WO2011141699A2

WO2011141699A2 - Interengaging parts

Info

Publication number: WO2011141699A2
Application number: PCT/GB2011/000717
Authority: WO
Inventors: James Lewis Alfred Halliburton
Original assignee: Seatriever International Holdings Limited
Priority date: 2010-05-14
Filing date: 2011-05-11
Publication date: 2011-11-17
Also published as: WO2011141699A3; GB201008084D0

Abstract

A slidable arrangement comprises two parts having interengaging elongate formations. The elongate formation of one of the parts protrudes from the rest of that part and has a section which has a slightly greater width at a first distance from the said rest of that part than its width at a second distance from the said rest of that part, which is less than the said first distance. The elongate formation of the other of the said parts comprises a recess which receives and conforms to the protruding formation. The dimensions and the material of the protruding formation and/or the material defining the recess are such that upon assembly of the arrangement, the protruding formation can be held over the recess, in alignment therewith, and snapped into the recess. After that the two parts are held together by the interengaging formations but can be slid relative to one another in a direction which extends along the interengaging formations by relative longitudinal movement therebetween. Also, an injection moulded ring comprising semicircular parts which are staggered in a direction which is at an angle to the planes of those parts, to enable the moulding to be created by two whole parts which are separable in a direction which is generally parallel to the planes of the ring parts, or at least in a direction having a component which is parallel to the planes of the ring parts. Also, a party balloon holder comprising an elongate handle and two party balloon retainers, one at each end of the handle. Also, a party balloon handle comprising an elongate handle and at least one party balloon retainer at the end of the handle. The retainer comprises a ring arranged generally perpendicularly to the handle and a V-notch at a position intended to be below the ring to enable an inflated party balloon to have its tied end inserted through the ring and under the V-notch so that the balloon is retained in the retainer. Also, a party balloon holder comprising an elongate handle and at least one party balloon retainer at an end of a handle in which the handle is of an extendible telescopic construction. Also, a set of components comprising an elongate handle and at least one retainer at an end of the handle, and at least a party balloon and a rubber sucker, either one of which is selectable to be held by the retainer, the retainer being adapted to hold whichever component is selected.

Description

Interengaging parts

The present invention relates to a party balloon holder and is also directed to constructions which, whilst developed for use in a party balloon holder, have more general applications.

Thus a first aspect of the present invention relates to a slidable arrangement in which two elongate parts are slidable relative to one another to alter their combined length. For example, one such arrangement comprises the insertion of one elongate tubular portion into one another to form a telescopic arrangement.

A disadvantage of such a slidable arrangement is the difficulty in providing a stop to inhibit detachment of one of the said sliding parts from the other.

The first aspect of the present invention seeks a remedy for this disadvantage.

Accordingly, the first aspect of the present invention is directed to a slidable arrangement comprising two parts having interengaging elongate formations, in which the elongate formation of one of the parts protrudes from the rest of that part and has a section which has a slightly greater width at a first distance from the said rest of that part than its width at a second distance from the said rest of that part, which is less than the said first distance, the elongate formation of the other of the said parts comprising a recess which receives and conforms to the protruding formation, the dimensions and the material of the protruding formation and/or the material defining the recess being such that upon assembly of the arrangement, the protruding formation can be held over the recess, in alignment therewith, and snapped into the recess, whereafter two parts are held together by the interengaging formations but can be slid relative to one another in a direction which extends along the interengaging formations by relative longitudinal movement therebetween.

Both parts may have such a protruding formation and such a recess, the protruding formation of each part fitting in the recess of the other part. This provides additional strength to the interengagement .

The protruding formation of each part in this case may be immediately adjacent to its recess, so that in section these formations have a yin-yang appearance.

The two parts may be formed with respective abutments which abut one another at a given relative position between the two parts to inhibit disengagement of the two parts from one another.

The two parts may be mirror images of one another, to reduce design costs.

Both parts may themselves be elongate, with the interengaging formations extending along their respective parts, so that the slidable arrangement may be a telescopic arrangement.

The parts may comprise plastics injection mouldings.

At least one of the parts may have a retainer provided at one of its ends.

The retainer may be adapted to hold an inflated party balloon. Both parts may have a retainer formation at respective ends thereof, so that the retainers are at opposite ends of the arrangement.

The retainer may be provided with a number of different components adapted to be held by the holder, any selected one of which may be secured to the retainer. For example, the different components may comprise a rubber sucker pad and a party balloon.

A second aspect of the present invention is directed to an injection moulded ring having a construction which can be created by only two moveable mould parts which meet together during the moulding process in a plane which is oriented at an angle to the plane of the ring, preferably at 90° thereto. This is achieved by having the ring comprising semicircular parts which are staggered in a direction which is at an angle to the planes of those parts, preferably generally at right angles thereto, to enable the moulding to be created by two whole parts which are separable in a direction which is generally parallel to the planes of the ring parts, or at least in a direction having a component which is parallel to the planes of the ring parts.

Preferably the moulding has an elongate part to which the semicircular parts are connected via respective bridging portions.

The moulding may have an attachment formation in a position on the moulding intended to be below the ring whereby an inflated party balloon may have its tied end inserted through the ring and then secured to the attachment formation, the elongate part of the moulding then constituting a handle.

The attachment formation may comprise a V-notch.

A third aspect of the present invention is directed to a party balloon holder comprising an elongate handle and two party balloon retainers, one at each end of the handle.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is directed to a party balloon handle comprising an elongate handle and at least one party balloon retainer at the end of the handle, the retainer comprising a ring arranged generally perpendicularly to the handle and a V-notch at a position intended to be below the ring to enable an inflated party balloon to have its tied end inserted through the ring and under the V-notch so that the balloon is retained in the retainer.

If the ring is made in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, the V-notch may be located under that one of the staggered semicircular parts which is in a position intended to be below the other of the semicircular parts when the holder is in use, so that the resulting asymmetry in the ring and in the V-notch location interact with one another so that when such an inflated party balloon is held by the holder, the axis of the balloon is generally in alignment with the handle.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is directed to a party balloon holder comprising an elongate handle and at least one party balloon retainer at an end of a handle in which the handle is of an extendible telescopic construction.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is directed to a set of components comprising an elongate handle and at least one retainer at an end of the handle, and at least a party balloon and a rubber sucker, either one of which is selectable to be held by the retainer, the retainer being adapted to hold whichever component is selected .

The component may be held releasably by the retainer so that the selectable components are interchangeable. The elongate handle may have two identical retainers, one at one end of the handle and the other at the other end thereof. In this case, the rubber sucker may be inserted in one of the retainers at one end of the handle, and an inflated party balloon in the other retainer. This would enable the balloon with its handle to be stuck on a flat surface by way of the rubber sucker, for example on a wall, door or window.

The invention extends to a combination of the features set out in any two or more of the preceding paragraphs, except the first three paragraphs which relate to prior art.

An example of a party balloon holder embodying all six aspects of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the holder in a retracted condition;

Figure 2 shows a side view of the holder as shown in Figure 1 but in an extended condition; Figure 3 shows a side view of one of the parts of the holder shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the part shown in Figure 3 taken in the plane indicated by the line IV-IV therein;

Figure 5 shows a cross-section of the part shown in

Figure 3 in the plane indicated by the line V-V therein;

Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the holder shown in Figure 1 taken in the plane indicated by the line VI-VI therein;

Figure 7 shows a view of the part shown in Figure 3 in the direction indicated by the arrow

VII therein;

Figure 8 shows a plan view of the part shown in

Figure 7;

Figure 9 shows a plan view of a component which can be retained in a retainer of the holder shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 10 shows an axial sectional view of the component shown in Figure 9; Figure 11 shows a side view of the holder shown in Figures 1 and 2 with an inflated party balloon held in one of the retainers of that holder and a rubber sucker retained in the other retainer of that holder; and

Figure 12 shows the holder shown in Figures 1 and 2 holding the two inflated party balloons one at each of its ends.

A party balloon holder 10 shown in Figures 1 to 8 comprises two plastics injection moulded parts 12 and 14. Each of the parts 12 and 14 is as shown in Figures 3, 7 and 8, except that each is the mirror image of the other. Each of the parts 12 and 14 thus comprises an elongate handle portion 16, at one end of which there is provided a retainer 18 for holding any selected one of a plurality of components, two of which comprise an inflated party balloon and a rubber sucker. The elongate handle portion 16 is provided with an abutment part 20 located thereon at a position towards its end which is opposite to that of the retainer 18. Each part 12 and 14 has a similar abutment portion 21 on the side of the part 12 or 14 opposite to and in registration with the abutment portion 20.

As can be seen from Figures 4 and 5, the elongate handle portion 16 has a generally semicircular cross- section 22. In section, the handle portion 16 has a protuberance 24 and, immediately adjacent to the protuberance, a recess 26 shaped to conform to and receive the corresponding protuberance 24 of the other of the two parts 12 and 14. The angle 28 between the outer side of the protuberance 24 where it meets the rest of the holder 16 and a straight portion of the semicircle is slightly less than 90°. Consequently, the width of the cross-section of the protuberance 24 at a first position is greater than the width at a second position, the second position being closer to the rest of the outer portion 16 than the first position. As a result, the two parts 12 and 14 may be assembled by bringing the recess of one over the protuberance of the other and the protuberance of the other over the recess of the one with the protuberances of each being in alignment with the recesses of the other, so that the two can now be pressed together so that the protuberance of each part snaps into the recess of the other to create a combination of the two parts 12 and 14 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and with the protuberances and recesses engaging one another as shown in Figure 6 to create a yin-yang appearance.

As a result when the two parts 12 and 14 are assembled together as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6, the two parts 12 and 14 can be slid relative to one another from the retracted position they have as shown in Figure 1 (for packing) to the extended position shown in Figure 2 (for use) , at which position the abutment 20 of the part 12 abuts the abutment portion 21 of the other part 14 and vice versa. This inhibits detachment by relative longitudinal movement between the two parts 12 and 14, and in addition ensures at least a minimum overlap between these parts. This inhibits the likelihood of detachment between the parts 12 and 14 in a lateral direction.

The retainer 18 comprises two semicircular portions

40 and 42 which are staggered slightly in the longitudinal direction of the handle part 16. These semicircular parts 40 and 42 together constitute a ring 44 of the party balloon holder 10. The two staggered semicircular parts 40 and 42 are connected to the upper end of a handle portion 16 via respective bridging portions 46.

Two prongs 48 extend laterally of the handle portion 16 at the bases of the bridging portions 46. These prongs 48 define a V-notch between them, and are located underneath that one 40 of the semicircular portions which is slightly closer to the handle portion 16.

The retainers 18 at the two ends of the party balloon holder 10 shown in Figure 1 may receive respective inflated party balloons 50 as shown in Figure 12. In both cases, the tied end 52 of the inflated party balloon is inserted through the ring 44 and underneath the notch defined by the prongs 48. The asymmetry of the V-notch 48 and the asymmetry of the parts of the ring 44 result in the central axis of the party balloon 50 being in alignment with the handle part of the party balloon holder 10, constituted by handle portions 16 of the two parts 12, 14. Ά rubber sucker 70 shown in Figures 9 and 10 may alternatively be inserted into one or other of the retainers 18. The rubber sucker 70 has a sucker pad 72 from an intended rear of which extends an anchoring portion 74 comprising a generally cylindrical short section 76 with an annular flange portion 78 extending outwardly from the end thereof further from the pad 72.

This rubber sucker 70 may be inserted in a retainer 18 of the party balloon holder 10, such a party balloon remaining in the retainer 18 at the other end of the party balloon holder 10. The balloon 50 of this arrangement may now be attached to a flat surface of a wall or a door or a window by way of the holder 10 and the rubber sucker 70.

Numerous modifications and variations to the illustrated party balloon holder may occur to the reader without taking the resulting construction outside the scope of the present invention. For example, the retainer 18 at one end of the combined parts 12, 14 may be omitted. The invention may extend to a pack of party balloons together with a party balloon holder as shown in Figure 1, in its retracted state, to minimize the size of the bag needed to hold such a pack. The pack may in addition include one or more rubber suckers 70.

The rubber sucker 70 may be replaced by a magnetic device, a Velcro® device, or an adhesive pad, or all four of these devices could be provided for selection by the user .

Claims

Claims :

1. A slidable arrangement comprising two parts having interengaging elongate formations, in which the elongate formation of one of the parts protrudes from the rest of that part and has a section which has a slightly greater width at a first distance from the said rest of that part than its width at a second distance from the said rest of that part, which is less than the said first distance, the elongate formation of the other of the said parts comprising a recess which receives and conforms to the protruding formation, the dimensions and the material of the protruding formation and/or the material defining the recess being such that upon assembly of the arrangement, the protruding formation can be held over the recess, in alignment therewith, and snapped into the recess, whereafter two parts are held together by the interengaging formations but can be slid relative to one another in a direction which extends along the interengaging formations by relative longitudinal movement therebetween.

2. A slidable arrangement according to claim 1, in which both parts have such a protruding formation and such a recess, the protruding formation of each part fitting in the recess of the other part.

3. A slidable arrangement according to claim 2, in which the protruding formation of each part is immediately adjacent to its recess, so that in section these formations have a yin-yang appearance.

4. A slidable arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which the two parts are formed with respective abutments which abut one another at a given relative position between the two parts to inhibit disengagement of the two parts from one another.

5. A slidable arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which the two parts are mirror images of one another, to reduce design costs.

6. A slidable arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which both parts are themselves elongate, with the interengaging formations extending along their respective parts, so that the slidable arrangement is a telescopic arrangement.

7. A slidable arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which the parts comprise plastics injection mouldings .

8. A slidable arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which at least one of the parts has a retainer formation provided at one of its ends.

9. A slidable arrangement according to claim 8, in which the retainer formation is adapted to hold an inflated party balloon.

10. A slidable arrangement according to claim 8 or claim 9, in which both parts may have a retainer formation at respective ends thereof, so that the retainer formations are at opposite ends of the arrangement .

11. A slidable arrangement according to any one of claims 8 to 10, in which the or each retainer formation is provided with a number of different components adapted to be held by the arrangement, any selected one of which may be secured to the retainer formation.

12. A slidable arrangement according to claim 11, in which the component comprises a rubber sucker pad.

13. A slidable arrangement according to claim 11, in which the component comprises a party balloon.

14. An injection moulded ring comprising semicircular parts which are staggered in a direction which is at an angle to the planes of those parts, to enable the moulding to be created by two whole parts which are separable in a direction which is generally parallel to the planes of the ring parts, or at least in a direction having a component which is parallel to the planes of the ring parts.

15. An injection moulded ring according to claim 14, in which the direction of staggering is generally at right angles to the planes of the said semicircular parts.

16. An injection moulded ring according to claim 14 or claim 15, in which the semicircular parts are connected via respective bridging portions.

17. An injection moulded ring according to any one of claims 14 to 16, in which the moulding has an attachment formation in a position on the moulding intended to be below the ring whereby an inflated party balloon may have its tied end inserted through the ring and then secured to the attachment formation, the elongate part of the moulding then constituting a handle.

18. An injection moulded ring according to claim 17, in which the attachment formation comprises a V-notch.

19. A party balloon holder comprising an elongate handle and two party balloon retainers, one at each end of the handle .

20. A party balloon handle comprising an elongate handle and at least one party balloon retainer at the end of the handle, the retainer comprising a ring arranged generally perpendicularly to the handle and a V-notch at a position intended to be below the ring to enable an inflated party balloon to have its tied end inserted through the ring and under the V-notch so that the balloon is retained in the retainer.

21. A party balloon handle according to claim 20, in which the ring is made in accordance with any one of claims 14 to 18, and the V-notch is located under that one of the staggered semicircular parts which is in a position intended to be below the other of the semicircular parts when the holder is in use, so that the resulting asymmetry in the ring and in the V-notch location interact with one another so that when such an inflated party balloon is held by the holder, the axis of the balloon is generally in alignment with the handle.

22. A party balloon holder comprising an elongate handle and at least one party balloon retainer at an end of a handle in which the handle is of an extendible telescopic construction .

23. A set of components comprising an elongate handle and at least one retainer at an end of the handle, and at least a party balloon and a rubber sucker, either one of which is selectable to be held by the retainer, the retainer being adapted to hold whichever component is selected .

24. A set of components according to claim 23, in which the party balloon and the rubber sucker are held releasably by the retainer so that the selectable components are interchangeable.

25. A set of components according to claim 23 or claim 24, in which the elongate handle has two identical retainers, one at one end of the handle and the other at the other end thereof.

26. A set of components according to claim 24, in which the rubber sucker is inserted in one of the retainers at one end of the handle, and the inflated party balloon in the other retainer.

27. A combination of the features set out in any two or more of the preceding claims.