AU623256B2 - A garment clip - Google Patents

Description

Our Ref: 299592 AUSTRALIA V Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION F7~> JORM

(ORIGINAL)

Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: t Priority: Related Art: 0 Applicant(s): 44 4 (i r Address for Service: t E t c Rainsfords Pty 200 Kingsgrove KINGSGROVE NSW

AUSTRALIA

Limited Road 2208 ARTHUR S. CAVE CO.

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000

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4 4 4 9 4 44 444 4 Completc specification for the invention entitled "A garment clip".

The following statement is a best method of performing it full description of this invention, including the known to me:- -1 5020

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A GARMENT CLIP The present invention relates to hanger clips. Most hanger clips have two jaws which are closed against each other i to sandwich part of a garment therebetween. The opposing faces of the two jaws only have a corrugated surface, usually of one or two transverse ribs extending away from the general plane of the jaw.

The affect of the transverse ribs is to fold the gripped garment slightly, thereby increasing the holding power of the clip. Although the transverse ribs increase the gripping power of the clip it is still relatively easy for the gripped garment to slip out of the clip. Furthermore with thick material the ribs do not produce much folding of the material and thus are not very effective.

Accordingly the present invention provides a garment clip having first and second jaws pivotably joined together about a hinge line, securement means to releasably fix the relative angular position of the two laws, aC O 0I

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first garment gripping means on the first jaw, second garment gripping means on the second jaw, whereby in use: when a piece of the garment is sandwiched between the two jaws and garment gripping means, the garment intermediate the two jaws follows a three dimensionally curved surface.

Preferably the securement means is a self locking ratchet, wherein a force urging the jaws apart increases the S0325k-USA/AMR jPAI 1 effect of the securement means.

Preferably the first garment gripping means comprises an extrusion extending substantially perpendicularly from the general plane of the first jaw and having two protrusions on its upper surface and the second garment gripping means comprises an extrusion extending substantially perpendicularly from the general plane of the second jaw, the second means, when proximate the first means, being intermediate the two protrusions.

Preferably, the hanger clip is formed as a single unit, the front and rear jaws being hinged along an edge which, when the jaws are in a gripping orientation, may be described as an upper edge. The ratchet is integrally formed in perpendicular relation to the rear jaw of the ratchet serations being formed in the upper surface thereof. The ratchet engaging and release means is integrally formed in the front jaw so that the ratchet may pass through an opening in the front jaw when the jaws are brought into gripping relation allowing the ratchet engaging means to engage said ratchet. The ratchet engaging and release Vcr means is further described by an arm protruding outwards from the front jaw which when depressed allows the front and rear ri e j o jaws to be opened and release any item held between them. To further assist in the gripping of items between the front and rear jaws, gripping means are integrally formed on the inside S.i faces of the jaws.

The present invention will now be described with reference to non limiting embodiements and the accompanying drawings wherein: 0325k-USA/AMR 2 Figure 1 shows a sectional elevation of the clip as formed.

Figure 2 shows the front and rear jaws of the clip in the as formed positon when viewed from direction A.

Figure 3 shows the front and rear jaws of the clip in the as formed position when viewed from direction B.

Figure 4 shows the clip when in use with a garment hanger.

Figure 5 shows a perspective of a clip according to another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 shows a cross-section through the clip of fig when in a closed position.

The hanger clip 1 is preferably formed of moulded plastics although any material exhibiting resilient characteristics may be used.

Reference to fig 1 clearly shows the clip 1 in cross sectional elevation as it would appear after forming. The clip 1 can be seen to have a front jaw 2 and rear jaw 3 joined by a resilient hinge 4.

The rear jaw 3 is shown to having integrally formed S, thereon a ratchet 5 standing substantially perpendicularly to the rear jaw 3.

rr a .The front jaw 2 is shown to have integrally attached I thereto ratchet engaging means 6 described by a resilient arm 7 and tooth 8. The ratchet engaging means 6 is integrally e* attached to cross member 9 which also acts as a resilient hinge in respect of the ratchet engaging means 6.

With particular reference to fig's 1 and 3 garment engaging means 10, 11, 12 and 13 are shown formed on the inside 0325k-USA/AMR 3 surfaces of front and rear jaws 2 and 3.

Reference to fig 4 shows the front jaw 2 of the clip 1 to also have integrally formed a flap 14 which assists the user in opening the clip 1 when the clip 1 is in use with a garment hanger Preferably the clip 1 is integrally formed as part of the garment hanger 15 at each end 16, 17 thereof as best shown in fig 4.

In the configuration as shown in fig 4, garments may be supported by the hanger by engaging the garments to be supported with the clips 1.

Engagement of the garments would be carried out by depressing the arm 7 of the ratchet engaging means 6 causing thew tooth 8 to be disengaged from the teeth 18 of the ratchet While maintaining the arm 7 in a depressed position, the front jaw 2 is moved forward until the tooth 8 of the ratchet 0 engaging means 6 is clear of the ratchet Any garment previously engaged between the front and rear jaws 2 and 3 respectively are released or any garment may be placed therebetween.

Having placed a garment between the front jaw 2 and rear rrrro jaw 3, the clip 1 is caused to engage the garment by closing the jaws 2 and 3, causing the garment engaging means 10, 11, 12 and 13 to engage the garment and the tooth 8 of the ratchet S -engaging means 6 to engage the teeth 18 of the ratchet The ratchet 5, in the clip closed position, is prevented from deflecting and resultingly disengaging the tooth 8 of the ratchet engaging means 6, due to peripheral support supplied to the ratchet 5 by the surround 20 of the opening 21.

0325k-USA/AMR 4 Increasing the pressure applied to the front jaw 2 and rear jaw 3 will cause the tooth of the ratchet engaging means 6 to move inwards toward the rear jaw 3 and engage successive teeth 18 of the ratchet 5 until an adequate engagement pressure has been achieved ensuring the secure engagement of a garment.

As applied to a garment hanger 15 the garment engaged by the clips 1 may then be hung on a rack to the like.

Opening pressure applied between the jaws 2 and 3, as encountered by overtightening of the clip i, causes the jaws 2 and 3 to separate slightly in turn causing the tooth 8 of the ratchet engaging means 6 to further engage the teeth 18 of the ratchet 5 and tighten with respect thereto thus retaining the clips 1 holding ability. This is because separation of the two jaws 2 and 3 causes a rotation of ratchet engaging means 6 about cross member 9.

To release the garment from the hanger 15. the ratchet o engaging means 6 is depressed by applying pressure to the outward end 19 of the resilient arm 7 of the ratchet engaging means 6 causing the cross member 9 to undergo torsional S rotating and release the tooth 8 of the ratchet engaging means 6 from the teeth of the ratchet While depressing the outward end 19 of the resilient arm 7 of the ratchet engaging means 6, the front jaw 2 is then caused to hinge forward releasing the engaged garment.

s rReferring to figures 5 and 6 there is shown a clip 100 comprised of a rear jaw 101 and a front jaw 102. The jaws 101 and 102 are flexibly joined along a hinge line 108, about which they may pivot relative to each other. In fig 5 the clip is 0325k-USA/AMR 5 integral with a clothes hanger.

The two jaws 101 and 102 may be rotated about hinge line 108 to trap a piece of clothing between opposing faces 120 and 121. The piece of cloth is gripped by garment grips 109 and 110 located at or adjacent the free ends 122 and 123 of jaws 101 and 102 respectively. The piece of cloth is also gripped by garment grips 105 and 112, whose operation shall be explained below.

The two jaws 101 and 102 are secured in a gripping position by means of interengagement of saw teeth 111 of ratchet 103 with arm 117 as previously described.

Garment grip 105 comprises an extension 124 extending generally perpendicularly from face 120 towards opposing face 121. The extension 124 is buttressed against downward deflection by buttresses 113. The upper face 125 of extension 124 is generally plannar and at its free end are two upwardly rdirected protrusions 106. The two protrusions 106 are spaced apart so as to define a space therebetween.

ra Extending from face 12 of front jaw 120 towards opposing face 120 is a second garment grip 112. The grip 112 is buttressed against deflection by means of buttresses 114. The i width of grip 112 is smaller than the space between protrusions 106 and the grip 112 is configured and positioned to overlap rre the other garment grip 105.

The affect of the interaction of the two garments grips S* 105 and 112 is that a piece of cloth trapped therebetween is deflected three dimensionally rather than merely two dimensionally along a line, as with interengagements of grips 0325k-USA/AMR 6

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t~ 109 and 110. The piece of cloth trapped by grips 105 and 112 is folded over protrusions 105 and grip 112 and if a downward force is applied to the cloth, tending to draw it out of the clip, the cloth pulls tightly against the protrusion 106 and grip 112, thereby resisting disengagement.

Although described with two protrusions 106 and one extension 112, it is apparent that each clip may be manufactured with two extensions and three protrusions 106, defining two spaces, one for extension.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that different materials and amended configurations may be used without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention and as such it is intended that such variations may be incorporated herein by inference.

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Claims (9)

1. A garment clip comprised of first and second jaws pivotably joined together about a hinge line; securement means to releasably lock the relative angular position of the two jaws; first garment gripping means on the first jaw; second garment gripping means on the second jaw, whereby in use; when a piece of garment is sandwiched between the two jaws and garment gripping means, the garment intermediate the jaws follows a three dimensionally curved surface.

S2. The device of claim 1 wherein the first garment gripping means comprises an extension from the first jaw, extending from the first jaw towards the second jaw.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein at a free end region of the extension there are transversly spaced apart protrusions upon l an upper face of the extension.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the protrusions comprise two protrusions at or adjacent each lateral edge region of the extension spaced so that the second garment gripping means overlaps the first garment gripping means intermediate the protrusions.

The device of claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the upper face is substantially perpendicular to the first jaw and the second garment gripping means extends from the second jaw towards the first jaw substantially perpendicular to the second jaw.

6. The device of and or of claims 1 to 5 wherein the first and second garment gripping means are each intermediate the 0325k-USA/AMR 8 ~L l i i- hinge and the free end of the respective jaw.

7. The device of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein application of a force urging the two jaws apart increases the effect of the securement means.

8. The device of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the securement means is a ratchet comprised of a ratchet means integral with one jaw and ratchet engaging means integral with the other jaw.

9. A device for gripping garments, substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. DATED this 18th day of May, 1990. RAINSFORDS PTY LIMITED By Its Patent Attorneys ARTHUR S. CAVE CO. t r e *e I f 0325k-USA/AMR 9