Spring clip
OwnerJan Folkmarinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clip comprising a pair of jaws connected by a fulcrum for pivotal movement between opposed positions and an arched spring associated with each jaw for biasing the jaws to one position. Each jaw may be molded unitarily with its associated spring and a part of the fulcrum, the fulcrum parts snap fitting together. The arched springs are mounted in back to back relation, and are suitably connected to the jaws by a living hinge. Actuation of the jaws deflects the springs, causing a rolling contact therebetween, with little frictional loss.
Claims22
A manual tool comprising a pair of jaws, each said jaw having an object engaging portion and an actuating portion;
- fulcrum means disposed in spaced apart relation from said object engaging portion and said actuating portion for retaining said jaws in pivoting relationship for movement between a first position and a second position;
- and
- spring means for biasing said jaws to said first position;
- wherein said spring means comprises an arched leaf spring associated with each said jaw, each said leaf spring having a proximal end and a distal end;
- means anchoring the proximal end of each said leaf spring to an associated jaw with said springs in symmetrical, contiguous back to back relationship;
- whereby the application of a manual force to said actuating portion of said jaws to move said jaws to their second position will serve to deflect said leaf springs and cause a rolling contact therebetween.
A thermoplastic spring clip comprising a pair of jaws having opposed ends, each having a functional portion adjacent one end thereof and an actuating portion adjacent the opposed end, and a fulcrum therebetween;
- spring means biasing said jaws to a position in which said functional portion of one said jaw is in a first desired relationship relative to that of the other jaw;
- wherein said spring means comprises an arched leaf spring anchored to each said jaw in symmetrical, back to back, contiguous relationship;
- application of a manual pressure on said actuating portions to move said functional portions to a second relationship serving to compress said leaf springs resulting in a rolling contact therebetween.
A thermoplastic spring clip comprising a pair of jaws having opposed ends, each having a gripping portion adjacent one end thereof and an actuating portion adjacent the opposed end, and a fulcrum therebetween;
- spring means biasing said jaws to a position in which said gripping portion of one said jaw is proximate that of the other jaw;
- wherein said spring means comprises an arched leaf spring anchored to each said jaw in symmetrical, back to back, contiguous relationship;
- application of a manual pressure on said actuating portions serving to compress said leaf springs resulting in a rolling contact therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.