Clothes hanger

Abstract

The invention relates to a clothes hanger including a hanger body having a hook portion projecting upwardly therefrom, defining an insertion portion for insertion of a neck portion of a garment, and provided with a movable arm for openably closing an aperture of the insertion portion. The hanger further includes switching means for switching the movable arm between open and close positions. The switching means has a function to open the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body is inclined and to close the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body is returned to its initial horizontal position.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A clothes hanger comprising: 
 a hook portion projecting upwardly;    a fixed arm formed integrally with the hook portion and extended angularly downwardly from the hook portion toward one transverse side;    an insertion portion defined by the fixed arm in a manner to open toward the other transverse side for insertion of a neck portion of a garment;    a movable arm pivoted on the fixed arm for openably closing an aperture of the insertion portion and brought into a position to extend angularly downwardly from the hook portion toward the other transverse side when closing the insertion portion; and    switching means for switching the movable arm between a position to open the aperture of the insertion portion when the fixed arm is inclined and a position to close the aperture of the insertion portion when the fixed arm is returned to its initial horizontal position.    
     
     
         2 . A clothes hanger as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the switching means has a function to switch the movable arm to the open position when the fixed arm is inclined to direct the aperture of the insertion portion downwardly.  
     
     
         3 . A clothes hanger as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the switching means comprises a movable linking mechanism which switches the movable arm between the open and close positions utilizing change in relative positions between pivotal fulcrums caused by the gravity of a member operatively associated with change in the inclination degree of the fixed arm.  
     
     
         4 . A clothes hanger as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the movable linking mechanism comprises the fixed arm and the movable arm; a link arm transversely bridged between lower ends of the fixed arm and movable arm; a first fulcrum for transversely slidably and pivotally connecting one transverse end of the link arm with the lower end of the fixed arm; a second fulcrum for pivotally connecting the other transverse end of the link arm with the lower end of the movable arm; and a third fulcrum for pivotally connecting a central part of the movable arm with a lower end of the aperture of the insertion portion.  
     
     
         5 . A clothes hanger as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the third fulcrum is located transversely inwardly from a point of action of load applied to the movable arm by a shoulder portion of the garment.  
     
     
         6 . A clothes hanger as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the movable arm has an intersection portion at a distal end thereof, the intersection portion intersecting an upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm when the movable arm is placed in the close position.  
     
     
         7 . A clothes hanger as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the intersection portion of the movable arm comprises a fork portion brought from below into fitting relation with the upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm.  
     
     
         8 . A clothes hanger as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a transversely elongated slide slot for supporting the first fulcrum is formed at the lower end of the fixed arm, and 
 wherein the slide slot has play of a degree that the first fulcrum does not reach one end of the slide slot in the closed state where the fork portion fits with the upper end of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm.    
     
     
         9 . A clothes hanger as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein a transversely elongated slide slot for supporting the first fulcrum is formed at the lower end of the fixed arm, and 
 wherein the slide slot has play of a degree that the first fulcrum does not reach the other end of the slide slot in the open state where the movable arm overlaps with a lower side of the aperture of the insertion portion of the fixed arm.    
     
     
         10 . A clothes hanger comprising a hanger body having a hook portion projecting upwardly therefrom, defining an insertion portion for insertion of a neck portion of a garment, and provided with a movable arm for openably closing an aperture of the insertion portion, the clothes hanger further including switching means for switching the movable arm between a position to open the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body is inclined and a position to close the aperture of the insertion portion when the hanger body is returned to its initial horizontal position.