LOW-PROFILE UPHOLSTERY CLIP FOR ATTACHING A BEAD TO A FOAM SUBSTRATE

• US 20090064471A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hope Global
• Original Assignee: Hope Global
• Inventors: Scott, Timothy E. T., Santin, Andrew W., Rossi, Pasquale, Jones, David F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 24/581.110
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/023 connecting upholstery to frames, e.g. by hooks, clips, snap fasteners, clamping means or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/5825 by hooks, staples, clips, snap fasteners or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/6027 by hooks, staples, clips, snap fasteners or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/309 Plastic type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44752 Integral locking-means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45105 for upholstery, panel, trim strip, etc. [e.g., spring biased]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 Hook or barb

Abstract

This invention provides a low-profile clip adapted to secure a listing bead to a foam substrate. Such a low-profile clip employs a novel geometry and is constructed from a material that affords resilience, durability, high resistance to a wide range of temperatures during field use and seat assembly and ease of bead installation with high pull-out strength. In an illustrative embodiment, the clip includes a base and a pair of legs extending upwardly from the base and defining therebetween a central region constructed and arrangement to capture the listing bead. Each of the legs extends upwardly from the base to a top barb that defines a gap narrower than central region. In this embodiment, the legs each extend upwardly from the base at a first angle of approximately 80 to 85 degrees and therefrom to each of the respective barbs at a second angle, with respect to a plane parallel to the base of approximately 88 to 90 degrees. Each of the legs has an approximate thickness taken along a direction of the parallel line of between approximately 1.0 and 2.0 millimeters. In this manner the clip exhibits high performance while defining an overall height from tops of the legs to a bottom of the base of approximately ten millimeters or less making the clip particularly desirable for use in modern, thinner foam substrates. The clip can be part of a festooned arrangement and can be constructed from a blended polycarbonate.

Claims

1. A low-profile clip adapted to secure a bead to a foam substrate comprising;

a base;

a pair of legs extending upwardly from the base and defining therebetween a central region constructed and arranged to capture the bead, each of the legs including a top barb that defines a gap narrower than central region;

wherein the legs each extend upwardly from a horizontal plane taken through the base at a first angle of between approximately 80 and 85 degrees and therefrom to each of the respective barbs at a second angle, with respect to an elevated plane at a predetermined height above, and parallel to, the horizontal plane taken through the base, of between approximately 88 and 90 degrees, and wherein each of the legs has an approximate thickness taken along a direction of the parallel line of between approximately 1.0 and 2.0 millimeters; and

wherein the clip defines an overall maximum height from tops of the legs to a bottom of the base of approximately 10 millimeters or less.

2. The clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein the predetermined height is between approximately 4.0 and 5.0 millimeters and the gap spans a distance of between approximately 1.2 and 3.0 millimeters.

3. The clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the barbs are free of upward extensions and respectively define each of a pair of sloping top surfaces directed downwardly toward the gap and the base.

4. The clip is set forth in claim 3 wherein a bottom surface of each of the barbs defines an angle that is approximately the same as an angle of a respective engaging surface of the bead.

5. The clip as set forth in claim 4 wherein the angle of the bottom surface of each of the barbs is between approximately 20 and 35 degrees with respect to a reference plane parallel to the horizontal plane taken through the base.

6. The clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein the clip is constructed from a blended polycarbonate material including an impact modifier.

7. The clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base includes a segment that is constructed and arranged to interconnect to another clip so as to be formed as a ganged clip assembly.

8. The clip as set forth in claim 7 wherein the base includes a first connector on a first end and a second connector on an opposing second end, the first connector constructed and arranged to receive and removably interconnect with a third connector mounted on an another clip base so as to provide a festooned arrangement of interconnected clips.

9. The clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base includes a first connector on a first end and a second connector on an opposing second end, the first connector constructed and arranged to receive and removably interconnect with a third connector mounted on an another clip base so as to provide a festooned arrangement of interconnected clips.

10. The clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first connector and the third connector each comprise a male cylinder and the second connector defines a female inner semi-cylindrical surface having an inner diameter that conforms to an outer diameter of the male cylinder, the female inner semi-cylindrical surface including a gap constricted and arranged to provide clearance from a connector base that supports the male cylinder.

11. The clip as set forth in claim 10 wherein the connector base and the gap are each sized and arranged to allow the base to rotate angularly with respect to the other clip base.

12. The clip as set forth in claim 10 wherein the clip is stored in a box interconnected to the other clip base in the festooned arrangement.

13. The clip as set forth in claim 4 wherein the clip is stored on a spool interconnected to the other clip base in the festooned arrangement.

14. The clip assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the pair of legs defines a substantially uniform thickness therealong of between approximately 1.0 and 2.0 millimeters.

15. The clip as set forth in claim 14 wherein a segment of the base between each of the legs has a thickness approximately as the same, or greater than, the substantially uniform thickness of the legs.

16. The clip as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bead comprises a listing bead that is interconnected to an upholstery fabric covering.

17. A low-profile clip adapted to secure a bead to a foam substrate comprising;

a base;

a pair of legs extending upwardly from the base and defining therebetween a central region constructed and arranged to capture the bead, each of the legs including a top barb that defines a gap narrower than central region;

wherein the legs each extend upwardly from a horizontal plane taken through the base at a first angle and therefrom to each of the respective barbs at a second angle, with respect to an elevated plane at a predetermined height above, and parallel to, the horizontal plane taken through the base, and wherein each of the legs has an substantially constant thickness therealong;

wherein the legs, and at least a portion of the base disposed between the legs, is constructed from a blended polycarbonate material including an impact modifier; and

wherein the clip defines an overall maximum height from tops of the legs to a bottom of the base of approximately 10 millimeters or less.

18. A clip assembly including a plurality of clips in the assembly, each being adapted to secure a bead to a foam substrate comprising:

a first clip member base with first clip legs constructed and arranged to secure a bead thereinto, extending from the first clip member base, and the first clip member base having opposing first base ends oriented along a direction of grouping elongation;

a first connector and a second connector mounted at each of the opposing first base ends;

a second clip member base with second clip legs constructed and arranged to secure the bead thereinto, extending from the second clip member base, and the second clip member base having opposing second base ends oriented along a direction of grouping elongation;

a third connector and a fourth connector mounted at each of the opposing second base ends;

wherein the first connector is constructed and arranged to removably engage the fourth connector; and

wherein each of the first clip member base and first clip legs together define a clip having an overall maximum height from a bottom of the first clip member base to a top of the legs of 10 millimeters and wherein each of the second clip member base and second clip legs together define a clip having an overall maximum height from a bottom of the second clip member base to a top of the legs of 10 millimeters.