Clothing clip apparatus

• US 5,944,236 A
• Filed: 01/11/1995
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard Cinque
• Original Assignee: Richard Cinque
• Inventors: Cinque, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): MOHANTY, BIBHU R
• Application Number:
  US08/379,011
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 223/85, 223/DIG. 1, 223/DIG. 2, 223/DIG. 4, 24/536, 24/537, 24/515, 24/503, 24/DIG. 24
• US Class Current: 223/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 11/002 Pairing socks devices for keeping articles together during laundering D06F95/008
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 95/008 Devices for keeping articles together during laundering, e.g. for keeping socks in pairs D06F95/004 takes precedence; Devices for protecting or shielding certain parts of the articles during laundering, e.g. button protectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 223/02 Holders and clamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4441 Camming or wedging element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44513 Camming or wedging element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44701 Encircling sleeve type element

Abstract

An apparatus for clipping two or more articles of clothing, such as socks, together. The apparatus includes two jaw members which are hingeably attached and a securing member that has two arms which are respectively positioned in two channels in the two jaw members. The securing member is slidable between a closed position, where it urges the two jaw members inward to thereby securely clamp the two articles of clothing therebetween, and an open position where one of the arms is not engaged with one of the jaw members allowing the jaw members to be separable to permit removal of the two articles of clothing. The apparatus includes a latch mechanism comprised of a ridge in one of the channels and a lip in the corresponding arm which engage to retain the securing member in the closed position. The apparatus is used to keep articles of clothing together during washing and drying.

Claims

1. A system for washing two or more articles of clothing, comprising:

first and second jaw members which are hingeably connected;

a securing member which is operably engaged with said first and said second jaw members so that said securing member can be positioned in an open position, wherein said first and second jaw members can be separated, and in a closed position wherein said first and said second jaw members are urged towards each other and thereby securely clamp two articles of clothing therebetween with sufficient strength to hold them together throughout a wash cycle of a washing machine;

a latching mechanism engaged with said securing member and at least one of said first and second jaw members so as to latch said securing member in said closed position wherein said first and second jaw members, said securing member, and said latching mechanism are all formed of plastic;

a hook which is connected to said securing member, wherein said hook is configured to securely mount on a horizontal member having a first diameter, and wherein said hook member is configured to securely mount on either a horizontal member having a first diameter or a horizontal member having a different, second diameter, wherein said horizontal member having a first diameter comprises a horizontal section of a clothes hanger and wherein said horizontal member having a second diameter comprises a clothes line, and

two articles of clothing securely retained between said first and said second jaw members.

2. A system for washing two or more articles of clothing, comprising:

first and second jaw members which are hingeably connected;

a securing member which is operably engaged with said first and said second jaw members so that said securing member can be positioned in an open position, wherein said first and second jaw members can be separated, and in a closed position wherein said first and said second jaw members are urged towards each other and thereby securely clamp two articles of clothing therebetween with sufficient strength to hold them together throughout a wash cycle of a washing machine, wherein a first channel is defined on the outer surface of said first jaw member and a second channel is defined on the outer surface of said second jaw member and said securing member includes a first arm and a second arm which are configured so that said first arm and said second arm are slidably engaged in said first and said second channels respectively, wherein said first arm of said securing member is shorter than said second arm and said second arm is captured in said second channel so that when said securing member is in said open position, said first arm is removed from said first channel and a portion of said second arm is securely retained in said channel;

a latching mechanism engaged with said securing member and at least one of said first and second jaw members so as to latch said securing member in said closed position wherein said first and second jaw members, said securing member, and said latching mechanism are all formed of plastic; and

two articles of clothing securely retained between said first and said second jaw members.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said latching mechanism is comprised of a ridge positioned in said first channel that engages with a lip positioned on said first arm so as to retain said first arm in a first position in said channel thereby retaining said securing member in said closed position.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said securing member is formed out of a deformable material which allows a user to disengage said lip on said first arm and said ridge in said channel by exerting a force against a first portion of said securing member to induce a second portion of said first arm adjacent said lip to move outward away from said first channel to thereby disengage said lip from said ridge to allow said securing member to be moved to said open position.