GB2454160A

GB2454160A - Hanger for boots

Info

Publication number: GB2454160A
Application number: GB0705846A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Wright; Mark Segasby
Original assignee: Phineas Products Ltd
Current assignee: Phineas Products Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-27
Filing date: 2007-03-27
Publication date: 2009-05-06
Also published as: GB0705846D0

Abstract

A hanger 14 for one or more boots e.g. Wellington boots comprises a clip 16, 18 with opposed gripping portions 20, 22 with gripping surfaces 20a, 22a, a main clip body 16, 18 in connection with the gripping portions, a biasing means 26, 28 to close the clip to grip the tops of Wellington boots and a suspension means 24; in which the biasing means comprises a pair of springs 26 and 28 disposed to distribute a biasing force across the surfaces of the gripping portions 20a, 22a. Preferably, the gripping surfaces are elongate and greater than 40 mm in length, and they are formed from an elastomeric material. The clip main body may comprise two halves 16, 18 each with a gripping portion 20, 22, which are pivotably connected 16a, 18a in such a way that they may be operated single-handedly. The suspension means may comprise a hook 24. A separate independent claim specifies a similar hanger wherein the biasing means are not specified, but the gripping surfaces 20a, 22a are specified to be elongate. A method claim is appended to both independent apparatus claims which specifies a method of suspending one or more boots.

Description

Hanger for Elastomerjc Boots This invention relates to a hanger for a boot, such as a Wellington boot, of the type having a tubular portion for accepting the lower leg of a wearer which portion is manufactured from an elastomeric material.

The present inventors have recognised that it would be desirable to provide a hanger for boots of the above type, especially Wellington boots, which would enable the boots to be hung in a space efficient manner from e.g. a hook or a rail. However, the present inventors have recognised also that conventional boot clips are not well suited for this purpose. Accordingly, the present inventors have devised a new form of boot hanger which is adapted to satisfy the above described needs.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a hanger for a boot, such as a Wellington boot, of the type having a tubular portion for accepting the lower leg of a wearer which portion is manufactured from an elastomeric material, the hanger including: a clip having a pair of opposed gripping portions each having a gripping surface, a main clip body in connection with the gripping portions and having biasing means for urging the gripping portions into a closed position by applying .. : a biasing force thereto wherein said gripping surfaces can grip against the S...

S **..

tubular portion; and . ..

:.:: suspension means enabling the hanger to be suspended, the suspension means being connected to the main body; S in which the biasing means includes a pair of springs disposed so as to distribute the biasing force across the surfaces of the gripping portions.

The provision of two springs enables the pressure applied by the clip to be balanced and spread evenly across the gripping areas. The present inventors have realised that the use of a single, strong spring would contort or even damage the elastomerjc material of the boot, whereas a spring of lower strength is unlikely to be able to supply sufficient bias to allow the boot to be gripped adequately. Also, a single, strong spring could distort or damage the hanger itself unless the hanger is of a heavily engineered, very robust design.

The present invention enables a relatively lightweight design to be utilised.

Preferably, the gripping surfaces are elongate. The provision of elongate gripping surfaces is advantageous since it provides clamping against a significant portion of the boot and thus prevents unclamped elastomeric material from flapping about, folding, twisting or otherwise contorting in an unwanted manner. Additionally, this design assists in the provision of an evenly spread gripping pressure. Furthermore, the provision of elongate gripping surfaces conveniently enables the boots to be gripped underneath a moulded band that typically runs around the top of boots of this type. Advantageously, the gripping surfaces are each of a length greater than 40 mm, preferably greater than 50 mm. S...

Preferably, the pair of springs are disposed side by side.

Advantageously, the gripping surfaces are formed from an elastomeric material. S...

In a preferred embodiment, the main clip body includes first and second halves, wherein the first and second halves are in pivotable connection and each half is connected to a gripping portion. The first and second halves may be disposed so that a user can single-handedly grip said halves and apply a pivoting force thereto causing at least one of the halves to pivot about the other half thereby opening the gripping portions. Preferably, the suspension means is connected to the first half, and the second half includes a pushable surface allowing the user to apply the pivoting force thereto. The pushable surface may be inclined with respect to the remainder of the second half. An advantage with this embodiment is that the bulk of the hanger can be conveniently manufactured by moulding two components.

Preferably, the first and second halves are each of low aspect ratio, i.e. they are relatively thin, with their thicknesses being relatively small in comparison to their length and width.

Typically, the suspension means is a hook.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a hanger for a boot, such as a Wellington boot, of the type having a tubular portion for accepting the lower leg of a wearer which portion is manufactured from an elastomeric material, the hanger including; a clip having a pair of opposed gripping portions each having an elongate gripping surface, a main clip body in connection with the gripping portions and S...

: having biasing means for urging the gripping portions into a closed position by S...

applying a biasing force thereto wherein said gripping portions can grip against the tubular portions; and S...

S... . . suspension means enabling the hanger to be suspended, the suspension means being connected to the main body.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of -4 suspending one or more boots, such as Wellington boots, of the type having a tubular portion for accepting the lower leg of a wearer which portion is manufactured from an elastomeric material, including the steps of: providing a hanger according to the first or second aspects of the invention; opening the gripping portions by applying a force which overcomes the biasing force applied by the biasing means; positioning the gripping portions either side of a side wall of the tubular portion of one or more of said boots; releasing the applied force to allow the biasing the means to urge the gripping portions into a closed position wherein said gripping surfaces grip against the tubular portion or portions; and suspending the hanger and one or more boots by the suspension means.

It will be apparent that the last step can, at least in part, be performed before some of the other steps.

Whilst the invention has been described above, it extends to any inventive combination as set out or in the following description, drawings or claims.

: Embodiments of hangers in accordance with the invention will now be S...

described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: S...

Figure 1 is a side view of a pair of Wellington boots which are clamped *... using a hanger of the invention; S. * Figure 2 is a perspective view of the boot hanger of the invention; Figure 3 is a top view of the boot hanger of the invention; Figure 4 is an end view of a pair of Wellington boots (shown in cross-section) being clamped by the boot hanger of the invention; Figure 5 is an expanded side view of a pair of Wellington boots being clamped by a boot hanger of the invention; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a pair of Wellington boots being clamped by a boot hanger of the invention; and Figure 7 is an exploded view of the boot hanger of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a p"air of Wellington boots 10, 12 which are being clamped and suspended from a boot hanger 14 of the invention. Figures 2, 3 and 7 show the boot hanger 14 in more detail. The boot hanger 14 comprises a clip formed in first 16 and second 18 halves. One end of each of the first and second halves 16, 18 terminates in respective first and second gripping portions 20, 22, the gripping portions being opposed. A hook 24 extends from the other end of the first half 16. As shown in Figure 3, the first and second halves 16, 18 are pivotable by virtue of an arrangement in which a pair of axles 18a which protrude sideways from the second half 18 are each located in a boss 16a formed in the first half 16. Figure 3 also shows a pair of springs 26, 28. One I...

: end 26a, 28a of each spring acts against the first half 16, whereas the other end portion 26b, 28b acts against the second half 18. The springs 26, 28 thereby act to provide a biasing force which urges the gripping portions 20, 22 into a closed

S

S... . position. S...

As shown in Figure 4, the second half 18 has an inclined surface 18b and S S. * the first half 16 has an exterior surface 16b which is essentially coplanar with the major portion of the first half 16. The surfaces 16b,18b are very conveniently gripped by a user in order to apply a force thereto which causes one or more of the first and second halves 16, 18 to pivot thereby opening the gripping portions.

Advantageously, the user applies a downward pressure to the inclined surface 18b whilst keeping the first half 16 steady, thereby causing the second half 18 to pivot about the first half 16. The gripping portions 20, 22, now in their open state, are passed over the side walls iDa, 12a of the adjacent pair of Wellington boots 10, 12 so that the gripping portions 20, 22 are positioned below the moulded bands lOb, 12b that run around the top of the boots 10, 12. The user then releases the applied force, and the biasing force applied by the pair of springs 26, 28 causes the gripping portions to resume their closed position wherein the gripping surfaces 20a, 22a of the gripping portions 20, 22 grip against the side walls lOa, 12a of the pair of Wellington boots 10, 12. As best shown in Figure 5, the pair of Wellington boots are now clamped by the hanger 14 just below their moulded bands. Figure 6 also shows the clamped Wellington boots 10,12.

The provision of two springs 26, 28 is highly advantageous because it allows a sufficient clamping force to be applied, but enables the load to be *..S spread evenly across the gripping surfaces. Instead of the configuration shown S...

in Figures 3 and 7, it is possible to employ left hand' and right hand' springs, ie, a configuration in which the end 28a of the spring 28 which contacts the first half **** 16 is adjacent the spring 26, and the end 28b of the spring 28 which contacts the S..

::: second half 18 is furthest removed from the spring 26. In this configuration one spring is a mirror image of the other about a plane which divides the springs. It is anticipated that this configuration will provide still more even loading. The elongate gripping surfaces 20, 22 are also advantageous since they enable the boots to be gripped under their moulded bands and provide sufficient clamping to prevent any significant flapping or other unwanted movement of unclamped portions of the boots. Otherwise it might be possible for a Wellington boot to swing to an extent where falls from the hanger if a force is unwittingly imparted to it. It is advantageous if the gripping surfaces are formed from a relatively soft material such as an elastomeric material. The gripping portions 20, 22 may be provided in the form of trays or other receptacles, into which an elastomeric pad can be positioned in order to supply the gripping surfaces 20a, 22a. Preferably the hook 24 by which the hanger and clamped boot or boots can be suspended is integral with the first half 16. It is highly convenient that a substantial portion of the hanger can be manufactured by moulding two components from a plastics material. **.. * * ** . S... s * .

S * **. *. ** S ** a

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Claims

Claims 1. A hanger for a boot, such as a Wellington boot, of the type having a tubular portion for accepting the lower leg of a wearer which portion is manufactured from an elastomeric material, the hanger including: a clip having a pair of opposed gripping portions each having a gripping surface, a main clip body in connection with the gripping portions and having biasing means for urging the gripping portions into a closed position by applying a biasing force thereto wherein said gripping surfaces can grip against the tubular portion; and suspension means enabling the hanger to be suspended, the suspension means being connected to the main body; in which the biasing means includes a pair of springs disposed so as to distribute the biasing force across the surfaces of the gripping portions.
2. A hanger according to claim 1 in which the gripping surfaces are elongate.
3 A hanger according to claim 2 in which the gripping surfaces are each of a length greater than 40 mm, preferably greater than 50 mm.
4. A hanger according to any one of claims I to 3 in which the pair of **** .. : springs are disposed side by side.
5. A hanger according to any previous claim in which the gripping surfaces * * are formed from an elastomeric material. ****
6. A hanger according to any previous claim in which the main clip body ***.

includes first and second halves, wherein the first and second halves are in * ** * pivotable connection and each half is connected to a gripping portion.
7. A hanger according to claim 6 in which the first and second halves are disposed so that a user can single handedly grip said halves and apply a pivoting force thereto causing at least one of the halves to pivot about the other half thereby opening the gripping portions.
8. A hanger according to claim 7 in which the suspension means is connected to the first half, and the second half includes a pushable surface allowing the user to apply the pivoting force thereto.
9. A hanger according to claim 8 in which the pushable surface is inclined with respect to the remainder of the second half.
10. A hanger according to any one of claims 6 to 9 in which the first and second halves are each of low aspect ratio.
11. A hanger according to any previous claim in which the suspension means is a hook.
12. A hanger for a boot, such as a Wellington boot, of the type having a tubular portion for accepting the lower leg of a wearer which portion is manufactured from an elastomeric material, the hanger including: a clip having a pair of opposed gripping portions each having an elongate gripping surface, a main clip body in connection with the gripping portions and : having biasing means for urging the gripping portions into a closed position by applying a biasing force thereto wherein said gripping surfaces can grip against * * the tubular portions; and *S.* Suspension means enabling the hanger to be suspended, the suspension *** means being connected to the main body; I* *.

* S
13. A method of suspending one or more boots, such as Wellington boots, of the type having a tubular portion for accepting the lower leg of a wearer which portion is manufactured from an elastomeric material, including the steps of: providing a hanger according to any one of claims 1 to 12; opening the gripping portions by applying a force which overcomes the biasing force applied by the biasing means; positioning the gripping portions either side of a side wall of the tubular portion of one or more of said boots; releasing the applied force to allow the biasing means to urge the gripping portions into a closed position wherein said gripping surfaces grip against the tubular portion or portions; and suspending the hanger and one or more boots by the suspension means.
14. A hanger or method substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. *S.. * . ** I S... S S. * .

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