GB2472387A

GB2472387A - Hook suitable for hanging a cubicle curtain

Info

Publication number: GB2472387A
Application number: GB0913438A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Olaf Austen; Mark Godley
Original assignee: GROSVENOR CONTRACTS
Current assignee: GROSVENOR CONTRACTS
Priority date: 2009-08-03
Filing date: 2009-08-03
Publication date: 2011-02-09
Also published as: GB0913438D0

Abstract

A hook 10, suitable for hanging a cubicle curtain, comprises a curtain attachment portion 12, runner 14 for mounting on a curtain track, a member 18 connecting the runner to the curtain attachment portion 12, and a protrusion 20 arranged to surround a portion of the member 18 and arranged, in use, to contact an outer surface of the curtain track. The hook 10 comprises limiting portion 24 arranged between the runner 14 and the protrusion 20, and which is arranged so that, in use, twisting of the hook within the channel of the rail is restricted. The curtain attachment portion 12 is arranged to engage with an aperture in the curtain and is fitted with a fastener 32 which has resilient barb-like features 38, 40 which lock the fastener 32 within the aperture of the curtain.

Description

A Hook

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hook and in particular, but not limited to, a hook for a cubicle curtain in a healthcare facility.

Background of the Invention

In healthcare facilities such as hospitals, curtains are often used to separate hospital wards or large rooms to define patient cubicles. They can be used to provide a patient with their own private or secluded area when other patients are in the ward, or in high traffic areas such as an emergency room or post-operative recovery room where examination and/or monitoring of a patient is required. The curtains are attached by hooks to curtain tracks, which are typically attached to the ceiling to prevent the build-up of dust on a top side of the curtain track. The hooks are arranged to be slidable on, or within, the curtain track to enable the curtain(s) defining the cubicle to be moved back and forth to allow persons, such as healthcare professionals, visitors, or the patient, to enter or exit the cubicle and to open the cubicle so that it is no longer private.

In one type of prior art cubicle curtain, the hooks comprise rollers that run within a channel of the curtain track. However, if the curtain is not pulled in line with the rollers, the hooks can stick or become jammed in the curtain track, which can result in one or more hooks breaking, or the curtain ripping at the points where the hooks are attached to the curtain. As the hooks are not typically designed for individual replacement, the entire track has to be emptied of rollers and a new curtain has to be installed when the curtain or one of the hooks is damaged.

UK patent GB 244 907 discloses a cubicle curtain that has hooks which are permanently bonded to the curtain to form an article of one-piece construction that can be connected directly to a new or existing curtain track.

However, having hooks bonded to the curtain can result in the hooks breaking due to a lack of movement at the points where the hooks are attached to the curtain, particularly if one or more of the hooks becomes stuck in the track.

Furthermore, if one or more of the hooks breaks, the entire curtain needs to be replaced as the integral hooks cannot be individually replaced.

US Patent US 4,240,178 discloses a curtain runner mountable on or removable from a groove at the bottom of a tubular curtain rod by turning a leg of the runner in the groove through 90 degrees. Whilst this hook has a stopper, the hook may jam when the hook is moved along the curtain rod, for example if the hook is twisted in use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hook for a cubicle curtain.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hook for a cubicle curtain, the hook comprising: a curtain attachment portion; a runner for mounting the hook on a curtain track; and a member connecting the runner to the curtain attachment portion, wherein the hook comprises at least one protrusion arranged to surround substantially a portion of the member and arranged to contact an outer surface of the curtain track.

A hook in accordance with the present invention has the advantage over known hooks in that the hook is less likely to snag, or jam, with the curtain track, as the hook moves along the curtain track. The present invention achieves this by arranging the at least one protrusion to contact an outer surface of the curtain track. The at least one protrusion may contact the outer surface of the curtain track when, for example, the hook is moved along the curtain track causing the hook to rotate about the runner mounted on the curtain track, thus bringing the curtain attachment portion closer to the curtain track. If the at least one protrusion does contact the outer surface of the curtain rail it will stop any further rotation of the hook. This has the advantage of reducing occurrences of, and preferably preventing, the member of the hook, and/or the attachment portion of the hook from contacting the curtain track, and potentially snagging with the curtain track. A further advantage is that, when moving the hook along the curtain track, if the surface of the at least one protrusion contacts the outer surface of the curtain track, the hook provides an additional surface, exterior of the curtain track, on which the hook may slide. Therefore, in these instances the runner and the additional surface provided by the at least one protrusion simultaneously contact the curtain track, thereby providing two surfaces on which the hook may move along the curtain track; this stabilises movement of the hook along the curtain track and thereby reduces the likelihood of snagging.

The at least one protrusion is arranged to surround substantially a portion of the member; this means the at least one protrusion extends around more than 50% of the perimeter of the portion of the member, which may be, for example, more than 50% of a circumference of a circular member.

In embodiments of the present invention, the at least one protrusion may be arranged to surround entirely the portion of the member. The at least one protrusion may be arranged to surround a periphery of said portion of the member. In preferred embodiments, the at least one protrusion may be integral with the member, allowing for simple manufacture. In other embodiments the at least one portion may be, for example, a collar that is located around and fixed to the member.

The hook may comprise at least one ftirther protrusion, said at least one protrusion and said at least one ftirther protrusion being arranged together to surround substantially a portion of the member. In one embodiment of the present invention the combination of the at least one protrusion, for example a first protrusion, and the at least one ftirther protrusion, for example a second protrusion, surrounds more than 50% of the periphery of the member; i.e. they substantially surround the portion of the member. The at least one protrusion may, for example, surround 25% of the portion of the member and the at least one further protrusion may surround 25.5% of the portion of the member. Thus, the combination of the at least one protrusion and the at least one ftirther protrusion surrounds 50.5 % of the member and therefore substantially surrounds a portion of the member. The first and second protrusions may be spaced apart, equally or otherwise, from each other around the portion of the member.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the hook comprises a limiting portion arranged between said runner and said at least one protrusion, the limiting portion being arranged for limiting twisting of the hook when mounted on the curtain track. The limiting portion may be integral with the hook. The inclusion of a limiting portion provides the advantage that, in use, the hook is limited by the amount it can twist in the curtain track when moved along the curtain track. Twisting of the hook refers to rotational movement of the hook about, for example, a longitudinal axis of the member when the member has an elongate body. Without limiting such twisting with the limiting portion, the twisting could interfere with the mounting of the runner on the curtain track, and/or a mounting of a curtain on the curtain attachment portion, thus interfering with correct operation of the hook.

The limiting portion may be arranged to contact a slot of the curtain track, for receiving the hook, to limit twisting of the hook when said hook is mounted on the curtain track. Such contact advantageously prevents further twisting of the hook.

The limiting portion may have a dimension greater than a width of the slot. Having a dimension greater than the width of the slot means that the limiting portion will contact at least one side of the slot if the hook is twisted when mounted and preferably moved along the curtain track.

In an embodiment of the present invention the limiting portion comprises a top wall and two side walls forming a frame. Thus the limiting portion is simple to manufacture.

The member may be an elongate member. Providing an elongate member provides the advantage of helping to reduce snagging of the hook when moved along the curtain track. This is due to the curtain attachment portion being distanced from the curtain track by the elongate member, thereby helping to prevent the curtain attachment portion, and/or the curtain attached thereto, from coming into contact with the curtain track which can cause the hook to snag as it is moved along the curtain track.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the runner may comprise at least one shoulder for mounting on a curtain track and for the hook to travel along the curtain track. This provides for simple and effective running of the hook along the curtain track rails.

In alternative embodiments, the runner may comprise at least one roller for mounting the hook on the curtain track. Providing a roller has the advantage of further reducing the hook from snagging when in use by providing an interface between the hook and the curtain track that may facilitate easy and smooth movement of the hook along rails of the curtain track.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the runner comprises two rollers each arranged for mounting on a different rail of said curtain track.

This allows for balanced running of the hook along the curtain track.

The curtain attachment portion may be arranged to be freely movable within and removably attachable to a curtain aperture for receiving the curtain attachment portion. The free movement of the attachment portion in the curtain aperture helps prevent the hook from snagging when the curtain is connected to the hook and is pulled along the curtain track, as, in use, the movement of the hook in the aperture of the curtain helps to prevent rotation of the hook about the runner which can cause the hook to come into contact with the curtain track.

The hook may be fabricated from a plastics material. Having a hook made form a plastics material means that the hook may be fabricated from a strong material that has a low coefficient of friction, and is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a curtain suspension system comprising a curtain track and a hook, said curtain track being an elongate member arranged to receive a hook, said hook comprising: a curtain attachment portion; a runner for mounting the hook on a curtain track; and a member connecting the runner to the curtain attachment portion; wherein the hook comprises at least one protrusion arranged to surround substantially a portion of the member and arranged to contact an outer surface of the curtain track.

In an embodiment of the present invention the system further comprises a curtain arranged for attaching to said curtain attachment portion.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, which is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure la shows a front view of a hook in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure lb shows a side view of the hook of Figure la; Figure lc shows a cross-sectional view of the hook of Figure 1 through line A-A Figure 2 shows the hook of Figures la and lb with its runner mounted on a curtain track; Figure 3a shows a front view of a hook in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3b shows a side view of the hook of Figure 3a with its runner mounted on a curtain track; Figure 4a shows a front view of a hook in accordance with a yet further embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4b shows a side view of the hook of Figure 4a; Figure 5 shows the hook of Figures 4a and 4b with its runner mounted on a curtain track; and Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a cubicle curtain in use in a healthcare facility.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring to Figures la and lb there is shown a hook for a cubicle curtain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The hook comprises a curtain attachment portion 12, and a runner 14 for mounting the hook on a curtain track 16, as shown in Figure 2. A member 18 connects the runner 14 to the curtain attachment portion 12, and at least one protrusion 20 is arranged to surround substantially a portion of the member 18. The at least one protrusion is further arranged to, in use, contact an outer surface 22 of a curtain track 16 when the hook 10 is mounted on and moved along the curtain track 16; for example, an extent, taken perpendicular the axis X referred to below, of the at least one protrusion from the portion of the member is such that it overlaps with an outer surface of rails of the curtain track.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the member 18 is an elongate member, connecting the runner 14 to the curtain attachment portion 12.

Having an elongate member provides the advantage of providing a clearance between a top edge of a curtain attached to the curtain attachment portion 12 and the curtain track 16.

Referring also to Figure 1 c, in this embodiment of the present invention the member 18 has a circular cross-section and the at least one protrusion 20 is a single protrusion which is circular and is arranged to surround entirely the circumference of a portion of the member 18. The protrusion 20 thus surrounds the periphery of the portion of the member and in this embodiment is integral with the member 18. In this embodiment the portion of the member 18 surrounded by the protrusion is a band around the member.

The hook 10 comprises a limiting portion 24 which is arranged between the runner 14 and the protrusion 20. The limiting portion 24 is arranged so that, in use, twisting of the hook is restricted when the hook is moved along the curtain track. Twisting of the hook, as illustrated by the arrow labelled T, refers to rotation of the hook 10 around a longitudinal axis X of the elongate member 18, or corresponding axis of the member in alternative embodiments. In this embodiment of the present invention the limiting portion 24 comprises a top wall 26 and two side walls 28, when viewed in Figure la, from which the runner 14 can depend or be mounted. It will be appreciated that if a width W of the limiting portion, for example in this embodiment of at least one of the side walls 28, has a dimension that is the same or slightly smaller than the width of a slot 30 of the curtain track described further below and/or the length L of the limiting portion, for example in this embodiment the distance between the outer edges of the side walls 28, has a dimension that is equal to or greater than the width of the slot 30 of the curtain track 16, this will limit the twisting of the hook 10 in the curtain track 16. This arrangement ensures that if the hook 10 is twisted in the curtain track 16 the side walls 28 of the hook 10 contact the edges defining the slot 30 of the curtain track 16 and thereby prevent any further twisting of the hook 10 in the curtain track 16.

As shown in Figure ib, the curtain attachment portion 12 is provided with a fastener 32 comprising two resilient members 34, 36 having a barb-like feature 38, 40 at their ends. The resilient members 34, 36 may be compressed so that they abut one another and allow the barb-like features 38, 40 to pass through an aperture of a cubicle curtain. Once the fastener 32 has been inserted in the aperture, the resilient members 34, 36 spring back so that the barb-like features 38, 40 protrude beyond the diameter of the aperture and lock the fastener 32 within the aperture of the cubicle curtain. This process may be performed in reverse to release the fastener 32 from the cubicle curtain. The attachment to a curtain is further described below with reference to Figure 6.

Referring now to Figure 2, the runner 14 provides a contact surface(s) on which the hook 10 travels along the curtain track 16. In this embodiment the runner comprises two rollers 42, 44 each roller being arranged to contact a different rail 46, 48 of the curtain track 16. The runner 14 may alternatively be a single roller, a T piece connected to the hook or any other suitable arrangement for contacting the rails of the curtain track. The curtain track 16 is in this embodiment formed of an elongate tubular member having a box like shape. The rails 46, 48 define an elongate slot 30 extending along the entire length, or a substantial length of the curtain track 16. The hook 10 is mounted on the curtain track with the rollers 42, 44 contacting respective rails 46, 48, and with the member 18 passing through the slot 30. The hook may be mounted on the curtain track via an opening at an end of the track, or via a notch in the slot which is wide enough for the rollers to pass therethrough. In use, the hook may be moved along the rails, on the runner. With sufficient rotation of the hook about the runner, the upper surface of the protrusion as shown in Figure 2 will contact the outer surface of the curtain track, thus preventing ftirther such rotation, even if the hook is twisted about the axis X. The hook 10 may be made from a plastics material, such as nylon, which is strong but also has a low coefficient of friction. A low coefficient of friction allows the hook 10 to move freely within an aperture of the cubicle curtain despite the weight of the curtain, which may impart a force on the surface junction between the hook 10 and a grommet that may be provided on the cubicle curtain, explained ftirther below. Similarly, the low coefficient of friction helps facilitate movement of the runner 14 of the hook 10 on the rails 46, 48 of the curtain track 16.

An alternative embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to Figures 3a and 3b. Features of this embodiment are similar to those described previously. Such features will be referred to using the same reference numerals, incremented by 100; corresponding descriptions should be taken to apply here also.

In this embodiment of the present invention the hook 110 comprises a curtain attachment portion 112, a runner 114 for mounting on a curtain track 116, an elongate member 118, and at least one protrusion 49 arranged to surround substantially a portion of the member 118. The at least one protrusion is a single protrusion which is, in contrast to the embodiment of the present invention described above, formed, for example, by a reduction in the circumference, and therefore diameter, of the member 118 at the end of the member adjacent the runner 114 in a position which would lie outside of the curtain track when the hook is mounted in the curtain track, as shown in Figure 3b. Thus, the protrusion 49 surrounds the circumference of a cylindrical portion of the member 118 extending from the diameter reduction to the curtain attachment portion 112.

A further alternative embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to Figures 4a, 4b and 5. Features of this embodiment are similar to those described to the first embodiment of the present invention. Such features will be referred to using the same reference numerals, incremented by 200; corresponding descriptions should be taken to apply here also.

In this embodiment of the present invention the hook 210 comprises a curtain attachment portion 212, a runner 214 for mounting on a curtain track 216, an elongate member 218, and at least one protrusion 220 arranged to surround substantially a portion of the member 218. In contrast to the previous embodiment of the present invention described hereinabove, the runner 214 comprises at least one shoulder for mounting on the curtain track and for the hook to travel along the curtain track. In this embodiment, the runner comprises a button 51 which provides a shoulder for contacting the rails of the curtain track as shown in Figure 5. Further, in this embodiment, the hook is not provided with a limiting portion as shown in Figures la and 3a and described above.

Referring to Figure 6, there is illustrated a healthcare facility such as a hospital ward having a cubicle curtain 50 which can be used to provide privacy for a patient or provide a screened-off area for use by a healthcare professional, such as a doctor, to examine a patient. The cubicle curtain 50 has a first or top edge portion 52 along which there is provided a number of apertures or holes 54.

Each aperture 54 is capable of allowing a hook of the present invention 10, 110, 210 to be removably attached, using the attachment portion 12, 112, 212, to the cubicle curtain 50 50 that each hook is freely movable in its respective aperture 54.

The cubicle curtain 50 is provided with a number of vertical folds/fold lines that extend the entire length of the curtain. The folds are provided at regular intervals along the entire width of the curtain and are arranged so that each alternate fold is arranged on an opposite side, thereby providing a number of uniform pleats across the width of the cubicle curtain 50. The apertures 54 in the cubicle curtain 50 for receiving hooks 10, 110, 210 are provided with grommets (not shown) to reinforce the apertures 54 and thereby reduce the likelihood of the cubicle curtain 50 tearing. The grommets may be made from a plastics material, such as nylon, which is strong but also has a low coefficient of friction The cubicle curtain 50 can be made from a polypropylene material.

However, any other suitable material may be used as an alternative. The use of polypropylene allows the curtain 50 to be fabricated as a disposable article and means that the curtain is also recyclable.

The material of the cubicle curtain 50 may be treated with an anti-microbial coating, to prevent or inhibit the growth and transfer of microbes that may become present in the material of the cubicle curtain 50, in order to avoid transfer of infections within the healthcare facility. In addition, the curtain material can be treated with a fire retardant coating in order to meet the legislative fire safety standards and requirements.

The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples of the invention. Further embodiments of the invention are envisaged. For example, the at least one protrusion may not entirely surround a portion of the member 18, but may substantially surround a portion of the member, by surrounding for example 51%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% or more of the portion of the member, such as a circumference of the elongate member. The at least one protrusion may be a single protrusion, or alternatively the at least one protrusion may comprise more than one protrusion, for example two protrusions opposite one another, the centre of each of the two protrusions located circumferentially opposite one another, and the combination of the protrusions occupying more than 50% of the circumference of the portion of the member.

The at least one protrusion described above is arranged, for example with an appropriate depth in a direction parallel the axis X referred to above, which is sufficient to provide structural rigidity for when in use the at least one protrusion contacts the outer surface of the track, so as to prevent further rotation of the hook around the runner, thus preventing the member and/or the curtain attachment portion contacting the track. Alternatively, as described above, the depth of the at least one protrusion may be greater, and may for example have an extent as long as the member, as illustrated in Figures 3a and 3b.

In other embodiments of the present invention the member may not be an elongate member and in certain embodiments the member may only be as long as the depth of the at least one protrusion. The member may be of any cross sectional shape, for example, elliptical, square, triangular, hexagonal, or otherwise. Similarly, the shape of the protrusion that surrounds the member may be of a similar shape to the shape of the member, for example circular, or may be a different shape, such as elliptical, square, triangular, hexagonal, or the like.

The at least one protrusion is described above as integral with the member. In other embodiments, the at least one protrusion may not be integral with the member and for example may be a collar that can be located and fixed to the member around the portion of the member.

In other embodiments, the runner may comprise at least one roller, for example a single roller, that extends from one rail of the curtain track to the other rail of the curtain track. Further, the curtain attachment portion may be provided with a U-shaped hook on which the cubicle curtain may be mounted to the hook. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the limiting portion may be arranged to prevent the runner, for example a pair of rollers, from disengaging with the rails of the curtain track. In other embodiments, the limiting portion may be formed differently from above, for example of a solid body rather than the frame described above, and may be any shape, for example, square, circular, hexagonal or otherwise.

It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments.

Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A hook for a cubicle curtain, the hook comprising: a curtain attachment portion; a runner for mounting the hook on a curtain track; and a member connecting the runner to the curtain attachment portion; wherein the hook comprises at least one protrusion arranged to surround substantially a portion of the member and arranged to contact an outer surface of the curtain track.
2. A hook according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion is arranged to surround entirely the portion of the member.
3. A hook according to claim 2, wherein the at least one protrusion is arranged to surround a periphery of said portion of the member.
4. A hook according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the at least one protrusion is integral with the member.
5. A hook according to claim 1, wherein the hook comprises at least one further protrusion, said at least one protrusion and said at least one further protrusion being arranged together to surround substantially a portion of the member.
6. A hook according to any preceding claim, wherein the hook comprises a limiting portion arranged between said runner and said at least one protrusion, the limiting portion being arranged for limiting twisting of the hook when mounted on the curtain track.
7. A hook according to claim 6, wherein the limiting portion is arranged to contact a slot of the curtain track, for receiving the hook, to limit twisting of the hook when said hook is mounted on the curtain track.
8. A hook according to claims 7, wherein the limiting portion has a dimension greater than a width of the slot.
9. A hook according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the limiting portion comprises a top wall and two side walls forming a frame.
10. A hook according to any preceding claim, wherein the member is an elongate member.
11. A hook according to any preceding claim, wherein the runner comprises at least one shoulder for mounting on a curtain track and for the hook to travel along the curtain track.
12. A hook according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the runner comprises at least one roller for mounting the hook on the curtain track.
13. A hook according to claim 12, wherein the runner comprises two rollers each arranged for mounting on a different rail of said curtain track.
14. A hook according to any preceding claim, wherein the curtain attachment portion is arranged to be freely movable within and removably attachable to a curtain aperture for receiving the curtain attachment portion.
15. A hook according to any preceding claim, wherein the hook is fabricated from a plastics material.
16. A curtain suspension system comprising a curtain track and a hook, said curtain track being an elongate member arranged to receive said hook, said hook comprising: a curtain attachment portion; a runner for mounting the hook on a curtain track; and a member connecting the runner to the curtain attachment portion; wherein the hook comprises at least one protrusion arranged to surround substantially a portion of the member and arranged to contact an outer surface of the curtain track.
17. A system according to claim 16, frirther comprising a curtain arranged for attaching to said curtain attachment portion.