Garment hanger attachment

Abstract

A garment hanger attachment having a flexible tube element, a deflectable beam element and a resilient core element for attaching to a variety of garment hangers and effectively lengthening and widening the support area of a garment hanger so as to both inhibit crease and pucker formation in a hanged garment and enable the hanger to support larger and heavier garments than it otherwise could.

1 . An attachment for a garment hanger, the attachment comprising:
 a flexible tube having a longitudinal slit opening; and   a resilient core disposed within the flexible tube, wherein the resilient core has a slit opening which is aligned with the flexible tube slit opening.   
     
     
         2 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible tube is defined by a hanger engagement segment that is attachable to a hanger arm and an extension segment that extends from the hanger arm, and wherein the flexible tube slit resides in only the hanger engagement segment. 
     
     
         3 . The attachment of  claim 2 , wherein said hanger engagement segment is straight and said extension segment is arcuate. 
     
     
         4 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said resilient core is tubular. 
     
     
         5 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible tube is made of a plastic material. 
     
     
         6 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said resilient core is made of a foam material. 
     
     
         7 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said resilient core is adhesively bonded to said tube. 
     
     
         8 . An attachment for a garment hanger, the attachment comprising:
 a flexible tube having a longitudinal slit opening; and   a deflectable beam disposed within the flexible tube, wherein the beam bends less easily than does the flexible tube.   
     
     
         9 . The attachment of  claim 8 , wherein said flexible tube is defined by a hanger engagement segment that is attachable to a hanger arm and an extension segment that extends from the hanger arm, and wherein said deflectable beam extends into both segments. 
     
     
         10 . The attachment of  claim 8 , wherein said flexible tube is made of a plastic material. 
     
     
         11 . The attachment of  claim 8 , wherein said deflectable beam is made of a metal. 
     
     
         12 . The attachment of  claim 8 , further comprising a resilient core disposed within the flexible tube, wherein the resilient core has a slit opening which is aligned with the flexible tube slit opening. 
     
     
         13 . The attachment of  claim 12 , wherein said beam is positioned within a recess formed in said resilient core. 
     
     
         14 . The attachment of  claim 12 , wherein said resilient core is tubular. 
     
     
         15 . The attachment of  claim 12 , wherein said resilient core is made of a foam material. 
     
     
         16 . The attachment of  claim 12 , wherein said resilient core is adhesively bonded to said tube.