DE29901077U1 - Hangers - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a clothes hanger with a hanger body with a U-profile that is open at the bottom and a hanging hook that is mounted with its lower end in the middle section of the hanger body and projects upwards from it.

Such a clothes hanger usually has a hanger body made of plastic and a hanging hook made of metal. In order to be able to use the clothes hanger in automatic sorting and conveyor systems in the clothing industry, it is necessary that the hanging hook is held in the hanger body in a rotationally fixed manner. For this purpose, it is known to overmold the hanging hook with the plastic material of the hanger body and thus hold it in a form-fitting manner. Alternatively, it is possible to subsequently insert the hanging hook into the hanger body, which can be done by hammering it in, for example, whereby the hanging hook is then secured against being pulled out of the hanger body by means of ribs or barb-like projections.

body is secured. In order to prevent the hanging hook from rotating, it is known to radially squeeze the hanging hook, which consists of a wire with a circular cross-section, at its lower end, thereby forming protruding ears. If such a hanging hook is molded with the plastic material of the hanger body or hammered into it, the radially protruding ears prevent the hanging hook from rotating relative to the hanger body. However, since the width of the ears, which protrude beyond the normal diameter of the wire, is relatively small, only a small torque can be absorbed. In particular, customers or users of the clothes hangers in department stores and shops often try to rotate the hanging hook by 90° relative to the hanger body in order to hang the items of clothing sideways on the rod of a clothes rack and thus be able to view them better. If a corresponding torque is applied, the plastic material of the hanger body can be destroyed by the protruding ears, so that the hanging hook can rotate freely relative to the hanger body. However, a coat hanger with a hanging hook that has been loosened by applying appropriate force can no longer be used in the sorting and conveying systems mentioned in the clothing industry.

From DE 93 19 409 Ul it is known to form the lower end of the suspension hook in a polygonal shape and to accommodate it in the plastic material of the hanger body. Due to the rotationally asymmetrical design of the lower section, the suspension hook is fixed in the direction of rotation relative to the hanger body. However, if a sufficiently large rotational force is exerted on the suspension hook, the surrounding plastic material of the hanger body deforms elastically, causing the suspension hook

can be twisted until it snaps or locks into the next position determined by the polygon shape. It has been shown, however, that if the hanging hook is rotated frequently, the plastic material on the edges of the polygon shape is gradually worn away, so that after a relatively short period of use the hanging hook can rotate with only very little force or even freely.

The invention is based on the object of creating a clothes hanger of the type mentioned, which ensures sufficient rotational security of the hanging hook relative to the hanger body and whose hanging hook can assume various positions relative to the hanger body.

This object is achieved according to the invention in a clothes hanger of the type mentioned in that the hanging hook is adjustable between a lower release position in which it can be freely rotated relative to the hanger body and at least one upper engagement position in which it is held in a rotationally fixed manner on the hanger body.

By adjusting the height of the hanging hook, the conflicting requirements of the clothing industry and the customers can be fully met. As soon as an upward pulling force acts on the hanging hook, for example when the clothes hanger is hung on a clothes rail or a hook, the hanging hook is brought into the upper engagement position, i.e. pulled upwards out of the hanger body until the upper engagement position is reached. In this upper engagement position, the hanging hook is held on the hanger body in a rotationally fixed manner, so that when the clothes hanger is hung up, for example in automatic

Sorting and conveying systems in the clothing industry always ensure that the hanging hook is prevented from rotating relative to the hanger body. To rotate the hanging hook, it only needs to be pushed a small distance into the hanger body from above, which is preferably done by the hanging hook's own weight. As soon as a user grasps the clothes hanger by the hanger body and takes it off a clothes rail, the hanging hook automatically moves to the lower release position, in which it can rotate freely relative to the hanger body.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the suspension hook has an engagement part which, in the engaged position, lies in a recess in the bracket body and is held in this recess in a rotationally fixed manner by a positive fit. The engagement part can be mounted in the lower area and in particular at the lower end of the suspension hook. However, a particularly simple structural design is obtained if the engagement part is formed by a bend or a projection of the suspension hook.

In order to fix the hanging hook in different rotational positions relative to the hanger body, i.e. to provide several different engagement positions, in a further development of the invention several recesses are formed on the hanger body into which the engagement part can be optionally inserted. In the usual basic position, the hanging hook lies essentially in the hanger plane. When a user takes the clothes hanger down from a rod, the hanging hook automatically returns to its lower release position. The user can then rotate the hanging hook by a desired angle and put it back on

hang the rod, whereby a tensile force acts on the suspension hook again, bringing it into an upper engagement position. The number of recesses distributed over the circumference determines the number of different rotational positions that the suspension hook can assume relative to the bracket body. It has proven to be useful to provide four recesses that are arranged at a mutual angular offset of approx. 90°, with two recesses defining the position of the suspension hook in the bracket plane and the other two recesses defining an alignment that runs perpendicular to it.

When the suspension hook is brought into its lower release position by the user or reaches the release position due to its own weight, the downward movement of the suspension hook should be limited. This is achieved in particular by a stop defining the release position being formed on the suspension hook above the bracket body. The stop can be formed either by a cross-sectional widening of the suspension hook, for example by crushing, or by a stop element mounted on the suspension hook.

Since the hanger body is made as a plastic injection-molded part, the recesses can be made on the hanger body during manufacture. However, it has proven to be advantageous in terms of manufacturing technology to make the recesses on a separate plastic part, which is then placed on the hanging hook in such a way that it can be moved relative to it. The hanging hook is then attached to the hanger body by mounting the plastic part on it. The plastic part is preferably in the form of a clip.

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which is snapped laterally onto the lower vertical section of the suspension hook and then locked into a central, upper hole in the bracket body.

Details and features of the invention are apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawings. They show:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a coat hanger according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows section II-II in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 a front view of a fastening clip,

Fig. 4 a side view of the fastening clip

according to Fig. 3,
20

Fig. 5 a top view of the fastening clip

according to Fig. 3 and

Fig. 6 an alternative design of the suspension hook.

A coat hanger 10 shown in Fig. 1 and 2 has a hanger body 11 with a central housing 12, from which hanger arms 18 of known construction extend to opposite sides. In the middle, upper area of the housing 12, a hanging hook 13 is mounted in an upper opening or hole via a fastening clip 14, which has a bend 15 at its lower end, which is essentially perpendicular

protrudes. The fastening clip 14, which is locked onto the bracket body, is slidably penetrated by the suspension hook 13 and has several recesses 16 on its underside into which the bend 15 of the suspension hook 13 can be inserted.

In its section above the fastening clip 14, the suspension hook 13 has a radially protruding stop 13a, which is formed by a crushing of the material of the suspension hook 13.

Fig. 1 and 2 show the suspension hook in an upper engagement position in which the suspension hook 13 is pulled out as far as possible from the bracket body 11, with the bend 15 lying in one of the recesses 16 of the fastening clip 14 and held in a rotationally fixed manner.

When the suspension hook 13 is no longer subjected to an upward pull-out force, the suspension hook 13 falls downwards relative to the bracket body 11 due to its own weight until the stop 13a rests on the top of the fastening clip 14. In this lower release position, the bend 15 is not engaged with the recess 16 of the fastening clip 14, so that the suspension hook 13 can rotate freely relative to the bracket body 11.

Four radial recesses 16 are formed on the underside of the fastening clip 14 at a mutual angle offset of 90°, so that the suspension hook 13 can be fixed to the bracket body 11 in four different positions, each rotated by 90°. As shown in particular in Figs. 3 to 5, the fastening clip 14 has a

central through-opening 14a, which essentially corresponds to the cross-sectional dimensions of the suspension hook 13. A radial recess 14b is provided in the fastening clip 14, with which the fastening clip 14 can be pushed laterally onto the suspension hook until the suspension hook snaps into the central opening 14a of the fastening clip 14.

In order to secure the fastening clip 14 to the bracket body 11, two spring tabs 17 are formed on opposite sides of the fastening clip 14. The fastening clip 14 is pushed from below or inside into the upper middle hole of the housing 12 of the bracket body 11, whereby the spring arms 17 are elastically deformed inwards. The pushing-in movement of the fastening clip 14 is limited by a stop 14c. In this position, the spring arms 17 can return to their outward-facing spread position, whereby the fastening clip 14 is held securely on the bracket body 11. Radial lugs 14d engage with the bracket body so that the fastening clip is held securely in it.

The length of the lower bend 15 of the suspension hook 13 and the radial length of the recess 16 into which the bend 15 can be inserted with a positive fit determines the torque to be absorbed between the suspension hook 13 and the bracket body 11. In order to ensure a central transmission of force between the bracket body 11 and the suspension hook 13, instead of the one-sided bend 15 at the lower end of the suspension hook 13, a crossbar 19 pointing in the opposite direction can also be provided (see Fig. 6), which in the engaged position of the suspension hook can be inserted into two aligned recesses 16.

of the fastening clip. This significantly increases the transferable torque.

Claims (1)

Protection claims Clothes hanger with a hanger body (11) with a U-profile that is open at the bottom and a suspension hook (13) that is mounted with its lower end in the middle section of the hanger body (11) and projects upwards from it, characterized in that the suspension hook (13) is adjustable between a lower release position in which it can be freely rotated relative to the hanger body (11) and at least one upper engagement position in which it is held on the hanger body (11) in a rotationally fixed manner. Clothes hanger according to claim 1, characterized in that the hanging hook (13) has an engagement part (15; 19) which, in the engagement position, lies in a recess (16) of the hanger body (11) and is held in this recess in a rotationally fixed manner by positive locking is. 3. Clothes hanger according to claim 2, characterized in that the engagement part (15; 19) is formed by a bend or a projection of the hanging hook (13). 4. Clothes hanger according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that several recesses (16) are formed on the hanger body (11), into which the engagement part (15, -19) can be selectively inserted. 5. Clothes hanger according to claim 4, characterized in that four recesses (16) are arranged at a mutual angular offset of approximately 90°. 6. Clothes hanger according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the suspension hook (13) can be brought into the release position due to its own weight. 7. Clothes hanger according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a stop (13a) defining the release position is formed on the suspension hook (13) above the hanger body (11). 8. Clothes hanger according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the recesses (16) are formed on a plastic part (14) which can be slidably placed on the hanging hook (13) and mounted on the hanger body (11). 9. Clothes hanger according to claim 8, characterized in net that the plastic part (14) can be snapped onto the hanging hook (13) and/or the bracket body (11).