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US 8,534,626 B1Granted
Dual-configuration hanger
AssigneeBRICA, Inc.
InventorLawrence O. Freese
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dual-configuration hanger for hanging an article from either the handle of a carrier device such as a shopping cart or a stroller, or from a horizontal table surface such as a public diaper-changing table, and a method of using the hanger. A pivot-and-locking assembly joins the proximate ends pair of hook-like curved arms each also having a distal end. The arms pivot between a locked-closed configuration in which the distal ends are in contact with or in close proximity to each other so that the arms define essentially a closed loop; and an open configuration in which the distal ends are spaced from each other to define an opening in between the distal ends, and the curved arms define a pair of opposed hooks.
Claims15
A method for hanging an article having a handle from either the handle of a carrier device or from a horizontal table surface, said method comprising:
- providing a dual-configuration hanger including
- a pair of hook-like curved arms each having a proximate end and a distal end, and
- a pivot-and-locking assembly joining the proximate ends and allowing the arms to pivot between a closed configuration in which the distal ends are in contact with or in close proximity to each other so that the arms define essentially a closed loop, and an open configuration in which the distal ends are spaced from and facing each other to define an opening in between the distal ends and the curved arms define a pair of opposed hooks with facing ends, the said pivot-and-locking assembly having a housing including two halves which rotate with reference to each other, the proximate ends of the arms being fixedly attached to the respective ones of the housing halves;
- the pivot-and-locking assembly including a locking mechanism for releasably locking the arms in the closed configuration, the locking mechanism releasably locking the housing halves to each other against rotation in the closed configuration;
- in order to hang the article from the horizontal table surface, releasing the locking mechanism and moving the arms to the open configuration, positioning the distal end of one of the arms on the horizontal table surface so that the other arm hangs below the table surface, and positioning the article handle on the hook defined by the other arm;
- and
- in order to hang the article from the carrier device handle, encircling the carrier device handle and the article handle within the curved arms by relatively moving the carrier device handle and the article handle through the opening between the distal ends of the arms, and then moving the arms to the closed configuration and allowing the locking mechanism to lock the arms in the closed configuration.
4 more elements
A dual-configuration hanger comprising:
- a pair of hook-like curved arms each having a proximate end and a distal end;
- and
- a pivot-and-locking assembly joining said proximate ends and allowing said arms to pivot between a closed configuration in which said distal ends are in contact with or in close proximity to each other so that said arms define essentially a closed loop, and an open configuration in which said distal ends are spaced from and facing each other to define an opening in between said distal ends and said curved arms define a pair of opposed hooks with facing ends;
- said pivot-and-locking assembly including a locking mechanism for releasably locking said arms in the closed configuration;
- said pivot-and-locking assembly having a housing including two halves which rotate with reference to each other, said proximate ends of said arms being fixedly attached to respective ones of said housing halves;
- and wherein
- said locking mechanism releasably locking said housing halves to each other against rotation in the closed configuration.
4 more elements
A dual-configuration hanger comprising:
- a pair of hook-like curved arms each having a proximate end and a distal end;
- and
- a pivot-and-locking assembly joining said proximate ends and allowing said arms to pivot between a closed configuration in which said distal ends are in contact with or in close proximity to each other so that said arms define essentially a closed loop, and an open configuration in which said distal ends are spaced from each other to define an opening in between said distal ends and said curved arms define a pair of opposed hooks;
- said pivot-and-locking assembly including a locking mechanism for releasably locking said arms in the closed configuration;
- said pivot-and-locking assembly having a generally spherical housing including two halves which rotate with reference to each other, said proximate ends of said arms being fixedly attached to respective ones of said housing halves;
- and wherein
- said locking mechanism releasably locks said housing halves to each other against rotation in the closed configuration.
4 more elements
A method for hanging an article having a handle from either the handle of a carrier device or from a horizontal table surface, said method comprising:
- providing a dual-configuration hanger including
- a pair of hook-like curved arms each having a proximate end and a distal end, and
- a pivot-and-locking assembly joining the proximate ends and allowing the arms to pivot between a closed configuration in which the distal ends are in contact with or in close proximity to each other so that the arms define essentially a closed loop, and an open configuration in which the distal ends are spaced from each other to define an opening in between the distal ends and the curved arms define a pair of opposed hooks,
- the pivot-and-locking assembly including a locking mechanism for releasably locking the arms in the closed configuration;
- in order to hang the article from the horizontal table surface, releasing the locking mechanism and moving the arms to the open configuration, positioning the distal end of one of the arms on the horizontal table surface so that the other arm hangs below the table surface, and positioning the article handle on the hook defined by the other arm;
- and
- in order to hang the article from the carrier device handle, encircling the carrier device handle and the article handle within the curved arms by relatively moving the carrier device handle and the article handle through the opening between the distal ends of the arms, and then moving the arms to the closed configuration and allowing the locking mechanism to lock the arms in the closed configuration;
- wherein:
- the pivot-and-locking assembly has a generally spherical housing including two halves which rotate with reference to each other, said proximate ends of the arms being fixedly attached to the respective ones of the housing halves;
- and wherein
- the locking mechanism releasably locks the housing halves to each other against rotation in the closed configuration.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.