Fixture for affixing product to a clip strip

Abstract

A fixture for facilitating the loading of product onto a clip strip of the sort having at least one perforation therein such that the perforation defines at least two opposed tabs. The fixture includes a frame having a support surface for supporting the clip strip during the mounting of the product, and a probe mounted on the frame for each perforation to be loaded. Each probe is adapted to engage and separate the tabs when extended, and in preferred alignments has a feature for temporarily supporting the product during the loading operation. A method of affixing product to a clip strip using such a fixture is also disclosed.

1 . A fixture for facilitating the loading of product onto a clip strip, the clip strip having at least one perforation therein such that the perforation defines at least one hanging tab, the fixture comprising: 
 a support surface for supporting the clip strip,    at least one probe coupled cooperatively with the support surface support probe mechanism and adapted to engage and separate the tabs when extended through the perforation, and    a mechanism for moving the probe into contact with the clip strip when actuated.    
   
   
       2 . The fixture according to  claim 1  wherein the clip strip is of the type having a plurality of perforations defining at least two opposed tabs, such that the distance between perforations along the length of the clip strip is a predetermined length, and wherein 
 the fixture further comprises a plurality of probes, and wherein    the mechanism moves all the probes when actuated, and further wherein the plurality of probes are positioned so that when the clip strip is supported by the support surface and the mechanism is actuated, each probe engages and separates the tabs defined by one of the perforations.    
   
   
       3 . The fixture according to  claim 1  wherein the perforations are generally “W” shaped so as to define three separable tabs, the center tab adapted to serve as a hook for hanging the product, and the outer tabs adapted to serve as retaining tabs for retaining the product on the hook until manually disengaged.  
   
   
       4 . The fixture according to  claim 1  wherein the probe has a feature adapted to temporarily support the product while the probe is engaging the tabs.  
   
   
       5 . The fixture according to  claim 4  wherein the feature is a slot in the probe.  
   
   
       6 . The fixture according to  claim 5  wherein the slot is tilted at an acute angle to the direction of the extension imparted to the probe by the mechanism.  
   
   
       7 . A fixture for facilitating the loading of product onto a clip strip, the clip strip having a plurality of generally “W” shaped perforations therein such that the perforation defines three tabs, two of the tabs being retaining tabs that oppose the third tab being a hook, the fixture comprising: 
 a frame having a support surface for supporting the clip strip;    a plurality of probes mounted on the frame, each probe adapted to engage and separate the tabs of one of the perforations when extended;    a feature on each of the probes for temporarily engaging the product; and    a mechanism for extending and retracting the probes, such that    when the clip strip is positioned on the support surface and the mechanism is used to extend the extendable probes, the extendable probes extend through the perforations so as to separate the tabs, and such that    when product is placed engaging the feature and the mechanism is thereafter used to retract the probes, the product is ejected from the feature such that it is releasably affixed to the clip strip by the interaction of the retaining tabs and the hook.    
   
   
       8 . The fixture according to  claim 7  wherein the feature is a slot in the probe.  
   
   
       9 . The fixture according to  claim 8  wherein the slot is tilted at an acute angle to the direction of the extension imparted to the probe by the mechanism.  
   
   
       10 . A method for loading product onto a clip strip, comprising: 
 providing a clip strip having at least one perforation therein such that the perforation defines at least two opposed tabs;    providing a the fixture comprising 
 a frame having a support surface for supporting the clip strip,  
 at least one probe mounted on the frame and adapted to engage and separate the tabs when extended through the perforation, wherein the probe has a feature adapted to temporarily engage the product, and  
 a mechanism for moving the probe into contact with the clip strip;  
   placing the clip strip on the support surface and using the mechanism to move the probe and separate the tabs;    positioning the product on the probe so as to engage the feature;    using the mechanism to move the clip strip away from the probe, leaving the product releasably affixed to the clip strip by the interaction of the tabs.    
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the clip strip has a plurality of perforations defining at least two opposed tabs, such that the distance between perforations along the length of the clip strip is a predetermined length, and wherein 
 the fixture further comprises a plurality of probes, and wherein    the mechanism extends and retracts all the plurality of probes, and further wherein    when the mechanism is used, each extendable probe engages and separates the tabs defined by one of the perforations.    
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the perforations are generally “W” shaped so as to define three separable tabs, the center tab adapted to serve as a hook for hanging the product, and the outer tabs adapted to serve as retaining tabs for retaining the product on the hook until manually disengaged.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein the feature is a slot in the probe.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the slot is tilted at an acute angle to the direction of the movement imparted by the mechanism.