Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
7~66
1 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to hook-supported
arrangements and more particularly to a unique hanger
for garments and other articles having web-like portions.
Heretofore, various devices have been proposed
and used for the display or storage of various articles
.
of clothing including pants, slacks and shoes. It is
fairly common practice to display or store slacks or
pants by using hanger-like devices having an elongated,
rigid, rod-like member to which are secured clamping
elements. The clamping elements engage either the bottom
of the slacks or the top of the slacks and the device
permits storage or display of the article of clothing
from an e~ongated support rod. An example of one
such device may be found in commonly owned Canadian patent
appllcation No. 176,973 to Garrlson, et al. entitled GARMENT
CLAMPING HANGER WITH SkIDABLB LOCKING CLI~ -filed on
July 20, 1973~ CIamping type hangers have been found
to be unacceptable for use with jeans or other clothing
which is fairly stiff and slippery prlor to wear and
repeated washings. The gripping portions of the
clamps are unable to effectively grasp such articles
and suspend them from a support.
Also, it has been fairly common practice to
employ a more conventional hanger construction with
; a transversely extending pant rod. This arrangement,
besides being fairly expensive for use in the storing
of pants in the home or for dlsplay purposes, occasionally
results in unwanted creases in the slacks or pants if they
are improperly folded over the rod portion. Further,
rack structures employing a plurality of spaced, parallel
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1 rods have been employed for display of pants or slacks
at the retail sales level. Such a structure does not
generally make efficient use of available floor space.
It is not an e-ffective display device. The structure
is fairly large, presents difficulties in the removal
and reinsertion of the garments due to interference
between adjacent garments and, therefore, does not
present the pants to the customer in the most advantageous
manner.
Therefore, due to these inherent problems in
the hangers heretofore employed, a need exists for a
simple, inexpensive, easily mass produced hanger-type
device capable of effectively suspending such garments
and by which the problems heretofore experienced may be
substantially alleviated.
Heretofore, various arrangements have also been
proposed for the display of shoes to a retail sales
customer or for the suspension of shoes in a storage
area. Such arrangements have generally taken the form
of shelves or rack structures attachable to a support
surface or suspendable from an elongated support-type
rod. Also, some elaborate, elongated wall shelf
arrangements have been employed to display a plurality
of shoes to a customer. These arrangements have been
relatively expensive, bulky, and not readily rearrangeable
to suit the available storage or display space. They
have also made inefficient use of available space.
Therefore, a further need exists for a simple,
easily mass produced and inexpensive item which would
be readily adaptable for the suspension of a pair of
shoes from a vertical support surface or -from an
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1 elongated support rod. Such an arran`gement would
reduce the costs involved in providing for the display
o shoes and the like in stores. Such reduced cost
would especially be desirable in the area of large
volume retailing.
SUMMARY OF THB INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a
unique, easily manu~actured device is provided for display
or storage of articles of clothing having belt loops
or web-like portions as in the case o shoes. Essentially,
a hanger-like device is provided having a body member of
generally U-shaped configuration. The body member
including a central web and a pair of generally spaced,
parallel, depending wings positioned on each side of
the central web and defining an artlcle receiving channel
therebetween. An upstanding support engaging member is
formed integral with or otherwise suitably attached to
the body member or suspending the device from a support
rod or the like. Each o the depending wings is
bifurcated and, therefore, each defines a slot opening
through one end thereof which extends generally parallel
to the central web. The article to be displayed or
stored is placed withln the article channel and the loops
or web-like portions of the article are positioned within
the slots. The device is moldable as a single, generally
planar part and the individual portions are oldable for
use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of an
article suspension device in accordance with the present
invention in its unfolded state;
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1 Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view
taken generally along line II-II of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-
sectional view taken generally along }iTle III-III of
Fig. l;
Pig. 4 is a front elevational view showing
the manner in which the hangcr in accordance with the
present invention is employed to suspend an ~rticle of
clothing which has a plurality of belt loops;
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged cross-
sectional view taken generally along line V-V of
Pig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a plan view of an alternative form
of an article suspension device in accordance with the
present invention in its unfolded state;
Fig. 7 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view
:
taken generally along the line VII-VII of Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 is an enlargcd, cross-sectional view
taken generally along line VIII-VIII of Pig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a side elevational YiCW of the device~
of Fig. 6, folded for use;
Fig. l~ is a front elevational view of the device
:of Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the manner
by which the alternative device in accordance with the
present invention may be employed to suspend a pair of
shoes;
Fig. 12 is a plan view of another alternative
embodiment of a suspension device in accordance with
~he present invention;
Fig. 13 is a plan view of a further alternative
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l ~m~odiment of a suspensi~n de~ice in accordance with the
present in~entlon~ .
Pig~ s a bottQm, plan~ie~ of another
al~ernati~e embodim~nt o th~ deric~ in acc~rda~ce with
thç present inve~tion ~hich is ~imari;ly adapted ~or the
~spensi~n o~ a pair of shoes;
F~g, 15 is a ~op, plàn view.o~ the urthçr
alternative`embodiment of Fig. 14;
Fig, 16 is a cross~sectional ~ie~ taken
: l0 genqrally along lines XVI-XVI o Fig. 14; and
Flg. 17 is a:cross-sectional vie~ taken
~enerally along li~es XV~XYII o~ Fig. 15~.
D:ETAILED DES~IPTIUN O~ TH~ PR~FERRED EMB-ODIM~NTS
One ~orm o~ an ar.ti¢le suspension device in
accorda~ce with ths present in~ention is illustrated in
Figs.- 1-5 and generaIlr designated 10. As best seen in
Fig~ 1, the derîce 10 includes:a support engaging hook
portion l2 and a body p~rtion generally designated 14.
The hook portion 12 ma~ take a variety o~ shapes and is
s~o~n or illustrative purposes as including a stem
portion 11 and a curved portion 13. ~n th~s ~qrm, the
support hook portion 12 ha$ a generall~ I~bea~ cross
secti~n tPig~ 2) includin~ a cen~ral web 16 and flanges
18, 2~. The flanges ~xtend along the lateral edges o~ the
~5 ~eb p~rt~on 16.~ Flanges 18, 20, besides ~ddin~ to the
orerall artistic design o~ the supp~rt hook portion, also
~unction to rein~orce this portî~n of the d~ice,
The body portion 14, as best seen in Figo 1
includes a centr~l web 24 and a pa~r of ~ing-like ~embers
26~ 28~ In the pre~erred em~dîment, the:wind~like
member 26 is h~ngedl~ connected along one lateral edge
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1 to the c~ntral web 24 and the central ~eb 2~ is hingedly
connact~d or joinea to th~ ~ing~like member 28 along its
opposite lateral edge. ~hc pre~erre~ mannes ~or
accomplishing this hinge-like c~nnection is illustrated
in Figs. 2 and 4. As shown therein, ~ing member 26 is
hi`ngedly jo~ned to thç central web 24 by a reduced
cross~s~cti~a} portion or hinge line portion 30. The
ce~tral web 24 is hingedly connected to the ~lng member
28 along ~ reduced cr~ss sectioned portion or hinge line 32.
Reduced cross sectioned portions 30, 32 are easily
~ormed when ~he device is producod by conventional
molding techniques. The central web 24, as will be more
fully described belo~ ser~es, therefore, to space the
wings and hingedl~ interc~nnect them for pi~otal movement
to~ards ~nd a~a~ from each other.
~ach wing member 26~ 28 is o~ a bi~urcated
cr~ ha~ing a generally ~lattened C~sh~ped co~igurat~on.
The ~ing member includes a suspe~s~on leg 34 and an upper
leg 36 ioined by a b~se 38. There~ore, each ~ing ~ember
26, 28 defines a loop or web recei~ing slot 40, opening
in a diroction generall~ perpe~dicular to th~ hook
portion. The end of each suspensio~ leg 34 adjacent th~
o~ening of the slots 40 includes an upstand~ng or in~ardly
directed tooth-like p~rtion 42. This tooth member 42 assists
in ~taining the garmen~ ~ithin the slot 40 as will be
~re ~ull~ described b~low~ -
With the embodiment illustrat~d i~ Figs. 1 5,
the suppo~t hook 12 is formed in~egral with ~he leg
36 o~ the wing member 26. Al~o, the ~langes 18~ 20
c~n~inue p~st ~he junction of these members a~d around
substantiall~ the entire p~ripherr of the wing me~ber
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1 26. Another reinforcin~ flange 44 in like manner
ex~ends around substantially the entir~ periphery of
wing member 28. The integral 1anges 18, 20 and 44
increase the stiffness and rigidity of the unit. The
device is therefore better able for withstanding the
loads imposed upon it during use. Also, the hook 12
and wing 26 constitute, in efect, a single generally
planar member.
The device l0 illustrated in Fig. l, due to
~;~ 10 its general s~ructural arrangement, may be mass produced
~as a single, flat part using conventional molding techniques
and a slmple two-piece mold. Since it is preferred that
; the hinge areas 30, 32 connecting the wings 26, 28 to the
ce~tral web 24 be of an integral construction, plastic
materials are preferably employed in molding the device.
The material selected should have sufficient rigidity to
withstand the forces imposed upon the device in use and
still have sufficient flexibility to withstand repeated
flexure of the hinge portions without noticeable signs
of fatigue. One resinous material found to possess the
desired properties to withstand repeated flexure of the
hinge portions is polypropylene, such as Hercule ~ o.
5623. It is important that the material's characteristics
include a resistance to elongation or stretching at the
hinge lines 30 and 32 under the normally expected operating
loads. The material employed may be translucent or it
may be color coordinated with the particular article of
clothing suspended by the device so as not to detract
from the article displayed.
As best seen in Figs. 4 and S in use, the molded
article 10 is folded along the hinge lines 30, 32 so that
~ 6 ~
l the wings 26, 28 extend do~nwardly ~ro~ the central web
~4 ~n a-ge~erally parallel relationship. In e~fect~ the
eentral web 24 acts as a spacing mem~er positionod betw~en
the ~ings of the dev~ce. The wing members and the central
S web therebr define an article or garment receiving channel
5Q. ~hen so posit~onea, the de~ice lO is readily adapt- -
able f~T the suspensi~ of a pair of slacks, pants or the
llke 5~ whirh include a plurality of belt-receiving loops
54. The pants 52 are in$~erted wi~hin the channe} area
lQ 50 and the 1QPS $4 ~n opposite side.s of the pants are
placed ~ithin the slots 40 of the wing members. ~reerably,
the centrally positianed loops on the pants are ~mployed
or suspending the garm~nt. The upstanding portions 42 of
each ~ing member restrict egress from the slots 40. As
~een ~n ~i~. 4, these portions will enga~e the belt loops
and preYent inadvertent dl~placement of the lo~ps from
th~ slo~$. Although illus~rated as extending longi~udinally
i~ a plane gen~rally parallel ta the central ~eb 24, the
slots may be tilted slightly in a generally upward
direction so that the loops 54 o the pants will be ur~ed
toward the closed end of t~e slot under the action o~
graYity. This ~light-tilting in conjunction with the
upstanding teeth 42 wlll decrease the chanc~s of
in~dYertent disengagement of the pants from the suspension
~5 device.
Th~ device illustrated in Figs. 1-5 is
primarily intended for use in the display or storage of
slack~. The integral hook and wing arrange~ents~ permits
a plurality of such garments to ~e suspended transversely
o$ a longitudinally extending support rod. This~ form of
the invention could be used to suspend o~her articlos sueh
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} as shoes which include an up~ardly extendi~g transverse
web-lik~ portion in a ~anner to be ~ore full~ descr~bed
b~low in connectio~ with Fig$. 6-11,
An alternatlve ~orm of h~ pr~sent inYention
i$ illus~rated in ~igs. 6~11 a~d generally designated 100.
The alte~nativ~ ~orm is similarly constructed and includes
a support engaging member or hook 102 and.a body ~ember
generally designat~d:10~. The body member likewise
in~ludes.a e~ntral s~ace~ sec~ion or web portion 24 and
a pair of:wing members 26, 28,
~s with the pre~ious embodiment, each wing
mar be included at the end of each leg 34 of the wing
members.
As best see~ in Pigs. 9 and 10, once the
~lternatlrs orm of the present in~ention has been m~lded,
the wing members 26, 28 are ~asil~ foldable downwardly to
a positi~n ~here the~ are generally parallel ~o each other.
The hovk portion 102 in a similar manner is foldable to
an erected~ generally upright positlon in a plane per^
pendicular to the plane of the spacer section 24 and
perpendicu,~ar to the planes of oac~ of the wing members.
As a ~e~ult, the slots 40 in:*he wing members ~pen in a
rearward direc~ion adjacent the support hoo~.
. As best seen in Fig. 11, the de~ice 100 is
r~adily adaptable for the display or storage o~ a pair of
shoes ~rom an elongated support rod 110. As sho~n, a
pair of conventio~al shoes 112 each include an upper
portlon 114. The shoe uppe~ is a generally, ~hin, wall-
: lik~ o~ transYerse web~like member. The area ~ ~hl~
3~ upper adjacen~ the heel portion of the shoe i5 readily
inse~table within the slots 40 o~ each wing m~mher ~6,
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1 28. The ~ing ~embers, as with the previously described
e~bodi~ent, are pivotal to~ard and ~way ~rom each other
about ~he spacer s~ction to permit easy insertion of the
upper.portion o~ each shoe wi~hin the slo~s.
When ~ach shoe is SQ insert~d into the slots~
~he upstand~ng tooth portion 42 ~rmed on the suspension
leg 34 of the wing members will engag~ an inner peripheral
surface o ~his p~tion o th~ upper. As a result, the
shoe under *he action ~ gravity ~ill tend to piYot about
~he tip o$ projection 42 and, thereby, increase the
rictions} contsct b~tween the sho~ and the inner
peripheral surfaces oT spaced~ parallel wall areas defined
by the legs 26, 28. This arrangement thereby resists
sepaTation of the shoes from the wing members ~hen they
lS are suspended by the device.
In the alternative, the de~ice 100 could be
employed to suspend ~h~ shoes from the to~gue or throat
portio~s 120 o~ the shoesO In either case, a ~ransverse
web or wall~like portion of ~he shoes iS engaged by on~
o the pair o spaced, bifurc~ted wings. The web-like
portion o the shoe is held bet~een the generally parallel
webs and will assume a position ~enerally perp~ndicular
to these webs. The ~ndividual hangers or support de~ices
lOQ ~a~ then be suspen~ed along with the shoe~ in a close,
- 25 spac~d relationship ~rom a common support such as ~he
suppor~ rod 110.
As with the pre~iously-described pant hanger
e~bodime~t, the shoe hang~r em~odiment o~ th~ present
inYention is an easily and relativ~ly inexpens:lvely mass
; 3~ produced item when compared with display or storage
devices heretofore employed~ Since ~he support hook 102
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l extends upwardly from the spacer member 24 in a plane which
is substantially perpendicular to the spacer me~ber and the
depending win~s when the device is folded, a plurality of
different style shoes or the same style of shoes may be
supported from the common support rod. 'I'his d~splay
arrangement therefore reduces the amount of space required
for the display of a plurality of shoes. The relationship
between the hook and the wings in the embodiment designate~
100 is preferred for use as a shoe hanger since the shoes
may be readily displayed or stored from a vertical support
surace or wall. In this latter case, an individual dowel
or stud-like member would be inserted into the wall and
thereby extend outwardly therefrom. The hook portion 102
would then be placed over the stud thereby presenting
lS these shoes fo~ ready viewing b~ a cus~omer. ~Iso, this shoe
hanger as with the previously described pants hanger has
ready applications in the storage of shoes or other articles
in the home. By employing a device in accordance with the
present invention, more effective utllization of available
closet space may be made by the user.
Further alternative embodiments of suspension
devices in accordance with the present invention are
illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13. The embodiment of Fig.
12 is similar to that of Figs. 1-5 in that it includes a
support hook 120 and a body member 122. The body member
122 has wing members 124, 126 hingedly joined along their
lateral edges by an integral hinge line 128~. The support
hook 120 is molded integral with the wing member 124 so that
these portions cons~itute a single planar member. 'rhe wing
members 124~ 126 define open ended slots 130 which are
engageable with loops or web-like portions of the article
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l to be suspended. The slots are mirror i.mages of one
another~
A recess 132 is centered about the wing elements
and for~s an opening extending ~rom the side of each
S element towards the hook and between the slots. The
depth of the slot is sufficient to create an open passage
or article receiving channel between ~he slots. When the
device of Fig. 12 is used to hang slacks from belt loops,
the depth of the recess must be at least a distance greater
~han the spacing o~ the lower wall 134 of the slots from
the side of the wing elements opposite the hook.
The embodiment of Fig. 13 is similar to that of
Fig. 12 except slots 130 formed in wing members 124, 126
open o~ extend towa~d each other. The slots 130 in the
embodiment of Fig. 139 therefore, open into or communicate
with the recess 132~
When folded, these embodiments will define a
generally U-shaped article receiving channel between the
wing members as with the previously described embodiments.
The wing members are pivotal towards and away from each
other and, in use, the slots will extend in~a generally
horizontal plane.
The preferred construction of a device in
accordance with the present invention, however, would
employ a spacing web and a pair of integral hinge elements
as the hinge means joining the wing members. The spacer
increases the article receiving channel area and thereby
increases the ease with which the device may be employed~
The spacer also permits a reduction in the transverse
dimension of each wing member.
Therefore, it can be seen that the unique
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1 hangers in accordance with ~he presen~ invention are
readily adaptable to the mass display or storage of
pants and/or shoes. The device i5 relatively inexpensiYe
and easily manufactured especially when compared with
the more co~plex and bulky rack structures heretofore
employed.
In either form, the hanger may be produced as
a 1at~ one-piece part with all of the elements positioned
in essentially a common plane. The wings are pivotable
about the lateral edges of the central spacer so as to
accommodate various size pants, shoes, shirts or any
articles which are so constructed that they may be
gripped by insertion in the slots of $he wing members.
A further alternative embodiment of the suspension
device in accordance with the present inYention is illus-
tra~ed in Figs. 14-17 of the drawings and generally desig-
nated 200. The de~Jice 200 similarly includes a support
engaging hook 202 and a body member 204. The body member
includes a central spacer section or webbed portion 206 and
a pair of wing members 208, 210. The support engaging
hook 2Q2 is joined at one end of the central spacer 206
by an in~egral hinge 212. Each wing member~208, 2I0 is
joined to the lateral edges of the central spacer 206 by
integral hinges 214, 216 respectively.
The wing members 208, 210 differ from those of
the previously described embodiments in that they in e~fect
clamp and thereby frictionally retain the web portions of
a pai~ uf shoes. As shown, each wi~g member i~cludes the
suspension leg 218 and an upper leg 220, The legs 218, 220
are configured and of a generally hook shape so as to define
a rearwardly extending generally teardrop-shaped slot 222
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l The upper le~ includes a straight or linear edge Z21 and
~he suspension le~ includes a compound cur~ed edge 223
The slot 2Z2 has a reduced neck area 227 dimensioned ~ess
than the thickness of the web portion of a typical shoe.
S The reduced neck area opens into a divergent mouth 229.
The shape o the slot increases the ease with whicll the
shoes may be engaged by each wing member.
Extending around the periphery of each wing
member is an integrally molded reinforcing flange or rib
224 As shown in Figs. 14 and 16, the rib 224 may extend
around the entire periphery o the wing members outwardl~
from both the upper and lower surfaces. Also, the upper
legs 220 of each wing member may de~ine cutout portlons
226. Depending upon the specific material employed~ the
types of shoes to be suspended and the size of the suspen-
sion devic0, a reinforcing rib 230 may be provided around
the entire periphery of the cutout, as shown in Figs. 15
and 17. By forming the wing members with the cutouts 226
and ribs, the amount of material required to fabricate
the devices may be reduced and, therefore, substantial
cost economies may be obtained.
~s with the previous embodiments, it is preferred
that thl~ altcrnAt~ve device be molded rom a resinous
material such as polypropylene, Th~s material is suf~i-
ciently 1exlble to permit repea~ed flexing D~ the hinged
portions and also results in a clamping of the web portions
o~ a shoe between the leg portions 218, 220 at the neck of
the ~eardrop-shaped slot 222, When the web portion o~ each
shoe is slipped into the slot, the lower leg 218 will be
deflected away from leg 220 to permit passage o the web
portion. The resinous material is sufficiently resilient
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1 so that the leg 218 ~ill be biased towards leg 220. In
this manner the web portion will be frictionally engaged
and a more secure suspension of the pair of shoes will be
obtained.
S The devic~ illustrate~ in Figs. 14-17 is used in
the same manner as with the alternative embodiment illus-
traded in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. The wing mcmbers 208, 210
are foldable downwardly to a position where they are
generàlly parallel ~o each other. The hook portion 202 is
foldable to an erected, generally upright position in a
plane perpendicular to the plane of the spacer section 206
and generally perpendicular to the planes of each wing
member. The upper portion of each shoe iS readily insert-
able within the slots 222. The wing members are pivotal
toward and away from each other about the spacer section
206 to permit easy insertion of the uppor portion of each
shoe within the slots. All of the previously mentioned
advantages are present with this device. However, this
embodimen~ also results in thc additional advantage of;more
secure retainment of the web-like portions of the shoes
within the slots. It lS expressly intended, therefore,
that the above description should be considered as ~hat of
the preferred embodime~t only. The true spirit and scope
of the present invention will be determined by reference
to the appended claims.
