GB2466082A

GB2466082A - Clothes hanger constructed from flat blank with separately formed and secured hook

Info

Publication number: GB2466082A
Application number: GB0906882A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Walter Wheater; Jenny Johnston
Original assignee: DEWHIRST LADIESWEAR Ltd; HANGER SOLUTIONS Ltd
Current assignee: DEWHIRST LADIESWEAR Ltd; HANGER SOLUTIONS Ltd
Priority date: 2008-12-09
Filing date: 2009-04-22
Publication date: 2010-06-16
Also published as: GB0822411D0; GB2466043A; GB0906882D0

Abstract

A hanger arrangement 10 is constructed from a flat blank 16 including an integrally formed front 24 and back 22. This support is folded along provided fold line 26 and connected together at an upper region. A separately formed hook 14 may be secured in place via tab 42. Connecting portions 18, 30 may be used to connected the front and back, and these may be arranged to prevent clothing from sliding. Reinforcement members may be included in the arrangement, as may a collar surrounding a neck region. The support, which may be constructed from cardboard, can be separated from the hook after use to allow recycling of the components. A space between the front and back may be provided near the hook to assist in this disassembly.

Description

Clothes Hangers The present invention relates to a clothes hanger arrangement, a flat blank arranged to be folded into a clothes support of a clothes hanger arrangement, a method of assembling a clothes hanger arrangement and a method of recycling a clothes hanger arrangement.

It is known to manufacture clothes hangers from a single piece of cardboard that is stamped out of a sheet with the cardboard including the clothes support and a hanger. Such arrangements though are weak and tend to buckle. Furthermore, considerable stress is put on the hanger which can tend to twist and bend to one side or the other.

GB 2 363 979 discloses a garment hanger which is hinged about a fold line and which includes an integrally formed suspension element.

US 7 264 115 discloses a hanging display package for an article of apparel. A separate, integrally formed hanger is disclosed with a separate blank to form a package.

US 1 61 9 742 discloses a flat member that can be folded to form a garment hanger which has a separate hook 16 that can be riveted into position.

It is an object of the present invention to attempt to overcome at least one of the above or other disadvantages.

According to the present invention a clothes hanger arrangement includes a hanger and a clothes support, the clothes support comprising a front and a back that are connected together at an upper region.

The hanger may be formed separately from the clothes support. The clothes support may comprise a front and back that are integrally formed.

The front and back may be connected by at least one fold at their lower region.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a clothes hanger arrangement includes a hanger and a separately formed clothes support, the clothes support comprising an integrally formed front and back that are connected together at an upper region with at least one fold connecting the lower region of the front and back of the clothes support.

At least one fixing portion may be integral with the front and connected to the back at an upper region. At least one fold may be formed between the fixing portion at the front. There may be fixing portions at each side of the hanger arrangement.

Where a connecting portion extends between the front and back an upper region the connecting portion may extend from the front to the back and alternatively or additionally may extend upwardly. Where a connecting portion extends upwardly the connecting portion may include a fold at the upper part of the connecting portion.

The connecting portion may be arranged to act to inhibit clothes from sliding off the side. An end of the connecting portion that faces the hanger may be arranged to act to inhibit clothes from sliding off the side. An intermediate region of the connecting portion may be arranged to act to inhibit clothes from sliding off the side in which case the intermediate region may include at least one coarse region. A slit may be included at the coarse region. The connecting portion may be connected to one of the front or back by a fold. The connecting portion may be arranged to be connected to the fixing portion, for instance by a fold. There may be a connecting portion at each side of the hanger.

When the hanger is glued to at least one of the front or back and where the hanger includes an opening the gluing may occur at a location above the opening in the hanger. Where a flap of one of the front or back is inserted to an opening in the hanger it may assist in attaching the hanger to the clothes support. The end region of that flap may be attached to one of the front or back.

According to a further aspect of the present invention the arrangement may include at least one reinforcement extending between the front and back. There may be two reinforcement members extending along each side of the clothes support. The two reinforcement members may be directly connected to each other by adhesive.

Where the arrangement includes a collar surrounding a neck region of the arrangement the collar may include projections extending between the front and back regions. The collar may be arranged to assist in maintaining the hanger in position in relation to the front or back. The collar may be formed from a flat blank.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a flat blank arranged to be incorporated into a clothes hanger of a clothes hanger arrangement which arrangement includes a hanger, the flat blank including a front and a back that are arranged, in use, to be connected to each other at an upper region. The blank may be arranged to be connected to a separate hanger.

The flat blank may include a fixing portion integral with the front and may include a connecting portion extending between the fixing portion and the front which connecting portion, when the fixing portion is connected to the back, is arranged to extend between the front and back at an upper region.

The arrangement may include a collar arranged to surround the neck region of the arrangement. The collar may include projections extending between front and back region.

The collar may be arranged to assist in maintaining the hanger in position in relation to the front and back. The collar may be formed from a flat blank.

Further features of the present invention are defined in the claims and elsewhere in the

specification.

The present invention can be carried into practice in various ways but one embodiment will now be described, by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hanger arrangement 10 including a cardboard clothes support 12 and a plastic, cardboard or any other material hanger 14; Figure 2 is a flat blank 16 from which the clothes support 12 is made from; Figure 3 is a detailed view of an edge 1 8 at one end of the clothes hanger; Figure 4 is a detailed view showing the cooperation of the hanger 14 with the clothes support 12; Figure 5 is a view of a tag that can be inserted through an opening in the hanger; Figure 6 is a plan view of a flat blank collar 70 that can be used with the first or the second embodiment referred to below; Figure 7 is a side view of a reinforcement 72 that can be used with the first, or second embodiment, and Figure 8 is a flat blank 74 according to a second embodiment is adapted specifically for use with the reinforcement 72 and the collar 70.

As shown in Figure 1 the hanger arrangement 10 can be hung from a display rail from the hook 14 with clothes being supported at either side 18. The sides 18 terminate short of the hanger in an upwardly and outwardly extending edge 20. Clothes on the hanger may be at least partially prevented from sliding off the ends by engagement with the outwardly extending edge 20.

After the hanger has been used, it can be recycled by separating the cardboard clothes support 12 from the hanger 14 in a manner to be described later.

The clothes support is assembled from the flat blank 16 shown in Figure 2.

The blank comprises a first side 22 and a second side 24 that are connected by a fold 26. The sides are moved towards each other about the fold 26 to bring, what in use, will be the top edges 28 towards each other. The first side 22 includes flaps 30 extending from each top edge 28. The flaps 30 comprise a first fold 32 connected to the top edge 28, a spaced parallel second fold 34 and a further spaced third fold 36.

As the two sides have been folded towards each other the flaps 30 are folded about the second fold 34 to trap a connecting flap 38 between the first and second portions. The side of the flaps 38 that faces the second side 24 is then adhered to that side.

The parts between the first and third fold 36 then project upwardly with the fold 34 comprising the main support for clothes. The top of the hanger is able to move apart by virtue of a small degree of movement about the first and third folds, as seen in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows, in detail, one upper edge at the end of the hanger. The fold 34 includes two spaced slits 40 (only one of which is shown) along its length that assist in snagging clothes to retain them on the hanger. These slits 40 are optional.

Referring now to Figure 4, this shows the attachment of the hanger 14 to the clothes support 12. The first side 22 includes a flap 42 extending from the top and is connected to the first side by parallel folds 44, as shown in Figure 2. The hanger includes a downwardly extending leg 46 with a transverse opening 48 formed at a lower portion of that leg. The flap 42 is moved about the folds 44 to extend through the opening 48. The side of the flap that faces the second surface is then glued to the second side as shown at 50. The region of the hanger adjacent to the second side 24 is glued to the side as shown at 51. Alternatively, the hanger may be connected to the clothes support without glue and may be loosely connected to the clothes support by the flap extending through the opening.

Adjacent to the hanger 14 there is a gap 52 between the first and second sides which gap is accessible at the top of the hanger arrangement. The gap is defined at one end by the lower end of the hanger 14 and at the other end by a connecting portion 54 defined between the folds 32 and 36. In use, a user can place the thumbs of opposite hands into that gap to prise the first and second sides away from each other and separate the glue from the flap 42 thereby allowing the cardboard to be recycled separately from the plastic.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the flat blank includes a weakened line 54 that can allow a lower portion of the clothes support to be removed to reduce the weight of the hanger and to improve its aesthetics. When that part is removed, the lower parts of the clothes support remain attached by what remains of the fold line 26 at the opposed ends of the hanger.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a tag 56 that can be inserted through a hole 58 in the hanger to identify the size of the garment on display. The tag includes a first and second side 60 and 62 connected together by spaced parallel folds 64. In use, the tag is turned sideways and slotted through the hole 58 and then rotated back through 900 such that the spaced folds 64 and the narrow portion that extends between those folds lies within and extends just beyond each side of the hole 58. The first and second sides 60 and 62 then face each other. Locating extensions 66 from each first and second side of the tag are then able to be located between the first and second sides of the clothes support immediately adjacent to the hanger connecting flap 42 to assist in retaining the tag 56 in position.

Referring now to Figure 6, this comprises the cardboard collar 70. The collar is used to surround the base of the hanger 14 and the upper section of each side of the support 1 2. The collar 70 is shown in chain lines in Figure 4.

The collar 70 includes a front face 78 and a rear face. The rear face is defined by two flaps BOA and 80B. The front and rear faces are separated by side sections comprising fingers 82 that in use, extend downwardly and that diverge outwardly. Each side section 82 is connected to the front and rear face by folds 84.

In use, the fingers 82 are slid into the gap 52 on each side of the hanger to extend down between the opposed sides 22 and 24. Alternatively, the side 22 and 24 can be folded to encapsulate the fingers 82.

The side sections 82 are folded through 9O about the fold 84 and the front face and then a further 9O about the other fold 88 and the rear face.

The flap 80A includes a tab 88 that is inserted through a slot 90 in the other flap 80B to assist in securing the collar in place. Alternatively or additionally the flaps may be glued together.

Alternatively or additionally the collar 70 may be glued to the clothes support or the hanger or both. The front and back face may each include a separate tag 56.

The reinforcement 72 is shown in Figure 7. This comprises a number of pieces of cardboard such as 8, which are connected together.

The reinforcement 72 includes two arms 92 that extend outwardly and downwardly away from each other. The arms may be connected at their junction by glue.

The arms 72 may be slid down each side of the support through the gaps 52 or may be inserted into the support from below after the lower portion has been removed or may be put in-situ when the sides of the support are moved towards each other. The reinforcements may be glued to the clothes support.

Figure 8 shows a flat blank 116 that is similar to the blank 16 detailed in Figure 2. Only the differences will be described. The blank 116 as specifically adapted to receive the reinforcement 72 and the collar 70 in the manner previously described.

The blank 116 includes a flap 142 extending from the top and is connected to the first side by parallel folds 144. The flap 142 is folded around the hanger 14 as previously described in order to assist in retaining the hanger in place and the free end of the flap 142 is tucked back through a slot 146.

In addition to the flap 142, a flap 148 extended from the top but in a downwards direction. The flap 148 is connected to the top by two spaced parallel folds 150. In use, the flap 148 is folded by 9O about each fold 150 with the area between the folds 150 lying beneath the top region of the reinforcement and with the flap extending upwardly adjacent to the top of the other side of the blank. The flap 148 may be glued to another part or parts of the hanger arrangement.

The flap 148 may be folded before the reinforcement is included or after or during reinforcement inclusion.

The lower end of the reinforcement is supported between the lower sides of the clothes support and by the fold that connects the first and second sides 22 and 24 of the clothes support.

The reinforcement 72 and the collar 70 assist in strengthening the hanger, particularly in the region of maximum stress or bending movement adjacent to the hanger.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A clothes hanger arrangement including a hanger and a separately formed clothes support, the clothes support comprising an integrally formed front and back that are connected together at an upper region with at least one fold connecting the lower region of the front and back of the clothes support.
2. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 1 in which the front and back are spaced from each other at at least part of the upper region.
3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including a connecting portion extending between the front and back at an upper region.
4. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 3 in which the connecting portion is arranged to act to inhibit clothes from sliding off the side.
5. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which the front and back are not connected in a region adjacent to the hanger.
6. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 5 in which the front and back are spaced from each other in a region adjacent to the hanger.
7. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim in which at least one of the front or back includes a removable portion.
8. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 7 in which the removable portion is located below the upper edge of the clothes support.
9. An arrangement as claimed in claim 8 in which at least one of the front or back includes a flap arranged to extend through an opening in the hanger to assist in retaining the hanger.
10. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 9 in which the hanger is glued to at least one of the front or back.
11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 9 in which the hanger is connected to the clothes support but is not fixed to the clothes support.
12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 11 in which the hanger is able to move relative to the clothes support when connected to the clothes support.
13. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim including at least one reinforcement extending between the front and back.
14. An arrangement as claimed in claim 14 in which the reinforcement member is at least partially supported by a connection between the front and back at a lower region.
15. An arrangement as claimed in claim 14 or 15 in which the reinforcement extends along substantially the complete length of the clothes support.
16. An arrangement as claimed in any of claims 13 to 15 in which the reinforcement is arranged to be located in position after the front and back are connected.
17. An arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim including a collar surrounding a neck region of the arrangement.
18. A flat blank arranged to be incorporated into clothes support of a clothes hanger arrangement which arrangement includes a hanger, the flat bank including a front and a back that are arranged, in use, to be connected to each other at an upper region with the blank being arranged to be connected to a separate hanger.
19. A flat blank as claimed in Claim 18 including a removable portion arranged to be detached from at least one of the front or back.
20. A flat blank as claimed in Claim 18 or 19 for use as a clothes support in a clothes hanger arrangement as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 16.
21. A method of assembling a clothes hanger arrangement comprising a clothes support and a hanger, the method comprising causing a clothes support comprising an integrally formed front and a back to be connected together at an upper region by moving the front and back about at least one fold in the lower region and causing the front and back to be connected to a separate hanger with the hanger being arranged to extend above the clothes support.
22. A method of assembling a support of a clothes hanger arrangement when the clothes support is as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 17.
23. A method of recycling a clothes hanger arrangement including a hanger and a separately formed clothes support in which the clothes support comprises a front and back that are connected together at an upper region, and that connected at a lower region by at least one fold, the method comprising separating the front and back at an upper region of the clothes support to detach the hanger from the clothes support to enable separate recycling of the clothes support and hanger.
24. A method as claimed in Claim 23 in which the front and back are not connected to each other at a region adjacent to the hanger to assist in the separation of the front and back.
25. A method as claimed in Claim 24 in which the front and back are spaced from each other in a region adjacent to the hanger to assist in a person inserting their fingers into the space between the front and back and to assist in the separation of the front and back.
26. A method of recycling a clothes hanger arrangement as claimed in any of Claims 21 to when the clothes hanger arrangement is as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 17.