Apparel apparatus – Garment hangers – Coat or dress
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-09
2004-04-06
Calvert, John J. (Department: 3765)
Apparel apparatus
Garment hangers
Coat or dress
C223S096000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06715650
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to molded plastic garment hangers as are widely used for the purpose of shipping and displaying garments. Garment hangers of that type may be simply constructed as molded plastic structures incorporating a central hook adapted to be suspended from a suitable support, such as a garment display rack or the like. The garment hanger body typically has arms extending in opposite directions from the base of the central hook so as to facilitate a garment to be suspended therefrom. The opposite or distal ends of the arm typically have garment clips formed thereon to enable the attachment of various kinds of garments thereto, such as underwear, slips, brassieres, swimwear, multiple garments, and the like.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A wide variety of molded plastic garment hangers with garment clips are presently known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,423 discloses a Garment Hanger having plural garment retaining clips on the distal ends of the arm, with improvements to the design of the clip, which was previously described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,155. One of the improvements described in this patent is the addition of a stop formation which is “substantially aligned” with the elongated pressing member which engages the garment to be hung from the hanger. The stop formation is intended to prevent the strap of a brassier from sliding around the end of the pressing member into the open and enclosed space above the elongated pressing member. This stop formation is disclosed in FIGS.
9
(
a
), (
b
) of this application, which correspond to FIGS. 19 and 21 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,423, a known prior art design.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,623,079 and 4,629,102 disclose a hanger having an elevated hook member, a hanger body having horizontally extending arms and respectively, resilient grips and clips of a U-shaped configuration located at the end of each arm. The U-shaped configuration includes first and second members, which are also being connected to each other; the second member also being connected to the hanger body. The U-shaped garment engaging clip has a double-flex mechanism to prevent breakage of the clip when a garment is resiliently engaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,237 discloses a plastic garment hanger having a hook, a body bar extending longitudinally from the hook, with the body bar terminating at each end in a pair of arms, one above and one below the body bar which form garment receiving slots. A third arm creates a downwardly opening slot at the end of the body. The shape of the arms is such that the mouth or open end of the slot is narrower than the upper or inner end of each clip. Adjacent the blind end of the garment receiving slot, the slot is deepened to form a pocket which is recessed downwardly into the body. At the entrance of the pocket a tongue from the upper flange of the body bar is provided. The tongue divides the pocket. Additionally, a finger which extends upwardly and outwardly at an angle from the upper flange of the body bar is provided. The finger is spaced inwardly a short distance from the clip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,916 discloses a plastic garment hanger having garment retaining clip ends formed with downwardly and outwardly included support elements from which upper and lower retaining elements extend in a “T” and are provided directly with the formations engaging the garments in respective channels. The channels are defined by a surfaces having inter-digitating arrays of teeth. The clip configuration is intended to overcome the deficiencies ordinary associated with clips having flexible bent back finger.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,557 discloses a plastic garment hanger having a hook, a body bar extending longitudinally from the hook and wing portions terminating each end of the body bar. Each wing portion defines a second channel in intersecting relation with the first channel. The second channel is inclined at an acute angle with respect to the first channel. Positioned along the first channel are a series of generally semi-circular projections which function to impede the movement of the garment, i.e. panty, intended to be suspended therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,109 discloses a plastic, multi-garment hanger which includes a slot extending upwardly from the edge of the body member between a vertically oriented clip and a horizontally oriented clip. The slot provides for the displacement of a portion of the vertically oriented clip and/or the horizontally oriented clip thereby reducing the level of stress concentrated at the upper, inward edge of vertical oriented clips and the connecting portion of the horizontally oriented clips of the typical multi-clip hangers. However, while the slot is taught to provide additional flexibility, applicant notes that the portions of the vertically oriented and horizontally oriented clips of U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,109 are necessarily thinner in construction which weakens such clips and reduces their strength.
Each of the above-described prior art hangers (with the exception of the hanger provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,557) is provided with a clip arrangement for the retention of light-weight, two-piece garments, such as panties and brassieres. Each type of clip arrangement is provided with some level of flexibility necessary for the insertion of the garment clip.
Other typical prior art hangers are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,623,079; 4,629,102; 4,892,237; 5,065,916; and 5,129,557 and Des. 246,817.
The clip arrangement of the hanger discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,079 and 4,629,102, described above, has generally a U-shaped configuration, the flexible free end of which can be deflected in two directions.
A problem in the prior art with the molded plastic garment hangers having U-shaped clips illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,623,079, 4,629,102, 4,828,155 and 5,632,423 is encountered when brassieres having thin straps are suspended from the hanger. These thin straps, particularly those supporting sheer brassieres, have a tendency to slip around the end of the inner member of the U-shaped clip, and get caught in the inner space of the unshaped clip. While the stop formations described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,423 were intended to stop this problem, the problem still persists. Once the strap has migrated into this position, it is difficult to remove the strap from within the clip without damaging the clip or the garment strap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide garment hangers having improved garment retaining clips at opposite ends thereof which are designed to securely retain a garment to prevent it from being accidentally dislodged therefrom. Moreover, the improved garment retaining clips are designed to avoid breakage of the clips, and to prevent the migration of brassier straps around the ends of the inner arms of the clips into the inner free space of the clip. The present invention solves this problem by providing an improved stop formation which is not “substantially aligned” when the clip is at rest, but which is aligned when the inner arm of the clips have been displaced by the brassiere strap.
Further, the improved garment clips of the present invention are designed with a much greater flexibility, without a stiffening rib extending longitudinally along the outer length of the moveable clip arm. The more flexible clip arm is much easier to open and use, and moreover the greater flexibility also makes the insertion of garments, particularly thicker garments, into the clips much easier, and greatly alleviates problems with carpel tunnel syndrome by persons who are employed to insert a great number of garments into a great number of such garment retaining clips.
A further object of the subject invention is the provision of a garment hanger having an improved garment retaining clip wherein as a garment is inserted into the garment retaining clip, a compound movement and action of first and second support members arranged in a double return configuration result in the garment receiving chann
Calvert John J.
Scully Scott Murphy & Presser
Smith James G
Spotless Plastics Pty. Ltd.
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