GB2448068A

GB2448068A - Hanger for boots with padded collars

Info

Publication number: GB2448068A
Application number: GB0805512A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Wright; Mark Segasby
Original assignee: Phineas Products Ltd
Current assignee: Phineas Products Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-27
Filing date: 2008-03-27
Publication date: 2008-10-01
Also published as: GB0705791D0; GB0805512D0

Abstract

A hanger 14 for at least one boot (10, figure 1) of the type with a padded collar with a rim 10a or 12a comprises a clip 18, 20 having a pair of opposed gripping portions 26, 28 each having a gripping surface 26a, 28a, a main body including biasing means, such as spring 32, for urging the gripping portions into a closed position, and a pair of bridging portions each connecting a gripping portion to the main body and which when closed define a channel sized to accommodate at least one and preferably boot two rims and enable the gripping surfaces to grip against a side wall 106, 126 of the boot or boots; and suspension means 16 enabling the hanger to be suspended, the suspension means being connected to the main body. The device may further comprise ribs on the gripping surfaces 26a, 28a, be arranged for single handed use and comprise a hook 16. The device may be used in a method for suspending boots which boots are preferably of the padded rim type. The device may also be used in a method for suspending articles with a waist or a padded edge, preferably trousers.

Description

Boot Hanger This invention relates to a boot hanger, with particular

reference to boots of the type having a padded collar with a rim which defines a foot-accepting opening, such as a walking boot.

It is known to provide hanger devices for footwear which enable the items of footwear to be stored in a space efficient manner by hanging the footwear from e.g. a hook or a rail. The present inventors have recognised that it would be desirable to provide a means by which walking boots and the like can be hung in this manner. However, the present inventors have also realised that conventional boot clips are not suitable for this purpose.

Accordingly, the present inventors have devised hangers for boots which address the above described needs and overcome the above-described problems.

S.,.. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a hanger for at least one boot of the type having a padded collar with a rim which defines a foot accepting opening, the hanger including: a clip having a pair of opposed gripping portions each having a gripping *...* . . . . . . . * * surface, a main body including biasing means for urging the gripping portions into a closed position, and a pair of bridging portions each connecting a gripping portion to the main body in which, in the closed position, the bridging portions i) define a channel sized to accommodate at least one and preferably two rims and ii) enabe the gripping surfaces to grip against a side wa!! of the boot or boots when the rim or rims are accommodated in the channel; and suspension means enabling the hanger to be suspended, the suspension means being connected to the main body.

The present inventors have recognised that conventional boot clips, which tend to have relatively large, thick components, are not suitable for convenient use with walking boots since the jaws of the hangers are not large enough to fit over the top rim of the boot The present invention provides a hanger having an enlarged channel between the bridging portions which enables the hanger to be used in conjunction with the relatively large rims to be found in the padded collar of a walking boot. The present invention turns the presence of the relatively bulky rims and collars of such boots into an advantage, since the present inventors have realised that, once the hanger is positioned, the relatively bulky rim of the boot acts as an efficient "stop", with the gripping portions effectively clamping against the lower portion of a rim thereby preventing downward movement of a boot with respect to the hanger. S..

Preferably, at least a portion of the channel defined by the bridging portions in the closed position is of a width greater than 1.0 cm, most preferably greater than 1.5 cm. Advantageously, this portion of the channel extends over a length of at least 1.0 cm, preferably at least 1.5 cm. The term "width" refers to the direction between equivalent points on the opposed bridging portions, i.e., the direction transverse to the side wall of the boot which is gripped by the hanger during use. The term "length" refers to the orthogonal direction extending between the gripping portions and the main body.

!t is advantageous to utise gripping surfaces of relatively small size in order to concentrate the force applied by the biasing means to provide a relatively high clamping pressure against the boot. Accordingly, the gripping surfaces are preferably each of surface area less than 3.0 cm2, most preferably less than 2.5 cm2.

The gripping surfaces may have ribs formed thereon.

In the preferred embodiment, the bridging portions are each arcuate.

Preferably, each bridging portion is integral with its corresponding gripping portion and at least a portion of the main body. This enables the hanger to be conveniently manufactured by moulding a plastics material.

In a preferred embodiment, the main body includes first and second halves, wherein the first and second halves are in pivotable connection and each half is connected to a gripping portion. The first and second halves may be disposed so that a user can single handedly grip said halves and apply a pivoting force thereto causing at least one of the halves to be pivot about the other half thereby opening the gripping portions. Advantageously, the

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suspension means is connected to the first half, and the second half includes a pushable surface allowing the user to apply the pivoting force thereto. In this embodiment the hanger can be conveniently manufactured by moulding two components, one component including the suspension means, the first half, a bridging portion and a gripping portion, and the other component including second half, the other bridging portion and the other gripping portion.

Advantageously the pushable surface is inclined with respect to the remainder of the second half.

Preferably, the first and second halves are eh of low aspect ratio, i.e..

they are relatively thin, with their thicknesses being relatively small in comparison to their length and width.

Typically, the suspension means is a hook.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of suspending at least one boot of the type having a padded collar with a rim which defines a foot accepting opening, including the steps of: providing a hanger according to the first aspect of the invention; opening the gripping portions by applying a force which overcomes the biasing force applied by the biasing means; positioning the gripping portions either side of a side wall of the boot or boots by passing same over the rim of the boot or boots; releasing the applied force to allow the biasing means to urge the gripping portions into a closed position wherein said gripping surfaces grip against the side wall or walls, and the rim or rims are accommodated in the channel defined *:*::* by the bridging portions; and suspending the hanger and at least one boot by the suspension means.

It will be apparent that the last step can, at least in part, be performed ** before some of the other steps.

Preferably, the hanger is used to suspend a pair of walking boots arranged side by side so as to have adjacent side walls According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided the use of a hanger according to the first aspect of the invention to suspend at least one boot of the type having a padded collar with a rim which defines a foot accepting opei iii According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided the use of a hanger according to the first aspect of the invention to suspend an article having a waist or a padded edge. It has been found that the hangers of the first aspect of the invention are suited to grip such articles. Existing clips are less effective providing a good grip against such articles such as, for example, motor biking gloves. Advantageously, the hanger of the first aspect of the invention may be used to suspend a pair of trousers having a waistband, the waistband being accommodated in the channel defined by the bridging portions of the hanger.

It has been found that hangers of the invention can be advantageously used to suspend trousers such as jeans by the waistband so that the entire trouser hangs down.

Whilst the invention has been described above, it extends to any inventive combination as set out or in the following description, drawings or claims.

Embodiments of hangers in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a pair of walking boots which are clamped using ** a hanger of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the boot hanger of the invention; Figure 3 is an expanded side view of the upper portion of a walking boot being clamped by the boot hanger of the invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pair of walking boots being clamped by the boot hanger of the invention; and Figure 5 is an exploded view of the boot hanger of the invent'on.

Figure 1 shows a pair of walking boots, 10,12 which are being clamped and suspended from a boot hanger 14 of the invention. The walking boots 10,12 each have a rim which forms part of a padded collar at the top of the boot, the rim defining a foot-accepting opening. Figure 1 shows the rim lOa of a padded collar lOb at the top of boot 10 The other boot 12 has a corresponding rim 12a and padded collar 12b. Figures 2 to 5 show the boot hanger 14 in more detail.

The boot hanger 14 comprises a hook 16 in connection with a clip formed in first 18 and second 20 halves. Each half 18,20 has corresponding first 22 and second 24 bridging portions. The first bridging portion 22 is in connection with a first gripping portion 26, and the second bridging portion 24 is in connection with a second gripping portion 28, the gripping portions 26,28 being opposed. The first and second halves 18,20 are pivotable by virtue of an arrangement in which a pair of axles 20a which protrude sideways from the second half 20 are each located in a boss 18a formed in the first half 18. A spring 32 is disposed in the vicinity of the pivoting arrangement. The spring 32 has one end 32a which acts against the first half 18, and another end 32b which acts against the second half 20. The spring 32 acts to provide a biasing force which urges the gripping portions 26,28 to a closed position.

As shown in Figure 4, the second half 20 has an inclined surface 20b and the first half 18 has an exterior surface 18b which is essentially co-planar with the major portion of the first half 18. The surfaces 18b,20b are very conveniently gripped by a user in order to apply force thereto which causes one or more of the first and second halves 18,20 to pivot thereby opening the gripping portions.

Advantageously, the user applies a downward pressure to the inclined surface 20b whilst keeping the first half 18 steady, thereby causing the second half 20 to pivot about the first half 18. The gripping portions 22,24, now in their open state, are passed over the side walls of the adjacent pair of walking boots so that the gripping portions 22,24 are positioned below the padded rims lOa,12a. The user then releases the applied force, and the biasing force applied by the spring causes the gripping portions to resume their closed position wherein gripping surfaces 26a, 28a of the gripping portions grip against the padded collars lOb, 12b of walking boots 10,12.

The gripping portions 22,24 are shaped to define a channel which can accommodate the adjacent rims lOa, 12b of the walking boots 10,12 when the hanger 14 is in its closed position. This arrangement has at least two advantages. Firstly, it enables the gripping surfaces 26a, 28a to grip properly against the padded collars lOb,12b of the walking boots 10,12. Secondly, it has been found that the relatively bulky rims of the boots act as an efficient "stop" Thus, the rims lOa, 12a can abut the gripping portions 16,18 thereby preventing downward movement of the boots 10,12 with respect to the hanger 14. The gripping surfaces 26a, 28a each comprise a plurality of upstanding ribs 30 which . make excellent gripping contact with the boots.

Preferably the hook 16 by which the hanger and clamped boots can be suspended is integral with the first half 18. It is highly convenient that the substantial portion of the hanger can be manufactured by moulding two components from a plastics material. The principles of the present invention apply also to boots in which the padded collar consists entirely of the rim. In these instances; the gripping surfaces grip against the uppers of the boots

Claims

Claims 1. A hanger for at least one boot of the type having a padded

collar with a rim which defines a foot accepting opening, the hanger including: a clip having a paid of opposed gripping portions each having a gripping surface, a main body including biasing means for urging the gripping portions into a closed position, and a pair of bridging portions each connecting a gripping portion to the main body, in which, in the closed position, the bridging portions i) define a channel sized to accommodate at least one and preferably two rims and ii) enable the gripping surfaces to grip against a side wall of the boot or boots when the rim or rims are accommodated in the channel; and suspension means enabling the hanger to be suspended, the suspension means being connected to the main body *
2. A hanger according to claim 1 in which at least a portion of the channel defined by the bridging portions in the closed position is of a width greater than 1.0 cm, preferablygreaterthan 1.5 cm.
3. A hanger according to claim 2 in which the portion of the channel defined by the bridging portions in the closed position which is of width greater than 1.0 cm, preferably greater than 1.5 cm, extends over a length of at least 1.0 cm, preferably at least 1.5 cm.
4. A hanger according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the gripping surfaces are each of surface area!ess than 3.0 cm2, preferab!y!ess than 2.5cm2.
5. A hanger according to any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the gripping surfaces have ribs formed thereon.
6. A hanger according to any previous claim in which the bridging portions are each arcuate.
7. A hanger according to any previous claim in which each bridging portion is integral with its corresponding gripping portion and at least a portion of the main body, and the suspension means is integral with at least a portion of the main body.
8. A clip according to any previous claim in which the main body includes first and second halves, wherein the first and second halves are in pivotable connection and each half is connected to a gripping portion.
9. A hanger according to claim 8 in which the first and second halves are disposed so that a user can single handedly grip said halves and apply a pivoting force thereto ca using at least one of the halves to pivot about the other * *S half thereby opening the gripping portions. ****

* 15
10. A hanger according to claim 9 in which the first suspension means is connected to the first half, and the second half includes a pushable surface S. S * A allowing the user to apply the pivoting force thereto.

5.
11. A hanger according to claim 10 in which the pushable surface is inclined *ii**S * * with respect to the remainder of the second half.
12. A hanger according to any one of claims 8 to 11 in which the first and second halves are each of low aspect ratio.
13. A hanger according to any previous claim in which the suspension means is a hook.
14. A method of suspending at least one boot of the type having a padded collar with a rim which defines a foot accepting opening, including the steps of: providing a hanger according to any one of claims 1 to 13; opening the gripping portions by applying a force which overcomes the biasing force applied by the biasing means; positioning the gripping portions either side of a side wall of the boot or boots by passing same over the rim of the boot or boots; releasing the applied force to allow the biasing means to urge the gripping portions into a closed position wherein said gripping surfaces grip against the side wall or walls and the rim or rims are accommodated in the channel defined by the bridging portions; and suspending the hanger and at least one boot by the suspension means.
15. Use of a hanger according to any one of claims 1 to 13 to suspend at least one boot of the type having a padded collar with a rim which defines a foot * *I * * * * accepting opening. * S.S * S

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16. Use of a hanger according to any one of claims I to 13 to suspend an * S. article having a waist or a padded edge. S..

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17. Use of a hanger according to claim 16 in which the article is a pair of trousers having a waist band, the waist band being accommodated in the *SSSS*

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channel defined by the bridging portions of the hanger.
18. A hanger or method substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.