GB2387952A

GB2387952A - Novelty display device for a garment hanger

Info

Publication number: GB2387952A
Application number: GB0209394A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel William Ball
Original assignee: MP GROUP Ltd
Current assignee: MP GROUP Ltd
Priority date: 2002-04-24
Filing date: 2002-04-24
Publication date: 2003-10-29
Also published as: GB0209394D0

Abstract

A novelty display device for use with a garment hanger of the type having a hook 12, shoulders 14, 16 for supporting a garment and an elongate neck 18 intermediate the hook and the shoulders. The novelty display device comprises first and second display panels 20, 22, connected together by a first fold 24), an aperture 30 in the first fold through which the neck 18 of the hanger may pass, and movement limiting means 32 engage the shoulders of the hanger to limit the extent to which the neck 18 passes through the aperture 30, so that in use the display panels 20, 22 cover the junction 42 between the neck and the shoulders of the hanger.

Description

À 1 - Novelty Display Device for A Garment Hanger Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a novelty display device 5 for a garment hanger, in particular a display device which carries the likeness of a cartoon character.

Background of the invention

Typically a garment or clothes hanger has a hook, a neck 10 portion and two shoulders from which a garment is suspended in use. Often the remote ends of the shoulders are connected by a cross-bar, which provides stability and a further member from which to suspend an associated garment, as in the case of a jacket and trousers.

British patent application GB 2127284 (Ball) describes a clothes-hanger shaped in at least part of its structure to form or carry a representation, such as a cartoon character.

In particular the hook, neck and shoulders of the hanger are 20 so shaped to resemble the character. Such a construction has novelty value, especially for children, in that when a garment is suspender from the hanger it appears as if it is being worn by the character.

25 While such a novelty clothes hanger does have some appeal, it suffers from the disadvantage that it dispenses with the traditional elongate neck, which retailers prefer as a convenient location for information tags, indicating, for example, garment sizes and prices.

There is therefore a need for a novelty clothes hanger which enables the traditional elongate neck to be retained.

- 2 We have discovered that this objective can be achieved by providing a separate display device which can be used with a hanger of the typical construction as described above.

5 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a display device for use with a garment hanger of the type having a hook, shoulders for supporting a garment and an elongate neck intermediate the hook and the shoulders, the display 10 device comprising first and second display panels connected together by a first fold, an aperture in the first fold through which the neck of the hanger may pass, and movement limiting means for engaging the shoulders of the hanger to limit the extent to which the neck passes through the 15 aperture, so that in use the display panels cover the junction between the neck and the shoulders of the hanger.

The first and second panels are preferably of complimentary shape. The display panels may be in the form of a blank of foldable sheet material, such as paper, cardboard, plastics sheet material, metal sheet material or any combination thereof.

25 The movement limiting means may comprise a support member connected to the second display panel at a location remote from the first fold to extend in use between the display panels in a direction towards the first fold and having an engagement surface for contacting and being supported by the 30 shoulders of the hanger. The support member may be connected to the second support panel by a second fold located along an edge of the second display panel remote

from the first fold.

In one embodiment, the display panels include generally flat externally directed display faces.

The display panels may carry visually distinctive designs, for example one or both display panels may be so shaped and/or carry such a design as to represent the head of a fictional or non-fictional human or animal character, such 10 as a cartoon character, a character from literature or history, a celebrity or the like. The display panels may carry these designs simply on one face, or alternative designs may be provided on both faces to render the device reversible. A stabilizing element may be provided which is so positioned to contact a part of the garment in use, to stabilize the display device on the hanger, that is to stop the display device from falling forwards or to the side when the hanger 20 is moved from side to side or swung from back to front.

This stabilizing element may be formed as an extension of the support member.

The invention also provides a combination of the display 25 device with a garment hanger having a hook, shoulders for supporting a garment and an elongate neck intermediate the hook and the shoulders, wherein the neck of the hanger passes through said aperture in the first fold and the movement limiting means engage the shoulders of the hanger 30 to limit the extent to which the neck passes through the aperture, so that the display panels cover the junction between the neck and the shoulders of the hanger.

- 4 The invention will now be further described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 5 Figure 1 a display device according to the invention, in the form of a blank viewed from the rear (un-printed) side; Figure 2 shows a garment hanger of the type with which the display device of Figure 1 can be used; Figure 3 shows the display device of Figure 1 carried on the hanger of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-section of the device when carried on a 15 hanger, as viewed in the direction IV - IV in Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the hanger removed. 20 The drawings show a display device for use with a garment hanger. The hanger 10, as shown in Figure 2, has a hook 12, shoulders 14, 16 for supporting a garment and an elongate 25 neck 18 intermediate the hook 12 and the shoulders 14, 16.

The neck 18 joins the shoulders 14, 16 at a junction 42. A cross-bar 44 extends between the remote ends of the shoulders 14, 16.

30 The display device is in the form of a blank of foldable cardboard. The display device includes first and second display panels 20, 22 connected together by a first fold 24.

5 - The display panels 20, 22 include generally flat externally directed display faces 26, 28, which have visually distinctive designs printed thereon, representing the head of a cartoon character. The display panels are also shaped 5 to accentuate this design, i.e. in the present case to represent the ears 46 of the character.

An aperture 30 is provided in the first fold 24.

10 A support member 32 is connected to the second display panel by a second fold 38 located along an edge of the second display panel 22 opposite to the first fold 24. A third fold 48 divides the support member 32 into two portions, namely a proximal portion 32a and a distal portion 32b and creates downwardly facing engagement surface 35 having a slot 50, which also extends on one side of the slot 50 across the distal portion 32b to an edge thereof.

The distal portion 32a of the support member 32 is extended 20 to form an stabilizing element 40.

In use the neck 18 of the hanger 10 is passed upwardly through the aperture 30 and the blank is folded as shown in Figure 4 so that the display panels 20, 22 extend downwardly 25 to cover the junction 42 between the neck 18 and the shoulders 14, 16 of the hanger 10. The support member 32 is folded so that the proximal portion 32a thereof extends upwardly between the display panels 20, 22 in a direction towards the first fold 24 and the engagement surface 35 30 contact the shoulders 14, 16 of the hanger 10. The distal portion 32b of the support member 32 then extends away from the first fold 24, that is downwardly, trapping the

- 6 - shoulders 14, 16 of the hanger 10. The stabilising element 40 formed on the distal portion 32a of the support member 32 is so positioned to contact the garment (not shown) to stop the display device from falling forwards or to the side when 5 the hanger 10 is moved from side to side or swung from back to front.

Claims

- 7 - CLAIMS

1. A display device for use with a garment hanger of the type having a hook, shoulders for supporting a garment 5 and an elongate neck intermediate the hook and the shoulders, the display device comprising first and second display panels connected together by a first fold, an aperture in the first fold through which the neck of the hanger may pass, and movement limiting means for engaging 10 the shoulders of the hanger to limit the extent to which the neck passes through the aperture, so that in use the display panels cover the junction between the neck and the shoulders of the hanger.

15

2. A display device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second panels are of complimentary shape.

3. A display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second display panels are in the form of a 20 blank of foldable sheet material.

4. A display device according to any preceding claim, wherein the movement limiting means comprises a support member connected to the second display panel at a location 25 remote from the first fold to extend in use between the display panels in a direction towards the first fold and having engagement surfaces for contacting and supporting the shoulders of the hanger.

30

5. A display device according to claim 4, wherein the support member is connected to the second support panel by a second fold located along an edge of the second display

- 8 - panel remote from the first fold.

6. A display device according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second display panels include 5 generally flat externally directed display faces.

7. A display device according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and/or second display panels carry visually distinctive designs.

8. A display device according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and/or second display panels are so shaped and/or carry such a design as to represent the head of a fictional or non-fictional human or animal character.

9. A display device according to any preceding claim, further comprising an stabilising element so positioned to contact a part of the garment in use, to stabilize the display device on the hanger in use.

10. The combination of a display device according to any preceding claim and a garment hanger having a hook, shoulders for supporting a garment and an elongate neck intermediate the hook and the shoulders, wherein the neck of 25 the hanger passes through said aperture in the first fold and the movement limiting means engage the shoulders of the hanger to limit the extent to which the neck passes through the aperture, so that the display panels cover the junction between the neck and the shoulders of the hanger.

11. A display device substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.