GB2284849A

GB2284849A - A clipping system

Info

Publication number: GB2284849A
Application number: GB9325908A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raymond Charles Williams
Original assignee: Arjo Ltd
Current assignee: Arjo Ltd
Priority date: 1993-12-18
Filing date: 1993-12-18
Publication date: 1995-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 2013-12-18
Also published as: AU7790494A; WO1995016837A1; GB2284849B; GB9325908D0

Abstract

The clipping system is for clipping a length of trim 10 to a track 11 of an invalid hoist and comprises complementary snap fit engagement means 31 on the trim 10 and 30 on each of a plurality of clips 21 and a clip receiving formation 16 on the track 11. The clip receiving formation 16 and each clip 21 have first portions 20 and 27 respectively which co-operate to help retain the clip 21 in a clip engaged position and which allow the clip 21 to be displaced angularly relative to the clip receiving formation between a non-engaged position and said engaged position and mutually engageable second portions 24 and 26 which are spaced from said first portions 20, 27 and which co-operate to allow the clip 21 to spring or snap into said engaged position when the clip 21 is angularly displaced as aforesaid. <IMAGE>

Description

A Clinpinq Svstem This invention relates to a clipping system for clipping a first part to a second part.

According to the present invention there is provided a clipping system for clipping a first part to a second part, the system comprising complementary snap fit engagement means on the first part and each of a plurality of clips and a clip receiving formation on the second part, the clip receiving formation and each clip having first portions which co-operate to help retain the clip in a clip engaged position with respect to the clip receiving formation and which allow the clip to be displaced angularly relative to the clip receiving formation between a non-engaged position and said engaged position and mutually engageable second portions which are spaced from said first portions and which cooperate to allow the clip to spring or snap into said engaged position when the clip is angularly displaced as aforesaid.

Preferably, the snap fit engagement means comprises a serrated male portion on one of the first part and the clip and a serrated female portion on the other of the first part and the clip.

Preferably, the first portions comprise a projection on one of the clip and the clip receiving formation and a slot or recess on the other of the clip and the clip receiving formation and, more preferably, also comprise shoulders on the clip and the clip receiving formation which interengage when the clip is in an engaged position. In this case, advantageously, the projection has a curved surface portion for cooperation with the slot or recess during angular displacement of the clip.

Preferably, the second portions comprise shoulders on the clip and the clip receiving formation which interengage as the clip springs or snaps into said engaged position.

Preferably, the two shoulders on the clip receiving formation which form respectively a part of a first said portion and a second said portion are in generally confronting relationship to one another.

Preferably, the snap fit engagement means of the clip projects from a position adjacent to the shoulder which forms a second said portion on the clip in a direction away from the shoulder which forms a first said portion on the clip.

Preferably, the clips are formed of rigid plastics material.

The invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective, partly exploded view of one embodiment of a clipping system according to the invention, clipping a length of trim to a track section, Figure 2 is a perspective, partly exploded view showing the track section of Figure 1 and means for connecting the track section to a ceiling, Figure 3 is a sectional view of the track section of Figure 2, Figure 4 shows the track section and one of the clips, and Figure 5 shows one of the clips on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, the clipping system shown therein is used to clip a length of trim 10 to a track 11 of a ceiling mountable invalid hoist.

The track 11 includes a hollow section 12 which defines two guide rails 13 for guiding therealong the wheels of a wheeled carriage (not shown) from which a hoist (also not shown) is suspended. The hollow section 12 also houses two contact strip holders 14 supporting elongate contact strips 15 which supply power to the carriage and hoist.

The track 11 also includes a channel shaped formation 16 which is connected at spaced intervals to ceiling mounted brackets 17 by C-shaped connecting elements 18.

The channel shaped formation 16 has inturned flanges 19 which define recesses 20 extending along opposite sides of the formation 16. Clips 21 are engaged with the formation 16 at intervals and between the brackets 17 and these clips 21 are used to clip the trim 10 to the track 11 so that the brackets 17 and the joints between the brackets 17 and the track 11 are concealed from view.

The free edges of the inturned flanges 19 present generally confronting shoulders 23 and 24 which converge slightly towards the open, upper side of the channel shaped formation 16 and which interact with the clips 21 to hold the clips 21 in place.

The clips 21 are typically made of rigid plastics material and each defines first and second shoulders 25 and 26, respectively, which interengage with shoulders 23 and 24, respectively, of the formation 16 when the clip is in an engaged position. The shoulders 25 and 26 are generally oppositely facing but converge slightly at a similar angle to the shoulders 23 and 24 presented by the free edges of the inturned flanges 19.

Each clip 21 also has a projection 27 extending from the plane of the shoulder 25 in a direction away from the shoulder 26 and the projection 27 has a convex surface portion 28 which serves as a bearing for a purpose which will be described hereinafter.

A further projection 29 extends from the plane of the shoulder 26 in a direction away from the shoulder 25 and this projection 29 is in the form of a socket having oppositely facing, serrated, internal walls 30 for engagement with serrated projections 31 on the trim 10, the free end of the socket being flush or substantially flush with a side wall of the track 11 when the clip 21 is engaged with the formation 16.

The main body portion of the clip 21, being that part of the clip between the two shoulders 25 and 26, has upper and lower walls 32 and 33 respectively, and is of generally hollow section having a single reinforcing web 34 extending between the walls 32 and 33 substantially midway between the ends of the main body portion of the clip. This gives the clip 21 the ability to give a little in order to spring or snap into engagement with the formation 16 in a manner which will now be described.

In order to mount the track 11 onto the ceiling, the brackets 17 are first secured to the ceiling. The track 11 is then placed against the undersides of the brackets 17 and the C-shaped connecting elements 18 are slid or tapped into place.

Clips 21 are then clipped to the formations 16 at spaced intervals and between the brackets 17. To clip a clip 21 to the formation 16, the projection 27 of the clip is slid into one of the recesses 16 defined by flanges 19 of the formation 16 until the shoulder 25 of the clip comes into contact with the shoulder 23 of the formation 16. In this position, the convex surface portion 28 of the projection 27 bears against the base of the channel defined by the formation 16 and the clip is angularly displaced so that the shoulder 26 of the clip springs or snaps into engagement with the shoulder 24 of the formation 16 and the projection 29 of the clip comes into contact with the upper, outer surface of the adjacent internal flange 19.

The trim 22 may be extruded and provided therefore with a single, elongate, serrated projection 31 which is cut away on installation to provide gaps in the projection 31 at the locations of the brackets 17 (or as necessary) and the projections 31 thus formed are snap fitted into engagement with the sockets of the projections 29 to clip the trim 22 to the track 11.

The above embodiment is given by way of example only and various modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the socket on the clip could be replaced by a serrated projection and the serrated projection on the trim could be replaced by an internally serrated socket. The projection 27 need not have a convex surface portion provided the projection lets the clip 21 turn angularly. For example, the projection could be flexible and square. The two connecting elements 18 could be integrally formed and joined by a transverse portion. Also the clipping system described could be used in other applications to clip one part to another part.

Claims

CLAIWS

1. A clipping system for clipping a first part to a second part, the system comprising complementary snap fit engagement means on the first part and each of a plurality of clips and a clip receiving formation on the second part, the clip receiving formation and each clip having first portions which co-operate to help retain the clip in a clip engaged position with respect to the clip receiving formation and which allow the clip to be displaced angularly relative to the clip receiving formation between a non-engaged position and said engaged position and mutually engageable second portions which are spaced from said first portions and which cooperate to allow the clip to spring or snap into said engaged position when the clip is angularly displaced as aforesaid.

2. A clipping system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the snap fit engagement means comprises a serrated male portion on one of the first part and the clip and a serrated female portion on the other of the first part and the clip.

3. A clipping system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first portions comprise a projection on one of the clip and the clip receiving formation and a slot or recess on the other of the clip and clip receiving formation.

4. A clipping system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first portions also comprise shoulders on the clip and the clip receiving formation which interengage when the clip is in an engaged position.

5. A clipping system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the projection has a curved surface portion for co-operation with the slot or recess during angular displacement of the clip.

6. A clipping system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second portions comprise shoulders on the clip and the clip receiving formation which interengage as the clip springs or snaps into said engaged position.

7. A clipping system as claimed in claim 6 when dependent on claim 4, wherein the two shoulders on the clip receiving formation which form respectively a part of a first said portion and a second said portion are in generally confronting relationship to one another.

8. A clipping system as claimed in claim 6, when dependent on claim 4, or as claimed in claim 7, wherein the snap fit engagement means of the clip projects from a position adjacent to the shoulder which forms a second said portion on the clip in a direction away from the shoulder which forms a first said portion on the clip.

9. A clipping system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the clips are formed of rigid plastics material.

10. A clipping system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.