GB2299986A

GB2299986A - An article for insertion into an opening

Info

Publication number: GB2299986A
Application number: GB9613199A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Steven Popsys
Original assignee: Moss Plastic Parts Ltd
Current assignee: Moss Plastic Parts Ltd
Priority date: 1993-05-22
Filing date: 1994-05-18
Publication date: 1996-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 2014-05-18
Also published as: GB2299986B; GB9613199D0

Abstract

An article 10 for insertion into an opening, for example for use as a closure plug in a screw-threaded hole, comprises a body 18 and two projections 22 extending outwardly from the body 18. The outer extent of the projections 22 is circular about the axis of the body 18 except for two gaps 24 which are oppositely disposed. The body 18 is tapered backwards to enable the projections 22 to fold backwards in a compact fashion so that the article can fit large and small diameter openings.

Description

AN ARTICLE FOR INSERTION INTO AN OPENING The invention relates to an article for insertion into an opening.

A known article for insertion into an opening is a closure plug. The plug may be moulded from plastics material and comprises a circular cap and a narrower hollow cylindrical part extending co-axially from the cap and including a resilient circumferential rib.

When the plug is pushed into an opening, the rib resiliently deforms by contact with the walls of the opening and holds the plug in place. The cap covers the end of the opening.

Such plugs may only be used for one particular size of cylindrical opening, or perhaps a small range of diameters, the limits being determined by the maximum diameter of the rib and its resilience.

According to the invention there is provided an article for insertion into an opening, the article comprising a body and a plurality of projections provided around a circumference of the body and extending outwardly from the body for contacting a wall defining the opening, the part of the body which is directly behind each projection being of the same or smaller outer extent than at the root of the projection, the gap defined between two projections being such that when the projections are folded back, the adjacent edges of the projections which define the gap therebetween just do not touch.

The invention ensures that adjacent projections will not fold back on top of one another so that the smallest possible openings can be accommodated.

As a plurality of projections is provided around a circumference of the body, a greater range of opening diameters can be accommodated, because each projection can flex further than a single circular circumferential rib. Also, because the part of the body which is directly behind each projection is of the same or smaller outer extent than at the root of the projection, the projection can fold back a long way to accommodate openings which are only slighter larger than the diameter of the body.

Preferably the part of the body which is directly behind each projection is tapered inwardly.

The shape of the outer extent of each projection may take any suitable form. In a particularly preferred embodiment, two projections are provided.

In a preferred embodiment, a further projection is provided further along the body. This will hold the article better in an opening. The further projection is preferably smaller in outer extent than the maximum outer extent of the first projections. In this way, when the first projections are folded back, in a relatively small opening, the further projection will also contact the wall of the opening to hold the article in place. The further projection may be provided behind the first projections but preferably is provided in front of the first projections. The further projection may be non-circular about the axis of the body, but preferably is circular about the axis of the body.

A cap is preferably provided on the back of the body to block off an opening into which the article has been inserted.

The body preferably includes a handle extending laterally therefrom. The handle can be used to assist in levering the article out of an opening. The handle is preferably at least as long as the diameter of the body.

Conveniently, the entire body of the article may be tapered.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an underneath plan view of an article in one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation in partial crosssection of the article of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the article in a large opening; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the article in a small opening; Fig. 5 is an underneath plan view of an article in a second embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation in partial crosssection of the article of Fig. 5.

The article 10 includes a flat circular cap 12 from which two parallel arms 14 extend co-planar with the cap 12. The arms 14 are linked by a thickened connecting part 16 at their outer ends.

A broadening frusto-conical body or main part 18 extends co-axially with the circular cap 12. The angle of broadening is about 100 to the axial direction. The main part 18 is hollow. Towards the end of the main part 18 is provided a short outwardly extending circumferential rib 20. The rib 20 is continuous. About two-thirds along the length of the main part 18 from the cap 12 is provided a longer outwardly extending circumferential rib which is broken in opposite positions to form two projections or rib parts 22. The rib parts 22 are the same thickness as the smaller rib 20 but are of greater radial extent and are flexible and resilient. Each gap 24 between the rib parts 22 tapers inwardly at an angle of about 50 .

The article 10 is moulded in one piece from resilient plastics material such as low density polyethylene or TPR.

Fig. 3 shows the article 10 inserted into an opening 26 with a diameter which is just smaller than the diameter of the larger rib parts 22 and larger than the smaller rib 20. Just the outer parts of the rib parts 22 are folded slightly and the resilience of the rib parts 22 holds the article in the opening. The cap 12 lies over the entrance to the opening and covers it completely.

Fig. 4 shows the article 10 in a smaller opening 28.

This time the diameter of the opening 28 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the small rib 20 and the smaller rib 20 is slightly deformed backwards. The larger rib parts 22 have been folded back at a steep angle. The tapering of the main part 18 helps to allow this additional flexing and the fact that the gaps 24 have been provided means that the rib parts 22 can fold back while a continuous rib would have needed to fold over itself reducing flexibility. It will be seen that with the article 10 in the smaller opening 28 the angle between the edges of the rib parts 22 defining the gap 24 is smaller than 50" and in a very tight opening those edges would be almost parallel.

The article may then therefore be used in a broad range of sizes of opening. For example, the article may be sized to fit M14, M16, 1/2 UNF, 5/8 UNF, 1/4 BSP and 3/8 BSP. The article may be sized to be usable in openings of 11mm to 14mm in diameter for example. The article may be used as a plug to block holes or as a cover to protect holes or for any other suitable purpose. The holes may be screw-threaded or plain.

Figs. 5 and 6 show the second embodiment which is similar to the first embodiment and the same reference numerals will be used for equivalent features. Only the differences from the first embodiment will be described.

The main constructional difference from the first embodiment in the second embodiment is the position of the gap 24 between the projections or rib parts 22.

In the first embodiment, the gaps 24 face outwardly at 900 to the axis of the arms 14 of the handle. In the second embodiment, the gaps 24 face in the longitudinal direction of the axis of the handle arms 14.

The handle arms 14 in the second embodiment diverge away from the cap 12 rather than being parallel.

About halfway along the arms 14, the arms start to thicken in the direction of the connecting part 16.

The cap 12 includes a rounded raised edge 30 around its upper surface.

The article 10 may be moulded in one piece from resilient plastics material such as low density polyethylene or TPR in the same way as the article 10 of the first embodiment.

Claims

1. An article for insertion into an opening, the article comprising a body and a plurality of projections provided around a circumference of the body and extending outwardly from the body for contacting a wall defining the opening, the part of the body which is directly behind each projection being of the same or smaller outer extent than at the root of the projection, the gap defined between two projections being such that when the projections are folded back, the adjacent edges of the projections which define the gap therebetween just do not touch.

2. An article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjacent edges of the projections which define the gap therebetween are straight.

3. An article as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein two projections are provided around a circumference of the body.

4. An article as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the part of the body which is directly behind each projection is tapered inwardly.

5. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a further projection is provided further along the body.

6. An article as claimed in claim 5, wherein the further projection is smaller in outer extent than the maximum outer extent of the first projections.

7. An article as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the further projection is provided in front of the first projections.

8. An article as claimed in any of claims 5, 6 and 7, wherein the further projection is circular about the axis of the body.

9. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a cap is provided on the back of the body to block off an opening into which the article has been inserted.

10. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the body includes a handle extending laterally therefrom.

11. An article as claimed in claim 10, wherein the handle is at least as long as the diameter of the body.

12. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the entire body of the article is tapered.

13. An article for insertion into an opening substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 or 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. An article for insertion into an opening, the article comprising a body and a plurality of projections provided around a circumference of the body and extending outwardly from the body for contacting a wall defining the opening, the part of the body which is directly behind each projection being of the same or smaller outer extent than at the root of the projection, the gap defined between two projections being such that when the projections are folded back, the adjacent edges of the projections which define the gap therebetween just do not touch.