Versatile Tube Clip Device

Abstract

A versatile clip designed primarily to fit over the folded end of a tube containing toothpaste or other materials, but with many other applications as well, such as a closure for bags and an organizer for papers and other flat items. It has a unique one-piece design that makes it inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 60976797, filed Oct. 2, 2007 by the present inventor.

STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED DEVELOPMENT Not applicable REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

Not applicable

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to several fields-closures for bags that hold various food stuffs and other materials, clips that hold sheets of paper and other flat items, and clips for holding and promoting efficient use of material held in tubes.

2. Prior Art

Clips are used for a multitude of purposes. Two important purposes are for sealing the top of bags, such as those that hold snacks, and for holding loose sheets of paper together. The clip device of this invention has a unique one-piece design with broad application to purposes such as the two just cited, as well as to a new application in the efficient use and storage of tubes of material such as toothpaste. In serving a wide range of purposes, the basic design of the clip remains the same, but the size is changed to fit different conditions. For example, the width of a clip to fit the top of a bag may need to be longer than the width of a clip to fit on the end of a toothpaste tube. In these cases as with other applications the basic configuration and features of the clip remain the same.

In this patent application, the clip device is described for use with tubes of material such as toothpaste, caulking, and adhesives. The use of the device in other applications such as holding papers together or closing bag openings should be obvious. A tube of toothpaste can be more effectively dispensed if the end of the tube is folded over repeatedly as the material is used. The folds take up slack in the tube and force the material toward the end with an opening. Most tubes are made of plastic material which tends to unfold when released. When this happens the material left in the tube is harder to remove. Several existing patents have addressed this problem in one way or another. A tube clip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,675 B1 to Gaetke (2002) is a U-shaped clip that slips over the roll of a collapsible container to solve this problem. A combination tube holder and squeezing device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,967 to Souza (1999). A control clip for use with a toothpaste tube is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,839 to Miller (1995). A device for squeezing and winding collapsible tubes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,314 to Elias, et al (1986). A U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,067 to Brown (1971) is essentially a flat metal strip bent substantially in half to form a clip. A metallic clip patented by Vivian (U.S. Pat. No. 2,533,539, 1950) is essentially a U-shaped clip used for bag closure. U.S. Pat. No. 1,513,009 to Robb (1924) discloses a metal strip bent in the form of a clip to hold bed clothing.

The advantages of the present device over most or all of these patents are 1) that it has finger tabs that make it easier to open and install, 2) it is of one-piece construction, which makes it less complicated and less expensive to make, 3) its design makes it more versatile, and 4) the hole in one of the tabs makes it advantageous for moving and storage of contents. The clip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6415479 B1 to Steinberg (2002) has a totally different design concept with strips that permanently attach to the tube. U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,217 to Caradine, et al (2000) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,558 to Santapa (1995) disclose much more elaborate clips with more limited versatility than the present device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a unique versatile clip designed primarily to fit over the folded end of a tube and hold the folds in place so that they cannot unfold. It has many other applications as well. This clip has a unique one-piece design that makes it inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use. Other unique features include: 1) a pair of tabs on the outside of the clip that can be squeezed between a thumb and a forefinger to open the clip for ease of use, 2) lips on the forward inside edge of the jaws of the clip that tend to hold the clip from slipping back off whatever it is holding, and 3) a hole in one of the tabs that enable the clip and whatever it is holding to be hung on a hook for transport or storage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tube partially full with the folded end being held by the clip device of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the clip device by itself.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the clip device showing an embodiment having tabs the full width of the clip. The tab has a hole for hanging the clip on a hook.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the clip device showing another embodiment having tabs that are narrower at the top. This figure also shows a hole in one of the tabs for hanging the clip on a hook.

The reference numbers are assigned as follows:

6 is the one-piece clip

7 is a tab on one side of the clip that extends the full width of the clip

8 is a tab on the other side of the clip that extends the full width of the clip

9 is one of the jaws of the clip

10 is another of the jaws of the clip

11 is a lip on the inside forward edge of jaw 9

12 is a lip on the inside forward edge of jaw 10

13 is a narrower tab in the place of 7 which represents an alternative embodiment

14 is a hole in 7 that may be used for hanging the clip on a hook.

15 is a hole in 13 that may be used for hanging the clip on a hook

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The clip device of this invention is of one-piece plastic or metal construction. It can be easily manufactured from plastic by injection molding using a tough resilient material such as polycarbonate plastic that has spring characteristics similar to spring steel. In FIG. 1 a clip 6 is shown holding a tube partly full of material. The folded end of the tube is held within the clip. FIG. 2 shows an end view of clip 6 by itself. Tabs 7 and 8 on the outside of the clip can be squeezed between the thumb and forefinger to facilitate opening the sides of the clip (jaws) 9 and 10, so that they can be easily fit over the folds of the tube.

When the clip is closed with nothing in it, the jaws 9 and 10 are touching or almost touching at their forward edge, but corresponding portions of the inside of the jaws become progressively farther apart toward the back of the clip. Thus, a cavity is formed between the jaws such that the cavity is narrow at the front but relatively wide at the back. The closeness of the jaws at the front provide pressure on the end of the tube when there are only a few if any folds, and the openness in the back provides room for several folds as the clip is opened up. At all times, whether there are no folds or several folds, the clip will hold the tube securely by inward pressure from the jaws.

The material of the clip has spring like characteristics that enable the jaws to flex open to fit over the folds of the tube while being installed and to exert force on the folds when in place. Roughened or textured surfaces on the inside of the jaws and the provision of lips 11 and 12 on the inside forward edges of jaws 9 and 10 are designed to press against the folds of the tube held within the jaws and provide resistance to movement of the tube out of the clip. These lips are optional enhancements to the clip device. The clip has good holding power without them. FIG.3, which is a side view of clip 6, shows tab 7 extending the full width of the clip. Only tab 7 can be seen in this view. The other tab 8 is hidden from view.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4, which is also a side view of clip 6. In this embodiment, the tabs are narrower at the top than 7 and 8 in FIG. 3. Only one of the tabs 13 can be seen in FIG. 4. The tab on the other side is hidden from view. A hole 14 is shown in tab 7 and a hole 15 is shown in tab 13. The purpose of these holes is to provide capability for the clip holding the tube to be hung up on a hook (not shown). Tubes of adhesives, caulking, and other construction materials can be hung on workmen's belts or on hooks at other locations with this clip. And, of perhaps less importance, a toothpaste tube can be hung from a hook on a suction cup attached to a mirror, medicine cabinet door or other smooth surface.

The specification and drawings of this patent application use a tube of toothpaste as an example. It should be obvious that this invention would have application to many other types of tubes of material as well. And, as explained in a preceding paragraph this invention has wide application for sealing bags, holding loose papers, and other purposes. This patent is intended to cover all other applications. The basic form of the invention would remain the same in other applications. Only the size may change.

Claims

1. A clip of simple one-piece construction made of a plastic or metal with spring-like characteristics in the general shape of the letter “U” when fully open, having tabs on the outside of the clip, whereby the space between the two jaws of said clip may be easily opened by squeezing said tabs between the thumb and forefinger of the user, and when said tabs are released said jaws close and clamp onto the material or object between them.

2. The clip of claim 1 wherein one of said tabs has a hole, whereby said clip and whatever it is holding may be hung on a hook for transport or storage.

3. The clip of claim 1 wherein said jaws may be roughened or textured on their inside surfaces and may have lips on their forward inside edges, whereby providing resistance of said clip to slipping off whatever it is holding.

4. The clip of claim 1 wherein the forward edges of said jaws are nearly touching when there is nothing between them, but the opening between said jaws becomes progressively larger toward the back of said clip, whereby said clip will accommodate and securely hold one fold or several folds of a tube or one piece or several pieces of other material.

5. The clip of claim 1 wherein said tabs are of a rectangular shape the same width as said clip.

6. The clip of claim 1 in an alternative embodiment wherein said tabs are narrower at the top than the body of the clip and rounded in shape.