EP0578370A1

EP0578370A1 - A garment hanger

Info

Publication number: EP0578370A1
Application number: EP93304416A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mario Mainetti
Original assignee: Mainetti UK Ltd
Current assignee: Mainetti UK Ltd
Priority date: 1992-07-04
Filing date: 1993-06-07
Publication date: 1994-01-12
Also published as: GB9214253D0; CA2099450A1

Abstract

A garment hanger 1 comprises a hook 2, a dependent body 5 and two carriers 14, 15 mounted on slidable arms 6, 7 and locking means adapted to lock the arms preventing decrease of the distance between the carriers in use.

Description

This invention relates to a garment hanger of the type used to hang articles of clothing such as skirts or trousers on a display stand or for hanging these articles during storage. The hanger finds particular but not exclusive application in circumstances when a single size of hanger is used for hanging garments or articles of different sizes or types.
EP-A-213171 discloses a garment hanger wherein two arms are urged outwardly by springs into engagement with a garment. Pressure applied by the springs can distort or damage a delicate or elasticated garment creating an unsightly display and possibly such stretching articles to the extent that permanent damage may be caused. It is desirable to provide a garment hanger which is adjustable to suit varying sizes of garments and different types of garment without the use of outwardly sprung arms.
According to the present invention a garment hanger comprises a hook, a body depending from the hook and two carriers adapted to engage and support a garment, each carrier being connected to the central body by a moveable arm adapted so that separation of the carriers may be varied in use, the hanger including locking means adapted to lock said moveable arms preventing decrease of the distance between the carriers.
In use of the hanger a garment may be engaged or placed into contact with the carriers and the moveable arms extended to adjust the hanger according to the dimensions of the garment. This adjustment can be made for varying sizes of garment and is particularly useful in displaying a particular garment in a variety of sizes without need for a corresponding variety of hangers.
The moveable arms are preferably slidable in relation to the body although pivotal, articulated or other linkages may be employed.
Preferably the carriers have a re-entrant shape. Once the arms have been extended to engage a garment the re-entrant shape of the carriers helps to retain the garment in engagement with the hanger.
The carriers may take the form of clips. Clips are suitable for displaying non-elasticated garments. However it must be appreciated that other types of carrier well known to those skilled in the art may be employed.
The carriers may be rubber coated to provide non-slip surfaces. Such surfaces help to prevent a garment becoming detached from the hanger.
In preferred embodiments of the invention a connector in the hanger body links both moveable arms so that movement of one moveable arm causes equal and opposite movement of the other. This arrangement of hanger facilitates engagement of the hanger with a garment or other article of clothing. A person may use one hand to grip the hanger by the hanger body whilst the other hand can manipulate one of the arms causing both arms to extend simultaneously into engagement with the garment. This arrangement has the further advantage that the hook is always equidistant from the carriers.
The connector preferably comprises a pinion or geared wheel positioned between and adapted to engage two toothed racks or arrays carried on respective arm members. Each arm member extends from each moveable arm so that movement of one arm causes rotation of the geared wheel which in turn produces equal and opposite movement of the other arm. Alternative connection means may comprise an internal friction wheel or a pulley and belt arrangement.
The pinion or geared wheel may be arranged to rotate in a vertical axis. This configuration provides support for the moveable arms against lateral movement and holds them against vertical motion. Abutment of the non-toothed ends of the pinion with the body of the support adds rigidity to the hanger coupling the free ends of the toothed arms to the support by engagement with the pinion. In alternative embodiments of the invention the pinion may be constrained to rotate in a horizontal axis. In this arrangement maximum lateral stability is attained.
The geared wheel may be formed during manufacture of the hanger as an integral part of the hanger body connected to the latter by a frangible connection or sprue. The connection may be cut by a leading edge of one of the moveable arms as the arms are inserted when the garment hanger is assembled. Such an arrangement has the advantage that the geared wheel does not have to be individually fitted to each garment hanger as it is assembled. This saves time and costs in manufacture.
Preferably the locking means comprises a pawl which may take the form of a resilient member preferably a lever fixed to the hanger body. The member may be moveable between a first position in which it engages a ratchet on one of the moveable arms and a second position in which the member and ratchet are disengaged. The pawl is preferably biased into engagement with the ratchet whereupon the arm cannot be retracted. A manual release which may comprise a lever or finger grip is arranged when actuated, to disengage the pawl. When the release is not actuated extension of the arms is permitted but contraction is prevented by engagement of the pawl with the ratchet teeth. The garment may be released from the hanger by moving the pawl from the first locking position to the second disengaged position by actuation of the release.
An abutment may be provided on the hanger body to prevent over-extension of the lever. This minimises the risk of breaking the lever.
The moveable arms may be adapted to be removed from the body. This allows different configuration of moveable arms to used with a common body, for example, a range of moveable arms may be manufactured with different types of carrier located on their ends. The customer would also have the option of altering a hanger by replacement of the arms to suit the particular type of garment to be displayed. This reduces the cost as only the arms have to be replaced. In an alternative arrangement the carriers located on the ends of the moveable arms may be removable.
The invention is further described, by means of example, but not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a garment hanger according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a plan cross-section of the garment hanger body showing internal detail of an adjusting mechanism; and
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the moveable arms.

In the following description the same numerals are used to denote like components in the various drawings.
Figure 1 shows a garment hanger according to the invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 1. A plate 3 depends from hook 2. The plate 3 includes a surface 4 on which a label or other information may be displayed. The main body 5 of the hanger has an elongate configuration defining a central channel within which moveable arms 6 and 7 are received. The arms are slidable relative to the body. Garment clips 8 and 9 are located at each end of the arms 6 and 7. Supports 15 are arranged to engage and support a garment in use. The garment clips may incorporate ribbed or stepped formations 14 as convenient. The downwardly opening configuration of the clips prevents a garment secured to the support from being from being dislodged, for example by another garment falling onto it. An adhesive or adherent coating, for example of a latex compound may be applied to the clips 8 and 9 providing a non-slip surface thereby minimising the risk of the garment becoming detached from the hanger. The clips serve to retain a garment in contact with the hanger as the moveable arms, 6 and 7, are extended. Alternative configurations of garment support may be employed for example including spring clips, selected from the wide variety known to those skilled in the art.
The locking means includes a lever member 10 and a projection 12 arranged to extend through a hole 11 in the body 5 to engage a toothed rack or ratchet 13 which extends along the upper edge of the moveable arm 6. The lever 10 and supporting pivot are flexible to allow disengagement of the projection 12 and the toothed rack 13. Alternative configurations may incorporate a pivotal hinge, spring arrangement or other linkage. The configuration of the teeth on the toothed rack 13 is such that movement relative to the engaging portion 12 is allowed in the outward direction but movement in the inward direction is inhibited. This may be achieved by utilising barb-like or saw toothed teeth in the rack 13. Provision of locking means allows the hanger to be used with a variety of sizes of garment. The hanger may be locked at any position of extension of the moveable arms.
Figure 2 shows the interconnection between the moveable arms 6 and 7 by a pinion 20, the rotational axis of which is fixed to the hanger body and which engages with toothed racks 21 and 22 on the moveable arms. Movement of one arm is transferred to the other arm by rotation of the pinion causing equal but opposite movement of the arms. Removal of either moveable arm 6 or 7 from the hanger, for example by accidental over-extension of the arms, is prevented by abutment lugs 23 and 24 respectively against the pinion 20.
Figure 3 shows the moveable arms 6 and 7, toothed rack 13 by which contraction of the moveable arms by an elasticated garment is prevented, toothed racks 21 and 22 which enable dependent movement of the moveable arms, and lugs 23 and 24 which prevent over extension of the moveable arms. Ribs 30 and 31 are provided on the moveable arms to increase strength and rigidity for a garment hanger and to minimise lateral distortion of the moveable arms when they are brought into contact with a garment.
In use of the hanger a garment is placed in contact with the supports 15 and secured by the clips 8 and 9. Extension of either moveable arm increases the distance between the clips until the garment exerts a force on the moveable arms such that the garment is held in place on the hanger. Engagement of the portion 12 with the toothed rack 13 prevents contraction of the arms, which would release the garment. To free a garment from the hanger the lever 10 is manually moved towards the hook and plate thereby disengaging the portion 12 from the rack 13. The moveable arms may then be contracted to allow release of the garment from the hanger. For the display of non-elasticated garments it may not be necessary to use locking means to prevent retraction of the moveable arms. In this case a hanger may be provided without locking means.
In a further arrangement it is possible to remove the arms from the body of the hanger and replace them by another set of arms having a different type of carrier. Therefore the hanger could be altered for the display of a particular type of garment. Alternatively the arrangement the carriers on the ends of the moveable arms may be interchangeable.

Claims

A garment hanger comprising a hook, a body depending from the hook and two carriers adapted to engage and support a garment, each carrier being connected to the body by a moveable arm adapted so that separation of the carriers may be varied in use;
the hanger including locking means adapted to lock said moveable arms preventing decrease of the distance between the carriers.
A hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moveable arms are slidable in relation to the body.
A hanger as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a connector links both moveable arms so that movement of one moveable arm causes equal and opposite movement of the other moveable arm.
A hanger as claimed in claim 3, wherein the connector comprises a pinion disposed between and adapted to engage two toothed racks of respective arm members.
A hanger as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pinion is arranged to rotate in a vertical axis.
A hanger as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pinion is arranged to rotate in a horizontal axis.
A hanger as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the pinion is formed during manufacture of a hanger as an integral part thereof connected to the latter by a frangible connection.
A hanger as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the locking means comprises a pawl moveable between a first position in which it engages a ratchet on a moveable arm and a second position in which the pawl and ratchet are disengaged.