GB2159703A - A hanger for footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

A hanger is provided for use in supporting for display a pair of open-toes shoes. The hanger has a central stem 1 with a hook 3 at one end. A pair of resilient clips 5 are connected to the stem at the one end extend downwardly on opposite sides of the central stem. The pair of clips co- operate with a cross member 11 fixed to the central stem for clamping the sole of a shoe against the cross-member. Another pair of clips 15 is so arranged as to engage the sole of the shoe in the region of the instep. In use the first pair of clips 5 are passed through the open toe of a shoe and serve both to clamp the sole of the shoe against the cross-member 11 and to grip the upper of the shoe against the central stem 1. Conveniently, the hanger is of plastics material being preferably integrally moulded. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A hangerforfootwear This invention relates to a hangerforfootwear, for a pair of open-toed shoes.

Although theword "shoe" is usedthroughoutthe specification, this word includes what is sometimes referred to as a "sandal", the sandal being open-toed.

Heretofore it has been usual to display shoes atthe point of sale by placing them on a support rack.

It has been proposed that the shoes could be supported on a hangerfrom a rail.

It is an object ofthe present invention to provide a hangerforsupporting a pair of open-toed shoes.

According to the present invention, a hangerfor a pair of open-toed shoes comprises a central stem having a support hook at one end for suspending the hanger from a rail withthestem substantiallyvertical, first clip means comprising a pair of clips connected with the central stem and arranged on opposite sides of the central stem for engaging the sole ofthe shoe in the region ofthe instep thereof, and second clip means comprising a first portion extending transversely of the central stem and a second resilient portion arranged to extend to the region ofthefirst portion,wherebywhen an open toed shoe is mounted on the hangerthe first clip means supports the sole of the shoe in the region ofthe instep and the second portion ofthe second clip means projects into the shoe through the open toe thereof to press the sole of the shoe againstthe first portion of the second clip means.

With this hanger, it is only necessaryforthe shoeto be positioned on the hanger by holding the hanger and introducing one ofthe said second portion into the open-toe ofthe shoe. The second portion ofthe second clip means also co-operates with the central stem of the hangerto define a third clip means which is arranged to grip the inside of the upper ofthe shoe so that the shoe is held in position against the central stem even when the hanger is supported by its support hook.

In one particular hanger each ofthe first pair of clips are pivotally connected with sub-stem members in turn connected with the central stem. Preferably these sub-stem members constitute the first portion of the second clip means and extend perpendicularly from the central stem.

When a pair of shoes are supported on the hanger and the hanger is suspended from the rail, the shoes can easily be examined by a prospective customer. if the customer wishes to trv on one or both ofthe shoes, it is simply a matter of sliding the or each shoe from between the respective part ofthe clips, the stem and sub-stems. The clips and associated stem portion form grippers.

The grippers supportthe shoe on the hanger, particularly a light-weight shoe, togetherwith one of the clips forming the first pair of clips. Each ofthefirst pair of clips conveniently takes the form of a hook which fits around the sole ofthe shoe atthe instep. The second of the second clip means is particularly useful when shoesaretransportedfrom factory orware- house to the shop while supported on the hanger The third clip means and the sole support serve to hold the shoe in position on the hanger and the shoe does not have to be repositioned on the hanger at the point of sale.

It is necessaryforthe shoe or sandal to be open-toed so asto permit the second portion ofthe second clip means to be introduced into the shoe or sandal through the open-toe.

In orderthatthe invention may be more readily understood, itwill now be described, byway of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure lisa front view of a hanger in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a side elevation.

The hangerfor supporting a pair of open-toed shoes, such as a pair of ladies' sandals, consists of a central stem 1 having a support hook3 at one end so that the hanger can be suspended from a rail (not shown) with the stem substantially vertical. A pair of clips 5 are arranged on opposite sides ofthe central stem. Each clip is connected to the stem and it has a portion 7 which is located downwardly ofthe connection between the clip amd the stem when the stem is substantially vertical. This portion 7, together with the stem 1, constitutes a gripperfor gripping the upper of a shoe. The portion 7 has a pair of projections 9 projecting towards the stem 1 to reduce even further the space between the clip and the stem.

The main supportfor a pair of shoes supported on the hanger is provided by a cross bar 11 located at the lower end ofthe stem 1 and a pair of sub-stems 13 which project downwardly from the ends ofthe cross bar. Atthe lower end of each sub-stem there is pivotally mounted a C-shaped hook 15which,when the shoe is fitted on the hanger, fits around the sole of the shoe at the instep.

The cross-bar 11 and sub-stems 13 are rigidly connected with the stem and provide with the lowermost end ofthe clip5 a clamping arrangement which holds the sole ofthe shoe. When the shoe is positioned on the hangerthe clip 5 in passing through the shoe is moved outwardly in a direction parallel to that in which the cross-bar 11 extends. Simultaneously,free end 17 of clips 5 is moved in a direction perpendicularto the cross-bar 11 and out ofthe paper in Fig. 1 in orderto accommodate the thickness of the sole of the shoe. The resilience of the clip 5forces the free end 17 againstthe sole to clamp the sole between free and 17 end cross bar 11.

To support a shoe onthehanger,theshoeis introduced to the hanger so thatthe clip 5 enters into the shoethrough the open-toe and the portion 7 and theprojections9when providedgriptheupperofthe shoe against the stem 1 and assist in holding the shoe in position against sub-stem 11 on the hanger. The hanger is constructed symmetrically about its central stem so that a pair of shoes can be supported as described above.

Each ofthe shoes is mounted on the hangerwith the bottom surface ofthe sole lying againstthe cross bar 11 and the C-shaped hook 15 clipped aboutthe sole of the shoe in the region ofthe instep. The pivotal connection of the C-shaped hook 15tothe sub-stem 13 facilitates engagement of the hook about the sole and also enables shoes of different sizes to be accommodated on one size of hanger.

The hanger is formed from a material, conveniently plastics material, which has sufficient resilience for the portion 7to be urged towards the stem 1. When a shoe is introduced on to the clip, the resilience ofthe clip is sufficientto hold both the sole and the upper of the shoe between the clips and the sub-stem 11 and central stem 1, respectively.

When the upper of the open-toed shoe consists of two crossed pieces of material so that the toe is open and there are open portions on each side, then a projection 19 may be provided on each clip and this projection extends into one of the side openings ofthe shoe when it is supported on the hanger.

Whilstthe clips 5 have been described as having a straight portion 7 lying parallel to the central-stem, otherforms of clip 5 can be provided. For example, each clip 5, at its junction with the central stem, extends outwardly from the central stem and then curves downwardlyto have an arm extending obliquely towards the central stem. Atthe end ofthe arm, immediately adjacentthe central stem, there is an outward curve. This curved end of the arm acts with the central stem to form a gripperforthe upper part of an open-toed shoe and as pressure pointtoforcethe sole of a shoe against sub-stem 11.

Claims (12)

1. Ahangerfora pairofopen-toedshoes comprises a central stem having a support hook at one end for suspending the hangerfrom a rail with the stem substantially vertical, first clip means comprising a pairofclips connected with the central stem and arranged on opposite sides of the central stem for engaging the sole ofthe shoe in the region ofthe instep thereof, and second clip means comprising a first portion extending transversely ofthe central stem and a second resilient portion arranged to extend to the region ofthe first portion, whereby when an open toed shoe is mounted on the hangerthefirstclip means supports the sole ofthe shoe in the region of the instep and the second portion ofthe second clip means projects into the shoethroughthe open toe thereofto press the sole ofthe shoe againstthe first portion ofthe second clip means.

2. A hanger as claimed in claim 1, including third clip means comprising the second resilient portion of the second clip means and the central stem.

3. A hanger as claimed in claim 2, wherein each first clip is mounted on a sub-stem extending from a respective end of a cross-member.

4. A hanger as claimed in claim 1,2 or3, wherein each ofthefirst pairofclips is pivotally mounted on the hanger.

5. A hanger as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each clip ofthefirst pair of clips is a C-shaped hook.member.

6. Ahangerasclaimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each second resilient portion is connected to the central stem and has a part spaced from the connection which is close to the central stem and which, with the central stem, constitutes a gripper.

7. A hanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein said part is straight and lies parallel with the central stem.

8. A hanger as claimed in claim 6 or7, including one or more projections extending from the part spaced from the connection of each one of the second resilient portions towards the central stem.

9. A hanger as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each of the second resilient portions is connected to the central stem at one end and extends outwardlyandthen obliquelytowardsthecentral stem to define a gripper between a free end ofthe respective portion and the central stem.

10. A hanger as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the hanger is of plastics material.

11. A hanger as claimed in claim 10, wherein the hanger is integrally moulded.

12. A hanger for open toed shoes substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.