Garment Hanger

Abstract

A garment hanger ( 10 ) has a body ( 100 ) for hanging an article of clothing, the body ( 100 ) including a central body portion ( 110 ) having an upper side and a lower side, a hook ( 200 ) with a base ( 210 ) connected to the central body portion ( 110 ), and a connection (C) adapted to connect the hook ( 200 ) by the base ( 210 ) to the central body portion ( 110 ) for pivotal movement between an upper position in which the hook ( 200 ) is on the upper side of the central body portion ( 110 ) and a lower position in which the hook ( 200 ) is on the lower side of the central body portion ( 110 ). The hook ( 200 ) in the lower position is located clear of the upper side of the central body portion ( 110 ) and within at least part of the thickness of the central body portion ( 110 ).

1 . A garment hanger comprising:
 a body for hanging an article of clothing, the body including a central body portion having an upper side and a lower side;   a hook with a base connected to the central body portion; and   a connection adapted to connect the hook by the base to the central body portion for pivotal movement between an upper position in which the hook is on the upper side of the central body portion and a lower position in which the hook is on the lower side of the central body portion;   wherein the hook in the lower position is located within at least part of the thickness of the central body portion.   
     
     
         2 . The garment hanger as in  claim 1 , wherein the hook in the lower position is located clear of the upper side of the central body portion. 
     
     
         3 . The garment hanger as in  claim 2 , wherein the central body portion has an upper edge delineating the upper side, and the hook in the lower position is located below the upper edge. 
     
     
         4 . The garment hanger as in  claim 1 , wherein the hook in the lower position is located within the thickness of the central body portion. 
     
     
         5 . The garment hanger as in  claim 4 , wherein the hook in the upper position is located within the thickness of the central body portion. 
     
     
         6 . The garment hanger as in  claim 1 , wherein the connection is provided by at least one first connecting part of the base in pivotal connection with at least one second connecting part of the central body portion, and the connection includes resilient means adopted to hold the hook in at least one of the upper position and the lower position, the resilient means acting between the first connecting part and the second connecting part. 
     
     
         7 . The garment hanger as in  claim 6 , wherein the resilient means comprises complementary formations provided on and acting between the first connecting part and the second connecting part. 
     
     
         8 . The garment hanger as in  claim 7 , wherein the complementary formations are arranged in an 180° symmetrical manner such that it is operable to hold the hook in the upper position or the lower position whichever position the hook is moved to. 
     
     
         9 . The garment hanger as in  claim 6 , wherein the connection is provided by two said first connecting parts of the base in pivotal connection with two said second connecting parts of the central body portion respectively, the two first connecting parts being resiliently movable relative to the base to provide the resilient means. 
     
     
         10 . The garment hanger as in  claim 9 , wherein the two first connecting parts are resiliently movable relative to the base by virtue of resiliency of the base. 
     
     
         11 . The garment hanger as in  claim 6 , wherein the connection includes a snap fitting action by which the base is first connected to the central body portion, the snap fitting action being operable based on the resilient means. 
     
     
         12 . The garment hanger as in  claim 1 , wherein the connection includes a snap fitting action by which the base is first connected to the central body portion, the snap fitting action being operable with the hook in an intermediate position between the upper position and the lower position. 
     
     
         13 . The garment hanger as in  claim 1 , wherein the central body portion has an abutment arranged to be abutted by the base from below when the hook is in the upper position, thereby reinforcing connection of the hook to the central body portion. 
     
     
         14 . The garment hanger as in  claim 13 , wherein the central body portion has an upper flange that provides the abutment. 
     
     
         15 . The garment hanger as in  claim 1 , wherein the central body portion has a first lateral side including a recess, into which the hook is pivotable to the lower position, thereby occupying at least part of the thickness of the central body portion. 
     
     
         16 . The garment hanger as in  claim 15 , wherein the base is located wholly in the recess when the hook is in the lower position. 
     
     
         17 . The garment hanger as in  claim 15 , wherein the base extends through an upper side opening out of the recess when the hook is in the upper position. 
     
     
         18 . The garment hanger as in  claim 15 , wherein the connection is provided in the recess. 
     
     
         19 . The garment hanger as in  claim 1 , wherein the base has an upper end connected with the hook and a pair of spaced-apart lower ends connected to the central body portion. 
     
     
         20 . The garment hanger as in  claim 1 , wherein the base is molded from plastics material onto a lower end of the hook.