GB2430870A

GB2430870A - Releasably rotatable suspension hook for a garment hanger

Info

Publication number: GB2430870A
Application number: GB0520371A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Llewellyn Hunt
Original assignee: Braitrim UK Ltd
Current assignee: Braitrim UK Ltd
Priority date: 2005-10-06
Filing date: 2005-10-06
Publication date: 2007-04-11
Also published as: GB0520371D0

Abstract

A garment hanger (10) has a body and a suspension means which may be a hook (11) which is rotatable with respect to the body and a fastener (122) for releasably fastening the suspension hook in a fastened position substantially in a major plane defined by the body, to provide a predetermined resistive moment opposed to rotation of the fastened suspension hook with respect to the body, for transportation and storage of a garment suspended from the garment hanger. The suspension hook is releasable and rotatable for displaying or viewing a front or rear of a garment suspended from the garment hanger, for example, to a position with the suspension hook substantially orthogonal to the major plane defined by the body. The suspension hook may be engaged into a resilient clip (122) having an opening (123) therein, see also Figs 3 and 4 showing suspension hook engaged with locking clip. Fig 2 discloses the suspension hook at 90{ to the main plane of the hanger body (10).

Description

SUSPENSION HOOK FOR A GARMENT HANGER

This invention relates to a garment hanger and to a suspension hook therefor. In particular, the invention relates to a suspension hook which is rotatable, about an axis through at least a portion of a shank of the suspension hook, but is fastenable substantially in a plane defined by a body of the garment hanger.

A garment hanger of plastics material with a metal suspension hook for suspending the garment hanger is well known. Typically a shank of the suspension hook is retained in a boss central of an upper face of the garment hanger.

When garments on garment hangers are transported in bulk, for example, to a retail establishment from a garment manufacturer, the garments are transported suspended with the suspension hooks preferably in a plane of the bodies of the garment hangers, so that neighbouring garments are substantially parallel to each other. During transportation the suspended garments and garment hangers may, for example, pass through a distribution centre, where the garment hangers run along an overhead rail system. A path the garments follow typically exerts a rotational moment on the suspension hooks with respect to the body of the garment hangers, which must be resisted to keep neighbouring garments parallel to each other and substantially orthogonal to the rail system. Preferably, a resistive moment of the order of 100 cNm would be provided.

However, when the garment hanger is used to suspend a garment in a retail establishment, customers may desire to rotate the suspension hook, for example through 90 degrees, to suspend the garment hanger and garment from a display rail so the customer can, for example, view a front or back of the garment from a distance.

A requirement therefore exists for a suspension hook of a garment hanger to be fixable in an orientation parallel to a body of the garment hanger, but readily manually rotatable to a position substantially orthogonal to the body of the garment hanger.

Known attempts at meeting this requirement have focused on a barb portion of a shank of the Suspension hook which is located, for example, in a boss on, or in, the garment hanger body. The barb presents an initial relatively high moment, typically of the order of 40 cNm, resisting rotation of the suspension hook about an axis through a shank of the suspension hook, but once the suspension hook is rotated, breaking a bond between the barb and the boss, a force needed to rotate the suspension hook tends to diminish with every subsequent rotation of the suspension hook, typically to the order of 20 cNm. Therefore, if the garment hangers are re-used, the suspension hooks have to be reset or glued in place so as to restore the resistive moment to prevent the suspension hooks rotating when, for example, the garment hangers pass through a distribution centre, with garments suspended therefrom.

It is an object of the present invention at least to ameliorate the aforesaid

shortcomings in the prior art.

According to the present invention there is provided a garment hanger having a body and suspension means rotatable with respect to the body, wherein the garment hanger comprises fastening means for releasably fastening the suspension means to the body in a fastened position, to provide a predetermined resistive moment opposed to rotation of the fastened suspension means with respect to the body.

Conveniently, the suspension means comprises a suspension hook.

Preferably, the suspension means is fastenable by the fastening means in a major plane defined by the body.

Advantageously, the suspension means is rotatable to a position substantially orthogonal to a major plane defined by the body.

Conveniently, the fastening means comprises clip means for clipping the suspension means to the body.

Conveniently, the suspension means comprises a member which is substantially parallel to a portion of the body in a fastened position.

Conveniently, the fastening means comprises resilient projection means on the body with an indentation for resiliently receiving and fastening a portion of the suspension means.

Conveniently, the fastening means comprises a cut-out portion in the body with an indentation for resiliently receiving and fastening a portion of the suspension means.

Conveniently, the fastening means comprises a fastening member fixed to the suspension means, such that the fastening member is substantially irrotatable with respect thereto, for rotation therewith, having engaging means for engaging cooperating means on the body in a fastened position of the suspension means, releasably to resist rotation of the fastening member and the suspension means from the fastened position.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a garment hanger according to the invention, with a suspension hook fastened; Figure 1 A is a close-up of a suspension hook fastening mechanism of the garment hanger of Figure 1; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the garment hanger of Figure 1, with the suspension hook unfastened; Figure 3 is a vertical, longitudinal cross-section along line 4-4 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a vertical, transverse cross-section along line 5-5 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a garment hanger according to the invention; Figure 5A is a close-up of a suspension hook fastening mechanism of the garment hanger of Figure 5; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a garment hanger according to the invention; Figure 6A is a close-up of a suspension hook fastening mechanism of the garment hanger of Figure 6; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a garment hanger according to the invention, with a suspension hook fastened; Figure 7A is a close-up of a suspension hook fastening mechanism of the garment hanger of Figure 7; Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the garment hanger of Figure 7; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of the garment hanger of Figure 7, with the suspension hook unfastened.

In the Figures like reference numerals denote like parts.

Referring to Figures 1, 1A, and 2-4, a first embodiment 10 of an invertedU section garment hanger according to the invention has a metal suspension hook 11 rotalably retained by a lower end portion 111, as shown in Figure 3, of a shank thereof in a boss 121 passing centrally through an upper face of a median portion 12 of a body of the garment hanger 10. The lower end portion 111 of the shank is provided with a known barb, not shown but suitably the barb may be similar to the barb 416 shown in Figure 8, for rotatably retaining the lower end portion of the shank in the boss. The lower end portion of the shank, substantially vertical in use, is joined orthogonally in a first sense to a median portion 112 of the shank, which is substantially horizontal in use. The median portion 112 of the shank is joined orthogonally in a second sense, opposed to the first sense, to an upper portion 113 of the shank, which is also substantially vertical in use, tu form a dog- leg shaped shank. The upper portion 113 is joined at an upper end thereof to a substantially semicircular portion 114 which is downwardly concave in use for hooking over a support. The substantially semicircular portion 114 of the suspension hook is terminated in a relatively short return portion 115 in a known manner.

As best seen in Figures 1A, 3 and 4, an upper face of the median portion 12 of the garment hanger body is provided with a resilient upward tapering projection 122 comprising a substantially horizontal, in use, cylindrical bore 124, substantially in a major plane defined by a body of the garment hanger, for fastening a fastening portion of the median portion 112 of the shank by passing the fastening portion through an elongate, horizontal side opening 123 in the bore.

An inner diameter of the bore 124 is dimensioned to fit an outer diameter of the median portion 112 of the shank and the opening 123 is dimensioned to permit the median portion 112 of the shank resiliently to pass through the opening 123. Thus the bore and side opening form a resilient clip for receiving a portion of the shank of the suspension hook.

For transportation and storage of a garment on the garment hanger the suspension hook 11 is rotated, in a direction of arrow-headed line 15 in Figure 2, about a longitudinal axis 13 through the lower portion 11 1 of the shank and the boss 121 so that the fastening portion of the median portion 112 of the shank passes resiliently through the opening 123 in the fastening projection 122 to fasten, or clip, the suspension hook 11 substantially in a major plane defined by the body of the garment hanger, for suspension on, for example, a support rod orthogonal to the body of the garment hanger.

For viewing or displaying, for example in a retail establishment, a front or back of a garment suspended from the garment hanger, the fastening portion of the median portion 112 of the garment hanger is resiliently repassed out through the opening 123 to rotate the suspension hook 11, in a direction of arrow-headed line 14 in Figures 1 and 3, about the longitudinal axis 13 through the lower portion 111 of the shank and the boss 121 to a convenient position, such as substantially orthogonal to the body of the garment hanger, as shown in Figure 2, for suspending from, for example, a rod or hook substantially parallel to the garment hanger body.

After viewing the garment, the suspension hook may be re-fastened, by rotating the suspension hook in a direction of arrow-headed line 15 in Figure 2, for re-suspending the gannent hanger 10 in a display or storage rack, parallel to other garment hangers in the rack.

For re-use of the garment hanger by, for example, a garment manufacturer, the suspension hook is fastened for transportation and storage of a further garment.

Referring to Figures 5 and 5A, a second embodiment 20 of an invertcd-U section garment hanger according to the invention has a metal suspension hook 11, similar to the suspension hook of the first embodiment, rotatably retained by a lower end portion of a shank thereof in a boss 121 passing centrally through an upper face of a median portion 22 of a body of the garment hanger 20. The lower end portion of the shank is provided with a known barb, not shown but the barb may suitably be similar to the barb 416 shown in Figure 8, for rotatably retaining the lower end portion of the shank in the boss 121. As in the first embodiment, the lower end portion of the shank is joined orthogonally in a first sense to a median portion 112 of the shank, which is substantially horizontal in use. The median portion of the shank is joined orthogonally in a second sense, opposed to the first sense, to an upper portion 113 of the shank, which is substantially vertical in use, to form a dog-leg shaped shank. The upper portion 113 of the shank is joined at an upper end thereof to a substantially semicircular portion 114 which is downwardly concave in use for hooking over a support. The substantially semicircular portion 114 of the suspension hook is terminated in a relatively short return portion 115 in a known manner.

As best seen in Figure 5A, the median portion of the garment hanger body is provided with an upwardly tapering resilient projection 222 comprising a substantially horizontal, in use, longitudinal indentation 224 in an upper face thereof, substantially in a major plane defined by a body of the garment hanger, for resiliently engaging a fastening portion of the median portion 112 of the shank. A transverse radius of curvature of the longitudinal indentation 224 is dimensioned to fit a portion of the circumference of the fastening portion of the shank.

For transportation and storage of a garment on the garment hanger the suspension hook is rotated about a longitudinal axis 23 through the lower portion of the shank and the boss so that the fastening portion of the median portion 112 of the shank passes resiliently into the longitudinal indentation 224 in the fastening projection to fasten, or clip, the suspension hook 11 substantially in a major plane defined by the body of the garment hanger 20, for suspension on, for example, a support rod orthogonal to the body of the garment hanger. It will be understood that resilience of the fastening may be provided partially by resilience of the projection 222 and partially by resilience of the boss 121 in the median portion 22 of the garment hanger, allowing resilient upward deflection of the median portion 112 of the shank in the vicinity of the fastening projection 222.

For viewing, or displaying, for example in a retail establishment, a front or back of a garment suspended from the garment hanger, the fastening portion of the median portion 112 of the garment hanger 20 is resiliently unfastened to rotate the suspension hook 11, in either direction of double-headed arrow line 24, about the longitudinal axis 23 through the lower portion of the shank and the boss 121 to a convenient position, such as substantially orthogonal to the body of the garment hanger, for suspending from, for example, a rod or hook substantially parallel to the garment hanger body.

After viewing, the suspension hook may be re-fastened for re-suspending the garment hanger 20 in a rack, parallel to other garment hangers in the rack.

Referring to Figures 6 and 6A, a third embodiment 30 of an inverted-U section garment hanger according to the invention has a metal suspension hook 11, similar to the suspension hooks of the first and second embodiments, rotatably retained by a lower end portion of a shank thereof in a bore 321 passing centrally through an upper face of an elongate cut-out 322 in an upper face of a median portion 32 of a body of the garment hanger 30. As can best be seen in Figure 6A, the cut-out 322 is open on a front face of the garment hanger and closed by a vertical wall 323 on a rear face of the garment hanger. The lower end portion of the shank is provided with a known barb, not shown but preferably similar to the barb 416 shown in Figure 8, for rotatably retaining the lower end portion of the shank in the bore 321. As in the first and second embodiments, the lower end portion of the shank is joined orthogonally in a first sense to a median portion 112 of the shank, which is substantially horizontal in use. The median portion of the shank is joined orthogonally in a second sense, opposed to the first sense, to an upper portion 113 of the shank, which is substantially vertical in use, to form a dog-leg shaped shank. The upper portion 113 is joined at an upper end thereof to a substantially semicircular portion 114 which is downwardly concave in use for hooking over a support. The substantially semicircular portion 114 of the suspension hook is terminated in a relatively short return portion 115 in a known manner.

As best seen in Figure 6A, opposed end faces of the elongate cut-out 322 are provided with vertical indentations 324, 325 respectively, which are inwardly convex about vertical axes, for fastening a fastening portion of the upper portion 113 of the shank proximate a junction thereof with the median portion 112. A radius of curvature of the vertical convex indentations 324, 325 is dimensioned to fit a portion of the circumference of the fastening portion of the shank.

For transportation and storage of a garment on the garment hanger the suspension hook is rotated about a longitudinal axis 33 through the lower portion of the shank and the bore 321 50 that the fastening portion of the upper portion 113 of the shank passes resiliently into a vertical convex indentation 324, 325 in one of the opposed vertical faces of the cut-out 322 to fasten the suspension hook 11 substantially in a major plane defined the body of the garment hanger 30, for suspension on, for example, a support rod orthogonal to the body of the garment hanger.

For viewing, or display, for example in a retail establishment, a front or back of a garment suspended from the garment hanger 30, the fastening portion of the upper portion 113 of the suspension hook shank is resiliently unfastened to rotate the suspension hook 11, in the direction of arrow-headed line 34, about the longitudinal axis 33 through the lower portion of the shank and the bore 321 to a convenient position, such as substantially orthogonal to the body of the garment hanger, for suspending from, for example, a rod or hook substantially parallel to the garment hanger body.

After viewing, the suspension hook may be re-fastened for re-suspending the garment hanger 30 in a rack, parallel to other garment hangers in the rack.

It will be understood that the third embodiment 30 of a garment hanger according to the invention has the advantage that the suspension hook 11 may be fastened in either of two opposed orientations by fastening the suspension hook in either of the vertical cylindrical indentations 324, 325 in opposed faces of the elongate cut-out 322.

Referring to Figures 7, 7A, 8 and 9, a fourth embodiment 40 of an inverted- U section garment hanger according to the invention has a known metal suspension hook 41 rotatably retained by a lower end portion of a shank thereof in a bore 421, shown in Figure 8, passing, proximate a first end thereof, through an upper face of an offset cut-out 422 in an upper face of a median portion 42 of a body of the garment hanger 40, the bore 421 being central of the median portion 42. The lower end portion of the shank is provided with a known barb 416 for rotatably retaining the lower end portion of a shank 413 of the suspension hook 41 in the bore 421. The straight shank 413 is joined at an upper end thereof to a substantially semicircular portion 414 of the suspension hook which is downwardly concave in use for hooking over a support. The substantially semicircular portion 414 of the suspension hook is terminated in a relatively short return portion 415 in a known manner.

As best seen in Figures 7A, 8 and 9, a lower end of the shank passes through a boss 431 proximate a first end of an elongate fastening member 43, such that the shank is substantially irrotatable with respect to the fastening member 43. As best seen in the exploded drawing of Figure 8, rotation of the fastening member with respect to the shank is inhibited at least partially by opposed projections 417 on the otherwise cylindrical shank 413, which are embedded in an internal wall of the boss 431 when the fastening member 43 is assembled on the shank 413. As best seen in Figure 7A, a second end, opposed to the first end, of the elongate fastening member 43 is provided with a vertical cylindrical through bore 432 with a vertical side opening 433 to define an arcuate resilient fastener 434 at the second end. A vertical face of the cut-out 422 at a second end, opposed to the first end, thereof, is provided with an arcuate, concave indentation 423 having a vertical axis. The elongate fastening member 434 is dimensioned such that with the first end mounted on the shank, an outer, concave, vertical face of the arcuate fastener 434 engages the arcuate, concave indentation 423.

For transportation and storage of a garment on the garment hanger the suspension hook 41 is rotated, in, for example, a direction of arrowheaded line 46 in Figure 9, about a longitudinal axis 44 through the shank 413, the boss 431 and bore 421 so that fastening member 43 is rotated with the shank 413 for the fastener 434 resiliently to engage the arcuate, concave indentation to fasten the suspension hook 41 substantially in a major plane defined by the body of the garment hanger 40, for suspension on, for example, a support rod or hook orthogonal to the body of the garment hanger.

For viewing or display of a front or back of a garment suspended from the garment hanger 40, for example in a retail establishment, the fastener is resiliently unfastened to rotate the suspension hook 41 in either of the directions of double arrow-headed line 45 in Figures 7 and 8, about the vertical axis 44 through the shank 413, the boss 431 and bore 421 to a convenient position, such as substantially orthogonal to the body of the garment hanger as shown in Figure 9, for suspending from, for example, a rod or hook substantially parallel to the garment hanger body.

After viewing, the suspension hook may be re-fastened for re-suspending the garment hanger in a rack, parallel to other garment hangers in the rack.

It will be understood that the fourth embodiment of the invention shares the advantage with the second embodiment that the suspension hook may be rotated in either of two opposed senses to unfasten the suspension hook.

In summary, the invention uses, for example, a known barb to rotatably retain a suspension hook, and in the first to third embodiments also provides a suspension hook with a dog-leg shaped shank, to provide a suspension hook which is fastenable to the garment hanger to prevent rotation with respect to the garment hanger body, but which, when unfastened, can rotate with respect to the garment hanger body. Because the suspension hook is securely fastened the difficulty that subsequent rotations reduce a moment required to rotate the suspension hook is overcome. There is, therefore, no need to apply glue to, or re- set, the suspension hook when the garment hanger is re-used for transportation, because the suspension hook may be simply re-fastened.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a metal suspension hook, it will be understood that the invention has equal applicability to, for example, a suspension hook of plastics material rotatable fixed to a garment hanger body. Moreover, although the invention has been described with respect to a suspension hook, it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to other means of suspension, such as a rod, rotatably fixed to a garment hanger body.

Although the invention has been described in relation to an inverted Usection garment hanger, it will be understood that the invention is not so limited, and is equally applicable to, for example, C-section, I- section, hollow and solid garment hangers.

Claims

1. A garment hanger having a body and suspension means rotatable with respect to the body, wherein the garment hanger comprises fastening means for releasably fastening the suspension means to the body in a fastened position, to provide a predetermined resistive moment opposed to rotation of the fastened suspension means with respect to the body.

2. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspension means comprises a suspension hook.

3. A garment hanger as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the suspension means is fastenable by the fastening means in a major plane defined by the body.

4. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the suspension means is rotatable to a position substantially orthogonal to a major plane defined by the body.

5. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening means comprises clip means for clipping the suspension means to the body.

6. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the suspension means comprises a member which is substantially parallel to a : * * 20 portion of the body in a fastened position.

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7. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the * fastening means comprises resilient projection means on the body with an 1: indentation for resiliently receiving and fastening a portion of the

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* suspension means.

* 25 8. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the * : : : :* fastening means comprises a cut-out portion in the body with an indentation for resiliently receiving and fastening a portion of the suspension means.

9. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening means comprises a fastening member fixed to the suspension means, such that the fastening member is substantially irrotatable with respect thereto, for rotation therewith, having engaging means for * *ngaging Cooperating means on the body in a fastened position of the suspension means, releasably to resist rotation of the fastening member and the suspension means from the fastened position.

10. A garment hanger substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. I * I * * a.. * S.. I a I See * *I.

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