U.S. patent application number 11/676648 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-25 for shoulder support for garment hangers.
This patent application is currently assigned to SPOTLESS PLASTICS PTY. LTD.. Invention is credited to Stanley F. Gouldson.
Application Number | 20070246490 11/676648 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38433849 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070246490 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gouldson; Stanley F. |
October 25, 2007 |
SHOULDER SUPPORT FOR GARMENT HANGERS
Abstract
A garment retention system includes a garment hanger having a
body, a hook extending from the body for suspending the hanger from
a support, first and second arms extending laterally from the body
to respective first and second distal ends. At least one arm has an
attachment retention surface with a surface normal directed
generally towards the body and in a generally opposite direction
from the distal end of that. A garment retention attachment extends
between the attachment retention surface and the distal end of the
at least one arm. The garment retention attachment includes a first
means for engaging the attachment retention surface, and a second
means for engaging the distal end of the at least one arm. The
garment retention system is enhanced by providing the garment
retention attachment with friction-increasing surface features on
an upwardly facing side of thereof, and/or by judicious selection
of material for the garment retention attachment.
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: |
38433849 |
Appl. No.: |
11/676648 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60775316 |
Feb 21, 2006 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
223/85 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 25/1421 20130101;
A47G 25/30 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
223/085 |
International
Class: |
A41D 27/22 20060101
A41D027/22 |
Claims
1. A garment retention system comprising: a garment hanger having a
body, a hook extending from the body for suspending the hanger from
a support, first and second arms extending laterally from the body
to respective first and second distal ends, at least one arm having
an attachment retention surface with a surface normal directed
generally towards the body and in a generally opposite direction
from the first or second distal end of the at least one arm; and a
garment retention attachment extending between the attachment
retention surface and the distal end of the at least one arm,
having a first through opening for engaging the attachment
retention surface, a second through opening sized to admit at least
a portion of the distal end of the at least one arm, and a channel
formed in an underside of the attachment for receiving the at least
one arm.
2. The garment retention system according to claim 1, wherein the
garment hanger further comprises a recess in the at least one arm,
and the attachment retention surface comprises a distal wall of the
recess.
3. The garment retention system according to claim 2, wherein the
at least one arm further comprises an overhang at least partly
covering the recess and extending proximally towards the body.
4. The garment retention system according to claim 3, wherein
overhang in contiguous with the upper surface of the at least one
arm, and is positioned at an upper extent of the attachment
retention surface.
5. The garment retention system according to claim 1, wherein the
attachment retention surface is formed by an upward projection from
the upper surface of the at least one arm.
6. The garment retention system according to claim 5, wherein the
upward projection further comprises a portion extending in the
direction of the body.
7. The garment retention system according to claim 6, wherein the
portion extending in the direction of the body is positioned at an
upper extent of the upward projection.
8. The garment retention system according to claim 1, wherein the
garment hanger comprises an injection molded plastic selected from
one or more of polystyrene, SAN, ABS, PPO, nylon, polypropylene
(PP), polyethylene, PET, polycarbonates (PC), acrylics, K resin,
and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
9. The garment retention system according to claim 1, wherein the
garment retention attachment comprises a material selected from one
or more of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), low density polyethylene,
polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a thermoplastic elastomer, and a
thermoplastic rubber.
10. The garment retention system according to claim 1, wherein the
garment retention attachment comprises friction-increasing surface
features on an upwardly facing side of the garment retention
attachment.
11. The garment retention system according to claim 10, wherein the
friction-increasing surface features comprise one or more of
recesses in and raised structure on the upwardly facing side of the
garment retention attachment.
12. The garment retention system according to claim 10, wherein the
friction-increasing surface features comprise one or more of ribs,
ridges, or dimples on the upwardly facing side of the garment
retention attachment.
13. The garment retention system according to claim 10, wherein the
friction-increasing surface features are arranged in one or more of
a transverse, longitudinal, diagonal, echelon, chevron, herringbone
and dimple pattern.
14. The garment retention system according to claim 10, wherein the
friction-increasing surface features are arranged with regular,
semi-regular or random spacing.
15. The garment retention system according to claim 1, wherein the
garment retention attachment further comprises a lower flange
extending downward from the attachment along at least one lateral
edge of the garment retention attachment.
16. The garment retention system according to claim 15, wherein the
lower flange extending downward from the attachment along at least
one lateral edge of the garment retention attachment comprises two
lower flanges extending downward from the attachment along each
lateral edge of the garment retention attachment, the two lower
flanges defining the channel formed in the underside of the
attachment.
17. The garment retention system according to claim 1, wherein
garment retention attachment further comprises a reinforcing
grommet for either or both of the first and second through
openings.
18. The garment retention system according to claim 17, wherein at
least one of the reinforcing grommets is integrally molded with the
garment retention attachment from the same material as the garment
retention attachment.
19. The garment retention system according to claim 1, wherein
width of the garment retention attachment varies along it
length.
20. The garment retention system according to claim 1, wherein the
at least one arm comprises the first and second arms.
21. A garment retention system comprising: a garment hanger having
a body, a hook extending from the body for suspending the hanger
from a support, first and second arms extending laterally from the
body to respective first and second distal ends, at least one arm
having an attachment retention surface with a surface normal
directed generally towards the body and in a generally opposite
direction from the first or second distal end of the at least one
arm; a garment retention attachment extending between the
attachment retention surface and the distal end of the at least one
arm, having a first pocket on an underside of the proximal portion
of the garment retention attachment for engaging the attachment
retention surface, a second pocket on the underside of the distal
portion of the garment retention attachment for engaging the distal
end of the at least one arm, and a channel formed in an underside
of the attachment for receiving the at least one arm.
22. The garment retention system according to claim 21, wherein the
garment retention attachment comprises a material selected from one
or more of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), low density polyethylene,
polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a thermoplastic elastomer, and a
thermoplastic rubber.
23. The garment retention system according to claim 21, wherein the
garment retention attachment comprises friction-increasing surface
features on an upwardly facing side of the garment retention
attachment.
24. The garment retention system according to claim 23, wherein the
friction-increasing surface features comprise one or more of
recesses in and raised structure on the upwardly facing side of the
garment retention attachment.
25. The garment retention system according to claim 23, wherein the
friction-increasing surface features comprise one or more of ribs,
ridges, or dimples on the upwardly facing side of the garment
retention attachment.
26. The garment retention system according to claim 23, wherein the
friction-increasing surface features are arranged in one or more of
a transverse, longitudinal, diagonal, echelon, chevron, herringbone
and dimple pattern.
27. The garment retention system according to claim 23, wherein the
friction-increasing surface features are arranged with regular,
semi-regular or random spacing.
28. The garment retention system according to claim 21, wherein
garment retention attachment further comprises a lower flange
extending downward from the attachment along at least one lateral
edge of the garment retention attachment.
29. The garment retention system according to claim 28, wherein the
lower flange extending downward from the attachment along at least
one lateral edge of the garment retention attachment comprises two
lower flanges extending downward from the attachment along each
lateral edge of the garment retention attachment, the two lower
flanges defining the channel formed in the underside of the
attachment.
30. The garment retention system according to claim 21, wherein
width of the garment retention attachment varies along it
length.
31. A garment retention system comprising: a garment hanger having
a body, a hook extending from the body for suspending the hanger
from a support, first and second arms extending laterally from the
body to respective first and second distal ends, at least one arm
having means for retaining a garment retention attachment; a
garment retention attachment extending between the means for
retaining a garment retention attachment and a distal end of the at
least one arm, having a first means for engaging the means for
retaining a garment retention attachment, a second means for
engaging the distal end of the at least one arm, and means for
receiving the at least one arm in an underside of the
attachment.
32. The garment retention system according to claim 31, wherein the
garment hanger further comprises a recess in the at least one arm,
and the means for retaining a garment retention attachment
comprises a distal wall of the recess.
33. The garment retention system according to claim 32, wherein the
at least one arm further comprises an overhang at least partly
covering the recess and extending proximally towards the body.
34. The garment retention system according to claim 33, wherein
overhang in contiguous with the upper surface of the at least one
arm, and is positioned at an upper extent of the attachment
retention surface.
35. The garment retention system according to claim 31, wherein the
means for retaining a garment retention attachment comprises an
upward projection from the upper surface of the at least one
arm.
36. The garment retention system according to claim 31, wherein the
means for retaining a garment retention attachment comprises an
element extending in the direction of the body.
37. The garment retention system according to claim 36, wherein the
element extending in the direction of the body is positioned at an
upper extent of an upward projection.
38. The garment retention system according to claim 31, wherein the
garment hanger comprises an injection molded plastic selected from
one or more of polystyrene, SAN, ABS, PPO, nylon, polypropylene
(PP), polyethylene, PET, polycarbonates (PC), acrylics, K resin,
and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
39. The garment retention system according to claim 31, wherein the
garment retention attachment comprises a material selected from one
or more of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), low density polyethylene,
polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a thermoplastic elastomer, and a
thermoplastic rubber.
40. The garment retention system according to claim 31, wherein the
garment retention attachment comprises means for increasing surface
friction on an upwardly facing side of the garment retention
attachment.
41. The garment retention system according to claim 40, wherein the
means for increasing surface friction comprise one or more of
recesses in and raised structure on the upwardly facing side of the
garment retention attachment.
42. The garment retention system according to claim 40, wherein the
means for increasing surface friction comprise one or more of ribs,
ridges, or dimples on the upwardly facing side of the garment
retention attachment.
43. The garment retention system according to claim 40, wherein the
means for increasing surface friction are arranged in one or more
of a transverse, longitudinal, diagonal, echelon, chevron,
herringbone and dimple pattern.
44. The garment retention system according to claim 40, wherein the
means for increasing surface friction are arranged with regular,
semi-regular or random spacing.
45. The garment retention system according to claim 31, wherein
garment retention attachment further comprises a means for
resisting lateral displacement of the garment retention
attachment.
46. A garment retention attachment for use on a garment hanger, the
garment retention attachment having a first means for engaging the
garment hanger at a discontinuity along the length of an arm of the
garment hanger, a second means for engaging the distal end of the
arm of the garment hanger, and means for receiving an arm of the
garment hanger in an underside of the attachment.
47. The garment retention attachment according to claim 46, wherein
the means for receiving an arm of the garment hanger in an
underside of the attachment comprises a lower flange extending
downward from the attachment along two lateral edges of the garment
retention attachment, the two lower flanges forming a channel
therebetween.
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. 60/775,316
filed Feb. 21, 2006, entitled Shoulder Support for Hangers, the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety for all purposes.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of
garments and more particularly to a hanger for suspending a garment
top during handling, transport, and for display on a retail sales
floor.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0003] In the area of retail garment sales, so-called
Garment-On-Hanger (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 immediately be placed on display for sale. Formerly,
retailers accomplished the task of hanging garments from hangers
with labor provided at their own expense.
[0004] At least one drawback of the GOH program is the fact that
garments may become inadvertently dislodged from their respective
hangers during handling, transport, shipment or display. Such
dislodged garments naturally fall to the floor, ground, or bottom
of their shipping container, and may become soiled, damaged, or
otherwise unfit for sale. Therefore, a hanger that securely retains
the garment suspended therefrom is desirable.
[0005] Towards this end, and particularly with respect to a hanger
for a garment top, e.g., shirt, blouse, sweater, jacket, coat, or
the like, certain hangers have been proposed that have integrated
features to improve retention of the garment. This is particularly
demanding when dealing with inherently heavier garments, for
example a knitwear sweater. One such hanger is disclosed in United
States Patent Application Publication US 2005/0139625, published 30
Jun. 2005, entitled "Knitwear Hanger", filed 12 Nov. 2004 under
Ser. No. 10/987,716 by the present inventor and commonly assigned
with the present application. The complete disclosure of the
foregoing application is hereby incorporated by its reference for
all purposes.
[0006] On the other hand, hangers such as the Knitwear Hanger must
be manufactured with their defining features in order to be
effective. It would be advantageous to have a system for improving
the retention of garments on hangers where the great number of
hangers without adequate provisions for garment retention may be
retrofitted to improve their characteristics. Moreover it would
advantageous to have a system for improving the retention
characteristics of garments on hangers where the components of such
system are inexpensive and simple to manufacture, handle, and
assemble.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Therefore, in order to overcome these and other deficiencies
in the prior art, provided according to the present invention is a
garment retention system including a garment hanger having a body,
a hook extending from the body for suspending the hanger from a
support, first and second arms extending laterally from the body to
respective first and second distal ends. At least one arm has an
attachment retention surface with a surface normal directed
generally towards the body and in a generally opposite direction
from the distal end of the at least one arm. A garment retention
attachment extends between the attachment retention surface and the
distal end of the at least one arm. The garment retention
attachment includes a first means for engaging the attachment
retention surface, and a second means for engaging the distal end
of the at least one arm.
[0008] The garment retention system is enhanced by providing the
garment retention attachment with friction-increasing surface
features on an upwardly facing side of thereof. The
friction-increasing surface features may include either recesses in
or raised structure on the upwardly facing side of the garment
retention attachment. The friction-increasing surface features may
be ribs, ridges, or dimples and arranged any of transverse,
longitudinal, diagonal, echelon, chevron, herringbone or dimple
patterns, at regular, semi-regular or random spacing. The garment
retention attachment may also include a lower flange extending
downward from the attachment along either or both lateral
edges.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] These and other features, benefits and advantages of the
present invention will be made apparent with reference to the
following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein
like reference numerals refer to like structures across the several
views, and wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation view of a garment
retention system according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of an attachment portion
of the garment retention system according to the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the attachment
portion taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and
[0013] FIG. 4 illustrates a front elevation view of a garment
retention system according to an alternate embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Referring now to FIG. 1, illustrated is a front plan view of
a garment retention system, generally 10, according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention. Retention system 10 includes
at least a garment hanger 20 and an attachment portion 40. Garment
hanger 20 may be a conventional hanger for garment tops, including
at least a hook 22 for suspending the hanger 20 from a support, and
a body 24 having two arms 26, 28 laterally extending away from the
body 24 to respective distal ends 27, 29. Arms 26, 28 may be sloped
downward from the body, enhancing the need for improved retention
characteristics, though this is not necessary to the present
invention.
[0015] Each of arms 26, 28 includes a recess 30 in an upwardly
facing surface, and may include some overhang 32 at least partly
covering the recess 30, and extending proximally towards the body
24 from a distal side of the recess 30. More generally, each arm
26, 28 presents an attachment retention surface 34 having a surface
normal 36, i.e., a vector extending perpendicularly from that
surface, which is oriented generally in the direction of the body
24 and in an opposite direction from a respective distal end 27,
29. In the preferred embodiment, the surface 34 is a wall of recess
30 to avoid any projections above the upper surface of arms 26, 28.
A garment hanger 20 generally as above described is known in the
art, for example from U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 507,419, issued 19
Jul. 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.
[0016] However, if applicable, for example for hanging a garment
top having a particularly wide neck, or of a material of the
garment top being hung is such that an upward projection would not
pose a problem, and where no recess 30 is provided in the arms 26,
28 of hanger 20, the attachment retention surface 34 can be formed
by an upward projection 62 (See, FIG. 4) from the upper surface of
the arms 26, 28. Such an upward projection 62 may include a portion
64 extending in the direction of the body 24, preferably from the
upper extent of the upward projection 62, in a similar fashion as
overhang 32, or alternately from anywhere associated with the
upward projection 62.
[0017] In the exemplary embodiment hook 22 includes an upward
flange 37 having a retention clip 38 to receive and retain a
top-mounted indicator (not shown). However, other indicator
configurations, e.g., side indicators, lower neck indicators, or no
indicator at all, may be employed.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 2, illustrated is a plan view of the
attachment portion 40, detached from the hanger 20 and extended to
a is full length. The attachment 40 includes a through opening 42
at one end thereof for engaging the retention surface 34 of the
hanger 20. At an opposite end of the attachment 40 a second through
opening 44 is sized to admit at least a portion of the distal end
27, 29 of the hanger arms 26, 28 for engaging the distal end 27,
29. The attachment 40 is preferably formed with a material having
at least some elasticity, and is stretched between the retention
surface 34 and the distal end 27, 29.
[0019] As is typical in the industry, garment hanger 20 may be
formed 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. Such rigid plastic
materials present relatively low-friction surfaces unless
specifically molded to enhance friction. Therefore, where, as in a
preferred embodiment, the attachment 40 comprises a material having
some degree of elasticity, for example ethylene vinyl acetate
(EVA), low density polyethylene, PVC, thermoplastic elastomer, or
thermoplastic rubber (for example the material sold under the trade
name KRATON), the elastic material of the attachment 40 presents a
higher coefficient of friction than the base hanger 20. This higher
friction material of itself improves the retention characteristics
of the garment hanger 20.
[0020] Alternately or additionally, attachment portion 40 can
include surface features 46 on an upwardly facing side to further
enhance the friction of the attachment 40. In the embodiment shown,
raised ribs 48 either partly or completely traverse the width of
the attachment 40. Additionally, ridges 50 run the length of the
attachment 40 along either lateral edge thereof. In alternate
embodiments, surface features 46 may comprise recesses in place of
or in addition to the raised structure of the exemplary embodiment.
The surface features 46 may be arranged as any geometric shape or
configuration desired, including without limitation transverse,
longitudinal, diagonal, echelon, chevron, herringbone or dimple
patterns, arranged with regular, semi-regular or random
spacing.
[0021] In the exemplary embodiment, the attachment 40 has as an
optional feature a first width 52 at it distal portion wider than a
second width 54 at its proximal portion, to accommodate hangers 20
that are similarly shaped. Referring now to the longitudinal
cross-section view of FIG. 3, the attachment 40 also has as an
optional feature a lower flange 56 extending downward from the
attachment 40 along either or both lateral edges. Where present,
the lower flange resists lateral displacement of the attachment 40
from the arm 26, 28 of the hanger 20.
[0022] Preferably, flanges 56 extend from both lateral edges of the
attachment 40, to form a channel 58 in an underside of the
attachment 40. Channel 58 receives the lateral arm 26, 28 within
itself and more preferably centers the attachment 40 on the lateral
arm 26, 28. Accordingly, the attachment is stably attached to the
lateral arm 26, 28 and resists relative movement.
[0023] In an alternate embodiment of the garment retention
attachment 40a, illustrated for example in FIG. 4, either or both
of through openings 42, 44 may be obviated by a lip 41 extending
downwardly and optionally towards the center of the attachment 40a,
thereby forming a pocket 43 at a respective end of the attachment
40a. The pocket 43 is sized and positioned for engaging the
retention surface 34 at a proximal end, or for engaging the distal
ends 27, 29 at a distal end, in order to secure the attachment 40a
to the hanger 20.
[0024] The present invention has been described herein with
reference to certain exemplary embodiments. Various alterations
and/or modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art
in light of the present disclosure. Therefore, these embodiments
are offered as merely illustrative, and not limiting, of the scope
of the present invention, which is defined solely with reference to
the appended claims.
* * * * *