Garment shoulder support member adjustable for shoulder width

Abstract

A lightweight and inexpensive shoulder support member for use with standard planar hangers is disclosed. The shoulder support member can support shoulders in a range of jacket sizes. The material and design of the shoulder support member allow it to be inexpensively and permanently marked with varying commercial advertisements. The shoulder support member is adapted to adjustably attach to an upper side and upper end portion of a planar garment hanger to support a shoulder of a particular garment. The shoulder support member comprises an elongate member which has an opening extending upwardly through a bottom side portion and lower end portions thereof. The elongate member can press on and over the upper side and upper end portions of the hanger so that outer end portions of the elongate member extend a selected and variable distance beyond the hanger to thereby better support the shoulder and weight of a particular garment. Most preferably the shoulder support member is made from plastic foam and has a foam filled interior portion through which the opening extends linearly.

I claim:  
     
         1 ) A shoulder support member adapted to adjustably attach to an upper side and upper end portion of a planar garment hanger, for supporting a shoulder of a particular garment, comprising: 
 an elongate member having a top side portion, a bottom side portion, an inner end portion, an outer end portion, and opposite side upright side portions; and,    having an opening extending upwardly through the bottom side portion and lower end portions of the elongate member;    so that the elongate member can press on and over the upper side and upper end portions of the hanger so that the outer end portions of the elongate member extend a selected and variable distance beyond the hanger to thereby better support the shoulder and weight of a particular garment.    
     
     
         2 ) A shoulder support member as in  claim 1  wherein the shoulder support member is made from a plastic foam and wherein the member has a foam filled interior portion  20  extending between the end portions and side portions thereof, and wherein said opening is an elongate linear opening extending through the plastic foam.  
     
     
         3 ) A shoulder support member as in  claim 2  wherein the top side portion of the elongate member is rounded to better and more evenly support the shoulder and weight of the garment.  
     
     
         4 ) A shoulder support member as in  claim 3  wherein the opposite upright side portions are generally vertical for appearance of the shoulder support member.  
     
     
         5 ) A shoulder support member as in  claim 4  further comprising an advertisement stamped on the upright sides.  
     
     
         6 ) A shoulder support member as in  claim 2  wherein the hanger is made from wire which is bent and wherein the opening has a width which is sufficiently narrower than the diameter of the wire so that the shoulder support member will hold firmly when pressed on and over the wire hanger.  
     
     
         7 ) A shoulder support member as in  claim 4  wherein the opening in the bottom side portion of the shoulder support member is sufficiently deep to cover a substantial portion of the end portion of the hanger.  
     
     
         8 ) A shoulder support member as in  claim 6  wherein the opening in the outer end portion of the shoulder support member is deeper than in the inner end portion thereof to better cover the entire bent end portion of the hanger wire thereby more firmly attaching the shoulder support member to the hanger.  
     
     
         9 ) A shoulder support member as in  claim 6  wherein the opening in the bottom side portion of the shoulder support member is sufficiently deep to cover the entire bent end portion of the hanger wire.