The present invention relates to a hanger for a thin flexible article, i.e. a flexible article which is thin in relation to its width. The flexible article may be in particular, but not necessarily, a garment such as a scarf or a pair of trousers.

Hereinafter, the invention is described with particular reference to a hanger for a pair of trousers. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is applicable to hangers for other thin flexible articles.

Known hangers for storage and display of garments cortprise a suspension means, normally a hook, a bar, and means connecting the suspension means to the bar such that when the hanger is freely suspended by the suspension means the bar is substantially horizontal. In use with the hanger so suspended the garment is looped over and hangs from the bar.

A disadvantage of such a hanger is that when used to display a garment, the connecting means obstruct the view of the part of the garment extending over the bar. This is often the only part of the garment readily visible when, for example, a row of such hangers and garments are hanging frcm a rail in a shop.

A known hanger which partially overcomes this disadvantage is in the form of a rod shaped to provide a hook, the bar and the connecting means, the connecting means extending from the hook to one end only of the bar so that there is no connecting means between the hook and the other end of the bar to obstruct viewing of the garment. However, with this hanger, the garment may readily slip off the end of the bar to which the connecting means does not extend.

Another known hanger which overcomes the aforementioned

disadvantage comprises suspension means in the form of a hook and two bars, the hook being connected to a first of the bars at a point substantially midway between the ends of the bar. One end of the second of the bars is pivotally connected to one end of the first bar. The other ends of the bars are provided with releasable latching means such that said other ends can be latched together with a gap through which a garment can pass between the bars when the said other ends of the bars are so latched together. The second bar is disposed above the first bar when said other ends are latched together and the hanger is freely suspended by the hook.

In use of this known hanger, the garment is folded over and suspended from the second bar, one portion of the garment hanging at one side of the bar and passing through the gap and the remaining portion of the garment hanging at the other side of the bar. Since the second bar is above the first bar, viewing of the part of the garment extending over the second bar is obstructed only to a very small extent by the neck of the hook.

However, if the gap is made too wide the garment can readily slip through the gap and come off the hanger. Alternatively the gap may be made sufficiently narrow that the bars frictionally grip the garment. In this case, the hanger is only suitable for garments of a restricted range of thickness: a garment which is too thin will not be adequately frictionally gripped; a garment which is too thick will not fit in the gap. Also removing the garment from the hanger by sliding the garment through the gap may be difficult if the garment has thickened portions at its ends such as if the garment is a pair of trousers with turn ups. Alternatively the hanger may be cpened by releasing the latching means but customers in a shop may not know how to operate the latching means or may find it difficult to operate the latching means.

With a view to overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages of the last described known hanger, the invention provides a hanger for a

thin flexible article, comprising: a suspension means, such as a hook; a first bar connected to the suspension means; a second bar extending alongside the first bar, the ends of the first bar being non-releasably connected to the ends of the second bar, the first and second bars being disposed substantially horizontally with the second bar at a level above that of the first bar when the hanger is freely suspended by the suspension means; the second bar being for the article to be looped over with a respective portion of the article hanging at either side of the bar, one said portion passing through a gap defined between the bars; and a finger attached to the bars at or adjacent one of the connections between the ends of the bars and extending towards the other such connection to provide a gap between itself and the first bar, through which gap said one portion of the article and at least part of said other portion can be passed to be frictionally gripped between the finger and the first bar to prevent or '.hinder the article slipping from the hanger.

Preferably there are two such fingers, each extending from opposite ends of the bars and terminating short of the other finger.

Preferably the finger or fingers are level with the first bar when the hanger is freely supended by the suspension means.

Preferably the finger or fingers are directly beneath the second bar when the hanger is freely suspended by the suspension means.

By virtue of the provision of the finger or fingers there is no need to make the gap between the bar sufficiently narrow that the article to be hung from the hanger is frictionally gripped between the bars. The gap between the bars may be made as wide as considered necessary to allow a garment to pass freely through the

- 4 -

gap.

Preferably at least the bars and finger or fingers of the hanger are made integrally e.g. as a one-piece injection moulding.

Preferably, to minimize interference with the view of the article carried by the hanger, the suspension means is connected to a portion of the first bar substantially intermediate its ends.

The invention is further described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trouser hanger according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear view of the hanger;

Figure 3 is a front view of the hanger;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the hanger, the hook not being shown for the sake of clarity; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the hanger with the pair of trousers hanging therefrom; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the hanger with a pair of trousers hanging therefrcm.

Referring to the drawings, a trouser hanger 10 comprises a suspension means 12 in the form of a hook, a first or lower bar 14 and a second or upper bar 16.

The two bars 14 and 16 are parallel and extend alongside each other with their adjacent ends being connected together by end elements 18.

When the hanger 10 is freely suspended by the hook 12 from a rail 20 (shown in dot-dash lines), the bars 14 and 16 are disposed substantially horizontally. References to relative dispositions of the parts of the hanger below are with reference to the hanger when it is freely suspended in this manner.

Frcm the end elements 18 extend two fingers 22, the fingers extending towards each other and generally parallel to the bars 14 and 16, there being a substantial spacing between the free ends 22a of the fingers.

5 A short post or rod 24 projects upwardly from the bar 14 approximately midway between its ends and the hook 12 is attached to the post 24.

The bars 14 and 16, the end elements 18, the fingers 22 and the rod 24 are formed in one-piece or integrally by injection moulding of 10 plastics material. The neck 12' of the hook 12 is embedded in the rod 24 at the time of injection moulding.

In use of the hanger 10, a pair of trousers 30 is looped over the top bar 16. One portion 30a of the trousers, extending to the waist of the trousers, hangs on one side of the bar 16 (the left 15 side as viewed in Figure 6) and another portion 30b of the trousers, extending to the trouser bottoms, hangs on the right side of the bar 16.

The portion 30a is inserted through the gap between the free ends of the fingers 22 and allowed to hang disposed between the fingers 20 22 and the bar 14. With reference to the portion 30b, one leg 34, the left leg as viewed in Figure 6 is also inserted through the gap between the free ends of the fingers 22 to be disposed between the fingers 22 and the bar 14 and to lie against the portion 30a. The other leg 36 hangs freely frcm the bar 16.

25 The fingers 22 provide frictional engagemsnt with the leg 34 and frictional engagement between the portion 30a of the trousers and the bar 14 to ensure that the trousers do not inadvertently slide off the hanger.

It will be appreciated, particularly with reference to Figure 5,

that any person looking at the trousers on the hanger from a viewpoint above the hanger, whether at either end of the hanger or at either side of the hanger, has a view of the part 30d of the trousers extending over the bar 16, which view is unobstructed, except to a very small extent by the hook 12.

Because of the end connecting elements 18, the trousers cannot be slid off from either end of the hanger. However, the trousers can be readily removed from the hanger, even with one hand by simply removing the leg 34 frcm the space between the fingers 22 and the bar 14 and then sliding the trousers out from between the bars 14 and 16. The gap between the bars 14 and 16 may be made sufficiently wide that even trouser turn ups can readily pass through the gap.

Various modifications may be made to the invention.

It is envisaged that one or both of the fingers may be emitted from the hanger.

It is also envisaged that one or both pairs of the connected-together ends of the first and second bars may be releasably connected together such as by releasable latching means.