Foldable garment hanger with locking features

Abstract

A foldable garment hanger is provided. The hanger has a first arm section and a second arm section pivotable with each other through a hinge, to allow the hanger to switch between a folded or transportation configuration and an unfolded or display configuration. A locking member is associated with the hanger arm sections and configured to lock the hanger in the unfolded configuration. The locking member can have a moveable member, which is moveable between a first operative position and a second operative position. The locking member can have a snap lock and a socket provided with the first arm section and the second arm section, respectively.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A foldable garment hanger comprising:
 a hook;   a hanger body connected to the hook, the hanger body comprising a first arm section and a second arm section;   a means for holding a garment on the hanger;   a hinge connecting the first arm section and the second arm section, the first arm section and the second arm section being pivotable with respect to each other through the hinge between a folded configuration of the hanger and an unfolded configuration of the hanger; and   a locking member associated with the hanger body and configured to lock the hanger in the unfolded configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the locking member comprises a moveable member capable of moving between a first operative position and a second operative position,
 wherein: at the first operative position, the moveable member permits pivotal movement between the first arm section and the second arm section through the hinge; and at the second operative position, the moveable member is capable of engaging both the first arm section and the second arm section to lock the first arm section with the second arm section.   
     
     
         3 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 2 , further comprising a discontinuity between the first arm section and the second arm section, the discontinuity being laterally opposite the hinge. 
     
     
         4 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 3 , wherein the first arm section defines a first channel and the second arm section defines a second channel, and the moveable member is capable of moving within the first channel and the second channel between the first operative position and the second operative position. 
     
     
         5 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 4 , wherein the moveable member comprises an elongated body and an expanded terminus at a longitudinal end of the elongated body, the moveable member further comprises a free end opposite to the longitudinal end. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 5 , wherein, when the moveable member moves to the first operative position, the free end of the moveable member is disposed within the discontinuity of the hanger, thereby permitting pivotal movement between the first arm section and the second arm section. 
     
     
         7 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 5 , wherein, when the moveable member moves to the second operative position, the free end of the locking member enters the first channel or the second channel, thereby locking the first arm section and the second arm section in the unfolded configuration of the hanger. 
     
     
         8 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 5 , further comprising a stopper configured to engage the expanded terminus, when the moveable member moves to the first operative position. 
     
     
         9 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 5 , further comprising a material band disposed in at least one of the first channel and the second channel, the material band being configured to engage the expanded terminus when the moveable member moves to the second operative position. 
     
     
         10 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 9 , wherein the expanded terminus comprises a substantially flat mating surface and the material band comprises a substantially flat complementary mating surface, the mating surface and complementary surface engaging reach other when the moveable member moves to the second operative position. 
     
     
         11 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 9 , further comprising a void provided in the hanger body, which void is laterally opposite the material band. 
     
     
         12 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 5 , wherein the expanded terminus comprises a first pushing surface and the free end comprises a second pushing surface. 
     
     
         13 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 12 , wherein the first pushing surface is curved or sloped, and the foldable garment hanger further comprises an indicator formed on the first pushing surface. 
     
     
         14 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of enhancing ribs associated with the hanger body, the plurality of enhancing ribs being configured to engage the moveable member when the hanger is twisted. 
     
     
         15 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the locking member comprises a snap lock associated with one of the first arm section and the second arm section and a socket associated with the other of the first arm section and the second arm section, wherein, when the first arm section and the second arm section are pivoted to the unfolded configuration, the snap lock and the socket engage each other to lock the first arm section and the second arm section in the unfolded configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 15 , wherein the snap lock comprises a locking surface and the socket comprises a retaining surface, the locking surface and the retaining surface operatively engaging each other in an anti-separation manner to lock the first arm section and the second arm section in the unfolded configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 1 , wherein a first means for holding the garment comprises a first clip connected to a longitudinal terminal end of the first arm section and a second means for holding the garment comprises a second clip connected to a longitudinal terminal end of the second arm section. 
     
     
         18 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 17 , wherein the hinge is offset with respect to the center of the length of the hanger body, such that, when the first arm section and the second arm section are pivoted to the folded configuration, the first clip and the second clip do not directly engage each other. 
     
     
         19 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 18 , wherein the first arm section comprises a recess configured to at least partially receive the second clip, such that the second arm section is nestable in the first arm section when the hanger is in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The foldable garment hanger of  claim 18 , wherein the second arm section comprises a recess configured to at least partially receive the first clip, such that the first arm section is nestable in the second arm section when the hanger is in the folded configuration.