WO2009054767A1

WO2009054767A1 - A bracket

Info

Publication number: WO2009054767A1
Application number: PCT/SE2008/000495
Authority: WO
Inventors: Per-Olof Eriksson
Original assignee: Pivotion Ab
Priority date: 2007-10-23
Filing date: 2008-09-03
Publication date: 2009-04-30
Also published as: SE531503C2; SE0702353L

Abstract

A bracket (1) to be attached to a substantially circular object (30) such as a circular holder, pole, pipe, railing, stand, chair frame, stake, guards or post, where the bracket (1) includes a first partly-circular part (3) and a second semi-circular part (2), where the two partly- circular parts (2, 3) are pivotally interconnected relatively to each other, and where the two partly-circular parts (2, 3) in a first position (B) relative to each other defines a partly-circle with an opening to receive the substantially circular object (30), and where a second position (C) a completed circle is defined by the two partly-circular parts (2, 3) after rotating the first partly-circular part (3) relative to the second partly- circular part (2), wherein the bracket (1) is locked onto the substantially circular object (30).

Description

A BRACKET

AREA OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mount or bracket for attaching various devices such as containers of liquids, tools, receptacles, fishing rods, utensils, containers and the like to a circular holder, tube, pole, pipe, railing, stand, chair frame, stake, guards, post etc.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

While sailing a boat, having a picnic, skiing or in any way exercising a sport or being out in nature there often is a need for putting away objects in a safe way, e.g. while sailing it would be nice to put away the container with a hot fluid or the like, or attaching the fishing rod while drinking or eating something. In such locations or places, there are normally no fixed installations or holding devices for putting away and "holding" the container, fishing rod or the like, and normally there are also no desire to have fixed installations since they will be obstacles when not used. There is for that reason a need for a temporarily installed bracket, mount or holder for putting away different objects such as containers of liquids, tools, receptacles, fishing rods, utensils, hooks, mobile phone holders, Velcro® and the like. In the art several attempts have been made to provide a bracket or mount to be used as an occasional or temporarily holding means for objects like containers, tools, receptacles, fishing rods, utensils. In US-B1-6 412 741 is disclosed a beverage holding device with railing attach- ment . The railing attachment includes a C-shaped clamping portion, adapted for coupling with a tubular rail. The clamping portion is comprised of an upper arcuate member and a lower arcuate member. The arcuate members each have an interior edge and an exterior edge. The interior edges are pivotally coupled by a hinge bar. The hinge bar has a cross plate secured to an outer surface thereof. The cross plate is secured to the pair of circular rings. A locking assembly is coupled with the C-shaped clamping portion for selectively locking the clamping portion to the tubular rail .

In US-B1-6 409 131 is disclosed a system for holding small objects comprising a bracket that attaches to an elongated prop such as an electrical conduit, pipe, rail- ing, stand, wheel chair frame, stake, hospital bed guards, or post. Bracket attachment is accomplished by placing the bracket perpendicularly over the prop and twisting the bracket 1/4 turn. A variety of holders may be detachably attached to the bracket to enable a variety of objects to be held in a desired position.

In US-B1-6 227 510 is disclosed a holder for a hand- size container for use in conjunction with a portable chair. The holder comprises an integral body portion and a clamping means for attaching the holder to the portable chair. The integral body portion consists of an annular band having an inside diameter sized to receive a hand-held container, first and second arcuate legs, and a horizontal double-beam-flange member which cooperate to securely and removably hold and support a container placed within the annular band. The clamping means is affixed to an end of the horizontal double-beam-flange member so as to provide a means for removably attaching the holder to a portable chair.

One drawback with the above solutions is that they either are fixedly attached to selected position and not movable or if they are potentially movable it requires quite some effort to move them and also in many cases more than one person is required to do it. Another drawback with the prior art solution is that they are complicated to attach to the pole, rails or the like since they include several independently movable parts, tools or quite some force to attach.

There is a wish to provide a mount or bracket for attaching various devices having a simplified design that overcomes the drawbacks with the prior art solutions and that makes it possible to locate the mount or bracket in difficult places that in past was almost impossible to use for attaching the mount or bracket.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a mount or bracket designed to solve the short-comings of the prior-art solutions and for attaching various devices to the mount or bracket, wherein the mount or bracket is easily removably attached, and where the mount or bracket that can removably be attached in a narrow or difficult location where it is very little space for attaching a mount or bracket.

This object is attained according to the invention described in the characterizing part of claim 1. Further aspects of the invention are apparent from the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, the invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, where: Figs. 1-2 are perspective views of the bracket according to the invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bracket according to the invention, where a locking part has been removed from a holding part; Fig. 4a is a partial perspective view of the bracket according to the invention, where one half of the holding part has been removed; Fig. 4b is a partial perspective view of the bracket according to the invention, showing the one half of the holding part that has been removed from Fig. 4a;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the bracket according to the invention;

Figs. 6-7 are perspective views of the bracket according to the invention, where a grip of the locking part is located in different positions B and C, respectively; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a beverage holder; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the bracket according to the invention having the beverage holder of Fig. 8 mounted to the bracket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In Figs. 1-2 a bracket or mount 1 according to the invention is shown comprising a holding part 2 and a locking part 3. Both the holding part 2 and the locking part 3 are partly-circular parts having a substantially equally sized opening. The holding part 2 includes two halves 4, 5, a holding piece 6 having a surface with increased friction to prevent the bracket 1 from rotating in respect of the object whereupon it has been attached, and at least one pin or screw 8 to keep the two halves 4, 5 together when they are put together to form the assembled holding part 2.

The locking part 3 is provided with a grip or handle 20 to facilitate its operation. The grip 20 protrudes substantially perpendicular from the outer peripheral surface of the locking part 3 and from a mid portion of the locking part 3. The grip 20 may be provided with grooves 21 (best seen in Fig. 3) on its outer tip to avoid slipping while operating the locking part 3. With means of the grip 20 the locking part 3 can be moved between positions B (see Fig. 6) and C (see Fig. 7) . To assemble the bracket 1, the locking part 3 is partially slid-on to an inner portion of one of the two halves 4, 5 of the holding part 2 before the two halves 4, 5 are put together with the locking part 3 being received onto and held by the inner portions of the two halves 4, 5 and secured by the screw 8. The holding piece 6, which is received and held in cut-outs of the two halves 4, 5, also partially guides the two halves 4, 5 so that they are correctly mounted. The holding piece 6, which typically is made of a rubber or any other material having a large surface friction, includes an even surface, but can also be provided with grooves or suitable pattern to further increase the surface friction of the holding piece 6.

In Fig. 3 the locking part 3 has been removed from the holding part 2 to visualize that the half 4 of the holding part 2 are provided with stoppers in the shape of pegs 4a, 4b extending internally towards the locking part 3 to establish the end positions B and C of the locking part 3. The locking part 3 is similarly provided with means that creates the end positions B and C in the form of stop flanges 3a, 3b (3b is shown is Figs. 4a and 5) located in each end of the locking part 3 extending outwardly towards the halves 4 and 5 respectively. When the locking part 3 is in the position B the stopper 4a interacts with the stop flange 3a so that the locking part 3 cannot be rotated further to the right as shown in Fig. 6. When the locking part 3 is in the position C the stopper 4b interacts with the stop flange 3b so that the locking part 3 cannot be rotated further to the left as shown in Fig. 7. The half 5 of the holding part 2 is provided with corresponding stoppers 5a, 5b (the stopper 5b is shown in Fig. 5) that interact with stop flanges 3a, 3b provided on the opposite part of the locking part 3.

In Fig. 4b the half 4 of the holding part 2 is shown having further guiding means 14-18 for holding the two halves 4 and 5 of the holding part 2 together in addition to the screw connection 8. The guiding means 14-18, which protrudes outside the half 4, are formed as pegs, fins or snaps that interacts corresponding apertures 24-28 arranged in the opposite corresponding locations of the half 5. The guiding means 15, which is formed as protruding snap-in, are located along the inner periphery of the holding part 2 and interacts with the corresponding slot 25 of the half 5 to keep the two halves 4 and 5 of the holding part 2 together in addition to the screw connection 8.

Alternatively the two halves 4 and 5 may be welded together to even further ensure that the two halves stay together.

In Fig. 5 an exploded view of the bracket 1 is shown with all the different parts of the bracket 1. Fig. 5 also shows slots or cut-outs 7 for receiving the holding piece 6.

As seen in Figs. 1 or 6-7 the locking part 3 and the holding part 2 together define an opening wherein a pipe portion or similar objects can be slid-in. In Fig. 6 the locking part 3 is in a first unlocked position B with the grip 20 extending substantially upwards. When the locking part 3 is rotated counter clockwise (see arrow A in Fig. 1), i.e. the user pushes the grip 20 to the left (as seen in Fig. 6) , the locking part 3 will more or less close the opening and the locking part 3 and the holding part 2 will together define a substantially complete circle wherein the pipe portion is received and the bracket 1 is securely and removably attached to the pipe portion. In Fig. 9 is shown how the bracket 1 is attached to a pipe section 30.

To further ensure that the bracket 1 is securely attached to the pipe portion or to the object where it should be attached the inner periphery of the holding part 2 defines an asymmetric substantially circular periphery from the first position B towards a second position C com- pared to the outer periphery of the holding device 2. This is best shown by the half 5 of the holding part 2 in Fig. 5, where it is obvious that the inner periphery is further away from the outer periphery at the first position B than at the second position C. Thus, the inner circular periphery defined by the locking part 3 and holding part 2 becomes smaller, when the locking part 3 is rotated along the outer periphery of the holding part 2. This arrangement also enables the bracket 1 to be used for pipe portions of slightly different sizes as the locking part 3 needs only to be rotated differently to adapt and to attach the bracket 1 to differently sized pipe portions.

In Figs. 1-7 it is shown that in one end of the holding part 2 the connecting part 9 protrudes from the holding part 2, on which connecting part 9 a suitable holder 10

(see Fig. 8 or 9) for receiving the desired object can be attached. The desired objects are e.g. containers of food, containers of liquids, tools, receptacles, fishing rods, utensils, containers and the like. The connecting part 9 is shaped as a circular head portion 11 with a waist portion 12 connecting to the holding part 2. The holder 10 having corresponding connecting part 13 can be slid-on onto the circular head portion 11. By having a circular head portion 11 holders 10 can be rotated in relation to the connecting part 9 and in relation to the remainder of the holding part 2. Thereby the holder 10 can be orientated in a suitable way to receive the desired objects. The holder 10 can also be provided with further intermediate parts enabling the holder 10 to be orientated in any direction or position to receive its desired object or to enable the holder to be positioned on a distance from the bracket 1.

In Fig. 9 the bracket 1 is shown being attached to the pipe portion 30 having a beverage holder 10 mounted onto the connecting part 9. In Fig. 9 the beverage holder 10 is formed as a holder for receiving a cup or similar, but it is obvious that the holder 10 can be of any kind to receive objects as earlier been described.

The connecting part 9 is also provided with a centre hole 40 (see Fig. 2) that extends inwards in the middle of the connecting part 9 through the circular head portion 11 and the waist portion 12. The centre hole 40 is provided as a locking part that should interact with a corresponding protruding locking part or device of the holder 10 (not shown) that snaps into the hole 40, when the holder 10 is attached to the connecting part 9. The hole 40 can for that reason be provided with a flange or similar on its inner periphery to create the snap-in connections. Having such a snap-in locking arrangement prevents the holder 10 from sliding off from the connecting part 9, but still enabling the holder 10 to rotate freely.

Now the use of a bracket 1 according to the inventions is going to be described. The user takes the bracket 1 having its locking part 3 located in its first unlocked position B and slides it onto a receiving and holding pipe 30 through the opening defined by the holding part 2 and the locking part 3. The user rotates the locking part 3 relative to the holding part 2 by pushing the grip 20 clockwise or away from the first position B along the periphery of the holding part 2. Depending on the diameter of the pipe 30 the user needs to rotate the grip 20 differently to fix the bracket 1 to the pipe 30. As the user pushes the grip 20 further and further away from the first position B and along the periphery of the holding part 2, the inner substantially circular space becomes smaller and smaller, thereby the bracket 1 is fixed to the pipe 30 by being squeezed into the fixed position C or to a position close to the position C depending on the exact diameter of the pipe section or the object whereupon the bracket 1 is to be attached. Thereafter either a holder according to the desire of the user is already attached to the head portion 11 of the holding part 2 before the bracket 1 is attached to the pipe or a holder 10 is fastened onto the head portion 11 after the bracket 1 has been fixed to the pipe. As the holder 10 is fastened to the bracket 1 the user can start to use the holder 10.

To remove the bracket 1 from the pipe the above procedure is reversed. The grip 20 is rotated counter clockwise or closer and closer towards the first position B. As the grip 20 is located at the first position B, an opening is again defined by the locking part 3 and the holding part 2 and the bracket 1 can be removed from the pipe by sliding the bracket 1 off the pipe through the opening. The bracket 1 can thereafter again be used at a new desired position and to receive a holder corresponding to the need at the new desired position.

One example of a difficult location, where the bracket according to the invention is very useful, could be a place where the user would like to attach a bracket or mount, which is located very closely to a wall or window. This could be a pipe section that is located closely behind a plexiglass window on a boat, where the distance between the pipe section and the plexiglass window is not much more than the thickness of the bracket 1 according to the invention, i.e. the thickness of the locking part 3. Due to the design of the bracket or mount 1 according to the invention no more space is needed to apply the bracket at such a location. The grip 20 will not enter into the narrow space, but only the locking part 3 will enter into the narrow space between the pipe section and the plexiglass window.

The bracket 1 is typically made of a plastic material. Injection moulding is typically used to manufacture the bracket, but blow moulding or any other suitable manufacturing method can also be used. The bracket or mount 1 can also be made of any other suitable construction material .

The connecting part 9 may be constructed as ball (not shown) to further increase the freedom of orientation of the holder 10, which is connected to the connecting part 9. Also other shapes of the connecting part 9 are also possible.

One example of the application of the bracket according to the invention can be used is for creating a frame or support for a boat cover to protect a boat.

Several brackets according to the invention can be placed onto the boat rail or boat pipes having holder suitable to attaching pipes. Pipes are connected to each other and to the holders in such a manner that the frame or support for the boat cover is established on the boat.

For the understanding of the invention a pipe section has been used both in the drawings and in the description to exemplify how the bracket 1 according to the inventions works. The object whereupon the bracket or mount 1 can be attached to is however not limited to a pipe section, but can be any substantially circular object having a diameter suitable to a selected bracket according to the invention, such as a manrope or guard rail of a boat; a boat rail or boat rail pipes; stretched lacing, ropes, wires, tubes or the like.

It is also possible to attach the bracket or mount according to the invention to objects having cross sections such as a square, pentagonal, hexagonal or octagonal, but also objects having a non-regular cross section. The use of the invention is not limited to the areas shown by the examples, but it can be used in any area where there is a need for a flexible attached mount or bracket.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown on the drawings, but can be supplemented and modified in any manner within the scope of the invention as defined by the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. A bracket (1) to be attached to a substantially circular object (30) such as a circular holder, pole, pipe, railing, stand, chair frame, stake, guards, post etc., where the bracket (1) includes a first part (3) and a second part (2) characterized in that the first part (3) is received between two halves (4, 5) of the second part (2), and where first part (3) is pivotally arranged relative to the second part (2) in a partly circular portion of the two parts (2, 3), , and where the two parts (2, 3) in a first position (B) relative to each other defines a circle with an opening to receive the substantially circular object (30), and where in a second position (C) a substantially completed circle is defined by the two parts (2, 3) after rotating the first part (3) relative to the second part (2), wherein the bracket (1) is locked onto the substantially circular object (30) .

2. A bracket (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first part is locking part (3) provided with a grip (20) to facilitate the rotation of the locking part (3) relative to the second part (2), which is holding part (2).

3. A bracket (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the substantially circular space defined by the two parts (2, 3) becomes smaller the further the first part (3) is rotated from the first position (B) towards the second position (C) .

4. A bracket (1) according to claim 3, wherein an inner substantially circular periphery of the second part (2) is defining a smaller and smaller substantially circular periphery when rotating the first part (3) from the first position (B) towards the second position (C) .

5. A bracket (1) according to any of claim 1-4, wherein the bracket (1) is provided with a connecting part

(9) to attach a suitable holder (10) for receiving the desired object, where the desired objects are container of food, containers of liquids, tools, receptacles, fishing rods, utensils, containers and the like.

6. A bracket (1) according to claim 5, wherein the holder (10) can be pivotable arranged onto the connecting part (9) .

7. A bracket (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the connecting part (9) have a circular shaped head part (11) and circular shaped waist part (12), where the waist part (12) connects the connecting part (9) to the holding part (2) .

8. A bracket (1) according to claim 7, wherein the connecting part (9) is formed as a ball or any other suitable shape.

9. A bracket (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first part (3) is made in one piece.

10. A bracket (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second part (2) includes two halves (4, 5), a holding piece (6) having a surface with increased friction to prevent the bracket from rotating in respect of the substantially circular object (30), where the two halves (4, 5) defines a space wherein the first part (3) is pivotally received before putting together the two halves (4, 5) .

11. A bracket (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the two halves (4, 5) are kept together by a screw connection (8), a snap-in connection (15, 25) or a combination of a screw connection (8) and a snap-in connection (15, 25).

12. A bracket (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the bracket (1) is made of a plastic material and where the holding piece (6) is made of a rubber material.