US20020083558A1

US20020083558A1 - Clip device

Info

Publication number: US20020083558A1
Application number: US09/754,790
Authority: US
Inventors: Chao-lung Tsou
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-01-04
Filing date: 2001-01-04
Publication date: 2002-07-04

Abstract

A clip device includes a base member with an arm extending from a first end of the base member and a pawl member is pivotally connected to the arm at a mediate point thereof. A spring is biased between a first end of the pawl member and the first end of the base member. A locking member is pivotally connected to a distal end of the arm and a ratchet gear is connected to the locking member so as to be engaged with a second end of the pawl member. The second end of the pawl member is disengaged from the ratchet gear by pushing the first end of the pawl member.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a clip device having a base member connected to an object and a locking member pivotally connected to the base member. A pawl member is pivotally connected between the locking member and base member to prevent the locking member from being disengaged from the base member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional clip device for being attached to a rear side of a

cellular phone pocket

11 is shown in FIG. 1 and generally includes a base member 11 fixedly connected to the pocket 11 and a locking member 10 which is pivotally connected to the base member 11 with a torsion spring 12 connected between the locking member 10 and the base member 11. By the torsion spring 12, the locking member 10 is always biased toward the pocket 11 so that a user’s belt (not shown) extends between the locking member 10 and the pocket 11 and is secured by the locking member 10. However, the locking member 10 could be tangled or impacted by objects and the whole pocket 11 together with the cellular phone in the pocket 11 drop.

The present invention intends to provide a clip device that has a pawl member to engage with a ratchet gear on a locking member so that only release the pawl member and the gear, the locking member is pivoted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a clip device and comprising a base member with an arm extending from a first end of the base member and a pawl member pivotally connected to the arm at a mediate point thereof. A spring is biased between a first end of the pawl member and the first end of the base member. A locking member has a first end thereof pivotally connected to a distal end of the arm and a ratchet gear is connected to the first end of the locking member so that a second end of the pawl member is engaged with the ratchet gear.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a clip device that employs a pawl member to control the locking member which will not be pulled to release the secure condition unintentionally.

These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view to show a conventional clip device attached to a cellular phone pocket; [0007]
FIG. 2 is a side illustrative view to show a clip device of the present invention; [0008]
FIG. 3 is a side illustrative view to show that a locking member of the clip device of the present invention is pulled away from a base member; [0009]
FIG. 4 is a side illustrative view to show a pawl member and a ratchet gear of the clip device of the present invention; [0010]
FIG. 5 is a side cross sectional view to show a strip is secured by the locking member of the clip device of the present invention; [0011]
FIG. 6 is a side view to show that the clip device of the present invention is attached to a cellular phone pocket, and FIG. 7 is a side view to show that the clip device of the present invention is used in upside down position.[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. [0013] 2 to 4, the clip device of the present invention comprises a base member 21 which is attached to an object and an arm 211 extends from a first end of the base member 21. A pawl member 30 is pivotally connected to the arm 211 at a mediate point thereof by a pin 32 and a rod 33 extends from a first end of the pawl member 30. A recess 215 is defined in the first end of the base member 21 and a spring 40 has an end mounted to the rod 33 and the other end of the spring 40 is received in the recess 215 so that the pawl member 30 is pivotable about the pin 32. A push portion 34 extends from the top surface of the arm 211 so as to be accessed by the user to push the push portion 34 downward.
A [0014] locking member 22 has a first end thereof pivotally connected to a distal end of the arm 211 and a ratchet gear 24 is connected to the first end of the locking member 22. A pin 242 connects the first end of the arm 211 and the ratchet gear 24 so that the locking member 22 is pivoted about the pin 242. A second end 31 of the pawl member 30 is engaged with the teeth 241 of the ratchet gear 24 to maintain the position of the locking member 22.
An [0015] aperture 23 is defined through a second end of the base member 21 and a second end of the locking member 22 has a hook 25 which is engaged with the aperture 23.
As shown in FIG. 5, a [0016] strip 50 of an object to which the base member 21 is attached is secured in the aperture 23 by the hook 25 to achieve a purpose of securing the strip 50. FIG. 6 shows that the clip device is used on the cellular phone pocket and the locking member 22 will not be untentionally released except that the push portion 34 of the pawl member 30 is pushed. FIG. 7 shows that the clip device can be used upside down and has the same feature.
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. [0017]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A clip device comprising:

a base member, an arm extending from a first end of said base member;

a pawl member pivotally connected to said arm at a mediate point thereof and a spring biased between a first end of said pawl member and said first end of said base member, and

a locking member having a first end thereof pivotally connected to a distal end of said arm and a ratchet gear connected to said first end of said locking member, a second end of said pawl member engaged with said ratchet gear.

2. The clip device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an aperture defined through a second end of said base member and a second end of said locking member having a hook which is engaged with said aperture.

3. The clip device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a recess defined in said first end of said base member and a rod extending from said first end of said pawl member, said spring having an end mounted to said rod and the other end of said spring received in said recess.