SCENTED HANGER ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A scented hanger assembly having a clothes hanger with a mounting ring attached to the clothes hanger. A scent cartridge has a base defining a cavity and a scented material is disposed within that cavity. The base also includes a recess complementary in shape to the mounting ring and the recess is dimensioned so that the base Frictionally engages the mounting ring when positioned within the recess to thereby detachably secure the scent cartridge to the clothes hanger.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a scented clothes hanger assembly.

II. Description of Related Art

Many different types of clothing are positioned on clothes hangers which are then hung within a closet or similar structure for storage. Such storage facilities for clothes hangers with their attached clothes, however, are frequently subjected to unpleasant smells. Such unpleasant smells may result from mold or other objects within the closet or clothes storage facility. Furthermore, this odor is oftentimes retained by the clothing within the clothes storage facility thus necessitating that the clothes be washed prior to wearing the clothes.

Similarly, in some situations insects, such as moths, enter into the clothes storage facility or closet. When this occurs, the insects can damage the clothing.

In order to overcome these problems with clothes storage, and particularly long-term clothes storage, there have been a number of previously known scented clothes hangers. These previously known scented clothes hangers may emit a pleasant odor which is retained by the clothing. Alternatively, the scented clothes hangers may emit aromas, such as the scent of cedar, which repels many types of insects known to damage clothing.

These previously known scented hangers, however, have not proven wholly satisfactory in use. One disadvantage of the previously known scented clothes hangers is that it has been difficult, if not altogether impossible, to replenish the scent on the hanger. As such, once the scent on the hanger is depleted, the scented hanger no longer serves its purpose of imparting a pleasant aroma to the clothing and/or repelling insects.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention provides a scented hanger which overcomes the disadvantages of the previously known scented hangers.

In brief, the scented hanger assembly of the present invention comprises a clothes hanger having a mounting ring attached to the clothes hanger. Preferably, the mounting ring is attached near a central portion of the clothes hanger and near the top of the clothes hanger.

A scent cartridge has a base which defines a cavity. A scented material, such as a scented gel, is disposed within the cavity and emits not only a pleasant aroma but optionally an aroma designed to repel insects.

The base also includes a recess complementary in shape to the mounting ring. The recess is dimensioned so that, with the recess aligned with and pressed onto the mounting ring, the base frictionally engages the mounting ring in order to attach the scent cartridge to the mounting ring and thus to the clothes hanger.

Whenever the scent from the scent cartridge has been depleted, the scent cartridge is easily removed from the mounting ring by simply pulling the base off from the mounting ring. Thereafter, a new scent cartridge having fresh scented material may be manually snapped onto the mounting ring thus protecting the clothes as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the scent cartridge of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded plan view of the scented hanger assembly of the present invention and illustrating the attachment/detachment of the scent cartridge to the clothes hanger;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 5 and enlarged for clarity;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along circle 6-6 in FIG. 4 and enlarged for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference first to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of a scented clothes hanger assembly 10 is illustrated. The clothes hanger assembly 10 includes a clothes hanger 12 having a scent cartridge 14 attached to the clothes hanger 12. Preferably, the scent cartridge 14 is attached to a central portion 16 of the clothes hanger 12 and preferably immediately beneath a hook 18 for the clothes hanger 12. Consequently, with clothes (not shown) positioned over the clothes hanger 12 in the conventional fashion, the scent cartridge 14 is positioned adjacent such clothing.

With reference now particularly to FIG. 3, a mounting ring 20 is attached to the clothes hanger 12 immediately below the hook 18. The mounting ring 20 may be made of any conventional material, such as plastic. Furthermore, the scent cartridge 14 is detachably secured to the mounting ring 20 in a fashion which will subsequently be described.

With reference now particularly to FIGS. 2 and 5, the scent cartridge is there shown in greater detail and comprises a base 22 constructed of a flexible material, such as thin plastic. The base 22 defines a generally arcuate cavity 24 in which a scented material 26 is disposed. The scented material 26, for example, may comprise a gel which is poured into the cavity 24 in liquid form and sets upon hardening. Furthermore, the scented material 26 may emit an aromatic odor and/or an odor designed to repel insects.

As best shown in FIG. 2, one or more elongated protrusions 23 extend laterally inwardly from the base 22 and into the cavity 24. The protrusions 23 are spaded from the bottom of the cavity 24 and extend into or above the scented material 26 to retain the scented material 26 in the cavity 24. Similarly, one or more protrusions 25 extend from the bottom of the base 22 and into the scented material 26 to also enhance the retention of the scented material to the base 22.

Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, a cover 28 is disposed over the scented material 26 so that the scented material 26 is sandwiched in between the cover 28 and base 22. This cover 28 maintains the scented material 26 within the base cavity 24. A plurality of openings 30 (FIG. 2) are formed through the cover 28 to allow the odor from the scented material 26 to disperse outside the scent cartridge.

With reference now to FIGS. 2-6, a recess 32 is formed on a back side of the base 22. This recess 32 is complementary in shape to the mounting ring 20 (FIG. 3).

The recess 32, furthermore, includes a small negative draft 34, illustrated as ten degrees in FIG. 6, so that an opening 36 of the recess 32 is complementary to, but smaller than, the mounting ring 20. A base 38 of the recess 32, however, is substantially the same shape and size, or slightly less than, the mounting ring 20.

With reference now to FIGS. 3 and 4, in order to mount the scent cartridge 14 to the mounting ring 20, the recess 32 is first aligned with the mounting ring as shown in phantom line in FIG. 4. Thereafter, the scent cartridge 14 is pressed against the mounting ring 20 such that the mounting ring 20 snaps into the recess 32 as shown in solid line in FIG. 4. In doing so, the base frictionally engages the mounting ring 20 and detachably secures the scent cartridge 14 to the mounting ring 20 and thus to the hanger 12.

After the scented material 26 in the scent cartridge 14 has been depleted, the now empty scent cartridge 14 is easily removed from the mounting ring 20 and thereafter replaced with a scent cartridge 14 having new scented material 26. Consequently, the entire hanger assembly 10 may be continuously maintained in a scented or aromatic condition by simply replacing the scent cartridges 14 as required.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides a scented hanger assembly in which the scent may be easily manually renewed whenever desired and without the need for tools. Having described our invention, however, many modifications thereto will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A scented hanger assembly comprising:

a clothes hanger,

a mounting ring attached to said clothes hanger,

a scent cartridge having a base defining a cavity,

a scented material disposed in said cavity,

said base having a recess complementary in shape to said mounting ring, said recess dimensioned so that said base frictionally engages said mounting ring around said recess to thereby detachably secure said scent cartridge to said clothes hanger,

wherein said base is constructed of a flexible material, and

wherein said recess includes a negative draft so that said mounting ring snaps into said recess to secure said scent cartridge to said clothes hanger.

2-3. (canceled)

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said mounting ring is attached to a central portion of said clothes hanger.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 and comprising a cover disposed over said scented material, said cover having a plurality of openings.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said scented material comprises a scented gel.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said recess includes an arcuate wall section.

8. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said base includes at least one elongated protrusion extending from the base laterally into said cavity.

9. The claim as defined in claim 1 wherein said base includes at least one protrusion extending from said base into said cavity from bottom of said cavity.