Abstract:
Clips for mounting attention-attracting ornaments and decorations on corrugated core twinwall panels, which clips are designed for insertion in the core openings of the corrugated twinwall plastic panels or sheets and displaying the ornaments and decorations for attracting attention to advertising or other indicia on the front and/or rear twinwall panels. The clips are designed to receive strings, ribbons and rubber bands for tethering balloons, as well as wire, tassels, ribbons, streamers and other attachments, decorations, attractive items and ornaments for attracting the attention of passersby. Each of the clips is characterized by one or more engaging leg for insertion in the twinwall panel core openings and an ornament-receiving end or ends extending from the engaging leg(s) and removably securing the various types of ornaments and decorations on the twinwall panel.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference prior filed co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/774,505, filed Feb. 21, 2006. 
     
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to devices for decorating display panels or sheets such as advertising signs and the like and more particularly, to clips for attachment to twinwall corrugated core panel substrate signs or displays and securing ornamental and decorative material for attracting attention to the displays. In a preferred embodiment each of the clips is characterized by one or more engaging leg designed for insertion in selected corrugated center or core openings of twinwall corrugated core panels or sheets, such as the commonly used “COROPLAST”™ twinwall plastic panel substrates. These clips serve to attach connecting members such as strings, wire and rubber bands to the panels and to anchor decorative elements such as balloons, ribbons, tassels, reflective streamers and other ornaments, for the purpose of attracting the attention of passersby. Each of the clips includes an ornament-engaging end or ends extending from one or more panel-engaging legs for anchoring or tethering the respective ornaments to the twinwall panels. The ornament-engaging ends typically include a slot or slots and preferably, a hole or opening at the base of the slot or slots, for insertion of wire, string, rubber bands, ribbons, tassels, streamers and the like, and tethering items such as balloons, tassels, ribbons, streamers and other ornaments and decorations to the corrugated core twinwall panels for the purpose of calling attention to the displays and indicia on the twin panel members. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a typical corrugated core twinwall panel fitted with a dual star ornament and a tassel or streamer ornament secured at opposite corner edges, utilizing one of the attachment clips of this invention; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view, partially in section, of one corner of the corrugated core twinwall panel and the tassel or streamer ornament illustrated in  FIG. 1 , more particularly illustrating a typical first attachment configuration for securing the tassel or streamer to the engaging end or leg of a W-clip element of this invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a perspective, exploded view of the tassel or streamer and W-clip combination illustrated in  FIG. 2 , more particularly illustrating a preferred single engaging leg design for the W-clip, which design includes a panel-engaging leg and an ornament-engaging end for receiving and securing the tassel or streamer in place in a first attachment configuration; 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view, partially in section, of one corner of the corrugated core twinwall panel and the dual star ornament illustrated in  FIG. 1 , more particularly illustrating insertion of the panel-engaging leg of the W-clip into an opening in the corrugated center of the corrugated core twinwall panel, and a typical attachment of the star ornament to the W-clip; 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view, partially in section, of a corner of the corrugated core twinwall panel illustrated in  FIG. 1 , more particularly illustrating a typical application of a plate clip to the corrugated twinwall panel core; 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a typical dogleg clip having a single dogleg panel-engaging leg extending from an ornament-engaging end at an acute angle for insertion in the corrugated center section of a corrugated core twinwall panel (not illustrated); 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a single-engaging leg variation of the W-ornament engaging member illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4  of the drawings, more particularly illustrating a preferred slot and companion slot opening design provided in the ornament-engaging end or member, for receiving a string, rubber band or wire or a tassel or streamer strand or strands; 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the plate clip illustrated in  FIG. 5  of the drawings, wherein the plate clip is fitted with a plate slot and is detached from the corrugated core twinwall panel; 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a shoulder clip fitted with a shoulder clip panel-engaging leg for insertion in a selected one of the corrugated center openings in a corrugated core twinwall panel (not illustrated) and a pair of bevelled shoulders, each having a slot and slot opening combination; 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a gooseneck clip having a gooseneck clip panel-engaging leg for engaging selected ones of the openings in the corrugated center or core of a corrugated core twinwall panel (not illustrated); 
           [0014]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a reverse-bend clip having a reverse-bend clip panel-engaging leg for insertion in one of the corrugated center or core openings of a corrugated core twinwall panel (not illustrated); 
           [0015]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a typical dogleg clip having a single dogleg panel-engaging leg extending from an arm-engaging end at a 90-degree angle for insertion in a selected one of the corrugated center or core openings of a corrugated core twinwall panel (not illustrated); 
           [0016]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a typical dogleg clip having a pair of ornament attachment legs extending from a single panel-engaging leg at an acute angle for insertion in the corrugated center of a corrugated core twinwall panel (not illustrated); 
           [0017]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the dogleg clip illustrated in  FIG. 12 , more particularly illustrating insertion of a wire end through the clip enlargement opening and placement of a cap on the extending end of the wire for retaining a wire segment in the enlargement opening and mounting a tassel, streamer or other ornament on the wire segment; 
           [0018]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the dogleg clip illustrated in  FIG. 12 , more particularly illustrating insertion of a wire end through the clip enlargement opening and bending the wire end for securing a wire segment on the dogleg clip; 
           [0019]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the dogleg clip illustrated in  FIG. 12 , more particularly illustrating insertion of one end of a string segment through the enlargement opening provided in the attachment leg enlargement and knotting the string segment at both ends for securing a strand of tassel or streamer to the string segment and to the clip; 
           [0020]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a variation of the W-clip illustrated in  FIG. 7 , more particularly illustrating a pair of W-clip panel-engaging legs extending from a common ornamental attachment leg, for insertion in a spaced-apart pair of the core openings in a corrugated core twinwall panel (not illustrated); and 
           [0021]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a typical corrugated core twinwall panel having a pair of the dogleg clips  12  illustrated in  FIG. 12  mounted on top and bottom corners in facing, spaced-apart relationship and suspending a tassel or streamer ornament on the panel. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-4 ,  7  and  18  of the drawings, a corrugated core twinwall panel  1  of selected size and typically having a selected advertising or notification indicia on the front panel  2  and rear panel  3  ( FIG. 18 ) is provided. The corrugated panel  1  is characterized by a corrugated center  4 , sandwiched between the front panel  2  and the rear panel  3 , which corrugated center  4  defines multiple, adjacent corrugated center openings  5  along opposite edges, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a W-clip  19  is used to secure a tassel or streamer ornament  6  and a star ornament  7  to opposite top corners of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  of the drawings. The W-clip  19  may be constructed of any selected material, but is preferably stamped, injected-molded or otherwise shaped from plastic such as polyethylene or polypropylene and includes a W-clip panel-engaging leg  20 , extending to a W-clip bend  21  that further extends to define a W-clip ornament attachment leg  22 . The W-clip ornament attachment leg  22  terminates in a W-ornament-engaging member  23 , which has W-legs  24  ( FIG. 2 ) and preferably includes a W-leg slot  25 , extending into the W-clip ornament attachment leg  22  from the bottom convergence of the W-legs  24 , as further illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The W-leg slot  25  may also include a W-leg slot opening  26  ( FIG. 7 ) and is designed to receive a ribbon, string, cord, wire or the tassel strand or strands  6   a  of one or more tassel or streamer ornaments  6 . Alternatively, the tassel or streamer ornament(s)  6  or like decoration can be attached to the W-clip ornament attachment leg  22  at the respective W-legs  24 , as further illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  of the drawings. Accordingly, using the W-clip  19 , the tassel or streamer ornament(s)  6  can be secured to the corrugated core twinwall panel  1  at any desired location along the corrugated core or center  4  where the corrugated center openings  5  are exposed, for decoration and ornamental purposes. 
         [0024]    In a similar manner, the W-clip  19  can be used to attach the dual star ornament  7  to the corrugated panel  1  such that the dual star ornament  7  is displayed as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 4  of the drawings. In a preferred embodiment, the dual star ornament  7  is characterized by a front star  8  and a rear star  9 , spaced-apart from the front star  8  and attached thereto by means of a plastic or wire spring  10 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the spring  10  is forced into the W-leg slot  25  at the bottom convergence of the W-legs  24  of the W-clip  19 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the W-clip panel-engaging leg  20  is then inserted in a selected one of the corrugated center openings  5  in the corrugated center  4  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 , to secure the dual star ornament  7  in a desired location on the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 . 
         [0025]    Other clips are designed to secure various attention-directing ornamental and decorative items, including the tassel or streamer ornament  6  and the dual star ornament  7 , to a corrugated core twinwall panel  1 , according to the desires of the designer. For example, referring now to  FIGS. 5 and 8  of the drawings, a plate clip  27  is characterized by a plate  28  of desired size, typically having a plate slot  29  and fitted with a plate clip panel-engaging leg  30 , having a plate clip bend  31  which is attached to the plate  28 , as further illustrated in  FIG. 8 . Accordingly, the plate clip panel-engaging leg  30  can be inserted in a selected one of the corrugated center openings  5  in the corrugated center  4  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , to secure the plate  28  tightly against the front panel  2  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 , such that ribbons, cords, wire, rubber bands or one or more of the tassel strands  6   a  of the tassel or streamer ornament  6  can be inserted between the plate  28  and the front panel  2  ( FIG. 5 ) or in the plate slot  29  ( FIG. 8 ) to maintain these ornaments and decorations in place on the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 , as desired. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 6  of the drawings, a dogleg clip  12  is illustrated, having a dogleg panel-engaging leg  13  for insertion in the corrugated center openings  5  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1  in the same manner as the W-clip  19  and the plate clip  27 , as heretofore described with respect to  FIGS. 1-3  and  5 , respectively. An acute angle dogleg bend  14  is provided in the dogleg panel-engaging leg  13  to define a dogleg ornament-attachment leg  15 , typically having an attachment leg enlargement  16  on the extending end thereof and provided with an enlargement opening  17  of selected size. The enlargement opening  17  is sufficiently large to insert a string, cord, wire, rubber band, ribbon or one or more of the tassel strands  6   a  of one or more tassel or streamer ornaments  6  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , and secure these ornaments on the dogleg clip  12  when the dogleg panel-engaging leg  13  is inserted in a selected corrugated center opening  5  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 9  of the drawings, a shoulder clip  33  is illustrated and includes a shoulder clip panel-engaging leg  34 , designed for insertion in a selected one of the corrugated center openings  5  in the corrugated center  4  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1  in the same manner as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  and  5  with respect to the W-clip  19  and the plate clip  27 , respectively. The shoulder clip  33  is further characterized by a shoulder clip bend  35  of selected angular magnitude, which extends to define a shoulder clip base  36 , having a pair of bevelled shoulders  37  on either side thereof and each fitted with typically parallel shoulder slots  38 , that preferably terminate in corresponding shoulder slot openings  39 , respectively. Accordingly, a string, ribbon, wire, rubber band or one or more of the tassel strands  6   a  of the tassel or streamer ornament  6  can be first inserted in one or both of the shoulder slots  38  and/or the shoulder slot openings  39  in the shoulder clip  33 . The shoulder clip panel-engaging leg  34  is then inserted in a selected one of the corrugated center openings  5  in the corrugated center  4  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , to secure the ornament on the corrugated core twinwall panel  1  in a desired location. 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 10  of the drawings, a gooseneck clip  41  is illustrated and includes a gooseneck clip panel-engaging leg  42  for insertion in one of the corrugated center openings  5  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 . The gooseneck clip panel-engaging leg  42  terminates in a first gooseneck clip bend  43 , which extends to define a gooseneck clip neck  44 . The gooseneck clip neck  44  extends to a second gooseneck clip bend  43   a , which terminates in an upward-turned gooseneck clip head  45 , preferably having a head bevel  46  and a head/neck slot  47 , typically terminating at a head/neck slot opening  48  and located between the gooseneck clip neck  44  and the gooseneck clip head  45 . Accordingly, it will be appreciated from a consideration of the gooseneck clip  41  configuration that a string cord, ribbon, wire, rubber band or the tassel strand or strands  6   a  of one or more tassel or streamer ornaments  6  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  can be first inserted in the head/neck slot  47  between the gooseneck clip neck  44  and the gooseneck clip head  45 . The gooseneck clip panel-engaging leg  42  is then inserted in a selected one of the corrugated center openings  5  in the corrugated center  4  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 , to mount the ornament in a selected position on the panel. 
         [0029]    As illustrated in  FIG. 11  of the drawings, a reverse-bend clip  50  is illustrated and includes a reverse-bend clip panel-engaging leg  51 , fitted with a first reverse clip bend  52  that defines a reverse-bend clip neck  53 , which terminates in a reverse-bend clip head  54  at a second reverse clip bend  52   a . The reverse-bend clip head  54  is upward-turned, typically parallel to the reverse-bend clip neck  53  and the reverse-bend clip head  54  typically includes a head offset  55  that defines a head offset bevel  56 . A head offset slot  57  is defined between the reverse-bend clip neck  53  and the reverse-bend clip head  54 , beginning at the head offset bevel  56 , as further illustrated in  FIG. 11 . A head offset slot opening  58  is preferably provided at the base of the head offset slot  57 , to better facilitate insertion of a string, cord, wire, ribbon, rubber band or one or more of the tassel strands  6   a  of the tassel or streamer ornament  6  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 . This reverse-bend clip  50  configuration allows insertion of the reverse-bend clip panel-engaging leg  51  into a selected one of the corrugated center openings  5  in the corrugated center  4  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1  (not illustrated) to display the ornament on the panel. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 12  of the drawings, a variation of the dogleg clip  12  illustrated in  FIG. 6  is shown, more particularly defining a 90-degree dogleg bend  14  in the dogleg panel-engaging leg  13 , with the dogleg panel-engaging leg  13  disposed for insertion in a selected one of the corrugated center openings  5  of the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 . A dogleg ornament attachment leg  15  extends from the 90-degree dogleg bend  14  and terminates in an attachment leg enlargement  16 , having an enlargement opening  17  of selected size for receiving a string, cord, wire, ribbon, rubber band or one or more of the tassel strands  6   a  of the tassel or streamer ornament(s)  6  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  and securing the decoration to the corrugated core twinwall panel  1  in the manner heretofore described. 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 13  of the drawings, a dual dogleg clip  18  is illustrated and includes a single dogleg panel-engaging leg  13  and a dogleg bend  14 , the latter of which can be disposed at an acute angle or a 90-degree angle, as desired, and extended to define a pair of dogleg ornament-attachment legs  15 , extending therefrom. The corresponding attachment leg enlargements  16  terminate the respective dogleg ornament-attachment legs  15  and an enlargement opening  17  is provided in each of the attachment leg enlargements  16  for receiving a string, cord, wire, ribbon, rubber band or one of the tassel strands  6   a  of the tassel or streamer ornament  6  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  and as heretofore described. Accordingly, the dual dogleg clip  18  provides the facility for mounting multiple decorative elements extending from a common dogleg panel-engaging leg  13  when the latter is inserted in a corrugated center opening  5  in the corrugated center  4  of a corrugated core twinwall panel  1 , as heretofore described. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 14  of the drawings, the dogleg clip  12  illustrated in  FIG. 12  is illustrated and a length of wire  11  is extended through the attachment opening  17  and a wire cap  11   a  is friction-fitted to the top end of the length of wire  11 , while the bottom end of the wire  11  is attached in any convenient fashion to a tassel or streamer ornament  6  or other decoration or decorations, for connecting the decoration(s) to a corrugated core twinwall panel (not illustrated) in the manner described above. 
         [0033]    In another aspect of this embodiment of the invention, the dogleg clip  12  illustrated in  FIG. 14  is fitted with the wire  11  segment and the top end of the wire  11  is bent to define a wire bend  11   b , for maintaining the wire  11  in place in the enlargement opening  17  of the attachment leg enlargement  16  ( FIG. 15 ). The bottom end of the wire  11  segment can be likewise fitted with one or more tassel or streamer ornaments  6  or an alternative decoration, as further illustrated in  FIG. 15 . 
         [0034]    As further illustrated in  FIG. 16  of the drawings, a dogleg clip  12  is positioned to facilitate extension of a length of string  32  through the enlargement opening  17  of the attachment leg enlargement  16  and a top knot  32   a  is configured in the top end of the string segment  32 . A bottom knot  32   b  is tied in the bottom end of the string segment  32  after the string segment  32  is extended through a strand opening  6   b  provided in the tassel or streamer ornament  6 , further illustrated in  FIG. 16 . Alternatively, the string segment  32  can be simply tied to the strand or strands  6   a  of the tassel or streamer ornament  6 , as desired, to secure the ornament on a corrugated core twinwall panel (not illustrated) as described above. 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIG. 17  of the drawings, in still another embodiment of the invention a W-clip  19  is provided with a pair of outwardly-extending, parallel W-clip panel-engaging legs  20 , which project from a common W-clip ornament-attachment leg  22 , as illustrated. Accordingly, each of the W-clip panel-engaging legs  20  can be inserted in a separate corrugated center opening  5  of the corrugated center  4  in the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 , to further secure the W-clip  19  in place. As in the case of the W-clip  19  illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the W-clip  19  illustrated in  FIG. 17  is fitted with a W-ornament-engaging member  23  having W-legs  24  that converge at the bottom to receive a W-leg slot  25  and preferably, a W-leg slot opening  26  therein. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 18  of the drawings, in another preferred clip arrangement a pair of the dogleg clips  12  illustrated in  FIG. 12  can be positioned in respective spaced-apart corrugated center openings  5  in the corrugated center  4  of a sheet of corrugated core twinwall panel  1 , as illustrated. A cord or string  32  can then be extended through the spaced-apart, facing enlargement openings  17  of the attachment leg enlargements in the respective dogleg clips  12  and typically secured in place by means of a top knot  32   a  and a bottom knot  32   b . A tassel or streamer ornament  6  can then be mounted on the string  32  with tape or otherwise, as illustrated. Alternatively, the tassel or streamer ornament  6  may be constructed on the string  32  and extended between the two dogleg clips  12 . The panel mount legs  59  are typically constructed of wire and are extended into the ground to support the corrugated core twinwall panel  1  in a desired location. Furthermore, the panel can be oriented such that the corrugated center openings  5  are located at the top and bottom edges or at the side edges, as desired. 
         [0037]    It will be appreciated by a consideration of those skilled in the art that the various clips of this invention are designed to provide a means for decorating a corrugated core twinwall panel  1  in the manner illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  and  18  of the drawings, for the purpose of calling attention to the panel and more particularly, to various advertising and informational indicia provided on the front panel  2  and the rear panel  3  thereof. Accordingly, the clips of this invention facilitate a wide variety of attention-directing, decorative ornamentation on the corrugated core twinwall panel  1 , which catches the eye of passersby and enhances the value of the advertising and/or indicia located on the panels. 
         [0038]    While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.