VARIABLE LENGTH CHILDRENS WEAR HANGER

Abstract

A childrens wear hanger has a primary hanger with a first body, a hook extending upward from the first body, a first means for suspending a garment from the first body, and a first connection tab extending downward from the body, operative to releasably suspend a dependent hanger therefrom. A connection link having a locking end at each end thereof, the locking end having at least one snap lock with at least one horizontal surface is releasably attachable to at least a connection tab of a primary hanger. A dependent hanger has a body and a second means for suspending a garment from the second body, and a second connection tab extending upward from the second body. The second connection tab is operative to releasably secure the locking end of the connecting link therein.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to the field of garment hangers, and more particularly to an interchangeable garment hanger system for coordinated garment sets with a variable length attachment.

2. Description of Related Art

In the field of retail garment sales it is often desirable to display and sell a plurality of garments as a coordinated set and thus to hang them from a unitary hanger. This is particularly the case when the set of garments are sold using a so-called Garment-On-Hanger (GOH) program. GOH programs have become preferred to retailers. In a GOH program, garments are suspended from hangers by the manufacturer at the manufacturing site, and are shipped as such to retail merchants. Whereupon arrival at the retail location, the garments may be placed on the retail floor for display and sale without additional effort. Formerly, retailers accomplished the task of hanging garments from hangers with labor provided at their own expense.

Towards this end, certain special-purpose hangers have been developed to accommodate and display a coordinated set of garments. Among these are a double hanger, disclosed in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0188475, published 30 Sep. 2004, by the present inventor and commonly assigned with the present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by its reference for all purposes. Another is a so-called bow hanger, particularly adapted for children and infants' clothing, illustrated in United States Design Pat. No. Des. 498,936, issued 30 Nov. 2004 to the present inventor and commonly assigned with the present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by its reference for all purposes. Yet another is a coordinate loop hanger, having a provision for supporting a second hanger from a loop provided beneath the body of the first, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,932, issued 05 Apr. 2005 to Olk, et al., and commonly assigned with the present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by its reference for all purposes. Finally, a coordinate gripper or similar style hanger has a loop in substitution for a hook, the loop being adapted to depend from the base of the hook of another hanger. A coordinate gripper hanger is illustrated for example in United States Design Pat. No. Des. 502,011, issued 22 Feb. 2005 to the present inventor and commonly assigned with the present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by its reference for all purposes.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Provided according to the present invention is a coordinate set hanger having a primary hanger with a first body, a hook extending upward from the first body, a first means for suspending a garment from the first body, and a first connection tab extending downward from the body, operative to releasably suspend a dependent hanger therefrom. A connection link having a locking end at each end thereof, the locking end having at least one snap lock with at least one horizontal surface is releasably attachable to at least a connection tab of a primary hanger. A dependent hanger has a body and a second means for suspending a garment from the second body, and a second connection tab extending upward from the second body. The second connection tab is operative to releasably secure the locking end of the connecting link therein. In this regard, reference may be made to copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/775,310; filed Feb. 21, 2006, the contents of which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, advantages and benefits of the present application will be made apparent with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying figures, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front elevation exploded assembly view of a variable length coordinate childrens wear hanger set according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a front elevational view of the components of FIG. 1 in their assembled condition; and

FIG. 3 illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a cross-section taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, illustrated in front elevation is an exploded assembly view of a variable length childrens wear set hanger 10 according to the present invention. The childrens wear set hanger 10 comprises a primary hanger 20, a dependent hanger 22, and a connection link 24. The primary hanger 20 includes a hook 26 extending upwardly from a central body portion 28, and with lateral arms 28, 30 extending outwardly from the body in generally coplanar opposite directions. The primary hanger 20 also includes a connection tab 32 for receiving and engagingly retaining a first locking end 34 of the connection link 24.

Primary hanger 20, in this example, is a garment top hanger, especially for childrens wear, such as shirts, blouses, sweaters, coats, jackets, and the like, but in actuality can be designed in nearly any hanger style. In this case, the arms comprise a structure for suspending a garment from the primary hanger 20 and may have garment-engaging recesses 36 formed in the upper surfaces of the arms 28, 30. However, in alternate embodiments (not shown), such structure for suspending a garment from the hanger may comprise plural finger grippers on the dependent hanger 22 among other resilient garment clip styles, a trouser bar, or pinch grips, in any of the many forms as are known in the art.

Dependent hanger 22, in this exemplary embodiment, is a trouser-suspending hanger, but in practice may be nearly any hanger style. Dependent hanger 22 has a connection tab 40 extending centrally upward from body portion 42, whereby connection tab 40 is inverted, but otherwise identical to connection tab 32 on the primary hanger 20, and receives and latchingly engages a further locking end connection 44 at the opposite end of the connection link 24.

As shown, the connection link 24 has the locking end connection 44 at, respectively, each end thereof, and a shaft 46 joining the locking connection end. Shaft 46 may be any arbitrary suitable length. In preferred embodiments, a variety of connection links 24 may be provided in multiple lengths adapted to be interchanged as dictated by the needs of the application.

As described, connection tabs 32, 40, and locking ends 34, 40, and locking ends 34, 44 are configured as complementary mating parts of an interlock system, generally female and male, respectively. However, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the components may be reversed, i.e., either or both the connection tabs 32, 40 configured as the male component, and either or both locking ends 34, 44 configured as the female components. Moreover, connection tabs 32, 40 and/or locking ends 34, 44 can be configured for universal adaptability as either or both female and male ends, further increasing utility. Further, the mating parts may be of any detail or configuration which permits interlocking the connection tabs with the locking ends.

Referring now to FIG. 3, illustrated is a cross-section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1. Connection tab 32 has two generally coplanar retaining surfaces 50 vertically separated from one another and an offset retaining band 52 out of the plane of the retaining surfaces 50. Retaining band 52 is joined to the connection tab 32 by at least one, extension 54, or preferably two, with one on each end of the retaining band 52, as in the exemplary embodiment.

The associated locking end 34 of connection link 24 has a snap-lock 56 extending from one side. The snap-lock 56 has a horizontal surface 58 on an underside. To engage the connection link 24 with the connection tab 32 on hanger 20, the locking end 24 is inserted into the connection tab 32 between the retaining surface 50 and the offset retaining band 52. Either of both of the snap-lock 56 and the retaining surface 50 deflect to be able to pass one another upon insertion of the locking end 34. This deflection is aided by a sloped surface 60 of the snap-lock 56 and a material void or space 62 formed in the locking end 34 opposite the snap-lock 56, either or both of which may optionally be present in the locking end 34.

Once the snap-lock 56 is located above the lowermost retaining surface 50, the horizontal surface 58 of the snap-lock 56 engages a complementary horizontal surface 66 of the connection tab 32. This interlock between surfaces 58 and 66 is generally resistant to removal without the application of a considerable pulling force, or through the use of a tool, which is specially designed for that purpose, and is therefore considered child-proof according to industry standards, for example those promulgated by the Voluntary Inter-industry Commerce Standards Association (VICS) or Bureau Veritas Consumer Product Services, Inc.

In the illustrated embodiment, connection tab 32 is inverted with respect to connection tab 40, but is otherwise identical in form and function. The connecting link 24 has locking ends 34, 44 at both ends thereof, and can function in either vertical or inverse orientation. Optionally, the locking end 34, 44 may be provided with a snap-lock on both the front and back side thereof, so that the locking end 34 can engage the connection tab 32 in any of an upright, inverted, front-facing or rear-facing orientation. Moreover, dependent hanger 22 can include a further connection tab (not shown) depending from beneath the body thereof for the attachment of additional connection links and/or depending hangers. The mating parts of the locking end and connection link may be of any detail or configuration that permits interlocking. Further, the connection link and locking ends can be reversed, inverted, duplicated or in any configuration to permit interlocking with all alternatives of this feature at either end.

As is typical in the industry, garment hangers or any portion thereof disclosed herein may be formed in whole or in part of an injection molded plastic, more commonly a rigid plastic such as polystyrene, SAN, ABS, PPO, nylon, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene, PET, polycarbonates (PC), acrylics, K resin, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) among others.

The present invention has been described herein with reference to certain exemplary or preferred embodiments. These embodiments are offered as merely illustrative, not limiting, of the scope of the present invention. Certain alterations or modifications may be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of instant disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention, which is defined solely with reference to the following appended claims.

Claims

1. A childrens wear hanger comprising: a primary hanger having a first body, a hook extending upward from the first body, a first means for suspending a garment from the first body, and a first connection tab extending downward from the first body and operative to releasably suspend a dependent hanger therefrom; a connection link having a locking end at each end thereof being releasably attachable to the first connection tab; and a dependent hanger having a second body and a second means for suspending a garment from the second body, a second connection tab extending upward from the second body, the second connection tab operative to releasably secure the locking end of the connecting link thereto.

2. The childrens wear hanger according to claim 1, wherein the first and second connection tabs, and each locking end comprise at least one of two complementary male or female mating parts.

3. The childrens wear hanger according to claim 2, wherein a male mating part comprises a snap lock with at least one horizontal surface and a recess in the surface of the locking end on an opposite side from the snap lock.

4. The childrens wear hanger according to claim 2, wherein a female mating part comprises a retaining band offset from a retaining surface, and a second horizontal surface for engaging a snap lock of the male mating part.