Apparel apparatus – Garment hangers – Skirt or trousers
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-20
2001-03-13
Mohanty, Bibhu (Department: 3741)
Apparel apparatus
Garment hangers
Skirt or trousers
C223S093000, C223S091000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199728
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hangers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a clamping-type garment hanger which prevents unwanted creases or imprints, and which is more economical to manufacture than clamping-type garment hangers heretofore in use.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Clamping-type garment hangers have heretofore been provided for the suspension or hanging of articles such as pants, skirts, etc. Such hangers include at least one clamp typically defined by a pair of opposed clamp or jaw members between which the article is placed. Provision is made for biasing the members together to create the clamping force necessary to retain the article between the inner surfaces of the jaw members. To further retain the article between the inner surfaces of the members, the clamp or jaw members also have heretofore included on its inner surfaces either or both of teeth elements and a friction surface separately attached to the inner surfaces of the clamp or jaw members.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,274 to Garrison entitled “Garment Grip Construction for Hangers” discloses a clamping-type garment hanging device on which teeth
70
and
88
are placed to grip and secure the garment to the hanger. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,092 to Garrison et al. entitled “Garment Clamping Hanger with Slidable Locking Clip” discloses a clamping-type garment hanging device on which teeth generally indicated as
42
are placed to secure the garment to the hanger. These clamp-type garment hangers which utilize teeth, often sharp or otherwise pointed, suffer from the drawback of introducing unwanted creases, marks, holes, projections or disfigurations to the garment. Where the garment is especially delicate, these hangers heretofore in use can be particularly harmful to the garment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,191 to Garrisonetal entitled “Hangers with Long Lasting Non-Slip Surfaces” discloses a clamp-type garment hanging device on which resilient pad
23
is molded. Pad
23
is adhered to or molded to the hanger by an expensive and complicated process whereby resilient friction material, when in a molten state, is applied to the inner surfaces of the jaw. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,705 to Garrison entitled “Article Gripping Means and Method of Making Same” discloses a clamp-type garment hanging device on which gripping pad
20
is separately attached to hanger
11
. This attaching process is also expensive and introduces undesirable complexities into the manufacturing process. Moreover, the material from which these gripping pads have been made have an unwanted tendency to become sticky when subject to increased temperatures. This can become particularly harmful to garments when hangers of this sort are used to transport garments over long distances, often in very hot conditions. Thus, garments may be damaged or otherwise harmed by use of such hangers heretofore in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clamp-type garment hanging device which does not leave an unwanted crease or imprint on the garment. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a clamp-type garment hanging device which is less expensive and faster and easier to manufacture than clamp-type garment hangers heretofore in use. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a clamp-type garment hanger which provides an equal or greater grip area, yet which does not stick to garments, or its opposing grip area, in higher temperatures.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment, a clamp-type garment hanger is disclosed which comprises at least one clamp attached to a body, the clamp having a hinge, the clamp further having at least two jaw members, wherein one jaw member is pivotable about the hinge, and where the other jaw member is not pivotable about the hinge, the jaw members being capable of a first open position where the one jaw member is pivoted away from the other jaw member, and a second closed position where the one jaw member is urged towards the other jaw member, the jaw members having opposed gripping surfaces for gripping in the second closed position, wherein the opposed gripping surfaces are integrally formed with the jaw members by injection molding in one piece. The opposed gripping surfaces have non-ribbed friction enhancing surfaces, preferably molded thereon, with minimal projection. Furthermore, the substantially smooth opposed gripping surfaces and said jaw member are formed from substantially identical materials selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, styrenebutadiene copolymers and blends, or polycarbonates.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 142813 (1945-11-01), Andrews
patent: 2920801 (1960-01-01), Batts
patent: 2950939 (1960-08-01), Van Volkenburgh
patent: 3767092 (1973-10-01), Garrison et al.
patent: 4194274 (1980-03-01), Garrison
patent: 5020705 (1991-06-01), Garrison
patent: 5170916 (1992-12-01), Kolton et al.
patent: 5183190 (1993-02-01), Zuckerman
patent: 5183191 (1993-02-01), Garrison et al.
patent: 5297706 (1994-03-01), Blitz
patent: 5361948 (1994-11-01), Batts
patent: 5398854 (1995-03-01), Blanchard
patent: 5692806 (1997-12-01), Jones
patent: 5890634 (1999-04-01), Zuckerman et al.
Gallagher Thomas A.
Gordon David P.
Jacobson David S.
Mohanty Bibhu
The Accessory Corporation
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