Method and device for suspending pouches

Abstract

A suspension device for an item comprises a base member and a clamping assembly. The clamping assembly is mounted for sliding movement relative to the base member and is adapted to clamp a pouch. A method of suspending such a pouch includes the steps of opening the clamping assembly, placing the pouch in the clamping assembly and simultaneously closing and sliding the clamping assembly into the housing such that the pouch is suspended from the clamping assembly.

1 . A suspension device, comprising: 
 a base member; and    a clamping assembly mounted for sliding movement relative to the base member and adapted to clamp an item.    
     
     
         2 . The suspension device of  claim 1 , wherein the base member comprises a housing.  
     
     
         3 . The suspension device of  claim 2 , wherein the clamping assembly includes a first clamping member and a second clamping member movable with respect to the first clamping member.  
     
     
         4 . The suspension device of  claim 3 , wherein the second clamping member is pivotable between first and second angular limits with respect to the first clamping member.  
     
     
         5 . The suspension device of  claim 3 , wherein first and second angular limits comprise zero and thirty degrees, respectively.  
     
     
         6 . The suspension device of  claim 3 , wherein the housing includes a mounting member, side walls extending from the mounting member and defining a channel within which the clamping assembly is disposed.  
     
     
         7 . The suspension device of  claim 6 , wherein the clamping assembly is slidable along a linear path with respect to the housing.  
     
     
         8 . The suspension device of  claim 6 , further including a tab extending into the channel and a cam surface carried by the second clamping member wherein the cam surface contacts the tab and pivots the second clamping member with respect to the first clamping member when the clamping assembly is moved toward an extreme position.  
     
     
         9 . The suspension device of  claim 3 , wherein the second clamping member includes a flexible guide rail disposed in an elongate recess in the housing wherein the flexible guide rail causes the second clamping member to exert a clamping force on the first clamping member.  
     
     
         10 . The suspension device of  claim 3 , wherein the second clamping member includes a pin pivotally mounted to the first clamping member, an arm portion, and a stop member engageable with the first clamping member.  
     
     
         11 . The suspension device of  claim 10 , wherein the arm portion contacts the first clamping member when the second clamping member is moved to a first position and wherein the stop member contacts the first clamping member when the second clamping member is moved to a second position.  
     
     
         12 . The suspension device of  claim 10 , wherein the arm portion includes an elongate flange with first and second grooves and first and second jaw portions depending from the elongate flange.  
     
     
         13 . The suspension device of  claim 12 , wherein elongate flange and the first and second jaw portions surround a top portion of the first clamping member when the first clamping member is moved to the first position.  
     
     
         14 . The suspension device of  claim 3 , in combination with an item clamped between the first clamping member and the second clamping member.  
     
     
         15 . The suspension device of  claim 14 , wherein the item comprises a thermoplastic pouch.  
     
     
         16 . The suspension device of  claim 14 , wherein the first clamping member includes an elongate body having a grasping portion disposed at one end thereof and a guide portion disposed at another end thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The suspension device of  claim 16 , wherein the guide portion includes a pair of guide members.  
     
     
         18 . The suspension device of  claim 1 , wherein the clamping assembly includes a guide portion in sliding engagement with the base member.  
     
     
         19 . The suspension device of  claim 1 , wherein the base member includes two pairs of elongate recesses and the clamping assembly includes two pairs of guide members disposed and guided within the elongate recesses.  
     
     
         20 . A suspension device for a pouch, comprising: 
 a housing;    a clamping assembly slidable along a linear path with respect to the housing and having a first clamping member and a second clamping member wherein the second clamping member is movable with respect to the first clamping member and adapted to clamp the pouch therebetween.    
     
     
         21 . The suspension device of  claim 20 , wherein the housing includes a mounting member.  
     
     
         22 . The suspension device of  claim 20 , wherein the housing includes first and second side walls.  
     
     
         23 . The suspension of  claim 22 , wherein each of the first and the second side walls includes two elongate recesses.  
     
     
         24 . The suspension of  claim 20 , wherein the first clamping member includes an elongate body having a grasping portion disposed at one end thereof and a guide portion disposed at another end thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The suspension device of  claim 24 , wherein the guide portion includes a pair of guide rails.  
     
     
         26 . The suspension device of  claim 24 , wherein the pouch is suspended between the elongate body and the second clamping member.  
     
     
         27 . The suspension device of  claim 26 , wherein the pouch includes an open end and wherein the open end is closed between the first and second clamping member.  
     
     
         28 . The suspension device of  claim 20 , wherein the second clamping member includes a pin pivotally mounted to the first clamping member, and an arm portion and a stop member engageable with the first clamping member.  
     
     
         29 . The suspension device of  claim 28 , wherein the arm portion contacts the first clamping member when the second clamping member is moved to a first position and wherein the stop member contacts that first clamping member when the second clamping member is moved to a second position.  
     
     
         30 . The suspension device of  claim 29 , wherein the arm portion includes an elongate flange with first and second grooves and first and second jaw portions depending from the elongate flange.  
     
     
         31 . The suspension device of  claim 30 , wherein the elongate flange and the first and second jaw portions surround a top portion of the first clamping member when the first clamping member is moved to the first position.  
     
     
         32 . The suspension device of  claim 28 , wherein the second clamping member is pivotable through a range of motion of about thirty degrees with respect to the first clamping member.  
     
     
         33 . A suspension device for a pouch, comprising: 
 a housing having a pair of first, second and third elongate recesses;    a clamping assembly slidable along a linear path with respect to the housing;    wherein the clamping comprises a first clamping member and a guide portion comprising first and second pairs of guide members deposited in the second and third pairs of elongate recesses; and    a second clamping member comprising a flexible guide rail disposed in the first elongate recesses.    
     
     
         34 . The suspension device of  claim 33 , wherein the mounting member includes at least three support slots and is attached to a surface.  
     
     
         35 . The suspension device of  claim 33 , wherein the surface is a cabinet or a shelf.  
     
     
         36 . The suspension device of  claim 33 , wherein the second clamping member closes onto the first clamping member with the pouch suspended therebetween.  
     
     
         37 . The suspension device of  claim 33 , wherein the arm portion includes an elongate flange and a pair of first and second jaw portions.  
     
     
         38 . The suspension device of  claim 33 , wherein the first pair of elongate recesses comprises flanges or rails and wherein the flanges or rails comprise sloped portions.  
     
     
         39 . The suspension device of  claim 38 , wherein the flexible guide rail comprises first and second flexible portions and wherein the first and second flexible portions slide along the sloped portions and flex a first and second distance into the first elongate recesses.  
     
     
         40 . The suspension device of  claim 33 , wherein the housing includes first and second sidewalls.  
     
     
         41 . The suspension device of  claim 33 , wherein the second clamping member further comprises a pin, and a stop member having a cam surface and a stop surface.  
     
     
         42 . The suspension device of  claim 41 , wherein the guide portion further includes first and second openings with a pin deposited therein.  
     
     
         43 . The suspension device of  claim 41 , wherein the cam surface contacts the housing in a first position.  
     
     
         44 . The suspension device of  claim 41 , wherein the housing comprises a tab adjacent to the cam surface in a second position.  
     
     
         45 . The suspension device of  claim 41 , wherein the stop member restricts the movement from a first angular limit to a second angular limit between the first clamping member and second clamping member.  
     
     
         46 . The suspension device of  claim 45 , wherein first and second angular limits comprise zero and thirty degrees, respectively.  
     
     
         47 . A method for suspending a pouch, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a clamping assembly mounted for sliding movement in a housing and adapted to clamp the pouch;    opening the clamping assembly;    placing the pouch in the clamping assembly; and    simultaneously closing and sliding the clamping assembly into the housing such that the pouch is suspended from the clamping assembly.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the step of placing the pouch in the clamping assembly includes the step of moving a second clamping member into engagement with a first clamping member while the pouch is disposed therebetween.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the housing includes a channel within which the clamping assembly extends wherein the clamping assembly includes first and second clamping member and wherein the step of opening the clamping assembly includes the step of moving a cam surface of the second clamping member into engagement with a tab of the housing.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the second clamping member includes an arm portion and a stop surface wherein the step of opening includes the step of displacing the clamping member from a first position at which the arm portion is in contact with the first clamping member to a second position at which the stop surface is in contact with the first clamping member.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the step of simultaneously closing and sliding includes the step of moving the clamping assembly along a linear path with respect to the housing.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the step of simultaneously closing and sliding further includes the step of engaging a first guide surface of the housing with a second guide surface of the clamping assembly.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the step of engaging includes the step of guiding a pair of guide rails of the clamping assembly in a pair of elongate recesses of the housing.