EP2456337A2

EP2456337A2 - Clothes hangers

Info

Publication number: EP2456337A2
Application number: EP10802003A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Norman Fraser Mackenzie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-07-21
Filing date: 2010-07-20
Publication date: 2012-05-30
Also published as: WO2011010091A2; WO2011010091A3; US20120118921A1

Abstract

A clothes hanger (1,2, 2X) comprising one, two or more planar elements together defining a hanger shape for suspending a garment, at least one of the planar elements having an opening (5, 7B, 7D) an indicating element (9) or other information element, and movable into a position, retained between the planar elements, in which position at least one marking on the indicating element (9) may be visible through said opening (5, 7B, 7D). The indicating element (9) may bear a plurality of different markings and may be movable into different such positions in which a different one or ones of the markings is or are visible through the opening (5, 7B, 7D). The indicating (9) element may be insertable between the planar elements through a hole (6) in one of said elements or through a gap between said elements at the edge of the hanger. There is also provided attachable shoulder-pieces (21 A, 21 B, 46R, 46L) which may be moulded or made from one or more layers of material to provide a contoured support for a garment.

Description

Clothes Hangers

The present invention relates to apparatus for hanging items of clothing, which may be for the purposes of display, retail, or storage.

Companies are constantly seeking to encourage people to purchase their goods, and to encourage existing customers to purchase more. They are also constantly looking for interesting ways of presenting both their products and the imagery related to them. Furthermore, companies are constantly looking for new ways to promote these products, and therefore there is a constant demand for the kind of display apparatus which will not only provide the best way of showing them, but enhance and promote the products by providing an impression of quality and value.

With clothing, for example, which is being offered for sale in a modern retail environment, a hanger is an important 'point-of-sale' (¹POS¹) tool, which may be provided with features which can show a garment in its best possible aspect, so it needs to be both attractive and functional. The combination of quality and attractiveness with low-cost is almost always part of the requirement of any Point-Of-Sale artefact which often may not itself earn revenue. Another consideration emerging in the modern business sector, is a growing requirement to provide products which are environmentally friendly, and sustainable, in their manufacture, recycling and disposal.

Currently most clothes-hanging apparatus is made from moulded plastic, and requires industrial processes, which are far from eco-friendly. With regard to a hanger which may be made from a variety of materials, for example, in layers cut out from sheets of material, e.g., paper, metal, plastic or any material which comes in sheet form, a number of possibilities exist for the development of not only the hanger but the additions and extensions which most users would find useful and beneficial especially in the retail environment. Additionally, there are number of ways in which extensions might be developed, and attached to or made integral to the hanger, in order to enhance its role across a number of aspects, and as a communications tool.

According to the present invention therefore, there is provided apparatus designed to hold, store and display clothing, which falls into different formats. In the present embodiments, the apparatus comes in a number of different configurations, comprising developments which provide variable size indicators or other information, contoured shoulders, and extensions which provide different types of support and strengthening. From a first aspect, the present invention provides a clothes hanger comprising one, two or more planar elements together defining a hanger shape for suspending a garment, at least one of the planar elements having an opening, an indicating element, or other information element, and movable into a position, retained between the planar elements, in which position at least one marking on the indicating element may be visible through said opening. The indicating element may bear a plurality of different markings and may be movable into different such positions in which a different one or ones of the markings is or are visible through the opening. The indicating element may be insertable between the planar elements through a hole in one of said elements or through a gap between said elements at the edge of the hanger. The indicating element may be formed from a portion of one of the planar elements that has been removed or cleared from the materials from which the hanger profile has been cut, or it may be made separately.

From a second aspect, the invention provides a clothes hanger having a main part of substantially planar form and including shoulder pieces each having a curved outer shell and at least one internal rib arranged transverse to the main part, an indent in one of the ribs and the main part engaging with the other of the rib and the main part.

From a third aspect, the invention provides a shoulder piece for attaching to a substantially planar clothes hanger, the shoulder piece comprising at least one substantially planar sheet arranged to lie on one side of the hanger transversely to the hanger, and having an engaging formation for engaging the hanger. The engaging formation may comprise a slot adapted to receive an upper edge of the hanger. Alternatively, the engaging element may comprise a tab cut out from the shoulder piece and engaging a slot in the hanger. The shoulder piece may comprise a plurality of planar sheets of similar shape but of sequentially increasing size, with a smallest sheet at a top of the shoulder piece and a largest sheet at a bottom thereof. Alternatively, the shoulder piece may include cuts or slots allowing the assumption of a shape corresponding to a shoulder. In one embodiment, the cuts or slots run generally parallel to an outer periphery of the shoulder piece and define inner peripheries of sequentially decreasing size. In another embodiment, the cuts or slots extend generally radially as far as the periphery of a shoulder part of the shoulder piece. A pair of shoulder pieces according to this fourth aspect of the invention may be joined together at a narrow end of each of the shoulder pieces to from a combined unit for fitting over both sides of a hanger.

From a fourth aspect, the invention provides a clothes hanger comprising two planar elements arranged vertically, joined at the top, with a number of sections projecting downwards from the base, between which are set sprung grippers, which project downwards and clamping by means of exerting a clamping force between said elements so as to clamp a garment to suspend it therebetween

From a fifth aspect, the invention provides a hook for suspending a clothes hanger that includes at least one through hole, the hook being formed from a continuous length of material that has an upper hook portion and a lower curved portion arranged to extend through the at least one through hole in a generally horizontal direction.

The FIRST embodiment is a basic hanger shape, including a horizontal aperture cut out just above the base, and stopping short of the outer edges to form beneath it, a crossbar upon which may be hung additional items. The shape is defined one or more layers of material, which may be paper, board, plastic, metal or any suitable material. For the purposes of simplicity, three layers are indicated, but it could be more or less. The drawings in this configuration describe a basic method of constructing the hanger, and show the profile of each layer prior to being attached or glued together. With the combination of a number of sheets of material, it is possible to incorporate within the inner layer, a cut out section, which may be of a circular shape, held between the two outer layers. When the layers are attached together by gluing or any other means, a recess within the body of the hanger may be created in a number of ways. In one embodiment the recess has been cut into the centre-panel, and in others the recess may be formed by excavation of material from the surface of one or more layers, or by pressure- embossing one or more layers, such that a recess extending to the edge of the hanger allows a disc or card or tab of some kind to be inserted or withdrawn. The card or disc may carry information of one kind or another, perhaps in the case of a disc, around the circumference, for example, size information, which may be visible through apertures cut into the outer panels. The disc may freely rotate between the two surfaces and maintain its position by being held in situ by the surrounding material. In other embodiments, recesses have been either cut out from, excavated or pressure embossed into one or more layers, with access holes through which a number of information bearing 'tabs' or cards of any shape may be inserted into and withdrawn from the recess in such a way that information on the tabs may be viewed through apertures cut into the surface of one or more of the panels.

In the SECOND embodiment, a standard hanger format has been added to, to form shoulder- pieces, or one conjoined shoulder-piece, covering both shoulders, joined at the centre, which may be made or moulded from any suitable material, allowing for multiple use of the basic apparatus insofar as the same device may be used to hang a shirt, or a dress or any garment requiring a better definition at the shoulder, such as a jacket or suit-coat. The shoulder-pieces in this embodiment consist of an outer shell with one or more "ribs' or formers set across the width, each having within them a vertical aperture extending from near the top of the former, to the base where it is left open. These apertures will be in line and made to a width corresponding to the thickness of the hanger to which they attach at the top outer edge of each shoulder of the hanger. The shoulder-pieces may also be made able to move inwards or outwards, and held in situ by one or more indents cut into the hanger along the top-edge of the shoulder, such that any of the formers may engage with the indent to keep it stationery.

In the THIRD embodiment, another type of shoulder-piece, this time a flat piece of material has been utilised. It may either be flat, or configured in such a way that it responds to the weight of whichever garment or material is hung upon it, to form a shape corresponding to a moulded or pre-formed shoulder-piece. Of the two examples shown here, one has a series of cuts around the circumference of the outer edge, which continue around the edge and for a distance towards the neck of the hanger, which form a series of bands which run around the outer end of the shoulder piece attached at either end. This shoulder-piece may be attached to the hanger by means of one or more tabs which fold downwards along a perforation or fold-line, and which may be inserted into a corresponding aperture, or apertures cut out from an inner layer in a multi-layer constructed hanger. There may be a number of apertures corresponding to a number of tabs, such that the distance from the 'neck' of the hanger may be varied. Alternatively, the tabs may be set across the shoulder-pieces and inserted into indents transversing the edge of the hanger shoulder. The second example of the flat shoulder-piece is cut at its outer end, in a 'flower' configuration, i.e., a series of 'V sections cut around the radius of a semi-circular centre, radiating outwards to form a series of 'petals' which bend downwards when a weight is placed upon them, such as a garment, and which provides the rounded profile as in a human shoulder.

The FOURTH embodiment is of the 'gripper' type, providing two or more panels of the same, or of a similar shape and joined at the top. Along the bottom edge, extensions protrude downwards, and on the inner surface of each of those extensions and attached to both surfaces, sprung grippers are fixed. The grippers, of course may be mounted simply along the bottom edge without extensions. In this embodiment the common spring-assisted clothes peg has been utilised, and set in pairs within each of the two projections, such that when pressure is applied to the upper sections the 'jaw' created by the pegs opens to grip whatever is inserted. It will be appreciated that any number of these grippers may be utilised, and applied to other embodiments of the hanger. The FIFTH embodiment does not require any kind of layering or recesses within the main hanger body, and may be solid. The hanger body is created, like previous embodiments, minus an integrated support hook, but with a series of apertures or holes drilled, cut or formed, through the top, central section of the hanger, equidistant from the centre and running downwards. There may be one, two or more of these apertures or holes, and if there were more, these may be configured in rows, parallel to each other, but 'staggered' so that one row was set at a lower level than the other, the vertical distance between the apertures possibly being equal on both sides. Next, a hanger hook which may be made in any suitable material, e.g., metal wire, which is configured at the lower end, to form a coil similar to a corkscrew which may have a small 'pommel' slightly wider than the wire, at it's lower end. The lower, or 'pommel' end of the 'coil' is first passed through the aperture or hole closest to the top of the hanger, and the hook and coil turned around its vertical axis, so that it effects a downward spiral movement, in the manner of a corkscrew. Turning. the hook, and coil further around the vertical axis will cause the lower end or pommel to approach the aperture across from, and slightly lower than the first, and then to enter that aperture, and continue, if the turning is sustained, to the next aperture on the other side, set again, slightly lower than the one it has just passed through. The number of apertures or holes may be determined by whatever design is adopted, and the pommel at the lower end of the corkscrew part, may be stopped when there are no more holes.

In the SIXTH embodiment, the invention provides a shoulder piece for attaching to a substantially planar clothes hanger, the shoulder piece comprising one or more substantially planar sheets arranged to lie on one side of the hanger transversely to the hanger, and having an engaging formation for engaging the hanger. The engaging formation may comprise a slot adapted to receive an upper edge of the hanger. The shoulder piece may comprise a plurality of planar sheets of similar shape but of sequentially increasing size, with a smallest sheet at a top of the shoulder piece and a largest sheet at a bottom thereof. In the embodiment described here, the layers are configured symmetrically to form two shoulder-pieces, one right, one left, with the inner ends attached to a central panel, which itself is configured with horizontal perforations or creases designed to fold in such a way that each successive layer aligns to form the desired contour. The two shoulders may also be made as a single piece, the two shoulders being joined in the centre and slipped onto the hanger as a single attachment. In the present embodiment the fold is configured in the manner of a concertina, or 'Z-fold', but they may also be folded Over-S-over' in a 'rolling' format. When the layers are attached, perhaps by a form of gluing, the central panel, which will at this stage also be in a 'concertina' configuration may be detached along the perforations, or cut off manually. The finished shoulder pieces may then be attached to the top edge of the hanger, by glue or simply by creating the gutter in the shoulder-pieces so that it grips the hanger-edge tightly. A slight curve may be incorporated into the gutter to create an even stronger grip.

An alternative method of production is where the profiles of each layer are cut out from a sheet in rows with the panels of the base layer set as close as possible to the panels from a top layer on the same sheet, in the manner of 'stalactites & stalagmites' in a cave. Each successive sheet will build both upwards from the base layer, panels which diminish in size until the top panel is reached, while the small top panel will have panels of an increasing size dropped on top until the base layer is reached. This method may be more economic with the use of material.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig.1 shows how three layers are configured, with a recess in the centre-layer being left empty. Fig.2 shows one layer of a two-layer hanger where a recess has been excavated or pressure- embossed into one surface

Fig.3 shows how two layers are configured prior to gluing

Figs.4 & 5 show two layers each with recesses prior to being joined together

Fig.6 shows the hanger incorporating the view window and the insertion indent and the disc to scale

Fig.7 shows the disc (enlarged)

Fig.8 shows how the disc is inserted

Fig.9 shows the disc in situ with the information showing in the view window

Fig.10 shows the configuration of three layers of a hanger with tab-access slits, recess and viewing-windows

Rg.11 shows the 'tab'

Fig.12 & 13 show how tab is inserted/Withdrawn

Figs 14-19 show a different type of tab & how it is deployed in the same hanger

Figs 20-25 show another position for the recess/viewing window with another kind of tab which may be viewed from the side as well as the front

Fig.26 shows the elevation of a hanger with shoulder-pieces in situ

Fig.27 shows a plan and elevation of the shoulder-piece

Fig.28 shows an interior view in plan

Fig.29 shows a cross-section of shoulder-piece showing interior formers or struts

Rg.30 shows interior view of shoulder-piece

Rg.31 shows how hanger would look with shoulder-pieces in situ, in perspective Figs 32-33 show how a 'layered' hanger is configured to provide a slot in the shoulder

Fig 34 shows two types of format for a flat shoulder-piece with insertion-tabs

Fig.35 shows how tab inserts into slot on hanger

Figs.36-37 show a sprung-gripper in the closed and open position (clothes-peg)

Fig.38 shows one side of grip-hanger with glue-area cross-hatched

Fig.39 shows other side with grippers in situ

Fig.40 shows how grippers are deployed

Fig.41 shows hanger in use

Fig.42 shows 'corkscrew¹ type of hook

Fig.43 shows hanger configured to receive hook

Fig 44 shows how hook is attached to hanger

Fig.45 shows completed hanger with hook in situ

Fιg.46 shows in plan the configuration of layers which will form the shoulder pieces

Figs. 47 & 48 show two stages of folding the configured layers

Fig.49 shows the result of the folding and gluing with the central panel appearing on either side of the inner ends of the shoulder pieces.

Fig.50 shows the detachment of the folded central panel

Figs.51 & 52 show a left and right shoulder piece made from layers

Figs.53 & 54 show the underside with the gutter running along the base from end to end

Fig.55 shows an elevation of the shoulder pieces in situ on the hanger

Fig.56 shows the same viewed from above

Fig.57 shows three panels, each with a bottom and top layer of the shoulder piece, an intermediate panel with the central layers, and the third panel with a top and bottom layer

Fig.58 shows in 3D, how the three panels are configured to form the contoured shoulder piece

Rg.59 shows the sheets incorporating the different layers are dropped onto one another with the sheets below appearing as dotted lines

Fig.60 shows the finished shoulder pieces

According to Fig.1 , a flat hanger 1 , is made from three layers X₁Y₁Z, of suitable material incorporating in the centre-layer Y, a cut-out area 3 which when the layers are combined will create a recess 3, open at the lower edge. In Fig.2, a two-layer configuration shows how a recess 8 may also be formed by partial excavation by a router of some kind, or by pressure-emboss, which incorporates a window on either one or both layers A₁B of the apparatusi , through which any information on any card, tab or booklet which is placed within the recess 4, may be viewed. Figs 4 & 5 show a different configuration of the hanger 2,with recesses formed on the inner surfaces of two layers C, D prior to their being joined together, providing for a deeper recess 8C, 8D when the two are brought together.

Fig.6 shows an elevation of a completed hanger 1 , 2, 2X. (All the configurations 1 , 2, 2X work in the same way) and a disc 9, to scale, with information around the outer surface of the

circumference. Fig. 7 shows a larger view of the disc 9. In Fig.8 the disc 9 is shown being inserted into the aperture 6 from below, and Fig.9 shows the information as it may appear in the viewing window 5, 7B & 7D. Fig.10 shows a three layer A, B, C configuration of the hanger 10 with a recessi3 cut out from the centre-layer B, and on the outer layers A, C access-slits 11 A, 11C and viewing windows 12A and 12C respectively. Fig.11 shows a tab 14, which may have information on one or both sides and Fig.12 shows the tab 14 inserted into the access slit 11 A and the information as it would appear in the viewing window 12A. Fig 13 shows the obverse. Figs 14 & 15 show the same hanger 10, but with a different tab 15, (Figs 15, 16) This tab 15 also has information on both sides, but folds in the middle either way to reveal more than two pieces of information. The tab 15 is inserted through one access slit 11 A through the recess 13 through the access slit 11C on the other outer panel. When the tab 15 is halfway through, it is pushed inwards and downwards into the recess 13 so that the information may be viewed through either viewing window 12A, 12C, as shown in Figs 18, 19. In both cases, the outer ends of the tabs 15, may protrude from the access-slits 11 A, 11C to facilitate removal/replacement. A recess may also be formed by excavation or pressure-emboss. Figs.20-25 show a different configuration where a recess 19 may be located at the edge of the hanger 16, and where the tab 17 may be folded into three sections each bearing information which may be viewed through viewing windows 18, 18A, and additionally, when the tab 17 is inserted into the recess 19, the central section between fold- lines X-X, and Y-Y is visible from the side, as shown in Fig.25.

Fig 26 shows a standard hanger 19 with contoured shoulder-pieces 21 A, 21 B, attached to the shoulders or upper edges of the hanger 19. Fig 27 shows one of those shoulder pieces 21 A in plan, (upper) and in elevation (lower). Fig. 28 shows a plan view through the shoulder piece 21 A including the interior formers 22A, 23A, 24A with the dotted line of the hanger 19 showing where it attaches.

Fig. 29 shows in elevation the view through the hanger 19, with the dotted line of the hanger 19 indicating where the shoulder-piece 21 A attaches to the hanger 19. Fig.30 is an oblique inside- view of the other shoulder-piece 21 B set upon the other shoulder of the hanger 19 showing in dotted-line how the top-edge of the hanger is straddled by the formers 24B, 23B, 22B into which are cut slots corresponding to a width of the thickness of the hanger 19. In Fig. 28 the top edge of the hanger 19 beneath the attached shoulder-piece 21 A has cut out from it a number of slots 25, which can engage with a former 23A, to secure the shoulder-piece 21 A along the length of the of the top-edge ot the hanger 19. A number of these slots 25, would allow the shoulder-piece 21 A to be fixed securely at a number of points along the top-edge of the hanger 19, and to be moved inwards or outwards depending on the size of the garment. Fig 31 is an oblique view looking downwards on the front of the hanger 19, showing the shoulder-pieces 21 A, 21 B in situ.

Fig. 33 shows a three-layer hanger 26 may be configured to form recesses 27A, 27B, which may be cut into the central layer at the top edge of each shoulder indicated in Fig 32 by dotted lines. Fig 33 shows the configuration of the layers of the hanger 26 prior to attaching or gluing, where the recess 27A, 27B on each shoulder.

Fig. 34 shows two versions of a flat shoulder piece 28A, 29A configured to depress to form a rounded shoulder when hung with a garment.

Of the two examples shown here, one 28A has a series of cuts around the circumference of the outer edge, which continue around the edge and for a distance towards the narrow end of the shoulder-piece 28A, to form a series of concentric rings 32A, each of which tracks around the curve at the outside edge, roughly parallel to each other, terminating a short distance along the length of the shoulder-piece 28A, but remaining attached, and leaving a centre section 32C projecting outwards but contained within the centre of the rings 32A. The other shoulder-piece 29A is cut at its outer end, in a 'flower' configuration 33A, i.e., a series of 'V cuts radiating outwards from a semi-circular centre 33C, to form a series of 'petals' 33A.

Each of the shoulder-pieces 28A, 29A may have cut from along it's length, one or more 'tabs' 3OA, 31 A which remain attached along the length at a fold A-A, B-B, which when folded downwards as shown in Fig 35, may be inserted into the recess 27A cut into the shoulder of the hanger 26. It will be appreciated that each shoulder-piece, 28A, and 29A, are right-side, and the left-side will be identical 'mirror-images' of each other and work in precisely the same way on each side.

This apparatus 35A.B, is of the 'gripper' type, providing two panels 35A, 35B, of the same shape and joined (Figs.40,41) at the hook and neck 36A.B. Along the bottom edge, (Figs.38&39) extensions 37A, 38A, 37B, 38B, protrude downwards, and on the inner surface of each of those extensions 37 A, 38A, 37B, 38B attached to both surfaces are sprung grippers 34. Cross-hatch lines show the glue-areas at the hook/neck 36A, 36B, and on the areas to which the grippers 34 are attached 37A, 38A, 37B, 38B. Fig 39 shows the grippers 34 in situ on the inner surface of panel 35B. In this embodiment the common spring-assisted clothes peg 34 (Figs 36, 37) has been utilised. Figs. 38 & 39 show both panels, 35A, 35B and grippers 34 in situ, prior to attaching together. Fig 40 shows the apparatus 35A,B in it's completed form and how the grippers 34 are opened by applying pressure (indicated by arrows) to the top end such that when pressure is applied to the upper sections (Rg. 40) the 'jaw' created by the pegs 34 opens to grip (Rg. 41) whatever is inserted, in this case a pair of pants 39.

Rgs. 42-45 show an alternative support hook 40, being applied to an adapted hanger 41. In Hg. 42 the support hook 40 is shown, made from a continuous piece of suitable material of uniform section and thickness, e.g., metal, plastic. This support hook 40 has a standard 'hook' 43 at the top and continues downwards to form a vertical coil 45, similar in shape to a corkscrew, and ending at the base in a 'pommel' 44. The hanger 41 does not require any kind of layering or recesses within the main hanger body, and may be solid. The hanger 41 may be created, minus an integrated support hook, but with a series of apertures A, B, C, D, E, F configured in two vertically aligned rows, A, C, E, and B, D, F, parallel to each other, but 'staggered' so that one row - B, D, F, is set at a lower level than the other A, C, E, with the vertical distance between the apertures being equal on both sides. Next, the support hook 40, at the lower, or 'pommel' 44 end of the 'coil' 45 is first passed through the aperture A closest to the top of the hanger 41 , and the hook 40 turned around its vertical axis, so that it effects a downward spiral movement, in the manner of a corkscrew. Turning the hook 40 further around the vertical axis will cause the lower end pommel 44 to enter the aperture B across from, and slightly lower than the first A, and continue, if the turning is sustained, to the next aperture C on the other side, set again, slightly lower than the aperture B it has just passed through. In this embodiment, there may be six apertures A, B, C, D, E, F and the pommel 44 will come to rest (Fig. 45) after it has passed through the last aperture F, providing a strong and rigid support for the hanger 41. The number of apertures will be determined by whatever design is adopted.

Figure 46 shows a single piece of material 46 in a format comprising a number of 'blades' 19R- 25R, and 19L-25L, all of which emanate from a central panel 18X from the narrow end of the blades 19R-25R, and 19L-25L, the said inner end remaining attached to the central panel 18X by a series of perforations and partial cuts. All of the blades 19R-25R, and 19L-25L, have a cleared out strip, G-G, H-H, l-l, J-J, K-K, L-L, M-M, N-N, O-O, P-P, Q-Q, R-R running almost the full length of the blade, except in the case of the two narrowest top blades 19R, 2OR, 19L, 2OL, where the strips G-G, H-H cleared out are very short, with the top blades 19R, 2OR, 19L, 2OL, closing the shoulder-pieces 18 at the top, creating a stronger enclosed unit. The central panel 18X is crossed at various points by fold perforations A-A, B-B, C-C, D-D, E-E, F-F, which when the whole form 18 is folded in the manner of a concertina or "Z-fold", as in Figs 47, 48, the blades 19R-25R, and 19L-25L, all lie on top of one another, in diminishing size to create a contoured form as shown in Fig.49. In Fig.49 also, the ^u2-folded' central column 18X lies in two sections attached on either side of the shoulder pieces 18, and in Fig.50, the pieces 18X are broken, or cut off along the partial cuts and perforations by which they remained attached along the central column 18X. Shoulder pieces if this type are shown in Figs. 51 , 52. When the form 18 is glued, pinned or attached in this way the cleared out strips G-G, H-H, H, J-J, K-K, L-L, M-M, N-N, O-O, P-P, Q-Q, R-R synchronise on top oi each other to form a gutter A-A, B-B as shown in the view from beneath in Figs 53, 54, into which the top-edge of a hanger 48 may be inserted, to provide the hanger 48 with contoured shoulder pieces 46R, 46L.

Multiple unit production may be achieved (Fig.57) using sheets 49, 50, 51 with a number of panels 209L-301L & 209R-301R cut out from them, and either laid on top of one another (Fig.58) and glued, or where each sheet may be part of a larger sheet which is folded according to the number of layers required. Profiles of each layer 209L-301 L & 209R-301 R are cut out from the sheets 49, 50, 51 but left in situ by small pieces of material or 'nicks' to hold the panels 209L- 301 L & 209R-301R in place which in this example are set out in twos, alternating across the same sheet 49 in one top layer 209R and one bottom layer 209L, and which may be arranged in close-proximity in rows with the panels of the base layer 209L, 301 R set as close as possible to the panels from a top layer 209R, 301 L. Each successive sheet will build both upwards from the base layer 209L, 301 R, and downwards from the top layers 209R, 301 L panels which diminish in size until the top panel 209R, 301 L is reached, while those top panels 209R, 301 L will have panels of an increasing size dropped on top until the base layers 209L, 301 R are reached. Fig.58 shows a perspective of this configuration, while Fig.37 shows as dotted lines the sheets 49, 50, 51 as they would be configured in plan view. This method may be more economic with the use of material. The finished units would simply pushed out of the configured sheets when completed Fig. 60 shows a set of three-layer completed shoulder-pieces comprising the layers 209L-301L & 209R-301R.

Claims

1. A clothes hanger comprising one or more planar elements together defining a hanger shape for suspending a garment, at least one of the planar elements having an opening, an indicating element or information card and movable into a position, retained between the planar elements, in which position at least one marking on the indicating element is visible through said opening.

2. A clothes hanger according to claim 1 , wherein the indicating element bears a plurality of different markings and may be movable into different such positions in which a different one or ones of the markings is or are visible through the opening.

3. A clothes hanger according to claim 2, wherein the indicating element is arranged to rotate within a recess.

4. A clothes hanger according to claim 2, wherein the indicating element is arranged to slide.

5. A clothes hanger according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the indicating element is insertable between the planar elements through a hole in one of said elements.

6. A clothes hanger according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the indicating element is insertable between the planar elements through a gap between said elements at the edge of the hanger.

7. A clothes hanger according to any preceding claim, wherein the indicating element is formed from a portion of one of the planar elements that has been removed from the material used in the cutting out of the hanger profile.

8. A clothes hangar having a main part of substantially planar form and including shoulder pieces each having a curved outer shell and at least one internal rib arranged transverse to the main part, an indent in one of the rib and the main part engaging with the other of the rib and the main part.

9. A clothes hanger according to claim 8, including a plurality of such ribs, at least one rib nearer a shoulder end of the shoulder piece being longer than a rib further from said shoulder end.

10. A clothes hanger according to claim 8 or 9, including three such ribs spaced equidistantly from each other.

11. A clothes hanger comprising two planar elements arranged vertically in use and movable towards and away from each other, and clamping by means of exerting a clamping force between said elements so as to clamp a garment to suspend it therebetween.

12. A clothes hanger, including a clamp for clamping the garment, located between said two planar elements.

13. A clothes hanger according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein said two planar elements are attached together at top portions thereof.

14. A shoulder piece for attaching to a substantially planar clothes hanger, the shoulder piece comprising at least one substantially planar sheet arranged to lie on one side of the hanger transversely to the hanger, and having an engaging formation for engaging the hanger.

15. A shoulder piece according to claim 17, wherein the engaging formation comprises a slot adapted to receive an upper edge of the hanger.

16. A shoulder piece according to claim 17, wherein the engaging element comprises a tab cut out from the shoulder piece and engaging a slot in the hanger.

17. A shoulder piece according to claim 17, 18 or 19, comprising a plurality of planar sheets of similar shape but of sequentially increasing size, with a smallest sheet at a top of the shoulder piece and a largest sheet at a bottom thereof.

18. A shoulder piece according to claim 17, 18 or 19, including cuts or slots allowing the assumption of a shape corresponding to a shoulder.

19. A shoulder piece according to claim 21 , wherein the cuts or slots run generally parallel to an outer periphery of the shoulder piece and define inner peripheries of sequentially decreasing size.

20. A shoulder piece according to claim 21 , wherein the cuts or slots extend generally radially as far as the periphery of a shoulder part of the shoulder piece.

21. A pair of shoulder pieces, each according to any one of claims 17 to 23, said shoulder pieces being joined together at a narrow end of each of the shoulder pieces to from a combined unit for fitting over both sides of a hanger.

22. A hook for suspending a clothes hanger that includes at least one through hole, the hook being formed from a continuous length of material that has an upper hook portion and a lower curved portion arranged to extend through the at least one through hole in a generally horizontal direction.