Clothes hangers

Abstract

To provide a clothing hanger which has excellent operability for attachment / detachment to / from clothing and enables clothing after washing to be dried quickly.SOLUTION: In a clothing hanger 100, a first horizontal bar 1 and a second horizontal bar 2 are individually connected to a third horizontal bar 3 therebetween by a plurality of joints 4. The joints 4 are rotated by a rotary shaft 3J on the third horizontal bar 3 to vary a space between the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2. A projection 4P provided on the joint 4 abuts on a stopper part 3S of the third horizontal bar 3 to stop the rotation, thereby inhibiting the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 from moving downward. In addition, a hook 5 is rotated to fall in a longitudinal direction of the third horizontal bar 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a clothes hanger.

Background Art

[0002] There is a clothes hanger for hanging and drying laundered shirts and the like in a shaped state.

[0003] Common clothes hangers are widely used, such as those formed by bending a thin wire into a wide triangle with a hook at the upper center, or those manufactured by injection molding of synthetic resin in a similar shape. Since these have almost no thickness and a small cross-sectional area, the left and right sides are connected at a portion corresponding to the base of the triangle so that the strength is not insufficient. As a result, a dimension in the height direction is required.

[0004] Therefore, when drying a shirt after washing with a common clothes hanger, the front and back body parts may stick together. In addition, since the height direction of the hanger is long, it is difficult to insert the hanger into the clothes, and the length of the hanger that can be inserted into the sleeve part is limited because it cannot be made long in the width direction. The sleeves of the shirt may hang down and the cloth may overlap at the side part, which may take a long time to dry.

[0005] In recent years, since the cross-section can be arbitrarily set by injection molding, many clothes hangers have been proposed, such as those having a shape long in the thickness direction like a wooden hanger, or those whose longitudinal width can be changed by stretching or bending (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, in this case, it is difficult to insert the hanger into the clothes because the dimension in the thickness direction is long. Also, when the hanger is inserted into the clothes in a bent state and then expanded, if the hanger is too long in the width direction, it will catch on the body part of the shirt. Therefore, it is necessary to slide and stretch it in the width direction after expansion. At this time, if you push your hand in from the cuff and pull it out, you can pull it out without being obstructed by the cloth of the shirt, but it is particularly difficult in the case of a long-sleeved shirt.

[0006] Apart from hangers used for drying shirts, a structure has been proposed that adds thickness to a hanger by arranging multiple horizontal bars in a way that their distance from each other varies. Applying this structure, it becomes possible to insert the hanger into a shirt in a thin, rod-like state and then spread it out to give it thickness. Patent documents 2 and 3 are not hangers intended for drying shirts, and the purpose of varying the distance between the horizontal bars is not to improve insertion into clothing but to improve storage capacity, but the structure is applicable to shirt hangers. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3239350 Gazette [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6592646 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-139694 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] When the structure of Patent Document 2 is applied to a shirt hanger, the horizontal bar of the hanger is not straight but curved or bent to follow the shoulder line of the shirt. As a result, the radius of rotation in the plane perpendicular to the axis when spreading the hanger becomes large at the tip in the width direction. In other words, when trying to spread the hanger after inserting it into the shirt, the hanger catches on the shirt fabric at the tip in the width direction, making it difficult to spread.

[0009] When the structure of Patent Document 3 is applied to a shirt hanger, the horizontal bars of the hanger expand in the thickness direction while remaining parallel, so the trajectory of movement is not large. However, when the horizontal bars of the hanger expand, they move slightly upward from the horizontal, and in order to expand the bars using gravity, it is necessary to hold the hanger upside down. Furthermore, when a shirt is hanging on it, the fabric of the shirt provides a force that resists the movement of the horizontal bars, so in order to expand the bars, it is necessary to hold each of the two horizontal bars with both hands and spread them apart. Performing this operation from the outside of a wet shirt is unstable and difficult because it is not slippery.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention aims to improve the ease of attaching and detaching the hanger to clothing and the operability when spreading the hanger, by having a hanger with multiple long horizontal bars that increases in thickness by widening the distance between two horizontal bars. Furthermore, it aims to allow the hanger to be folded into a small size when not in use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The garment hanger according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a first horizontal bar, a second horizontal bar positioned parallel to the first horizontal bar, and a third horizontal bar positioned between the first and second horizontal bars, wherein the first and second horizontal bars are each individually connected to the third horizontal bar by a plurality of joints, each of which joints has a hinge structure near both ends, one of which hinge structures rotates at the hinge portion of the joint where it connects to the third horizontal bar, and the other hinge structure rotates at the hinge portion of the joint where it connects to the first or second horizontal bar In a clothes hanger in which the distance between the first and second horizontal bars is variable by rotating at a hinge while moving along an arc trajectory centered on the connection point with the third horizontal bar, a projection provided on the joint abuts against a stopper portion of the third horizontal bar, thereby stopping the rotation around the hinge connecting the third horizontal bar and the joint, suppressing the downward movement of the first and second horizontal bars, and causing the hook to rotate and tilt in the longitudinal direction of the third horizontal bar.

[0012] Furthermore, there are eight of the joints, and the distance between the axes at both ends of the joints is the same length, and all the axes of the joints are parallel, and the first horizontal bar and the second horizontal bar are configured to vary in distance while maintaining parallelism.

[0013] Furthermore, the first to third horizontal bars are each bent by a bending axis provided near the center in the longitudinal direction, and the three bending axes of the first to third horizontal bars coincide when the first and second horizontal bars are closest together. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The garment hanger of this invention, when the hook is tilted with the first and second horizontal bars close together, becomes thinner as a whole, making it easy to insert into the sleeve. When the joint is rotated after insertion to spread the first and second horizontal bars, they spread while maintaining parallelism, resulting in a small trajectory and making it less likely to catch on the shirt fabric. Furthermore, since the first and second horizontal bars spread while moving downwards, the spreading motion is completed with just a light shake without having to fight against gravity. Therefore, even when the horizontal bars become longer, the ease of insertion into the shirt is not significantly impaired, and the hanger can reach the sleeve and maintain sufficient thickness, making it convenient for drying shirts.

[0015] The three horizontal bars have a bending pivot near the center, allowing them to be folded after drying clothes and easily removed from the shirt's neck opening. When folded, they can be stored without taking up much space. Furthermore, when the first and second horizontal bars are extended, their axis does not align with the third horizontal bar, preventing them from easily breaking. Additionally, when folded, the first and second horizontal bars do not spread easily in the thickness direction, maintaining the hanger's slim profile.

[0016] Furthermore, by constructing the hinge structure with thin-walled flexible synthetic resin, the total number of parts can be reduced, making assembly easier and enabling inexpensive manufacturing. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] Perspective view of a conventional clothes hanger [Figure 2] Perspective view of the clothes hanger of the first embodiment (state where the horizontal bar is open) [Figure 3] Perspective view of FIG. 2 from another angle [Figure 4] Front view of the state of FIG. 2 [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view of the rotating shaft portion of the joint of FIG. 4 (A-A cross-section) [Figure 6] Left-right center cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 (B-B cross-section) [Figure 7] Perspective view of the clothes hanger of the first embodiment (state where the horizontal bar is closed and the hook is tilted) [Figure 8] Front view of the state of FIG. 7 [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view of the rotating shaft portion of the joint of FIG. 8 (A-A cross-section) [Figure 10] Cross-sectional view of the bending rotation restraining portion of FIG. 8 (C-C cross-section) [Figure 11] Another cross-sectional view of the bending rotation restraining portion of FIG. 8 (D-D cross-section) [Figure 12] Middle cross-sectional view of FIG. 8 (E-E cross-section) [Figure 13] Enlarged perspective view of the protrusion for releasing the bending rotation restraining portion in the state of FIG. 7 [Figure 14] Perspective view of the clothes hanger of the first embodiment (state where the horizontal bar is bent) [Figure 15] Front view of the state of FIG. 14 [Figure 16] Perspective view of the clothes hanger of the second embodiment (state where the horizontal bar is open) [Figure 17] Front view of the state of FIG. 16 [Figure 18] Cross-sectional view of the joint portion of FIG. 17 (F-F cross-section) [Figure 19] Left-right center cross-sectional view of FIG. 17 (G-G cross-section)<​​​​​​​ [Figure 23] Front view of the state shown in Figure 22. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 shows the appearance of a conventional, typical clothing hanger 10. The hanger in Figure 1 is assumed to be an injection-molded part. Basically, it is made of a rod-shaped synthetic resin with a small cross-section, forming a long triangle in the width direction, with a hook 5 attached to the vertex. Since the hook 5 is molded as one piece, it does not fall over or rotate, and therefore the length in the width direction is limited to prevent the fabric from stretching when inserted into a round-neck T-shirt through the neck hole. As a result, the hanger does not reach the sleeves of the shirt, and the sleeves of the shirt hang down along the body. Also, since the clothing hanger 10 is thin, when a wet shirt is hung to dry, the front and back panels stick together. As a result, drying may take a long time.

[0020] Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of a clothing hanger 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Three horizontal bars, long in the width direction, are connected by joints 4 to give it thickness. In this first embodiment, for example, the width is 62 cm and the thickness is 7 cm. In Figure 2, the horizontal bar on the front side is the first horizontal bar 1, the horizontal bar on the back side is the second horizontal bar 2, and the slightly shorter horizontal bar between the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 is the third horizontal bar 3.

[0021] Figure 2 illustrates the orientation for explaining the clothing hanger 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the example of the first embodiment, the hanger has no front or back, and is almost symmetrical except for the hook 5 and the hook tip storage part 3H. However, for convenience, the left and right are set in the longitudinal direction (width direction) as shown in the figure, and the front side is considered the front direction when the left and right are determined. The distance in the front-to-back direction in the figure is also considered to be the thickness of the clothing hanger 100. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, a front view, in order to partially explain the horizontal bar, the section between the two inner joints 4 is called the central section 102, the section between the outer and inner joints 4 is called the intermediate section 103, and the outside of the two outer joints 4 is called the tip section 104, with the joint 4 as the boundary.

[0022] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the joint's rotation axes 1J, 2J, and 3J AA, as seen from the side in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of BB, which is the center in the left-right direction. As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are connected to a total of eight joints 4 (four each) by the outer connecting parts 4B of the joints 4, and further connected to the third horizontal bar 3 by the central connecting parts 4A of the joints 4. The outer connecting parts 4B and the central connecting parts 4A are bearings, forming a hinge structure with the rotation axes 1J, 2J, and 3J of the joints provided on the first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3 as axes.

[0023] When the central connecting portion 4A of the joint 4 rotates on the rotation axis 3J of the joint provided on the third horizontal bar 3, the outer connecting portion 4B of the joint 4 moves along a trajectory that traces an arc centered on the rotation axis 3J of the joint provided on the third horizontal bar 3. The first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are not straight bars, but their opposing portions are parallel. These parallel portions of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 move while maintaining parallelism as the rotation axes 1J and 2J of the joints rotate relative to the outer connecting portion 4B of the joint 4.

[0024] As viewed from the hook 5 located in the center, there are two joints 4 per horizontal bar on each side. This structure allows the strength of the third horizontal bar 3 to support the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2, preventing excessive bending when clothes are hung. Furthermore, if there were only one joint 4 per horizontal bar on each side, the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 would not remain parallel but would rotate independently. Also, if there were more than eight joints 4, a force would act on the joints 4 to correct the bending of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2, which would negatively affect the rotation of the joints 4. Having eight joints 4 provides a structure that combines strength and operational stability when mass-producing the clothing hanger 100 of the first embodiment.

[0025] The rotation axes 1J, 2J, and 3J of the joints connecting joint 4 to the first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3 are all set to be parallel in the state shown in Figure 2. Also, the distance between the axes at both ends of all joints 4 is the same. As a result, all joints 4 rotate without twisting, and the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 do not need to bend, allowing for smooth movement. Furthermore, by having axes at two points at both ends of joint 4, the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 can move while maintaining parallelism without interfering with joint 4. When widening the distance between the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 from the state shown in Figure 7, no forces other than gravity and friction around the rotation axes 1J, 2J, and 3J of the joints are applied, so the distance can be widened simply by holding the hook 5 and swinging it up and down. Furthermore, even if the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are not straight lines, they are always parallel at their opposing points in the open, closed, and intermediate states. Therefore, there is no variation in the degree of spreading in different parts, and friction with the clothing fabric does not increase during movement, making it easy to handle.

[0026] The joint 4 has a projection 4P on the outer circumference of the central connecting part 4A that connects to the third horizontal bar 3, and as shown in Figure 5, the projection 4P of the joint abuts against a stopper part 3S provided on the third horizontal bar 3. The first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 tend to move downward due to gravity, but the projection 4P of the joint abuts against the stopper part 3S, restricting their downward movement. Therefore, the joint 4 does not rotate even when clothes are hung, and the positional relationship of the three horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3 remains stable in the state shown in Figure 2.

[0027] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the projection 4P of the joint is provided on the outer circumference of the central connecting portion 4A, but a structure that prevents rotation by the shape of the shaft and bearing may also be used. In this case, the portion that abuts against the stopper portion 3S may have a shape that is not generally described as a projection, such as a step, but will be interpreted as a projection as described in the claim.

[0028] In the rotating shafts 1J and 2J of the joint, as shown in Figure 5, the lower ends 1U and 2U of the long, general portions of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are set above the upper ends of the rotating shafts 1J and 2J of the joint. As a result, the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 do not require a sliding mechanism in the mold during injection molding, and the mold can be opened and closed only in the left-right direction (front-back direction shown in Figure 2) to remove the molded parts. Furthermore, since the joint 4 does not protrude above the tangent line (dashed line in Figure 5) connecting the upper end of the third horizontal bar 3 and the upper ends of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2, it does not leave marks on clothing when drying clothes.

[0029] Furthermore, the cross-sections of the rotation axes 1J, 2J, and 3J of all joints are shaped like a circle with the top and bottom cut off in a straight line. With this shape, the mold's dividing line does not come into contact with the circumference, so even if burrs are generated during injection molding, the likelihood of them affecting the sliding motion of joint 4 is small.

[0030] In the open state of the clothes hanger 100 of the first embodiment, the rotation axes 1J and 2J of the joints provided on the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are set slightly below the rotation axis 3J of the joint on the third horizontal bar 3. If the rotation axes 1J and 2J of the joints on the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are above the rotation axis 3J of the joint on the third horizontal bar 3, the distance between the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 will be reduced by forces from the left-right direction (front-back direction shown in Figure 2) in Figure 5, making it unstable when hanging clothes. Also, if the rotation axes 1J and 2J of the joints on the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are significantly lower than the rotation axis 3J of the joint on the third horizontal bar 3, the distance between the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 will not be sufficient. Furthermore, if the rotation axes 1J and 2J of the joints of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are approximately 10 mm or less below the rotation axis 3J of the joint of the third horizontal bar 3, then when closing the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2, simply by pressing down on the third horizontal bar 3 from above and slightly lifting the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2, and then applying force to grip the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 from the left and right directions in Figure 5 (front and back directions in Figure 2), the bars will close, allowing for one-handed operation.

[0031] A typical simple clothes hanger 10, as shown in Figure 1, has a section that connects both ends in the width direction in a straight line to prevent deformation, so it is not possible to reduce the height in the center of the width direction. The present invention aims for a form that makes it easy to put sleeves through even long hangers, so it is necessary to reduce the height. In order to make the horizontal bar not deform even when wet clothes are hung on it, it is best to have a cross section that is long in the vertical direction. This design is possible to some extent for the third horizontal bar 3, but for the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2, it is necessary to make them as small as possible when folded, so they cannot be made too long vertically. In particular, the rotating shaft portion of the joint has a short shape in the vertical direction due to the mold structure described above. To compensate for this, most of the intermediate portion 103 between the rotating shafts 1J, 2J, and 3J of the central joint and the rotating shafts 1J, 2J, and 3J of the left and right outer joints has a long cross section in the vertical direction. If the bending of the intermediate portion 103 of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 can be suppressed, the structure as a whole will have little bending except for the tip portion 104, because it is connected to the third horizontal bar 3 by the joint.

[0032] Figures 7 and 8 show a perspective view and a front view of the first embodiment of the clothing hanger 100, respectively, with the horizontal bars closed and the hooks 5 folded down. Also, Figure 9 shows a similar cross-section AA, corresponding to Figure 5. The first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are closer together than in the state shown in Figure 2, and the hanger is thinner overall. Furthermore, because the tips of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are curved inward in the front-to-back direction and are close together, the tips 104 are less likely to get caught at the opening of the shirt sleeve when passing the shirt through the neck hole. When actually using the garment hanger 100 of the first embodiment on a T-shirt, grasp the middle part 103 on the side where the hook 5 of the garment hanger 100 is bent down, insert the tip on the opposite side of the grip through the neck opening of the shirt and through the sleeve, insert it until the tip on the gripped side reaches the neck opening, then grip the garment hanger 100 from above the shirt and return it to the center until it is aligned with the shirt, lift the hook 5 and hold the tip of the hook 5, and gently shake it up and down to spread the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 and adjust their position.

[0033] Furthermore, the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are shaped so that their tips hang downwards to allow the sleeve portion to be gently released when the shirt is drying, and the third horizontal bar 3 is shorter than the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2. Therefore, when inserting the tip portion 104 into the sleeve, the tip of the third horizontal bar 3 does not move far away from the trajectory of the tips of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 as they pass through the sleeve, allowing the tip of the third horizontal bar 3 to be inserted smoothly without getting caught.

[0034] When inserting the garment hanger 100 of the first embodiment of the present invention into a shirt from the neck opening towards the sleeve, as shown in Figure 7, it is assumed that the cross-sections of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are gripped by the vertically elongated intermediate section 103. Figure 12 shows the cross-section of the intermediate section 103 (cross-section EE in Figure 8). When the intermediate section 103 is gripped, the uppermost parts of the intermediate section protrusions 103P provided on the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 come into contact with each other, although there is a slight gap in the state shown in Figure 12. Since the cross-section of the intermediate section 103 widens in the front-to-back direction when going downwards, gripping the intermediate section 103 acts on it to bring the lower ends of the cross-sections of the intermediate section 103 of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 closer together. As a result, as shown in Figure 12, when viewed from the side, a moment M acts on the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 to bring the tip 104 closer together, centered on the uppermost part of the intermediate section protrusion 103P. Therefore, the tips of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 naturally come into contact, allowing for smooth insertion into the sleeve. The intermediate protrusion 103P is provided with vertical ribs for reinforcement and to accommodate slight misalignment, but the height of the ribs is configured to move away from each other from the top downwards so that they always come into contact at the top.

[0035] The hook 5 of the clothes hanger 100 in the first embodiment of the present invention has a pivot axis at the center in the width direction of the clothes hanger 100 and is configured to rotate and tilt in the longitudinal direction of the third horizontal bar 3. In this embodiment, the axis of the hook 5 is shared with the bending pivot axis 3A of the third horizontal bar 3 and is a single axis, but it may also be configured to tilt freely in any direction by a ball joint. The third horizontal bar 3 has a hook tip storage section 3H, which prevents the hook 5 from protruding as little as possible in the vertical direction when the hook 5 is tilted, and also prevents the hook 5 from getting caught on clothing when inserted into clothing. However, if the hook 5 is completely hidden between the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 when the clothes hanger 100 is closed, it will be difficult to grasp and raise the hook 5, so it is configured to protrude slightly when viewed from the front, as shown in Figure 8.

[0036] The first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3 are each provided with bending rotation axes 1A, 2A, and 3A at their widthwise centers. The first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3 are each divided into left and right halves, each equipped with a bending rotation axis 1A, 2A, and 3A, and are connected by pins 1P, 2P, and 3P of the bending rotation axes. In the open state shown in Figure 2, the bending rotation axes 1A, 2A of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 and the bending rotation axis 3A of the third horizontal bar 3 are offset vertically, while in the closed state shown in Figure 7, they all coincide in a straight line. The alignment of the bending rotation axes 1A, 2A, and 3A of the first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3 allows the clothes hanger 100 of the first embodiment to bend as a whole. In practical use, bending is possible even with some misalignment of the axes due to gaps and deformation between parts. The alignment of the axes as described in the claims refers to a design where the misalignment is within a range that allows the axes to coincide without applying a large force.

[0037] Figures 14 and 15 show a perspective view and a front view of the clothes hanger 100 of the first embodiment of the present invention with the horizontal bars bent. By bending the bending rotation axes 1A, 2A, and 3A of the central first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3, the width dimension when stored can be shortened. At this time, the rotation axes 1J, 2J, and 3J of the joints are not parallel to the right and left sides from the center (upper and lower sides of Figures 14 and 15) (the rotation axis 2J of the joint of the second horizontal bar 2 is hidden in the figure). Therefore, the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 do not easily spread apart in the front-to-back direction, and can be hung without their length expanding in the front-to-back direction.

[0038] In the state shown in Figure 2, the bending rotation axes 1A and 2A of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 coincide, but they are offset vertically from the bending rotation axis 3A of the third horizontal bar 3, so they do not bend easily. However, because wet clothes are heavy, some bending occurs. To prevent this, the first embodiment provides a bending rotation suppression part 3C. Figures 10 and 11 show cross-sectional views (CC section and DD section) of the bending rotation suppression part 3C in the state shown in Figure 8. Claws 3LC and 3RC are provided at the overlapping portions of the third left horizontal bar 3L and the third right horizontal bar 3R, respectively, and they interlock to hold the third horizontal bar 3 in place so that it does not move in the direction of bending. When bending, the plate 3B around the claw of the third left horizontal bar 3L, which constitutes the inner claw 3LC in Figure 11, is moved inward in the front-rear direction, thereby releasing the interlocking of the claws 3LC and 3RC.

[0039] If there is an imbalance in the distance traveled by the front and rear plates when the plate 3B around the claw moves inward, there is a risk that one of the claws 3LC and 3RC may remain unreleased. Therefore, an anti-imbalance projection 3K is provided at the front-to-back center (left-to-right center in Figure 11) of the third horizontal bar 3. As a result, when force is applied to the plate 3B around the claw from the outside, the inside of the plate 3B around the claw will abut against the anti-imbalance projection 3K, and the front and rear plates 3B around the claws will move by the same distance, so that one of the claws 3LC and 3RC will not remain unreleased.

[0040] To release the bending and rotation restraining part 3C, the plate 3B around the claw can be directly grasped and moved inward. However, to eliminate the need to change grips during bending operations, the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are provided with bending and rotation restraining part release projections 1N and 2N. Figure 11 shows a cross-section with the bending and rotation restraining part release projections 1N and 2N visible. Figure 13 shows an enlarged perspective view of the bending and rotation restraining part release projections 1N and 2N in the state shown in Figure 7. When bending the clothes hanger 100 of the first embodiment, grip the area around the bending and rotation-retaining projections 1N and 2N of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2, and bring the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 closer to the inside in the front-rear direction. This causes the bending and rotation-retaining projections 1N and 2N, located on the inside of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 in the front-rear direction, to come into contact with the outside of the plate 3B around the inner claw 3LC of the third horizontal bar 3. By gripping even more firmly, the inner claw 3LC moves inward, releasing the bending and rotation-retaining part 3C.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, forcibly bending the clothes hanger 100 while it is open may cause it to break. As shown in Figure 7, the fact that the bending and rotation restraining part 3C is released simply by gripping the hanger while it is closed not only makes it easy to operate but also prevents the user from inadvertently breaking the clothes hanger 100.

[0042] While the direction of bending of the horizontal bar, considering the direction of the load when clothes are hung on it, would make it easier to design a robust structure for the shaft if the tip moves upward, in the first embodiment the tip moves downward so that the hook 5 is not hidden even when bent and it is easy to hang on a clothesline, and the hanger 100 can be easily removed from the neck hole of a shirt after the clothes have dried. However, within the scope of the claims, the bending direction may be such that the tip moves upward.

[0043] Figure 16 is a perspective view of a clothes hanger 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 17 is a front view of Figure 16, and Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of the joint section of Figure 17 (FF section). In the first embodiment, the eight joints 4 were separate parts, but in the second embodiment, the first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, 3 and the joints 4 are integrally molded. The left and right sides are separated into separate parts around the bending rotation axes 1A, 2A, 3A of the horizontal bars, but each of the left and right sides is a single part connected to the first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, 3. The thin-walled sections 4T provided at both ends of the joint 4 bend to form a hinge structure.

[0044] The components of the second embodiment of the clothes hanger 100 are manufactured by injection molding of a flexible synthetic resin such as polypropylene, and the thin-walled portion 4T can maintain its performance without breaking even when repeatedly bent.

[0045] In the hinge structure of the second embodiment of the clothes hanger 100, the thin-walled sections 4T provided at both ends of the joint 4 cannot be clearly shown as a single straight line or axis. Rather, the entire thin-walled section 4T deforms, causing the two sides connected to the thin-walled section 4T to move relatively, but in substance, this motion can be called rotation, similar to the first embodiment. In the diagram showing the clothes hanger 100 of the second embodiment, for convenience, the thin-walled section 4T is represented as a single straight line bending in the left-right direction, acting as the rotation axes 1J, 2J, and 3J of the joint.

[0046] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view (FF section) of the joint shown in Figure 17. When the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are open, the projection 4P of the joint abuts against the stopper portion 3S provided on the third horizontal bar 3, thereby suppressing the movement of the joint 4. Therefore, when clothes are hung to dry, the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 remain stable in the state shown in Figure 18.

[0047] Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view (GG section) of the left and right center of Figure 17. In the second embodiment of the clothes hanger 100, in order to reduce the number of parts, the pins 1P, 2P, and 3P of the bending rotation axes of the first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3 are not made as separate parts but are molded integrally with the horizontal bars or hooks 5. As a result, the clothes hanger 100 of the second embodiment has a total of 3 parts, which reduces the parts manufacturing cost and assembly cost compared to the first embodiment. However, if product lifespan and appearance are important, the bending rotation axes 1A, 2A, and 3A may be made as separate parts as in the first embodiment.

[0048] Figure 20 shows the cross-section of the joint 4 portion when injection molding a part of the second embodiment of the clothes hanger 100 in which the first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, 3 and the joint 4 are connected by a thin-walled section 4T. In other words, it is Figure 18 adjusted to the position during injection molding. As shown in Figure 20, the positions of the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are set to a position between the open and closed states, and the joint 4 portion is designed to be removed without interference during the vertical movement of the mold. Also, at this time, if the thin-walled section 4T is not bent, the resin will flow smoothly during molding, so a shape that is not bent, as shown in Figure 20, is desirable. If the resin flows smoothly during molding, the possibility of weld lines occurring in the thin-walled section 4T can be reduced.

[0049] Figure 21 shows a cross-sectional view of the joint 4 in the second embodiment of the clothes hanger 100 when the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are in the closed position. In the second embodiment of the clothes hanger 100, there is no need to provide a bearing in the joint 4, so the shape of the joint 4 and its surroundings is reduced, and when the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are closed, the dimensions in the vertical and front-to-back directions are reduced compared to the first embodiment.

[0050] Figure 22 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the clothes hanger 100, and Figure 23 is a front view of Figure 22, showing the first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3 in a bent state. In the second embodiment of the clothes hanger 100, when the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 are closed, a force acts on the hinge structure made of the thin-walled portion 4T to return to the state at the time of injection molding, i.e., the state shown in Figure 20. At this time, the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 tend to open when there is no external force. In order to prevent the dimensions in the front-to-back direction from becoming too large when the first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3 are bent, the clothes hanger 100 of the second embodiment is provided with a bending-opening prevention projection 1W and a bending-opening prevention projection storage portion 3W. When the first to third horizontal bars 1, 2, and 3 are bent, the anti-opening projections 1W provided on the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 fit into the anti-opening projection storage section 3W provided on the third horizontal bar, thus preventing the first and second horizontal bars 1 and 2 from opening. The positions of the anti-opening projections 1W and the anti-opening projection storage section 3W when the bars are not bent are shown in Figure 17.

[0051] As described above, the garment hanger 100 of the embodiment of the present invention is equipped with a long horizontal bar in the width direction, which can support the garment even inside the sleeves so that the fabric does not overlap at the sides of the garment when drying. It also has sufficient dimensions in the thickness direction so that the garment does not stick to the body of the garment, and it is easy to insert into the garment. Furthermore, it can be folded into a small size when not in use, resulting in a garment hanger that dries clothes quickly and is easy to use. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 10 Conventional clothes hangers 100 Clothing hanger according to an embodiment of the present invention 102 Central part 103 Middle section 103P Intermediate protrusion 104 Tip 1. First horizontal bar 1A Rotation axis for bending the horizontal bar (first horizontal bar) 1J Joint rotation axis (first horizontal bar) 1L The horizontal bar on the left side of the first section 1N Projection for releasing the bending and rotation restraint (first horizontal bar) 1P Pin for the bending rotation axis (first horizontal bar) 1R First horizontal bar on the right 1U General section lower end (first horizontal bar) 1W Anti-opening protrusion when bent 2. Second horizontal bar 2A Rotation axis for bending the horizontal bar (second horizontal bar) 2J joint rotation axis (second horizontal bar) 2L Second left horizontal bar 2N Projection for releasing the bending and rotation restraint (second horizontal bar) 2P Pin for the bending rotation axis (second horizontal bar) 2R Second horizontal bar on the right 2U General section lower end (second horizontal bar) 3. The third horizontal bar 3A Rotation axis for bending the horizontal bar (third horizontal bar) 3B The plate around the claw (the third horizontal bar on the left) 3C Bending and rotation suppression part 3H Hook tip storage compartment 3J joint rotation axis (third horizontal bar) 3K Anti-bias protrusions 3L Third horizontal bar on the left 3LC Inner tab (the tab on the left side of the third horizontal bar) 3P Pin for the bending rotation axis (third horizontal bar) 3R The third horizontal bar on the right 3RC Outer claw (the claw on the right side of the third horizontal bar) 3S Stopper part 3W Anti-opening protrusion storage section when bent 4. Joints 4A Central connecting section 4B Outer connection part 4P joint protrusion 4T thin section 5 hooks F The force applied to the clothes hanger when gripped. Moment that MF applies to the tip of the clothes hanger

Claims

1. A clothing hanger comprising a first horizontal bar, a second horizontal bar positioned parallel to the first horizontal bar, and a third horizontal bar positioned between the first and second horizontal bars, wherein the first and second horizontal bars are each individually connected to the third horizontal bar by a plurality of joints, each joint having a hinge structure near both ends, one of the hinge structures rotating at the hinge portion of the joint where it connects to the third horizontal bar, and the other connected to the first or second horizontal bar, rotating while moving along an arc trajectory centered on the hinge portion connected to the third horizontal bar, thereby making the distance between the first and second horizontal bars variable, wherein a projection provided on the joint abuts against a stopper portion of the third horizontal bar, stopping the rotation around the hinge connecting the third horizontal bar to the joint, and suppressing the downward movement of the first and second horizontal bars.

2. The clothing hanger according to claim 1, characterized in that the hook rotates and tilts in the longitudinal direction of the third horizontal bar.

3. The clothes hanger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hinge structure of the joint is made of a thin-walled portion of flexible synthetic resin.

4. The garment hanger according to claim 1, characterized in that there are eight joints, the distance between the hinges at both ends of the joints is the same length, the axes of all rotations of the joints are parallel, and the distance between the opposing portions of the first horizontal bar and the second horizontal bar is varied while maintaining parallelism.

5. A clothing hanger comprising a first horizontal bar, a second horizontal bar positioned parallel to the first horizontal bar, and a third horizontal bar positioned between the first and second horizontal bars, wherein the first and second horizontal bars are individually connected to the third horizontal bar by a plurality of joints, each joint having a hinge structure near both ends, one of the hinge structures rotating at the hinge portion of the joint where it connects to the third horizontal bar, and the other connecting to the first or second horizontal bar and rotating while moving along an arc trajectory centered on the hinge portion connecting to the third horizontal bar, thereby making the distance between the first and second horizontal bars variable, wherein the first to third horizontal bars are each bent by a bending rotation axis provided near the center in the longitudinal direction, and the three bending rotation axes of the first to third horizontal bars coincide when the first and second horizontal bars are closest to each other.

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