WO2011065815A1 - Suspended or drop ceiling spring clip having slotted aperture - Google Patents

Suspended or drop ceiling spring clip having slotted aperture Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2011065815A1
WO2011065815A1 PCT/NL2009/050715 NL2009050715W WO2011065815A1 WO 2011065815 A1 WO2011065815 A1 WO 2011065815A1 NL 2009050715 W NL2009050715 W NL 2009050715W WO 2011065815 A1 WO2011065815 A1 WO 2011065815A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
spring clip
ears
wire
aperture
apertures
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NL2009/050715
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Karel F.W. Laan
Original Assignee
Innovations Inline B.V.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Innovations Inline B.V. filed Critical Innovations Inline B.V.
Priority to PCT/NL2009/050715 priority Critical patent/WO2011065815A1/en
Publication of WO2011065815A1 publication Critical patent/WO2011065815A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
    • F16B2/00—Friction-grip releasable fastenings
    • F16B2/20—Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening
    • F16B2/22—Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material
    • F16B2/24—Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material of metal
    • F16B2/241—Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material of metal of sheet metal
    • F16B2/245—Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material of metal of sheet metal external, i.e. with contracting action
    • F16B2/246—Clips, i.e. with gripping action effected solely by the inherent resistance to deformation of the material of the fastening of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material of metal of sheet metal external, i.e. with contracting action the clip being released by tilting the clip or a part thereof to a position in which the axis of the openings surrounding the gripped elements is parallel to, or coincides with, the axis of the gripped elements
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
    • E04B9/00—Ceilings; Construction of ceilings, e.g. false ceilings; Ceiling construction with regard to insulation
    • E04B9/18—Means for suspending the supporting construction
    • E04B9/20—Means for suspending the supporting construction adjustable
    • E04B9/205—Means for suspending the supporting construction adjustable by means of a resilient clip

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for
  • positioning hanging objects comprising a wire having an end to be mounted to an upper structure, and a spring clip having at least one pair of extending ears, each of which is provided with at least one aperture for clamping the wire in the apertures.
  • the present invention also relates to a spring clip suited for application in the device, to the use of such a spring clip, and to a method applied thereto.
  • a spring clip suited for application in the device, to the use of such a spring clip, and to a method applied thereto.
  • a device is known from US 2004/0111995 Al .
  • the known clip comprises a first wire having one end which is to be mounted to an anchor secured to an upper support structure.
  • the resilient clip has one pair of extending ears, each of which is provided with an aperture. In unreleased, compressed, condition of the clip the wire can be slit through both apertures, and in released
  • the lower one of the ears may be coupled to a rail for hanging objects such as a drop or suspended ceiling, possibly through a second wire between the lower ear and the rail.
  • the device according to the invention is characterised in that at least one of the apertures in the pair of ears is fitted with a slot which opens on the side of its ear.
  • tensioning of the spring clip are both apertures required to be maintained registered and accessible for allowing insertion of the wire therein. Furthermore the lifting of at least the rail and under circumstances the objects hanging thereto does not necessarily accompany the
  • the slot is provided with extending side faces.
  • the spring clip has a main body from which the ears extend in different directions relative thereto, or which are characterised in that the device is provided with a cut or slit separating neighbouring ears of pairs of ears it is possible to allow the ears to spring independently from one another. This way one wire can be coupled or uncoupled from the spring clip independent from the other wire.
  • Figs. 1, 1A, and IB show examples with details A and B respectively of devices according to the invention, while fig 1C shows a side view of the invented device;
  • Fig. 2 shows some simple operations required to put an embodiment of the device according to the invention in operation
  • Figs. 3-8 show respective possible embodiments of the device according to the invention.
  • Figs. 1, 1A and IB show a device 1 which is meant to be used in the process of mounting and positioning of hanging objects to an upper structure such as a netting, framework, support, cables, bars or girders or as shown a ceiling 2.
  • the objects may concern various objects for example brackets, frameworks or supports 3 such as for a suspended or drop ceiling, baskets, swag lights or the like.
  • the device 1 in the case as shown in fig. 1 comprises a first wire 4 having an upper end 5 which is somehow mounted or anchored to the upper structure 2, and a spring clip 6 having at least one pair of extending ears 7-1, 7-2; 7-3, 7-4.
  • Each of the ears also referred to with reference numeral 7 is provided with at least one aperture 8 for clamping at least one wire in the clip 6 while it is in released condition.
  • the clip 6 may be arranged such that it allows direct connection to possibly the ceiling 2 or to the support 3 in which cases there is only one wire 4 clamped into the apertures 8 of the extending ears 7, hereafter further possible embodiments of the device 1 will be described which allow a second wire 9 to be coupled to and/or into the apertures in a way to be described hereafter.
  • One or more of the apertures 8 as shown in the figures 1-8 may be fitted with a slot 10 which normally opens on the side or edge of its ear 7-1, 7-2; 7-3, 7-4 concerned. This way one or more slotted apertures 8 is formed, which allow an easy gripping and coupling of one or more wires 4, 9 to the spring clip 6, advantageously while the spring clip 6 is in released condition.
  • Fig. 1A shows the spring clip 6 in the situation wherein the clip is coupled to both wires 4 and 9.
  • the distance between the clip 6 and the lower support 3 can be influenced by applying a pinching force on both ears 7-1, 7-2 where after wire 9 can be shifted, that is lowered or lifted through the apertures 8 in the ears 7-1, 7-2.
  • Fig. IB shows a situation prior to the situation shown in fig. 1A wherein the wire 9 has been inserted through an in this case not slotted -normal - aperture 8. Only by slightly manually manipulating the wire 9 and slightly compressing the ears 7-1, 7-2 as indicated in figs. 1C and 2, the wire which has a variety of degrees of freedom for allowing easy manipulation is forced to snap into the slotted aperture 8 of fig. 2, which results in the end condition shown in side view in Fig. 1C.
  • the spring clip 6 of the device 1 is provided with a cut 11 or slit 12 separating the ear pairs 7-1, 7-2 and 7-3, 7-4 respectively then the coupling or uncoupling of the one wire 4, 9 to or from the clip 6 does not influence the coupling or uncoupling of the other wire 4, 9 to or from the clip.
  • the slotted aperture 8 may be provided with extending side faces 13-1, 13-2 which can simply be punched out of the material of the often C-shaped or U-shaped or X-shaped spring clip 6. As shown in the various figures the side faces are oppositely extending side faces 13 thus providing a good wire closure of the slot 10 to its associated aperture 8 for as long as the ears 7-1, 7-2; 7-3, 7-4 are not compressed.
  • the spring clip 6 has one pair (cf. fig. 7) or as shown two pairs (cf. figs. 1-6 and 8) of extending ears 7- 1, 7-2; 7-3, 7-4.
  • the spring clip 6 may as shown have a main body 14 from which the ears 7 extend in virtually the same or in different directions relative thereto.
  • the ears 7 extend virtually in either the same (cf. fig. 1-7) or in opposite directions (cf. fig. 8) relative to the main body 14, which if present is curved but will normally be flat, as shown explicitly in the figs.
  • the embodiment of fig. 7 has only one pair of ears 7- 1, 7-2. In this case the ears 7 have more than one aperture 8 of which in general one or more may be provided with a slot 10.
  • the device 1 and spring clip 6 are meant for application in the hanging and positioning of all kind of objects.
  • the clip 6 can be manufactured from a suitable elastic or resilient metal or a suitable plastic.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Clamps And Clips (AREA)

Abstract

It is disclosed a device for positioning hanging objects comprising a wire having an end to be mounted to an upper structure, and a spring clip having at least one pair of extending ears, each of which is provided with at least one aperture for clamping the wire in the apertures. At least one of the apertures in the pair of ears is fitted with a slot which opens on the side of its ear, which provides an easy, simple and fast coupling and uncoupling of wires through the slot into the apertures in unreleased -compressed- condition of the spring clip. In particular the device is used in the process of mounting suspended or drop ceilings.

Description

SUSPENDED OR DROP CEILING SPRING CLIP HAVING SLOTTED
APERTURE
The present invention relates to a device for
positioning hanging objects comprising a wire having an end to be mounted to an upper structure, and a spring clip having at least one pair of extending ears, each of which is provided with at least one aperture for clamping the wire in the apertures.
The present invention also relates to a spring clip suited for application in the device, to the use of such a spring clip, and to a method applied thereto. Such a device is known from US 2004/0111995 Al . In an embodiment the known clip comprises a first wire having one end which is to be mounted to an anchor secured to an upper support structure. The resilient clip has one pair of extending ears, each of which is provided with an aperture. In unreleased, compressed, condition of the clip the wire can be slit through both apertures, and in released
condition of the spring clip the aperture edges clamp onto the wire. The lower one of the ears may be coupled to a rail for hanging objects such as a drop or suspended ceiling, possibly through a second wire between the lower ear and the rail.
It is a disadvantage of the known device that
inserting the end of the wire through both registered apertures in tensioned and unreleased condition of the spring clip is difficult. In addition the tensioning of the spring clip requires and results in a lifting of at least the rail and under circumstances the objects hanging thereto, which may be difficult in practice. It is a main object of the present invention to provide such an improved device which is easy to
manufacture in mass production, and which allows faster handling when establishing multiple connections between an upper structure or ceiling and objects hanging from such a structure .
Thereto the device according to the invention is characterised in that at least one of the apertures in the pair of ears is fitted with a slot which opens on the side of its ear.
It is an advantage of the device according to the present invention that the establishment of a complete connection between the wire or wires and the spring clip is considerably simplified as it is no longer necessary to press the ears together and hold them together while simultaneously inserting the wire concerned through both apertures. The wire to be clamped to the spring clip can now simply be pulled through the slot which is normally be present at the side of the ear concerned, into its
associated open aperture, while the spring clip only has to be compressed to a minor extend. No tools are required during the handling as the pulling through the slotted aperture can simply be effected manually.
Further advantageously no longer during the
tensioning of the spring clip are both apertures required to be maintained registered and accessible for allowing insertion of the wire therein. Furthermore the lifting of at least the rail and under circumstances the objects hanging thereto does not necessarily accompany the
tensioning of the spring clip when compressing the ears. In addition personnel usually standing on a ladder or scaffold while working can do the simplified work faster and more safely, which makes this kind of work more cost effective. An embodiment of the device according to the
invention is characterised in that the slot is provided with extending side faces.
These extending side faces provide a lock or gate, which locks up the wire in the slotted aperture, and prevents the wire from coming out of its aperture.
Meanwhile the aperture edges clamp onto the outer surface of the wire which secures that a substantial weight can be applied to device without the wires shifting out of the apertures .
With the application of further embodiments which are characterised in that the spring clip has a main body from which the ears extend in different directions relative thereto, or which are characterised in that the device is provided with a cut or slit separating neighbouring ears of pairs of ears it is possible to allow the ears to spring independently from one another. This way one wire can be coupled or uncoupled from the spring clip independent from the other wire.
At present the device according to the invention will be elucidated further together with its additional
advantages while reference is being made to the appended drawing, wherein similar components are being referred to by means of the same reference numerals. In the drawing:
Figs. 1, 1A, and IB show examples with details A and B respectively of devices according to the invention, while fig 1C shows a side view of the invented device;
Fig. 2 shows some simple operations required to put an embodiment of the device according to the invention in operation; and
Figs. 3-8 show respective possible embodiments of the device according to the invention. Figs. 1, 1A and IB show a device 1 which is meant to be used in the process of mounting and positioning of hanging objects to an upper structure such as a netting, framework, support, cables, bars or girders or as shown a ceiling 2. The objects may concern various objects for example brackets, frameworks or supports 3 such as for a suspended or drop ceiling, baskets, swag lights or the like.
The device 1 in the case as shown in fig. 1 comprises a first wire 4 having an upper end 5 which is somehow mounted or anchored to the upper structure 2, and a spring clip 6 having at least one pair of extending ears 7-1, 7-2; 7-3, 7-4. Each of the ears also referred to with reference numeral 7 is provided with at least one aperture 8 for clamping at least one wire in the clip 6 while it is in released condition. Although the clip 6 may be arranged such that it allows direct connection to possibly the ceiling 2 or to the support 3 in which cases there is only one wire 4 clamped into the apertures 8 of the extending ears 7, hereafter further possible embodiments of the device 1 will be described which allow a second wire 9 to be coupled to and/or into the apertures in a way to be described hereafter.
One or more of the apertures 8 as shown in the figures 1-8 may be fitted with a slot 10 which normally opens on the side or edge of its ear 7-1, 7-2; 7-3, 7-4 concerned. This way one or more slotted apertures 8 is formed, which allow an easy gripping and coupling of one or more wires 4, 9 to the spring clip 6, advantageously while the spring clip 6 is in released condition.
Detailed Fig. 1A shows the spring clip 6 in the situation wherein the clip is coupled to both wires 4 and 9. In this situation, for example the distance between the clip 6 and the lower support 3 can be influenced by applying a pinching force on both ears 7-1, 7-2 where after wire 9 can be shifted, that is lowered or lifted through the apertures 8 in the ears 7-1, 7-2.
Detailed Fig. IB shows a situation prior to the situation shown in fig. 1A wherein the wire 9 has been inserted through an in this case not slotted -normal - aperture 8. Only by slightly manually manipulating the wire 9 and slightly compressing the ears 7-1, 7-2 as indicated in figs. 1C and 2, the wire which has a variety of degrees of freedom for allowing easy manipulation is forced to snap into the slotted aperture 8 of fig. 2, which results in the end condition shown in side view in Fig. 1C.
If as shown in the figs. 1-8 the spring clip 6 of the device 1 is provided with a cut 11 or slit 12 separating the ear pairs 7-1, 7-2 and 7-3, 7-4 respectively then the coupling or uncoupling of the one wire 4, 9 to or from the clip 6 does not influence the coupling or uncoupling of the other wire 4, 9 to or from the clip.
The slotted aperture 8 may be provided with extending side faces 13-1, 13-2 which can simply be punched out of the material of the often C-shaped or U-shaped or X-shaped spring clip 6. As shown in the various figures the side faces are oppositely extending side faces 13 thus providing a good wire closure of the slot 10 to its associated aperture 8 for as long as the ears 7-1, 7-2; 7-3, 7-4 are not compressed.
The spring clip 6 has one pair (cf. fig. 7) or as shown two pairs (cf. figs. 1-6 and 8) of extending ears 7- 1, 7-2; 7-3, 7-4. The spring clip 6 may as shown have a main body 14 from which the ears 7 extend in virtually the same or in different directions relative thereto. The ears 7 extend virtually in either the same (cf. fig. 1-7) or in opposite directions (cf. fig. 8) relative to the main body 14, which if present is curved but will normally be flat, as shown explicitly in the figs. The embodiment of fig. 7 has only one pair of ears 7- 1, 7-2. In this case the ears 7 have more than one aperture 8 of which in general one or more may be provided with a slot 10.
In general the device 1 and spring clip 6 are meant for application in the hanging and positioning of all kind of objects.
The clip 6 can be manufactured from a suitable elastic or resilient metal or a suitable plastic.

Claims

1. A device for positioning hanging objects
comprising :
- a wire having an end to be mounted to an upper structure, and
- a spring clip having at least one pair of extending ears, each of which is provided with at least one aperture for clamping the wire in the apertures,
characterised in that at least one of the apertures in the pair of ears is fitted with a slot which opens on the side of its ear.
2. The device according to claim 1, characterised in that the slot is provided with extending side faces.
3. The device according to claim 2, characterised in that the side faces are oppositely extending side faces.
4. The device according to one of the claims 1-3, characterised in that the spring clip has two or more pairs of extending ears.
5. The device according to one of the claims 1-4, characterised in that the spring clip has a main body from which the ears extend in different directions relative thereto .
6. The device according to claim 5, characterised in that the ears extend in either the same or opposite
directions relative to the main body.
7. The device according to claim 5 or 6,
characterised in that the main body is curved or flat.
8. The device according to one of the claims 1-7, characterised in that the spring clip has two pairs of ears substantially extending in the same direction.
9. The device according to one of the claims 1-8, characterised in that the device is provided with a cut or slit separating neighbouring ears of the pairs of ears.
10. The device according to one of the claims 1-9, characterised in that the spring clip is substantially shaped, U-shaped or X- shaped.
11. A spring clip suited for application in the device according to one of the claims 1-10 and having at least one pair of extending ears, each of which is provided with at least one aperture,
characterised in that at least one of the apertures in the pair of ears is fitted with a slot which opens on the edge of its ear.
12. Use of the spring clip according to claim 11 for application in the hanging and positioning of objects such as brackets, frameworks or supports for a suspended or drop ceiling, hanging baskets, swag lights or the like.
13. A method wherein a wire is being coupled to a spring clip -possibly according to claim 11- which spring clip is provided with a slotted aperture and an aperture holding a wire, whereby a bending force is being applied to the clip while inserting the wire in the slotted aperture.
PCT/NL2009/050715 2009-11-25 2009-11-25 Suspended or drop ceiling spring clip having slotted aperture WO2011065815A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/NL2009/050715 WO2011065815A1 (en) 2009-11-25 2009-11-25 Suspended or drop ceiling spring clip having slotted aperture

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/NL2009/050715 WO2011065815A1 (en) 2009-11-25 2009-11-25 Suspended or drop ceiling spring clip having slotted aperture

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2011065815A1 true WO2011065815A1 (en) 2011-06-03

Family

ID=42335010

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/NL2009/050715 WO2011065815A1 (en) 2009-11-25 2009-11-25 Suspended or drop ceiling spring clip having slotted aperture

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2011065815A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11274441B2 (en) * 2017-09-21 2022-03-15 Awi Licensing Llc Ceiling system
US12006684B2 (en) 2023-02-08 2024-06-11 Awi Licensing Llc Ceiling grid hanger assembly with indexing tabs

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1244372B (en) * 1962-06-12 1967-07-13 Emil Bausewein Fa Suspension device for suspended ceilings
DE8628705U1 (en) * 1986-10-28 1987-01-08 Profil-Vertrieb Gmbh, 7560 Gaggenau, De
FR2817272A1 (en) * 2000-11-30 2002-05-31 Arnaud Marie Francoise Hopenko Sliding clamp sag rod for suspended ceilings comprises flexible clamp with two arms with end hooks fitted into lower web of I-section, steel spring with drilled fins slides and locks clamp on smooth rod

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1244372B (en) * 1962-06-12 1967-07-13 Emil Bausewein Fa Suspension device for suspended ceilings
DE8628705U1 (en) * 1986-10-28 1987-01-08 Profil-Vertrieb Gmbh, 7560 Gaggenau, De
FR2817272A1 (en) * 2000-11-30 2002-05-31 Arnaud Marie Francoise Hopenko Sliding clamp sag rod for suspended ceilings comprises flexible clamp with two arms with end hooks fitted into lower web of I-section, steel spring with drilled fins slides and locks clamp on smooth rod

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11274441B2 (en) * 2017-09-21 2022-03-15 Awi Licensing Llc Ceiling system
US12006684B2 (en) 2023-02-08 2024-06-11 Awi Licensing Llc Ceiling grid hanger assembly with indexing tabs

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