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(11) | EP 0 183 434 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Garment hanger |
| (57) A garment hanger comprises a support bar (1) over which a garment is folded when
the hanger is in use, and a friction bar (11), arranged substantially parallel to
the support bar and spaced therefrom on the side of the support bar remote from the
point from which the hanger is suspended in use, the friction bar being out of the
plane in which the support bar and the point of suspension lie. The asymmetry of the
hanger means that a garment can be arranged on the hanger in either of two ways, so
as to accommodate garments of different thicknesses. |
[0002] A simple, and well-known, form of garment hanger comprises a support bar over which the garment is folded, and a yoke portion which serves to support the ends of the support bar. The yoke portion usually has a centrally located hook for suspending the hanger from a rail or the like.
[0003] In a known modification of the above described hanger, an additional bar extends substantially parallel to the support bar, spaced therefrom on the side remote from the yoke portion. In use of the modified hanger, a garment (such as a pair of trousers) is first fed between the yoke and the support bar and then fed back between the support bar and the additional bar. Thus, part of the folded garment follows a slightly sinuous path between the support bar and the additional bar. This causes increased friction between the garment and the hanger, and between the two portions of the garment on either side of the support bar. The advantage of this arrangement is that garments which are slightly unevenly hung from the hanger are less likely to fall off.
[0004] A problem exists in providing a garment hanger having the above described modification which is suitable for use with a variety of garments made from different fabrics. That is to say, if the spacing between the support bar and the additional bar is too great, garments of thin, lightweight fabrics are inadequately retained on the hanger. If the gap between the support bar and the additional bar is too small, garments made from thicker, heavier fabrics, such as trousers made from corduroy material, may become marked by the hanger as a result of passing round the support bar and the additional bar in too tight a curve.
[0005] The present invention seeks to overcome the above described disadvantage of the known types of garment hanger.
[0006] According to the present invention there is provided a garment hanger comprising a support bar over which a garment may be folded in use, means for suspending, the suppprt bar from a. rail or the like, and a friction bar, arranged substantially parallel to the support bar and spaced therefrom on the side of the support bar remote from the point from which the hanger is suspended in use, wherein the friction bar is not in the same plane as the support bar and said point of suspension.
[0007] The plane in which the point of suspension and the support bar lie will be referred to hereinbelow as the vertical plane of the hanger. It will be understood, however, that this plane will not necessarily be precisely vertical, even in use of the hanger.
[0008] The asymmetry of the hanger of the present invention means that a garment can be arranged on the hanger in either of two ways. Thicker garments may be folded over the support bar in such a way that both hanging portions pass on the same side of the friction bar as the vertical plane of the hanger. This means that the garment follows a path between the support bar and the friction bar which deviates only slightly from the path which it would follow in the absence of the friction bar. Garments of thinner fabric, on the other hand, may be folded over the support bar and then arranged so that both halves of the garment hang on the side of the friction bar which is remote from the vertical plane of the hanger. This means that the garment is forced to follow a more sinuous path between the support bar and the friction bar, thus ensuring greater friction between the garment and the hanger.
[0009] Preferably, the support bar is of channel section with the walls of the channel lying generally perpendicular to the vertical plane of the hanger. Preferably, the friction bar is also of channel section, with the walls of this channel also lying generally perpendicular to the vertical plane of the hanger, but with the open portion of the friction bar facing the opposite direction from the open portion of the support bar, such that the four edges of the two channels lie on the more sinuous path between the support bar and the friction bar. This has the advantage that even greater friction between a lightweight garment and the hanger is obtained.
[0010] Preferably, the support bar and the friction bar are of generally C-shaped section, such that a garment of thicker fabric arranged around the support bar and the friction bar in the less sinuous arrangement follows curves of relatively large radius. This lessens the risk of a heavy fabric such a corduroy being marked by the support bar of the friction bar.
[0011] The hanger may be made wholly or partly from plastics material, and can be conveniently made by injection moulding.
[0012] The friction bar can extend the full length of the support bar and can be attached to the support bar at one or both ends. More usually, however, two friction bars are provided, each less than half the length of the support bar, and each attached by one end to a respective end of the support bar. There is thus left a gap between the free ends of the friction bars which facilitatesfeeding a garment around the support bar and the friction bars.
[0013] A garment hanger in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a side view of a hanger according to the invention;
Figure 2 is an end view of the hanger of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a partial section along line III-III of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a schematic view corresponding to Figure 3, showing the hanger being used to hang a garment of relatively thick fabric; and
Figure 5 is a further schematic view corresponding to Figure 3, showing the hanger being used to hang a garment of relatively thin fabric.
[0014] Referring to Figure 1, a hanger comprises a support bar 1 suspended by its ends 3, 5 by means of a yoke portion 7. A hook 9 is centrally located in the yoke portion 7.
[0015] On the side of the support bar remote from the hook are two friction bars 11 which are attached to respective ends of the support bar by means of integrally formed connections 12. Each friction bar 11 extends substantially parallel to the support bar for about one third of the length thereof.
[0016] As can be seen more clearly in Figure 2, the friction bars 11 lie out of the plane in which the support bar 1 and the hook 9 lie.
[0017] The support bar 1 and the friction bars 11, are of channel section, the external sides and bases of the channels being rounded to minimise the risk of marking a heavy garment which is hung on the hanger. The channels of the support bar 1 and the friction bars 11 have pairs of free edges (13 and 15, respectively), which face in opposite directions, as can most clearly be seen in Figure 3.
[0018] Figures 4 and 5 show the two ways in which a garment can be arranged on the hanger of Figure 1. The first way, most suitable for garments of relatively thick fabric, or garments of fabric which are prone to being marked by passing round curves of relatively small radius, is shown in Figure 4. The garment 17 passes over the support 1 and between the support bar and the friction bar. This causes the garment to hang in a position which is slightly deflected from the position which it would occupy if the friction bar were not present. Although the garment does not follow any curves of small radius, it is securely held on the hanger by the friction between the garment and the support bar and the friction bar, and by the friction between the two hanging parts of the garment.
[0019] A garment of relatively lightweight fabric is arranged on the hanger as shown in Figure 5. In this arrangement, the garment 19 is folded over the support bar 1, with both halves of the garment passing on the side of the friction bar 11 which is remote from the support bar 1. This means that the garment follows relatively sharper changes of direction, causing greater friction between the garment and the support bar and friction bar. Moreover, friction between the garment and the hanger is increased still further by arranging that the free edges of the channels which constitute the support bar and the friction bars bear against the garment when in the position shown in Figure 5.
1. A garment hanger comprising a support bar (1) over which a garment may be folded
when the hanger is in use, means (9) for suspending the support bar from a rail or
the like, and a friction bar (11), arranged substantially parallel to the support
bar and spaced therefrom on the side of the support bar remote from the point from
which the hanger is suspended in use, wherein the friction bar lies outside the plane
in which the support bar and said point of suspension lie.
2. A hanger according to claim 1, wherein the support bar is of channel section with
the walls of the channel lying generally perpendicular to the plane in which the support
bar and the point of suspension lie.
3. A hanger according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the friction bar is of channel
section, with the walls of the channel lying generally perpendicular to the plane
in which the support bar and the point of suspension lie.
4. A hanger according to claim 3, when dependent on claim 2, wherein the respective
channels of the friction bar and the support bar face in opposite directions.
5. A hanger according to any preceding claim, wherein the support bar and/or the friction
bar are of generally C-shaped section.
6. A hanger according to any preceding claim, being moulded from plastics material.
7. A hanger according to any preceding claim, comprising two friction bars, each less
than half the length of the support bar, and each attached by one end to a respective
end of the support bar.