Hanger rod for drying cabinet

• US 20050035076A1
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Schober, Stephen D., Tremel, Curtis J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,097,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/123
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 61/003 Details of garment-holders extensible A47B61/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 25/0692 Details of rods for suspending clothes-hangers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/10 Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means

Abstract

A hanger rod is provided for a clothes drying cabinet. The rod includes a plurality of notches, each adapted to receive a hanger. Each notch is V-shaped, with opposite side walls which converge downwardly to a substantially pointed apex. The rod has front and rear walls defining a thickness ranging between 30%-75% of the hanger hook diameter. The notches provide four contact points on the hanger hook to prevent rotation of the hanger hook on the rod during the drying process.

Claims

1. A hanger rod for supporting hangers, the hangers each having an upper hook comprising:

an elongated bar having a plurality of notches each adapted to receive a hanger;

each notch being downwardly converging to a substantially pointed apex; and

the bar having front and rear walls defining a minimum thickness of 0.30 inch.

2. The hanger rod of claim 1 wherein the downwardly converging notches are V-shaped.

3. The hanger rod of claim 1 wherein the bar has a thickness of approximately 0.75 inches.

4. The hanger rod of claim 1 wherein the apex has a radius of approximately 0.03 inches.

5. The hanger rod of claim 1 wherein the bar defines four contact points with the hanger hook.

6. The hanger rod of claim 5 wherein each notch has opposite lateral side walls which define pairs of lateral contact points for the hook at opposite front and rear walls.

7. The hanger rod of claim 6 wherein the lateral contact points are spaced apart approximately 0.75 inch from front to rear.

8. The hanger rod of claim 1 wherein each notch has opposite lateral side walls oriented at approximately a 70°

angle.

9. The hanger rod of claim 1 wherein the notches are spaced apart approximately 2.9 inches center-to-center.

10. A hanger rod for supporting hangers, the hangers each having an upper hook defining a hook diameter, comprising:

an elongated bar having a plurality of notches each adapted to receive a hanger;

each notch having four points of contact with the hanger hook to prevent rotation of the hanger on the bar.

11. The hanger rod of claim 10 wherein the contact points include opposite pairs of lateral contact points.

12. The hanger rod of claim 11 wherein the pairs of lateral contact points are defined by opposite lateral side walls of each notch and by the front and rear walls of the bar.

13. The hanger rod of claim 12 wherein each pair of lateral contact points associated with a lateral side wall are spaced apart approximately 0.75 inch.

14. The hanger rod of claim 10 wherein each notch has opposite lateral side walls oriented at approximately a 70°

angle.

15. The hanger rod of claim 10 wherein the notches are spaced apart approximately 2.9 inches center-to-center.

16. The hanger rod of claim 10 wherein the bar has a thickness of approximately 0.75 inches.

17. The hanger rod of claim 10 wherein the apex has a radius of approximately 0.03 inches.

18. The hanger rod of claim 10 wherein the bar has a minimum thickness of 0.30 inch.

19. A method of hanging a hanger on a hanger rod to prevent rotation of the hanger on the rod, comprising:

contacting a hook of the hanger at four spaced apart points on the rod.