Flexible garment hanger

A flexible, plastic-like garment hanger comprising:

• (a) two arm members each having two ends,
• (b) means for flexibly connecting one end of the first arm to an end of the second arm such that the unaffixed ends of the arms can be forced toward one another to collapse said hanger or can be extended into a deployed position,
• (c) an overcenter stop means to lock said arms in the deployed position,
• (d) an aperture through said flexible connecting means (b), and
• (e) a hook member having a curved segment and a straight segment, said straight extending through said aperture (d), said straight portion additionally having a retainer to prevent removal of the hook from said aperture and said hook member positioned such that the curved segment projects above the hanger to permit the curved section to engage a suitable hanger support.

A flexible garment hanger including a body having two sides, a hanger arm projecting from either side of said body such that both hanger arms and the body are substantially within a single plane and a hook member connected to said body further compromising:

• (a) means for flexibly connecting one end of each hanger arm to its corresponding body side such that both hanger arms can be extended into a deployed position or deflected downwardly into a collapsed position;
• (b) an overcenter lock means to maintain the hanger arms in the deployed position such that the weight of the garment on the arms of said hanger will not collapse said hanger arms, said overcenter lock means including,
• (i) a locking bar extending between and connecting the two hanger arms, having integral deformable hinge portions at each end thereof which connect the locking bar to each hanger arm, said locking bar disposed below the body of the flexible garment hanger,
• (ii) a stop member projecting upwardly from the median of the locking bar toward the body, and
• (c) an integral deformable hinge portion of the locking bar disposed adjacent to and on either side of said stop member such that as the stop member is urged toward the body, the locking bar becomes overcentered and the stop member abuts the body, and when the stop member is displaced downwardly away from the body beyond an overcenter position of the locking bar, the hanger arms are deflected downwardly and inwardly into a collapsed position.