Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Article holder attachable to apparel or body – Pencil
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-16
2004-02-10
Sakran, Victor (Department: 3677)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Article holder attachable to apparel or body
Pencil
C024S0110FE, C024S0110FE, C024S0110FE, C024S0110PP, C401S104000, C401S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06687959
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clip attaching structure for attaching a clip to an outer casing of a writing instrument or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
The clip attached to the outer casing is used for holding the outer casing of a writing instrument or the like at a pocket or paper or the like, when carrying them, and it is exposed to the outside of the outer casing. Therefore, the exterior of the clip is an important factor for dominating the total appearance. For example, in the case where the clip is made of a thick plate material, the feeling of quality is higher than that in the case where the clip is made of a thin plate material, which is preferable.
On the other hand, when the clip is made of a thick plate material, the soft elasticity is lost, and therefore, it becomes unsuitable for the original use as a clip. Therefore, conventionally, as shown in
FIG. 12
, a structure in which the spring action of the clip is compensated by using a spring separately is well known. In
FIG. 12
, a clip
42
has a base part
42
a
to be inserted into an outer casing
40
and a clip main body
42
b
extending approximately in parallel with the outer casing
40
. The base part
42
a
is inserted into the outer casing
40
from a lateral hole formed in the side of the outer casing
40
. Furthermore, at the end part of the outer casing
40
, a screw shaft
44
a
of a breechblock
44
is screwed, and the tip of the screw shaft
44
a
is loosely passing through the base part
42
a
to prevent the base part
42
a
from displacing a center of the outer casing
40
. Furthermore, in the outer casing
40
, a partition wall
46
is fixed by pressing or the like, and between the partition wall
46
and the base part
42
a
, a spring
48
is disposed, and the above described spring
48
is always urges the base part
42
a
to the end part of the outer casing
40
.
When the clip
42
composed as described above, as shown by the imaginary line in the figure is swung around the point near the base part
42
a
, by the tip of the clip main body
42
b
being raised to be separated from the outer casing
40
, the base part
42
a
is inclined against a spring force of the spring
48
, and a clearance is formed between the clip main body
42
b
and the outer casing
40
. The clip
42
itself is hardly deformed and only the spring
48
is deformed, and therefore, a lot of swinging amounts can be obtained by a comparatively little force, even if a large force is not applied to the clip main body
42
b
. When the force to the clip main body
42
b
is released, the base part
42
a
is pressed onto the end part of the outer casing
40
by the spring force of the spring
48
to release the inclination, and therefore, the clip main body
42
b
returns to the original state where it approaches the outer casing
40
.
However, in the case of the above described conventional structure like this, the problem is that a part of the spring
48
is necessary and the number of parts is increased and the assembling becomes complicated and consequently, the cost is raised. Moreover, the problem is that the cost of materials is increased since the clip is made of a thick plate material.
Furthermore, conventionally, it is sometimes necessary to attach an inner sleeve as one part to the inside of the outer sleeve. In such a case, there are well-known methods for attaching the inner sleeve to the outer sleeve, such as a method by screwing or bonding. In the case of screwing, a female screw is formed on the inside peripheral surface of the outer sleeve and a male screw is formed on the outside peripheral surface of the inner sleeve so that the male screw of the inner sleeve is screwed into the female screw of the outer sleeve. In the case of bonding, liquid or gel adhesives are coated onto the outside peripheral surface of the inner sleeve and the inner sleeve is inserted into a proper position in the outer sleeve and after that, the adhesives are hardened and fixed.
However, in the case of screwing, the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve must have such a relation allowing a relative rotation between them, and on the other hand, the relative rotation between them must be prohibited during using in order to prevent a careless detachment, and therefore, the problem is that a range of applications for the screwing method is limited. If a screw or the like cannot be formed on the outer sleeve or the inner sleeve, application for the screwing method is impossible.
On the other hand, in the case of liquid or gel bonding, it takes a lot of time to be dried and completely hardened, and it is also necessary to perform the work carefully so that the adhesives are not attached to other members, and therefore, the problem is that the working efficiency is bad.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing and other drawbacks, disadvantages and problems of the conventional methods and structures, a first object of the present invention is to provide a clip attaching structure wherein the cost can be reduced and the appearance is good and furthermore, a good spring action is provided.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an attaching method for attaching an inner sleeve to an outer sleeve and an attaching structure of an inner sleeve to an outer sleeve wherein the application range is wide and the working efficiency is good.
In order to achieve the above described object, a clip attaching structure for attaching a clip to an outer casing of a writing instrument or the like according to the present invention comprises the outer casing and the clip made of a thin plate metal material. The clip includes a base part to be inserted into the outer casing, a clip main body part to be extended outside the outer casing and a middle portion provided between the base part and the clip main body part. The clip main body part has an approximately U-shaped cross section made by bending both sides of the thin plate, a clip main body part side of the middle portion has an approximately U-shaped cross section made by bending both sides thereof and continuing the approximately U-shaped cross section from the clip main body part, a base part side of the middle portion is shaped like a plate, and the downward bent portion of both sides of the middle portion is inserted into the outer casing when the clip is not swung.
This clip can be made at a low cost since it is made of a thin plate metal material, and in spite of that, the clip main body part exposed from the outer casing has an approximately U-shaped cross section made by bending both sides of the thin plate, and moreover, the bent portion of both sides of the middle portion is inserted into the outer casing in the state where the clip is not swung, and therefore, the boundary between the portion with an approximately U-shaped cross section of the middle portion and the portion shaped like a plate is not seen from the outside, and therefore, it can have an appearance equal to that of a clip which is made of a thick plate material.
Furthermore, when the clip is swung, the portion on the base part side shaped like a plate of the above described middle portion is the center of swing, and therefore, a good spring action can be provided, and the swinging operation of the clip can be performed by a comparatively light operating force. It is possible to hold the paper or the pocket easily between the clip main body part and the outer casing.
The middle portion can be arranged to close the rear end surface of the outer casing. Consequently, the downward bent portion of both sides of the middle portion can surely be contained in the outer casing.
Furthermore, a clip attaching structure for attaching a clip to an outer casing of a writing instrument or the like according to the present invention comprises the clip made of a thin plate metal material. The clip includes a base part to be inserted into the outer casing, a clip main body part to be extended outside the outer casing and a middle portion provided between the base
Arai Sachio
Kageyama Hidehei
Kageyama Toshihiko
Noguchi Yoshio
Kotobuki and Co., Ltd.
McGinn & Gibb PLLC
Sakran Victor
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