CLOTHING DATA SYSTEM

Abstract: A marking unit (3, 4) for the suspension hook (2) of a clothes-hanger is provided with at least one information surface. The unit (3, 4) has a parallelepipedic shape with two flanges (5, 6) and a resilient web (13) defining oppositely directed pairs of legs. One pair (7, 8) forms a position for the suspension hook (2), the other pair (9, 10) forms tongue-like gripping members. The unit has an information surface (15, 16) on at least one flange (5, 6) and a locking bead (11, 12) on at least one inner surface of one leg (7, 8) in the first leg pair. In manufacturing the marking units, a blank (50) is produced by extrusion through a die with a configuration corresponding to the cross section of the flanges (5, 6) and web (52) of the unit. The blank is subsequently separated into marking units by cutting along flashes (53) and cutting transverse (56, 57) the longitudinal direction of the blank (50). The units may be provided with marking (39) before separation.

Description: CLOTHING DATA SYSTEM The invention is concerned with a clothing data system and relates to a device for furnishing particulars con¬ cerning a garment, especially in the case where the gar¬ ments are suspended on clothes-hangers or other devices provided with suspension hooks. The US Patent 3,898,754 teaches a device used for iden¬ tifying garments and other goods hung up in warehouses or for sale in shops and department stores. When garments are displaced in shops and differens selling locations, the customers and potential buyers are primarily interested in - only a few particulars , e.g. size, possible reduced price or the like. The device illustrated in the mentioned patent, in spite of its being very simple and cheap, may be too expen- sive even so, in many cases. This is due primarily to the device having to be manufactured singly in a moulding tool, subsequent to which the marking on it must be individually applied to each device. This results in costs in the form of manual work, which is expensive. The mentioned drawbacks are obviated and further advan¬ tages achieved by the invention in a first embodiment of a marking unit for applying to an elongate body, such as the suspending hook of a clothes-hanger, which may have an optional cross section, e.g. H- or I-shaped section, round, square, etc., the marking unit having at least one outwardly directed surface formed for carrying information. In accord¬ ance with the invention the marking unit is made with a constant cross section in its longitudinal direction, which coincides with that of the suspending hook which has been gripped, the marking unit thus obtaining a parallelepipedic shape, with two mutually, substantially parallel flanges formed transverse the longitudinal direction of the marking unit, and a resilient web arranged between the flanges and joining them, such that the flanges define pairs of legs directed in opposite directions from the web, whereat the - first pair of legs form a position or seating adapted such as to accommodate and grip round the suspension hook, while the other pair of legs form tongue-shaped gripping members, there being further arranged, at least on the exterior of one flange, an information-carrying marking surface, and at least on an inner surface of one leg in the first pair of legs there being arranged a locking bead projecting towards the opposite leg. When both tongue-like gripping members are pressed towards each other, the elastic web yields such that the legs in the first pair open out from each other, whereby a clothing hook or a portion of a sus¬ pension means can be inserted between the legs so that the latter grip around the clothing hook, which can be inserted behind the locking bead or beads when the legs are opened away from each other, while when the gripping members are released from the compressive force, the legs and locking bead or beads resiliently engage with, and retain the marking unit on the hanger. In a second embodiment of the invention there are pro¬ vided inner beads arranged between the locking beads and the web on the first pair of legs, such that the inner beads and locking beads can * supportingly accommodate between them the portion of a garment suspending means inserted in the marking unit. In a third embodiment, there is arranged a bottoming bead on the side of the web facing towards the locking or inner beads, and formed such as to supportingly surround, together with the locking or inner beads, the portion of the suspension means inserted in the marking unit. In a fourth embodiment, the marking unit in a free and undeformed state has two legs diverging from the resilient web. The invention also relates to a method invented for manufacturing the device, such as to provide a complete marking unit to a very low cost. This is achieved in accord¬ ance with the invention in that a blank for the marking unit CV.cl is produced by transfer press moulding with a nozzle or extrusion with a die having at least two orifices each of which has a cross section complementary to the configura¬ tion of the flanges and web of the marking unit, the adja- cent orifices being in communication with each other with the aid of at least one narrow gap situated such that adja¬ cent flange portions of the blank are connected to each other by a narrow flash, and in that the blank is divided up by cutting across the longitudinal direction thereof and, in the case where there are several orifices situated side by side, separating elongate blank portions by slitting up the narrow flash zones. In a second method, the flash zone is formed such that a tear-off line is obtained at the zone for the purpose of facilitating separation of the blank into marking units. In a third method the desired information is applied to the information surfaces on the extruded blank before division into separate marking units. The invention will now be described in detail in con- junction with the appended drawings, where Figure 1 illus¬ trates a marking unit fitted to a partially illustrated clothes-hanger. Figure 2 is a cross section on the line II-II in Figure 1 of the simplest embodiment of a marking unit with two locking beads, Figure 3 illustrates an embodi- ment with two locking beads and a bottoming bead. Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment with two locking beads, two inner beads and a bottoming bead, Figure 5 illustrates the marking unit of Figure 4 fitted to a heavier suspension means, Figure 6 is a blank manufactured in accordance with the invention for producing marking units, Figure 7 illustrates to a larger scale the encircled portion denoted by VII in Figure 6, Figure 8 illustrates a plastics suspension hook and Figure 9 is a section along the line IX-IX in Figure 8. In Figure 1, the numeral 1 denotes a clothes-hanger and 2 the hook thereof. Two marking units 3 and 4 are fitted around the hook 2 in accordance with the invention, with one of the information-carrying surfaces facing forwards. The marking units can be fitted to the number required for pro¬ viding the desired particulars. The marking units can carry letters, numbers, symbols or other information. They may also have different colours, serving as signal colours for different purposes, e.g. indicating that the garment is being sold at a favourable price. Figure 2 is a cross section along the line II-II in Figure 1 through- a simple marking unit and a suspension hook 2 according to Figure 1. The marking unit consists of two elongate flanges 5 and 6 joined by an elastic web 13. The flanges have legs 7 and 8 extending in the Figure to the left from the web 13, while the flanges on the other side of the web are tongue-shaped gripping members 9 and 10. The locking beads 11 and 12 are formed on the inside of the legs 7 and 8. These beads have a location and shape such that they grip round the hook 2 so that the marking unit is retained on it by engagement against the beads 11, 12 and the web.13. The marking unit is fitted to the hook 2 by pressing it over the hook from one side, or by moving the legs 7 and 8 apart by pressing the gripping members 9 and 10 towards each other, so that the opening between the locking beads 11 and 12 increases to allow the unit to be thrust over the hook 2. It is obvious that the unit can also be .fitted to hooks with less diameter than the one illustrated in Figure 2. The flanges 5 and 6 have smooth outer surfaces 15 and 16 intended for receiving marking symbols. A second embodiment of the marking unit is illustrated in Figure 3, this unit also having a bottoming bead 33 on the web 34, apart from the locking beads 31 and 32 on the flanges 5 and 6. It will be seen from the Figure that the portions 31 , 32 and 33 resiliently engage against the hook 2 and retain the marking unit on it. This unit can also be used for clothing hooks 2 having different diameters. 35 and 36 denote smooth outer surfaces for marking symbols, while remaining denotations are similar for those given in Figure 2. -^UE^A O PI Figure 4 illustrates a third embodiment of a marking unit, primarily intended for use with clothes-hangers en¬ tirely manufactured in plastics or with a suspension hook in plastics, as is illustrated in Figure 8. This hook has 5 an I-shaped cross section as depicted in Figure 9. The marking unit in Figure 4, with the locking beads 41, 42 and bottoming bead 47, has two further inner beads 43 and 44, • which lie inwards of and are lower than the locking beads 41 and 42. The inner beads 43 and 44 are placed such that 10 the inner flange of the hook 40 is laterally retained by the legs 7 and 8 and guided by the beads 43, 44 and 47 in the longitudinal direction of the marking unit. If so desired, the unit can be thrust in a short distance so that the flanges of the hanger are accommodated by the grooves 15 45 and 46 between the beads 41, 43 and 42, 44. respectively. Marking surfaces are denoted by 37 and 38, while remaining denotations correspond to those in Figures 2 and 3. The same marking unit is illustrated in Figure 5 as in Figure 4, it being placed on a plastics hanger 49 with a 20 hook having flanges wider than those illustrated in Figure 4 The flange on the hook 49 cannot be inserted so that it takes up the inner position illustrated in Figure 4, since it is too wide. It will be seen from Figures 4 and 5, how¬ ever, that the unit can be fitted to hooks of varying dimen- 25 sions due to its elasticity. The inventive method of manufacturing a blank 50 for the marking units in accordance with the invention will be seen from Figure 6. The blank 50 is produced by extrusion, the die having a configuration corresponding to the section 30 of the desired marking unit. Accordingly, in Figure 6 there is illustrated the production of a blank for units as illus¬ *-_*. trated in Figures 3 and 4. In the Figure, the upper and lower flanges 5, 6 of the marking unit, as well as its resilient web 52 and different beads are evident. The 35 matrix in the tool has two or more orifices of the desired configuration, of which portions of blank from the two left openings have been shown in their entirety in Figure 6. It G PI is obvious that several like or mutually unlike sections can be arranged side by side. In the method illustrated in Figure 6, the contiguous parallelepipedic blanks for the marking units are joined together at their upper legs 8, 10 by a narrow flash 53 which is illustrated in the encircled portion VII. The lower legs 7, 9 are separated by a gap 55, contiguously situated blanks thus merely being connected to each other by the flashes 53. It is also depicted in Figure 6 how the separate marking units are produced from the blank 50. This is done by separating the blank portions from each other by slitting up at the flashes 53 and cutting the blank por¬ tions in planes 56 and 57 etc. at right angles to the longi- tudinal direction of the parallelepipedic blanks. It is advantageous to provide the individual marking units with the desired marking before the blank is subdivided, e.g. by printing on one or both surfaces of the unit. The part VII of Figure 6 is illustrated to a larger scale in Figure 7, the flash line 53 in this case being formed on the upper side with a tear-off-line 51 to facili¬ tate parting the contiguous blanks. The above embodiments of the marking units and methods for their production are provided for the sake of exempli- fication, and it is obvious that one skilled in the art can achieve modifications within the scope of the claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A marking unit (3, 4) for fitting to an elongate body such as the suspension hook (2) of a clothes-hanger (1 which may have an optional cross section such as H- or I- shaped, round or square, etc., the unit having at least one exterior surface formed for carrying information, c h r a c t e r i z e d by said unit comprising a constant cross section in the longitudinal direction of the unit (3, 4) coinciding with that of the suspension hook, whereby the unit obtains a parallelepipedic appearanc two flanges (5, 6) mutually substantially parallel transverse the longitudinal direction of the unit, a resilient web (13) arranged between the ends of the flanges (5, 6), and connecting them, the flanges (5, 6) defining legs in pairs directed in opposite directions from the web (13) of which the first pair of legs (7, 8) form a location or seat disposed for accommodating and gripping round the suspension hook (2) , while the other pair of legs (9, 10) form tongue-shaped gripping members, an information-carrying surface (15, 16) arranged on the outward side of at least one of the flanges (5, 6), a locking bead (11, 12) arranged projecting towards the opposite flange (6, 5) on at least one inner surface of one flange (5, 6) in the first pair of legs adapted for resiliently engaging a portion of the suspension hook (2) facing away from the web (13) . 2. A marking unit as claimed in claim 1, c h r ¬ a c t e r i z e d by inner beads (43, 44) arranged inwards of the locking beads (41, 42) on the portion of the legs (7, 8) between the locking beads and the web (48) such that the inner beads (43, 44) and locking beads (41, 42) can supportingly accommodate between them the portion inserted in the marking unit of a suspension device (46) for a gar¬ ment (Figure 5) . 3. A marking unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a bottoming bead- (33, 47) on the side of the web facing towards the locking or inner beads (31, 32; 43, 44) and formed such that together with said beads it supportingly engages the portion inserted in the unit of the suspension device (2; 40) . 4. A marking unit as claimed in any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the unit in a free undeformed condition has two legs diverging from the resilient web. 5. Method of manufacturing a parallelepipedically- shaped marking unit having two flanges (5, 6) and a web (13, 34, 48) connecting the flanges according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a blank (50) is produced by transfer moulding through a nozzle or extruding through a die having at least two orifices, each of which correspond to the cross section of the unit flanges (5, 6) and web (52) the adjacent orifices being mutually in communication with the aid of a narrow gap, situated such that the contiguous portions (8, 10, Figure 6) of the blank (50) forming one flange portion (6) of the unit are connected to each other by a narrow flash (53) , and that the blank is subdivided by cutting transverse (56, 57) the longitudinal direction of the blank (50) and, in the case where there are several orifices situated side by side, separating elongate blank portions by slitting through the flashes (53) . 6. Method as claimed in claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the gap is formed so that a tear-off¬ line (51) is obtained in the narrow flash (56) with the object of facilitating separation of the blank (50) into marking units. 7. Method as claimed in either of claims 5 or 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that desired information (39) is applied to the marking surfaces (36, 38) before separa- ting the extruded blank (50) into separate marking units. OMPI

Inventors: JOHANSSON GERT ARNE, JOHANSSON, GERT, ARNE
Applicants: JOHANSSON GERT A, JOHANSSON, GERT, ARNE
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G09F3
IPC codes: A47G25