Patent Application
20250151930
The present disclosure relates generally to hangers and hanger systems, and more particularly to improved hangers for difficult to hang items, in some examples non-apparel, hung items, and in some examples utility type items. The present disclosure may relate to a garden hose stand hanger.
Utility type items and outdoor type products are typically difficult for retailers to display. These types of products conventionally lay or stand and take up large amounts of shelf and/or floor space. Floor and shelf space are at a premium and it is desirable for products to be displayed in a manner that is neat, takes up minimal shelf space, and remains easy to display and organize.
Outdoor products are typically large, bulky and not conducive to hanging. Further, such outdoor products may be heavy and not centrally weighted. Applicant realized that such products are also difficult to manage and display in a manner that remains organized with customer interaction and keeps the products housed in a way to minimize the amount of floor space taken up by the products.
In some efforts to address these problems, for example in hose stands, some have attempted to stack or offer hose stands disassembled. This however only amplifies the chaos of now having multiple product parts that must be managed and they still individually do not stack or pack well together. Hose stands consistently have a mechanism for winding up and storing a garden hose, however, the decorative upper elements make the design and dimensions of these hose stands unique from stand to stand.
Therefore, Applicants desire devices, systems and methods for a hanger to improve display and presentation, while minimizing cost and required display space, without the drawbacks presented by the traditional systems and methods.
The foregoing brief overview, along with the following summary and detailed description provide examples and are explanatory only. Accordingly, the foregoing brief overview and the following summary and detailed description should not be considered to be restrictive. Further, features or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodiments may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the summary and detailed description.
In accordance with the present disclosure, hanger devices systems and methods are provided. This disclosure provides improved hanger systems and devices that are convenient, efficient, space saving, and cost efficient particularly when used to display difficult to hang items and the like. In some instances, a hanger of the present disclosure enables typically non-hung or difficult to hang items to be hung securely in minimal space in an orderly fashion.
One embodiment of the present disclosure may be considered a hanger including a hook and a set of straps. The hanger may include a neck. The hanger may include a body. The hanger may include one or more arms.
The hook may be a curved hook. The hook may be a squared type of hook. It is understood that the present disclosure includes any shaping of the hook, according to in some examples, the shaping of the bar or support upon which the hook will hang.
The set of straps may be adjustable to adjustably wrap around a product to be hung. The straps may include openings. The set of straps may individually wrap back on itself and secure to the hanger. The straps may include an attachment so each strap may individually wrap back on itself and secure to the hanger.
In some examples, a neck adjoins the hook and one or more arms.
In other examples, the hanger may include an arm. The arm may extend to a strap or straps that adjustably wrap about a product to be hung.
Another embodiment of the disclosure includes a hanger system for hanging multiple items along a shelving display.
Other examples include a hanger kit. Still other examples include methods for hanging products for display.
In particular examples, a hanger may be considered a hanger for a hose stand. The hanger may reduce swinging of hung items and inhibit the hung item from falling off of a support. The hanger may be a universal hanger for uniform hanging of varied designs of hose stands.
The hanger is economical, not adding to significantly to display or item cost and is sturdy for securing hanging of heavy items.
The hanger, in some examples, uniformly hangs hose stands on hanger supports that have a standardized spacing between the hanger support and a shelf above the hanger support. Hose stands have variable upper dimensions and designs above the hose support and therefore traditionally hang differentially because of the different size and design dimensions. Applicant's hanger is able to hang hose stands with different proportions so that variable host stands are able to be accommodated within the standardized spacing.
The above summary was intended to summarize certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Embodiments will be set forth in more detail in the figures and description of embodiments below. It will be apparent, however, that the description of embodiments is not intended to limit the present inventions, the scope of which should be properly determined by the appended claims.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments of the present disclosure. The drawings may contain representations of various trademarks and copyrights owned by the Applicant. In addition, the drawings may contain other marks owned by third parties and are being used for illustrative purposes only. All rights to various trademarks and copyrights represented herein, except those belonging to their respective owners, are vested in and the property of the Applicant. The Applicant retains and reserves all rights in its trademarks and copyrights included herein, and grants permission to reproduce the material only in connection with reproduction of the granted patent and for no other purpose.
The drawings, photographs, pictures, and the like may contain text or captions that may explain certain embodiments of the present disclosure. This text is included for illustrative, non-limiting, explanatory purposes of certain examples and elements detailed in the present disclosure.
Embodiments of the disclosure will be better understood by a reading of the Description of Embodiments along with a review of the drawings, in which:
In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also in the following description, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward,” “rearward,” “left,” “right,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” and the like are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms.
It will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified may be considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
Certain examples and elements are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure and are made merely to provide a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings, photographs, pictures, and the like. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims. The present disclosure contains headers. It should be understood that the headers are used as references and are not to be construed as limiting upon the subject matter disclosed under the header.
The following may depict an example of a method, of a plurality of methods, that may be performed by at least one of the aforementioned embodiments, or components thereof. Further, although the elements here may be disclosed in a particular order, it should be understood that the order is disclosed for illustrative purposes only. Elements may be combined, separated, reordered, and various intermediary stages may exist. Accordingly, it should be understood that the various assemblies, in various embodiments, may be performed/assembled in orders that differ from the ones disclosed below. Moreover, various stages may be added or removed without altering or departing from the fundamental scope of the depicted methods and systems disclosed herein.
The foregoing overview, summary, and the following detailed description provide examples and are explanatory only. Accordingly, the foregoing overview and the following detailed description should not be considered to be restrictive. Further, features or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodiments may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the summary and
Referring now to the drawings in general and
The hook 12 may be a curved hook. The hook 12 may be a squared type of hook. It is understood that the present disclosure includes any shaping of the hook, according to in some examples, adopting the shaping of a bar or support 4 upon which the hook 12 will hang. The hook 12, see
There may be an arm 14 and/or a set of arms 14. The arms 14 may be rigid or at least partially flexible. The set of arms may include straps 22. The straps 22 may be adjustable. The straps 22 may be flexible. The straps 22 may include openings 24. The straps 22 may include attachments 23. In some examples, openings may include and/or be considered attachments 23. Attachments 23 may serve to attach the strap 22 to another portion of the hanger 10. By way of example, attachments may include projections, depressions, buttons, Velcro, snaps, hooks, adhesive, etc. The set of arms and/or body and/or straps may include securing points 25. Securing points 25 may, by way of example mate with attachments 23 and may be a receiver opening, snap, Velcro, hook, adhesive, button, etc. The straps 22 may wrap around the item to be hung and secure to the securing points 25. The straps 22 may include securing edges 28. Securing edges 28 may be, by way of example, teeth or resets that incrementally tighten and/or secure the arms back to the hanger 10. Securing edges 28 may be located in the securing points 25 and/or in the openings 24. The set of arms may individually wrap back on the hanger 10 and secure to the hanger with the items to be hung enclosed by the arms 22. The straps 22 may be integrally formed with the arms 14. The straps 22 may be attached to the arms 22.
Embodiments may include where a strap 22a, 22b extends from each arm respectively 14a, 14b of the set of arms. The strap 22a, 22b may be individually adjustable, such that each strap 22a, 22b are adjustable to differing degrees. By way of example, straps 22a, 22b may secure around different parts of the item to be hung 8 to hang item 8 securely, and in some instances in a level manner. And in some instances, with 22a and 22b operating individually to secure a different area of an item to hang and at times 22a and 22b adjusting to different hanging lengths to hold an item level or to secure the item to hang to the hanger 10.
In certain examples, a hanger 10 may be a universal hanger. Hanger 10 may be a universal hanger, for example, for hose stands. Quiet often, for example with hose stands, there are different hose stand designs, particularly in the upper portions of the hose stand, extending above the hose stand hose support. The differing designs, examples of which are seen in
The different designs topping hose stands present a challenge for displaying the hose stands, especially when there is often limited dimensions on the height allowed for hanging items. The support may be a standardized height, and may include a limited space between the support and the shelf, such that some hose stands may be too tall to be hung below the hose stand support by conventional means, requiring adjustment to the display stand, awkward off balance hanging, and/or unpredictability in the display positioning. The hanger 10, in some examples, provides a hanger having a centralized hanging hook. In some examples, a hanger 10 provides a centralized hook 12 with a decentralized attachment to the item to be hung 8, for example decentralized arms 22 that may be off the center line of the hanger. The hanger 12 may provide one point of contact with a support 4, by way of example a rod or bar, by way of the hook 12. The hanger 12 may provide one point of contact with a support 4 and multiple points of contact with the item to be hung 8, by way of example a hose stand.
In some examples, a neck 18 adjoins the hook 12 and a set of arms 14. In some examples, a neck 18 adjoins the hook 12 and a body 20.
In other examples, the hanger may include an arm 14 and one or more straps 22. The arm 14 and/or strap 22 may be adjustable and wrap about a product to be hung 8.
Another embodiment of the disclosure includes a hanger system 50 for hanging multiple items along a shelving display.
Other examples include a hanger kit. Still other examples include a method for hanging products for display by way of any of the embodiments and/or combination of embodiments disclosed herein.
In particular examples, a hanger may be considered a hanger for hose stands.
Strap/s 22 and/or Arms 14 may be detachable from hook 12 and/or may be flexible for folding as to hook 12. This flexibility and/or detachability may be desirable, in some embodiments, for storage and/or shipping of hangers. In some embodiments, a hanger kit includes a hose stand and a hanger 10. The hanger 10 may be attached to the hose stand prior to shipping of the hose stand in some embodiments, for easy hanging at the retail store. The hanger 10 may be attached or partially assembled at the retail store. An attached hanger 10 may be adjustable to be folded downward on a hose stand in a first position while remaining attached and then in a second position folded back upright when in use to hang the hose stand. The hanger may be alternated between the first position for storage or shipping and the second position for handing, while remaining attached to the hose stand.
A hanger 10 may, by way of example, be made of plastic injection molding or include plastic injection molded parts. The hanger 10 may fold around the top design area of a hose stand (by way of example, above the hose stand support). The hanger 10 may lock in place, by way of example, with a snap that is molded into the plastic. The hanger 10 may be configured to provide uniform hanging of a set of hose stands, for example, at a uniform height, which provides ease of removal and return to display and hanging by the customer and maintains cost effectively, while also efficiently encouraging an orderly and neat display of the hose stands in the hanging position for the retail store.
Those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure will recognize that a variety of types of hangers 10 having flexible arms 22 fall within the scope of the disclosure. Other examples include a variety of shapes, styles, and sizes for the convenience of its user.
Numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of structure and function. Many of the novel features are pointed out in the appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts, within the principle of the disclosure, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the general claims are expressed. By way of example, the arms 22 may be of a zip tie design and zip tie secure back to the hanger 10 when through securing points 25 to attach to the item to be hung 8. It is further noted that, as used in this application, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless expressly and unequivocally limited to one referent.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63548478 | Nov 2023 | US | |
| 63601473 | Nov 2023 | US |
