Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes – Mechanical shaping or molding to form or reform shaped article – To produce composite – plural part or multilayered article
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-11
2001-10-23
Silbaugh, Jan H. (Department: 1732)
Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes
Mechanical shaping or molding to form or reform shaped article
To produce composite, plural part or multilayered article
C264S259000, C264S267000, C264S273000, C264S274000, C024S482000, C024S531000, C223S091000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06306329
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a plastic clip molded onto a garment hanger and in particular to such a clip having soft resilient pads molded of a separate plastic material and aligned for planar interengagement.
2. Description of Prior Developments
Garment hangers having molded plastic clips are well known and available in numerous forms. An example of such a hanger and clip is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,014 wherein a hanger and clip are homogeneously molded of one plastic material and a gripping pad formed of second plastic material is subsequently fused to the clip. A U-shaped spring clip is used to manually lock and release the clip jaws about a garment.
Although such conventional clips perform adequately, they can and do slip off a garment. One reason for such slippage is believed to be the relatively limited gripping area between the pads on the garment clips and the garments. That is, conventional garment pads are formed with a uniform thickness and are mounted or bonded to their clips in the manner of a pair of pincers.
More particularly, the pads are typically spaced apart from one another at their upper ends and converge or taper toward each other and contact each other at their lower ends. This results in a single line of limited contact along the lower ends of the pads and provides a single line of gripping pressure on a garment. Accordingly, a need exists for a garment clip which provides an increased gripping area. A further need exists for a garment hanger clip which can be co-molded simultaneously with a resilient plastic gripping pad which is held to the clip with a mechanical connection.
Another need exists for a garment clip having gripping pads which do not taper toward one another and which, when closed, engage one another with a substantially planar contact surface or gripping interface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed to fulfill the needs noted above and therefore has as an object the provision of a semi-rigid plastic garment hanger clip which is co-molded with gripping pads formed of a separate soft plastic material.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a garment hanger clip having a pair of gripping pads which engage one another with substantially planar contact.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a garment hanger clip having at least one wedge-shaped support surface for providing substantially planar alignment and contact between a pair of gripping pads.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a tapered gripping pad for a garment clip. The pad includes a thick top portion and a thin bottom portion for providing substantially planar alignment and contact between a pair of gripping pads.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a garment clip co-molded with a gripping pad in such a manner that a purely mechanical, non-adhesive interlock is formed between the clip and pad without forming a bond or fused interface between the clip and pad.
These and other objects are met by the present invention which is directed to a garment hanger having a pair of plastic garment hanger clips which is simultaneously co-molded with two pairs of gripping pads formed of a separate plastic material. The pads are connected to the clips with a simple mechanical connection without the use of any adhesive and without forming a fused interface between the clips and pads.
Added gripping effectiveness is provided by aligning the gripping pads in such a manner that the pads, upon closing, engage one another with a substantially planar contact. This planar contact can be achieved either by forming the pads with a wedge-shaped or tapered profile or by forming one or both of the pads with a uniform profile and forming the clips with a pair of pad support surface which align substantially parallel with one another when the pads close together against each other.
The aforementioned objects, features and advantages of the invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity, and will, in part, become obvious from the following more detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which form an integral part thereof.
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Helfgott & Karas P.C.
McDowell Suzanne E.
Randy Hangers
Silbaugh Jan H.
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