Patent Publication Number: US-7588173-B2

Title: Hanger with metal hook and indicator block

Description:
This invention relates to a hanger with a metal hook and an indicator block. 
   As is well known, hangers that are used as clothes hangers during warehouse management or in shops for displaying garments are equipped with an indicator block, on which data identifying the garment hung on the hanger is displayed, in particular the size. For this reason, such indicator blocks are commonly identified by the term “size marker”. 
   The most common hangers consist of an arched body, made from plastic or wood, equipped, in a central position, with a filiform metal hook, which is used to hang the hanger on a horizontal bar. 
   In the current state of the art, indicator blocks, hereafter indicated with the term size marker, normally consist of a body equipped with a through hole, which constitutes a seat for receiving the filiform part of the central hook of the hanger. 
   In a first well known embodiment, the size marker is equipped with a longitudinal side notch, which allows the size marker to interlock with the filiform body (see, for example, patent document EP-A-1338226), whereas, in a second embodiment, the size marker is slotted and slid through the hook (see, for example, patent document WO-A-2006005467). In both cases, the size marker is always positioned at the base of the hook and rests upon a pawl projecting from the arched body, which pawl has the function of strengthening the union between the two elements, i.e. the hook and body, of the hanger. 
   In practice, the arrangement of the size markers at the base of the hook is not optimal since, in certain situations, such as a compact grouping together of the hung garments, it is difficult to read the information displayed on the size markers. 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a hanger having a metal hook with an indicator block or size marker that, when in use, does not have the drawbacks of similar known products. 
   It is another object of the invention to provide a hanger having a metal hook in which an indicator block or size marker is positioned so as to be clearly visible, in any manner of use of the hanger. 
   It is another object of the invention to mount a size marker on the top of a metal hook of a hanger to render the size marker clearly visible when several hangers are grouped together on a horizontal bar. 
   It is another object of the invention to mount a size marker on the top of a metal hook of a hanger in a simple and fast manner. 
   Briefly, the invention provides a hanger for a garment having a centrally located upstanding metal hook of filiform shape with a mounting portion at a top part of the hook and a separate indicator block on the mounting portion of the hook for displaying data regarding a garment on the hanger. 
   In accordance with the invention, the top part of the hook is provided with an eyelet onto which the block is anchored so as to project outwards and upwards with respect to the hook and the indicator block is equipped on the inside with one or more projections that, in an operative step, allow the block to be attached to the hook. 
   In one embodiment, the indicator block includes a pair of tabs that are hingedly secured together, a female protuberance on one of the tabs for fitting under the mounting portion of the hook and a male projection on the other of the tabs for snap-fitting into the protuberance to retain the block on the hook. In addition, the mounting portion of the hook is shaped to define an eyelet and the female protuberance of the block passes through the eyelet. 
   In another embodiment, the mounting portion of the hook has an arcuate element thereon defining an eyelet and the female protuberance of the block passes through the eyelet. 
   In still another embodiment, the mounting portion of the hook has a circular element secured thereon to define an eyelet and the female protuberance of the block passes through this eyelet. 
   In each embodiment, at least one of the tabs of the indicator bock has a pair of oppositely disposed shoulders seated on the hook to maintain the block in an upright vertical manner. 
   In still another embodiment, the indicator block is in the form of a body of box-shape that has a central passage for sliding of the block over the hook. In this embodiment, the body has a pair of parallel walls located on opposite sides of the hanger hook and each wall has at least one projection disposed under the mounting portion of the hook to retain the block on the hook. In this embodiment, the body of the block is snap-fitted onto the hook via the projections. In addition, the projections face each other and define a frusto-conical channel of decreasing size for passage of the mounting portion of the hook therethrough during mounting of the block on the hook. In this case, the mounting portion of the hook may have a flattened cross-sectional shape to increase the resistance to removal of the block from the hanger hook. Alternatively, each projection may have an inclined surface at an upper end in abutment with the mounting portion of the hook to facilitate removal of the block from the hanger hook. 
   The indicator block may also include a pair of partitions disposed transversely of and between the walls to abut the hook in order to stabilize the block on the hook in an upright vertical manner. 

   
     These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of two hangers each equipped with an indicator block according to the invention in an operative state; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a hanger constructed in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of a modified hanger constructed in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of a further modified hanger constructed in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a view of a hanger of  FIG. 2  with an indicator block constructed in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a view similar to  FIG. 5  during mounting of the indicator block of  FIG. 5  in place; 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a cross-sectional view taken on line VII-VII of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 7  with the indicator block in an opened condition; 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of a hanger with a modified indicator block of box-shape in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a view taken on line X-X of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a view taken on line XI-XI of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a view taken on line XII-XII of  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a view similar to  FIG. 12  with a flattened mounting portion; 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a view similar to  FIG. 12  projections of the block provided with inclined surfaces at the upper ends; and 
       FIG. 15  illustrates a view taken on line XV-XV of  FIG. 11 . 
   

   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a pair of hangers is shown mounted on a common bar. Each hanger includes an arched body  1  having a metal hook  2  mounted in central position in a conventional manner. In addition, the top of each hanger is provided with an indicator block or size marker  5  or  10 , each of which is further described below. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , wherein like reference characters indicate like parts as above, the metal hook of each hanger  1  is centrally located and is of filiform shape with a mounting potion  4  at the top that is shaped to define an eyelet  3 . In this respect, the mounting portion  4  of the hook may be shaped by a simple bending operation to form the eyelet. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 3 , an arcuate element  4 . 1  may be secured, as by welding, gluing or otherwise, to the mounting portion  4  to form the eyelet  3  or, as shown in  FIG. 4 , a circular element  4 . 2  may be secured in similar manner to the mounting portion  4  to form an eyelet  3 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5 to 8 , in a first embodiment the indicator block  5  of  FIG. 1  consists of two tabs  6  that are hingedly secured together by a flexible strap  7 . One tab  6  is provided with a female protuberance  8  for fitting under the mounting portion  4  of the hook (see  FIGS. 6 and 8 ) and the other tab  6  is provided with a male projection (not referenced) for snap-fitting into the protuberance or button  8  (see  FIG. 7 ) to retain the block  5  on the hook  2  (see  FIG. 5 ). The protuberance  8  and projection form a clip fastener. However, any other suitable type of snap-fitting may be used to releasably hold the tabs  6  in a closed position on the hook  2 . 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the indicator block  5  consists of a pair of rectangular shaped tabs and an unapertured strap that hingedly secures the tabs together and the female protuberance  8  fits directly under the mounting portion of the hook. In addition, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the tabs  6  are disposed in parallel on an opposite lateral sides of the mounting portion  4  of the hook  2  and the female protuberance  8  extends perpendicularly of tabs  6  and within the mounting portion  4  of the hook  2 . 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , when the tabs  6  are secured together, the indicator block  5  is fixedly mounted on the mounting portion of the hook  2 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 9 to 12 , in a second embodiment the indicator block  10  of Fig. is anchored to the hook  2  through inner projections  13 , which engage below the shaped portion  4  of the hook  2 . 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 11 , the block  10  consists of a body  15 , parallelepiped in shape to provide a box-shape with parallel side walls and parallel end walls. As viewed, these walls may be slightly tapered. Also, the block  10  may be provided with an opening in the top surface to provide access to the interior of the block  10 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 , each side wall of the body  15  is provided on the inside with a pair of projections  13  that are positioned so that, in an operative step, the projections  13  insert into the eyelet  3  defined by the shaped portion  4  of the filiform body of the hook  2  to retain the body  15  on the hook  2 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , the projections  13  of each side wall face the projections  13  of the opposite wall to define a frusto-conical channel  20  of decreasing size for passage of the mounting portion  4  of the hook  2  therethrough during mounting of the body  15  on the hook  2 . 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 12 , in a preferred embodiment, the projections  13  have a pointed section, the surfaces  18  and  19  of which define the frusto-conical channel  20  of decreasing width to facilitate, through a slight deformation, insertion of the body  15  onto the hook  2  and a vertex  21 , which constitutes a locking point of the body  15  on the hook  2 . 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 13 , when a substantially strong attachment is required, the cross section of the shaped portion  4  of the hook  2  may be slightly squashed or flattened so that, by widening, this portion  4  rests upon the two top surfaces  18  of the two opposite points. For which reason, at the moment of detachment, the block  10  must undergo a substantial deformation, which therefore requires suitable effort from the operator. 
   On the other hand, as can be seen in  FIG. 14 , when fast detachment with little effort is required, each projection  13  is provided with an inclined surface  18 . 1  at an upper end in abutment with and tangent to the mounting portion  4  of the hook  2  to form a frusto-conical channel  22  of increasing width in an outward direction to facilitate removal of the block  10  from the hook  2 . This feature makes it easier for the block  10  to deform and for the hook  2  to slide during removal. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 15 , the body  15  is also provided with a pair of partitions or thin walls  17  that are integrally disposed transversely to and between the side walls. The partition walls are disposed on opposite sides of the mounting portion  4  of the hook  2  to maintain the block  10  in an upright vertical manner (see  FIG. 11 ) and each partition wall  17  has a recess  23  in a lower end disposed in abutment with the hook  2  (see  FIG. 15 ). 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 15 , the thin walls  17  rest upon the hook  2 , with an extended shaped portion  23  and this gives a substantial stability of the block  10  on the hook  2 , since it is thus held in position by the combined action of the opposite pushes generated, respectively, by the projections  13  and by the walls  17  (see arrows of  FIG. 11 ). 
   Due to the box-shape, the indicator block  10  is very strong and easy to insert onto the filiform body of the hook  2  and, due to the parallelepiped configuration, the block has an extensive side surface, which allows a large amount of information regarding a hung garment to be displayed, through incision, smooth or raised stamping with hot press, pad printing or with other methods, in addition to the size, also, for example an advertising logo or other useful indications. 
   Basically, from what has been outlined above and as can be worked out from observing the Figs., the indicator blocks described above, to be applied onto the substantially top part of the hook, substantially differ from the known blocks. 
   Of course, embodiments that are even substantially different from the ones described are also possible, both in terms of the configurations of the eyelet  3 , and in terms of the type of indicator block  5 , 10  used, without, for this reason, departing from the scope of the following claims.