Hanger supporting arrangement

A hanger support arrangement for a garment box which includes a positioning pad having cut therefrom a pair of elements which are folded together to form a hanger supporting strut.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to garment boxes and more particularly to an 
internal hanger supporting arrangement. 
It is an object of the invention to provide an inner packaging member for a 
garment shipping container which includes integral means for forming a 
strut adapted to support one or more hangers. 
A more specific object of the invention is the provision of an internal 
supporting arrangement including a base panel having cut therefrom and 
foldably joined thereto a pair of elements which are folded together in 
interlocking relation to form a hanger supporting strut. 
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from an 
examination of the following description and drawings.

It will be understood that, for purposes of clarity, certain elements may 
have been intentionally omitted from certain views where they are believed 
to be illustrated to better advantage in other views. 
THE DESCRIPTION 
Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the invention, 
it will be understood that the invention comprises an internal hanger 
supporting arrangement indicated generally at A in FIG. 5 which may be 
formed from a unitary blank of foldable paperboard indicated generally at 
B in FIG. 1, which is adapted to be inserted within an outer container or 
garment box (not shown) for use in supporting a plurality of garment 
hangers H in a manner hereinafter described. 
Although the arrangement shown in FIG. 5 illustrates a pair of struts or 
supporting members 12 projecting from an insertable positioning pad or 
base panel 10, the arrangement may be provided with a single strut if so 
desired. 
As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is provided a preferably rectangular 
unitary blank of foldable paperboard B which forms a positioning pad or 
base panel 10 from which the material used to form the struts 12 is cut. 
Each of the struts or supporting members 12 comprises a pair of inner and 
outer members 14 and 16, respectively, which are folded together in 
interlocking relation with each other and with base panel 10 to form a 
rigid supporting member. As best seen in FIG. 1, inner support member 14 
includes a preferably triangular first section 20 foldably joined at one 
side edge along a fold line 22 to base panel 10 and a preferably trapezoid 
shaped second section 24 which is foldably joined along one short side 
edge to another side edge of first section 20 along fold line 26 which 
converges with fold line 22 at right angles therewith. Inner member second 
section 24 includes a sloping end edge 28. 
Outer support member 30 includes a pair of generally trapezoidal first and 
second sections 30 and 34, respectively, which are generally congruent to 
each other and to inner support member second section 24. 
Outer support member first section 30 is foldably joined at one end edge to 
base panel 10 along a fold line 32 which is parallel to previously 
mentioned fold line 26. Fold lines 32 and 26 are in general alignment with 
each other but may be offset slightly from each other. Outer support 
member second section 34 is foldably joined along one end edge to opposite 
end edge of outer support member first section 30 along a fold line 36 
which is preferably in the form of a pair of parallel score lines which 
extend at an angle of less than 90.degree. with respect to fold line 32. 
It will be noted that outer member second section 34 includes a short side 
edge 38 which will be referred to hereinafter in the specification. 
In erecting the device, inner member first section 20 is folded upwardly at 
right angles to base panel 10 and inner member second section 24 is folded 
at right angles to first section 20. At the same time outer member first 
section 30 is folded upwardly at right angles to base 10 so as to lie in 
face-to-face relation with one side of inner member second section 24. 
Outer member second section 34 is then folded downwardly 180.degree. about 
fold lines 36 so as to lie in face-to-face relation with opposite side of 
inner member second section 24. Thus inner member second section 24 is 
sandwiched between the two sections of the outer member with its diagonal 
edge 28 lying adjacent fold line 36 and with the side edge 38 of outer 
member second section 34 lying adjacent fold line 26. 
In order to retain the supporting strut in rigid erected condition, outer 
member second section 34 is provided at its free edge with a lock tab 40 
adapted to be received within a complementary slot 42 located in base 
panel 10 immediately adjacent fold line 32. 
Thus it will be understood that there is provided a self contained hanger 
supporting arrangement in the form of struts projecting from a panel, 
which panel may be inserted into an outer container so as to provide a 
means for supporting hangers and keeping them in proper position within 
the container during shipping. 
When a pair of struts are provided on a common pad as shown in FIG. 5, it 
will be understood that the clothes packed in the container are not 
intended to "hang", but rather are packed in the container with alternate 
items being supported by opposite struts to prevent the clothes from 
shifting in the container. When the container is open, the hangers may be 
lifted out of the box and displayed on racks in a conventional manner.