Club Display Hanger

Abstract

A display hanger releasably fastenable to a tubular handle of an article of merchandise includes a display member and a hollowed sleeve fastener. The display member has a top end and a bottom end, the top end associates with a hanging member being removably supported by a stationary support member. The hollowed sleeve fastener being releaseably fastenable to the tubular handle of the article of merchandise. The sleeve fastener includes a first end coupling to the bottom end of the display member, a second end having an opening removably receiving the tubular handle, and a radial wall defining an outer diameter of a hollowed region. The radial wall being releasably fastenable to the circumferential surface of the tubular handle when the tubular handle is inserted into the hollowed region through the opening of the sleeve fastener.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display hanger releasably fastenable to a tubular handle of an article of merchandise, the display hanger comprising:
 a display member having a top end and a bottom end, the top end associated with a hanging member being removably supported by a stationary support member; and   a hollowed sleeve fastener releaseably fastenable to the tubular handle of the article of merchandise to support a weight of the article of merchandise, the sleeve fastener comprising a first end coupling to the bottom end of the display member, a second end having an opening removably receiving the tubular handle, and a radial wall defining an outer diameter of a hollowed region formed between the first and second ends, the radial wall releaseably fastenable to the circumferential surface of at least a portion of the tubular handle when at least the portion of the tubular handle is inserted into the hollowed region through the opening of the sleeve fastener.   
     
     
         2 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the display member is substantially planar. 
     
     
         3 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the display member exhibits display indicia. 
     
     
         4 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the hanging member comprises:
 a retaining cavity formed through the display member at a location offset below the top end, the retaining cavity having a suspension surface removably supported by the stationary support member when the stationary support member is received at the retaining cavity.   
     
     
         5 . The display hanger of  claim 4 , wherein the hanging member further comprises:
 an elongated L-shaped receiving channel formed through the display member and having an inlet opening at the top end removably receiving the stationary support member, the elongated L-shaped receiving channel extending from the inlet opening to the receiving cavity.   
     
     
         6 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the hanging member extends from the top end of the display member, the hanging member being substantially hooked-shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the opening at the second end of the sleeve fastener comprises a diameter that is larger than a largest diameter of the circumferential surface of the tubular handle. 
     
     
         8 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the radial wall of the sleeve fastener fastens to the circumferential surface of at least the portion of the tubular handle by an interference fit when at least the portion of the tubular handle is inserted into the hollowed region. 
     
     
         9 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the radial wall further comprises one or more integrally formed protrusions extending radially inward from the radial wall, the one or more protrusions comprising at least one of the following:
 a threaded ridge formed in a helix on the radial wall;   one or more annular ridges on the radial wall;   at least two ridges circumferentially spaced on the radial wall; or   at least two ridges axially spaced on the radial wall.   
     
     
         10 . The display hanger of  claim 9 , wherein the radial wall of the sleeve fastener fastens to the circumferential surface of at least the portion of the tubular handle by an interference fit between the one or more protrusions and the circumferential surface when at least the portion of the tubular handle is inserted into the hollowed region. 
     
     
         11 . The display hanger of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the one or more protrusions compress from contact by the circumferential surface of at least the portion of the tubular handle when at least the portion of the tubular handle is inserted into the hollowed region. 
     
     
         12 . The display hanger of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more protrusions define an inner diameter of the hollowed region of the sleeve fastener, the inner diameter of the hallowed region being smaller than a largest diameter of the circumferential surface of the tubular handle. 
     
     
         13 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve fastener further comprises one or more tapered slots circumferentially spaced around the radial wall, the one or more tapered slots extending axially away from the second end toward the first end of the sleeve fastener. 
     
     
         14 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the display member further comprises a substantially planar tab extending from the bottom end attaching to the sleeve member at the first end. 
     
     
         15 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more gusset members reinforcing the coupling between the first end of the sleeve fastener and the bottom end of the display member. 
     
     
         16 . The display hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the article of merchandise comprises at least one of a golf club, a racquet, a hockey stick, a lacrosse stick, or a bat. 
     
     
         17 . A method for releaseably fastening a tubular handle of a golf club to a display hanger, the method comprising:
 positioning an axial center of a hollowed sleeve fastener of the display hanger to align with an axial center of a distal end of the tubular handle, the hollowed sleeve fastener comprising a radial wall defining an outer diameter of a hollowed region;   when the axial center of the hollowed sleeve fastener is aligned with the axial center of the distal end of the tubular handle, receiving, within the hollowed region, at least a portion of the tubular handle, wherein the radial wall fastens to the circumferential outer surface of at least the portion of tubular handle received within the hollowed region; and   receiving, at a hanging member of the display hanger, a stationary support member, the stationary support member supporting the display hanger and the weight of the golf club when the hanging member receives the stationary support member and when the radial wall fastens to the circumferential surface of at least the portion of the tubular handle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the hanging member is formed in a display member of the display hanger, the display member being substantially planar and exhibiting display indicia. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the hollowed sleeve fastener attaches to the display member; and
 wherein the radial wall of the sleeve fastener fastens to the circumferential surface of at least the portion of the tubular handle by an interference fit between one or more protrusions and the circumferential surface when at least the portion of the tubular handle is received within the hollowed region, the one or more protrusions extending radially inward from the radial wall and comprise at least one of the following:   a threaded ridge formed in a helix on the radial wall;   one or more annular ridges on the radial wall;   at least two ridges circumferentially spaced on the radial wall; or   at least two ridges axially spaced on the radial wall.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more protrusions define an inner diameter of the hollowed region of the hollowed sleeve fastener, the inner diameter of the hallowed region being smaller than a largest diameter of the circumferential surface of the tubular handle.