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EP 0 427 552 B2 |
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NEW EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Date of publication and mentionof the opposition decision: |
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28.06.2000 Bulletin 2000/26 |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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10.03.1993 Bulletin 1993/10 |
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Date of filing: 08.11.1990 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC)7: A47G 25/50 |
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Garment hanger
Kleiderbügel
Cintre
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Designated Contracting States: |
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BE DE DK ES FR IT NL SE |
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Priority: |
08.11.1989 GB 8925214
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Date of publication of application: |
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15.05.1991 Bulletin 1991/20 |
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Proprietor: KARNER & COMPANY AKTIEBOLAG |
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S-531 18 Lidkoping (SE) |
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Inventor: |
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- Andersson, Ulf
S-531 18 Lidkoping (SE)
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Representative: Deans, Michael John Percy et al |
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Lloyd Wise, Tregear & Co.,
Commonwealth House,
1-19 New Oxford Street London WC1A 1LW London WC1A 1LW (GB) |
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References cited: :
AU-B- 544 211 DE-U- 89 023 625 GB-A- 2 181 046 US-A- 3 209 966
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BE-A- 1 000 523 DE-U- 90 053 931 GB-A- 2 206 041
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[0001] This invention relates to garment hangers. It is particularly concerned with hangers
adapted for the display in a retail store of garments such as lingerie.
[0002] It is the common practice in retail stores to display garments for sale from a hanging
rail. This practice, formerly restricted to jackets, suits, coats and other items
of outer wear is now of almost universal application even for relatively light weight
garments such as swimwear and lingerie which, formerly, would have been packaged in
a film wrapping or a cardboard box. Nowadays, customers wish to see and to touch a
garment before they purchase it.
[0003] Whether the garment hanger is removed from the garment at the point of sale or is
left on the garment, and therefore effectively given away with each purchase, the
same ideal requirements exist. Any garment hanger should be inexpensive and of virtually
universal application; in particular, it must be capable of supporting garments of
different sizes, for example knickers with a different size waist band. It is simply
unacceptable, both in terms of the labour cost involved and in terms of the need to
maintain a variety of different stocks, to support garments of different sizes on
hangers of different sizes.
[0004] One approach to this problem has been the development of various forms of telescopic
or spring loaded hangers which can automatically adjust for different size waist bands.
Such hangers are relatively expensive to manufacture, not always fully reliable with
repeated use, and they tend to stretch the waist band.
[0005] An alternative approach has been the design of so-called "wish bone" hangers in which
the springiness of the plastics material from which these hangers are made, combined
with a generally bow shape provides for a degree of accommodation for garments of
different size waist bands. Although such hangers have enjoyed a success, they tend
to be relatively large and relatively flimsy in construction and so are not ideal
for repeated use.
[0006] A further approach is exemplified by GB-A-2181046 in which there are a plurality
of support elements inboard of the outer extremities of the hanger. Either the garment
is suspended between two such support elements separated by a width corresponding
to the size of the waist band (obviously there must be a degree of stretch or the
garment will not be supported); or, as suggested in GB-A-2181046, the garment may
be mounted about the outer most support element, with the return portion looped about
one of the more inboard supports.
[0007] Hangers with such constructions have also achieved a measure of success though they,
too, also entail a necessary stretch of the waist band in order to support the garment
adequately. Retailers tend to err on the side of over-stretching the waist band when
mounting the garment to the hanger since there is nothing so discouraging in a retail
store as to find a pool of garments beneath a display stand which have become detached
from their hangers. One problem encountered with hangers of the kind illustrated in
GB-A- 2181046 is that whereas the retailer can readily mount garments on the hanger,
looping the end of the waist band around an appropriate inboard support on its return,
this manner of support is not so obvious to the retail customer who may detach a garment
from the hanger in order better to see whether any particular garment is the right
size or suits the wearer. Thereafter they may attempt to place the garment back on
the hanger if they decide not to purchase it but, without being aware that the end
of the waist band must be looped about an inboard support element, they sometimes
find that they simply cannot see how to fit the garment back on the hanger and, may
simply allow the garment to fall on the floor.
[0008] Another deficiency inherent in the hanger described and illustrated in GB-A-2181046
is that it is suitable only for garments with a waist band. There is no way in which
such a garment hanger may be used to mount, say, a bikini top and pants.
[0009] A garment hanger designed to mount a set of garments, such as a bikini top and pants
or to mount any one of a variety of garments is proposed in GB-A-2,206,041. To achieve
this it is provided with a plurality of gripping means or clips at each end of a support
bar. Thus GB-A-2,206,041 discloses a hanger comprising: a support bar; suspensions
means (in the form of a hook) for supporting a central portion of the support bar
from a hanging rail or the like, so that the support bar is supported generally horizontally
in operation; and respective gripping means (in the form of clips) at opposite distal
extremities of the support bar, adapted to receive and releasably hold a thickness
of material of a garment supported by the hanger. The hangers described in detail
in GB-A-2,206,041 each have three clips at each end of the support bar, two of which
extend lengthwise of the support bar (one above and one beneath), with their openings
directed inwardly, and the third positioned vertically, with its opening directed
downwardly. As explained, the purpose of this plurality of clips is that the hangers
described may be used to support a variety of different garments. There is no provision
expressly provided for the purpose of accommodating garments of widely different sizes.
[0010] Document BE-A-1000523 discloses the prior art portion of claim 1 and offers a partial
solution to the problem of accommodating larger sized garments by providing a pair
of auxiliary clips inboard of the clips at the distal ends of the support bar. The
garment is held by the clips at the distal ends and excess material is held under
the auxiliary clips. The clipping occurs only at one discrete position inboard from
the distal extremity. For only moderately oversized garments, the excess material
will not reach inboard to the auxiliary clips and so will leave an untidy loose flap
of material. For substantially oversized garments, while the excess material will
be held by the auxiliary clips, there will still be an untidy flap of excess material
inboard of the auxiliary clip.
[0011] There is a continuing need for new and improved garment hangers particulary adapted
for the mounting of garments such as lingerie or swimwear for retail sale, which hangers
are relatively inexpensive, relatively robust, readily adaptable to the mounting of
garments of different sizes without leaving unsightly excess material hanging free
and which, preferably, are capable of mounting a variety of different garments, and
preferably several garments of a set simultaneously.
[0012] The present invention has arisen from our work in seeking to resolve these difficulties
in the provision of improved garment hangers.
[0013] In accordance with the present invention as claimed in claim 1, we provide a garment
hanger comprising: a support bar; suspension means adapted for supporting a central
portion of the support bar from a hanging rail or the like, the support bar being
supported generally horizontally in operation; respective gripping means coupled to
the support bar at or adjacent the opposite distal extremities of the support bar
and adapted to receive and releasably hold a thickness of material of a garment supported
by the hanger; and location means integral with the support bar and arranged to receive
widthwise excess material of a garment exceeding the length of the support bar from
one gripping means to another; location means comprising location bars which are connected
to the said central portion and extend generally alongside the support bar on either
side of the central portion towards the opposite distal extremities of the support
bar for a major portion of the length of the support bar, the support bar having extreme
distal end portions which extend generally downwardly when the hanger is suspended
as aforesaid, and each location bar having a corresponding distal end portion which
extends generally downwardly when the hanger is suspended as aforesaid, the spacing
between each location bar and the associated portion of support bar and the resilience
of each location bar being such that the location bar is adapted for locating a garment
in the spacing defined between each location bar and the associated portion of the
support bar.
[0014] Preferred features of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.
[0015] The hanger is conveniently moulded in one piece from plastics material. In preferred
constructions, the suspension means comprises a hook; the gripping means comprises
a one-piece plastics crocodile clip with its opening directed downwardly when the
hanger is suspended and adapted for receiving a waist band of a garment of the kind
formed with a waist band; further gripping means, also preferably in the form of one-piece
plastics crocodile clips, are formed on the upper surface of the support bar, preferably
with their openings directed inwardly towards the central portion of the support bar,
which further gripping means are adapted for receiving, for example, straps of a second
garment, whereby the said garment hanger is adapted alternatively for supporting a
garment of the kind having a waist band or a garment of a kind having a pair of straps,
or a set of garments comprising one of each, such as a camisole top and French knickers
set or a two-piece bathing suit.
[0016] The invention is hereinafter more particularly described by way of example only with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 shows a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of garment hanger constructed
in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 2 shows an end elevational view of the hanger of Fig. 1 as seen from the left
in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 shows an underneath plan view of the hanger of Figs. 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 shows a scrap sectional view to an enlarged scale taken along the line IV-IV
in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 5 shows a scrap sectional view to an enlarged scale taken along the line V-V
in Fig. 1.
[0017] The preferred embodiment of garment hanger constructed in accordance with the present
invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings is suitably moulded from plastics
material such as polypropylene or nylon and comprises a support bar generally indicated
1 and a suspension means, here in the form of a conventional hook 2. The support bar
1 has a central portion 3 to which the hook 2 is attached and portions 4 extending
outwardly from the central portion on opposite sides thereof. At the distal extremity
of each such portion 4 of the support bar are located respective gripping means 5.
[0018] The gripping means 5 may take various forms but are preferably, as here illustrated,
of a conventional form, namely a one-piece plastics crocodile clip in which the respective
jaws 6 and 7 which are formed with serrations 8 may be separated to insert a thickness
of material of a garment to be supported by the hanger, the inherent resilience of
the material of the clip serving to bias the clip 5 towards its closed configuration,
thereby releasably to hold the said thickness of material. In the preferred arrangement
illustrated, the opening between jaws 6 and 7 points generally downwardly when the
hanger is suspended from the hanging rail or the like by means of the hook 2.
[0019] Extending generally alongside the portions of the support bar 4 on opposite sides
of the central portion 3 are respective location bars 9. As can be seen, the location
bars extend along a substantial portion of the length of the support bar on either
side of the central portion. As the extreme distal end portion 10 of the support bar
forming in effect one jaw 7 of the crocodile clip 5 points generally downwardly, the
end portion 11 of each location bar 9 is similarly curved to extend downwardly.
[0020] As can be seen from Fig. 4, both the support bar and the location bar are formed
with a generally I-shape in section. This configuration provides a good balance between
strength and lightness. The hook is generally similarly formed. It will be noted from
Fig. 5, however, that end portion 11 of each location bar is formed with a lesser
overall thickness than the location bar over the greater part of its length, being
connected with the main portion of the location bar by a region 12 which has a tapered
overall width.
[0021] In use of the hanger, for example to support a pair or knickers, the garment is laid
across the hanger and received by the crocodile clips 5. Either the full thickness
of the garment (i.e. two layers) may be received between the jaws 6 and 7 of clip
5, or jaw 6 may extend down within the waist band so that only one thickness of material
is received between the jaws, the other passing around the outside of the clip. In
either event, since the length of the support bar is less than the width of the garment,
this will leave a return portion which is taken behind the hanger and then pushed
back through the gap between the support bar and the location bar. The spacing between
the support bar and each location bar and the resilience of each location bar (which,
at least in the end portion 11 is determined by the extent by which the thickness
of this region is reduced compared with the main length of the location bar) is such
that when the extreme portions of the garment width are received between the support
bar and location bar as described above, this is sufficient to hold the said extreme
portions in position.
[0022] In this way, the garment hanger can readily accommodate garments of widely varying
width. Moreover, the illustrated garment hanger can achieve this without stretching
a waist band. There are no moving parts which might go wrong, as in the case of a
telescopic hanger. The illustrated hanger is readily adaptable to moulding in one
piece from plastics material and is therefore essentially inexpensive in construction.
[0023] A further preferred feature is the provision of further gripping means 13 which may
be of similar construction to the gripping means 5 but are formed on the upper surface
14 of the support bar. In the preferred construction as illustrated, the jaws of the
gripping means 13 open towards the central portion of the hanger. This construction
is particularly adapted for supporting garments of the kind having a strap, such as
the strap of a full-length slip, bikini top, or so on. The embodiment of hanger illustrated
is sufficiently inexpensive to produce that one and the same hanger may be used alternatively
for supporting garments having a waist band or for supporting garments having a strap
when previously two quite different constructions of hanger would have been required
by a retailer for supporting these different types of garment. A particularly preferred
feature of the illustrated embodiment is that a single hanger can support a set of
garments such as a set of camisole top and French knickers, or a two-piece bathing
costume. In each case the garment with a waist band is held by the clips 5 with the
return portions located between the locating bars and the support bar and the garment
of the set having straps is supported from the clips 13.
1. A garment hanger comprising: a support bar (1); suspension means (2) adapted for supporting
a central portion (3) of the support bar (1) from a hanging rail or the like, the
support bar (1) being supported generally horizontally in operation; respective gripping
means (5) coupled to the support bar at or adjacent the opposite distal extremities
(4) of the support bar (1) and adapted to receive and releasably hold a thickness
of material of a garment supported by the hanger; and location means integral with
the support bar and arranged to receive widthwise excess material of a garment exceeding
the length of the support bar from one gripping means to the other; the location means
comprising location bars (9) which are connected to the said central portion (3) and
extend generally alongside the support bar on either side of the central portion (3)
towards the opposite distal extremities (4) of the support bar for a major portion
of the length of the support bar (1), the support bar (1) having extreme distal end
portions (10) which extend generally downwardly when the hanger is suspended as aforesaid,
and each location bar (9) having a corresponding extreme distal end portion (11) which
extends generally downwardly when the hanger is suspended as aforesaid, the spacing
between each location bar (9) and the associated portion of support bar (1) and the
resilience of each location bar (9) being such that the location bar (9) is adapted
for locating a garment in the spacing defined between each location bar (9) and the
associated portion of the support bar (1).
2. A garment hanger according to Claim 1, wherein the support bar (1) and respective
garment location bars (9) are generally parallel.
3. A garment hanger according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein said distal end portion (11) of
each location bar (9) has a lesser overall thickness than the location bar (9) over
the greater part of its length.
4. A garment hanger according to Claim 3, wherein said distal end portion (11) of each
location bar (9) is connected with the main portion thereof by a region (12) having
a tapered overall width.
5. A garment hanger according to any preceding claim, wherein each gripping means (5)
is in the form of a crocodile clip with its opening directed downwardly when the hanger
is suspended.
6. A garment hanger according to Claim 5, wherein the extreme distal end portions (10)
of the support bar each form one jaw (7) of a said crocodile clip.
7. A garment hanger according to any preceding claim, wherein there are further gripping
means (13) formed on the upper surface (14) of the support bar, the further gripping
means comprising two crocodile clips one disposed at each end of the support bar,
and each having its opening directed inwardly towards the central portion of the support
bar.
8. A garment hanger according to Claim 6 or 7, and integrally moulded in one piece from
plastics material, each said crocodile clip comprising two jaws each having a plurality
of teeth, the jaws being interconnected by a flexible portion whereby a portion of
a garment may be inserted between the teeth of said jaws with release of said garment
portion from said clip being resisted by an interference effect of said teeth.
1. Kleiderbügel, umfassend: einen Trägerbügel (1); eine Aufhängvorrichtung (2) zur Halterung
eines Mittelabschnittes (3) des Trägerbügels (1) an einer Hängeschiene oder dergleichen,
wobei der Trägerbügel (1) bei Gebrauch allgemein horizontal ausgerichtet hängt; entsprechende
Greif- (bzw. Klemmvorrichtungen) (5), die mit dem Träger-bügel an bzw. in der Nähe
von einander gegenüberliegenden distalen (äußersten) Enden (4) des Trägerbügels (1)
gekoppelt sind und zur Aufnahme und lösbaren Halterung einer Materialstärke eines
von dem Kleiderbügel gehaltenen Kleidungsstückes ausgelegt sind; und Fixiervorrichtungen,
die einstückig mit dem Kleiderbügel ausgeführt und so ausgelegt sind, daß sie der
Breite nach überstehendes Material eines Kleidungsstückes aufnehmen, das die Länge
des Trägerbügels von einer Klemmvorrichtung zur anderen überschreitet; wobei die Fixiervorrichtungen
Fixierbügel (9) aufweisen, die mit dem Mittelabschnitt (3) verbunden sind und allgemein
entlang dem Trägerbügel auf jeder Seite des Mittelabschnittes (3) in Richtung auf
die einander gegenüberliegenden distalen (äußersten) Enden (4) des Trägerbügels über
einen Hauptabschnitt der Länge des Trägerbügels (1) verlaufen, wobei der Trägerbügel
(1) distale (äußerste) Endabschnitte (10) hat, die bei voranstehend beschriebener
Aufhängung des Kleiderbügels allgemein nach unten verlaufen, und wobei jeder Fixierbügel
(9) einen entsprechenden distalen (äußersten) Endabschnitt (11) hat, der bei voranstehend
beschriebener Aufhängung des Kleiderbügels allgemein nach unten verläuft, wobei der
Abstand zwischen jedem Fixierbügel (9) und dem damit verbundenen Abschnitt des Trägerbügels
(1) und die Nachgiebigkeit eines jeden Fixierbügels (9) so gewählt sind, daß der Fixierbügel
(9) zur Halterung eines Kleidungsstückes in dem zwischen jedem Fixierbügel (9) und
dem zugehörigen Abschnitt des Trägerbügels (1) definierten Zwischenraum ausgelegt
ist.
2. Kleiderbügel gemäß Anspruch 1, worin der Trägerbügel (1) und die entsprechenden Fixierbügel
(9) für Kleidung allgemein zueinander parallel sind.
3. Kleiderbügel gemäß Anspruch 1 oder 2, worin der distale Endabschnitt (11) eines jeden
Fixierbügels (9) über den größten Teil seiner Länge eine geringere Gesamtdicke hat
als der Fixierbügel (9).
4. Kleiderbügel gemäß Anspruch 3, worin der distale Endabschnitt (11) eines jeden Fixierbügels
(9) über einen Bereich (12), dessen Gesamtbreite sich verjüngt, mit dem Hauptabschnitt
des Bügels (9) verbunden ist.
5. Kleiderbügel gemäß einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, worin jede Klemmvorrichtung
(5) die Form einer Krokodilklemme hat, deren Öffnung bei aufgehängtem Kleiderbügel
nach unten gerichtet ist.
6. Kleiderbügel gemäß Anspruch 5, worin die distalen (äußersten) Endabschnitte (10) des
Trägerbügels jeweils eine Klemmbacke (7) der Krokodilklemme bilden.
7. Kleiderbügel gemäß einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, worin weitere Klemmvorrichtungen
(13) auf der oberen Oberfläche (14) des Trägerbügels ausgebildet sind, wobei die weiteren
Klemmvorrichtungen zwei Krokodilklemmen umfassen, von denen jeweils eine an jedem
Ende des Trägerbügels angeordnet, und jede mit ihrer Öffnung nach innen auf den Mittelabschnitt
des Trägerbügels hin gerichtet ist.
8. Kleiderbügel gemäß Anspruch 6 oder 7, integral in einem Stück aus Kunststoffmaterial
gegossen, wobei jede Krokodilklemme zwei Klemmbacken umfaßt, welche jeweils eine Vielzahl
von Zähnen aufweisen, und die Klemmbacken durch einen flexiblen Abschnitt miteinander
verbunden sind, wodurch ein Abschnitt eines Kleidungsstückes zwischen die Zähne der
Klemmbacken eingeführt werden kann und eine Eingriffwirkung der Zähne ineinander dem
Lösen des Kleidungsstückabschnitts aus der Klemme entgegenwirkt.
1. Un cintre caractérisé par: un support (1) en forme de barre; un moyen d'accrochage
(2) à une tringle suspendue ou à un objet ayant la même fonction, tous deux solidaires
de la partie centrale du support, celui-ci (1) étant généralement en position horizontale
lors de son utilisation; des moyens de préhension (5) accouplés aux extrêmités opposées
(4) de la barre support (1) ou adjacents à celle-ci, conçus pour recevoir, maintenir
et libérer une épaisseur de tissu d'un vêtement suspendu au cintre; un dispositif
de présentation partie intégrante du support et conçu de façon à recevoir en largeur
l'excès de tissu d'un vêtement plus grand que l'espace séparant sur le support les
moyens de préhension, ledit dispositif de présentation comportant des barres (9) parties
intégrantes du support, avec lequel elles sont solidaires en sa partie centrale (3),
s'étendant de part et d'autre de ladite partie centrale (3) vers les extrêmités opposées
(4) dudit support, la barre support (1) ayant des extrêmités recourbées (10) dirigées
généralement vers le bas lorque le cintre est suspendu, et chaque barre de présentation
(9) ayant des extrêmités recourbées (11) dirigées généralement vers le bas lorsque
le cintre est suspendu, l'espacement entre chaque barre de présentation (9), et la
partie correspondante du support (1) ainsi que l'élasticité de chaque barre (9) étant
tels que les barres de présentation (9) permettent de placer un vêtement dans l'espace
défini entre ces dernières (9) et la partie correspondante du support (1).
2. Un cintre selon la revendication 1 dans lequel la barre support (1) et les barres
(9) respectives de présentation des vêtements sont généralement parallèles.
3. Un cintre selon les revendications 1 ou 2, dans lequel l'extrêmité recourbée (11)
de chaque barre de présentation (9) a une épaisseur d'ensemble moindre que celle de
la partie horizontale de ladite barre (9).
4. Un cintre selon la revendication 3, dans lequel l'extrémité recourbée (11) de chaque
barre de présentation (9) est reliée à la partie principale de celle-ci par une partie
(12) ayant une forme d'ensemble fuselée.
5. Un cintre selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel chaque
moyen de préhension (5) est une pince en forme de mâchoire de crocodile dont l'ouverture
est dirigée vers le bas lorsque le cintre est suspendu.
6. Un cintre selon la revendication 5, dans lequel les extrémités recourbées (10) de
la barre support sont en forme de pince à mâchoire (7) de crocodile.
7. Un cintre selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel des moyens
supplémentaires de préhension (13) formés sur la surface supérieure (14) de la barre
support, comprennent deux pinces à mâchoire de crocodile disposées chacune à chaque
extrémité de la barre support, et chacune ayant son ouverture dirigée vers l'intérieur
de la partie centrale de la barre support.
8. Un cintre selon les revendications 6 ou 7, intégralement moulé d'une seule pièce dans
des matières plastiques, chaque pince en forme de mâchoire de crocodile comprenant
deux mâchoires ayant une pluralité de dents, les mâchoires étant reliées entre elles
par une partie flexible, une partie du vêtement pouvant être placée entre les dents
desdites mâchoires, la libération de ladite portion de vêtement à partir de latide
pince étant empêchée par un effet d'interférence entre lesdites dents.