This invention pertains to gripping “clips” preferably formed of plastic material, the clips for receiving edge portions of a netting and more particularly to the two-part hinged interlocking of such clips, which can receive and grip the netting. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved two-part hinged clip for gripping netting or tarps, where the clip's parts join together by a hinge and with the aid of interlocking post-and-hole features.
The present invention generally relates to net gripping devices. Nets are used in modern crop cultivation, such as orchards, vineyards, berry and vegetable growing sites, for shade, weather protection, and to shield the crop from birds. Typically, the netting is draped over supports or trellises and affixed to the supports by “tie-downs” along the edges of the netting. The tie-downs can include straps, wires, cables, or strings. Additionally, grommets can also be sewn into or alternatively pressed into the netting, often along fabric edges of the netting. The tie-downs can then be threaded through the grommets, to prevent the tie-downs from ripping out of the netting.
Agricultural labor is increasingly expensive and difficult to acquire. Shortages in harvesting laborers, with needs for increased efficiency requires that even simple equipment or implements used on the farm orchard or vineyard be redesigned or re-engineered to improve their operation, often to perform a multiple of tasks more efficiently than current devices and practices.
The present invention provides an improved netting clip, especially for use in agricultural operations. Additionally, the following disclosure of the present invention will be understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Reference characters included in the above drawings indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, as discussed herein. The description herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and the description herein is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. It should be understood that the above listed figures are not necessarily to scale and may include fragmentary views, graphic symbols, diagrammatic or schematic representations. Details that are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention by one skilled in the technology of the invention, or render other details difficult to perceive, may have been omitted.
The present invention is a gripping clip, preferably formed of a plastic material, the gripping clip for receiving an edge portion of a netting material. The gripping clip may simply be referred to herein as a “clip.”
Most preferably, the clip 10 may be any resilient plastic material, and preferably a thermoplastic material, such as a polystyrene or a polyethylene. Fibrous materials can also be used for the clip, or incorporated into a plastic to form the clip, such as a wood or mineral fiber. Additionally, the clip material can be recycled or recyclable. Also alternatively, the clip can be a biodegradable, or water soluble material, or include any other material known to a person skilled in the art of plastic article manufacture. Advantageously, the clip of the present invention can be formed of a softer or more flexible rubber containing, or a rubber-like material.
Preferably, each clip 10 of the present invention is formed by a conventional thermal injector or thermal press, to produce the clip in a single piece that includes the clip top 16 connected to the clip base 17 by the clip hinge 18. This thermal injection manufacturing process is preferable in that it allows the clip to be formed from a wide variety of materials, as discussed above.
The clip top 16 mates to the clip base to grip a netting material 20, as shown in
Interlocking the clip top 16 to the clip base 17 is accomplished by a set of multiple posts 25 that extend from clip face base 24 of the clip base, as shown in
Most preferably, each post 26 of the set of multiple posts 25 terminates with a post point 29, that is able to penetrate the netting material, as shown in
Also preferably, as shown in
To best operate the clip 10, it is preferred that the clip hinge 18 has a hinge length 40, which is the distance the clip top 16 is separated from the clip base 17, and that the hinge length is approximately equal to or slightly greater than a post length 41, which is the distance each post 26 of the set of multiple posts 25 extends from the clip base, as shown in
An additional gripping feature in a preferred clip 10 of the present invention is a central rib 44 in the clip base face 24 of the clip base 17, as shown in
The clip 10 of the present invention greatly reduces the potential of the netting material 20 ripping out or tearing away from the tie-down or tie elements employed to secure the netting to any supporting structure. Each post 26 of the multiple of posts 25 is received into the post-holes 27 grip the netting material as shown in
An additional preferred feature of the clip 10 is shown in
The terms “approximately” or “approximate” are employed herein throughout, including this detailed description and the attached claims, with the understanding that is denotes a level of exactitude commensurate with the skill and precision typical for the particular field of endeavor, as applicable.
In compliance with the statutes, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features and process steps. While this invention is susceptible to embodiment in different forms, the specification illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and the disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. Those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other embodiments and variations of the invention are possible, which employ the same inventive concepts as described above. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited except by the following claims, as appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.