GB2291343A

GB2291343A - An expandable garment hanger

Info

Publication number: GB2291343A
Application number: GB9520129A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roberto Ridolini
Original assignee: Mainetti UK Ltd
Current assignee: Mainetti UK Ltd
Priority date: 1992-06-16
Filing date: 1993-06-15
Publication date: 1996-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-15
Also published as: GB2291343B; GB9520129D0

Abstract

A garment hanger for delicate or elasticated fabrics comprises a hook 1, a central body 3 and two carriers 5, 7 adapted to engage and support a garment. One carrier 7 is located at the end of a slidable arm 8. The other is at the end of the central body 3. The hook is carried by a support 2 which is movably attached to the central body 3. Opposing surfaces of the arm 8 and the body 3 have rack formations and a pinion 23 is located between them. Thus as arm 8 moves, body 3 moves by an equal amount. The pinion is pivoted about a vertical axis and an axle 26 thereof engages the hook carrier 2, thus ensuring that the hook remains at the mid point of the hanger at all extension positions. A locking mechanism is also provided to automatically lock the hanger against further extension once a predetermined restraining force is exerted on the garment by carrier 7. <IMAGE>

Description

GARMENT HANGER This invention relates to a garment hanger particularly but not exclusively for use with garments composed of delicate or elasticated fabrics. Such hangers are often employed for display of skirts.

EP213171 discloses a garment hanger wherein two arms are urged outwardly by springs into engagement with a garment.

Pressure applied by the springs can distort a delicate or elasticated garment creating an unsightly display and possibly causing damage to the garment. W090/10408 discloses an adjustable hanger having an extensible arm which may be prevented from retraction by engagement of a releasable ratchet. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that a garment can be easily overstretched as the arms are extended, particularly as the resistance offered by a garment as the arm is extended may be less than the internal friction of the hanger assembly.

According to a first aspect of the present invention a garment hanger comprises a hook and a central body depending from the hook, two carriers adapted to engage and support a garment at least one carrier being connected to the central body by a moveable arm so that the separation of the carriers may be increased in use to engage a garment; and locking means adapted to lock the moveable arm preventing further extension when a predetermined restraining force is applied to a carrier by said garment.

The hanger of the present invention prevents overextension of the arms and allows easy adjustment to fit a garment. In use a garment may be engaged or placed into contact with the carriers and the moveable arm extended to secure the garment, the locking means automatically preventing over-extension of the hanger without need for careful manipulation by a user.

The moveable arm is preferably slidable in relation to the central body although pivotal or other linkages may be employed.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention the carrier is moveable in relation to the arm to which it is connected from a sliding position to a locking position when urged swards the second carrier, locking means being arranged to restrain movement of the arm relative to the central body when the carrier is in said locking position.

The hanger may further comprise a release adapted on manual actuation to move the carrier from the locking position to the slidable position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the locking means includes a first toothed formation having one or more teeth and arranged to move in concert with the moveable arm; second toothed formation secured to the central body; and guide means arranged to guide the first formation into engagement with the second formation to prevent movement of the arm when the carrier is moved from the sliding position to the locking position.

The hanger may have two moveable arms with a carrier disposed at the end of each arm and connection means linking both moveable arms so that movement of one moveable arm causes equal and opposite movement of the other. This arrangement of garment hanger facilitates the application of the hanger to a garment or article of clothing. One hand may be used to grip the hanger by the hanger body whilst the other extends one arm into engagement with the garment.

The connection means may comprise a geared wheel positioned between, and adapted to engage with, two toothed racks or arrays carried on respective arm members, each arm member extending from each moveable arm so that movement of one arm causes rotation of the geared wheel which in turn produces equal and opposite movement of the other arm. It must be understood that although this is the preferred arrangement of connection means the invention also contemplates the use of similar mechanisms such as the use of internal wheels and pulleys.

The geared wheel may be fixed in a vertical axis. This configuration of garment hanger provides support for the moveable arms against lateral movement and minimises vertical movement of the arms.

According to a second aspect of the present invention a hanger comprises a hook, a central body dependent from the hook and two garment carriers, a first carrier being integral with the central body and the second carrier being disposed on a slidable arm, the hook being carried on a support, the support being moveable in relation to the central body and arranged so that the support remains equidistant between the carriers as the arm is moved in use of the hanger.

The invention is further described by means of example but not in any limitative sense with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a hanger in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a partially cut away view of the components of the hanger shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of a hanger shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a partial view illustrating the locking arrangement; and Figures 5 and 6 illustrate detailed construction of the hanger.

In the following specification the same numerals are used to denote like components in the various drawings.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a hanger in accordance with this invention. The hanger comprises a hook 1 having a plate 2 depending therefrom. The plate carries a surface 4 on which labels or other information may be displayed. The main body 3 of the hanger has an elongate configuration defining a central channel. One end of the main body carries a support 5 arranged to engage and support a garment in use. The support may incorporate ribbed or stepped formations as convenient.

An outward projection 6 on the upward portion of the support serves to prevent a garment secured to the support beneath it from being dislodged, for example by a further garment falling onto it. The support 5 may incorporate a clip or may be provided with an adhesive or adherent coating. A second support 7 is carried on a moveable arm 8 received in a channel in the main body. The support 7 incorporates ribbed, toothed or otherwise shaped protrusion 9 as previously described. A resilient clip 10 serves to retain a garment in contact with the support as the moveable arm is extended as described below.

A protrusion ii extending above the support 7 serves to shield the support from accidental release. The support 7 is connected to a formation 12 extending from the moveable arm 8 by means of a hinge or flexible linkage 13. The hinge may comprise a deformable neck dimensioned so that the support 7 may flex or bend in use in relation to the moveable arm 8.

Alternatively a pivotal hinge or other linkage may be employed.

A release lever 14 extends from the hinge 13 in an opposite direction to the support 7 so that manual compression of the lever 14 towards the formation 1 2 urges the support 7 in a direction awav from the moveable arm 8 in the direction of greater extension of the hanger. A locking bar 15 is disposed within the main body channel alongside the moveable arm 8. A lug 16 extending from the locking bar 15 is received in a socket 17 of the support 7 connecting the locking bar to the arm Movement of the support 7 about the hinge 13 causes the locking bar 1 D to move longitudinally relative to the moveable arm 8. Pegs 20 extending laterally from the moveable arm 8 are received in inclined guideways or slots 19 in the locking bar 15. Inclination of the guideways 19 is arranged so that motion of the locking arm 15 towards the centre of the hanger causes a toothed formation 18 to be urged downwardly into engagement with a complementary toothed formation 24 provided at the outer extremity of the channel in the main body 3. Engagement of the toothed formations 18 and 24 locks the moveable arm 8 preventing further motion until the locking bar 15 can move upwardly in relation to the pegs 20.

In use of the hanger a garment is placed in contact with the supports 5 and 7, being retained by the clip 10 if convenient. Extension of the moveable arm 8 increasing the distance between the supports 5 and 7 can occur freely until the garment exerts a predetermined restraining force on the support 7. The restraining force, which may be determined by the resilience of the hinge 13 is arranged to be sufficient to allow the moveable arm 8 to be extended freely until the garment exerts sufficient force that it would be overextended or damaged by further extension of the arm 8. The restraining force of the garment causes the support 7 to move in relation to the moveable arm 8 about the pivot 13. The locking arm 15 is caused to move inwardly of the hanger and also downwardly by movement of the pegs 20 within the slots 19.In order to release a moveable arm the. release lever 14 may be actuated to cause a further small extension to the garment sufficient to move the locking arm 15 out of engagement with the tooth formation 24.

Alternative constructions of the locking arrangement may be employed. The locking arm 15 may be arranged to move upwardly or laterally into engagement with an appropriately located toothed formation in the central body.

Provision of an elongate locking bar 15 having a long toothed formation 18 allows the hanger to be used with a variety of sizes of garment. The hanger may be locked at any position of extension of the arm.

In alternative embodiments of the invention the ball and socket arrangements 16, 17 may be replaced by a resilient hinge so that the locking arm 15 and moveable arm 8 may be formed from a single component.

The label carrying support 2 is received in a channel on the upper surface of the central body 3. Flanges 25 engage inwardly facing surfaces of the channel to prevent removal-of the support 2 from the channel. A pinion 23 is arranged for rotation about a vertical axis within the channel. The pinion 23 carries an axle stub 26 engaged between the tabs 25 so that the pinion and carrier 2 move together within the channel. A toothed rack engages the pinion 23 so that the latter rotates as the support 2 moves within the channel. A second rack 21 is provided on a channel 26 formed in the moveable a-rm. The pinion 23 engages both racks 21, 22 and is arranged so that the distance moved by the pinion as the arm 8 consequently rack 21 is extended from the main body 3, is half the distance moved by the arm 8.The central body 2 and hook 1 are caused to move half the distance of any movement of the moveable arm 8. The hook 1 remains centrally of the hanger irrespective of the extension of the arm 8 so that the hanger is retained in a balanced condition and will hang evenly from the rail.

Figure 4 illustrates the locking arrangement the toothed formation 18, 24 may have any convenient configuration and may be inclined to provide a ratchet action. The slot 19 is preferably arranged so that the peg 20 causes engagement of the toothed formations upon suitable movement of the locking arm, for example through a distance of 2 to 5 mm.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate engagement of the pinion 23 with the racks 21, 22. In alternative embodiments of the invention the pinion 23 may be arranged to rotate on a horizontal axis. However this arrangement may not be preferred because rotation about a vertical axis as shown in Figures 5 and 6 allows abutment of ends of the pinion 27, 28 with surfaces of the moveable arm and central body. Flexing of the moveable arm relative to the central body is restrained and the area of engagement of the surfaces 27, 28 of the pinion and corresponding surfaces of the central body and moveable arm are maximised. The hanger has a robust construction. The pinion may be moulded integral with the central body or moveable arm and connected to it by a frangible connection arranged to shear as the hanger is assembled. The hanger may be seen to have a construction employing a minimum of separate components which may be assembled by simply inserting the arm and hook carrier into their respective channels. Correct positioning of the pinion is assured.

A tab carried by the carrier 2 may prevent over extension of the moveable arm by abutment with a complementary formation in the central body.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A garment hanger comprising a hook and a central body depending from the hook, two carriers adapted to engage and support a garment at least one carrier being connected to the central body by a moveable arm so that the separation of the carriers may be increased in use to engage a garment; and locking means adapted to lock the moveable arm preventing further extension when a predetermined restraining force is applied to a carrier by said garment.

2. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 1, in which the moveable arm is slidable in relation to the central body.

3. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 2, in which the carrier is moveable in relation to the arm to which it is connected from a sliding position to a locking position when urged towards the second carrier, locking means being arranged to restrain movement of the arm relative to the central body when the carrier is in said locking position.

4. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 3, which further comprises a release adapted on manual actuation to move the carrier from the locking position to the slidable position.

5. A garment hanger as claimed in any preceding claim in which the locking means includes a first toothed formation having one or more teeth arranged to move in concert with the moveable arm and a second toothed formation secured to the central body.

6. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 5, in which the locking means further includes guide means arranged to guide the first formation into engagement with the second formation to prevent movement of the arm when the carrier is moved from the sliding position to the locking position.

A A garment hanger as claimed in any preceding claim, which rter comprises two moveable arms with a carrier disposed at an end of each arm and connection means linking both moveable arms so that movement of one moveable arm causes equal and opposite movement of the other.

A A garment hanger as claimed in claim 7, in which the connection means comprises a geared wheel positioned between, nd adapted to engage two toothed arrays carried on respective rm members, each arm member extending from each moveable arm so that movement of one arm causes rotation of the geared wheel causing equal and opposite movement of the other arm.

9. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, in which the geared wheel has a vertical axis.

12. A garment hanger comprising a hook, a central body dependent from the hook and two garment carriers, a first carrier being integral with the central body and the second carrier being disposed on a slidable arm, the hook being carried on a support, the support being moveable in relation to t:1e central body and arranged so that the support remains equidistant between the carriers as the arm is moved in use of tne hanger.

7. garment hanger as claimed in any one of clis r to in it the locking means includes a first tooted ormation

7 A A garment hanger substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2. A garment hanger substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS: 1. A garment hanger comprising a hook, a central body dependent from the hook and two garment carriers, a first carrier being integral with the central body and the second carrier being disposed on a slidable arm, the hook being carried on a support, the support being moveable in relation to the central body and arranged so that the support remains equidistant between the carriers as the arm is moved in use of the hanger.

2. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support is moveable by means of a toothed wheel engaging with respective toothed arrays carried on said central body and said slidable arm.

3. k garment hanger as claimed in claim 2, wherein the toothed wheel is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis.

4. < garment hanger according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising locking means adapted to lock the moveable arm preventing further extension when a predetermined restranning force is applied to a carrier by said garment.

5. .* garment hanger as claimed in claim 4, in which the carrier is moveable in relation to the arm to which it is connected from a sliding position to a locking position when urged towards the second carrier, locking means being arranged to restrain movement of the slidable arm relative te the central body when the carrier is in said locking position.

5. garment hanger as claimed in claim 5, which further comprises a release adapted on manual actuation to move the carrier from the locking position to the slidable position.