Clothes Pegs

Abstract

In one embodiment a clothes peg 1 comprises a pair of elongate legs 8 and at least one of the legs 8 has an arm 6 extending outwardly therefrom which has a first connector 7 at the distal end. At leas

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to clothes pegs (known as clothes pins in the US), dolly pegs and the like. 5         Background of the Invention

[0002] Clothes pegs are widely used to secure laundry items to washing lines, clothesline or hanging rails for drying. Typically, the clothes peg has an opposed pair of legs or jaws between which the washing line fits, and which grip a laundry item.

[0003] One conventional form of clothes peg comprises a pair of legs, typically of wood or 10 plastic, pivotally connected together and biased together at one end, for example by a compression or torsion spring, so as to grip the washing line and the laundry items. The other ends of the legs can be compressed together with the fingers so as to move the gripping ends apart to release the laundry items or to remove the clothes peg from the washing line. C\j Typically the inner surfaces of the gripping ends have one or more notches to improve grip 15 and / or to prevent the clothes peg from slipping off the washing line. An early example of such a clothes peg is disclosed in US-A-365755 (Moore). LO

[0004] One disadvantage of conventional clothes pegs when used on a conventional CM washing line is that the space for hanging laundry items is limited by the length of the washing line. To hold larger items, more than one clothes peg must be spaced apart along 20 the washing line, thus taking up space along the washing line. One conventional solution is to use multiple washing lines, for example a T washing line or a rotary washing line. However, these require a more complex mounting arrangement and generally take up more space.

[0005] JP-A-2014213026 discloses an arrangement for drying multiple items, in which a 25 clothes peg is hooked onto the springs of adjacent clothes pegs by cords. This arrangement requires two clothes pegs to be supported in order to hang one further clothes peg between them, and the cords must be attached between the clothes pegs.

[0006] FR-A-2777295 discloses a fastener made of a folded strip of flexible material, equipped with a small pair of spring clips, that can be attached to a washing line by a clothes 30 peg. However, the clothes peg cannot then be used to hang a laundry item, and the hanging capacity is limited to two small items. Statement of the Invention

[0007] Aspects of the invention are defined by the accompanying claims. According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a clothes peg that can be connected to one or more other, similar clothes pegs such that each clothes peg, when so connected, is 5 able to grip a respective laundry item or part of a laundry item. The clothes pegs may be connected together side by side, so that they extend perpendicular to the washing line when one of the pegs is attached to the washing line. Advantageously, this may increase the available drying capacity of the washing line in a flexible manner.

[0008] The clothes peg includes an arm connectable to another, similar clothes peg so as to 10 space the connected clothes pegs apart and therefore allow air to circulate between laundry items held by the respective clothes pegs. The arm may extend laterally so as to space the laundry items apart in a direction perpendicular to the washing line. The arm may be integrally formed with, or attached to a part of the clothes peg, such as a leg of the clothes peg. The arm may be self-supporting or cantilevered from the leg of the clothes peg and 15 may be substantially rigid.

[0009] The connecting parts on each clothes peg may be spaced apart in a vertical direction so that successively connected clothes pegs are separated vertically. One advantage is to LO make each clothes peg easier to access. Another advantage is that each successive clothes £\J pegs may cascade downwards from the washing line, thus lowering the centre of gravity of 20 the hanging arrangement and making it more stable.

[0010] The connecting parts advantageously do not interfere with the ability of the clothes peg to grip the washing line or a laundry item. In particularly, the connecting parts are not located between the legs of the clothes pegs.

[0011] The clothes pegs may be connected to other, similar clothes pegs on opposite sides, 25 so as to allow a balanced hanging arrangement. A plurality of similar clothes pegs may be provided as a set for connection together in a plurality of different arrangements.

[0012] The connecting parts may be connectable together in more than one discrete orientation, thus allowing more flexibility in the configuration of sets of clothes pegs connected together. 30

[0013] The connecting parts may comprise a hook or pin on one clothes peg that fits within an eye or socket on the other clothes peg. The hook and eye may be fitted together in at least one or more orientations relative to a vertical axis. For example, the hook and eye may be rectangular, square or hexagonal in horizontal cross-section. 10 20 25 Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] There now follows, by way of example only, a detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the figures identified below. Figure 1 is a front view of a clothes peg in a first embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 shows a plurality of clothes pegs of the first embodiment, connected together in one possible configuration. Figures 3a and 3b are respectively a front view and a perspective view of a clothes peg of a second embodiment of the invention. Figure 4 shows a plurality of clothes pegs of the second embodiment, connected together in a first possible configuration. Figure 5 shows a plurality of clothes pegs of the second embodiment, connected together in a second possible configuration. Figure 6 shows a plurality of clothes pegs of the second embodiment, connected together in a third possible configuration. Figure 7 is a front view of a clothes pegs of a third embodiment of the invention. Figure 8 is a front view of a clothes peg of a fourth embodiment of the invention. Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0015] In the following description of the embodiments, directional references are with reference to an orientation of the clothes peg in use e.g. when attached to a washing line or hanging rail. In the front views, the washing line (not shown) extends in a direction corresponding to the orthogonal direction to the page. The vertical direction in use corresponds to the vertical direction on the page and the horizontal or lateral direction corresponds to the horizontal direction on the page in the front views. The plane of the clothes peg, in embodiments where the clothes peg is essentially planar, corresponds to the plane of the page. Inner, outer and similar wording are referenced to a central vertical line, either of a clothes peg or of a configuration of clothes pegs, depending on the context.

[0016] The first to fourth embodiments are based on a type of clothes peg as described in this paragraph, although the present invention is not limited to clothes pegs of that type. The clothes peg comprises a symmetrical pair of elongate legs 1 pivotally connected together by a torsion spring 2 having arms engaged in slots 4 in the laterally outer sides of the legs 1. The upper ends la of the legs 1 are tapered on their inner opposing faces, to allow the upper ends la to be compressed together and the lower ends lb to be forced apart, thereby allowing the clothes peg to be attached to a washing line and to grip a laundry item. The inner opposing faces of the legs 1 may include a notch 5 to enhance the grip on a laundry item and / or to accommodate the washing line, depending on how the clothes peg is used. There may be a smaller notch 3 closer to the spring 2. The lower ends lb may have a 5 chamfer to facilitate sliding the clothes peg onto the washing line. Typically, this type of peg is about 7-8 cm long along the length of the legs 1, about 1-1.5 cm wide across the width of the two legs together, and about 1 cm deep. First Embodiment

[0017] In a first embodiment, an arm 6 extends laterally outwards from the side of one of 10 the legs 1 and has at its outer or distal end a first type of connector, in this case a downwardly extending pin or hook 7. A second type of connector, such as a socket or eye 8 having a vertically extending aperture within, is provided on the outer lateral side of each leg 1, at or near the lower end lb. The first and second types of connector are connectible together as between different clothes pegs. 15

[0018] As shown in Figure 2, the hook 7 of one such clothes peg fits within the eye 8 of "T” another such clothes peg, so that multiple such clothes pegs can be connected together without impeding the grip of the lower ends lb or the ability of the user to compress the upper ends la together so as to release that grip.

[0019] The hook 7 has a rectangular cross-section in the horizontal plane, and the eye 8 has 20 a corresponding rectangular cross-section of slightly larger dimensions, such that the hook 7 can fit easily into the eye 8 but is held therein with little play. The rectangular crosssection of the hook 7 and eye 8 inhibits relative rotation about a vertical axis. The lower end of the hook 7 may be chamfered to aid insertion into the eye 8.

[0020] The pin or hook 7 and socket or eye 8 extend in a vertical direction so that the pin 25 or hook 7 is supported within the socket or eye 8. Preferably, the arm 6 and connectors 7 and 8 are arranged so that the clothes pegs when connected together are arranged in parallel i.e. with the legs 1 of the different clothes pegs parallel to one another.

[0021] The arm 6 in this embodiment has a first, laterally inner part 6a that extends substantially perpendicularly from the leg 1 and a second, laterally outer part 6b that extends 30 diagonally upwards and outwards. The first part allows sufficient clearance for the user’s finger or thumb around the upper end la of the corresponding leg 1. The second part 6b 10 25 30 raises the vertical position of the hook 7 so that the clothes peg hangs lower relative to another clothes peg to which it is attached.

[0022] The arm 6 may be integral with the leg 1 to which it is attached and may form part of the moulding of that leg 1, or alternatively may be formed as a separate part and then fixed to that leg 1. The arm 6 may be substantially rigid, self-supporting and / or form a cantilever from that leg 1. The arm 6 may have an I-shaped cross-section with the I extending vertically, to provide strength in the vertical direction.

[0023] The arm 6 preferably extends within the plane of the clothes peg i.e. perpendicular to the pivoting axis of the legs 1. This gives an essentially planar form to the clothes peg such that a set of clothes pegs can be stacked in a direction perpendicular to the plane, either for storage or on a washing line. This form may also be easier to manufacture, for example by moulding.

[0024] Another advantage of the planar arrangement of the arm 6 is that weight applied downwardly to the arm 6, for example by attachment of another clothes peg holding a laundry item, applies a torque around the pivoting axis of the legs 1 that forces the lower ends lb together and increases their grip. The direction of this torque also avoids twisting the associated leg 1 so that the legs 1 are pulled out of engagement with the spring 2. This twisting may alternatively or additionally be resisted by the use of known features of clothes pegs of this type, such as parts that project inwardly between the legs and form a sliding engagement.

[0025] The arrangement shown in Figure 2 may be constructed in a modular fashion using a set of similar clothes pegs P1-P5. A first clothes peg Pl may be attached to a washing line in a conventional fashion, with a laundry item held between its lower ends lb. Second and third clothes pegs P2, P3 may then be attached to either side of the first peg Pl, and further laundry items may be held within their lower ends lb without the need for any further washing line, as the second and third pegs P2, P3 are supported by the first clothes peg Pl on the washing line.

[0026] Fourth and fifth clothes pegs P4, P5 may then be attached to the outer sides of the second and third clothes pegs P4, P5 respectively, and each of the fourth and fifth clothes pegs P4, P5 may hold further laundry items. Hence, this configuration increases the capacity of the washing line, in this case fivefold. One larger laundry item may be held by multiple clothes pegs, such as between clothes pegs P4 and P5, perpendicularly to the washing line and without taking up space along the washing line. Alternatively, similar arrangements to 10 those of Figure 2 (or other configurations) may be spaced along the washing line, and larger laundry items hung between them, which allows multiple laundry items to occupy the same length of washing line that would conventionally only hold one laundry item.

[0027] The arms 6 space the clothes pegs P2-P5 apart in the lateral direction, for example by a horizontal distance H, so that air can circulate between the laundry items and dry them. The horizontal distance H is preferably significantly greater than the horizontal width of the pair of legs 1 connected together by the spring. In one example, the horizontal distance H is between 3 and 8 cm and preferably between 5 and 6 cm for a horizontal width of the pair of legs of between 1 and 1.6 cm, more particularly about 1.4 cm.

[0028] The vertical distance V between the hook 7 and the eye 8 on each clothes peg causes mutually connected clothes pegs to be vertically spaced apart by that distance V. One advantage is that this facilitates access to each clothes peg. As each successive clothes peg is vertically lower than the preceding one to which it is attached (for example, clothes peg P2 is lower than clothes peg Pl, while clothes peg P4 is lower than clothes peg P2), this also gives a stable hanging arrangement with a centre of gravity well below the washing line. In one example, the vertical distance V is between 3 and 10 cm and preferably between 6 and 7 cm, with the length of the legs being between 6 and 12 cm and more particularly between 8 and 9 cm.

[0029] Preferably, the clothes pegs may be hung laterally symmetrically so that the arrangement is balanced, facilitated by the arrangement of eyes 8 on both sides of the clothes peg-

[0030] Further clothes pegs may be added to the configuration as required, for example to either eye 8 of the clothes pegs P4 and P5, so that an even greater number of laundry items can be dried on the washing line, limited only by the strength of the clothes pegs and the 25 washing line, the weight of the laundry items and the available space below and to either side of the washing line. Second Embodiment

[0031] The second embodiment incorporates two main variations from the first embodiment, either of which may be adopted independently of the other. 30

[0032] In the first variation, each of the two legs has a respective arm 6 extending laterally outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, with respective hook 7 at the laterally outer end. Preferably, the two legs 1 with their respective arms 6 are symmetrical and may have the 10 15 25 30 same form; this facilitates mass production as only one form of leg 1, with attached parts such as the arm 6, hook 7 and eye 8, need be manufactured.

[0033] Having two arms 6 also extends the possible configurations in which multiple clothes pegs can be connected together. One such configuration using a set of clothes pegs as shown in Figure 4 is similar to that shown in Figure 2. Another configuration using a set of clothes pegs P1-P5 is shown in Figure 5, in which first and second clothes pegs Pl and P2 may be attached to respective adjacent washing lines; third and fourth clothes pegs P3 and P4 are then attached to the laterally inner eyes 8 of the first and second clothes pegs Pl and P2 respectively, and fifth clothes peg P5 is then attached between the laterally inner eyes 8 of the third and fourth clothes pegs P3, P4 respectively. Each of the clothes pegs Pl -P5 is able to hold a laundry item in this configuration. Although this configuration requires two washing lines, to which the first and second clothes pegs Pl and P2 are respectively attached, this arrangement may be more stable, for example because it is more resistance to swinging and / or because of the additional support provided by two washing lines. The configuration may be extended by attaching further clothes pegs to the eyes 8 of the fifth clothes peg P5.

[0034] In the second variation of the second embodiment relative to the first embodiment, the hooks 7 and eyes 8 have a square cross-section, which allows the hooks 7 to be located in the eyes 8 in multiple different azimuthal orientations (i.e. about the vertical direction) that the clothes pegs may be connected together orthogonally or parallel to each other. This enables configurations using a set of similar clothes pegs such as shown in Figure 6, is which each successive clothes peg is connected orthogonally relative to the preceding clothes peg, so that the clothes pegs P1-P5 are arranged in a spiral. This arrangement is useful for hanging multiple small laundry items, such as socks.

[0035] Other cross-sectional shapes may be used for the hooks 7 and eyes 8, to allow other relative orientations. For example, the cross-sections may be hexagonal to allow relative orientations of 60° or 120° between the planes of successive clothes pegs.

[0036] As is apparent from the configurations above, the clothes pegs may have an enhanced play value as a modular construction toy as well as enhanced utility for drying laundry items. This may encourage children (and adults) to help hang out the washing, thus sharing the domestic burden more evenly. Moreover, different configurations may be used depending on the type of laundry items to be hung out to dry. Third Embodiment

[0037] The third embodiment is similar to the second embodiment, except in the form of the arms 6, in which the inner parts 6a are divided into upper and lower vertically separate sections, each of which are attached to the side of the corresponding leg 1. This arrangement provides an alternative to the I-beam cross-section of the first and second embodiments and may use less material.

[0038] The horizontal distance H and vertical distance V are similar to those of the first and second embodiments. The pins 7 and sockets 8 are rectangular but not square in crosssection, similar to those of the first embodiment. Example

[0039] In this example, the clothes peg lacks arms 6; instead, the hooks 7 are attached directly to the laterally outer faces of the legs 1, at or towards the upper ends la, while eyes 8 are attached at or towards the lower ends lb of the legs 1, as in the preceding embodiments. This example may be used in situations where the lateral displacement of the arms 6 is not required. The arrangement of the hook 7 and eye 8 on the laterally outer sides of the legs gives some horizontal distance H between clothes pegs of this embodiment when connected together. The vertical distance V is similar to that in previous embodiments.

[0040] A clothes peg in this example may be connected to clothes pegs of embodiments, that have arms 6. For example, in the configurations shown in Figures 2 and 4 to 6, the arms 6 of the uppermost clothes peg(s) (e.g. the first clothes peg Pl in Figures 2, 4 and 6) are not used, so a clothes peg of the example may be used in that position. However, it is preferable for ease of use and manufacture that all the clothes pegs in a set are of the same form. Construction

[0041] In prototypes of the clothes pegs of the first to third embodiments and the example, the legs 1 with attached parts were each 3D printed as single pieces and pairs of legs were connected together with a conventional spring 2. For mass production, the legs 1 and attached parts may be made of moulded plastic, for example by injection moulding either in single or multiple moulding steps. 10 LO CM 20 25 Alternative Embodiments

[0042] Although the connectors in the above embodiments comprise a hook or pin 7 at the end of the arm 6 and eyes or sockets 8 attached directly to the legs 1, the connectors could be reversed so that an eye or socket is provided at the end of the arm 6 and upwardly-extending hooks or pins are attached directly to the legs 1.

[0043] Alternative forms of connectors may be used instead of hook and eye or pin and socket connectors, provided they have the required strength and ease of use.

[0044] The vertical positions of the connectors could be reversed, so that the arm 6 with one type of connector is closer to the lower end lb of the leg 1 and the corresponding other type of connectors is closer to the upper end la of the leg 1.

[0045] In some alternative embodiments, each clothes peg may have a pair of arms, each with one type of connector, and may have only one other type of connector, while still enabling a downward cascading arrangement of clothes pegs such as shown in Figure 2 or Figure 4.

[0046] In the above embodiments, the arm 6 extends laterally from the leg 1 to which it is attached. Alternatively, the arm 6 could extend from the leg 1 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the peg, if required to give a particular configuration.

[0047] Aspects of the above embodiments may be applied to other types of clothes peg, including those where the legs are fixed or integrated together, and grip is provided by the resilience of the legs themselves. However, the use of pivoting, resiliently biased legs gives a strong grip, particularly for clothes pegs that are not attached directly to the washing line, and the ability to release the grip by pressing the upper ends of the legs together makes the clothes pegs easier to use. Other types of spring such as a compression spring may be used.

[0048] Alternative embodiments may be envisaged, which nevertheless fall within the scope of the following claims. Environmental Benefits

[0049] The clothes pegs of at least some of the embodiments may enable more efficient drying of large numbers of laundry items on a washing line, thus reducing the need for machine drying and reducing energy consumption. Drying on a washing line generally 30 causes less damage to clothes than machine drying, thus increasing the longevity of clothes and reducing consumption of clothing materials such as cotton which may be detrimental to the environment.

Claims

1. A set of clothes pegs comprising at least first and second said clothes pegs each having a pair of elongate legs, at least one of the legs having an arm extending outwardly therefrom and having a first connector at a distal end thereof, and at least one of the legs having a second connector, the second connector of the first said clothes peg being connectable to the first connector of the second said clothes peg such that the first and second clothes pegs are held in a mutually spaced apart arrangement.

2. The set of clothes peg of claim 1, wherein the arm is rigidly attached to or integrated with a corresponding one of the legs.

3. The set of clothes pegs of claim 1 or claim 2, having a pair of said arms extending in opposite directions from respective ones of the legs.

4. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein the arm extends in a lateral direction from the respective leg.

5. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein the arm also extends in a direction parallel to the elongate legs.

6. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein the first and second connectors are mutually separated in a direction parallel to the elongate legs.

7. The set of clothes pegs of claim 6, wherein the second connector is arranged lower down the respective clothes peg than the first connector, such that second clothes peg is lower than the first clothes peg in use when the second connector of the first clothes peg is connected to the first connector of the second clothes peg.

8. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein the arm and the first and second connectors are arranged such that the first and second clothes pegs are arranged parallel to one another when connected together.

9. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein the second connector is not located between the elongate legs of the respective clothes peg.

10. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein the second connector is located on a laterally outer part of a corresponding one of the legs.25 11 2411. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, having a pair of said second connectors provided on respective ones of the legs of the respective clothes peg.

12. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein the first and second connectors are of a type that enables mutual connection in any one of a plurality of discrete 5 orientations.

13. The set of clothes pegs of claim 12, wherein said discrete orientations comprise discrete azimuthal orientations above a vertical axis in use.

14. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein one of the first and second connectors has an aperture that extends vertically in use and the other one of the first 10 and second connectors has a vertically extending part that fits within the aperture.

15. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein the first and second connectors comprise a hook or pin and a corresponding socket or eye.

16. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein the pair of legs are pivotally connected together.15 17. The set of clothes pegs of any preceding claim, wherein the pair of legs are biasedtogether.

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