EP1205137A1

EP1205137A1 - Hanger

Info

Publication number: EP1205137A1
Application number: EP01500265A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nuria Ochoa Gomez
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-13
Filing date: 2001-11-08
Publication date: 2002-05-15
Also published as: ES1047558U; ES1047558Y

Abstract

The hanger of the invention includes a hook-shaped element (1), and it is characterised in that it includes means for attaching (2) it to a substantially horizontal surface (3).

Said hook-shaped element (1) can rotate around said means of attachment (2), and preferably said means of attachment are formed by a clamp (2).

It permits that personal effects can be hung from the hanger of this invention without them being accessible to persons unconnected with the table to which the hanger is attached, and said hook can be placed in any position desired.

Description

This invention relates to a hanger, especially designed for attaching to a table, and permitting only the person sitting beside the hanger to have access to the objects hanging from it.
The problem with leaving personal effects in public places, such as bars and restaurants, is well-known.
Personal effects, such as bags and the like, are usually left hanging from the backrest of a chair. Placing them thus is dangerous, however, as the owner does not have the personal object in sight and it is easy for other persons to gain access to it.
In order not to have to place bags on the backrests of chairs, the bags are often placed instead on an unoccupied seat, if possible, or even on the floor in a zone in which access is difficult for anybody not sitting at the table.
It is nevertheless obvious that having to place personal effects on the floor is inconvenient.
There is therefore a clear need for a hanger that permits personal effects to be hung from it when in public places such as bars and restaurants.
The hanger of the invention manages to resolve the aforesaid disadvantages, while providing other advantages which will be described below.
The hanger of this invention, which includes a hook-shaped element, is characterised in that it includes means for attaching it to a substantially horizontal surface.
Thanks to this feature, personal effects can be hung from the hanger of this invention without them being accessible to persons unconnected with the table to which the hanger is attached.
Said hook-shaped element can rotate around said attaching means, so that said hook can be placed in any position desired.
Preferably, said means of attachment are formed by a clamp.
Advantageously, said means of attachment are removable means of attachment, so that the hanger can be fitted and removed easily and placed in any desired position.
Alternatively, said means of attachment can be unmovable means of attachment, so that the hanger cannot be removed by hand.
Advantageously, the hanger of this invention includes means of adjustment so that it can be adapted to the thickness of said substantially horizontal surface.
According to two alternative embodiments, said means of adjustment include an elastic strip or a movable adjustment element.
Preferably, said elastic strip is on the lower internal part of said clamp.
Preferably, said movable adjustment element is a threaded stem which passes through a threaded orifice provided in the lower part of the clamp.
In order to achieve better attachment, the upper end of said threaded stem includes a sucker.
For a better understanding of all that has been described in this specification some drawings are attached which, solely by way of example, show a practical case of embodiment of the hanger of this invention.
In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view ) of the hanger of this invention according to a first embodiment;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the hanger of this invention according to a first embodiment, with said hanger attached to a table;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the hanger of this invention according to a second embodiment; and
Figure 4 is an elevation view of the hanger of this invention according to a second embodiment, with said hanger attached to a table.
As figures show, the hanger of this invention includes a hook-shaped element 1 and a clamp 2 for securing it to a substantially horizontal surface 3, particularly to a table.
According to a first embodiment, the hanger of this invention also includes a threaded stem 4 which traverses a threaded orifice provided in the lower part of said clamp 2. Said stem 4 includes on its upper end a sucker 5, while it is attached to the hook-shaped element 1 by its lower end.
Moreover, between the lower end of the stem 4 and the hook-shaped element 1 there is a knob 6 which is used to rotate said stem 4, so that the sucker 5 is in contact with the lower surface of the table 3, thus ensuring correct attachment of the hanger of this invention to the table 3.
So that the hook-shaped element 1 can be placed in the desired position, that element can rotate around said threaded stem 4.
As is obvious, the hanger of this invention can be conveniently fitted to and removed from the table 3. All that has to be done for this is turn the knob 6 by hand in the right direction.
It should nevertheless be pointed out that the hanger of this invention can also be fixed in position unmovably, making it impossible to remove by hand.
It should be noted that the upper part of the clamp could have a printed inscription, such as the name of the bar or restaurant or a commercial brand.
According to a second embodiment, shown in Figures 3 and 4, on the lower internal part of the clamp 2 is fitted a flexible strip 7 for automatic adjustment thereof to the thickness of the table 3. In this embodiment, the hook 1 also rotates around the clamp 2.
Despite the fact that reference has been made to one specific embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the hanger described allows of many variations and modifications, and that all the details mentioned can be replaced by others that are technically equivalent, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.

Claims

Hanger, which includes a hook-shaped element (1), characterised in that it includes means for attaching (2) it to a substantially horizontal surface (3).
Hanger as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said hook-shaped element (1) can rotate around said means of attachment (2).
Hanger as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said means of attachment are formed by a clamp (2).
Hanger as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said means of attachment (2) are removable means of attachment.
Hanger as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said means of attachment (2) are unmovable means of attachment.
Hanger as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that it includes means of adjustment (4; 7) so that it can be adapted to the thickness of said substantially horizontal surface (3).
Hanger as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that said means of adjustment include an elastic strip (7) .
Hanger as claimed in Claims 3 and 7, characterised in that said elastic strip (7) is on the lower internal part of said clamp (2).
Hanger as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that said means of adjustment include a movable adjustment element (4).
Hanger as claimed in Claim 9, characterised in that said movable adjustment element is a threaded stem (4) which passes through a threaded orifice provided in the lower part of the clamp (2).
Hanger as claimed in Claim 10, characterised in that the upper end of said threaded stem (4) includes a sucker (5).