EP0543787B1

EP0543787B1 - Moulded plastic fork-shaped clothes peg

Info

Publication number: EP0543787B1
Application number: EP92830637A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mauro Pincini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-11-21
Filing date: 1992-11-23
Publication date: 1996-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 2012-11-23
Also published as: DE69210554D1; ATE137824T1; DE69210554T2; ES2089478T3; GR3020767T3; EP0543787A1; ITMC910066A0; ITMC910066A1

Abstract

This invention concerns a plastic clothes peg (1) moulded in a single piece having a fork-shaped supporting structure whose rigid arms (2) act as a support for an internal elastic clip consisting of two flexible opposing curved elements (6) having a sinuous profile which form a loop (7) which is closed at the back while narrowing at the front opening (8). <IMAGE>

Description

This design patent application concerns a plastic clothes peg moulded in a single piece whose hold is ensured by two identical flexible adjacent curved elements whose convex profiles face each other.
The shape of peg in question is original with respect to traditional clothes pegs which essentially consist of two identical scissor-hinged arms whose front ends are curved internally so as to hold the clothing item against the clothes line while the top ends are shaped so to ensure an easy hold between the index finger and thumb.
In order to open the front ends of these clothes pegs a pressure must be applied on the external surfaces of both top ends which are pressed together in order to open the front ends between which the clothing items are "caught" on the clothes lines.
The pressure applied must be sufficient to overcome the opposing resistance of a return spring which keeps the hooking ends of the peg firmly secured against each other.
The return spring used is generally a metal spring hooked to the two arms, which are made either of wood or of plastic.
The peg model according to the invention is of the type described in FR-A-974 290, having no metal spring and no external metal or non metal parts.
The peg in question is fork-shaped and consists of two absolutely rigid arms so that in order to hook the peg on the clothes line it is not necessary to exercise a double opposing pressure, but simply a single direct pressure following the peg's axis of symmetry.
As will be explained in the description, the peg according to the invention is hooked to the clothes line by pushing the same from the back on to the clothes line thereby forcing the clothes line into an elastically deforming loop having a narrow opening on the internal face of the rigid arms of the peg.
More precisely, within the above arms there is an elastic clip consisting of an opposing pair of flexible S-shaped curved elements which together form an elongated loop which narrows at the front opening.
The front ends of each flexible curved element are joined continuously to the ends of the rigid arms while the bottom of the loop of the elastic clip is connected externally to the bottom of the peg groove by means of a pair of thin flexible symmetrically opposing bridges.
For major clarity the description continues with reference to the enclosed drawings intended for illustrative purposes and not in a limiting sense where:

fig. 1 is a view of the clothes peg according to the invention;
fig. 2 is a cross-section of fig. 1 with plane II-II of fig. 1;
fig. 3 is a cross-section of fig. 1 with plane III-III of fig.1;
fig. 4 is a plan view of the clothes peg in question in an alternative embodiment.

With reference to the above drawings, the shape of peg in question (1) is that of a 2-arm peg; said arms (2), which are slightly curved so that their concave profiles are turned inwards, are connected at the back by a transverse flange (3) which is again curved, but whose concave surface faces the exterior.
The arms (2) and the transverse flange (3) have a rectangular cross-section of the same dimensions.
In order to reduce the flexibility of this peg, a central stiffening rib (4) whose thickness is the same as that of the flange (3) and of the arms (2) (see fig. 2), is made on the internal face of arms (2) and on the internal face of the flange (3), when the peg (1) is moulded.
The thickness of said rib (4) is not uniform so that its internal edge delineates a different profile to the external profile of the peg (1); more precisely, the internal edge of the rib (4) coincides with a continuous elliptic profile, interrupted at the front ends of the arms (2), where the height of said rib gradually diminishes to nothing.
In order to further stiffen the peg a middle section (5) is provided outside flange (3) whose thickness is equal to that of the same (see fig. 3).
The rigid peg described hereto acts as a support for an internal elastic clip (6a) consisting of two flexible curved elements (6), facing each other, whose rear ends join together continuously while the front ends are joined to those of the rigid arms (2).
The width of the rectangular cross-section of said curved elements (6) is the same as that of the arms (2), whereas the thickness is inferior.
The curved profile of said curved elements (6) create a loop (7) which is closed at the back while narrowing at the front at its opening (8) where the convex faces of the curved elements (6) almost touch each other.
The bottom of the loop (7) is connected externally to the bottom of the peg groove by a pair of thin opposing flexible bridges (9) whose width is equal to that of the rib (4), see fig. 3.
This pair of bridges (9) acts as the return mechanism for the elastic clip (6a) constituted by the curved elements (6), in that said bridges bend under the thrust of the curved elements (6) when these extend following their elastic opening by the clothes line which is forced through the narrow opening (8) which provides access to the loop behind (7).
Once the clothes line is housed in the loop (7), the elastic return of the bridges (9) contributes to drawing the previously opened curved elements (6) together so as to prevent the clothes line from escaping, backwards, through the loop (7), which would cause the peg (1) to disengage from the clothes line.
Following the description and with reference to the enclosed drawings, it is now easier to understand that in order to hook the peg (1) in question to the clothes line, it must be held and pushed against the line so that the same opens the curved elements (6) thereby passing through the narrow opening (8) and housing in the loop behind (7).
The curved elements (6) snap together behind the line thanks to their elasticity and the extension of the bridges (9) which bend as the curved elements (5) open elastically.
Fig. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the peg in question, whose only difference with respect to the preferred embodiment is that the bridges (9) have been eliminated and a holding fin (10) which provides an easier and more secure hold on the peg (1), has been added.
In the version illustrated in figure 4, the internal elastic clip (6a) has another smaller loop (11) on the bottom of the centre loop (7), which ensures that the clothing is held securely even in the case of small gauge lines.
Finally, it should be noted that in the alternative embodiment of the peg, the bottom of the smaller loop (11) is connected externally to the bottom of the peg groove by a welding bead (12) made with the same material and during the same moulding phase as the peg (1).

Claims

A moulded plastic fork-shaped clothes peg whose rigid arms internally support an elastic hooking clip featuring two curved, opposing rigid arms (2) connected at the back by a rigid transverse flange (3), which is also curved and has a centre stiffening section (5) outside while inside the flange (3) and the arms (2) there is a central stiffening rib (4), whereby the rigid arms (2) of the peg (1) act as a support for the internal elastic clip (6a) consisting of two flexible opposing curved elements (6) whose front ends are joined to those of the rigid arms (2), and characterized in that the rear ends of said flexible elements (6) are joined continuously, the curved profile of said curved elements (6) delineates a loop (7) which is closed at the back while narrowing at the front opening (8) where the convex faces of the curved elements (6) almost touch each other, the bottom of the loop (7) is connected externally to the bottom of the peg groove.
A moulded plastic fork-shaped clothes peg whose rigid aims internally support an elastic hooking clip according to claim 1 characterized in that the internal edge of the rib (4) coincides with an elliptic profile which is interrupted at the front ends of the arms (2) where the height of said rib gradually diminishes to nothing.
A moulded plastic fork-shaped clothes peg whose rigid arms internally support an elastic hooking clip according to claim 1 characterized in that the cross-section of the curved elements (6) is rectangular and of the same width as the arms (2), whereas the thickness is inferior.
A moulded plastic fork-shaped clothes peg whose rigid arms internally support an elastic hooking clip according to claim 1 characterized in that the curved profile of the curved elements (6) delineates a centre loop (7) and an inner loop (11).
A moulded plastic fork-shaped clothes peg whose rigid arms internally support an elastic hooking clip according to claims 1 and 4 characterized in that the inner elastic clip (6a) is connected to the bottom of the peg groove by a pair of thin opposing flexible bridges (9).
A moulded plastic fork-shaped clothes peg whose rigid arms internally support an elastic hooking clip according to claims 1 and 4 characterized in that the inner elastic clip (6a) is connected to the bottom of the peg groove by a transverse welding bead (12) made of the same material and during the same moulding phase as the peg (1).