GB2395115A - Two-part splittable clothes hanger - Google Patents

Abstract

The arms 1,1/2 of a hanger are releasably connected by hooks 13,14 on one arm which engage corresponding lugs 20,21 on the other arm. Barrel 19 at the base of the swingable hanger hook 2 engages recess 13/3,13/2 in the upper hook to lock the arms together. For storage, the hook may swung into a keyhole shaped retention slot 15 of arm 1/2 or be moved inside arm 1 (Fig 10) when the arms are disconnected. Fastening members (3,4,5,6 Fig 1) on the arms allow them to be attached side-by-side when disconnected. The hook is attached to arm 1 by a plastics strap (18 Fig 3).

Description

23951 1 5

A SPLITABLE CLOTHES HANGER WITH ACCESSORIES

Clothing hangers have been in existence for many years and serve their purpose well, but there are several important areas that do not seem to have been addressed.

Firstly, the conventional clothing hanger presents a problem when in contact with other clothes hangers especially when not in use and placed or thrown into a storage bin. From this point onwards, when retrieval of these said hangers become necessary, so entanglement is experienced via hook snagging' with other hanger hooks and their sections. Secondly, when conventional clothing hangers are boxed for transportation between factory and delivery point, or similarly packed in a suit case, they then prove to be awkward by nature of profile, length and hook geometry. Thirdly, since the majority of clothes hangers are moulded from plastic, quite often the sections are thin and this leads to trouser creasing in the transverse leg region over the horizontal support bar. Fourthly, an area that may also be addressed is that of clothes hanger shortness in view of the 'overall length' where people with broad shoulders inevitably have jackets or other garments that over hang the hanger ends. Consequently, the support is inadequate. In some cases, light garments may develop poke marks in the end-of-shoulder region due to this previously mentioned garment over hang. Therefore while there are many different styles of clothing hangers in the market today, very few attempt to address these highlighted issues. Certainly in the past, efforts to produce a hanger for convenience resulted in a folding clothes hanger but inherently suffered from a lack of rigidly.

The splitable clothes hanger with accessories sets out to solve all of the highlighted problems and provide convenience of use while ending much of the frustration experienced by millions of users throughout the world today.

The first problem that the splitable clothes hanger uniquely addresses, is one of entanglement due to the hanger hook being able to move out of 'open' or normal'fixed position, whereby to then tilt and slide back into the hanger body. On sliding back into the body section of the hanger, the steel hook-end ball enters into a special keyhole in the said hanger top face, while the opposite end with cylindrical retaining barrel comes to rest in a narrowing entrapping section. The hanger with its hook partly concealed within its own body can now be boxed and stored with hook entanglement eliminated. To release the hook from the body, simply reversing the procedure enables the said hook to be replaced into the open-sided pinch cylinder.

This pinch cylinder is an integral part of the hanger moulding and is positioned on top of the said hanger whereby seating is adjacent to the centreline axis of the split point. When the steel hook moves in and out of position of the pinch cylinder, so the pinch cylinder walls and adjoining moulded walls below, bend sufficiently to allow ease of desired movement. The entrance slot to the pinch cylinder is less than that of the actual steel hook-receiving diameter within the pinch cylinder. Consequently, the pinch cylinder walls move back into their natural position whereby steel hook retention occurs partly through friction.

This splitable clothes hanger is manufactured in two main halves through the plastic moulding process and therefore consists of a left and right hand section. The sections are equal in length to one another, but differ at the point of joining. Joining occurs through the act of twin hooks in section sliding over location lugs within the other mating section. These hooks and lugs maybe all part of the initial plastic moulding process, but equally be of aluminium or similar material for additional strength and imbedded at the time of injection moulding. If inserts are used for this purpose, then the lug retention shall be by plastic flowing around side projections containing small grooves or flanges.

Likewise, the mating and opposing twin hook section shall, if aluminium have through holes or side projections for retention within the plastic moulding as described for lugs.

The splitable clothes hanger has a single location boss protruding from each of the two sections and side mounted as indicated in FIG 2 Ref: Section X-X.

When the clothes hanger is assembled, the boss's shall be diagonally opposite each other and serve as a dual function. Firstly, during transportation and for space saving, the two sections of the clothes hanger come together side by side, whereby the projecting boss on one locates into a mating hole on the opposing section. Rotation of one hanger section into a mirror image of the second about said boss, terminates over a retaining clip moulded onto same non-rotating section as boss. The second function of the boss concerns the prevention of clothing slipping off the sloping hanger arms. While most hangers have retaining mechanisms for skirt loops, slip loops and the like, so these bosses provide an alternative design with much greater strength to eliminate shear or fracture. Each boss may have a vertical slot adjacent to the hanger section that then faces the hanger central region whereby to catch and arrest skirt loops, slip loops and the like. The said side boss slot depths shall be less than half of the boss diameter so that positive location of the mating holed' section still provides a secure fit to prevent storage drift.

One section of the splitable clothes hanger contains the hanger's steel hook that Is assembled into its retain), 9 strap secured into the said hanger body itself. This steel hook's plastic strap has a hole at one end that is marginally smaller than that of the said steel hanger ball-end, therefore once assembled over the steel ball-end, said steel hook is retained- and becomes an integral part of the hanger section so preventing loss or drop out. The opposite end of the plastic strap can be secured in any one of several ways, i.e. bonded, hot melt process, a snap in fit as seen in FIG. 6 Detail 'A '& 'B', or preferably moulded integrally at the outset.

A moulded plastic cylinder is positioned at the base of the steel hanger hook to prevent the said steel hook from becoming detached. This plastic cylinder has a full length flat on its side directly in line with the rear of the steel hanger's swan neck. This serves as a wide frictional face so that when the hook is being stored within the hanger section, retention occurs through the act of friction as seen in FIG 6. Therefore the cylindrical barrel 19 comes to rest against plate 23 and barrel flat 19/1 squashes into the underside of strap18. Strap 18 shall be flexible and at this point, be jammed against the

inner hanger section. The said strap shall also be able to bend up to 90 without suffering stress or fatigue as occurs in FIG.9.

The splitable clothes hanger on assembly of its half sections, may have a horizontal bar installed where on final placement of said halves, the bar 10 Ref:FIG.3 becomes trapped within the hanger end-sections Ref:FIG.2 position 8. Since trouser creasing is a problem over small diameters so the introduction of a polyurethane foam cylinder over the said bar eliminates

creasing by spreading the load more effectively. In the case of standard hangers with integrally moulded horizontal trouser bars, a polyurethane foam cylinder with split 12/1 Ref:FIG.4 maybe used. This sleeve fits over the horizontal bar at assembly and becomes trapped within the hanger section.

Assembly of the splitable clothes hanger begins by uncoupling the two main sections from their locked position. This occurs by the rotation of one half section about a location boss on the second hanger section and where departure from the retaining clip aids separation. The steel hook that is tucked away for storage within the hanger body is then pulled out until its straight section immediately under the said hook neck is pushed into the pinch cylinder. This action allows clearance for the twin hooks on the mating clothes hanger section to move in over the captive lugs where securing of both sections take place. At this point, the steel hook is slipped out of the pinch cylinder and pulled completely through until restrained by the hook end-stop barrel. By rotating the steel hook back up and through the pinch cylinder ensures that the receiving 'home' inservice position is found. At the same time, the steel hook end-stop barrel comes to rest immediately above the top clothes hanger hook in an entrapping mode. Therefore the two clothing hanger sections are now locked together and ready to function as a standard single unit. The steel clothes hanger hook is totally free to rotate within the pinch cylinder and secondly will not drop downwards due to the horizontal hook below. An optional recess on top of the top horizontal hook may allow the hangers steel hook end barrel additional fixing.

Disassembly to avoid hanger entanglement during storage is achieved by releasing the steel hook whereby rotating it out of the pinch cylinder. The said steel hook is then pushed down inside the clothes hanger body until the steel hook ball-end enters the awaiting keyhole slot on the top side of the hanger.

This slot is so positioned that when the ball-end attempts to enter the keyhole slot, slight resistance is felt whereby when additional force is applied, so then entry of the ball-end occurs. As the steel hook is pushed further back into the hanger body for minimal protrusion, so the steel wire diameter of the said hook, immediately below the ball-end, enters the narrow section of the keyhole where pinching and final retention occurs. Uniquely, the curved steel neck of the clothes hanger lies closely across the split of the formed junction, whereby to also provide secondary anti-separation characteristics through upward movements of horizontal hanger-hook section. With the clothing hanger hook tucked well away, ensures entanglement from this problematic item is eliminated.

A second polyurethane foam accessory in the form of a cylinder can be used with this and virtually any other clothes hanger to overcome the problem of variable shoulder width. That is to say, that for broad shouldered people whose garments overhang the hanger ends, a polyurethane cylinder longer than the standard clothes hanger, shall be used whereby to give additional support to prevent poke marks appearing in outer shoulder extremities towards the sleeve top joint. Secondly, garments that are semi-wet and to be hung up to dry shall also benefit from the polyurethane cylinder's load spreading ability where poke marks shall be severely limited. A third advantage of the said polyurethane cylinder is one of limited moisture absorption and zero reaction stain-wise, whereby some steel clothes hangers may rust to leave unsightly permanent marks upon garments and wooden hangers develop water-stains thereon.

Whilst it is suggested that the polyurethane cylinder is over and beyorid the standard length of a clothes hanger, it may also be the same length as the said hanger purely to avoid the all-too-common upper clothes hanger narrow section creasing garments as well. These shorter polyurethane foam sections maybe open-ended although the longer units would have more solid ends for rigidity and support to garment shoulder outer extremities.

Although the design features are typical to suit the splitable clothes hanger, they can also apply to the all-in-one as manufactured standard clothes hanger. That is to say that the clothes hanger steel hook may still be able to retract and fold back into the clothes hangers body as seen in FIG. 9. This time, the steel hanger hook has twin plastic barrels moulded onto its steel shank, whereby one barrel during assembly for active service shall seat above the pinch block cylinder and the second seat immediately below.

Therefore, at the time of placement, the twin barrels shall also have a pinching effect about the pinch cylinder creating two effective clamping mechanisms. A hole at the base and to the front of the pinch cylinder opening will allow the top barrel to traverse through whether into, or out of, the steel hook locking position. Therefore, this said hole in the solid all-in-one clothes hanger, shall be at the same position as clearance slot 1/3 Ref:FIG 7. Finally, the hook 2 shall be stored as seen in FIG.9 and shall not require a pinch point on any of the two contained barrels, since retention is via pinch slot 15.

A plastic-retaining strap whose integrally formed end-hole shall fit tightly over the bottom barrel, if fitted manually and not moulded in place, shall then come to rest between both barrels. Hence, the retaining strap shall stop the steel hook bottom barrel from exiting the through the hole in clothes hanger top section face. The said retaining strap shall be secured to the clothes hanger in the same way as proposed for the splitable clothes hanger in the previous text.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the splitable clothes hanger in assembled condition where the steel hook 2 projects out through the pinch cylinder 7 upon hanger section 1.

Section 1 also contains an embracing clip 5 and through location hole 4 with projecting boss 4/1 immediately behind and out of view. Hanger section 1/2 shows second embracing clip 6 and projecting boss 3 with circular through location hole behind (unseen) as hole position 4 on section 1.

FIG.2 demonstrates the view of the Section X-X where the cylindrical projecting boss 4/1 sits on clothes hanger section 1 and opposite hole 4.

The space 8 is a small compartment so formed via sections 9 & 9/1 where clothes hanger pole 10 Ret: FIG.3 shall seat. A mirror image of this occurs on the other clothes hanger section 1/2 where pole 10 retention shall prevail.

Section Y-Y shows the integral retention clip 5 that pinches the mating clothes hanger section 1/2 when coupled for packing. The boss 4/1 is to locate in the unseen through hole immediately behind boss 3 Ret: FIG.1.

FIG.3 shows the round in-section pole10 that is a trouser hanger support and is of correct length to seat in space 8 as indicated in FIG.2.

FIG.4 shows the cylindrical polyurethane foam liner 11 that encompasses the horizontal bar 10 Ret: FIG.3 during assembly of the splitable clothes hanger.

The hole 12 is an entrapment zone for said bar 10 where as the split 12/1 is for conventional clothes hangers where that fitting will be via said split.

FIG.5 indicates the clothes hanger section 1/2 in three views. The central view shows the said hanger 112 hooks 13 & 14 and same in the first end-on view.

Position 13/1 is a solid face to prevent final steel hook-position swing via end barrel. Circular recess 1/3 is clearance to allow the clothes hanger steel hook's radial turning access. Integrally moulded location clip 6 sits on the side of the clothes hanger 1/2. The third section indicates the keyhole slot 15 & 16 that can accept the clothes hanger's steel hook ball and shank.

FIG.6 demonstrates the clothing hanger section 1 that contains a steel hook 2 attached via flat plastic strap 18 secured about loop end 18/1. The opposite end of strap 18 snaps into 'V' recess 25 (detail 'A') where ball-end 18/2 prevents pull out. Section 24/1 in block 22 is marginally smaller to prevent slip out since hole 24 is to suit strap 1 8's localised circular area. Detail 'B' shows the strap 18 seated in block 22. The guide 23 is to pinch and hold the steel hook 2 end-barrel 19 when pushed inwards for storage. Two plastic hooks that could equally be metal inserts 20 & 21 are so placed to receive their mating hooks (unseen). The pinch cylinder 7 on top of the clothes hanger section 1 has an entry slot 7/2 that is marginally less than the steel hook 2 diameter that when placed, seats in a circular receiving hole 7/1.

FIG.7 shows how the steel hook 2 seats in the clothes hanger section 1 when section 1/2 is located, therefore allowing clearance. The pinch cylinder 7 has a clearance recess 1/3 opposite in section 1/2 so positioned to allow the steel hook 2 to be pulled through into position as seen in FIG.8. Also seen is the steel hook 2 barrel 19's optional recess seat 13/2.

FIG.8 shows the clothes hanger sections 1 & 1/2 coupled together and the steel hook 2 pulled into its final position via pinch slot 7/2. The steel hook 2 barrel 19 seats by design on top of hook 13, therefore securing the clothes hanger sections against separation. This action also prevents the steel hook 2 from dropping downwards but can still rotate freely. If force on the said hook comes from direction 'A', then the pinch cylinder and slot 7/2 help to counter the force. Additionally, the recess 13/2 shall also provide some resistance to the hook becoming dislodged. When force comes from direction 'B', it is countered by hanger section1/2's solid face 13/1 and pinch cylinder 7. Also seen is Detail 'C' that is an optional die cast aluminium or similar material double-hook 13/3 insert with several through holes 13/4 for plastic to flow and trap said insert within hanger section 1/2 at manufacture stage.

FIG.9 demonstrates how the steel hook 2 can be laid over and after pushing backwards into the hanger section 1, ball-end 2/1 travels through keyhole clearance hole 16 to allow steel hook 2's shank retention via pinching slot 15.

Also reference keyhole slot 15 & 16 in FIG 5.

FIG.10 shows the steel hook 2, in the left-hand diagram, right back inside the clothes hanger section 1 for storage. The right-hand sketch shows the end-on' view when both sections 1 &1/2 are coupled together via unseen boss 3 and securing clip 6. Also seen are the location bars 20 & 21 under the steel hook 2 and opposite hooks 13 & 14 within the hanger section 1. Clearance recess 1/3 may also be seen.

FIG.11 indicates the cylindrical polyurethane foam load-spreader 26 with radius ends 29 that overhang the clothes hanger 1 ends by a distance 'x'. The slot 28 runs into 27 and is to fit over any clothes hanger at points 30 & 31 seen here on hanger section 1 & 1/2 respectively. The distance 'Y' should be up to '/'W', where 'Z' shall be manufactured to give a light pinch fit based on the clothing industries average hanger width for top sections.

FIG.12 demonstrates a standard all-in-one section clothes hanger 32 with hanger hook 2 fully retracted within and where barrels 33 & 34 are unrestrained since pinch point slot 15 holds the steel hook 2 via friction.

FIG.13 shows a part section of the all-in-one clothes hanger 32 with steel hook 2 fully out and where the barrels 33 & 34 seat about pinch cylinder 7.

Also seen is Detail 'D' indicating the lug 35 profile with grooves 36, if an insert is to be imbedded within the clothes hanger body section 1 at manufacture during the plastic moulding process.

Claims (30)

1. A splitable clothes hanger with accessories that when stored maybe separated into two equal sections that when brought together in a mirror image, are initially located by the first of two bosses followed by retention within a retaining clip and who's releasable steel hanger hook and restraining strap can then be pushed back inside its own body section, but when assembly is required, said steel hook can be retracted allowing the two sections to be joined via first hanger section's twin hooks interlocking firmly over second hanger section's twin retaining lugs.

2. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 who's equal sections each contain a single side-mounted locating boss that if the clothes hanger is assembled, said bosses are diagonally opposed to each other.

3. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 who's individual bosses each have a vertical groove adjacent to the clothes hanger body section facing inwards and towards the hanger steel hook, whereby the secondary function is to prevent garments from sliding off.

4. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 who's two sections each have a circular hole opposite their own boss that shall receive the mating boss of the opposing section at closure and storage stage.

5. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 that may have one single boss, one single hole and one single integral clip on each section that then allows the two clothing hanger sections to be assembled to each other and on any one of the two sides.

6. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 who's retaining clip slightly pinches the mating rotating-about- boss 'hanger section' at closure.

7. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a non-

permanent horizontal bar accessory for trousers that is trapped in place by the said hanger end enclosures at assembly.

8. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 who's removable non-

permanent horizontal bar accessory as claimed in claim 7 maybe made from wood, reinforced plastic or carbon fibre.

9. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a polyurethane foam 'round-in-outer-section' load spreader accessory either on the top hanger section for coats or horizontal section for trousers.

1 O.A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 who's polyurethane foam load spreader as claimed in claim 9 maybe split to encompass the trouser bar, or open slotted to allow fitting over hanger top section whereby to extend beyond said hanger ends in a garment support function.

11.A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1 who's twin hooks shall be formed in plastic at the plastic injection stage, but equally and for strength maybe aluminium die cast and trapped within the injection process via own through spew groove within its body.

12.A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's twin hook retaining lugs shall be formed in plastic at the plastic injection stage, but equally and for strength, maybe of aluminium or similar material and trapped in place at the time of manufacture via circular recesses at each end of the lug section.

1 3.A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's twin hooks as claimed in claim 11 have a solid section above the top horizontal hook to prevent the steel clothing hanger hook and barrel from becoming displaced if knocked when in the fully extended, assembled condition.

14.A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's top face at the point where the steel hanger emerges, shall on the twin hook section have a small radial recess to allow the clothing hanger 'steel hook', free passage during assembly/closure and whereby finally if closure, shall be the hanger's steel hook rest point when keyhole securing slot is used.

15.A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's keyhole securing slot, as claimed in claim 14 shall be formed partly by a clearance hole to suit the steel hanger ball-end and who's said hole joins a slot that is marginally smaller than the said steel hook diameter whereby retention shall occur via pinching.

16.A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's keyhole securing slot, as claimed in claim 14 is set marginally out-of-position towards the centre split zone, whereby although the hole in the keyhole is large enough to accept the steel hook ball-end, the out-of-position condition ensures the ball-end shall require a small force to encourage entry.

17.A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's steel hanger hook is retained by a flat plastic strip that becomes an integral part of the hanger section through the moulding process, but equally maybe separate and attached by plastic welding or snapping into place within a 'V' block.

18. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's retaining plastic strap as claimed in claim 17, shall have a hole to force fit over the steel hook ball-end where then it shall feed along to the said hook base and come to rest against the hook rear end-barrel.

19.A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's end-barrel as claimed in claim18, shall be cylindrical and of tough plastic and who's back shall have a full length flat behind and in line with the steel hook swan neck, so that when pushed into the hanger body for storage, the said barrel flat will squeeze against the steel hook's plastic strap who in turn shall press against the hanger's inner face and opposite entrapment block whereby through friction shall stay put.

20. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's steel hanger hook on assembly comes to rest in a pinch block that has a hole equal to, or marginally less than that of the said steel hook diameter, but who's entry to the 'pinch cylinder' is more narrow than that of the steel hook diameter, whereby to stop hook slip out during service.

21. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's 'pinch cylinder' as claimed in claim 20, shall accept the steel hook during assembly and hold the said hook immediately below its curved neck on the first straight section to then allow both hands the freedom to assemble the clothes hanger halves where then the steel hook maybe withdrawn

22. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, that when assembled, the steel hook's plastic barrel shall seat immediately above the top twin hook in an entrapping mode whereby the said twin hooks cannot rise out of position, but equally the steel hanger hook cannot drop out of position.

23. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's steel hook barrel as claimed in claim 22 shall seat in a shallow recess on the top face of the top twin hook as a secondary mode of holding to the pinch cylinder, whereby the steel hanger hook shall be supported during service.

24. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's key-hole securing zone as claimed in claims 14,15 & 16 may also apply in combination with fixed 'all-in-one' clothing hangers, whereby entanglement shall not prevail once the steel hanger hook has been housed within said keyhole.

25. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, who's pinch cylinder as claimed in claims 20 and 21, may also apply in combination with fixed all-in-one' clothing hangers, whereby the steel hanger hooks shall be retained during assembly.

26. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, in combination with fixed 'all-in-one' clothing hangers as claimed in claim 24 and 25, who's steel hanger hook shall have twin barrels where one seats above the pinch cylinder and second immediately below said pinch cylinder in a pinching mode of its own therefore creating a twin pinching condition.

27. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, in combination with fixed 'all-in-one' clothing hangers who's retaining strap this time seats in-between the twin barrels and once forced into position over bottom barrel, shall prevent the top barrel traversing out through the clothes hanger top face whereby avoiding loss.

28. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, in combination with fixed 'all-in-one' clothing hangers who's retaining strap as claimed in claim 27 shall be attached to the hanger body in the same manner as claimed in claim 17.

29. A splitable clothes hanger as claimed in claim 1, in combination with fixed 'all-in-one' clothing hangers that do not require a secondary pinch point on any of the two barrels, but who's steel hanger hook is simply retained in the keyhole retaining pinch slot.

30. A splitable clothes hanger and accessories in combination with fixed all-in-one' clothes hangers substantially as drawn and illustrated.