Patent Application
20080210827
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to merchandising of curtain rods and more particularly to a hanger for mounting a curtain rod on a conventional display of the type consisting of one or more horizontally extending prongs.
2. Description of Prior Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Curtain rods of various types, such as those consisting of a cylindrical shaft of fixed length made of wood or metal, and two-section metal tension rods of adjustable length, are well known in the art. They are utilized for various purposes, such as supporting clothes hangers in closets, hanging window treatments of a variety of different kinds adjacent window frames, as well as for suspending shower curtains and shower curtain liners within bathtub enclosures. Fixed length curtain rods are available with plain ends designed to be supported by brackets fixed to walls. Variable length tension rods are provided with pressure pads or suction cups designed to be situated between opposing vertical surfaces. Often, the curtain rods are available with enlarged decorative ends, known as finials. The finials may carry the pressure pads or suction cups when used on tension rods.
Because such curtain rods are by nature long and narrow, they are difficult to display in a satisfactory manner at retail. They may be arranged upright in some sort of an open container on the store floor or may be placed horizontally on a rack or shelf. However, neither of those options is considered to be optimum from a merchandising point of view.
The present invention relates to an inexpensive and reusable display hanger designed to releasably engage the end of a curtain rod and to suspend the curtain rod from a conventional single or double prong display bracket in a manner which makes it easy for a potential consumer to examine and choose a curtain rod for purchase.
The hanger of the present invention includes two parts. The first part takes the form of a collar made of resilient material such as plastic that can releasably engage the curtain rod in a “snap-fit” fashion proximate the end thereof. The second part includes two spaced openings, one to receive the curtain rod end and the other capable of receiving one or two prongs from a conventional display bracket. To insure that the hanger will not accidentally dislodge from the display as it swings, the parts are pivotally connected together.
It is, therefore, a prime object of the present invention to provide a display hanger for merchandising curtain rods at retail.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a display hanger for a curtain rod which can be used with single or double prong display brackets.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a display hanger for a curtain rod which permits the rod to pivot relative to the display bracket.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a display hanger for a curtain rod that is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a display hanger for a curtain rod that is esthetically pleasing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a display hanger for a curtain rod that can be used with curtain rods having ends with finials or irregular shapes.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a display hanger for a curtain rod that is reusable.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a hanger is provided for mounting a curtain rod on a display prong. The curtain rod has an end. The hanger includes a body and means connected to the body for engaging the rod. The body has a first opening adapted to receive the curtain rod end and a second opening adapted to be engaged by a prong of the display, to mount the curtain rod on the display.
The first opening is spaced from the second opening.
The curtain rod end may include a part, such as a finial, with an exterior surface having a contour. The first opening has a shape substantially corresponding to that contour.
The hanger includes means for connecting the body and the rod engaging means. Preferably, those means are pivotal connecting means.
The rod engaging means preferably takes the form of means for releasably engaging the cylindrical portion of the rod. It preferably includes a collar. The collar is formed of resilient plastic and comprises an arcuate member with spaced ends.
The second opening includes at least one recess. The prong of the display is adapted to be received in the recess. Preferably more than one recess is provided to accommodate displays with two spaced prongs. Most preferably, three recesses are provided such that single prong and double prong displays can be accommodated.
The hanger is preferably made of plastic.
The hanger may be a shower curtain rod.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a curtain rod and a hanger for mounting the curtain rod on a display are provided in combination. The curtain rod has an end. The hanger includes a body and means connected to the body for engaging the rod. The body has a first opening adapted to receive the shower curtain rod end and a second opening adapted to be engaged by a prong of the display, to mount the curtain rod on the display.
The first opening of the body is spaced from the second opening.
The curtain rod end may include a part, such as a finial, with an exterior surface having a contour. The first opening has a shape substantially corresponding to that contour.
The hanger includes means for connecting the body and the rod engaging means. Preferably, those means are pivotal connecting means.
The rod engaging means preferably takes the form of means for releasably engaging the cylindrical portion of the rod. It preferably includes a collar. The collar is formed of resilient plastic and comprises an arcuate member with spaced ends.
The second opening of the body includes at least one recess. The prong of the display is adapted to be received in the recess. Preferably more than one recess is provided to accommodate display brackets with two spaced prongs. Most preferably, three recesses are provided such that single prong and double prong display brackets can be accommodated.
The hanger is preferably made of plastic.
The hanger may be a shower curtain rod, including a shower curtain tension rod.
To these and to such other objects that may hereinafter appears, the present invention relates to display hanger for a curtain rod as described in detail in the following specification, and recited in the annexed claims, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts and in which:
As seen in the drawings, the hanger of the present invention includes a rod engaging part, generally designed A, and a body part, generally designated B, adapted to accommodate the end of the curtain rod and receive one or more prongs of a conventional display bracket, generally designated C. Parts A and B are preferably connected in a manner that permits part A to pivot relative to part B, as is illustrated in
The hanger is designed for use with a curtain rod, generally designated D, which includes a cylindrical shaft 10 with an end 12 having a finial 14 fixed thereto. Finial 14 has an irregular exterior surface 16 with a particular contour for decorative purposes and a planar end section 18 which may include a pressure pad.
Rod engaging part A comprises a collar 22 formed of an arcuate member made of resilient plastic. Collar 22 has spaced ends 24, 26 defining an opening or gap therebetween. The resiliency of the collar material permits end 24, 26 to be moved apart from their normal relative position to receive shaft 10 of rod C at a point below finial 14 and then to return to their normal position to engage the shaft securely. Thus, rod D “snap-fits” into the collar. Ends 24 and 26 are preferably rounded, as best seen in
Body part B has a first opening 30 with an edge that has a contour corresponding to the contour of the curtain rod end, in this case, exterior surface 16 of finial 14. It also has a second opening 32 spaced from first opening 30.
Second opening 32 has a lower substantially straight edge 34 and upper edge including three upwardly directed spaced recesses 36, 38 and 40. Second opening 32 is designed to receive the prong 42 of a single prong display bracket 33 in recess 38, as illustrated in
It will now be appreciated that the present invention relates to a hanger for mounting a curtain rod, such as a shower curtain rod, on a display and can accommodate conventional display brackets with either single or double prongs. The hanger includes a body and means, in the form of a resilient collar, pivotally connected to the body for engaging the rod in a “snap-fit” fashion. The body has a first opening adapted to receive the curtain rod end and a second opening adapted to be engaged by a prong of the display, to mount the curtain rod on the display.
The curtain rod end may include a part, such as a finial, with an exterior surface having a contour. The first opening has a shape substantially corresponding to that contour.
The second opening preferably includes three recesses such that single prong and double prong displays can be accommodated.
While only a single preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it is obvious that many modifications and variations could be made thereto. It is intended to cover all of those modifications and variations which fall within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims:
