1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to merchandising systems, and in particular, to systems for hanging a pair of articles on a display rack.
2. Description of Related Art
Merchandise, such as articles that are worn by people, are commonly offered for sale on a display rack. Such a rack may have a number of pegs on which merchandise is hung. A common display technique is to attach merchandise to a display card and then hang the card on a peg in the display rack. The display card may have a hole or a hook-shaped extension for this purpose.
Often the merchandise is attached to this display card by a staple.
Stapling the merchandise, however, punches holes in the goods and can otherwise mars the goods unacceptably. When the merchandise are high-quality gloves made of leather or other costly materials, consumers object to such holes or marring. An example of stapling a display panel to a pair of gloves is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,995,845.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,580 and 5,503,269 show jaw-like clips for holding gloves on a display rack. These clips, however, are relatively complex and expensive for a disposable item that is only used for display purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,676 and 5,553,706 show a pair of gloves lashed to a display card. These gloves are made with holes fitted with grommets that are positioned along the edge of the hand opening. However, these gloves are defaced by the holes and grommets.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,060 a fastening filament is looped through the holes in an informational tag, and a pair of the tabs that are secured inside a pair of shoes. This arrangement is designed to keep the shoes together prior to sale. Also, the tabs make punching holes in the shoe uppers unnecessary. These tabs are, however, hidden inside the shoe and do not reach outside thereof. Accordingly, these tabs have a different purpose and are not easily and practically used with a display rack. See also U.S. Pat. No. 1,300,998.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,710,409 shows one glove with a snap fastener, and a mating glove with a leash having a number of snap fasteners. The leash can connect between the gloves to allow the gloves to separate by no more than the length of the leash. Additionally, the gloves can be directly snapped together to form the leash into a loop. This reference has a different purpose and therefore has no disclosure of how a display panel can be attached to the gloves.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,067 each of the pair of gloves has a strap that can be closed into a separate loop using a Velcro(trademark) fastener. Also, the ends of the straps have additional fasteners to allow the gloves to be attached side-by-side. The straps also have holes 42 which allow the gloves to be suspended on a support rod prior to sale. This reference has no disclosure of how a display panel can be attached to the gloves.
Accordingly, there is a need for a merchandising system that can connect a pair of articles, such as gloves, to a display panel, without marring or defacing the articles.
In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a merchandising system for displaying merchandise on a display rack. The system has a pair of articles to be worn by a person. According to one aspect of the present invention, these articles are gloves. The articles have a right main body and a left main body, each with a user opening (for a glove, a hand opening). The pair of articles have attachment means for providing an outlying attachment locus for the articles. The attachment means includes a right extremity and a left extremity secured at the user opening of the right main body and the left main body, respectively. The right and the left extremity are each able to reach out of the user opening. The attachment means also includes a display arrangement including a panel. The attachment means is arranged to detachably secure the articles together with the panel, and the right extremity and the left extremity. The attachment means is adapted to hang on the display rack and support the articles. Thus the articles can be attached to and detached from the attachment means without marring either the right main body or the left main body of the articles.
By employing a system of the foregoing type, articles such as gloves can be easily displayed on a rack without marring or defacing the merchandise. In a preferred embodiment, rectangular tabs are sewn into the hem or binding strip of the articles. For example, these tabs can be sewn at the border of the hand openings of a pair of gloves. These tabs can then be fastened to a display panel which has a hole or hook for hanging the display panel. The display panel can be a simple card, folded card or a multiple part card.
In one embodiment, a folded display panel can straddle and attach to both tabs, with one wing of the display panel tucked into one of the gloves. In still other embodiments, the tabs can be attached on one side of display card or can be sandwiched around the display card. In any event, the hand opening of one or both of the gloves can be left open so that a prospective purchaser can try at least one of the globes on for fit.
In another embodiment, the two tabs can be attached together to form a linking strip that is looped through an aperture in a display card that can then be hung on a display rack. In still another embodiment, a display panel can have a pair of integral tabs or extremities that can be sewn into the hem or binding along the hand opening of a pair of gloves.
Instead of tabs, some embodiments will employing a cord or line that is a freely extending portion of the stitching of the article. The end of this free portion can connect to a display panel. Alternatively, this free portion can be secured at both ends to the article to form an arch that can be attached to a display panel.