Claims
- 1. A U-shaped clip adapted for retaining in a rolled-up configuration a portion of a collapsible container that holds a quantity of a product, the U-shaped clip comprising:an inner layer of a resilient open-cell foam material; and a continuous, outer layer of structural material to which said inner layer of foam material is bonded, said layer of structural material mechanically supporting said inner layer of foam material; said layer of structural material including a pair of opposing, spaced-apart arms that are joined to each other by a juncture segment of said layer of structural material located at a base of the U-shaped clip; said inner layer of foam material substantially filling a gap located between the opposing, spaced-apart arms of the U-shaped clip; and the opposing, spaced-apart arms providing an opening between projecting ends thereof that extend away from the base of the U-shaped clip, the opening being adapted for admitting a convoluted roll of a collapsible container into the U-shaped clip between the opposing, spaced-apart arms thereof with open-cell foam material included in said inner layer of foam material becoming juxtaposed with and compressing to conform to the convoluted roll.
- 2. The U-shaped clip of claim 1 wherein said inner layer of resilient foam material is open-cell foam material that is much thicker than said layer of structural material.
- 3. The U-shaped clip of claim 1 wherein the inner layer of resilient foam material is laminated having a first layer of foam material that is bonded to said layer of structural material, the first layer of foam material being covered by a second layer of open cell foam material which is bonded to a surface of the first layer opposite to a surface thereof that is bonded to said layer of structural material.
- 4. The U-shaped clip of claim 3 wherein the second layer encircles the projecting ends of the opposing, spaced-apart arms of said layer of structural material.
- 5. The U-shaped clip of claim 1 wherein said inner layer of resilient foam material is open-cell foam material having a thickness approximately equal to a thickness of said layer of structural material, said inner layer of resilient foam material encircling the projecting ends of the opposing, spaced-apart arms of said layer of structural material.
- 6. The U-shaped clip of claim 1 wherein the gap between the opposing, spaced-apart arms of the U-shaped clip varies along the opposing, spaced-apart arms extending from the juncture segment located at the base of the U-shaped clip to the projecting ends of the opposing, spaced-apart arms distal from the base thereof.
- 7. The U-shaped clip of claim 6 wherein the opposing, spaced-apart arms of the U-shaped clip diverge away from each other about the projecting ends thereof.
- 8. The U-shaped clip of claim 1 wherein the opposing, spaced-apart arms of the U-shaped clip diverge away from each other about the projecting ends thereof.
- 9. The U-shaped clip of claim 1 wherein the foam material of said inner layer is a high-density, open-cell polyurethane material.
- 10. The U-shaped clip of claim 1 wherein said layer of structural material is formed from a thermoformable, hi-impact styrene material.
- 11. The U-shaped clip of claim 10 wherein the foam material of said inner layer includes a high-density, open-cell polyurethane material.
- 12. The U-shaped clip of claim 1 wherein said layer of structural material is formed from a polycarbonate material.
- 13. The U-shaped clip of claim 12 wherein the foam material of said inner layer includes a high-density, open-cell polyurethane material.
- 14. The U-shaped clip of claim 1 wherein said layer of structural material is formed from a metal.
- 15. The U-shaped clip of claim 14 wherein the foam material of said inner layer includes a high-density, open-cell polyurethane material.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/601,289 filed Feb. 16, 1996, which issued Dec. 16, 1997, as U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,139.
US Referenced Citations (21)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/601289 |
Feb 1996 |
US |
Child |
08/990945 |
|
US |