GB2183772A - A fastening clip - Google Patents

Abstract

A fastening clip (14) for fastening together two panels (10,11) to define a corner section (e.g. of a drawer) therebetween, comprises two arms (1,2) which are connected together and which are disposed relative to each other at an angle corresponding to the angle defined by the said corner section. The arm (1) comprises an integral peg (4) which extends outwardly from the arm (1) to be received in a hole (15) provided in the inner surface of the panel (11) to secure the fastening clip (14) thereto. The other arm (2) can be releasably fastened to the other panel (10) by means of a screw (8) passing at an angle through a hole 7 in the panel (10). The peg (4) has a barb (6) and a groove (5) in order to anchor the peg (4) in the hole (15). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Fastening Clip The present invention relates to a fastening clip, and, in particular, to a fastening clip for fastening together two panel members or side members to define a corner section therebetween. The fastening clip has particular application in fastening together two sections of wood or chipboard to form a corner section, and especially a drawer.

In order to avoid spoiling the appearance of an item of furniture, such as a drawer, it is usual to conceal the fastening means used to fasten together the sections of wood or chipboard comprising the item, at least from external view.

One well established arrangement for fastening together two sections of wood or chipboard is to use short lengths of dowel, which are each glued into holes drilled into the surfaces of the two sections to be fastened together. This technique is ideal for self-assembly furniture as the holes can be drilled in the sections before they leave the factory, and the unit can be assembled without the need of any special joinery skills or tools.

Unfortunately, the short lengths of dowel are prone to come unstuck. This can be due to variations in the size of the holes drilled or in the diameter of the dowel resulting in a less than tight fit, or simply because during aasembly sufficient time is not allowed for the glue to set. This problem is particularly noticable in furniture drawers where there is a loading on the sections of dowel fastening the front of the drawer to the body of the drawer as the drawer is pulled out. Put simply the front of the drawer eventually comes away from the body of the drawer.

As an alternative to the dowels a block may be used which is situated in the corner defined by the two sections to be joined together and is screwed to both sections to securely fasten them together.

A block gives a very rigid and secure fastening, as it is most unusual for a screw to break lose from sound wood or chipboard.

However, it is usually difficult to screw through a block into a section as one is usually working up tight to the side of the other section. Moreover, the blocks which are readily available for this purpose are usually quite substantial and as a result they take up an undesirable amount of space and tend to spoil the appearance of the corner section.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fastening clip for fastening together two panel members or side members to define a corner section therebetween, which fastening clip is simple to position and secure in place.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fastening clip which has particular application in securing the front of a drawer to the body of a drawer.

According to the present invention there is provided a fastening clip for fastening together two panel or side members to define a corner section therebetween, said fastening clip comprising two arm members which are connected together and which are disposed relative to each other at an angle corresponding to the angle defined by the said corner section, one of said arm. members comprising an integral peg member which extends outwardly from the said arm member and is adapted in use to be received in a hole provided in the inner surface of one of the said side members to secure the fastening clip thereto, and the other arm comprising fastening means, whereby the other arm can be releasably fastened to the other side member.

Preferably, the integral peg member comprises fixing means for securing it in the hole in the said side member. Conveniently, the fixing means comprises a projection or barb which extends outwardly from the body of the peg member and engages in the side of the said hole when the peg member is fully inserted therein. To this end a cutaway is preferably provided in the peg member immediately behind the barb. The barb bends into the cutaway as the peg member is inserted into the hole, and thereby does not impede insertion of the peg member into the hole. However, once in the hole the barb tends to return to its original position, embedding itself in the side of the hole and thereby proventing withdrawal of the peg member.

Preferably, the fastening means comprises a screw. Conveniently this is angled away from the said arm comprising the integral peg member so that the said arm does not prevent the screw from being screwed into position. The screw enters at an angle into the section below and this ensures good anchorage for the screw in the section.

Preferably, the fastening clip is comprised of a plastics material, such as nylon.

The fastening member according to the present invention is particularly suited to securing the front of a drawer to the body of a drawer. In this respect, a hole is provided in the side of the body of the drawer immediately adjacent the front of the drawer, in which the peg member is received. The other arm is then secured to the front of the drawer by means of a screw. This arrangement gives a particularly strong mechanical fastening between the front of the drawer and the body of the drawer. Although not essential, the fastening clip can be used in combination with the conventional dowel arrangement outlined above. This gives a very rigid and strong fastening between the front and the body of the drawer.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a fastening clip according to the present invention from one side; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a fastening clip according to the present invention from the opposite side, and, Figure 3 shows an exploded view of a corner section of a drawer, the front of the drawer and the side of the drawer being secured together by a fastening clip according to the present invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings there is shown a fastening clip according to the present invention. The clip is comprised of a relatively tough rigid plastics material, such as nylon, and is formed by an injection moulding techninque. The clip comprises two arms 1,2 which are disposed substantially at right angles with respect to each other. A web 3 extends along each side of the clip between the two arms 1, 2 and these webs 3 strengthen the clip and prevent the arms 1, 2 from unduly flexing relative to each other.

A cylindrical peg member 4 projects outwardly from the end of limb 1 and substantially at a right angle thereto. Approximately half way along the length of the peg member 4 a cutaway or deep groove 5 is provided in the peg member 4, and this is angled into the peg member 4 towards the end of the peg member 4. The cutaway 5 defines a hook or barb member 6 towards the end of the peg member 4, and in fact this barb member 6 projects slightly beyond the outside edge of the peg member 4 on the opposite side of the cutaway 5. The barb member 6 is flexible enough to allow it to be bent into the cutaway 5 so that it does not project beyond the outside edge of the peg member 4 on the opposite side of cutaway 5, but it resists any outward bending movement.Thus the peg member 4 may be inserted into a hole of substantially the same dimensions as the peg member 4 without the barb member 6 impeding insertion. However, once located in the hole the barb member 6 will tend to return to its original position, embedding itself in the side of the hole and prevent withdrawal of the peg member 4.

Arm 2 is shorter than arm 1 and simply comprises a hole 7 through it, which is angled from the inside surface of the arm 2 towards the other arm 1. The hole 7 is intended to receive a screw 8, in such a way that the head of the screw 8 is angled away from the other arm 1; Thus as the screw 8 is screwed into a surface adjacent the arm 2, passage of the screw head and of the screwdriver is not impeded by arm 1. To further facilitate screwing of the screw 8 the inside surface 9 of arm 1, immediately adjacent the hole 7 is inclined at the same angle as the hole 7.

Referring now to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a partial exploded view of a front corner of a drawer.

The front 10 of the drawer is secured to the side 11 of the drawer in conventional fashion, by short lengths of dowel 12, which are each glued into holes 13, provided in the surfaces of the front 10 and side 11 to be brought together.

In order to strengthen the fastening between the front 10 and the side 11 a fastening clip 14 in accordance with the present invention is fastened therebetween. The fastening clip 14 is secured to the side 11 by locating the peg member 4 in a hole 15 specifically provided to receive it. This hole is drilled into the inside surface of the side 11 at the same distance from the leading edge thereof as the peg member 4 is from the leading edge of arm 1.

The peg member 4 is located in the hole 15 by pressing it in or by tapping it in with a hammer. Once fully into the hole 15 the barb member 6 returns to its original position, embedding itself in the side of the hole, which it can do easily in softwoods and chipboard, thus preventing withdrawal.

Once the peg member 4 is located in its hole 15, the other arm 2 of the clip 14 is fastened to the front 10 by means of screw 8. As indicated previously, the hole 7 in arm 2 is angled away from the other arm 1, thereby making it possible to screw the screw into the front 10 without the side 11 or the other arm 1 impeding the screw 8.

The fastening clip according to the present invention provides a very strong fastening, and is easy to position and secure in place between two panel members or side members. As indicated with reference to Fig. 3 it may be used in conjunction with dowels, but it may equally well be used on its own. Usually one fastening clip will be sufficient to fasten two section together, but where the length of the join is relatively long a plurality of spaced fastening clips may be used along the full length of the join.

Claims (8)

1. A fastening clip for fastening together two panel or side members to define a corner section therebetween, said fastening clip comprising two arm members which are connected together and which are disposed relative to each other at an angle corresponding to the angle defined by the said corner section, one of said arm members comprising an integral peg member which extends outwardly from the said arm member and is adapted in use to be received in a hole provided in the inner surface of one of the said side members to secure the fastening clip thereto, and the other arm comprising fastening means, whereby the other arm can be releasably fastened to the other side member.

2. A fastening clip according to claim 1, wherein the integral peg member comprises fixing means for securing it in the hole in the said side member.

3. A fastening clip according to claim 2, wherein said fixing means comprises a projection which extends outwardly from the peg member, which projection is adapted in use to flex inwards at least flush with the surface peg member as it is inserted into a hole and to return to its original position when the peg member is fully inserted in the hole, thereby embedding itself in the side of the hole and preventing withdrawal of the peg member.

4. A fastening clip according to claim 3, wherein a cutaway is provided in the peg member immediately adjacent the said projection into which the projection can flex inwards, at least flush with the surface of the peg member, as the peg member is inserted into a hole.

5. A fastening clip according to any preceding claim, wherein the fastening means comprises a screw.

6. A fastening clip according to claim 5, wherein the screw is angled away from the said arm comprising the integral peg member.

7. A fastening clip according to any preceding claim, wherein the fastening clip is comprised of a plastics material.

8. A fastening clip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.