Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent
application No.
09/988,114 which was filed on November 16, 2001, allowed September 12, 2003,
and which is
hereby incorporated by reference.
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
A FASTENING DEVICE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fastening device. More specifically, the
present
invention teaches and discloses a shower curtain connector that has, at its
first end, a fastener to
receive an aperture of a sheet material, preferably a shower curtain and, at
its second end, at least
one coupling means such as a curved hook that can hang on a shower curtain
rod. The second end
can also optionally have a second coupling means to receive a sheath of
material and/or any
decorative item. The fastening device can be sized and colored as desired and
can be made from
any material that is flexible, springy yet sturdy and afford a degree of
rigidity. Thus, it can be made
from any plastic, resin, metal, synthetic or natural material, and/or part
plastic and part metal.
Therefore, it can withstand repeated use by a user using it on a daily basis
without breaking or
cracking and at the same time it is sturdy enough that it is capable of
holding up a sheet material
such as shower curtain and to block water from spilling outside of a bathtub.
More particularly, the
fastening device of the present invention has at least three components, a
coupling means, a
receiving means; and an attachment means all connected to each other: The
first end is an
attachment means that has a bridge connecting two elongated members, one
member has an
extending member from its interior surface, wherein the second elongated
member has a
corresponding recess disposed on its interior surface, whereby when the
attachment means is in use,
-1-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
the extending member is matingly fitted with the recess. The bridge is further
comprised of a recess
to receive a second end of a coupling means. The coupling means defines a
receiving surface at a
first portion thereof, and an extended second portion thereof. The receiving
surface of the coupling
means slidably couples to a substantially fixed object. The coupling means can
be in any shape
made from any material in any color and it can optionally have bearings and/or
beads in any shape
made from any material to facilitate the sliding motion on a substantially
fixed object, namely a rod.
The extended second portion of the coupling means having a receiving means is
matingly fitted
with the recess disposed on the bridge connecting two elongated members to
form the fastening
device as claimed and disclosed. The attachment means of the shower curtain
connector can be
rotatable or optionally stationary. Consequently, when a user is hanging up a
shower curtain, he or
she no longer has to hover over the bathtub and struggle for a secure non-
slippery surface in the
bathtub for a strong foothold to try to secure the shower curtain rings first
to the shower curtain rod
and then try to connect the shower curtain to the shower curtain rings. A user
can now leisurely
connect the fastening device to a sheet of material, i.e., a shower curtain,
then walk over to the
bathtub and hang up the shower curtain as if hanging a hanger on a rod without
risking standing on
a small slippery surface. In addition, the fastening device of the present
invention is safely secured
to and rests on the shower curtain rod since the coupling means preferably has
a U-shaped hook and
thus, would not and cannot be easily removed from the rod.. In addition, since
the shower curtain is
secured between the extending member that is matingly fitted with a recess, it
is not likely that the
shower curtain will become separated andlor loose from the fastening device
after repeated use.
Moreover, the fastener means in accordance with the present invention has a
receiving means that
extends outwardly from. the extended second portion and it has an indentation
on its first end and an
-2-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
enlarged second end to receive an addition of material, such as a liner in
order to keep the shower
curtain clean.
The fastening device may also have coupling means in various shapes and forms.
For example, the coupling means can be in the shape of a circular ring, or an
oval ring having a
locking mechanism or in an "S" shape to facilitate easy assembling. The
coupling means can also
optionally have at least one bearing and/or beads in the shape of a circle
and/or a rectangle opposite
the receiving surface in order to facilitate movement of the fastening device
on the rod.
Accordingly, the present invention can relate to a coupling device, connecting
a
sheet material receiving additional material to a substantially fixed object
such as a rod, and it can
be made from any material that is flexible yet sturdy with a degree of
rigidity. Optionally, it can
have bearings and/or beads to facilitate movement of the coupling means on the
rod. The coupling
means can be any color and can optionally have at least one decorative
ornamentation in order to
match the decor of its environment.
Various documents may be mentioned in this text; and, each herein mentioned
document and each document cited or referenced in each herein mentioned
document, is hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Shower curtain rings have been in existence for a long time and they come in
all
shapes and sizes and are made from all different kinds of material.
Ultimately, all of these shower
curtain rings serve the same purpose of causing the shower curtain to remain
in an upright and
vertical position while in use, thus keeping water confined to the interior of
the bathtub and
providing a vertical wall between a bathtub and the rest of the bathroom
environment. Over the
years, various shower curtain rings having different shapes and made from
different materials have
-3-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
been introduced into the market, but no matter what the new design is, the
"newly-developed"
shower curtain rings always require a user to assemble the shower curtain by
either standing within
the bathtub or on the edge of the bathtub, hovering over the edge of the
bathtub to first line up the
apertures in the shower curtain, then threading the shower curtain rings
through the apertures, and
then securing the shower curtain rings holding the shower curtain to the
shower curtain rod. In
short, whenever a user is setting up a shower curtain over a bathtub, he or
she inevitably, through
conventional shower curtain rings, must complete hanging the shower curtain by
attaching the
assembly of the shower curtain rings first to the shower curtain then to the
rod. Contrary to the
known conventional shower curtain rings, the fastening device of the present
invention can be
utilized anywhere without requiring the user to stand over the bathtub when
installing a shower
curtain. Thus, a user can leisurely attach each individual fastening device
first to a sheet material,
such as a shower curtain, by placing each of the apertures of the shower
curtain between the
extending member and the recess of the attachment means and locking the sheet
material in place
by forcing the extending member into the recess. This is repeated until all
the apertures of the
shower curtain are connected to the fastening device of the present invention.
Once the fastening
devices are secwed to the shower curtain, a user can assemble the shower
curtain by hanging each
of the fastening devices to a rod. Furthermore, the attachment means of the
present invention is
optionally rotatable, thus, during shipping the coupling means parallel the
attachment means, and
when in use the coupling means are perpendicular to the attachment means.
Moreover, the coupling
means end of the fastening device is capable of independent movement from the
attachment means.
With respect to shower curtain rings, reference is made to the following:
Cheng, U.S. Patent No. 6,189,597 B1 issued February 20, 2001, relates to a
hanger
ring assembly for a curtain. More specifically, it relates to a curtain with a
hanger ring assembly for
-4-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
mounting onto a supporting rod which includes a sheet material and a plurality
of hanger units. The
sheet material has a plurality of hanger openings formed along a top edge, and
a plurality of edge
gap each extending from the top edge to an upper portion of the respective
hanger opening. Each of
the opening portions defines a section of connecting tab adjacent to the
respective edge gap. Each
of the hanger units includes a hanger ring which has a ring slit separating
two ends thereof and
defines a section of ring tab adjacent to the ring slit. Each of the
hanger~rings is attached to one side
of the respective opening portion and coaxially extended around the respective
hanger opening with
the ring slit of the respective hanger ring staggering with the edge gap of
the respective opening
portion. The connecting tabs of the opening portions of the sheet material are
detachably
overlapped with the ring tabs of the hanger rings respectively. Each of the
hanger units further
includes a connecting device for selectively connecting each of the ring tabs
with the respective
connecting tabs. Thus, the hanger ring assembly according to Cheng attached a
curtain directly to a
supporting rod without any connectors.
Klotz, U.S. Patent No. 6,067,672 issued May 30, 2000, relates to a shower
curtain
closure assembly for semi-permanent securement of an edge of a curtain to a
wall of a shower
enclosure. The closure assembly includes a clamping structwe which comprises a
mounting bar for
permanent securement to a wall of a shower enclosure. The mounting bar
includes a wall
attachment surface for attachment to a wall of a shower enclosure and a first
clamping surface. The
mounting bar further includes a plurality of first fastener receiving holes.
Supported on the
mounting bar is an adjustable clamp including a second clamping surface which
is disposed
adjacent to the first clamping surface. The adjustable clamp includes a
plurality of second fastener
receiving holes. The first fastener receiving holes of the mounting bar are
aligned with the second
fastener receiving holes of the adjustable clamp. A plurality of threaded
fasteners are disposed such
-5-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
that a threaded fastener engages each of the aligned first and second holes
for securing the
adjustable clamp to the mounting bar. A first curtain edge is disposed between
the first and second
clamping surfaces. The fasteners may be selectively tightened from a first
position where the
adjustable clamp is loosely secured to the first clamping surface such that
the first curtain edge may
be easily disposed between the first and second clamping surfaces, to a second
waterproof position
where the fastener is under tension and applies a compressive clamping force
on the first and
second clamping surfaces as well as the intervening first curtain edge. The
compressive clamping
applied to the first curtain edge by the fastener in the second position
exceeds the shear strength of
the curtain such that a force which exceeds the shear strength of the curtain
applied to the curtain
first edge will result in the tearing of the curtain before the release of the
edge of the curtain from
the position between the first and second clamping surfaces.
Eberhardt, U.S. Patent No. 5,894,642 issued April 20, 1999, relates to a hook
and
loop hanger for a shower curtain and a liner. More specifically, it relates to
a flexible elongated
combination shower curtain and liner hanger device with reinforced apertures
in an upper region for
hanging the hanger element from a shower rod by hooks. The lower region of the
hanger device has
loop strips in both sides for fastening of the shower curtain and the shower
liner to a horizontal rod
by hook strips on their upper edges. The hanger device can be clear or colored
to match the color of
the shower curtain and shower liner.
Herrera, U.S. Patent No. 5,787,954 issued August 4, 1998, relates to a shower
curtain
ring whereby each ring includes a body member that encircles the shower
curtain rod, the body
member having a first end and a second end; a first end locking member which
is attached to the
first end of the body member and includes a male locking protrusion, where the
male locking
protrusion comprises a central body portion and a horizontal bar having an
enlarged outer tip, the
-6-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
horizontal bar being attached to the central body portion; and a second end
locking member which
is attached to the second end of the body member and includes a female locking
receptacle, the
female locking receptacle being adapted to receive and hold the male locking
protrusion. The upper
edge of the shower curtain is held between the male locking protrusion and the
female locking
receptacle of each shower curtain ring, whereby the curtain is deformed and
held between the male
locking protrusion and the female locking receptacle without any part of the
shower curtain ring
passing through the shower curtain.
Steiner, U.S. Patent No. 5,771,504 issued June 3, 1998, relates to a shower
curtain
rib apparatus for use with a conventional bathtub shower curtain which
prevents the curtain from
being drawn into the shower enclosure when the shower is in use. The apparatus
has a plurality of
semi-rigid ribs which are vertically oriented and connected to the shower
curtain rod. The lower
end of the ribs are secured to the tub and the outer surface of the curtain is
secured to the ribs, thus
preventing the curtain from moving inward. By securing the ribs so that they
bow outward, the
shower enclosure can be enlarged.
Perez, U.S. Patent No. 5,651,407 issued July 29, 1997, relates to a shower
curtain
loop that is permanently attached to the shower curtain on one side,
preferably by stitching. The
other end of the loop fastens to the curtain with hook and loop fasteners,
which facilitate the
removal of the curtain and loops from a shower curtain rod. The loop is
reinforced with a rigid,
flexible member which runs along the length of the loop. This member, which is
preferably made
of plastic, provides rigidity to the loop so that the loop can easily traverse
a curtain rod when the
curtain is opened or closed.
Bindman, U.S. Patent No. 5,367,742 issued November 29, 1994, relates to a
click-
lock ring for use in hanging shower curtains designed in the form of a split
ring wherein one end of
_7_
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
the split ring contains a stepped anchoring recess formed from two cooperating
lateral openings for
receiving a locking head formed at the other end of the split ring. The ring
is produced by injection
molding a flexible plastic material in a cam-free mold.
Schechter et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,355,551 issued October 18, 1994, relates
to a
scent-releasing shower curtain ring. More specifically, it relates to a
curtain ring having a
fragrance-releasing material mounted on its inner diameter. The material is
selected so that the
fragrance will only be released when the consumer opens or closes the curtain,
that is, only when
the material is rubbed against the curtain rod.
Angerman, U.S. Patent No. 5,339,884 issued August 23, 1994, relates to a
shower
curtain ring which has a flexible body adapted to encircle a curtain rod and
close by fractionally
interengaging end members. One of the end members includes an elongated part
which is received
through an opening along the top edge of the curtain. A flange on the end of
the elongated part
retains the curtain even when the end members are not engaged.
Bindman, U.S. Patent No. 5,310,052 issued May 10, 1994, relates to a shower
curtain ring package. More specifically, it relates to a unitary totally
transparent package of shower
curtain rings comprising a stack of ring-like articles, each of which articles
has at least one
predetermined discontinuity therein, said discontinuities being aligned one
with the other in a
manner whereby each of the articles in the stack is congruently aligned with
the other; a cylindrical
transparent PVC cap element disposed tightly over the uppermost ring-like
article in intimate
contact therewith; an elongated tubular transparent polyvinyl chloride plastic
sleeve enveloping the
stack of rings from top to bottom and being shrunken into intimate contract
with the outer surfaces
of each of said rings and said cap to provide a package having a corrugated
appearance and
providing visual access to the inner and outer portions of said entire stack
of rings.
-g-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
Irizarry, U.S. Patent No. 4,955,422 issued September I 1, 1990, relates to a
shower
curtain operating mechanism for opening and closing a shower curtain without
grabbing on the
curtain material. A pull cord system is incorporated into a conventional
shower curtain assembly so
that the curtain can be opened or closed with minimum stress on the curtain
material.
Each of these patents provides a method of attaching a shower curtain to a rod
or
securing the shower curtain to the bathtub or inner wall of the bathtub.
However, none of these
patents claims or discloses, teaches or suggests an apparatus capable of
attaching the shower curtain
to a rod without having the user have to assemble the connection between the
shower curtain and
the shower curtain ring and then the shower curtain ring to the shower curtain
rod all in one setting
while standing on the edge of the bathtub.
Thus, it is believed that heretofore the present invention has not been taught
or
suggested.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novel fastening
device.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a fastening device which is
suitable to
connect to a sheet material and couple the sheet material to a substantially
fixed object.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for
coupling to an
object, comprising coupling means for slidably coupling the apparatus to a
substantially fixed
object.
It is still yet another object of the invention to provide a connector that
can fasten a
sheet material at one end and slidably couple to a substantially fixed object.
It is still further yet an object of the invention to provide a fastening
device that can
be used to first attach itself to a sheet material, second, to receive another
material, such as a liner,
-9-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
then simultaneously couple to a shower curtain rod so, a user can assemble the
sheet material,
preferably a shower curtain, to a shower curtain rod without standing on the
edge of the bathtub
when connecting the shower curtain to the rod through a shower curtain ring.
Thus, the present invention provides a fastening device comprised of an
attachment
means to attach itself to a sheet material and a coupling means for slidably
coupling itself and the
sheet material to a fixed object. The fastening device can be made from any
material such as
plastic, or resin from blow-molding or injection molding; alternatively, it
can be made by any metal
or a combination of plastic, or resin with metal or any synthetic or any
artificial material. The
fastening device is comprised of two parts. The first part is comprised of an
attachment means
having a bridge connecting between two elongated members, the first elongated
member has an
extending member and the second elongated member has a correspondingly recess
that, when the
attachment means of the fastening device is in use, the extending member is
matingly engaged with
the recess. The second part of the fastening device is comprised of a coupling
means to slidably
couple to a substantially fixed object. The coupling means can be shaped as a
half oval so as to
securely attach itself to a substantially fixed object. It can be S-shaped.
Alternatively, the coupling
means can be shaped as a circle or an oval ring made from two halves connected
at one end by a
hinge, and at the other end by a locking mechanism that is generally comprised
of two engaging
parts, one has a protrusion and the other, a corresponding recess to receive
the protrusion. In
addition, the circular and/or the oval shape coupling means also have an
extended second portion
having a narrowed portion and a slightly enlarged bulbous head to matingly
engage with the recess
on the attachment means. Furthermore, the coupling means may optionally have
at least one ball
bearing and/or beads in any shape disposed on the outer surface of the
coupling means preferably
opposite the receiving surface of the coupling means to facilitate the
movement of coupling means
-10-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
on the substantially fixed object. Furthermore, the coupling means may also
have a different shape
or form and be made from any material and in any color in order to match with
the decor of the
environment it is in. Moreover, the coupling means also has a receiving means
that extend
outwardly from the extended second portion of the coupling means to receive
yet another material.
More particularly, the receiving means has a concave portion at its first end
to secure any material
and an enlarged second end to ensure the material is secured to the concave
portion of the first end
of the receiving means.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the coupling means will be shaped
as
half of an oval having its center of gravity positioned at the quarter point
of the oval and the weight
of the sheet material will force the coupling means to slidably couple to a
substantially fixed object
and maintain its balance.
In another embodiment, the coupling means.is in an "S" shape and optionally
having
at least one bead disposed on the opposite surface of the receiving surface of
the coupling means to
facilitate smooth movement of the fastening device to the substantially fixed
object.
In yet another embodiment, the coupling means is in a circular and/or an oval
shape
that is formed by connecting two half circles and/or two half ovals connected
by a hinge on one side
and a locking mechanism on another. The locking mechanism is generally
comprised of two
engaging surfaces, one having a protrusion and the other having a recess to
receive the protrusion.
The exterior surface of the receiving surface of the coupling means optionally
has beads disposed
on it in order to facilitate the sliding motion of the coupling means, hence
the fastening device with
a sheet material, preferably a shower curtain, to slide easily on a
substantially fixed object,
preferably a shower curtain rod.
-11-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
In a preferred embodiment, the attachment means is attached to a coupling
means
through a recess disposed on the bridge of the attachment means and this
enables the attachment
means to be rotatably attached to the coupling means. Thus, in addition to
connecting the sheet
material, preferably a shower curtain, to a substantially fixed object, it can
also minimize shelf
space when packaged for sale by rotating the attachment means to be on the
same plane with the
coupling means.
In this text, the terms "comprising", "comprise", "comprises" and the other
forms of
"comprise" can have the meaning ascribed to these terms in U.S. Patent Law and
can mean
"including", "include", "includes" and other forms of "include".
These and other objects and embodiments of the invention are provided in, or
are
obvious from, the following detailed description of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following detailed description of the invention, reference will be made
to the
accompanying drawings, incorporated herein by reference, wherein like
reference numerals denote
like elements and parts, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a front view of the first embodiment of the fastening device;
Fig. 2 shows a rear view of the fastening device;
Fig. 3 shows a front view of the fastening device wherein the attachment means
is
rotatable and perpendicular to the coupling means;
Fig. 4 shows a bottom view of the fastening device;
Fig. S shows a left view of the fastening device wherein the attachment means
parallels the coupling means;
-12-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
Fig. 6 shows a mirror image of Fig. S wherein the attachment means parallels
the
coupling means;
Fig: 7 shows a view from the bathtub whereby the fastening device is connected
to a
sheet material at one end and slidably attached to a substantially fixed
object at a second end;
Fig. 8 shows a side view of the fastening device wherein the attachment means
i
rotatable and is perpendicular to the coupling means that is slidably coupled
to a substantially fixed
object at one end and connected to a sheet material via the attachment means;
Fig. 9 shows an exploded topside view of the attachment means whereas the
extending member is separated from the recess;
Fig. 10 shows a top front exploded view of the fastening device whereby the
coupling means is separated from the attachment means;
Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of the second embodiment of the fastening
device
having optionally round beads disposed on the coupling means to facilitate
movement of the
fastening device on a substantially fixed object;
Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of the third embodiment of the fastening
device
having optionally square beads disposed on the coupling means to facilitate
movement of the
fastening device on a substantially fixed object;
Fig. 13 shows a perspective exploded view of the fourth embodiment of the
fastening
device, the device having a rotatable attachment means; -
Fig. 14 shows a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the fastening
device,
the attachment means is rotatable;
-13-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
Fig. 15 shows an exploded perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the
fastening
device whereby the attachment means is rotatable and the coupling means has
beads to enable the
movements of the fastening device on the substantially fixed object;
Fig. 16 shows a side perspective view of the fifth embodiment whereby round
beads
are disposed on the coupling means to facilitate movement of the fastening
device and the
attachment means is rotated to expose the tip of the extending member as it is
matingly engaged
with its con esponding recess;
Fig. 17 shows an exploded view of the sixth embodiment whereby the coupling
means is a circular ring Having a hinge and locking mechanism and the
attachment means is
attached to the coupling means;
Fig. 18 shows an exploded view of the sixth embodiment whereby the coupling
means is open;
Fig. 19 shows an exploded view of the seventh embodiment having rectangular
beads disposed on the coupling means;
Fig. 20 shows an exploded view of the seventh embodiment having rectangular
beads disposed on the coupling means and the attachment means is rotatable;
Fig. 21 shows an exploded view of the eighth embodiment having circular beads
disposed on the coupling means;
Fig: 22 shows an exploded view of the eighth embodiment having circular beads
disposed on the coupling means wherein the protrusion and a recess to receive
the protrusion are not
engaged;
Fig. 23 shows an exploded view of the ninth embodiment whereby the attachment
means is rotatable and there are round beads disposed on the coupling means;
-14-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
Fig. 24 shows an exploded view of the ninth embodiment of the present
invention
whereby round beads are disposed on the coupling means and the attachment
means is rotatable;
Fig. 25 shows an exploded view of the tenth embodiment of the present
invention
whereby the coupling means is an oval ring having a hinge and a locking
mechanism and the
attachment means is connected to the oval coupling means;
Fig. 26 shows an exploded view of the tenth embodiment of the present
invention
whereby the locking mechanism is not engaged;
Fig. 27 shows an exploded view of the eleventh embodiment of the present
invention
wherein rectangular beads are disposed on the coupling means to facilitate the
movement of the
fastening device and the coupling means is oval-shaped and the attachment
means is rotatable;
Fig. 28 shows an exploded view of the eleventh embodiment of the present
invention
wherein rectangular beads are disposed on the oval coupling means and the oval
coupling means is
in its open position;
Fig. 29 shows an exploded view of the twelfth embodiment of the present
invention
wherein circular beads are disposed on the oval-shaped coupling means and the
attachment means is
attached to the coupling means;
Fig..30 shows an exploded view of the twelfth embodiment of the present
invention
wherein circular beads are disposed on the oval-shaped coupling means and the
attachment means is
attached to the coupling means and the coupling means is in an open position;
Fig. 31 shows an exploded view of the thirteenth embodiment of the present
invention wherein circular beads are disposed on the oval-shaped coupling
means and the
attachment means is removably attached to the coupling means;
-15-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
Fig. 32 shows an exploded side view of the thirteenth embodiment of the
present
invention wherein circular beads are disposed on the oval-shaped coupling
means and the
attachment means is removably attached to the coupling means and the coupling
means is in an
open position;
Fig. 33 shows a front view the fourteenth embodiment of the present invention
wherein the coupling means includes a receiving means such as a hook in a
first orientation; and
Fig. 34 shows a front view the fifteenth embodiment of the present invention
wherein the coupling means includes a receiving means such as a hook in a
second orientation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference is made to all of the Figures herein as preferred embodiment. Figure
1
shows a fastening device 10 having a coupling means 23 and an attachment means
11 comprised of
an extending member 16 matingly engaged with recess 20. Figure 2 shows the
front side of the
fastening device 10 wherein the attachment means 11 is comprised of a first
elongated member 12
having an extending member 16 on an interior surface of the first elongated
member 12. Figwe 3
shows an exploded side view of the embodiment 10 having a half oval-shape
coupling means 23
removably attached to an attachment means having a sleeve 17 disposed on a
recess 21 which is
positioned on a bridge 15, and first ends of the first and second elongated
members 13 and 14
connected by the bridge 15. There is an extending member 16 protruding from
the inside surface of
the second end of the first elongated member 12. The extending member 16 has a
bulbous head 19
that has a circumference slightly larger than recess 20 in order to ensure a
tight fit between the
extending member 16 and recess 20. Recess 20 is disposed on the inside surface
of the second end
of the second elongated member 18. It is important to note that the attachment
means 11 is attached
to the extended second portion 31 of the coupling means 23 and the attachment
means 11 is
-16-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
positioned halfway through the coupling means in order to properly balance the
fastening device to
a substantially fixed object when the fastening device is fastened to a sheet
material. Figure 4
shows a bottom view of the apparatus of the present invention whereby bulbous
head 19 of the
extending member 16 is not engaged to a recess 20. However, the extending
member 16 is attached
to an interior surface of the second end of the first elongated member 12.
Figure 5 shows a left
view of the fastening device in accordance with the present invention wherein
the sleeve 1? of
bridge 1 S receives an extended second portion 31 of coupling means 23 through
recess 21. Figure 5
also shows the first ends of the two elongated members 13 and 14 respectively
connected itself to
the two ends of bridge 15, and the second ends of the two elongated members 12
and 18 further
having an extending member 16 and its bulbous head 19 protruding from the
interior surface of the
second end of the first elongated member 12. Figure 6 shows a mirror image of
Figure S wherein
the coupling means 23 is shown to be attached to the attachment means 11
through sleeve 1? and
recess 21 and the extended second portion 31 has a bulbous head 30 piercing
bridge 15 through
recess 21. The attachment means 11 is also comprised of two elongated members
having an
extending member 16 and a recess 20 on the interior surfaces of the second end
of the elongated.
members 12 and 18.
Figure 7 shows a view from within the bathtub wherein the fastening device 10
of
the present invention is slidably coupled to a substantially fixed object 9
via the coupling means 23.
The fastening device 10 further shows that its attachment means 11 is
removably attached to the
extended second portion 31 of the coupling means 23 via sleeve 17 and recess
21 disposed on
bridge 15. The sheet material 22 is attached to the attachment means 11 by the
extending member
16 piercing through the sheet material 22 and matingly engaging the extending
member 16 with
recess 20 disposed, on the interior surface of the second end of the second
elongated member 18.
-17-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
Figure 8 shows a side view of Figure 7 and specifically, the extending member
16 penetrating the
sheet material 22. The coupling means 23 substantially encircles the
substantially fixed object 9
and the coupling means 23 is further comprised of a receiving surface 27 which
is approximately
midway of the coupling means 23 and directly contacts the substantially fixed
object 9. The
receiving surface 27 is opposite the exterior surface 24 of a first portion of
the coupling means 23.
Figure 8 also shows the extended second portion 31 attached to the attachment
means 11 by
introducing the extended second portion 31 with a bulbous head 30 through
sleeve 17 and recess 21
disposed on bridge IS of the attachment means I I.
Figure 9 shows an exploded topside view of the attachment means 11 showing the
coupling means 23 in dash lines. The attachment means 11 has a recess 21
disposed on bridge 15
and two elongated members have their first ends 13 and 14 respectively
attached to the edges of the
bridge 15 and optionally forms a right angle with the bridge 15 to provide
space between the
elongated members. Elongated member 12 has an extending member 16 attached to
its exterior
surface, a recess 20 disposed on the second end of the second elongated member
18 to
correspondingly receive the extending member 16.
Figure 10 shows a top front exploded view of the fastening device in
accordance
with the present invention whereby the coupling means 23 is separated from the
attachment means
11. Figure 10 also shows how the coupling means 23 is attached to the
attachment means I 1. More
specifically, the coupling means 23 has a curved, hook-like, U-shaped
configuration with an
extended second portion 31 having a narrow portion 32 of the extended second
portion which
terminates at a bulbous head 30. The narrow portion 32 of the extended second
portion provides the
key to rotatably attaching the attachment means 11 to the coupling means 23
and making the
attaching of the attachment means 11 to the coupling means 23 permanent.
Alternatively, if the
-18-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
attachment means is not rotatable, the fastening device can be molded as one
piece with the
coupling means. The coupling means 23 has a receiving surface 27 to receive
and/or slidably
couple to a substantially fixed object 9. The attachment means 11 can be made
from blow-molding
and/or mold injection and both the coupling means 23 and the attachment means
11 can be made
from any material in any color to achieve its intended function of securing a
sheet material at one
end and slidably attach the attachment means 11 with sheet material 22 to a
substantially fixed
object 9. The attachment means 11 has a horizontal bridge 15 having a recess
21 through the center
of the bridge 15 at one end and a sleeve 17 at another end of the bridge to
receive the extended
second portion 31 of the coupling means 23. There are two elongated members
that are parallel to
each other and each has a first end 13, 14 respectively, and a second end 12,
18 respectively. The
second end of the first elongated member has an exterior surface and an
interior surface and the
interior surface has an extending member 16 disposed at the center of the
interior surface of the
second eiid of the first elongated member. The second end of the second
elongated member has an
exterior surface and an interior surface and the interior surface defines a
corresponding recess 20 to
receive the extending member 16. Therefore, when the fastening device of the
present invention is
in use, the extending member 16 is matingly engaged with the recess 20 to
provide a tight fit.
Figure 11 shows a second embodiment of the present invention whereby the
coupling means 33 is S-shaped and the exterior of the receiving surface
optionally has circular
beads 41. The circular beads disposed on the opposite side of the receiving
surface facilitate the
movement of the fastening device on any object it couples to. The coupling
means 33 has an
extended second portion 31 having a bulbous head 30 that pierces the recess 21
disposed on bridge
15 to connect with attachment means 11 via sleeve 17 and recess 21. The
attachment means has
extending member 16 and bulbous head 19 that is slightly larger in diameter.
-19-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
Figure 12 shows a third embodiment of the present invention whereby the
coupling
means 43 is S-shaped and the exterior of the receiving surface 27 has
rectangular beads 42 disposed
on it in order to facilitate movement of the fastening device when coupled to
a substantially fixed
object. The coupling means 43 has an extended second portion 31 that
facilitates the engagement of
the attachment means to the coupling means.
Figures 13 and 14 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention wherein
the
coupling means 53 is S-shaped and has an extended second portion 3 i having a
bulbous head 30
that engages with the attachment means 11 through sleeve 17 and recess 21
disposed on the bridge
15. Extending from both edges of the bridge 15 are two extending members each
having a first end
and a second end respectively. The second end of the first elongated member 12
has an extending
member 16 and the second end of the second elongated member 18 has a recess 20
to receive a
bulbous head 19 of the extending member thus, when the attachment means 11 is
in use (as shown
in Figure 13), it can secure a sheet material between the extending member 16
and recess 20.
Additionally, the attachment means 11 is rotatably attached to the coupling
means 53. Therefore,
when the fastening device is in transit (as shown in Figure 14), the
attachment means 11 parallels
coupling means 53 and both are in the same plane, and when the fastening
device is in use the
attachment means 11 can be rotated so as to become perpendicular to the
coupling means (as shown
in Figure 13) in order to receive a sheet material 22. Figure 13 shows the
configuration of the
attachment means 11 in use where the bulbous head 19 of the extending member
16 pierces,
penetrates and protrudes through the recess 20 of the second end of the second
elongated member.
Figures 15 and 16 show a fifth embodiment of the present invention wherein the
coupling means 33 is S-shaped and has circular and/or round beads disposed on
the opposite surface
of the receiving surface of the coupling means 33. Coupling means 33 has an
extended second
-20-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
portion 31 and a bulbous head 30 that pierces recess 21 via sleeve 17. The
bulbous head 30 has a
slightly bigger diameter than recess 21 in order to ensure that the coupling
means 33 will stay
locked into the recess 21 and also to ensure a permanent attachment to the
attachment means 11:
The attachment means 11 is rotatably attached to the coupling means. A sheet
material 22 is
fastened to the attachment means 11 via pressing the extending member 16
towards recess 20 thus,
Figure 16 shows the configuration when the extending member 16 is lodged in
recess 20.
Figures 17 and 18 show a sixth embodiment of the present invention whereby the
coupling means 63 is circular and made from two halves connected at one end by
a hinge 46 and a
locking mechanism 48 that has two engaging parts. . The first engaging part 50
includes a protrusion
and a second engaging part 49 defines a corresponding recess to receive the
protrusion and the two
engaging pans can be locked by a friction fit. Coupling means 63 in Figure 17
shows the coupling
means in a locked position and Figure 18 shows it in an unlocked position. The
coupling means 63
has an extended second portion 61 extending from coupling means 63 and the
extended second
portion 61 has a bulbous head 60 that secures the coupling means 63 to
attachment means 11.
Attachment means 11 has extending member 16 and bulbous head 19 that is
matingly fitted with
recess 20.
Figures 19 and 20 show a seventh embodiment of the present invention whereby
the
coupling means 73 is circular and has rectangular beads 42 disposed on the
opposite surface of the
receiving surface 47 to facilitate the movement of the fastening device when
coupled on a
substantially fixed object. The coupling means 73 is circular and is made by
connecting two halves
at one side by a hinge 46 and at the other by a locking mechanism 48. Figure
19 shows the
coupling means in a locked position and Figure 20 shows the coupling means in
an unlocked
position. Like Figures 17 and 18, the locking mechanism 48 has two engaging
parts, a first
-21-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
engaging part has a protrusion SO and a second engaging part has a recess 49
to receive the
protrusion 50 so, when the two engaging parts are engaged with each other, the
surface of the
coupling means 73 is smooth and the locking mechanism 48 blends into the
coupling means 73 so
as to hide the locking mechanism or make the locking mechanism invisible. The
coupling means 73
has an extended second portion 61 having a bulbous head 60 to secure itself to
the attachment
means 11. The attachment means 11 is rotatable as can be seen in Figures 19
and 20.
Figures 21 and 22 show an eighth embodiment of the present invention wherein
the
coupling means 83 is circular and made from two halves connected by a hinge 46
on one side and
by a locking mechanism 48 on the other side. There are circular beads 41
disposed on the opposite
surface of the receiving surface 47 to facilitate movement of the fastening
device 80 when coupled
to a substantially fixed object. The coupling means 83 has an extended second
portion 61 which
pierces through bridge 15 by entering sleeve 17 and the extended second
portion 61 has a bulbous
head 60 that is slightly larger than the diameter of recess 21 so, when the
extended second portion
61 enters the sleeve 17 and passes through recess 21, it will be permanently
lodged and would
prevent the extended second portion 61 from re-exiting recess 21. The
attachment means 11 is
fixed to the coupling means 83 and thus, not rotatable. The attachment means
11 has an extending
member 16 having a bulbous head 19 which will be matingly fitted with recess
20.
Figures 23 and 24 show a ninth embodiment of the present invention wherein the
coupling means 83 is circular and has circular beads 41 disposed on the
opposite surface of the
receiving surface 47. The circular beads 41 facilitate movement of the
fastening device on a
substantially fixed object when coupled. The coupling means 83 is made from
two halves
connected at one end by a hinge 46 and at the other end by a locking mechanism
48 which includes
two engaging parts. Engaging part 50 has a protrusion and engaging part 49 has
a recess to receive
-22-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
the protrusion and so when engaging part 50 locks with engaging part 49 by a
friction fit, the
position of the lock becomes invisible thus to create an appearance of a
continuous circle. The
attachment means 11 is attached to the coupling means 83 through the extended
second portion 61
having a bulbous head 60. The attachment means further comprises a fastening
device to receive
and fasten a sheet material to the attachment means 11 by the extending member
16 piercing the
sheet material and be matingly engaged with a recess 20 that has a diameter
slightly smaller than the
bulbous head 19 disposed at the end of the extending member 16, in order to
create a snug fit and to
prevent the sheet material from disengaging from the attachment means 11. The
attachment means
11 is rotatably connected to coupling means 83. Figure 24 shows a rotated
attachment means 11
from the attachment means 11 in Figure 23.
Figures 25 and 26 show a tenth embodiment of the present invention wherein the
coupling means 93 is oval-shaped and is made from two half ovals connected at
one end by a hinge
46 and at the other by a locking mechanism 48 having two separate, but
corresponding engaging
parts. Thus when the two corresponding engaging parts 49 and 50 respectively
are engaged with
each other, it would provide the appearance of a continuous one piece oval
coupling means without
the locking mechanism being visible. The engaging part has a protrusion 50 and
a corresponding
recess 49 to receive the protrusion 50. Figure 26 shows the coupling means 93
at an open position.
The coupling means 93 is further comprised of an extended second portion 71
having a bulbous
head 70 that is fixably engaged with the attachment means 11 through sleeve 17
disposed on bridge
15 and above recess 20. Once the coupling means 93 is properly engaged with
attachment means
11, the bulbous head 70 will prevent the extended second portion 71 from
disengaging itself from
the attachment means 11. The attachment means i 1 is attached to the coupling
means 93
permanently and not rotatably. The attachment means 11 has a bridge 15 having
two elongated
-23-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
members connected to either edge of the bridge 15. Above the bridge 15 is a
sleeve 17 to receive
the extended second portion 71 and a recess 21 to receive the extended second
portion 71. The two
elongated members have their respective first ends 13 and 14 and their
respective second ends 12
and 18. These elongated members face each other and the interior surface of
the second end of
elongated member 12 has an extending member 16 having a bulbous head 19 and
the interior
surface of the second end of elongated member 18 has a recess 20 that can be
correspondingly
engaged to the extending member 16. Accordingly, a sheet material can be
fastened by the
attachment means by positioning the sheet material between the extending
member 16 and recess
20, then put pressure on extending member 16 and bring it toward recess 20 in
order to lock the
sheet material in place. In application of the present invention, a user can
first place the sheet
material between the extending member 16 and recess 20 to bring closure to the
extending member
and recess ensemble. Then the user can open the locking system 48 and wrap the
two halves with
the coupling means 93 around a substantially fixed object and then close the
locking mechanism as
shown in Figure 25.
Figures 27 and 28 show an eleventh embodiment of the present invention
fastening
device with a movable and rotatable attachment means 11. The coupling means
103 is oval-shaped
having rectangular beads disposed on the opposite surface of the receiving
surface 57 of the oval-
shaped coupling means 103. These rectangular beads can be in any shape desired
and can be made
from any material. These beads 42 facilitate the movement of the fastening
device when it is
coupled with a substantially fixed object. The coupling means 103 is made from
two half ovals
joined at one end by a hinge 46 and at the other end a locking mechanism
having two corresponding
engaging parts 49 and 50 respectively. The coupling means 103 has an extended
second portion 71
having a bulbous head 70 that is slightly larger than recess 21 so that the
extended second portion
-24-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
71 can enter and go through recess 21 but cannot back out once the bulbous
head 70 of the extended
second portion 70 goes through recess 21. Thus, the attachment means 11 cannot
be easily
separated from coupling means 103. The attachment means 11 is rotatably
attached to the coupling
means 103. Thus, when the fastening device of the present invention is in use,
the attachment
means 11. is rotated 90 degrees as shown in Figure 28. The recess 20 of the
attachment means 11
may be a recess or it may be a through hole. Figure 28 also shows the coupling
means 103 in an
open position ready to couple with a substantially fixed object.
Figures 29 and 30 show a twelfth embodiment of the present invention with an
oval-
shaped coupling means 113 having circular beads 41 disposed on the opposite
surface of receiving
surface 57. The circular beads 41 can also be made in rectangular, in
triangular or in any shape
desired, such as little flowers or snowflakes or animations of any cartoon,
fictitious or real-life
persons, to match the sheet material to which it is attached or to match and
complement the decor.
The coupling means 113 is made from two half ovals connected at one end by a
hinge 46 and at the
other end by a locking mechanism 48. The locking mechanism, in addition to the
corresponding
engaging means thus far described, can also be any conventional locking
mechanism such as a male
adaptor and a female receiver, a fi-iction lock, a pressure lock or any other
lock that can join two
pieces together. The coupling means 113 is provided with an extended second
portion 81 having a
bulbous head 80 that is pushed through recess 21 and lodged in recess 21. The
attachment means
11 is not rotatably attached to the coupling means 113. Figure 30 shows the
coupling means in an
open position where the locking mechanism is disengaged. The attachment means
11 is as
previously described.
Figures 31 and 32 show a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention with
an
oval-shaped coupling means l 13 having circular beads 41 disposed on the
opposite surface of the
-25-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
receiving surface 57. The beads 41 can be of any shape and can be made from
any material. The
beads 41 facilitate the movement of the fastening device of the present
invention when the fastening
device is slidably coupled to a substantially fixed object. The coupling means
113 is made from
two half ovals joined at one end by a hinge 46 and at the other end by a
locking mechanism 48. The
coupling means 113 has an extended second portion 81 opposite the receiving
surface 57 so as to
attach itself to an attachment means. The extended second portion 81 is
positioned such that it
divides the coupling means 113 into two equal halves so as to ensure the
fastening device will
remain upright. The attachment means 11 is rotatably attached to the coupling
means 113. Thus,
Figure 32 illustrates the attachment means 11 when the fastening device is in
use and it also
illustrates the coupling means 113 in an open position. Accordingly, Figures
31 and 32 show
attachment means 11 is freely rotatable with respect to the coupling means and
that the attachment
means 11 is at a different rotation when it is in use than during shipping,
where it will be rotated 90
degrees in order to reduce and minimize space required.
Figures 33 and 34 show fourteenth and fifteenth embodiments of the present
invention, respectively. Figure 33 shows a fastening device 10 having a
coupling means 23' and an
attachment means 11. The coupling means includes a half oval-shaped portion
220 that is
removably attached to the attachment means. The attachment means is comprised
of an extending
member 16 matingly engaged with recess 20, a sleeve 17 disposed on a recess 21
(not shown, see
Figure 9) that is positioned on a bridge 15 which connects first ends of the
first and second
elongated members 13 and 14. The attachment means 11 further includes a first
elongated member
12 having the extending member 16 on an interior surface thereof. The
extending member 16
protrudes from the inside surface of the second end of the first elongated
member 12. The
extending member 16 has a bulbous head 19 that has a circumference slightly
larger than recess 20
-26-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
in order to ensure a tight fit between the extending member 16 and recess 20.
Recess 20 is disposed
on the inside surface of the second end of a second elongated member 18. The
attachment means
11 is attached to the extended second portion 31 of the coupling means 23' and
that the attachment
means 11 is positioned halfway through the coupling means in order to properly
balance the
fastening device to a substantially fixed object when the fastening device is
fastened to a sheet
materi al.
Coupling means 23' of Figure 33 differs from coupling means 23 of Figure 3,
for
example, in that coupling means 23' includes a receiving means in the shape of
a hook 223 in a first
orientation relative to the half oval-shaped portion. Hook 223 includes an
elongated curved portion
223a and a bulbous portion 223b, and is provided to support items/material
hung from fastening
device 10, apart from any items/material attached to the device via the
attachment means 11. For
instance, when the fastening device is employed as shown in Figure 7,
receiving means 223 may
receive and secure a material such as a liner for protecting the sheet
material 22 already attached to
the device via the attachment means 11. An enlarged second end of the
receiving means 223b
prevents inadvertent unhooking of items/materials from the receiving means
223.
Figure 34 shows a fastening device similar to the fastening device of Figure
33 with
the exception that the Figure 34 embodiment has a coupling means 23" which
includes a receiving
means 224 in a second orientation relative to the half oval-shaped portion
220. The receiving
means 224 includes an elongated curved portion 224a and a bulbous portion
224b. As in the Figure
33 embodiment, the hook is used to hang items/material apart from any items
and/or materials
ariached to the device via attachment means 11, such as a clear plastic sheet
used to protect a sheet
material hung from the attachment means.
-2 7-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
It should be noted that the hooks of Figures 33 and 34 are not limited in
application
to the hanging of clear plastic material, but may be used to hang decorative
items, toys, storage
racks, or any other bath and/or shower related items/materials.
While the invention has been described with respect to use as a connector
and/or a
fastening device to connect between a sheet material and a substantially fixed
object, it is to be
understood the invention can be used to connect between two sheet materials or
any two objects. It
is further to be understood that the fastening device of the present invention
can be made from any
method, such as injection molding, blow-molding or any conventional method and
can be made
from any material synthetic or natural in any colors. The material and object
to be fastened and
connected by the present invention are not necessarily limitations of the
invention. .
It is to be further understood that any utilitarian description herein of any
component
of the fastening device of the present invention, for example, the coupling
means, the beads or any
feature thereon, or. the attachment means, or any feature, i.e. any feature
thereon, is not to be
construed as a statement that the appearance of any component of the invention
is functional in
nature or dictated by function. Surface ornamentation or configuration of the
fastening device or
any components thereof, for example, the exterior of the fastening device,
such as the coupling
means or the attachment means or any portion thereof, are attributable to
ornamental considerations.
The coupling means 23 and the bridge 15 are preferably formed from a
substantially
rigid material, including but not limited to metal, glass, plastics and
thermoplastics, either opaque or
transparent, preferably polypropylene and ceramics. The coupling means and the
attachment means
can be sculptured and/or molded, i.e., blow-molded in any form or shape
desired, specifically the
attachment means can be made from more flexible material that is resilient and
not easily breakable
and can withstand repeated use and application and also would not break, rust
or change shape due
-28-
CA 02488122 2004-11-22
to temperature and humidity changes. The fastening device should also be made
from material that
is childproof and when broken would not be injurious to animals or users and
can easily take on any
color in order to match the decor.
As can be further appreciated from the foregoing description and the
illustrated
embodiments, the fastening device of the present invention does not
necessarily require a closed
ring for the coupling means and the attachment means does not necessarily need
to be rotatably
attached to the coupling means or that the attachment means is necessarily a
separate component
from the coupling means. Thus the attachment means and the coupling means can
be molded from
the same mold as one piece, they can also optionally be made in two pieces and
put together by
conventional method or by forcing the extended second portion through the
recess on the bridge.
They could be made from metal and the elongated member processed by annealing
and/or heat
treatment in order to impute springy-like feeling to facilitate the engagement
of the extending
member and its corresponding recess or, they can be made from any material in
any shape or form
having any decoration as to the client's and/or customer's liking.
Having thus described in detail the preferred embodiments of the present
invention,
it is to be understood that the invention defined by the appended claims is
not to be limited by
particular details set forth in the above description, as many apparent
variations thereof are possible
without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.
-29-
