Device for use in the storage or transportation of garments

Abstract: A garment rack for the suspended transport or storage of garments comprises a frame (3,3') which can be suspended on the beams (4,4') of a storage rack or of a transport rack. Attached to said frame, which also has points of application (2,2') for a transport means such as a forklift truck, are rods (1,1') over which garment hangers can be pushed. The garments hang beneath the frame both during the transportation and during the storage. The structure is simple and easy to handle.

Description: A. Background of the invention The invention relates to a device for use in the storage or transportation of garments, which device comprises first means for coupling to garment hangers on which the garments are suspended, wherein the first coupling means comprises at least two rods, and further comprises second means extending between the at least two rods of the first means in a direction perpendicular to those first means, for coupling to a transport means such as the fork of a forklift truck. Such a device is disclosed in FR 2616310. In the device according to this known art, a (foldable) clothing stand in which the first means take the form of rods on which hangers with garments can be hung is mounted, when in use, on a pallet employed as second means and the clothing stand is transported together with said pallet (for example using a forklift truck) or stored in a warehouse. The combination of clothing stand and pallet requires a relatively large amount of care in handling. The joint between the two has to be well secured, while the combination is quite quickly top heavy and, as a consequence of the height of the stand, it has to be fitted in carefully between the beams of the storage rack when stored in a storage rack. The whole is also relatively expensive in view of the fairly complicated structure which requires a large amount of material. In US 4 037 728 a device is disclosed for transportation of garments which is especially aimed at clamping the garment hangers to a hanger bar. The transport means in this case is a trolley and the coupling of the device to the trolley is done by placing the rollerassemblies, employed as second means, upon a rail. This will normally be done manually and the known device does not lend itself to being handled by the forklift trucks used in warehouses. B. Summary of the invention The object of a device according to the invention is to eliminate the above drawbacks, namely to provide a device which is easy to handle both during transport and during storage in a warehouse, and is cheap as a consequence of the simplicity of structure. A device according to the invention is defined in claim 1. The invention is based on the insight that a device in which the centre of gravity in the loaded state is situated underneath the points of application for the transport means during the transport phase and underneath the suspension points in a rack during the storage phase is more stable and is consequently also simpler to handle than a device according to the known art. The solution found also offers the advantage that it yields a simple and cheap structure. The device according to the invention may, for example, form part of a storage system in a warehouse. Warehouses for storing goods on behalf of third parties are encountered at an increasingly large number of sites. Said third parties then allow the delivery to the warehouse, the storage and the distribution to clients to be provided by the operator of the warehouse. The operator concerned acts as provider of logistic services. It is of importance to him that the warehouse and the working methods used therein do not have to be adapted to the type of goods, while, on the other hand, the ability to process diverse types of goods offers great advantages. These advantages are, inter alia, the fact that expansion of the range of processable goods results in an increase in the potential group of clients (less dependence on a limited number of large clients) and the fact that seasonal effects can be absorbed better (since diverse seasonal effects generally apply to different types of goods). Hitherto it has been difficult to fit products from the clothing industry into the methods and appliances of nonspecialized suppliers of logistic services. The device according to the invention also makes it possible for the nonspecialized warehouse operator to include the storage and distribution of garments in his range of services. The device is intended, on the one hand, for use in existing storage racks, which do not need to be adapted for this purpose, and, on the other hand, for suspension in mobile racks. Said mobile racks can be transported in lorries, together with the devices suspended therein and provided with garments. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the third means take the form of U-shaped frames which are pushed over beams in a rack when the device is in use. Said frames can then be joined to each other by the second means. In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the third means take the form of rods bent to form a hook. Said rods are then attached to the second means. C. Reference FR 2616310 Dispositif pour supporter des vêtements en cours de stockage ou de transport (Device for supporting garments during storage or transport) US 4 037 728 Clamp for garment racks D. Short description of the drawing The invention will be explained in greater detail by means of a description of an embodiment, reference being made to a drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the device; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the device; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a mobile rack in which two devices according to the first preferred embodiment are suspended. E. Description of an exemplary embodiment In Fig. 1, which shows a first exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention, (1) and (1') are rods or tubes to which garments (not shown), suspended on garment hangers (5) can be coupled. In this figure, (2) and (2') are profiled sections for coupling to a transport means such as is much used in warehouses, for example a forklift truck. The profiled sections (2) and (2') form points of application for the fork of such a transport means. The U-shaped frames (3) and (3') can be used to suspend the device, together with the garments suspended thereon, to the beams (4) and (4') of a rack. The latter may be a fixed storage rack or a mobile rack. Such a mobile rack preferably has dimensions which are such that one or more such racks can be transported in a lorry. In Fig. 2, which shows a second preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention, (1) and (1') are again rods or tubes on which garment hangers (5) with garments (not shown) can be hung. The frameworks (2) and (2') here form the means for coupling to a transport means, such as a forklift truck. The hook-shaped bent rods (3), (3'), (3'') and (3''') serve to suspend the device, together with the garments suspended thereon, on the beams (4) and (4') of an optionally mobile rack. Fig. 3 shows a mobile rack in which two devices according to the first exemplary embodiment are suspended.

Claims: Device for use in the storage or transportation of garments, which device comprises first means (1,1') for coupling to garment hangers (5) on which the garments are suspended, wherein the first coupling means (1,1') comprises at least two rods, and further comprises second means (2,2'), extending between the at least two rods of the first means in a direction perpendicular to those first means, for coupling to a transport means such as the fork of a forklift truck, characterised in that the device also comprises third means (3,3'), situated above the first means when the device is in use, for suspending the device underneath the beams (4,4') of a storage rack, with the first means extending in a direction perpendicular to the beams. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the third means (3,3') comprise at least two U-shaped frames, extending parallel to first means and in that the first and third means are joined together by the second means. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the third means (3,3') comprise a number of rods, each rod being bent to form a hook and attached to the second means.

Inventors: KLOPPENBURG HERMAN DANIEL, OELRICH LUDO CASPER, KLOPPENBURG, HERMAN DANIEL, OELRICH, LUDO CASPER
Applicants: KONINKL KPN NV, KONINKLIJKE KPN N.V.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A47F7
IPC codes: A47F7, A47F5