WO1996006215A1

WO1996006215A1 - A clip for clothing

Info

Publication number: WO1996006215A1
Application number: PCT/GB1995/001988
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Kenny
Original assignee: Peter Kenny
Priority date: 1994-08-23
Filing date: 1995-08-23
Publication date: 1996-02-29
Also published as: AU3263195A

Abstract

A clip for retaining a plurality of textile items together comprises two arms (16, 18) and an engagement member (20) extending from one arm (16) and movable towards and away from the other arm (18), the engagement member (20) being adapted to pass through the textile items without damage thereto. The clip is useful for e.g. retaining pairs of socks together during laundry.

Description

A CLIP FOR CLOTHING

The present invention relates to a clip for clothing, particularly but not exclusively to a clip for retaining socks in pairs during a laundry cycle.

One of the most laborious and time consuming tasks when laundering clothes is that of sorting socks and other articles of clothing into pairs. Frequently, individual socks are mislaid while being laundered, especially in commercial laundries. This can be frustrating and can result in unnecessary expenditure for replacement pairs of socks.

One solution to this problem is to use a clothes peg to grip a pair of socks together during the washing cycle.

However, due to the agitation encountered in many washing and drying machines, this solution is ineffective, because ordinary clothes pegs have insufficient grip.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device which will hold paired articles of clothing together throughout a laundry cycle.

According to the invention there is provided a clip for retaining two or more textile items together, said clip having two arms and an engagement member extending from one arm and being movable towards and away from the other of said arms, said engagement member being adapted to pass through said textile items without causing damage thereto. In a preferred embodiment the engagement member is fixed to one of said arms, and may be integral therewith. Such a clip is effective in retaining socks during a laundry cycle because the engagement member is adapted to pierce the textile material. The clip may also be used to retain socks in pairs prior to retail sale.

Preferably said engagement member comprises a single elongate protrusion, the free end of which is shaped to pass easily through the textile items. The end of the protrusion may for example be arcuate or tapered. Preferably the end of the protrusion is at least partially arcuate to lessen the possibility of an accidental puncture wound to a user of the clip.

More than one such engagement member may be provided.

In a preferred embodiment the arms are of similar shape and section and are linked in the manner of a hinge to permit the engagement member to be moved towards and away from said other arm. The hinge may be of a conventional mechanical design, or may be a living hinge.

Preferably the clip is a one piece plastic injection moulding.

The clip may include means to bias the engagement member towards the other arm, and in the case of a moulded plastic clip such means may be constituted by the inherent resilience of the moulding.

The engagement member may alternatively pass into or through an aperture or recess of the other arm. A blind recess may be provided to accommodate the engagement member and to protect the user from an accidental puncture wound. The recess or aperture is preferably a close fit around the engagement member in order to prevent inadvertent disengagement thereof.

The clip may include a readily disengageable catch to hold the engagement member adjacent to said other arm. In one embodiment, the catch is formed on the engagement member itself. The catch may constitute a snap-fit configuration of any suitable kind. The free end of the engagement member may for example engage in a snap-fitting manner in or through an aperture or recess of the other arm.

The clip may include a retention member adapted to retain the engagement member in contact with said other arm. The retention member may comprise a one way latch extending from one of said arms and engageable in latch receiving means of the other of said arms. The latch may be provided on the engagement member or may be separate therefrom.

In a preferred embodiment said latch comprises a resilient protrusion having a tapered nose and an abutment undercut to the rear thereof, and said latch receiving means comprises an abutment face having an edge for contact with said tapered nose, in use movement of said nose against said edge causing deformation of said nose and subsequent snapfitting engagement of said undercut and abutment face.

The undercut may extend around the periphery of said nose, and said abutment face may be constituted by an aperture.

In use the one way latch constitutes a tamper evident anti-theft measure for e.g. pairs of socks in a retail outlet; the retention member may be removed after sale, for example by cutting with a pair of scissors in the case of a moulded plastic clip.

The catch and latch may be provided on the engagement member so that both are engageable with said other arm, the latch being provided at the tip of the engagement member, and the catch being provided proximal ly thereof.

A hook may be provided on the clip for suspending the clip from a washing line or retail display rack.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows an elevation of a first embodiment of a sock clip according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a view from the right of the sock clip illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a cross section of the portion of the sock clip enclosed by broken lines in Fig. 1, along the line III - III in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows an elevation of a second embodiment of a sock clip according to the invention;

Fig. 5 shows a view from the right of the sock clip illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 shows a cross section of the portion of the sock clip enclosed by broken lines in Fig. 4, along line IV - VI in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 shows an elevation of the interior face of a third embodiment of a sock clip according to the invention, in its opened state;

Fig. 8 shows a view from the left in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 shows an elevation of one face of the sock clip of Fig. 7 in its closed state and

Fig. 10 shows a view from the right in Fig. 9.

Referring to Fig. 1, a sock clip 10 comprises an elongate receiving member 12 including a substantially semicircular arcuate portion 14 and first and second substantially linearly extending arms 16,18. One arm 16,18 extends tangent ially from each end of the arcuate portion 14, in order to form a U-shaped member 12. The arms 16,18 are substantially equal in length, and normally substantially parallel. At least part of the material of the receiving member 12 is flexible or resilient in order to allow relative movement of the distal ends 17,19 of the arms 16,18 towards and away from each other. Generally, the arcuate portion 14 of the receiving member 12 constitutes a living hinge. The sock clip further comprises an elongate cylindrical pin 20 extending perpendicularly from the distal end 17 of the first arm 16 towards the distal end 19 of the second arm 18. A portion 22 of the distal end of the pin 20 is formed of a larger diameter than the rest of the pin 20. In this case the enlarged portion 22 is shown as being spherical in shape, although other shapes are possible.

A bore 24 is formed in the distal end 19 of the second arm, with an aperture 25 into which the pin is adapted to engage. The bore 24 has a diameter at least as large as the diameter of the enlarged portion 22. The aperture 25 has a radially inwardly extending rim 26, said rim extending to define the aperture 25 as having a diameter larger than the diameter of the pin 20, but smaller than the diameter of the enlarged portion 22 of the pin 20. The rim 26 is resiliently flexible, in order to allow passage of the enlarged section 22 into and out of the bore 24, and thus to engage and disengage the pin 20 with the bore 24. The rim 26 may be constituted by a series of circumferentially spaced flaps.

The pin 20 is adapted to pass through the weave of sock material without damage thereto, enabling a pair of socks to be arranged on the pin 20, and in use the pin 20 to be engaged with the bore 24. The pin and bore/rim constitute a readily disengageable catch, and this arrangement retains the pair of socks together for the purposes of laundry, thus eliminating sorting of pairs of socks after laundry.

Referring now to Fig. 4, another sock clip 30 is shown which includes the features of the sock clip 10 of Fig. 1. For clarity, only those features of this sock clip 30 which are additional to the features of the first sock clip 10 are described in detail.

Extending from the outer surface of the arcuate portion 14 is a hook 32, adapted so that the sock clip 30 may be suspended from a display rack in a shop or from a washing line; the hook may be of any suitable or standard design.

Extending coaxial ly with the pin from the enlarged portion is a shaft 34 of small diameter relative to the pin 20. In Fig. 6 the pin is shown in the engaged position. The shaft 34 extends entirely through the bore 24 and integral therewith is a tag 36. The tag 36 is dimensioned larger than the bore 24 and so will not pass through the bore 24. In use, to disengage the pin 20 from the bore 24, the shaft 34 must be broken thus removing the tag 36 from the pin. Generally, therefore, the shaft is made of a breakable material, for example polyethylene. The tag 36 comprises a permanent latch and is useful as a tamper - evident device for use in shops. After removal of the tag 36 after purchase of goods attached to the sock clip 30 for example by cutting the shaft 34, the sock clip 30 may be used in laundry. The hook 32 is useful in laundry and in retail for hooking a pair of socks to a washing line and to a retail display rack respectively.

The tag may be sufficiently resilient to permit one way passage through the bore 24 in the closure direction.

The sock clips 10,30 may be made from plastics material. The clip 10,30 may be manufactured in various colours, enabling laundry to be sorted by ownership of socks being represented by a particular colour of sock clip.

Figs. 7-10 show a third embodiment of a sock clip which may be manufactured by injection moulding. A sock clip 50 comprises a rectangular laminar body 52. A hinge 54 extends across the body, dividing the body into two substantially equally dimensioned rectangular arms 56,58. The hinge 54 is operative to allow the body 52 to be folded completely in half, the arms 56,58 thus lying face to face. Arm 56 includes on the inner face an upstanding pin 62 adapted to pass through textile material such as sock material, and a latch 64. The latch 64 comprises a resilient and upstanding column 66 and a terminal hook 68. The hook 68 extends substantially parallel to the face 60 from the distal end of the column 66.

The body 52 is adapted to fold so that the face 60 is adjacent a corresponding face 70 of arm 58. Arm 58 includes a blind recess 72 which is adapted to receive the pin 62 on folding of the body 52. An aperture 74 is provided through arm 58 and adapted to receive the latch 64 on folding of the body 52. The hook 68 is tapered towards one end to allow riding of the latch 64 over an edge 76 on folding of the body 52. The hook 68 retains the body 52 in its folded state. The latch 64 may be released by flexing the latch 64 so that the hook 68 clears edge 76, thus allowing passage of the latch 64 back through the aperture 74.

When the body 52 is folded the pin 62 is received by the recess 72, and thus a pair of socks (not shown) can be retained by the pin 62. The recess 72 constitutes a shield to prevent a puncture injury to a user from the necessarily small diameter pin 62.

Tamper evident means, of any suitable kind, may be provided on the clip so that any unauthorised unclipping of the clip may be detected.

A slot 78 may be provided to permit the clip to be hung from a washing line, or from a rail in a retail store. Alternatively a hole may be provided for fixing on a retail hook or other storage device.

The plan exterior surface of the clip may carry decoration or retail sales information.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A clip for retaining two or more textile items together, said clip having two arms and an engagement member extending from one arm and being movable towards and away from the other of said arms, said engagement member being adapted to pass through said textile items without causing damage thereto.

2. A clip according to claim 1 wherein the engagement member is fixed to one of said arms.

3. A clip according to claim 1 wherein the clip is integral with one of said arms.

4. A clip according to any preceding claim wherein said engagement member comprises a single elongate protrusion.

5. A clip according to claim 4 wherein the end of the protrusion is at least partially arcuate.

6. A clip according to any preceding claim wherein said arms are of similar shape and section.

7. A clip according to any preceding claim wherein said arms are linked in the manner of a hinge.

8. A clip according to claim 7 wherein the hinge is a living hinge.

9. A clip according to any preceding claim wherein said clip is a one piece plastic injection moulding.

10. A clip according to any preceding claim and further including means to bias the engagement member towards said other arm.

11. A clip according to any preceding claim wherein said engagement member passes into or through an aperture or recess of the other arm.

12. A clip according to claim 11 wherein said engagement member passes into a blind recess.

13. A clip according to any preceding claim and further including a disengageable catch to hold the engagement member adjacent to said other arm.

14. A clip according to claim 13 wherein said catch is formed on the engagement member.

15. A clip according to claim 13 or claim 14 wherein said catch comprises a snap-fit configuration.

16. A clip according to claim 15 wherein the free end of the engagement member engages in a snap-fitting manner in or through an aperture or recess of the other arm.

17. A clip according to any preceding claim and further including a retention member adapted to retain the engagement member in contact with said other arm.

18. A clip according to claim 17 wherein the retention member comprises a one way latch extending from one of said arms and engageable in latch receiving means of the other of said arms.

19. A clip according to claim 18 wherein said latch is provided on the engagement member.

20. A clip according to claim 18 or claim 19 wherein said latch comprises a resilient protrusion having a tapered nose and an abutment undercut to the rear thereof, and said latch receiving means comprises an abutment face having an edge for contact with said tapered nose, in use movement of said nose against said edge causing deformation of said nose and subsequent snap-fitting engagement of said undercut and abutment face.

21. A clip according to claim 20 wherein said undercut extends around the periphery of said nose.

22. A clip according to claim 20 or claim 21 wherein said abutment face is constituted by an aperture.

23. A clip according to any of claims 1-12 wherein said engagement member includes a disengageable catch to hold the engagement member adjacent to said other arm, and a removable latch distal of the catch to retain the engagement member adjacent to said other arm.

24. A clip according to any preceding claim and further including a suspension hook.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 24 January 1996 (24.01.96); original claim 24 cancelled; original claim 1 amended;

remaining claims unchanged (2 pages)]

CLAIMS:

1. A clip for retaining two or more textile items together, said ciip having two arms and an engagement member extending from one arm and being movable towards and away from the other of said arms, said engagement member being adapted to pass through said textile items without causing damage thereto and said clip further including a suspension hook.

7. A ciip according to any preceding claim wherein said arms are linked in the manner of a hinge.

3. A clip according to claim 7 wherein the hinge is a living hinge.

10. A clip according to any preceding claim and further including means to bias the engagement member nose and an abutment undercut to the rear thereof, and said latch receiving means comprises an aoutment face naving an edge for contact with said tapered nose, in use movement of said nose against said edge causing deformation of said nose and subsequent snap-fitting engagement of said undercut and abutment face.