Plastic garment hanger with collapsible plastic hook
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plastic garment hangers with fixed hooks occupy significant space during packaging and transportation, leading to increased shipping costs due to their rigid structure.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible plastic garment hanger with a rotatable hook that can be folded for reduced storage, featuring a pin-and-aperture connection mechanism allowing the hook to transition between an upright in-use position and a folded stowage position, maintaining a uniform cross-sectional thickness for space efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hook is made rigid and fixed in orientation, then the hanger functions properly for supporting garments, but the hanger occupies significant space during packaging and transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The hook is designed to be rotatable rather than fixed, allowing it to transition between an upright position for garment support and a folded position for compact storage. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by enabling the hook to adapt its configuration based on operational requirements versus storage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The hook is separated from the body through a rotational joint, allowing independent movement of the hook relative to the body. This segmentation enables the hook to be folded against the body during packaging while maintaining full functionality when deployed.
2Volume of moving object
If the hook is made collapsible and rotatable, then the packaging space is reduced, but the structural complexity of the hanger increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotational joint utilizes a pin and aperture connection that allows smooth rotation with minimal structural intervention. This flexible connection mechanism achieves the collapsible function without requiring complex mechanical systems, thereby reducing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic rotational capability is achieved through a simple pin-and-aperture mechanism rather than a complex mechanical system. This approach adds minimal structural complexity while providing the necessary collapsible functionality.
3Volume of moving object
If the hook is folded during storage, then the footprint is reduced, but the hook must be securely locked in the upright position during use
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to automatically engage when the hook is in the upright position, providing preliminary stabilization before the garment is hung. This ensures the hook is securely locked and ready for use without requiring additional adjustment steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the hook's position. When the hook is upright, the locking mechanism self-activates to secure it; when folded, it automatically releases. This self-service capability ensures reliability without requiring user intervention.
Data Source
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AI summary
A plastic garment hanger (10;100) having a plastic hook (24;124) moveable between an upright position for displaying garments and a folded position for reducing the footprint of the hanger during packaging/transportation of pre-hung garments.