Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~117489
The present invention generally relates to the art of
displaying carpet samples, or the like, in which it is desired to
support a plurality of such samples in a manner that an observer
can see and compare the physical characteristics of a plurality
of samples in order to enable comparison of such samples and
selection of a sample which the observer feels will most satisfy
his needs. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
hanger strip attached to a support rail or hangrail to position
carpet sample support hangers, so that the hangers and carpet
samplPs supported thereby will be oriented in a particular orien-
tation and will be maintained in such orientation.
It has long been recognized that carpet and other simi-
lar fabrics can be more effectively merchandised if customers can
see and compare the color, texture and pattern of a plurality of
samples of the product. The carpet industry has found that one
of the most important aspects of carpet marketing is the color
characteristics of the carpet and it has further been determined
that carpet sales are stimulated when carpet samples are organized
in chromalogical groupings and when the samples are maintained in
an orderly manner, that is, without the samples cluttering the
display area. Various efforts have been made to display carpet
samples or complete carpets themselves with varying degrees of
success. If complete carpets are to be displayed, the space re-
quired is prohibitive in cost and in most carpet marketing estab-
lishments, carpet samples are used. One conventional procedure
involves the assembly of the samples into a binder generally in
the form of a large loose-leaf type binder, so that the samples
may be observed by a customer by manipulating the individual
carpet samples in a manner similar to turning the pages of a book,
but this arrangement does not enable simultaneous observation of
various carpet samples and requires that the customer physically
manipulate the various samples in order to observe different
11174~9
samples. Also, horizontal support rails or hangrails are
provided on which a plurality of hangers are supported with
the hangers gripping the upper edge of carpet samples.
These hangers are somewhat similar to garment hangers and
are provided with a hook engaged over the hangrail, so that
the carpet samples are generally oriented in perpendicular
relation to the hangrail and the hangers can be slid along
the hangrail, much in the manner of garment hangers, to
enable a customer to observe various carpet samples. But
here again in order to observe the various samples, it i8
necessary for the customer to physically manipulate the
hangers and carpet samples in order to observe the various
samples.
An object of the present invention i8 to provide
a hanger strip in the form of a unitary, plastic strip having
a plurality of spaced ridges or spacers projecting from one
surface and which is mounted longitudinally on a hangrail for
supporting hook-type hangers used in supporting carpet
samples and the like from the hangrail with the ridges or
spacers positioning the hook-like hangers in predetermined
relationship to the hangrail and maintaining the hangers
and the carpet samples supported by the hangers in
predetermined relationship to each other and to the hangrail.
Another object of the present invention is to provide
a hanger strip in accordance with the preceding object in which
the ridges or spacers are in the form of longitudinally spaced
~1~7489
hollow projec~ions which define generally U-shaped spaces there-
between with the tip ends of the projections being generally flat
and parallel to the base of the strip. The base of the strip is
prov;ded with longitudinal side edge portions which are laterally
offset for partial conformation with the configuration of the
hangrail to facilitate the mounting of the hanger strip on the
hangrail by the use of pressure sensitive adhesive on the hanger
strip or by any othèr suitable type of adhesive or other fastening
means to facilitate attachment of the strip to a hangrail.
A further object of the present invention is to prQvide
a hanger strip in accordance with the preceding objects in which
a hanger strip is mounted on horizontally opposed surfaces of a
hangrail so that a hook-type hanger positioned on the hangrail
will have opposed portions of the hook engaged with staggered
spaces between projections on the opposed hanger strips for posi-
tioning the hanger and thus the carpet sample or the like sup-
ported from the hanger in predetermined angular relation to the
hangrail. This enables all of the carpet samples to be tiered
so that an edge portion of each of the carpet samples will be
observable by a prospective purchaser with the displayed samples,
in effect, becoming a cascade of colors with each color being
visible to the purchaser and enabling the purchaser to readily
locate a desired sample with the sample still being readily re-
moved for examination by the purchaser. The opposed projec-
tions and staggered spaces serve to maintain the samples in an
orderly arrangement with each sample being at a desired selected
angle regardless of whether the hangrail is a straight horizontal
rail or arcuately curved, semi-circular, or circular in configu-
ration.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a
hanger strip which is quite economical to produce by vacuum mold-
ing and quite easy to attach to hangrails and effective for dis-
playing carpet samples or samples of similar products.
--3--
~17489
Thus, the present invention is broadly defined as a
hanger strip adapted to be mounted on a hangrail for supporting
a plurality of supporting hangers for carpet samples and the
like ~rom the hangrail, the hanger strip comprising a unitary
strip member having a substantially planar base and a
plurality of equally spaced projections unitary with the strip
member and transverse to said base with the projections being
in longitudinal alignment and defining spaces having
substantially planar side walls continuous with and attached
to the base by a small curved portion, wherein said defined
spaces when measured longitudinally of the strip at the
position of transition from the planar wall to the curved
portion, constitute the largest percentage of the strip
length with the projections comprising a much smaller
percentage of the strip length.
, -3a-
?",
1~7489
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a horizontal hangrail
with opposed hanger s~rips supported thereon illustrating the
orientation of the hook portion of the hanger engaged with stag-
gered spaces on the opposed hanger strips.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of an arcuately curved or
semi-circular hangrail with opposed hanger strips thereon illus-
trating the orientation of the hangers and carpet samples in
tangential relation to the hangrail.
Figure 3 is a transverse, sectional view illustrating
the relationship of the opposed hanger strips to the hanger rail.
Figure 4 i9 a longitudinal sectional view of a portion
of the assembly.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a segment of a hanger
strip.
Figure 6 is a fragmental perspective view of an inclined
hangrail with a single hanger strip thereon.
Referring now specifically to the drawings, a hanger
strip 10 is illustrated in Fig. 4 with the hanger strip 10 being
positioned along horizontally opposed surfaces of a straight,
horizontally oriented hangrail 12 in Fig. 1, along horizontally
ly opposed arcuate surfaces of an arcuate or semi-circular hang-
rail 14 in Fig. 2 and along the top surface of an inclined hang-
rail 15 in Fig. 6. The specific structure of the hangrails 12
and 14 may vary but as illustrated in Fig. 3, the hangrail 12 is
in the form of a hollow metal or plastic tube, preferably of
square configuration, However, the hang strips 10 may be used
with various configurations of hangrails and hangrails having
various structural characteristics, such as solid rails, bars,
strips, or the like. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the horizontal
straight hangrail 12 is supported by arms 16 and brackets 18
attached to vertical uprights 20, or the like. The supporting
structure for the hangrail 12 may vary depending upon the instal-
iil74~39
laLional requiremen~s. For example, the brackets 18 may be ver-
tically adjustable on support members 20 which may be in the form
of vertical standards, posts, or the like, or the brackets 18 may
be attached to a wall surface or other supporting structure with
the dimensional characteristics of the hangrail 12 being varied
especially as to the length dimensions or the hangrail 12 may be
in the form of a modular arrangement to facilitate installation
in various orientations having different requirements. In Fig. 2,
the hangrail 14 is supported by brackets 22 on upright supports 24
or on any other suitable structure with the hangrail being prefer-
ably but not necessarily semi-circular in configuration. The
hangrail could be circular or it could have any arc of curvature
desired and be supported by any suitable brackets from supporting
posts standards, wall structures, or the like.
The hang strip 10 is of unitary plastic material of any
suitable color and thickness capable of being economically formed
such as by a vacuum molding process. The strip 10 includes an
elongated, continuous base 26 which is relatively thin and has a
width generally corresponding to a vertical dimension of the hang-
rail such as the inner and outer walls of the hangrail 12 asillustrated in Fig. 3. ~ach longitudinal edge of the base 26 is
laterally offset as at 28 for a short distance and the free edge
of the laterally offset edge 28 terminates in an outwardly extend-
ing flange 30 which is quite narrow and serves to rigidify the
base 26 along with the offset ledge of flange 28 and to facilitate
assembly of the base 26 onto the hangrail 12, since the flanges 30
are inclined or slightly curved outwardly in relation to the off-
set ledge 28 which is also slightly inclined so that it will fit
hangrails 12 having substantially sharp corner6 or rounded
corners. Disposed longitudinally in the base 26 is a plurality
of projections 32 which define ridges or spacers with U-shaped
spaces 34 therebetween. Each of the projections 32 is identical
~117489
and the projections are equally spaced throughout the length of
the base 26 with the projections 32 being vacuum formed and thus
having a hollow interior as designated by numeral 36. Also, each
projection 32 is generally frusto-pyramidal and includes relative-
ly wide, outwardly converging edges 38 perpendicular to the side
edges of the base 26 and relatively narrow outwardly converging
side edges 40 which parallel the side edges of the base 26 and
substantially flat and smooth outer end walls 42 which parallel
the base 26. The horizontal dimension of the space 34 between
adjacent projections 32 is substantially greater than the longi-
tudinal thickness of each projection 32, thereby providing an
arrangement in which the outer ends 42 of the projections 32 define
a minimum portion of the total length of the strip with the longi-
tudinal dimension of the spaces 34 between the tip ends of the
projections 32 defining a major portion of the longitudinal length
of the hanger strip, thereby facilitating use of the strip.
As illustrated, a plurality of carpet samples 44 are
supported in suspended relation to hangrail 12 by supporting
hangers 46 having clips 48 engaging to the upper edge of the car-
pet samples. The hangers 46 include a generally centrally dis-
posed~ hook 50 which has an entrance throat opening downwardly
toward the hanger 46 generally in the nature of a garment hanger
and constructed of metal, plastic, or the like, with the hangers
being a conventional product used in suspending carpet samples.
As illustrated, the hook 50 of the hanger 46 is supported in
staggered spaces 34 thereby orienting the hanger 46 and the
carpet 44 in acute angular relation to the longitudinal axis of
the hangrail 12 thereby orienting the carpet samples 44 in a
tiered arrangement so that the side edge portions of the carpet
samples 44 are observable by a prospective customer as illustrated
in Fig, 1. Thus, by providing the hanger strips 10 along opposed
surfaces of a hangrail 12 and having uniformly and evenly dis-
lil7489
tributed spaces and projections thereon, the hook 50 may be en-
gaged with longitudinally spaced or staggered spaces rather than
directly opposed spaces thereby maintaining and positioning all
of the carpet samples in parallel relation but in acute angular
relation to the longitudinal axis of the hangrail 12 rathèr than
in perpendicular relation thereto as would occur were the hook 50
placed in directly opposite spaces 34.
In the arcuate configuration of the device illustrated
in Fig. 2, a similar orientation of the hooks is provided so that
the carpet samples 44 will be oriented in a generally tangential
relation or an acute angle to a radius of curvature of the
hangrail 14. This provides an arrangement in which the samples
44 do not radiate from the center and at their tangential angles,
they clearly expose color, pattern and texture to the prospective
customer.
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the pattern 52 of the nearest
carpet sample 44 is completely observable along with the color and
texture and the adjacent sample 44 has a substantial portion of
the vertical edge thereof exposed so that the pattern 54 as well as
the color and texture can be observed by the prospective customer.
Thus, prospective purchasers, customers, decorators, and the like,
may quite readily observe the colors, patterns, textures, and the
like, and also easily "feel" the samples, thus further enhancing
sales potential by enabling the prospective customers to more
effectively select a carpet which they feel will most nearly
satisfy their requirements.
In the inclined embodiment in Fig. 6, the hangrail 15
has a hanger strip 10 secured along the top surface thereof and
the weight of the carpet samples 44 retains the samples in verti-
cal orientation with the top edge portions of the samples 44 being
~117489
exposed so that not only ~he front sample can be observed but asubstantial portion of the ~op edge portion of adjacent samples
may be observed. The hook 50 on hanger 46 is maintained in posi-
tion by its engagement with the corners of the projection 32
where it merges with the base 26 but the entire hanger and sample
supported thereby may be easily removed and replaced.
The hanger strip 10 is attached to the hangrail 12 by
adhesive material 56 which may be in the form of a pressure sen-
sitive adhesive or any other suitable adhesive material. Other
types of mechan;cal fastening devices may be utilized in lieu of
adhesive material in order to secure the hanger strip 10 along
the opposite side portions of the hangrail. The hanger strip 10
may be constructed of various colors to further enhance the
appearance characteristics of the display assembly and the plastic
construction of the hanger strip enables it to flex sufficiently
to conform to the arcuate curvature of the hangrail.
