GB2351006A

GB2351006A - Holder for small articles

Info

Publication number: GB2351006A
Application number: GB9914154A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Douglas Boyd Buchanan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-06-18
Filing date: 1999-06-18
Publication date: 2000-12-20
Also published as: GB9914154D0

Abstract

A holder for small articles, for example, spectacles is provided. The holder comprises a number of resilient fingers which form an aperture through which a leg of the spectacles can be inserted to be retained therein. According to the invention the resilient fingers are formed with clearance gaps between them. This reduces the frictional resistance between the resilient fingers when the resilient fingers are deformed when the article is pushed through the aperture. According to a further aspect of the invention a frictional clip is provided which is to be used in conjunction with a neck cord suspending the article holder. The frictional clip ensures that the article holder does not slip around the neck of the user.

Description

1 2351006 HOLDER FOR SMALL ARTICLES ------------------- ----- This

invention relates to a holder for spectacles, sunglasses and similar like articles or other small articles such as pens or pencils.

In my GP patent No 2 191 932 B I disclosed a holder for small elongate articles such as pens, pencils and spectacles. The present invention is directed to providing improvements in certain aspects of operation of the holder of my prior patent.

According to the present invention there is provided a holder for small articles, said holder comprising a main body portion having a number of resilient fingers, the resilient fingers defining a gap through which the or part of the small article may be inserted whereby the resilient fingers deform to grasp and retain the or part of the small article wherein the resilient fingers have a clearance gap formed between each of the fingers.

According to,a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a holder for small articles, said holder comprising a main body portion 15.

having a number of resilient fingers, the resilient fingers defining a gap through which the or part of the small article may be inserted whereby the resilient fingers deform to grasp and retain the or part of the small article wherein, in section, the resilient fingers taper towards the gap.

According to yet a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a snap fastener clip, said snap fastener clip being arranged to exert a restraining grip on a neck cord used to suspend a holder for small articles.

According to yet a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a holder for small articles, said holder comprising a main body portion having a number of resilient fingers, the resilient fingers defining a gap through which the or part of the small article may be inserted whereby the resilient fingers deform to grasp and retain the or part of the small article wherein the holder is arranged to be unobtrusively attached to the small article for permanent use as defined herein.

2.

The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the undernoted drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a holder in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a view on section A-A of figure 1.

Figue 3 is a perspective front view of a holder in accordance with the invention.

Figure 4 is an illustration of resilient fingers of the invention shown greatly exaggerated in size for ease of description.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of another embodiment of the invention Figure 6 is a view on section B-B of figure 5.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of a snap fastener clip in accordance with the invention.

Figure 8 is an ilustration of a detailed part of the snap fastener clip of figure 7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a holder in combination with a snap fastener of figure 7 restrainingly gripping a neck card in accordance with the invention.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a pair of spectacles held in a holder suspended from a neck cord in accordance with the invention.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a pair of spectacles held unobtrusively in a holder in accordance with the invention.

A holder device in accordance with the invention is shown generally at 10 in figure 1. As best seen from figure 2, holder 10 comprises a front face plate 11 having an outer circular rim 12. The cup shape thus 1+ formed provides a housing 13 for a membranemade of resilient material. The resilient material can be any suitatle rubber or thermoplastic material preferably also exhibitlitg memory properties.

Polyvinylchloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU) are eminently suitable. A particularly preferred material is the material Alcryn which is a trademark of the DuPont Company. It has been found that the resilient 3.

material should have a Shore hardness on the 'A' scale of between 70 and 85. This ensures, on the one hand, that the material is sufficiently soft so as not to damage the leg of a pair of spectacles when pushed through the resilient fingers and, on the other hand, will possess reasonable wear properties. Resilient membrane 14 is retained in position within housing 13 by means of a back plate 15 which is a press fit within the housing 13. The face plate 11 and backplate 15 have circular apertures 16, 17 formed therein to expose the resilient membrane 14. A through bore 18 in the holder 10 allows for the attachment of a clip 19 to the holder and a neck cord 20 is attached to the clip as best seen in figure 3. The membrane 14 is formed with a number of resilient fingers or segments 21, 22, 23 and 24 thereby forming a resilient diaphragm as best seen in figure 4. In use the leg of a spectacle frame is pushed through the deformable diaphragm formed by the resilient fingers 21, 22, 23 and 24 which thereby deform to grasp and retain the spectacle leg on the holder. An important part of the invention is best explained with reference to figure 4 which is a detailed view of the resilient fingers of the invention shown greatly exaggerated in size for ease of illustration and explanation. As shown in figure 4 the resilient fingers 21, 22, 23 and 24 are each formed with a clearance gap 25, 26, 27 and 28 formed between the fingers. It has been found that the minimum size of clearance gap should be between 1/8 mm and 1/4 mm. This minimum amount of clearance gap allows the finger portions 21, 22, 23 and 24 to bend without substantial distortion. In other words if a suitable clearance gap is not formed between the resilient fingers the frictional resistance between the opposing sides 29 and 30 rubbing against each other sets up a distortion which inhibits the fingers from returning easily to their undeformed position. Also from figure 4 it will be seen that the ends of the resilient fingers 21, 22, 23 and 24 are shaped to define an oval shaped aperture 31. The oval aperture 31 is modified to form a somewhat flattened elliptical shape by finger 24 being formed to have an elongate straight portion 32 and 4.

radiused at either end 33, 34. The gap thus formed by the resilient fingers can conveniently accept the leg of a pair of spectacles when inserted therein and provides a convenient parking place for the flat hinge portion of the spectacles.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a further embodiment of the invention. In figure 6 there is shown a holder device 35 in accordance with the invention in the form of a one piece moulded main body portion 36.

As best seen in figure 5 the one piece moulded body portion 36 is formed with a substantially circular area 37 corresponding to circular aperture 16 in holder 10, figure 1. Included in circular area 37 are resilient fingers 38, 39, 40 and 41 which preferably have the same clearance gaps between each finger as described for resilient fingers 21, 22, 23 and 24 and define a gap 42 corresponding to gap 31 of figure 4. In accordance with this aspect of the invention resilient properties are also imparted to fingers 38, 39, 40 and 41 by means of suitably tapering the fingers in section towards gap 42 as best seen in figure 6. Typically finger 39 will taper from an average 2 mm thickness to a 1 mm thickness at the tip 43 whereas finger 41 will taper from an average 2 mm thickness to a 1.5 mm. thickness at the tip 44. One piece moulding 36 has a through bore 45 for the attachment of a neck cord clip 46.

Another aspect of the invention is described with reference to figures 7, 8 and 9. In figure 9 there Is shown a holder device 10 in perspective view in use with an attachment clip 47 and neck cord 54. A problem with the use of known neck cords is the tendency for the cord to slip and work its way through the attachment clip and around the neck of the wearer until the joining parts of the cord appear at the front of the user. This is unsightly and undesirable. In accordance with this aspect of the invention this problem can be solved by ensuring that the attachment clip exerts a frictional restraining grip on the neck cord.

Clip 47 has legs 50 and 51 depending from bridge portion 48. Each leg and 51 is formed with inwardly jutting peg members 52 having sloping face 53. Bridge portion 48 defines a part circular bore 49 5.

which accommodates neck cord 54. Part circular bore 49 has a diameter of 1.9 mm which ensures that the 2 mm diameter neck cord is firmly gripped in part circular bore 49 during use. Thus the tendency for the neck card to slip round the wearer's neck is eliminated. As best seen in figure 7 the V shaped channel formed by the faces 53 provides a guide for the clip 47 to be pushed onto the holder 10. The inherent resilience of the clip material ensures that the legs 50 & 51 snap into bores 18 & 45 provided on holders 10 & 35 thus ensuring that the holder and cord are securely held by the clip.

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate yet another aspect of the present invention. As described in my prior patent GB 2 191 932 B the holder device disclosed therein was intended to provide a convenient method of carrying a small object about a person without the need to make a permanent attachment to the object. In other words when the object was to be used it would be removed from the holder. In view of this the holder device was of significant proportions in comparison with, say, a pair of spectacles and this can be verified by viewing figures 3 and 4 of the aforesaid patent. In contrast to this and as shown in figure 11 the holder 56 in accordance with this aspect of the present invention is of substantially less significant proportions in comparison to the pair of spectacles than say, holders 10 & 35 as shown in figure 10. The unobtrusiveness of holder 56 on the spectacles is further enhanced by making the holder from transparent materials. Accordingly the holder 56 can quite conveniently be left on the spectacles even when the spectacles are in use. Accordingly in this sense and for the purposes of the present invention the holder can be described as being permanently in use or attached to the spectacles.

6.

Claims

1. A holder for small articles, said holder comprising a main body portion having a number of resilient fingers, the resilient fingers defining an aperture through which the or part of the small article may be inserted whereby the resilient fingers deform to grasp and retain the or part of the small article wherein the resilient fingers have a clearance gap formed between each of the fingers designed to reduce frictional resistance between opposing sides of the resilient fingers when deformed.

2. A holder for small articles according to claim 1 wherein the clearance gap has minimum dimensions of between 0.125mm and 0.25 mm.

3. A holder for small articles according to claim 1 wherein the resilient fingers are formed of a material having a Shore hardness on the 'W' scale of between 70 and 85.

4. A holder for small articles according to claim 1 wherein the resilient fingers define a substantiallY oval aperture having one side flattened to define a convenient place for parking part of a small article.

5. A holder for small articles according to claim 4 wherein the part of the small article comprises the hinge portion of a pair of spectacles.

6. A holder for small articles according to claim 1 wherein the resilient fingers have a cross section tapering towards the aperture.

7.

7. A holder for small articles according to claim 6 wherein the resilient finges taper from an average 2mm thickness to a 1 mm thickness at the tip.

8. A holder for small articles according to claim 6 wherein the resilient fingers taper from an average 2mm thickness to a 1.5mm thickness at the tip.

9. A holder for small articles according to claim 6 wherein the holder comprises a one piece moulded body portion.

10. A resilient clip, said clip having a bridge portion with leg members depending therefrom, said bridge portion including a partial bore, the partial bore being designed to receive and retain a neck cord applied thereto by means of frictional engagement therebetween, the depending leg members being designed to snap into engagement with a holder for small articles.

11. A resilient clip according to claim 10 wherein the depending leg members include inwardly facing opposed peg members to facilitate the snap engagement with a holder for small articles.

12. A resilient clip according to claim 11 wherein the peg members include opposed sloping guide surfaces to facilitate snap engagement with a holder for small articles.

13. A resilient clip according to claim 10 having a partial bore of approximately 1.9mm to be used with a neck cord having a diameter of approximately 2mm.

8.

14. A holder for a pair of spectacles, said holder being designed for permanent attachment to the spectacles, said holder comprising a main body portion having a number of resilient fingers, the resilient fingers defining an aperture through which part of the spectacles may be inserted whereby the resilient fingers deform to grasp and retain the pair of spectacles, said holder being of insignificant proportions in comparison to the spectacles such that the holder is thereby rendered unobtrusive in comparison to the spectacles and permanently attachable thereto.

15. A holder according to claim 14 made from transparent materials.

16. A holder for small articles substantially as herein described with reference to any one figures 1 to 6 and 9.

17. A resilient clip substantially as herein described with reference to figures 7 and 8.

18. A holder for small articles substantially as herein described with reference to figures 10 and 11