Patent Application
20200309181
The invention relates to a fastener device, and particularly, but not exclusively, to a fastener device for connecting an article such as a toy to a sheet-form material such as a packaging material.
A method of using the known fastener device 10 of
The known fastener devices of
The method described with respect to
Furthermore, typically the pins 12, 32 of such fastener devices 10, 30 have a diameter of about 3 mm to 5 mm. The aperture 18 in the sheet-form packaging material 20 has a diameter slightly larger than 3 mm to 5 mm to smooth insertion of the pin 12, 32 through the aperture 18. Consequently, whilst there is reasonable connection strength of the toy 28 to the fastener device 10, 30 and the packaging material 20 in a longitudinal direction of the pin 12, 32, there is little transverse strength in the connection such that the pin 12, 32 is susceptible to shearing off at the planar base part 14, 34. This typically occurs during transportation of packaged toys 28 where rough handling of the packaged toys 28 may bring the weight of the toy 28 to bear transversely on the pin 12, 32 causing it to shear off and/or damage the packaging material around the aperture 18, e.g. causing a tear in the packaging material 20 at the location of the aperture 18. A further problem is that the packaged toy 28 may itself be damaged by such rough handling if the pin 12, 32 shears off. Yet a further problem is that, by the time the packaged toy is ready to be displayed in a store, the toy 28 and/or the packaging material 20 may have been damaged as described above and the packaged toy 28 will not be in a suitable condition for presentation to consumers to view.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved method of packaging articles such as toys and an improved fastener device for doing so.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved fastener device for connecting an article to a sheet-form material.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of connecting articles to sheet-form packaging material.
Another object of the present invention is to mitigate or obviate to some degree one or more problems associated with known fastener devices, or at least to provide a useful alternative.
The above objects are met by the combination of features of the main claim; the sub-claims disclose further advantageous embodiments of the invention.
One skilled in the art will derive from the following description other objects of the invention. Therefore, the foregoing statements of object are not exhaustive and serve merely to illustrate some of the many objects of the present invention.
In a first main aspect, the invention provides a fastener device for connecting an article to a sheet-form material. The fastener device comprises a part for attaching to the article. The fastener device includes a fastener member for holding said sheet-form material in a fixed position relative to the fastener device such that a first side surface of the sheet-form material faces the article. The fastener member is pivotally movable from an open position to a fastening position to contact with a second, opposing side surface of the sheet-form material to hold said sheet-form material in said fixed position.
In a second main aspect, the invention provides a method of using the fastener device of the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising attaching the fastener device to the article and then inserting part of the fastener device into an aperture of the sheet-form material from a first, upper side surface of the sheet-form material. The method includes pivotally moving the fastener member of the fastener device from an open position to a fastening position to contact with a second, opposing under-side surface of the sheet-form material to hold said sheet-form material in a fixed position relative to the fastener device and the article being packaged.
The summary of the invention does not necessarily disclose all the features essential for defining the invention; the invention may reside in a sub-combination of the disclosed features.
The foregoing and further features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments which are provided by way of example only in connection with the accompanying figures, of which:
The following description is of preferred embodiments by way of example only and without limitation to the combination of features necessary for carrying the invention into effect.
Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments.
The fastener device 40 has at least one, but preferably two, fastener members 48 for holding the sheet-form material in a fixed position relative to the head portion 42 of the fastener device 40 such that a first side surface of the sheet-form material faces the article. The fastener members 48 are each pivotally movable from an open position to a fastening position to contact with a second, opposing side surface of the sheet-form material to hold said sheet-form material in said fixed position. Each fastener member 48 may comprise a planar flap 49 which extends downwardly from a respective pivot point 50A, B with the head portion 42 when in its open position as shown in
The fastener device 60 also has two fastener members 68 for holding a sheet-form material in a fixed position relative to the head portion 62. The fastener members 68 are each pivotally movable from an open position to a fastening position to contact with a second, opposing side surface of the sheet-form material to hold said sheet-form material in said fixed position. Each fastener member 68 may comprise a planar flap 69 which extends downwardly from a respective pivot point 70A, B with the head portion 62 when in its open position as shown in
The pin 63 may have a cylindrical base part 63B which has a diameter greater than that of the pin 63, but less than that of the head portion 62. In use, the cylindrical base part 63B of the pin 63 is adapted to be inserted into a lower part of an aperture in a wall of an article and preferably such that it forms a snug fit with said lower part of the aperture to thereby strengthen the connection between the fastener device 60 and the article against transverse shocks during rough handling of a packaged article. The width or diameter of the head portion 62 is preferably at least twice that of the pin 63.
As shown more clearly in
A first step 80 of the method is attaching the fastener device 60 to an article such as a toy 28. In this instance, the pin 63 of the fastener device 60 is screw-threadedly engaged in hole 24 provided in a wall 26 of the toy 28. However, the method may include any means of attaching the fastener device to the wall 26 or a surface of the wall 26 of the toy 28. It will be seen that in step 80, the fastener device 60 is fixedly attached to the toy 28 without the presence of the sheet-form packaging material 20. Therefore, whether step 80 is performed manually or by machine, there are only two holding positions required, one for the toy 28 and one for the fastener device 60. It will also be seen that the cylindrical base part 63B of the pin 63 is received snugly into a bottom part of the hole 26 adjacent the wall 26. The fact that the head portion 62 has a larger diameter than the cylindrical base part 63B enables a much stronger connection to be formed between the fastener device 60 and the toy 28 which improves its resistance to transverse shear stress.
In a second step 82, a part or all of the head portion 62 of the fastener device 60 is received or inserted into an aperture 18 of the packaging material 20. In this method, the aperture 18 is sufficiently large as to allow the fastener members 68 (in their open positions) and their shoulder members 74 to pass through the aperture 18 with some clearance. It will be observed that the head portion 62 of the fastener device 60 is introduced to the aperture 18 of the packaging material 20 from a first, i.e. top, side of the packaging material 20 in contrast to the known devices of
In a next step 84, the fastener members 68 are pivotally moved from their downwardly extending open positions, either manually or by machine, to their horizontal fastening positions as shown. Where the fastener members 68 include shoulder members 74, the shoulder members swing into spaces between the inner periphery of the aperture 18 and a side surface of the head portion 62 to thereby improve the fit of the fastener device 60 in the aperture 18 and reduce or prevent horizontal shear movement of the fastener device 60 within the aperture 18. Upper surfaces of the fastener members 68 (when viewed in their horizontal fastening positions) may be provided with an adhesive layer to fix said fastener members 68 to an underside surface of the packaging material 20.
In a final, although optional, step 86, a layer of adhesive tape 88 may be applied across the base of the fastener device 60 and extend over parts of the underside surface of the packaging material 20 to secure the fastener device 60 in place relative to the packaging material 20. Also, a second layer 20′ of packaging material may be employed as a back cover of the packaged toy 28 to hide the fastener device 60 from view and prevent it from being tampered with.
A first step of the second method is not illustrated in
In a second step 92, the fastener device 60 is introduced manually or by machine to the aperture 18 of the packaging material 20. In this method, the aperture 18 is sufficiently large as to allow the fastener members 68 (in their open positions) to pass through the aperture 18 but not so large as to allow the shoulder members 74 to pass through the aperture 18. The method may comprise moving the packaging material 20 towards the fastener device 60 or vide-versa.
In a first part 94A of a next step 94, the fastener device 60 is further inserted into the aperture 18 so that the upper surface of the packaging material 20 engages the shoulder members 74. Continued insertion of the fastener device 60 into the aperture 18 results in the packaging material 20 urging the fastener members 68 to pivotally move from their original downwardly extending open positions towards their horizontal fastening positions.
A second part 94B of the next step 94 shows the situation where the head portion 62 of the fastener device 60 has been received in the aperture 18, the fastener members 68 have reached their fastening positions and the shoulder members 74 have swung into the spaces between the inner periphery of the aperture 18 and a side surface of the head portion 62.
Upper surfaces of the fastener members 68 (when viewed in their horizontal fastening positions) may be provided with an adhesive layer to fix said fastener members 68 to an underside surface of the packaging material 20.
In a final, although optional, step 96, a layer 98 of adhesive tape may be applied across the base of the fastener device 60 and parts of the underside surface of the packaging material 20. Also, a second layer 20′ of packaging material may be employed as a back cover of the packaged toy 28.
The pin 103 may have a cylindrical base part 103B which has a diameter less than that of the head portion 102. The width or diameter of the head portion 102 is preferably at least twice that of the pin 103.
The head portion 102 may have one or more planar tabs 116 extending horizontally from the upper surface 102A of the head portion 102 where said one or more tabs extend beyond the width of the head portion 102. The tabs 116 preferably extend at right angles to the fastener members 108.
A first step 120 of the third method comprises attaching the fastener device 100 to a toy 28 in a same manner as step 80 of the first method.
In a second step 122, the fastener device 100 is introduced manually or by machine to the aperture 18 of the packaging material 20. In this method, the aperture 18 is sufficiently large as to allow the fastener members 108 (in their open positions) to pass through the aperture 18 but not so large as to allow the shoulder members 114 to pass through the aperture 18.
In a first part 124A of a next step 124, the fastener device 100 is further inserted into the aperture 18 so that the upper surface of the packaging material 20 engages the shoulder members 114. Continued insertion of the fastener device 100 into the aperture 18 results in the packaging material 20 urging the fastener members 108 to pivotally move from their original open positions towards their fastening positions.
A second part 124B of the next step 124 shows the situation where the head portion 102 of the fastener device 100 has been received in the aperture 18, the fastener members 108 have reached their fastening positions and the shoulder members 114 have swung into the spaces between the inner periphery of the aperture 18 and a side surface of the head portion 102. Furthermore, the hooked tips 114B of the shoulder members 114 have locked into their respective slots 118 in the head portion 102.
In a final, although optional, step 126, a second layer 20′ of packaging material may be employed as a back cover of the packaged toy 28.
In all embodiments of the invention, the fastener device is adapted to be releasably attached to the article.
In the methods of the invention, it is preferred that the diameter of the aperture in the packaging material is at least 8 mm, preferably at least 10 mm and more preferably at least 15 mm. This greatly reduces horizontal shear stress on the fastener device and particularly the pin of the fastener device that might result through rough handling of a packaged article.
The known fastener devices of
The improvements provided by the embodiments of the fastener device of the invention and the methods of the invention render said methods more susceptible to machine, i.e. automatic, implementation to reduce manual labor and costs.
The present description illustrates the principles of the present invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope.
Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only exemplary embodiments have been shown and described and do not limit the scope of the invention in any manner. It can be appreciated that any of the features described herein may be used with any embodiment. The illustrative embodiments are not exclusive of each other or of other embodiments not recited herein. Accordingly, the invention also provides embodiments that comprise combinations of one or more of the illustrative embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the invention as herein set forth can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and, therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims.
In the claims hereof, any element expressed as a means for performing a specified function is intended to encompass any way of performing that function. The invention as defined by such claims resides in the fact that the functionalities provided by the various recited means are combined and brought together in the manner which the claims call for. It is thus regarded that any means that can provide those functionalities are equivalent to those shown herein.
In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.
It is to be understood that, if any prior art is referred to herein, such prior art does not constitute an admission that the prior art forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art.
