HANGER WITH AIR FRESHENER THEREIN

Field of Invention

The present invention concerns a hanger with scented material disposed therein or thereon. The hanger, with air freshener therein, is wrapped in a metallized film to preserve freshness until the hanger is used.

Background of the Invention

There are many products on the market aimed at improving the scent of the air in a house or a car, or the like. An example of an air purifier is described in U.S. Patent 6,149,038, Tsai, Suit Hanger with Air Freshener. The patent is directed towards a suit hanger which is capable of removing odors caused by contamination contained in the fabrics of a suit. The patent describes a suit hanger which comprises an air freshener for removing odors from the fabrics of clothes. The patent also describes that the hanger may be collapsed to provide a stand alone air freshener in the closet. The air freshener means is described as an air purifier such as an ionic freshener or other means operated by a power source. The patent describes an embodiment of the device as a suit hangar which includes a central casing in which an air freshener is housed and two arms are attached to opposite sides of the central casing. The central casing defines at least one air inlet opening for drawing air into the air freshener to generate cleaned air. Each arm defines at least one air outlet opening in communication with the air freshener for driving the cleaned air into clothes hung by the suit hanger.

U.S. Patent 5,197,639, Jerman, discloses a slip-free garment hanger with fabric straps. In one embodiment of the invention, the patent describes that a flexible sheet 70 may wrap strap members and a meshed material, such as Tulle, is used to create blisters or cavities 80 that are filled with solid scented materials 90.

Further prior art of interest can be found in the following U.S. Patents, Kolton, 4,768,649, Hanger for Bow Ties and Suspenders; Larson, 9,926,968, Hanger Valet; Jerman, Slip-Free Garment Hanger, 5,197,639; and Swet, 592,343, Travel Tie Hanger. All of these prior art references are hereby incorporated into this application in their entirety.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention is embodied, by way of example, in a hanger used to support garments hanging from garment hangers or to support accessories such as belts, scarves, ties or jewelry. Other embodiments of the invention include a hanger with an air freshener configured to directly hang garments.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of a prior art travel tie hanger. Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of a hanger valet known in the prior art;

Fig. 3 is a front plan view of a hanger for bow ties and suspenders known in the prior art;

Fig. 4 discloses a front perspective view of a slip free garment hanger known in the prior art; Fig. 5 discloses a front perspective view of an example of a wrapped scented hanger for accessories and/or garments which embody the features of the present invention; the wrapping is partially cut away;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the wrapped hanger shown in Fig. 1 and taken along view lines 6-6; Fig. 7 is a front perspective view of the hanger shown in Fig. 5 without the wrapping;

Fig. 8 is a front plan view of the hanger shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a right-sided plan view of the hanger shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a rear plan view of the hanger shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 11 is a left sided plan view of the hanger shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a rear sided view of the upper portion of the hanger shown in Fig. 7 indicating that a rear covering portion over the scented material may be removed;

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the hanger shown in Fig. 6 taken along view lines 13-13.

Fig. 14 is a front plan view of the hanger of Fig. 8 with a wire hanger hanging thereform.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention

Examples of the invention are further described in detail as follows. As can be seen in Fig. 7, a hanger 100, particularly suited for hanging garments on garment hangers as shown in Fig. 14, or even accessories such as belts or jewelry, in a closet, has a primary hook 102. The hook is sized to engage a suitable fixture such as a closet rod or other suitable fixture typically found in a closet. The hook has an open portion 102a which allows for the hanger 100 to engage a closet rod. The hook also has a base portion 102b from which the remainder of the hanger 100 depends. Immediately depending below said hook base portion 102b is a scented material support 104. The support is an air freshener housing 104 with scented material 106 disposed therein. In the shown embodiment, the scented material is a porous foamed plastic having scented oil disposed in the pores. The scent housing 104 has a first vent 104a, and as can be seen in Fig. 12, an oppositely facing vent 104b. The oppositely facing vent 104b is removable from the rest of hanger 100. By allowing for the vent to be removable, the scented material 106 may be replaced as needed by a user. Also, the removable vent, facilitates manufacture by enabling easy disposition of scented material in the housing. Although the vents 104a and 104b are shown as having elongated and diagonally oriented apertures, the apertures could be configured in a variety of different manners. In the shown embodiment, the air freshener housing 104 is integral with the hook 102 excepting the removable vent 104b.

Depending from the housing is a primary support 108. The particular support shown in Figs. 5-11 is shaped and configured to hang garments from hangers and can also serve to hang accessories such as ties, jewelry, scarves and belts. The support 108 has a face portion 108a with four rectangular apertures 108b there through. The apertures can receive the strap portion of a belt. The apertures are not so large, however, as to allow for the buckle of a belt to pass there through. Extending outward from face member are a plurality of hooks or prongs HOa, HOb with horizontal portions 110a and with upturned ends 110b. The prongs 110a, 110b are designed to hang garments from standard hangers.

As can be seen in Fig. 14, the hooks 110a, 110b, allow for standard wire shirt hangers having shirts thereon to hang from the hooks. The hooks are sized and configured to allow each hook, at the same time, to have a wire shirt hanger having a shirt or other garment thereon to hang from each hook. Of course, the hooks could also be utilized to hang suspenders, ties, belts by their buckle, scarves and jewelry. The rectangular apertures could be further utilized to store clip-on bow ties. The support 108 is integral with the housing 104 excepting the removable vent 104b. The hook 102, housing 104 (excepting the removable vent 104b) and the support 108 member are formed as an integral piece of plastic, which could be wholly or partially molded. Although the above description describes a particularly configured garment and/or accessory support member 108, a myriad of additional garment and/or accessory support members can depend from the air freshener housing 104. For instance, a support member having features such as shown in prior art Figure 1, configured to hang ties and belts could be used.

Additionally, a support member having features as shown in prior art Figure 2 for hanging sport coats, suit pants, ties and belts, can be used, or a support member having features shown in prior art Fig. 3 for bow ties and suspenders could be used. Further, although the portion of the hanger supporting the scented material 104 has been described as a housing, it is not necessary for this portion to be formed as a housing. For instance, the portion supporting the scented material could simply be a face surface, upon which the scented material is adhesively applied. Also, the housing does not have to have covering vents. Housing portion 104 could simply comprise frame members 104c. In this case there would be a large opening as shown by dotted line 104d.

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art reading the aforementioned description of the particular embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the present invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments, it is contemplated that a variety of modifications, variations and substitutions may be done without departing from the scope of the present invention that is intended to be defined by the appended claims.