Fixing apparatus and method
AssigneeLinian Supply Co. Limited
InventorWesley Arbuckle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims29
A fixing for securing an article to a surface;
- the fixing comprising a coupling arrangement, configured to couple an article to the fixing by introducing the article between the elongate members towards the coupling arrangement;
- and
- two elongate members extending from the 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;
- each elongate member comprising a resiliently deformable inner formation in the form of a branch or an arm that extends inwardly from the respective elongate member, the inner formations extending toward an adjacent elongate member and positioned to engage therewith and resiliently deform, when the elongate members are brought together in use;
- and
- wherein each said inner formation presents a ramped surface oriented towards the distal ends of the respective elongate member.
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A method of fixing an article to a surface, comprising;
- 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;
- coupling an article to the fixing by introducing the article between the elongate members 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 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.
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A method of making a fixing for securing an article to a surface;
- the method comprising:
- 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 inner formations extending toward an adjacent elongate member and positioned to engage therewith and resiliently deform, when the elongate members are brought together in use.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.