AU767311B2 - Clamping device - Google Patents

Description

-1I- P/00/001I1 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT S S *5 S S S. S S .5

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S S. 55 S S

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ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service in Australia: Vital Signs Maffufaetwrrs Pt' Ltd Graeme William Baichin CARTER SMITH BEADLE Level 10, 189 Kent St Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Pk L\&led Invention Title: Clamping Device Details of Associated Provisional Application: PP3879 filed 3 June 1998 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us Invention Title: CLAMPING DEVICE TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a clamping device and, in particular, to a clamping device for gripping a margin of a sheet of thin pliable material. Such devices may be used for supporting or affixing the sheet relative to an article or structure to which the device may be secured or of which the device may be an integral component.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION •o The invention consists in a clamping device for releasably gripping a sheet of thin pliable material comprising a base member integral with or adapted to be secured to an external article or structure and a cover member hingedly engaged or engageable with the base member and able to swing about a hinge axis from an open position wherein a sheet to be gripped is free to be inserted between the ~members to a closed position wherein the inserted sheet is in pressure contact with both members, wherein: said base member includes a base flange extending parallel to and spaced from the hinge axis and projecting towards the cover member when in the closed position; said cover member includes a cover flange extending parallel to and spaced from the hinge axis and projecting towards the base member when in the closed position; said flanges have inter-engageable snap acting formations extending along their free edges; in use, a sheet to be gripped may be freely inserted between said snap acting formations when in the open position but is then gripped by pressure contact with the snap acting formations when in the closed position; and 28532:CAP:BOB:mo 24 May 1999 3 a portion of the cover member between the hinge axis and the cover flange is non-planar and sufficiently resilient to enable bending of that portion by compression of that portion to effect separation of the snap acting formations sufficient to allow the cover member then to be swung to the open position for release of the sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of S. example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a clamping device in accordance with the present invention in an open position.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the clamping device of Figure 1 in its closed position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an end portion of a cover member, being a component of the clamping device of Figure 1.

°o e Figure 4 is a perspective view of an end portion of a base member, being a component of the clamping device of figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the insertion of a sheet of thin pliable sheet to be gripped.

Figure 6 is a view similar to figure 2 illustrating the gripping of a sheet of thin pliable sheet material.

28532:CAP:O:mo 24 May 1999 Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a clamping device in accordance with the invention.

MODE OF CARRYING OUT INVENTION The clamping device illustrated by figures 1 to 6 comprises an elongate base member 1 and an elongate cover member 2, each of which is preferably made of metal or plastics material. In the most preferred embodiment members I and 2 are lengths of aluminium extrusions.

o000.0 The base member 1 is preferably at least as long as the sheet to be gripped.

:On the other hand, although less preferably, the cover member2 may be considerably shorter, in which event a plurality of short cover members would be associated with a single longer base member.

o~o The base member 1 comprises a back plate 3 from which projects a base flange 4. The base flange 4 further comprises one of a pair of inter-engageable snap acting formations, in this instance a finger sectioned lip flange 5 extending 20 along the free edge of the base flange 4.

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The back plate 3 also comprises one of a pair of inter-engageable hinge formations, in this instance an arcuately sectioned flange 6 co-axial with a hinge axis about which the cover member 2 may swing The cover member 2 comprises a thin walled main body 7 having a foot 8 extending along one edge, a flange 9 extending along its other edge and a. cover flange 10 intermediate its edges. The foot 8 has a portion at least substantially at right angles to the main portion of body 7. Thus that portion 19 of the body 7 between the foot 8 and the flange 10 is non-planar so that manual compression 28532:CAP:BOB:mo 24 May 1999 applied to the cover member 2 between the foot 8 and the flange 9 may effect resilient flexing of that body portion 19 and hence of the body 7 itself.

The cover flange 10 also comprises the other of said pair of snap acting formations, in this instance a curved lip 12 extending along its free edge, and a groove 14 disposed between curved lip 12 and a longitudinally extending bead The cover member 2 further comprises the other of said inter-engageable hinge formations, in this instance a substantially cylindrical bead 11 disposed at the free end of foot 8, which is adapted to pivotally engage with the concave surface of the arcuate sectioned flange 6, and allow the cover member 2 to be swung about the hinge axis with respect to the base member 1.

In use, the cover member 2 may be pivotally rotated in an anti-clockwise direction A, such that the convex surface 16 of curved lip 12, engages with the free end of lip flange 5, and then flexes sufficiently to allow lip flange 5 to pass rib 12 and engage within groove 14. The bead 15 acts as an abutment to prevent further anti-clockwise rotation of the cover member2. During rotation of the cover member 2, an abutment 17 which projects from back plate 3, prevents rotation of the foot member 8 beyond that required to reach the closed position.

Once the clamping device is in the closed position configuration as shown in Figure 2, the cover member 2 is immobilised, and cannot be easily rotated in a clockwise direction, as the tip of lip flange 5 is firmly seated in groove 14. In order to open the clamping device ie. release lip flange 5 on the base member 1 from the groove 14 of the cover member 2, it is necessary to urge flange 9 in a direction B, as shown parallel to the main body 7, and substantially at right angles to the foot 8.

By providing an urging force in direction B, for example by the thumb of a user (not shown), the non-planar portion 19 of the cover member body 7 flexes 28532:CAP:BOB:mo 24 May 1999 sufficiently and in such a manner that groove 14 and convex surface 16 of curved lip 12 clear the free end of lip flange 5, such that the cover member 2 may be released and rotated in a clockwise direction.

As shown in Figures 7 8 a sheet 20 of thin pliable sheet material which may be a plastic sheet, or alternatively a sheet of woven mesh material, may be seated over the flange 4 and locked between the lip flange 5 and the surface of the groove 14.

In use the clamping device may form part of a frame adapted to support a thin sheet of pliable material. For instance, the clamping device may be :incorporated into the frame member of a device for supporting a replaceable advertisement banner made of thin sheet material, and the clamping device is adapted to secure the advertising banner within the frame. In use, the upper surface "21 of the cover member 2, would be the visible portion of the frame in front of the gripped sheet, and as such the flange 10 and lip flange 5 would not be visible when the banner is locked in place.

It should also be noted that the clamping device could be used in conjunction with other frame members for supporting and clamping thin pliable sheets, such as shade cloth or woven mesh material.

It should be readily understood that the clamping device of the present invention is not limited to clamping thin sheet pliable materials as those described above, and any thin sheet of pliable materials may be gripped using such a device.

A T-shaped recess 22 in base member 1, allows for base member 1 to slidably engage with the heads of threaded fasteners for the purposes of anchoring the device to a supporting article or structure (not shown).

28532:CAP:BODB:mo 24 May 1999 It should also be readily understood that the shape and configuration of the various components may differ without altering the scope of the invention. For instance, the shape of the base flange 4 in a second embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 9, may differ, without altering how such base member 1 would operably lock with the cover member 2.

_,f 28532:CAP:BOB:mo 24 May 1999

Claims (5)

1. A clamping device for releasably gripping a sheet of thin pliable material comprising a base member integral with or adapted to be secured to an external article or structure and a cover member hingedly engaged or engageable with the base member and able to swing about a hinge axis from an open position wherein a sheet to be gripped is free to be inserted between the members to a closed position wherein the inserted sheet is in pressure contact with both members, wherein: said base member includes a base flange extending parallel to and spaced from the hinge axis and projecting towards the cover member when in the closed position; said cover member includes a cover flange extending parallel to and spaced from the hinge axis and projecting towards the base member when in the closed position; said flanges have inter-engageable snap acting formations extending along their free edges; in use, a sheet to be gripped may be freely inserted between said snap acting formations when in the open position but is then gripped by pressure contact with the snap acting formations when in the closed position; and a portion of the cover member between the hinge axis and the cover flange is non-planar and sufficiently resilient to enable bending of that portion by compression of that portion to effect separation of the snap acting formations sufficient to allow the cover member then to be swung to the open position for release of the sheet.

2. A clamping device according to claim 1 wherein both said members are lengths of extrusions. 28532:CAP:BOB:mo 24 May 1999

3. A clamping device according to claim 2 wherein at least one of said extrusions is an aluminium extrusion.

4. A clamping device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said inter-engageable snap acting formations, comprise a finger sectioned lip flange extending along the free edge of one of said base and cover flanges and a curved lip, a bead and a groove disposed between the curved lip and the bead, all extending along the free edge margin of the other of said base and cover flanges.

5. A clamping device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said base and cover members are hingedly engageable as aforesaid by means of hinge formations comprising an arcuately sectioned flange co-axial with a hinge axis extending along an edge of one of the base member and the cover member and a substantially cylindrical bead extending along an edge of the other of said base and cover members adapted to engage with the concave surface of the arcuate sectioned flange. o0° 28532:CAP:BOB:mo 24 May 1999