US20150238035A1

US20150238035A1 - Garment Clip

Info

Publication number: US20150238035A1
Application number: US14/604,817
Authority: US
Inventors: Monique Montgomery
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-02-26
Filing date: 2015-01-26
Publication date: 2015-08-27

Abstract

Provided is a garment clip for coupling to a garment hanger having a pair of pivotally connected opposing clip members and a curved loop with an aperture in which the garment hanger hook can be inserted. The curved loop provides a heart like shape having a pointed end. The hook of the hanger can rest within the aperture of the curved loop forming a space between the garment clip and the garment hanger, thus allowing a first garment to be applied to the garment hanger and a second garment to be applied to the garment clip. The garment clip may be preferably used to hang floor length garments, wherein the user can clamp top and bottom portions of the garment to maintain it in a neat, suspended and folded manner.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/944,860 filed on Feb. 26, 2014, entitled “A Hanger's Helper.” The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to garment clips that can be coupled to garment hangers and/or can be utilized to secure various garments such as pants, dresses and skirts in a suspended manner to maintain them in a neat, folded and orderly fashion.
Many individuals employ the use of various accessories, some of which can be used in conjunction with a traditional garment hanger or a clothesline. Conventional methods of hanging garments involve the use of a hanger attachment that can be placed over the hook of a hanger. The hanger attachment provides gripping members for securing the waistband of pants, shorts, skirts and the like. The gripping members often include metal clamps or grooves that can produce indentations and/or depressions in the garments held therein, however. Moreover, these indentations can be difficult to eliminate and can result in permanent damage to the garment.
Traditional garment clips do not provide a coupling mechanism to be utilized with a garment hanger and are intended to hang clothes from a clothesline, whereby two or more clips are often required in order to suspend the garment attached thereto. These clips are small, weak and unstable. Thus, these clips are unable to secure a long garment, such as pants, in a folded and suspended position. As such, a device that enables individuals to hang floor length garments in a convenient manner without damaging the same is desired.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a new and improved garment clip incorporating a first clip member that is pivotally connected to a second clip member via a hinge having a spring to bias the garment clip in a closed configuration. Each of the first clip member and the second clip member comprises clamp portions that include a large surface area to secure long and heavy garments therebetween for the suspension thereof. The first clip member of the garment clip provides a curved loop adapted to be coupled to the hook of a garment hanger, wherein the curved loop projects outward and enables a long garment to be suspended in a downward straight and folded manner. Moreover, the clamp portions provide a substantially planar surface so as not to cause indentation, grooves or wrinkles in the garments to which it is attached.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to garment clips. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to garment clips for securing garments therein or that can be coupled to a garment hanger. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
Specifically, U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2007/0068979 to Wu relates to a garment hanger that includes a suspension clamp, wherein the device is attached to a standard garment hanger in order to enable the user to hang garments therefrom. The device includes a clamp and a ring, wherein the ring can be placed over a hanger hook for securement thereto and the clamp can be used to suspend garments. This device, however, does not utilize a loop having an angled bend in order to more readily fit over a garment hanger hook and rest thereon, thus creating a space between the garment that is on the garment hanger, and the garment that is suspended by the garment clip.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2013/0313292 to Alley provides a garment hanger that includes a hanger attachment means that comprises a loop, wherein the loop further provides straps extending therefrom. The straps comprise a garment attachments means. The garment attachment means may be a fastener, wherein the fastener is used to removably attach a garment thereto. Still, the above described device is not conducive to hanging more than one garment on a garment hanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,474,753 to Morton describes a clothespin for hanging garments on a clothes line for drying. The device comprises a spring-biased gripping members that can open and close in order to secure garments therebetween. This device however, does not provide a curved loop that enables the device to be hung onto the hook of a garment hanger for hanging multiple garments such as pants and a jacket thereon.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2012/0080459 to Dy discloses a clothes hanger having a hook, a hanger body, and hanger arms on which the user can hang hats, scarves, and other clothing accessories. The device further includes a clip tag and a clip, wherein the user can mount items such as a hat, thereto. Still, this device does not provide a clip having clamp portions that can be utilized to support a long and/or heavy garment therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,061,569 to Sugita discloses a clip for clamping an object having a pair of clip members that are pivotally connected to one another wherein the clip includes slip prevention sections to cause friction force to hinder the release of objects therefrom. This device however, does not include a curved loop to be placed over the hook of a garment hanger and fails to provide widened clamping portions conducive for securing garments such as pants and skirts therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,615 to Lam provides a garment hanger having a garment hanger hook and a small secondary hook that is integral therewith. The device provides extension arms and movable arms that are coupled to an adjustment mechanism. The purpose and design of the device of Lam, however, differ from the present invention in that the device of Lam purports to increase the ease of putting a garment on the garment hanger. In contrast, the present invention provides a garment clip that allows the users to hang long garments such as pants, dresses, and the like.
These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. The above discussed garment clips and accessories do not provide for a garment clip having a curved loop that can be coupled to a garment hanger. The curved loop of the present invention is advantageous in that it forms a slight space between the garment hanger and the garment clip for particularly securing long garments in a folded and neat position and in a suspended manner. It is therefore submitted that the present invention is substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing garment clip devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of garment clips now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new garment clip wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when supporting multiple garments neatly on a garment hanger. The device provides a heartlike shaped loop having an angled bend in order to create space between a garment hanger and the garment clip, thus enabling a first garment to be applied to the garment hanger and a second garment to be applied to the garment clip, wherein the second garment is preferably a floor length garment held within the garment clip in a neat and folded manner.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved garment clip device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a garment clip having a pair of pivotally connected clip members that can move between a closed configuration and an open configuration.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a garment clip having a curved loop that can be placed over the hook of a garment hanger to rest thereon and more readily conform to the structure of a garment hanger.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a garment clip that includes a pair of clamp portions having the dimensions adapted for and conducive to securing and/or gripping long and/or heavy pants, skirts, dresses, and other floor length garments.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a garment clip that includes a pair of clip members having a substantially planar configuration in order to prevent indentations and grooves from forming in the garments held therein.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the garment clip having a curved loop, wherein the clamp portions, curved loop and spring, a gripping segments are shown.

FIG. 2 shows a side planar view of an embodiment of the garment clip having a curved loop, clamp members, and gripping segments.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of an embodiment of the garment clip having a curved loop with clamp members.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the garment clip having a curved loop, a pair of clip members and gripping segments.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of the garment clip having a curved loop, a pair of clip members and gripping segments.

FIG. 6 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of the garment clip having a curved loop, a pair of clip members and gripping segments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the garment clip. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for being coupled with a garment hanger for storing long garments such as dresses, skirts and pants to prevent them from contacting the floor to save space for the user and to prevent accumulation of dust and other debris. The figures are intended for representative purposes only should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the garment clip 11 having a pair of clip members comprising a first clip member 14, and a second clip member 15. The first and second clip members 14, 15 are pivotally secured to one another by a hinge 16 having a spring 17 for biasing the garment clip 11 in a closed configuration. Each of the first clip member 14 and the second clip 15 member comprises an inner side, an outer side, a top end 13, and a bottom end having a clamp portion. The first clip member 14 further comprises a curved loop 20 at the top end 13 thereof, wherein the curved loop 20 provides an aperture adapted to receive the hook of a garment hanger therein. The curved loop 20 provides a pointed structure being a V-shape forming into the top end 13 of the first clip member 14. The curved loop 20 is preferably heart-shaped so as to form a notch in which the hook of a garment hanger can rest, helping to maintain the garment clip 11 in a stationary position on the garment hanger. However, in alternate embodiments of the present invention, the curved loop 20 can be circular, oval, square, triangular and/or any other suitable shape, wherein the aperture can be circular, oval, square, triangular and/or any other suitable shape.
The bottom end of the first clip member 14 provides a clamp portion, wherein the middle of the first clip member 14 is tapered therebetween the curved loop 20 and the clamp portion, connecting the curved loop 20 to the clamp portion and thus forming one unitary body. The clamp portion of the first clip member 14 provides a wide structure comprising a triangular like shape having three pointed ends at the bottom of the first clip member. Gripping segments 12 are horizontally disposed on the inner side of the first clip member 14 and the second clip member 15 on the clamp portion thereof and comprise an elongated structure. The gripping segments 12 provide a pair of gripping segments in a preferred embodiment, wherein the gripping segments 12 are arranged in a parallel relationship to one another. However, the gripping segments 12 can be at least one gripping segment or a plurality of gripping segments 12 in an alternative embodiment. The gripping segments 12 help to securely hold a garment between the first and second clip members 14, 15.
FIG. 2 shows a side view of an embodiment of the garment clip 11 having a curved loop 20, clamp members, and gripping segments 12. The first clip member 14 and the second clip member 15 oppose one another such that the inner sides of each of the clip members 14, 15 are facing each other. The first clip member 14 and the second clip member 15 and are pivotally connected to one another via a hinge 16 having a spring 17. The spring 17 is held within protruding members of the hinge 16 disposed on inner sides of each of the first clip member 14 and the second clip member 15. Each of the first clip member 14 and the second clip member 15 comprise a pair of protruding members, wherein each of the protruding members is substantially semi-circular in shape and are separated by a space. Each of the protruding members comprise an aperture therein, wherein the aperture is a circular shape and the spring 17 extends therethrough and outward therefrom.
The apertures on the protruding members are aligned so that the terminal ends of the spring 17 can be inserted therethrough, securing the spring 17 in the space between the protruding members. The user can manually place one's fingers onto the top of the first clip member 14 and the top of the second clip member 15 above the protruding members thereof, applying force thereto in order to draw the clamp portions thereof, away from one another and thus causing the opening of the clamp portions and allowing one to place a garment such as a dress, pants and/or a skirt therebetween the clamp portions for suspended securement thereof.
FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of an embodiment of the garment clip 11 having a curved loop 20 with clamp members. The second clip member 15 provides a top end 21 and a bottom end, wherein the top end 21 comprises an inverted isosceles trapezoid shape that extends into the clamp portion of the second clip member 15. The second clip member 15 provides a wide structure comprising a triangular like shape having three pointed ends that is adapted to correspond in shape, size and dimension to the first clip member 14, wherein the first clip member 14 also comprises a triangular like shape having three pointed ends. The user can apply manual pressure onto the top end 21 in order to open the clamp portion of the second clip member 15 for applying a garment therebetween. The user can place the curved loop 16 of the first clip member 14 of the garment clip 11 over the hook of a garment hanger having three arms being a first arm that is horizontally oriented and two side arms forming a triangular shape, a back side and a front side, wherein the garment hanger hook is inserted through the aperture of the curved loop 20.
The curved loop 20 can hook over the first arm of the garment hanger, wherein the curved loop 20 can rest over top of and against the first arm of the garment hanger, wherein the top end 13 of the first clip member 14 is positioned behind the garment hanger and rests behind the back side of the hanger hook. When the garment clip 11 is coupled with a garment hanger, the bend of the curved loop 20 enables the garment clip 11 to form a slight space between the garment clip 11 and the garment hanger, thus allowing a garment to be hung to the garment hanger and a second garment to be attached to the garment clip 11. The described space that is formed further prevents the contacting of the first and second garment and prevents lint and dust from forming or being transferred to one another.
In operation, the user can clamp the top of a garment, such as the waist line of a pair of pants between the clamp portions of the garment clip 11, to which the user can then grasp the cuff or bottom edge of the pants and fold them upward and place the cuff or bottom edge thereof between the clamp portions of the garment clip 11, thus securing the top and bottom of the pants within the garment clip 11 in a neat, straight, folded and hanging manner.
FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the garment clip 11 a having a curved loop 20 a, a first clip member 14 a opposing at least one second clip member, wherein the at least one second clip member is a pair of second clip members arranged adjacent to one another and having gripping segments 12 a. The garment clip 11 a comprises a curved loop 20 a with an integral bend, wherein the first clip member 14 a and the pair of second clip members 14 a, 15 a are pivotally connected to one another via a pair of hinges 16 a having a pair of springs 17 a. The curved loop 20 a at the top thereof provides a centralized aperture having a heart-like shape. The clamp portion of the first clip member 14 a in the alternative embodiment of the garment clip provides a bell shaped structure that forms into the curved loop at the top thereof, wherein the first clip member 14 a provides a tapered middle. Each of the first clip member 14 a and the second clip 15 a member comprises an inner side, an outer side, a top end, and a bottom end having a clamp portion. The curved loop 20 a of the first clip member 14 a provides an aperture adapted to receive the hook of a garment hanger therein and provides a pointed structure being a V-shape forming into the top end 13 a of the first clip member 14 a.
The user can manually grasp the top of the first clip member 14 a and the top of one of the pair of second clip members 15 a using the thumb and forefinger and drawing the top of one of the pair of second clip members 15 a toward the top of the first clip member to a point of contact with one another, thus drawing the clamp portion of the second clip member 15 a away from the clamp portion of the first clip member. The first clip member remains in a stationary position, wherein each of the pair of clip members moves independently of one another and each of the pair of clip members are independently pivotally attached to the first clip member via a pair of hinges having a pair of springs. Each of the pair of hinges and the pair of springs correspond with each of the pair of second clip members, respectively. In this way, the user can move each of the pair of second clip members of the garment clip 11 a into an open configuration in relation to the first clip member.
FIG. 5 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of the garment clip 11 a having a curved loop 20 a, a first clip member 14 a, a pair of second clip members 15 a and gripping segments 12 a. From a side perspective, the curved loop 20 a appears to be U-shaped. A first garment can be applied to the garment hanger in a traditional or usual manner, wherein the hook of a garment hanger is placed through the aperture of the curved loop 20 a and hangs therefrom. The integral bend of the curved loop 20 a enables the garment clip 11 a to project downward in a linear manner such that it is flush with the garment hanger. There is a pair of hinges, wherein each hinge belongs to each of the pair of second clip members. From a side perspective, only one of the pair of hinges can be seen though there is a second hinge having a second hinge, wherein the pair of hinges are adjacent to one another and are adapted to correspond with each of the pair of second clip members.
FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the garment clip 11 a having a curved loop, a first clip member 14 a and a pair of second clip members 15 a, 25 a and gripping segments. The garment clip 11 a comprises a curved loop with an integral bend. The bend of the curved loop comprises a U-shaped structure such that it allows the hanger hook to remain firmly in place over the garment hanger and will not slide or become displaced and/or dislodged therefrom. Once the curved loop and thus the garment clip 11 a is applied to a garment hanger, the user can hang a first garment to the garment hanger such as a jacket in a traditional manner and can then hang a pair of pants, a skirt, dress or another other long garment to the garment clip 11 a by placing the top and bottom of the garment in a folded manner in between the clamp portion of the first clip member 14 a and the clamp portion of the second clip member 15 a when the garment clip 11 a is placed in an open configuration as described above.
Once the user releases the pressure from the top of first clip member 14 a and the top of the second clip member 15 a, the spring forces the clamp portions of the first clip member 14 a and the second clip member 15 a to be drawn away from one another, wherein the clamp portion of the first clip member 15 a and the clamp portion of the second clip member 15 a are drawn to one another and to a position of contact with one another when a garment is not applied therebetween. When a garment is applied therebetween, the clamp portion of the first clip member 14 a and the clamp portion 15 a of the second clip member 15 a are in a position of contact with the garment therebetween and thus grips and holds it securely in place in a suspended orientation and thus away from the floor or ground. Further, the garment applied therebetween is suspended in a straight and neat fashion via the curved loop 20 a of the garment clip and as such does not stick outward in a slanted manner, but rather lies parallel with the first garment applied to the garment hanger.
It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A garment clip comprising:

a first clip member pivotally attached to at least one second clip member;

wherein said first clip member and said at least one second clip member are adapted to pivot between an open configuration and a closed configuration;

each of said first clip member and said at least one second clip member comprising a top end and a bottom end;

each of said bottom end of said first clip member and said bottom end of said at least one second clip member having a clamp portion;

said top end of said first clip member having a curved loop with a centrally located opening;

said opening adapted to receive a hook portion of a garment hanger therethrough.

2. The garment clip of claim 1, wherein said opening of said curved loop comprises a substantially heart-like shape.

3. The garment clip of claim 1, wherein each of said clamp portion of said first clip member and said clamp portion of said at least one second clip member comprises a substantially triangular shape.

4. The garment clip of claim 1, wherein each of said clamp portion of said first clip member and said clamp portion of said at least one second clip member comprises a substantially bell shape.

5. The garment clip of claim 1, wherein said curved loop is tilted at an angle relative to said first clip member.

6. The garment clip of claim 1, wherein said clamp portion of said first clip member directly contacts said clamp portion of said at least one second clip member in said closed configuration, wherein said top end of said at least one second clip member directly contacts said first clip member when in said open configuration.

7. The garment clip of claim 1, wherein said first clip member is pivotally attached to said at least one second clip member at a central portion thereof.

8. The garment clip of claim 1, wherein said first clip member is pivotally attached to said at least one second clip member by means of at least one spring-biased hinge adapted to maintain the clip in a closed configuration.

9. The garment clip of claim 8, said at least one second clip member being a pair of second clip members arranged adjacent to one another, said pair of second clip members being independent of one another and being independently pivotally attached to said at least one spring-biased hinge, wherein said at least one spring-biased hinge is a pair of spring biased hinges.

10. The garment clip of claim 1, wherein said clamp portion of said first clip member and of said second clip member comprises ridges thereon for grasping a garment.