Apparel apparatus – Garment hangers – Sheet material
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-13
2004-06-08
Calvert, John J. (Department: 3765)
Apparel apparatus
Garment hangers
Sheet material
Reexamination Certificate
active
06745924
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns a hanger suitable for use in displaying clothing items.
There are various types of clip hanger for clothing items. One type has a pair of jaws connected by a U-shaped metal spring member, so that the jaws are normally urged closed to grip an item of clothing. Extensions of the jaws above the spring can be squeezed together to open the jaws and release the item of clothing. These clips may be provided individually or as a pair mounted on opposite ends of a cross bar having a supporting hook. The clips may be slidable along the crossbar.
The pressure required to open the jaws can, however, be quite excessive for children and the elderly making it difficult for them to remove and replace items of clothing.
Another type of clip hanger has a pair of hingedly connected jaws and a U-shaped metal member having a longer limb slidably retained on one of the jaws with its shorter limb arranged to slide over the other jaw to urge it towards the first jaw to close them when the U-shaped member is pushed towards the open end of the jaws. To open the jaws, the U-shaped member is slid in the opposite direction.
This type of clip may be provided singly with a hook for suspending the clip from a rail or the like but is more commonly provided in pairs on a hanger crossbar.
Both of the above prior art clips are made of plastics and metal components rendering them difficult to recycle.
GB 2044096 discloses a clip hanger comprising a hollow body slidably retaining a clamping member providing a pair of jaws, the clamping member being slidable through the body to close the jaws.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a clip hanger that may be made of one material rendering it easier to recycle.
Another aspect of this invention is to provide a clip hanger that does not require excessive force to open and close.
According to this invention there is provided a clip hanger comprising a hollow body slidably retaining a clamping member providing a pair of jaws, the clamping member being slidable into the body to close the jaws.
The clamping member is preferably a resilient member and especially a U-shaped member and is preferably sized so that the action of pushing the clamping member into the body squeezes the jaws towards each other. When the clamping member is pulled outwards of the body, the jaws are free to open out. Thus, any item of clothing may be attached to the hanger by inserting part of the clothing items between the jaws when at their outermost extent and pushing the clamp member into the body, whereupon the jaws close to grip that part of the clothing item between them.
It is to be understood that sliding of the jaws into the body may be achieved by movement of one of the body or of the jaws relative to other other.
Opposing faces of the jaws may be provided with gripping surfaces thereon such as by profiling of the faces of the jaws, by forming the jaws with textured faces or by addition of gripping material thereon, such as of rubber or synthetic elastomeric material, which itself may be profiled or textured.
The gripping surfaces of the jaws may have two gripping sections providing differential gripping forces.
Preferably the clamp is provided with a first gripping section at the free end of the jaws. The first gripping section may comprise pads, such as of rubber or foamed material, on the opposing inner surfaces of the jaws. Preferably, a stop member in the form of a projection extends from one of the jaws to provide a boundary for the first gripping section.
The second or further gripping section is preferably provided from the projection to an inner extremity of the inner surface of the jaws whereby the projection may act as a gripping element. The second gripping section may be profiled or ribbed for grip.
In this manner, the first gripping section furthest from the hinge of the jaws may be used to provide a relatively weak gripping force for gripping delicate lightweight garments, the garment being inserted into the clamp up to the stop member. Alternatively, a heavy garment may be inserted up to the hinge of the garment thereby being held by both the teeth of the first gripping section and the projection of the second gripping section.
It is to be appreciated that more than two gripping sections may be provided to provide a clamp having multiple gripping forces, for example by providing a series of spaced apart stop members/projections.
The clamping member may be provided with one or more stops thereon to limit the extent to which it can be pushed into the body. For a U-shaped clamping member a stop may be provided on an outer face of one or both limbs thereof to abut an edge or edges of the body.
At least one outer face of the clamping member may be provided with a thumb or finger receiving recess to facilitate operation of the clip hanger.
A preferred clip hanger according to the invention has both its body and clamp member made of plastics material. Thereby, the clip hanger is more easily recyclable than the prior art clip hangers made of metal and plastics components.
The body may be closed at one end or may be open at both ends. The latter option provides a possibility for the clamp member to be pushed outwardly of the body from the opposite open end of the body rather than relying on pulling the clamp member out by gripping the jaws or an item of clothing held in the jaws.
The clip hanger of the invention may be provided as a single item, say with a hook or the like on the body for supporting the hanger on a rail, rack or the like. Alternatively two clip hangers of the invention may be provided either fixed or slidably mounted on opposite ends of arms of a garment hanger, the hanger having a supporting hook generally centrally thereof.
The arms may be fixed or may be of an expandable hanger, such as of the type disclosed in my earlier patent application W099/17644.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3924303 (1975-12-01), Elliott
patent: 4308981 (1982-01-01), Miura
patent: 4566157 (1986-01-01), Packendorff
patent: 4716634 (1988-01-01), Fan
patent: 5183191 (1993-02-01), Garrison et al.
patent: 5584421 (1996-12-01), Blanchard et al.
patent: 5890634 (1999-04-01), Zuckerman et al.
patent: 737 635 (1970-02-01), None
patent: 833 108 (1952-03-01), None
patent: 2 592 291 (1987-07-01), None
patent: 2044096 (1980-02-01), None
patent: 2 044 096 (1980-10-01), None
Smith James G
Woodard Emhardt Moriarty McNett & Henry LLP
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