Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Separable-fastener or required component thereof – Including member having distinct formations and mating...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-23
2004-05-18
Sandy, Robert J. (Department: 3677)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Separable-fastener or required component thereof
Including member having distinct formations and mating...
C024S614000, C024S2650EC, C024S2650BC
Reexamination Certificate
active
06735828
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fastening such as a buckle for a belt used as a baby-nursing band, belt adjuster and a swivel hook, the fastening being used as a belt connector with a belt being attached to an end thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a buckle 100 shown in FIG. 18 is known, the buckle being used for baby-nursing band. The buckle 100 shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-83709 has a belt connecting member 110, a male-female connector (a female member 120 and a male member 130) and a rotary mechanism 140 for freely rotating the belt connecting member 110 and the male-female connector, so that a baby-nursing band 150 is not twisted.
Another belt connector 200 shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-208440 has, as illustrated in FIG. 19, an integrally molded belt attachment 210 and an engaging member 220 using synthetic resin for strengthening connection therebetween.
When such buckles are used as a baby-nursing band, an adult initially puts a baby on the baby-nursing band, lifts the baby together with the baby-nursing band and connects the buckle to attach the baby-nursing band onto the body for holding the baby. At this time, though the band is felt unpleasant when twisted, it is troublesome to re-connect the buckle while holding a baby. Accordingly, it has been desired that a twist of a baby-nursing band can be easily fixed.
In order to eliminate the twist of the buckle, the buckle 100 shown in FIG. 18 has been proposed. In the buckle 100, in order to connect the belt connecting member 110 and the male-female connector (120, 130), a bearing 111 of the belt connecting member 110 is fitted to a rotary shaft 121 projecting on the female member 120 and a C-shaped snap ring 123 is pushed into a groove 122 of the rotary shaft 121. However, the C-shaped snap ring 123 may be damaged when a strong tension is applied to the belt 150 and, once damaged, the belt connecting member 110 comes off the rotary shaft 121 of the female member 120, thereby losing its function.
On the other hand, since the belt attachment 210 and the engaging member 220 of the belt connector 200 shown in FIG. 19 is integrally molded by injection molding means, the belt connector 200 is not easily damaged. However, since the belt attachment 210 and the engaging member 220 is molded by integral injection, a gap is generated between the belt attachment 210 and the engaging member 220 on account of die structure thereof, thus causing shakiness of the belt connector 200.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a belt connector capable of eliminating shakiness by the gap between a first member and a second member of the belt connector generated for integrally molding the first member and the second member in a rotatable manner.
A belt connector according to an aspect of the present invention has: a first member (
1
) having a first body (
8
) provided with an accommodating portion (
13
) for accommodating a rotary shaft (
40
); and a second member (
2
) having a second body (
9
) from which the rotary shaft is projected, at least one of the first member and the second member being provided with a belt attachment (
10
), the first member and the second member being connected in a rotatable manner, in which the first member and the second member are integrally molded so that the rotary shaft does not come off from the accommodating portion, and a retainer (
34
) for restricting relative movement of the first member and the second member in axial direction of the rotary shaft is attached to the rotary shaft.
According to the above arrangement, the gap between the first and the second member can be eliminated by the retainer, so that rotary movement can be conducted smoothly without causing shakiness between the two members, thus improving the quality of the fastening.
In the present invention, the retainer (
34
) may preferably be fitted to the rotary shaft (
40
) where the rotary shaft (
40
) is exposed between the first member (
1
) and the second member (
2
).
According to the above arrangement, the shakiness between the two members can be effectively eliminated with a simple construction by fitting the retainer to the rotary shaft exposed between the first member and the second member.
In the present invention, the rotary shaft (
40
) may preferably have a neck portion (
41
) and a bulging head (
42
) formed at a distal end of the neck portion, and the retainer (
34
) may preferably be located between the lower side of the bulging head and the inner circumference of the accommodating portion (
13
) facing the lower side of the bulging head.
According to the above arrangement, the retainer can be arranged so that the gap between the first member and the second member can be most effectively blocked, thus improving the durability against external force such as tension and twist with a simple construction and preventing damage thereof.
In the present invention, the retainer (
34
) may preferably be formed in a bearing (
35
) having semicircular distal end.
According to the above arrangement, the bearing as the retainer can be easily and securely held to the rotary shaft contained in the accommodating portion from front and back sides thereof, so that the shakiness between the two members can be prevented and stability of the belt connector can be enhanced.
In the present invention, a cover (
26
) for concealing the rotary shaft (
40
) in the accommodating portion (
13
) may preferably be fitted to the accommodating portion (
13
).
According to the above arrangement, the rotary shaft exposed from the accommodating portion can be concealed by the cover and the damage on the rotary shaft and the retainer and deterioration of the rotation of the rotary shaft on account of invasion of dust can be prevented.
In the present invention, the accommodating portion (
13
) may preferably have an opening (
14
) opening to the front and back sides of the first body (
8
), the opening being covered with a pair of covers (
26
).
According to the above arrangement, the cover for concealing the rotary shaft can be located in the most suitable arrangement and the rotary shaft inside the accommodating portion can be securely covered from two directions, thereby improving appearance of the product.
In the present invention, the pair of covers (
26
) may preferably be of identical shape.
According to the above arrangement, since the pair of covers are of identical shape, inventory management and assembly work of the cover can be facilitated.
In the present invention, the belt attachment (
10
) may preferably have a belt attachment hole (
11
), the belt attachment hole being provided with a concave portion (
17
) intercommunicating with the accommodating portion (
13
), and the cover (
26
) may preferably be fitted to the concave portion so that the rotary shaft (
40
) is accommodated therein.
According to the above arrangement, the rotary shaft can be securely and easily concealed by the cover and the rotary shaft inside the accommodating portion can be securely concealed from one direction, thereby improving appearance thereof.
In the present invention, the retainer (
34
) and the cover (
26
) may preferably be integrally molded to be connected.
According to the above arrangement, since the retainer and the cover are integrally molded to be connected, the number of the components and production cost can be reduced and the assembly efficiency can be improved.
In the present invention, the retainer (
34
) may preferably be formed in a bearing (
35
) having a slit (
36
) on a part thereof.
According to the above arrangement, the bearing as the retainer can be easily and securely fitted to the rotary shaft inside the accommodating portion or between the first and the second members, so that the shakiness between the first and the second members can be eliminated and the stability of the belt connector can be enhanced.
In the present invention, the retainer (
34
) may preferably have a
Bell Boyd & Lloyd LLC
Sandy Robert J.
YKK Corporation
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