GB2600382A

GB2600382A - Curtain hook

Info

Publication number: GB2600382A
Application number: GB2014882.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Parsons Ryan; Parsons Garth; Parsons Matthew
Original assignee: Yewdale Investments Ltd
Current assignee: Yewdale Investments Ltd
Priority date: 2020-09-21
Filing date: 2020-09-21
Publication date: 2022-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 2040-09-21
Also published as: GB2600382B; GB202014882D0

Abstract

A curtain hook 10 comprises a mounting element 14 at an upper end of a shaft portion 12 for suspending the curtain hook from a horizontal curtain track 27. A hooked portion 16 at a lower end of the shaft portion has a free end 17 for insertion through a mounting hole 26 of a curtain 24 and has a seat 18 on which the mounting hole sits. A downwardly extending retaining element 20 defines a downwardly extending slot 22 which is vertically aligned with the seat of the hooked portion such that an upper part of the curtain is retained vertically between the seat and the retaining element. A curtain system has a plurality of the curtain hooks and a curtain with a plurality of mounting holes. A method of assembling the curtain system comprises inserting the free ends of the curtain hooks through the mounting holes of the curtain.

Description

CURTAIN HOOK

The present invention relates to a curtain hook, a curtain system and a method of assembling a curtain system.

Curtains, such as disposable curtains for clinical settings (e.g. hospital wards, doctors' surgeries, etc.), often comprise mounting holes for suspending the curtain from curtain hooks. To suspend the curtain from a curtain track, the curtain hooks may firstly be suspended from the curtain track, and then the free ends of the curtain hooks may be inserted through the mounting holes. Alternatively, the free ends of the curtain hooks may firstly be inserted through the mounting holes, and then the curtain hooks may be suspended from the curtain track. This alternative approach can be much easier and quicker to perform since the awkward process of inserting the free ends of the curtain hooks through the mounting holes does not need to be performed at the height of the curtain track and/or can be carried out well in advance of suspending the curtain from the curtain track. This alternative approach is therefore often performed in clinical settings where curtains need to be changed quickly and often. However, with this alternative approach, once the known hooks are inserted through the mounting holes, those hooks will often fall back out of the mounting holes or will tip away from a vertical orientation, and this can make the process of suspending the curtain hooks from the curtain track difficult and time-consuming. Grommets or eyelets may be provided to reinforce the mounting holes of such curtains, and these grommets or eyelets can also partially help to keep the curtain hooks in a vertical orientation within the mounting holes. However, the use of grommets or eyelets can have a significant negative -2 -environmental impact, both in terms of the resources needed to manufacture and install the grommets or eyelets, and in terms of the amount of additional waste created once a curtain has reached the end of its usable life. Whilst it may be possible to avoid using such grommets or eyelets, the problem of keeping the curtain hooks in a vertical orientation within the mounting holes It is desired to provide improvements relating to curtain hooks.

Thus, according to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a curtain hook comprising: a substantially vertical shaft portion; a mounting /0 element at an upper end of the shaft portion for suspending the curtain hook from a substantially horizontal curtain track in use; a hooked portion at a lower end of the shaft portion, the hooked portion having a free end for insertion through a mounting hole of a curtain and having a seat on which the mounting hole of the curtain sits in use; and a downwardly extending retaining element for retaining an upper edge of the curtain in use, wherein a downwardly extending slot is defined by the retaining element, with the slot being substantially vertically aligned with the seat of the hooked portion, an upper part of the curtain thereby being retained substantially vertically between the seat and the retaining element in use.

As will be appreciated, the curtain hook of the present invention can allow an upper part of a curtain, i.e. the part of the curtain between a mounting hole and the upper edge of the curtain, to sit neatly and vertically between the seat and the retaining element. This can help to keep the curtain hook in a vertical orientation within the mounting hole, and this in turn can greatly facilitate -3 -the process of suspending the curtain hook from a curtain track whilst the curtain hook is within the mounting hole.

In embodiments, the curtain hook may be a unitary structure. The curtain hook may be formed of or from a plastics material. The curtain hook may be 5 formed of or from a moulded material. The curtain hook may be substantially symmetrical about a vertical plane in use.

In embodiments, the shaft portion may have a substantially circular, elliptical, oval or rectangular (including square or oblong) cross-section in planes orthogonal to the longitudinal (vertical) centreline of the shaft portion.

/0 The shaft portion may have a width (diameter) in the range 2-6mm, e.g. approximately 4mm. The shaft portion may be substantially straight. The shaft portion may have a longitudinal (vertical) length in the range 20-30mm, e.g. approximately 25mm.

In embodiments, the mounting element may be for slidably suspending the curtain hook from a substantially horizontal curtain track in use. The mounting element may have a substantially circular, elliptical, oval or rectangular (including square or oblong) cross-section in planes orthogonal to the longitudinal (vertical) centreline of the shaft portion. The mounting element may have a width (diameter) greater than the width (diameter) of the shaft portion. The mounting element may have a width (diameter) in the range 8-12mm, e.g. approximately 10mm. Thus, the mounting element may be a bulbous structure. These embodiments can allow vertical retention of the mounting element within the curtain track. The mounting element may have a vertical height in the range 2-5mm, e.g. approximately 3.5mm. The mounting -4 -element may be substantially (oblate) spheroid and/or substantially disc shaped. These embodiments can enable at least some rotation and/or tilting of the mounting element within the curtain track to facilitate movement of the curtain in use.

In embodiments, the hooked portion may have a substantially circular, elliptical, oval or rectangular (including square or oblong) cross-section in planes orthogonal to the longitudinal (curved) centreline of the hooked portion. The hooked portion may have a width (diameter) in the range 2-5mm. The hooked portion may reduce (taper) in width (diameter) away from the shaft /0 portion towards the free end. For example, the hooked portion may reduce (taper) in width (diameter) from approximately 4mm at the shaft portion to approximately 2mm at the free end. These embodiments can facilitate insertion of the free end into the mounting hole of the curtain. The hooked portion may have a longitudinal (curved) length in the range 30-50mm, e.g. approximately 40mm. However, being hooked (curved), the hooked portion may have a vertical height shorter than, e.g. half, its longitudinal (curved) length. The hooked portion may have a vertical height in the range 10-30mm, e.g. approximately 20mm. The hooked portion may be substantially hairpin shaped or U-shaped. The seat may be curved. The hooked portion may have a substantially vertical first leg beginning at the shaft portion and a substantially vertical second leg terminating at the free end, with the (curved) seat extending between the first leg and second leg. The longitudinal length of the first leg may be substantially the same as the longitudinal length of the second leg. The free end may comprise a substantially horizontally projecting free end. These -5 -embodiments can again facilitate insertion of the free end into the mounting hole of the curtain.

In embodiments, the slot may be defined between the shaft portion and the retaining element. The slot defined by the retaining element may have a vertical height in the range 2-5mm, e.g. approximately 3.5mm. The slot defined by the retaining element may have a horizontal width in the range 2-5mm, e.g. approximately 3.5mm. The retaining element may be located adjacent the lower end of the shaft portion. The retaining element may be located vertically higher than the free end of the hooked portion. The distance between the seat and /0 retaining element may be in the range 10-30 mm, e.g. approximately 20mm. The distance between the upper edge of the curtain and the mounting hole may be such that an upper part of the curtain sits vertically between the seat and the retaining element of the curtain hook. These embodiments can help to retain and stabilise the curtain hook in use, whilst still facilitating insertion and removal of the curtain hook from the mounting hole when desired.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a curtain system comprising plural curtain hooks as described herein in any aspect or embodiment, the curtain system further comprising a curtain having plural mounting holes through which the free ends of the curtain hooks are respectively insertable.

In embodiments, the curtain may be a disposable curtain for a clinical setting. The curtain may comprise a sheet of polymer material. The sheet of polymer material may be a sheet of polypropylene material. The sheet of polymer material may be a sheet of non-woven material. The sheet of polymer -6 -material may be a sheet of fibrous material. The sheet of polymer material may be formed of and/or from a web of polymer material. Although not essential, the sheet of polymer material may be treated with an antibacterial formulation. The sheet of polymer material may have a mass per unit area in the range 75-150 g/m2, e.g. 110 g/m2. The curtain may have a plurality of concertina creases formed therein, with each pair of adjacent concertina creases defining a curtain panel therebetween. The concertina creases may be substantially parallel to one another. The concertina creases may be substantially vertical in use. Plural (e.g. some or all) of the curtain panels may each have a (e.g. single) mounting /0 hole therethrough.

In embodiments, the height of the curtain (e.g. in the vertical direction from floor to curtain track in use) may be in the range 1600mm-2400mm, for example 2000mm. The height of the curtain may be cut down prior to use. The width of the curtain (e.g. in the horizontal direction along the curtain track in use) may be in the range 3000mm-8000mm, for example 7500mm. The width of the curtain may be cut down prior to use. The width of each curtain panel (e.g. in the horizontal direction along the curtain track in use) may be in the range 100mm-200mm, for example 150mm. The width of each curtain panel may be substantially the same. The width of the curtain may be an integer multiple of the width of the curtain panels.

In embodiments, the mounting holes may be circular. The width (e.g. diameter) of the mounting holes may be in the range 5mm-10mm, for example 8mm. As indicated above, the distance between the upper edge of the curtain and the mounting holes may be such that upper parts of the curtain sit vertically -7 -between the seats and the retaining elements of the curtain hooks. Thus, the centres of the mounting holes may be located at a distance in the range 10mm30mm, e.g. approximately 20mm, from the upper edge of the curtain in use. The centres of the mounting holes may be located on the curtain panels substantially midway between adjacent concertina creases.

In embodiments, at least one, plural, the majority, or all of the mounting holes may not be provided with a grommet and/or eyelet for reinforcing the mounting hole. These embodiments can reduce the amount of material, energy and time required to manufacture the curtain. This can also further reduce the amount of waste, and the amount of energy and time consumed in the transportation and processing of waste, when the curtain reaches the end of its usable life. In this regard, the Applicants have identified that, with the curtain hooks of the present invention, there is no need to provide grommets and/or eyelets in order to keep the curtain hooks vertically aligned within the mounting holes.

In embodiments, the curtain system may further comprise a curtain track from which the curtain hooks are (slidably) suspendable. The curtain track may comprise an elongate horizontal channel for slidably receiving and vertically retaining the mounting elements of the curtain hooks. The curtain track may comprise an elongate lower opening through which the shaft portions extend vertically and slide horizontally in use.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of assembling a curtain system as described herein in any aspect or -8 -embodiment, the method comprising inserting the free ends of the curtain hooks respectively through the mounting holes of the curtain.

In embodiments, the method may comprise (slidably) suspending the curtain hooks from a curtain track. The curtain hooks may be suspended from the curtain track before or, more preferably, after the free ends of the curtain hooks have been inserted respectively through the mounting holes of the curtain.

As will be appreciated, the terms "vertical", "vertically", "horizontal", horizontally", "higher", "upper" and "lower' and the like are used with reference to to the curtain hook in normal use when suspended from a curtain track. It will also be appreciated that the curtain hook may be differently orientated when not suspended from a curtain track.

By way of example only, embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a curtain hook according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the curtain hook of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of the curtain hook of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a curtain system comprising the curtain hook of Figure 1 and a curtain; Figure 5 is a side view of the curtain system of Figure 4, also showing a curtain track of the system; and Figure 6 is a front view of the curtain system of Figure 5. -9 -

Figures 1-3 show a curtain hook 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the curtain hook 10 is a unitary structure formed of moulded plastics material.

The curtain hook 10 comprises a vertical shaft portion 12 In this embodiment, the shaft portion 12 is straight and has a circular cross-section in planes orthogonal to the longitudinal centreline of the shaft portion 12. The shaft portion 12 has a diameter of approximately 4mm and a longitudinal length of approximately 25mm.

The curtain hook 10 further comprises a bulbous mounting element 14 connected to an upper end of the shaft portion 12. The purpose of the mounting element 14 is to slidably suspend the curtain hook 10 from a horizontal curtain track in use. In this embodiment, the mounting element 14 has a circular cross-section in planes orthogonal to the longitudinal centreline of the shaft portion 12. The mounting element 14 has a diameter of approximately lOmm and a vertical height of approximately 3.5mm.

The curtain hook 10 further comprises a hairpin shaped or U-shaped hooked portion 16 connected to a lower end of the shaft portion 12. The hooked portion 16 has a horizontally projecting free end 17 for insertion through a mounting hole of a curtain. The hooked portion 16 also has a curved seat 18 on which the mounting hole of the curtain sits in use. In this embodiment, the hooked portion 16 has a circular cross-section in planes orthogonal to the longitudinal curved centreline of the hooked portion 16. The hooked portion 16 tapers in diameter from approximately 4mm at the shaft portion 12 to approximately 2mm at the free end 17. This facilitates insertion of the free end 17 into the mounting hole of the curtain. The hooked portion 16 has a longitudinal curved length of approximately 40mm, with the opposing legs of the hooked portion 16 being substantially the same length of approximately 20mm, giving the hooked portion 16 a vertical height of approximately 20mm.

The curtain hook 10 further comprises a downwardly extending retaining element 20, which is located at the lower end of the shaft portion 12, but vertically higher than the free end 17 of the hooked portion 16. The purpose of the retaining element 20 is to retain an upper edge of the curtain in use. A downwardly extending slot 22 is defined between the shaft portion 12 and the retaining element 20, with the slot 22 being vertically aligned with the seat 18 of the hooked portion 16, such that an upper part of the curtain is retained vertically between the seat 18 and the retaining element 20 in use. In this embodiment, the slot 22 has a vertical height of approximately 3.5mm and a horizontal width of approximately 3.5mm. The distance between the seat and retaining element is approximately 20mm.

Figures 4-6 again show the curtain hook 10 of Figures 1-3, but also show part of a curtain 24 mounted on the curtain hook 10. In this embodiment, the curtain 24 is a disposable curtain for a clinical setting. The curtain 24 comprises a rectangular sheet of polymer material formed from a 110 g/m2 non-woven web of fibrous polypropylene. Although not essential, the sheet of polymer material may be treated with an antibacterial formulation. The curtain 24 also has a plurality of concertina creases (not shown) formed therein which allow the curtain 24 to be folded in a fully concertinaed manner for storage. In this -11 -embodiment, the height of the curtain 24 is 2000mm, the width of the curtain 24 is 7500mm, and the width of each curtain panel, is 150mm.

The curtain 24 has plural mounting holes 26 (one shown) through which a free end 17 of a respective curtain hook 10 is inserted. In this embodiment, 5 the mounting holes 26 are circular and have a diameter of 8mm. The distance between the upper edge of the curtain 24 and the mounting holes 26 is substantially the same as the distance between the seat 18 and the retaining element 20. Thus, the mounting holes 26 are located approximately 20mm down from the upper edge of the curtain 24. The mounting holes 26 are also 10 located midway between adjacent concertina creases. In this embodiment, the mounting holes 26 do not have grommets or eyelets for reinforcement.

Figures 5 and 6 further show part of a curtain track 27 from which the curtain hook 10 is slidably suspended for horizontal movement therealong. The curtain track 27 comprises an elongate horizontal channel 28 for slidably receiving and vertically retaining the mounting element 14 of the curtain hook 10. The curtain track 27 also comprises an elongate lower opening 30 through which the shaft portion 12 extends vertically and slides horizontally in use. A curtain system is assembled by inserting plural of the curtain hooks 10 respectively through plural mounting holes 26 of the curtain 24 and then slidably mounting the plural curtain hooks 10 into an open end of the curtain track 27.

As is shown in Figures 4-6, the upper part of the curtain 24 sits neatly and vertically between the seat 18 and retaining element 20 in use, and this helps to keep the curtain hook 10 in a vertical orientation within the mounting hole 26, and this in turn can greatly facilitate the process of suspending the -12 -curtain hook 10 from the curtain track 27 whilst the curtain hook 10 is within the mounting hole 26.

Claims

-13 -CLAIMS1. A curtain hook comprising: a substantially vertical shaft portion; a mounting element at an upper end of the shaft portion for suspending the curtain hook from a substantially horizontal curtain track in use; a hooked portion at a lower end of the shaft portion, the hooked portion having a free end for insertion through a mounting hole of a curtain and having a seat on which the mounting hole of the curtain sits in use; and a downwardly extending retaining element for retaining an upper edge of the curtain in use, wherein a downwardly extending slot is defined by the retaining element, with the slot to being substantially vertically aligned with the seat of the hooked portion, an upper part of the curtain thereby being retained substantially vertically between the seat and the retaining element in use.
2 A curtain hook as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curtain hook is a unitary structure.
3. A curtain hook as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the curtain hook is formed of a plastics material.
4. A curtain hook as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the curtain hook is formed of a moulded material.
5. A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shaft portion is substantially straight.
6. A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting element is for slidably suspending the curtain hook from a substantially horizontal curtain track in use. 7.
A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting element has a width greater than a width of the shaft portion.
8. A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting element is a bulbous structure.
9. A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting element is substantially spheroid and/or substantially disc shaped.
10. A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hooked portion reduces in width away from the shaft portion towards the free end.
11. A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hooked portion is substantially hairpin shaped or U-shaped.
12. A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hooked portion has a substantially vertical first leg beginning at the shaft portion and a substantially vertical second leg terminating at the free end, with 15 the seat extending between the first leg and second leg.
13 A curtain hook as claimed in claim 12, wherein the longitudinal length of the first leg is substantially the same as the longitudinal length of the second leg.
14. A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the free end comprises a substantially horizontally projecting free end.
15. A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining element is located adjacent the lower end of the shaft portion.
16. A curtain hook as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining element is located vertically higher than the free end of the hooked portion.
17. A curtain system comprising plural curtain hooks as claimed in any one of claims 1-16, the curtain system further comprising a curtain having plural mounting holes through which the free ends of the curtain hooks are respectively insertable.
18. A curtain system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the curtain is a disposable curtain for a clinical setting.
19. A curtain system as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the distance between the upper edge of the curtain and the mounting holes is such that upper parts of the curtain sit vertically between the seats and the retaining elements of the curtain hooks.
20. A curtain system as claimed in claim 17, 18 or 19, wherein at least one, plural, the majority, or all of the mounting holes are not provided with a grommet and/or eyelet for reinforcing the mounting hole.
21. A curtain system as claimed in any one of claims 17-20, further comprising a curtain track from which the curtain hooks are suspendable.
22. A curtain system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the curtain track comprises an elongate horizontal channel for slidably receiving and vertically retaining the mounting elements of the curtain hooks.
23. A curtain system as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein the curtain track comprises an elongate lower opening through which the shaft portions extend vertically and slide horizontally in use.
24. A method of assembling a curtain system as claimed in any one of claims 17-23, the method comprising inserting the free ends of the curtain hooks respectively through the mounting holes of the curtain
25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the curtain hooks are suspended from a curtain track after the free ends of the curtain hooks have been inserted respectively through the mounting holes of the curtain.