Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Separable-fastener or required component thereof – Including member having distinct formations and mating...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2001-10-16
Sakran, Victor N. (Department: 3626)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Separable-fastener or required component thereof
Including member having distinct formations and mating...
C024S616000, C024S647000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06301757
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buckle which is an engaging tool used for connecting portions of a belt, a bag band and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 8-52009, a conventional buckle provided on each of opposite ends of a belt, for example, comprises a male member and a female member. A plate-like insertion portion projects from a base of the male member, and an engaging portion projects from a tip end of one surface of the insertion portion. The female member is provided with an accommodating portion for accommodating the insertion portion and an engaged portion which is formed in the accommodating portion and which is to be engaged with the engaging portion of the male member. The female member is provided with a plate-like resilient pushing portion at its location opposed to the engaged portion.
In operation of the buckle, the insertion portion of the male member is fitted into the accommodating portion of the female member, and the engaging portion is engaged with the engaged portion. At that time, the resilient pushing portion abuts against a back side of the insertion portion to push the insertion portion toward the engaged portion so that the engaging portion of the insertion portion can not be disengaged from the engaged portion.
In the case of the above-described prior art, however, since the engaging portion is provided on one surface of the insertion portion, engagement is in a cantilever state. Therefore, when a strong tensile strength is generated in a direction in which the male member and the female member are separated from each other, the insertion portion is resiliently deformed in a direction opposite from the engaged portion, so that the male member and the female member may be disengaged from each other unintentionally.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the conventional problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a buckle in which engaging strength between a male member and a female member is large, and the male member and the female member can not be disengaged unintentionally.
According to the present invention, there is provided a buckle comprising a male member adapted to be mounted to one of members which are to be connected to each other, and a female member adapted to be mounted to the other member, wherein the male member is provided with an insertion portion in a form a pair of plates adapted to be inserted into the female member and an insertion hole formed inside of the insertion portion. The female member is provided with a recess in which the insertion portion is adapted to be fitted, and an accommodating portion adapted to communicate with the insertion hole. The accommodating portion is provided therein with an engaging piece swingable in an inserting direction to the insertion hole, and the engaging piece is provided with an engaging portion adapted to be inserted through the insertion hole. The insertion hole of the male member is formed with a locking surface against which the engaging portion is adapted to abut. The locking surface which connects the pair of plates of the insertion portion is integrally formed on an inside face of the insertion hole opposing to a base of the male member. The locking surface is located substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the male member and the female member are separated from each other, and a central imaginary line of the direction in which the male member and the female member are separated from each other is located at a center of the locking surface. The accommodating portion of the female member is provided with at least one receiving portion located at at least one of opposite sides of the recess for supporting at least one abutment portion of the engaging portion. The receiving portion is located at least on one of opposite sides of the locking surface when the engaging portion engages with the locking surface.
A resilient member such as a spring for urging the engaging portion of the engaging piece in a direction in which the engaging portion is inserted into the insertion hole. The resilient member may be a resilient projection or the like formed on at least one of the engaging piece and the female member.
The engaging piece is provided in the accommodating portion such that the engaging piece can be locked in an insertion direction of the insertion hole when the male member and the female member engage with each other.
Further, the engaging piece is formed with an operating portion projecting from one side surface of the engaging piece and adapted to be exposed from the accommodating portion accommodating the engaging piece.
In the buckle of the present invention, the insertion portion of the male member is inserted into the recess of the female member when the male member and the female member are connected to each other. At that time, the insertion hole provided in the insertion portion communicates with the accommodating portion of the female member, the engaging piece in the accommodating portion is swingable, and the engaging portion of the engaging piece is inserted into the insertion portion. With this operation, a locked surface of the engaging piece abuts against the locking surface of the male member, and the at least one abutment portion at one of the opposite sides of the engaging portion is supported and mounted by the at least one portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1806265 (1931-05-01), Roy
patent: 1807293 (1931-05-01), Keller
patent: 4881305 (1989-11-01), Rivera
patent: 4893383 (1990-01-01), Quickel
patent: 4924562 (1990-05-01), Pogharian
patent: 5435047 (1995-07-01), Colpo
patent: 295 05 671 U1 (1995-04-01), None
patent: 814752 (1959-06-01), None
patent: 8-52009 (1996-02-01), None
Ishida Tomohisa
Kunii Kazuo
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Sakran Victor N.
YKK Corporation
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