NZ242364A - Resilient clip and panel combination for connecting panel to support rod; opposed complementary jaws of clip flex across central web - Google Patents

Description

PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Fee No. 4: $260.00 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional No: 242364 Dated: 14th April 1992 A CLIP L F) Display Equipment Limited, a New Zealand company of 98 Newton-Road, Auckland, New Zealand" sussmunoNOFWftcwff UNDER SECTION 24 C ^ x "■iTCWTS^TTeclare the invention for which We pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 1 This invention relates to a clip.

In particular, the invention relates to a clip for use in connecting or joining panels to a rod or pin. However, for convenience only the invention will predominantly be described as a clip for use in connecting display panels to a common connecting rod or pin - for which the invention may be particularly suitable. However, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited as such.

Panels such as display panels often arranged into various free standing configurations or shapes as required or desired. For example, a hexagonal arrangement of panels may be constructed by joining 6 or 12 panels in an appropriate fashion. Alternatively, a number of panels may be joined together in sequence to produce a wall or partition.

Display panels of this nature are usually provided with a finishing strip or border around their periphery, and this finishing strip is often styled to form part of the means/apparatus used for connecting the display panels together.

Methods/apparatus currently available for connecting display panels generally involve the use of cylindrical connecting rods or pins (herein: rods), and rod-to-panel clips. One end of such rod-to-panel clips are usually adapted to fit into an appropriately formed channel cut into and along the edge or finishing strip of a panel, the other end being adapted to receive and retain a connecting rod. The connecting rod may then be joined to clips attached to other panels - thus connecting two or more display panels together.

One such rod-to-panel clip currently available is adapted to fit into and be slidable along an H-shaped channel cut into and along the finishing strip 2423 •• of a panel. Once positioned correctly, or as desired, the clip is screwed into place. The other end of the clip is adapted to receive and retain the connecting rod. However, disadvantages associated with such a clip and/or connecting method are that a screw driver, at the very least, is required to fix the clips to the panels; the clips are not readily releasable from the panels; because the clips are not readily releasable, the panels are usually transported with the clips in place, and are therefore susceptible to being broken or snapped off; some panels may be dented or otherwise deformed in transit by virtue of them being forced into or against clips attached to other panels; the clips are fairly costly; having H-shaped channels cut into the finishing strips of panels detracts from the aesthetic qualities of same; the edges of the panels and/or finishing strips must be fairly wide and/or thick to accommodate the internally-formed grooves, resulting in bulky panels and/or finishing strips.

Another similar system used for joining display panels also involves the use of clips which are adapted to fit into an appropriate or corresponding channel cut into and along the finishing strip of a panel. However, one end of such a clip is provided with a flange which is adapted to fit into the channel, and the other end is adapted to receive and retain a connecting rod. The arrangement is such that the action of pushing the connecting rod into the end of the clip adapted to receive and retain same causes the (outward) spreading of the flange within the channel of the finishing strip of the panel, thereby securing the clip and therefore the connecting rod to same. However, disadvantages associated with this clip/method are that the finishing strip of the panels are still required to have a channel cut therein or therealong and, again, this detracts from the overall aesthetic qualities of the finishing strips or panels; the edges of the panels and/or finishing strips must be fairly wide or thick to accommodate the 3 internally-formed channels, and this results in tuiky Vpar0ls4and/or finishing strips; the cost of such clips may be prohibitive; the join between the clip and the finishing strip of the panel is not always firm or secure.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a clip and panel for releasably connecting an edge of said panel to a rod, said clip comprising a first jaw for releasable connection to the panel edge and an opposed substantially arcuate second jaw for releasable connection to t. rod, said first jaw including locking means for engaging wftft a ljN *?\\ complementary part of the panel edge. iz — £il I "7 OCt WS4 <"I * jj According to another aspect of the present invention there is provideaaap, vr^ clip for releasably connecting a panel edge to a rod, substantially as v described above, wherein said second jaw is greater than a semi-circle in cross section.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a clip for releasably connecting a panel edge to a rod, substantially as described above, wherein the first and second jaws are integrally formed of a resilient material.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a clip for releasably connecting a panel edge to a rod, substantially as described above, wherein the second jaw is undersized in relation to the diameter or cross section of the rod whereby the rod, once engaged and 4 242364 retained by the second jaw, urges the first jaw against the panel edge, thus increasing its grip on the panel edge.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a clip for releasably connecting a panel edge to a rod, substantially as described above, wherein the first jaw locking means engages side edges of the panel.

It is envisaged that the clip, which is the subject of the present invention, may be used for joining any type of panel to any type of rod. However, the clip may be particularly useful for connecting display panel boards to common connecting rods, thus enabling two or more display panels to be connected together in a desired arrangement or configuration.

The clip may be provided with a first jaw for releasable connection with the panel edge of a panel, and an opposed substantially arcuate second jaw for releasable connection to the rod.

Preferably, the first jaw may be substantially U-shaped in cross section to enable it to nestingly engage and/or be connected to the panel edge. The shape of the first jaw may however vary as required or desired, or as dictated by the shape, size, and/or configuration of the panel edge.

The first jaw may preferably be provided with locking means for engaging with a complementary part of the panel edge. Such locking means may preferably allow for the releasable engagement of the first jaw with the complementary part of the panel edge.

Preferably, the first jaw locking means may engage the side edges of the panel. 2h2364 Preferably, the first jaw may be provided with ribs fixed to opposite internal surfaces of the first jaw, the ribs being engagable with corresponding grooves disposed in and/or along the side edges of the panel edge. The internal ribs of the first jaw may therefore engage with the grooves disposed in and/or along the side edges of the panel edge, thereby releasably securing the first jaw and therefore the clip to the panel edge.

Alternatively, any other appropriate locking means, preferably a releasable locking means, may be utilised as required or as desired.

The second jaw may be of an appropriate shape and/or configuration to allow for releasable connection to the connecting rod. Because most connecting rods will be substantially circular in cross section, the second jaw, in cross section, may preferably be substantially arcuate.

Preferably, the second jaw may be greater than a semi-circle in cross section. This is so the rod may be able to be effectively retained by the second jaw.

Preferably, the second jaw may be undersized in relation to the diameter or cross section of the rod whereby the rod, once engaged and retained by the second jaw, urges the first jaw against the panel edge, thereby increasing the grip of the first jaw against or upon the panel edge, and hence securing the clip to the panel edge.

Preferably, the clip may be free to slide along the panel edge and/or side edges of the panel edge once the first jaw has been connected to same. However, the design of the clip should allow for no significant movement of the clip along the panel edge (when applying moderate pressure) once the rod has been engaged with the second jaw. In this way, it may be seen that the clip may be positioned at a desired or required point along the panel or 2*2364 panel edge before being secured in place by engaging and retaining the rod in the second jaw.

Preferably, the first and second jaws may be integrally formed, and preferably of a resilient material. A plastics material may be preferred, and polyethylene may be particularly suitable.

Preferably, the first and second jaws may be formed on opposite sides of a common connecting member or flexing member whereby the first and second jaws are able to pivot or flex about the common connecting member with respect to each other and/or with respect to the common connecting member.

Preferably, the common connecting member may be generally thinner in cross section than the walls of the first and second jaws to enable the common connecting member to flex or pivot readily, or as appropriate.

Preferably, the common connecting member may be provided with weakening means whereby the first and second jaws may pivot and/or flex about same without having to apply substantial force to the first and second jaws. For example, the weakening means may be provided by a groove cut into and extending along a longitudinal axis of the common connecting member. Any other suitable weakening means allowing for the ready flexing of the first and second jaws may alternatively be utilised as required or desired.

Preferably, the panel edge or side edges of the panel may be formed from extruded section, preferably from an extruded metal or extruded plastics materials.

It may be seen that squeezing together the second jaw urges the first jaw to flex outwardly by virtue of flexing or pivoting about the common •• 242364 connecting member, and vice versa. In this manner, the first jaw of the clip may be connected to the panel edge by squeezing together the second jaw, which causes the first jaw to flex outwardly slightly, thus allowing or assisting the first jaw to pass over and clip onto the panel edge. This is useful if the fit between the panel edge and the first jaw is a substantially tight or snug fit. (Preferably, the first jaw may be of appropriate size, shape or configuration to allow for a snug fit on or over the panel edge or side edges of the panel).

The clip should also allow for the snug and secure fitting and retention of the connecting rod to same, and therefore the panel edge. However, display panels joined together by the clip and rod should be free to pivot with respect to each other about the rod, which may act as a hinge. In this way, any angle between connected display panels may be arrived at as required or desired. Hence, the clip (and rod) allows for the ready assembling and disassembling of display panels into desired or required arrangements or configurations.

It may be seen that the first jaw of the clip engages and connects with outer surfaces of the panel edge, as compared to current panel connecting clips which are generally attached to internal channels cut into and along the edges of the panel.

Because the first jaw of the clip preferably clips onto the side edges of the panel edge, the panel may be made thinner than a panel used with internally fitting clips currently available since no additional thickness in the panel or finishing strip is required to accommodate an internal clipping mechanism such as a channel. Hence, significant savings may be made in manufacturing panels using our clip since a lesser amount of 8 542364 material is required. Furthermore, thinner panels may be considered to be more aesthetically pleasing than thicker and bulkier panels.

Another advantage of our clip is that no tools such as screwdrivers, hammers or spanners are required to fit the clip to a panel edge.

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: is a perspective view of a clip, being one possible embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2: is a front view of a display panel and connecting rod joined by clips of the same embodiment as that shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3: is a section through AA' of Figure 2.

Having regard to the drawings there is shown a clip 1 for releasably connecting a panel edge 2 of a display panel 3 to a rod 4.

The clip 1 comprises a first jaw 5 for releasable connection to the panel edge 2, and an opposed substantially arcuate second jaw 6 for releasable connection to the rod 4.

The clip 1 is comprised of an extruded plastics material, namely polyethylene.

The second jaw 6 is greater than a semi-circle in cross section, as shown in figures 1 and 3, to allow for the effective retention of the rod 4.

The panel edge 2 of the display panel 3 is formed from extruded section, namely extruded aluminium. The side edges 7,8 of the panel edge 2 are provided with grooves 9,10 disposed therein or therealong.

The first jaw is provided with locking means for engaging with the grooves 9,10 of the side edges 7,8 of the panel edge 2. The locking means are in the form of ribs 11,12 which are fixed to opposite internal surfaces 13,14 of the first jaw 5. The ribs 11,12 are engagable with the grooves 9,10 to releasably connect the first jaw to the panel edge 2.

The first jaw is substantially U-shaped in cross section, and is of an appropriate size to allow for a snug fit to the panel edge 2.

The width of the display panel 3 is 10mm. The width of the panel edge extrusion 2 is 12mm. The diameter of the rod 4 is 19mm.

The second jaw 6 is undersized in relation to the diameter or cross section of the rod 4 whereby the rod 4, once engaged and retained by the second jaw 6, urges the first jaw 5 against the side edges 7,8 of the panel edge 2, thereby increasing its grip on the panel edge 2. The clip 1 is therefore securely and snugly fitted to the panel edge 2 once the rod 4 has been engaged and retained by the second jaw 6.

The first and second jaws 5,6 are formed on opposite sides of a common connecting member 15. The first and second jaws 5,6 are able to pivot or flex with respect to each other and/or with respect to the common connecting member 15 about the common connecting member 15. The first and second jaws 5,6 generally pivot or flex about the common connecting member 15 at point 16. The common connecting member 15 is thinner in cross section at point 16 than the walls of the first and second jaws 5,6.

The clip 1 is slidable along the panel edge 2 once the first jaw 5 has been connected to same, and before the rod 4 has been engaged and retained by the second jaw 6. 242364 Once the clip 1 has been postitioned at an appropriate point along the panel edge 2, the rod 4 may be 'connected to and retained by the second jaw 6. Once retained by the second jaw 6 the clip 1 is no longer free to move along the panel edge 2 by virtue of the first jaw being urged against the side edges 7,8 of the panel edge 2 (as described above).

When fitting the first jaw 5 of the clip 1 to the panel edge 2, the second jaw 6 is flexed inwardly so that the first jaw 5 is urged outwardly to enable it to pass over and be connected to the panel edge 2. The ribs 11,12 retain the first jaw 5 of the clip 1 on the panel edge 2 until such time as the rod 4 is engaged and retained by the second jaw 6.

Any number of clips 1 may be used for connecting a connecting rod 4 to a panel edge 2 of a display panel 3.

With respect to figure 2, it can be seen that a second display panel 17 may be joined to the display panel 3 by the use of at least one other clip la. Once fitted, the display panels 3,17 are effectively hinged with respect to each other since the connecting rod 4 acts as a hinge about which the panels, 3,17 may be moved or swung. However, movement of the panels 3,17 in a longitudinal direction with respect to the rod 4 is effectively prevented.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as described in the appended claims. 11

Claims (1)

1. WHAT WE CLAIM IS; c4 p ~ , £ 0 4 7. A clip and panel for releasably connecting an edge of said panel to a rod, said clip comprising a first jaw for releasable connection to the panel edge and an opposed substantially arcuate second jaw for releasable connection to the rod, said first jaw including locking means for engaging with a complementary part of the panel edge. A clip as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second jaw is greater than a semi-circle in cross section. A clip as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the first and second jaws are integrally formed of a resilient material. A clip as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second jaw is undersized in relation to the diameter or cross section of the rod whereby the rod, once engaged and retained by the second jaw, urges the first jaw against the panel edge, thus increasing its grip on the panel edge. A clip as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first jaw locking means engages side edges of the panel. A clip as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first jaw locking means comprises ribs fixed to opposite internal surfaces of said first jaw, said ribs being engagable with grooves disposed in and/or along the side edges of the panel edge. A clip as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said panel edge is formed from extruded section. A clip as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein sai from extruded polyethylene. 12 ,.v:i 24236 4 •• 9. A clip as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said first and second jaws are formed on opposite sides of a common connecting member, said first and second jaws being able to pivot or flex with respect to each other and/or said common connecting member about said common connecting member. 10. A clip as claimed in claim 9, wherein said common connecting member is generally thinner in cross section than the walls of said first and second jaws. 11. A clip as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, said wherein said common connecting member is provided with weakening means whereby said first and second jaws may pivot and/or flex about said common connecting member without having to apply substantial force. 12. A clip as claimed in claim 11, wherein said weakening means is provided by a groove cut into and extending along a longitudinal axis of said common connecting member. 13. A clip substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. 14. A clip and panel, with panel edge, and rod substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. DISPLAY EQUIPMENT LIMITED y v* "A, ^ r- i ~8 SEP 1994" 13