GB2165144A

GB2165144A - Elongate article support

Info

Publication number: GB2165144A
Application number: GB08425302A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Geoffrey Dove
Original assignee: KENILWORTH COMPONENTS
Current assignee: KENILWORTH COMPONENTS
Priority date: 1984-10-06
Filing date: 1984-10-06
Publication date: 1986-04-09
Also published as: GB8425302D0

Abstract

An elongate article support for hanging ties or similar articles for display includes a main body portion 14 and a hinged auxiliary body portion 16, the tie being securely supported between the main body and the hinged portion during display. The auxiliary body portion 16 is latched to the main body portion at 32. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Elongate article support The present invention relates to elongate article supports and more particularly to hangers for use in shops for supporting ties or other similar elongate articles on display stands.

Afirst known tie hanger has a handle portion for attaching the hanger to a display stand and a main body portion for supporting the tie. The main body portion includes a horizontal slot and in use the tie is threaded through the slot the two portions of the tie on either sides of the slot hanging down to retain the tie in position. The advantage of this type of hanger is that it is relatively easy to thread the tie onto the hanger. The disadvantage is that in use in the shop it is easy for a prospective purchaser to pull the tie through the slot whilst inspecting the tie. If the tie is pulled through too far then its weight will be unevenly distributed and the tie will fall onto the floor with the possibility of damage due to being trodden on by the shop customers.

A second known type of tie hanger has a handle and body, the body being provided with two slots, the tie being threaded through both slots to provide a more secure attachment. The disadvantage with this type is that it is more difficult to thread the tie.

Also even with the two slots ties are still liable to slip through the slots and fall on to the floor. This is particularly true for smooth finish ties e.g. made of silk.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tie hanger which substantially overcomes the disadvantages of both of the above known types.

According to the present invention there is provided an elongate article support for hanging ties for display including a handle portion, a main body portion attached to the handle portion, an auxiliary body portion hingedly attached to the main body portion and means for latching the auxiliary body portion to the main body portion to provide the support for the elongate article.

Preferably the auxiliary body portion comprises a finger which is hinged at one end to the main body portion and is provided at its other end with a latch for co-operation with a catching means on the main body portion.

In a preferred embodiment the elongate article support is made from a single piece of plastics material, the hinge being formed between the main and auxiliary body portions by providing a narrow section in the plastics material.

Preferably in use the elongate article to be supported is folded over the auxiliary finger portion, which finger portion is then swung about the hinge to close onto the main body portion and in which the latching means is engaged to secure the elongate article between the auxiliary and main body portions.

The main body portion and the auxiliary body portion are preferably provided with reinforcing ribs which can also be used to further secure the elongate article.

The handle portion is preferably provided with a semi-closed hook the entrance to the hook being restricted to require a force to be applied to secure the hook to the bar of the display arrangement.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 'shows in elevation a view of one side of a tie hanger according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows in elevation the opposite side of the tie hanger of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a sectional view along the line A-A of Figure 1; Figure 4shows a sectional view along the line B-B of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a sectional view along the line C-C of Figure 1; Figure 6shows a sectional view along the line D-D of Figure 1; and Figure 7 shows a sectional view along the line A-A of Figure 1 with the hanger in the closed position.

With reference now to Figures 1 and 2, the elongate article support of the present invention is shown in exemplary manner as a tie hangerforthe support and retention of ties. The hanger could be used to support and retain other elongate articles e.g. belts or objects such as headscarves which may be readily folded or draped so as to become elongate.

The tie hanger 10 comprises three main portions, a handle 12, a main body portion 14 and an auxiliary body portion 16 which protrudes from the main body portion in the manner of a finger. The handle portion 12 consists of a semi-closed hook 18 which partially encloses a hole 20, forming a restricted entrance 22. The tie hanger is preferably made from polypropelene or similar plastics material and in use the tie hanger is hung by the hook 12 from a rail 13 shown on dotted outline in Figure 2 the diameter of which is slightly less than that of the hole 20 to allow the tie hanger to be slid along the rail. To position the tie hanger on the rail the entrance 22 has to be enlarged by forcing the hook 18 sideways or outwards from the main body portion 14 to "snap" the hook over the rail. Once in position on the rail the tie hanger is not susceptible to accidental removal.

The main body portion 14 is preferably the same thickness as the handle portion 12 but is provided on its front face with a raised pad 24 for a logo identifying for example the tie manufacturer and two ribs 26,28 on the back face (see Figures 2 and 6) which add strength to the main body portion and also act to retain the tie. An elongate slot 30 is provided between ribs 26, 28 and a catch 32 is provided on the edge of the main body (see also Figure 3).

The auxiliary body portion 16 is provided with two ribs 34, 36 to add strength to the portion 16 and with a latch 38 (Figures 2 and 3) which engages with the catch 32 on the main body portion 14 when the auxiliary body portion is swung about a hinge section 40 to close onto the back (in Figure 1) of the body portion. The latch 38 "snaps" through the catch 32 to provide a secure fixing.

With reference now to Figure 3 in the section along A-A of Figure 1 the shape of the latch 38 and catch 32 is shown and the narrower thickness of the hinge portion 40 is also shown. One of the reinforcing ribs 34 and the raised pad 24 are also shown.

With reference to Figure 4 the cross-section B-B through auxiliary body portion is shown, the ribs 34, 36 clearly adding stiffness.

With reference to Figures 3 and 5 the latch 38 is shown with a semi-spherical end for ease of engage ment with catch 32 and so that after engagement there are no sharp corners protruding. Once fas tened the hanger can be opened by exerting outward force and passing latch 38 downwards as shown in Figure 7.

With reference now to Figure6the partial cross section through the main body portion D-D of Figure 1 shows the reinforcing ribs 26, 28, elongate slot 30 and raised pad 24 of the main body portion. The position of the auxiliary body portion is shown in its latched position and a tie 42 is shown in its position for display. It can be seen that the tie 42 is firmly gripped between the auxiliary and main body por tions at the strongest part of both portions formed by the reinforcing ribs 26, 28 and 34,36.

When on display, the tie hanger is therefore securely fastened to the rail 13 and the tie is securely fastened to the hanger. This combination of secure features ensures that there is little risk of the tie falling onto the floor where it is liable to soiling andlor damage.

The hanger is preferably injection moulded in a single operation and may therefore be produced in quantity quite cheaply. The hanger is of one piece construction and to retain a tie it is only necessary to drape the tie over the auxiliary body portion 16, to close the auxiliary portion onto the main body portion and snap the latch 38 into the catching means 32. Thus the time for threading ties through conventional hangers is virtually eliminated and the tie is more secure when on display. Other elongate articles may be similarly mounted.

The hanger can be of any size suitable for the product to be displayed. For heavier products a thicker gauge plastic moulding can be chosen.

Claims

1. An elongate article support for hanging ties for display including a handle portion, a main body portion attached to the handle portion, an auxiliary body portion hingedly attached to the main body portion and means for latching the auxiliary body portion to the main body portion to provide the support for the elongate article.

2. An elongate article support for hanging ties for display, as claimed in Claim 1, in which the auxiliary body portion comprises a finger which is hinged at one end to the main body portion and is provided at its other end with a iatch for co-operation with a catching means on the main body portion.

3. An elongate article support for hanging ties for display, as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the elongate article support is made from a single piece of plastics material, the hinge being formed between the main and auxiliary body portions by providing a narrow section in the plastics material.

4. An elongate article support for hanging ties for display, as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, in which, in use, the elongate article to be supported is folded overthe auxiliary finger portion, which finger portion is then swung about the hinge to close on to the main body portion and in which the latching means is engaged to secure the elongate article between the auxiliary and main body portions.

5. An elongate article support for hanging ties for display, as claimed in Claim 4, in which the main body portion is provided with upstanding ribs, the elongate article being trapped between the upstanding ribs and the finger portion.

6. An elongate article supportfor hanging ties for display, as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, in which the finger portion is provided with reinforcing ribs.

7. An elongate article support for hanging ties for display as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the main body portion is constructed with a longitudinal slot which co-operates with the auxiliary body portion when latched in position to secure the elongate article to the support.

8. An elongate article support for hanging ties for display, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the handle portion comprises a large diameter hook for engagement with a display rail, the hook being shaped with respect to the main body portion such that the entrance to said large diameter hook is restricted, thereby requiring force to bend the hook to enable the hook to be attached to the display.

9. An elongate article support for hanging ties for display, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.