AU667710B2 - Garment hanger - Google Patents

Description

OPI DATE 21/10/93 AOJP DATE 23/12/93 APPLN. ID 37400/93 PCT NUMBER PCT/AU93/00113 Ill Ill ii liIIII II AU9337400 INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (51) International Patent Classification 5 (11) International Publication Number: WO 93/18694 A47G 25/28, 25/34, 25/36 Al (43) International Publication Date: 30 September 1993 (30.09.93) (21) International Application Number: PCT/AU93/00113 (81) Designated States: AT, AU, BB, BG, BR, CA, CH, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, GB, HU, JP, KP. KR, KZ. LK, LU, (22) International Filing Date: 19 March 1993 (19.03.93) MG, MN, MW, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SK, UA, US, VN, European natent (AT, BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL. PT, SE), Priority data: OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, ML, PL 1438 19 March 1992 (19.03.92) AU MR, SN, TD, TG).

PL 6094 30 November 1992 (30.11.92) AU Published (71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): RAINS- With international search report.

FORDS PTY. LTD. [AU/AU]; 200 Kingsgrove Road, Kingsgrove, NSW 2208 (AU).

(72) Inventor; and Inventor/Applicant (for US onll) MITCHELL, Donald, Claude [AU/AU]; 35 Burns Road, Picnic Point, NSW 2213 (AU).

(74) Agent: GORDON, Glen, Howard; Davies Collison Cave, Level 10, 10 Barrack Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 (AU).

(54)Title: GARMENT HANGER (57) Abstract A moulded plastic garment hanger having a hook and arms extending from the hook, said arms having a cross sectional configuration with a substantially central vertical neutral axis and having first and second opposed flanges 3) laterally spaced from each other and a web member (6) joining said flanges by extending from or adjacent one end of the first flange through said vertical neutral axis to join with the second flange at or adjacent the end thereof which is located on the same side of the vertical neutral axis as 4the one end of the first flange.

7 r I r I- I -1- GARMENT HANGER This invention relates to garment hangers, particularly light weight garment hangers.

Garment hangers nmade of various moulded plastics are known. Whilst attempts have been made to produce hangers having lighter cross sections whilst maintaining acceptable strength to support garments, it is also an advantage to ensure that the hangers can be made from varying materials, have shorter moulding cycles and have increased service and recyclable lives.

It is known from Australian Patent No. 544211 to utilise an arm cross section for a garment hanger having three webs, t.-o of which are on the same side of a central vertical neutral axis, the third being an interconnecting web positioned on the other side of the vertical neutral axis and passing therethrough. This section being of a complex configuration.

The present invention relates to a simpler cross section arrangement which eliminates the 0 need of an interconnecting web passing through the central vertical neutral axis.

o- In one form the present invention is moulded plastic garment hanger having a hook and arms extending from the hook, said arms having a cross-sectional configuration with a substantially central vertical neutral axis, first and second opposed flanges spaced apart along the vertical neutral axis, and a web member joining said flanges, said web member extending lengthwise of the arms at an acute angle from the first flange, at or adjacent one end of the first flange toward the vertical neutral axis, through said vertical neutral axis, and returning through the vertical neutral axis to join with the second flange at an acute angle, at or adjacent an end thereof which is located on the same side of the vertical neutral axis as the one end of the first flange.

In another form the present invention is a moulded plastic garment hanger having a hook and arms extending from the hook, said arms having a cross sectional configuration with a substantially central vertical neutral axis, spaced apart first and second opposed flanges p:\wpdocs\map\520295\20j

L

-2and a web member joining said flanges by extending lengthwise of the arms at an acute angle from the first flange, at or adjacent one end of the first flange toward the vertical neutral axis, through said vertical neutral axis and returning through said vertical neutral axis to join with the second flange at an acute angle, the junction of the web with each flange being in the region of the axis or on the samne side of the axis.

In a first preferred embodiment the web member comprises a first and second portion angled to each other and their respective join to the first and second flanges.

In a second preferred embodiment the web member is curved.

In a third preferred embodiment the web member is curved with a re-enterant portion extending back towards the ends of the flanges which are joined to the web, but the reenterant portion not crossing the vertical neutral axis.

In a fourth preferred embodiment the web member is similar to that of the first embodiment with a central rib projecting from the join of the first and second portions.

In a fifth preferred embodiment the web member is similar to the first embodiment but differs in that it has a re-enterant portion joining the said first and second portions, the re-enterant portion not crossing the vertical neutral axis.

In all of the abovementioned preferred embodiments it is preferred that the configuration of each arm is symmetrical about a substantially horizontal neutral axis.

In all of the abovementioned preferred embodiments it is preferred that the angle at the join of the web to each p:\wpdocs\map\520295\20j r i- C WO 93/18694 PCT/AU93/00113 -3flange is an acute angle.

The invention will now be described by way of non limiting examples and with reference to the accompanying illustrations.

Figure i. is an elevation view of a garment hanger, with the ends of its arms not shown.

Figure 2. is a cross sectional view of a first preferred embodiment of a garment hanger arm of the present invention.

Figure 3. is a cross sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of a garment hanger arm of the present invention.

Figure 4. is a cross sectional view of a third preferred embodiment of a garment hanger arm of the present invention.

Figure 5. is a cross sectional view of a fourth preferred embodiment of a garment hanger arm of the prese.

invention.

Figure 6. is a cross sectional view of a fifth preferred embodiment of a garment hanger arm of the present invention.

The present invention comprises a garment hanger having a hook and a pair of arms (not shown in full) extending therefrom, as shown in Figure i.

A first preferred embodiment of the cross sectional configuration of the arm (through A-A in Figure i) is shown in Figure 2. The arm 1 has two flanges 2, 3 spaced apa.

symmetrically about the horizontal neutral axis X. A web member 4 spans between the two flanges 2 and 3 and is joined to them at ends of the respective flanges on the same side of the central neutral axis Y. The web member 4 comprises of two portions 6 and 7 angled to each other about the horizontal neutral axis X and acutely angled to the flanges 2 and 3.

r

~I~IM~

WO 93/18694 PCT/AU93/00113 4 A second preferred embodiment of the cross sectional configuration of the arm (through A-A in Figure 1) is shown in Figure 3. The arm 11 has two flanges 12 and 13 spaced apart symmetrically about the horizontal neutral axis X. A curved web member 14 spans between the two flanges 12 and 13 and is joined to them at ends of the flanges 12 and 13 on the same side of the central neutral axis Y. The web member 14 curved symmetrically about the neutral axis X.

A third embodiment of the cross sectional configuration of the arm (through A-A in Figure 1) is shown in Figure 4.

The arm 21 has two flanges 22 and 23 spaced apart symmetrically about the horizontal axis X. A curved web member 24 spans between the flanges 22 and 23 and is joined to them on the same side of the neutral axis Y. The curved web member 24 having a re-enterant portion 26 which extends back towards the ends of the flanges 22 and 23 to which the curved web member 24 is joined, the re-enterant portion 26 not crossing the central vertical neutral axis Y.

A fourth embodiment of the cross-sectional configuration of the arm (through A-A in Figure 1) is shown in Figure 5. The arm 31 is similar to the first preferred embodiment shown in Figure 2, in that it has two flanges 32 and 33 spaced apart symmetrically about the horizontal neutral axis X. A web member 34 spans between the two flanges 32 and 33 and is joined to them at ends of the respective flanges on the same side of the central neutral axis Y. The web member 34 comprises of two portions 36 and 37 and a central rib 38. The two portions 36 and 37 are angled to each other about the horizontal neutral axis X and are acutely angled to the flanges 32 and 33. The central rib 38 projects from the junction of portions 36 and 37 and lies on the horizontal neutral axis X.

A fifth embodiment of the cross-sectional configuration of the arm (through A-A in Figure 1) is shown in Figure 6.

The arm 41 has two flanges 42 and 43 spaced apart WO 93/18694 PCT/AU93/001 13 5 symmetrically about horizontal axis X. A straight web member 44 spans between the two flanges 42 and 43. The web member comprises of two portions 47 angled to each other and connected by re-enterant portion 46 which extends back towards the ends of the flanges 42 and 43 to the straight web member is joined, the re-enterant 46 not crossing central vertical neutral axis Y.

The embodiments of the arm of the present invention ensure an excellent strength to weight ratio for the depicted cross section and the nature of the light section of the arm allow for short plastic moulding cycles.

The arm sections of the present invention allow the production of rigid hangers from various materials. For instance upper garment hangers in accordance with the present invention can be made from general purpose styrene or medium impact styrene which contains butane. Trouser and the like hangers with integral hinges could be made from materials such as standard polypropylene and K resin styrenes.

It would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the embodiment of the invention as described herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

i

Claims (8)

1. A moulded plastic garment hanger having a hook and arms extending from the hook, said arms having a cross-sectional configuration with a substantially central vertical neutral axis, first and second opposed flanges spaced apart along the vertical neutral axis, and a web member joining said flanges, said web member extending lengthwise of the arms at an acute angle from the first flange, at or adjacent one end of the first flange toward the vertical neutral axis, through said vertical neutral axis, and returning through the vertical neutral axis to join with the second flange at an acute angle, at or adjacent an end thereof which is located on the same side of the vertical neutral axis as the one end of the first flange.

2. A moulded plastic garment hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the web member comprises of a first portion and a second portion joined together at or near a substantially central horizontal neutral axis, said first and second portions angled to each o other and respectively connected to said first and second flanges. V o

3. A moulded plastic garment hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein said web member is curved symmetrically about a substantially horizontal neutral axis. 0

4. A moulded plastic garment hanger as claimed in claim 3, wherein said web 0 member has re-enterant portion at or near said horizontal neutral axis, said re-enterant portion not crossing said vertical neutral axis.

5. A moulded plastic garment hanger as claimed in claim 2, wherein said web member has a rib projecting therefrom at or near the join of said first and second portions, said rib substantially lying on said horizontal neutral axis.

6. A moulded plastic garment hanger as claimed in claim 2, wherein said web member includes a re-enterant portion located at the join of said first and second portions, said re-enterant portion not crossing said vertical neutral axis. p:\wpdocs\nap\520295\20j 1_1~2_ -7-

7. A moulded plastic garment hanger having a hook and arms extending from the hook, said arms having a cross sectional configuration with a substantially central vertical neutral axis, spaced apart first and second opposed flanges and a web member joining said flanges by extending lengthwise of the arms at an acute angle from the first flange, at or adjacent one end of the first flange toward the vertical neutral axis, through said vertical neutral axis and returning through said vertical neutral axis to join with the second flange at an acute angle, the junction of the web with each flange being in the region of the axis or on the same side of the axis.

8. A moulded plastic garment hanger as substantially herein described and with reference to the drawings. DATED this 2nd day of February, 1996 °oo oa RAINSFORDS PTY LIMITED S0 By Its Patent Attorneys S:DAVIES COLLISON CAVE o os a s o oo p;\wpdocs\map\520295\20j c lr -r