AU2020223629B2 - A Visual Indicator - Google Patents

Abstract

JAWs ref: 300802AUDIV/73 ABSTRACT A visual indicator is provided, including a shell, a passage through the shell of a size and shape to accommodate a line, and a locator, wherein the locator is positioned along the passage to retain the line relative to the shell. FIG. 1A 100 104 FIG. 1B 102 106 100 1/4

Description

FIG. 1A

100

104

FIG. 1B

102 106

100

1/4

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A VISUAL INDICATOR STATEMENT OF CORRESPONDING APPLICATIONS

This application is based on the Provisional specification filed in relation to New Zealand Patent

Application Number 708150, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a visual indicator. More particularly, this invention relates to a visual

indicator configured to be secured to a line. Reference will now be made to use of this invention in the

agricultural industry, although this should not been seen as limiting.

BACKGROUND

Bungee (elastic cord) gates and fencing are versatile and easy to install. They are commonly used by

farmers as they can be used in a variety of conditions (usually as a temporary measure), and can be

conductive for use with electrical fencing.

However this type of fencing can be very hard to see from a distance, posing a significant health and

safety hazard.

This can cause dangerous accidents, especially when a user of a vehicle such as a quad bike or

motorbike does not see the bungee gate or fencing and rides their vehicle into it. This can cause

extensive damage to the gate and fencing, and in more serious cases can injure or kill the rider of the

vehicle.

Various methods have been used in the past to try and make bungee cords more identifiable.

For example, they can be purchased in bright, reflective colours; however the surface area of the cord is

still small and narrow which can result in them being overlooked.

Others have attempted to attach separate items to the bungee cord that have a larger surface area and

are therefore more noticeable. However, because of the elastic nature of bungee cord it is difficult to

attach a separate device to it without restricting the elasticity and therefore the functionality of the

cord.

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High visibility flags that are attached along the cord have been used in the past. However, a problem

with these is that the flags are often attached by simply threading the cord through a channel that is

part of the flag. They are therefore not held in a particular position on the cord, and often move along the cord, for example they may be blown along the cord by the wind. They therefore may end up being

positioned in an undesirable location, for example towards the end of the cord by a fence post, where

the flag may be hidden. The flag therefore ceases to perform its purpose.

For at least these reasons, it would be desirable to provide a device that can be attached to a bungee

cord without restricting the elasticity of the bungee cord whilst remaining in its predetermined position

on the bungee cord. It would also be useful for the device to be able to be used with electrical fencing.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the

public with a useful choice.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby

incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The

discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to

challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an

admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New

Zealand or in any other country.

Throughout this specification, the word "comprise", or variations thereof such as "comprises" or

.0 comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of

elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of

elements, integers or steps.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing

description which is given by way of example only.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a visual indicator, including

a shell,

a passage through the shell of a size and shape to accommodate a line, and

a locator, wherein the locator is positioned along the passage to retain the elongate element to

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the shell.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of securing a visual

indicator to a line, the visual indicator including a shell, and a passage through the shell of a size and

shape to accommodate a line, the method including the step of:

locating the line within the passage.

Reference to a "line" should be understood to mean an elongate length of material.

In an exemplary embodiment the line may be an elastic cord (often made of nylon-cased rubber), such

as that commonly known as 'bungee cord'. This cord is often used to create temporary elasticated gates.

However this is not intended to be limiting and the line may be made from any material, for example it

may be made of a plastics material such as polyethylene. For example, the line may be a rope, cord or

wire made from metal or plastic. The line may be of any breadth or thickness, and may be of any length.

In an exemplary embodiment, the line may be part of a barrier such as a fence or gate.

Reference to a "shell" should be taken to mean a thin walled structure defining the outer surface of the

visual indicator.

Reference will herein be made to various points on the shell - for example ends, top and base. It should

be appreciated that reference to these points is made for the purpose of illustrating the relative

positioning of various features of the present invention, and is not intended to place limitations on the

shape or orientation of the shell unless expressly stated.

It is envisaged that the shell may be elongate along the dimension between the first and second ends in an exemplary embodiment. In doing so, a target length of the shell to encompass the line may be

achieved while having a comparatively narrow width of the shell. This streamlines the shell - decreasing

the overall size of the shell needed to encompass the line and therefore the amount of material

required for manufacture and the resultant weight of the shell. Furthermore, the elongate shape may

decrease the effect of wind forces on the shell and subsequently on the line.

The shell may be of any desired size. In an exemplary embodiment the shell may be large enough to be

seen by the naked eye at a distance, for example of 100 meters. This may give the rider of a vehicle

such a motorcycle time to slow down and stop before the bungee cord after the shell is spotted. The

shell may also be small enough to prevent it from rotating or oscillating in the wind, and to reduce the

material needed for manufacture and resultant weight of the shell.

In an exemplary embodiment the shell may be substantially ellipsoid, that is egg-shaped. This shape may

be beneficial as it is aerodynamic to limit oscillation of the line or shell or rotation forces on the shell

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about the line, or movement of the line and the resulting wear. Also, this shape has curved edges which

may allow it to be driven over by a vehicle and retain its integrity. Furthermore, the shape provides a

relatively large external surface area to allow the visual indicator to be easily seen. However, this is not intended to be limiting and the shell may be substantially any shape. For example the shell may be

cuboid, ovoid, cylindrical or spherical.

Reference will now be made throughout the specification to an ellipsoid shell that is elongated along the

dimension between the first and second ends; however this should not be taken as limiting.

To maximise visibility of the visual indicator, in exemplary embodiments the shell may be coloured to

contrast with the environment in which it is to be used. For example, the indicator may be brightly

coloured, for example fluorescent yellow. For this purpose the shell may also be luminescent. The shell

may also be painted with reflective paint or have reflective material applied to it. Alternatively, the shell

may be white, which has been proven in tests to have increased visibility compared to natural colours or

other colours. However, this should not be seen as limiting and the shell may be coloured any colour, for

example blue or red. The shell may also optionally include a gate number for identification purposes.

The shell may be made of high density polyethylene (HDPE) in exemplary embodiments. HDPE may be

well suited to this application as it is low cost, easy to colour and UV stabilise and is a strong, durable

and resilient material. This may be beneficial for reducing the likelihood of the shell cracking or

breaking when subjected to strong forces, such as a vehicle running over the shell. It also may diminish

wearing of the shell from exposure to outside conditions, such as wind or rain. HDPE may also be

beneficial as it is relatively lightweight, so as to not weigh the line down. This material may be

particularly beneficial in embodiments where the shell is made of two complementary portions

(discussed in more detail below), as it may have enough flexibility to allow the portions to detach from each other rather than break when driven over. The portions may later be reattached to the line.

In an exemplary embodiment the shell may define a hollow cavity. This may decrease the overall weight of the visual indicator. This may prevent the line from being weighed down, which, if the line is part of a

fence, may cause the fence to no longer be useful as a barrier, or even break. Further, a lightweight shell

may cause less damage than a heavier one - if there is injudicious use of the bungee cord to which it is

attached.

The cavity may be configured to include structures that are integral with the shell and/or retain separate

structures. This is discussed in more detail below.

If the shell is made in a way that precludes it from being water proof, then it may also include one or

more apertures which may act as drainage points to prevent the shell being weighed down with rain

water. These apertures may also provide a point of access for additional wire(s); which is discussed in

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more detail below.

In an exemplary embodiment the shell may be made of two complementary portions. The shell may

alternatively be made as a single portion, or be made of more than two portions that are configured to

be secured together. The use of two or more complementary portions may be beneficial as it allows the

shell to be attached to the line without threading one end of the line through the shell. This can be

inconvenient, particularly when a gate handle is at one end of the line, or the line is already in tied in

place. Furthermore, this may be convenient for reattachment if the shell either comes off the line or is

broken.

In an exemplary embodiment the shell may have two complementary portions that each have an open

rim that extends along the length of the shell between the first and second end. The portions may be

configured to be secured together. Examples of how this is achieved are given below, however these

should not be taken as limiting and the portions may be configured to be secured together by any

suitable means known in the art. For example, the shell portions may be screwed together, bolted

together, secured by a rivet metal or plastic, or a clip commonly known as a CANOE CLIP, or a

circumferential snap ring such as that known as a CIRCLIP, or tape, or one side may be hinged, or an

over centre latch mechanism may be used.

In exemplary embodiment, the shell portions may include an integral split pin and socket clip system

within the cavity to secure the portions together.

By way of example only, the clip system may include at least one pin on a first shell portion that has an .0 elongate shaft and a head. The head and at least a portion of the elongate shaft are split into two

spaced apart portions. This allows the head to be moved between a compact configuration, in which the

head portions are pushed together, and an extended configuration, in which the head portions are in

their resting apart state.

The second shell portion includes at least one socket that is positioned so that it corresponds to the pin

on the first shell portion. In use, the shell portion(s) are pushed into the compact configuration and then

pushed into the socket(s). When they are released they will be caught under a lip on the socket to retain

them within the socket. This system may be beneficial in allowing the shell portions to be easily

attached and detached by the user.

In an exemplary embodiment, to secure the shells together the open rim of a first shell portion may

include a lip that is complementary to a depression on the open edge of the second shell portion. This may be used in conjunction with the clip system that was described above.

The end of each socket that is proximate the shell may be open ended so as to create an aperture in the

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shell. This may provide drainage for the visual indicator. However this is not intended to be limiting and

the sockets may be closed ended.

In an exemplary embodiment, the end of the each pin proximate the shell may be substantially

encompassed by one or more apertures in the shell. This may provide drainage for the visual indicator.

It may also provide an access point for a tool such as pliers to be inserted along the side of the pin in

order to push the split head into the compact position so the pin can be removed from the aperture and

the shell halves disassociated.

Reference to a "passage" should be understood to mean a relatively unobstructed path through the

cavity that is defined by a first and second opening in the shell.

Reference to the passage being "relatively unobstructed" should be understood to mean that the

passage is of a size and shape to accommodate a line does not include any structures that would

prevent a line from being retained along the length of the passage.

It should be understood that the shape of each opening at the ends of the passage can vary according to

the design parameters and line used with the visual indicator. However, in exemplary embodiments

each opening may be circular to allow for the insertion of a line that is circular in cross section.

In an exemplary embodiment, the openings may be located on the first and second ends of the ellipsoid

shell, and the passage may extend between the openings along the dimension between the first and

second ends. This defines the length of the passage. This may ensure that the line extends along the

length of the ellipsoid shell, which may contribute to the aerodynamic nature of the visual indicator in

use.

In an exemplary embodiment, the passage may be open sided. This should be understood to mean that

an elongate aperture runs between the first and second opening. In this embodiment, the line may be

retained in the passage by any means that would be understood to be suitable by one skilled in the art.

For example, the open side of the passage may include a lip so that the opening is narrower than the line. Alternatively, the open side of the passage may include overlapping teeth. This embodiment may

save on materials and cost to manufacture the visual indicator.

In an exemplary embodiment, the cavity may include at least one "guide" which in use will direct the

positioning of the line within the cavity.

In an exemplary embodiment the guide(s) may be a structure that is integral with the shell and extends

towards the passage.

The guide(s) may have a 'U' shaped end proximate the passage, with the sides of the 'U' located on

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either side of the passage. However this should not be seen as limiting, and the guide(s) may be of any

shape, for example, the guide(s) may have a flat end.

In an exemplary embodiment, each shell half may have at least one of the 'U' shaped guide(s). The

guide(s) position on each shell half may correspond so that when the shell halves are secured together

the 'U' ends form a substantially oval shape.

The structures may be narrow in order to save on materials and associated cost.

The structures may, in an exemplary embodiment, define the passage by preventing the line from being

retained along another path through the cavity. To this effect the structures may extend from a first side

of the shell to a second side of the shell. Resultantly, the only path through the cavity is through the 'U' or ovalgap created by the structures.

The structure(s) may assist the user in placing the line in an appropriate position when assembling the

visual indicator, for ease of assembly.

In an exemplary embodiment the visual indicator may include at least one locator.

Reference to a "locator" should be understood to mean a component of the visual indicator that locates

the line relative to the shell so as to decrease or prevent lateral movement of the line relative to the

visual indicator.

The locator may be an integral part of the shell, or a separate component. In an exemplary embodiment

both types of locators may be used in a single visual indicator.

If the shell is made of multiple portions, both or all portions may be configured to include a locator.

In exemplary embodiments, the locator and line interact at a single area on the line. This may be

particularly beneficial when the visual indicator is used with bungee cord, as the single point of contact

may ensure that the bungee cord retains its flexibility and elastic force, while preventing lateral movement of the cord. This may mean that the elastic forces will be transmitted along the cord, instead

of being blocked by the locator. For this reason it is envisaged that the single point of contact will have

particular use with bungee cord. However this should not be taken as limiting and the line may interact

with the locator or multiple locators at multiple areas along the line. However, this is less desirable for

us with the bungee as it may result in the elastic forces of the stretched bungee being applied to the

locators instead of along the bungee. The bungee cord may in this situation be effectively rendered

redundant.

In an exemplary embodiment that is to be used with bungee cord the single point of contact should also

be as small as possible. In an exemplary embodiment the locator may be 1mm in diameter. However

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this is not intended to be limiting and the width or diameter of the locator may vary. For example if the

shell is made of polyethylene the locator may need to be larger.

The locator may be positioned at a right angle to the length of the bungee. This may minimise the elastic

forces of the bungee that are transmitted to the device.

In an exemplary embodiment, the locator may be a single protrusion, the free end of which extends into

the passage. In use of this embodiment the protrusion may extend into the passage such that when the

line is inserted into the passage it will be forced against a surface. In this manner the line is held relative

to the shell of the visual indicator.

The protrusion may be an integral part of the shell in exemplary embodiments.

The protrusion may have a pointed end to assist in securing the line.

The protrusion may be positioned on the 'U' of an integral structure with a 'U' shaped end in an

exemplary embodiment. In use of this embodiment, the line may be placed over the protrusion of a first

shell half. A second shell half is then secured to the first shell half, and the protrusion forces the line

against a corresponding integral structure on the second shell half. For example, the line may be forced

against the 'U' of a corresponding integral structure with a 'U' shaped end.

The protrusion may also be a block of material, such as a block of rubber that extends into the passage.

In an exemplary embodiment, the locator may be multiple protrusions that extend into the passage, and

therefore interact with the line, at a single point.

The locator may alternatively be a structure or web that extends into the passage from one or more sides. In this embodiment the passage diameter at the position of the locator may be less than the

diameter of the bungee when it is extended, in at least one dimension. In an exemplary embodiment,

the locator may be what is commonly known to those skilled in the art as a 'joint clamp'. This may

include bolt with a head and an elongate shaft. The shaft may be configured to threadably engage

multiple nuts. Reference to threadable engagement should be understood to mean the interaction between two parts in which at least one of the parts includes a helical thread engaging with a surface of

the other. In exemplary embodiments, both parts may include complementary threads - one external

and one internal - which engage with each other to prevent linear motion without application of

external rotational force.

In use of the joint clamp as a locator, the head of the bolt will be placed over the line. At least one nut will then be threaded up the shaft of the bolt until it abuts the line, thereby securing the line between

the nut and the bolt head. The joint clamp is then secured to the shell through interaction with multiple

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protrusions are integral with the shell and extend into the cavity.

The protrusions within the cavity may be configured so that the joint clamp is positioned within the

cavity such that the line within the passage can be placed on the elongate shaft of the joint clamp. This

may mean that the bulk of the joint clamp is not located along the passage.

The joint clamp means of securing the device is best suited to use when the line is a wire, as it holes the

line securely. This may be beneficial as an alternative to the use of one or more protrusions when used

with a wire, as wires may be too small in diameter to contact the protrusions within the passage. An

exemplary embodiment of such a joint clamp is described in US Patent Application No. 14/631,284.

The joint clamp may be retained within the cavity by structures that extend from the shell. These structures are configured to be complementary to the joint clamp such that the joint claim may be

inserted into and confined within the structures.

The joint clamp may be made of an electrically conductive material, such as metal.

At least one nut of the joint clamp may have a plurality of apertures to receive one or more wires. The

aperture(s) may also be created by the interaction of two nuts. This may allow the joint clamp to retain

electrically conductive wires in order to allow the visual indicator to be used with electric fences. In use

of this embodiment, the electrically conductive wires may be threaded through the apertures in the

shell and then into the apertures in the joint clamp.

In exemplary embodiments, the line may interact with multiple locators at multiple areas on the line.

For example, the visual indicator may include both a protrusion and a joint clamp. This is envisaged to

have particular application to lines that are not bungee cord, to hold the visual indicator more securely

to the line where there is no concern over maintaining the flexibility of the line. However this is not

intended to be limiting and this embodiment of the invention may be used with any type of line.

The visual indicator may also include additional supporting structures. In an exemplary embodiment the

visual indicator cavity may include supporting structures on either side of the passage that are arranged

so that they line up together. In an exemplary embodiment the support structure(s) on one shell

portion may be longer than the support structure(s) on a second shell portion. This may help provide

additional strength along the part line in the embodiment of the invention that has two shell portions,

as the longer support extends across the part line. Furthermore, it may prevent the shell from being

incorrectly assembled, as the different lengths may mean that the shell can only be assembled in one

way.

In use of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a bungee cord is placed on top of the 'U' shaped

end of multiple structures that are integral with the first shell half. The cord is placed so that it extends

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over a protrusion on one of the 'U' shaped structures.

The second shell half is then secured to the first shell half. The second shell half includes 'U' shaped

structures that correspond to the structures on the first shell half. The 'U' shaped structures align to

form an oval shape. This defines the passage. The cord is forced against the wall of a 'U' shaped

structure on the second shell half. This secures the cord relative to the visual indicator. As the cord is

secured only at a single area the flexibility of the bungee cord is retained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an exemplary visual indicator located on a line;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the exemplary visual indicator having a shell half removed;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a first shell half of the exemplary visual indicator;

FIG. 2B is a front view of the first shell half of the exemplary visual indicator;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a second shell half of the exemplary visual indicator;

FIG. 3B is a front view of the second shell half of the exemplary visual indicator;

FIG. 3C is an end view of the second shell half of the exemplary visual indicator;

FIG. 4 is a side view of an exemplary joint clamp for use in the exemplary visual indicator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A illustrates a visual indicator (generally indicated by arrow 100), substantially ellipsoidal in shape,

and having a first shell half 102 and a second shell half 104 defining a hollow interior cavity. The shell

halves 102, 104 are secured to a line 106 - for example, rope, cord, wire, or polywire.

Referring to FIG. 1B, which shows the visual indicator 100 with the second shell half 104 removed, in the

exemplary embodiment illustrated the position of the visual indicator 100 relative to the line 106 is

maintained by a joint clamp 108 secured to the line 106 and located by the shell halves 102, 104 - as will

be described further below.

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In FIG. 2A and 2B it may be seen that the first shell half 102 includes four sockets 200a-d, each including

a socket aperture 202a-d extending through to the exterior of the first shelf half 102. The socket

apertures 202a-d provide drainage to prevent the visual indicator retaining and being weighed down by water, and are configured for the insertion of complementary split pins on the second shell half (as will

be discussed in relation to FIG. 3A-C below). Each socket 200a-d has a lip (not clearly seen) which allows

the split pins to be retained within the socket apertures 202a-d once inserted.

Distal ends of the first shell half 102 include a first end aperture recess 204 and a second end aperture

recess 206. A first longitudinal wall section 208a extends from the first end aperture recess 204 towards

the second end aperture recess 206, and a second longitudinal wall section 208b extends from the second end aperture recess 206 towards the first end aperture recess 204. First and second transverse

locator walls 210a and 210b intersect the first and second longitudinal wall sections 208a and 208b

respectively, at positions offset from the first and second end aperture recesses 204 and 206.

A first locator spike 212 extends from the intersection between the first longitudinal wall section 208a

and the first transverse locator wall 210a, for engaging with the line 106 when secured between the first

and second shell halves 102 and 104 (as shown in FIG. 1A).

The first shell half 102 also includes first and second central transverse walls 214a and 214b extending

towards a locating recess. The first central transverse wall 214a, second longitudinal wall section 208b,

second central transverse wall 214b, and first longitudinal wall section 208a each terminate in a flange

216a-d, which collectively define the locating recess. A stop protrusion 218 is located within the centre

of the locating recess, extending from the interior of the first shell half 102.

The locating recess is off-centre from the longitudinal axis of the first shell half 102. This off-centre

position accounts for the clamping action of the joint clamp 108 onto the line 106 (shown in FIG. 1B, and

as illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 4) in order to align the line 106 with the longitudinal axis.

Referring to FIG. 3A-C, the second shell half 104 is configured to be complementary to the first shell half

102. The second shell half 104 includes four split pins 300a-d, each including a barb end 302a-d. The

split pins 300a-d are configured to be inserted into the socket apertures 202a-d of the first shell half

102, such that the barbs 302a-d engage the lips of the sockets 200a-d.

Distal ends of the second shell half 104 include a first end aperture recess 304 and a second end

aperture recess 306, which together with the first end aperture recess 204 and second end aperture recess 206 of the first shell half 102 provide end apertures of the visual indicator 100 defining a passage

therebetween.

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A first longitudinal wall section 308a extends from the first end aperture recess 304 towards the second

end aperture recess 306, and a second longitudinal wall section 308b extends from the second end

aperture recess 306 towards the first end aperture recess 304. First and second transverse locator walls 310a and 310b intersect, and extend above, the first and second longitudinal wall sections 308a and

308b respectively, at positions offset from the first and second end aperture recesses 304 and 306. The

first and second transverse locator walls 310a and 310b include arches aligned with the first and second

aperture recesses 304 and 306. When the first and second shell halves 102 and 104 are secured to each

other, the ends of the arches in the first and second transverse locator walls 310a and 310b meet the

first and second longitudinal wall sections 208a and 208b of the first shell half 102 to provide enclosed

apertures for the line 106 insider the cavity of the visual indicator 100.

A second locator spike 312 extends from the intersection between the first longitudinal wall section

308a and the first transverse locator wall 310a, for engaging with the line 106 when secured between

the first and second shell halves 102 and 104 (as shown in FIG. 1A).

The second shell half 104 also includes first and second central transverse walls 314a and 314b

extending towards a second locating recess. The first central transverse wall 314a, second longitudinal

wall section 308b, second central transverse wall 314b, and first longitudinal wall section 308a each terminate in a flange 316a-d, which collectively define the locating recess. Stepped walls 318a-d extend

from the flanges 316a-d into the second locating recess, at a height lower than the first central

transverse wall 314a, second longitudinal wall section 308b, second central transverse wall 314b, and

first longitudinal wall section 308a respectively. The locating recess is off-centre from the longitudinal

axis of the second shell half 104.

Referring to FIG. 3C, each of the split pins 300a-d extends from the second shell half 104, with a first exterior aperture 320a and a second exterior aperture 320b between the exterior and interior of the

second shell half 104 substantially surrounding the split pins 300a-d.

FIG. 4 illustrates the joint clamp 104 in greater detail. The joint clamp 104 includes a bolt 400, having a

head 402 with a recessed underside 404. A threaded shaft 406 extends from the underside 404 of the

head 402. A flat washer 408 may be inserted onto the shaft 406, for clamping the line 106 against the

underside 404 of the head 402. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, a grooved washer 410 having

a first groove 412a and a second groove 412b facing the flat washer 408. A threaded nut 414 is provided for engaging with the threaded shaft 406 to bear the grooved washer 410 and flat washer 408 towards

the head 402.

In an exemplary embodiment in which the line 106 is an electrically conductive fence element for which

it is desirable to connect one or more electrically conductive wires (for example to electrify the line

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106), the wires may be passed through one of the apertures 202a-d, 320a, or 320b and secured to the

joint clamp 108 by locating them within the grooves 412a and/or 412b of the grooved washer 410 and

clamping them in place.

The position of the joint clamp 108 relative to the visual indicator 100, aligning the clamping position of

the line 106 with the elements defining the passage through the visual indicator 100, is maintained by

the respective locating recesses of the first and second shell halves 102 and 104. The nut 414 is received

within the flanges 216a-d of the first shell half 102, with the free end of the threaded shaft 406 resting

against the stop protrusion 218. The head 402 is received within the flanges 316a-d of the second shell

half 104, with the head 402 also resting against the stepped walls 318a-d of the second shell half 104. In addition to maintaining the position of the joint clamp 108, the flanges 216a-d and 316a-d prevent

undesired rotation of the bolt 400 relative to the nut 414, which could release the line 106 (and wires if

secured by the joint clamp 108).

When installing the visual indicator, the line 106 may be located within the first end aperture recess

304, the arches of the first and second transverse locator walls 310a and 310b, and the second end

aperture recess 306 of the second shell half 104, acting as guides for the line 106. The first shell half 102

may then be clipped to the second shell half 104, engaging the first and second locator spikes 212 and 312 in the line 106.

The entire disclosures of all applications, patents and publications cited above and below, if any, are

herein incorporated by reference.

The invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or

indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, in any or all combinations of

two or more of said parts, elements or features.

Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to integers or components having known

equivalents thereof, those integers are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments

described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be

made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its

attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be included within

the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be

appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope

thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (8)

JAWs ref: 300802AUDIV/73 CLAIMS

1. A visual indicator, including:

a shell having an exterior and an interior defining a hollow cavity, wherein the shell includes:

a first shell portion and a second shell portion configured to be secured together;

at least one pin integral with, and extending from, the first shell portion and at least one

socket in the second shell portion, wherein the socket is configured to receive the pin to secure

the first shell portion relative to the second shell portion,

wherein an end of the at least one pin proximate the first shell portion is substantially

encompassed by one or more apertures between the interior and exterior of the shell;

a passage through the shell of a size and shape to accommodate a line, and

an internal locator positioned along the passage to retain the line relative to the shell, wherein

the internal locator includes at least one protrusion integral with and extending from one of the first

shell portion or the second shell portion, the protrusion having a pointed free end configured to engage

in the line when the first shell portion is secured to the second shell portion.

2. The visual indicator of claim 1, wherein the shell includes a first end and a second end, and the

shell is elongate between the first and second ends.

3. The visual indicator of claim 2, wherein the shell is substantially ellipsoid.

4. The visual indicator of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each socket includes a socket aperture

between the interior and exterior of the shell.

5. The visual indicator of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the visual indicator includes a guide

structure within the interior of the shell to direct the positioning of the line within the interior of the

shell.

6. The visual indicator of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one protrusion includes a

first protrusion and a second protrusion, wherein the first protrusion and a second protrusion are

spaced apart along the passage so as to engage in the line at two distal points when the first shell

portion is secured to the second shell portion.

JAWs ref: 300802AUDIV/73

7. The visual indicator of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one locator includes a

locating structure within the interior of the shell configured to receive a joint clamp configured to clamp

onto the line in use, the locating structure limiting movement of the joint clamp within the shell.

8. A method of securing a visual indicator as claimed in any one of claims 1to 7 to a line, the

method including the step of:

securing the first shell portion to the second shell portion such that the line is located within the

passage and the pointed free end of the at least one protrusion is engaged in the line.