Hanger for use with a slatwall track and a retainer therefor

A retainer is shaped and sized to accommodate within it a bracket of a hanger in order to prevent an upward, vertical translation of the bracket, followed by its pivoting and finally fall to the ground, by using one end of the retainer for positioning and stabilizing, with respect to one channel of a slatwall track, one extremity of the bracket, while another end of the retainer, vertically spaced from the aforementioned one, is inserted by snapping into another parallel channel of the slatwall track.

I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Definition of the Invention

The present invention refers, in general, to features for preventing a dislodging of hangers attached to slatwall tracks and, more particularly, to a hanger for use with a slatwall track and a retainer therefor.

2. Description of the State of Art

The walls of a building in residential, commercial and industrial buildings are frequently provided with one or more slatwall tracks used in combination with hangers to display a variety of objects off the floor of the building. The objects can be similar, such as in a display for merchandise in retail stores, for example shoes, or they can vary in shape, size, such as hand tools and alike suspended in garages or workshops.

The hangers can also be used to support shelves for storing or displaying various items. Slatwall tracks are generally secured to a building structure, which includes without limitation any walls, such as temporary or permanent walls. The walls may or may not be covered with wallboard. The slatwall tracks are attached with screws directly to walls having physical strength, to an existing frame or studs normally used to hold the wallboard.

Often a slatwall track is interlockingly connected with an identical upper and/or lower slatwall track(s). Also, two or more usually like-shaped slatwall tracks are mounted vertically spaced and horizontally aligned and parallel. A single slatwall track, mounted alone, is also used.

Usually, several hangers or other supporting devices are attached

A main disadvantage of hangers secured to slatwall tracks resides in the fact that the attachment of the former to the latter is unreliable. Hangers can be dislodged following an unintentionally caused vertical push that forces the hangers' brackets to move vertically until they cease their engagement with slatwall tracks and, then, turn around and fall to the ground. The people around can be injured and the hung items can be damaged. When loaded hangers are positionally displaced, dislodging can also occur.

Attempts have been made to solve the dislodging problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,614 granted on Dec. 6, 2005 to Fischer et al. for a “SLATWALL HANGER STABILIZING CLIP” discloses a slatwall assembly including several interlocked tracks. Each of the tracks has an upper and lower end provided with a lip with an inside surface, so that adjacent tracks form a channel with a narrow outer portion and a wider inner portion. A hanger comprises an upper end that is inserted into an upper channel, and a lower end that hangs near a lower adjacent channel. A stabilizing clip has a main body and an extending brace. The body is sized and shaped to firmly snap fit into the lower channel. The brace extends upwardly along a middle track to form a channel for receiving the lower end of the hanger and retaining it against the surface of a middle track. The main shortcoming of the foregoing stabilizing clip resides in the fact that it does not prevent completely an upward inadvertently caused movement of the hanger, although it retains the lower end of the hanger against pivoting around the upper end.

II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Based on the above description, one can conclude that there is a need for an improved retainer. Thus, a first objective of the present invention is to develop a simple and secure retainer able to prevent the hanger against dislodging caused by an inadvertent hit.

A second objective of the present invention is to develop a retainer easy to insert into or remove from its working position.

A third objective of the present invention is to provide a retainer which is ergonomically efficient and has an esthetically appealing appearance.

Broadly stating, according to the present invention a retainer is shaped and sized to accommodate within it a bracket of a hanger in order to prevent an upward, vertical translation of the bracket, followed by its pivoting and finally fall to ground, by:

using one end of the retainer for positioning and stabilizing, with respect to one channel of a slatwall track, one extremity of the bracket, while another end of the retainer, vertically spaced from the aforementioned one, is inserted by snapping into another parallel channel of the slatwall track.

IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 to 6illustrate an embodiment of the present invention, generally designated with numeral10, which comprises, in combination, a hanger100and a retainer200that interact and are adapted to be attached to a slatwall track300.

Slatwall track300incorporates several channels305extending in parallel along its length. Each of the latter, starting from the top, has a a horizontal top310, followed downwardly by an upper vertical back315, a first horizontal bottom320extending forwardly, a lower vertical back325extending downwardly, and a second horizontal bottom330extending forwardly. A frontal vertical wall335of slatwall track300connects each horizontal top310of a lower channel305with second horizontal bottom330of an upper following channel305and continues upwardly as a lip340. The latter has, in general, a height limited by a plane (not shown) coplanar with an upper surface of first horizontal bottom320.

Thus, in each channel305a niche345is formed by lower vertical back325, lower second horizontal bottom330and lip340.

Although slatwall track300is shown and described to have several channels, each of them having a lower lip340and a niche345, it should be understood that other slatwall tracks with differently shaped channels could be used without departing from the broad concept of this invention.

One or more hangers100are adapted for use with a slatwall track300. Usually, each hanger100is removably attached to slatwall track300. Hanger100includes a bracket105for attaching to slatwall track300and one or more hooks110permanently secured to bracket105and used for suspending different items.

Bracket105has a substantially flat body115, defined by a certain width and extending into an uppermost backwardly folded segment120that forms an interstice a adapted to engage and capture partially, in a vertical direction, lip340of a channel305, an upper one, and into a lowermost flat retracted segment125that forms a backwardly directed step for engaging a lip340of another channel305, a lower one, namely an inside surface of lip340. Uppermost folded segment120and lowermost flat retracted segment125have their vertical dimensions, i.e. their heights, relatively less than a vertical dimension, i.e. a height of lip340. Thus, a complete engagement of bracket105with two vertically spaced lips340can be achieved.

Based on the foregoing description, one can infer that, in general, with respect to a slatwall track300, a hanger100is able to keep its vertical position and be horizontally translated.

But in use, when a hanger100is unintentionally hit or pushed in a vertical direction, it can easily occur that uppermost, backwardly folded segment120ceases to engage and, thus, capture a lip340of a channel305, respectively an upper one; simultaneously lowermost flat retracted segment125will exit from niche345of another channel305, respectively a lower one, thereby ceasing the engagement with lip340of this channel305. In this situation, hanger100, loaded or not, but even more when loaded, will somewhat rotate with respect to frontal vertical wall335of slatwall track300and fall.

Although hanger100is illustrated and described to have a particular structure, it should be understood that other hangers or supporting devices with different structures could be used with the described slatwall300or other slatwall tracks without departing from the broad concept of this invention.

Retainer200is a monobloc structure, usually made of plastic or other materials, which must be rigid enough to maintain its shape after an insertion into a setting position or removal from the latter; it must be also flexible enough to allow a deformation during insertion and removal. Retainer200incorporates a forepart205that is followed inwardly and perpendicularly, at its upper end, by a top wall210and inwardly, on each side, by a lateral wall215. Curvilinear surfaces (not shown) are used for transitions between forepart205and top and lateral walls210and215, and between top wall210and lateral walls215. Top wall210extends backwardly and is adapted to penetrate into an upper channel305without reaching upper vertical back315of the latter, and incorporates inside, centrally and perpendicularly to forepart205, a ridge220adapted to vertically contact, when in use, uppermost folded segment120.

Upper zone225projects backwardly, coextensively with top wall210and incorporates a bottom edge240starting with a segment245; the latter is angled in a vertical plane and adapted for easy engaging a lip340of a channel305, respectively an upper one, when snapping over this lip. Segment245is followed towards forepart205by an offset protuberance250similar to an apex, adapted to engage, when snapped over lip340, an inside surface of the latter. Segment245in combination with offset protuberance250form a first snapping subassembly. Offset protuberance250is followed by a rounded cut-out255, carved into a junction of an end of segment upper zone255and a top of middle zone230. Rounded cut-out255is open towards the back and bottom of retainer200and is intended to facilitate a pivoting of the latter during assembling and also to lodge lip340, specifically its upper portion when set in place. Another use of cut-out255is to reduce stress concentration at the intersection of upper and middle zones, respectively225and230.

Middle zones230of lateral walls215are retracted with respect to upper and lower zones225and235. Middle zones230partially capture bracket105by flanking the latter and are in sliding contact with frontal vertical wall335of slatwall track300. Each middle zone230terminates, at an intersection with lower zone235, into a rounded indentation260having an opening towards the back of retainer200. The purpose of rounded indentation260is to alleviate stress concentration at that intersection.

Lower zones235of lateral walls215together with forepart205encompass a lower section of bracket105, before the latter extends into lowermost flat retracted segment125.

Each lower zone235starts from an exterior with a continuously widening section265followed by an abruptly thickness reduction portion270which ends into a section275having a thickness substantially equal with forepart205, top wall210and non specifically described parts of lateral walls215. Continuously widening section265combined with an abruptly thickness reduction portion270form a second snapping subassembly.

A distance between rounded cut-out255, namely its bottom, and an upper edge of lower zone235is equal or slightly greater than a distance between an upper edge of a lip340of a channel305, respectively an upper one, and horizontal top310, respectively its inside surface, of another channel305, respectively a lower one.

A distance between offset protuberances250and upper edges of lower zones235is slightly less than a distance between an upper edge of a lip340of a channel305, respectively an upper one, and horizontal top310, respectively its inside surface, of another channel305, respectively a lower one.

A distance between opposite lateral walls215is equal or slightly greater than a width of bracket105.

A distance between a continuously widening sections265, at their maximum, is slightly less than the width of bracket105.

To secure retainer200in a set position to slatwall track300, the former is so rotated that its upper part is inclined backwardly to penetrate into a channel305, an upper one, and then capture backwardly folded segment115and engage lip340with its upper zones225. By continuing the rotation, a relatively narrow distance between continuously widening sections270is forced to increase, following a pressure of retainer200against bracket105; simultaneously a penetration of lower zones235into a channel305, respectively a lower one occurs. Thus, a snapping, resulting from an escaping of continuously widening sections265behind bracket105, takes place.

Basically, the inventive concept of the present invention resides in the fact that the retainer is shaped and sized to accommodate within it a bracket of a hanger in order to prevent an upward, unintentionally caused vertical translation of the bracket, followed by its pivoting and finally fall, by:

using one end of the retainer for positioning and stabilizing, with respect to one channel, one extremity of the bracket, while

another end of the retainer, vertically spaced from the aforementioned one, is inserted by snapping into another parallel channel.