U.S. patent application number 10/797181 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-23 for hanger for clothing made of plastic with reinforced rigidity.
This patent application is currently assigned to The Zebra Company. Invention is credited to Barre, Bertrand, Gibert, Xavier, Lepage, Francis.
Application Number | 20040256425 10/797181 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32799675 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040256425 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Barre, Bertrand ; et
al. |
December 23, 2004 |
Hanger for clothing made of plastic with reinforced rigidity
Abstract
The invention relates to a hanger for clothing, made of
injection-molded plastic, comprising a hanging hook for hanging
said hanger from a support external to the hanger and which
comprises a head and a base, a carrying body for supporting at
least one item of clothing, comprising at least a first and a
second arm that extend substantially in the same longitudinal
direction, but with opposite orientations, the hook and the two
arms being made overall as one piece defining substantially the
same plane. The arms comprise a distal end and a proximal end, the
distal ends of the two arms being joined directly to the base of
the hook by branching. The arms and the hook have a hollow section
comprising at least one end wall and two legs that are oriented
substantially transversely to the plane of the hanger. The section
is inscribed within a non-angular shape.
Inventors: |
Barre, Bertrand;
(Lapeyrouse, FR) ; Gibert, Xavier; (Chassieu,
FR) ; Lepage, Francis; (Dommartin, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
P.O. BOX 19928
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320
US
|
Assignee: |
The Zebra Company
Limonest
FR
|
Family ID: |
32799675 |
Appl. No.: |
10/797181 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
223/85 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 25/28 20130101;
B29L 2031/735 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
223/085 |
International
Class: |
A41D 027/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 17, 2003 |
FR |
03.03245 |
Claims
1. A hanger for clothing, made of injection-molded plastic,
comprising: a hanging hook for hanging said hanger from a support
external to the hanger and which comprises a head and a base, a
carrying body for supporting at least one item of clothing,
comprising at least a first and a second arm that extend
substantially in the same longitudinal direction, but with opposite
orientations, the hook and the two arms being made overall as one
piece defining substantially the same plane, each of the first and
second arms comprises a distal end and a proximal end, the distal
ends of the two arms being joined to the base of the hook, and the
first and second arms having a hollow cross section and comprising
an end wall and two legs that are oriented substantially
transversely to the plane of the hanger, wherein the hook has the
same hollow cross section as the first and second arms, i.e.
comprising an end wall and two legs, and said hollow cross section
of the hook is joined to the distal ends of the two arms,
respectively, in a continuous manner, by branching.
2. The hanger for clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
hollow section has two other wings each extending from one of the
legs so as to define a W, such that the hanger comprises a front
face with one groove and a rear face with two grooves.
3. The hanger for clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
hollow section is inscribed within a non-angular shape, chosen from
among oval, round or rounded-square shapes.
4. The hanger for clothing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
dimensions of the hollow section vary without interruption in a
first direction, lying in the plane of the hanger, and/or in a
second direction running in a direction transverse to the plane of
the hanger, such that the hanger has a reinforced cross section in
the areas subjected to higher stresses.
5. The hanger for clothing as claimed in claim 1, which further
comprises a transverse bar running between the proximal ends of the
arms, made as one piece with these arms.
6. The hanger for clothing as claimed in claim 1, which further
comprises a rib linking the first and second arms, near their
distal ends.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a hanger for clothing made
of injection-molded plastic.
[0002] More particularly, the invention relates to hangers that can
hold at least one item of clothing for display on a store clothes
rail or for hanging in the home of the wearer of the clothing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0003] The injection-molded plastic hangers that are currently
available comprise:
[0004] a hanging hook for hanging said hanger from a support
external to the hanger and which comprises a head and a base,
[0005] a carrying body for supporting at least one item of
clothing, comprising at least a first and a second arm that extend
substantially in the same longitudinal direction, but with opposite
orientations, the hook and the two arms being made overall as one
piece defining substantially the same plane,
[0006] each of the first and second arms comprising a distal end
and a proximal end, the distal ends of the two arms being joined
directly to the base of the hook by branching, and
[0007] the first and second arms and the hook having a hollow
section comprising at least one end wall and two legs that are
oriented substantially transversely to the plane of the hanger.
[0008] Although numerous attempts have already been made to
reinforce the rigidity of such hangers, the hangers of the above
type have the drawback that they frequently break, or that they
become deformed when an item of clothing that is too heavy is hung
on them.
[0009] Moreover, the solutions proposed have often had
disappointing results for the user, insofar as one of the faces of
the hanger has a quality appearance while the other face of this
hanger appears less solid.
[0010] Furthermore, most of the hangers obtained using
injection-molded plastic with reinforced rigidity have a section
that is not suitable for hanging clothing, i.e. their section
causes deformation of said clothing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The object of the present invention is therefore to propose
a novel hanger for clothing made of injection-molded plastic that
overcomes the abovementioned drawbacks, having a reinforced
structure that does not cause deformation of the clothing that is
to be hung. Furthermore, the present invention aims to propose a
hanger having a good rigidity/weight ratio, such that the structure
does not become deformed in a particular direction under the weight
of the clothing. The present invention also aims to provide a
hanger of improved esthetic appearance, so that the user can use
the hanger indiscriminately by the front face or by the rear
face.
[0012] According to the present invention, in combination:
[0013] the hook has the same hollow cross section as the first and
second arms, i.e. comprising an end wall and two legs, and
[0014] the hollow cross section of the hook is joined to the two
distal ends of the two arms, respectively, in a continuous manner,
by branching, i.e. directly by dividing into two branches, with
continuity of material and of cross section with the abovementioned
two distal ends respectively.
[0015] This arrangement ensures a strong link between, on the one
hand, the hanging hook and, on the other hand, the hanger's
carrying body, without compromising the quantity of plastic used or
the production of the hanger by injection-molding plastic.
[0016] Thus, by virtue of this arrangement, not only does the
hanger have a section of reinforced structure having a good
rigidity/weight compromise, but also a section whose shape does not
cause deformation of the clothing that is hung on said hanger.
[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the non-angular shape of the
hollow section comprises a shape chosen from among oval, round or
rounded-square shapes.
[0018] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention,
the dimension of the section varies without interruption in a first
direction, lying in the plane of the hanger, and/or in a second
direction running in a direction transverse to the plane of the
hanger, such that the hanger has a reinforced or greater section in
the areas subjected to higher stresses.
[0019] According to another embodiment, the hollow section also has
two wings each extending from one of the legs so as to define a W,
such that the hanger comprises a front face with one groove and a
rear face with two grooves. This W section extends continuously
along the hook and the arms of the hanger, including in the area
where the distal ends of the arms join the base of the hanger.
[0020] As a variant, the wings have a concave face on the side
facing the legs of the section.
[0021] Also preferably, the hanger further comprises a transverse
bar running between the proximal ends of the arms, made as one
piece with these arms.
[0022] The hanger preferably also has a rib linking the first and
second arms, near their distal ends.
[0023] In any case, the invention will be clearly understood with
the aid of the following description, referring to the attached
schematic drawing that shows, by way of non-limiting example, a
preferred embodiment of a hanger according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hanger according to the
present invention, seen from its front face.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rear face of the hanger of FIG.
1.
[0026] FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views on lines III-III and
IV-IV of the hanger shown in FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] The hanger 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is designed to carry
clothes and is made, as a single piece, of injection-molded
plastic. It comprises, as is known, a hanging hook 2 for hanging
the hanger from an external support, and a carrying body 3 designed
to carry at least one item of clothing and made as one piece with
the hanging hook 2.
[0028] The hanging hook 2 comprises, as is usual, a head 4 extended
by a base 5. Thus, the hook forms an open loop for retaining the
hanger securely on a support bar (not shown)
[0029] The carrying body 3 has a first arm 7 and a second arm 8,
lying in the same plane, in one longitudinal direction but with
opposite orientations. The two arms 7, 8 and the hook 2 are in the
same plane, hereinafter called the hanger plane, and are made as
one piece.
[0030] Each of the two arms 7, 8 extends over a certain length in
said plane between a distal end, denoted 9, 11 respectively, and a
proximal end, denoted 10, 12 respectively. The arms 7 and 8 are
joined directly to the base 5 of the hook 2 so that their distal
ends 9 and 11 form, with the base 5, a Y-shaped branching.
[0031] All of the constituent parts of the hanger i.e. both the
hook 2 and the two arms 7, 8, have the same hollow section (cross
section, i.e. perpendicular to the plane of the hanger), such that
they each have (FIGS. 3 and 4) at least one end wall 15 and two
legs 16, 17 extending from this end wall 15. The hollow shape is
open substantially transversely to the hanger plane, such that the
two legs 16 and 17 extend substantially transversely to this plane.
Thus, the hollow section opens out either on the front face 21 of
the hanger, or on the rear face 22 of said hanger.
[0032] Preferably, the hollow section of the hanger 1 comprises two
other wings 18 and 19, each extending from one of the legs 16, 17,
forming returns. The hollow section thus defined is in the shape of
a W.
[0033] The front face 21 of the hanger 1 therefore has one groove
23, while the rear face 22 of this hanger has two grooves 24,
25.
[0034] Preferably, the hollow shape extends continuously over all
of the constituent parts of the hanger 1, including the part where
the distal ends 9, 11 of the arms 7, 8 join the base 5 of the hook
2. Thus, the groove 23 runs continuously over one face of the
hanger, along the whole developed length of the hanger, while the
two grooves 24 and 25 also run, on the other face of the hanger,
along the whole length of said hanger.
[0035] This results from the division of the hook 5, and in
particular of its cross section, continuously, into two branches
that are joined continuously to the two distal ends 9 and 11,
respectively. Correspondingly, at the hook 5, the core formed by
the end wall 15 and the two legs 16 is also continuously divided
into two branches, belonging to the two arms 7 and 8,
respectively.
[0036] Preferably, the section is inscribed within a non-angular
shape, chosen from among oval, round or rounded-square shapes.
Thus, the wings 18 and 19 have, at least on the outside of the W
section, a rounded shape which is concave on the side facing the
legs 16 and 17 of said section.
[0037] The item of clothing intended to be hung on this hanger
rests on one of the wings 18 or 19, in the present case on the wing
19, without being deformed owing to the shape of said wing, since
the latter is of rounded shape.
[0038] Furthermore, according to an essential feature of the
present invention, the dimensions of the W section vary without
interruption so that the hanger has a cross section that is
reinforced or greater in areas of this hanger that are subjected to
the highest stresses.
[0039] As shown more particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4, the section of
the arms 7 and 8, in their middle part, may therefore be bigger
than the section of the rest of the arms. In particular, the
dimensions increase in a first direction lying in the plane of said
hanger, and/or in a second direction running in a direction
transverse to said plane. Thus, the hanger may have areas of
increased height and/or width.
[0040] These enlarged dimensions reinforce the flexural and
torsional strength of the hanger when the latter is loaded. The
continuous W section advantageously offers a very good
weight/mechanical properties compromise with respect to another
section.
[0041] It will also be understood that the front 21 and rear 22
faces may also be considered to be the rear and front faces,
respectively. In fact, the structure of the hanger according to the
present invention means that it can be used indiscriminately by one
or other of its faces.
[0042] The end wall 15 forms a hollow on one of the faces, whereas
it is a solid part on the other face. Likewise, the areas where the
legs 15, 16 join the returns 18, 19 are solid parts on one of the
faces, whereas they form grooves 24, 25 on the other face.
[0043] The alternation between grooves and solid parts on each of
the faces of the hanger gives the hanger a quality appearance,
since the user considers the structure to be almost symmetrical.
This effect is reinforced when the user grasps the hanger, since
the section is non-angular and has a three-dimensional shape.
[0044] In the middle part of the arms 7, 8, the wing 18 is made as
one piece with reliefs 29. These reliefs increase the capacity for
retaining the clothing supported by the arms. When referring to the
arms, this wing 18 may be considered to be the upper wing of the
section, since it comes into contact with the clothing. Its concave
shape helps prevent damage to the clothing supported by the hanger
1.
[0045] The proximal ends 10, 12 of the two arms 7, 8 are curved
toward one another so as to be integral with a transverse bar 30.
This bar is designed to carry a pair of pants, for example, and has
the same section as the other constituent parts of the hanger
described above. To reinforce the mechanical properties of the
hanger, the dimensions of the section of the curved ends are also
increased in the direction transverse to the hanger plane.
[0046] Furthermore, the hanger 1 has a rib 31 linking the first and
second arms 7, 8, near their distal ends 9, 11. Together with the
distal ends 9, 11 of the arms, this rib 31 defines an oblong shape,
delimiting a window 32. The rib is flat, for example. As a variant,
the section of this rib is identical to that of the hook 2 and the
arms 7, 8. Furthermore, the shape of each of the arms 7, 8 is
interrupted in the area where it joins the rib 31, to further
improve the mechanical properties of the hanger.
* * * * *