Wearing article management tool and wearing article management system

Abstract

To urge a user to use clothes or the like.SOLUTION: The clothes hanger includes a hanger body 11 for holding clothes F, a monitoring sensor which is provided in the hanger body 11 and monitors whether or not the clothes F are held in the hanger body 11, and a control part which is provided in the hanger body 11 and displays a display part 13 when the clothes F are held in the hanger body 11 for a prescribed period or longer according to the monitoring result of the monitoring sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a clothing item management tool and a clothing item management system for monitoring and managing clothing items such as clothes and shoes. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, clothes and garments are often hung on hangers and stored in closets, wardrobes, etc. Some hangers are known to emit sounds or lights when clothes are hung up or taken out, to delight or surprise users (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 02-28672 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, some clothes may remain unused for a long time, and users may not even realize this and end up wasting the clothes they have purchased. Having multiple pieces of such clothing can lead to unnecessary purchases and wasteful disposal. Meanwhile, the hanger described in Patent Document 1 makes a sound when clothes are hung up or taken out, but it does not prompt the user to use the clothes.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a clothing item management tool and a clothing item management system that can encourage a user to use clothing, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the invention described in claim 1 is a clothing item management device characterized by comprising: a main body that holds clothing items including clothes; a monitoring sensor provided in the main body that monitors whether the clothing items are being held in the main body; and a control unit provided in the main body that causes a display to appear when the monitoring sensor determines that the clothing items have been held in the main body for a predetermined period of time or longer.

[0007] The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the clothing item management tool described in claim 1, the control unit changes the display of the display unit depending on the period of time the clothing item has been held in the main body.

[0008] The invention described in claim 3 is a clothing item management system characterized in that a clothing item management device having a main body that holds clothing items including clothes is connected to a management server so that the clothing item management device can communicate freely, the clothing item management device has a monitoring sensor that monitors whether the clothing item is held in the main body, and transmits the monitoring results of the monitoring sensor to the management server, and the management server sends a message to the communication terminal of the owner of the clothing item that the clothing item will not be used for a long period of time if the clothing item has been held in the main body for a predetermined period of time or more.

[0009] The invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that, in the clothing item management system described in claim 3, the management server determines a maintenance method suitable for the clothing item based on the monitoring results, and transmits the determined maintenance method to the owner's communication terminal.

[0010] The invention of claim 5 is the clothing item management system of claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the management server determines a usage tendency of the clothing item based on the monitoring results. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the invention described in claim 1, when the wearable item has been stored in the main body for a predetermined period of time or more, that is, when the clothing has not been worn for a predetermined period of time or more, a display is displayed. This makes it possible to make the user aware that the clothing has not been worn for a long time and encourage the user to wear the clothing.

[0012] According to the invention of claim 2, the display changes depending on the period during which the wearable item is stored in the main body, i.e., the period during which the clothing, etc., has not been used, so the user can easily and reliably grasp the period during which the clothing, etc., has not been used. As a result, it is possible to encourage the user to use the clothing, etc., depending on the period during which the clothing, etc., has not been used.

[0013] According to the invention described in claim 3, if the wearable item has been stored in the main body for a predetermined period or more, that is, if the clothing has not been used for a predetermined period or more, a message indicating that the clothing has not been used for a long period of time is sent to the communication terminal of the owner of the clothing, etc. This makes it possible to reliably notify the user (owner) that the clothing has not been used for a long time and encourage the user to use the clothing, etc.

[0014] According to the invention of claim 4, a maintenance method suitable for the wearable item is determined based on the monitoring result of whether the wearable item is held in the main body, that is, based on the frequency and number of uses of the wearable item, and is transmitted to the communication terminal of the user (owner). In other words, a maintenance method according to the frequency and number of uses of the wearable item is provided to the user, allowing the user to properly maintain the wearable item and use it in good condition for a long period of time.

[0015] According to the invention of claim 5, the usage tendency of the clothing item is calculated based on the monitoring result of whether the clothing item is stored in the main body, that is, the frequency of use of the clothing item and the number of times it is used, etc. This makes it possible to know what clothing items are preferred and what are not used, and makes it possible to produce clothing items that are easily used and reduce waste. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic front view showing an outfit management tool according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the clothing item management tool of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a clothing item management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a management server of the clothing management system of FIG. 3. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The present invention will be described below based on the illustrated embodiments.

[0018] (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing a clothing item management tool 1 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the configuration of this clothing item management tool 1. This clothing item management tool 1 is a device for monitoring and managing clothing items. Here, clothing items are items that are worn or carried by a person and stored when not in use, and include clothing F, shoes, bags, etc., but this embodiment will mainly explain the case where the clothing item is clothing (clothing) F. Therefore, hereinafter, the clothing item management tool 1 will be referred to as a hanger 1 with clothing management function.

[0019] The hanger 1 with clothing management function mainly comprises a hanger main body (main body) 11, a monitoring sensor 12, a display unit 13, a communication unit 14, a control unit 15, and a power supply unit 16.

[0020] The hanger body 11 holds the clothes F, and in this embodiment has the same shape and configuration as an existing general-purpose clothes hanger. However, the hanger may have a shape and configuration suited to the shape, design, and size of the clothes F to be held. For example, if the clothes F are Japanese clothing or kimonos, the hanger may have the shape and configuration of a clothes hanger.

[0021] The monitoring sensor 12 is provided on the hanger body 11 and monitors whether or not the garment F is being held on the hanger body 11. In this embodiment, the monitoring sensor 12 is configured as a load sensor and is activated periodically (for example, every six hours). If a load is applied to the hanger body 11, the monitoring sensor 12 detects that the garment F is being held (hanged) on the hanger body 11. On the other hand, if no load is applied to the hanger body 11, the monitoring sensor 12 detects that the garment F is not being held on the hanger body 11, that is, that the garment F is being used or worn. The detection results are then stored and accumulated as the monitoring results. Such a load sensor is disposed, for example, below (at the face of) the hook of the hanger body 11. In this embodiment, the monitoring sensor 12 is configured as a load sensor, but it may also be configured as other sensors such as an object sensor or proximity sensor.

[0022] The display unit 13 is provided on the hanger body 11, and as will be described later, the display is turned on when the garment F has been held on the hanger body 11 for a predetermined period of time or longer. In this embodiment, the display unit 13 is configured with an LED (Light Emitting Diode). The on / off of the display unit 13 is controlled by the control unit 15, and as will be described later, the color and brightness intensity are also changed. The display unit 13 may be located anywhere so long as it is easily visible to the user (owner of the garment F), but in this embodiment, it is located below the hook of the hanger body 11 (in front of the face). Here, a human presence sensor may be provided so that the display unit 13 lights up or is turned on only when a person is present.

[0023] The communication unit 14 is provided in the hanger body 11 and is an interface for communicating with the outside, and mainly communicates with the management server 2 in the second embodiment described below, but may not be provided in this embodiment.

[0024] The control unit 15 is provided in the hanger body 11, and causes the display unit 13 to display an indication when the monitoring sensor 12 monitors that the garment F has been held on the hanger body 11 for a predetermined period or longer. That is, when the monitoring sensor 12 monitors that a load has been continuously applied to the hanger body 11 for a predetermined period or longer, the control unit 15 determines that the garment F has been continuously held on the hanger body 11 for a predetermined period or longer, and turns on the display unit 13. Here, the predetermined period is a period during which the garment F is deemed not to have been worn appropriately, and is set to, for example, one week, one month, or one year. However, the predetermined period may be changed depending on the type of garment F (formal or casual), the optimal season for the garment F and the current season, etc. (shortening the period if the current season is the optimal season, or lengthening it if the opposite is true), and may also be changed depending on the user.

[0025] Furthermore, the control unit 15 changes the display on the display unit 13 depending on the period of time that the garment F has been held on the hanger body 11. That is, the display unit 13 displays information so that the user can visually see the approximate period of time that the garment F has been held on the hanger body 11. For example, if the period is one week, the display unit 13 lights up dimly (or in yellow), and if the period is one month, the display unit 13 lights up brightly (or in red).

[0026] The power supply unit 16 supplies power to the monitoring sensor 12, the display unit 13, the communication unit 14, and the control unit 15, and in this embodiment is made up of a battery and is disposed in the hanger body 11. Alternatively, power may be supplied wirelessly from a commercial power source via a closet or wardrobe in which the hanger body 11 is hung. In this case, the communication unit 14 is made up of a power receiving coil.

[0027] In this embodiment, the monitoring sensor 12, display unit 13, communication unit 14, control unit 15, and power supply unit 16 are integrally provided in the hanger body 11, and the hanger with clothing management function 1 has the same overall shape and appearance as a general-purpose clothes hanger. However, some of these components may be provided separately, for example, the display unit 13 may be provided in a closet or wardrobe.

[0028] According to the hanger 1 with clothing management function configured as described above, if the clothing F has been held in the hanger body 11 for a predetermined period or more and the clothing F has not been used for a predetermined period or more, the display unit 13 lights up. This makes the user aware that the clothing F has not been used for a long time, and makes it possible to encourage the user to wear the clothing F.

[0029] Moreover, the illumination of the display unit 13 changes depending on the period during which the garment F is held on the hanger body 11, i.e., the period during which the garment F is not being used, so the user can easily and reliably grasp the period during which the garment F is not being used. As a result, it is possible to encourage the user to wear the garment F depending on the period during which the garment F is not being used.

[0030] (Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the clothing item management system 10 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the management server 2 in this clothing item management system 10. As shown in FIG. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that information is provided to the user U from the management server 2, and the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0031] In this embodiment, a hanger with clothing management function (clothing management tool) 1 and a management server 2 are communicatively connected via a network NW, and the management server 2 is also communicatively connected to a communication terminal 3 of a user U, the owner of the clothing F. The hanger with clothing management function 1 has the same configuration as the hanger with clothing management function 1 in embodiment 1, and periodically (for example, once a week) transmits the monitoring results of the monitoring sensor 12 to the management server 2, which then stores and accumulates the received monitoring results. The communication terminal 3 has the same configuration as an off-the-shelf, existing smartphone (multi-function mobile phone). Although FIG. 3 shows only one hanger with clothing management function 1 and one communication terminal 3, multiple hangers with clothing management function 1 and multiple communication terminals 3 may be provided, making it possible to provide information on multiple pieces of clothing F to multiple users U.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4, the management server 2 mainly comprises a management database 21, a monitoring task 22, a maintenance task 23, an analysis task 24, and a central processing unit 25 that controls these.

[0033] The management database 21 is a database that stores information about clothing F and its user U. That is, for each piece of identification information for clothing F, it stores clothing information including the type and design of clothing F, the name of the manufacturer, and the date and time of manufacture, and user information including the name and contact information (email address, telephone number, etc.) of the user U of clothing F.

[0034] The monitoring task 22 is a task program for sending messages regarding use to the user U, and is basically activated periodically (for example, once a week). When activated, it determines whether each garment F has been held continuously for a predetermined period or longer on the hanger body 11 based on the monitoring results received from and stored in each hanger with garment management function 1. This determination is made in the same way as the control unit 15 in the first embodiment. Then, if it determines that the garment F has been held for a predetermined period or longer and that the garment F has not been used continuously for a predetermined period or longer, it sends a message of long-term non-use (a message indicating that the garment F has not been used for a long time) to the communication terminal 3 of the user U of the garment F. At this time, the message includes the identification information of the garment F and the period of non-use.

[0035] The maintenance task 23 is a task program that determines a maintenance method suitable for the garments F and is basically activated periodically (e.g., every few months). When activated, it determines a maintenance method suitable for each garment F based on the monitoring results received and stored from each hanger 1 with garment management function, i.e., the frequency and number of times each garment F has been used. For example, if the garments F have been stored on the hanger body 11 for a long period of time (e.g., more than one year), i.e., if the garments F have been stored without being exposed to air for a long period of time, it determines that checking for mold or sending the garments to the dry cleaner is an appropriate maintenance method. Furthermore, if the garments F are frequently taken in and out of the hanger body 11 (e.g., several times a week), i.e., are frequently used, it determines that checking for fraying on the garments F and mending the fraying as necessary is an appropriate maintenance method. The maintenance method thus determined is then transmitted to the communication terminal 3 of the user U of the garments F. Note that if the monitoring results of the garments F, i.e., the usage conditions, are normal, it determines either a normal maintenance method or no maintenance method.

[0036] The analysis task 24 is a task program that determines the usage trends for the clothes F, and is activated when a startup command is input. Once activated, the analysis task 24 determines the usage trends for the clothes F based on the monitoring results received and stored from each hanger with clothing management function 1. That is, based on the frequency of use, number of uses, and time of use of each piece of clothing F, as well as the clothing information in the management database 21, it determines the usage trends for the clothes F, such as what clothes F are frequently used, what clothes F are frequently used at what time, and what clothes F are rarely used. The usage trends determined in this way are then sent to a predetermined computer (such as a computer of an apparel manufacturer).

[0037] Thus, according to this embodiment, if the clothes F have been kept on the hanger body 11 for a predetermined period or longer, that is, if the clothes F have not been worn for a predetermined period or longer, a message indicating that the clothes F have not been used for a long time is sent to the communication terminal 3 of the user U of the clothes F. This makes it possible to reliably make the user U aware that the clothes F have not been worn for a long time, and to encourage the user U to wear the clothes F.

[0038] Furthermore, based on the monitoring results of whether the clothes F are held on the hanger body 11, that is, based on the frequency and number of uses of the clothes F, a maintenance method suitable for the clothes F is determined and transmitted to the communication terminal 3 of the user U. In other words, because a maintenance method according to the frequency and number of uses of the clothes F is provided to the user U, the user U can properly maintain the clothes F and use the clothes F in good condition for a long period of time.

[0039] Furthermore, the usage tendency of the clothes F is calculated based on the monitoring results of whether the clothes F are held on the hanger body 11, that is, based on the frequency and number of times the clothes F are used. This makes it possible to know what clothes F are preferred and what clothes F are not used, and makes it possible to produce clothes F that are likely to be used and reduce waste.

[0040] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the specific configuration is not limited to the above embodiments, and design changes within the scope of the present invention are also included in the present invention. For example, in the above embodiments, the case where the worn article is clothing F has been described, but other worn articles may also be used. For example, if the worn article is shoes, the space for one pair of shoes in a shoebox or shoe rack becomes the main body for holding the shoes, and this space is provided with the monitoring sensor 12, display unit 13, control unit 15, etc. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the monitoring task 22 and maintenance task 23 are activated periodically, but they may also be activated at any time by specifying clothing F or a user U. In this case, the above-described processing is performed only on the specified clothing F or the clothing F of the specified user U.

[0041] 1. Hanger with clothing management function (clothing management tool) 11 Hanger body (body) 12 Monitoring sensors 13 Display section 14 Communications Department 15 Control Unit 16 Power supply unit 10 Clothing Management System 2 Management Server 3. Communication terminals F Clothes (wearing items) U User (owner)

Claims

1. a main body for holding clothing including clothing; a monitoring sensor provided on the main body for monitoring whether the wearing item is held by the main body; a control unit provided in the main body, which displays a display when the monitoring result of the monitoring sensor indicates that the wearing item has been held in the main body for a predetermined period of time or more; A clothing item management tool comprising:

2. The control unit changes the display on the display unit depending on the period during which the wearing item is held in the main body. The clothing management tool according to claim 1 .

3. A clothing management tool having a main body for holding clothing including clothes is communicably connected to a management server, The clothing item management tool includes a monitoring sensor that monitors whether the clothing item is held in the main body, and transmits the monitoring result of the monitoring sensor to the management server; When the wearable item has been stored in the main body for a predetermined period of time or more, the management server transmits a message indicating that the wearable item has not been used for a long period of time to a communication terminal of an owner of the wearable item. A clothing item management system characterized by:

4. The management server determines a maintenance method suitable for the worn item based on the monitoring result, and transmits the determined maintenance method to the owner's communication terminal. The clothing management system according to claim 3 .

5. The management server determines a usage tendency of the wearing item based on the monitoring result.

5. The clothing management system according to claim 3, wherein the clothing management system is a system for managing clothing.

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