GB2352268A

GB2352268A - A device for holding an item upright in a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2352268A
Application number: GB9917098A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Amanda Ackroyd; Miles Ackroyd
Original assignee: FACILE TIGRE Ltd
Current assignee: FACILE TIGRE Ltd
Priority date: 1999-07-22
Filing date: 1999-07-22
Publication date: 2001-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2019-07-22
Also published as: GB2352268B; GB9917098D0

Abstract

A device for holding an item upright in a vehicle comprises a rigid member 2 for securing the device to a vehicle, a rigid hook 12 for suspending the item, e.g. a take away meal bag, and an elongate member extending from the rigid member 2 to the hook 12. Preferably the rigid member 2 may form an acute angle 2' with the elongate member and be located inside a glove box. The elongate member may be sufficiently flexible to hang out of the glove box. The hook 12 may be a curved crescent or anchor shaped double hook with an upstanding rim 14. The elongate member may have a flexible portion 4, a plate 6 with peripheral rim 8, and a semi-flexible portion 10. The plate 6 may receive a logo, display, advertisement or promotional message.

Description

2352268 HOLDING DEVICE The present invention relates to a holding device

and, in particular, to a device for use in a vehicle which allows an item, such as a bag, to be held upright.

A holding strap for holding a bag, for example containing a take away meal, upright in a vehicle is described in GB 2325956 and comprises a fabric strap having a self adhesive disc at one end and a velcro loop arrangement at the other end for attaching through the handle of a bag.

The present invention has been made in order to provide a holding device which is more convenient to use and store than such known devices and which is cost effective to manufacture.

According to the invention there is provided a holding device for holding an item upright in a vehicle comprising a rigid member for securing one end of the device to a vehicle, an elongate member extending transversely from said rigid member and a rigid hook arrangement, provided at the other end of the device.

Preferably, the rigid member is adapted to b e located inside a glovebox of a vehicle in use. Preferably, the rigid member is adapted to abut an internal part of a glovebox and to be removably retained therein by closure of the glovebox. Preferably the elongate member is flexible, typically being sufficiently flexible to hang out of the glovebox when the latter is closed with the rigid member inside.

Preferably, the rigid member and the elongate member form a substantially T-shaped section of the holding device.

Preferably, the device comprises plastics material. Preferably, the device comprises 30 an integral plastics unit. Preferably, the rigid member is substantially planar. Preferably the elongate member and hook arrangement are substantially planar and in 2 substantially the same plane. Preferably, the plane of the rigid member forms an angle with the plane of the elongate member and hook arrangement. Preferably, the angle is an acute angle.

Preferably, the hook arrangement comprises a double hook. This may be in the form of a straight cross-bar but preferably is in the form of a curved member. Preferably, the hook member extends transversely to the elongate member and is attached thereto at a central region of the hook member.

Preferably, the curved member is substantially crescent or anchor shaped. Preferably, the free ends of the curved member extend towards the rigid member. Preferably, a lip is provided along the internal arc of the crescent shaped member on each planar side thereof.

Preferably, the elongate member comprises a first flexible portion and a second semi-rigid portion. Preferably, a mounting plate is provided between said first and second portions, the flexible portion extending between the plate and the rigid member and the semi-rigid portion extending between the plate and the hook arrangement. Preferably, the plate is rectangular or square shaped, although it will be appreciated that any appropriate shape may be used. Preferably, the plate is adapted to receive a logo or other display, advertisement or promotional message thereon. Preferably, the plate comprises a rim extending around the periphery thereof on one planar side thereof.

Preferably, the rigid member, hook arrangement and plate have substantially the same breadth.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. I is a plan view of a holding device of the invention; and 3 Fig. 2 is a side view of the holding device of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a holding device according to one embodiment of the invention comprises a rigid member 2 adapted to be received in a glovebox and a first flexible portion 4 of an elongate member extending transversely from the rigid member 2. The rigid member 2 is substantially rectangular when viewed in the direction of arrow A and is relatively narrow or planar. The rigid member 2 may be at right angles to the elongate member as shown in Fig. 1 or may form an acute angle with the elongate strip as shown by the dotted outline 2' in Fig. 2. A mounting plate 6 having a peripheral rim 8 is located between the first portion 4 and a second semi-rigid portion 10. Typically the mounting plate is rigid. A curved hook 12 is provided at the remote end of the second portion 10, a portion of the hook extending on each side of the elongate member. In an alternative embodiment, the hook 12 comprises a straight member transverse to the elongate member.

The hook 12 is substantially planar and crescent-shaped with an upstanding ridge 14 on each side extending along the internal arc of the crescent. As seen from Fig. 2, the ridges 14 slope off 16 towards the surface of the main hook body at each free end of the hook.

A logo or advertisement may be displayed on the mounting plate 6.

In use, the rigid member 2 is located inside a glovebox and the glovebox is closed to securely retain the rigid member therein. The rigid member thus provides a secure means of attaching the device to the vehicle. The device then hangs downwardly over the glovebox typically so that the display plate overlies part of the glovebox and the hook 12 hangs below the glovebox. A bag, such as a takeaway meal bag, or the like may then be hung on the hook and is securely retained thereon. The device of the invention is quick and easy to use and can be easily removed and stored in the glovebox when not in use. The device also has the advantage of not requiring any 4 adaptation or undesirable interference with the body of the vehicle, such as is required with adhesive tags and the like. Since the whole device can be manufactured as a single integral plastics unit, the device is easy and cost effective to manufacture.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extend to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A holding device for holding an item upright in a vehicle comprises a rigid member for securing one end of the device to a vehicle, and elongate member extending transversely from said rigid member and a rigid hook arrangement, provided at the other end of the device.

2. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, in which the rigid member is adapted to be located inside a glove box of a vehicle in use.

3. A holding device as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, in which the rigid member is adapted to abut an internal part of a glove box and to be removably retained therein by closure of the glove box.

4. A holding device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the elongate member is sufficiently flexible to hang out of the glove box when the latter is closed with the rigid member inside.

5. A holding device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the rigid member and the elongate member for a substantially t-shaped section of the holding device.

6. A holding device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the rigid member is substantially planar.

7. A holding device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the elongate member and hook arrangement are substantially planar and in substantially the same plane.

8. A holding device as claimed in either claim 6 or claim 7, in which the plane of the rigid member forms an angle with the plane of the elongate member and hook arrangement.

9. A holding device as claimed in claim 8, in which the angle is an acute angle.

10. A holding device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the hook arrangement comprises a double hook.

11. A holding device as claimed in claim 10, in which the double hook is in the form of a curved member.

12. A holding device as claimed in claim 11, in which the hook member extends transversely to the elongate member and is attached thereto at a central region of the hook member.

6

13. A holding device as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, in which the curved member is substantially crescent or anchor shaped.

14. A holding device as claimed in claim 13, in which a lip is provided along the internal arc of the crescent shaped member on each planar side thereof.

15. A holding device as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, in which the free ends of the curved member extend towards the rigid member.

16. A holding device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the elongate member comprises a first flexible portion and a second semi-rigid portion.

17. A holding device as claimed in claim 16, in which a mounting plate is provided between said first and second portions, the flexible portion extending between the plate and the rigid member and the semi-rigid portion extended between the plate and hook arrangement.

18. A holding device as claimed in claim 17, in which the plate comprises a room extending around the periphery thereof on the planar side thereof

19. A holding device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the rigid member, hook arrangement and plate have substantially the same breadth.

20. A holding device substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.