Clip with Pin for Attaching to Fabric

Abstract

A clip for attaching to a piece of fabric features a main frame and a pin which has rounded cross-section with one end affixed to the main frame and another end which is sharpened to a pointed tip and is free. The main frame is bendable between a first closed position of the clip where the free end of the pin and the frame are brought to touch and a second open position in which the free end of the pin and the frame are spaced apart so that a thickness of the fabric may be passed over the pin. The pin permits the clip to be fastened to any location on the fabric such that the clip is not limited to being disposed at or adjacent an edge of the fabric only as is the case with most conventional clips usable on fabric.

1 . A clip for attaching to a piece of fabric having first and second faces, the clip comprising:
 a main frame defined by a strip of metallic material forming a closed loop;   at least one pin having a first end affixed at a first location on the main frame and extending across the closed loop to a second end of the at least one pin which is free and located at or adjacent a second location on the main frame that is spaced thereabout from the first location;   the main frame being bendable between a first closed position of the clip where the main frame has a first curvature by which the main frame is brought to touch with the at least one pin at or adjacent the second end thereof and a second open position of the clip where the main frame has a second curvature by which the main frame is located in spaced relation to the second end of the at least one pin;   the main frame being fixed in size between the first location and the second location;   the second end of the at least one pin being sharpened so as to form a pointed tip for piercing the piece of fabric such that the second end is passed therethrough from a position at or adjacent the first face of the fabric to a position at or adjacent the second face of the fabric;   the at least one pin having a rounded cross-section along its length from the second end which is sharpened towards the first end of the at least one pin so as to resist catching on the fabric as the second end is passed therethrough.   
     
     
         2 . A clip for attaching to a piece of fabric having first and second faces, the clip comprising:
 a main frame defined by a strip of metallic material forming a closed loop;   at least one pin having a first end affixed at a first location on the main frame and extending across the closed loop to a second end of the at least one pin which is free and located at or adjacent a second location on the main frame that is spaced thereabout from the first location;   the main frame being bendable between a first closed position of the clip where the main frame has a first curvature by which the main frame is brought to touch with the at least one pin at or adjacent the second end thereof and a second open position of the clip where the main frame has a second curvature by which the main frame is located in spaced relation to the second end of the at least one pin;   the main frame being fixed in size between the first location and the second location;   the second end of the at least one pin being sharpened so as to form a pointed tip for piercing the piece of fabric such that the second end is passed therethrough from a position at or adjacent the first face of the fabric to a position at or adjacent the second face of the fabric;   the at least one pin having a thickness measured transversely to its length between first and second ends and said thickness being greater than a thickness of the main frame which is measured between opposite faces of the strip of metallic material.   
     
     
         3 . A clip for attaching to a piece of fabric having first and second faces, the clip comprising:
 a main frame defined by a strip of metallic material forming a closed loop having longitudinal and transverse directions;   at least one pin having a first end affixed at a first location on the main frame and extending across the closed loop in the transverse direction to a second end of the at least one pin which is free and located at or adjacent a second location on the main frame that is spaced thereabout from the first location;   the main frame being bendable about a transverse axis between first and second stable positions of opposing convex and concave curvature in the longitudinal direction, said first stable position being a closed position in which the curvature of the main frame places the main frame in contact with the at least one pin at or adjacent the second end thereof, and said second stable position being an open position in which the curvature of the main frame places the main frame in spaced relation to the second end of the at least one pin.   
     
     
         4 . The clip according to  claim 3  wherein the main frame is longer in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction. 
     
     
         5 . The clip according to  claim 1  wherein each pin has a thickness measured transversely to its length between first and second ends and said thickness is greater than a thickness of the main frame which is measured between opposite faces of the strip of metallic material. 
     
     
         6 . The clip according to  claim 2  wherein the at least one pin has a rounded cross-section along its length from the second end which is sharpened towards the first end of the at least one pin so as to resist catching on the fabric as the second end is passed therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The clip according to  claim 1  wherein in each of the first closed position and the second open position the main frame is curved from a first end location at a periphery of the main frame to a second end location located at the periphery of the main frame in longitudinal relation to the first end location, and the at least one pin is oriented transversely of the main frame. 
     
     
         8 . The clip according to  claim 7  wherein the main frame is greater in longitudinal length than transverse length. 
     
     
         9 . The clip according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one pin is fixed in relation to the first location on the main frame. 
     
     
         10 . The clip according to  claim 1  wherein there is provided a coupling arrangement to affix to the main frame the at least one pin which is wholly distinct therefrom, the coupling arrangement comprising a bracket having a central area which is bendable so as to follow curvature of the main frame and being connected to the main frame such that the at least one pin is clamped between the central area of the bracket and the main frame. 
     
     
         11 . The clip according to  claim 10  wherein the bracket comprises a separate strip of metallic material wholly distinct from the main frame and fasteners connecting the separate strip to the main frame. 
     
     
         12 . The clip according to  claim 10  wherein the at least one pin is clamped by a flat face of at least one of the main frame and the central area of the bracket. 
     
     
         13 . The clip according to  claim 10  wherein a clamping face at which the at least one pin is engaged thereby of at least one of the main frame and the central area of the bracket thereby comprises a groove for seating the at least one pin therein. 
     
     
         14 . The clip according to  claim 10  wherein the central area of the bracket comprises side edges extending along a length of the bracket that follow a path of a respective one of inner and outer peripheral edges of the main frame. 
     
     
         15 . The clip according to  claim 1  wherein there is provided at the second location a body of non-metallic material attached to one of the main frame and the pin which in the first closed position provides non-metallic contact with a metal surface of another one of the main frame and the pin. 
     
     
         16 . The clip according to  claim 2  wherein in each of the first closed position and the second open position the main frame is curved from a first end location at a periphery of the main frame to a second end location located at the periphery of the main frame in longitudinal relation to the first end location, and the at least one pin is oriented transversely of the main frame. 
     
     
         17 . The clip according to  claim 2  wherein there is provided a coupling arrangement to affix to the main frame the at least one pin which is wholly distinct therefrom, the coupling arrangement comprising a bracket having a central area which is bendable so as to follow curvature of the main frame and being connected to the main frame such that the at least one pin is clamped between the central area of the bracket and the main frame. 
     
     
         18 . The clip according to  claim 3  wherein there is provided a coupling arrangement to affix to the main frame the at least one pin which is wholly distinct therefrom, the coupling arrangement comprising a bracket having a central area which is bendable so as to follow curvature of the main frame and being connected to the main frame such that the at least one pin is clamped between the central area of the bracket and the main frame. 
     
     
         19 . The clip according to  claim 2  wherein there is provided at the second location a body of non-metallic material attached to one of the main frame and the pin which in the first closed position provides non-metallic contact with a metal surface of another one of the main frame and the pin. 
     
     
         20 . The clip according to  claim 3  wherein there is provided at the second location a body of non-metallic material attached to one of the main frame and the pin which in the first closed position provides non-metallic contact with a metal surface of another one of the main frame and the pin.