Garment support apparatus for a luggage handle

Abstract

A garment support apparatus for luggage having an extendable handle supported by at least one shaft. The garment support apparatus can include a pair of garment support aims coupled to the shaft and pivotable between an extended position and a retracted position, a resilient member coupled to each garment support arm and adapted to extend the garment support arm and to maintain the garment support arm in the extended position, and a locking member engageable with each garment support arm so as to maintain the garment support arm in the retracted position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A garment support apparatus for luggage having an extendable handle supported by at least one shaft, comprising:
 a pair of garment support arms coupled to the at least one shaft and pivotable between an extended position and a retracted position;   a resilient member coupled to each garment support arm and adapted to extend the garment support arm and to maintain the garment support arm in the extended position; and   at least one locking member engageable with each garment support arm so as to maintain the garment support arm in the retracted position.   
     
     
         2 . The garment support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, when the garment support arms are in a retracted position, the garment support arms are oriented substantially parallel to the shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The garment support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, when the garment support arms are in a retracted position, the garment support arms are received within a slot defined in the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The garment support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the locking member is receivable within a recess defined in each garment support arm. 
     
     
         5 . The garment support apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a user-operable button operatively engaged with the locking member so as to withdraw the locking member from the recess. 
     
     
         6 . The garment support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each garment support arm is pivotally coupled to the shaft by a hinge pin. 
     
     
         7 . The garment support apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a stopping member for limiting the angle of each garment support arm relative to the shaft, when the garment support arm is in the extended position. 
     
     
         8 . The garment support apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the stopping member is adjustable. 
     
     
         9 . A garment support apparatus for luggage having an extendable handle supported by at least one shaft, comprising:
 garment supporting means coupled to the at least one shaft, the garment supporting means being pivotable between a retracted position and an extended position;   spring means for moving the garment supporting means to the extended position and maintaining the garment supporting means in the extended position; and   locking means for engaging the garment supporting means so as to maintain the garment supporting means in the retracted position.   
     
     
         10 . The garment support apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising actuating means for disengaging the locking means from the garment supporting means. 
     
     
         11 . A method of deploying a garment support hanger from a luggage handle, comprising:
 providing a luggage handle having at least one support shaft, a pair of garment support arms coupled to the at least one shaft and pivotable between an extended position and a retracted position, a resilient member coupled to each garment support arm and adapted to extend the garment support arm and to maintain the garment support arm in the extended position, and a locking member engageable with each garment support arm so as to maintain the garment support arm in the retracted position.   moving the pair of garment support arms from the retracted position to the extended position; and   placing a garment over the pair of garment support arms.