Holder for holding clampingly a flat object

Abstract

 The invention relates to a holder (1) for holding clampingly a flat object (4) such as a photo, greetings card or drawing, wherein the holder (1) is adapted to be fixed clampingly to a structure (7), wherein the holder has a decorative appearance. The decoration (2) serves here to obtain a more attractive appearance. Although practical, a hospital bed or hospital room is also cheerless. When a patient is sent a get-well card or photo, it is now usually arranged on a noticeboard behind the patient. The card is hereby situated outside the field of vision of the patient. According to a preferred embodiment, the holder (1) is adapted to be fixed clampingly to a structure (7) at the foot of a bed, in particular a hospital bed.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a holder for holding clampingly a flat object such as a photo, greetings card, character or drawing, wherein the holder is adapted to be fixed clampingly to a structure.

[0002] Such holders are known in the form of clamps, which are used in shops to attach size or price cards to bars of a sales structure, such as a clothes rack. Although such holders have an attractive appearance, they have little decorative value.

[0003] The invention has for its object to provide such a clamp with a more attractive appearance, so that such holders can be applied in other situations, such as in a domestic setting or in hospitals.

[0004] The present invention provides for this purpose a holder for holding clampingly a flat object such as a photo, greetings card, character or drawing, wherein the holder is adapted to be fixed clampingly to a structure, wherein the holder has a decorative appearance. The decoration serves here to obtain a more attractive appearance.

[0005] Practical and hygienic considerations in hospitals do not enhance the atmosphere. Fluorescent lighting and the practical products and materials applied in the rooms of a hospital are completely at odds with an attractive environment. Although practical, a hospital bed or hospital room is also cheerless. When a patient is sent a get-well card or photo, it is now usually arranged on a noticeboard behind the patient. The card is hereby situated outside the field of vision of the patient.

[0006] According to a preferred embodiment, there is provided such a holder which is adapted to be fixed clampingly to a hospital bed. An attractive, practical and original get-well gift is thus provided in the form of the holder according to the invention, which in a simple operation can be clamped onto the horizontal bar of a hospital bed, at the foot of the bed, so that this bar at the foot of a hospital bed is used for presentation purposes within the field of vision of the patient so as to make the stay of a patient in a hospital more pleasant. It is noted here that the application of the invention is not limited to use on the bar at the foot of a hospital bed. It is of course also possible to place the holder on other structures, such as on a lift bar or so-called trapeze bar of a hospital bed or on a pivot arm on which television sets are usually mounted.

[0007] According to a first preferred embodiment, the holder is provided with at least one substantially semicircular, to some extent resilient clamp which forms a whole with the holder and which is adapted to engage on a substantially horizontally extending bar. An effective clamp is hereby obtained using a simple configuration.

[0008] Although in many hospitals beds are present with a round bar of a standard size at the foot thereof, the need to clamp a holder on such a bar with different dimensions or with a non-round section cannot be precluded. It also occurs that hospital beds are not provided with such a bar and that the holder must be clamped to another part of the bed, for instance a panel. For such situations a preferred embodiment provides the measure that the clamp is provided at least partially on its inner side with a layer of resilient material. Differences in shape and size can hereby be compensated. Because of the presence of the resilient layer the actual clamp must therefore have a slightly larger inner dimension than the thickest structure to which it must be possible to fix the holder. This measure also provides more options than the foregoing measure for clamping the holder fixedly to a structure not forming part of a hospital environment.

[0009] The railing or bar at the foot of a hospital bed is an ideal place for presenting a photo or get-well card in the field of vision of a patient, to 'boost' a patient and to 'pimp' a hospital bed. It is further a significant advantage that the parts can be assembled as a construction kit. This has the advantage that the parts with the protruding tube clamping parts can be packed in nestable manner, whereby shop space can be utilized as efficiently as possible. An additional advantage here is that, when the kit parts are sent, the postal package does not become too thick to fit through the letterbox.

[0010] The possibilities for fixing of the holder are improved still further when the holder is provided with at least one clamp which comprises at least one part which is connected tiltably to the holder and when the holder and the part connected tiltably to the holder are connected to a resilient element which is adapted to urge to the clamping position the part connected tiltably to the holder. Such a clamp provided with a movable part can after all engage effectively on structures with greater variation in thickness.

[0011] Owing to an improved attachment and the possibility of obtaining a symmetrical appearance, it is attractive when the holder is provided with two clamps situated mutually in line.

[0012] Although there are numerous possibilities for fixing the flat object such as a card in the holder, it is recommended that the holder is provided with at least one groove for clampingly engaging the flat object.

[0013] In order to simplify production and logistics the holder is preferably assembled from two identical plastic halves.

[0014] In order to increase the appeal of the holder and to improve the mood of the patient when the holder is placed on a hospital bed, it is recommended that the decorative appearance is formed by at least a part of the holder which is embodied as a character with the appearance of a cartoon, an animal, a person or a plant.

[0015] This favourable effect is further enhanced when the holder comprises a central part which has the appearance of the head of an animal, such as a cat or a rabbit, and the clamps are embodied as hind legs of the animal and the clamps for clamping the card are embodied as forelegs of the animal. In the case of a rabbit there is the further option of using the ears instead of the forelegs.

[0016] The clarity of the decorative appearance is further improved when the decorative appearance is obtained with a graphic image arranged on at least a part of the holder.

[0017] The cheering effect of the assembly of card and holder can be further improved when the holder is provided with a space for a battery and, connectable to the battery, at least one light source, loudspeaker or drive means for driving a part connected movably to the holder.

[0018] Yet another preferred embodiment provides the measure that the decorative appearance of the holder fits together with the image arranged on the greetings card. This creates the possibility of having the character on the holder form part of the image of the card, which provides a large number of decorative options. It will be apparent that cards with different images fall within this embodiment. It is therefore attractive for holders according to the invention to be available in a hospital shop, as well as a series of different cards, which are preferably each provided with an image fitting together with the character represented by the holder.

[0019] It is however also possible for the holder to be provided with cards with advertising, such as for services relating to discharge from the hospital. It is then possible by way of advertising to offer patients a holder according to the invention together with such an advertising card. When greetings cards are received, they can take the place of the advertising card.

[0020] The present invention will be further elucidated on the basis of the non-limitative exemplary embodiments shown in the following accompanying figures. Herein:

Figure 1 shows a front view of a first embodiment of a holder according to the invention clamped on the railing or bar of a hospital bed in combination with a greetings card;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment shown in figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of one of the parts of the first embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment shown in figure 3 in disconnected situation;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment shown in figure 3 in connected situation;

Figure 6 shows a front view of a second embodiment;

Figure 7 shows a front view of a third embodiment;

Figure 8 shows a front view of a fourth embodiment;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in figure 8; and

Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of a fifth embodiment.

Figure 1 shows a front view of a holder 1 which is provided with a decorative element in the form of a face 2. Holder 1 is provided with clamping elements 3 which are adapted for clamping engagement of a greetings card 4. The holder is also provided with engaging elements 6 for engaging on a horizontally extending bar 7 at the foot of a hospital bed.

[0021] In the present embodiment clamping elements 3 for card 4 take the form of the arms of the character of which face 2 forms part. Engaging elements 6 further take the form of legs of this character. Card 4 is provided with a decoration, in the present case two hands which, when the card is positioned correctly, connect to clamping elements 3 in the form of arms. The decoration further comprises a series of balls which are being thrown into the air by the character.

[0022] Said components are likewise shown in figure 2, which shows a cross-sectional view of holder 1. Here can be seen that the holder consists of two identical parts which comprise a groove 5 on their upper side, into which card 4 is inserted and which is adapted to secure card 4.

[0023] Figure 3 shows a front view of one of the two parts 1, which both take the form of a character with a face 2, with arms 3 and legs 6.

[0024] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the two parts 1 as shown in figure 3, which shows that the two parts 1 can be connected to each other by a form-fitting pin and hole connection 9. It is otherwise also possible to make use of an adhesive connection. It is important here that the holder be manufactured from material which is to some extent flexible, so as to make it possible for the engaging elements to bend apart to some extent in order to enable the arrangement round the bar.

[0025] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view corresponding to figure 4, wherein the two parts 1 are mutually connected.

[0026] Figure 6 shows a front view of a holder 1 provided with a greetings card 4. A decoration differing from that of figures 1-5 is applied here in the form of the face 2 of a cat, with cat forelegs 3 and cat hind legs 6. Card 4 is provided here with a decoration in the form of the 'paws' of a cat and a rainbow, whereby the images on the card and the holder fit together.

[0027] Figure 7 shows another view corresponding to figure 6, wherein the holder is provided with the decoration in the form of a Santa Claus, and the card is provided with a decoration related thereto in the form of a Christmas tree.

[0028] Figure 8 shows a front view of an embodiment wherein the holder is provided with a single clamp 11, which is itself not provided with a decoration but which is supplied together with a separate decoration 12 in the form of a 'Donald Duck' character 12 which, like holder 11, is attached by means of a clamp to bar 7 of a hospital bed. Card 4 can here be provided with a cartoon character related to Donald Duck, such as the three nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie.

[0029] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in figure 8. The construction of the parts corresponds with that of holders 1 of the above elucidated embodiments.

[0030] Finally, figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the holder, wherein one of the halves of the holder is provided with a jaw 22 connected pivotally to holder 21. For this purpose one of the holder halves 21a is provided with a hinge 23 so that jaw 22 can tilt relative to holder half 22. Arranged between holder half 21a and jaw 22 is a spring 24 which urges jaw 22 to the closed position. For the purpose of opening jaw 22 by hand a lever 25 is connected rigidly to jaw 22. The other holder half 21b is provided in this embodiment, as in the foregoing embodiments, with a jaw connected fixedly to the holder half. It will be apparent that it is also possible to provide both holder halves with such a pivotally connected jaw. Owing to this pivoting jaw the holder can be clamped onto larger objects, such as tubes of a greater diameter, tubes with a non-round form or even on objects with a straight edge, such as panels. This is particularly applicable to beds which are not provided with a bar and where the holder must be attached to a panel situated at the foot of the bed. This measure also provides the option of attaching the holder to objects other than a bed.

[0031] Finally, it is pointed out that a layer of resilient material can be placed on the inner side of the jaws. When the diameter of the jaws is sufficiently large, this results in a further possibility of fixing the holder onto objects of differing shape. Such a layer can otherwise also be arranged on the inner side of engaging elements 6 of the foregoing embodiment with fixed engaging elements, thereby also increasing the fixing options. It is also possible to apply an element which is connected tiltably to a movable jaw and placed on the inner side of the jaw for the purpose of a better contact of the jaw.

Claims

1. Holder for holding clampingly a flat object such as a photo, greetings card or drawing, wherein the holder is adapted to be fixed clampingly to a structure, characterized in that the holder has a decorative appearance.

2. Holder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the holder is adapted to be fixed clampingly to a structure at the foot of a bed, in particular a hospital bed.

3. Holder as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the holder is provided with at least one substantially semicircular, to some extent resilient clamp which forms a whole with the holder and which is adapted to engage on a substantially horizontally extending bar.

4. Holder as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the clamp is provided at least partially on its inner side with a layer of resilient material.

5. Holder as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the holder is provided with at least one clamp which comprises at least one part which is connected tiltably to the holder, and that the holder and the part connected tiltably to the holder are connected to a resilient element which is adapted to urge to the clamping position the part connected tiltably to the holder.

6. Holder as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that the holder is provided with two clamps situated mutually in line.

7. Holder as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the holder is adapted to fix a card on a horizontal bar of a structure at the foot of a hospital bed.

8. Holder as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the holder is provided with at least one groove for clampingly engaging the flat object.

9. Holder as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the holder is assembled from two identical plastic halves.

10. Holder as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the decorative appearance is formed by at least a part of the holder which is embodied as a character with the appearance of a cartoon, an animal, a person or a plant.

11. Holder as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the holder comprises a central part which has the appearance of the head of an animal, and that the clamps are embodied as hind legs of the animal and the clamps for clamping the card are embodied as forelegs of the animal.

12. Holder as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the decorative appearance is obtained with a graphic image arranged on at least a part of the holder.

13. Holder as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the holder is provided with a space for a battery and, connectable to the battery, at least one light source, loudspeaker or drive means for driving a part connected movably to the holder.

14. Combination of a holder as claimed in any of the foregoing claims and a greetings card, characterized in that the decorative appearance of the holder fits together with the image arranged on the greetings card.

Drawing