FR3037083A1 - CLAMP, PLIERS MOUTH, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A CLAMP, ESPECIALLY A CLOTHES CLIP. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a clothespin blank and to a clothespin (10), in one piece, comprising a first clamping limb (20) and a second clamping limb (20), interconnected by a spacer flexible (40), the first clamp leg having an end forming a first jaw member (22), and the second clamp leg having an end forming a second jaw member (32), the second jaw member facing the first jaw element. According to the invention the first limb has (20) further a first articulation element (26), and the second limb (30) has a second articulation element (36) separated from the first articulating element, the second hinge member being disposed opposite the first hinge member and configured to receive by elastic deformation and formally retain the first hinge member.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a forceps, and in particular to a clothespin. It also relates to a blank for the manufacture of a clamp, and in particular a clothespin. The term "clothespin blank" means a clothespin not yet assembled or an intermediate product used in the manufacture of a clothespin and comprising essential elements of a clothespin. The invention has applications in the fields of manufacture, packaging and distribution of clamps and in particular clothes pegs. State of the art Known clothespins generally have parallel or substantially parallel branches, each provided with a jaw member, and a spring urging the jaw members against each other, or at the very least, tending to bring the jaw elements closer together. The branches are generally articulated relative to each other, and may have lever ends to facilitate the opening of the jaw. The traditional wooden clothes pegs are also provided with a small metal spring which holds the branches. The spring has a triple function. It serves to maintain the cohesion of the clamp, it serves as a return member to bring the jaws and it serves as a hinge or pivot. Such a clothes peg, effective and durable, however, has a high manufacturing cost. The high manufacturing cost is essentially related to the assembly of the branches of the clamp and the spring. As an illustration of the assembly of these clamps, reference may be made to document FR 2676 949. It should be added that tongs with wooden branches can stain the linen during the first uses of the machine. clamp.

To overcome these difficulties, a wide variety of plastic clothespins has emerged. The production of plastic clothespins offers certain advantages because of the reduced size of the material used and the possibility of making the branches by molding. However the mutual assembly of branches, and their connection to a spring are expensive operations in comparison with the overall price of manufacture of clothes pegs. To further reduce the cost of manufacture of clothespins, it has been envisaged to manufacture the branches of the clamp, their mutual articulation and the return spring in one piece by molding. Such clothes pegs are known, for example, from documents EP 1 475 473 and WO2014 / 119983. The production of clothes pegs in one piece is particularly economical but has a number of disadvantages. For example, the joint, made in one piece by molding with the branches, is an elastic joint devoid of pivot. It makes use of the flexibility or resilience of the material used for making the tongs. The elasticity of the junction between the branches, that is to say the elasticity of the joint is indeed used to load the clamp, that is to say, to form its spring. Thus, the stiffness of the clamp, and its effectiveness, are obtained at the expense of the quality of the joint, and vice versa. This usually results in a poor perception of the quality of the clamp for the user. In addition, the hinge urged to load the branches of the clamp, undergoes mechanical fatigue tending to reduce the life of the clamps.

Finally, the forceps manufactured in one piece by molding, generally do not allow to use the branches, or their ends as levers to facilitate the opening of the jaw.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to provide a clamp, and in particular a clothespin not having the disadvantages mentioned above.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gripper which can be manufactured in one piece and whose manufacturing cost is particularly reduced. The invention also aims to provide a clamp and its manufacturing process, for which the power of a return spring does not cause extra manufacturing cost. Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a gripper, and a gripper blank for making a gripper for reconciling the advantages of a pivotable quality joint and a method of manufacturing a single room. To achieve these aims, the invention more precisely relates to a plier blank, in one piece, comprising a first gripper leg and a second clamp leg, interconnected by a flexible spacer, the first branch of clamp having one end forming a first jaw member, and the second clamp leg having an end forming a second jaw member, the second jaw member facing the first jaw member. According to the invention, the first clamping limb furthermore has a first articulation element, and the second clamping limb has a second articulation element, separated from the first articulation element, the second articulation element. being disposed facing the first articulation element and configured to receive, by elastic deformation, and retain, by complementary shape, the first hinge element. The gripper blank is in one piece, that is to say without insert. It is thus particularly suitable for a molding process and in particular plastic injection molding.

Various plastics or injectables can be retained. The gripper blank of the invention is preferably made of polypropylene. The flexible spacer is the only part of the clamp that connects the first clamp leg and the second clamp leg at the time of manufacture of its blank. This spacer is not constrained at the time of manufacture, but becomes at the time of assembly of the hinge elements, described below. The flexible spacer then forms the return spring of the clamp, tending to press the first and second jaw members together. The length of the flexible spacer, its arrangement relative to the hinge elements, its thickness, and the material used for the manufacture of the gripper are all parameters for adjusting the return force of the spring.

According to a particular embodiment of the gripper blank, the first and second limbs may have free ends, for the actuation of the gripper, opposed respectively to the first and second jaw members, relative to the first and second hinge element. In such a configuration, after assembling the hinge members, the first and second tongs leg allow levering to release the jaw members. Indeed, 3037083 5 when a user presses the free ends of the clamp legs so as to bring them together, the jaw members deviate by pivoting on the joint. This operation is comparable to that of traditional wooden clothes pegs.

The flexible spacer may be integral with the first and second clamp legs on a side opposite to the jaw members, respectively with respect to the first and second hinge members. In this case, after assembly of the hinge members, the spacer exerts on the first and second tongs a force tending to separate them from each other. As the branches pivot on the hinge, the spacing force exerted by the spacer has the effect of bringing the jaw elements closer, or pressing against each other. The spacer may be integral with the branches at any distance from the hinge members. However, when it is connected to the vicinity of the free ends of the branches, the effectiveness of its spring function is improved due to a greater lever arm. In particular, in order to increase its flexibility as well as its durability, the spacer may have a general U or V shape with ends connected respectively to the free ends of the first and second limbs. According to an important feature of the invention, the hinge elements of the gripper blank face each other but are not in contact at the time of manufacture of the blank. They are separated from each other. This feature allows to form the hinge elements at the same time as the branches while avoiding that the hinge elements are welded. This is particularly important for a molding process.

3037083 6 It is considered that a possible molding injection chimney temporarily connecting the hinge elements during manufacture, does not prejudice their separation as considered in the context of the invention. Such a chimney, still referred to as "carrot", is however not desirable. As long as the hinge elements are not assembled, the gripper blank can not be used as a gripper and the flexible spacer is not energized. Transformation of the gripper blank into a gripper, which completes the manufacture of the gripper, includes assembling the first and second hinge members. This operation consists in bringing the articulation elements together and exerting on them a pressure forcing one of the articulation elements to engage in the second. The mutual commitment of the articulation elements is a threshold commitment. Indeed, the force exerted on the hinge elements must exceed a threshold for causing sufficient elastic deformation of one of the hinge elements for the second hinge member to engage. After engagement, the elastic deformation loosens and the hinge members are retained integral by shape complementarity. This results in a tensioning of the spacer which then forms the spring of the clamp in the manner already mentioned. Complementarity of form does not prevent a freedom of mutual pivoting between the mutually engaged articulation elements. Complementarity of form is instead designed to promote mutual pivoting of the branches of tongs tending to move the jaw members closer or apart. According to a particular embodiment of the gripper blank, the first articulation element comprises a ball joint and the second articulation element is a ball anchor base.

3037083 7 The ball joint forms a pivot for the gripper after it has been engaged in the base. The anchoring base, of complementary shape to the ball joint, makes it possible to retain the ball after engagement. The patella may have a general shape of a ball, for example.

However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ball may be a cylindrical ball. In this case, the anchoring base is a grooved base, concentric with the cylindrical ball. The cylindrical ball joint and the corresponding base have, after assembly, a pivot axis substantially perpendicular to the gripper legs. This has the advantage, compared to a spherical ball joint, to prevent pivoting of the branches parallel to their length. The pincer branches may have one or more openwork.

The perforations may be provided, where appropriate with a spacer in a plane perpendicular to a pivot axis of the branches, to increase the mechanical strength of the clamp legs bending forces perpendicular to the pivot axis.

The branch ends forming the first and second jaw members may be embossed to increase their gripping ability. In particular, one of the first and second jaw member may have a projecting relief, and the other of the first and second jaw member may have a re-entrant relief corresponding to the projecting relief. The ends of the branches opposite to the first and second jaw members may also be provided with a relief, on their outer face, so as to facilitate gripping and actuation by a user.

The invention also relates to a gripper, and in particular to a clothes peg provided with a gripper blank as described. The clamp 3037083 8 further comprises an articulation connecting the first branch to the second branch. The hinge is formed, as described above, of the first hinge member and the second hinge member, mutually engaged.

Finally, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a clamp, comprising a step of molding a blank as described and a step of forming a joint of the clamp, the step of forming the joint comprising exerting pressure on the first and second limbs, opposite the hinge members, with sufficient force to engage the first hinge member in the second hinge member. Thus thanks to the invention it is possible to have a traditional type of clamp, pivot, while preserving the possibility of making the clamp in one piece by molding. The manufacturing cost of the clamp can be particularly reduced and limited to the cost of forming by molding the gripper blank. Indeed, the clamp can be marketed in its form of blank, leaving the user of the clamp to assemble the two hinge elements, before the first use. The manufacture of the pliers by molding also allows the exclusive use of plastics which are not susceptible to rusting. The clips and in particular the clothes pegs according to the invention can thus be used in a washing machine, for example to maintain socks in pairs.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the figures of the drawings.

This description, which relates more specifically to clothes pegs, is given for illustrative and not restrictive. Brief description of the figures. Figure 1 is a plan view of a clothespin blank according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a clothespin according to the invention and corresponding to FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view of a clothespin according to the invention, and obtained from FIG. a clothespin blank corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 shows the clothespin of FIG. 3 in an open jaw position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a clothes peg, corresponding to Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a perspective of a clothes peg, corresponding to Fig. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In the following description, like or similar parts of the different figures are marked with the same reference numerals, so that they can easily be referenced from one figure to another. 'other.

The description relates to blanks of clothes pegs and clothes pegs. Pliers comparable to and in accordance with the invention can be used, however, for uses other than the drying of laundry.

The clothespin blank 10 of FIG. 1 comprises a first clamp leg 20 and a second clamp leg 30. The first clamp leg 20 comprises at one of its ends a first jaw member 22 for pinching Laundry. The jaw member is provided with a protruding relief 24, in this case a rib. The first clamp leg also includes a female hinge member 26 in the form of a substantially circular groove. The second clamp leg 30 includes an end with a second jaw member 32. The second jaw member 32 faces the first jaw member 22 and has a complementary shape facing each other. The second jaw member 32 has in particular a recess 34. This is a groove corresponding to the rib of the first jaw member. The second clamp leg is provided with a second hinge member 36, male, in the form of a small cylindrical pivot. The cylindrical pivot 20, attached to the second clamp leg 30 has a circular diameter corresponding to the groove of the first hinge member 26. As shown in Figure 1, it can be noted that the first and the second hinge member are separated during the manufacture of the blank.

The first clamp leg 20 and the second clamp leg 30 have ends 28, 38, respectively opposite to the jaw members 22, 32, relative to the hinge members 26, 36. These ends 28, 38, "free" are respectively connected to the ends 30 of a U-shaped spacer 40, a central portion 44 is facing the hinge elements.

The spacer 40 is formed integrally with the clamp legs 20 and 30 by injection molding a plastic material into a mold. The spacer is the only element connecting the clamp legs at the time of manufacture. FIG. 2, which shows the clothespin blank in perspective, also shows that the spacer 40 is in the form of a ribbon whose ends 42, 43 integral with the clamp branches 20, 30 are of reduced width. relative to the central portion 44 and relative to the branches. It may be observed that a portion of the branches 20, 30 is also like rigid ribbons surrounding cut-outs 29, 39. The cut-outs 29, 39 may be traversing or provided with a median spacer web in a plane perpendicular to an axis of the cylindrical pivot of the second articulation element 36. This is a plane parallel to the plane of FIG. 1. FIGS. 3 and 5 show a clothespin 10 according to the invention obtained from Fig. 1 and 2. The clothespin 20 is obtained by pressing the tongs 20, 30 against each other. The pressure, indicated by small arrows F in FIG. 3, is preferably exerted on a central part of the branches carrying the articulation elements 26, 36.

Under the effect of the pressure, the lips 27 of the groove of the first hinge member 26 move slightly apart, and allow the cylindrical pivot of the second hinge member 36 to be housed at the bottom of the groove. As soon as the pivot is in place, the lips retract and hold the pivot by complementary shape in a coaxial position with respect to the groove.

The hinge members 26 and 36 then form a hinge along an axis 50 indicated in Figure 5, which shows the clothespin in perspective.

It will be appreciated that the clothespin may be marketed in the form of a clothespin blank as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A ready-to-use clothespin as shown in FIGS. and can be obtained by the user by pressing the tweezers 20 and 30 as described above.

The conformation of the clamp legs 20, 30, jaw members 22, 32 and hinge members 26, 36 is preferably such that the jaw members 22, 32 abut one another. when the hinge elements are mutually engaged. In FIG. 3 it can also be observed that the protruding relief rib 24 of the first jaw member 22 abuts in the groove of the re-entrant relief 34 of the second jaw member 32. FIG. 3 corresponds to the rest position of the clothespin 10.

The mutual engagement of the hinge members 26, 36 has the effect of bringing the branches closer to the position they occupied in the gripper blank. The spacer 40 is constrained and its ends 42, 43 exert on the corresponding ends 28, 38 of the clamping limbs 20, 30 a reaction force tending to spread them. The spacer thus forms a spring. The force exerted by the spacer 40 results from the flexibility and resilience of the material used for the manufacture of the clamp, but it also depends on the dimensions of the spacer, in particular its length, thickness and width.

Due to the articulation around the hinge members 26, 36, the clamp legs 20, 30, constrained by the flexible spacer 40, form a lever which presses the first and second jaw members. against each other, or on either side of a possible object introduced between the jaw elements (not shown in the figures).

Figure 4 shows the clothespin of Figure 3 on which a force D is exerted to open the jaw. The force D can be exerted by the fingers of a user, resting on the tongs 20, 30 at their respective free ends 28, 38. The force D has the effect of bending the spacer 40, and of increase the intensity of its reaction force. The force D also has the effect of bringing the free ends 28, 38 of the branches 20, 30 which pivot about the hinge members 26, 36 in mutual engagement. By levering around the axis 50 of the hinge, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the force D exerted on the clamp leg has the effect of moving the first and second jaw members 22, 32 apart.

The constrained position of the clamp shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 allows an object to be introduced between the jaws 22, 32. In particular, when the clamp is used to hold laundry on a wire, the jaw members can come into contact with each other. support on the sides of a cloth on both sides of the wire. 25

Claims (11)

CLAIMS1) Clamp blank (10), in one piece, comprising a first clamp leg (20) and a second clamp leg (30), interconnected by a flexible spacer (40), the first clamp leg having one end forming a first jaw member (22), and the second clamp leg having an end forming a second jaw member (32), the second jaw member facing the first jaw member, characterized in that the first plier leg (20) further has a first hinge member (26), and that the second plier leg (30) has a second hinge member (36), separate from the first hinge member, second hinge member (36) being disposed opposite the first hinge member (26) and configured to receive by elastic deformation and formally retain the first hinge member ion. 2) gripper blank according to claim 1 wherein the flexible spacer (40) is integral with the first and second clamping limbs (20, 30) on a side opposite to the jaw elements, respectively relative to the first and second hinge members (26, 36). 3) Clothespin drapery according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and the second clamp leg (20, 30) have free ends (28, 38), respectively opposed to the first and second jaw member (22, 32) relative to the first and second hinge members (26, 36). 3037083 15 4) Gripper blank according to claim 3, wherein the spacer (40) has a general U-shape or V-shape with ends (42, 43) connected respectively to the free ends (28, 38) of the first and of the second branch. 5) Gripper blank according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first hinge member (26) comprises a ball anchor base and wherein the second hinge member (36) comprises a ball joint. 6) drapery drapery according to claim 4, wherein the ball is a cylindrical ball joint and wherein the anchor base is a grooved base. 15 7) Gripper blank according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamp legs respectively have an opening (29, 39). 20 8) Gripper blank according to one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the first and second jaw member has a projecting relief (22), and wherein the other of the first and second jaw member has a re-entrant relief (24) corresponding to the salient relief. 25 9) Gripper blank according to any one of the preceding claims, formed of polypropylene. 10) A clip comprising a clip blank according to any one of the preceding claims and including a hinge connecting the first leg to the second leg, the hinge being formed of the first hinge member (26) and the second hinge member (26). hinge element (36), mutually engaged. 11) A method of manufacturing a gripper, comprising a step of molding a gripper blank according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and a step of forming an articulation of the gripper, the step of forming the joint comprising exerting pressure on the first and second clamp legs (20, 30) away from the hinge members (26, 36) with sufficient force to engage the first hinge member in the second hinge member.