Fixing apparatus and method
AssigneeLinian Supply Co. Limited
InventorWesley Arbuckle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a fixing (1) for securing an article (21) to a surface (19). The fixing comprising a coupling arrangement (3) for coupling the fixing to an article such as cabling. Elongate members (5) extend from the coupling arrangement and are moved together to insert the fixing into a cavity (17), and spring apart to retain the fixing in the cavity. The elongate members have resiliently deformable inner formations (9). The inner formations engage with one another and resiliently deform when the elongate members are brought together, thereby increasing the pull resistance of the fixing. The inner formations are inwardly extending branches each presenting a ramped surface oriented towards the distal ends (8) of the respective elongate member, assisting in coupling an article to the fixing.
Claims21
A fixing for securing an article to a surface, comprising:
- a coupling arrangement;
- a first elongate member extending from the coupling arrangement and having a first proximal end and a first distal end;
- a second elongate member extending from the coupling arrangement and having a second proximal end and a second distal end,
- the first elongate member and second elongate member each being resiliently biased towards a position in which they are spaced apart from one another along at least a portion of a length of said first elongate member and a portion of a length of said second elongate member, the fixing having a resting state and a use state;
- said first elongate member having a first resiliently deformable inner formation in the form of a branch or an arm that extends inwardly from the first elongate member toward said second elongate member,
- said second elongate member having a second resiliently deformable inner formation in the form of a branch or an arm that extends inwardly from the second elongate member toward said first elongate member,
- the first resiliently deformable inner formation of said first elongate member positioned to engage with a portion of said second elongate member and resiliently deform upon engagement with said portion of said second elongate member,
- the second resiliently deformable inner formation of said second elongate member positioned to engage with a portion of said first elongate member and resiliently deform upon engagement with said portion of said first elongate member,
- the first resiliently deformable inner formation and the second resiliently deformable inner formation configured to apply an outward force to each of said first elongate member and said second elongate member when the elongate members are engaged in the use state,
- wherein the first resiliently deformable inner formation of said first elongate member presents a first ramped surface oriented towards the first distal end, and
- wherein the second resiliently deformable inner formation of said second elongate member presents a second ramped surface oriented towards the second distal end.
A method of fixing an article to a surface, comprising the steps of;
- providing a cavity in a surface;
- providing a fixing having at least two elongate members extending from a coupling arrangement;
- the elongate members being resiliently biased towards a position in which they are spaced apart from one another along at least a part of their length;
- and the elongate members each comprising a resiliently deformable inner formation in the form of an inwardly extending branch or arm, the inner formations extending toward an adjacent elongate member, the fixing having a resting state and a use state;
- coupling an article to the fixing by introducing the article between the elongate members in a direction towards the coupling arrangement;
- thereby causing the article to ride up ramped surfaces of the inner formations oriented towards the distal ends of the elongate members;
- bringing the elongate members closer together and inserting the elongate members into the cavity;
- resiliently deforming when in the use state an inner formation which is spaced apart from a proximal end and a distal end of the elongate member, and thereby applying an outward force to the elongate members;
- and/or causing an outer conformable region to conform to inner surfaces of the cavity under the action of outward forces applied to or by the elongate members.
A method of making a fixing for securing an article to a surface, comprising the steps of:
- providing, a strip of resilient material;
- forming a coupling arrangement from a central portion of the strip;
- forming elongate members from end portions of the strip, the elongate members extending from the coupling arrangement and resiliently biased to be spaced apart from one another along at least a portion of their lengths;
- and
- forming a resiliently deformable inner formation from at least a part of a length of each elongate member;
- each inner formation optionally being spaced apart from a proximal end and a distal end of the elongate member, the fixing having a resting state and a use state;
- the inner formations extending toward an adjacent elongate member and positioned to engage therewith and resiliently deform, applying an outward force to the elongate members when the elongate members are brought together in the use state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.