초록 ▼

A clip assembly adapted to engage a male track member. The clip assembly includes a clamshell clamping member including a first leg and a second leg. The clip assembly further includes a female compression member adapted to fit in sliding relation at least partially about the clamshell clamping memb

A clip assembly adapted to engage a male track member. The clip assembly includes a clamshell clamping member including a first leg and a second leg. The clip assembly further includes a female compression member adapted to fit in sliding relation at least partially about the clamshell clamping member. The female compression member is adapted to compress the first leg towards the second leg.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A clip assembly adapted to engage a male track member, the clip assembly comprising: a clamshell clamping member including a first leg and a second leg, the first leg and the second leg being normally disposed in spaced relation to one another on opposing sides of a variable width gap, the first

1. A clip assembly adapted to engage a male track member, the clip assembly comprising: a clamshell clamping member including a first leg and a second leg, the first leg and the second leg being normally disposed in spaced relation to one another on opposing sides of a variable width gap, the first leg and the second leg defining flexible spring elements moveable towards and away from one another and being normally biased to a predefined, spaced relation relative to one another, the first leg having a first distal end including a first interior surface and a first raised profile exterior surface, the second leg having a second distal end including a second interior surface and a second raised profile exterior surface, the first raised profile exterior surface and the second raised profile exterior surface projecting generally away from one another, the first interior surface and the second interior surface facing generally towards one another, the first interior surface and the second interior surface adapted to cooperatively surround at least a portion of the male track member, at least a first detent projecting away from an outwardly facing surface of at least the first leg at a position rearward from the first distal end, the detent having forward and rearward camming ramp surfaces, wherein each of the first interior surface and the second interior surface is a concave surface defining an arc of curvature extending along the length dimension of the corresponding leg and wherein each of the first raised profile exterior surface and the second raised profile exterior surface is a convex curved surface defining an arc of curvature extending along the length dimension of the corresponding leg towards a distal edge, the arcs of curvature defined by the exterior surfaces each having an apex spaced rearwardly from the distal edge with a sloped surface between the apex and the distal edge; anda female compression member adapted to fit in reversible, reciprocating sliding relation at least partially about the clamshell clamping member, the female compression member being adapted to compress the first leg towards the second leg, the female compression member being adapted to pass over the detent during forward and rearward movement of the female compression member, the female compression member being adapted to extend at least partially up and over the first raised profile exterior surface and the second raised profile exterior surface while engaging the detent when the female compression member is in a forward position, wherein at least a second detent projects away from an outwardly facing surface of at least the second leg at a position rearward from the second distal end, wherein a first plurality of slot openings is disposed along a first side of the female compression member, the first plurality of slot openings defining a series of openings in a wall of the female compression member adapted to reversibly receive and release the first detent during forward and rearward sliding of the female compression member, and wherein the female compression member includes a second plurality of slot openings disposed along a second side of the female compression member in opposing relation to the first side of the female compression member, the second plurality of slot openings defining a series of openings in a wall of the female compression member adapted to reversibly receive and release the second detent during forward and rearward sliding of the female compression member. 2. The clip assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the clamshell clamping member includes an eyelet opening disposed at a position rearward of the first distal end and the second distal end. 3. The clip assembly as recited in claim 2, further including an elongate strap member operatively connected to the eyelet opening and extending away from the clamshell clamping member. 4. The clip assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the female compression member is moveable in sliding relation between a first position about the elongate strap member and a second position about the clamshell clamping member. 5. The clip assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein at least the first distal end has a substantially “C” shaped cross-sectional profile cooperatively defined by the first interior surface and the first raised profile exterior surface. 6. The clip assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein the second distal end has a substantially “C” shaped cross-sectional profile cooperatively defined by the second interior surface and the second raised profile exterior surface. 7. The clip assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein the first distal end terminates at a first distal edge and the second distal end terminates at a second distal edge, the first distal edge and the second distal edge being disposed on opposing sides of a slot opening, at least one of the first distal edge and the second distal edge being angled such that tangents to the first distal edge and the second distal edge intersect at a position rearward of the distal edges. 8. The clip assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the female compression member includes a leading edge adapted to engage and compress the first raised profile convex exterior surface and the second raised profile convex exterior surface. 9. A clip assembly adapted to engage a male track member, the clip assembly comprising: a clamshell clamping member including a first leg and a second leg, the first leg and the second leg being normally disposed in spaced relation to one another on opposing sides of a variable width gap, the first leg and the second leg defining flexible spring elements moveable towards and away from one another and being normally biased to a predefined, spaced relation relative to one another, the first leg having a first distal end including a first interior surface and a first raised profile convex exterior surface, the second leg having a second distal end including a second interior surface and a second raised profile convex exterior surface, the first raised profile convex exterior surface and the second raised profile convex exterior surface projecting generally away from one another, the first interior surface and the second interior surface facing generally towards one another, the first interior surface and the second interior surface adapted to cooperatively surround at least a portion of the male track member, wherein at least the first interior surface is a concave surface defining an arc of curvature extending along the length dimension of the first leg and wherein at least the first raised profile exterior surface is a convex curved surface defining an arc of curvature extending along the length dimension of the first leg towards a distal edge, the arc of curvature defined by the exterior surface having an apex spaced rearwardly from the distal edge with a sloped surface between the apex and the distal edge, at least a first plurality of detents projecting away from an outwardly facing surface of at least the first leg at different distances rearward from the first distal end, each of the detents having forward and rearward camming ramp surfaces; anda female compression member adapted to fit in reversible, reciprocating sliding relation at least partially about the clamshell clamping member and to compress the first leg towards the second leg, the female compression member including a first plurality of slot openings disposed along a first side of the female compression member, the first plurality of slot openings defining a series of openings in a wall of the female compression member adapted to reversibly receive and release the first plurality of detents during forward and rearward sliding of the female compression member, wherein at least a second plurality of detents projects away from an outwardly facing surface of at least the second leg at different distances rearward from the second distal end and wherein the female compression member includes a second plurality of slot openings disposed along a second side of the female compression member in opposing relation to the first side of the female compression member, the second plurality of slot openings defining a series of openings in a wall of the female compression member adapted to reversibly receive and release the second plurality of detents during forward and rearward sliding of the female compression member. 10. The clip assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the clamshell clamping member includes an eyelet opening disposed at a position rearward of the first distal end and the second distal end. 11. The clip assembly as recited in claim 10, further including an elongate strap member operatively connected to the eyelet opening and extending away from the clamshell clamping member. 12. The clip assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein at least the first distal end has a substantially “C” shaped cross-sectional profile cooperatively defined by the first interior surface and the first raised profile exterior surface. 13. The clip assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein the second distal end has a substantially “C” shaped cross-sectional profile cooperatively defined by the second interior surface and the second raised profile exterior surface. 14. A clip assembly adapted to engage a male track member, the clip assembly comprising: a clamshell clamping member including a first leg and a second leg, the first leg and the second leg being normally disposed in diverging spaced relation to one another on opposing sides of a variable width gap, the first leg and the second leg defining flexible spring elements moveable towards and away from one another and being normally biased to a predefined, spaced relation relative to one another, the first leg having a first distal end including a first interior surface and a first raised profile convex exterior surface, the second leg having a second distal end including a second interior surface and a second raised profile convex exterior surface, the first raised profile convex exterior surface and the second raised profile convex exterior surface projecting generally away from one another, the first interior surface and the second interior surface facing generally towards one another, the first interior surface and the second interior surface adapted to cooperatively surround at least a portion of the male track member, wherein each of the first interior surface and the second interior surface is a concave surface defining an arc of curvature extending along the length dimension of the corresponding leg and wherein each of the first raised profile exterior surface and the second raised profile exterior surface is a convex curved surface defining an arc of curvature extending along the length dimension of the corresponding leg towards a distal edge, the arcs of curvature defined by the exterior surfaces each having an apex spaced rearwardly from the distal edge with a sloped surface between the apex and the distal edge, an eyelet opening disposed at a position rearward of the first distal end and the second distal end, a first plurality of detents projecting outwardly in spaced relation along a first outwardly facing surface of the clamshell clamping member at positions between the eyelet opening and the first distal end, a second plurality of detents projecting outwardly in spaced relation along a second outwardly facing surface of the clamshell clamping member at positions between the eyelet opening and the second distal end each of the detents having forward and rearward camming ramp surfaces; anda substantially hollow female compression member adapted to fit in reversible, reciprocating sliding relation at least partially about the clamshell clamping member, the female compression member including a first plurality of slot openings disposed in stacked relation along a first side of the female compression member and a second plurality of slot openings disposed in stacked relation along a second side of the female compression member, the first plurality of slot openings being adapted to receive and release members of the first plurality of detents during forward and rearward sliding of the female compression member and the second plurality of slot openings being adapted to receive and release members of the second plurality of detents during forward and rearward sliding of the female compression member.