GB2257030A

GB2257030A - Garment support

Info

Publication number: GB2257030A
Application number: GB9114055A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kay Sumner; Sebastian Conran
Original assignee: KARNER BIRNBAUM Ltd
Current assignee: KARNER BIRNBAUM Ltd
Priority date: 1991-06-28
Filing date: 1991-06-28
Publication date: 1993-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 2011-06-28
Also published as: GB2291587B; IT1257238B; ITTO920543A0; GB2257030B; GB9114055D0; FR2678153A1; GB2291587A; GB9515555D0; ITTO920543A1; FR2678153B1

Abstract

A garment support for the support and display of a garment thereon comprises a base member, optionally provided with a hook or ring for hanging the garment support from a fixture or hanging rail, the base member extending generally horizontally behind a garment in use of the support to mount the garment, and a board. The base member has at least one flap thereon, hingedly connected thereto. The flap is brought into confronting relationship with a pin protruding forwardly of the board, or being provided on or coupled to the base member and extending through an aperture in the board, to couple the base member and board together. In a preferred embodiment the garment support has a pair of auxiliary supports each integral with or joined to the base member. Each auxiliary support has a distal end and is pivotable through substantially 180 DEG between a first position and a second position. The distal end of each auxiliary support can be used in the first position to extend within a collarless shouldered garment mounted on the support into the shoulder region thereof to provide auxiliary support, or alternatively in the second position to extend from behind a collared shouldered garment mounted on the support under the collar for auxiliary collar support. <IMAGE>

Description

GARMENT SUPPORTS The invention relates to garment supports.

Shirts and jumpers come in many forms, from teeshirts, to casual shirts with or without collars, more formal collared shirts, sweatshirts and even jumpers with or without collars and with or without sleeves. These garments, which together with jackets and coats all are shouldered, are displayed either on shelves or hanging from racks, either folded or hanging freely. There are a variety of garment supports and packaging available for each different situation. It would be simpler and cheaper to provide one garment support to display and support a range of such different garments.

Garment supports in general should be relatively simple so that they are cheap to manufacture and easy to use both by the shop assistants and the general public. At the same time it is important that the garment is well supported and displayed to make the display more attractive to customers.

We describe below an embodiment of a garment support, in accordance with the present invention adapted for the support and/or display of a shouldered garment mounted thereon, the support comprising: a generally rigid base member adapted to extend generally horizontally behind such garment in use of the support to mount the said garment thereon; and a pair of generally rigid auxiliary supporting means each being integral with or joined to the base member, each having a distal end, and each being pivotable through substantially 1800 between a first position and a second position, the distal end of a said means being adapted in said first position to extend within a collarless shouldered garment mounted on said support into the shoulder region thereon for auxiliary support thereat, and being adapted in said second position to extend from behind a collared shouldered garment mounted on said support under the collar thereof for auxiliary support of such garment in the collar region thereof.

In the preferred embodiment described below, the garment support is provided with a board coupled to the base member. The garment support is provided with a pair of clips, one at each end of the base member. These secure the garment in place. The garment may be pulled flat over the board and the excess material pulled round and/or up and clipped behind the board by the clip means.

It is believed that the combination of a board and base member is itself new. Accordingly, the invention provides in a separate and alternative aspect thereof, a garment support adapted for the support and display of a garment mounted thereon, the support comprising: a generally rigid base member, optionally provided with hook, ring or like means for hanging the garment support from a fixture, the base member being adapted to extend generally horizontally behind a garment in use of the support to mount the said garment; and a generally rigid board, the base member having at least one flap thereon hingedly connected thereto and arranged to be brought into confronting relation with pin or like means protruding forwardly of said board, being mounted on said board, being integral with said board, or being provided on or coupled to said base member and extending through aperture means of said board, whereby to couple the base member and the board together.

The preferred garment support is further provided with two upstanding posts integral with the base member and adapted in use to lie behind the collar of a shirt to support said collar, so that the collar passes between the post and the adjacent auxiliary support.

The base member is suitably formed of plastics material, preferably polypropylene, and the board may be of cardboard. In an alternative arrangement, the board may be of plastics material. It could also be integrally moulded with the base member. In this arrangement no coupling means between board and base member would be necessary.

The garment support may be used as a hanger for the garments, the garments being allowed to hang freely or alternatively the sleeves and bottom portion of the garment may be folded up and clipped into position.

The garment support may alternatively be used to support a folded garment on a shelf.

The invention is hereinafter more particularly described with reference by way of example only to the accompanying drawings in which; Fig. 1 shows a front elevational view of the garment support; and Fig. 2 shows a side elevation view of the garment support.

Fig. 1 shows a garment support generally indicated 1 comprising horizontally extending generally rigid base member 2 and a generally rigid board 3.

Base member 2 has hook, ring or the like (here a hook 4) integrally moulded with it so that base member 2 may be suspended lying substantially vertically below a rail.

Base member 2 is integrally moulded of a suitable plastics such as polypropylene and is provided with two auxiliary supports 5. The supports 5 have upstanding portions 6 and distal portions 7. The two portions are connected by a live hinge 8. Hinge 8 allows movement of distal portion 7 through substantially 1800 between a first position 9 shown in phantom and a second position 10 shown in solid lines. In first position 9 the distal portion 7 lies within the shoulder region of a garment giving support to the garment. Swinging distal portion 7 through substantially 180 by means of hinge 8 from first position 9 to second position 10, allows distal portion 7 to lie under the collar of a garment supporting the collar of that garment. Supports 5 are further provided with gripping portions 11 which help to hold the shoulder region of a garment in place.

Base member 2 is further provided with a pair of upstanding posts 12. In use the posts 12 are placed behind the back of a collar of a garment, the collar being held in place between the posts 12 and upstanding portion 6 of auxiliary supports 5.

Garment support 1 is provided with a pair of clip means 13 lying at each end of base member 2. Each clip means 13 comprises a pair of jaws 14 best shown in Fig. 2 which are forced together by pushing down a U-shaped metal retaining clip 15.

Board 3 lies in front of base member 2 of garment support 1. Board 3 is attached to base member 2 by means of fastenings 16. Each fastening 16 is made up of flap 17 and stud 18. Stud 18 is integrally moulded with base member 2. Flap 17 is moulded to base member 2 by means of live hinge 19, and has aperture 20. Board 3 is provided with apertures 21. Stud 18 is pushed through aperture 21 of board 3, and through aperture 20 of flap 17. Flap 17 is snap-fitted over the stud 18 securing the board 3 to the base member 2.

The fastenings may be alternatively arranged with the stud being integral with the board or mounted on the board, the board having no aperture. In a further alternative arrangement the stud is coupled to the board or provided on the board and passes through an aperture on the board. The flap snap fits over the stud as before.

In use, a garment is placed on the garment support lying against the board 3. If the garment is a collarless garment distal portions 7 of supports 5 are swung into first position 9 to lie within the shoulder regions of the garment, gripping portions 11 holding the garment. The garment is folded round edges 22 of board 3, and the bottom portion of the garment is folded round bottom edge 23 of board 3, permitting the folded material to be placed between the jaws 14 of clip means 13. The jaws are brought together by pushing down metal retaining clip 15, securing the garment in place. In an alternative arrangement, without the board 3, the garment is left to hang freely from the base member 2.

If the garment is a collared garment, the distal portions 7 of supports 5 are swung round to second position 10. The back of the collar is pushed over supports 5 and posts 12, the supports 5 and posts 12 lying underneath the collar. The back of the collar is then pushed down between posts 12 and supports 5 so that supports 5 lie underneath the collar and posts 12 lie behind the collar to provide support to the collar.

In an alternative arrangement a garment support 1 comprises a base member 2 and board 3, but the additional supports 5 are not provided. The garment may be folded round the base as previously described.

Claims

1. A garment support adapted for the support and display of a garment mounted thereon, the support comprising: a base member, optionally provided with hook, ring or like means for hanging the garment support from a fixture, hanging rail or the like, the base member being adapted to extend generally horizontally behind a garment in use of the support to mount the said garment; and a board, the base member having at least one flap thereon, hingedly connected thereto and arranged to be brought into confronting relation with pin or like means protruding forwardly of said board, being mounted on said board, being integral with said board, or being provided on or coupled to said base member and extending through aperture means of said board, whereby to couple the base member and the board together.

2. A garment support according to Claim 1, further comprising a pair of auxiliary supporting means each being integral with or joined to the base member, each having a distal end, and each being pivotable through substantially 1800 between a first position and a second position, the distal end of a said means being adapted in said first position to extend within a collarless shouldered garment mounted on said support into the shoulder region thereon for auxiliary support thereat, and being adapted in said second position to extend from behind a collared shouldered garment mounted on said support under the collar thereof for auxiliary support of such garment in the collar region thereof.

3. A garment support, adapted for the support and/or display of a shouldered garment mounted thereon, the support comprising: a base member adapted to extend generally horizontally behind such garment in use of the support to mount the said garment thereon; and a pair of auxiliary supporting means each being integral with or joined to the base member, each having a distal end, and each being pivotable through substantially 1800 between a first position and a second position, the distal end of a said means being adapted in said first position to extend within a collarless shouldered garment mounted on said support into the shoulder region thereon for auxiliary support thereat, and being adapted in said second position to extend from behind a collared shouldered garment mounted on said support under the collar thereof for auxiliary support of such garment in the collar region thereof.

4. A garment support according to Claim 3, further comprising a board, said base member having at least one flap thereon, hingedly connected thereto and arranged to be brought into confronting relation with pin or like means protruding forwardly of said board, being mounted on said board, being integral with said board, or being provided on or coupled to said base member and extending through aperture means of said board, whereby to couple the base member and the board together.

5. A garment support according to Claim 3, further comprising a board integral with said base member.

6. A garment support according to any of Claims 1, 2, 3 or 5, wherein said base member is provided with a pair of clips, one at each horizontal end of said base member such that a garment may be pulled flat over the board and the excess material pulled round and/or up and clipped behind the board by the clip means

7. A garment support according to any of Claims 2 to 5, said garment support is further provided with two upstanding posts integral with said base member and adapted in use to lie behind the collar of a collared garment mounted on said garment support, to support said collar, so that said collar passes between said post and said adjacent auxiliary support.

8. A garment support according to Claim 1 or Claim 4 or any claim appendant thereto, wherein said base is made of plastics material, preferably polypropylene, and said board is made of cardboard.

9. A method of assembling a garment of the kind having shoulder portions with a garment support for support and/or display of the garment, the method comprising: laying the garment across the garment support so that a base portion thereof may provide a generally rigid support for the garment therebehind and generally horizontally thereacross; and manipulating a pair of auxiliary supporting means of the garment support io that, if the garment has a collar, they extend from behind tll( garment and under the collar thereof for auxiliary support in the collar region, and so that, if the garment has no collar, they are pivoted through substantially 1800 to a different position in which they extend within the garment into the shoulder region for auxiliary support thereat.

10. A method of manufacturing a garment support by coupling a board adapted in use to provide support for the body of a garment with a base member adapted in use to extend behind the garment in the shoulder region thereof, the base member being optionally provided with hook, ring or like means I-or hanging the garment support from a fixture, hanging rail or tlle like.

11. A garment support, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

12. A method of assembling a garment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying darwings.

13. A method of manufacturing a garment support substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.