Shoulder guard attachment for a hanger

Abstract

A shoulder guard attachment for use with a hanger having a hooked neck and upper support regions angling outwardly away therefrom. The shoulder guard attachment comprises a rigid base having an open J-shape when viewed from the side and being substantially arcuate in cross-section. The base has a narrower first end with a smaller radius of curvature and a wider second end having a larger radius of curvature. A locking clip extends inwardly from an inner surface of the base and is provided with a slot that interlocking receives the support region of the hanger therein. The base preferably is snap-fitted onto the hanger to provide a wider and more gently-curved profile to the support regions thereof so that different types of garments can be adequately supported thereon and puckers and dimples in the shoulder area of the garment will be substantially eliminated.

1 . A shoulder guard attachment for use with a hanger having a hooked neck and angled upper support regions extending outwardly away from the neck; said shoulder guard attachment comprising:
 a base that is substantially J-shaped in profile and substantially arcuate in cross-section; said base having an outer surface and an inner surface;   a first locking clip extending away from the inner surface of the base and being adapted to interlockingly engage one of the support regions of the hanger and to thereby secure the base thereto.   
   
   
       2 . The shoulder guard attachments as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the base is substantially rigid. 
   
   
       3 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the base has a first end and a second end and opposing side edges that extend between the first and second ends; and wherein the base is narrower at the first end than at the second end thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the base has a first radius of curvature and the second end of the base has a second radius of curvature; and the first radius of curvature is smaller than the second radius of curvature. 
   
   
       5 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the J-shaped base includes a first leg that is substantially straight and a second leg that extends from the first leg and is arcuate in shape; and wherein second leg has a larger radius of curvature than the first leg. 
   
   
       6 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 5 ; wherein the attachment further comprises a second locking clip that extends outwardly away from the inner surface of the base and is formed integrally therewith; and wherein the first locking clip and second locking clip are spaced a distance apart from each other. 
   
   
       7 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the first locking clip extends outwardly away from the inner surface of the first leg of the base and the second locking clip extends outwardly away from the inner surface of the second leg of the base. 
   
   
       8 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the second locking clip extends outwardly from the inner surface for a greater distance than does the first locking clip. 
   
   
       9 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first and second locking clips are disposed at an angle relative to each other; and the first locking clip is adapted to engage a portion of one of the angled support regions and the second locking clip is adapted to engage a portion of the hanger. 
   
   
       10 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the locking clip includes a terminal end having an inverted V-shape and a keyhole slot at an apex of the V-shape; and said keyhole slot is adapted to interlocking engage a portion of the hanger therein. 
   
   
       11 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the keyhole slot of the locking clip includes a first section of a wider first diameter and a second section of a narrower second diameter; and wherein the first section of the slot is adapted to engage a hanger having a support region that is of the first diameter; and the second section of the slot is adapted to engage a hanger having a support region that is of the second diameter. 
   
   
       12 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the base and first locking clip are manufactured from a rigid plastic. 
   
   
       13 . The shoulder guard attachment as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the base is textured so as to present a non-slip surface. 
   
   
       14 . In combination:
 a hanger shaped to include a hooked neck and having a pair of upper support regions extending outwardly away therefrom and at an angle relative to each other;   a first shoulder guard attachment being detachably engageable with the hanger; said first shoulder guard attachment comprising:
 a base that is substantially J-shaped in profile and substantially arcuate in cross-section; said base having an outer surface and an inner surface; 
 a first locking clip extending outwardly away from the inner surface of the base and being integrally formed therewith; said clip engaging one of the support regions of the hanger and thereby securing the base of the shoulder guard attachment thereto. 
   
   
   
       15 . The combination as defined in  claim 14 ; wherein the J-shaped base includes a first leg that is substantially straight when viewed from the side; and a second leg that is substantially arcuate when viewed from the side; and when the base is secured to the hanger by the first locking clip the first leg of the base is disposed proximate one of the support regions of the hanger; and the second leg of the base extends beyond an outermost end of the support region. 
   
   
       16 . The combination as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the shoulder guard attachment further comprises a second locking clip that extends outwardly away from the inner surface of the base; said second locking clip being disposed a spaced distance away from the first locking clip; and wherein the first locking clip is detachably securable to one of the support regions of the hanger and the second locking clip is detachably securable to a portion of the hanger. 
   
   
       17 . The combination as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising a second shoulder guard attachment that is substantially identical to the first shoulder guard attachment; whereby the second shoulder guard attachment is detachably secured to the other of the support regions and the portion of the hanger. 
   
   
       18 . The combination as defined in  claim 17  where each of the first and second shoulder guard attachments are manufactured from a rigid plastic and are textured so as to present a non-slip garment-engaging surface. 
   
   
       19 . A kit for adjusting the profile and width of a hanger of the type having a hooked neck and spaced apart upper support regions; said kit comprising:
 a pair of first shoulder guard attachments, each attachment comprising:
 a first base that is substantially J-shaped in profile and substantially arcuate in cross-section; said first base having a first outer surface and a first inner surface and being of a first size; 
 a plurality of spaced-apart first locking clips extending outwardly away from the first inner surface of the first base and being integrally formed therewith; 
   a pair of second shoulder guard attachments, each of said second shoulder guard attachments comprising:
 a second base that is substantially J-shaped in profile and substantially arcuate in cross-section; said second base having a second outer surface and a second inner surface and being of a second size; 
 a plurality of spaced-apart second locking clips extending outwardly away from the second inner surface of the second base and being integrally formed therewith; and wherein one of the first and second pairs of shoulder guard attachments is selectively engaged with the hanger by securing the associated one of the first and second locking clips to one of the support regions of the hanger, thereby selectively increasing the width and length of the upper support region thereof. 
   
   
   
       20 . A hanger comprising:
 a hooked neck;   a pair of upper support regions extending outwardly away from the neck and at an angle relative to each other;   a pair of shoulder guards; each shoulder guard being formed on one of the support regions and having an open J-shape; said shoulder guards including a first straight portion disposed on the associated support region and an arcuate second portion extending outwardly and downwardly from the straight portion and terminating in a terminal end; and wherein each shoulder guard has a first end proximate the neck of the hanger and the first end is of a narrow width and has a radius of curvature; and the terminal end of the shoulder guard is of a wider width and has a greater radius of curvature than the first end thereof.