Clip assembly for use holding sinuous springs

• US 9,420,897 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Conway, Lawrence J., Bridges, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandy, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US14/628,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20150164239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 23/057 Hangers or supports for fastening spring units to frame
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/06 for attaching flat meandering springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/30 with springs meandering in a flat plane
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 15/0015 Staples
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 15/06 with barbs, e.g. for metal parts; Drive screws
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 15/08 formed in integral series but easily separable
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/22 of resilient material, e.g. rubbery material F16B2/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3455 Penetrating type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3459 and penetrating prong
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44017 with specific mounting means for attaching to rigid or semirigid supporting structure or structure-to-be-secured

Abstract

A piece of furniture includes a rectangular frame for supporting a plurality of sinuous springs. A plurality of clip assemblies are secured to opposed side walls of frame. Each clip assembly comprises a non-metallic piece having openings and a metallic piece having tacks extending through the openings for insertion into the frame. Flexible connectors may be located in grooves of the clip assembly to collate multiple clip assemblies.

Claims

1. A clip assembly for securing an end portion of a sinuous spring to a wooden rail, said clip assembly comprising:

a plastic clip having a generally planar body portion and a U-shaped hook portion, the body portion having spaced grooves adapted to receive flexible connectors to join multiple clip assemblies together; and

a metal fastener including multiple tacks extending downwardly from a generally planar portion of the fastener, wherein each of the tacks passes through a preexisting opening in the body portion of the plastic clip,

portions of flexible connectors being inside the spaced grooves of the plastic clip and sandwiched between the plastic clip and the metal fastener of the clip assembly.

2. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein the generally planar body portion of the plastic clip has a ledge extending from one side edge to the opposed side edge of the body portion.

3. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein the metal fastener is a unitary member, the tacks of the metal fastener being formed from the material of the metal fastener.

4. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the tacks of the metal fastener is serrated.

5. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the tacks of the metal fastener is serrated.

6. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein the flexible connectors are made of plastic.

7. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein the metal fastener has four tacks.

8. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the tacks of the metal fastener is creased.

9. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein each of the tacks of the metal fastener is creased.

10. The clip assembly of claim 1 wherein the spaced grooves are located adjacent side edges of the generally planar body portion of the plastic clip.

11. The clip assembly of claim 10 wherein the metal fastener has openings created by forming the tacks.

12. A clip assembly for securing an end portion of a sinuous spring to a wooden rail, said clip assembly comprising:

a non-metallic clip having a generally planar body portion and a U-shaped hook portion, the body portion having spaced grooves adapted to receive flexible connectors to join multiple clip assemblies together; and

a metal fastener including multiple tacks extending outwardly from a generally planar portion of the fastener wherein each of the tacks passes through a preexisting opening in the body portion of the non-metallic clip,

portions of flexible connectors being inside the spaced grooves of the non-metallic clip and sandwiched between the non-metallic clip and the metal fastener of the clip assembly.

13. The clip assembly of claim 12 wherein the generally planar body portion of the non-metallic clip has a ledge extending from one side edge to the opposed side edge of the body portion.

14. The clip assembly of claim 12 wherein the metal fastener is a unitary member, the tacks of the metal fastener being formed from the material of the metal fastener and extending outwardly from the remainder of the metal fastener.

15. The clip assembly of claim 12 wherein at least one of the tacks of the metal fastener is serrated.

16. The clip assembly of claim 12 wherein each of the tacks of the metal fastener is serrated.

17. The clip assembly of claim 12 wherein the metal fastener has four tacks.

18. The clip assembly of claim 12 wherein at least one of the tacks of the metal fastener is creased.

19. A clip assembly for securing an end portion of a sinuous spring to a wooden rail, said clip assembly comprising:

a non-metallic first piece having a generally planar body portion and a U-shaped hook portion, the body portion having a ledge extending from one side edge to the opposed side edge of the body portion and spaced grooves adapted to receive flexible connectors; and

a metal second piece including projections extending outwardly from a generally planar portion of the second piece wherein each of the projections passes through the body portion of the first piece,

portions of flexible connectors being inside the spaced grooves of the first piece and sandwiched between the first and second pieces of the clip assembly.

20. The clip assembly of claim 19 wherein the second piece is a unitary member, the projections of the metal fastener being formed from the material of the second piece and extending outwardly from the remainder of the second piece.

21. The clip assembly of claim 19 wherein at least one of the projections of the second piece is serrated.

22. The clip assembly of claim 19 wherein the second piece has four projections.

23. The clip assembly of claim 19 wherein at least one of the projections of the second piece is creased.

24. The clip assembly of claim 19 wherein each of the projections of the second piece is creased.