EP0568452A1 - Foldable shoe hanger - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoe hanger (1a) intended to serve as a display unit in shops and which comprises a central rod (2a) ending in a suspension hook (3), and two lateral eyelets (4a, 5a) over which the shoes can be slipped. According to the invention, the shoe hanger includes, between the central rod (2a) and at least one lateral eyelet (4a, 5a), a pivoting means (6a, 7a) making it possible to fold the shoe hanger so that the shoes which are slipped over are substantially face to face. The pivoting means consists, for example, in a folding line, integral with the corresponding lateral eyelet and with the central rod, and which is parallel to the general direction B, B' of the latter. More particularly, the shoe hanger (1a) also includes, for each lateral eyelet (4a, 5a) which can be folded with respect to the central rod (2a), first means for blocking the said (12 and 15, 18 and 19) eyelet in the deployed position. The shoe hanger preferably consists of a monobloc piece made from plastic material, particularly injected polypropylene. In this case, the pivoting means (6a, 7a, 8a) consists or consist in a rectilinear zone of smaller thickness. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a shoe rack intended to serve as a display in stores and which comprises a central rod terminated by a hanging hook and two lateral eyelets, located on either side of the central rod and on which the shoes are likely to be strung.

A first known type of shoe rack, especially described in document US-A-4,073,457 consists of a suspension hook and two side hooks, which are integral with a central part; the suspension hook is necessarily pivotally mounted, by means of a hinge connection, relative to the central part. The lateral hooks are located in two substantially parallel planes, and form an approximately 90 ° angle with the central part. The suspension of a pair of shoes is carried out by hanging each shoe, in particular by means of its heel, on each lateral hook, which acts as a clamp. When a pair of shoes is thus hung, and the shoe holder is suspended from a display bar by means of its hanging hook, the action of the weight of the two shoes causes the rotation of the central part relative to the hanging hook, until the center of gravity of the two shoes is located in the same plane as the vertical plane containing the pivot axis of the hinge link that separates the hanging hook and the central part. The function of this hinge connection is therefore to allow relative positioning, under the action of the weight of the shoes, of the central part and of the suspension hook so that they make an angle of 90 ° between them. This hinge connection is necessary for the proper functioning of the shoe holder.

In a particular embodiment described in the aforementioned document, the lateral hooks of the shoe rack can be pivotally mounted relative to the central part. In this case, when the shoes are hung on the shoe rack, the action of their weight causes a rotation of about 90 ° of each lateral hook relative to the part central until the two lateral hooks are situated in two planes substantially parallel, and perpendicular to the plane of the central part.

Whatever the embodiment of this first type of shoe rack, the functionality of the hinge connection separating the suspension hook and the central part, and possibly of the hinge connections separating the lateral hooks and the central part, is to allow a correct positioning of the various elements constituting the shoe rack, under the action of the weight of the pair of shoes.

The use of such a shoe rack leads to an attachment of the pair of shoes which is not stable, and the shoes are easily detached from this type of shoe rack. For this reason, it is preferable to use a second type of shoe rack, which has already been described in particular in document GB-A-2103081, and which comprises in the same plane a central rod terminated by a hanging hook and two lateral eyelets , on either side of the central upper, and on which the shoes may be slipped on. The use of such a shoe holder has the advantage of allowing an efficient and stable attachment of the pair of shoes. In addition, compared to storage in boxes or on shelves, it allows a real saving of space due to the vertical arrangement of the shoes.

However, the use of such a shoe rack causes constraints during the pairing and transport of said shoes. Indeed, it is understood that it is necessary to don the shoes of the same pair on the shoe rack, before positioning the shoe rack thus stocked on the display. In practice this operation must be carried out when putting the shoes on the display.

However, for reasons of handling costs, it would be preferable for this operation to take place during the making of the shoes and their pairing. Indeed in this case, it would be enough, when shelving, to grab the hanging hook and hanging the shoe rack, previously trimmed on the display. However, carrying out this operation at the shoe production stage has drawbacks. Indeed, this requires modifying the conditions of packaging and transport of paired shoes. In particular, in the case of shoes of the slipper or mule type, they are generally positioned one against the other so as to occupy a minimum of space during transport. In the case of a pairing using the aforementioned shoe holder, there would necessarily be a loss of space due to the presence of the hanging hook protruding above the shoes and on the other hand the shoes would be necessarily arranged flat next to each other.

The aim sought by the applicant is to propose a shoe rack of the aforementioned second type which overcomes the drawbacks noted in that it makes it possible to save space when the shoes are put on the lateral eyelets of the shoe rack, in particular for the transport of the shoe / shoe rack assembly.

This object is perfectly achieved by the shoe rack of the invention. It is a shoe rack, which comprises, in a known manner from document GB-A 2 103 081, a central rod terminated by a hanging hook, and two lateral eyelets situated on either side of the rod. central, and on which the shoes are likely to be put on.

Typically, according to the invention, the shoe holder comprises, between the central rod and at least one lateral eyelet, a pivoting means making it possible to fold the shoe holder so that the shoes put on are substantially facing the face. one against the other.

It is important to note that, unlike the shoe holder of the first type described in document US-A-4,073,457, when the folding shoe holder of the invention is used to hang a pair of shoes, the eyelets lateral are in the unfolded position, and are therefore substantially located in the same vertical plane as the central rod and the suspension hook. In the case of present invention, it is the new application of a pivoting means, which was known in particular from document US-A-4,073,457, but to a shoe rack of different type, in order to obtain a new result, namely the possibility of transporting the shoe holder of the invention, with the pair of shoes slipped on the side eyelets, thanks to the space saving obtained when the shoe holder is folded.

Thus, thanks to the folding shoe holder of the invention, the current positioning techniques during manufacture and pairing, for transport, can be preserved.

According to one embodiment, the shoe rack has only one pivot means which is capable of pivoting the corresponding lateral eyelet, relative to the central rod, by an angle between 120 and 180 ° .

According to a second embodiment, the shoe rack comprises two pivoting means, between the central rod and each of the two lateral eyelets, said means being able to pivot the two lateral eyelets towards one another. angle between 60 and 90 °.

The pivoting means, in one as in the other embodiment, consists for example in a fold line, integral with the corresponding lateral eyelet and the central rod and which is parallel to the general direction of the latter . Thus when the shoe rack is folded so that the shoes put on are substantially facing each other, the central rod is well wedged along these.

Preferably, whatever the embodiment, the shoe holder of the invention further comprises, for each lateral eyelet which can be folded relative to the central rod, first means for blocking said eyelet in the unfolded position.

More particularly, the first locking means consist at least of a first part comprising a notch and a second part, part of which, called a socket, has a thickness equal to the width of the notch. In this case, the first part is exclusively secured either to the lateral eyelet or to the central rod, depending on whether the second part is secured exclusively to the central rod or the lateral eyelet, so that the socket part of the second part is fitted into the notch of the first part when the eyelet is in the unfolded position. The adjustment of the first and second pieces when they are nested must be sufficiently precise, to allow the blocking of the second piece in the notch of the first piece, so that the lateral eyelet which is in the unfolded position , cannot be folded inadvertently.

Advantageously, the central rod comprises, under the suspension hook, a pivoting means making it possible to fold the suspension hook towards the opposite end of the central rod. Thanks to this particular arrangement, it is possible to also fold the hanger so as to obtain an optimal space saving when pairing and positioning the shoes face to face.

Preferably, the shoe holder comprises second means for blocking the suspension hook in the unfolded position.

More particularly, the second blocking means consist of at least a third part and a fourth part having the same characteristics respectively as the first and second parts constituting the first blocking means, and capable of fitting one into the other when the shoe rack hook is in the unfolded position.

Preferably, the shoe rack consists of a single piece of plastic material, in particular injected polypropylene; in this case the fold line consists of a rectilinear zone of smaller thickness.

In the case of shoes connected by a flexible link, the shoe holder preferably comprises a part which is integral with the central rod and which has an opening for the passage of the flexible link.

Advantageously, the shoe holder comprises, between the central rod and said part, a pivoting means capable of ensuring the pivoting of said part relative to the central rod by an angle of approximately 90 °.

• La figure 1 est une vue de face d'un premier porte-chaussures de l'invention
• La figure 2 est une vue de côté du porte-chaussures de la figure 1,
• La figure 3 est une vue de dessus du porte-chaussures de la figure 1,
• La figure 4 est une vue de derrière d'un deuxième porte-chaussures de l'invention,
• La figure 5 est une vue de dessous du porte-chaussures de la figure 4,
• La figure 6 est une vue de dessous du porte-chaussures de la figure 4 à la sortie du moule de fabrication, et
• La figure 7 est une vue de face du crochet de suspension du porte-chaussures de la figure 4, équipé de moyens de blocage dudit crochet en position dépliée.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which will be made of two embodiments of a folding shoe rack, illustrated by the appended drawing in which:

• Figure 1 is a front view of a first shoe rack of the invention
• FIG. 2 is a side view of the shoe rack of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 is a top view of the shoe rack of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4 is a rear view of a second shoe rack of the invention,
• FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the shoe rack of FIG. 4,
• FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the shoe rack of FIG. 4 at the outlet from the manufacturing mold, and
• Figure 7 is a front view of the hanging hook of the shoe holder of Figure 4, equipped with means for locking said hook in the unfolded position.

The shoe rack 1 comprises, in known manner, a central rod 2, the upper end of which is terminated by a hook 3 for hanging and two lateral eyelets 4, 5, which are branches in the form of loops, connected to the central rod 2. When the shoe holder is placed on the display, the two shoes of the same pair are slipped on the two eyelets 4, 5, each eyelet entering the front part of the shoe, and the shoe holder is suspended by hook 3 to the display pin; the side eyelets 4,5, the central rod 2 and the suspension hook 3 are located substantially in the same vertical plane.

Typically, according to the invention, the shoe rack 1 comprises at least one pivoting means, which is located between the central rod and at least one eyelet 4, 5 and which makes it possible to fold the shoe rack on which have been donned the shoes, so that once it is folded the two shoes are found substantially face to face, and one against the other.

In the example illustrated in Figure 1, there are two pivot means 6, 7, located symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis A, A 'of the central rod 2.

According to the preferred embodiment of the shoe rack, this is obtained by injection into a mold of thermoplastic material, in this case polypropylene, and the pivoting means 6, 7 consist of straight areas of smaller thickness, which are fold lines. The properties, which are also well known, of certain thermoplastic materials, including polypropylene, are used in this, according to which said material which is normally rigid, has a certain flexibility below a certain thickness.

In the aforementioned example of polypropylene, the thickness e in the region of the fold lines 6, 7 was of the order of 0.2 mm. It is of course a matter of using a material which not only has this flexibility but also is not brittle after a certain number of folds.

As shown in Figure 3 using the arrows F and G, each side eyelet, respectively 4 and 5, has the possibility of pivoting around the corresponding fold line, respectively 6 and 7, in the direction of the arrow F and G respectively. This pivoting is, in the example illustrated, by an angle which is at least 60 ° and at most 90 °. This maximum amplitude of the pivoting, between 120 and 180 °, ensures, when the shoe rack is folded, a positioning of the two shoes which is substantially facing each other, the shoes being applied one against the other.

Of course in the case where the shoe rack has only one pivoting means, it is understood that the amplitude of the latter must be of the order of twice the unit amplitude of the previous example, at know between 120 and 180 °. Thus with a single pivot means, one can obtain the same positioning of the two shoes against each other.

Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the central rod 2 comprises in its upper part, under the suspension hook 3, a pivoting means 8 which is able to fold the suspension hook 3 towards the opposite end of said central rod, as illustrated in FIG. 2 by the arrow H. Thanks to this particular position, the shoe holder no longer projects beyond the space occupied by the shoes themselves, which optimally reduces the space occupied by the assembly made up of the shoe holder and the two shoes. of the same pair during its transport from the place of manufacture to the place of distribution.

As a monobloc shoe rack obtained by injection of a thermoplastic material of the polypropylene type, the pivoting means 8 is also produced in the form of a zone of lesser thickness, located transversely in the upper 2 relative to axis A, A '.

The rigidity of the shoe rack 1, at the level of the central rod 2, is obtained by a reinforcement 9, the central rod 2 having at the level of this reinforcement 9 and in cross section the shape of a T. The upper part of the rod, comprising the suspension hook 3 as well as the fold line 8 does not include any reinforcement 9, as is clearly shown in FIG. 2.

Towards its lower end, opposite the suspension hook 3, the central rod 2 is equipped with a part 10 pierced with a hole 11. This part 10 is only useful in the case where the two shoes of the same pair are connected by a flexible link which can be in the form of a thin metal cable or a polyamide wire for example. The part 10 in question makes it possible to secure the shoe holder 1 to the assembly constituted by the two shoes of the same pair connected by the flexible connection. To do this during pairing, the flexible connection is passed through the hole 11.

In the example illustrated in the appended drawing, as it appears in FIG. 2, the through hole is a hole whose periphery is closed. In this case it is necessary to pass the flexible connection through said hole 11 before this connection is permanently fixed to the two shoes. Of course, other embodiments can be envisaged in which the hole 11 would be provided with a notch and the part 10 would be equipped with stop means so that it would be possible to introduce the flexible connection already fixed to the shoes in the hole 11 by the notch, while this connection, once introduced into the hole 11, would be prevented from leaving it by the stop means.

In the above example, as shown in Figure 3, the two side eyelets 4, 5 fold back towards each other in the direction of the arrows F and G, and at the same time towards the part 10, which is a plate, mounted in the extension of the reinforcement 9, along the axis A, A '.

In this case, when the shoe holder is folded, the part 10 is trapped between the two shoes folded against each other.

According to another embodiment, in which the direction of pivoting of the lateral eyelets 4, 5 would be reversed, that is to say according to the direction of the dotted arrows F 'and G', in this case it is the reinforcement 9 who would be trapped between the two shoes folded against each other. In order to avoid possible deterioration of the piece 10 during transport, it would then be preferable for the shoe rack 1 to be provided with a complementary pivoting means situated between the central rod and the piece 10 and allowing the pivoting of the latter. ci at an angle of around 90 °. Thus it would again be possible to obtain that a minimum of space is occupied for each pair of shoes, mounted on its shoe rack.

FIG. 4 shows a shoe rack 1 a , which is an improvement on the shoe rack 1 of FIG. 1. For the sake of simplification, the elements of the shoe rack 1 a which are referenced 2 a , 3 a , 4 a , 5 a , 6 a , 7 a , 8 a , 9 a and 10 a have the same characteristics, previously described, of the elements of the shoe rack 1 which are referenced respectively 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 , 8, 9 and 10.

The shoe rack 1 a differs from the shoe rack 1 in that it typically comprises, for each lateral eyelet 4 a , 5 a , first means for locking the eyelet in the unfolded position, such as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. For the side eyelet 5 a , these first locking means are constituted by a first 12 and second 15 parts.

The first part 12 is a rectangular parallelepiped which is secured exclusively to the central rod 2 a , and one face 13 of which adjoins the fold line 7 a . In this face 13, hereinafter called the socket face, is made, perpendicular to the plane of the central rod 2 a , a rectilinear notch 14, of width l , the first part 12 thus having the shape of a U.

The second part 15 is a plate which has the shape of a parallelogram (FIG. 6), which is integral, by one of its longer edges, exclusively with the lateral eyelet 5 a , and one edge of which adjoins the fold line 7 a , so that a part 16 of the second part 15 is not situated vertically from the lateral eyelet 5 a but protrudes relative to said eyelet. This projecting part 16 will be called in the remainder of this text socket part.

The first 12 and second 15 parts are positioned opposite one another so that the lateral eyelet 5 a is in the unfolded position (Figure 5), the socket part 16 of the second piece 15 fits into the notch 14 of the first piece 12. The thickness of the second piece 15, and therefore of the socket part 16, is chosen to be equal to or slightly less than the width l of the notch 14. In this way, the friction force existing between the socket part 16 and the interior of the notch 14 is opposed to the withdrawal of the socket part. The lateral eyelet 5 a is thus blocked in the unfolded position. Its release is obtained by exerting, on the lateral eyelet 5 has a pressure sufficient to compensate the friction force existing between the notch portion 14 and the socket 16.

The first locking means of the lateral eyelet 4 a in the unfolded position consist of a first 18 and second 19 parts, which are identical to the first 12 and second 15 parts respectively constituting the first locking means of the lateral eyelet 5 has in the unfolded position. The fold lines 6 a and 7 a are symmetrical to each other with respect to the axis (B, B ') of the shoe rack 1 a . The parts 18 and 19 are preferably also symmetrical, with respect to this axis, of the parts 12 and 15 respectively.

As a shoe rack made by injection of a thermoplastic material in a manufacturing mold, there is shown in Figure 6, the profile seen from below of the shoe rack 1 a at its exit from the mold. It is clear that the shoe rack 1 a is not molded flat, but that the side eyelets 4 a and 5 a each make an angle C with the central rod 2 a . This angular offset which exists for example between the lateral eyelet 5 a and the central rod 2 a , allows the first 12 and second 15 parts to be produced simply, by placing a tapered blade vertically from the fold line during molding. 7 a . The socket face 13 of the first part 12 is thus produced in a single operation, the straight edge 17 of the socket part 16 which is intended to penetrate into the notch 14 of the first part 12, and the line of folding 7 a .

A person skilled in the art will be able, without departing from the scope of the invention, to adapt the shape and the dimensions of the first 12 and second 15 parts, as well as the profile of the notch 14 of the first part 12. It is also be noted that first 12 and second 15 parts are not necessarily adjacent to the fold line 7 a. It is also possible to reverse the position of the first and second parts relative to the fold line 7 a . The first locking means can be constituted by several sets of first and second parts.

The fold line 8a, intended to allow the folding of the hook 3a, is not located, unlike the fold line 8 of shoe rack 1 on the same side of the shoe holder that the fold lines 6 a and 7 a . When the lateral eyelets 4 a and 5 a are in the folded position, that is to say in a position such that the part 10 a is trapped between said eyelets, it is then possible to fold the hook 3 a against the rod central 2 a , without being hampered by the lateral eyelets 4 a and 5 a . Referring to FIG. 4, the length L of the hook 3 a for suspension is equal to the distance separating the upper end of the reinforcement 9 a and the fold line 8 a . Thus, the reinforcement 9 has acted as a means for blocking the hook 3 a for suspension, when the latter is in the folded position against the central rod 2 a .

In an alternative embodiment of the hook 3 has suspension, the shoe rack 1 a advantageously comprises second means for blocking the hook 3 a in the unfolded position, as shown in FIG. 7. These second blocking means, consisting of a third 20 and fourth 21 parts are at all points similar to the first means for locking a lateral eyelet in the unfolded position.

The invention is not limited to the two embodiments of a shoe holder which have been described by way of nonlimiting examples. In particular, even if it is a particularly inexpensive embodiment, the shoe rack of the invention can be produced by other means than thermoplastic injection, using other types of pivoting means, such as for example hinges.

Claims (12)

Shoe rack (1) comprising a central rod (2) terminated by a hanging hook (3) and two lateral eyelets (4,5), located on either side of the central rod (2), and on which the shoes are capable of being put on, characterized in that it comprises, between the central upper (2) and at least one lateral eyelet (4,5), a pivoting means (6,7) making it possible to fold the door -shoes so that the shoes put on are substantially face to face, one against the other. Shoe rack (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises a single pivot means which is capable of ensuring the pivoting of the corresponding lateral eyelet, relative to the central rod, by an angle between 120 and 180 °. Shoe rack according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises two pivoting means (6,7), between the central rod (2) and each of the two lateral eyelets (4,5), said means being capable of ensuring the pivoting towards one another of the two lateral eyelets at an angle between 60 and 90 °. Shoe rack according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pivoting means consists in a fold line, integral with the corresponding lateral eyelet and the central rod and which is parallel to the general direction (A, A ') of the latter. Shoe holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that it further comprises, for each lateral eyelet (4 a , 5 a ) which can be folded relative to the central rod (2 a ), the first means for locking said eyelet in the unfolded position. Shoe rack according to claim 5 characterized in that the first locking means consist at least of a first part (12) comprising a notch (14) and a second part (15) including a part (16) called a socket has a thickness equal to or slightly less than the width l of the notch (14), the first part (12) being integral exclusively, either from the lateral eyelet (5 a ) or from the central rod (2 a ) depending on whether the second part (15) is secured exclusively to the central rod (2 a ) or to the lateral eyelet (5 a ) , so that the socket part (16) of the second part (15) is fitted into the notch (14) of the first part (12), when the lateral eyelet (5 a ) is in the unfolded position . Shoe rack according to claim 1 characterized in that the central rod (2) comprises, under the hanging hook (3), a pivoting means (8) making it possible to fold the hanging hook (3) towards the opposite end of the central rod (2). Shoe holder according to claim 7 characterized in that it further comprises second means for locking the hook (3 a ) for hanging in the unfolded position. Shoe rack according to claim 8 characterized in that the second locking means consist at least of a third part (20) having a notch, and a fourth part (21), of which a socket part has a substantially equal thickness to the width of the notch of the third part (20), the third part (20) being secured exclusively either to the central rod (2 a ), or to the hook (3 a ) for suspension, depending on whether the fourth part ( 21) is integral exclusively with the hook (3 a ) for suspension or with the central rod (2 a ), so that the socket part of the fourth part (21) is fitted into the notch of the third part ( 20) when the suspension hook (3 a ) is in the unfolded position. Shoe rack according to claim 1 characterized in that, as shoes connected by a flexible connection, it comprises a fastening piece which is integral with the central rod and which has an opening for the passage of the flexible connection. Shoe rack according to claim 10 characterized in that it comprises, between the central rod and the connecting piece, a pivoting means capable of ensuring the pivoting of said piece relative to the central rod of a angle of about 90 °. Shoe rack according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it consists of a single piece of plastic material, in particular injected polypropylene, and in that the pivoting means or means consist in a rectilinear zone of lower thickness.

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