Hangtag with a link serving as a fastening device

A key link is developed as an elastic loop (1) that can be turned upward or bent open and is carried by a slide part (3) that can be pushed on the front side into a flat housing (2) until it reaches an arrestable locking position. In the locking position, the free end (4) of the loop (1) that can be bent open is enclosed by the housing (2). For this purpose, the slider (10) that consists of the loop (1) and the slide part (3) has at least one locking latch (6) that can spring out and is intended to reach behind or engaged at least one shoulder (5) provided on the housing (2). These measures permit a simple and problem-free manufacture of said hangtag, the assembly of which only requires a pushing-together of the parts, where in the pushed-together condition an absolute secure locking of the link is achieved.

This application concerns a hangtag with a link serving as a fastening 
device which projects from the front side of an inflexible flat housing 
that at least partially encloses the locking means for the link. 
Hangtags of this type are definite mass-produced articles. They serve, for 
example, as key tags, price tags, identification tags, address tags etc. 
on clothing, suitcases, briefcases, bags, umbrellas, sports articles, 
cameras, shoes, etc., where, in each case, the housing as the information 
carrier carries the marking, identification or other information which is 
glued, printed, embossed or engraved on the surfaces of the housing. 
Special prerequisites in the case of such tags are usefulness and 
functional reliability with very low manufacturing costs. These 
requirements are only met to a limited extent by the known hangtags of the 
above-mentioned type. A known hangtag of this type that is developed as a 
key tag requires, for example, that the link and the locking spring be 
inserted before the joining together of the shells of the housing. In 
addition, the locking spring has a complicated shape and an additional 
steel bracket is used with a locking recess, which is an additional 
expense in regard to material as well as manufacturing costs. The 
application of lettering and/or symbols on the housing surfaces is also 
expensive. 
It is thus the task of the present invention to create a hangtag of the 
above-mentioned type that, while avoiding the disadvantages of the known 
hangtags, can be manufactured easily and inexpensively, functions in an 
optimal manner and has few exchangeable parts. 
In the case of the hangtag according to the invention, this is achieved by 
the fact that the link is developed as an elastic loop that can be turned 
upward or bent open, with the link being shaped onto a slide part which, 
on the front side, can be pushed into the housing into an arrestable 
locking position, where in the locking position the free end of the loop 
that can be turned upward is enclosed by the housing. 
These measures permit a simple, problem-free manufacture of such a hangtag, 
the assembly of which, in addition, only requires a pushing-together of 
the parts, where in the pushed-together condition, the locking of the link 
is absolutely secure. 
An advantage of the hangtag according to the invention is that the slider 
which consists of a loop member and a slide member also includes a locking 
or latch member which is intended for engaging at least one shoulder 
provided on the housing. The locking or latching member is located on the 
free end of the resilient arm formed on the slide member and, in locking 
position, extends at least partially through an opening in the housing, 
whereby the locking or latching member is urged into the opening, but can 
be pressed into the housing for unlocking the locking or latching member 
from the housing. 
Advantageously, the locking latch in the locking position, extends through 
an opening at a corner of the front side of the housing that faces away 
from the loop, and the housing at this point has a lateral recess that is 
used for the manual operation of the locking latch. 
It is especially advantageous to develop the hangtag according to the 
invention in such a way that the slider that can be pushed in and consists 
of the loop and the slide part can be locked in an intermediate position 
that permits the opening of the loop by means of the fact that, for 
example, the locking latch in the intermediate position snaps into another 
opening in the housing. Here it is advantageous that the locking latch has 
an inclined surface for the automatic pressing-in of the locking latch 
when the slider is slid from the intermediate position into the locking 
position. 
In the intermediate position, the loop is opened and the hangtag can be 
attached or detached to or from an object. The intermediate locking 
feature protects against the undesirable complete separation of the two 
major parts of the hangtag. 
Another especially advantageous development consists of the fact that the 
housing and the slider may be made of plastic material with at least the 
housing being made of transparent plastic. A label suitable for displaying 
written or printed indicia may also be provided which is formed in a 
U-shaped manner and which extends into the housing with portions of the 
U-shaped label extending on both sides of the tongue or slider in such a 
manner that the tongue or slider prevents the label from being separated 
from the housing when the slider is in locked position with the housing. 
The label may also be provided with a cutout at one edge in order not to 
impair the manual operation of the latch member. 
Such a development has the advantage that the label must only have printing 
or writing on one side, where in the hangtag, after the folding of the 
label, the hangtag carries information on both sides. In addition, the 
label is protected by the housing so that it cannot be lost and the 
writing cannot be rubbed off. The information on the label may be used for 
the identification (in regard to origin, warranty, directions) of the 
merchandise that is provided with the hangtag. Because of the easy 
interchangeability of the label, the same hangtag, provided with a new 
label, can later carry out a second function as identifying means, for 
example, address tag, key tag, for the user of the merchandise.

The hangtag as shown in the figures, for example, may be used as a key tag, 
and has a link or an elastic loop 1 that can be bent upward or bent open, 
and which projects from a flat slide part 3. 
In the shown embodiment, the free end 4 of the loop 1 is bent inward and is 
inserted in a recess 13 of the tongue 3. In the pushed-in position of the 
slider 10 in the housing 2, according to FIG. 2, the loop 1 can no longer 
be opened. 
In this pushed-in position, which is the locking position, a locking latch 
6, extends behind a shoulder 5 at the housing 2. This locking latch 6 is 
located of the free end of an elastic arm 7 formed with the slide part 3 
and extends at least partially through an opening 8 in a corner of the 
front side of the housing 2 that faces away from the loop 1. At this 
point, the housing 2 also has a lateral recess 9 in order to facilitate a 
pressing-inward of the locking latch 6, when the hangtag is to be opened 
by pushing the slider 10 out of the housing 2. 
Since it is not necessary to completely push the slider 10 out of the 
housing 2 for a brief opening of the key tag, an intermediate position is 
provided in which the slider 10 can be locked intermediately in the 
housing 2. For this purpose, the locking latch 6 engages in another 
opening 11 in the housing 2. Here an inclined surface 12 for the automatic 
pressing-in of the locking latch 6 when sliding the slider 10 from the 
intermediate position into the locking position is provided on the locking 
latch 6. 
As can be easily recognized, a hangtag is created in this manner that is 
extremely easy to manufacture, especially a key tag, which also guarantees 
a secure locking of the key link. 
Within the framework of the invention, a number of modifications and 
supplements are possible. 
For example, the free end 4 of the loop 1 itself may carry the locking 
latch which then, in the cased of a pushed-in slide part 3, would engage 
in a corresponding recess at the housing 2 without any changes in regard 
to the secure locking of the loop 1. 
In addition, it is conceivable to provide at the lower part of the slide 
part 3 on each side, a locking latch that can be pressed in, on an elastic 
arm. 
In addition to the rectangular shape shown here, the housing 2 and 
correspondingly also the slide part 3 may also have a different 
geometrical shape. 
Also, the slider 10 consisting of the loop 1 and the slide part 3 may be a 
pressed piece or a stamping of a flat shape as can be recognized 
approximately on the basis of FIG. 1. However, according to FIGS. 4 and 5, 
this slider 10 may also be a sprayed die casting having a rib-shaped 
development. Here it can be recognized that a flute 17 at the root of the 
elastic arm 7 improves its spring characteristics. 
The slider 10 that can be pushed in and the housing 2 consist preferably of 
plastic, where advantageously at least the housing 2 is transparent in 
order to be able to slide in labels that are visible behind the housing 
surfaces. 
In the case of the hangtag according to the invention, a label 15 is 
provided according to FIG. 3 that is made of a material for writing and/or 
printing upon, which is folded in a U-shaped manner and extends in the 
housing 2 with its arms on both sides of the slide part 3. Here, in the 
area of the recess 9 of the housing 2, a cutout 16 is provided in order 
not to impair the engaging of the locking latch 6. 
The advantage of this label arrangement is first that independently from 
the neutrally produced hangtag, the label can be lettered individually, 
perhaps by the purchaser. In addition, this label 15, inserted into the 
housing 2, without additional measures, is protected from falling out, 
since the label, when the slide part 3 is pulled out into the intermediate 
position, can only follow the slide part 3 at best as far as that. 
As is easily recognized, all parts of the hangtag are designed so that they 
can be exchanged without difficulty. When it is desired to remove the 
slider 10 and label 15 from the housing 2, the locking latch 6 engaged in 
the intermediate position in the opening 11 is simply pressed in and the 
slider 10 pulled free of the housing. 
Thus a hangtag was created according to the above that meets all 
requirements in regard to simplicity in concept while taking into 
consideration the criteria of a mass-produced article with absolute 
functional reliability and a large range of application.