US 5,168,605 · Granted 1992-12-08
The Tapered-Clip Patent That Keeps Tarps From Flapping
Imagine a plastic clip with a specially shaped opening that grabs your tarp without tearing it. A button-like piece pushes through the clip to lock the tarp in place, and then you stretch an elastic cord from that clip to anchor it to whatever structure you're covering—like a truck bed or a boat.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a two-part clip system: a planar clip with a tapered opening (wide on one end, narrow on the other) that holds fabric, plus a button-headed fastener that pushes through to secure the tarp against the clip. What's protected is the specific geometry of that opening shape and how the button engages with it, along with the elastic cord attachment method that ties the whole assembly to a fixed point.
Why it matters
This patent solves a practical problem millions of people face: keeping tarps, covers, and protective sheets from flapping off in wind or coming loose during transport. By designing a clip that grips without puncturing the material and combining it with an adjustable elastic cord system, the patent creates a reusable, damage-free securing method that's cheaper and more durable than knots, snaps, or tie-downs that can wear out fabric over time.
Real-world use
Every time a contractor secures a tarp over lumber on a pickup truck or a homeowner covers a boat for winter, they're solving the exact problem this clip was designed for.
Original USPTO abstract
A method and apparatus for securing a tarp in which a planar clip having an elongate opening is placed on one side of the tarp. The opening has a wide end and a narrow end. A first portion of the opening has substantially straight edges which taper towards one another. The wide end is formed in the first portion. A second portion of the opening has substantially straight edges which are substantially parallel to one another. A button having a base, a neck and a head engages the clip with a tarp therebetween thereby securing the clip to the tarp. An elastic cord is connected to a hook at one end thereof which is connected to a structural member. The other end of the elastic cord is stretched and connected to the clip at a selected location on the cord thereby securing the tarp.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 5,168,605
- Filing date
- 1991-11-19
- Grant date
- 1992-12-08
- Assignee
- Russell Bartlett
- Inventor(s)
- BARTLETT; RUSSELL
- CPC class
- A47C21/022
Want to file your own patent?
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