Coat hanger decorated with fitted coloured inserts

Abstract

 This invention concerns a coat hanger with coloured inserts (2) which are fitted into the frame (1) of the coat hanger, moulded in a single piece of plastic material, which on the upper edge of some sections of its sides, has a longitudinal rib designed to be forcibly inserted within a corresponding groove positioned longitudinally on the lower surface of coloured inserts (2), also moulded in plastic material.

Description

[0001] This patent application for an industrial utility model concerns a coat hanger with plastic inserts fitted into the top edge of the various sides which form the frame of the coat hanger, moulded in one single piece of plastic material.

[0002] Said inserts, also formed by moulding in plastic material, serve a dual purpose, one purely decorative and the other functional.

[0003] As far as the decorative effect is concerned, this can be obtained by using inserts of a different colour than the frame of the coat hanger, thereby obtaining a hanger in two colours, or even multi-coloured, should the inserts themselves also be of different colours.

[0004] The technical function of said inserts on the other hand, consists in providing a non-slip surface of a suitable shape and size for the various garments to be hung thereon. Currently, in order to manufacture plastic hangers in two colours, it is necessary to resort to the process of "over-moulding", whereby the top edges of some sides of the hanger, formed in a previous specific moulding phase; are covered in sheets of plastic or gummy material obviously in a different colour than the hanger.

[0005] Although the external result thus obtained can in fact be considered fully equivalent to that provided by the hanger according to the invention, the complex and rather complicated nature of said " over - moulding " process is however evident, compared to the simple, rapid and economical operation of fitting inserts along the sides of the hanger, as is required in the production of the model at reference in this patent application.

[0006] It should also be noted that said over-moulding process becomes considerably more complicated and therefore more costly, the more colours are required for the covering sheets, so much so that in actual fact, to date only hangers in two colours have been produced, obviously requiring only one over-mpulding operation during which all the covering sheets are formed in the same coloured material.

[0007] The hanger, according to the invention, on the other hand can be produced, at the same manufacturing costs, in two or more colours, since the fitting of all the inserts to the frame of the hanger, always requires the same amount of time and the same assembling equipment, regardless of whether all the inserts are the same colour or different colours.

[0008] The simplicity of this application, moreover, allows the mounting operation of the various inserts to be effected by non-specialised labour, even up to the point where hypothetically, the hanger according to the invention, could be packaged and distributed in a box kit, containing the frame and the various coloured inserts, which the end user himself could assemble without the slightest difficulty.

[0009] For further clarity of explanation, the description of the invention continues with reference to the attached drawings reproduced for illustrative and not limitative purposes,

[0010] wherein :

• Fig.1 shows the hanger according to the invention
• Fig.2 is the section of Fig.1, in plan II-II;
• Fig.3 is the identical section as in Fig.2, the only difference being that the insert is separate from the frame.

[0011] With reference to the aforementioned figures, the model according to the invention, consists of a coat hanger comprising a frame (1), moulded in a single piece of plastic material, with a longitudinal rib (1a) on some sections of its sides, which runs through the centre and above said sections, which have a smooth, flat surface at the top.

[0012] Along the vertical edges of said rib (1a) at the centre there are two longitudinal, semi-circular, arch-shaped ribs (1b), which are to be forcibly inserted within two corresponding longitudinal slots (2b) positioned along the vertical walls of the groove (2a), which runs longitudinally through the centre of the lower face of the insert (2).

[0013] In more detail, the inserts (2), formed from moulding in plastic material, have a mushroom shaped transversal section, characterised by an upper cap and by a lower central stem with a flat base; said stem actually represents the transversal section of the insert (2) body, which has a flat lower face, at the centre of which there is the aforementioned groove (2a), this having in section exactly the same identical shape as the rib (1a), with which it is to be perfectly connected, by means of a male-female type coupling.

[0014] When the rib (1a) is inserted into the groove (2a), the ribs (1b) of the former bring about the slight elastic opening action of the edges of the latter, which close up again with a click as soon as the ribs (1b) are seated within the grooves (2b), where they remain inserted in a stable manner.

[0015] The upper cap of the inserts (2) can, in each individual case, be given the shape most suitable to be able to support the particular type of garment to be sustained. For example, corresponding to the two lateral downward sloping sections of the frame (1), there could be applied wing shaped inserts of a widtg gradually increasing towards the outside and with a curved upper surface, so as to provide an ample supporting surface, anatomically shaped, for the shoulders of the jacket or coat to be hung thereon.

[0016] On the lower crosspiece of the frame (1), over which trousers are normally hung, the insert could consist of a strip with a rounded upper edge, so as to avoid the formation of ugly transversal creases on the trouser leg. The upper surface of said inserts (2) generally has a non-slip finish, which can be obtained by traditional methods providing said surface with a serrated or in any case roughened edge.

Claims

1) Coat hanger decorated with fitted coloured inserts, characterised by the fact that it consists of a frame (1), moulded in a single piece of plastic material, which has on some sections of its sides a longitudinal rib (1a) which runs through the centre and over the top of said sections, which is to be inserted by means of an elastic click action within a corresponding longitiudinal groove (2a), positioned in the centre of the lower surface of coloured inserts (2), also formed in plastic material during a separate, specific moulding process;

2) Coat hanger decorated with fitted coloured inserts, according to claim 1), characterised by the fact that the rib (1a) has on its vertical edges two longitudinal ribs (1b) with a semi-circular arch-shape, to be forcibly inserted within corresponding longitudinal slots (2b) positioned along the vertical edges of the aforementioned groove(2a).

Drawing