of this embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment principally in the intersection portion 24 formed at the distal end of the movable arm 7, while the other parts thereof are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0079] The following description, therefore, focuses on the different configuration of the intersection portion while the parts resemblent to those of the first embodiment are represented by the same reference numerals, respectively, so that the detailed description thereof is dispensed with.

[0080] The intersection portion 24 according to this embodiment is a bar-like member 24B formed in a step-like shape by eccentrically displacing a distal end portion of the movable arm 7 along a direction of the thickness of the arm 7 (a direction perpendicular to the drawing surface). The bar-like member 24B intersects the distal end of the upper arm 10 when the movable arm 7 is in the close position (see FIG. 6). At this time, however, the bar-like member 24B simply abuts against a side of the distal end of the upper arm 10. The bar-like member 24B is not capable of restricting the closing motion of the movable arm 7 by abutting against the lower side of the upper arm 10.

[0081] Therefore, the hanger 1 of this embodiment is arranged such that the turning motion of the movable arm 7 in the closing direction is inhibited at the point of time that the first pin 15 reaches the right end of the slide slot 13. Although the intersection portion 24 includes the bar-like member 24B without the stopper function for the movable arm 7, the upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion 5 can be completely closed by the intersection portion 24 of the movable arm 7. Therefore, the shoulder portion 25 of the garment 3 hung on the hanger 1 can be prevented from dropping into the insertion portion 5.

[0082] According to the embodiment, only one of the support bracket pair 22. is formed in the fan shape, which constitutes a difference from the first embodiment.

[0083] It is to be noted that the invention is not limited to the hangers 1 of the above embodiments.

[0084] For instance, the hanger 1 of the first embodiment may be modified such that the link arm 8 is dispensed with so that the movable arm 7 is switched between the open and close positions only by its own gravity, although this modification is decreased in the stability of the movable arm being opened, as compared with the first embodiment.

[0085] What is required of the switching means 28 is to be capable of switching the movable arm 7 between the open and close positions according to the inclination of the hanger body 6. Hence, the switching means may adopt a different working principle from that of the movable linking mechanism 27 capitalizing on the gravity of the member.

[0086] As described above, the invention automatically switches the movable arm between the open and close positions according to the inclination of the hanger body or the fixed arm. Thus, the invention negates the need for holding the movable arm open by applying a force thereto before the hanger body is inserted into the garment. This results in a much easier insertion/removal of the hanger into/from the garment.

[0087] Furthermore, the invention is adapted to hold the movable arm closed without resorting to the biasing member such as a helical spring. The omission of the helical spring leads to the decreased number of components or assembly steps and thence, to the reduction of fabrication costs.

[0088] In addition, the invention utilizes the load from the garment for urging the movable arm in the closing direction, so that the hanger body with the garment hung thereon does not loose its shape. This prevents the shoulder portion of the garment from being deformed.

Claims

1. A clothes hanger comprising:

a hook portion projecting upwardly;

a fixed arm formed integrally with the hook portion and extended angularly downwardly from the hook portion toward one transverse side;

an insertion portion defined by the fixed arm in a manner to open toward the other transverse side for insertion of a neck portion of a garment;

a movable arm pivoted on the fixed arm for openably closing an aperture of the insertion portion and brought into a position to extend angularly downwardly from the hook portion toward the other transverse side when closing the insertion portion; and

switching means for switching the movable arm between a position to open the aperture of the insertion portion when the fixed arm is inclined and a position to close the aperture of the insertion portion when the fixed arm is returned to its initial horizontal position.

2. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching means has a function to switch the movable arm to the open position when the fixed arm is inclined to direct the aperture of the insertion portion downwardly.

3. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the switching means comprises a movable linking mechanism which switches the movable arm between the open and close positions utilizing change in relative positions between pivotal fulcrums caused by the gravity of a member operatively associated with change in the inclination degree of the fixed arm.

4. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 3, wherein the movable linking mechanism comprises the fixed arm and the movable arm; a link arm transversely bridged between lower ends of the fixed arm and movable arm; a first fulcrum for transversely slidably and pivotally connecting one transverse end of the link arm with the lower end of the fixed arm; a second fulcrum for pivotally connecting the other transverse end of the link arm with the lower end of the movable arm; and a third fulcrum for pivotally connecting a central part of the movable arm with a lower end of the aperture of the insertion portion.

5. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 4, wherein the third fulcrum is located transversely inwardly from a point of action of load applied to the movable arm by a shoulder portion of the garment.

6. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 5, wherein the movable arm has an intersection portion at a distal end thereof, the intersection portion intersecting an upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm when the movable arm is placed in the close position.

7. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein the intersection portion of the movable arm comprises a fork portion brought from below into fitting relation with the upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm.

8. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 7, wherein a transversely elongated slide slot for supporting the first fulcrum is formed at the lower end of the fixed arm, and

wherein the slide slot has play of a degree that the first fulcrum does not reach one end of the slide slot in the closed state where the fork portion fits with the upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm.

9. A clothes hanger as claimed in claim 4, wherein a transversely elongated slide slot for supporting the first fulcrum is formed at the lower end of the fixed arm, and

wherein the slide slot has play of a degree that the first fulcrum does not reach the other end of the slide slot in the open state where the movable arm overlaps with a lower side of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm.

10. A clothes hanger comprising a hanger body having a hook portion projecting upwardly therefrom, defining an insertion portion for insertion of a neck portion of a garment, and provided with a movable arm for openably closing an aperture of the insertion portion, the clothes hanger further including switching means for switching the movable arm between a position to open the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body is inclined and a position to close the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body is returned to its initial horizontal position.