GB2359853A - Attachment tags - Google Patents

Description

c 02 23598u3 1 ATTACHMENTS This invention relates to attachments, in

particular, although not necessarily exclusively, for attachment to fabric articles or articles otherwise adapted to receive the attachments.

Known attachments take the form of an elongate plastics filament having an integrally formed transverse cross-bar at one end, forming a T-shape with the filament, and an integrally formed paddle at the other. The attachment is typically used to secure a label or tag to a fabric article, clothing for example or a soft toy, the T-shaped end of the attachment being passed through a hole on the label or tag and the fabric, so that the filament extends through both. The paddle serves to prevent the label or tag from sliding off the other end of the filament. It is also known to secure such attachments to articles by passing the cross-bar through a pre-formed opening in the article, for example one of the lacing holes in a shoe or an opening formed specifically for the attachment.

The attachments are provided in a string, formed on a spine, to which their T-shaped ends are joined and are applied using a tagging gun. The tagging gun is adapted to receive the spine and the attachments it carries, and to 'fire' individual attachments, T-shaped end first, through the hole in the label or tag and the fabric, to secure one to the other.

2 Variations of these attachments are known in which the paddle is replaced with a hook by which the article can be suspended from a display, or an eye which might be used, for example, for the suspension of a further article. It is also known to provide attachments having cross-bars at both ends of the filament, for attaching two fabric articles together.

These known attachments provide a very convenient and quick way of attaching labels and tags to fabric articles. However, although with the variation mentioned above the attachments can be used for a range of applications, their uses are still somewhat limited.

The present invention is generally concerned with the provision of a more versatile attachment and proposes replacement of the paddle with a snap-fit connector. The attachment can then be used to attach a great variety of objects to articles, typically a fabric article or one formed with a hole to receive the attachment, through which the cross-bar of the attachment has been 'fired'.

All that is needed is for the object to have a suitable formation with which the snap-fit connector on the filament can mate. Advantageously, the object can be connected to the attachment after the attachment itself has been 'fired' into the fabric. This enables the attachments to be used with objects which are too large, or otherwise incompatible with the known tagging guns.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an assembly comprising a plurality of attachments, each 3 having an elongate filament including a transverse crossbar at one end and a snap-fit connector at the other end; and a spine wherein each transverse cross bar is releasably attached to said spine such that, in use, each attachment is independently severable from said spine by means of a tagging gun.

Preferably the snap-fit connector, which may be formed integrally with the filament, is in the form of a male connecting formation which can engage and be retained in a cooperating female formation of an object to which it is to be connected. For instance, the snapfit connector may comprise at least one shoulder or barb at one end of the filament facing generally towards the opposite end of the filament to cooperate with a lip, shoulder or other such projection provided in a socket formed in the object. Preferably, flexible barbs are provided. Other detent-type elements may be employed for the same purpose. Of course, the attachment may comprise the female connector and the object comprise the male connector, as an alternative.

In one particularly preferred form, the end of the snap-fit connector has the general shape of an arrow head, the rearwardly facing shoulders, or barbs, of the arrow head serving to retain the connector in a socket of the object when mated with the attachment.

As with the known attachments, a series of the attachments according to the present invention may conveniently be formed in one unitary piece with their is 4 associated spine, for example as a plastics moulding. Suitable plastics materials include polypropylene and nylon.

As will be appreciated, the invention offers a very adaptable attachment which can be used to secure a great variety of objects to fabrics or indeed other materials through which the attachment can be 'fired'. Typical applications would include the attachment of objects to clothing, soft toys, the fabric labels or tags often stitched into clothing and other goods, or to other goods having pre-formed holes through which the attachment can pass.

One form of object that it is specifically envisaged would be secured to fabric or other articles with the attachments is plastics or metal tags, sometimes referred to as 'seals', in which an appropriate socket for engagement with the snap-fit connector of the attachment is formed.

Seals' are themselves already known, and are typically used as high quality swing tags for merchandise, one or more faces of the 'seal' carrying information such as the trade mark of the manufacturer or retailer of the merchandise. They might also themselves be adapted such that a conventional paper swing tag can be suspended from them. Traditionally, these 'seals' have been attached to merchandise by a cord which passes through a loop or opening in the merchandise and which is connected at both ends to the 'seal'. The invention now enables the 'seals' to be conveniently used even with merchandise which does not possess a convenient loop or hole needed for the conventional method of attachment.

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

Fig. 1 shows a series of attachments formed on a spine, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the attachments seen in Fig. 1, showing its connection to the spine; Fig. 3 shows an enlarged plan view of one of the attachments seen in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view, on a further enlarged scale, of the snap-fit connector of the attachment illustrated in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side view of the snap-fit connector of Fig. 4, on the same scale; Fig. 6 illustrates the manner in which the attachment can be used to secure a 'seal' to a fabric article; Fig. 7 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of an alternative form of snap-fit connector; Fig. 8 is a side view of the snap-fit connector of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a cross-section on line A-A of Fig. 7; and Figure 10 is an enlarged plan view of another embodiment of the present invention.

1 1 6 Referring to Fig. 1, a spine 2 carries a series of attachments 4. As seen most clearly in Fig. 2, each attachment 4 is joined to the spine 2 by a connecting strand 6, the attachments 4, spine 2 and connecting strands 6 all being formed as a one piece, unitary plastics moulding, for example of nylon or polypropylene.

Referring now to Figs. 3-5, each attachment 4 includes an elongate filament 8, which in this example is moulded to have the appearance of a twisted cord. A cross-bar 10 is formed integrally with, and extends transversely across one end of the filament 8, forming a T-shape. It is this T-shape end of the attachment that is joined to the spine, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The filament and cross bar may be of standard or "fine fabric" gauge. This gauge refers to the cross-sectional dimensions of the filament and cross bar, the "fine fabric" gauge referring to smaller dimensions than the conventional standard gauge.

At the other end of the filament 8, also formed integrally therewith, is a snap-fit connector 12. In the illustrated example, this connector 12 has the shape of an arrow head. The rounded nose 14 of the arrow head points away from the filament 8 and shoulders 16 at the rear of the arrow head face rearwardly towards the Tshaped end of the attachment 4. The angle e is preferably 16'.

The arrow head is adapted to engage a cooperating socket 32 or recess in an object, such as the 'seal' 30 7 illustrated by way of example in Fig. 6. Within the socket 32, there are protrusions 34 past which the arrow head can be inserted, nose 14 first, but against which the shoulders 16 of the arrow head abut if subsequent attempts are made to pull it out of the socket 32. In this way, the shoulders 16 act in the manner of barbs, securely holding the attachment 4 and the 'seal' 30, or other object, together. If desired, the connection can be adapted to allow subsequent separation of the 10 attachment and the 'seal'.

The spine 2 and attachments 4 are designed for use with known tagging guns, for example Dennison and/or QuickTag guns readily available from many suppliers, including Morplan of Harlow, UK.

In use, the spine 2 is loaded into the gun in the normal way. The attachments 4 can then be 'fired' one at a time into fabric articles, Tshape end first, in the same manner as the conventional paddle-ended attachments. As each attachment 4 is propelled from the gun, its respective connecting strand 6 is severed, to separate from the spine 2. Once the attachment 4 has been secured to the article, it is a straightforward task to subsequently (snap' on the 'seal', or other object. 25 Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show an alternative form of known 'arrowhead' snap-fit connector. It is similar in form to the connector illustrated in the other figures and described above, and like parts are indicated with 8 like reference numerals supplemented by a prime. The figures also indicate appropriate dimensions for the connector in millimetres. In preferred embodiments 6' is 30', e 2 is 450 and e 3 is 150.

The connector has an arrowhead 20, having rounded nose 14' extending rearwardly from the arrowhead 20 is a central shaft 22 which, as seen most clearly in Fig. 9, has a crucifix-form cross-section. At the opposite end of this shaft 22 to the arrowhead 20, the connector terminates in a bulbous rear portion 24, which in practice would be joined to the filament 8 of the attachment. This arrowhead is to be used in a known type of seal which causes twisting of the central shaft 22 on insertion of the connector, the twisting causing the arrow-head to form an engagement with the seal.

Figure 10 shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The attachment 4 includes an elongate nylon filament 8. A cross-bar 10 is formed integrally with, and extends transversely across one end of the filament, forming a T-shape. In this embodiment, the T-shape is preferably narrow gauge but it could be standard gauge. This T-shape end will join a spine in the same manner as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

At the other end of the filament 8, also formed integrally therewith, is a snap-fit connector 12 which has an arrowhead shaped profile. The nose 14 of the arrow head points away from the filament 8 and flexible barbs at the rear of the arrow head face rearwardly 9 towards the T-shaped end of the attachment 4.

These flexible barbs are able to engage a cooperating socket or recess in an object such as a sea in the same manner as the shoulders shown in Figure 6.

Many other modifications are possible within th scope of the present invention. In particular, it will be understood that the attachments may be used for securing a great variety of objects, typically plastic objects, to fabric articles (or articles of other materials), for example hooks or other additional elements via which the article can be suspended for display.

Furthermore, although one significant advantage of the attachments of the present invention is that they can be used with objects, such as the 'seals' described above, whose size makes them incompatible with the conventional tagging guns, it is also possible to connect smaller objects to the attachments prior to 'firing' them into the fabric.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS:

1. An assembly comprising: a plurality of attachments, each having an elongate filament including a transverse cross-bar at one end and a snapfit connector at the other end; and a spine wherein each transverse cross bar is releasably attached to said spine such that, in use, each attachment is independently severable from said spine by means of a tagging gun.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein each snapfit connector comprises a male connecting portion for engagement in a respective cooperating female formation of an object to which it is to be connected.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein each male connecting portion comprises at least one shoulder at one end of the filament facing generally towards the opposite end of the filament for cooperation with said female formation.

4. An assembly according to claim 2 wherein each male connecting portion comprises at least one flexible barb at one end of the filament facing generally towards the opposite end of the filament for cooperation with said female formation.

5. An assembly according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein each snap-fit connector has the general shape of an arrow-head, the rearwardly facing shoulders or barbs of 11 the arrow-head serving to retain the connector in a socket of said object.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each snap-fit connector is formed integrally with the respective filament.

7. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each attachment is formed as a plastics moulding.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 wherein each 10 attachment is formed from polypropylene or nylon.

9. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said attachments are formed in a unitary piece with the associated spine.

10. An assembly substantially as any one embodiment herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.