US4227758A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Connectors for holding together modular articles
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1978-04-20
•
Granted: 1980-10-14
•
Expires: 1998-04-20
Abstract
Abstract A connector for holding together a plurality of pocket style molded containers or other modular articles and having a web bearing retainers providing channels that engage and receive edge portions of the containers or articles to hold them in a predetermined configuration established by the arrangement of the retainers on the web.
Inventors
- 👤 George M. Clare
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:57
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47B; A47B87/00; A47B87/02; A47B87/0207; A47B87/0261
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A connector for holding together a plurality of modular articles each of the type having a pair of spaced apart upper and lower edge portions, said connector comprising an elongated flexible web member and a plurality of retainer members connected to said web member for support thereby, each of said retainer members including a pair of oppositely facing channels for each of the modular articles to be held together, each channel receiving and retaining a respective edge portion of said pair of upper and lower edge portions, said web member having sufficient flexibility to permit one of the channels of said pair of channels to deflect to snap over the associated edge portion of a modular article, and said retainer members being positioned to hold the plurality of modular articles together in a predetermined configuration.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A connector for holding together a plurality of modular articles each of the type having a pair of spaced apart upper and lower edge portions, said connector comprising an elongated flexible web member and a plurality of retainer members connected to said web member for support thereby, each of said retainer members including a pair of oppositely facing channels for each of the modular articles to be held together, each channel receiving and retaining a respective edge portion of said pair of upper and lower edge portions, said web member having sufficient flexibility to permit one of the channels of said pair of channels to deflect to snap over the associated edge portion of a modular article, and said retainer members being positioned to hold the plurality of modular articles together in a predetermined configuration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A connector according to claim 1 wherein said retainer members are positioned on opposite sides of said web member to hold a pair of modular articles in a side-by-side configuration, one article on each side of the web member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A connector according to claim 1 wherein said retainer members are positioned on said web member to hold a pair of modular articles in an adjacent, in-line configuration with both modular articles along a common side of the web member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A connector according to claim 3 wherein the modular articles are held in back-to-back relation, said retainer members each having a slot formed therein, and said retainer members being positioned to permit said slots to straddle the contiguous back walls of said modular articles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
A connector according to claim 1 wherein said retainer members are positioned on said web member to hold a pair of modular articles in an adjacent, staggered configuration with both modular articles along a common side of the web member and spaced in elevation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A connector according to claim 1 wherein said retainer members are positioned on said web member to hold a pair of modular articles in an in-line, vertically spaced-apart configuration with both modular articles along a common side of the web member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A connector according to claim 1 including a plurality of pairs of said retainer members positioned on each opposite side of said web member to hold a corresponding plurality of modular articles on each side of the web member in the same configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
A connector according to claim 1 wherein the pair of spaced-apart edge portions of said modular article are parallel to each other and wherein the pair of oppositely facing channels of said retainer members are parallel to each other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
A connector according to claim 1 wherein each of said pair of channels is defined by a leg portion establishing the depth of the channel, the leg portion defining one of said channels being longer than the leg portion defining the other channel in the pair whereby said one channel has a deeper depth than said other channel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A connector according to claim 9, wherein said modular articles each have a tapered wall extending between said pair of edge portions, said wall being positioned for abutting contact with said web member, and said web member having a matching tapered surface in said abutting contact with the wall.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A connector according to claim 10 wherein the thickness of said tapered web member is greater at the end adjacent the retainer members defining the more shallow channels, and said tape extends therefrom in the direction toward the retainer members defining the deeper channels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A connector according to claim 9 wherein the leg portion defining the channel having the more shallow depth has a chamfered edge to facilitate the snapping of said channel over the edge portion of the modular article.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-10-14 | 1984-04-14 | 1984-10-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-10-14 | 1988-04-14 | 1988-10-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-10-14 | 1992-04-14 | 1992-10-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |