EP0885750B1

EP0885750B1 - Newspaper holding clip

Info

Publication number: EP0885750B1
Application number: EP98110190A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alessandro Bertoli; Edgardo Angelini; Ross De Salvo; Sigurdur Thorsteinsson; Gianni Clocchiatti
Original assignee: I M L Industria Meccanica Lombarda Srl
Current assignee: I M L Industria Meccanica Lombarda Srl
Priority date: 1997-06-17
Filing date: 1998-06-04
Publication date: 2001-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-04
Also published as: ATE200450T1; ITMI971422A1; EP0885750A1; ITMI971422A0; DE69800680D1; IT1292176B1

Abstract

A clip for holding a newspaper, a magazine or the like along the folded edge and in suitable conditions for reading; the clip comprises an elongated body having first and second shaped shells (10, 11) hingeably connected along a lateral edge. A newspaper restraining rod (12), around which the folded edge of the newspaper is arranged, is provided inside the clip; the restraining rod (12) extends longitudinally and is disengageably connected to a longitudinally extending hinge portion 13 of the clip body, in order to rotate in relation to the two shells (10, 11) during opening and closing of the clip from a lowered position inside the closed shells (10, 11) of the clip to a raised position suitable for facilitating insertion and removal of the newspaper in the open condition of the clip. <IMAGE>

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a newspaper holding clip, particularly suitable for being attached at the fold side of the newspaper, at the upper edge, in order to maintain the newspaper in a suitable condition for facilitating its consultation, at the same time preventing the pages of the newspaper from becoming disarranged or removed and randomly scattered. Although the clip according to the invention is proposed mainly for holding and supporting a newspaper, a magazine or the like, other applications are however possible within the scope of the present invention, which is defined in the claims.

PRIOR ART

It is known that in certain public places it is usual to make available to customers a certain number of newspapers and/or magazines, placed on a counter or hanging from a wall, with the aim of allowing their consultation, daily replacing an old newspaper with a new one.
In this respect special newspaper clips are used, substantially consisting of two long cogged jaws hinged on one side, one of which is provided with a plurality of teeth to penetrate partially the edge of the pages of the newspaper and to press them against a shoulder surface along one edge of the opposite jaw.
Similar newspaper holding devices are prevalently made in wood, and have a considerable length, ending with a handle and/or an eyelet to allow the newspaper support device to be hung from a hook attached to a wall. Newspaper supports of this type are described for example in GB-A-442.277 and in DE-A-83.176; a clip mechanism is also described in GB-A-10.425.
Newspaper holding clips of this type, in addition to having a certain degree of risk due to the presence of sharp teeth which could injure the hands of a user, are in general very bulky, heavy and unpractical to use in that they must necessarily have a length greater than that of the newspaper to be clamped. Moreover the insertion of the newspaper in the clip is not an easy operation in that the newspaper may become disarranged during clamping, thus making its consultation difficult.
From a previous European patent application EP-A-0 648 617 by the same Applicant, a newspaper holding clip is also known, which can be made in plastic material and which has the advantage of having extremely reduced dimensions, smaller than those of the newspaper to be clamped therein. However this newspaper holding clip also is provided with a plurality of pointed teeth for holding the pages of the newspaper, and in general has proved to be inconvenient not only due to its danger, but also due to the fact that, at its end teeth, the first pages of the newspaper are most strained and may be shredded or torn out.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a newspaper holding clip without the previously mentioned disadvantages and whereby the folded pages of the newspaper can be firmly restrained in an ordered form, without causing excessive strain on the individual pages of the newspaper which in this way can be handled with extreme practicality and safety.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a newspaper holding clip made entirely in a plastic material, free from dangerous parts and which has an extremely short length, considerably less than the pages of a newspaper, such as to facilitate insertion and clamping of the perfectly aligned pages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects can be achieved by means of a newspaper holding clip according to claim 1.
More generally, according to the invention, a newspaper holding clip has been provided particularly suitable for restraining in an ordered manner the folded pages of a newspaper, magazine or the like, the clip comprising: a longitudinally extending shaped body provided with a first and a second shell members hingeably connected along one of their lateral edges to be moved between an open condition, wherein they allow for the insertion of the fold edge of a newspaper, and a closed condition wherein they restrain said newspaper; disengageable hooking means being also provided for retaining the two jaws of the clip in the closed condition, characterized in that said jaws of the clip comprise two hollow shell members defining a chamber longitudinally extending to the body of the clips, in that a news holding rod member is provided inside said chamber, around which the folded edge of the newspaper is arranged at one end, said rod member longitudinally extending in said chamber, between the two opposing shells; and in that hinge means are provided at one side of the clip body for rotatingly supporting said rod member in relation to the said shells.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of a newspaper holding clip according to the present invention will be described in greater detail hereinbelow, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a closed perspective view of the newspaper holding clip with the clip body in a closed condition;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the newspaper holding clip in an open condition;
Fig. 3 is a top view of the open clip of Figure 2, without the newspaper restraining rod;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged front view of the clip in an open condition;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along line 5-5 of Figure 1;
Fig. 6 is a side view of the newspaper restraining rod;
Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view along line 7-7 of Figure 4, designed to show the system for locking the restraining rod at one end of the clip body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in the various drawings, the newspaper holding clip is made entirely in a moulded plastic material, with the shape of a rectangular body which extends in a longitudinal direction. The clip comprises two side arranged hollow shells 10 and 11, hingeably-connected each other at one side thereof, and a rod member 12 for restraining a newspaper 17 and which extends inside a housing chamber of the clip body, parallely arranged near the opening side of the clip body which is opposite that of hinging one.
The newspaper holding clip according to the invention is also provided with means for disengageably connecting the rod member 12 to the clip body, for allowing the same rod member 12 to perform a relative movement of rotation or overturning in relation to the two shells 10 and 11, at the time of opening and closing of the shells respectively, as will be explained hereinunder.
More specifically, in the example of the accompanying drawings, the two shells 10 and 11 are moulded in one single part with an intermediate wedge-shaped hinge portion 13, whereto the two shells 10 and 11 are connected by means of respective flexible hinge members 14, 15 which extend from one end of the clip body which is opposite to the attachment of the rod member 12, towards the other end, assuming a typical diverging or V-shaped arrangement.
The purpose of the intermediate hinging portion 13 of the shells 10 and 11 and the V-shaped arrangement of the two hinge members 14 and 15 is to allow a guided movement of the rod member 12 in respect to the two shells 10 and 11 during opening of the clip.
As can be seen in the various drawings, the two shells 10 and 11 have, at one end of the clip, stop abutments 16 suitable for ensuring a correct close position of the same shell members 10 and 11, as well as on the opening side thereof comprises inwardly bent edges 10' and 11' which are slightly cogged or knurled, but totally free of sharp parts, in order to exert a grip or friction on the two sides of the newspaper, sufficient for preventing falling or withdrawal thereof.
The two shells 10 and 11 are also provided with hooking means, which may be easily disengaged, for holding the clip in the closed condition with the shells 10 and 11 tightened on the newspaper 17.
More specifically, as shown in Figure 2 and in the enlarged detail of Figure 5, one of the two shells, for example the shell 10, is provided with a rectangular opening 18 which extends longitudinally for a substantial length at or near one end of the clip which is opposite to the attachment of the rod member 12, while the other shell 11 is provided with a hooking device in the form of an elastically yielding wing 19, which can be laterally bent, for engaging or disengaging the opening 18 at one side thereof.
As shown, the hooking wing 19 has a slightly arched shape and extends for a sufficient length in order to project through the opening 18. It also has a rounded head 20 at its edge providing a hooking tooth 21 intended to engage with a groove 22 provided outside the shell 10 on one side of the opening 18 through which the restraining wing protrudes.
The rounded shape of the head 20 allows for its automatic insertion in the opening 18, and snap hooking with the groove 22, as well as enables easy opening of the two shells when the restraining wing 19 is made to bend laterally by exerting pressure with the hands.
It has been specified that the newspaper holding clip according to the invention is characterized by the presence of an internal rod for restraining the folded edge of the newspaper, which rod is capable of moving in relation to the two shells 10 and 11 at the opening and closing of the clip, assuming a central or raised position like the example shown in Figures 2 and 4.
This is made possible, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, by using the wedge-shaped hinge portion 13 for pivoting of the two shells 10 and 11, in such a way that the two flexible hinges 14 and 15 assume a corresponding V-shaped arrangement with the apex turned towards the end of the clip which is opposite to the attachment of the newspaper restraining rod 12.
This V-shaped arrangement of the two flexible hinges 14 and 15, in addition to permitting the advantage referred to above, also allows perfect alignment and centring of the hooking wing 19 to be maintained, in relation to the hole 18. It is however clear that, within the sphere of the present invention, other solutions are possible as regards the hinging between the two shells 10 and 11, for example by providing a parallel arrangement of the flexible hinges 14 and 15, or the use of a single central hinge, in place of the longitudinal hinging element 13, in this way making provision for fastening the newspaper restraining rod 12 inside one of the two shells in order to rotate at the time of opening.
In the example of Figures 1 to 7, the rod 12 for restraining the newspaper is in the form of an independent and removable member and is shown in detail in Figures 6 and 7.
As can be seen in said figures, the rod member 12 extends from a side of tab 25 laterally arranged and provided with a spaced apart retaining pin 26 for attachment of the rod 12 to the hinge portion 13 of the clip. On the side opposite to the rod 12 and pin 26, the tab 25 is provided with a ring 27 for hanging the clip from a hook attached to a wall.
The retaining pin 26 is in turn provided with flat side surfaces which fit into a housing 28 integral with the intermediate hinging portion 13 between the shells 10 and 11, at one end of the newspaper holding clip.
The insertion of the pin 26 in the housing 28 is facilitated by tapering at the tip; the pin is therefore inserted and firmly held by a restraining tooth 29 inside the housing 28, whereto a transverse groove 30, on a lateral surface of the pin 26, corresponds.
If required, the assembly of the rod member 12 for restraining newspapers, with the ring 27, could be made in one single piece with the pivoting portion 13; however a separate manufacture of the rod 12 is preferable in order to make production easier. It also enables separate parts to be made which can be modified according to specific needs, also using plastic materials with different properties or different colors.
From what has been said and shown in the accompanying drawings it will therefore be clear that a newspaper clip of totally new design has been provided, in any case a design which is different from that of the supports for newspapers previously known. It is nevertheless understood that what has been said and shown in the accompanying drawings has been given purely by way of a non-limiting example of the concepts of the invention.

Claims

Newspaper holding clip suitable for restraining in an ordered manner the folded pages of a newspaper, magazine or the like; the clip comprising a longitudinally extending shaped body provided with a first and a second jaws (10, 11) hingeably connected along a lateral edge (13) thereof in order to be moved between an open condition wherein they allow for insertion and removal of the fold edge of the newspaper (17), and a closed condition wherein they hold said newspaper (17) clamped along the folded edge; disengageable hooking means (18, 19), being also provided for retaining the jaws (10, 11) of the clip body in the closed condition, characterized in that said jaws (10, 11) of the body clip are in the form of hollow shell members defining a housing chamber; in that a rod member (12) is provided inside said chamber around which the folded edge of the newspaper (17) is arranged at one end, said rod member (12) longitudinally extending in said chamber between the two opposing shells (10, 11); and in that hinge means (13) are provided at one side of the clip body for rotatingly supporting said rod (12), in relation to said shells (10, 11).
Newspaper holding clip according to claim 1, characterized in that the two shells (10, 11) are connected by a respective flexible hinge to a central hinge portion (13) to which the rod member (12) for restraining the newspaper (17) is attached.
Newspaper holding clip according to claim 2, characterized in that said hinge portion (13) is wedge shaped and in that the hinging axes of the two shell members (10, 11) are disposed with a V arrangement having the apex of the in at the end of the clip body which is opposite to the attachment of the newspaper restraining rod (12).
Newspaper holding clip according to claim 1, characterized in that the two shell members (10, 11) have stop abutments (16) at one end of the clip.
Newspaper holding clip according to claim 1, characterized in that said hooking means comprises an elastically yielding wing (19) protruding inside one of said shell members (10, 11) to engage a facing hole (18) on the other shell member (10), said flexible wing (19) and said hole (18) longitudinally extending in respect to the body of the clip.
Newspaper holding clip according to the previous claim, characterized in that said hooking wing (19) is provided with a side tooth (21) to engage a corresponding groove (22) outside of and parallely arranged to the opening (18) for the hooking wing (19).
Newspaper holding clip according to claim 6, characterized in that said hooking wing (19) is provided with hooking head having rounded side surfaces.
Newspaper holding clip according to one or more previous claims, characterized in that the rod member (12) for restraining the newspaper is provided in the form as a separate restraining member which is separable from the two shells (10, 11) of the clip.
Newspaper holding clip according to claim 8, characterized in that the hinge portion (13) and the restraining rod member (12) are provided with disengageable hooking means (26, 29; 28, 30).
Newspaper holding clip according to claim 9, characterized in that said hooking means for the attachment of the rod member (12) comprise a retaining pin (26) longitudinally extending on one side of the rod member (12), and a seating (28) at one end of said intermediate hinge portion (13).
Newspaper holding clip according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the shell members (10, 11), on the opening side of the clip, are provided with facing edges (10', 11') for frictionally retaining the newspaper (17) in a longitudinal direction of the clip.
Newspaper holding clip according to claim 11, characterized in that said edges (10', 11') of the two shells (10, 11) have an indented surface.
Newspaper holding clip according to the previous claim 5, characterized in that said hooking means (18, 19) for retaining the two shells in a closed position are provided near the end of the clip which is opposite to the attachment of the newspaper restraining rod (12).