Clothes hangers and trousers hanging bars

Abstract

 The finding relates to both a clothes hanger and to trousers hanging bars, exhibiting so-called "non-slip" surface portions that prevent the slipping of the hung item and the slipping of the folded item. Said elements are characterised in that said non-slip surfaces are realised by laying a film (3, 4) of a silicone-based material (Fig. 3).

Description

[0001] The present finding relates to clothes hangers and to trousers hanging bars of the non-slip type.

[0002] The clothes hangers used for hanging shoulder-worn clothing, such as jackets, coats, shirts and the like, in their simplest configuration consist of a stiff structure, shaped as an arc and provided with a central hook, which ends with a rounded shape on the two sides; they can be associated to an underlying so-called "trousers hanging" bar adapted for hanging folded items.

[0003] One of the disadvantages well known to the operators of the clothing field is the possibility that the hung item may slip from the clothes hanger or from the trousers hanging bar, for example during transport, or when they are exhibited, with the consequent damage caused by their fall on the ground.

[0004] Some times, in order to minimise the occurrence of such disadvantage, surface portions having a certain level of roughness are provided on the two arms forming the shaped arc and on the bar, so as to generate a sufficient friction to prevent the hung item from slipping.

[0005] According to the prior art, such surface portions, called "non-slip", of the clothes hanger are realised by different procedures, ranging from the simple knurled pressing to the application of "pads" (rubber surfaces), up to the laying of an adhesive film.

[0006] If on the one hand the use of adhesives as non-slip material offers the advantage of requiring a quick and simple application system, which may be by immersion or spraying, on the other hand it exhibits several disadvantages; in particular, non-slip films realised with chemical solvents lose their roughness over time due to the evaporation of volatile components, whereas those realised with water-based solvents are sticky and therefore stick to the fabric of the hung item.

[0007] The application of rubber pads (shaped surfaces) obtained by post-pressing or by co-extrusion, besides being an expensive procedure exhibits the disadvantage that since rubber is thermoplastic, it usually loses its features over time, becoming increasingly stiff and losing its colours, if exposed to light for a long period.

[0008] On the other hand, the knurling on the clothes hanger surface is never sufficiently effective for holding the hung clothes during transport.

[0009] In general, all materials used so far as non-slip are susceptible of coming off the plastic support, due to the vibrations occurring during transport on vehicles, and moreover they are sensitive to atmospheric agents and to UHV rays, and therefore they deteriorate over time, so the clothes hanger becomes unusable and is rejected, in turn causing ecological problems due to the disposal of polluting plastic products.

[0010] Purpose of the present finding is to realise a clothes hanger provided with non-slip surfaces which should be effective and resistant in all use conditions.

[0011] This is achieved by using a film made of a silicone-based material.

[0012] Laboratory tests and practical tests have shown that for its resistance to heat, to oxidising and to hydrolysing agents, silicone maintains its physical properties unaltered, is not subject to deformation and to deterioration even in the most unfavourable conditions of use, such as high temperatures (over 70°C) reached inside the containers used for transport, and moreover it exhibits optimum non-slip properties even with minimum thickness films, such as 3-4/10 mm.

[0013] The application of silicone can be carried out using in se known methods; in particular, by direct spraying on the support structure, optionally preceded - in case of irregular surfaces - by a suitable preparation of the same surface to improve the setting of the silicone on the plastic clothes hanger support.

[0014] The finding will be better understood by the attached drawings, wherein:

• Fig. 1 shows a shoulder-worn clothes hanger provided with the non-slip film according to the finding.
• Fig. 2 shows a clothes hanger of the so-called "TOP" type for light clothes and shirts, provided with the non-slip film according to the finding;
• Fig. 3 shows a clothes hanger provided with a trousers hanging bar provided with the non-slip film according to the finding;
• Fig. 4 shows a hanger provided with non-slip bar.

[0015] As shown in the figures, non-slip zones 3 and 4 are defined on body 1 of the clothes hanger and on the trousers hanging bar 2, realised by laying a film made of a silicone-based material.

[0016] Of course, other embodiments are possible besides that illustrated, without departing from the scope of the claims defined hereinafter.

Claims

1. CLOTHES HANGER AND TROUSERS HANGING BARS, exhibiting so-called "non-slip" surface portions that prevent the slipping of the hung item and the slipping of the folded item,
said elements (1, 2) being characterised in that the non-slip surfaces are realised by laying a film (3, 4) of a silicone-based material.

2. CLOTHES HANGER AND TROUSERS HANGING BARS according to claim 1, characterised in that non-slip surfaces (3, 4) realised with a material based on silicone and its derivatives, are provided on the clothes hanger (1) and on its bar (2).

3. CLOTHES HANGER AND TROUSERS HANGING BARS according to claim 1, characterised in that silicone films (3, 4) are directly applied on said elements.

4. CLOTHES HANGER AND TROUSERS HANGING BARS according to claim 1, characterised in that they exhibit a suitably treated surface that improves the setting of the silicone films (3, 4) on said elements.

Drawing