U.S. patent application number 16/485531 was filed with the patent office on 2020-01-16 for garment hanger.
The applicant listed for this patent is THE JANGER LIMITED. Invention is credited to Mark O'SULLIVAN, Guy TAYLOR.
Application Number | 20200015615 16/485531 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58486942 |
Filed Date | 2020-01-16 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200015615 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TAYLOR; Guy ; et
al. |
January 16, 2020 |
GARMENT HANGER
Abstract
A garment hanger (10) having a rail engaging portion (12) and a
stem (14). The stem (14) comprises a first section (16) extending
from the rail engaging portion (12) and arranged substantially
parallel therewith, a spacer section (18) extending substantially
perpendicularly from the first section (16) and a tail section (20)
extending from the spacer section (18) and directed towards the
first section (16) and/or the rail engaging portion (12). The stem
(14) forms a loop with an opening between the end of the tail
section (20) and the first section (16) of the stem (14).
Inventors: |
TAYLOR; Guy; (London Greater
London, GB) ; O'SULLIVAN; Mark; (London Greater
London, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
THE JANGER LIMITED |
London Greater London |
|
GB |
|
|
Family ID: |
58486942 |
Appl. No.: |
16/485531 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2018 |
PCT Filed: |
February 5, 2018 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2018/050324 |
371 Date: |
August 13, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 25/48 20130101;
A47G 25/50 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47G 25/50 20060101
A47G025/50 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 17, 2017 |
GB |
1702598.2 |
Claims
1. A garment hanger having a rail engaging portion and a stem,
wherein, the stem comprises: first section extending from the rail
engaging portion, a spacer section extending from the first
section; and a tail section extending from the spacer section and
directed towards the first section and/or the rail engaging
portion, wherein the stem forms an open loop with an opening
between the end of the tail section and the first section of the
stem.
2. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein the spacer
section is substantially flat and extends in a direction
substantially perpendicularly from the first section.
3. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein the opening is
positioned above the spacer section.
4. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein the opening
between the tail section and the first section of the stem is less
than half of the length of the spacer section.
5. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein a tail flange is
provided on the tail section and that extends in a direction away
from the stem and the spacer section.
6. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein the span of the
stem is less than the bight of the rail engaging section.
7. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein the width of stem
is substantially uniform.
8. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein the rail engaging
portion is a hook having a span and the spacer section extends in a
direction that is non-parallel with the plane of the span of the
hook.
9. A garment hanger assembly comprising: a garment hanger according
to any preceding claim and provided with an aperture therein; and
connection means; wherein a loop of the garment engages the open
loop of the hanger and the connection means passes through the
aperture in the garment hanger and engages the garment.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a hanger, particularly a hanger for
hanging garments, bags and/or accessories, and which may be
employed in retail stores.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] A problem with many existing hanging devices is that if
garments are removed from the hanger by customers they often do not
rehang the garment properly when reapplying the hanger as many
existing hangers are not easy to use to hang the garment properly
such that it is neat, tidy and correctly merchandised, However, the
hanger needs to be readily removable so that a customer can try on
the garment before they purchase it.
[0003] Should a customer try on a garment but choose not to
purchase it, it takes some time to rehang the garment and when such
a process is rushed, the garment is often not folded properly and
looks messy. Such a messy appearance can reduce potential sales and
damage stock. In some stores, staff can be rehanging garments for a
considerable period of time each day. Therefore, there is a need to
reduce the time taken to rehang a garment.
[0004] Whilst hangers have been proposed that connect to a garment
through a belt loop and stay connected when tried on, such hangers
can be problematic when threaded through a plurality of belt loops
or when the hanger needs to be engaged or disengaged quickly.
[0005] GB2485391A (Mainetti UK Limited) discloses a garment hanger
for use with items having a belt loop, with the hanger comprising a
closable ring of plastics material. However, the closable ring of
plastics material may make the application and removal of garments
from the hanger complicated and fiddly, thereby being
time-consuming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a garment
hanger having a rail engaging portion and a stem, wherein, the stem
comprises:
[0007] first section extending from the rail engaging portion,
[0008] a spacer section extending substantially perpendicularly
from the first section; and
[0009] a tail section extending from the spacer section and
directed towards the first section and/or the rail engaging
portion,
[0010] wherein the stem forms an open loop with an opening between
the end of the tail section and the first section of the stem.
[0011] The present invention provides a readily accessible open
loop to engage with a loop of material on a garment. Thus, the
garment can be readily affixed to, and removed from, the
hanger.
[0012] The loop is an open loop that is not fixedly connected to,
and does not engage with, the stem, thereby allowing opening to be
readily accessed to engage or disengage a garment. More preferably,
a gap is formed between the tail section and the stem.
[0013] The rail engaging portion may be in the form of a hook
having a space for engaging a rail, for example, in a store. The
spacer section may extend from the first section of the stem in a
direction that is non-parallel to the span of the rail engaging
portion. This allows the garments to lay in a direction that is not
perpendicular with the span of the rail engaging portion, thereby
reducing the space taken up by the hung garment.
[0014] Advantageously, the spacer section is substantially flat, or
planar, and it may be an extended or an elongate portion on which
the garment can rest, when in use. This provides a convenient
location for the loop of a garment to rest and the spacer is of
sufficient length to allow the loop of material of the garment to
lay flat, thereby not deforming the loop when the garment is on the
hanger. Thus, the length of the flat section of the spacer on which
the garment loop may rest may be more than 5 mm in length to
accommodate, for example, a belt loop.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the opening of the loop is
positioned substantially above the spacer section, when the hanger
is allowed to rest, or fall, in its natural hanging position. In
such an arrangement, the opening is arranged in a linear position
opposite the spacer section. Thus, in use, when the rail engagement
section engages a rail, the weight of the garment results in the
spacer section being at the lowest point and the opening is
arranged between the spacer and the rail. This aids with retaining
the garment on the hanger, when in use on a rail, because the
weight of the garment pulls the garment away from the opening, or
gap, making it less likely to become disengaged.
[0016] It is advantageous that the opening between the tail section
and the first section of the stem is less than half of the length
of the spacer section and, particularly advantageous where the
opening is less than a quarter of the length of the spacer section.
Such a relationship reduces the risk of the garment disengaging
from the hanger.
[0017] Preferably, a tail flange is provided on the tail section
and that extends in a direction away from the stem and the spacer
section. The tail flange is employed to provide a guide, or to
create a funnel section, to guide garments into the open loop of
the stem section more readily. This reduces the precision required
by a user when affixing the hanger and they can simply slide the
garment loop close to the hanger and the tail flange will guide the
garment loop into the opening of the hanger. The apex between the
tail flange and the tail section may be sufficiently close to the
first section of the stem that it forms a small gap that makes it
difficult for a garment to disengage without manual manipulation.
Where that is the case, due to the angles formed in the stem, a
user is able to ready manipulate the garment towards the gap and
the material is able to elastically deform to allow the garment
onto or off the hanger with minimal effort.
[0018] In an advantageous arrangement, the width of the stem is
less than the bight of the rail engaging section and it is also
advantageous where the width of stem is substantially uniform or it
may narrow, or taper, towards the tail section. These arrangements
allow the hanger to be more easily applied to a garment.
[0019] The hanger is, preferably, a garment hanger, although it may
be used on accessories or bags.
[0020] The invention extends to a garment hanger assembly
comprising:
[0021] a garment hanger as described herein and provided with an
aperture therein; and
[0022] connection means;
[0023] wherein a loop of the garment engages the loop of the hanger
and the connection means passes through the aperture in the garment
hanger and engages the garment.
[0024] The use of an aperture in the hanger and connection means,
for example, a string, chain or kimble, allows for the hanger to be
connected independently to the garment. This results in the garment
being able to be supported on a rail by the hanger and then the
hanger being connected via the connection means to the garment.
Thus, the garment can be disengaged from the hanger whilst still
being connected thereto, thereby reducing the risk of the hanger
being incorrectly applied to another garment.
[0025] The hanger may be provided with one or more sections to
which a sizer and/or a label may be applied. For example, a sizer,
which indicates the size of a garment, may be clipped to the rail
engaging portion, the stem or the tail. Additionally, or
alternatively, a larger section or flange may be provided, for
example between the rail engaging portion and the stem, to which a
sticker, label or other item may be applied. The sizer, if used,
may attach to the label section, if present.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way
of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
[0027] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a from view of a hanger in
accordance with the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 1;
[0029] FIG. 3 is a side view of the hanger of FIG. 1; and
[0030] FIG. 4 shows the hanger of FIG. 1 in use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0031] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a hanger 10 for hanging a garment on a
rail, comprising a rail engaging portion in the form of a hook 12,
and a stem 14. The stem 14 extends substantially parallel and/or
planarly with the plane of the bight, or span, of the hook 12.
[0032] The stem 14 has a lower end 16, which is connected to a
first end of a planar elongate spacer section 18 that extends
rearwardly from the stem, that is, substantially orthogonally
behind the plane of the span of the hook 12, to create a "shelf".
The other end of the spacer section 18 is connected to a first end
of a tail section 20 that extends in a direction towards the first
section 16 and/or the hook 12 to create a substantially triangular
open loop with a gap opposite the spacer section 18. The second end
of the tail section 20 is provided with a tail flange 22 that
extends away from the first section 16.
[0033] The internal angle A between the first section 16 and the
spacer section 18 is substantially 90 degrees. The angle B between
the spacer section 18 and the tail section 20 is 90 degrees or,
preferably, less. The angle C between the tail section 20 and the
tail flange 22 is substantially between 30 and 120 degrees. This
creates a substantially triangular open loop having a gap G between
the second end of the tail section 20 and the first section 16 and
arranged above the spacer section 18, the width of the gap being
less than the length S of the spacer section 18.
[0034] The hanger 10 is constructed from a resiliently yieldable
material so that it can elastically deform to allow a loop of a
garment to pass through the gap G. That yieldable material may be,
inter alia, plastics material or metal. The parts of the hanger
below the hooks are substantially fixed relative to one another so
that the hanger holds its shape and is relatively rigid, albeit
that it can elastically flex, when required.
[0035] In use, one or a plurality of loops 28 of a garment 30 are
fed onto the hanger 10. This is achieved by pushing the, or each,
loop through the gap G. When the loop is thicker than the gap G,
the hanger elastically yields in order to allow the loop into the
triangular open loop formed by the stem 14. Because gap G
elastically returns to its original size, the loops are held on the
hanger and have a low chance of passive disengaging therefrom. The
garment can be hung on a rail 32 via hook 12.
[0036] The tail flange 22 helps to guide the loop of the garment
into the gap G by forming a secondary, guide wall that converges on
the gap G. The tail flange 22 can also be used to open the gap G
wider by putting pressure on the tail flange 22, for example by
using a thumb, thereby allowing a user to more easily attach the
garment to, or remove the garment from, the hanger 10.
[0037] Hook 12 has a span, or bight, H intended to engage a garment
display rail 32 and the width of the stem 14 and parts connected
thereto may be less than that of the span H. Additionally, the
width of the stem is, preferably, uniform.
[0038] The spacer section 18 is substantially flat, but could be
curved convexly or concavely on one or both sides (internal and/or
external to the loop), if required.
[0039] The tail section may be substantially parallel with the
first section thereby creating a U-shaped open loop, although it is
preferable that it extends towards the first section to create a
substantially triangular-shaped open loop with an aperture therein
positioned adjacent the stem.
[0040] The second end of the tail section is not fixedly attached
to the first section, thus, even if the second end of the tail
section was to touch the first section of the stem, it is still an
open loop that can be readily enlarged to engage or disengage the
hanger from a garment.
[0041] The hanger may be provided with an aperture in it, for
example in the stem, possibly at the first section 16, through
which retaining means may pass. The retaining means, which may be
in the form of a loop, string, chain, tie, kimble tag or other
flexible member, can be employed to attach the hanger to the
garment independently from the tail section. One way in which this
may be enabled is to pass the retaining means through a loop of the
garment and through the aperture of the hanger or to puncture the
garment with the retaining means and also passing the retaining
means through the hole. Thus, even if the garment is removed from
the hanger, the hanger is still attached to the garment via the
attachment means.
[0042] The hanger may comprise a body section between the rail
engaging portion and the stem, wherein the body is shaped to allow
for the application of a label or other information.
[0043] A "garment" is generally considered to be an item of
clothing that may be worn by a person. Therefore, it may include,
but is not limited to, trousers, shorts, jeans, skirts, jackets,
jumpers or shirts. Accessories, such as hats, sunglasses, bags and
belts are not considered to be garments, although the hanger may,
in some circumstances be employed on these items.
* * * * *