Method and apparatus for shipment of hanging goods

Abstract

The invention defines a movable and horizontally foldable hanger-rack and method of using the same for transporting garments and other goods capable of being suspended from a hanger, between a manufacturer and a retail store. A hanger-rack includes a base structure having wheels, two-opposing side supports extending upwards from the base structure, and an upper support between the sides supports for supporting garments on hangers. The hanger-rack also includes a plurality of strings hanging from the upper supports that facilitate placement of hangers. In a horizontally collapsed position, the hanger-rack is less than ⅕ of its fully-extended size. A cargo system is defined including the moveable hanger-rack and a freight container for receiving the same.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for transporting garments on hangers comprising: 
 a movable-hanger rack foldable between a fully extended position and a collapsed position, said movable hanger-rack comprising a horizontal base structure, at least two opposing side supports moveably connected thereto, and a garment hanging structure, wherein when the movable hanger-rack is in the fully extended position, the at least two opposing side supports are in a substantially vertical position and the garment hanging structure is disposed between the at least two opposing side supports in a location above the base structure, and wherein when the movable hanger-rack is in the collapsed position, the garment hanging structure is at least partially disconnected and the at least two opposing side supports are moved inward to a position substantially parallel to the base structure.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least two wheels disposed on said base structure to facilitate movement of the movable hanger-rack.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising slots disposed on said base structure to facilitate at least one of, (i) movement of the movable hanger-rack by a forklift, and (ii) securing the moveable hanger-rack.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when in the collapsed position, the movable hanger-rack is configured to be vertically stacked on and under additional similarly constructed movable hanger-racks in respective collapsed positions.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the garment hanging structure comprises a plurality of garment hanging strings connected to a at least one upper support.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising at least two wheels disposed on said base structure to facilitate rolloing of the movable hanger-rack.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein when in the collapsed position, the movable hanger-rack is configured to be vertically stacked on and under additional similarly constructed movable hanger-racks in respective collapsed positions.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an identification device displayed on a peripheral location of the moveable hanger-rack for providing information relating to at least one of, the type and number of garments transported in the movable hanger-rack, tracking of garments transported in the moveable hanger-rack, destination of the movable hanger rack, and identification of additional moveable hanger-racks associated with a customer order.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising an identification device displayed on a peripheral location of the moveable hanger-rack for identifying information relating to shipment of garments to be placed in the moveable hanger-rack.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one connecting member disposed on a peripheral location of the moveable hanger rack, the at least one connecting member configured to connect with similar connecting members of additional similarly constructed hanger-racks.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising at least one connecting member disposed on a peripheral location of the moveable hanger rack, the at least one connecting member configured to connect with similar connecting members of additional similarly constructed hanger-racks.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the moveable hanger-rack is configured to be less than or equal to ⅕ of its size in the collapsed position as compared to the size of the moveable-hanger-rack in the fully extended position.  
     
     
         13 . A method of transporting garments comprising: 
 hanging at least one garment on a moveable hanger-rack that is foldable between a fully extended position and a horizontally collapsed position, the placement of the at least one garment occurring while the moveable hanger-rack is in the fully extended position;    transporting the moveable hanger-rack to a receiving destination; and    releasing at least one of (i) the moveable hanger-rack or (ii) the at least one garment contained therein, to the receiving destination.    
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein transporting the moveable hanger-rack comprises: 
 loading the moveable hanger-rack into a freight container;  
 moving the freight container to the receiving destination; and  
 unloading the moveable hanger-rack from the freight container.  
 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein after releasing, the method further comprises, returning the moveable hanger-rack in the horizontally collapsed position.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein a plurality of the moveable hanger-racks containing garments are transported in the freight container to the receiving destination.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of moveable hanger-racks is unloaded at the receiving station, wherein unloading comprises identifying the at least one of the plurality of moveable hanger-racks from a identification device located on a periphery thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein loading the moveable hanger-rack into the freight container includes securing the moveable hanger rack in the freight container by at least one of, (a) placing wheels of the moveable hanger-rack in a locked position and (b) securely connecting the moveable hanger-rack to at least one of, (i) the freight container and (ii) a similarly constructed moveable hanger-rack located in an adjacent position.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising returning empty moveable hanger-racks in the horizontally collapsed position.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein a plurality of floor-ready garments are respectively hung in a plurality of the moveable hanger-racks each having respective wheels, and wherein loading of the plurality of moveable hanger-racks into the freight container comprises: 
 connecting the plurality of moveable hanger-racks via respective connecting members disposed thereon; and    moving the connected plurality of moveable hanger-racks into the freight container in a train-like manner.    
     
     
         21 . The apparatus for transporting garments on hangers according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a freight container configured to receive the moveable hanger-rack therein.  
 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus for transporting garments on hangers according to  claim 12  further comprising: 
 a freight container configured to receive the moveable hanger-rack therein.  
 
     
     
         23 . A cargo system for transporting goods on hangers comprising: 
 a plurality of foldable hanger-racks each having a fully extended position for transporting goods on hangers and a horizontally collapsed position for storage; and    a freight container configured to contain and transport the plurality of foldable hanger-racks.    
     
     
         24 . The cargo system according to  claim 23 , wherein each of the plurality of foldable hanger-racks are configured to be vertically stacked upon or beneath one another when in the horizontally collapsed position.  
     
     
         25 . The cargo system according to  claim 24 , wherein the freight container and foldable hanger-racks are configured and dimensioned to enable, (i) when foldable hanger-racks are in the fully extended position, eleven foldable hanger-racks to be contained within the freight container, and (ii) when foldable hanger-racks are in the horizontally collapsed position, fifty-five foldable hanger-racks to be contained within the freight container.  
     
     
         26 . The cargo system according to  claim 23 , further comprising a cover for each foldable hanger-rack to protect transported goods from damage and soiling.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein a corresponding cover is placed over each of the plurality of moveable hanger-racks before loading into the freight container.  
     
     
         28 . An apparatus for transporting goods on hangers between a manufacturer and a receiving destination, the apparatus comprising: 
 a moveable hanger-rack having a fully extended position for transportation of goods on hangers and a horizontally collapsed position for storage of the moveable hanger-rack.    
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 28  further comprising a plurality of wheels disposed on a bottom side of the moveable hanger-rack.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 29  wherein the moveable hanger-rack is configured such that when in the horizontally collapsed position, the moveable hanger-rack is vertically stackable on and beneath additional similarly constructed moveable hanger-racks.