FLEXIBLE SAFETY CAP FOR ELONGATED OBJECTS

Abstract

Flexible safety cap for clamped holding of elongated objects (20) consisting of an elastically deformable packaging that is open on at least one end and consists of two opposing side walls (2, 5), a bottom wall (3), a cover wall (35) and an end wall (4), wherein multiple slots (7-10; 37-41) spaced a distance apart from one another are arranged at least in the cover wall (35) and/or in the bottom wall (3), forming upper and/or lower strap-shaped or belt-shaped spring elements (11-13; 14-17) between them, forming a clamping channel (36) between them.

Claims

1. Flexible safety cap for clamped holding of elongated objects (20) consisting of an elastically deformable packaging, which is open on at least one end and consists of two opposing side walls (2, 5), a bottom wall (3), a cover wall (35) and an end wall (4), characterized in that at least in the cover wall (35) and/or in the bottom wall (3), multiple slots (7-10; 37-41) spaced a distance apart from one another are arranged, forming between them upper and/or lower strap-shaped or belt-shaped spring elements (11-13; 14-17), which form a clamping channel (36) between them.

2. Safety cap according to claim 1, characterized in that spring elements (11-13) in the bottom wall (3) and spring elements (14-17) in the cover wall (35) are offset from one another with a gap in the longitudinal direction of the package.

3. Safety cap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the slot (7-10) in the bottom wall (3) and the slot (37-41) in the cover wall (35) are parallel to one another and therefore form straight strap-shaped or belt-shaped spring elements (11-13; 14-17).

4. Safety cap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the strap-shaped or belt-shaped spring elements on the bottom side and the cover wall side (11-13; 14-17) are each connected at both ends to the material of the side wall (2, 5) in one piece at the factory.

5. Safety cap according to claim 4, characterized in that the spring elements on the bottom wall and cover wall sides (11-13; 14-17) are each formed in the vicinity of their connection to the side wall (2, 5) with a weakened cross section.

6. Safety cap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the slots (7-10; 37-41) are designed to be crescent-shaped, conical or oval and the spring elements (11-17) formed therefrom have an arc shape, oval or conical shape in the direction of the longitudinal extent.

7. Safety cap according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mutual spacing of the slots (7-10; 37-41) in the bottom wall (3) and the cover wall (35) is the same so that all the spring elements (11-17) arranged successively following one another in the longitudinal direction of the safety cap (1) have the same width and create the same clamping force over the length of the object (20).

8. Safety cap according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mutual spacing of the slots (7-10; 37-41) in the bottom wall (3) and the cover wall (35) is not the same, so that all the spring elements (11-17) arranged following one another in the longitudinal direction of the safety cap (1) have an unequal width and/or unequal slot spacings and create a different clamping force over the length of the object (20) to be held.

9. Safety cap according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the object (20) with its rear surface is supported on a support level of the right bottom wall (3) and with its tip (21) is supported on a front support element (18) of the bottom wall (3).

10. Safety cap according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the respective clamping surface of the upper and lower spring elements (11-17) forms an insertion bevel (22, 23).

11. Safety cap according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the spring elements (11-13; 14-17) undergo elastic deformation in three mutually perpendicular directions on insertion of an object into the clamping channel (36).

12. Safety cap according to claim 11, characterized in that a continuous straight clamping surface is formed on the surface of the object (20) due to the three-dimensional deformation of the clamping surfaces of the spring elements (11-13; 14-17).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] In the figures:

[0037] FIG. 1: shows schematically in a top view one embodiment of a flexible safety cap.

[0038] FIG. 2: shows the top view according to FIG. 1.

[0039] FIG. 3: shows a longitudinal section through the flexible safety cap in a perspective side view.

[0040] FIG. 4: shows the longitudinal section according to FIG. 3 in a side view.

[0041] FIG. 5: shows a longitudinal section through the flexible safety cap with the object clamped in place in a perspective view.

[0042] FIG. 6: shows a side view of the configuration according to FIG. 5.

[0043] FIG. 7: shows schematically the geometric relationships of the spring elements of the upper and lower clamping levels forming inflection points.

[0044] FIG. 8: shows the elastic deformation of the upper and lower spring elements on insertion of an object in a schematic diagram.

DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0045] According to FIGS. 1 and 2, the flexible safety cap consists of an elastically bendable plastic element, in particular a thermoplastic material, and consists essentially of two opposing parallel side walls 2, 5 which are connected to one another by a bottom wall 3.

[0046] The cover wall 35 arranged opposite the bottom wall and directed parallel to the bottom wall 3 is present only in rudimentary form, because it is permeated by slots 37-41 over its entire length and width, forming between them, from the material of the cover wall 35, the spring elements 14-17 of the upper clamping level.

[0047] However, the arrangement of parallel side walls is not necessary for solving this problem. They may also be designed to be conically diverging or converging relative to one another or may otherwise have any other shape.

[0048] The bottom wall 3 according to FIG. 2 has regular slots 7, 8, 9, 10 running in the transverse direction to the longitudinal axis of the flexible safety cap 1 so that lower strap-shaped spring elements 11, 12, 13 parallel to one another and arranged a distance apart to one another are formed by the division of the slots (see FIG. 3).

[0049] Each spring element 11-13 is connected to the adjacent side wall 2, 5 in one piece at the factory and forms a continuous elastomeric part.

[0050] Upper strap-shaped spring elements 14, 15, 16, 17 having the same design in profile as the lower spring elements 11-13 are formed in the cover wall 35 at a vertical distance and offset with a gap from the lower spring elements 11-13. This means that these are strap-shaped or belt-shaped upper spring elements 14-17 which are connected to the side walls 2, 5 in one piece at the factory and have a bending-diminished cross section in the area of the respective tie to the side wall 25, this weakening being referred to as the spring part 28 for the upper spring elements 14-17 and as spring part 29 for the lower spring elements 11-13.

[0051] For clamping hold of an object 20 to be inserted in the insertion direction 25, the object is inserted into an insertion channel 19 (see FIG. 4), which is formed by the mutual vertical distance between the respective clamping surfaces of the lower spring elements 11-13 and the upper spring elements 14-17.

[0052] It is preferable if the slots 7-10 in the bottom wall 3 and the slots 37-41 in the cover wall 35 are parallel to one another and therefore form the strap-shaped or belt-shaped spring elements 11-13; 14-17. This construction results in the fact that the spring elements split off from the slots of the upper and lower levels are of the same width and have approximately a rectangular or quadratic profile.

[0053] However, if the slots 7-10 and 37-41 are designed to be crescent-shaped, conical or oval, then the spring elements 11-17 formed from them also have a crescent-shaped, oval or conical shape in the direction of the longitudinal extent.

[0054] Furthermore, it is preferable if the mutual spacing of the slots in the bottom 3 and the cover wall 35 is the same so that all spring elements arranged following one another in the longitudinal direction of the safety cap 1 have the same width and thus also create the same clamping force.

[0055] In another embodiment, however, it may be provided that the mutual spacing of the slots 7-10; 37-41 is to be altered progressively over the longitudinal extent of the safety cap 1. The spring elements 14, 15 and 11, 12 arranged closer to the insertion side may then assume a greater distance from one another than comparatively the spring elements 16, 17 and 12, 13 arranged next to the end wall 4. Therefore, the clamping force of the spring elements initially becomes less on insertion of an object 20 to be clamped into the insertion channel 19 and increases progressively with an increase in the insertion length.

[0056] The reverse case is likewise possible, namely that the spring elements 14, 15 and 11, 12 arranged closer to the insertion side may then assume a smaller distance from one another than comparatively the spring elements 16, 17 and 12, 13 arranged next to the end wall 4. Therefore, the clamping force of the spring elements becomes weaker from the insertion side in the direction of the pointed side of the support element 18.

[0057] To facilitate the insertion of the object 20 with its tip 21 it is provided that the insertion bevel 30 at the forward end has a larger insertion angle comparatively than the clamping surfaces of the lower spring elements 11-17, [sic] which have less inclined insertion bevels 22 (top) and 23 (bottom).

[0058] Essentially the object 20 to be held is supported with its rear surface on the support level of the right bottom wall 3 and sits with its tip 21 on a front support element 18, which is a continuation of the bottom wall 3 and is connected to the front end wall 4.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment, it may be provided that friction-increasing ribs 24 are also arranged on the clamping surfaces in addition. The clamping surfaces may also be roughened or provided with nubs or some other profiles.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the respective clamping surface of the upper and lower spring elements 11-17 forms an insertion bevel 22, 23, which, however, does not extend continuously over the total clamping length but instead develops into a straight surface 26, 27 over a short distance.

[0061] The spring capacity of spring elements 11-17 is improved in this way, as will be show later with reference to FIG. 8.

[0062] FIG. 6 shows that the clamping surfaces of the spring elements 11-17 are designed, so thatexcept for the foremost insertion bevel 30they lie in contact with against the top side of the object 20 to be held over practically the entire surface.

[0063] FIG. 7 shows the geometric ratios where it is apparent that the lower spring elements are represented only schematically by (support) arrows (spring elements 12, 11) and spring elements 11, 12 which are the lower elements to the former, the upper spring elements 14, 15 are offset relative to the lower spring elements 11, 12 with a gap. The gap spacing is referred to as the offset distance 31.

[0064] The mutual spacing 32 between the upper and lower spring elements 11-17 should be the same in this embodiment.

[0065] FIG. 8 shows that elastic deformation of the spring elements 11-17 occurs in various directions when the object 20 is inserted in the insertion direction 25. It runs first onto the respective insertion bevels 22, 23 of the respective upper and lower spring elements, the insertion bevels each being inclined in the same direction, thereby creating a contact pressure in the direction of the arrow 34, 34. At the same time the respective spring element 11-17 is bent upward in an arc in the direction of the arrow 34, 34 as shown and because of the insertion movement in the insertion direction 25, tilt the respective spring element 11-17 in the direction of the arrow 33, 33 away about a transverse axis to thereby bring the previous insertion bevel 22, 23 in contact with the surface of the object 20.

[0066] It is thus clear that the spring elements 11-17 have a spring capacity such that they can undergo elastomeric shaping, on the one hand, with their clamping surfaces on the surface of the object 20, but at the same time, because of their three-dimensional spring capacity and the tilting, the previous insertion bevels 22, 23 can also be in contact with the top side of the object while the object is being held now also as straight surfaces and thereby form a practically continuous clamping surface.

[0067] A high holding power, such as that not known previously, is thus created in an extremely small space.

[0068] The insertion movement of the object 20 in the insertion direction 25 is limited by the fact that the tip 21 is in contact with the stop wall 6 in the inserted state and the stop wall 6 is connected to the end wall 4.

[0069] It is apparent from FIG. 4 that the insertion channel 19 is positive, i.e., the straight surfaces 26, 27 of the upper and lower spring elements opposing one another form a mutually positive distance from one another.

[0070] In another embodiment however it may also be provided that the two surfaces 26, 27 are aligned in a longitudinal axis to one another so that the insertion channel 19 is returned back to the value zero.

[0071] Likewise, the straight surfaces 26, 27 may overlap so that there is even a negatively dimensioned insertion channel 19.

[0072] In a refinement of the invention, it may be provided that the flexible safety cap with it end walls 2, 5 and the bottom wall 3 and the end wall 4 are elastically compressible, so that the clamping bond to the object held between the spring elements 11-17 can be loosened by finger pressure on the two opposing side walls 2, 5. By finger pressure the upper and lower spring elements 11-17 bulge upward, so that the object to be held can even be pulled out of the clamping gap, which has now opened, without resistance.

LEGEND TO THE DRAWINGS

[0073] 1 flexible safety cap [0074] 2 side wall [0075] 3 floor wall [0076] 4 end wall [0077] 5 side wall [0078] 6 stop wall [0079] 7 slot (lower) [0080] 8 slot (lower) [0081] 9 slot (lower) [0082] 10 slot (lower) [0083] 11 lower spring element [0084] 12 lower spring element [0085] 13 lower spring element [0086] 14 upper spring element [0087] 15 upper spring element [0088] 16 upper spring element [0089] 17 upper spring element [0090] 18 support element [0091] 19 insertion channel [0092] 20 object [0093] 21 tip [0094] 22 insertion bevel (upper) [0095] 23 insertion bevel (lower) [0096] 24 rib [0097] 25 insertion direction [0098] 26 straight surface (upper) [0099] 27 straight surface (lower) [0100] 28 spring part (upper) [0101] 29 spring part (lower) [0102] 30 insertion bubble (on 14) [0103] 31 offset distance [0104] 32 distance (upper) [0105] 33 direction of arrow 33 [0106] 34 direction of arrow 34 [0107] 35 cover wall [0108] 36 clamping channel [0109] 37 slot (upper) [0110] 38 slot (upper) [0111] 39 slot (upper) [0112] 40 slot (upper) [0113] 41 slot (upper)