Collapsible clothing hanger

Abstract

A collapsible hanger includes hanger arms that connect to a hook portion. The collapsible hanger comprises one or more joint mechanisms that allow the hanger's angular arms to pivot or move downward relative to the hook portion, so that clothing slides off of those arms when pulled downward. The one or more joint mechanisms include elastic members that biased to enable the arms to automatically move back into a normal or original configuration when the clothing has been removed from the collapsible hanger.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION(S)

[0001] This patent application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 63 / 756,452, filed on Feb. 10, 2025, the content of which is incorporated in its entirety herein. In accordance with 37 C.F.R. § 1.76, a claim of priority is included in an Application Data Sheet filed concurrently herewith.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of household goods. Specifically, the present invention relates to hangers for clothing, and arrangements for easily removing clothing from hangers and for placing clothing on hangers, at least for closet organization and enabling persons to access clothing who are unable to reach either hanger itself or the structure on which the hanger is placed.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Clothing is often stored in closets and displayed in stores using hangers, which are typically mounted from rods or other cylindrical structures using a hook portion for easy removal. Certain types of people-for example, children or adults who cannot reach the hanger itself (including people using wheelchairs), have difficulty removing clothing from hangers; they also have difficulty removing the hangers themselves from structures from which they are hung to wear, view, or buy the clothing (or do anything at all with such clothing), as they find it hard to reach the rod to remove the hanger's hook portion therefrom. For example, a person may want to grab a shirt or dress to put on, and may pull on the bottom of the garment. When this is done however, the garment does not come off easily. This may result in breaking a hanger, tearing or stretching the garment, or rendering the structure in which the hanger is placed (for example, a closet) itself disorderly simply from trying to remove clothing from a hanger.

[0004] The current state of the art does not provide a sufficient solution for existing hangers to be collapsible when clothes are pulled from below the hanger's hook portion to enable such clothes to easily be removed, and which can also return to their original shape when a garment is removed, either automatically or manually. Thus, there exists a need in the art for a clothing hanger that has mechanical parts which enable portions of the hanger to collapse and allow a garment to be removed from the hanger by simply pulling down on the bottom thereof. There exists a further need in the art for a hanger with mechanical parts that enable the hanger to return to its regular or normal configuration, either automatically or manually, when the hanger has had clothing removed therefrom by pulling from below.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention is a collapsible hanger that addresses these needs in the existing art. Hangers typically have a hook portion coupled to a body; this body typically has two portions, which are angular relative to the hook portion and which may be considered as “arms” that are placed on insides of shirts, dresses, jackets, sweaters, or other similar garments when such items of clothing are placed on the hanger. Some hangers have a further, rigid connecting member that connects end of these arms, allowing additional items (such as for example trousers or slacks) to be folded over the further, rigid connecting member for storage of such additional items. The collapsible hanger of the present invention includes a mechanical arrangement that comprises one or more joint mechanisms. These joint mechanisms allow the hanger's angular “arms” to pivot or move downward relative to the hook portion, so that a shirt or other garment can slide off of those arms when pulled. A person may therefore pull a shirt off the collapsible hanger by pulling down on the middle or bottom of the shirt; when the garment has been removed from the hanger, the arms automatically move back into their original place. Because there is a spring, an elastic joint, or the like, in these joint mechanisms, the hanger is then ready for another use after the clothing slides off of the arms.

[0006] The hanger's collapsibility also allows a user to more easily insert the hanger through the neck of a shirt, dress, or other garment by simply squeezing the hanger's arms. This allows the user to insert the hanger into a t-shirt, or a fully buttoned up dress shirt without stretching the shirt or unbuttoning any buttons.

[0007] As suggested above, other types of existing hangers have a hook portion coupled to a triangularly-shaped body that has three edges, or portions. Two of the edges are angular relative to both the hook portion and to a straight, third edge or portion. Where the present invention is applicable to this type of hanger, the straight third edge or portion has a structure, and / or additional components, that enable a collapsible arrangement that allows this third edge to collapse upon itself when garment is pulled to allow the garment to slide off the entire hanger, and snap or revert back into its original horizontal or straight position when the garment has been removed from the arms without damaging the hanger (or the rod from which the hanger is positioned) from any excessive force.

[0008] It is therefore one objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that enables clothing to be easily removable from a hanger by pulling downwards on the clothing. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that enables the hanger to return to its original position once an article of clothing has been removed by pulling downwards. It is still a further objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus that enables clothing to be easily applied to hangers without having to stretch the clothing, simply by squeezing one or more of the hanger's arms. It is yet a further objective of the present invention to provide a hanger that includes one or more spring-loaded joints, or other similar mechanisms, that enable one or both of the hanger's arms to move relative to the hanger's hook portion. It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a hanger that includes one or more components that enable a member connecting ends of the hanger's arms to also at least partially collapse upon itself and move back into its original place when clothing has been removed from either the member or the hanger's arms.

[0009] Other objectives, embodiments, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the inventive concept(s), taken together with accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate aspects of the disclosed subject matter in at least one of its exemplary embodiments, which are further defined in detail in the following description. Features, elements, and aspects of the disclosure are referenced by numerals with like numerals in different drawings representing the same, equivalent, or similar features, elements, or aspects, in accordance with one or more embodiments. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles herein described and provided by exemplary embodiments of the invention. In such drawings:

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a collapsible hanger according to one embodiment of the present invention, positioned on a rod or bar with an article clothing hanging from the collapsible hanger;

[0012] FIG. 2 is a further view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIG. 1, with a person removing the article of clothing from the collapsible hanger from below, and the collapsible hanger in a partially collapsed state;

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2;

[0014] FIG. 4 is a side view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3;

[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, in a collapsed state;

[0016] FIG. 6 is a side view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, showing internal components thereof;

[0017] FIG. 7 is a side view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, showing mechanical parts and sections of the hanger separated from each other

[0018] FIG. 8 is close-up side view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7, further showing mechanical parts;

[0019] FIG. 9 is a perspective of a collapsible hanger according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 10 is a side view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIG. 9;

[0021] FIG. 11 is a side view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIGS. 9-10, in a collapsed state;

[0022] FIG. 12 is a side view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIGS. 9-11, showing internal components thereof;

[0023] FIG. 13 is a top view of the collapsible hanger according to the embodiment of FIGS. 9-12, showing internal components thereof; and

[0024] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the collapsible hanger according to a further embodiment of the present invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] In the following description of the present invention, reference is made to exemplary embodiments illustrating the principles of the present invention and how it is practiced. Other embodiments will be utilized to practice the present invention and structural and functional changes will be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0026] The present invention is, as noted above, a collapsible hanger 100 that may be used with clothing 102 that is stored for example in closets or on garment racks in commercial and residential settings. FIG. 1 illustrates this collapsible hanger 100 according to one embodiment thereof. In FIG. 1, the collapsible hanger 100 is positioned on a rod or bar 104, with clothing 102 positioned on the collapsible hanger 100. FIG. 2 is a further illustration of this embodiment, with a person 170 having removed the clothing 102 by pulling downward on the clothing 102. FIG. 2 shows the collapsible hanger 100 in a partially collapsed state, yet still hanging from the rod or bar 104.

[0027] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 provide different views of the collapsible hanger 100 according to this embodiment, in an un-collapsed, ready-for-use state. FIG. 5 shows the collapsible hanger 100 in a partially collapsed state, while FIG. 6 shows internal mechanisms of an elastic member 160 that enables left and right parts of the collapsible hanger 100 to move relative to each other to enable clothing 102 to be removed therefrom. FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 further illustrate elements of a joint mechanism 140 that includes the elastic member 160 of the collapsible hanger 100.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1-8, the collapsible hanger 100 includes a left-sided part 110, a right-sided part 120, a hanger hook 130, and a joint mechanism 140. The hanger hook 130 is integrated with the left-sided part 110. The left-sided part 110 forms a left hanger arm 112, and includes a first part 141 of the joint mechanism 140, This first part includes two outer pads 142 and 143, each having a joint hole 144 and 145 respectively.

[0029] The right-sided part 120 is comprised of a right hanger arm 122, and a second part 146 of the joint mechanism 140. This second part 146 has two inner pads 147 and 148, and integrated joint pins 149 and 150. The second part 146 of the joint mechanism 140 also includes an integrated stop 152 that prevents the hanger arms 112 and 122 from swiveling up above the hanger hook 130 when clothing 102 is removed from the collapsible hanger 100.

[0030] Note that joint hole 145 and joint pin 150 of the joint mechanism 150 are not shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8 as they are located on the other side of the collapsible hanger 100 than the view shown in therein.

[0031] The joint mechanism 140 also includes an elastic member 160 coupled to the left-sided part 110 and the right-sided part 120. Both the left-sided part 110 and the right-sided part 120 also include recesses (114 and 124 respectively) that accept opposing ends 162 and 164 of the elastic member 160. This elastic member 160 biases the left-sided part 110 and the right-sided part 120 upward, while at the same time allowing downward movement of the hanger arms 112 and 122 when there is a downward force placed on the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122, such as when a person 170 tries to pull clothing 102 (such as a shirt, dress, jacket, or other garment or item) off of the collapsible hanger 100.

[0032] In one aspect of the present invention, the elastic member 160 is a torsion spring 166. Alternatively, other types of elastic members may be used, such as for example one or more flexible pieces of molded plastic. Regardless, the elastic member 160 may also be connected to the left-sided part 110, the right-sided part 120, or both, such as if one or more plastic shafts connect the left-sided part 110 and right-sided part 120 underneath the hanger arms 112 and 122. When the person 170 pulls clothing 102 off of the collapsible hanger 100, the one of more plastic shafts flex to allow the collapsible hanger 100 to partially collapse downward, and away from a rod or bar 104 or other fixed item upon which the collapsible hanger 100 is placed. The flexing of the plastic shafts applies a force to open the collapsible hanger 100 back in an upward direction after the person 170 pulls the clothing 102 all the way off.

[0033] The integrated portions of the elastic member 160-the joint pads (two outer pads 142 and 143 and two inner pads 147 and 148), joint holes 144 and 145, and joint pins 149 and 150 together allow the left-sided part 110 and the right-sided part 120 to rotate so that the collapsible hanger 100 is able to collapse, and clothing 102 is able to slide off the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122. In one aspect of the elastic member 160, the axes of both the joint holes 144 and 145 and joint pins 149 and 150 are located near or at a bottom edge 116 and 126, respectively, of each of the eft-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122 to allow the left-sided part 110 and the right-sided part 120 to rotate towards each other enough so that clothing 102 such as an adult or child's shirt is able to slip off the collapsible hanger 100. If the axes of the joint holes 144 and 145 and joint pins 149 and 150 are located at the bottom edges 116 and 126 of the hanger arms 112 and 122, the collapsible hanger 100 is able to collapse completely so that the left hanger arm 112 and the right hanger arm 122 are touching, or almost touching, in a fully collapsed state.

[0034] In another aspect of this embodiment, the left-sided part 110 has full rotational clearance for the two inner pads 147 and 148 of the right-sided part 120. This may be accomplished by creating one or more recesses 114 that are inside of the bottom edge 116 of the left-sided part 110 to accommodate more than 90 degrees of downward rotational movement of the right-sided part 120. Preferably, the right-sided part 120 has full rotational clearance for the two outer pads 142 and 143 of the left-sided part 110. This may be accomplished by the two inner pads 147 and 148 being flat and disk or circle-shaped to accommodate more than 90 degrees of downward rotational movement of the left-sided part 110.

[0035] The hanger arms 112 and 122 cannot rotate upwards past a point near the hanger hook 130 due to the presence of the integrated stop 152 on the right-sided part 120 that contacts the first part of the 141 of the joint mechanism 140 on the left-sided part 110 to prevent further upward movement. This integrated stop 152 may be integrated into the right-sided part 120 with an elevated piece on a top 128 of the right-sided part 120 that engages the left-sided part 110 when the collapsible hanger 100 is in its extended state. This integrated stop 152 may also be integrated with the left-sided part 110 by increasing a diameter of a hook shaft on the left-sided part 120 so that the integrated stop 152 further prevents upward movement of the right-sided part 120.

[0036] This embodiment of the present invention provides several advantages over the existing art for clothing hangers. For example, the collapsible hanger 100 of this embodiment has fewer moving parts and is therefore less expensive for mass production. Additionally, the collapsible hanger 100 of this embodiment has an integrated hanger hook 130 on the left-sided part 110, facing towards its hanger arm 112. This means that when a user pulls down on a shirt, the hanger hook 130 rotates to contact even more of the rod or bar 104 from which the hanger hook 130 is suspended, further reducing the chance that the hanger hook 130 will fall off the rod or bar 104 on which it is placed. Still further, the collapsible hanger 100 of this embodiment may also have a smoother surface for its left-sided hanger arm 112 and right-sided hanger arm 122, for allowing an article of clothing to more easily slide off. Additionally, the collapsible hanger 100 of this embodiment may be manufactured by injection molding or other techniques that are more cost effective.

[0037] The collapsible hanger 100 of this embodiment also avoids the need for parts of the torsion spring 166 forming the elastic member 160 to be bent outward to have to contact the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122. Avoiding these outwardly-bent pieces also avoids potentially sharp edges that could snag clothing 102 on the collapsible hanger 100 or injure a person 170. The collapsible hanger 100 of this embodiment may also be constructed from a bioplastic made from renewable plant-based materials, such as PLA (a thermoplastic polyester), which may be stronger than regular or conventional plastics used in hangers in the existing art, and which are biodegradable.

[0038] The collapsible hanger 100 may also include a connective piece 180 that connects distal ends 118 and 119, respectively, of each of the left-sided part 110 and the right-sided part 120. The connective piece 180 may be a non-rigid member, such as a string, at least for the purpose of preventing further or unwanted upward movement of the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122 when they revert back into place following release of spring-load joint. The connective piece 180 may also be semi-rigid to make it easier for an item of clothing 102 may also be placed thereon and removed by the person 170 (although it is to be understood that clothing 102 may also be placed on a non-rigid member forming the connective piece 180). Still further, where the connective piece 180 is semi-rigid or rigid, it may include a hinge or other mechanism that allows it to collapse upon itself as the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122 themselves collapse when clothing 102 is removed.

[0039] For example, the connective piece 180 may have one or more spring-loaded joints positioned thereon which enables the connective piece 180 to also collapse downward, relative to itself, when either a shirt or other garment hanging on the arms is pulled downward, or where one end of a pair of trousers hanging on the connective piece 180 is pulled downward to remove them from the collapsible hanger 100. Regardless, the connective piece 180 also functions as a further stopping mechanism to prevent further or unwanted upward movement of the left hanger arm 112 and right hanger arm 122 when they revert back into place in their normal configuration due to the elastic member 160.

[0040] FIGS. 9-14 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the collapsible hanger 100 of this embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a side view thereof. FIG. 11 shows the collapsible hanger 100 of this embodiment in a fully collapsed state. FIG. 12 shows internal components of joint mechanisms 200 and 210 of the collapsible hanger 100, while FIG. 13 shows a close-up, top view thereof. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the collapsible hanger 100 of this embodiment with a connective piece 180.

[0041] In this embodiment, the collapsible hanger 100 of the present invention has, as noted above, two spring-loaded joint mechanisms 200 and 210. The collapsible hanger 100 itself of this embodiment is comprised of three main parts: a left-sided part 110 having a left-sided hanger arm 112 that pivots downward; a right-sided part 120 having a right-sided hanger arm 122 that also that pivots downward; and a middle portion 220, having a hanger hook 130 between the left-sided part 110 and the right-sided part 120. The two spring-loaded joint mechanisms 200 and 210 connect the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122 to the middle portion 220. Each of the two joint mechanisms 200 and 210 has a main shaft (202 and 212, respectively) connecting the respective arm (the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122) to the middle portion 220. The middle portion 220 may include, according to one or more aspects thereof, one or more bolts or machine screws along with one or more nuts. The main shafts 202 and 212 may also be integral parts of the left-sided hanger arm 112, the right-sided hanger arm 122, or the middle portion 220.

[0042] Each of the two joint mechanisms 200 and 210 also have joint covers 204 and 214 on the front and back of each joint mechanism 200 and 210. These joint covers 204 and 214 may be, for example, a washer with a large outer diameter. The joint covers 204 and 214 may be integral parts of the left-sided hanger arm 112, the right-sided hanger arm 122, or the middle portion 220.

[0043] Each of the two joint mechanisms 200 and 210 also has an elastic member 206 and 216 that biases the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right sided hanger arm 122 in an upward direction, while permitting downward movement of the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122 when a downward force is placed thereon from, e.g., a person 170 pulling down on clothing 102 hanging from the collapsible hanger 100. These elastic members 206 and 216 are coupled at one end thereof to the middle portion 220 of the collapsible hanger 100, and at the other end thereof to a respective hanger arm (the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right sided hanger arm 122) in a configuration such that any downward rotation or movement of the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right sided hanger arm 122 causes an elastic force in the opposite direction.

[0044] As with the embodiment above where the elastic member 160 is a torsion spring, the elastic members 206 and 216 may also comprise torsion springs. Where this is the case, the configuration above may be accomplished by bending torsion spring arms outward to contact the middle portion 220 and / or the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122. As in the above embodiment of FIGS. 1-8, a string or other non-rigid connective piece 180 may be provided to connect the distal ends 118 and 119 of each of the left-sided part 110 and the right-sided part 120, at least to help to keep the overall shape of the collapsible hanger 100.

[0045] Alternatively, a stop or other feature can be integrated into the left-sided hanger arm 112, the right-sided hanger arm 122, or the middle portion 220 that helps keep the shape of the collapsible hanger 100.

[0046] Without this string, other non-rigid connective piece, or other stopping mechanism, the spring-biased joint mechanisms 200 and 210 may rotate the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122 upwards closer to the position of the hanger hook 130 on the middle portion 220. The string, piece, or stopping mechanism therefore functions as a method of preventing further or unwanted upward movement of the left-sided hanger arm 112 and the right-sided hanger arm 122 when they snap back into place following release via the spring joints. This embodiment also provides several advantages over the existing art for clothing hangers. For example, the two joint mechanisms 200 and 220 allow stiffer, smaller, or different springs to be used for a similar amount of downward movement of the left-side hanger arm 110 and the right-sided hanger arm 120. Also, each spring is compressed at about half of the angle that a single spring would be compressed for a similar amount of arm movement, thereby reducing the chance that each spring is deformed in the process. Still further, because the collapsible hanger 100 of this embodiment has a three-piece design, the middle portion 220 with the hanger hook 130 does not rotate. Therefore, the hanger hook 130 is not rotated on the rod or bar 104 in a way that might make it fall from where it has been positioned on said rod or bar 104.

[0047] The foregoing descriptions of embodiments of the present invention have been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Accordingly, many alterations, modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings, may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed in above even when not initially claimed in such combinations.

[0048] The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself.

[0049] The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.

[0050] Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.

[0051] The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention.

Claims

1. A collapsible hanger, comprising:a right-sided part having a right-sided hanger arm and including two inner pads each having a pin;a left-sided part integrated with a hanger hook and having a left-sided hanger arm, the left-sided part including an integrated joint with two outer pads, each outer pad having a joint hole in which a pin is inserted;an elastic member coupled to both the first-sided part and the second-sided part, the elastic member creating tension between the first-sided part and the second-sided part; andan integrated stop that prevents both the first-sided hanger arm and the second-sided hanger arm from swiveling up above the hanger hook.

2. The collapsible hanger of claim 1, wherein the elastic member includes a torsion spring forming a spring-loaded joint mechanism.

3. The collapsible hanger of claim 2, wherein the elastic member biases the first-sided part and second-sided part upwards while allowing downward movement of at least one of the first-sided hanger arm and the second-sided hanger arm when there is a downward force placed on the first-sided hanger arm and the second-sided hanger arm when clothing is pulled downward from the collapsible hanger.

4. The collapsible hanger of claim 3, wherein the elastic member enables the collapsible hanger to return to a normal biased configuration after clothing is removed from the collapsible hanger.

5. The collapsible hanger of claim 1, further comprising a connective piece coupled to distal ends of the right-sided part and the left-sided part.

6. The collapsible hanger of claim 5, wherein the connective piece is a non-rigid member that enables the left-sided hanger arm and the right-sided hanger arm to collapse relative to each other when clothing is placed on either or both of the connective piece and left-sided hanger arm and the right-sided hanger arm.

7. The collapsible hanger of claim 1, wherein each of the two inner pads are shaped to accommodate more than 90 degrees of downward rotational movement of at least one of the left-sided part or the right-sided part.

8. The collapsible hanger of claim 1, wherein recesses on an inside portion of each of the left-sided hanger arm and the right-sided hanger arm accept opposing ends of the elastic member.

9. A collapsible hanger, comprising:a left-sided part having a left-sided hanger arm;a right-sided part having a right-sided hanger arm;a hanger hook having a middle portion thereof that connects the left-sided part and the right-sided part; anda plurality of joint mechanisms configured with the middle portion of the hanger hook that connects the left-sided part and the right-sided part,wherein the plurality of joint mechanisms enable the left-sided hanger arm and the right-sided hanger arm to collapse downward and return to a normal, biased position when the clothing is removed from the collapsible hanger.

10. The collapsible hanger of claim 9, wherein each joint mechanism in the plurality of joint mechanisms biases each of the left-sided hanger arm and the right-sided hanger arm in an upward direction while permitting downward movement of each of the left-sided hanger arm and the right-sided hanger arm when a downward force is placed on clothing affixed on the collapsible hanger.

11. The collapsible hanger of claim 10, wherein each joint mechanism in the plurality of joint mechanisms includes a torsion spring.

12. The collapsible hanger of claim 10, wherein each of the joint mechanisms connects a respective one of the left-sided hanger arm the right-sided hanger arm to the middle portion.

13. The collapsible hanger of claim 10, wherein each of the joint mechanisms includes a main shaft connecting the respective one of the left-sided hanger arm the right-sided hanger arm to the middle portion, and wherein each of the joint mechanisms includes a joint cover on front and back portions of each joint mechanism.

14. The collapsible hanger of claim 9, wherein a connective member couples ends of the left-sided part and the right-sided part that are distal to the hanger hook.

15. The collapsible hanger of claim 14, wherein the connective member includes at least one connective spring-loaded joint that permits the connective member to move relative to at least one of the left-sided hanger arm and the right-sided hanger arm, when the clothing hanging from the collapsible hanger is pulled downward, the connective member springs back into an original position when the clothing is removed from the collapsible hanger.

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