Abstract:
An information marker holder system includes a web and an information marker holder for receiving an information marker over the holder. A gap substantially spaces the web from the information marker. The system further includes a protrusion on the information marker holder for preventing removal of the information marker.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a non-provisional counterpart to and claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 60/666,688 filed Mar. 30, 2005, which is pending and which is herein incorporated by reference. This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 29/197,087 filed Jan. 9, 2004, which is pending and which is herein incorporated by reference. This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 29/219,737 filed Dec. 21, 2004, which is pending and which is herein incorporated by reference. This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 10/465,694 filed Jun. 19, 2003, which is pending and which is herein incorporated by reference. U.S. Ser. No. 10/465,694 is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 29/157,009, now U.S. Pat. No. D500,413, filed Mar. 12, 2002. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to hangers generally, and more particularly to hangers having removal-resistant information marker holders.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Garment hangers with information markers or tabs are known. Such information markers are used to associate a hanger with a particularly sized garment, i.e., small, medium, large, extra large and so on. The distinguishing features on the markers may be words that designate a size, or a different color used for each size, or a combination of words and colors as the case may be.  
         [0004]     For ease of manufacture and assembly, an information marker is usually shaped like a clip that is slipped onto an information marker holder formed on the hanger. The information marker is secured to the information marker holder usually through a combination of the design of the information marker holder and the information marker.  
         [0005]     In other words, barriers are designed into the hanger near the attachment location of the information marker to prevent a so-called “finger purchase” of the information marker, which would allow someone to easily remove the information marker from the hanger.  
         [0006]     Much effort has been directed to designing hangers and information markers that are child-resistant, wherein the information marker is difficult to remove by a child without at least the use of a tool. Because the information markers are relatively small and usually brightly colored, there is always a concern that a child will attempt to remove an information marker from a hanger and swallow and/or choke on the same. Thus, there is a need to insure that a hanger designed to accommodate an information marker is designed to prevent inadvertent or unintentional removal of the information marker. The present inventors have fulfilled such need with the unique hanger design of the present invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a holder and a garment hanger of the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a front view thereof.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a right side view thereof.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front view thereof with an information marker installed thereon.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a garment hanger of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a planar detail view of holder of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective detail view of a holder of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]     The following detailed description is of the best mode or modes of the invention presently contemplated. Such description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but to be an example of the invention presented solely for illustration thereof, and by reference to which in connection with the following description and the accompanying drawings one skilled in the art may be advised of the advantages and construction of the invention. In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts.  
         [0015]      FIGS. 1-4  illustrate one embodiment of a garment hanger  50  of the present invention comprising a first preferably hook-shaped support  60  having a free end  62  and a base  64 , and a second support  70  having a pair of second support arms  72  and  74 . The first support  60  is provided for hanging said garment hanger  50  from a closet rod (not shown), wall hook (not shown) or the like, while the second support  70  is provided for support garments thereon.  
         [0016]     A web  80  is defined between said first and second supports  60 ,  70  respectively and is preferably bounded between an upper surface  66  defined along said first support  60 , a lower surface  76  defined along said second support  70  and an intersection  82  defined between said first and second supports  60 ,  70  near the base  64  of the first support  60 .  
         [0017]     An information marker holder  90  extends between said first and second supports  60 ,  70  for supporting an information marker  100  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) thereon. On information marker holder  90  are disposed projections  92 A and  92 B, collectively projections  92 , that aid in retaining information marker  100 .  
         [0018]     In the embodiments shown in the figures provided herein, information marker holder  90  is spaced from the web  80  by a gap  110 , which gap  110  is bounded by the upper and lower surfaces  66 ,  76  of the first and second supports  60 ,  70 , and edges  84 ,  94  of the web  80  and information marker holder  90  respectively. Disposed in gap  110  are web projections  1   12 a and  1   12 b, collectively web projections  112 , to further aid as a removal deterrent.  
         [0019]     The presence of a gap  110  between the web  80  and information marker holder  90  is not a critical feature of the present invention, but is merely reflective of the embodiments described herein. For instance, the garment hanger of the present invention could be configured so that the web terminates at the information marker holder as is known in the art (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,583 to Zuckerman).  
         [0020]     The discussion above reflects the basic elements of prior art hangers having information marker holders. Using  FIGS. 1-4  as an example, in prior art hangers, once the information marker  100 , usually in the shape of a clip, is attached to the information marker holder  90 , the edge  84  of the web  80  is configured to prevent finger purchase of the free ends (not shown) of the information marker  100 .  
         [0021]     This is usually accomplished by providing a raised ridge (not shown) along the edge  84  of the web  80  on each side of the hanger  50 , which prevents access to the edges of the information marker  100 . Such raised ridge (not shown) usually extends along the edge  80  from the first support  60  to the second support  70  along the same direction as the information marker holder  90 , and is usually positioned parallel to the information marker holder  90 . This may also be accomplished by web projections  112   a  and  112   b  that further deter removal by reducing gap  110 .  
         [0022]     In the garment hanger of the present invention as shown in the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-7 , at least one raised member  120  is provided on the web  80  extending across the web  80  and preferably in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the information marker holder  90 . In other words, the at least one raised member  120  extends in a direction from the base  64  of the first support  60 , or the intersection  82  of the first and second supports  60 ,  70 , toward the information marker holder  90 . Therein, the raised member  120  extends from the lower surface  76  of the second support  70  (near the intersection  82 ) to the edge  84  of the web  80  on either side of the hanger  50  ( FIG. 3 ). Since an information marker  100  is usually clipped around both sides of the information marker holder  90 , it preferable to have a raised member  120  on both sides of the web  80  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The termination of the raised member  120  along the edge  84  of the web  80  functions to prevent a finger purchase of an information marker  100  attached to the information marker holder  90 , at least along the center of the web  80 .  
         [0023]     Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , on information marker holder  90  are formed two opposing projections  92 A and  92 B that aid in preventing information marker  100  from being removed from garment hanger.  
         [0024]     Projections  92  are disposed bilaterally about information marker holder  90  preferably near the exterior free-edge  91  of holder  90  as seen in  FIG. 3  and are formed as cylindrical projections that are 0.130 inches from side to side (including thickness of the information marker holder  90 ). Each projection preferably has a diameter of 0.100 inches, although projection  92 A and  92 B may also have other diameters and sizes that are suitable to retain information marker  100 . The top of each projection  92 A and  92 B is preferably flat and the edges between the top and the cylindrical wall are preferably sharp. Other suitable shapes for projections  92 A and  92 B may be employed.  
         [0025]     Therein, information marker  100  is secured to garment hanger  50  by sliding the marker over projections  92 . Since marker  100  is usually in the form of a C-shaped clip, it is able to smoothly slide over projections  92 . The edges of marker  100  are then retained in gap  110  while projections  92  are advantageously disposed so as to be near the back of the C-shaped marker  100  where marker  100  is at its maximal interior width.  
         [0026]     When a furtive attempt is made to remove information marker  100  it typically requires opening marker  100  wide by pulling the sides apart causing a hinging of the back of marker  100 . If the attempt succeeds in removing marker  100  from gap  110 , projections  92  present a further challenge because of their position near the widest part of information marker holder  90 , their cooperative structure, and sharp edged shape. Thus, the sides of marker  100  would have to be further spread apart to fit over projections  92 . This may result in the advantageous aborting of the removal attempt because of its difficulty or in the breaking of marker  100 , wherein interest may be lost in retaining marker  100  and subsequently posing a hazard to a child or other person.  
         [0027]     It is contemplated that multiple cooperating projections  92  may also be placed near free edge  91  of holder  90  or spaced slightly from the edge.