Abstract:
A retaining clip for holding paper, garments, and other objects is provided. Also, the retaining clip is designed to attach to a portable device (or non-portable) and receive articles of clothing, clothing accessories, automobile visors, or other areas whereby it is available for conveniently receiving and retaining the device such as retaining a pager to a belt. The retaining clip, when used with a device, optionally can be rotated for awkward areas of attachment, or convenient areas of placement such as a purse strap. The holder broadly comprises of a base, a leg, and a biasing means.

Description:
BACKGROUND-FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention generally relates to a retaining clip. More particularly, the present relates to a retaining clip that can be attached to clothing, such as a shirt pocket, clothing accessories, such as waist belts or purse straps, and automobile visors. With the retaining clip receiving a garment, the clip also can be used as an article attachment means of a sunglass or eyeglass holder, badge holder, or other sibling device. The retaining clip can also be used for general purposes such as a money clip or a paper clip.  
         BACKGROUND-DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART  
         [0002]    As personal portable devices increase in ownership, various clips have been developed to attach the device to a garment or an article such as a belt or auto visor. The typical retaining clip used to accomplish this objective is a wire-form, metal, or spring-backed plastic clip. An eyeglass case, cellular phone, or pager typically includes a plastic clip or wire-form so a wearer can attach it to a pocket or belt. The main problem encountered constructing a retaining clip is ensuring the garment-engaging inner section has sufficient strength to hold securely, but weak enough to release the garment when required. The problem is exaggerated when the garment is extremely thin. In order to hold a thin garment, the inner section of the clip must be constructed so that one side is resiliently touching the other side by means of a spring bias. During plastic injection molding, a metal separates the section of the mold&#39;s cavity to form the two pieces. However, this creates a permanent space and the inner section of the clip does not touch itself. Subsequently, a thin garment slips through the space. If the metal is removed from the injection mold, then the clip is formed with its inner section joined together. It then must be sliced apart so a garment can slip inside the clip. Even though the inner section of the clip touches itself, enough spring bias may not be produced to retain the garment inside the clip.  
           [0003]    The problem identified in the preceding paragraph is well known. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,318 to Phillips, a retaining clip assembly is disclosed. It depicts leaf spring  40  biasing securing end  18  towards base  14  to retain a garment. The problem with Phillip&#39;s clip is the configuration requires multiple pieces and multiple assembly steps. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,319 to Challender, a garment clip integrated into an eyeglass temple is disclosed. Challender&#39;s clip is limited in size to the width of a temple bar and singular in scope of uses. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,513 to Cheraso, a multifunctional belt clip is disclosed that can orient a portable device when removed from a garment. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,480 to Hogarth, a garment clip used in conjunction with a clothes hanger is disclosed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It is the object of this invention to provide a retaining clip that utilizes a bias means and/or a padding means to effectively retain garments or other objects. It is another object of the invention to provide an inexpensive solution for injection molding a resilient clip. Additionally, a rotational means may be included with this clip so that it may be attached to other objects such as a sunglass holder or portable device and permit rotation of the device about an axis. 
       
    
    
     DRAWING FIGURES  
       [0005]    In the drawing figures, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIGS. 1A to  1 l show a clip using various embodiments of a biasing means.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 shows a clip using an alternate embodiment of a mounting means.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3A to  3 B show a clip mounted to a portable device.  
       Reference Numerals in Drawings  
       [0009]    [0009]                                       10   Clip       12   Leg       14   Base       16   Biasing Means       18   Pad       20   Mounting Means       22   Snap       24   Rails       26   Gap       28   Rotational Attachment Means       30   Recess       32   Cutout       34   Extensions                    
     
    
     DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1A illustrates a preferred embodiment of a retaining clip. The clip, as all embodiments in all other figures, may be formed from many different materials or combination thereof. Preferably, a resilient plastic, formed by injection molding, may be used for economic reasons. As all other holders depicted, the holder comprises of a base  14 , a leg  12 , and a biasing means  16 . In FIG. 1A, base  14  is depicted having a generally rectangular side opposite and extending along of leg  12 . Base  14  has an end terminating near an end of leg  12  to receive garments or other objects. Base  14  has an opposite end forming a generally U-shape integrally molded into leg  12 . Leg  12  has an end for receiving biasing means  16  above pad  18 . Biasing means  16  is depicted as a pad  18  with an upper area for receiving leg  12  and a lower area having a thickness equal to or greater than the closest points between leg  12  and base  14  to bias against base  14 . When biasing means  16  is mounted onto leg  12 , pad  18  pushes against base  14  providing a secure grasping means for garments or other objects. Base  14  optionally provides for a recess  30  to insert a rotational attachment means, such as a pin, for a portable device-enabling clip  10  to rotate 360 degrees. With rotational ability, clip  10  could rotate 90 degrees for attachment onto a jacket while maintaining the device in an upright position.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1B depicts an optional mounting means  20  for base  14  and leg  12  to attach to a biasing means  16 . A free end of leg  12  has snaps  22  separated approximately the width of biasing means  16 . Snaps  22  are squeezed together and inserted into a cutout  32  within biasing means  16 . As snaps  22  reach the end of cutout  32 , snaps  22  expand and lock into a widened area of cutout  32 . Pad  18  presses against base  14  for receiving and securely retaining objects. Figs  1 C-E depict other examples of mounting means  20  to that can be used to attach biasing means  16  to clip  10 . In Fig  1 C, snap  22  is located within biasing means  16 . As leg  12  slides into biasing means  16 , snap  22  locks into recess  30  securely attaching biasing means  16  to clip  10 . The garment-receiving end of biasing means  16  is angled outward and away from base  14  to further ease the insertion of a garment or other object. Base  14  on a side opposite of leg  14  is depicted as having a rotational attachment means such as a pin for receiving devices such as a sunglass holder. Pad  18  is as thick or thicker than the distance between leg  12  and base  14 . As biasing means  16  is attached to clip  10 , pad  18  is forced against base  14  providing a secure area to hold objects. FIG. 1C optionally includes extensions  34  to leg  12  and base  14 . A user can squeeze extensions  34  together to facilitate separating biasing means  16  from base  14  for inserting objects. FIG. 1D depicts an alternate mounting means  20 . Snap  22  is located underneath and at an end of leg  12 . Biasing means  16  has cutout  32  to securely receive snap  22 . Pad  18  is located on biasing means  16  and on base  14  further reducing gap  26  and increasing tightness between base  14  and biasing means  16 . By utilizing pad  18  on base  14 , an advantage is gained by providing another pressure adjustment area aside from pad  18  solely located on biasing means  16 . Because product needs vary, pad  18  may be located solely on base  14  as depicted in FIG. 1F. Pad  18  extends in thickness equal or further than an extended plane of biasing means  16 . When biasing means  16  is attached to leg  12 , biasing means  16  biases against pad  18 . FIG. 1E depicts another embodiment of a mounting means  20 . A recess  30  is located on leg  12 . A pad  18 , for example a rubber stopper, equal or greater in thickness than the distance between base  14  and leg  12  is inserted into recess  30 . FIG. 1G has rails  24  to mount biasing means  16  onto leg  12 . Rails  24  can be angled downward to provide additional bias towards base  14 . Mounting means  20  can use various techniques, such as a recess located on the leg and a tab over the pad extends into the recess. FIG. 1H depicts another method to attach biasing means  16  to clip  10 . Biasing means  16  slides onto leg  12  from a side of leg  12  through a recess  30  on leg  12  guided by rails inside biasing means  16 . Biasing means  16  is in the general form of a U-shape, FIG. 1l, with pad  18  on one end and rails  24  above pad  18  to slide on recess  30 . When biasing means  16  is attached to leg  12 , biasing means  16  biases against base  14  as previously mentioned. Leg  14  has a single extension  34  protruding from an end opposite of the object-receiving end of leg  14 . Extension  34  can be used as either a lever to pivot open leg  12  from base  14 , or alternately, extension  34  can be used as a mounting. For example, extension  34  could be screwed onto a wall and papers could be hung on the retaining clip.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 displays another configuration of biasing means  16  mounted onto clip  10 . Mounting means  20  consists of rails  24  angled downward to bias pad  18  against base  14 . Leg  12  has an end for receiving rails  24 . Biasing means  16 , consisting of pad  18  and leg  12 , has pad  18  integrated into leg  12 . As leg  12  slides into rail  24 , pad  18  is forced against base  14  to retain garments and other objects. Biasing means  16  is angled upward at the garment-receiving end to ease insertion of garments or objects. Base  14  optionally has a rotational attachment means  28  for mounting onto devices.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIGS. 3A and 3B depict retaining clips similar to FIGS.  1 A-G. In FIGS. 3A and 3B, base  14  is a generally flat area of a portable device parallel to leg  12 . Base  14  extends in a generally U-shaped direction into leg  12 . In FIG. 3A, leg  12  is attached to biasing means  16  using a mounting method previously mentioned. The distance between leg  12  and base  14  is less than or equal to the thickness of pad  18 . Pad  18  biases against base  14  to firmly retain the portable device onto a garment or other object. In FIG. 3B, leg  12  has rails underneath the U-shape area to slide into base  14  for attachment. Base  14  has pad  18  located at an end near the garment-receiving end of leg  12  and base  14 . Pad  18  acts in the same manner as previously described where the height of pad  18  extends equal or greater than the distance between base  14  and leg  12  when leg  12  is mounted onto base  14 . Pad  18  biases against leg  12  to apply pressure for retaining garments or other objects. Leg  12  optionally has an extension  34  to pivotally open leg  12  at the garment-receiving end.  
         [0014]    The mounting means for attaching the biasing means to the clip has been presented as a snap-in or slide in assembly. Numerous other mounting attachment means may be employed such as gluing or welding. Further descriptions presenting these means are common to the art and not deemed instructive.  
         [0015]    The shapes, sizes, and designs of the leg, base, and biasing means arrangement are only limited by the imagination. Although the descriptions above contain many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Additionally, note that there are many combinations that are recognized from the different parts presented in this invention. For example, any of the mounting means presented could be used on any of the clip configurations. For example, the mounting means in FIG. 1G could be used for FIG. 1D and reversed. Then rails  24  would be located on biasing means  16  and recess  30  would be located on leg  12 . Also, one or more of extension  34  could be mounted to any of the clip configurations. For example, FIG. 1E could have an extension protruding from leg  12  and an extension protruding from base  14 . The rotational attachment means could be optionally added to any of the configurations when needed. FIG. 1H could have a rotational attachment means added to base  14  as depicted in FIG. 1C. The location of the biasing means is also flexible. Fig  1 A depicts the biasing means at the end of leg  12  while FIG. 1H depicts the biasing means towards the middle of leg  12 . FIG. 3B depicts the biasing means, pad  18 , located on base  14 . The location of the biasing means can be in one or more areas of the leg and/or base. The rails and recess in FIG. 2 is described as angled downward to bias leg  12  against base  14 . This configuration can be used for any of the clip configuration as well.