WO1994028776A1

WO1994028776A1 - Clip for a clothes hanger, and method of making the same

Info

Publication number: WO1994028776A1
Application number: PCT/SE1994/000528
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ulf Andersson
Original assignee: Karner & Company Aktiebolag
Priority date: 1993-06-03
Filing date: 1994-06-02
Publication date: 1994-12-22
Also published as: SE9301891D0; SE500570C2; AU6940794A; SE9301891L

Abstract

A clip for a clothes hanger has two opposing branches (5, 6) articulated to one another, a U-shaped spring (4) whose spring legs (15, 16) are each applied against the outside of the respective branches in order to bias the branches towards one another, thus providing the clip with an engagement portion (9, 10) for engagement with the article of clothing to be supported by the clothes hanger, and a friction material (14) applied at the engagement portion on the inside of the branches. Each branch (5, 6) is provided with a channel (23, 24) extending from the inside of the branch in the area of the friction material (14) to the outside of the branch in the area where the spring leg (15, 16) is applied against the branch. The friction material extends through and out of the channel to the outside of the branch, the spring leg being embedded in the friction material in the area where it is applied against the branch. A method of making the clip is also disclosed.

Description

CLIP FOR A CLOTHES HANGER, AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

This invention relates to a clip having two oppos¬ ing branches articulated to one another, a U-shaped spring whose spring legs are each applied against the outside of the respective branches in order to bias the branches towards one another, thus providing the clip with an engagement portion for engagement with the article of clothing to be supported by the clothes hanger, and a friction material applied at the engage¬ ment portion on the inside of the branches. WO 90/13248, for instance, discloses a clothes hanger with a clip of this type. The clip may, in part, be formed integral with an end piece of the clothes hanger, or be detachably mounted on the hanger. Normally, the end piece and the branches of the clip are injection- moulded from plastic into an integral unit, in which the branches are connected by an articulation formed of the injection-moulded plastic. Then, the friction material is applied, and the spring is finally positioned. The spring is made of plastic or metal. When the hanger has been used for some time, the spring will be subjected to fatigue, and may even break. The spring being detachably mounted in the clip, it has occurred that part of the broken spring has been flung away and actually injured an eye of someone standing nearby.

The object of the invention is to obviate the inconvenience of broken springs being flung away from the clip.

This object is attained by a clip of the above type and a method of making the same, the distinctive features of the clip and the method being recited in the charac¬ terising clauses of the appended claims. The invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of an embodiment, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which

Fig. 1 is a side view of an end piece of a clothes hanger equipped with the inventive clip, and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the clothes hanger, taken along line II-II in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows an end piece 1 whose branch 3 is to be inserted into the central piece of a skirt hanger (not shown). A clip 2 according to the invention is arranged at the outer end of the end-piece branch. The clip con¬ sists of two branches 5 and 6, which are injection- moulded so as to be formed integral with the end piece, to which they are connected by thin, flexible articula- tion portions 11, 12 and 13. Furthermore, each branch has an operative portion 7 and 8, respectively, as well as an engagement portion 9 and 10, respectively. A friction material is applied on the inside of each branch at the engagement portion to form a friction coating 14. A metal spring 4 is so mounted in the clip that its spring legs

15 and 16 bias the clip in such a manner that the engage¬ ment portions are pressed against one another. The U- shaped spring engages round the articulation portion 11, and the spring legs project through recesses 19 and 20 in the branches 5 and 6, respectively. The ends of the spring legs are bent and are applied against the open¬ ings of, respectively, a channel 23 and a channel 24 in the branches. The channels extend from the area of the friction coating and open into the area where the spring legs are applied against the branches.

In order to lock the spring to the branches and pre¬ vent it from being flung away if breaking, the ends of the spring legs are embedded in the friction material, which extends through the channels and out to the outside of the respective branches.

The clip is manufactured in the following manner. The end-piece branch 3 and the branches 5 and 6 are first injection-moulded in one piece. Then, the metal spring is so mounted that the ends of the spring legs are applied against the outside of the branches at the openings of the respective channels 23, 24. Thereafter, the injection moulding machine is connected to supply holes 21, 22 for applying the friction material on the inside of the branches. It should be pointed out that a suitable abut¬ ment and cooling plate is provided on the inside of the branches so that a cavity 25 or 26 is formed in the respective branches. When these cavities have been fill¬ ed, the melted friction material continues to flow out through the channels 23, 24 to surround the ends of the spring legs. After curing, the clip will be complete. Naturally, the metal spring may well be replaced with a plastic spring. Further, the branches may be com¬ pletely separate from the remainder of the end piece and be mounted thereon afterwards. Also, the spring may serve to connect the branches to one another, in which case the articulation portions may be dispensed with.

Claims

1. A clip for a clothes hanger, the clip having two opposing branches (5, 6) articulated to one another, a

U-shaped spring (4) whose spring legs (15, 16) are each applied against the outside of the respective branches in order to bias the branches towards one another, thus pro¬ viding the clip with an engagement portion (9, 10) for engagement with the article of clothing to be supported by the clothes hanger, and a friction material (14) applied at the engagement portion on the inside of the branches, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that each branch (5, 6) is provided with a channel (23, 24) extending from the inside of the branch in the area of the friction material (14) to the outside of the branch in the area where the spring leg (15, 16) is applied against the branch, and that the friction material extends through and out of the channel to the outside of the branch, the spring leg being embedded in the friction material in the area where it is applied against the branch.

2. A method of making a clip (1) for a clothes hanger, wherein two branches (5, 6) of the clip are pro¬ duced and arranged opposite to one another with an arti- culation (11, 12, 13) therebetween, a U-shaped spring (4) is so mounted in the clip that its spring legs (15, 16) are each applied against the outside of the respective branches and bias the branches towards one another so as to form an engagement portion (9, 10) of the clip for engagement with the article of clothing to be supported by the clothes hanger, and a friction material in melted form is applied on the inside of the branches at the engagement portion so as to cure and form a friction coating (14), c h a r a c t e r i s e d by flowing the melted friction material through a channel (23, 24) in the respective branches ( 5, 6), said channel opening into the area where the spring leg (15, 16) is applied against the outside of the branch, and out of the channel to sur¬ round the spring leg, which thus will be embedded when the friction material is cured.