Clothes hanger for cardboard boxes and the like

Abstract

A clothes hanger (1) for cardboard boxes and the like (4), comprising a tubular element (2) adapted to be placed inside a box (4), with the ends of the tubular element adapted to be hooked to the side edges of the box, at least one reinforcing element (5) being adapted to be joined to the tubular element (2) in order to reinforce the tubular element.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a clothes hanger for cardboard boxes and the like. More specifically, the invention relates to a clothes hanger adapted to be used in boxes that are used for transporting and storing clothes.

[0002] As is known, for transporting items of clothing, boxes are normally used which have a clothes hanger bar inserted in them. Such a clothes hanger bar is normally made of plastic material and is interlocked in the walls of the box.

[0003] The clothes hanger bar is fitted into the side walls of the box, and is made, normally, in a single piece, of plastic, metal or the like, and this entails difficulties with disposal.

[0004] Furthermore, the clothes hanger bar presents difficulties with coupling to the walls of the box.

[0005] Even furthermore, a conventional clothes hanger bar can be made of cardboard and in this case it takes the form of a tubular element which is coupled to the walls of the box. In this case, if heavy items of clothing are to be transported, the clothes hanger bar might not be sufficiently strong to support the weight of these items of clothing.

[0006] New clothes hanger bars made of cardboard, modeled on bars made of plastic, have strength problems when they are loaded with heavy items of clothing, for example coats.

[0007] The aim of the present invention is to provide a clothes hanger for cardboard boxes and the like, that has a high resistance to bending when subjected to the weight of heavy items of clothing.

[0008] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a clothes hanger for cardboard boxes and the like, that can be easily fitted into the walls of a box in which said clothes hanger is to be placed.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a clothes hanger for cardboard boxes and the like, that can be made of the same material as the box or of a different material, but which has the same destination at the disposal stage (paper, cardboard and the like).

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a clothes hanger for cardboard boxes or the like, that is highly reliable, easily and practically implemented, and at low cost.

[0011] This aim and these and other objects which will become more apparent hereinafter are achieved by a clothes hanger for cardboard boxes and the like, characterized in that it comprises a tubular element adapted to be placed inside a box, with the ends of the tubular element adapted to be hooked to the side edges of the box, at least one reinforcing element being adapted to be joined to said tubular element in order to reinforce said tubular element.

[0012] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of the clothes hanger according to the present invention, which are illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the clothes hanger for cardboard boxes and the corresponding box; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the clothes hanger for cardboard boxes and the corresponding box; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the clothes hanger for cardboard boxes and the corresponding box; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an example of the clothes hanger according to the present invention.

[0013] With reference to the figures, the clothes hanger according to the present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1 in a first embodiment thereof, consists of a tubular element 2, for example substantially square or rectangular in cross-section, and provided at the respective ends with locking means 3, conveniently provided by tabs bent laterally on one side and on the other side of the axis of the tubular element 2.

[0014] The purpose of these tabs 3 is to lock the tubular element 2 in place across a box 4 and in particular astride its side walls, to which the tubular element 2 is coupled.

[0015] The tabs 3 are therefore located outside the side walls of the box when the tubular element 2 is coupled to them.

[0016] In this embodiment, the tubular element is therefore firmly coupled to the walls of the box with a simple movement of pressing downward from above, so that the upper surface of the tubular element 2 ends up being substantially flush with the upper edge of the walls of the box, and the tabs 3 end up located externally adjacent to those side walls, so as to prevent a horizontal movement of the tubular element 2.

[0017] In a second embodiment, the tubular element 2 has, inside it, at least one reinforcing element 5, for example circular in cross-section, which extends for the entire length of the tubular element 2, again, inside it.

[0018] This reinforcing element 5 can for example be glued, slid, or interlocked, inside the outer tubular element 2.

[0019] In a third embodiment, the tubular element 2 is constituted by two tubular element parts 2a, 2b, which are arranged at the ends of the inner reinforcing element 5 and which have bent tabs 3 as in the preceding embodiments.

[0020] The tubular element 2 can have an open cross-section, as for example shown in the first and third embodiments, i.e. shaped like an upturned C, or it can have a closed cross-section, as shown in the second embodiment.

[0021] In all the embodiments, the tubular element 2 is accommodated in a slot or hole defined in the side walls of the box 4.

[0022] The tubular element 2 can have different shapes in addition to those described and illustrated.

[0023] The tubular element 2 is conveniently internally provided, as shown, with a reinforcing element, for example an inner tubular element 5, which can take different forms according to requirements. The important thing is that the tubular element 2 has a reinforcement, either internal or connected to it externally, in order to ensure a high capacity to support the weight of a clothes hanger loaded with heavy items of clothing.

[0024] The reinforcing element 5 can also be arranged externally to the tubular element 2.

[0025] In practice it has been found that the clothes hanger according to the invention fully achieves the set aim and objects, in that it makes it possible to transport heavy items of clothing in a box, without the clothes hanger being subjected to unwanted bending.

[0026] The clothes hanger thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

[0027] Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

[0028] In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and to the state of the art.

[0029] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102024000001254 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

[0030] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A clothes hanger (1) for cardboard boxes and the like (4), characterized in that it comprises a tubular element (2) adapted to be placed inside a box (4), with the ends of the tubular element adapted to be hooked to the side edges of the box, at least one reinforcing element (5) being adapted to be joined to said tubular element (2) in order to reinforce said tubular element (2).

2. The clothes hanger according to claim 1, characterized in that said reinforcing element (5) is inserted in said tubular element (2).

3. The clothes hanger according to claim 1, characterized in that said reinforcing element (5) is inserted externally to said tubular element (2).

4. The clothes hanger according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends of said tubular element (2) are provided with locking means (3) adapted to allow the locking of said tubular element (2) to the edges of said box (4).

5. The clothes hanger according to claim 4, characterized in that said locking means (3) of said tubular element are tabs (3) arranged laterally at the ends of said tubular element (2) and adapted to allow the locking of said tubular element (2) against said walls of the box (4).

6. The clothes hanger according to claim 1, characterized in that said reinforcing element (5) is joined for its entire length along said tubular element (2).

7. The clothes hanger according to claim 1, characterized in that said tubular element is constituted by two parts (2a, 2b) arranged at the ends of said reinforcing element (5).

8. The clothes hanger according to claim 1, characterized in that said tubular element (2) fits into slots defined in the side walls of said box (4).

9. A box (4), characterized in that it comprises a clothes hanger (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims.

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