GB2517463A

GB2517463A - Plaque marker for a garment hanger

Info

Publication number: GB2517463A
Application number: GB1314956.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael James Warren
Original assignee: Braitrim UK Ltd
Current assignee: Braitrim UK Ltd
Priority date: 2013-08-21
Filing date: 2013-08-21
Publication date: 2015-02-25
Also published as: GB201314956D0

Abstract

A plaque marker 20 for a median portion of a garment hanger with suspending means, the plaque marker being generally U-shaped and comprising a bridging portion 21 bridging a first leg 22 and a second leg 23. The bridging portion comprises a central indent 211 for receiving a portion of the suspending means of the garment hanger as a sliding fit, the indent dividing the second leg into a first portion and a second portion. At least one of the first portion and the second portion is provided with a latching means for latching onto an edge or projection of the garment hanger in use, with an inner face of the bridging portion of the plaque marker in abutment with an outer face of the median portion of the garment hanger.

Description

Plaque marker for a garment hanger [0001] This invention relates to a plaque marker for a garment hanger and to a garment hanger with the plaque marker.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Indicia for garment hangers are known, especially in retail establishments, usually for indicating some attribute, such as size or designer, of a garment suspended from the garment hanger. Alternatively, such indicia may be used for indicating that a garment suspended from the garment hanger is, for example, a sale item.

[0003] US 5,135,141 and US 5,785,216 disclose garment hangers with indicia formed of insets of a different material from the material of the garment hanger and in which the inset and garment hanger are bonded together. However, in many applications it is desirable that the indicia be detachably fixable to the garment for re-use of the garment hanger or indicia or both the garment hanger and the indicia. Moreover, it may be desirable to be able to use a same garment hanger alternatively without indicia without the tab holding means being practically or aesthetically obstructive.

[0004] US 4,115,940; US 5,613,629; US 5,819,995 and US 6,145,713 disclose a tab-holding web integrally formed between an angled shank of a hook of a garment hanger and an arm of the gaiment hanger for receiving legs of a tab, U-shaped in cross-section, one leg each side of the tab-holding web. The tab may be removable by hand, or only with a tool to prevent removal by consumers, or may be irremovable. When the garment hanger is used without a tab, the tab-holding web is aesthetically obtrusive.

[0005] EP 0512225; US 5,603,437 and US 6,209,241 disclose index coded caps! having a generally U-shaped cross-section, for fitting over webs or projections on an uppermost portion of a hook of a garment hanger. Again, the webs or projections are obtrusive when the index coded caps are not used with the garment hangers.

[0006] GB 2310596 discloses an indicia holder comprising a generally elliptical plate. The plate is provided on a rear major surface with projections and ramps for affixing the indicia holder to an elliptical receiving portion of a garment hanger. The elliptical receiving portion is obtrusive when the garment hanger is used without the elliptical indicia holder.

[0007] US 5,778,575 discloses a garment hanger having a generally triangular, tab-receiving web extension to an upper portion of a hook of the garment hanger opposed to a free end of the hook, having linear horizontal and linear vertical outer edges and an arcuate inner edge following an inner curve of the hook. There is also disclosed a foldable tab, which is moulded flat but foldable along living hinges into a U-shape cross-section for fitting over the tab-receiving web. The foldable tab is provided with projections for engaging an aperture in the tab-receiving web for locking the tab on the tab-receiving web. The tab-receiving web is very aesthetically obtrusive.

[0008] US 5,641,100 discloses a garment hanger having a substantially triangular recess in an upper portion of a hook for receiving a resilient, substantially triangular, planar indicia plate secured by at least one projection at a periphery of the recess. The recess is aesthetically obtrusive when not used to house an indicia plate.

[0009] US 4,450,639 discloses a garment hanger having a panel, vertical in use and angled to a major plane of the garment hanger, on a vertical, in use, portion of a hook of the garment hanger. A replaceable resilient tally may be mounted on the hook on a indicia locating portion. The change in section through the indicia locating area is aesthetically obtrusive when not used to house the indicator tally'. Alternatively, a rectangular printed sheet with a self-adhesive backface may be adhered to the angled panel so that the printed sheet is visible from both the front and one end of the garment hanger. If the garment hanger is to be used for a different garment, the self-adhesive sheet has to be stripped off and replaced with a new sheet having different indicia.

[0010] US 4,006,547 discloses a garment hanger having a cross-shaped socket, comprising two equal-length slots, in a upper face of a median portion of the garment hanger, for removably receiving a cross-shaped plug of an otherwise planar indicia plate, a remaining portion of which, in use, extends above the median portion of the garment hanger, with a shoulder connecting the plug to the remaining portion engaging the upper face of the median portion of the garment hanger. Because the slots forming the cross-shaped socket are of equal length, the plug of the indicia may be inserted in the socket in any of four mutually perpendicular orientations so that each side of the planar indicia plate may optionally be visible from the front, back or either side of the garment hanger.

[0011] US 4.997,1 14 discloses a planar U-shaped indicia tag having engagement means on inside walls of legs of the U-shaped indicia tag for fitting to I-section garment hangers. In a first embodiment a recess is provided with cooperating engagement means for suspending the indicia tag from an inclined shank of a suspension hook of a garment hanger. In a second embodiment a recess with cooperating engagement means is provided in an inclined portion of a hook above a shank thereof such that in use the indicia tag is upstanding from the inclined portion of the hook. In a third embodiment two upright sets of support ribs are provided on opposed sides of a web of a linear I-section arm of a garment hanger and instead of engagement means the inner faces of the legs of the U-shaped indicia tag are provided with inward-facing projections to act as stop means. To locate the indicia tag on the arm of the garment hanger, the inward facing projections are passed resiliently over a raised border of the I-section arm and each of the legs passed between a pair of the support ribs.

The inward facing projections prevent the indicia tag falling from the garment hanger when the garment hanger is turned upside down, by abutting against an inner face of the raised border. The recesses and support ribs are aesthetically obtrusive when the garment hanger is used without an indicia tag, and there is no disclosure of use of such a tag with other than an I-section garment hanger. Moreover, orientation of this indicator tag means there is only a small print face for displaying limited information.

[0012] Community Design CD 001018394 illustrates a removable plaque marker and garment hanger in which the marker may be attached to a recess in the garment hanger by lugs, but this has the disadvantage that the recess and apertures for the lugs make the garment hanger aesthetically unsuitable for use without the marker.

[0013] In recent years, customers have expressed a desire that the indicator be removable from the garment hanger for re-use with other sized garments or for reuse in an environmentally friendly garment hanger reclamation program. The indicator attachment mechanisms described above do not readily facilitate this operation. It is, of course, necessary for the indicator to remain securely attached to the garment hanger during usual handling operations to which the garment hanger is subjected in day to day use.

[0014] US 6,289,569 discloses an indicator attachment mechanism intended for automated assembly and disassembly of the indicator and garment hanger for use in an automated re-use program. The patent also discloses automated apparatus for removing the indicator.

[0015] US 6,019,260 discloses a garment hanger having an arrangement that enables automatic removal of a side indicator from a garment hanger, and an automatic detachment wedge for automatically removing side indicators from garment hangers.

[0016] Labels with adhesive backing are also commonly used in the industry. The disadvantages are that generally there is a marked area on the garment hanger in the shape of the label, showing where the label is to be applied. This can be raised, recessed, have a raised boarder or a different surface finish to the surrounding area -e.g. a polished finish to aid adhesion. This area is unsightly if the garment hanger does not have the label applied.

Moreover, any garments that are returned to the retail store & re-hung need to be put on a suitable size garment hanger which has the correct label denoting size, brand etc. If this specific garment hanger & label assembly is not available then the sticker needs to be removed which usually leaves unsightly residue. If a replacement sticker is available it can be applied but the location needs to exactly match the old. If it doesn't, the old sticker or its residue are visible which can de-value the garment on display.

[0017] Although indicia which aie iemovable with an automatic tool may be iecycled or re-used by return to a central depot, it is an advantage where a retail establishment is remote from a recycling depot at which the indicia can be removed automatically, if the indicia can be iemoved manually within, oi close to, the retail establishment for le-use of the garment hangei and/or the indicia. It is prefeiable that such manually removable indicia cannot be swallowed by a child.

[0018] It is an object of the piesent invention at least to ameliorate the aforesaid

shortcomings in the prior art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0019] In accordance with the present invention there is provided a plaque marker fora median portion of a garment hanger having suspending means, the plaque marker being generally U-shaped and comprising a bridging portion bridging a first leg and a second leg, the bridging portion comprising a central indent for receiving a portion of the suspending means of the garment hanger as a sliding fit, the indent dividing the second leg into a first portion and a second portion and at least one of the first portion and the second portion being provided with latching means foi latching onto an edge or projection of the garment hanger in use, with an inner face of the bridging portion of the plaque marker in abutment with an outer face of the median portion of the garment hanger.

[0020] Advantageously, the first leg is longer than the second leg.

[0021] Conveniently, the latching means comprise projections.

[0022] Advantageously, the projections are each provided with a cam face for resiliently rotating the first leg away from the second leg by the edge or projection of the garment hanger bearing on the cam face during mounting of the plaque marker on the garment hanger.

[0023] Conveniently the front leg is airanged to display information conceining a garment to be suspended from the garment hanger in use.

[0024] Conveniently the plaque marker is for a median portion of a garment hanger having a hook as the suspending means, wherein the central indent is for receiving a portion of a shank of the hook.

[0025] Conveniently, the latching means is arranged for engaging an upper edge of a transverse portion of a C-section garment hanger or an I-section garment hanger or a projection on a leg of a U-section garment hanger.

[0026] Advantageously, the plaque marker is for use with a C-section garment hanger having a median portion with an upper transverse portion, wherein the latching means on at least the first portion of the second leg are arranged to latch onto a rear edge of the upper transverse portion.

[0027] Optionally, the plaque marker is for use with a I-section garment hanger having a median portion with an upper transverse portion and a lower transverse portion, wherein the latching means on at least the first portion of the second leg are arranged to latch onto a rear edge of the upper transverse portion and the first leg extends in use from the upper transverse portion to the lower transverse portion.

[0028] Optionally the plaque marker is for use with a U-section garment hanger having a median portion with an upper bridging portion bridging front and rear legs of a median portion, wherein the latching means on at least the first portion of the second leg are arranged to latch onto respective projections at a rear edge of the upper bridging portion.

[0029] According to another embodiment of the invention the latching means comprise an aperture on at least the first portion of the second leg for cooperating with a projection on the garment hanger.

[0030] According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a garment hanger comprising a plaque marker as described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Embodiments of the invention are further described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a known C-section garment hanger suitable for use with the invention; Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the garment hanger of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a plaque marker according to the invention; Figure 4 is an end view of the plaque marker of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a front view of the plaque marker of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a top view of the plaque marker of Figure 3; Figure 7 is a front view of the plaque marker of Figure 3 aligned for location on the garment hanger of Figure 1; Figure 8 is a cross-section along the line A-A of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a cross-section along the line B-B of Figure?; Figure 10 is a front view of the plaque marker of Figure 3 located on the garment h anger of Figu re 1; Figure 11 is a cross-section along the line C-C of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a cross-section along the line D-D of Figure 10; Figure 13 is a cross-section through the shank of the hook of Fig. 10; Figure 14 is a front view of the plaque marker of Figure 3 located on a known I-section garment hanger; Figure 15 is a cross-section along the line E-E of Figure 14; Figure 16 is a cross-section along the line F-F of Figure 14; Figure 17 is a front view of the plaque marker of Figure 3 located on a known U-section garment hanger adapted for use with the invention; Figure 18 is a cross-section along the line I-I of Figure 17; Figure 19 is a cross-section along the line J-J of Figure 17; Figure 20 is a rear view of a known C-section garment hanger with a circular cross-section hook with a second embodiment of plaque marker according to the invention; Figure 21 is a cross-section along the line K-K of Figure 20; Figure 22 is a rear perspective view of a third embodiment of a plaque marker according to the invention; Figure 23 is a front perspective view of the plaque marker of Figure 22; Figure 24 is a top view of the plaque marker of Figure 22; Figure 25 is a front view of the plaque marker of Figure 22; Figure 26 is an end view of the plaque marker of Figure 22; Figure 27 is a front view of the plaque marker of Figure 22 located on a C-section garment hanger substantially the same as the known garment hanger of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 28 is a cross-section along the line L-L of Figure 27; and Figure 29 is a cross-section along the line M-M of Figure 27.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a C-section garment hanger 10, i.e. having a generally C-shaped cross-section, suitable for use with the invention, comprises a median portion 11 between a first arm 12 and a second arm 13. A shank 141 of a C-section hook 14 extends from an upper convex transverse portion 111 of the median portion 11. It will be understood that in other garment hangers suitable for use with the invention the upper transverse portion may be planar or concave. A planar face 113 of the C-section median portion 11, that is visible in use with a garment suspended from the garment hanger, may be referred to herein as the front face of the median portion.

[0033] Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, a plaque marker 20 in accordance with the invention is generally U-shaped comprising a bridging portion 21 bridging or joining a first leg 22 and a second leg 23. The plaque marker is formed of a resilient material, preferably a resilient plastics material. The first leg 22 is longer than the second leg 23 for displaying in use thereon information relating to a garment to be suspended from the garment hanger and for extending in use from the upper transverse portion ill to a lower transverse portion 112 of the median portion 11. It will be understood that the information relating to the garment or retail establishment may be printed, embossed or otherwise formed directly on the first leg or may be carried on a label attached to the first leg. As best seen from Fig. 5, the bridging portion 21 of the plaque marker 20 is convex to accommodate in use the upper convex transverse portion 111 of the median portion 11 of the garment hanger. It will be understood that if the upper transverse portion is instead planar or concave the bridging portion will be similarly shaped to mate with the garment hanger transverse portion. As illustrated the lower edge 223 in use of the first leg 22 of the plaque marker 20 is arcuate but this is principally for aesthetic reasons and the shape of the lower edge plays no significant role in the claimed invention.

[0034] As best seen in Figs. 3 and 6, the bridging portion is provided with a central substantially rectangular indent 211 extending from and through the second leg 23 to an inner face of the first leg 22, thereby dividing bridging portion 21 and the second leg into a first portion and a second portion. The indent is sized and shaped to accommodate in use as a sliding fit a cross-section of the shank 141 of the hook 14. The bridging portion is dimensioned to separate the inner faces of the first and second legs by a distance corresponding substantially to the depth of the upper transverse portion 111 of the median portion 11 of the garment hanger 10.

[0035] Referring to Figs. 4 and 8, the first and second portions of the second leg are each provided on inner faces at the lower extremities thereof, remote from the bridging portion 21, with first and second latching projections 231, the projections having a cam lower face angled to the second leg 23 and an latching upper face substantially perpendicular to the second leg 23. The latching upper face is spaced from the inner face of the bridging portion by a distance substantially equal to. and not less than, a thickness of the upper transverse portion 111 so that in use an end of the upper transverse portion 111 is a sliding fit between the latching upper face and the inner face of the bridging portion 21. In the illustrated embodiment, elongate tooling apertures 213 and 214 are provided in the bridging portion 21 for forming the projections 231 during moulding of the plaque marker 20. It will be understood that the projections can be formed a different way, e.g. cam or hydraulic action in the tool could form these from either side of the part and that in that embodiment the tooling apertures would not be present, leaving the top face available for printing on to or otherwise containing information. In other embodiments the plaque has slots instead of projections for latching the plaque marker to the garment hanger.

[0036] In this first described embodiment the garment hanger would have the projections.

[0037] Referring to Figs. 7-9, in use, the plaque marker is aligned for mounting on the garment hanger 10 with a portion of the innerface of thefirst leg 22 abutting a portion of the front face 113 of the median portion 11, with the shank 141 of the hook 14 within the indent 211 of the bridging portion 21 of the plaque marker 20 and a rear edge of the upper transverse portion 111 of the median portion 11 of the garment hanger 10 engaging the cam surfaces of the projections 231.

[0038] Referring also to Figs. 10-13, the plaque marker is finally located on the median portion 11 by moving the plaque marker with respect to the garment hanger so that the bridging portion 21 is moved towards the upper transverse portion 111 and the edge of the upper transverse portion of the garment hanger acting on the cam surfaces of the projections 231 resiliently rotates the first and second legs apart until the upper transverse portion 111 bears on an inner face of the bridging portion and the thickness of the upper transverse portion forms a sliding fit between the latching face of the projection 231 and an inner face of the bridging portion. It will be understood that in this manner the plaque marker is firmly latched to the garment hanger 10 such that the marker cannot substantially move or rotate with respect to the garment hanger.

[0039] In order manually to remove the plaque marker from the garment hanger the projections 231 on the first and second portions of the second leg can be disengaged from the edge of the garment hanger by rotating the first and second portions away from the edge of the upper face, for example by grasping the first and second arm 12,13 in left and right hands of a user respectively from the back of the garment hanger and applying a lifting force on the first and second portions away from the garment hanger simultaneously with the user's left and right thumbs respectively. It will be understood that alternatively, the plaque marker can be removed with one hand by grasping one arm of the garment hanger and releasing the first and second portions successively.

[0040] Figs. 14-16 illustrate use of the plaque marker 20 with an I-Section garment hanger having an I-section hook 34 with a shank 341 and an I-section median portion 31 having an upper transverse portion 311 and a lower transverse portion 312. It will be appreciated that the mode of use of the plaque marker is the same as for the previously described C-section garment hanger except that instead of a whole of the inner face of the first leg bearing on a planar face 113 of the median portion of the garment hanger, portions of the inner face of the first leg 22 bear on edges of the upper transverse portion 311 and the lower transverse portion 312. It will be understood that at least for attachment to an I-section garment hanger, projections could instead oras well be located on an inner face of the first leg.

[0041] Figs. 17-19 illustrate the plaque marker 20 located on a U-Section garment hanger having a boss 441 for a circular cross-section hook 44, such as a known wire hook. The garment hanger has a median portion 41 comprising an upper bridging portion 411 bridging a front leg 412 and a rear leg 413. The junction of the rear leg 413 and the upper bridging portion 411 is provided with a projection 414 in the form of an extension of the bridging portion, having a lower latching face for latching on the latching upper face of the plaque marker projection 231. This projection may conveniently be formed by providing one or more cut-outs or indents below the projections 414 in the rear face of the rear leg of the U-section garment hanger. It will be understood that to mount the plaque marker on the garment hanger the marker is moved towards the garment hanger so that the projection 414 acts on the cam surface of the marker projection 231 to rotate the first and second legs of the marker apart until the upper face of the bridging section 411 bears on the inner face of the bridging portion 21 of the marker and the projection 414 is latched by a sliding fit to the projection 231.

[0042] Figs. 20 and 21 illustrate a second embodiment 60 of the plaque marker of the invention, in every way the same as the first embodiment, except that instead of the generally rectangular shaped indent 211 of the first embodiment 20, the indent 611 has an elliptically concave base better to accommodate an elliptical cross-section boss 541 of a garment hanger 50 with a circular cross-section wire hook 54. However, it will be understood that the first embodiment of the plaque marker could be used with a garment hanger having a circular cross-section hook joined to a median portion of the garment hanger by a boss, providing the substantially rectangular indent 211 accommodates the boss 541, preferably as a sliding fit.

[0043] It will be understood that although a plaque marker has been described in the first and second embodiments with projections 231 respectively on both the first portion and the second portion of the second leg 23 respectively, in some embodiments only one such projection 231 on only one of the first portion and the second portion need be provided.

[0044] Figs. 22-29 illustrate a third embodiment 70 of a plaque marker according to the invention suitable for use with a garment hanger 101 substantially the same as the prior art garment hanger 10 of Figs. 1 and 2. Referring to Figs. 22-26, the plaque marker is generally U-shaped comprising a bridging portion 71 bridging or joining a first leg 72 and a second leg 73. The plaque marker is formed of a resilient material, preferably a resilient plastics material. The first leg 72 is longer than the second leg 73 for displaying in use thereon information relating to a garment to be suspended from the garment hanger and for extending in use from the upper transverse portion 111 to a lower transverse portion 112' of the median portion 11' of the C-section garment hanger 101 of Figure 27. It will be understood that the information relating to the garment, manufacturer or retail establishment may be printed, embossed or otherwise formed directly on the first leg or may be carried on a label attached to the first leg. As best seen from Fig. 25, the bridging portion 71 of the plaque marker 70 is convex to accommodate in use the upper convex transverse portion 111' of the median portion 11' of the garment hanger. It will be understood that if the upper transverse portion is instead planar or concave the bridging portion will be similarly shaped to mate with the garment hanger transverse portion. As illustrated the lower edge 723 in use of the first leg 72 of the plaque marker 70 is arcuate but this is principally for aesthetic reasons and the shape of the lower edge plays no significant role in the claimed invention.

[0045] As best seen in Figs. 22-24, the bridging portion 71 is provided with a central substantially rectangular indent 711 extending from and through the second leg 73 to an inner face of the first leg 72, thereby dividing bridging portion 71 and the second leg into a first portion and a second portion. The indent is sized and shaped to accommodate in use as a sliding fit a cross-section of the shank 141' of the hook 14' of garment hanger 101. The bridging portion 71 is dimensioned to separate the inner faces of the first and second legs 72, 73 by a distance corresponding substantially to the depth of the upper transverse portion 111' of the median portion 11' of the garment hanger 101. It will be understood that alternatively the indent may be shaped as in the second embodiment 60 to accommodate a boss of a hook for suspending the garment hanger.

[0046] Referring to Fig. 22, the first and second portions of the second leg 73 are each provided with central rectangular apertures 731 proximate the inner face of the bridging portion 71, leaving the top face available for printing on to, or otherwise applying additional information.

[0047] Referring to Fig. 28, the rear edge of the transverse portion 111' of the garment hanger 101 is provided with two projections 732 with cam edges dimensioned and located for latching in the respective apertures 731.

[0048] Referring to Figs. 27-29, in use, the plaque marker is aligned for mounting on the garment hanger 101 with a portion of the inner face of the first leg 72 abutting a portion of the front face 113' of the median portion 11', with the shank 141' of the hook 14' within the indent 711 of the bridging portion 71 of the plaque marker 70 and a rear edge of the upper transverse portion 111' of the median portion 11' of the garment hanger 101 engaging the inner face of the rear leg 73.

[0049] The plaque marker is finally located on the median portion 11' by moving the plaque marker 70 with respect to the garment hanger 101 so that the bridging portion 71 is moved towards the upper transverse portion 111' and the cam faces of the projections 732 of the transverse portion 111' acting on the inner face of the second leg 73 resiliently to rotate the first and second legs 72, 73 apart until the upper transverse portion 111' bears on an inner face of the bridging portion 71 and the projections 732 form a sliding fit in the apertures 731.

It will be understood that in this manner the plaque marker 70 is firmly latched to the garment hanger 101 such that the marker cannot substantially move or rotate with respect to the garment hanger.

[0050] It will be understood that although a plaque marker has been described with apertures 731 in both the first portion and the second portion of the second leg 73, and corresponding projections 732 on the garment hanger 101, in some embodiments only one such aperture 731 and on only one of the first portion and the second portion and only one projection 732 need be provided.

[0051] It will be further understood that the plaque marker 70 of the third embodiment can be used with slightly modified I-section and U-section garment hangers which are provided on a rear face with small projections for engaging the apertures 731.

[0052] It will be understood that apart from the U-section garment hanger 40, the first and second embodiments 20, 60 of the plaque marker can be used on known garment hangers without any adaptation of the garment hanger and because no adaption of the garment hanger is required the garment hanger is equally aesthetically acceptable with or without the plaque marker. Furthermore, the third embodiment 70 of the plaque marker can be used with known garment hangers with only a minor, inconspicuous modification of one or two projections on the rear face of the garment hanger. Moreover, even in the case of adapted garment hangers, the adaptation required is only of the addition of one or two small projections on a rear surface of the garment hanger that, in use of the garment hanger, may be covered by a garment collar when the garment hanger is used without the plaque marker but in any case are on the back of the garment hanger and are not unsightly.

[0053] Moreover, the plaque marker can be readily removed from the garment hanger by hand by an adult, for example for reuse in a retail establishment, but is too large to be readily swallowed by a child. That is, the plaque does not fit in the standard Consumer Product Safety Commission Choke Tube' which "approximates the size of the fully expanded throat of a child under three years old".

[0054] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words "comprise" and "contain" and variations of them mean "including but not limited to", and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other components, integers or steps. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

[0055] Features, integers or characteristics described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith.

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. The invention is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. 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 plaque marker for a median portion of a garment hanger having suspending means, the plaque marker being generally U-shaped and comprising a bridging portion bridging a first leg and a second leg, the bridging portion comprising a central indent for receiving a portion of the suspending means of the garment hanger as a sliding fit, the indent dividing the second leg into a first portion and a second portion and at least one of the first portion and the second portion being provided with a latching means for latching onto an edge or projection of the garment hanger in use, with an inner face of the bridging portion of the plaque marker in abutment with an outer face of the median portion of the garment hanger.
2. A plaque marker as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first leg is longer than the second leg.
3. A plaque marker as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the latching means comprise at least one projection on the plaque marker.
4. A plaque marker as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one projection on the plaque marker is provided with a cam face for resiliently rotating the first leg away from the second leg by the edge or projection of the garment hanger bearing on the cam face during mounting of the plaque marker on the garment hanger.
5. A plaque marker as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the front leg is arranged to display information concerning a garment to be suspended from the garment hanger in use.
6. A plaque marker as claimed in any of the preceding claims for a median portion of a garment hanger having a hook as the suspending means, wherein the central indent is for receiving a portion of a shank of the hook.
7. A plaque marker as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the latching means is arranged for engaging an upper edge of a transverse portion of a C-section garment hanger or an I-section garment hanger or a projection on a leg of a U-section garment hanger.
8. A plaque marker as claimed in any of the preceding claims for use with a C-section garment hanger having a median portion with an upper transverse portion, wherein the latching means on at least the first portion of the second leg are arranged to latch onto a rear edge of the upper transverse portion.
9. A plaque marker as claimed in any of the preceding claims for use with a I-section garment hanger having a median portion with an upper transverse portion and a lower transverse portion, wherein the latching means on at least the first portion of the second leg are arranged to latch onto a rear edge of the upper transverse portion and the first leg extends in use from the upper transverse portion to the lower transverse portion.
10. A plaque marker as claimed in any of the preceding claims for use with a U-section garment hanger having a median portion with an upper bridging portion bridging front and rear legs of a median portion, wherein the latching means on at least the first portion of the second leg are arranged to latch onto at least one projection at a rear edge of the upper bridging portion.
11. A plaque marker as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the latching means comprise an aperture on at least the first portion of the second leg tor cooperating with a projection on the garment hanger.
12. A plaque marker substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying Figures.
13. A garment hanger comprising a plaque marker as claimed in any of the preceding claims.