GB2351017A

GB2351017A - A tie rack

Info

Publication number: GB2351017A
Application number: GB9914035A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Heale
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-06-17
Filing date: 1999-06-17
Publication date: 2000-12-20
Also published as: GB9914035D0

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for holding a plurality of ties, the apparatus comprising a hanger 2 and one or more tie clips 12' for hanging on the hanger; each tie clip 12' comprising a gripping portion for holding a tie in place and a mounting portion 14 enabling the tie clip to be removably mounted on the hanger; the hanger having a tie clip hanging member 8 and suspending means 6 for suspending the hanger on a clothes rail, the tie clip hanging member being provided with a plurality of spaced apart mounting locations 10 at each of which can be mounted one of the tie clips 12', each pair of adjacent mounting locations having disposed therebetween means 10a for preventing a tie clip from sliding along the hanging rail from one mounting location to an adjacent mounting location.

Description

23.51017 A TIE RACK This invention relates to an improved tie rack.

The problem of storing ties in a tidy manner, but which enables them to be retrieved quickly and without any difficulty has long been known. Various devices have been developed for this purpose, but without finding widespread acceptability. One of the problems with known tie racks is that although they may store ties in a neat and effective manner, the insertion of the tie into the rack and its subsequent retrieval can be rather cumbersome and time-consuming operations. In such circumstances. it is all too easy to overlook the tie rack and instead hang the tie over a conventional coat hanger.

Typical of known tie racks are those in which a single hanger is provided with a plurality of stacked narrow rectangular loops, each loop being intended to hold a single tie. A problem with such tie racks is that threading the tie through the loop can be time-consuming, particularly since it is usually necessary to move aside or lift ties higher up in the stack in order to insert the new tie. Thus, insertion of the tie tends to be a rather clumsy operation.

It is an objection of the invention to provide an improved tie rack which enables ties to be suspended from a normal clothes rail in a convenient and more readily accessible manner.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention provides an apparatus for holding a plurality of ties, the apparatus comprising a hanger and one or more tie clips for hanging on the hanger; each tie clip comprising a gripping portion for holding a tie in place and a mounting portion enabling 2 the tie clip to be removably mounted on the hanger; the hanger having a tie clip hanging member and suspending means for suspending the hanger on a clothes rail, the tie clip hanging member being provided with a plurality of spaced apart mounting locations at each of which can be mounted one of the tie clips, each pair of adjacent mounting locations having disposed therebetween means for preventing a tie clip from sliding along the hanging rail from one mounting location to an adjacent mounting location.

The suspending means are preferably configured such that the tie clip hanging member can be suspended transversely with regard to the clothes rail. The advantage of this arrangement is that a number of ties can be hung side-by-side on the hanger thereby using minimal space.

The mounting portion of the tie clip is typically in the form of a hook. The term "hook" as used herein refers to any hook-like member or a member which functions in the manner of a hook. Alternatively, the mounting portion can be in the form of any other means for removably fastening the tie clip to the hanger.

Similarly, the suspending means for suspending the hanger on the clothes rail is preferably a hook, the term "hook being used in the same sense as above. As an alternative to a hook, the suspending means can comprise a loop or other formation which is slidable along a clothes rail.

For example, the suspending means can be in the form of a two part fastening comprising a first part having a loop mounted on a clothes rail and means for removably securing a second part thereto, the second part being connected to or formed integrally with the hanger.

The mounting locations on the tie clip hanging member can be defined by loops, indentations or bends in the hanging member, for example in an upper surface thereof. Thus the walls of the loops, 3 indentations or bends can serve as the means for preventing the tie clip from sliding along the hanging rail from one mounting location to another.

In one embodiment, the hanger can take the form of a triangular frame structure, analogous to a conventional coat hanger, but wherein the hanging rail or member of the hanger is bent to define indentations in which the tie clip can be located. Such a hanger can be formed from, for example, a large gauge metal wire..

In another embodiment, the tie clip hanging member can be defined by a bar, rod or strut having notches formed in the upper surface thereof, the side walls of the notches serving as the means for preventing the tie clip from sliding along the member.

As a result of the indentations (e.g. notches) in the upper surface of the tie clip hanging member, the individual tie clips are retained securely in place and do not slide along the member as they would, for example, with a conventional clothes hanger.

The tie clip can take a variety of forms, but in one embodiment comprises a pair of resilient arms between which a tie can be gripped. The arms can be resiliently biased into engagement with one another, so as to provide a firm grip on the tie, or a narrow clearance or gap can be left between the arms. Typically, however, the arms will be prised apart slightly to allow the tie to be slipped into the gap between the arms which are then allowed to close together to form a grip on the tie. In this embodiment, the resilient arms are preferably linked at one end.

One of the resilient arms typically has a hook attached to it to enable the tie clip to be secured to the hanger.

The arms may be provided with grip enhancing means, for example 4 protrusions or teeth, provided that such protrusions are shaped so as not cause damage to the tie. ither the lower or upper arms or both can be provided with grip enhancing means, although preferably one arm is provided with such grip-enhancing means thereby ensuring that the tie can be positioned such that at least one surface is not subjected to gripping by teeth or protrusions.

The invention will now be illustrated, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

Figure 1 is an illustration of an apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of an alternative hanger; Figures 3a and 3b are partial side views of further alternative forms of hanger construction; and Figures 4a to 4b illustrate various alternative forms of tie clip used in the embodiment of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a hanger 2 in the form of a generally triangular wire frame 4 having a hook 6 on the upper apex thereof for securing the hanger to a conventional clothes rail, for example in a wardrobe.

The lower limb 8 of the triangular wire frame functions as a tie clip hanging member and is provided with a plurality of indentations or bends at spaced intervals along its length. Each of the indentations 10 serves as a mounting location for holding the hook 14 of a tie clip 12,12'. The curved surfaces 10a of the indentations 10 serve as a means for preventing the tie clip from sliding along the hanging member 8.

The hanger of Figure 1 has a relatively small number of spaced apart indentations. However, it will be appreciated that the hanger can have a greater or lesser number of indentations. Thus, for example, the hanger 102 illustrated in Figure 2 has a hanging member or strut 108 which has 5 a wavelike series of indentations or bends 110 along its length.

Further alternative hanger configurations are shown in Figures 3a and 3b. In these embodiments, the indentations or bends 210,310 are spaced apart as in Figure 1 but differ in shape. Thus, the indentations of the hanger of Figure 3a are near circular, whereas the indentations of Figure 3b have a rectangular form.

As can be seen in greater detail in Figure 4a, the tie clip 12 has a pair of arms 16, 18 linked at one end 20 thereof. At the ends opposite end 20, the arms have outwardly inclined portions 16a, 18a which together provide a mouth for guiding a tie into the gap between the arms. In addition, the portions 16a and 1 8a provide a means for holding the tie clip and prising the arms apart so as to facilitate insertion of the tie. The tie clip can be formed from a sprung metal material but may equally be formed from a plastics material. Any such plastics material will of course need to be sufficiently tough to survive repeated bending without breaking and sufficiently resilient to return to its original shape after bending.

In order to assist the user to hold the tie clip more securely, a "thumb grip" 20' can be provided as shown in Figure 4a, the thumb grip being constituted by an enlarged end piece.

Further alternative tie clip constructions are shown in Figures 4c and 4d. Thus, in Figure 4d, the upper arm 16" is provided with a series of blunt serrations 22 which serve as a means for gripping the tie and preventing it from sliding through the clip.

6 In the variation shown in Figure 4c, a tab 24 is moulded into the upper arm 16' so that the name of, for example, the manufacturer of the tie, or the retail outlet through which the tie has been purchased, can be displayed.

The advantage of the apparatus shown in the drawings is that it enables the user to retrieve a tie quickly and easily from its location in a wardrobe. The user can thus simply lift the tie clip off of the hanger, prise apart the arms 16, 18 and remove the tie. The tie clip 12 can then be replaced on the hanger. Thus there is no need for the user to attempt to remove the tie whilst the clip is still in the wardrobe, where it may be, for example, sandwiched between other items of clothing and may be relatively inaccessible. In addition, there is no need for the user to lift or part other ties on the rack in order to insert or remove a desired tie.

Thanks to the indentations on the hanger 4, the ties can be mounted at spaced intervals along the hanger without sliding along the hanger, as would be the case if a tie clip were mounted on a conventional clothes hanger.

It will readily be apparent that numerous modifications and alterations could be made to the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings without departing from the principles underlying this invention, and all such modifications and alterations are intended to be embraced by this Application.

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Claims

1 Apparatus for holding a plurality of ties, the app aratus comprising a hanger and one or more tie clips for hanging on the hanger; each tie clip comprising a gripping portion for holding a tie in place and a mounting portion enabling the tie clip to be removably mounted on the hanger; the hanger having a tie clip hanging member and suspending means for suspending the hanger on a clothes rail, the tie clip hanging member being provided with a plurality of spaced apart mounting locations at each of which can be mounted one of the tie clips, each pair of adjacent mounting locations having disposed therebetween means for preventing a tie clip from sliding along the hanging rail from one mounting location to an adjacent mounting location.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the suspending means are configured such that the tie clip hanging member can be suspended transversely with regard to the clothes rail.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the mounting portion of the tie clip is in the form of a hook.

4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the suspending means for suspending the hanger on the clothes rail is a hook.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the mounting locations on the tie clip hanging member are defined by indentations in the hanging member, and wherein side walls of the indentations serve as the means for preventing a tie clip from sliding along the hanging member from one mounting location to the adjacent mounting location.

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6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each tie clip comprises a pair of resilient arms between which a tie can be gripped.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the resilient arms are knked at one end.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein one of the resilient arms has a hook attached thereto.

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein one of the arms is provided with grip-enhancing means.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the grip-enhancing means is provided on the arm which has the hook attached thereto.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the gripenhancing means takes the form of a plurality of teeth or gripping projections. 20

12. Apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A hanger as defined in any one of claims 1 to 11. 25

14. A hanger substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A method of storing ties comprising placing the tie in a tie clip and 30 suspending the tie clip on a hanger, the tie clip and hanger being as defined in any one of the preceding claims.

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16. A tie clip comprising a pair of resilient arms for gripping and removably retaining a tie, one of the arms being provided with gripenhancing means for enhancing the grip on the tie, and the other arm being provided with a hook for suspending the tie from a 5 hanger.