GB2587776A

GB2587776A - Construction clips

Info

Publication number: GB2587776A
Application number: GB1908602.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Coyne John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-06-14
Filing date: 2019-06-14
Publication date: 2021-04-14
Also published as: GB201908602D0

Abstract

A construction clip is formed of two or more elongate sections (1 and 2), each elongate section being formed of slightly elastic material and having, extending from one end of the elongate section towards a position close to the other end of the elongate section a gently sinuous open-ended slot (9). The dimension across the slot, i.e. the spacing between the walls of the slot, may vary from a smaller dimension adjacent the end of the elongate section from which the slot extends to a slightly larger dimension at the other end of the slot. The smaller dimension corresponds to very slightly less than the thickness of sheet material with which the clip is intended to be used, for example thin card, thick card, or corrugated cardboard, and the degree of variation from a straight line in the sinuous slot is such as to cause the sheet material to be slightly deformed on insertion. Alternatively, the end of the slot remote from the open end may be enlarged, and the slot may otherwise be of uniform width, slightly wider than the thickness of the sheet material, but the degree of sinuosity being sufficient to ensure firm engagement with the edge of the sheet material when inserted into the slot.

Description

CONSTRUCTION CLIPS

This invention relates to construction clips, i.e. clips which are used to hold a variety of panels of sheet material in a desired structural arrangement made of clips and panels. The clips of the present invention are particularly suitable for use in toy or play construction sets, though the inventive features of the clips may enable them to be used for other analogous applications.

It is known to construct multiple buildings for use in play by fitting together a plurality of panels of sheet material, for example card or cardboard material, using clips to hold them together. United States Patent Specification 1398852 describes such a system for building toy houses or, if more substantial materials are used, playhouses. Metal clips are described which are formed of spring material and which can be pushed on to the edges of 16 the sheet material to hold them in place.

The clips disclosed in US Specification 1398852 come in a variety of shapes as illustrated in the drawings to that specification, but each consists of two spring clip formations fixedly connected together. US Specification 8887354 B1 discloses a similar form of clip for like intended uses, where the two clipping portions are hinged one relative to the other.

The clips disclosed in the US specifications referred to above are relatively short. US Specification 5487690 discloses the use of longer extruded sections of material which may be used to clip over the edges of the sheet material, and which are of a length which corresponds to the length of the sheet material edge.

Toy or play construction kits are also available on the market commercially 30 which use edge connectors to hold together pre-formed printed panels to form simulated toy buildings. Such commercially available toy construction products are relatively narrowly directed to the production of one or a few types of simulated building structure and lack the flexibility which is desired in a toy product to stimulate creativity in terms of the size, shape and general configuration of a structure made by a child.

The present invention seeks to provide clips which are easy to use and manipulate, and, in particular, which can be used with scrap card material found around the home, for example packaging from cardboard boxes or card packaging used for products such as breakfast cereals, and which thus enable varied structures to be assembled quickly and easily, modified during construction in a quick and easy fashion, and which enable rapid disassembly of whatever has been constructed into its component sheets and clips According to the present invention there is provided a construction clip formed of two or more elongate sections, each elongate section being formed of slightly elastic material and having, extending from one end of the elongate section towards a position close to the other end of the elongate section a gently sinuous open-ended slot. The dimension across the slot, i.e. the spacing between the walls of the slot, may vary from a smaller dimension adjacent the end of the elongate section from which the slot extends to a slightly larger dimension at the other end of the slot. The smaller dimension corresponds to very slightly less than the thickness of sheet material with which the clip is intended to be used, for example thin card, thick card, or corrugated cardboard, and the degree of variation from a straight line in the sinuous slot is such as to cause the sheet material to be slightly deformed on insertion. Alternatively, the end of the slot remote from the open end may be enlarged, and the slot may otherwise be of uniform width, slightly wider than the thickness of the sheet material, but the degree of sinuosity being sufficient to ensure firm engagement with the edge of the sheet material when inserted into the slot.

The entry to the slot on the end face of the elongate section, i.e. at the open end of the slot, may be chamfered to enable easier insertion of sheet material into it.

In one embodiment, one or more elongate sections has two sinuous slots in it, set at right angles to one another. The exterior shape of the elongate section may be varied as desired, for example it may be cylindrical in shape, i.e. the elongate section is like a round peg, or it may be prismatic, for example square or octagonal in cross-section perpendicular to the direction of the extent of the slot(s).

The aspect ratio of each elongate section of the clip, i.e. the ratio of length to width, may vary, but is normally between 4:1 and 2:1. A lower aspect ratio means that the clips are less obtrusive, while a higher aspect ratio provides more grip.

The two or more slotted portions of the construction clip of the present invention may extend in the same direction or in different directions, for example forming an L-, V-, T-+ or X-shape. One possible construction for a corner clip is that of three portions extending in mutually orthogonal directions. A further possibility is a six-section clip with three parts each having two sections and with the three parts extending in mutually orthogonal directions. The slotted portions may be immovably fixed to one another, or, for example, one slotted portion may be hingedly connected to the other portion(s).

In a particularly useful construction clip according to the present invention, the clip consists of two elongate slot-containing sections, one of which has, near its end remote from the open end of the slot, a post running transverse to the elongation of the section and the other has again near its end remote from the open end of the slot, an aperture into which the post may fit.

In such a clip, the post and aperture may be respectively cylindrical and circular, so allowing the angle between the two elongate sections to be continuously varied over a suitable angular range. If desired, the two sections may include formations associated with the post and aperture enabling the two sections to be set at a number of discrete angular positions relative to one another by engagement of the formations with one another. For example, the aperture may have a surrounding wall with a plurality of grooves in it and the elongate member which carries the post may have one or more transverse ribs which can fit into one or more of the grooves when the two elongate members are inter-engaged.

Alternatively, the post and aperture may be respectively prismatic and polygonal, so allowing the two elongate members to adopt more than one position. For example, if the post has a square section and the aperture is square, the two elongate members may be engaged aligned with one another or at a right angle to one another.

Preferably the post and aperture are configured so that they can be press-fitted to one another, but once so fitted, they cannot be easily separated.

One structure to achieve this is to have a bifurcated post with a lip at its free end, which can be fitted into the aperture with compression of its bifurcated position but which then springs back when the post goes all the way through the aperture to hold the two elongate portions together.

The construction clips of the present invention may be made of any suitably slightly elastic material and a wide variety of plastics materials have the necessary mechanical properties. The manufacturing method may be chosen to suit the material, for example injection-moulding of such materials. Because of the potential difficulty of extracting otherwise than sideways a sinuous tab forming part of the mould and of shape corresponding to the slot, it is conceivable to make the individual sections in two parts, each of which has one or two undulating faces and which are configured so that when the two parts are fixed together, for example by adhesion, welding or a peg fixing, the sinuous channel(s) or slot(s) are formed. Alternatively, the two parts may each have a plurality of undulating faces and be clipped together so that the undulating faces lie opposite one another to define the sinuous slots.

For small quantities, the clips may be made integrally using 3D printing.

While the clips are primarily designed to be fitted individually on to the edges of pieces of sheet material, it is conceivable to provide such clips with means enabling two or more clips to be fitted together. One way of doing this is to provide an aperture, or even a through-hole, in the end of each section remote from the open end of the sinuous slot and which can take a peg or post designed to join two such clips together. The clip may have in the region remote from the open end of the sinuous slot a cavity, for example a cylindrical cavity, into which a cylindrical boss on another such clip may be fitted, either merely as a friction press fit or, by appropriate configuration of the cavity and boss, by way of a clipping action.

In a further development, the exterior of the clip may carry two or more projections, or be relieved by two or more depressions sized and shaped to be a press fit respectively with depressions or projections on known construction kit components such as those sold under the Registered Trade Mark Lego.

By way of illustration, a number of clips in accordance with the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the case of Figures 1 to 16, the elongate sections each have two sinuous slots 9 in them set at right angles. In Figures 17 to 20, the elongate sections of the clips only have one sinuous slot 9 in them.

In the drawings: Figures 1 and 2 show a clip having two elongate portions in line with one another. The clip is formed of two elongate moulded members 1, 2, each with a central hole 3 through which a split-end spring peg 4 passes to assemble the two members together. Of the remaining Figures 3 to 16, each shows a clip having two or more elongate sections. In each case, the first odd-numbered figure shows the assembled clip and the following even-numbered figure the components of the clip as moulded, including a peg 4 to fix the parts of the clip together, usually two parts but four parts in the case of the hinged clip shown in Figures 3 and 4. Thus: Figures 3 and 4 show a hinged clip with two elongate sections hinged together and made of four moulded members 5, 6, 7, 8 and a peg 4.

Figures Sand 6 show a two elongate section obtuse-angled clip; Figures 7 and 8 show a two elongate section V-shaped clip; Figures 9 and 10 show a two elongate section L-shaped clip; Figures 11 and 12 show three elongate section Y-shaped clip; Figures 13 and 14 show a three elongate section T-shaped clip; and Figures 15 and 16 show a four elongate section T-shaped clip.

In all of the clips shown in Figures Ito 16, the peg 4 which holds the two sections together protrudes from one side of the clip, so providing a boss on to which a shod sleeve may be press-fitted if it is desired to press-fit two clips together with the bosses on the two clips pressed into the two ends of the sleeve. Alternatively, the peg 4 could be dimensioned so that when inserted to hold the two halves of the clip together, its top is flush with the surface of one of the clip halves.

Turning to Figures 17 to 20, these relate to an alternative form of hinged clip.

Figure 17 shows the hinged clip with its elongate sections aligned, Figure 18 with them at an angle of 45° to one another, Figure 19 shows one component of the clip denoted 10 and Figure 20 shows the other components denoted 14. Each of Figures 17 to 20 shows the clip or clip component from a variety of angles. In these figures, component 10 has a post formation 11 at one end, the post extending transverse to the direction of elongation of the component. Its free end is bifurcated and has a slightly protruding collar 12. Formed with its tip slightly spaced from post formation 11 is a wedge-shaped tab 13.

One end of the other component 14 is formed with a hollow cylindrical projection 18 with its axis transverse to the direction of elongation and with a series of grooves 15 on its exterior. When the two sections of the clip are assembled together by inserting post 11 into the hollow cylindrical projection 14, the tip of tab 13 engages in one of the grooves 15 in projection 16 to hold the two components in a fixed relative position, aligned as shown in Figure 17 and at an angle of 45° as shown in Figure 18. They can also be assembled together at angles of 90° or 1350 to one another.

If desired, the single wedge-shaped tab 13 shown in Figures 17 and 20, can be replaced by two such tabs, one either side of the position shown in Figures 17, 18 and 20, and they are positioned to engage in two of the grooves in projection 16 when the parts of the clip are assembled together.

The clips shown in Figures 17 to 20 all have a series of three hollow cylindrical posts 20 spaced along each elongate portion. These may be used to connect the clip components to other construction kit components having sets of projections which are set at the same spacing as posts 20 and which are a press fit in the interior of each post 20, or which have sets of cylindrical cavities at the same spacing as posts 20 and into which each post 20 is a press fit.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A construction clip formed of two or more elongate sections, each elongate section being formed of slightly elastic material and having, extending from one end of the elongate section towards a position close to the other end of the elongate section a gently sinuous open-ended slot 2. A construction clip according to claim 1 wherein the spacing between the walls of the slot may varies from a smaller dimension adjacent the end of the elongate section from which the slot extends to a slightly larger dimension at the other end of the slot 3. A construction clip according to claim 1 wherein the end of the slot remote from the open end is enlarged, and the slot is otherwise of uniform width.4. A construction clip according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the CS' entry to the slot on the end face of the elongate section is chamfered to enable easier insertion of sheet material into it 5. A construction clip according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein, one or more of the elongate sections has two sinuous slots in it set at right Cn angles to one another.6. A construction clip according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the cross-section perpendicular to the direction of the extent of the slot(s) is section is round, square or octagonal.7. A construction clip according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the aspect ratio of each elongate section of the clip, i.e. the ratio of length to width is between 4:1 and 2:1.8. A construction clip according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the two or more slotted portions of the construction clip extend in the same direction or in different directions to forming an L-, V-, T-+ or X-shape.9. A construction clip according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and configured as a corner clip with three elongate sections extending in mutually orthogonal directions.10.A construction clip according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein one or more slotted portions is hingedly connected to the other portion(s).11.A construction clip according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the clip consists of two elongate slot-containing sections, one of which has, near its end remote from the open end of the slot, a post running transverse to the elongation of the section and the other has, again near its end remote from the open end of the slot an aperture into which the post may fit.12.A construction clip according to claim 11 wherein the two sections include formations associated with the post and aperture enabling the two sections to be set at a number of discrete angular positions relative to one another by engagement of the formations with one C\I another.13.A construction clip according to claim 11 or 12 wherein the post and aperture are configured so that they can be press-fitted to one another, but once so fitted, they cannot be easily separated. Cn14.A construction clip according to any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the clips comprise means enabling two or more clips to be fitted together by providing an aperture or a through-hole in the end of each section remote from the open end of the sinuous slot and which can take a peg or post designed to join two such clips together.15.A construction clip according to claim 14 wherein the clip has in the region remote from the open end of the sinuous slot a example a cylindrical cavity, into which a cylindrical boss on another such clip may be fitted, either merely as a friction press fit or, by appropriate configuration of the cavity and boss, by way of a clipping action.16.A construction clip according to any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein the exterior of the clip may carries two or more projections or is relieved by two or more depressions sized and shaped to be a press fit respectively with depressions or projections on known construction kit components.