Molded plastic display hanger with projecting tooth

A molded plastic hanger for displaying articles in front of a generally upright panel made of paperboard or the like. The hanger includes a clip having a slot sized to receive an edge portion of the panel and an elongated arm for supporting the articles. Relatively small teeth are integrally molded in the clip. The teeth are adapted to allow the clip to slip onto the edge of the panel and then to bite into the panel so as to resist removal of the hanger from the panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to a hanger adapted to be mounted onto a 
display unit and adapted to support one or more articles. More 
specifically, the invention relates to a hanger specially adapted to be 
mounted onto a generally horizontally extending upper edge portion of an 
upright corrugated or paperboard panel for displaying articles of 
merchandise in front of the panel. 
A display hanger of this general type includes a clip for mounting the 
hanger onto the edge portion and a forwardly extending arm to carry the 
merchandise. Each article includes an opening for receiving the arm so 
that the merchandise can be individually slipped onto and off of the 
hanger. 
The clip is typically formed with an inverted J-shape or an inverted 
U-shape defining a downwardly opening slot adapted to receive the edge 
portion of the panel. The slot enables the clip to be slid downwardly onto 
the panel. A front support defined on the clip rests against the front of 
the panel to support the weight of the merchandise. Additionally, the clip 
may be sized to snugly receive the edge portion of the panel so that 
friction between the clip and the panel aids in supporting the weight of 
the merchandise and keeping the hanger on the panel. However, if too much 
weight is placed on the arm of a prior hanger of this type, the clip will 
tend to slip upwardly and off of the panel. Also, if a prior hanger of 
this type is accidently bumped, the clip may be knocked off of the panel. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The general aim of the present invention is to provide a new and improved 
hanger which is easily slipped onto an edge portion of a paperboard panel 
but which is more securely held to the panel. 
A more detailed objective is to achieve the foregoing by providing a hanger 
having a resilient clip which is adapted to slide downwardly onto the edge 
portion of the panel and which releasably bites into the panel to normally 
prevent the clip from inadvertently sliding upwardly and off of the panel. 
A still more detailed objective is to provide a molded plastic clip having 
a slot adapted to snugly receive the edge portion of the panel and having 
integrally molded teeth which slide along the back of the panel as the 
clip is slipped onto the panel but which bite into the back of the panel 
when the clip is seated on the edge of the panel. 
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more 
apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction 
with the accompanying drawings.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative 
constructions, a certain illustrated embodiment hereof has been shown in 
the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be 
understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to 
the specific form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to 
cover all modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents falling 
within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
For purposes of illustration, the present invention is shown in the 
drawings as embodied in a hanger 10 (FIG. 1) which is particularly 
suitable for displaying articles 11 such as packaged merchandise in front 
of a generally upright panel such as a side panel 12 of a corrugated or 
paperboard display carton 13. The display carton typically holds an 
additional supply of articles to be placed onto the hanger. 
The hanger 10 is preferably molded from resilient plastic and includes a 
clip 14 for mounting the hanger onto the panel 12. An integrally molded 
arm 15 projects forwardly from the clip for supporting the packaged 
articles 11. Each article includes an opening 11A sized to slidably 
receive the arm so that the articles can be individually slipped onto and 
off of the hanger. The opening 11A is typically formed in a card or other 
reinforced portion of the packaging. 
Advantageously, the arm 15 (FIG. 2) is inclined upwardly upon progressing 
away from the clip 14. As each article 11 is slipped onto the inclined 
arm, gravity tends to cause that article to slide downwardly, 
automatically making room for the next article. The tip portion 16 of the 
arm extends generally vertically from the free end portion of the arm. The 
tip portion allows the hanger 10 to be filled with articles while 
preventing the articles near the free end of the arm from being accidently 
bumped off of the hanger. 
In general, the clip 14 is formed with a downwardly opening slot 17 to 
enable the clip to be slipped onto a generally horizontally extending 
upper edge portion 18 of the panel 12. In this instance, the edge portion 
18 of the side panel is defined by the lower edge of a horizontal slot 19 
in the side panel. 
More specifically, the clip 14 (FIG. 3) is formed with front and back 
supports 21 and 22, respectively. The upper portions of the supports are 
joined to one another by a resilient radius portion 24 to define the 
downwardly opening slot 17. The clip is molded so that the back support 
normally approaches the front support, i.e., the width of the slot 17 
narrows, upon progressing downwardly from the radius portion to a knee 25A 
defined in the back support. The lower end portion 25 of the back support 
is then inclined away from the front support upon progressing downwardly 
from the knee 25A to define an enlarged opening to the slot 17. 
Additionally, the end portion 25 extends past the lower end of the front 
support. 
With the foregoing arrangement, the hanger 10 is mounted onto the panel 12 
by inserting the lower end portion 25 of the back support 22 into the slot 
19 and pivoting the clip 14 counterclockwise while pressing downwardly on 
the clip. As the narrow portion of the slot 17 defined at the knee 25A is 
pressed past the edge of the panel, the front and back supports 21 and 22 
resiliently separate and the edge portion 18 is snugly received in the 
slot 17. The radius portion 24 is preferably enlarged with respect to the 
width of the edge portion 18 to keep the bending stress at the root of the 
slot 17 relatively low. 
In accordance with the present invention, the hanger 10 is formed with 
generally upwardly angled teeth 26 which project forwardly into the slot 
17. The teeth are adapted to allow the clip 14 to slide downwardly onto 
the edge portion 18 of the panel 12 and then to grip the back of the 
panel. As a result, the hanger 10 may be slipped onto the edge of the 
panel and is then securely held to the panel. 
More specifically, at least one and preferably two relatively narrow teeth 
26 (FIG. 6) are integrally molded in the clip 14. The teeth project 
generally forwardly from the inside surface of the back support 22 and 
into the slot 17 to engage the panel 12 as the clip is slipped onto the 
panel. The teeth are preferably vertically spaced from one another and 
generally aligned with the arm 15 to prevent the clip from tending to 
twist or rotate as the clip is pressed downwardly onto the panel. 
Each tooth 26 is formed with an upwardly angled lower surface 27 and a 
generally horizontal upper surface 28. These surfaces 27 and 28 meet in 
the slot 17 to define a free end portion having a relatively sharp edge 
29. The teeth are sized so that the space between the edge 29 of the each 
tooth and the inner surface of the front support, as measured prior to 
installation of the hanger 10, is less the thickness of the panel 12. 
With the foregoing arrangement, the teeth 26 normally permit one-way 
relative motion between the slot 17 and the edge portion 18 of the panel 
12. When the clip 14 is slipped onto the edge portion 18 as previously 
described, the lower surface 27 of each tooth 26, in turn, rides over the 
upper edge of the panel and causes the back support 22 to resiliently 
deflect rearwardly relative to the front support 21. So long as the clip 
is moving continuously downwardly, the edges 29 of the teeth slide along 
the back surface 30 of the panel. When the downward motion of the clip 
stops, such as when the radius portion 24 engages the edge of the panel, 
the back support springs forwardly toward the panel and causes the teeth 
to bite into the back of the panel. As a result, the teeth firmly grip the 
panel and normally prevent the clip from backing upwardly and off of the 
panel. The hanger 10 is equally suitable for mounting to, for example, the 
horizontal edge portion 18' defined by the upper free edge of a vertical 
panel 12' (FIG. 4). In this instance, the hanger is mounted to the panel 
12' by aligning the slot 17 with the edge of the panel and simply pressing 
downwardly. Advantageously, the incline of the lower end portion 25 aids 
in guiding the clip 14 onto the edge of the panel 12'. 
From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention brings 
to the art a new and improved hanger 10 which is easily slipped onto an 
edge portion 18, 18' defined by, for example, a slot 19 formed in the side 
panel 12 or by the free edge of the vertical panel 12' but which is 
normally precluded from shifting relative to the edge portion. By virtue 
of the resilient clip 14 having integrally formed teeth 26 with upwardly 
sloping lower surfaces 27, the clip may be slid downwardly onto the panel 
whereupon the clip resiliently closes on the edge portion of the panel and 
the teeth bite into the back of the panel. Accordingly, the hanger is 
capable of more securely supporting the articles 11 and is precluded from 
inadvertently slipping on or being knocked off of the panel.