DE19623898A1 - Procedure for reusing and recycling clothes hangers - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a reprocessing method turning and recycling of hangers. In particular is on Plastic hangers thought.

Garments are usually hung on hangers, to present it to the customer. On the one hand, it is common hang the clothes on the hangers where they are made. On the other hand, it is also common the clothes only in the sales stations shortly before the pre to hang in front of the customer on hangers. The Handling the hangers poses problems.

An essential factor here is the cost. Usually Plastic brackets are manufactured by a manufacturer and then shipped to a clothing manufacturer. The clothes The manufacturer hangs the newly made clothes on hangers and then either mail the clothes on the hangers a distribution station or directly to a point of sale, where the clothes are sold to end users. Some  Dresses, e.g. B. Men's and women's suits are made by customers taken home with hangers after purchase. The Most of the hangers, however, are in the shop by the clothes removed, e.g. B. at the checkout, and then gets into a basket. At the end of the day, the basket is emptied and the hangers removed long into a larger container. The temples are from ver different sizes, shapes and from different manufacturers. she are then destroyed, e.g. B. burned or buried. The The cost of a hanger is now for the Clothing manufacturers at around 15 cents. So the cost is not irrelevant. Additional costs arise from the destruction the coat hanger.

It should be noted that most of the stirrups after the mentioned Handling are still reusable, albeit they often show some damage.

The stirrups are usually made of a material on petroleum Base. It takes a lot of work to make 10 hangers diger and more expensive than using a bracket 10 times, assumes there is a system for collecting, sorting, Renovate and send back the temples.

Of course it is possible for a sales point to use the hangers sort periodically and send them to the temple manufacturer or to be sent back to the clothing manufacturer. On it, however the sales outlets, the hanger manufacturers and the clothes manufacturers not set up.

The object of the invention is to remedy this create.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for processing and recycling clothes hangers, which one the following steps:

Transporting the stirrups in a sorting station, in particular combining stirrups into a group in a collecting station and transporting these groups to the sorting station,
Dividing the amount of hangers into a first subset of hangers that should be suitable for reuse and a second subset,
Renovating the temples of the first sub-group,
Transportation of the first sub-group of renovated hangers to a reuse station,
preparatory processing of at least a first part of the second sub-group for recycling and
Transport of this first part to a recycling station.

It is not necessary when using this new method Lich, the bracket in the sales stations, for. B. at the cash register, to sort. In addition, the Ver drive usable stirrups from unusable stirrups Cut. Only the latter are scrapped. Finally, the reusable temples can be used for the bran the manufacturers are shipped cheap, what z. B. then be This is particularly the case if the institution in which the invention is invented The method according to the invention is carried out inexpensively.

The invention also relates to a device for Implementation of the method according to the invention.

Further details of the invention emerge from the Drawing. Show in it

Fig. 1 is a diagram turn the run of the hanger under Ver shows the inventive method,

Fig. 2 shows an example of a scheme for performing the inventive method and

Fig. 3 shows another example of a scheme for performing the method according to the invention.

In Fig. 1, 10 denotes an embodiment for performing the method according to the invention. It is a process for manufacturing, distributing, reusing and recycling clothes hangers that takes place in several countries. The system for implementing the method comprises (a) a manufacturer in the USA for the production of hangers, (b) several manufacturers of hangers which are licensees of the manufacturer in the USA. These are licensed to sell hangers to clothing manufacturers in the USA. These licensees are located in other countries. The system also includes (c) apparel manufacturers based in the United States and elsewhere. It also includes (d) a similar system of hanger manufacturers and garment manufacturers unrelated to the U.S. apparel manufacturer, (e) a number of retail outlets in the United States that purchase used hangers, and (f) a center for the preparation and distribution of hangers. For the purpose of easier understanding of the overall concept, only the flow of reusable hangers is shown. The end stations of the powdered clothes hanger and the basic material as well as the damaged or scrapped material are illustrated in Fig. 2.

A hanger manufacturer in the USA is designated by 11 in FIG. 1.

The hangers, manufactured by manufacturer 11 , arrive at two stations. The first set of hangers, labeled 12 , is shipped to a clothing manufacturer in the United States 13 . The clothes manufactured by the manufacturer 13 are hung on hangers 12 in the factory 13 . The clothes 14 on hangers are shipped to a sales outlet 15 in the United States.

Some US outlets, generally the larger ones, order hangers directly from a hanger manufacturer, one located in the same country in which the outlets are located. A second quantity of hangers, manufactured by the US hanger manufacturer 11 , is then shipped directly to the larger outlets via route 16 . In this way, the US clothing manufacturer is bypassed. The United point of sale 15 must then pac ken the clothes on the hangers and that according to the wishes of the consumers of the point of sale.

Similarly, reusable hangers, which are processed in the center 18 for reuse, are sent via the route 21 directly to the point of sale 15 when the point of sale hangs the clothes on the hangers.

When selling clothes at a point of sale, the hangers are separated from the clothes when a buyer buys a dress at the point of sale. The hangers, once used, are then collected at the point of sale in a container, which can contain different sizes and models of hangers, and which often includes hangers from other hangers manufacturers. Some of the original set 12 of hangers along with hangers of other sizes and models, by manufacturer 11 and other manufacturers, are then shipped in unsorted quantities 17 to a center 18 . After sorting, an inspection (to sort out broken or unusable hangers), renewal (if necessary) and packaging in containers in which the same hangers are located, the containers are sent via route 20 to the US hanger manufacturer 13 , where the hangers are reintroduced into the process.

Many hangers manufacturing companies have relationships with hangers manufacturers located outside of the United States. These can be license connections. It is common for a hanger manufacturer to be located in a country where clothes are also made. It is often the case that a hanger manufacturer is located close to a clothing factory. In the example of FIG. 1, there are two licensees of the US hanger manufacturer, namely a manufacturer 23 in Hong Kong and a manufacturer 24 in Korea. These manufacture hangers 25 and 26 and send them to a clothing manufacturer 27 in Hong Kong and a clothing manufacturer 28 in Korea. The clothes on hangers are then shipped on routes 29 and 30 to US point of sale 15 , where they follow the same route described above in connection with hangers made by manufacturer 11 .

The system is not limited to hangers that have been manufactured under the control of the hanger manufacturer 11 . It may well happen that hangers are manufactured that have no relation to the hangers manufacturers in the USA or in other countries.

In Fig. 1 further coat hanger manufacturers, which are based in the USA and / or in other countries, are designated by 32 . These unbound hanger manufacturers ship their hangers 33 to garment manufacturers located in some country, e.g. B. in USA. These manufacturers are labeled 34 . These clothing manufacturers have no relationship with manufacturers 27 and 28 . But they can also be identical with the clothing manufacturers 27 and / or 28 . They may also be related in part to clothing manufacturers 27 and 28 and in part to other independent clothing manufacturers. For ease of understanding of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, it is assumed that the clothing manufacturers 34 are independent of the clothing manufacturers 27 and 28 . The clothes that are hung on hangers in factory 34 are shipped on route 35 to US store 15 where they are also processed in the same manner as described above.

Should the large US buyer want hangers that come from manufacturers that are not connected to the US hanger manufacturer 11 , then these clothes hangers can come from the hanger manufacturer 32 .

Whether (a) a hanger leaves a hanger factory in the United States to either go to a US clothing manufacturer or store, or (b) clothes on hangers leave a clothing factory, these hangers must enter the system occur, which is outlined in Fig. 1 with dashed line 37 .

The hanger reuse center 18 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 2. It is assumed that the hangers entering the center are of different sizes and shapes and are also of different quality such that some can be reused after they have been sorted, inspected and replaced. Others, on the other hand, are unusable and must be sorted out and either crushed or ground or scrapped.

The hangers 17 coming from the point of sale 15 enter the central station 18 at point 40 . They then move to a collection station 41 where there is a store for hangers from numerous points of sale. The Klei derbügel 17 are generally unsor when they enter, such that hangers from various clothes hangers are available. The hangers also have different sizes and qualities. The reason for this is that the people in the sales points pack the clothes hangers unordered into containers. The usual hanger material today is polystyrene, polypropylene and crystal styrene.

The hangers 17 are first subjected to a sorting and checking process. This happens in station 42 . There people 43 sort the hangers 17 into those that must be destroyed or scrapped and those that can be reused. The hangers that have to be destroyed or scrapped come on a conveyor belt 44 , the hangers that can be reused come on a conveyor belt 45 .

The hangers, which have to be destroyed or scrapped, come to a station 46 , where people pack 47 polystyrene hangers into a corresponding container 48 , polypropylene and crystal styrene hangers into container 49 and hangers to be scrapped into a container 50 . The polystyrene, polypropylene and Styrolklei derbügel come on a conveyor belt 51 , which transports them to a pulverizing station 52 . The hangers to be scrapped come into a container 53 .

The hangers are transported in station 52 to various comminution machines 54 , 55 , 56 , where they are ground to a certain particle size and from where the three materials are then transported to a hanger manufacturing company 11 . There the materials are again processed into hangers.

As already mentioned, the hangers in station 42 , which are classified as reusable, are packed on a conveyor belt 45 . There they are inspected by persons 61 in such a way that it is checked whether a hanger is (a) clean and salable or (b) has to be renovated. If a person 61 decides that a hanger has to undergo renovation, in particular cleaning, then this is carried out by person 61 . The renovation also includes, for example, attaching loose parts, removing parts that indicate a size, and possibly also attaching broken parts. If the person 61 decides that the hanger is too destroyed to be able to be replaced quickly, then he puts the hanger on the belt 44 , which feeds him to the processing process described above.

Although only one conveyor belt is shown in FIG. 2, several conveyor belts can also be provided, one belt being provided for each hanger manufacturer. For example, a band can be provided for clothes hangers that have been manufactured by the manufacturer 11 . Another band can be provided for manufacturers 32 ( FIG. 1).

In the following description of the invention it is assumed that hangers of all shapes, all designs and all sizes are on the belt 45 .

The renovated clothes hangers, which leave the belt 45 at the belt end 62 , reach the loading piece 63 of a belt 64 . There are other people at this who separate the hangers. A person 65 takes out those hangers which come from the manufacturer 11 and which move on the outer half 66 of the band 64 . She puts the hangers on the inner half 66 of the band 64 . A person 68 removes the hangers from the manufacturers 32 and places them on the inner half 67 of the band 64 . A person 69 takes out those hangers that come from the manufacturers 32 .

Packers 70 and 71 pack identical clothes hangers in boxes 72 from packing stations 73 to 78 . The packer 70 packs, for example, every 10 inch and 12 inch clothes hangers for men's suits in boxes 3 and 4 of the packing station 73 , one box being provided for one size. Empty boxes 1 and 2 are waiting. When the boxes 3 and 4 are full, the platform in the packing station 73 is rotated by 180 °, so that the full boxes 3 and 4 are moved away from the loading position, which is illustrated in FIG. 2, and the empty boxes 1 and 2 in the loading position. The packer 70 then fills boxes 1 and 2 .

If there are a large number of 10 inch and 12 inch hangers, the packer 70 can control the packing process by influencing the speed of the conveyor belt, the capacity of the boxes and the idle times in the packing station. Another packer 71 may be present which also packs 10 inch and 12 inch hangers for men's suits. If, however, the packer 71 is able to pack every 10 inch and 12 inch clothes hangers for men's suits of the clothing manufacturing factory 11 , then another packer 71 could only pack clothes hangers for women's clothing in station 74 . So it could go on to station 78 .

The hangers that have been packed into boxes 1 through 24 are then transported to area 80 . This is the station where the finished products are collected for resale. According to the incoming orders, the renovated hangers are sent to a US clothing manufacturer 13 or directly to a seller 15 (see route 21 , Fig. 1).

The renewal center 18 will be located in a suitable location. It is therefore not necessary to locate it where, for example, a hanger manufacturer is located. If, for example, a large amount of clothes hangers is used in a certain geographical area, e.g. B. on the coast between Washington DC and Boston Massachusetts, it is convenient to locate the renewal center near Phil adelphia, even if a clothing manufacturer 13 and a hanger manufacturer 11 are located near Chicago. On the other hand, if there is a sufficient amount of used hangers on a larger geographical area, e.g. B. in the Midwest, then it might be useful to locate the renewal station 18 near a clothing manufacturer 13 so that those clothes that are required by this clothing manufacturer 13 from a dock 81 (see FIG. 2) of the renewal station 18 can be conveyed directly to the corresponding station in the clothing factory 13 by means of an endless conveyor belt.

Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention. In this case, the sorters 47 of the embodiment in FIG. 2 are replaced by an automatic sorting device 83 . It is a facility that works with infrared light. This is at the end of the scrapping conveyor belt. It differentiates between polystyrene on the one hand and polypropylene and / or crystal styrene on the other. Depending on the case, the hangers are divided into a group 48 or 49 . The hangers are then processed as described above.

The sorting device 83 can distinguish the types of materials. However, you cannot make a decision as to whether hangers can be used again, e.g. B. only have to be ground, or whether they are unusable for any reason and must be discarded. The operator of the system may have to che che clothes hangers that are not clearly sorted, in another container 50 , z. B. to scrap the hangers, pack. Another possibility is for a person to make the decision. This solution is still more advantageous than the solution according to FIG. 2, in which several animals are required.

The system according to the invention can, however, in a small area can also be used worldwide.

Claims (10)

1. Procedure for reusing and recycling clothes hangers characterized by the following steps:
Transporting the hangers in a sorting station, in particular combining stirrups into a group in a collecting station and transporting these groups to the sorting station,
Dividing the amount of hangers into a first subset of hangers that should be suitable for reuse and a second subset,
Renovating the temples of the first sub-group,
Transportation of the first sub-group of renovated hangers to a reuse station,
preparatory processing of at least a first part of the second sub-group for recycling and
Transport of this first part to a recycling station. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the Reuse station a factory for the production of Garments (clothing factory) is. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the reuse station is a point of sale for Is garments. 4. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a first set of renovated Bü gel of the first subgroup to a clothing factory is animals and  that a second set of renovated temples of the first subgroup pe is transported to a clothing store. 5. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the preparatory editing of the Temple of the first part of the second subgroup in a ver change the physical status of the stirrups to a status exists, which is suitable for production in an end product is and Creation of a second part of the second sub-group and Zer divide or scrap the bracket of this second part entirely or partially. 6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the preparatory editing of the temples of the first part of the two subgroup in a grinding, in particular grinding, consists. 7. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the group of temples produced in the collecting station, consists of such brackets, which in one made for this bracket common manufacturing site have been and that the creation of the first subgroup according to certain characteristics len, such as size, shape, color and / or quality. 8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the second part manually and / or not manually in a first Lower part, the brackets of which are suitable for recycling, and in a second lower part, the bracket for cutting or scrapping, sorting.   9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the Break up or scrap manually and / or not manually he follows. 10. Garment reuse and recycling system gel, characterized in that this be from components stands, the process steps according to one or more of claims 1 to 9 perform.