The present invention is concerned with a closure device for a bag or tube, a tape gripping device and a hair 5 clip.

Known closure devices for bags take many forms, but commonly are so configured as to close the bag by holding the sides thereof together at a short distance from an opening of the bag. Similarly, with tubes, it ιG is common to clamp the tube at a short distance from an end therof. Such closure devices suffer from the common disadvantage that the end of the bag is exposed.

In certain medical applications, it is important that the ends of tubes and bags are not exposed, particularly I'D in situations where local micro-environments may be created in which bacterial or fungal growth may occur or where irritation may be caused, for example by the chafing of the tube or bag end against the skin or other tissue. Thus, for example, in the case of drainable cl ostomy bags, it has been proposed to provide a cover for the end of the bag

The present invention seeks to overcome these

difficulties by providing a closure for the end of a bag or tube which is capable of enclosing a free end of the tube or bag and which consequently does not leave the end exposed, which further to the above is simple to 5 manufacture and which is easy to operate.

Although the invention will therefore be discussed with reference to the above and other medical applications it should be noted that the applications of the present invention extend beyond the closure of bags or tubes for \L body products, particularly 'lay-flat' types of tubing, and as will be exemplefied below include the use of the present invention as a gripping device for tapes, belts, straps and the like, as well as a gripping device, such as a clip, roller or curler, for other other elongate ,5 substrates such as locks of hair.

A further disadvantage of the devices exemplified in the prior art, is that they either do not grip tightly enough or grip too tightly and damage the substrate. It is one object of the present invention to overcome this _C _ difficulty.

According to the present invention there is provided a gripping device for a substantially flat elongate flexible member, comprising a pair of elongat.e bars, each bar having one of a pair of generally complementary ^{^} D surfaces capable of being disposed adjacent the member

and on opposite sides thereof, CHARACTERISED IN THAT, the bars present a generally prismatic or cylindrical outer surface when so disposed, whereby the member can be wound around at least part of the outer surface and 5 secured thereto, and wherein in use a fastening element is disposed longitudinally of the bars and urged towards the bars is provided to effect securement.

Typically, each bar is of substantially semicircular cross-section.

<C- it is believed that the present invention may be most •effectively utillised in certain applications, by providing for the surfaces of the device to be substantially free of sharp angles when the device is in use. Clearly, this will reduce the possibillity of •5 damage to ' sof tissues and furthermore will reduce the number of sites at which bacterial growth can occur.

Conveniently, the bars are secured together at or near an end thereof by a hinge or the like.

Although the bars can be held together in use by a separate fastening element it has been found desirable to employ a hinge disposed between two adjacent ends of the bars. The use of such a hinge aids in the correct location of the bars on opposite sides of the flexible member, and prevents or reduce lateral movement of the

bars.

Such -a hinge may comprise one or more regions of reduced thickness formed at the same time as the bars or may comprise an additional element attached to the bars.

In a particular embodiment of the present invention the hinge comprises a pair of spaced regions of reduced thickness disposed between adjacent ends of the bars. When the bars are closed in an operative con iguration a cleft is defined between the pair of spaced regions to

><Z- receive the fastening element. Each region of reduced thickness is provided with a node to aid in the retention of the fastening element. It is possible to employ a fastening element having ramp surfaces to aid location of the fastening element within the cleft.

't ^~ It should be understood that where appropriate either bar, or both bars or the fastening element could be made of a more flexible material in order that any bulges or increased tube or bag thickness can be more effectively accommodated with less risk of damage to the said bag, -c tube, ^' hair, etc. without malfunction of the device. Further, the device or part thereof may be slightly curved so as to conform more easily to a human or other form.

By moulding the bars in one piece with the hinge it is _L?_5 possible to take advangage of the "memory" properties of

a plastics material from which the bars and the hinge are formed. Consequently, the bars are urged apart by internal forces and are presented ready for use on removal of the fastening element from the in use <5 ^* position.

The extent to which the bars are urged apart by the internal forces or to which the bars may be moed apart by the user is determined in part by the shape of the hinge formation. As will be illustrated below in more JG detail, it is possible to arrange for the bars to move apart to subtend an acute or an obtuse angle at the hinge.

In an embodiment the fastening element comprises a C-shaped clip.

i In such embodiments the fastening element is a separate member of a generally C-shaped structure. Although the clip is preferably manufactured from a plastics material the possibillity of providing a metal clip is not herein excluded.

<jO In a further embodiment the fastening element has no free ends.

As mentioned above the ends of a bag or tube may cause irritation, discomfort or damage. A similar problem

with the fastening element may occur, and under certain circumstances it is therefore desirable to employ a fastening element which has no free ends. Such a fastening element may comprise a simple closed loop of a £5 suitable material.

In certain embodiments of the present invention at least one projection is provided on one of other of the bars to prevent the fastening element from being moved out of the in use position in other than a specified direction / predetermined This projection may comprise an elongate nose at the end of the bar opposed to the hinge or a stop-like projection provided on the outer surface of the bar.

In certain embodiments it is found. preferable to employ O an integral fastening element.

The use of an integral fastening element offers the advantage that the said element cannot become separated from the device. In those particular embodiments in which the fastening element has its ends embedded in or £_ otherwise attached to the bars, the integral fastening element may further comprise the hinge.

Each complementary surface can be so profiled to prevent relative transverse movement of the bars, moreover, the outer surface of the bars may be so profiled as to

prevent lateral movement of the fastening element. Such profi-ling can comprise a series of complementary teeth and sockets located on the bars or one or more complementary parallel striations arranged along the 5 bars.

As mentioned above, it is generally intended that the surfaces of the bars and the fastening element should be free from sharp projections and edges. However it has been found appropriate for certain embodiments of the

' invention to provide the surfaces with a spark eroded finish or a similar surface treatment. A spark-eroded surface aids in gripping the flexible member without subjecting the surface to damage, as the macroscopic roughening of the surface is microscopically well

/ rounded and free from sharp edges and projections.

A wide range of flexible elongate members may be gripped by the device of the present invention. For example, the device can be used as a hair grip, and is suitable for the holding of wet or dry locks of hair in a curled mode either during drying or the application of, for example a setting lotion.

As stated above the device can be used as a closure device for a tube or bag.

A further use of the invention is as a tape gripping

device, in which instance it can either be used to form an end piece for a tape or to hold a tape in a loop to form a sling, tourniquet or the like.

In order that the present invention may be further understood it will be illustrated hereafter by way of example and with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein;

Figure 1, shows a device according to the present invention ready for use,

• C Figure 2, shows a perspective view of a device according to the present invention in use as a bag closure device.

Figure 3, shows a cross-sectional view of a device according to the present invention in use as a lay-flat tube closure device,

•5> Figures 4-6, show variant forms of the present invention.

Turning to figure 1 there is shown a gripping device (1) for a substantially flat elongate flexible member. The device comprises a pair of elongate bars (2,3), each bar having one of a pair of generally complementary surfaces Z (4,5) capable of being disposed adjacent the member and on opposite sides thereof. A region of reduced thickness (10) comprises a hinge.

Turni-ng to figures 2 and 3, it is to be noted that the bars (2,3) present a generally prismatic or cylindrical outer surface (6) when disposed on either side of an elongate flexible member (7) and that member can be £3 wound around at least part of the outer surface (6).

A fastening element (8) disposed longitudinally of the bars and urged towards the bars is provided to effect securement of the member (7) to the surface (6). The complementary surfaces (4,5) may be flat but are iC preferentially provided with mutually engaging corrugations (9), which prevent or reduce transverse movement of the bars. The outer surface (6) may also be provided with corrugations (11) both to retain the fastening element (8) in place and to aid handling of

'f- the device. Moreover, this outer surface may be spark eroded to aid in gripping the flexible element.

In use the elongate member (7) follows a serpentine path, and may be so disposed that the free end (12) is enclosed.

O In Figure 2, the fastening element (8) comprises a closed elastic loop (13) of a suitable material with a pull tab (14) attached thereto or integrally moulded thereupon.

Figure 4 shows a gripping device (1) for a substantially flat -elongate flexible member. The device comprises a pair of elongate bars (2,3), each bar having one of a pair of generally complementary surfaces (4,5) capable

S of being disposed adjacent the member and on opposite sides thereof. A region of reduced thickness (10) comprises a hinge. As in the embodiment shown in figure 1, projections and cavities are provided on the surfaces (4,5) to ensure that lateral movement of the bars is

(C minimised.

It should be noted that the cleat (19) which is adapted to retain the fastening element is asymetric due to the provision of the nose (18) so that the fastening element may be more easilly urged into position, and prevented ' from moving "over centre" to be released on the opposite side of the device. Moreover, a projection (17) prevents the fastening element being moved towards the cleat from the wrong side.

Figure 5 shows further details of the hinge region in a <_?0 particular embodiment of the invention. The hinge comprises a pair (14, 15) of spaced regions of reduced thickness disposed between adjacent ends of the bars (2.3). When the bars are closed in an operative configuration a cleft (16) is defined between the pair 2~ of spaced regions to receive the fastening element (not shown in figure 5). Each .region of reduced thickness is

provided with a node (13) to aid in the retention of the fastening element. It is possible to employ a fastening element having ramp surfaces to aid location of the fastening element within the cleft (16).

_3 As mentioned above, it is possible to take advangage of the "memory" properties of a plastics material from which the bars and the hinge are formed. In figure 6, the use of this feature in determining the extent to which the bars may be urged apart is illustrated.

Ό In figure 6a, there is shown an embodiment in which a pair of stops (20,21) are formed on the fastening element (8). These stops prevent, the Opening of the bars (2,3) beyond a predetermined angle. In this embodiment the bars are constrained to open only to an

■-5 acute angle.

In figure 6b, the cleft (16), and the corners of the fastening element (8) are so arranged that the bars (2,3) may open to a position shown dotted in the figure, in which they subtend an obtuse angle.

'- ^" In both the embodiment of figure 6a and that of figure 6b, the bars are held open by the resilience of the hinge (10), unless held in the "in use" position by the fastening element (8).