AU646752B2 - Garment support device - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 P/Co/Oii zisw~ Regulation 3,2(2) 64675 .460 q so

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: GARMENT SUPPORT DEVICE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best mathod of performing it known to C 44 4* 4.

GARMEMNT SUPPORT DEVICE The present invention relates to a garment support device which can be built in to wardrobes and cupboards and the like. In particular the invention relates to storage of garments which are hung up, such as trousers and skirts.

In order to save storage space it is desirable to store garments close together.

Usually garments such as trousers and skirts are placed on clothes hangers in a w3rdrobe. However when garments are closely packed they are difficult to retrieve, or in taking out one garment others are knocked off their hangers. This can negate any advantage in saved space. Also in such a situation it is difficult to move the hangers apart in order to look at each garment which one is apt to do when trying to decide what to wear.

The aim of the present invention is to overcome at least some of the problems described above.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a garment support device comprising: least one slide track for fixing to a wardrobe or the like, a slidable frame which engages said track such that said frame can be pushed in *oo and pulled out relative to said track, and a plurality of arms pivotally attached to said frame, and free-ended garment supports associated with said arms wherein said arms can be manually spread apart in the pulled out position.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a garment support device comprising a frame member for attachment to a wardrobe, said frame member having pivotally attached thereto a plurality of arms, said arms including free o.o.

ended garment supports associated therewith and being pivoted around a vertical axis.

The device during normal storage will be located in or pushed into the wardrobe or cupboard and when a garment is required the device can be slid out if it is slidably mounted. The pivoted arms and associated garment supports are arranged such that the garment supports arei substantially parallel to one another even when the device is in the pulled out position if it is slidably mounted. The garment supports can be fanned out by virtue of the pivoted arms. When the device is slidably mounted, a stop means to prevent .he slidable frame from being completely pulled out of the sliding track can also bL provided.

As a further embodiment, the garment supports are removable. This means that the garment and the garment support can be removed from the device together. The fact that the garment supports are free ended (viz. unattached at one end) means that the garment can be removed in the same plane as that in which it hangs when being stored.

The removable garment support may have a slip retardation means such as corrugations to assist in preventing garments from sliding off or positive attachment means such as a clip of peg-like structure where skirts and the like are to be hung.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It will be understood that the drawings merely illustrate particular embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the device according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a cross section view from one end of the embodiment of the removable garment support.

Figure 3 shows a disassembled perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.

Specifically referring to Figure 1, the device is shown as it would be fixed in a wardrobe or the like. The sliding frame is mounted in a slide track which is 9 A: so fixed to said wardrobe. In this case the sliding frame consists of a C shaped element with a cross bar (1A) to which arms are pivotally attached. Associated with the arms (3) S are the garment supports The arms are L shaped structures which allow the associated garment supports to be spread apart freely (via pivots without being obstructed by the sliding frame The garment supports in this case are tubular structures which slide on the arms .:F'gure shows a garment support with slip retardation means (4A) o comprising corrugations. In addition channel (4B) provides means for inserting positive attachment means such as clips to hold skirts and the like.

00* Illustrated in Figure 3, a second embodiment of a garment device comprising a frame member (11) attached to side rails (12) which are located below frame member (11).

Frame (11) is constructed with a series of upper holes (13) and lower holes (14) which are in register with the holes Between each of the in register holes (13 and (14) is a separator (15) which is sized to limit the angular rotation of pivot arms (16).

Each of a plurality of pivot a,;ns (16) has an upper pivot (17) which is placed into holes (13) and a lower pivot (18) wnich is placed into holes The upper pivot (17) is longer than lower pivot These lengths together with the length of mounting block (19) cooperate to allow the arm (16) to be placed on frame memnber This is done by pla' Ig pivot (17) into hole (13) then dropping pivot (18) intc -4hole In this way, the arm (l1j) can be removed from f:ame (11) as discussed.

Alternatively the pivots (17) and (18) can be spring loaded for removal of arms (16) as required. Extending from mounting block (19) is a garment support (20) having an elongated cross section with straight sides (21) and a rounded top (22) and bottom (23).

The sides (21) can have a series of corrugations as shown in Figure 2. The garment support (20) can be placed over a bar extending from mounting block so that if desired, a garment together with the garment support (20) can be removed from the device This is similar in operation to the device of Figure 1.

The support (20) includes a fluff rail (24) which can be used in place of a series of corrugations to prevent the garments sliding off the support The fluff rail (24) also helps to remove fluff off trousers which are hung over the support Fluff is removed when the trousers are dragged over the fluff rail The fluff rail (24) can be manufactured from an appropriate dust retaining material.

The bottom (23) of garment support (20) also includes skirt supports (25) for hanging skirts therefrom.

Side rails (12) are adapted to be fixed to slide out rails if the device (10) is S.located in a cavity having a width of approximately the same size as the length of frame The slide out mechanism allows the pivot arms (16) to rotate sufficiently to isolate a garment, by rotating under side rails (12).

If the device (10) is positioned in a wardrobe without using slide out rails or mechanisms then the length of frame (11) can be determined relative to the width of the cavity into which it is mounted so that the pivot arms (16) can achieve a suitable amount of rotation.

It will be understood that variations and additions to the garment hanger may be made without departing from the general inventive concept.

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Claims (8)

1. A garment support device comprising at least one slide track for fixing to a wardrobe or the like, a slideable frame which engages said track such that said frame can be pushed in and pulled out relative to said track, a plurality of arms pivotally attached to said frame, and free-ended garment supports associated with said arms wherein said arms can be manually spread apart in the pulled out position.

2. A garment support device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said garment supports are removable.

3. A garment support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said garment supports are substantially tubular in construction.

4. A garment support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said garment supports are elongate in cross section.

A garment support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said garment supports have garment retention means mounted thereon.

6. A garment support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims herein said garment retention means is a series of corrugations on the side of said supports.

7. A garment support device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said garment support inciudes a fluff rail.

8. A garment support device as claimed in any one of preceding claims, wherein said garment supports include skirt fixing means. A garment support device being substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or 3 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 16th day of September 1993. V R DARVILL E BONJOUR E F BONJOUR WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS LEVEL 4, AMORY GARDENS, 2 CAVILL AVENUE ASHFIELD NSW 2131 AUSTRALIA