U.S. patent application number 11/676679 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-30 for variable length childrens wear hanger.
This patent application is currently assigned to SPOTLESS PLASTICS PTY. LTD.. Invention is credited to Stanley F. Gouldson.
Application Number | 20070199965 11/676679 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37909012 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070199965 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gouldson; Stanley F. |
August 30, 2007 |
VARIABLE LENGTH CHILDRENS WEAR HANGER
Abstract
A childrens wear hanger has a primary hanger with a first body,
a hook extending upward from the first body, a first means for
suspending a garment from the first body, and a first connection
tab extending downward from the body, operative to releasably
suspend a dependent hanger therefrom. A connection link having a
locking end at each end thereof, the locking end having at least
one snap lock with at least one horizontal surface is releasably
attachable to at least a connection tab of a primary hanger. A
dependent hanger has a body and a second means for suspending a
garment from the second body, and a second connection tab extending
upward from the second body. The second connection tab is operative
to releasably secure the locking end of the connecting link
therein.
Inventors: |
Gouldson; Stanley F.;
(Northport, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SCULLY SCOTT MURPHY & PRESSER, PC
400 GARDEN CITY PLAZA
SUITE 300
GARDEN CITY
NY
11530
US
|
Assignee: |
SPOTLESS PLASTICS PTY. LTD.
20-26 Sullivan Street
Moorabbin
AU
|
Family ID: |
37909012 |
Appl. No.: |
11/676679 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60775310 |
Feb 21, 2006 |
|
|
|
60869434 |
Dec 11, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
223/91 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 25/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
223/091 |
International
Class: |
A41D 27/22 20060101
A41D027/22 |
Claims
1. A childrens wear hanger comprising: a primary hanger having a
first body, a hook extending upward from the first body, a first
means for suspending a garment from the first body, and a first
connection tab extending downward from the first body and operative
to releasably suspend a dependent hanger therefrom; a connection
link having a locking end at each end thereof being releasably
attachable to the first connection tab; and a dependent hanger
having a second body and a second means for suspending a garment
from the second body, a second connection tab extending upward from
the second body, the second connection tab operative to releasably
secure the locking end of the connecting link thereto.
2. The childrens wear hanger according to claim 1, wherein the
first and second connection tabs, and each locking end comprise at
least one of two complementary male or female mating parts.
3. The childrens wear hanger according to claim 2, wherein a male
mating part comprises a snap lock with at least one horizontal
surface and a recess in the surface of the locking end on an
opposite side from the snap lock.
4. The childrens wear hanger according to claim 2, wherein a female
mating part comprises a retaining band offset from a retaining
surface, and a second horizontal surface for engaging a snap lock
of the male mating part.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119(e), this application claims
priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/775,310
filed Feb. 21, 2006 entitled VARIABLE LENGTH COORDINATE SET HANGER
and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/869,434 filed
Dec. 11, 2006, entitled VARIABLE LENGTH CHILDRENS WEAR HANGER, the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to the field of garment
hangers, and more particularly to an interchangeable garment hanger
system for coordinated garment sets with a variable length
attachment.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] In the field of retail garment sales it is often desirable
to display and sell a plurality of garments as a coordinated set
and thus to hang them from a unitary hanger. This is particularly
the case when the set of garments are sold using a so-called
Garment-On-Hanger (GOH) program. GOH programs have become preferred
to retailers. In a GOH program, garments are suspended from hangers
by the manufacturer at the manufacturing site, and are shipped as
such to retail merchants. Whereupon arrival at the retail location,
the garments may be placed on the retail floor for display and sale
without additional effort. Formerly, retailers accomplished the
task of hanging garments from hangers with labor provided at their
own expense.
[0006] Towards this end, certain special-purpose hangers have been
developed to accommodate and display a coordinated set of garments.
Among these are a double hanger, disclosed in United States Patent
Application Publication No. 2004/0188475, published 30 Sep. 2004,
by the present inventor and commonly assigned with the present
application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated
by its reference for all purposes. Another is a so-called bow
hanger, particularly adapted for children and infants' clothing,
illustrated in United States Design Pat. No. Des. 498,936, issued
30 Nov. 2004 to the present inventor and commonly assigned with the
present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby
incorporated by its reference for all purposes. Yet another is a
coordinate loop hanger, having a provision for supporting a second
hanger from a loop provided beneath the body of the first, for
example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,932, issued 05 Apr.
2005 to Olk, et al., and commonly assigned with the present
application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated
by its reference for all purposes. Finally, a coordinate gripper or
similar style hanger has a loop in substitution for a hook, the
loop being adapted to depend from the base of the hook of another
hanger. A coordinate gripper hanger is illustrated for example in
United States Design Pat. No. Des. 502,011, issued 22 Feb. 2005 to
the present inventor and commonly assigned with the present
application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated
by its reference for all purposes.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Provided according to the present invention is a coordinate
set hanger having a primary hanger with a first body, a hook
extending upward from the first body, a first means for suspending
a garment from the first body, and a first connection tab extending
downward from the body, operative to releasably suspend a dependent
hanger therefrom. A connection link having a locking end at each
end thereof, the locking end having at least one snap lock with at
least one horizontal surface is releasably attachable to at least a
connection tab of a primary hanger. A dependent hanger has a body
and a second means for suspending a garment from the second body,
and a second connection tab extending upward from the second body.
The second connection tab is operative to releasably secure the
locking end of the connecting link therein. In this regard,
reference may be made to copending U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/775,310; filed Feb. 21, 2006, the contents of
which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] These and other features, advantages and benefits of the
present application will be made apparent with reference to the
following detailed description and accompanying figures, and
wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation exploded assembly view
of a variable length coordinate childrens wear hanger set according
to the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a front elevational view of the
components of FIG. 1 in their assembled condition; and
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a cross-section
taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, illustrated in front
elevation is an exploded assembly view of a variable length
childrens wear set hanger 10 according to the present invention.
The childrens wear set hanger 10 comprises a primary hanger 20, a
dependent hanger 22, and a connection link 24. The primary hanger
20 includes a hook 26 extending upwardly from a central body
portion 28, and with lateral arms 28, 30 extending outwardly from
the body in generally coplanar opposite directions. The primary
hanger 20 also includes a connection tab 32 for receiving and
engagingly retaining a first locking end 34 of the connection link
24.
[0013] Primary hanger 20, in this example, is a garment top hanger,
especially for childrens wear, such as shirts, blouses, sweaters,
coats, jackets, and the like, but in actuality can be designed in
nearly any hanger style. In this case, the arms comprise a
structure for suspending a garment from the primary hanger 20 and
may have garment-engaging recesses 36 formed in the upper surfaces
of the arms 28, 30. However, in alternate embodiments (not shown),
such structure for suspending a garment from the hanger may
comprise plural finger grippers on the dependent hanger 22 among
other resilient garment clip styles, a trouser bar, or pinch grips,
in any of the many forms as are known in the art.
[0014] Dependent hanger 22, in this exemplary embodiment, is a
trouser-suspending hanger, but in practice may be nearly any hanger
style. Dependent hanger 22 has a connection tab 40 extending
centrally upward from body portion 42, whereby connection tab 40 is
inverted, but otherwise identical to connection tab 32 on the
primary hanger 20, and receives and latchingly engages a further
locking end connection 44 at the opposite end of the connection
link 24.
[0015] As shown, the connection link 24 has the locking end
connection 44 at, respectively, each end thereof, and a shaft 46
joining the locking connection end. Shaft 46 may be any arbitrary
suitable length. In preferred embodiments, a variety of connection
links 24 may be provided in multiple lengths adapted to be
interchanged as dictated by the needs of the application.
[0016] As described, connection tabs 32, 40, and locking ends 34,
40, and locking ends 34, 44 are configured as complementary mating
parts of an interlock system, generally female and male,
respectively. However, without departing from the scope of the
present invention, the components may be reversed, i.e., either or
both the connection tabs 32, 40 configured as the male component,
and either or both locking ends 34, 44 configured as the female
components. Moreover, connection tabs 32, 40 and/or locking ends
34, 44 can be configured for universal adaptability as either or
both female and male ends, further increasing utility. Further, the
mating parts may be of any detail or configuration which permits
interlocking the connection tabs with the locking ends.
[0017] Referring now to FIG. 3, illustrated is a cross-section
taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1. Connection tab 32 has two generally
coplanar retaining surfaces 50 vertically separated from one
another and an offset retaining band 52 out of the plane of the
retaining surfaces 50. Retaining band 52 is joined to the
connection tab 32 by at least one, extension 54, or preferably two,
with one on each end of the retaining band 52, as in the exemplary
embodiment.
[0018] The associated locking end 34 of connection link 24 has a
snap-lock 56 extending from one side. The snap-lock 56 has a
horizontal surface 58 on an underside. To engage the connection
link 24 with the connection tab 32 on hanger 20, the locking end 24
is inserted into the connection tab 32 between the retaining
surface 50 and the offset retaining band 52. Either of both of the
snap-lock 56 and the retaining surface 50 deflect to be able to
pass one another upon insertion of the locking end 34. This
deflection is aided by a sloped surface 60 of the snap-lock 56 and
a material void or space 62 formed in the locking end 34 opposite
the snap-lock 56, either or both of which may optionally be present
in the locking end 34.
[0019] Once the snap-lock 56 is located above the lowermost
retaining surface 50, the horizontal surface 58 of the snap-lock 56
engages a complementary horizontal surface 66 of the connection tab
32. This interlock between surfaces 58 and 66 is generally
resistant to removal without the application of a considerable
pulling force, or through the use of a tool, which is specially
designed for that purpose, and is therefore considered child-proof
according to industry standards, for example those promulgated by
the Voluntary Inter-industry Commerce Standards Association (VICS)
or Bureau Veritas Consumer Product Services, Inc.
[0020] In the illustrated embodiment, connection tab 32 is inverted
with respect to connection tab 40, but is otherwise identical in
form and function. The connecting link 24 has locking ends 34, 44
at both ends thereof, and can function in either vertical or
inverse orientation. Optionally, the locking end 34, 44 may be
provided with a snap-lock on both the front and back side thereof,
so that the locking end 34 can engage the connection tab 32 in any
of an upright, inverted, front-facing or rear-facing orientation.
Moreover, dependent hanger 22 can include a further connection tab
(not shown) depending from beneath the body thereof for the
attachment of additional connection links and/or depending hangers.
The mating parts of the locking end and connection link may be of
any detail or configuration that permits interlocking. Further, the
connection link and locking ends can be reversed, inverted,
duplicated or in any configuration to permit interlocking with all
alternatives of this feature at either end.
[0021] As is typical in the industry, garment hangers or any
portion thereof disclosed herein may be formed in whole or in part
of an injection molded plastic, more commonly a rigid plastic such
as polystyrene, SAN, ABS, PPO, nylon, polypropylene (PP),
polyethylene, PET, polycarbonates (PC), acrylics, K resin, and
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) among others.
[0022] The present invention has been described herein with
reference to certain exemplary or preferred embodiments. These
embodiments are offered as merely illustrative, not limiting, of
the scope of the present invention. Certain alterations or
modifications may be apparent to those skilled in the art in light
of instant disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of
the present invention, which is defined solely with reference to
the following appended claims.
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