Apparel hook with extension

Abstract

An apparel hook includes a hook member and an extension member, each of which extends from opposing sides of the apparel hook, for example. The hook member engages a garment rod while the extension member is intended to engage an extension pole, for example. The apparel hook further includes a strap, for example, that supports garment hanger hook(s) and/or the hook member of other apparel hook(s). Overall, the apparel hook hangs from a rod at the hook member while garment hangers, for example, suspend from the strap a distance below the rod. For high rods, an extension pole is inserted against the extension member, thereby providing a simplified way to raise and lower the apparel hook to and from the rods. An opening of the hook member may also be sized to the approximate diameter of a garment rod, thereby creating resistance when the apparel hook is placed on or removed from the rod.

1 . A garment hanger holding device, comprising: 
 a body portion;    a hook member extending from said body portion and having a first surface adapted to be carried directly on a rail;    an extension member extending either from said body portion, from said hook member, or from said body portion and said hook member, said extension member forming a second surface adapted to be carried on an extension device; and    at least one body opening formed in said body portion, said at least one body opening and a surface thereof being separate from said extension member and said second surface.    
   
   
       2 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 1 , further comprising either at least one strap, at least one rope, at least one chain, or at least one wire connected to said body portion through said at least one body opening and adapted for receiving a hook portion of at least one garment hanger and for providing lateral support to the at least one garment hanger.  
   
   
       3 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one body opening is adapted for receiving a hook portion of at least one garment hanger and for providing lateral support to the at least one garment hanger.  
   
   
       4 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 1 , wherein said body portion, said hook member, and said extension member are within a common plane such that said first and second surfaces are substantially along opposing sides of said garment hanger holding device.  
   
   
       5 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 1 , wherein said extension member is angled downward with respect to a long dimension of said body portion.  
   
   
       6 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 1 , wherein said extension member has a first end, said device further comprising a spaced opening between said first end of said extension member and either said body portion or said extension member.  
   
   
       7 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 1 , wherein said extension member has first and second ends, wherein said first end is connected to either said body portion, said hook member, or to said body portion and said hook member, and wherein said second end is connected to either said body portion, said hook member, or to said body portion and said hook member.  
   
   
       8 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 1 , wherein said hook member has a first end, said device further comprising: 
 a hook opening between said body portion and said first end of said hook member;    wherein said hook opening is configured to have a dimension sufficiently near a diameter of a garment hanger rod to thereby impede passage of said rod through said hook opening.    
   
   
       9 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 8 , wherein opposing surfaces of said hook opening, along said body portion and said first end of said hook member, are convex in profile.  
   
   
       10 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 1 , wherein said hook member has a first end, said device further comprising: 
 a body portion surface along said body portion and opposing said first end of said hook member, said body portion surface and said first end defining a hook opening;    a first convexly curved surface on said first end of said hook member;    a second convexly curved surface on said body portion surface;    wherein said first and second convexly curved surfaces are configured to define a first dimension that is sufficiently near a diameter of a garment hanging rod such that when a long axis of said body portion is generally orthogonal to said rod, passage of said rod through said hook opening is impeded.    
   
   
       11 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 10 , wherein said first and second convexly curved surfaces are configured to define a second dimension that is wider than said first dimension such that when said long axis of said body portion is at an angle to said rod, passage of said rod through said hook opening is less impeded.  
   
   
       12 . A garment hanger holding device, comprising: 
 a body portion;    a hook member extending from said body portion and having a first surface adapted to be carried directly on a rail;    an extension member extending either from said body portion, from said hook member, or from said body portion and said hook member, said extension member forming a second surface adapted to be carried on an extension device; and    either at least one strap, at least one rope, at least one chain, or at least one wire adapted for receiving a hook portion of at least one garment hanger and for providing lateral support to the at least one garment hanger, said at least one strap, at least one rope, at least one chain, or at least one wire being connected to said body portion through either a co-molding process, a clamping process, an anchor, or a detachable mechanism.    
   
   
       13 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 12 , wherein said body portion, said hook member, and said extension member are within a common plane such that said first and second surfaces are substantially along opposing sides of said garment hanger holding device.  
   
   
       14 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 12 , wherein said extension member has a first end, said device further comprising a spaced opening between said first end of said extension member and either said body portion or said extension member.  
   
   
       15 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 12 , wherein said extension member has first and second ends, wherein said first end is connected to either said body portion, said hook member, or to said body portion and said hook member, and wherein said second end is connected to either said body portion, said hook member, or to said body portion and said hook member.  
   
   
       16 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 12 , wherein said hook member has a first end, said device further comprising: 
 a hook opening between said body portion and said first end of said hook member;    wherein said hook opening is configured to have a dimension sufficiently near a diameter of a garment hanger rod to thereby impede passage of said rod through said hook opening.    
   
   
       17 . A garment hanger holding device, comprising: 
 a body portion;    a hook member extending from said body portion and comprising a first surface, wherein said first surface is adapted to be carried directly on a rail;    an extension member comprising first and second ends such that said extension member is connected either to said body portion, to said hook member, or to said body portion and said hook member at only said first end;    a second surface formed by said extension member and adapted to be carried on an extension device; and    a spaced opening between said second end of said extension member and either said body portion or said extension member.    
   
   
       18 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 17 , further comprising either at least one strap, at least one rope, at least one chain, or at least one wire connected to said body portion and adapted for receiving a hook portion of at least one garment hanger and for providing lateral support to the at least one garment hanger.  
   
   
       19 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one body opening formed in said body portion, said at least one body opening and a surface thereof being separate from said extension member and said second surface.  
   
   
       20 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 19 , wherein said at least one body opening is adapted for receiving a hook portion of at least one garment hanger and for providing lateral support to the at least one garment hanger.  
   
   
       21 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 19 , further comprising either at least one strap, at least one rope, at least one chain, or at least one wire connected to said body portion through said at least one opening and adapted for receiving a hook portion of at least one garment hanger and for providing lateral support to the at least one garment hanger.  
   
   
       22 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 17 , wherein said spaced opening is angled substantially downward with respect to a long axis of said body portion.  
   
   
       23 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 17 , wherein said body portion, said hook member, and said extension member are within a common plane such that said first and second surfaces are substantially along opposing sides of said garment hanger holding device.  
   
   
       24 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 17 , wherein said hook member has a first end, said device further comprising: 
 a hook opening between said body portion and said first end of said hook member;    wherein said hook opening is configured to have a dimension sufficiently near a diameter of a garment hanger rod to thereby impede passage of said rod through said hook opening.    
   
   
       25 . A garment hanger holding device, comprising: 
 a support member for providing lateral support to at least one garment hanger;    a hook member extending from said support member and having a first surface adapted to be carried directly on a rail; and    an extension member separate from said support member and extending either from said hook member, from said support member, or from said hook member and said support member, said extension member forming a second surface adapted to be carried on an extension device.    
   
   
       26 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 25 , wherein said support member comprises at least one body opening adapted for receiving a hook portion of said at least one garment hanger.  
   
   
       27 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 25 , wherein said support member comprises at least one body opening, said garment hanger holding device further comprising either at least one strap, at least one rope, at least one chain, or at least one wire connected to said device through said at least one body opening, said at least one strap, at least one rope, at least one chain, or at least one wire being adapted for receiving a hook portion of said at least one garment hanger.  
   
   
       28 . The garment hanger holding device of  claim 25 , further comprising either at least one strap, at least one rope, at least one chain, or at least one wire adapted for receiving a hook portion of said at least one garment hanger, said at least one strap, at least one rope, at least one chain, or at least one wire being connected to said support member through either a co-molding process, a clamping process, an anchor, or a detachable mechanism.  
   
   
       29 . A method for hanging a garment hanger from a rod, comprising the steps of: 
 suspending the garment hanger from a garment hanger holding device;    inserting an extension pole against a first surface of said garment hanger holding device, said first surface being formed from an extension member extending from said garment hanger holding device, wherein said extension member has first and second ends with only said first end being connected to said device and with said second end forming a spaced opening with said device;    using the extension pole to raise said garment hanger holding device to the rod;    engaging a second surface of said garment hanger holding device against the rod such that said garment hanger holding device hangs from the rod, said second surface being formed from a hook member extending from said device.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said hook member and said extension member lie within a common plane such that said first and second surfaces are substantially along opposing sides of said garment hanger holding device.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the step of engaging said first surface with the extension pole to remove said garment hanger holding device from the rod.