GB2173394A

GB2173394A - Garment hanger

Info

Publication number: GB2173394A
Application number: GB08509047A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Kenneth Ball
Original assignee: BRITISH HOME STORES PLC
Current assignee: BRITISH HOME STORES PLC
Priority date: 1985-04-09
Filing date: 1985-04-09
Publication date: 1986-10-15
Also published as: GB8509047D0; GB2173394B

Abstract

A garment hanger comprising two arms extending from a central hook-supporting portion, with or without a crossbar, has one or more friction pads 13 on the arms and/or on the crossbar. The pad is formed by a support layer, for example of paper, adhered to the upper surface of the arm and supporting a high friction coating preferably of expanded polyethylene adhesively secured to the support layer. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Garment hanger This invention relates to a garment hanger of the type comprising two arms extending in opposite directions from a central portion, and having a hook upstanding from the central portion. The hanger can also include a crossbar extending for example between the ends of the arms for supporting trousers. Such garment hangers are commonly used in retail stores for storing or displaying garments such as shirts, blouses, trousers and pullovers for example.

In order to manufacture garment hangers cheaply, they are commonly made of plastics material in a very lightweight construction with the result that the part contacted by the garment is quite small. In the case of lightweight garments, particularly of smooth material, there is a tendency for the garment to slip off the hanger.

It is known to cover garment hangers with padding material and velvet or other friction imparting material over the padding material, but hangers of this type are expensive and not suitable for use in retail stores in which a high volume of goods is on display.

According to the present invention there is provided a garment hanger of the type comprising two arms extending in opposite directions from a central portion, with or without a crossbar, a hook upstanding from the central portion, and one or more friction pads, adherent to the upper surface of one or more parts of the hanger to assist in retaining a garment on the hanger.

In particular a friction pad is adhered to the upper surface of each arm at least over a length of the arm adjacent the outer end thereof, and/or to the crossbar.

Preferably, the friction pad comprises a preformed strip of material, for example paper or vylene, having an adhesive coating on its upper and lower sides and a high friction coating material secured to its upper side by the upper adhesive coating. The adhesive coating on the under side of the strip is used to adhere the pad to the hanger.

More particularly the high friction coating comprises a non-woven material which has been deposited on an adhesive-coated upper surface of said support material.

One form of garment hanger in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a garment hanger, and Fig. 2 is a section, on an enlarged scale, on the line ll-ll of Fig. 1, As shown in the drawings, the garment hanger comprises two arms 10 extending in opposite directions from a central portion 11, a hook 12 being secured to and upstanding from the central portion 11. Each arm of the hanger is of substantially H section to provide a beam-like structure of high strength relative to its dimensions and providing an upper supporting strip 10a, a lower supporting strip 10b interconnected by a web 10c.

A friction pad 13 is caused to adhere to the upper supporting strip, at least over portions thereof adjacent the outer ends of the arms.

As shown in the enlargement of Fig. 2, the pad 13 comprises a supporting strip 13a of paper, vylene or other support material having an adhesive coating on its under side which is secured to the upper supporting strip of each arm 10.

Deposited on the upper surface of the upper supporting strip is a coating of high friction material 13b.

This high friction coating preferably is a non-woven material which has been deposited on an adhesive-coated upper surface of the support material. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the high friction material is expanded polyethylene which is somewhat 'sticky' to the touch and accordingly gives it remarkable non-slip characteristics. The appearance of the expanded polyethylene has some similarity to both a felt and a foam, but can be applied very thinly and when applied has some similarity to a flock.

In a modification, not shown, of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the garment hanger has arms which extend downwardly from the central portion as in Fig. 1, or which extend horizontally from the central portion and then downwardly at their outer ends, and a crossbar interconnects the outer ends of the arms for supporting trousers or other garments laid over the crossbar. In this embodiment, at least one friction pad, constructed as described above, is adhered to the upper surface of the crossbar along its length, or separate such pads are attached to spaced apart lengths of the crossbar.

1. A garment hanger of the type comprising two arms extending in opposite directions from a central portion, with or without a crossbar, a hook upstanding from the central portion, and one or more friction pads, adherent to the upper surface of one or more parts of the hanger to assist in retaining a garment on the hanger.

2. A garment hanger according to claim 1 wherein the or each friction pad comprises a preformed strip of paper, vylene or other support material having an adhesive coating on its under side and a high friction coating on its upper side.

3. A garment hanger according to claim 2 wherein the high friction coating comprises a non-woven material which has been deposited on an adhesive coated upper surface of said support material.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Garment hanger This invention relates to a garment hanger of the type comprising two arms extending in opposite directions from a central portion, and having a hook upstanding from the central portion. The hanger can also include a crossbar extending for example between the ends of the arms for supporting trousers. Such garment hangers are commonly used in retail stores for storing or displaying garments such as shirts, blouses, trousers and pullovers for example. In order to manufacture garment hangers cheaply, they are commonly made of plastics material in a very lightweight construction with the result that the part contacted by the garment is quite small. In the case of lightweight garments, particularly of smooth material, there is a tendency for the garment to slip off the hanger. It is known to cover garment hangers with padding material and velvet or other friction imparting material over the padding material, but hangers of this type are expensive and not suitable for use in retail stores in which a high volume of goods is on display. According to the present invention there is provided a garment hanger of the type comprising two arms extending in opposite directions from a central portion, with or without a crossbar, a hook upstanding from the central portion, and one or more friction pads, adherent to the upper surface of one or more parts of the hanger to assist in retaining a garment on the hanger. In particular a friction pad is adhered to the upper surface of each arm at least over a length of the arm adjacent the outer end thereof, and/or to the crossbar. Preferably, the friction pad comprises a preformed strip of material, for example paper or vylene, having an adhesive coating on its upper and lower sides and a high friction coating material secured to its upper side by the upper adhesive coating. The adhesive coating on the under side of the strip is used to adhere the pad to the hanger. More particularly the high friction coating comprises a non-woven material which has been deposited on an adhesive-coated upper surface of said support material. One form of garment hanger in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a garment hanger, and Fig. 2 is a section, on an enlarged scale, on the line ll-ll of Fig. 1, As shown in the drawings, the garment hanger comprises two arms 10 extending in opposite directions from a central portion 11, a hook 12 being secured to and upstanding from the central portion 11. Each arm of the hanger is of substantially H section to provide a beam-like structure of high strength relative to its dimensions and providing an upper supporting strip 10a, a lower supporting strip 10b interconnected by a web 10c. A friction pad 13 is caused to adhere to the upper supporting strip, at least over portions thereof adjacent the outer ends of the arms. As shown in the enlargement of Fig. 2, the pad 13 comprises a supporting strip 13a of paper, vylene or other support material having an adhesive coating on its under side which is secured to the upper supporting strip of each arm 10. Deposited on the upper surface of the upper supporting strip is a coating of high friction material 13b. This high friction coating preferably is a non-woven material which has been deposited on an adhesive-coated upper surface of the support material. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the high friction material is expanded polyethylene which is somewhat 'sticky' to the touch and accordingly gives it remarkable non-slip characteristics. The appearance of the expanded polyethylene has some similarity to both a felt and a foam, but can be applied very thinly and when applied has some similarity to a flock. In a modification, not shown, of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the garment hanger has arms which extend downwardly from the central portion as in Fig. 1, or which extend horizontally from the central portion and then downwardly at their outer ends, and a crossbar interconnects the outer ends of the arms for supporting trousers or other garments laid over the crossbar. In this embodiment, at least one friction pad, constructed as described above, is adhered to the upper surface of the crossbar along its length, or separate such pads are attached to spaced apart lengths of the crossbar. CLAIMS

4. A garment hanger substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4. A garment hanger according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said coating is expanded polyethylene.

5. A garment hanger substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: Claims 1 and 2 above have been deleted or textually amended.

New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows: Claims 3, 4 and 5 above have been renumbered as Claims 2, 3 and 4 and their appendancies corrected.

1. A garment hanger of the type comprising two arms extending in opposite directions from a central portion, with or without a crossbar, a hook upstanding from the central portion, and one or more friction pads, adherent to the upper surface of one or more parts of the hanger to assist in retaining a garment on the hanger, wherein the or each friction pad comprises a pre-formed strip of paper, vylene or other support material having an adhesive coating on its under side and a high friction coating on its upper side

2. A garment hanger according to claim 1 wherein the high friction coating comprises a non-woven material which has been deposited on an adhesive coated upper surface of said support material.

3. A garment hanger according to claim 2 wherein said coating is expanded polyethylene.