GB2284190A

GB2284190A - A pack of fixing plugs

Info

Publication number: GB2284190A
Application number: GB9323416A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Charles Dudney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-11-12
Filing date: 1993-11-12
Publication date: 1995-05-31
Anticipated expiration: 2013-11-12
Also published as: GB9323416D0; GB2284190B

Abstract

A pack (2) of fixing plugs (4) for receiving screw threaded fasteners such as screws comprises a plurality of separate strips (6) of the fixing plugs (4) and at least one clip member (8) for holding the strips (6) together. The strips (6) are each such as to comprise a spine portion (10) having transversely extending fixing plugs (4) which extend from opposite sides of the spine portion (10) and in the same plane as the spine portion (10). The clip member (8) may be a headed peg and may be moulded integrally with the spine portion (10) to be broken off before insertion through apertures (16) in the spine portions. Member (8) may also engage an aperture in a header card having a further aperture (52) for hanging the pack. <IMAGE>

Description

A PACK OF FIXING PLUGS This invention relates to a pack of fixing plugs and, more especially, this invention relates to a pack of fixing plugs for receiving screw threaded fasteners such for example as screws.

Packs of fixing plugs for receiving screw threaded fasteners such for example as screws are well known. The fixing plugs are made of a plastics material and they were originally moulded in sections with each section comprising a spine portion with five fixing plugs upstanding on either side of the spine portion so that the fixing plugs extended in planes at right angles to the plane of the spine portion. The fixing plugs as thus produced were difficult to pack and two sections of the plugs needed to be pushed into each other in order to enable them to be packed in boxes. Even with such an arrangement, the fixing plugs occupied too much space.

A further problem with these known fixing plugs was that they were difficult to mould and the moulding difficulties tended to place undesirable constraints on producing different designs which could be employed for the fixing plugs.

The above mentioned difficulties with the known fixing plugs as originally manufactured and sold led to an improved design in which the fixing plugs are moulded on either side of a longitudinally extending spine portion but with the fixing plugs extending in the same plane as the spine portion. The fixing plugs are thus formed as strips. These known strips of fixing plugs are moulded such that five strips are produced at one time and the individual strips are hinged together.

The hinged five strips are then folded and placed in a box. The folded strips are relatively easy to pack in the box and they occupy far less space than the above mentioned first known type of packs of fixing plugs.

However, the packs of hinged fixing plugs are expensive to mould in that the moulding machine has to be complex and expensive in order to provide the hinges. A further disadvantage of the hinges is that the five produced strips are connected together and a hinge has to be cut or broken if it is desired to sell a single strip instead of five strips at a time.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a pack of fixing plugs for receiving screw threaded fasteners, which pack of fixing plugs comprises a plurality of separate strips of fixing plugs and at least one clip member for holding the strips of fixing plugs together, and the strips of the fixing plugs each being such as to comprise a spine portion having transversely extending fixing plugs which extend from opposite sides of the spine portion and in the same plane as the spine portion.

The pack of fixing plugs of the present invention is advantageous over the first known type of packs of fixing plugs as mentioned above in that the fixing plugs in the present invention extend from opposite sides of the spine portion and in the same plane as the spine portion. This enables the fixing plugs to be packed together in a way which is considerably more economical in the saving of space than is possible with the above mentioned first known type of fixing plugs where the fixing plugs extend in a plane at right angles to the plane of the spine portion.

The pack of fixing plugs of the present invention is also advantageous over the above mentioned second type of known packs of fixing plugs because the strips of the fixing plugs used in the present invention are not hinged together. The strips of the fixing plugs are separately produced from each other and they are held together by the clip member. Each separate strip of the fixing plugs can thus easily be removed from the clip member and sold separately if desired, and without the need to break any hinges. Still further and very advantageously, the separate strips of the fixing plugs can be produced much more cheaply and with far less expensive moulding equipment than is required in order to produce the above mentioned second type of known packs of fixing plugs with the hinges.

Preferably, the pack of fixing plugs of the present invention is one in which the clip member engages the spine portion.

Preferably, the clip member is a peg which extends at 90 degrees to the plane of the spine portion and which extends through an aperture in the spine portion. The pack of the fixing plugs may be one in which the peg is a straight sided peg, and in which the aperture is a straight sided aperture. The peg will then not rotate in the aperture and the peg will be a positive and effective fit in the spine portion.

The peg may have a head portion at one end for stopping the peg being pushed completely through the aperture in the spine portion.

The peg may have a grip-increasing outer surface for helping the peg to grip the spine portion of each strip of the fixing plugs. The grip-increasing outer surface may be formed by serrations or other suitable and appropriate means.

The pack of fixing plugs may be one in which the clip member is moulded as an integral part of the strip of fixing plugs, and in which the clip member is moulded to be a break-off clip member which is able to be broken off the strip of fixing plugs and then used to hold the strip of fixing plugs together.

Preferably, the clip member is moulded as an integral part of the spine portion. In this case, the clip member is preferably moulded to extend from one end of the spine portion and in the same plane as the spine portion.

The pack of fixing plugs may include a header card. The header card is advantageously secured in position by the clip member such that the pack of fixing plugs can be hung from the header card for sale and display purposes. When the clip member is a peg which extends at 90 degrees to the plane of the header card, then the peg may extend through an aperture in the header card. The aperture in the header card will usually be of the same shape as the aperture in the spine portion.

Preferably, the pack of fixing plugs is one in which there are two of the clip members.

The spine portion may have an aperture at one end by which a single strip of the fixing plugs can be hung. If desired, the spine portion may have an aperture at both ends by which a single strip of fixing plugs can be hung.

Each one of the strips of fixing plugs may have ten of the fixing plugs extending from each side of the spine portion. The pack of the fixing plugs may comprise five of the strips of the fixing plugs in each pack.

Generally, the pack of the fixing plugs provides a flexible selling system. Shops or other establishments can sell single strips of the fixing plugs simply by removing a strip of the fixing plugs from the clip member. Thus, for example, shops can sell a single strip of twenty plugs and this can be done by hanging the single strip of fixing plugs from a hook using the aperture in one end of the spine portion. The pack of the fixing plugs can be sold with any desired number of fixing plugs in the pack. Thus, for example, five strips of the fixing plugs can be secured together by a clip member and packaged in a box so that a purchaser can then buy a box of a hundred of the fixing plugs. Ten packs of 100 fixing plugs could be put in a box and then sold to a wholesaler who would thus be buying one thousand fixing plugs in ten packs of one hundred fixing plugs each. Still further, if desired, ten boxes of one thousand fixing plugs could be packed together in a larger box for sale to larger merchants. Generally, various multiples of fixing plugs can be sold although the multiples will usually be in multiples of ten.

The fixing plugs and the clip member will usually be made of a plastics material. The fixing plugs and the clip member can be made in a relatively simple moulding machine. The fixing plugs can be made in any appropriate sizes although it is presently envisaged that they will be made in three separate sizes.

Advantageously, the fixing plugs are each moulded to have a pair of first anti-rotation formations which are positioned opposite each other and which extend longitudinally along the fixing plug. The first anti-rotation formations help to stop any rotation of the fixing plug during fixing. The first anti-rotation formations also help to prevent the fixing plug from dropping out of an oversize hole in which the fixing plug is being located. Preferably, the first antirotation formations are positioned in a second quarter of the length of the fixing plug.

The fixing plugs may each be such that they have a central bore for receiving one of the screw threaded fasteners, the central bore being a parallel sided central bore. The parallel sided central bore may enable an easier start for the screw threaded fastener to be obtained than with a tapered bore. The parallel sided bore may extend for one third of the length of the fixing plug. The diameter of the parallel sided bore will usually be equal to the core diameter of fastener means n the form of a wood screw of a size suitable for being used with the fixing plug.

The fixing plug may include a pair of first slots extending inwardly from an inner end of the fixing plug towards but not reaching a head portion of the fixing plug. The head portion of the fixing plug may comprise an outwardly extending flange, a body part, a pair of second slots in the body part, and four equiangularly spaced second anti-rotation formations. The first and second anti-rotation formations are preferably triangularly shaped in plan.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pack of fixing plugs for receiving screw threaded fasteners; Figure 2 is an end view of the pack of fixing plugs shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a top plan view, partially exploded, of the pack of fixing plugs shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a pack 2 of fixing plugs 4 for receiving screw threaded fasteners such for example as screws (not shown). The pack 2 of fixing plugs 4 comprises five separate strips 6 of the fixing plugs 4 and two clip members 8 for holding the strips 6 together. The strips 6 are each such as to comprise a spine portion 10 which has transversely extending fixing plugs 4 which extend from opposite sides 12, 14 of the spine portion 10 and in the same plane as the spine portion 10. The clip members 8 engage the spine portion 10. More specifically, each clip member 8 is a peg which extends at 90 degrees to the plane of the spine portion 10 and which extends through an aperture 16 in the spine portion 10. As can best be seen from Figure 1, the peg forming each clip member 8 is a straight sided peg, and the aperture 16 is a straight sided aperture.Thus the clip member 8 is not able to rotate in the aperture 16.

The clip members 8 in the form of the illustrated pegs each have a head portion 18 for stopping each peg being pushed completely through its aperture 16 in the spine portion 10. Each clip member 8 also has a shank part 20 and a lead-in part 22 for facilitating pushing the clip member 8 through apertures 16 in different strips 6.

It will be noticed that the spine portion 10 in each strip 6 has one rounded end 24 and one straight end 26. The strips 6 are moulded such that the clip member 8 is attached by a pip 28 (see Figure 3) to the spine portion 10 as each strip 6 is moulded. Thus the clip member 8 is moulded as an integral part of the strip 6. Still further, the clip member 8 is moulded to be a break-off clip member 8 with the break-off poInt being at the tip of the pip 28. Thus after moulding, the clip member 8 can easily be broken off its strip 6 and then used in the manner illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 to hold the different strips 6 of the fixing plugs 4 together. As moulded, the clip member 8 forms an integral part of the spine portion 10 and extends in the same plane as the spine portion 10.

The pack 2 may include a header card 30. The header card 30 is secured in position by the clip member 8 such that the pack 2 can be hung from the header card 30 for sale and display purposes. As shown in Figure 3, the header card 30 has an aperture 32 which is the same shape as the apertures 16. As the clip member 8 is pushed through the apertures 16, it can also push through the aperture 21 and thus secure the header card 30 in position, as will be appreciated from Figure 1.

The spine portion 10 has an aperture 34 at each end. The apertures 34 enable the single strips 6 to be hung from a hook, nail or the like in order to be sold as separate strips 6 if it is desired to break up a pack 2 of the strips 6.

The strips 6 may be moulded from any suitable and appropriate plastics material, including those plastics materials currently used for manufacturing known fixing plugs.

The fixing plugs 4 are each moulded to have a pair of first anti-rotation formations 36 which are positioned opposite each other and which extend longitudinally along the fixing plugs 4. These first anti-rotation formations 36 help to stop rotation of the fixing plugs 4 during fixing and they also help to stop the fixing plugs 4 .f from dropping out of oversized apertures. As can best be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the first anti-rotation formations 36 are positioned in a second quarter of the length of the fixing plugs 4, and they are triangularly shaped in plan.

The fixing plugs 4 each have a pair of first slots 38 (see Figure 3) extending inwardly from an inner end 40 of the fixing plugs 4 towards but not reaching a head portion 42 of the; fixing plug 4. The head portion 42 comprises an outwardly extending flange 44 for preventing the fixing plugs 4 from being forced through apertures, for example in walls, in which they are being fixed. The head portion 42 also comprises a body part 46 and four equi-spaced second anti-rotation formations 48. These second anti-rotation formations 48 are triangularly shaped in plan. As best shown in Figure 3, the fixing plugs 4 are secured to the spine portion 10 by pips 50. The fixing plugs 4 break off easily from the pips 50 when the fixing plugs 4 are required for use.

The header card 30 is provided with a hanging aperture 52.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the shank part 20 of the clip members 8 may be provided with serrations or other grip-increasing means in order to facilitate the clip members 8 gripping the separate strips 6 of the fixing plugs 4. Also, the shape of the fixing plugs 4, the strips 6 and the clip members 8 may be varied from those shown in the drawings.

The pack of fixing plugs of the present invention may be such that the or each clip member is produced to be integral with a header member, the header member then being made of the same material as the clip member or members, for example a plastics material. If desired, the clip member or members can be made separately, i.e. not attached to other parts of the pack of fixing plugs. Also, if desired, only one clip member may be used in each pack of fixing plugs.

Claims

1. A pack of fixing plugs for receiving screw threaded fasteners, which pack of fixing plugs comprises a plurality of separate strips of fixing plugs and at least one clip member for holding the strips of fixing plugs together, and the strips of the fixing plugs each being such as to comprise a spine portion having transversely extending fixing plugs which extend from opposite sides of the spine portion and in the same plane as the spine portion.

2. A pack of fixing plugs according to claim 1 in which the clip member engages the spine portion.

3. A pack of fixing plugs according to claim 2 in which the clip member is a peg which extends at 900 to the plane of the spine portion and which extends through an aperture in the spine portion.

4. A pack of fixing plugs according to claim 3 in which the peg is a straight sided peg, and in which the aperture is a straight sided aperture.

5. A pack of fixing plugs according to claim 3 or claim 4 in which the peg has a head portion at one end for stopping the peg being pushed completely through the aperture in the spine portion.

6. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of claims 3 to S in which the peg has a grip-increasing outer surface for helping the peg to grip the spine portion of each strip of the fixing plugs.

7. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of the preceding claims in which the clip member is moulded as an integral part of the strip of fixing plugs, and in which the clip member is moulded to be a break-off clip member which is able to be broken off the strip of fixing plugs and then used to hold the strip of fixing plugs together.

8. A pack of fixing plugs according to claim 7 in which the clip member is moulded as an integral part of the spine portion.

9. A pack of fixing plugs according to claim 8 in which the clip member is moulded to extend from one end of the spine portion and in the same plane as the spine portion.

10. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of the preceding claims and including a header card.

11. A pack of fixing plugs according to claim 10 in which the header card is secured in position by the clip member such that the pack of fixing plugs can be hung from the header card for sale and display purposes.

12. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of the preceding claims in which there are two of the clip members.

13. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of the preceding claims in which the spine portion has an aperture at one end by which a single strip of the fixing plugs can be hung.

14. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of the preceding claims in which each one of the strips of fixing plugs has ten of the fixing plugs extending from each side of the spine portion.

15. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of the preceding claims and which comprises five strips of the fixing plugs.

16. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of the preceding claims in which the fixing plugs and the clip member are made of a plastics material.

17. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of the preceding claims in which the fixing plugs each have a pair of first anti-rotation formations which are positioned opposite each other and which extend longitudinally along the fixing plug.

18. A pack of fixing plugs according to claim 17 in which the first anti-rotation formations are positioned in a second quarter of the length of the fixing plug.

19. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of the preceding claims in which the fixing plugs are each such that they have a central bore for receiving one of the screw threaded fasteners, the central bore being a parallel sided central bore.

20. A pack of fixing plugs according to claim 19 in which the parallel sided bore extends for one third of the length of the fixing plug.

21. A pack of fixing plugs according to any one of the preceding in which the fixing plugs each include a pair of first slots extending inwardly from an inner end of the fixing plug towards but not reaching a head portion of the fixing plug.

22. A pack of fixing plugs according to claim 21 in which the head portion of the fixing plug comprises an outwardly extending flange, a body part, a pair of second slots in the body part, and four equi-angularly spaced second anti-rotation formations.

23. A pack of fixing plugs for receiving screw threaded fasteners, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.