A holder for a flat item

Abstract

A system of a holder and a flexible strip for clamping a flat item, wherein the strip is bendable around a folding line of said strip and placeable inside a recess of said holder wherein said strip presses against at least two inner walls of the recess. It is also disclosed a roll of strip, a roll dispenser, a method of using thereof and a kit of parts thereof.

Description

_ l _ A holder for a flat item The invention relates to a system comprising a holding device and a flexible strip for clamping a flat item such as a sheet, a photograph and a display card. A. notable prior art example is disclosed in AU2629677A, comprising a system wherein a rollershaped clamping piece is housed in a hollow section that tapers downward and is open at the bottom. In this configuration, the clamping piece has a diameter large enough to ensure that its lower edge remains significantly above the lower edge of the hollow sections front wall. This arrangement results in the front wall extending behind. the clamping' piece's centerline, creating' challenges during operation. The system of the prior art necessitates manually lifting the clamping' piece to release the secured. sheet material. This limits the clamping surface to the lateral portions of the clamping piece, requiring high specific clamping forces for effective retention. Additionally, the system. has inherent disadvantages, including the need for considerable manual effort to release the clamping piece and the resulting constraints on the device's operational length and the width of sheet material it can accommodate. The limited length also increases the risk of the clamping piece tilting or jamming within the cavity. Additionally, the use of flexible clamps requires precises tolerances and significant space, further complicating production and limiting adaptability. Thus, the existing prior art presents significant limitations in ease of use, scalability for wider sheet materials, and uniform clamping force distribution. These challenges highlight the need for an improved system capable of securely clenching and releasing sheet materials of varying widths with minimal _ 2 _ effort, while ensuring uniform pressure distribution and preventing clamping piece tilting or canting. The prior art lack the flexibility required for dynamic environments such as exhibitions or retail displays where quick setup and removal are essential. The reliance on precise tolerances or specialized materials also increases the risk of damage to delicate objects like thin posters or photographs, highlighting the need for a simpler and more efficient solution. It is an object of the invention to provide an improvement to the prior art embodied in a holder for flat objects and items, that is simple, efficient, and versatile, while minimizing the risks of wear, misalignment, and maintenance typically associated. with traditional systems. This object and other objects are embodied in a system of a holder and a flexible strip for a flat item, and a roll dispenser, roll of strip, a roll dispenser, a method for using thereof and a kit of parts thereof according to the following disclosure. According to the invention, a system of a holder and a flexible strip for a flat item is proposed in accordance with claim 1. The flexible strip comprises a predefined folding line able to fit into a recess of a holder as to clench a flat item between the inner wall of the recess and flexible strip, through the inherent tendency of the strip to return to its undeformed state i.e. the resilience of the strip. This generates intrinsic tension to securely hold flat objects without requiring additional fastening components or complex assemblies. The strip is bendable around the folding line of said strip, which strip is placeable with the folding line comprised inside a recess of said holder wherein parts of said strip distant from the folding line press against at least two opposite inner walls of the recess. The flat item may consequently be clenchingly placeable between the bent strip and the at least two opposite _ 3 _ inner walls of the recess. The holder may be part of a wall, a plinth or a piece of furniture. The folding line is not limited to a physical folding line and may therefore comprise a virtual folding line. To the person skilled in the art, flexible, in this context, may be understood as a material that can be stretched and bent reversibly or irreversibly when they undergo a mechanical strain. Specifically, this means that flexible materials can change shape (specifically, be stretched) and return to their original shape after the stretching' force is removed. This inherent tendency to return to its original shape provides the ability to the strip to produce a clenching force holding the flat item in place between an inner wall of the recess and the strip. The original shape of the strip may be flat or curved. The term flexible material also comprises materials that can undergo a plastic deformation when put under a mechanical strain. When the strip is bent from a flat configuration into a bent configuration it undergoes a plastic deformation. However, once in the bent configuration, the strip remains resilient. According to one aspect of the invention, the strip is bendable around a folding line of said strip into a VFshape, or an U shape or an Oshape or a pointed oval shape configuration, or any letter in the alphabet. Shaping the strip as such may provide a more precise control over where this clenching force is applied and the degree with which this clenching force is applied. To adapt to various shapes and interior designs, the recess extends in the holder over at least 90% of the holders length and / or said recess may comprise a curved. portion and / or a straight portion. Additionally, it is advantageous that the user does not have to struggle with placing a strip into the recess of the holder, and _ 4 _ the strip can gradually bend around its folding line into a bent configuration where it is able to perform the required clenching force. To this end, in one embodiment, a crosssection of the at least two inner walls of the recess comprise a Vshaped taper portion or a reverse taper portion or a barrel taper portion. A Vshaped taper opening in the recess provides ease of introduction of the flat item into the holder. A reverse taper body provides more contact surface between the clenching strip and the inners walls of the recess leading to a better grip on the flat item. The barrel taper shape provides a compromised combination of both. In order to still maintain an appropriate degree of clenching force while maintaining the ease of removal of the flat item from the holder, a crosssection of the at least two inner walls of the recess may comprise a rectangular shape. In one embodiment, the folding line of the strip comprises a weakened section on at least one side of the strip. When only one side of the strip is embodied with weakened section in the folding line, the user can easily bend the strip while keeping the weakened section on the outside to place the strip inside the holder. Bending the strip while keeping the weakened section on the inside results in a stronger clenching force (bending moment) suitable for a heavier flat item. This feature provides the user with the option of increasing the clenching force with the same strip used for a lighter flat item. Furthermore, it can be advantageous to place the folding line of the strip away from a center line of the strip. Placing the folding line away from the center line of the strip allows the strip to be folded asymmetrically so it can adapt to various shapes of the recess. In one embodiment, a bending moment of the strip is proportional to a stiffness of said strip. The bending moment is the reaction induced in the structure of the strip when an external force or moment is applied to the strip, causing the strip to bend. A _ 5 _ higher stiffness leads to a higher bending moment and in consequence to a higher grip on the flat item, and vice versa. It is further advantageous that the stiffness of the strip is configured to gradually decrease in parts of the strip away from the folding line of said strip. This leads to a higher bending moment in the strip while allowing for a relatively easier introduction of the flat item.in the holder since the extremities of the strip are softer than the parts of the strip closer to the folding line. In one embodiment, surfaces of the strip and / or of the holder are covered with feltlike fabric, ensuring ease of introduction of the flat item into the holder. In one embodiment, surfaces of the strip and / or of the holder are covered with rubberlike fabric for improved grip on the flat item. In one embodiment, the holder is composed of a material selected from. plastic, wood, metal, or a combination. thereof. These materials ensure the necessary stiffness of the holder, preventing deformation under the clenching force applied by the strip. Additionally, the selected materials facilitate ease of fabrication, allowing for manufacturing processes that achieve precise tolerances using relatively simple methods. This simplicity in manufacturing further enables the holder to be shaped into the desired configuration efficiently. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a roll of a strip forming part of the system. The roll comprises the strip rolled in a flat configuration or in a bent configuration. This allows for convenient transport and storage of the strip, enabling ease of use by the user According to a third aspect of the invention, a roll dispenser _ 6 _ of the roll of the system.is proposed, wherein the roll dispenser comprises a frame configured for receiving and rolling a roll of the strip forming' part of the system The roll can be rotatably attached to the frame. This allows the user to simply measure out the strip to their desired length, and apply their own fold lines based on the desired flat item. In one embodiment, the roll dispenser comprises a case configured to house the roll of strip alone or both the frame and the roll of strip, wherein the case comprises an opening from which the strip can be pulled out, thereby integrating the components into a single, streamlined product. This configuration simplifies the use of the roll dispenser and enhances manufacturability by reducing assembly complexity. It is advantageous that, in one embodiment, the dispenser comprises a cutting element placed on the frame or on an external surface of the case for cutting the strip at a desired length of the strip. This means the user does not require any additional tools to manufacture the holder as desired, and provided flexibility' as the user* can. adapt the strip to the desired application such as sensitive photos or thin sheets of paper. In accordance with the roll dispenser suitable for the strip, a method is proposed to use the roll dispenser, comprising the steps of: rolling a strip out of the roll dispenser cutting the strip at a user defined length; bending the strip over a folding line into a Vshape or a Ushape or an Oshape or a pointed oval shape; and placing the strip in a recess of the holder. This method provides users with the flexibility to customize the holder by cutting the strip into any desired shape. Such customization allows users to securely fit flat items into the holder, tailored to their specific needs or preferences. _ 7 _ Furthermore, by employing various bending shapes, users can precisely control the localization of the clenching force and its distribution along the inner walls of the holder. In one nonlimiting example, a user might even choose to shape the strip to spell their own name. In a fourth aspect of the invention, a kit of parts may be provided comprising a strip, a holder and / or a drill bit for drilling the recess on a surface, and a roll dispenser and / or a roll of strip. The user may use the drill bit to create a holder by drilling a recess in a wall, in a floor, in a table surface, or in any other piece of furniture. The accompanying drawing, which is incorporated into and forms a part of the specification, illustrates one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention. The drawing is only for the purpose of illustrating one or more embodiments of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. In the drawing: figure la depicts the system.of the holder and strip wherein the flat item clenched in the recess using said strip, and figure lb simply depicts the holder with the recess without the flat item; and figure 2a and 2b depict the strip respectively when its flat and when it is folded, and a possible orientation and position for the folding line over which the strip has been folded; and figure 3a and 3b respectively depict the roll dispenser with the frame and the cutter and the strip, and the case with the cutter and the strip. Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, _ 8 _ these numerals refer to the same parts. Figure 1a displays a system.l of a holder 6 and a flexible strip 3 for a flat item 4 according to the invention, wherein the strip 3 is seperately shown in figures 2a and 2b. The strip 3 comprises a predefined folding line 3.1 and is bendable around the folding line 3.1 of said strip 3, which strip 3 is placeable with the folding line 3.1 comprised inside a recess 1.2 of said holder 6 wherein parts of said strip distant from the folding line 3.1 press against at least two opposite inner walls of the recess 1.2. The flat item 4 (or items) is (or are) clenchingly placeable between the bended strip 3 and one of the at least two inner walls of the recess. In one embodiment, the strip 3 may be a resilient strip. Figure lb displays a possible configuration of the recess 1.2 which extends in the holder 6 over at least 90% of the holders 6 length. The recess 1.2 may also comprise a curved portion and / or a straight portion (not shown in figure lb). Figure 2a and 2b display how the strip 3 is bendable around a folding line 3.1 of said strip, and may be bendable into a V shape (as shown in figure 2b), or an Ushape or an Oshape or a pointed oval shape configuration (not shown in the figures). Accordingly, with reference to figure 1b, a crosssection of the at least two inner walls of the recess 1.2 may comprise a V shaped taper portion or a reverse taper portion or a barrel taper portion. Furthermore, a crosssection of the at least two inner walls of the recess 1.2 may comprise a rectangular shape. One embodiment of the folding' line 3.1 of the strip 3 Inay comprise a weakened portion on at least one side of the strip 3, allowing the strip 3 to easily fold. into its clenching configuration. It is also possible that the folding line 3.1 is _ 9 _ placeable away from a center line of the strip 3. A. bending' moment of the strip 3 may be proportional to a stiffness of said strip 3. Accordingly, the stiffness of the strip 3 is configured to gradually decrease in parts of the strip 3 away from the folding line 3.1 of said strip 3. In one embodiment, surfaces of the strip 3 and / or of the holder are covered with feltlike fabric. In another embodiment, additionally surfaces of the strip 3 and / or of the holder 6 are covered with rubberlike fabric. In another embodiment, additionally the holder comprises plastic material, or wooded material or metal material or a combination thereof. In accordance with the strip 3, the present invention may comprise a roll 5.4 of a strip 3 forming part of the system, wherein the roll 5.4 comprises the strip 3 rolled in a flat configuration F or in a bent configuration B. In accordance with the strip 3 and roll 5.4, the present invention further comprises a roll dispenser 5, comprising a frame 5.1 configured for receiving and rolling a roll 5.4 of the strip 3, as shown in figures 3a and 3b. The roll dispenser 5 may comprise a case 5.2 for housing said frame 5.1 and said strip roll 5.4, wherein the case 5.2 may comprise an opening 5.5 from which the strip 3 can be pulled out. Additionally, the roll dispenser 5 may comprise a cutting element 5.3 placed on an external surface of the frame 5.1, or a surface of the case 5.2, suitable for cutting the strip 3 at a desired length of the strip 3. In accordance with a strip 3 and a roll dispenser 5 according to any one of claims 1619 and for using a system 1 according to any one of claims 115, a method for said roll dispenser is provided comprising the steps of: _ 10 _ rolling a strip 3 of any of the claims 119 out of the roll dispenser 5; cutting the strip 3 at a user defined length; bending the strip over a folding line 3.1 into a Vshape or a Ushape or an Oshape or a pointed oval shape; placing the bent strip in the recess 1.2 of the holder 6. Finally, in accordance with a strip 3, a holder 6 and a roll dispenser 5, a kit of parts is provided comprising a strip 3 according to any one of claims 119; a holder 6 according to any one of claims 115 and / or a drill bit for drilling a recess 1.2 on a surface according to any one of claim 1315; and a roll dispenser 5 and / or a roll 5.4 of strip 3 according to any of the claim 1619. Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the invention is not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the ClaiHL to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment. Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, and publications cited above are hereby incorporated by _ 11 _ reference. Unless specifically stated as being essential above, none of the various components or the interrelationship thereof are essential to the operation of the invention. Rather, desirable results can be achieved by substituting various components and / or reconfiguration of their relationships with one another. In the following section aspects of the invention are itemized. 1. A system (1) of a holder (6) and a flexible strip (3) for a flat item (4), characterized in that the strip (3) comprises a predefined. folding' line (3.1) and. is bendable around the folding line (3.1) of said strip (3), which strip (3) is placeable with the folding line (3.1) comprised inside a recess (1.2) of said holder (6), and wherein parts of said strip distant from the folding line (3.1) press against at least two opposite inner walls of the recess (1.2). 2. The system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the strip (3) is a resilient strip (3). 3. The system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the recess (1.2) extends in the holder (6) over at least 90 % of the holders (6) length. 4. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized. in that the recess (1.2) comprises a curved portion and / or a straight portion. 5. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the strip (3) is bendable around the folding line (3.1) of said strip (3) into a Vshape, or a Ushape or an Oshape or a pointed oval shape configuration. 6. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a crosssection of the at least two inner walls of the recess (1.2) comprises a Vshaped taper section and / or a reverse taper section and / or a barrel taper section. 7. The system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a crosssection of the at least _ 12 _ two inner walls of the recess comprises at least one rectangular shaped section. 8. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the folding line (3.1) of the strip (3) comprises a weakened section on at least one side of the strip (3). 9. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the folding line (3.1) of the strip (3) comprises a weakened section only on one side of the strip (3). 10. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the folding line (3.1) is placeable away from a center line of the strip (3). 11. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that a bending moment of the strip (3) is proportional to a stiffness of said strip (3). 12. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stiffness of the strip (3) is configured to gradually decrease in parts of the strip (3) away from the folding line (3.1) of said strip (3). 13. The system (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that a surface of the strip (3) and / or of the holder (6) is covered with feltlike fabric. 14. The system (1) according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that a surface of the strip (3) and / or of the holder (6) is covered with rubberlike fabric. 15. The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holder (6) comprises plastic material, or wooded material or metal material or a combination thereof. 16. A roll (5.4) of a strip (3) forming part of the system according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the roll (5.4) comprises the strip (3) rolled in a flat configuration (F) or in a bent configuration (B). 17. A roll dispenser (5) of the roll (5.4) according _ 13 _ to claim. 16, characterized in that the roll dispenser (5) comprises a frame (5.1) configured for receiving and rolling the roll (5.4) of the strip (3), wherein said roll (5.4) of the strip (3) is rotatably attached to the frame (5.1). 18. The roll dispenser (5) according to claim. 17, characterized in that the roll dispenser (5) comprises a case (5.2) for housing the frame (5.1) and / or strip roll (5.4), wherein the case (5.2) comprises an opening (5.5) from.which the strip (3) can be pulled out. 19. The roll dispenser (5) according to any one of claims 1718, characterized in that the roll dispenser (5) comprises at least one cutting element (5.3) placed on the frame (5.1) or on an external surface of the case (5.2) for cutting the strip (3) at a desired length of the strip (3). 20. Method for using a roll dispenser (5) according to any one of claims 1619 and for using a system (1) according to any one of claims 115, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: rolling a strip (3) forming part of a system of any of the claims 119 out of the roll dispenser (5) according to any one of claims 1719; cutting the strip (3) at a user defined length; bending the strip over a folding line (3.1) into a Vshape or a Ushape or an Oshape or a pointed oval shape; placing the bent strip (3) in the recess (1.2) of the holder (6) of the system of any one of claims 115. 21. A kit of parts, characterized in that the kit of parts comprises: a strip (3) forming part of a system according to any one of claims 119; a holder (6) forming part of a system according to any one of claims 115 and / or a drill bit for drilling a recess (1.2) on a surface of the strip of the system according to any one of claim 1315; and a roll dispenser (5) and / or a roll (5.4) of a strip (3) _l4_ according to any of the claim 1619. _ 15 _

Claims

1. A system (1) comprising a holder (6) and a flexible strip (3) for a flat object (4), with the characteristic, that the strip (3) includes a predefined fold line (3.1) which is bendable around the fold line (3.1) of the said strip (3), which strip (3) can be placed with the fold line (3.1) includes in a recess (1.2) of the said holder (6), where parts of the said strip at a distance from the fold line (3.1) press against at least two opposite inner walls of the recess (1.2).

2. The system. (1) according to conclusion 1, with the characteristic, that the strip (3) is a resilient strip (3).

3. The system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, with the characteristic that the recess (1.2) extends into the holder (6) over at least 90% of the length of the holder (6).

4. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, characterized by the fact that the recess (1.2) is curved and / or includes a legal section.

5. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, characterized by the fact that the strip (3) is bendable all around the fold line (3.1) of the said strip (3) into a V-shape, or a U-shape, or an O-shape, or a pointed oval shape. configuration.

6. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, characterized by the fact that a cross-section of the at least two inner walls of the recess (1.2) a V-shaped tapered section and / or an inverted tapered section and / or a barrel tapered section includes 7. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, characterized by the fact that a cross-section of the at least two interior walls of the recess at least one rectangular shaped section includes.

8. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, characterized by the fact that the fold line (3.1) of the strip (3) includes a weakened part on at least one side of the _ 16 _ strip (3).

9. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, characterized by the fact that the fold line (3.1) of the strip (3) a weakened section comprises on only one side of the strip (3).

10. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, characterized by the fact that the fold line (3.1) can be placed is away from the centerline of the strip (3).

11. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, characterized by the bending moment of the strip (3) is proportional to the stiffness of the mentioned strip (3).

12. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, characterized by the stiffness of the strip (3) is configured to gradually decrease in parts of the strip (3) away from the fold line (3.1) of the said strip (3).

13. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, with the characteristic that a surface of the strip (3) and / or the holder (6) is covered with a felt-like substance.

14. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, with the characteristic that a surface of the strip (3) and / or the holder (6) is covered with a rubbery substance.

15. The system. (1) according to one of the preceding conclusions, characterized by the fact that the holder (6) is a plastic material, or a wood-like material or a metal material or includes a combination thereof.

16. A roll (5.4) of the comic (3) that is part of the system according to one of the preceding conclusions, with the characteristic that the roll (5.4) contains a strip (3) rolled in a flat configuration (F) or in a curved configuration (B).

17. A roll dispenser (5) of the roll (5.4) according conclusion 16, characterized by the fact that the roll dispenser (5) has a frame (5.1) includes configured for receiving and rolling the roll (5.4) of the strip (3), where the said roll (5.4) of the strip (3) is rotatably coupled to the frame (5.1).

18. The roll dispenser (5) according to claim 17, with the _ 17 _ feature, that the roll dispenser (5) includes a sleeve (5.2) for the housings of the frame (5.1) and / or the strip roller (5.4), where the cover (5.2) includes an opening (5.5) from which the strip (3) can be drawn.

19. The roll dispenser (5) according to one of the 1718, with the characteristic that the roll dispenser (5) at least a cutting element (5.3) comprises placed on the frame (5.1) or on a external surface of the sleeve (5.2) for cutting the strip (3) at a desired length of the strip (3).

20. Procedure for using the roll dispenser (5) according to one of the conclusions 1619 and for the use of the system (1) according to one of the claims 115, with the characteristic, that the method comprises the steps of the: rolls of the strip (3) of the system according to one of the conclusions 119 from the roll dispenser (5) according to one of the conclusions 1719; cutting the strip (3) on a user defined length; bend the strip (3) over the fold line (3.1) into a V shape or a UVorm or an OVorm or a pointed oval shape; inserting the curved strip (3) into the recess (1.2) of the holder (6) of the system. according to one of the conclusions 115.

21. A set of parts, with the characteristic that the set of parts includes: a strip (3) of the system according to one of the 115; a holder (6) of the system according to one of the 115 and / or a drill bit for drilling a recess (1.2) on a surface of a strip of the system according one of the conclusions 1315; and a roll dispenser (5) and / or a roll (5.4) of a strip (3) according to one of the conclusions 1619. 1 / 4