GB2379871A

GB2379871A - Garment hanger

Info

Publication number: GB2379871A
Application number: GB0126416A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter William Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-09-22
Filing date: 2001-11-05
Publication date: 2003-03-26
Also published as: GB0122887D0; GB0126416D0

Abstract

A garment hanger (1) comprises a central portion (3) having a hook (5) or other hanging means extending from a first side thereof intended in use to extend vertically for hanging the hanger from a suitable support, a hinge (7, 9) on second and third sides generally at right angles to the first side and two arms (11, 13) each carried by one of the hinges (7, 9), the hinges (7, 9) being so arranged that the arms (11, 13) are movable between a first position in which they extend from the central portion (3) at right angles to the direction of the hook (5) or other hanging means for supporting a garment thereon and a second position in which they lie alongside each other to enable easy removal of the garment therefrom.

Description

GARMENT HANGER This invention relates to a garment hanger.

The usual types of garment hanger comprise a bow, the ends of which extend downwardly in use and a hook or other hanging means is attached to the central part of the bow and extends upwards by which the hanger can be hung from a rail or other support.

While these hangers are perfectly suitable for use clothes, such as jackets, which open at the front, some difficulty is experienced with closed clothes such as sweaters and"T"-shirts since the hanger is often to wide to insert through the neck of the garment and, although it can usually be inserted from the bottom of the garment, there is a tendency for the hook to foul the garment, sometimes with disastrous results. This is particularly a problem in retail outlets as customers may not be too careful when examining the merchandise and may render the garment unsaleable.

The present invention seeks-to obviate or reduce the above disadvantages foundwith standard types of hangers.

According to the invention a garment hanger comprises a central portion having a hook or other hanging means extending from a first side thereof intended in use to extend vertically for hanging the hanger from a suitable support, a hinge on second and third sides generally at right angles to the first side and two arms each carried by one of the hinges, the hinges being so arranged that the arms are movable between a first position in which they extend from the central portion at right angles to the direction of the hook or other hanging means for supporting a garment thereon and a second position in which they lie alongside each other to enable easy removal of the garment therefrom.

Preferably the hinges are so arranged that when the hanger IS held upright, the arms take up their first position and when the hanger is inclined to the vertical in one direction, the arms take up their second position.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which :- Figure 1 is a front view of one embodiment of garment hanger of the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the garment hanger of figure 1 in an extended position; Figure 3 is a plan view of the garment hanger of figure 1 in a folded position, and Figure 4 is a sectional view of the hinge used in the garment hanger shown in figures 1 to 3.

Referring now to the drawings, a garment hanger 1, which, as can be seen, is of generally conventional shape. It comprises a central portion 3 which carries a hook 5 by means-of-which the garment hanger can be suspended from-a rail, suitable hook, or other suspension device in the conventional way. It will be understood that although a hook is shown, other suitable devices can be used.

One such device comprises an headed spigot, the head end of which is inserted in a slot in a suspender permanently carried by a rail.

At each side of the central portion 3 are a pair of hinges 7 and 9 which are of a special design and which will be discussed in greater detail hereafter.

Carried by these hinges 7 and 9 are a pair of arms 11 and 13 and these arms 11 and 13 are thus movable between an extended position in which the form an extension of the central portion 3 (as shown in figures 1 and 2) and a folded

position In which they are folded forwards from the central portion 3 so as to lie alongside each other (as shown in figure 3).

The hinges. which are shown in section in figure 4, have a fold line or hinge axis 15 which tapers from the back to the front of the hanger. This taper should be between 250 and15 to the vertical, preferably 200. The parts of the hanger on either side of the hinge are also tapered to enable the arms 11 and 13 to fold properly as shown in figure 3. It will also be noted that, as shown, to obtain the best operation of the hanger, the hinge axes should be inclined to what would be the vertical when the hanger is hung up so as to form upwardly divergent lines.

This inclination should be between 100 and 200 preferably 15 to the vertical.

The hanger may be made of any suitable material such as wood, metal or plastics. Where the hanger is made from plastics, the hinges may be integral with the rest of the hanger.

The operation of the hanger in use will now be considered :- Starting from a situation where a jumper is placed on the hanger and hung on a rail. In this upright or vertical position, due to the angles of the hinges, the hanger will remain open in the position shown in figures 1 and 2. When it is desired to remove the jumper from the hanger, the hanger is lifted off the rail and orientated forwards so that the hanger is inclined forwards. In this position, the arrangement of the hinge will automatically cause the hanger to fold towards the position indicated in figure 3 and will then be easily removable from the garment. Once the garment is returned to the hanger, as soon as the hanger is again vertical, the arms will spread out again to resume the position shown in figures 1 and 2.

In a second embodiment of the invention (not shown) the central portion and arms are made of independent members assembled together.

Suitably, the central portion and the two arms are formed with mating portions which latter, when assembled together, form hinges. Preferably the mating portions are constructed so that they can be snapped together for assembly.

One of the central portion or arms may be provided with spigots forming a hinge pin while the other of the arms or central portion may be formed with sockets into which the spigots can be inserted so as to form the hinge.

In an alternative form of this embodiment, the hinges are formed separately from the central portion and the arms so that the central portion is, on assembly, connected to one side of the hinges while the arms are connected to the other side of the hinges.

Suitably the central portion and the arms are provided with protrusions which fit into recesses in the sides of the hinges or vice versa.

These connections between the central portion and the arms and the hinges may be snap connections.

Claims

CLAIMS : A garment hanger comprising a central portion having a hook or other hanging means extending from a first side thereof intended in use to extend vertically for hanging the hanger from a suitable support, a hinge on second and third sides generally at right angles to the first side and two arms each carried by one of the hinges, the hinges being so arranged that the arms are movable between a first position in which they extend from the central portion at right angles to the direction of the hook or other hanging means for supporting a garment thereon and a second position in which they lie alongside each other to enable easy removal of the garment therefrom.
2. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinges are so arranged that when the hanger is held upright, the arms take up their first position and when the hanger is inclined to the vertical in one direction, the arms take up their second position.
3. A garment hanger as claimed claim 1 or 2, wherein the hinges have axes are, when the hanger is in the-vertical position, are inclined to the vertical andextend from the upper back of the central portion towards the front of the central portion.
4. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 3, wherein the hinges have axes which are inclined to each other so as to form upwardly divergent lines on each side of the central portion.
5. A garment hanger as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the central portion and the arms are made of plastics material.
6. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 5 wherein the central portion, arms and hinges are made of a single integral piece.

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7. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 5, wherein the central portion and arms are made of independent members assembled together
8. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 7, wherein the central portion and the two arms are formed with mating portions which latter, when assembled together, form hinges.
9. A hanger as claimed in claim 8 wherein the mating portions are constructed so that they can be snapped together for assembly.
10. A hanger as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein one of the central portion or arms are provided with spigots forming a hinge pin while the other of the arms or central portion are formed with sockets into which the spigots can be inserted so as to form the hinge.
11. A hanger as claimed in claim 7 wherein the hinges are formed separately from the central portion and the arms so that the central portion is, on assembly, connected to one side of the hinges while the arms are connected to the other side of the-hinges.
12. A hanger as claimed in claim 11 wherein the central portion and the arms are provided with protrusions which fit into recesses in the sides of the hinges or vice versa.
13. A garment hanger substantially as described herein, with reference to the drawings

13. A hanger as claimed in claim 12, wherein the connections between the central portion and the arms and the hinges are snap connections.

14. A garment hanger substantially as described herein, with reference to the drawings.

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Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. A garment hanger comprising a central portion having a hook or other hanging means extending from a first side thereof intended In use to extend vertically for hanging the hanger from a suitable support, a hinge on second and third sides generally at right angles to the first side and two arms each carried by one of the hinges, the hinges being so arranged that the arms are movable between a first position In which they extend from the central portion at right angles to the direction of the hook or other hanging means for supporting a garment thereon and a second position in which they lie alongside each other to enable easy removal of the garment therefrom, the hinges being so arranged that when the hanger is held upright, the arms take up their first position and when the hanger is inclined to the vertical in one direction, the arms take up their second position.

2. A garment hanger as claimed claim 1, wherein the hinges have axes which are, when the hanger is in the vertical position, inclined to the vertical and extend from the upper back of the central portion towards the front of the central portion.

3. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hinges have axes which are inclined to each other so as to form upwardly divergent lines on each side of the central portion 4 A garment hanger as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the central portion and the arms are made of plastics material.

5. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 4 wherein the central portion, arms and hinges are made of a single integral piece.

6 A garment hanger as claimed in claim 4, wherein the central portion and arms are made of Independent members assembled together.

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7 A garment hanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein the central portion and the two arms are formed with mating portions, which latter, when assembled together form hinges 8 A garment hanger as claimed in claim 7, wherein the mating portions are constructed so that they can be snapped together for assembly.

9. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein one of the central portion or arms are provided with spigots forming a hinge pin while the other of the arms or central portion are formed with sockets into which the spigots can be inserted so as to form a hinge.

10 A garment hanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein the hinges are formed separately from the central portion and the arms so that the central portion is, on assembly, connected to one side of the hinges while the arms are connected to the other side of the hinges.

11 A hanger as claimed in claim 10, wnerein the central portion and the arms are provided with protrusions which fit into recesses in the sides of the hinges or vice versa.

12 A garment hanger as claimed in claim 11, wherein the connections between the central portion and the arms and the hinges are snap connections.