AU3406300A

AU3406300A - A fastener

Info

Publication number: AU3406300A
Application number: AU34063/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Troy Fischer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-05-12
Filing date: 2000-05-12
Publication date: 2000-11-16

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD

PATENT

.0 0 9.

Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Troy FISCHER 5 Offham Way WESTMINSTER WA 6061 Troy Fischer Griffith Hack, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, 6th Floor, 256 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

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Standard Complete Specification for the invention entitled: A FASTENER Details of Associated Provisional Applications: PQ 0313 dated 12 May 2000 Details of Parent Application for Divisional Applications: The following is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -2- A FASTENER The present invention relates to a fastener for fastening flexible sheet material.

Flexible sheet material, such as shade cloth, can often be difficult to secure in place on a structure, such as a pergola. It often becomes loose, tears, curls or sags. This is due to the means of fastening the shade cloth in place not being able to taughtly hold the whole area of the sheet material. Alternatively, the means itself (such as nails) causes the tears in the shade cloth. Sometimes there is also a need to retention the shade cloth if it becomes 10 stretched or moves out of place. If it is nailed in place this is not possible.

*00 0 In addition, in areas prone to hurricanes or cyclones there is often a need to remove shade cloth when a cyclone warning is issued. Removing the shade cloth and then replacing it *"*later can be a difficult exercise if the means of fastening the shade cloth is not able to readily release it and then fasten it again.

There is therefore a need for a simple means of fastening a sheet material, such as shade cloth that enables the sheet material to be removed or retentioned. The present invention seeks to provide a fastener that attempts to address one or more of these needs.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a fastener for fastening sheet material to a structure, said fastener including: a socket in the form of an elongate channel having a longitudinal restricted opening defined by a pair of opposed lips; and, a rod adapted to be removably received within the channel in a snap-fitting arrangement when the rod is forced through the restricted opening, the rod being of a complementary shape to the inside of the channel so that the flexible sheet material lines substantially all of the inside of the channel to increase frictional holding of the flexible sheet material, whereby, in use, the flexible sheet material is interposed between the rod and the socket, the rod is then forced through the restricted opening to snap with the channel thereby causing the sheet material to be sandwiched between the socket and the rod thereby -3providing the frictional hold on the sheet material.

Preferably, the socket is secured to or forms part of a structure to which the flexible sheet material is fastened. More preferably, the flexible sheet material is shade cloth.

Preferably, each lip includes a gripping means for gripping the flexible sheet material, whereby in use, the sheet material passes over the lip and is gripped by the gripping means. More preferably, the gripping means is in the form of projections that extend from the lip and bite into the sheet material.

Preferably, the socket is arranged so that tension may be applied to sheet material from S-opposite directions transverse the length of the opening. More preferably, the socket is Cshaped in cross section.

Preferably, the socket is formed of resiliently flexible material. More preferably, the rod is sized slightly larger than the channel, so that, in use, the resilience of the socket causes a clamping action on the sheet material and the rod.

Preferably, the rod is provided with a pair of opposed rebates, each rebate for receiving the opposed lip of the socket, whereby in use, the rebates cooperate with the lips to more S: securely hold the sheet material in place.

In order to provide a better understanding, a preferred embodiment of a fastener in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 A, 1B 1C show an end view of three stages of a rod being inserted into a socket of an embodiment of a fastener in accordance with the present invention; and, Figure 2 is an upper perspective view of the rod and the holder of Figures 1A, 1B and 1C.

-4- Referring to the Figures, an embodiment of a fastener 10 includes a rod 12 and a socket 14. The socket 14 is in the form of an elongate channel 26 having a C-shaped crosssection. The channel 26 has a longitudinal opening defined by a pair of lips 18. The socket 14 is formed of resiliently flexible material, such as plastics. The channel 26 has a pair of opposed sides 16. Spaced at intervals along the lip 18 are notches, between which are formed projections 22. The projections 22 act as a means for gripping the shade cloth.

The rod 12 is a substantially round elongate member that includes a projection 22 along its length. The projection 22 has rebates 24 on either side. The rebates 24 are shaped to snugly receive the lips 18 of the socket 14. The rod 12 is of a shape that snugly fits within the socket 14. The rod 12 includes a hole 30 at either end, but also slightly larger in diameter than the channel so that the resilience of the socket acts to clamp the rod when it S"is inserted in the socket.

Referring to Figures 1A to 1 C, the method of use and operation of the present invention will now be described.

S. The socket 14 is secured to a structure to which the shade cloth is to be fastened by screws 28. The shade cloth 5 is positioned to cover the opening of the channel 26 so that a portion 15 of the shade cloth 5 can be inserted into the channel 26 to line the inside of the *9*999 socket 14. The rod 12 is positioned with the projection 22 pointing away from the socket 14. The gap between the lips 18 is narrower than the diameter of the rod 12 thus providing a restricted opening to the channel 26. The rod 12 is positioned at the opening and then forced through along with the portion 15 of the shade cloth 5. The sides 16 flex apart from one another and allow the rod 12 to enter the channel 26. As the rod 12 enters the channel 26 it forces the portion 15 of the shade cloth 5 inside the channel 26. Once the rod 12 has passed half way into the channel 26 the resilience of the sides 16 will snap the rod 12 into place. The socket 14 will then snugly embrace the rod 12, including the lips 18 snugly fitting within the rebates 24. The portion 15 will then line the inside of the channel 26 such that the portion 15 will be snugly sandwiched between the rod 12 and the socket 14.

Due to the resilience of the sides 16, the socket 14 will clamp onto the portion 15 holding it and the rod 12 in place. In addition, the gripping means 20 in the form of the projections 22 will bite into the shade cloth 5 as the rod 12 snaps in place. The biting of the projections 22 into the shade cloth 5 assists in securing it in place.

When there is a need to retention or remove the shade cloth 5 any suitable implement, such as a screw driver, may be inserted into the holes 30 to prise the rod 12 from resilient retainers 16 of the socket 14. Once the rod 12 is removed, the shade cloth 5 may then be easily removed from the socket 14 freeing it to be removed or retentioned.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that the present invention has at least .the following advantages: 1) The socket may be easily positioned, such as on a pergola and the shade .cloth easily fixed in place; and 2) The rod is easily removable and thus the shade cloth can be easily retentioned or removed.

Modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the basic inventive concept such as, the gripping means may be in the form of a serrated edge on the lip of the channel. Such modifications and variations are intended to be within the scope of the present invention, the scope of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.

Claims

1. A fastener for fastening sheet material to a structure, said fastener including: a socket in the form of an elongate channel having a longitudinal restricted opening defined by a pair of opposed lips; and, a rod adapted to be removably received within the channel in a snap-fitting arrangement when the rod is forced through the restricted opening, the rod being of a complementary shape to the inside of the channel so that the flexible sheet material lines .substantially all of the inside of the channel to increase frictional holding of the flexible S .sheet material, "whereby, in use, the flexible sheet material is interposed between the rod and the socket, S" the rod is then forced through the restricted opening to snap with the channel thereby causing the sheet material to be sandwiched between the socket and the rod thereby providing the frictional hold on the sheet material.

2. A fastener according to claim 1, wherein the socket is secured to or forms part of a structure to which the flexible sheet material is fastened.

3. A fastener according to claim 1, wherein the flexible sheet material is shade cloth.

4. A fastener according to any of the previous claims, wherein each lip includes a gripping means for gripping the flexible sheet material, whereby in use, the sheet material passes over the lip and is gripped by the gripping means.

A fastener according to claim 4, wherein the gripping means is in the form of projections that extend from the lip and bite into the sheet material.

6. A fastener according to any previous claim, wherein the socket is arranged so that tension may be applied to the sheet material from opposite directions transverse the -7- length of the opening.

7. A fastener according to any of the previous claims, wherein the socket is C- shaped in cross section and is formed of resiliently flexible material.

8. A fastener according to claim 6, wherein the rod is sized slightly larger than the channel, so that, in use, the resilience of the socket causes a clamping action of the sheet material and the rod.

9. A fastener according to any of the previous claims, wherein the rod is provided with a pair of opposed rebates, each rebate for receiving the opposed lip of the .socket, whereby, in use, the rebates cooperate with the lips to more securely hold the sheet material in place.

10. A fastener substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. TROY FISCHER By His Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia