Holder for information marker

Abstract

An information marker holder system includes a web and an information marker holder for receiving an information marker over the holder. A gap substantially spaces the web from the information marker. The system further includes a protrusion on the information marker holder for preventing removal of the information marker.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a non-provisional counterpart to and claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 60/666,688 filed Mar. 30, 2005, which is pending and which is herein incorporated by reference. This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 29/197,087 filed Jan. 9, 2004, which is pending and which is herein incorporated by reference. This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 29/219,737 filed Dec. 21, 2004, which is pending and which is herein incorporated by reference. This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 10/465,694 filed Jun. 19, 2003, which is pending and which is herein incorporated by reference. U.S. Ser. No. 10/465,694 is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 29/157,009, now U.S. Pat. No. D500,413, filed Mar. 12, 2002.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hangers generally, and more particularly to hangers having removal-resistant information marker holders.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Garment hangers with information markers or tabs are known. Such information markers are used to associate a hanger with a particularly sized garment, i.e., small, medium, large, extra large and so on. The distinguishing features on the markers may be words that designate a size, or a different color used for each size, or a combination of words and colors as the case may be.

For ease of manufacture and assembly, an information marker is usually shaped like a clip that is slipped onto an information marker holder formed on the hanger. The information marker is secured to the information marker holder usually through a combination of the design of the information marker holder and the information marker.

In other words, barriers are designed into the hanger near the attachment location of the information marker to prevent a so-called “finger purchase” of the information marker, which would allow someone to easily remove the information marker from the hanger.

Much effort has been directed to designing hangers and information markers that are child-resistant, wherein the information marker is difficult to remove by a child without at least the use of a tool. Because the information markers are relatively small and usually brightly colored, there is always a concern that a child will attempt to remove an information marker from a hanger and swallow and/or choke on the same. Thus, there is a need to insure that a hanger designed to accommodate an information marker is designed to prevent inadvertent or unintentional removal of the information marker. The present inventors have fulfilled such need with the unique hanger design of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a holder and a garment hanger of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a right side view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a front view thereof with an information marker installed thereon.

FIG. 5 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a garment hanger of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a planar detail view of holder of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective detail view of a holder of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description is of the best mode or modes of the invention presently contemplated. Such description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but to be an example of the invention presented solely for illustration thereof, and by reference to which in connection with the following description and the accompanying drawings one skilled in the art may be advised of the advantages and construction of the invention. In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate one embodiment of a garment hanger 50 of the present invention comprising a first preferably hook-shaped support 60 having a free end 62 and a base 64, and a second support 70 having a pair of second support arms 72 and 74. The first support 60 is provided for hanging said garment hanger 50 from a closet rod (not shown), wall hook (not shown) or the like, while the second support 70 is provided for support garments thereon.

A web 80 is defined between said first and second supports 60, 70 respectively and is preferably bounded between an upper surface 66 defined along said first support 60, a lower surface 76 defined along said second support 70 and an intersection 82 defined between said first and second supports 60, 70 near the base 64 of the first support 60.

An information marker holder 90 extends between said first and second supports 60, 70 for supporting an information marker 100 (shown in FIG. 5) thereon. On information marker holder 90 are disposed projections 92A and 92B, collectively projections 92, that aid in retaining information marker 100.

In the embodiments shown in the figures provided herein, information marker holder 90 is spaced from the web 80 by a gap 110, which gap 110 is bounded by the upper and lower surfaces 66, 76 of the first and second supports 60, 70, and edges 84, 94 of the web 80 and information marker holder 90 respectively. Disposed in gap 110 are web projections 1 12a and 1 12b, collectively web projections 112, to further aid as a removal deterrent.

The presence of a gap 110 between the web 80 and information marker holder 90 is not a critical feature of the present invention, but is merely reflective of the embodiments described herein. For instance, the garment hanger of the present invention could be configured so that the web terminates at the information marker holder as is known in the art (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,583 to Zuckerman).

The discussion above reflects the basic elements of prior art hangers having information marker holders. Using FIGS. 1-4 as an example, in prior art hangers, once the information marker 100, usually in the shape of a clip, is attached to the information marker holder 90, the edge 84 of the web 80 is configured to prevent finger purchase of the free ends (not shown) of the information marker 100.

This is usually accomplished by providing a raised ridge (not shown) along the edge 84 of the web 80 on each side of the hanger 50, which prevents access to the edges of the information marker 100. Such raised ridge (not shown) usually extends along the edge 80 from the first support 60 to the second support 70 along the same direction as the information marker holder 90, and is usually positioned parallel to the information marker holder 90. This may also be accomplished by web projections 112a and 112b that further deter removal by reducing gap 110.

In the garment hanger of the present invention as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-7, at least one raised member 120 is provided on the web 80 extending across the web 80 and preferably in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the information marker holder 90. In other words, the at least one raised member 120 extends in a direction from the base 64 of the first support 60, or the intersection 82 of the first and second supports 60, 70, toward the information marker holder 90. Therein, the raised member 120 extends from the lower surface 76 of the second support 70 (near the intersection 82) to the edge 84 of the web 80 on either side of the hanger 50 (FIG. 3). Since an information marker 100 is usually clipped around both sides of the information marker holder 90, it preferable to have a raised member 120 on both sides of the web 80 as shown in FIG. 3. The termination of the raised member 120 along the edge 84 of the web 80 functions to prevent a finger purchase of an information marker 100 attached to the information marker holder 90, at least along the center of the web 80.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, on information marker holder 90 are formed two opposing projections 92A and 92B that aid in preventing information marker 100 from being removed from garment hanger.

Projections 92 are disposed bilaterally about information marker holder 90 preferably near the exterior free-edge 91 of holder 90 as seen in FIG. 3 and are formed as cylindrical projections that are 0.130 inches from side to side (including thickness of the information marker holder 90). Each projection preferably has a diameter of 0.100 inches, although projection 92A and 92B may also have other diameters and sizes that are suitable to retain information marker 100. The top of each projection 92A and 92B is preferably flat and the edges between the top and the cylindrical wall are preferably sharp. Other suitable shapes for projections 92A and 92B may be employed.

Therein, information marker 100 is secured to garment hanger 50 by sliding the marker over projections 92. Since marker 100 is usually in the form of a C-shaped clip, it is able to smoothly slide over projections 92. The edges of marker 100 are then retained in gap 110 while projections 92 are advantageously disposed so as to be near the back of the C-shaped marker 100 where marker 100 is at its maximal interior width.

When a furtive attempt is made to remove information marker 100 it typically requires opening marker 100 wide by pulling the sides apart causing a hinging of the back of marker 100. If the attempt succeeds in removing marker 100 from gap 110, projections 92 present a further challenge because of their position near the widest part of information marker holder 90, their cooperative structure, and sharp edged shape. Thus, the sides of marker 100 would have to be further spread apart to fit over projections 92. This may result in the advantageous aborting of the removal attempt because of its difficulty or in the breaking of marker 100, wherein interest may be lost in retaining marker 100 and subsequently posing a hazard to a child or other person.

It is contemplated that multiple cooperating projections 92 may also be placed near free edge 91 of holder 90 or spaced slightly from the edge.

Claims

1. An information marker holder system comprising:

a web;

an information marker holder for receiving an information marker over the holder;

a gap substantially spacing the web from the information marker; and

a protrusion on the information marker holder for preventing removal of the information marker.

2. The information marker holder system of claim 1 wherein the information marker holder comprises a first edge, the information marker holder having a greatest thickness in cross-section at the first edge, the protrusion being disposed proximal to the first edge.

3. The information marker holder system of claim 1 further comprising a projection supported by the web and projecting into the gap, the projection for deterring removal of the information marker by reducing the gap.

4. The information marker holder system of claim 1 further comprising a raised member disposed on the web.

5. The information marker holder system of claim 4 further comprising a projection supported by the web and projecting into the gap, the projection for deterring removal of the information marker by reducing the gap, the projection having an axis in common with the raised member.

6. The information marker holder system of claim 4 wherein the raised member terminates along the edge of the web.

7. The information marker holder system of claim 1 further comprising a first and a second raised member, the first and second raise members being disposed on one of opposite sides and same side of the web.

8. The information marker holder system of claim 1 further comprising a second protrusion disposed on one of opposite sides and same side of the information marker holder.

9. The information marker holder system of claim 1 further comprising a second protrusion disposed on the information marker holder opposite to the first protrusion, each of the protrusions having flat top surface and a cylindrical shape, the top surface spaced 0.13 inches apart, and each protrusion having a diameter of 0.1 inches.

10. An information marker holder in combination with a web, the information marker holder comprising:

a first edge and a second edge, the edges being substantially parallel, the first edge disposed proximal to the web;

a first and a second side;

an elongated cross-sectional shape from first to second edge, the cross-sectional shape having a greater width at the second edge than at the first edge so that the sides taper together proximal to the first edge;

a first protrusion disposed on the first side and a second protrusion disposed on the second side to retain an information marker.

11. The information marker holder of claim 10 having the protrusions disposed bilaterally.

12. The garment hanger including removal-resistant information marker holder, the hanger comprising:

a hanger comprising a first support and a second support, the supports defining a first area proximal to an intersection between the supports;

a web disposed in the first area and joined to the first and second supports;

an information marker holder disposed in the first area and joined to the first and second supports corner, the information marker holder spaced apart from the web by a gap.

13. The garment hanger of claim 12 further comprising a raised member extending across the web perpendicular to the information marker holder.

14. The garment hanger of claim 13 wherein the raised member terminates along the edge of the web.

15. The garment hanger of claim 12 further comprising a projection supported by the web and projecting into the gap, the projection for deterring removal of the information marker by reducing the gap.

16. The garment hanger of claim 12 wherein each the protrusions comprises a flat top surface and a cylindrical shape, the top surface spaced 0.13 inches apart, and each protrusion having a diameter of 0.1 inches.