CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 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 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 The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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);
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;
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;
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;
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);
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);
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);
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);
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;
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;
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;
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
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 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.
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 6a 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.
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.
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 6a 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.
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 6a 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.
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 6a 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.
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 43a, 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 6a 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.
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 52a. 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 6a 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.
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 6a 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.
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 6a 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.
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 11a 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.
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 11b, 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.
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 32a is configured in the top end of the string segment 32. A bottom knot 32b is tied in the bottom end of the string segment 32 after the string segment 32 is extended through a strand opening 6b 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 6a of the tassel or streamer ornament 6, as desired, to secure the ornament on a corrugated core twinwall panel (not illustrated) as described above.
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.
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 32a and a bottom knot 32b. 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.
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.
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.
