VERSATILE TELESCOPIC DOOR HINGE HANGER

VERSATILE TELESCOPIC DOOR HINGE HANGER

REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Priority application- United States SN 11/439,730 filed on May 23, 2006, same title, same inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field QfThe Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to devices for hanging clothes, such as clothes that are wet and need to be hung for drying, clothes that are in the ironing stage, clothes that are put out for subsequent dressing, and cloth items, e.g. towels and washcloths. This invention is directed to devices that not only attach to the pin area of a door hinge, so as to be conveniently located but not be intrusive or obstructive, but they are also telescopic and are removable. Due to the removable feature, they may be moved from location to location with the telescopic sections extended and with clothes thereon. In some of its preferred embodiments, a replacement hinge pin is included that has an upper section that permits one-s ^" tep sliding of the device onto and off it. This permits easy installation as well as device portability. For example, the device is easily moved from a laundry room to a TV room where ironing may be done.

2. Information Disclosure Statement

[0003] The following patents relate to the field of :

[0004] United States Patent No. 5,505,317 describes a pivoting door hinge held catchall rack including a rod which extends vertically along a plurality of door hinges and which is held by the pins of the door hinges threaded through flanges on either end of the rod and/or through screw-eye type devices which are easily threaded into a slot in back of the

rod and therefore can be readily aligned with the tops of the hinges. From the rod are extended, appended, fixed or attached a plurality of catchall, shapes and forms. [0005] United States Patent No. 5,425,462 describes a hinge pin clothes hanger to furnish a quality product made to last, that replaces the hinge pin of any door hinge with a hinge pin clothes hanger that, when properly installed, does not effect the operation of the door or the hinge into which it is being used. The hinge pin clothes hanger is a non-destructive support on which to hang clothes, towels or anything similar, on any door hinge, in any room in which it would be useful. It is easily installed or removed without any damage to the door or hinge. You simply remove the existing hinge pin and install the hinge pin clothes hanger in its place, or simply remove the hinge pin clothes hanger to restore the hinge to its original condition with the original hinge pin. It's that simple. Furthermore, when in use the hinge pin clothes hanger will provide a substantial means of support which will give the consumer years of reliable service and will blend into the decor of the room into which it is being used.

[0006] United States Patent No. 5,117,987 discloses a garment support to be detachably mounted upon a door hinge of the type having intermeshing sleeves held together by a hinge pin. The invention comprises a hinge mounting member and a main body member. The hinge mounting member is substantially flat and elongated in shape containing an angled slot at one end capable of receiving the shaft of a hinge pin, and a centered oblong aperture. The main body member is substantially rectangular in shape containing an L- shaped end and a plurality of supports, whereby garments and other articles may be suspended.

[0007] United States Patent No.4,721 ,212 describes a modular article support unit consisting of an elongated tubular member adapted to be removably attached to the hinge pins of two hinges of a door by means of adjustable brackets, said elongated tubular member having a plurality of holes along the length thereof for removably attaching several types of support devices, such as coat hooks, towel racks, bulletin boards and mirrors.

[0008] United States Patent No. 1,208,986 In a device of the character described, the combination of a hinge, an elongated 100 pin carried thereby, and a hook mounted on said pin and provided with a bracing member engaging the hinge.

[0009] Notwithstanding the foregoing prior art patents, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious in view of said prior art references.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0010] The present invention relates to a versatile telescopic door hinge hanger that may be attached to the hinge of any door, back or front (front, where the door is at least temporarily not intended to be fully closed), and may be used for extra hanging space, storage, drying of wet towels, damp clothes, ironing work or otherwise, as a user may desire.

[0011] The present invention hanger includes a brace member, a main support member and at least one secondary support member. The support members are telescopically connected to one another. The brace member includes a vertical shaft having orifice for attachment to a door hinge and hinge pin. The main support member is connected to the brace member and extends outwardly therefrom at approximately a right angle to the

vertical shaft. The term "right angle" used here is not meant to be precise and is to taken as sufficiently horizontal so that clothes hanging thereon will not slide by gravity and bunch up. It is preferred to be slightly up from a right angle so that heavy wet items that may sag the device slightly will not slip off.

[0012] There is at least one secondary support member moveably and telescopically connected to the main support member. Thus, this (one or more) secondary support member slides in and out to have compact storage when not in use and increased hanging area when extended. In some preferred embodiments, the main support member is a hollow cylinder having a predetermined inside diameter, and there is one secondary support member slideably mounted in the main support member, being a hollow cylinder having an outside diameter that is less then the main support member inside diameter. In other preferred embodiments, there are two secondary support members and they are moveably and telescopically connected to one another.

[0013] Thus, there may be a main support member having a first inside opening sufficient to receive a first secondary support member (with stops) for sliding in and out, and this first secondary support member may have an inside opening sufficient to receive a second secondary support member (with stops) for sliding in and out. In other embodiments there may be a third secondary support member, a fourth, etc. similarly connected to one another. In some preferred embodiments, the secondary support member has an outwardly extending end flange located inside the main support member and the main support member has an inwardly extending flange about the secondary support member that is adapter to function as an extension stop. [0014] In some preferred embodiments, the brace member vertical shaft is cylindrical

and is adapted to be positioned a top a door hinge and its orifice is adapted to receive a portion of hinge pin passing therethrough and extending into the door hinge. [0015] In some preferred embodiments, at least one of the brace member, the main support member and the secondary support member includes at least one clothes hook connected thereto. If such accoutrements are connected tb the secondary support(s), they must be placed so as to not interfere with the telescoping feature. Thus, these could be hooks cut into the secondary supports, hooks that fold up into the secondary supports when they are closed, or hooks that are accommodated by the receiving support(s). [0016] hi some preferred embodiments, at least one secondary support member includes a distal end having a bumper attached thereto.

[0017] hi some preferred embodiments, the main support member includes at least one apparel hanging means connected thereto selected from the group consisting of a hook, a multi pronged hook and a bracket.

[0018] In some preferred embodiments, the brace member and the main support member are unistructurally formed, that is, they are cast, molded extruded and drilled, machined or otherwise created as single part, hi other embodiments, they are made separately and are then connected to one another in any known fashion. In preferred embodiments, the versatile telescopic door hinge hanger components set forth above are made from a material selected from the group consisting of metals, plastics, and combinations thereof.

[0019] In some preferred embodiments, the present invention versatile telescopic door hinge hanger includes the brace member including a vertical shaft having orifice for attachment to a door hinge and hinge pin, the main support member connected to the

brace member and extending outwardly therefrom at approximately a right angle to the vertical shafts, at least one secondary support member moveably and telescopically connected to the main support member, and an extended hinge pin having a lower portion adapted to fit into a door hinge and having an upper portion adapted to fit into the vertical shaft of the brace member of the device. The extended hinge pin preferrably has a stop flange between the upper and lower portion to set it at the best height for receiving the shaft of the bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention should be more fully understood when the specification herein is taken in conjunction with the drawings appended hereto wherein:

[0021] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention hanger device in its mounted, fully extended position for use;

[0022] Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate closed exploded side view, closed pin-mounted side view and closed pin-mounted end view, respectively, of the present invention hanger device shown in Figure 1 above;

[0023] Figure 5 illustrates a side view and an end view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention hanger device with multiple hanging accoutrements;

[0024] Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a cut side view and an end view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention hanger device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION •[0025] The present invention hanger device is shown in Figure 1 , which illustrates a side view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention hanger device 1, in its mounted, fully extended position for hanging towels and or wet clothes, dry clothes and the like thereon. It includes a brace member 3 with a hollow vertical shaft 5 for attachment to a pin or hinge pin, in this case, present invention extension pin 41. Brace member 3 has an optional hook 7 extending from its bottom. Brace 3 is connected (welded) to a main support member 9. Main support member 9 is a hollow oval tube with an inwardly turned flange (acting as a stop) at its end opposite brace member 3 and ^■ has secondary support member 11 fitted inside it so as to be telescopically and slideably mounted therein. Secondary support member 11 has an outwardly extending flange at its end inside main support member 9 and an outwardly extending flange at its opposite end. A second secondary support member 13 is fitted inside secondary support member 11 . arid appropriate stop flanges are included. There is a bumper 15 at the distal end of secondary support member 13 and hence at the distal end of the hanger 1. This bumper 15 is optional, but is a beneficial safety device that may reduce or prevent accidental injury or damage. Door 36 is connected to door jamb 42 via a plurality of hinges ("hinges" used herein means complimentary hinge plates with or without the pin, depending upon the context), such as hinge 40. The conventional pin of hinge 40 has been removed and present invention extension pin 41 has been put in its place in the hollow shafts 38 of hinge 40. This pin 41 has an upper section that extends above the hinge 40 to receive the shaft 5 of the present invention hanger 5. Details are shown in conjunction with the next three Figures 2 though 4.

[0026] Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate closed exploded side view, closed pin-mounted side view and closed pin-mounted end view, respectively, of the present invention hanger device 1 shown in Figure 1 above. Identical parts are identically numbered. Here, the details are shown as to the pin 41. It has a lower section 43 for inserting into a door hinge, an upper section 47 for receiving the present invention hanger brace shaft 5, and a flange 45 that acts as a stop to prevent the pin 41 from falling through a hinge or falling low enough to be ineffective for mounting of hanger 1. While pin 41 or other extension pin is preferred, a conventional pin could be used. A conventional pin would be removed from a door hinge, the shaft 5 positioned atop the hinge and the pin reinserted first through shaft 5 and then into the hinge shafts. Two disadvantages occur. First, the conventional pin would not necessarily extend though all shaft sections of its hinge, and, second, the hanger 1 would not be easily portable, as the pin would have to be removed each time the hanger 1 was to be removed. Thus, the present invention extension pin 41 overcomes both of these shortcomings by providing the added capless extension upper section for extremely easy mounting and moving of the hanger 1 onto and off the pin. [0027] Figure 5 illustrates a cut view of another preferred embodiment of the present • invention hanger device 100. It includes a brace member 101 with a hollow vertical shaft 103 for attachment to present invention extension pin 150. Brace member 101 is a shaped rod welded to its shaft 103. It has an optional double hook 105 extending from its bottom. Brace member 101 is connected to main support member 107, as shown. Main support member 107 is a hollow round tube with an inwardly turned flange (acting as a stop) at its end opposite brace member 101 and has a secondary support member (not shown) fitted inside it so as to be telescopically and slideably mounted therein. There is a

bumper 115 attached to the distal end of the closed secondary support member. Main support member 107 has curled hook 111, double hook 109 and washcloth bracket 113 extending downwardly therefrom. Present invention extension pin 150 has a lower section 151 for inserting into a door hinge, an upper section 155 for receiving the present invention hanger brace shaft 103, and a flange 153 that acts as a stop. [0028] Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a cut side view and an end view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention hanger device 200. The two Figures are now discussed together. Hanger 200 ^" has a rectangular cross section and it includes a brace member 203 with a hollow vertical shaft 205 for attachment to present invention

- extension pin 230. Note that brace member 203 has been integrally formed with main support member 201 and thus the two components in this embodiment are a single molded plastic component. Main support member 201 is a hollow square tube with an inwardly turned flange 209 at its distal end 207, acting as a stop for the secondary support member 211. Secondary support member 211 has an outwardly extending flange 213 force fitted into member 201 so as to be slideably mounted telescopically within main support member 201. Secondary support member 211 has a combination telescoping stop and clothes sliding stop protrusion 217, as shown. Hinge 240, with its set 250 of shaft sections 245, 247, 249, 251 and 253, receives the lower portion 235 of extension pin 230 with its flange 233 acting as a stop and with its upper portion 231 adapted to receive shaft 205.

[0029] Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described

herein. For example, non-skid coatings, sprays, strips or other materials may be added to the top areas of each support member to inhibit slippage. Further, some embodiments may include grooves, notches or ridges for coat hanger placement. These features could be built in or added on.