GB2126887A - Garment hangers - Google Patents

Abstract

A hanger for carrying one or a set of two garments has two limbs which are so resilient that, when a garment or set of garments is supported on the hanger, it is held tight so that it takes up the position which it takes up when it is worn by a person. When a set of two garments is supported, the two garments take up the relative positions which they take up when they are worn by a person. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Garment hanger This invention relates to a hanger for supporting a garment or a set of garments.

A particular, but not sole, application of the invention is to a hanger for supporting and displaying two garments which are usually worn together, such as a bra and a pair of briefs for a woman or a tee shirt and a pair of shorts for a child.

In order to encourage sales of a garment or a set of garments, it is desirable that the garment or set of garments is displayed attractively at the point of sale. For example, a bikini can be attached to a garment hanger so that the bra lies on top of the briefs but this means that the potential purchaser's view of the briefs is obscured by the bra. A pair of garments for a child can be mounted on the same hanger but, again, it is likely that one of the garments will obscure part of the other. It would be advantageous if the two garments could be displayed more attractively and without one of them necessarily obscuring the view of the other.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a garment hanger includes a pair of limbs which possess such resilience that a garment or a set of garments fitted around the limbs is tightened sufficiently for it to be supported on the hanger and displayed such as to give the appearance of being worn by a person for whom the garment or set of garments is intended.

The limbs convenientiy extend from an intermediate portion which has a member for supporting the hanger and are free at their end which is away from the intermediate portion.

When the or each garment is fitted on to the hanger, the limbs taughten the garment so that it is displayed to advantage in the "as worn" position.

Conveniently, the limbs are shaped such that together they represent the outline of the chest, waist and hips of a person. The hanger is suitable for supporting and displaying a one piece swimming suit for a woman. The hanger enables the swimming suit to be "filled out" so that it is retained on the hanger and is displayed as if it was in position on a woman for whom it is intended.

A first garment may be fitted around the limbs at the chest and a second garment fitted around the limbs at the hips and the hanger tightens them sufficiently for them to be supported approximately in the relative positions that they take up when they are worn by a person for whom they are intended. This not only enables each garment to be seen without being partially covered by the other garment, it also gives the potential purchaser a much better idea of the overall appearance of the two garments.

At least one pair of clips may be provided in order to give extra securing means for one of the garments. Conveniently, one pair of clips is provided for supporting one garment and a second pair of clips is provided for supporting the other garment.

Preferably, the hanger is formed from a transparent or nearly transparent plastics material so that, when the garment or set of garments on the hanger is viewed from a distance, the hanger is unobtrusive and can hardly be seen.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, it will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a pair of briefs supported on a hanger in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, and Figure 2 shows a bikini supported on a hanger in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, a hanger for a garment is arranged to support the garment in the "as worn" condition. The hanger is formed of plastics material and has sufficient resilience to taughten the garment so that the garment is retained on the hanger and it gives the appearance of being worn by a person for whom the garment is intended.

The hanger has an intermediate portion 1 with a hook 2 for supporting the hanger from a rail. At each end of the intermediate portion there is a limb 3 integral at one end with the intermediate portion and having its other end free. The limbs are shaped so that they fit within a pair of briefs 9.

The resilience of the limbs is such that, when the pair of briefs is fitted on to the limbs, it is taughtened sufficiently for it to be retained on the hanger and to give the appearance of being worn by a woman of the size for whom the briefs are intended.

Referring to Figure 2, a hanger for supporting and displaying a pair of garments, such as a bra and a pair of briefs of a bikini, consists of an intermediate portion 1 A having a hook 2A extending outwardly on one side thereof. Each end of the intermediate portion has a limb 3A extending from it and, conveniently, the two limbs and the intermediate portion are of integral construction. The intermediate portion and the two limbs may be of any convenient cross-section, such as circular, and are formed from transparent or semi-transparent plastics material.

The two limbs 3A are curved and together they represent the front view outline of the chest 4, the waist 5 and the hips 6 of a woman approximately the same size as the women for whom the bra and the briefs are intended. Because of the inherent springiness of the material, and the construction of the hanger, the outer ends 7 of the limbs are urged away from each other.

The bikini to be displayed on the hanger has the bra 8 fitted around the portions of the limbs which represent the chest, with the straps of the bra clipped together. The pair of briefs 9A are fitted on to the free ends of the limbs which represent the hips, and the springiness of the limbs tighten both the bra and the pair of briefs so that they take up the relative positions which they occupy when they are worn.

By making the hangers of transparent or translucent material, the hanger is unobtrusive and the bikini displayed at its best.

In order to ensure that the bra and the pair of briefs do not fall off the hanger, particularly when the hanger is handled by a prospective purchaser, a pair of clips 10 are provided on the intermedaite portion 1. A further pair of clips 11 may be provided on the limbs to hold the bottom of the bra.

At each of the free ends of the limbs there is a clip 12 which serves to grip and retain the pair of briefs adjacent their top edge. Each of the clips co-operates with the roughened outer portion 1 3 of the hanger.

A further advantage of the invention lies in the moulding of the hangers. Because the two limbs of the hanger are open-ended, a number of hangers can be moulded together with the hangers nesting inside each other.

Although the hanger has a degree of resilience which allows it to accommodate garments of a range of sizes, it will be appreciated that a number of hangers of different sizes may be required in order to display an entire range of garment sizes.

Children's garments which can be displayed in sets of two garments may be a shirt and a pair of shorts and for women the garments may be lingerie or swimwear.

Claims (9)

1. A garment hanger including a pair of limbs which possess such resilience that a garment or a set of garments fitted around the limbs is tightened sufficiently for it to be supported on the hanger and displayed such as to give the appearance of being worn by a person for whom the garment or set of garment is intended.

2. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 1, in which the limbs are shaped such that together they represent the outline of the chest, waist and hips of a person.

3. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the limbs extend from an intermediate portion which has a member for supporting the hanger.

4. A hanger as claimed in claim 3, in which the limbs are integral with the intermediate portion.

5. A hanger as claimed in any preceding claim, including at least one pair of clips providing extra securing means for the or one of the garments.

6. A hanger as claimed in claim 4, including two pairs of clips, the pairs of clips providing securing means for two garments.

7. A hanger as claimed in any preceding claim, formed of transparent or nearly transparent plastics material.

8. A hanger as claimed in any preceding claim, in which part of the surface of each limb is roughened to help retain a garment on the limbs.

9. A hanger for displaying a garment or a set of garments substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.