HOOK FOR USE IN A GARMENT HANGER

Abstract

A hook for use in a hanger is disclosed. The hook has a suspension portion for suspending it, and the hanger, from a rail. There is also an insert portion which is inserted into the body of a hanger. The insert portion has retainers, such as barbs, for fixing the insert into the hanger body. The suspension portion and insert portion have respective connectors which engage one another to connect these two components together whilst allowing the suspension portion to rotate relative to the insert portion and the hanger body, preferably with a known torque resistance.

Claims

1. A hook for use in a hanger, the hook comprising: a suspension portion for suspending the hook from a rail or the like, the suspension portion including a first connector; and an insert portion for engaging a body of a hanger and having at least one retainer for fixing the insert to the hanger body, the insert portion comprising a second connector to engage said first connector and ensure connection between said suspension portion and said insert portion.

2. A hook according to claim 1, wherein said first and second connectors have rotational symmetry.

3. A hook according to claim 1, wherein said suspension portion and said insert portion comprises metal.

4. A hook according to claim 1, wherein said retainer comprises at least one barb.

5. A hook according to claim 1, wherein said retainer comprises at least one rib.

6. A hook according to claim 1, wherein said first and second connectors comprise a snap fit connection.

7. A hook according to claim 1, wherein said first connector comprises an at least partially conical end to said suspension portion said conical end having an outer edge , and said second connector comprises an annular ridge extending radially inward of an inner surface of said insert portion wherein said annular ridge and said outer edge of said conical portion engage one another to retain said suspension portion and insert portion in engagement with one another.

8. A garment hanger comprising; a hanger body for bearing a garment thereon; and a hook according to any of the preceding claims.

9. A hanger according to claim 8, wherein said hanger body comprises wood.

10. A hanger according to claim 8, wherein said hanger body comprises at least one thermoplastic material.

11. A method of forming the garment hanger according to claim 8, comprising the steps: inserting the insert portion into an aperture in said body; and inserting the suspension portion into said insert portion such that said first and second connectors engage one another thereby retaining said suspension portion in said insert portion.

12. A method of forming the garment hanger according to claim 8, comprising the steps, with said suspension portion and said insert portions engaged at said first and second connectors, inserting said hook into said hanger body.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising, prior to said inserting step, heating at least said insert portion.

Description

[0044] Referring to the figures, a first embodiment of the present invention is disclosed with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. A hook 10 for use in a hanger 12 is formed in two parts namely a suspension portion 14 and an insert portion in the form of insert 16. The suspension portion 16, when in use, engages a rail, a hook or the like and is therefore the part of the hanger 12 from which it is suspended. The suspension portion 14 is formed by shaping a piece of wire so as to have a first end 18, a curved portion 20 which extends into a linear portion 24 and ends with a second end 24. The shape of the first end, curved portion and linear portions can be any of those which are familiar to persons skilled in the art. For example, the first end 18 can be the short linear portion shown in FIG. 1, could be a substantially spherical or could be simply a cut end of the wire from which the suspension portion 14 is formed.

[0045] The second end 24 of suspension portion 14 has a first connector 26 which is used to connect the suspension portion to the insert 16. The first connector 24 has a conical portion or end 28 which can either be fully conical, or as shown in FIG. 2 is a truncated cone. Working backwards from the cone 28 there is a waisted portion 30 which has a cross-section with a diameter which is less than the diameter of a cross-section taken in the linear portion 22 or at the widest port part of the conical end 28. As a result, an annular ridge 32 extends around the first connector 26 at the junction between the conical end 28 and the waisted portion 30.

[0046] With particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the insert 16 will now be described. In FIG. 3 internal features of the insert 16 are shown in dashed lines. The purpose of the insert 16 is to be received into the body 34 of hanger 12. The insert 16 is substantially cylindrical in shape. In order to maintain the engagement of the insert 16 in the recess aperture 36 in hanger body 34, some form of retention means is required. In the embodiment shown, this retention means is in the form of retainer barbs 38 which extend outside the external volume of the cylinder that forms the majority of insert 16. These barbs are formed by forming two connected linear cuts arranged at an acute angle and bending the triangle so formed outwards. As a result, as the insert 16 is pushed into recess apertures 36, the barbs 38 allow movement of the insert 16 in direction D1 but resist its movement, once inserted, in direction D2.

[0047] The insert 16 also has a connector, in the form of second connector 40 which is provided to engage the first connector 26 and ensure the connection between the suspension portion and the insert. The second connector 40 is a further deformation of the basic cylinder shape of the insert 16 and is particularly a deformation of the internal surface 42. At a lower end of the second connector 40 and annular ridge 44 is formed where the inner surface 42 is pressed inwards reducing the internal diameter of the cylindrical internal surface 42. Most preferably this annular ridge runs perpendicular to the internal surface 42 of the remainder of the insert 16. At the upper end of second connector 40 the transition from the larger diameter of the internal surface to the smaller diameter, which creates the annular ridge 44, is a sloped surface 46. Between the sloped surface 46 and the annular ridge 44 is an annular wall 48 which is parallel and coaxial with the internal surface 42 but has a smaller diameter. The insert 16 is formed from a strip of steel using cold forming dies in a high-speed press to create the barbs and internal features and to roll the strip into the cylindrical form previously described. Once formed the insert 16 is heat-treated to harden it and electro-zinc plated.

[0048] The suspension portion 14 is formed using standard wire forming techniques familiar to persons skilled in the art of hanger hook formation. In particular, the second end 24 is formed using rolling dies in a cold forging method to create the conical end 28, waisted portion 30 and annular ridge 32. Most preferably this technique allows for the base of the conical end 28, where it joins the ridge 32, to have a diameter slightly greater that the diameter of the wire from which it is formed and greater that the unshaped linear portion 22. This allows contact between the suspension portion 14 and the insert 16 which in part controls the torque required to rotate one relative to the other.

[0049] Operation of the hook 10 will now be described in particular as the formation of the hanger 12. This embodiment is particularly useful for construction of hangers by customers at home. Typically, a customer will buy a pack of hanger bodies 34 which are supplied with hooks 10 that is, with the suspension portions 14 and insert 16 supplied separately (see FIG. 4A). Firstly, the insert 16 is pushed into the recess apertures 36 (see FIG. 4B). In order to ensure a good fit maintaining the insert in engagement with the hanger body 34 it may be necessary to force the insert 16 into the aperture 36 using a hammer or some other suitable tool. As the insert 16 enters the aperture 36 the barbs 38 will bend slightly inwards. Once the insert 16 is inserted into the hanger body 34, the suspension portion 14 can now be introduced into the insert. The suspension portion 14 is moved in direction D1 so that the conical end 28 of first and 24 extends into the insert and engages the sloped surface 46. The sloping surface of the conical end 28 is able to push the sloped surface 46 radially outward allowing the conical end 28 to pass over the annular wall 48 and beyond the annular ridge 44.

[0050] The first and second connectors 26 and 40 are now engaged and that connection substantially prevents movement of the suspension portion 14 in directions D1 and D2 as follows. The upper end of the waisted portion 30, where it expands back to the full width of the linear portion 22, prevents the suspension portion 14 being pressed any further in direction D1 into the insert 16. Movement of the suspension portion 16 in direction D2 is prevented by the engagement of the first and second connectors 26 and 40 and more specifically the annular ridges 32 and 44. This snap-fit type connection prevents the suspension portion 14 being pulled from the insert 16 except under extreme force which may also be sufficient to drag the insert from the recess aperture 36. Such movement of the insert 16, in direction D2, is resisted by the barbs 38 which, in the event that a force is applied to the insert in direction D2, tend to dig into the walls of the recess apertures 36. The more force that is applied in direction D2, the more the barbs 38 dig into the walls of the recess apertures 36 but may be eventually overcome by damaging the material forming the walls.

[0051] A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9 in which features which are in common with the first embodiment have been given like reference numerals increased by 100.

[0052] The hook 112 is formed including a suspension portion 114 and an insert 160. Though formed separately these components are designed to be brought together during the manufacturing process and added to a hanger body (not shown in FIGS. 5 to 9) together as part of that manufacturing process. The first connector 126, formed at the second end 124 of the suspension portion 114 has a conical form but is divided into a first conical portion 150 and a second conical portion 152. Between the two conical portions is a first waisted portion 154 and between the second conical portion 152 and the linear portion and hundred and 22 is a second waisted portion 156.

[0053] The insert 116 is provided with, on its external surface, retainers in the form of ribs 138. These ribs resist movement of the insert 116 when it is engaged in a hanger body, particularly where the insert has been embedded into a thermoplastic hanger body. The insert 116 is provided with a recess 158 which receives the end portion 124 of the suspension portion 114. The recess 158 is substantially conical in its shape but has two internally extending ribs 158 and 160. The first of these ribs 158 is formed part of the way into the recess 158 with the second rib 162 being formed at the entrance to the recess. As can be seen in FIG. 6, when the insert 116 is engaged with the suspension portion 114 the first and second ribs 160 and 162 are aligned with, and extend into, the first and second waisted portions 154 and 156 respectively. As a result, the suspension portion 114 and insert 116 are provided with a snap fit connection which resists the removal of the second end 124 of the suspension portion 114 from the recess 158 of the insert 116.

[0054] Of particular importance to this embodiment, although also of potential interest in the previous embodiment, is the manufacturing tolerance which results on the metal on metal engagement between the suspension portion 114 and insert 116. It is this metal on metal junction between these components which creates the friction which resists the rotation of the suspension portion within the insert and thereby controls the torque required to rotate the suspension portion relative to the hanger body when the hanger is fully assembled.

[0055] The process of construction of a hanger using the hook 110 is as follows. After separate manufacture the suspension portion 114 and insert 116 are brought together so that the first and second connectors 126 and 140 are engaged with one another so that the first and second ribs 160 and 162 are located within the waisted portions 154 and 156. Once the hook 110 is formed in this manner the end of the hook furthest away from the first end 118 of the suspension portion 114 is heated. This involves the heating of the insert 116 but will also result in the partial heating of the suspension portion 114. Once the insert 116 has reached the required temperature the hook 110 is inserted into the hanger body which results in the partial melting of the thermoplastic around the insert. Once the hook 110 is inserted into the body portion the thermoplastic sets and is formed around the ribs 138 thereby fixing the insert 116 into the hanger body. When the suspension portion 112 is rotated relative to the hanger body it is rotating within the insert 116 and, as a result, the torque required to rotate the suspension portion is controlled by the interface between the first connector 126 and the second connector 140.

[0056] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the protection which is defined by the appended claims. For example, the barbs 38 can be replaced with other suitable retainers. Furthermore, any of these retainers may be enhanced or even replaced by the fixing of the insert into the hanger body by a sufficiently strong adhesive.