Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6170181
-
Patent Number
6,170,181
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, February 17, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 9, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Evenson, McKeown, Edwards & Lenahan, P.L.L.C.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 040 15
- 040 16
- 040 66104
- 040 666
- 024 312
- 024 311
- 024 563
- 024 614
- 063 20
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A name tag includes a fastening clip on a rear wall which can be displaced in two mutually crossing guide grooves into different end positions. Swivelling can take place only at the crossing point, in which case, also at the crossing point, the foot part and its slide can be secured in the respective groove against falling out. The fastening clip can be moved into different positions with a clip opening which, in each case, points in a different direction. The clip can be secured in these positions against unintentional displacement and swivelling.
Description
This application claims the priority of European patent application No. 98 102 711.3, filed Feb. 17, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a name tag with a viewing window in the front wall and a fastening clip on the rear wall, the clip having a resilient contact pressure leg and an adjoining foot part which is swivellably mounted on the rear wall.
In currently known, commercially available name tags of the above-mentioned type, the foot part of the fastening clip is usually swivellably mounted on the tag by a rivet, which makes it possible to direct the clip in any direction; this allows clip opening to the left, to the right, at the top or at the bottom.
This permits various ways of attaching the name tag to pieces of clothing, handbags, etc. It is a disadvantage of this construction that, even when the rivet head has a relatively close contact, the name tag may unintentionally be tilted, which at least aesthetically creates an unpleasant appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to mount a swivellable fastening clip on a tag in such a manner that the tag cannot unintentionally be swivelled and without requiring unacceptably high manufacturing costs.
In a name tag of the type mentioned above, this object is achieved according to the invention by providing the foot part of the tag with a slide and a rear wall of the tag with a first guide groove extending in the transverse direction of the tag. A second guide groove branches off the first guide groove at a right angle. The guide grooves are constructed in this manner for securing the slide against falling out and securing the foot part against a lateral swinging out of the respective groove axis. Swivelling of the foot part and thus of the clip by at least 90° at the crossing point of the two guide grooves is permitted.
Particular embodiments of the name tag according to the invention are reflected in the various claims.
The mutually crossing guide grooves permit swivelling at a crossing point but secure the slide of the base part with respect to falling out and lateral swinging out. As a result, the fastening clip can be brought into any desired position, and in the respective end position (operative position), swivelling is no longer possible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be explained in more detail in the following by way of two embodiments illustrated in the drawings.
FIG. 1
is a sectional view of a name tag according to the invention with a clip opening “pointing” or oriented to the right;
FIG. 2
is a top view of the back side of the tag shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a lateral view of the tag according to
FIG. 2
;
FIGS. 4
to
6
are views similar to those of
FIGS. 1
to
3
with the clip in the fitted-in position and with the clip opening pointing downward;
FIG. 7
is a top view of the back side of the tag according to
FIGS. 1
to
6
, with the clip situated in the crossing point (swivelling point) of the two guide grooves;
FIG. 8
is a sectional view of another embodiment of a name tag according to the invention, with the clip opening pointing to the right;
FIG. 9
is a top view of the back side of the tag according to
FIG. 8
;
FIG. 10
is a top view similar to
FIG. 9
, with the clip being displaced into the groove crossing point;
FIG. 11
is a view as in
FIG. 10
, with a partially swivelled clip;
FIG. 12
is a view as in
FIG. 10
, with the clip swivelled by 90° and, in the branching groove, displaced into an upper end position; and
FIG. 13
is a view similar to
FIG. 10
, with schematically outlined swivelling and displacing possibilities of the clip.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1
to
7
illustrate a first variant of a name tag according to the present invention. As illustrated in
FIGS. 1
to
3
, a slot
2
with a lateral opening
3
for sliding in a name carrier (not shown) is provided in the front wall
1
. This name carrier is visible through a window
4
.
On the rear wall
5
, a fastening clip
6
is provided which can be swivelled in a specific position so that the clip opening points to the right, left or downward.
The special characteristic of this construction is the fact that the foot part
7
can be displaced, by way of a pertaining slide
8
, in a first guide groove
9
, which extends transversely to the tag, and in a second groove
10
, which branches off this first groove
9
. The slide
8
is secured against both falling out and lateral swivelling. The foot part
7
, and therefore the clip
6
as such, can be swivelled only at the crossing point P
1
of the grooves
9
,
10
in order to be brought into a different position. The slide
8
is also secured against falling out at the crossing point. The slide
8
and the foot part
7
are locked in the end points P
2
, P
3
and P
4
. In the illustrated example, the slide and foot part are locked by resilient legs
11
,
12
or
13
, which keep the pin-shaped part
8
′ of the slide
8
locked in the corresponding end position against unintentional displacement.
The illustrated fastening clip
6
is a so-called alligator clip which is known per se and has resilient legs
6
′,
6
″.
As illustrated in the drawing, the grooves
9
,
10
have inwardly projecting upper collars
14
, behind which the slide
8
is caught. The resilient legs
11
to
13
form portions of these collars
14
.
The specially worked-out grooves
9
,
10
are provided in a rear wall
5
which is inserted into the front wall
1
(for example, by clipping or gluing).
The slide
8
can be placed, in position
15
, for example, by pressing the slide in the groove of the rear wall
5
, which is made of plastic.
FIGS. 4
to
6
show the name tag according to
FIGS. 1
to
3
with the clip
6
displaced into the above-mentioned second groove
10
. The clip
6
can be displaced, for example, from the end position at point P
2
on the left side (FIG.
1
), by moving over the resilient leg
11
, into the crossing point P
1
.
At point P
1
, the clip
6
and its foot part
7
and the slide
8
can be swivelled, for example, by 90°, in order to then be displaced into the position according to
FIG. 5
to point P
4
(with the clip opening pointing downward, being locked by the leg
13
). It is also conceivable to swivel the clip in point P
1
by 180° and then displace it to point P
3
(locking by leg
12
), in which the clip is opened toward the left.
Because of the construction described, the clip can be brought into any of positions P
2
, P
3
or P
4
and is secured there against an unintentional displacement and swivelling. These adjusting possibilities are outlined purely schematically in FIG.
7
. Swivelling is possible only at crossing point P
1
of the two displacement grooves
9
,
10
.
FIGS. 8
to
13
show another embodiment of the name tag having a fastening clip
20
constructed as a so-called “patented clip”. In this case also, the name tag
22
consists of a front wall
23
with a slot
24
and a viewing window
25
as well as a rear wall
26
with two mutually crossing guide grooves
27
,
28
for the foot part
29
and slide
30
of the clip
20
. The foot part
29
and the slide
30
are constructed here as a horizontal “U” with a lateral opening, and, in the end positions, reach over parts
31
,
32
and
33
of the groove wall. By way of cams
34
and opposite recesses
35
, the foot part and the slide are locked in these positions as well as in the crossing point P
1
. Here also, the grooves
27
,
28
have collar-shaped tabs
29
which prevent the slide
30
from jumping out of the groove.
Additionally, a swivelling of the clip
20
or the foot part
29
with the slide
30
is possible only at the crossing point P
1
.
FIGS. 8 and 9
show the clip
20
in the end position on the left side (secured against a swivelling and unintentional displacement).
FIG. 10
shows the tag rear wall
36
with the clip
20
displaced into the crossing point (opening still toward the right).
In this position, the clip
20
can be swivelled as shown in
FIG. 11
by 90°, for example. The clip can then be displaced in the groove
28
upwards into the end position illustrated in FIG.
12
.
Swivelling by 180° would also be possible at the crossing point, with a subsequent displacement into the end position on the right side, with the clip opening pointing to the left (not shown).
FIG. 13
again schematically illustrates the different swivelling and displacement possibilities of the clip
20
. In all end positions, the clip
20
is secured against an unintentional swivelling and displacement.
Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit and scope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. Name tag comprising:a front wall having a viewing window, a fastening clip on a rear wall, the clip having a resilient contact pressure leg and an adjoining foot part, a slide including a pin-shaped part which mounts the foot part so that the foot part can swivel relative to the rear wall, a first guide groove with which the rear wall is provided, said first guide groove extending in a first direction with respect to the rear wall, and a second guide groove with which the rear wall is also provided which branches off from the first guide groove in a second direction at a right angle with respect to said first direction, inwardly projecting collars defined in each of the guide grooves between which said pin-shaped part can slide, wherein said inwardly protecting collars secure the slide against falling out of said guide grooves and wherein said guide grooves secure the foot part against swinging out laterally with respect to the grooves except at a crossing point of the first and second guide grooves to permit swivelling of the foot part and thus of the clip through at least 90°.
- 2. Name tag according to claim 1, wherein the crossing point of the first and second guide grooves is situated at a longitudinal center of the first guide groove.
- 3. Name tag according to claim 2, wherein the first guide groove extends offset toward one side with respect to a transverse center line of the tag.
- 4. Name tag according to claim 2, wherein the foot part can be swivelled through 180° at said crossing point.
- 5. Name tag according to claim 2, and further comprising locking devices provided for locking the foot part and the slide at least in every end position in the guide grooves against an unintentional displacement.
- 6. Name tag according to claim 2, wherein the clip is constructed as an alligator clip with spring-type legs and the foot part.
- 7. Name tag according to claim 1, wherein the first guide groove extends offset toward one side with respect to a transverse center line of the tag.
- 8. Name tag according to claim 7, wherein the foot part can be swivelled through 180° at said crossing point.
- 9. Name tag according to claim 7, and further comprising locking devices provided for locking the foot part and the slide at least in every end position in the guide grooves against an unintentional displacement.
- 10. Name tag according to claim 7, wherein the clip is constructed as an alligator clip with spring-type legs and the foot part.
- 11. Name tag according to claim 1, wherein the foot part can be swivelled through 180° at said crossing point.
- 12. Name tag according to claim 11, and further comprising locking devices provided for locking the foot part and the slide at least in every end position in the guide grooves against an unintentional displacement.
- 13. Name tag according to claim 11, wherein the clip is constructed as an alligator clip with spring-type legs and the foot part.
- 14. Name tag according to claim 1, and further comprising locking devices provided for locking the foot part and its slide at least in every end position in the guide grooves against an unintentional displacement.
- 15. Name tag according to claim 14, wherein the locking devices consist of resilient tongues over which a movement can take place in both directions and which lock the slide by a lateral engagement.
- 16. Name tag according to claim 14, wherein the clip is constructed as an alligator clip with spring-type legs and the foot part.
- 17. Name tag according to claim 1, wherein the clip is constructed as an alligator clip with spring-type legs and the foot part.
- 18. Name tag according to claim 1, wherein the guide grooves are provided by recesses in said rear wall and wherein said rear wall can be fitted onto the front wall by snapping.
- 19. Name tag according to claim 1, wherein the guide grooves are provided by recesses in said rear wall and wherein said rear wall can be fitted onto the front wall by clamping.
- 20. Name tag according to claim 1, wherein the guide grooves are provided by recesses in said rear wall and wherein said rear wall can be fitted onto the front wall by gluing.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
98102711 |
Feb 1998 |
EP |
|
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
8901912 |
Jul 1989 |
DE |
4226341A1 |
Feb 1994 |
DE |
0554073A1 |
Aug 1993 |
EP |