GB2064472A - Garment hanger - Google Patents

Abstract

A hanger for garments includes a hook H adapted to engage a rail and having an enlarged display portion A at a position level with or above the rail, and an indicating device 16 releasably attached to the display portion and being readily visible when the hanger is in use. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Indicators for garment hangers This invention relates to improvements in indicators for garment hangers or hangers for other articles.

It is most important in the retaii display of garments on hangers that the customer be able to easily determine the size of the garment and/or the name of the manufacturer, or some other information about the garment. It is known to fit sizing indicators or tallies over the hooks of hangers and one such tally is described in Australian Patent No. 459,115. While such tallies improve the availability of the size information to the customer it is necessary to fit each tally by sliding it over the hook of the hanger. Furthermore, such tallies are not suitable for plastic hangers having hooks with large cross sections. Similarly, since such tallies rest on the shoulder of the hanger, they may not always be readily visible to the customer.

The invention therefore provides a hanger for garments and other articles including a hook adapted to engage a rail or other supporting means, said hook having an enlarged display portion at a position which is substantially level with or above the rail or other supporting means when engaged by said hook, and an indicating device releasably attached to said. display portion, said indicating device being readily visible when the hanger is in use by virtue of its position on said hook.

Preferably, the hook is formed with an enlarged display area adjacent the top of the hook, said display area being formed to releasably retain said indicating device.

In one embodiment of the invention, the indicating device has a body portion formed with means for releasably attaching the body to the display area. The attaching means may comprise a headed shank extending rearwardly from said body portion, the head on said shank being resiliently deformable to enable said shank to be inserted in and removed from a slot formed in said enlarged display area of the hanger.

Several preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an indicator according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the indicator; Figure 3 is a front view of one form of hanger hook adapted to support the indicator; Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a front perspective view of an indicator according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is a front view of one form of hanger hook adapted to support the indicator of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in Figure 6; Figures 8 and 9,10 and 11 and 12 and 13 show modified embodiments.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 4, the indicator comprises a body portion 1 which is moulded in the form of sizing letters or numbers 2, in the present case the letters XL indicating the size Extra Large, and a rearwardly extending headed projection 3 having a central cavity 4 which enables the head on the projection 3 to be resiliently deformed. The projection 3 has a shank portion 5 of rectangular cross-sectional configuration which extends between the sizing letters and is integrally moulded therewith so as to extend perpendicularly from the rear of the sizing letters 2.

In the present embodiment, the shank 5 of the headed projection 3 serves two purposes: it securely interconnects the sizing letters 2 in an unobtrusive manner, and it serves to prevent rotation of the indicator when the headed projection 3 is inserted into a rectangular slot S formed in an enlarged display area A provided on the hook H of a garment hanger as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The garment hanger may be of any suitable design, for example as shown in our Australian Design Registrations Nos. 72,370, 72,372, 74,312, or of any other design having a display area on the hook or in the shoulder region of the hanger and adapted to receive the headed projection 3 of the indicator.

The indicator body 1 and projection 3 are moulded from a coloured plastic of any desired colour coding corresponding to the size indicated by the indicator and since the headed projection 3 is visible from the rear of the hanger, the size of the garment can be readily determined even from the rear of the hanger.

The sizing letters or numbers 2 are preferably slightly wedge shaped to assist in the moulding of the letters or numbers. It will of course be appreciated that the letters shown in the drawings may be replaced by digits or by any other indicia means imparting some form of information to the customer. Several preferred sizing indicators are shown in our Australian Design Registrations Nos.

74,326 to 74,330 and 74,552.

Referring now to Figures 5, 6 and 7, the modified indicator 9 will be seen to comprise a body having a face portion 10 and a rearwardly extending wall portion 11, said face portion 10 being formed with a rearwardly extending headed projection 12 having a central cavity 13 which enables the head on the projection 12 to be resiliently deformed as in the previous embodiment.

The indicator 9 is in use releasably secured to an enlarged display area A formed on the hook H of a garment hanger of the type described above.

The display area A is formed with a rectangular slot S through which the headed projection 1 2 may be forced to attach the indicator 9 to the hanger. It will be appreciated that the shank portion 14 of the projection 12 is similarly rectangular to prevent rotation of the indicator 9 on the hanger. It will also be appreciated that the wall portion 2 is cut away at 5 to allow the hook H of the hanger to pass through.

The face portion 10 of the indicator 9 is cut away at 1 5 in the form of size letters or numbers.

The indicator 9 is preferably moulded from plastic of a colour corresponding to the coding used to designate the size number shown on the face portion 10 while at least the display area A is moulded from a different coloured plastic so that the size number is readily visible to the consumer.

It will be appreciated that indicia other than size letters may be cut out from the face portion or alternatively the face portion 10 may be relief formed or printed with any suitable indicia.

Alternatively a printed label may be attached to the face portion 10.

As a result of the provision of the rearwardly extending wall portion 12, the rim of this wall portion 12 is readily visible from the rear of the hanger. Similarly, the headed shank 3 is also visible so that the colour of the indicator imparts the desired size information to the customer.

Although the above described indicator construction is preferred, it will be appreciated that a similar result may be obtained without the rearwardly extending wall portion since the face portion extends beyond the rim of the display area A and therefore would be visible from the rear of the hanger.

Further modifications of the above embodiment are shown in Figures 8 to 13 of the drawings. In the modification of Figures 8 and 9 the indicator 16 is basically the same as the indicator shown in Figures 5 to 7 except for the addition of extensions 1 7 of the face portion 10' and the rearwardly extending wall portion 11' to cover part of the hook H of the hanger as shown. These extensions serve tO further reinforce the colour coding information imparted by the indicator 16 from both the front and the rear of the hanger. The indicator 1 6 is held to the hanger hook H by a headed projection 12' of the same type as was described above.

The modification of Figures 10 and 11, has its face portion 10" and rearwardly extending wall portion 11" extended to cover the whole hook H of the hanger. The face portion is formed with three rearwardly extending headed projections 12a which pass through similarly shaped apertures in the hook H and display area A of the hanger, as in the previous embodiments. The rearwardly extending wall portion 11" is preferably cut away at the underside of the hook H so that the hook directly engages the hanging rail.

The face portion 10n of the indicator is cut away to define size letters or numbers.

Alternatively, the number may be moulded into or printed on the indicator to perform a similar function.

The above embodiment has the same advantages as the above embodiments and has the additional advantage that the indicator is even more readily visible to the purchaser. It may be found that only one headed projection 12" is required and in the above embodiment the projection 13" would be positioned to engage the slot in the enlarged display area A.

in the modification shown in Figures 12 and 13, the indicator is of basically the same construction as the previous embodiment except that the hanger hook H is not formed with an enlarged display area A. In this embodiment, the indicator is formed with its own display area A' at either of the positions shown in Figure 12 or in any other suitable position. The size letters or numbers at cut-out from, moulded or printed onto the display area A'.

The indicator of this embodiment is provided with moulded lugs 18 extending rearwardly from the indicator and engaging between the strengthening ribs R on the hook H of the hanger.

Alternatively, two headed projections may engage openings in the hook H, as in the previous embodiments.

In a still further modification not shown in the drawings, the indicator may be held on the hook H by means of the rearwardly extending wall portions described above frictionally engaging the hook H. If necessary, the rearwardly extending wall portions may be formed with lip portions which engage behind the hook of the hanger to assist in retaining the indicator on the hanger.

Similarly, the indicator may be formed without a display area, relying on the colour of the indicator to impart the size information. A small size number may be printed or moulded on part of the indicator if desired.

In the present specification, the term "garment hanger" should be construed to include hangers for articles in general since the invention is by no means restricted to garment hangers.

It should also be appreciated that while the preferred form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 is described in relation to sizing letters or numbers, the invention is equally applicable to single letters, such as L for Large or single digits, such as size 8.

Claims (11)

1. A hanger for garments and other articles including a hook adapted to engage a rail or other supporting means, said hook having an enlarged display portion at a position which is substantially level with or above the rail or other supporting means when engaged by said hook, and an indicating device releasably attached to said display portion, said indicating device being readily visible when the hanger is in use by virtue of its position on said hook.

2. The hanger according to claim 1, wherein said hook is formed with an enlarged display area adjacent the top of the hook and extending to one side thereof, said display area being formed to releasably receive said indicating device.

3. The hanger of claim 2, wherein said indicating device has a body portion formed with means for releasably attaching said body portion to said display area.

4. The hanger of claim 3, wherein said attaching means comprises a headed shank extending rearwardly from said body portion, the head on said shank being resiliently deformable to enable said shank to be inserted in and removed from a slot or other opening formed in said display area.

5. The hanger of claim 4, wherein the head on said shank is formed with a central cavity which divides the head into two separated portions which are resiliently deformable towards said central cavity.

6. The hanger of claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein said body portion has two spaced parts imparting said information, said parts being securely interconnected by said attaching means.

7. The hanger of claim 6, wherein the spaced parts are moulded in the shape of numbers or letters and said attaching means extends between said numbers or letters at the rear of said numbers or letters whereby said attaching means does not substantially interfere with the information imparted by said numbers or letters.

8. The hanger of claim 7, wherein said letters or numbers are slightly wedge shaped to facilitate moulding from a plastics material.

9. The hanger of any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein said indicating device is substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or 5 to 70r8and90r10and 11 or12and 130fthe accompanying drawings.

10. A hanger and indicating device substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to4or5 to 7 or8 and 9 or 10 and 11 or 12 and 13 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A hanger for garments including a hook adapted for engagement with a rail or other supporting means, said hook having a garment size indicating device extending from the hook at a level which is substantially level with or above the rail or other supporting means when engaged by said hook, said indicating device being clearly visible when the hanger is in use by virtue of its position on said hook.