WO2004066792A1

WO2004066792A1 - Garment hanger

Info

Publication number: WO2004066792A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/000320
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher Barlow
Original assignee: Braitrim (Uk) Limited
Priority date: 2003-01-29
Filing date: 2004-01-26
Publication date: 2004-08-12
Also published as: GB0302101D0; GB2397754A

Abstract

A garment hanger (10) for trousers (40) has at least one arm, and at least one hook (111) for engaging a belt loop (41) of the trousers spaced apart from a garment clip (121), for suspending the trousers from the hanger. The trousers may be suspended with adjustable tautness between the at least one hook and the garment clip. The hanger is particularly suitable for heavyweight garments such as jeans.

Description

GARMENT HANGER

The present invention relates to a garment hanger.

Garment hangers for trousers and similar garments are known, in which the trousers are either folded over a horizontal bar or a waistband of the trousers is gripped by two sprung garment clips, one on each of two opposed arms of the hanger. However, neither of these types of hanger is ideal for trousers, such as jeans, of a heavyweight material such as denim. The material is too thick to fold easily over a horizontal bar. Moreover, the weight and thickness of the trousers is such that either the trousers slip out of standard garment clips, especially when the trousers are handled in a retail establishment, or, if garment clips with a higher tension spring are used, the clips tend to mark the garment and ease of inserting garments in, and removing garments from, the hanger is reduced because a greater force is required to operate the garment clips.

Hangers with hooks on the arms are known for suspending lightweight garments such as slips and skirts by loops especially added to the garments for the purpose. Such hangers are not designed to be strong enough for heavy trousers and in any case, heavyweight trousers are not normally provided with hanging loops. It is also desirable to hang trouser folded longitudinally with a waistband of the trousers taut so that trousers of a range of sizes may hang flat and this would not be possible with known hangers with two hooks a fixed distance apart, even were they sufficiently strong. Moreover, because trousers such as jeans are often cut with the waist higher at the back than the front, trousers suspended by the waistband tend not to hang with the hanger arms horizontal.

Because of the difficulty of suspending hangers in retail establishments, heavyweight trousers such as jeans are often displayed folded on shelving or folded over a horizontal bar of a hanger. This disadvantageously tends to obscure any manufacturer's or designer's labels.

US 2576089 discloses a hanger with a terminal bar arrangement on an outer extremity of a first arm for engaging two belt loops of a garment with a bendable or adjustable opposed second arm for holding a waistband of the garment taut. There is no disclosure of a dependent hook or hooks for engaging a belt loop or loops or of a clip for adjusting the tautness with which a garment is held on the hanger.

US 2419767 discloses a hook arrangement for the outer extremities of hanger arms so that two garments may be hung from the hanger. There is no disclosure that the hook arrangements are suitable for engaging loops of garments, and tautness with which a garment is held on the hanger is provided only by the resilience of the hooks which is not adjustable.

US 2902194 discloses a hanger with hooks at the outer extremities of opposed arms for engaging belt loops for drying trousers. An effective length of the arms is adjustable to adjust the tautness between the opposed hooks. However, it is necessary to retract the arms of the hanger in order to load or remove a garment onto or from the hanger respectively. There is no disclosure of a clip for adjusting the tautness with which a garment is held on the hanger or that is slideable along an arm to adjust a distance between the clip and the hook.

US 1652870 discloses hooks for engaging loops towards the outer ends of opposed arms of a hanger in which the position of the hooks is adjustable along the arm to a limited extent. There is no disclosure of a clip engaging a waistband for holding a garment with adjustable tautness or moveable along an arm to accommodate different size garments. Moreover there is no disclosure of an extendible arm.

According to the present invention, there is provided a garment hanger for trousers comprising at least a first elongate arm, and hook means for engaging loop means of the trousers spaced apart from garment clip means, for suspending the trousers from the hanger, wherein at least one of the hook means and the garment clip means is located on the at least the first arm such that a portion of the trousers may be located with adjustable tautness between the hook means and the garment clip means. Conveniently the garment hanger further comprises a second elongate arm opposed to the first elongate arm, wherein the hook means is located on the first arm and the garment clip means is located on the second arm.

Advantageously, the hook means is dependent, in use, from the garment hanger and a plane defined by the hook means is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the at least one arm.

Alternatively, the hook means is dependent, in use, from the garment hanger and a plane defined by the hook means is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the at least one arm.

Conveniently, a portion of the trousers may be suspended with adjustable tautness between the hook means and the garment clip means by selecting a position on the trousers for engagement by the garment clip means.

Preferably, the hook means is arranged for engaging at least one belt loop of the trousers. Conveniently, the hook means comprises a first hook for engaging a first belt loop and a second hook for engaging a second belt loop.

Advantageously, a first plane defined by the first hook and a second plane defined by the second hook are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the at least one arm. Advantageously, the garment clip means is arranged for engaging a portion of a waistband of the trousers.

Conveniently, the garment hanger further comprises adjustment means for adjusting a distance between the hook means and the garment clip means.

Conveniently the at least a first arm is extendible. Alternatively, the garment clip means is slideable along the at least a first arm to adjust a distance between the hook means and the garment clip means.

Preferably, the garment hanger further comprises suspension means connected to the garment hanger for suspending the garment hanger from support means.

Conveniently, the suspension means is inclined at a predetermined acute angle to a perpendicular to the at least a first arm such that in use the at least a first arm is inclined substantially at the acute angle to the horizontal and the suspension means is substantially vertical.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from a first end of a first embodiment of a hanger according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view from a second end, opposed to the first end, of the hanger of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of the hanger of Figure 1; Figure 3 A is a cross-sectional view along the line 3A-3A of Figure 3;

Figure 4 is an end view from the first end of the hanger of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a top view of the hanger of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a front view of the hanger of Figure 1 in use;

Figure 7 is a front view of a second embodiment of a hanger according to the invention; Figure 8 is a perspective view on a smaller scale of the hanger of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a front view on a smaller scale of the hanger of figure 7 in use;

Figure 10 is a front view of a third embodiment of a hanger according to the invention;

Figure 11 is a perspective view from the front, top and one end of the hanger of Figure 10; and Figure 12 is a perspective view from the back, top and an opposed end of the hanger of

Figure 10.

In the Figures like reference numerals denote like parts.

A first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 6, in which a hanger 10 has a first straight arm 11 and a second straight arm 12 opposed to the first arm. The first and second arms 11, 12 are each joined to a generally elliptical label portion 13 of the hanger to which is attached a known hanger suspension hook 14. As best seen in Figure 3, a shaft 141 of the hook 14 and a minor axis of the generally elliptical label portion 13 are inclined at an acute angle to the first arm 11. Upper and lower, in use, faces of the hanger are planar except that an upper face of the label portion of the hanger is upwardly arcuate to accommodate the inclined elliptical label portion 13. As best seen in Figure 3 A, the hanger has an inverted U-shape transverse cross- section.

Referring in particular to Figures 1, 3 and 4, an outer end of the first arm 11 is provided with a hook 111 extending, in use, below the first arm in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis defined by the first and second arms 11, 12. To facilitate moulding of the hook 111 with the arm 11, the hook 111, which as is best seen in figure 4, is generally circular, is provided substantially on a horizontal diameter thereof with a ramped dog-leg 114 outwards of the hanger. An opening 112 of the hook is provided towards the rear of the hanger and proximate a shank 113 thereof.

The second arm 12 is provided with a known slideable sprung garment clip 121. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, opposed portions 122,123 of the clip pivot on elongate projections 124 located along at least a front face of the second arm 12 proximate the lower face thereof for pivotably opening and closing the clip, such that the clip is slideable along the arm with the clip open but is locked against movement along the arm when the clip is closed on a garment. A stop 125 is provided on the elongate projection 124 proximate an outer end of the second arm, to prevent the clip 121 being inadvertently slid off the second arm 12. Alternatively, the arm may be provided, in a known manner, with an elongate slot on at least one of the front and back faces of the arm for accommodating a projection on an inner face of at least one of the opposed portions 122,123 such that the at least one projection is slideable in the at least one slot to adjust a distance on the hanger between the clip 121 and the hook 111. Serrations or similar locking projections may be provided on the arm, in a known manner, to facilitate locking of the clip against sliding motion along the arm when the clip is closed on a garment. Alternatively, rack means may be provided on the arm to allow the closed clip to be slid outwards along the arm but to lock the closed clip against sliding inwards along the arm.

Inner surfaces of the opposed portions may be suitably shaped in a known manner, for example with one or more horizontal elongate projections, to provide an improved grip on the trousers. Alternatively, or in addition, the inner surfaces of the opposed portions may be provided with a non-slip covering or insert for improved gripping of the trousers. As best seen in Figure 6, in use the hook 111 is passed through a rear belt loop 41 of a pair of trousers 40 which are folded longitudinally and a waistband 42 of the trousers 40 tautened and a portion of the waistband proximate a front of the trousers is gripped by the garment clip 121. Preferably the opposed portions of the garment clip extend sufficiently below the second arm 12 to engage the trousers below the waistband. That is, in loading folded trousers onto the hanger, the hook 111 is passed through a rearmost belt hook of the trousers, the garment clip is opened and slid to a position proximate the front of the trouser and the trouser waistband held taut as the waistband is entered into the clip. Alternatively, the clip may be first clipped onto the waistband with the waistband slack and then the clip moved outwards along the arm to tauten the waistband. In practice, the waistband is normally folded inward of the trousers at the front and the folded portion of the clip may all be inserted in the clip as illustrated. Alternatively, lower portions the clip may pass inside the trousers and grip only inwardly folded portions of the waistband. Preferably, a gauge of a spring of the clip is selected for an intended mode of use of gripping either two or four thicknesses of material.

As shown in Figure 6, where the trousers are cut with a higher back than front, and with the upper edge of the trousers substantially parallel to the first and second arms, the hanger tends to take up an orientation under gravity with the first and second arms inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal and, by a suitable choice of the predetermined angle of the shaft to the arms, the shaft 141 of the suspension hook 14 vertical. For known jeans with a higher cut back than front, it is found that a suitable angle of the shaft to the first arm is substantially 75 degrees. For trousers with a lower cut back it is to be expected that the arms will take up an orientation closer to the horizontal. For such trousers it will be understood that the suspension hook may be provided with a larger acute angle to the first arm, or even perpendicular to the first arm.

Preferably, the proportions of the hanger are selected so that the hook 111 carries a greater proportion of the weight of the trousers than the garment grip, so that the garment clip may be provided with a weaker spring than would otherwise be necessary, to reduce the potential of the garment clip marking the trousers or the trousers slipping from the garment clip. That is, preferably a distance in use between a vertical line through a point of attachment of the hook to the trousers and a vertical line through a centre of mass of the trousers is less than a distance between a vertical line through a point of attachment of the clip to the trousers and the vertical line through the centre of mass of the trousers. Preferably, the relative dimensions are also such that the folded trousers will hang flat and un-creased. However, even if the front of the trousers does slip out of the garment clip 121 during handling, the hanger 10 has the advantage that the trousers 40 remain suspended by the hook 111. A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 7 to 9, in which a hanger 20 has a first straight arm 21 and a second straight arm 22 opposed to the first arm. The first and second arms 21, 22 are each joined to a generally elliptical label portion 23 of the hanger to which is attached a known hanger suspension hook 24. Upper and lower, in use, faces of the hanger are planar except that an upper face of the label portion of the hanger is upwardly arcuate to accommodate the elliptical label portion 23. The hanger has an inverted U-shape transverse cross-section.

An outer end of the first arm 21 is provided with a pair of generally U-shaped spaced apart hooks 211, 211 ' extending, in use, outward of, and below, the first arm in planes parallel to a longitudinal axis defined by the first and second arms 21, 22. The second arm 22 is provided with a known slideable sprung garment clip 221 similar to the clip 121 of the first embodiment. Opposed portions 222, 223 of the clip pivot on elongate indentations 224 located along at least a front face of the second arm 22 proximate the lower face thereof for pivotably opening and closing the clip, such that the clip is slideable along the arm with the clip open but is locked against movement along the arm when the clip is closed on a garment. A stop 225 is provided on the elongate projection 224 proximate an outer end of the second arm, to prevent the clip 221 being inadvertently slid off the second arm 22. Alternatively, the arm may be provided, in a known manner, with an elongate slot on at least one of the front and back faces of the arm for accommodating a projection on an inner face of at least one of the opposed portions 222, 223 such that the at least one projection is slideable in the at least one slot to adjust a distance on the hanger between the clip 221 and the hooks 211, 211'. Serrations or similar locking projections may be provided on the arm, in a known manner, to facilitate locking of the clip against sliding motion along the arm when the clip is closed on a garment. Alternatively, rack means may be provided on the arm to allow the closed clip to be slid outwards along the arm but to lock the closed clip against sliding inwards along the arm. Inner surfaces of the opposed portions may be suitably shaped in a known manner, for example with one or more horizontal elongate projections, to provide an improved grip on the trousers. Alternatively, or in addition, the inner surfaces of the opposed portions may be provided with a non-slip covering or insert for improved gripping of the trousers. As best seen in Figure 9, in use a first portion of a waistband of trousers proximate a rear of the trousers is located between hooks 211, 211' and the hooks 211, 211' are passed through opposed belt loops 41 of the pair of trousers 40 which are folded longitudinally and the waistband 42 of the trousers 40 tautened and a second portion of the waistband proximate a front of the trousers is gripped by the garment clip 221. Preferably the opposed portions of the garment clip extend sufficiently below the second arm 22 to engage the trousers below the waistband. That is, in loading folded trousers onto the hanger, the hooks 211, 211' are passed through opposed belt loops 41 of the trousers, the garment clip is opened and slid to a position proximate the front of the trouser and the trouser waistband held taut as the waistband is entered into the clip. Alternatively, the clip may be first clipped onto the waistband with the waistband slack and then the clip moved outwards along the arm to tauten the waistband. In practice, the waistband is normally folded inward of the trousers at the front and the folded portion of the clip may all be inserted in the clip as illustrated. Alternatively, lower portions the clip may pass inside the trousers and grip only inwardly folded portions of the waistband. Preferably, a gauge of a spring of the clip is selected for an intended mode of use of gripping either two or four thicknesses of material, such that the trousers are not significantly marked by the clip.

Preferably, the proportions of the hanger are selected so that the hooks 211, 211' carry a greater proportion of the weight of the trousers than the garment grip, so that the garment clip may be provided with a weaker spring than would otherwise be necessary, to reduce the potential of the garment clip marking the trousers or the trousers slipping from the garment clip. That is, preferably a distance in use between a vertical line through a point of attachment of the hook to the trousers and a vertical line through a centre of mass of the trousers is less than a distance between a vertical line through a point of attachment of the clip to the trousers and the vertical line through the centre of mass of the trousers. Preferably, the relative dimensions are also such that the folded trousers will hang flat and un-creased. However, even if the front of the trousers does slip out of the garment clip 221 during handling, the hanger 20 has the advantage that the trousers 40 remain suspended by the hooks 211, 211'.

A third embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 10 to 12, in which a hanger 30 has a first straight arm 31 and a second straight arm 32 opposed to the first arm. The first and second arms 31, 32 are each joined to a generally semi-elliptical label portion 33 of the hanger to which is attached a known hanger suspension hook 34. An upper face of the label portion of the hanger is upwardly arcuate to accommodate the inclined semi-elliptical label portion 33. The hanger has an inverted U-shape transverse cross-section.

An outer end of the first arm 31 is provided with a hook 311 formed from a downwardly arcuate extension of a back face of the arm 31 with a cross member extending, in use, below a level of the first arm in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis defined by the first and second arms 31, 32 and terminated by an upward extending leg to form a generally U-shaped hook 311.

The second arm 32 is provided with a known slideable sprung garment clip 321. Opposed portions 322, 323 of the clip pivot on the second arm 32 proximate the lower face thereof for pivotably opening and closing the clip, such that the clip is slideable along the arm within a reduced portion 325 of the second arm 32 with the clip open but is locked against movement along the arm when the clip is closed on a garment. Opposed shoulders terminating the reduced portion of the second arm proximate inner and outer ends of the second arm restrict sliding movement of the clip to the reduced portion 325 and prevent the clip 321 being inadvertently slid off the second arm 32. Serrations or similar locking projections may be provided on the arm, in a known manner, to facilitate locking of the clip against sliding motion along the arm when the clip is closed on a garment. Alternatively, rack means may be provided on the arm to allow the closed clip to be slid outwards along the arm but to lock the closed clip against sliding inwards along the arm.

Inner surfaces of the opposed portions of the clip may be suitably shaped in a known manner, for example with one or more horizontal elongate projections, to provide an improved grip on the trousers. Alternatively, or in addition, the inner surfaces of the opposed portions may be provided with a non-slip covering or insert for improved gripping of the trousers. In use the hook 311 is passed through a rear belt loop of a pair of trousers which are folded longitudinally and a waistband of the trousers tautened and a portion of the waistband proximate a front of the trousers is gripped by the garment clip 321. Preferably the opposed portions of the garment clip extend sufficiently below the second arm 32 to engage the trousers below the waistband. That is, in loading folded trousers onto the hanger, the hook 311 is passed through a rearmost belt hook of the trousers, the garment clip is opened and slid to a position proximate the front of the trouser and the trouser waistband held taut as the waistband is entered into the clip. Alternatively, the clip may be first clipped onto the waistband with the waistband slack and then the clip moved outwards along the arm to tauten the waistband. In practice, the waistband is normally folded inward of the trousers at the front and the folded portion of the clip may all be inserted in the clip. Alternatively, lower portions the clip may pass inside the trousers and grip only inwardly folded portions of the waistband. Preferably, a gauge of a spring of the clip is selected for an intended mode of use of gripping either two or four thicknesses of material such that the trousers are not unduly marked by the clip. Preferably, the proportions of the hanger are selected so that the hook 311 carries a greater proportion of the weight of the trousers than the garment grip, so that the garment clip may be provided with a weaker spring than would otherwise be necessary, to reduce the potential of the garment clip marking the trousers or the trousers slipping from the garment clip. That is, preferably a distance in use between a vertical line through a point of attachment of the hook to the trousers and a vertical line through a centre of mass of the trousers is less than a distance between a vertical line through a point of attachment of the clip to the trousers and the vertical line through the centre of mass of the trousers. Preferably, the relative dimensions are also such that the folded trousers will hang flat and un-creased. However, even if the front of the trousers does slip out of the garment clip 321 during handling, the hanger 30 has the advantage that the trousers remain suspended by the hook 311.

All the embodiments of the hanger have the added advantage, especially in a retail establishment, that any designer or manufacturer labels included on the outside of the trousers may be displayed without being obscured by other parts of the trousers or by parts of the hanger.

Moreover, although the invention has been described in relation to a fixed hook and a moveable clip, it will be understood that other means of adjusting a distance along the hanger or the waistband between the hook and the clip may be used, to adjust the tautness of the waistband and/or to accommodate different size garments. For example, a hook and clip both fixed to the hanger a predetermined distance apart may be used and the waistband be pulled to a required tautness before inserting the waistband in the clip. Alternatively, either the hook or clip may be located on an extendible arm, or the hook and clip may both be located on respective extendible arms. In another embodiment, the hook may be slideable along an arm.

Furthermore, a single arm hanger may be used in which the hook, for example, is dependent, in use, from the label portion of the hanger and the clip is located on the single arm.

In any embodiment it is preferable, for the reasons given above, that the hook carries more than half the weight of a garment suspended from the hanger.

Although the invention has been described in relation to a moulded plastics hanger, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to hangers of other materials, such as a metal.

Claims

1. A garment hanger (10; 20; 30) for trousers (40) comprising at least a first elongate arm (11; 21; 31), and hook means (111; 211, 211'; 311) for engaging loop means (41) of the trousers spaced apart from garment clip means (121; 221; 321), for suspending the trousers from the hanger, wherein at least one of the hook means and the garment clip means is located on the at least the first arm (11; 21; 31) such that a portion of the trousers may be located with adjustable tautness between the hook means and the garment clip means.

2. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second elongate arm (12; 22; 23) opposed to the first elongate arm, wherein the hook means is located on the first arm and the garment clip means is located on the second arm.

3. A garment hanger as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the hook means (111; 311) is dependent, in use, from the garment hanger and a plane defined by the hook means is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the at least one arm.

4. A garment hanger as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the hook means (211, 211') is dependent, in use, from the garment hanger and a plane defined by the hook means is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the at least one arm.

5. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a portion of the trousers may be suspended with adjustable tautness between the hook means and the garment clip means by selecting a position on the trousers for engagement by the garment clip means.

6. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the hook means (111; 211, 211'; 311) is arranged for engaging at least one belt loop (41) of the trousers.

7. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein the hook means comprises a first hook (211) for engaging a first belt loop and a second hook (211') for engaging a second belt loop.

8. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 7, wherein a first plane defined by the first hook (211) and a second plane defined by the second hook (211') are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the at least one arm.

9. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the garment clip means (121; 221; 321) is arranged for engaging a portion of a waistband of the trousers.

10. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims comprising adjustment means for adjusting a distance between the hook means and the garment clip means.

11. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 10, wherein the at least a first arm is extendible.

12. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 10, wherein the garment clip means (121; 221; 321) is slideable along the at least a first arm to adjust a distance between the hook means

(111; 211, 211'; 311) and the garment clip means.

13. A garment hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims further comprising suspension means (14; 24; 34) connected to the garment hanger for suspending the garment hanger from support means.

14. A garment hanger as claimed in claim 13, wherein the suspension means (14) is inclined at a predetermined acute angle to a perpendicular to the at least a first arm such that in use the at least a first arm is inclined substantially at the acute angle to the horizontal and the suspension means is substantially vertical.