GB2419521A

GB2419521A - Shoe hanger

Info

Publication number: GB2419521A
Application number: GB0423877A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Llewellyn Hunt
Original assignee: Braitrim UK Ltd
Current assignee: Braitrim UK Ltd
Priority date: 2004-10-27
Filing date: 2004-10-27
Publication date: 2006-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 2024-10-27
Also published as: GB2419521B; GB0423877D0

Abstract

A shoe hanger 100 for suspending a pair of shoes 71, 72 with toes of the shoes uppermost, the shoe hanger comprising first and second generally parallel arms 401 for insertion in toe portions of a first and second of the pair of shoes respectively in side be side relationship and a central support bar 30 comprising suspension means 35 for suspending the hanger, the central support bar being joined to a base 43 of the arms such that the support bar is not in, and does not pass through, a plane defined by the arms so that, in use, no portion of the shoe hanger is located between the shoes.

Description

SHOE HANGER

The present invention relates to a shoe hanger for suspending a pair of shoes with the toes uppermost.

Shoe hangers, for displaying shoes in retail establishments, are known for supporting a pair of shoes side by side, with toes of the shoes uppermost. For example, Figures 1 and 2 show a shoe hanger 10 for displaying men's formal shoes, such as laced leather shoes, in which, in use, a central substantially vertical support bar 11, dependent from a suspension hook 12, is terminated in a substantially horizontal median portion 13.

The median portion 13 is terminated at opposed ends by generally inverted J-shaped, racked-back, arms 14 rising from the median portion, each arm having a leg portion 141 supporting an arcuate portion 142. The leg portions 141 of the inverted J-shaped arms are parallel to the substantially vertical support bar 11 and spaced from the bar, to form a slot 15, just sufficiently to accommodate a side of a formal shoe between the leg portion and the vertical support bar. The arcuate portions 142 of the arms are resilient so that the arcuate portions on insertion into a shoe are resiliently forced into a smaller radius of curvature so that as large a proportion as possible of the arcuate portion bears on an inside surface of the shoe, to hold the shoe firmly in position on the arm.

The requirement that the arcuate portion bear on the inside of the toe portion of a shoe requires a large range of hanger sizes to accommodate different lengths and widths of shoes.

These prior art hangers are not ideal for displaying informal shoes. For example, when suspending open-toed shoes, such as mules and sandals, the arcuate portions 142 do not bear on an inner surface of the shoe over a substantial portion of the arcuate portions and are visible through the open toe, detracting from display of the shoes. In addition, where an edge of the upper of the shoe bears on the base of the slot 15 between the arms 14 and the central bar 11, the upper of the shoe tends to crease over a period of time in which the shoe is suspended from the shoe hanger. Moreover, insertion and removal of the resilient arcuate portion into and from the toe portion of an informal shoe tends to be inhibited by projections on the hanger or shoes.

Moreover, the slot 15 formed between the leg portion 141 and the central bar 11, which is substantially a same thickness as a side of a leather shoe to hold a pair of formal shoes substantially parallel to the central bar 11, is not suitable for supporting a variety of thicknesses of sides of shoe for example a relative thick sandal strap or a roll-top side of a trainer shoe.

With informal shoes either or both of the sides of the toes and heels bear on, and are separated by, the central suspension bar 11 sc that a pair of shoes is suspended with either or both of the toes and heels separated, rather than is a more aesthetically acceptable position with the toes and heels together.

Finally, the position of the centre of gravity of the combined shoes and hanger cause the shoe hanger to incline backwards in use, so that the hook and label area are also unattractively inclined backwards.

It is an object of the present invention at least to ameliorate the aforesaid deficiencies

in the prior art.

According to the invention, there is provided a shoe hanger for suspending a pair of shoes with toes of the shoes uppermost, the shoe hanger comprising first and second generally parallel arms for insertion in toe portions of a first and second of a pair of shoes respectively in side be side relationship, and a central support bar comprising suspension means for suspending the hanger, the central support bar being joined to a base of the arms such that the support bar is not in, and does not pass through, a plane defined by the arms so that, in use, no portion of the shoe hanger is located between the shoes.

Preferably, the arms diverge and subsequently converge to form a bay portion for accommodating a range of thickness of shoe uppers.

Advantageously, in use, shoes tend to pivot in a plane of the shoes about points of contact of the shoes with the shoe hanger, to urge heels of the shoes towards each other.

Conveniently, the arms and the central support bar converge from a base to a top of the shoe hanger, such that in use the central support bar is substantially parallel to an upper face of an upper of a shoe supported thereon.

Preferably, the suspension means is angled to the central support bar such that the suspension means is substantially vertical in use.

Advantageously, an inner face of the divergent portion of the arms is angled such that a space between the divergent arms tapers from a back to a front of the hanger.

Conveniently, the central support bar comprises a swan-necked shaped central support bar.

Advantageously, the arms portion is moulded separately from the central support bar portion and a terminal base portion of the central support bar is receivable in a channel in a base portion of the arm portion to assemble the hanger.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a prior art shoe hanger; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the shoe hanger of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded view of a shoe hanger according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a side view of the shoe hanger of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a front view of the shoe hanger of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a rear view of the shoe hanger of Figure 3; Figure 7 is a perspective view, predominantly from the front, of the shoe hanger of Figure 3 in use; and Figure 8 is a perspective view, predominantly from one side, of the shoe hanger of Figure 3 in use.

In the Figures, like reference numerals denote like parts.

Referring to the exploded view of Figure 3, the shoe hanger 100 of the invention is formed from an inverted U-section, swan-neck shaped support bar portion 30 which clips as a friction fit into an inverted U-section, generally U-shaped, arms portion 40 wherein the arms form a generally Vshaped portion 41 proximate a base 43 of the arms portion 40 surmounted by a converging arms portion 42 remote from the base 43 of the arms portion, such that the arms diverge in the V-shaped portion 41 and converge in the converging arms portion, creating a bay 45 at the junction of the Vshaped portion 41 and the converging arms portion 42.

Referring especially to Figures 3 and 4, the swan-neck shaped support bar portion 30 comprises a central elongate portion 31 and an arcuate base portion 32, rotated in a first sense, so that a terminal portion 321 of the base portion 32, for insertion in a U-shaped channel 411, to be described, in the arms portion 40, has a longitudinal axis at an included angle less than a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the central elongate portion 31. Consequentially, as best seen in Figure 4, in the assembled shoe hanger the central elongate portion 31 converges towards the arms portion 40 in a direction away from a base of the shoe hanger 100. As best seen in Figure 3, the terminal portion 321 is provided, at a distance from an end of the terminal portion substantially equal to a thickness of the arms portion, with a circumferential protrusion 322 around a major portion of a circumference of the terminal portion, to limit insertion of the terminal portion 321 into the channel 411 in the base portion 43 of the arms portion 40. The terminal portion 321 is further provided, on opposed vertical faces of an end thereof, with opposed outwardly latching protrusions 323 for latching the terminal portion 321 in the channel 411. The swan-neck shaped support bar portion 30, at an end of the central elongate portion 31 opposed to the base portion 32, has an arcuate top portion 33, rotated in a second sense opposed to the first sense, through significantly less than a right angle, such that an included angle between an uppermost portion of the top portion 33 and the longitudinal axis of the central elongate portion 31 is substantially greater than a right angle. The support bar portion tapers along its longitudinal axis from the arcuate base portion 32 to the terminal portion 321, and from the arcuate base portion 32 to the arcuate top portion 33 and more acutely from the arcuate top portion 33 to an uppermost, in use, end of the support bar portion 30. A tapering end of the top of the support bar portion 30 is joined along a minor axis thereof to an elliptical label- receiving plaque portion 34. A shank of a U-section suspension hook 35 is joined at a location offset from the minor axis to an upper edge of the elliptical label-receiving plaque portion, such that a suspension point 351 of the suspension hook 35 lies on an extension on the longitudinal axis of the support bar portion 30 and an extension of the minor axis of the label-receiving plaque portion 34. The support bar portion 30 may be provided with one or more transverse strengthening webs within the U- section, not shown. One of the strengthening webs, not shown, having a longitudinal axis in a direction of insertion of the terminal portion into the aperture in the arms portion, may form an upper wall 324 of the terminal portion 321.

As best seen in Figure 5, the arms portion 40, has generally inverted Usection arms 401 joined to a base portion 43 having the channel 411, transverse to a plane of the arms portion 40, for receiving the terminal portion 321 of the support bar portion 30. That is, the base portion 43 bifurcates into two arms 401 comprising first outwardly concave arm portions 402 forming the V-shaped portion 41 and joined by arcuate outwardly convex arm portions 403 to elongate arm portions 404 forming the converging arms portion 42. The arms are tipped by tapering divergent portions 421, which are short relative to the elongate arm portions 404. A front face of the V- section portion 41 is provided with a substantially V-shaped, or tulip- shaped, indentation 410 proximate the inner walls, formed by a reverse core during moulding, to form a double inner wall such that opposed inner walls of the V-shaped portion 41 taper inwards from a back to the front of the arms section, to accommodate a shape of an upper of a shoe, in a maimer to be described herein below. As best seen in the rear view of Figure 6, the arms portion 40 is provided with strengthening transverse webs 4031 in the arcuate outwardly convex arm portion 403 and with further transverse webs 412 at a base of the V-shaped portion 41. As also best seen in Figure 6, an upper wall 413 of the channel 411 is formed by thickening of a base wall of the V-shaped portion 41, vertical walls of the channel 411 are formed by two parallel vertical webs 414 and a lower wall 415 is formed by a thickening of a base wall of the base portion 43, having an inwardly concave inner face to receive the U-section base portion of the support bar portion 30. The two parallel vertical webs 414 are provided with rectangular cut-outs in their rearmost edges to receive the latching protrusions 323 of the terminal portion 321 of the support bar portion 30.

To assemble the shoe hanger 100, the terminal portion 321 of the support bar portion 30 is inserted substantially as a friction fit into the channel 411 thereby resiliently deforming the vertical walls of the terminal portion 321 bearing the latching protrusions 323. The terminal portion 321 is inserted until limited by the circumferential protrusion 322 thereon, whereupon the latching protrusion 323 resiliently enter the cut-outs securely to latch the support bar portion 30 to the arms portion 40 allowing substantially no relative movement therebetween.

In use the arms 401 are inserted into respective toe portions of a pair of shoes 71, 72 in side-by-side relationship until outer edges 711, 712 of the uppers of the shoes are accommodated in the V-shaped section 41. Because of the tapering shape of the V-shaped section 41, a large variety of thicknesses of sides of shoe can be accommodated, including roll-top edges of trainer shoes. Moreover, the inner wall of the V-shaped portion, being angled with respect to a plane of the arms, 41 tends to pinch the two inner walls of the respective shoes together to hold the shoes securely on the hanger. Moreover, the angled inner wall tends to follow a convex shape of an edge of an upper of the shoe which engages the wall, thereby tending to prevent creasing of the upper.

As best seen in Figure 8, in use the hook 35 and label 34 are substantially vertical and the elongate portion 31 of the support bar portion 30 is above and substantially parallel to the uppers of the shoes 71, 72. Thus no part of the shoe hanger 100 is between the shoes 71, 72 to separate them and the shoes tend to be suspended with both the heels and toes close together with the shoes substantially parallel to each other in an aesthetic manner. That is, the shoes may tend to pivot in a plane of the shoes about points of contact with the V-shaped portion 41, to bring the heels of the shoes together, while the converging portion 42 tends to hold the toes of the shoes together.

Moreover, the shoe hanger 100 has the advantage on not relying on a resilient arcuate portion 142 for engaging an inner face of the toe portion of the shoes 71, 72.

Therefore, a single size of hanger can be used for a much larger range of lengths and widths of shoe than is possible in the prior art. In addition, insertion of the hanger into a shoe and removal of a shoe from a hanger is much easier than in the prior art because the relatively straight arms do not become snagged on the shoes in the maimer in which the resilient arcuate arms of the prior art may do.

In addition, as no part of the hanger is between the shoes there is no likelihood of outer faces of the shoes becoming scuffed on the hanger during insertion or removal or becoming marked during suspension, as may occur by the central bar 11 of the hanger 10 of the prior art bearing on outer surfaces of the shoes.

Moreover, one design of hanger is suitable for a large variety of styles of informal shoe, including, but not limited to, sandals, trainer shoes, mules and slippers.

Claims

1. A shoe hanger for suspending a pair of shoes with toes of the shoes uppermost, the shoe hanger comprising first and second generally parallel arms for insertion in toe portions of a first and second of a pair of shoes respectively in side be side relationship, and a central support bar comprising suspension means for suspending the hanger, the central support bar being joined to a base of the arms such that the support bar is not in, and does not pass through, a plane defined by the arms so that, in use, no portion of the shoe hanger is located between the shoes.

2. A shoe hanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arms diverge and subsequently converge to form a bay portion for accommodating a range of thickness of shoe uppers.

3. A shoe hanger as claimed in claims I or 2, wherein, in use, shoes tend to * ** pivot in a plane of the shoes about points of contact of the shoes with the .: 15 shoe hanger, to urge heels of the shoes towards each other. *SS.

4. A shoe hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the arms *SS.

*..: and the central support bar converge from a base to a top of the shoe hanger, such that in use the central support bar is substantially parallel to : * * an upper face of an upper of a shoe supported thereon. S...

*: . 20

5. A shoe hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the suspension means is angled to the central support bar such that the suspension means is substantially vertical in use.

6. A shoe hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein an inner face of the divergent portion of the arms is angled such that a space between the divergent arms tapers from a back to a front of the hanger.

7. A shoe hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the central support bar comprises a swan-necked shaped central support bar.

8. A shoe hanger as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the arms portion is moulded separately from the central support bar portion and a terminal base portion of the central support bar is receivable in a channel in a base portion of the arm portion to assemble the hanger.

9. A shoe hanger substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying Figures 3 to 8. * S. * S S S.. * IS.. * * *S, IS.. * S..

S *I.

S

I I *SSS I. S

S S 55