AU2005201041A1 - Clamp device - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S):: Thomas Edward Case ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street,Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2000 INVENTION TITLE: Clamp device The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5102 PAWPDOCS\LNMSp \]252384) AU compkte CASEoA-9/0305 -1- CLAMP DEVICE Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to clamp devices for holding articles while the clamp device is held in an operator's hands.

One application of the present invention concerns improving a grip on a fish, when, for example, a hook is being extracted from the fish. Although it will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with reference to this application, it is to be understood that this is not to be taken as a limitation of the scope of the invention. For example, preferred embodiments of the invention may be utilised in holding hooks while tying on fishing lines, holding baits while inserting hooks, and similar operations, not necessarily associated with fishing. The invention may also be suitable for holding fish during a scaling and/or gutting procedure.

Background to the Invention Known clamping devices for holding articles while the clamping device is held in the hands include tongs, salad servers and ice servers. These devices have difficulty clamping when used in aggressive applications such as for example where the article to be clamped is poisonous, extremely sharp and/or moving aggressively or vigorously.

The present invention seeks to ameliorate one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages.

P:\WPDOCS\LNM\Sp \1 2523841 AU .o.plme CASE.doc.09/03/05 -2- Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a clamp device suitable for clamping at least part of an article, the clamp device including: elongate clamping arms operatively connected to or integral with a hinge; at least one grip portion disposed on one or more respective clamping arms, the grip portion including one or more piercing regions which promote retention of a clamped article between end portions of the elongate clamping arms, the piercing regions piercing into an outer portion of the article; the grip portion further including mounts for mounting the finger and/or thumb of a user, wherein the mounts are pivotable to improve comfort and grip of a user when gripping the clamp device in order to clamp the article between the end portions.

Preferably the elongate clamping arms each include forward and rearward ends, being respectively the end nearest the grip portion (outer portion) and the end nearest the hinge (inner portion). In one preferred form both clamping arms are formed from a single piece of material, the material being bent, moulded or otherwise formed into a preferred embodiment of clamp device having a hinge integrally formed with and disposed between two clamping arms.

In preferred forms the hinge is disposed at the rearward or inner ends of the clamping arms.

Preferably a biasing means is provided, which, in preferred forms, is integrally formed with the hinge and clamping arms. In these preferred embodiments, the biasing means urges the forward or outer ends of the clamping arms apart, because of a resilient property (and also partly the forming method) of the material from which the clamping arms and hinge are formed. In one preferred embodiment the clamping arms are constructed from sheet steel, preferably 1mm thickness.

In preferred forms the finger and thumb mounts are in the form of finger receivers, which are in the form of apertures, the apertures being formed in rings operatively P:kWPDOCS\LNM\Sp.\l 2523841 AU wnplnee CASE.dwo-09/03/O5 -3connected or integral with the clamping arms. In one preferred embodiment the finger and thumb rings are pivotally mounted to the clamping arms to accommodate for ergonomic use of the rings for many different sizes and widths of hand, to reduce cutting on edges of the rings. The abovedescribed pivot axis is perpendicular to the clamping arms.

Preferably the or each piercing region includes a plurality of teeth to pierce the article while it is being clamped by the user. In preferred forms the teeth extend away from internal faces of the clamping arms. In preferred embodiments the teeth are punched and bent away from the surface of the clamping arms to form V-shaped teeth, the teeth being either angled to the inner face or perpendicular to it.

In one preferred embodiment the clamping device is formed from two clamping arms, pivotally connected at their rearward ends, a biasing means in the form of a torsion spring urging the outer ends of the clamping arms outward.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment In order to enable a clearer understanding of the invention, drawings illustrating example embodiments are attached, and in those drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clamping device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of a clamping device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a plan view of the clamping device shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a plan view from below of the clamping device shown in Figures 1 to 3; P:\WPDOCS\INM\Sp.\l2523841 AUcmplae CASE.do-09103/ -4- Figure 5 is a plan view of a blank, which forms a chassis of the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4; Figure 6 is a side elevation view of a second embodiment of clamping device for clamping an article according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the embodiment including twin operatively-connected, pivoting clamping arms with separate biasing means urging the clamping device to an open position.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 there is shown a clamp device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the clamp device generally indicated at 10. The clamp device 10 includes a chassis 11, the chassis 11 including two elongate clamping arms 12 and 14. The clamping arms 12 and 14 include respective inner faces 13 and 15, as well as respective front or outer ends 24 and 25, the clamping device 10 having a rear or inner end 26.

A hinge 16 is disposed between the arms 12 and 14 at the inner end 26, the hinge 16 in Figures 1 5 taking the form of a bend 18 in the chassis 11 to form the inner end 26 of the device 10. The chassis 11 is formed from a single piece of 1mm thickness sheet steel, the bend 18 in the resilient steel material also forming a biasing means 22 which urges the outward ends 24 and 25 apart.

A grip section is provided at 30 and includes a drive portion 40 and piercing region 32. The drive portion 40 is enhanced to provide improved grip between the fingers and clamping arms 12 and 14 by including finger and thumb mounts 42 in the form of finger and thumb apertures 44 provided in rings 46. The rings 46 are pivotally mounted at 48 by a rivet 50 to provide for ergonomic fitting of various users' hand sizes and widths.

The piercing region 32 is provided to provide improved grip between the article (not shown) and the clamping arms 12 and 14 by piercing an outer portion of at least part of the article. The piercing region 32 includes a plurality of teeth 34 arranged in rows, being an outer row 35, an intermediate row 36 and an inner row 37. The teeth 34 are P:\WPDOCS\LNM\SpwA12523841 AU aplmt CASEdo-09/0305 pressed from the steel until they approximately perpendicularly extend from the inner faces of the clamping arms 13 and Referring to Figure 6 there is shown a second embodiment of the present invention wherein similar features are indicated by similar numerals. The clamping device indicated at 110 is constructed from two separate but pivotally connected clamping arms 112 and 114, wherein the majority of features are similar to those described with reference to Figures 1 to 5, however, the biasing means 22 and pivot 66 are not integral but are operatively connected to one another. The biasing means 22 is in the form of a torsion spring (not shown) which urges the outer ends 124 and 125 of the clamping arms 112 and 114 apart.

In operation the clamping arms 12 and 14 of clamping device 10 are gripped by placing at least some fingers and a thumb in the apertures 44. The article to be clamped is placed between the clamping arms 12 and 14, in the region of the piercing region 32. The user closes his or her hand, closing the arms 12 and 14, the teeth 34 piercing into an outer portion of at least part of the article (not shown). This improves the user's hold of the article, which may be writhing, or aggressively moving, or merely sharp and/or poisonous.

The finger and thumb rings 46 provide an improved retention of the clamping device 10 in conditions where the operating surface the user stands on may be quickly changing, and the environment the user is in may be severe (such as for example a storm on a boat).

Holes are provided at 60 so that a user may attach a string to the clamping device so as to reduce incidence of loss overboard, when the user is at sea.

Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

Claims (19)

1. A clamp device suitable for clamping at least part of an article, the clamp device including: elongate clamping arms operatively connected to or integral with a hinge; at least one grip portion disposed on one or more respective clamping arms, the grip portion including one or more piercing regions which promote retention of a clamped article between end portions of the elongate clamping arms, the piercing regions piercing into an outer portion of the article; the grip portion further including mounts for mounting the finger and/or thumb of a user, wherein the mounts are pivotable to improve comfort and grip of a user when gripping the clamp device in order to clamp the article between the end portions.

2. A clamp device in accordance with claim 1 wherein a hinge is provided which is integral with the elongate clamping arms and disposed therebetween.

3. A clamp device in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein a biasing means is provided in order to bias the end portions of the elongate clamping arms to an open position remote from one another.

4. A clamp device in accordance with any previous claim wherein the biasing means, hinge and elongate arms are integral with one another.

A clamp device in accordance with any previous claim wherein the clamp device is bent, moulded or otherwise formed from a single material.

6. A clamp device in accordance with any previous claim wherein the clamping arms are constructed from sheet steel of thickness between approximately 0.4 and 3mm.

7. A clamp device in accordance with any previous claim wherein the mounts are in the form of finger receivers. P:\WPDOCS\INM\Spm\l2523841 AU complate CASEdo-0910310S -7-

8. A clamp device in accordance with claim 7 wherein the finger receivers are in the form of apertures.

9. A clamp device in accordance with claim 8 wherein the apertures are in the form of rings operatively connected or integral with the clamping arms.

A clamp device in accordance with claim 9 wherein the rings are pivotally mounted to the clamping arms to accommodate for ergonomic use of the rings for many different sizes and widths of hand, which also reduces finger and thumb cuts on edges of the rings.

11. A clamp device in accordance with claim 10 wherein the pivot axis is perpendicular to the clamping arms.

12. A clamp device in accordance with any previous claim wherein the or each piercing region includes a plurality of teeth to pierce the article while it is being clamped by the user.

13. A clamp device in accordance with claim 12 wherein the teeth extend away from internal faces of the clamping arms.

14. A clamp device in accordance with claim 12 or 13 wherein the teeth are punched, moulded or otherwise formed away from the surface of the clamping arms to form V- shaped teeth.

A clamp device in accordance with any one of claims 12 14 wherein the teeth are angled to the inner face or perpendicular to it.

16. A clamp device in accordance with any previous claim wherein the clamping device is formed from two clamping arms, pivotally connected at their rearward ends, a biasing means in the form of a torsion spring urging the outer ends of the clamping arms PAWPDOCS\LNM\Sp.\l2523841 AU compide CASE.doc-O9/03/05 -8- outward.

17. A clamp device according to any previous claim wherein a retention device is provided in order to retain the device around a wrist of a user.

18. A clamp device according to claim 17 wherein the retention device is in the form of a lanyard.

19. A clamp device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the attached drawings. Dated this 9th day of March, 2005 THOMAS EDWARD CASE By his Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE