EP2767193A1

EP2767193A1 - Locking device

Info

Publication number: EP2767193A1
Application number: EP13155641.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Henrik Johansson
Original assignee: WFI AB
Current assignee: WFI AB
Priority date: 2013-02-18
Filing date: 2013-02-18
Publication date: 2014-08-20

Abstract

A locking device (1) for a holding device (2) to be arranged on a perforated board (3), the holding device (2) comprising a rectangular base part (4) having two of its sides folded such that the base part (4) is U-shaped with two legs (5) parallel to one another, each of the legs (5) of the base part (4) further comprising two hooks (6) in line with each other and in line with said legs (5), respectively, the hooks (6) having a distance between each other corresponding to the distance between the openings (7) in the perforated board (3), has a first part (8) with a thickness less than the length of legs (5) of the holding device (1), said first part (8) having a shape such that it fits between the legs (5) of the holding device (1). Said first part (8) of the locking device (1) comprises a spring loaded element (9) arranged in said first part (8) such that when pressed together it is contained inside the thickness of said first part (8), whereby the spring loaded element (9) when in use is directed towards the inside of the U-shaped base part (4).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a locking device for a holding device to be arranged on a perforated board. The holding device comprises a rectangular base part having two of its sides folded such that the base part is U-shaped with two legs parallel to one another, each of the legs of the base part further comprising two hooks in line with each other and in line with said legs, respectively. The hooks have a distance between each other corresponding to the distance between the openings in the perforated board. The locking device have a first part with a thickness less than the length of legs of the holding device, said first part having a shape such that it fits between the legs of the holding device

BACKGROUND ART

Perforated boards are pre-drilled with evenly spaced holes. The holes are used to accept pegs or hooks to support various items, such as tools in a workshop. It is commonly used in retail settings along with steel rods sticking out to hold peggable products such as bagged potato chips, printer ink, and toys.
Perforated boards and similar systems are made of a variety of materials, each of which has different characteristics that affect the range of possible uses.
Standard perforated hardboard is made of wood fibers, usually with the addition of resin, and tempered by coating with a thin layer of linseed oil and baking at a high temperature to polymerize the oil. This provides more water and impact resistance, hardness, rigidity and tensile strength. Hardboard will bend and warp with age and in the presence of moisture, and will sag under heavy weight (the exact weight is based on the dimensions and quality of the hardboard) unless secured to even weight distribution among several mounting points. Perforated wood is more labor intensive to manufacture and will warp and splinter under heavy loads, but is sometimes selected for aesthetic reasons. An inexpensive wood such as pine is often used, and it may be chemically treated for strength and fire retardant characteristics or turned into plywood first. Perforated wood may be mounted as a thin strip instead of the more square shape of perforated hardboard.
These storage systems are usually mounted in utility areas of a household such as a garage, storage shed or workshop. They may also be used in professional environments such as factories, but are rarely seen in more white collar areas of a workplace.
Metal board systems are usually made out of steel. Metal boards are usually mounted in strips, as it would be comparatively costly, cumbersome and inefficient to sell in larger sheets. Sufficiently thick metal boards will not sag between mounting points. Instead, the system's mounting on surfaces such as wood beams or sheetrock will usually fail under a heavy weight before the metal board does. Manufacturers advise customers to hang tools and other gear based on the estimated strength of the mounting points. High quality metal pegboard systems use extruded holes, while other systems have the holes drilled after casting.
Perforated boards and similar systems are designed to support peg hooks. These are usually mounted by hand and support themselves with gravity alone, though some systems use screws instead. These screws can be supported by additional straps to prevent the metal from bending under a significant load. The hooks in turn act as storage for a variety of objects such as tools and keys. Heavy duty metal systems can support the heaviest objects, such as push lawnmowers and vertically stored bicycles.
A more stabile hanger solution is made by a holding device comprising a rectangular base part having two of its sides folded such that the base part is U-shaped with two legs parallel to one another. Each of the legs of the base part further comprises two hooks in line with each other and in line with said legs, respectively. The hooks have a distance between each other corresponding to the distance between the openings in the perforated board. The hooks are thus inserted into four holes of the perforated board. In its simplest form the hanger device stays in its position because of gravity. There are solutions to hold it more secure in position such as where a screw is screwed in a hole in the base part until it is in contact with the perforated board to press the hanger device "away" from the board and thus fixing the hanger device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a locking device for a hanger or holding device facilitating and improving the locking.
This object is achieved by the locking device as set forth in the appended claims.
According to the present invention a locking device for a holding device to be arranged on a perforated board, the holding device comprising a rectangular base part having two of its sides folded such that the base part is U-shaped with two legs parallel to one another, each of the legs of the base part further comprising two hooks in line with each other and in line with said legs, respectively, the hooks having a distance between each other corresponding to the distance between the openings in the perforated board, has a first part with a thickness less than the length of the legs of the holding device, said first part having a shape such that it fits between the legs of the holding device. Said first part of the locking device further comprises a spring loaded element arranged in said first part such that when pressed together it is contained inside the thickness of said first part, whereby the spring loaded element when in use is directed towards the inside of the U-shaped base part. With this solution the holding device is pressed away from the perforated board such that the hooks of the holding device are pressed against the backside of the perforated board. In other words the friction is increased such that the holding device has an improved locking against the perforated board compared to only having a holding device with hooks. Also, with the locking device of the present invention the mounting is facilitated compared to for instance the solution with a screw that needs to be screwed through the holding device until it touches the perforated board and thus presses the holding device away from the perforated board and the hooks against the backside of the perforated board.
According to one aspect of the present invention a second part of the locking device comprises at least one protrusion extending in the same direction, when in use, as the hooks of the holding device base part and in the locking position protrudes into the same opening of the perforated board as one of the hooks of the holding device. This protrusion enables the locking device to be arranged in a defined position such that it stays in that position unless the spring loaded element is compressed. A further development of this is to have the second part of the locking device comprising two protrusions arranged at a distance from each other corresponding to the distance between two holes horizontally in the perforated board. The locking device will thus be more balanced but function in the same way as with only one protrusion.
According to another aspect of the present invention the spring loaded element is injection molded in one piece with the locking device. With "everything" of the locking device already assembled the production cost will be minimized.
For balance and for the stability of the holding device said first part of the locking device comprises four spring loaded elements according to another aspect of the present invention.
According to a further aspect of the present invention said second part of the locking device comprises a recess at one edge on the side of the second part facing the perforated board when in use. The idea with this recess is to facilitate the release of the locking device such that the holding device can be removed when desired. A part of a fingertip or nail can be used to push in the recess in the direction of the holding device such that the protrusion is moved out of the perforated board which means that the hooks of the holding device can be moved.
According to yet a further aspect of the present invention the locking device comprises a recess at the lower side when in use and on the side facing the perforated board. The recess has an opening to the edge, the opening being narrower than the remainder of the recess such that a part with a corresponding shape, i.e. a male part, will be held in this recess. The recess could thus be used for attaching parts with for instance information about what is displayed on the holding device.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention the locking device comprises a lip on the lower side and facing away from the perforated board when in use. With this lip the locking device cannot be removed while the hooks of the holding device are inserted in the holes of the perforated board. Thus, in order to remove the locking device the holding device must first be removed from the perforated board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a holding device and perforated board with a locking device according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is an enlargement of the holding device and the locking device of figure 1.
Figure 3 is a back perspective view of the holding device and a locking device of figure 1 with an info element.
Figure 4 is a front perspective view of the holding device, locking device and the info element of figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a perforated board 3 for holding devices 2. In figure 1 only one holding device 2 is shown and in this case equipped with a hook 15. The figure also shows an embodiment of the locking device 1 according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is an enlargement of the central parts of the invention and of figure 1. The locking device 1 for the holding device 2 to be arranged on the perforated board 3 has a first part 8 with a thickness less than the length of the legs 5 of the holding device 1. Said first part 8 has a shape such that it fits between the legs 5 of the holding device 1. The holding device 2 comprising a rectangular base part 4 having two of its sides folded such that the base part 4 is U-shaped with the two legs 5 parallel to one another. Each of the legs 5 of the base part 4 further comprises two hooks 6 in line with each other and in line with said legs 5, respectively. The hooks 6 have a distance between each other corresponding to the distance between the openings 7 in the perforated board 3. Said first part 8 of the locking device 1 comprises four spring loaded elements 9 in the shown embodiment arranged in said first part 8 such that when pressed together it is contained inside the thickness of said first part 8. As further can be seen the spring loaded elements 9 are directed towards the inside of the U-shaped base part 4.
As is also shown in figure 2 the locking device 1 has a second part 10 that comprises two protrusions 11 extending in the same direction, when in use, as the hooks 6 of the holding device base part 4 and in the locking position protrudes into the same opening 7 of the perforated board 3 the upper two hooks 6 of the holding device 2. The two protrusions 11 are arranged at a distance from each other corresponding to the distance between two holes 7 horizontally in the perforated board 3.
The locking device 1 with the spring loaded elements 9 is preferably injection molded in one piece and in some plastic material.
As can be seen in figure 3 said second part 10 of the locking device 1 comprises a recess 12 at the upper edge on the side of the second part 10 facing the perforated board 3. The recess 12 facilitates the removal of the holding device since it allows for easier lifting or pressing of the locking device 1 against the holding device 2.
Figure 3 shows a further recess 13 at the lower side of the locking device 1 and also on the side facing the perforated board. This recess 13 is used in the shown embodiment to arrange a further element 16 which could be used to show various information about whatever the holding device is holding, for instance price, name, product number etc.
In figure 4 said second part 10 of the locking device 1 is also used as means for information.
Also shown in the figures on the locking device is a lip 14 on the lower side and facing away from the perforated board 3 when in use. The lip 14 prevents the locking device 1 and the holding device 2 from being separated when arranged on a perforated board.
When arranging a holding device 2 on a perforated board 3 with a locking device 1 according to the embodiment shown in the figures of the present invention, the locking device 1 is placed together with the holding device 2 such that the lip 14 is underneath the base part 4 of the holding device 2. In this state the locking device 1 and the holding device 2 are placed on a desired place of a perforated board 3, i.e. the hooks 6 are pushed through the holes 7 of the perforated board 3. In the following step the holding device 2 is pulled down until the protrusions 11 of the locking device 1 snaps into the holes 7 of the perforated board 3. The protrusions 11 will automatically snap into the holes 7 of the perforated board 3 when the holding device 2 is pulled down sufficiently far due to the spring loaded elements 9. When the protrusions are arranged in the holes 7 of the perforated board 3 the holding device is locked in its position. In order to remove the holding device 2 the protrusions 11 of the locking device 1 must thus first be retracted from the holes 7 of the perforated board 3. This is done by moving the locking device 1 away from the perforated board 3. The recess 12 shown in figure 3 facilitates this step, i.e. the recess 12 makes it easier to "lift" the locking device 1 without a specific tool.
The foregoing is a disclosure of an example practicing the present invention. However, it is apparent that method incorporating modifications and variations will be obvious to one skilled in the art. Inasmuch as the foregoing disclosure is intended to enable one skilled in the art to practice the instant invention, it should not be construed to be limited thereby, but should be construed to include such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the claims. For instance, in the figures the holding device 2 is shown with a pin shaped hook 15 but it could be any kind of hook or not a hook at all.

Claims

A locking device (1) for a holding device (2) to be arranged on a perforated board (3), the holding device (2) comprising a rectangular base part (4) having two of its sides folded such that the base part (4) is U-shaped with two legs (5) parallel to one another, each of the legs (5) of the base part (4) further comprising two hooks (6) in line with each other and in line with said legs (5), respectively, the hooks (6) having a distance between each other corresponding to the distance between the openings (7) in the perforated board (3), the locking device (1) having a first part (8) with a thickness less than the length of legs (5) of the holding device (1), said first part (8) having a shape such that it fits between the legs (5) of the holding device (1),
characterlsed in
that said first part (8) of the locking device (1) comprises a spring loaded element (9) arranged in said first part (8) such that when pressed together it is contained inside the thickness of said first part (8), whereby the spring loaded element (9) when in use is directed towards the inside of the U-shaped base part (4).
A locking device (1) according to claim 1, wherein a second part (10) of the locking device (1) comprises at least one protrusion (11) extending in the same direction, when in use, as the hooks (6) of the holding device base part (4) and in the locking position protrudes into the same opening (7) of the perforated board (3) as one of the hooks (6) of the holding device (2).
A locking device (1) according to claim 2, wherein the second part (10) of the locking device (1) comprises two protrusions (11) arranged at a distance from each other corresponding to the distance between two holes (7) horizontally in the perforated board (3).
A locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the spring loaded element (9) is injection moulded in one piece with the locking device (1).
A locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said first part (8) of the locking device comprises four spring loaded elements (9).
A locking device (1) according to any of the claims 2-5, wherein said second part (10) of the locking device (1) comprises a recess (12) at one edge on the side of the second part (10) facing the perforated board (3) when in use.
A locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the locking device (1) comprises a recess (13) at the lower side when in use and on the side facing the perforated board (3).
A locking device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the locking device (1) comprises a lip (14) on the lower side and facing away from the perforated board (3) when in use.