Banister clip

Abstract

A banister clip has a single elongated plastic or metal flexible body having a first arc-like portion and a second arc-like portion. The first arc-like portion extends along a path of from 270° to 320° about a center point and has a first end and a second end. The second arc-like portion extends from the center point of the first arc-like portion to the first end of the first arc-like portion. A hook is attached to the second end of the first arc-like portion. The elongated body is sufficiently flexible to be unraveled and fitted over a banister.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to a clip for hanging decorative lights and other things from a railing or banister. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] During the holidays people often place Christmas lights on railings or banisters outside or inside their houses. Some will intertwine decorative strings of lights around the railing. Others will use string, tape or wire ties to attach the string of decorative lights to the railing. Although there have been U-shaped plastic clips designed for holding strings of lights to the eaves of a house, such as the clip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,926 to Reynolds, these clips generally do not work on most banisters. Some railings or banisters have a simple rectangular cross section. A U-shaped clip can be used on these. Other rails are round. U-shaped clips do not work well on round railings. Many other railings have more complex cross sectional shapes involving multiple curves along the perimeter of the rail. Banisters ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] I provide a banister clip which has a single elongated plastic or metal flexible body. This body has two arc portions each of which correspond to a circle of different diameters of the larger arc. The smaller arc extends from the center of the larger arc over about 180°. Then the smaller arc is attached to one end of the larger arc which extends over a path of 270° to 320°. A hook is attached to the opposite end of the first arc. The body is sufficiently flexible to enab

Problems solved by technology

Although there have been U-shaped plastic clips designed for holding strings of lights to the eaves of a house, such as the clip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,926 to Reynolds, these clips generally do not work on most banisters.

U-shaped clips do not work well on round railings.

Because of these variations U-shaped clips are not suitable for hanging objects on most banisters.

While the hanger disclosed by Protz could be used on some banisters, its use is limited to banisters whose width is not larger than the diameter of the opening defined by the upper portion of the clip.

Breakage will occur at that location if the end is pulled too far.

This clip can only fit on a limited range of banisters whose width is not much greater than the diameter of the holding portion.

Although one could make a hook having a spiral end which is large enough to be unraveled to fit on a banister, I have found that such a hook will not hold on some banister shapes.

Unraveling, or attempting to unravel, a spiral hook concentrates stress at certain regions along the path of the spiral which can result in breakage.

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