Pinch grip hangers

Abstract

A pinch grip hanger has a hook and a support bar suspended from said hook. A pinch grip is mounted on the support bar along its length, having two jaws, with the first jaw mounted on said support bar in a fixed location, and the second jaw pivotally mounted to the first jaw. The second jaw has a user engagement portion, and garment engaging portion extending downwardly from the support bar. The user engagement portion enables a user to open the pinch grip for insertion or release of a garment. A multi-stage spring with has a plurality of linear portions is mounted on the first and second jaws, biasing the garment engaging portion of said second jaw into engagement with said first jaw. The multi-stage spring has multiple stages of spring engagement, allowing a substantially constant spring bias throughout the range of motion of said pinch grip, and can engage both the first and second jaws. Alternately or additionally, a spring has a safety lock means to maintain spring engagement with the jaws. The safety lock means can include a hook member on at least one end of the spring. One or both of the jaws can include a retention rib for engaging the safety lock means and retaining the spring.

1 . An improved pinch grip hanger, said hanger comprising; 
 a hook and a support bar suspended from said hook,    at least one pinch grip mounted on said support bar along the length thereof, said pinch grip having first and second pinch jaws, with the first jaw mounted on said support bar in a fixed location, and the second jaw pivotally mounted with respect to said first jaw, said second jaw having a user engagement portion, and garment engaging portion extending downwardly from said support bar, said user engagement portion enabling a user to open the pinch grip for insertion or release of a garment in said pinch grip;    a multi-stage spring mounted on said first and second pinch grip jaws biasing the garment engaging portion of said second jaw into engagement with said first jaw, said multi-stage spring having a plurality of linear portions, said biasing thereby enabling said pinch grip to clamp and suspend a garment between said first and second pinch grip jaws.    
   
   
       2 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 1 , said multi-stage spring further comprising plural stages of spring engagement thereby maintaining a substantially constant spring bias throughout the range of motion of said pinch grip.  
   
   
       3 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said multi-stage spring engages both said first jaw and said second jaw.  
   
   
       4 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 1 , said multi-stage spring further comprising a safety lock means to maintain spring engagement with said jaws.  
   
   
       5 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 3 , wherein said safety lock means comprises a hook member on at least one end of the multi-link spring.  
   
   
       6 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 1 , said multi-stage spring further comprising a hook member on at least one end of the multi-stage spring to maintain spring engagement with said jaws.  
   
   
       7 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 6 , wherein said hook member defines an up to 180 degree return of the spring.  
   
   
       8 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising a retention rib on one of the first and second pinch grip jaws for engaging and retaining the multi-stage spring.  
   
   
       9 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 1 , one or both of said first and second jaws further comprising a recess therein, the recess engaging the multi-stage spring between an end of the multi-stage spring and a bight portion of the multi-stage spring when the second jaw is pivoted relative to the first, thereby effectively shortening the throw of the multi-stage spring.  
   
   
       10 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pinch grip is located at a first end of the support bar.  
   
   
       11 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said user engagement portion extends upwardly from a pivot axis of said second jaw.  
   
   
       12 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 11 , wherein said garment engaging portion extends downwardly from said pivot axis.  
   
   
       13 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 1 , said multi-stage spring further comprising a central arcuate bight portion joining at least two of said linear portions.  
   
   
       14 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 13 , wherein said multi-stage spring is substantially symmetric about a plane extending through the center of the bight portion.  
   
   
       15 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of linear portions further comprises at least six linear portions.  
   
   
       16 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 15 , wherein said at least two of said six linear portions are positioned at opposite sides of the multi-stage spring and are generally parallel with one another when the spring is at rest.  
   
   
       17 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 13 , wherein said multi-stage spring comprises A.S.S C1050 steel heat treated to a hardness of between about 42-49 Rc.  
   
   
       18 . An improved pinch grip hanger, said hanger comprising; 
 a hook and a support bar suspended from said hook,    at least one pinch grip mounted on said support bar along the length thereof, said pinch grip having first and second pinch jaws, with the first jaw mounted on said support bar in a fixed location, and the second jaw pivotally mounted with respect to said first jaw, said second jaw having a user engagement portion, and garment engaging portion extending downwardly from said support bar, said user engagement portion enabling a user to open the pinch grip for insertion or release of a garment in said pinch grip;    a spring mounted on said first and second pinch grip jaws biasing the garment engaging portion of said second jaw into engagement with said first jaw, said spring having a safety lock means to maintain spring engagement with said jaws, said biasing thereby enabling said pinch grip to clamp and suspend a garment between said first and second pinch grip jaws.    
   
   
       19 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 18 , wherein said safety lock means comprises a hook member on at least one end of the spring.  
   
   
       20 . The pinch grip hanger according to  claim 18 , further comprising a retention rib on one of the first and second pinch grip jaws for engaging the safety lock means and retaining the spring.  
   
   
       21 . A multi-stage spring for biasing the pinch grip jaws of a pinch grip hanger into engagement with one another thereby enabling the pinch grip to clamp and suspend a garment between the jaws, the multi-stage spring comprising: 
 an arched fulcrum    a plurality of linear portions joined either to each other or to the arched fulcrum; and    at least one safety lock means at an end of one linear portion.    
   
   
       22 . The multi-stage spring according to  claim 21 , wherein the at least one safety lock means comprises a pair of safety lock means, one each located on opposite ends of the multi-stage spring.  
   
   
       23 . The multi-stage spring according to  claim 21 , wherein the safety lock means comprises a hook return.  
   
   
       24 . The multi-stage spring according to  claim 21 , wherein the hook return comprises nearly 180 degrees of bend.  
   
   
       25 . The multi-stage spring according to  claim 21 , further comprising a heat-treated steel material.  
   
   
       26 . The multi-stage spring according to  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of linear portions comprises six linear portions, three on each side of the arched fulcrum.  
   
   
       27 . The multi-stage spring according to  claim 21 , wherein the arched fulcrum has a constant radius of curvature.