CORNER PROTECTORS

Abstract: There is described a protector for the corner of an article, the article at the corner having two substantially plane, usually parallel, faces and adjacent edge faces 22, 23, the protector having two spaced members 13, 14 to slide over respective ones of said faces and side wall members connecting the two spaced members for overlying the edge faces, the members defining a mouth to allow the protector to be applied to the corner, the side wall members having at least a portion 18 intermediate the spaced members adapted to resist movement of the spaced members towards or away from each other. Each side wall has confronting flanges 16, 19 connected by web 18 and parallel slots 9 are formed in the flanges, an L shaped web 30 connects web 18 and provides central protection for the article corner. Corner junction 40 may be strengthened by a bead.

Description: This invention relates to corner protectors and in particular to protectors for the corners of articles having, at their corners, two substantially plane faces and two adjacent edge faces. US-A-4063702 shows a protector for the corner of an article, the article at the corner having two substantially plane faces and two adjacent edge faces, the protector having two spaced members to slide over respective ones of the plane faces, the protector having side wall members connecting the two spaced members for overlying respective ones of the edge faces, the spaced members and side wall members defining a mouth to allow the protector to be applied to the corner; each side wall member comprising confronting flanges extending respectively from sides of the spaced members, the flanges extending from a location for overlying an edge at the corner, a web connecting the flanges at a position intermediate the ends of the flanges. The webs are resilient springs in the form of folded strand which permit the spaced members to be moved apart for use with corners of different thickness; when moved apart the protector does not overlie the corner edge between the flanges. According to this invention there is provided a protector for the corner of an article, the article at the corner having two substantially plane faces and two adjacent edge faces extending from a corner edge, the protector having two spaced members to slide over respective ones of the plane faces, the protector having side wall members connecting the two spaced members for overlying respective ones of the edge faces, the spaced members and side wall members defining a mouth to allow the protector to be applied to the corner; each side wall member comprising confronting flanges extending respectively from sides of the spaced members, a web connecting the flanges at a position intermediate the ends of the flanges characterised by a slot in at least one of the flanges of each side wall member, the slot extending along the respective flange and having closed ends, the position of the web (18) being intermediate the ends of the slot; by the web resisting movement of the flanges away from each other, portions of the flanges adjacent the web being flexible, and by an element connecting the webs for overlying the corner edge and spaced from the flanges of at least one spaced member by a further slot having closed ends. Such a protector can readily be applied to a corner but resists dislodgement. The element provides protection to the edge or junction between the edge faces and between the flanges. The side wall members may be essentially planar. The protector may be a single plastics moulding. The webs may be central along the flanges to improve ease of application and uniformity of the protector. The element may be centrally disposed between the spaced members. There may be a further closed slot in the other of the flanges. This increases the ease of application to the corner. The closed slot may be parallel to the spaced members. The closed slot may be nearer the web than the adjacent spaced member to provide increased flexibility of the flange. The invention may be performed in various ways and two specific embodiments with possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one arrangement; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another arrangement. A corner protector 10 is shown and a corner 20 of an article e.g. a book, magazine, table, panel or other item of building. The article has a plane top face 21 and a parallel lower plane face (not shown) connected by plane edge faces 22, 23 at right angles to the top and lower faces and each other, the faces 22, 23 meeting at edge or junction 8. The protector, which may for example be moulded as a single moulding from low density polyethylene, has top and bottom parallel plane walls 11, 12 which are equiangular and whose shorter sides are at right angles and connected to the respective shorter side of the other wall 11 or 12 by side walls 13, 14 which are also essentially plane and meet at junction 40. The top face 21 and lower face need not be exactly parallel but could diverge or converge slightly in which case walls 11, 12 diverge correspondingly. The side walls 13, 14 are integral at their inner edge 40 and essentially similar. Each side wall comprises a flange 16 depending from the side 17 of the top wall, a central web 18 connecting flange 16 to a flange 19 upstanding from side 20 of the bottom wall 12. The flanges 16, 19 are similar and each has a rectangular slot 9 parallel to the sides 17, 20. The slots 9 extend equally on opposite sides of the web 18, and are centrally disposed along the length and depth of the respective flange 16, 19. The slot 9 could be nearer the web 18 than the adjacent wall 11 and the slot 9 in flange 19 could be nearer the web 18 than wall 12. The web 18 is at right angles to coplanar flanges 16, 19 and a flat L-section (as seen at right angles to wall 11) web member 30 spaced from flanges 16, 19 by slots 7 connects the central portions of the edges 31 of members 18 nearer the edge 40. The member 30 provides central protection to edge 8. One slot 7 may be omitted. The members 18, 18 and 30 are essentially unaffected by forces on the walls 11, 12 at right angles to these walls and thus provide protection to the side walls 22, 23 when the protector 10 is fitted on corner 20 with walls 11, 12 respectively overlying, and normally engaging, the top and bottom faces of the article. The portions 16a of flange 16 on either side of web 18 and on the side of the slot 9 nearer the bottom wall can flex slightly to permit slight separation or approach movement between walls 11, 12; and similarly for similar portions 17a of flange 19. The members 18, 18, 30 remain essentially in their respective plane or planes during use and resist undesirable movement of the walls 11, 12 towards or away from each other. This is to be contrasted with when top and bottom walls are only loosely connected and can be moved apart a substantial distance; in such a case there is a risk of the protector becoming dislodged by pulling on the upper or lower part of the protector, and also when the walls are moved apart there is no protection for the central region of the junction 8. One or both of the edge faces 22, 23 could be convex outwards in which case the respective side member of the protector is shaped correspondingly. In Fig. 2 the junction 40 is strengthened by an external part-circular bead or enlargement 41. In applying the protector to the corner of the article the walls 11, 12 can be gripped near junction 40 to flex elements 16a, 17a to slightly widen the mouth.

Claims: A protector for the corner of an article, the article at the corner having two substantially plane faces and two adjacent edge faces extending from a corner edge, the protector having two spaced members (11, 12) to slide over respective ones of the plane faces, the protector having side wall members (13, 14) connecting the two spaced members (11, 12) for overlying respective ones of the edge faces, the spaced members (11, 12) and side wall members (13, 14) defining a mouth (15) to allow the protector to be applied to the corner; each side wall member (11, 12) comprising confronting flanges (16, 19) extending respectively from sides of the spaced members (11, 12), a web (18) connecting the flanges (16, 19) at a position intermediate the ends of the flanges (16, 19) characterised by a slot (9) in at least one of the flanges (16, 19) of each side wall member, the slot (9) extending along the respective flange (16, 19) and having closed ends, the position of the web (18) being intermediate the ends of the slot (9); by the web (18) resisting movement of the flanges (16, 19) away from each other, portions (16a, 17a) of the flanges (16, 19) adjacent the web (18) being flexible, and by an element (30) connecting the webs (18) for overlying the corner edge and spaced from the flanges (16, 19) of at least one spaced member (11, 12) by a further slot (7) having closed ends. A protector as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the element (30) is centrally disposed between the spaced members (11, 12). A protector as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that the slot (9) in each of the one of the flanges (16, 19) is parallel to the spaced members (11, 12). A protector as claimed in Claim 3, characterised in that slot (9) in each of the one of the flanges (16, 19) is nearer to the web (18) than to the adjacent spaced member (11, 12). A protector as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the other of the flanges (16, 19) of each of the side wall members (13, 14) has a slot (9) therein and extending therealong and having closed ends, the position of the web (18) being intermediate the ends of the slot (9).

Inventors: WILDE, MELVYN
Applicants: WILDE, MELVYN
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B42D3
IPC codes: A47B95, B42D3, B65D81