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(11) | EP 1 491 111 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Device to hold small metal pieces |
| (57) It consists of a device of personal use made of a small pan (2) that incorporates
a ring-shaped magnet (4), and it is closed by means of another small pan (6), fixed
both by means of a screw (8), and which by means of a pincer fitted to (9) the device,
permits its coupling to a previously chosen fixation point, managing to attract, by
means of its magnet (4), any small-dimensioned metallic object, and holding it perfectly
stabilized over the device. |
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Current invention refers to a device especially designed as a personal use item in some labor activities, and has as an ultimate purpose, to hold small metal pieces.
[0002] This device has particular applications in the hotel and restaurant sector. Thus, attached to the belt of a waiter or to any other suitable piece of his/her outfit, allows holding, in an easy and yet still way, a metal bottle opener of the kind that these workers currently use in their task.
INVENTION BACKGROUND
[0003] Usually at bars, cafeterias or the like, waiters use very frequently bottle openers, to open bottles with crown caps, the most usual caps for sodas and beers.
[0004] This constant use of the bottle opener requires that the waiter carries it with him at tall times and to do that some waiter use a clothespin with a hole to hold a chain or cord that holds the bottle opener on the other side.
[0005] This solution serves the basic function for which it was designed, i.e. to keep the bottle opener available for the person who uses it, however, it shows some problems, like having to bend the body frequently as the chain needs to be long enough to allow enough distance between the body and the bottle to be able to open them. This means that, while not used, the bottle opener hangs at a certain distance from the waiter's waist, forcing him/her to laterally bend the body to hold it when he/she needs to use it or to bring it up with a movement of the chain. Both actions are burdensome and represent time loss.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The device proposed by this invention solves in a completely satisfactory manner the above-mentioned problem. Thus, while not being used, the bottle opener is on its holding
clothespin, this is on the waiter's or user's waist, perfectly available for its use and physically independent from that clothespin so that it can be separated from the bottle as much as required, without the physical limitation of being attached to a chain.
To that effect, the device herewith described, consists of an empty chassis with a clothespin attached that allows holding it to a belt or any other suitable piece of apparel of the user. The chassis contains a powerful permanent magnet that is able to hold tightly the bottle opener or any other metal object, to make it available to the user that can release it very easily with a light traction maneuver and minimum effort.
[0007] Although the device is ideal for the previously described application in the hotel and restaurant sector, obviously, it can also be used in other areas, such as small hand-tools holding such as screwdrivers, keys and in general any metal object of ferromagnetic nature that the user carries with him/her and needs to use frequently.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] To complement the current description and in order to facilitate a better understanding of the invention features, in accordance with a preferential use example of its practical application, a set of drawings is included as integral part of the description. These drawings are illustrative but the use of the device is not limited to the example provided. These drawings show:
Figure 1 - Perspective quartering of one device for small metal pieces holding made according to the current invention.
Figure 2 - Lateral raised and in section of the unit of the previous figure, fully mounted.
Figure 3 - Detail and perspective example of a practical use of the device.
PREFERENTIAL CARRYING OUT OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Looking at the above-mentioned drawings, one can see that the device is made of a small base pan (1), preferably cylindrical, which holds inside and in its center, a small rod (2) which in turn has an axial, blind, coil hole (3), the rod serves as stabilizer for a permanent magnet (4), of considerable power, ring shaped (i.e., with a central hole) that can be attached to the rod (2), although it is larger and the rod also has the function of linking then base pan (1) to a second pan (6), also cylindrical, that fits jointly with the first one through its mouths and that includes a central hole (7) to allow the insertion of a screw (8), that simultaneously serves to fasten the pans (1) and (6) and to fasten a clothespin (9) to the chassis. The clothespin has an external hole (10) of a larger size than the screw's head (8) so that it can go through the external branch of the clothespin (9) and it can be operational.
[0010] To summarize and as described in figure 1, in the base of the pan (6) there is a notch (11) of rectangular shape where the hole is centered (7) and that holds the corresponding branch (9') of the clothespin (9) that fits in the notch without interfering in the joint of the clothespin with the belt (12) of the user or whatever point of attachment selected as can be see in figure 2. The internal hole of the clothespin has a hazelnut shape so that the screw's head (8) fits and does not interfere either.
[0011] This way the user can have wherever is convenient for him/her, an element able to attract with a magnet (4) any small metal object such as a bottle opener (13) represented in figure 3 which will remain stable on the device through normal manipulation of the user but easily detached when required.
1. Device for small metal pieces holding, with especial application in the hotel and
restaurant business, for instance to hold bottle openers or small metal pieces to
be used by waiters on a regular basis. It is made of a small metal chassis that contains
a powerful permanent magnet that has attached to one side a clothespin to hold the
device to a belt or other piece of apparel of the user. The other side has a flat
surface where the bottle opener or metal item can be attached.
2. Device for small metal pieces holding, in accordance with claim number 1 above, that
has a chassis made of two pans that fit together through opposed mouths, one of them
having an axial rod inside that is attached to the magnet, of annular configuration,
while the other has a hole that suits a screw that fits into the rod of the first
pan and that keeps attached the two pans and the external clothespin.
3. Device for small metal pieces holding, according to the above-mentioned claims, where
the pan that holds the clothespin incorporates in its base a notch which shape and
size coincides with one of the branches of the clothespin and has a hole to fit a
screw while the clothespin has a larger hole that allows the screw head to enter so
that it does not interfere with the normal functionality of the clothespin.