The present invention relates to a retaining means. More particularly, the retaining means of the present invention is intended to substantially eliminate the requirement for separate pegs or clips to secure items to be retained therein.
A number of prior art documents disclose a means for retaining items that is configured in an attempt to avoid the requirement for pegs or clips. German Patent DE 3105051 discloses a U-shaped rail which retains the item via a pinching action between two legs of the rail. However, this item is not intended to be used in conjunction with an existing structure, for example a clothes line. Further, given the nature of the pinching mechanism, being constructed from rigid material, inserting the item to be retained may be complicated and result in an operator's fingers being caught or pinched.
Australian Patent 646352 discloses a pegless clothes line which is constructed from a number of plastic links that are joined together by a stud connection to form a line. The item is slipped into an aperture at one end of each link and slides along into a pinch slot to secure the item. This may substantially overcome the issue of an operator having their fingers caught, although it may not be ideal for more delicate items as they may be prone to damage from sliding in and out of the pinch slot.
Australian Patents 111923, 114289, 116484, 117229 and 118620 disclose pegless clothes lines of a variety of wire configurations, which are unlikely to be very effective for retaining the items during strong winds, and can be complicated to install.
The retaining means of the present invention has one object thereof to substantially overcome the abovementioned problems associated with the prior art, or to at least provide a useful alternative thereto.
The preceding discussion of the background art is included exclusively for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention in Australia or elsewhere before the priority date.
Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a retaining means comprising:
Preferably, the mounting means has at least two support members, each support member having an upper edge.
At least one of the support members preferably comprises an engaging means allowing the retaining means to be attached to an existing structure, for example a clothes line.
Preferably, the engaging means may be provided various forms, including but not limited to a recess, one or more hooks, or a slot.
Preferably, the gripping means is co-extensive with at least one of the support members.
Preferably, the upper edge of at least one of the support members has serrations located thereon.
More preferably, the serrations extend from the gripping means substantially above the upper edge of the or each support member and are formed from the flexibly resilient material.
The or each portion of the gripping means preferably comprises a strip of the flexibly resilient material.
The strip of flexibly resilient material preferably comprises one or more slits extending transversely across the portion from the outer edge defining therein a plurality of finger-like formations.
Preferably, outer edge of the first gripping portion abuts or is located adjacent to the second gripping portion.
The gripping means preferably attaches to the mounting means in a variety of ways, including but not limited to engagement with an integrated slot, or by gluing or bolting the gripping means to the upper edge of one or more of the support members.
In one embodiment of the invention, one of the gripping portions of the gripping means may itself form one of the support members and is formed from the flexibly resilient material.
Preferably, the mounting means has a base.
More preferably, the base of the mounting means comprises at least one drainage aperture provided therein.
Where at least one mounting means is engaged to an existing structure, an end bracket in which the mounting means is received.
Preferably, the bracket comprises two portions adapted to engage with each other and to enclose at least a portion of a frame of an existing structure therebetween.
More preferably, at least one of the portions of the bracket further comprise a retaining means support.
Preferably, the existing structure, includes a clothes line or the frame of a clothes line.
Preferably, the articles to be retained by the retaining means are in the form of sheet-like materials including clothing and paper.
The mounting means is preferably formed from rigid or semi-rigid material including but not limited to, steel, aluminium or moulded plastic.
The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to one embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawings, in which:—
In
The gripping means 14 comprises a first gripping portion 22 formed from a flexibly resilient material which is attached to the mounting means 12 via the first support member 18 and extends laterally towards a second gripping portion 24 attached to the second support member 20. The second gripping portion 24 is also formed from a flexibly resilient material. The gripping means 14 is attached to the support members 18 and 20. This attachment may be achieved in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, for example, being bolted or glued directly to the upper edge 19, as depicted in
Each of the first and second gripping portions, 22 and 24 respectively, comprise a strip of the flexibly resilient material. The resilient material has provided therein a number of slits 25 extending transversely across each of the first gripping portion 22 and second gripping portion 24 from one edge to form a number of finger-like formations 26. The first gripping portion 22 has an outer edge 28. The second gripping portion 24 also has an outer edge 30. The outer edge 28 of the first gripping portion 22 is in close spatial arrangement with the outer edge 30 of the second gripping portion, defining therebetween a narrow line of separation, or a gap 32. Alternatively, the outer edge 28 may abut the outer edge 30.
The gripping means 14 has serrations 34 provided in portions thereof that extend over the upper edges 19 of the support members 18 and 20. The serrations 34 aid in the gripping of an article, for example an item of clothing or sheet-like material such as paper. Further, because the serrations 34 are formed from flexibly resilient material, damage to the article is minimised. The first support member 18 and second support member 20 further comprise an engaging means 36 extending along the length of the retaining means 10. The engaging means 36 allows the retaining means 10 to be attached to, or located on, an existing structure, for example a clothes line 37.
The base portion 42, being the base support for the retaining means 10, is positioned underneath the frame 54. The top portion 44 is then placed over the top of the frame 54, such that it aligns with the base portion 42. The base portion is then secured to the top portion by the bolts 46.
In use, as shown in
In
Specifically,
The first and second gripping portions 22 and 24 engage with the slot 62 by way of a foot portion 64 having a substantially complementary shape to the slot 62 such that it can be retained therein, as shown in
In
The inner portion 74 is provided for primarily for aesthetic purposes and has a complementary shape to the central support structure 80. The inner portion 74 slideably engages with the central support structure 80 until it abuts the face plate 82. The dimensions of the inner portion 74 are such that it fits snug with the central support structure 80, so that it is substantially secure.
In use, the retaining means 50 operates in substantially the same manner as described for the retaining means 10.
It is envisaged that the finger-like formations 26 of the gripping means 14 may alternatively be replaced with formations of various shape, or the gripping means 14 may comprise two continuous strips of flexibly resilient material, that is, without the transverse slits 25.
It is further envisaged that the outer edge 28 of first gripping portion 22 may also abut or overlap with the outer edge 30 of the second gripping portion 24.
It is still further envisaged that the retaining means 10 may be employed such that it is inverted or rotated to a side position, with reference to the embodiment described above, and still operate effectively.
A skilled addressee would recognise that the mounting means need not have a base. For example, the first support member 18 and a second support member 20 may be engaged separately by an end bracket 40. Alternately, one or more intermediate brackets may connect and locate relatively the first support member 18 and the second support member 20. Further, where a base 16 is employed, it may have a variety of formations, for example a V-shape or curved.
It is also envisaged that the gripping means 14 may be positioned at any point along the first or second support members, 18 and 20 respectively.
It is to be understood that second support member 20 may itself form the second gripping portion 24. Further, where the second support member 20 forms the second gripping portion 24, the second support member 20 may also then, at least in part, be formed from flexibly resilient material.
It is envisaged that the engaging means 36 may be provided in the form of a recess as shown in
It is to be understood that the retaining means of the present invention, whilst having particular applicability to a pegless clothes line is not necessarily confined thereto and may be utilised as a retaining means for other items such as paper, including for example, meal orders in restaurants.
The present invention is not to be limited in scope by any of the specific embodiments described herein. These embodiments are intended for the purpose of exemplification only. Functionally equivalent products and methods are clearly within the scope of the invention as described herein.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2007906164 | Nov 2007 | AU | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/AU08/01656 | 11/7/2008 | WO | 00 | 5/4/2010 |