Gripping assembly for securing a sheet of material

• US 8,621,726 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cynthia S. Sublette
• Original Assignee: Cynthia S. Sublette
• Inventors: Sublette, Cynthia S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandy, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): UPCHURCH, DAVID M
• Application Number:
  US13/231,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20130061433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 24/31, 24/31.3, 24/36, 242/98, 243/00, 243/02, 244/59, 243/05, 24/24, 243/421, 243/47, 241/143, 241/147.3
• US Class Current: 24/305
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/022 Sheet holders; Bed cover holders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/13 Article holder attachable to apparel or body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1379 Key ring holder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1397 Article held by flexible connector [e.g., chain]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/31 Plural fasteners having intermediate flaccid connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/314 Elastic connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/318 Strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/34 Combined diverse multipart fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44034 Dissociable gripping members

Abstract

An apparatus and method of using a gripping assembly for gripping a sheet of material and attaching the sheet of material to an object is provided. The gripping assembly has a continuous ring-like member having an opening defined by an interior tapered engagement surface, a disk-like member positionable within the opening. The disk-like member has an exterior tapered engagement surface which cooperates with the tapered surface of the ring-like member. A sheet of material, threaded between the engagement surfaces is gripped by the surfaces. The disk-like member has an attachment means with at least one passageway there through. A flexible tie member extends through at least one passageway of the attachment means and is for attaching the gripping assembly to an object.

Claims

1. A gripping assembly for gripping a sheet of material and attaching the sheet of material to an object, the gripping assembly comprising:

a continuous ring member having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an opening therethrough, the opening extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the ring member and defined by an interior tapered engagement surface of the ring, member;

a disk member having an exterior tapered engagement surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface, the disk member having an attachment means defining at least one passageway therethrough, the disk member positionable in the opening of the ring member, the exterior tapered surface of the disk member and the interior tapered surface of the ring member for cooperating with one another to grip a sheet of material threaded between the ring member and disk member; and

a flexible tie member extending through at least one passageway of the attachment means, the tie member for attaching the gripping assembly to an object.

2. The gripping assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the ring member and disk member is made of plastic, nylon, rubber, or metal.

3. The gripping assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a tie lock member.

4. The gripping assembly according to claim 1, wherein said flexible tie member is a cord, strap, string, rope, band, or belt.

5. The gripping assembly according to claim 3, wherein the tie lock member adjustably attaches to the flexible tie member.

6. The gripping assembly according to claim 5, wherein the tie lock member is in sliding engagement with the flexible tie member.

7. The gripping assembly according to claim 3, wherein the flexible tie member has two free ends, the tie lock member engaging each free end of the flexible tie member.

8. The gripping assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the attachment means passageways has one end of terminating at the top surface and one end terminating at the bottom surface of the disk member.

9. The gripping assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tapered surfaces are brought into a tighter friction fit by pulling the flexible tie member or the sheet of material.

10. The gripping assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the tapered engagement surfaces is textured.

11. The gripping assembly according to claim 1, wherein the disk member includes a raised rim along the circumference of the top surface.

12. The gripping assembly according to claim 1, further comprising multiple gripping assemblies, and wherein the flexible tie member connects the multiple gripping assemblies.

13. The gripping assembly according to claim 1, wherein the maximum diameter of the tapered engagement surface of the disk member is greater than the minimum diameter of the tapered engagement surface of the ring member.

14. The gripping assembly according to claim 1, wherein the disk member will not fit through the opening of the ring member when a sheet of material is positioned between the engagement surfaces.