GRIPPING DEVICE

Abstract: Gripping device for gripping slightly flexible products, such as hand towels, comprising: a wall holder (1) with an insertion aperture (7); an operating mechanism (2) with an insertion aperture (22); which operating mechanism (2) connects movably to the wall holder (1); and spring means (3) which pre-tension the operating mechanism (2) in a gripping position relative to the wall holder (1), in which the operating mechanism (2) can be moved relative to the wall holder (1) against the action of the spring means (3), in such a way that in one position the insertion apertures (7, 22) at least partially correspond to each other and form a through insertion aperture into which a part of a flexible product can be inserted. The operating mechanism (2) is connected to the wall holder by way of hinge means, so that the operating mechanism can be rotated relative to the wall holder (1) against the action of the spring means (3) by manual force exerted upon the operating mechanism (2).

Description: -1 - Gripping device The invention relates to a gripping device according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a gripping device is known from DE-U-81 14 063. The known gripping device is composed of a hollow cylindri- cal wall holder in which a solid cylindrical operating mechanism can slide to and fro. A spring is accommodated between the wall holder and the operating mechanism. The operating mechanism is provided with a downward extending locking finger, which is designed for engaging in locking catches provided on the bottom of the wall holder. The connection between the locking finger and the locking catches is such that a limited displacement of the operating mechanism in the wall holder is possible. The hollow wall holder is provided with a slotted insertion aperture, while the solid operating mechanism is provided with a slotted recess. The insertion aperture and the recess will be moved into line with each other by pressing the operating mechanism inwards against the spring force into the wall holder. At that point, a part of a slightly flexible product can be inserted into the device. If the operating mechanism is subsequently forced outwards by the spring tension, a gripping of the product part which has been inserted will occur between the edges of the insertion aperture in the wall holder and the edges of the recess in the operating mechanism. A disadvantage in the case of this known gripping device is that its ease of use leaves something to be desired. In order to obtain sufficient gripping force, the spring is made relatively stiff. This means that great force is required for pressing the operating mechanism inwards against the action of the spring. It also often happens that the operating mechanism becomes jammed in the wall holder. This is caused by, for example, an asymmetrical load on the operating mechanism while it is being pressed inwards into the wall holder. Operation with one - 2 - hand, in which the operating mechanism is pressed and a part of the flexible product is simultaneously inserted into the insertion aperture, is virtually impossible with the known gripping device. Once an operating mechanism has been snapped firmly into the wall holder, it can no longer be removed from it without breaking the snap- in finger. The object of the present invention is to provide a gripping device in the case of which these disadvantages are overcome . This object is achieved according to the invention by a gripping device according to claim 1. The operating mechanism is connected to the wall holder by way of hinge means in such a way that it can rotate about a hinge pin. The wall holder and the operating mechanism are both pro- vided with an insertion aperture. Spring means are provided between the wall holder and the operating mechanism. By exerting force on the operating mechanism, at some distance from the hinge pin, the operating mechanism can be rotated about the hinge pin relative to the wall holder. During the rotation, the two insertion apertures move into a position in line with each other. At that point, a part of a flexible product can be inserted into the insertion apertures. Subsequently removing the load from the operating mechanism again will mean that, as a result of the action of the spring means, said operating mechanism will rotate back about the hinge pin and in doing so grip the flexible product part between opposite edges of the insertion apertures. The operating force can be exerted anywhere on the operating part, provided that it is exerted at some distance from the hinge pin. A favourable moment action is advantageously used. The greater the distance between the place where the operating force is exerted and the hinge pin, the less operating force is needed. Owing to the moment action, the spring means can also be made less stiff than is the case with the known gripping device, while the desired gripping force is retained. Advantageously, it is virtually impossible for the operating mechanism to become jammed on the wall holder. The hinge connection can be designed in such a way that the operating part can be removed from the wall - 3 - holder again without irreparably damaging parts of the gripping device in the process. The hinge means can be formed by, for example, a separate hinge pin which is inserted through the wall holder and the operating mechan- ism, but it can also be integral with the wall holder and the operating mechanism. In particular, the spring means are placed between the hinge means and the insertion apertures. A pressure force exerted upon the front face of the operating mechan- ism in this case produces the maximum effect if the moment arm is as large as possible. For the gripping device this means that the pressure force has to be exerted near to the insertion apertures as far as possible. A result of this is that it is very easy to operate the device with one hand. In one embodiment the wall holder has two outward projecting hinge pins, and the operating mechanism is composed of two shell halves in which hinge pin holders are accommodated. In the assembled state, the two shell halves are fixed on each other, so that the hinge pin holders lie around the hinge pins. This embodiment makes simple assembly of the gripping device possible. The hinge pins can be integral with the wall holder in this case. This makes it possible to manufacture the wall holder in one production step, for example in an injection moulding process, which results in a considerable reduction in the production costs. Moreover, the front shell half is simple to replace if desired by a shell half of a different colour or a different design. Further preferred embodiments of the invention are set out in claims 4 and 5. The invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to the appended drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a view in perspective with disassembled parts of a gripping device according to the invention, looking from the front side; Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, looking from the wall side; Fig. 3 is a view in section of a gripping device according to the invention, in the operated insert posi- - 4 - tion ; and Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3, in the unoperated gripping position. The gripping device in Figs. 1-4 comprises a wall holder 1, an operating mechanism 2 and a spring 3. The wall holder 1 has a hollow box-shaped structure, in which the side walls have two outward projecting hinge pins 6. On its underside the wall holder 1 is provided with an insertion aperture 7. Projections 8, on which an end of the spring 3 can be securely gripped, are fitted inside the wall holder 1. The front face of the wall holder 1 is largely left open. The operating mechanism 2 is composed of two shell halves 10, 11, which can be securely gripped on each other by means of mortise and tenon joints 12. In the assembled state, the operating mechanism 2 is of a hollow, flattened oval shape. Hinge pin holders 14, 15 are fitted inside the two shell halves 10, 11. The opposite hinge pin holders 14, 15 in the respective shell halves 10, 11 are complementary, and in the assembled state together enclose the hinge pins 6. The rear shell half 10 has a large rectangular recess 16, in which in the assembled state a part of the wall holder 1 ultimately lies. The front shell half 11 has a cylindrical projection 18, over which the other end of the spring 3 ultimately lies. The gripping device can be put together as follows: The recess 16 of the rear shell half 10 is slid over the wall holder 1 until the hinge pin holders 14 are resting against the hinge pins 6. The spring 3 is slid with one end onto the projection 8. The front shell half 11 is then securely gripped on the rear shell half 10, the hinge pin holders 15 fitted in the front shell half 11 likewise ultimately resting against the hinge pins 6, and the still free spring end being slid over the projection 18. The operating mechanism 2 largely encloses the wall holder 1. The operating mechanism 2 pivots over the wall holder 1 during use. Any dirt settling on the front face of the operating mechanism 2 is easily removed with a cloth. The risk that dirt will settle between the contact faces of the wall holder 1 and the operating mechanism 2 as a result - 5 - of operation of the device is consequently minimal . The rear and front shell halves 10 and 11 respectively are both provided with a narrowed wall part 20 and 21 respectively, which in the assembled state together form an insertion aperture 22. The operating mechanism 2 with its recess 16 has such an ample fit around the wall holder 1 that the operating mechanism 2 can be rotated about the hinge pins 6 relative to the wall holder 1. The spring 3 is in the form of a compression spring and is situated between the hinge pins 6 and the insertion apertures 7, 22. The exertion of a pressure force on the bottom part of the front face of the operating mechanism 2 means that the operating mechanism 2 will be rotated clockwise about the hinge pins 6. This rotation occurs against the action of the spring 3. The wall holder 1 has a forward projecting wall part 25. The rotation stops as soon as the wall part 21 of the front shell half 11 is resting against the wall part 25 of the wall holder 1. This is shown in Fig. 3. In this position, the insertion apertures 7, 22 lie in line with each other. It is then possible to push in a part of a flexible product, for example to insert a corner of a hand towel into the through insertion aperture. When the operating mechanism 2 is subsequently released, the spring 3 will cause the operating mechanism 2 to rotate back anticlockwise about the hinge pins 6. The operating mechanism 2 will rotate back until the product part is gripped between the wall part 25 of the wall holder 1 and the wall part 20 of the rear shell half 10. If no product part has been inserted into the insertion apertures 7, 22, the operating mechanism 2 will rotate back until the wall part 20 is resting against the wall part 25. Both the edges of the insertion aperture in the wall holder and those of the insertion aperture in the operating mechanism can be provided with a profile, in order to gain a better hold on the product to be gripped. The edges of the respective insertion apertures can also be in the form of fingers which engage in each other. The front face of the operating mechanism 2 is provided with downward narrowing, oval-shaped circles 30. - 6 - This ensures that an operator will automatically exert pressure on the bottom part of the front face . The abovementioned pressure area of the operating mechanism can, of course, also be provided with different kinds of profiles or markings which likewise make it clear to an operator where pressure should be exerted. The two-part construction of the operating mechanism 2 makes it possible to replace the front shell half 11, for example by a shell half of a different shape, colour or type of material. It is also possible to make only part of the front face of the front shell half replaceable. Both the wall holder and the two shell halves of the operating mechanism are preferably made of plastic. It is possible here to manufacture the parts in an injection moulding process, so that a substantially uniform wall thickness can be maintained. Many variants of the embodiment illustrated are possible. For instance, the hinge means can also be composed of a separate hinge pin which extends through corre- sponding holes in the wall holder and the operating mechanism. Moreover, holes can be provided only in the wall holder, into which holes hinge projections which are coupled to the operating mechanism can snap. In another variant the spring means are formed by a resilient wall part which is injection moulded along with the wall holder or the operating mechanism and rests resil- iently against the other part . The gripping device according to the invention can also be designed in such a way that several operating mech- anisms are mounted next to each other on one wall holder. This is handy, for example, in a kitchen, where several hand towels and tea towels often have to hang next to one another. The wall holder can be fixed to a wall in various ways, for example by means of screws, an adhesive strip and the like. Figs. 1-4 show a fixing system which is known per se, with a wall fixing plate 34. The wall fixing plate 34 can be fixed to a wall by means of an adhesive strip 35. The rear wall of the wall holder 1 is provided with a suit- - 7 - able recess 36, by means of which the wall holder 1 can be fixed with the aid of a bayonet slide closure on the wall fixing plate 34. This embodiment has the great advantage that known hanging hooks already fixed on the walls by means of such wall fixing plates can be replaced in a very simple manner by gripping devices according to the invention. Thus a very user-friendly gripping device is provided, which is simple, light to operate and which is oper- able with one hand. The gripping device is cheap to manufacture, hygienic in use, and can be adapted easily to individual requirements.

Claims: - 8 - Cl aims 1. Gripping device for gripping slightly flexible products, such as hand towels, comprising: a wall holder (1) with an insertion aperture (7) ; an operating mechanism (2) with an insertion aperture (22) ; which operating mechanism (2) connects movably to the wall holder (1) ; and spring means (3) which pre-tension the operating mechanism (2) in a gripping position relative to the wall holder (1) , in which the operating mechanism (2) can be moved relative to the wall holder (1) against the action of the spring means (3) , in such a way that in one position the insertion apertures (7, 22) at least partially correspond to each other and form a through insertion aperture into which a part of a flexible product can be inserted, characterized in that the operating mechanism (2) is connected to the wall holder (1) by way of hinge means (6, 14, 15) , so that the operating mechanism (2) can be rotated relative to the wall holder (1) against the action of the spring means (3) by manual force exerted upon the operating mechanism (2) . 2. Gripping device according to claim 1, in which the spring means (3) are placed between the hinge means (6, 14, 15) and the insertion apertures (7, 22) . 3. Gripping device according to claim 1 or 2 , in which the wall holder (1) has two outward projecting hinge pins (6) , and the operating mechanism (2) comprises two shell halves (10, 11) containing hinge pin holders (14, 15), which in the assembled state lie around the hinge pins (6) . 4. Gripping device according to claim 3, in which the rear shell half (10) comprises a recess (16) by means of which it can be pushed over the wall holder (1) until it bears against the hinge pins (6) . 5. Gripping device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the front face of the operating mechanism is replaceable.

Inventors: MIDDENDORP OSCAR, MIDDENDORP, OSCAR
Applicants: INNOESSENTIALS INT BV, MIDDENDORP OSCAR, INNOESSENTIALS INTERNATIONAL B.V., MIDDENDORP, OSCAR
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A47K10
IPC codes: A47K10