Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CLIP REfIfIIOVER AN~ IUIETtiO~ OF RENt~VtNf~ A CLIP
t=ieid of the inventions
The present invention relates to a cGp remover. More particularly, the
present invention relates to a clip remover for removing a particular type of
fastener used in the automobile industry, hereinafter simply referred to also
as a
°'clip", and to a method of removing such a clip.
Background of the invention:
It is well known in the art, particularly in the automobile industry and that
of car repairing, that the various components of a vehicle, such as a front
bumper
covering, a rear bumper covering, inner fenders, and the like, are attached
onto
the vehicle structure by means of various fasteners.
Traditionally, these fasteners consisted of metallic rivets andlor screws,
but due to the inherent nature of these fasteners to rust, and deteriorate in
other
manners, there has been a tendency in the industry to opt for plastic
fasteners
instead, which present substantial advantages over their metallic
counterparts.
A well known type of clip used for fastening components of an
automobile, and widely used by Japanese and North-American manufacturers,
consists of a two-part assembly, comprising a first component in the form a
ring
provided with two opposite grooves and a corresponding inner recess, and a
second component having a stem provided with a head, the head being shaped
and sized to be secured into the recess of the ring and the stem being devised
to
spread out for fastening as the second component is inserted into the first
component. A typical example of this type of clip is better illustrated in
Figure 5.
A problem associated with these types of clips is that when a vehicle
needs to undergo repairs andlor painting, for example, these clips need to be
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removed in order to remove 'the different components that they fasten and thus
be
able to carry out the necessary work. However, the removing of such clips is
quite
difficult, cumbersome, and tune-consuming.
Indeed, the conventional way of removing these clips consists in using
two small screwdrivers, particularly their tips, each screwdriver tip being
used for a
respective groove of the ring of the clip, and by pressing the tips of these
screwdrivers towards the center of the clip, removing the second component of
the
clip by prying the head and corresponding stem (i.e. the whole second
component)
off from the inner ring recess with the screwdrivers. However, it has been
found
that this way of removing the above-mentioned 'types of clips is very time-
consuming, due to the fact that time, skill, and two hands are required to
remove
the clip, which is very disadvantageous for obvious reasons known in the art.
Moreover, it has been found that when removing the above-mentioned
types of clips with the use of two screwdrivers, mast of the times, the clips
are
damagedlbroken, at a rate of approximately 50% of the times, which is also
very
disadvantageous (costly) considering that there are various clips in a vehicle
and
that each clip costs approximately 3$ per piece, which once again, is very
disadvantageous for obvious reasons known in the art.
Moreover, it is also known in the art that the removing of the above-
mentioned clips is even more difficult, hard, and time-consuming, on older car
components where after a certain period of time, different types of debris,
such as
grease, and the like, are accumulated on or about the clips, making their
removal
that much more complicated.
Also known in the art are the following US patents which describe
various tools: 4,602,535; 4,658,489; 4,742,736; 4,872,251; 5,611,519; and
5,655,806.
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However, none of the tools seems to attend to all of the above-
mentioned needs.
Hence, in light of the aforementioned, there is a need for an improved
device andlor method which, by virtue of its design and components, would be
able to overcome some of the aforementioned prior art problems.
Summary of the invention:
The object of the present invention is to provide a clip remover which
satisfies some of the above-mentioned needs and which is thus an improvement
over the other related device y andlor methods known in the prior art.
In accordance with the present invention, the above object is achieved,
as will be easily understood, with a clip remover such as the one briefly
described
herein and such as the one exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a
method of removing a Blip with the above-mentioned clip remover.
The objects, advantages and other features of the present invention will
become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description
of
preferred embodiments thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only
with
reference to the accompanying drawings,
Brief description of the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clip remover according to the
preferred embodiment of the present invention, said clip remover being shown
in
an exploded relationship with a corresponding prior art clip.
Figure 2 is another' perspective view of what is shown in Figure 1.
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Figure 3 is another perspective view of what is shown in Figure 1..
Figure 4 is another perspective view of what is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view of what is shown in Figure 1.
Detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention:
1n the following description, the same numerical references refer to
similar elements. The embodiments, physical dimensions and physical properties
shown in the figures are preferred.
Moreover, although the present invention was primarily designed for
use with {and more particularly removing) a clip such as the fasteners used in
the
automobile industry, it may be used with other types of fasteners andlor
objects,
and in other fields, as apparent to a person skilled in the art. For this
reason,
expressions such as "clip", "fastener'°, "automobile",
"car°°, etc., used herein should
not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention and includes all
other
kinds of items andlor purposes with which the present invention could be used
and
may be useful.
Moreover, in the context of the present invention, the expressions
"clip°',
"fastener", and any other equivalent expression and/or compound expressions
thereof, and the like, known in the art, will be used interchangeably.
Furthermore,
the same applies for any other mutually equivalent expressions, such as
"tool",
"device" and "remover"; '°removing'° and "unfastening"; as welt
as °'car'° and
"automobile" for example, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art.
In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention
as illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises various components and
although the preferred embodiment of the clip remover 7 as shown consists of
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certain geometrical configurations and physical dirr~ensions as explained and
illustrated herein, not all of these components, geometries and dimensions are
essential to the invention and thus should not be taken in their restrictive
sense,
i.e. should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention. it is
to be
5 understood, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art, that other
suitable
components and cooperations thereinbetween, as well as other suitable
geometrical configurations may be used for the clip remover 1 and
corresponding
parts according to the present invention, as briefly explained and inferred
herein,
without departing from the scope of the invention.
broadly described, the clip remover 1 according to the present
invention, as shown in the accompanying drawings, is a tool 1 for easily
removing
(andlor unfastening) a particular type of clip 3 used in the automobile
industry for
fastening body parts onto the structure of a given vehicle.
As better shown in the accompanying drawings, the clip remover 1
preferably comprises two handles 5, preferably pivotably connected to one
another
by suitable means, each handle 5 being operatively connected to a
corresponding
gripping jaw 7, the gripping jaws 7 being shaped and sized to be removably
insertable into the corresponding grooves 9 of the clip 3 so as to match the
shape
of the stem 11 of the second component 3b and abut with a portion of the head
13
so as to easily and quickly remove (i.e. "pry off") the second component 3b of
the
clip 3 from the first component (ring) 3a.
It is worth mentioning that the handles 5 may be provided vvith a
suitable covering, made of a suitable material, such as plastic, rubber,
andlor the
like, to provide a better grip of the tool by an operator, as apparent to a
person
skilled in the art.
Preferably also, the clip remover 1 is provided with a suitable biasing
means 15, such as a spring for example, having respective ends connected to
the
first and second handles 5 of the clip remover 1 so as to bias the clip
remover 1
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into an "opened°' position so as to reduce time of removal of the clip,
i.e. increase
efficiency.
Indeed, since according to this preferred embodiment, by virtue of the
biasing means 15, the clip remover 1 is always in an opened position, an
operator
simply has to position the gripping jaws 7 of the clip remover 1 into the
corresponding grooves 9 of the inner ring 3a of the clip 3, and squeeze the
handles 5 towards one another so as to clasp the inner portion of the clip 3
with
the jaws 7, and remove it in an easy and quick manner.
Once the clip 3 is removed, the handles 5 are simply released, the
spring acts against the handles 5 causing the clip remover 1 to be in an
opened
position again, in order to be ready for use on another clip 3.
It is worth mentioning also that the gripping jaws r of the clip remover 1
may be provided with suitable coverings, particularly at the tips thereof,
such as
with plastic, rubber, and the Pike, so as to have a softer coating which would
reduce the occurrence of damages to the inner portion of the clip 3 which it
is
intended to remove.
Moreover, a handle 5 of the clip remover 1 may be provided with a
corresponding hook for hooking the clip remover 1 onto a corresponding
structure
when the clip remover 1 is not being in use.
It is also worth mentioning that according to the preferred embodiment
of the present invention, the gripping jaws '~ of the clip remover 1 are
devised to
touch one another when the handles 5 are closed towards each other, thereby
enabling an operator of the clip remover 1 to selectively choose the clasping
force
of the gripping jaws 7 onto the inner portion of the clip 3 to be removed.
However,
according to another embodiment of the present invention, the clip remover 1
may
be provided with a suitable stopper which would appropriately maintain a
certain
distance between the first and second gripping jaws 7 of the clip remover 1
when
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the handles 5 are closed onto each other, this safety distance being selected
according to the given diameter of the inner portion of the clip 3 to be
removed, as
can be easily understood, and as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
As can also be easily understood, the clip remover 1, and the
components thereof (handles 5, gripping jaws 7, spring, etc.}, may take on
various
different forms and dimensions, depending on the particular nature of the clip
remover 1 and the particular application for which it is intended for, as also
apparent to a person skilled in the art. The particular shape, form and size
of the
jaws 7, handles 5, etc., are preferably selected so as to remove the interior
part of
the clip so as to be able to remove the whole clip without breaking andior
damages, as can be easily understood, and as apparent to a person skilled in
the
art.
The clip remover 1 and the corresponding components thereof
according to the present invention are preferably made of a suitable
substantially
rigid material, such as a metallic material, such as steel for example, or may
be
manufactured from other suitable materials, such as composite materials,
hardened polymers, and tt-se like, depending once again on the particular
application for which the clip remover 1 is intended and the loads which the
clip 3
is able to sustain, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
Preferably, according to the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the clip remover 1 is made to be symmetrical, so that it may be
easily
used by either a left-hand or a right-hand of an operator, but it is worth
mentioning
that according to the present invention, the shape, size, and orientation of
the
handles 5 may be altered with respect to the gripping jaws 7 of the clip
remover 1
so as to particularly adapt the clip remover 1 to a certain type of hand of an
operator, whether this operator be left-handed or right-handed, or simply for
ergonomic purposes, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
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As may now be appreciated, and as can be easily understood, the
present invention is a substantial improvement over the prior art in that, by
virtue
of its design and components, the clip remover 1 enables to remove the above-
mentioned type of clip 3 very easily and very quickly, reducing substantially
the
occurrence of damages being made to the clip 3. Indeed, instead of requiring
fifteen (15) minutes for example to remove a clip 3 with the use of two
separate
screwdrivers, a single tool 1 is used, by means of a single hand, and
generally
requires a few seconds of operation. fVloreover, it is estimated that 9~% of
the clips
3 removed with the clip remover 1 are not damaged andlor b~°oken,
contrary to that
which occurs with screwdrivers. Hence, it may now be appreciated that the
present invention represents important advantages over other related devices
andlor methods known in the prior art, particularly in terms of performance,
safety
and costs.
Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the above-
described embodiments withoout departing from the scope of the invention, as
apparent to a person skilled in the art.
