A HANGER AND HANGER ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A garment hanger assembly (10) comprising a garment hanger (12) and an information element (14). The information element (14) slidably engages an element-receiving channel (34) of the garment hanger and is retained therein. A tool (16) is provided to apply and/or remove an information element from the hanger.

Claims

1. A garment hanger comprising a substantially linear element-receiving channel, wherein the element-receiving channel has a length and a width and the hanger is adapted to slidably receive an information element that has a U-shaped internal recess into the element receiving channel from a direction non-perpendicular its length.

2. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein at least one end of the channel is arranged adjacent an edge of the hanger.

3. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein the channel comprises an opening and/or a lateral ridge at or adjacent one end.

4. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein the element-receiving channel is located on a hook portion or a body portion of the garment hanger.

5. A garment hanger according to claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the hook and/or body portion of the hanger is substantially planar, and the element-receiving channel is located on that planar portion.

6. A garment hanger according to claim 1, wherein the element-receiving channel is substantially linear, and the length of the channel is greater than its width.

7. A garment hanger arrangement comprising: a garment hanger according to claim 1; and an information element; wherein the information element slidably engages the element-receiving channel of the garment hanger and is retained therein.

8. A garment hanger arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the element comprises a substantially U-shaped recess that, in use, engages the garment hanger.

9. A garment hanger arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the element has protrusions or teeth that abut the walls of the element-receiving channel when engaged on the garment hanger.

10. A garment hanger arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the garment hanger and the element are made from polypropylene.

11. A garment hanger element applicator/removal tool comprising: an elongate element receiving recess therein; and a hanger-receiving channel that intersects the element receiving recess and passes therethrough.

12. A garment hanger element applicator/removal tool according to claim 11, wherein the hanger-receiving channel is open at both ends.

13. A garment hanger element applicator/removal tool according to claim 12, wherein at least one lip is provided within or adjacent the recess and protruding into or over the recess.

14. A garment hanger element applicator/removal tool according to claim 11, wherein the tool further comprises a base section with securing mechanism or handle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a garment hanger with a slidable sizer fitted thereto in accordance with the present invention;

[0028] FIGS. 2 to 9 show various views of the arrangement of FIG. 1 and a tool therefor;

[0029] FIG. 10 shows an applicator/removal tool in accordance with the present invention; and

[0030] FIG. 11 shows a further garment hanger in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0031] FIGS. 1 to 9 show a garment hanger arrangement 10 comprising a garment hanger 12, an information element in the form of a sizer 14 that is slidably engageable with, or connectable to, the garment hanger 12 and a tool 16 for applying and/or removing the sizer 14 from the garment hanger 12.

[0032] The garment hanger 12 comprises a support-engaging portion in the form of a hook 18, a body 20 and a deformable elongate member 22, the elongate member 22 comprising a first part of a connection mechanism 24 and the hanger having a second part of a connection mechanism 26 positioned away from the first part of the connection mechanism 24, such that the elongate member 22 can be deformed back upon itself and connected to the hanger 12 to form a loop. The end of the elongate member 22 distal from the support-engaging portion 18 is narrower than the span of the support engaging portion 18.

[0033] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 9, although it is optional, and the elongate member 22 comprises two pre-determined weakened regions 28 and may include a third predetermined weakened region 30. The predetermined weakened regions 28 allow the elongate member 22, when it is in its deformed state to form a triangular loop that may have a substantially flat spacer 32 at the intended lower end of the triangular loop so that an item rests upon the substantially flat spacer 32 when in use.

[0034] The hook 18 is provided with a channel 34, which is shown more clearly in FIG. 1a. The channel 34 has a pair of parallel depressions 36 either side of a central ridge 38 and comprises a first section 40 and a second section 42, divided by a lateral ridge 44. The channel 34 is closed at one end 46 and open at the other end 48, so that a sizer element 14 can slidably engage the channel 34 through the open end 48 and abut the closed end 46. Whilst the channel 34 may be provided on just one side of the hanger, it is provided on both sides of the hanger 12 in the embodiment shown in the Figures.

[0035] The sizer 14 is cuboid shaped, although other shapes may be employed, and has a recess 50 with an internal U-shaped profile along one edge. The U-shaped recess 50 has a first pair of inwardly projecting protrusions 52 along its internal surface and a second pair of inwardly projecting protrusions 54 adjacent the open end of the U-shaped recess 50. The sizer 14 comprises a resiliently yieldable material to allow it to elastically deform.

[0036] A tool 16 is provided to applying and/or removing the sizer 14 from the hanger 12. The tool 16 comprises a base section 62 that is provided with walls 64 extending therefrom and the base further comprises an extension 64 with an aperture 66 therein. The aperture 66 may be used to fix the tool 16 to a surface to for attaching a lanyard, string, chain or other retaining means to the tool.

[0037] Within the walls 64 is a rectangular recess 68 that is sized and shaped to receive the sizer 14. The recess 68 is intersected by a hanger-receiving channel 70 that extends parallel with the longitudinal axis of the recess 68 and passes therethrough, subsequently extending the length of the walls so that the channel 70 is open at both ends, although it will be appreciated that, in some arrangements, it could be closed at one or both ends.

[0038] To apply the sizer 14 to the hanger, the sizer 14 is placed within the recess 68 of the tool 16, so that it rests on the intended bottom surface of the recess 68. The tool 16 is then slipped over the hook 18 of the garment hanger 12 and the hanger passes through the hanger receiving channel 70. The arrow on the figures denotes the direction of movement of the tool 16, relative to the hanger 12. As the hanger 12 passes through the hanger-receiving channel 70, the sizer 14 slidably engages with the sizer-receiving channel 34, with the inward protrusions 52 and 54 being received within the respective depressions 36. Thus, the U-shaped recess 50 of the sizer 14 wraps around the hanger 12. The sizer 14 slides into the sizer-receiving channel 34 until it passes over the lateral ridge 44, which retains it thereupon. The sizer 14 is wrapped around the hanger with the U-shaped recess adjacent the front, back and edge of the hanger 12.

[0039] To remove the sizer 14 from the hanger 12, the reverse steps are undertaken and tool 16 is placed over the sizer 14 and slides away from the elongate section of the hanger 12 to remove the sizer 14 from the hanger 12. The sizer 14 is retained in the recess 68 after removal to avoid it being inadvertently lost. To remove the sizer 14 from the tool 16, the tool 16 is rotated so that the sizer 14 can fall out of the recess 68.

[0040] FIG. 10 shows a tool that is provided with at least one, and preferable two, lips, teeth or flanges 72 provided on the upper surface of the tool 16 that protrude into, or above, the recess 68. The lips or flanges 72 on the top edge of the recess, or adjacent the recess and extending thereover, of the tool 16 may be provided at both ends of the recess 68 to allow the tool 16 to remove information elements, such as sizers, from either direction.

[0041] The tool 16 may be used to remove similar shaped sizers that clip onto garment hangers, rather than slide thereon. To apply the sizer, it is placed into the recess 68 of the tool 16 and the hanger is placed within the channel 70 and pushed further into the tool 16, which parts the protrusions of the sizer to allow the hanger to engage the recess in the sizer. Similarly, the remove the sizer, the hanger and attached sizer are placed in the tool 16 and positioned so that sizer 14 is positioned within the region between the lip 72 and the base of the recess 68. The lip 72 grips the sizer and the hanger 12 can be pulled out of the recess 68, the forces on the sizer 14 parting the protrusions and allowing the sizer 14 to disengage from the hanger 12. Such an arrangement does not slide the sizer from the hanger, but rather pulls, or forces, it therefrom. A rotational movement of the hanger may be desirable to aid with the removal of the sizer.

[0042] FIG. 11 shows an arrangement in which the body of the hanger is omitted, with the hook 18 and the elongate portion 22 being connected directly. The sizer-receiving channel 34 is positioned on the hook 18, but it could be at a position along the elongate member 22. The hanger in FIG. 11 is provided with a fixed shape and the elongate portion is substantially rigid, rather than being flexible, thereby creating a substantially fixed triangular section with an opening in the intended top of the loop, above the flat spacer section.

[0043] It is envisaged that the channel on the garment hanger may be arcuate and the information element substantially flexible in order to conform to the shape of the channel.