Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-12
2002-09-10
Lindsey, Rodney M. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
C002S452000, C024S171000, C024S196000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06446272
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to buckle assemblies for headgear adjustment straps, and in particular, to buckle assemblies for adjusting elastic straps for swimming goggles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently available buckle assemblies for swimming goggles generally include a strap length-adjusting piece
17
which is formed on either, outer side portions of a lens frame
18
as shown in FIG.
1
. Such strap length-adjusting piece
17
has at least two elongated openings through which ends of strap
15
pass. These through openings are disposed in a side-by-side relationship as shown in FIG.
2
. Strap
15
is wrapped around a wall portion
17
a
between the two through openings. In order to enable strap
15
to be easily removed from the strap length-adjusting piece
17
to adjust length, the center portion of an outermost wall portion
17
b
is partially cut-out. Strap
15
is disposed in the strap length-adjusting piece
17
by passing a free end
15
a
of strap
15
through one of the openings which is adjacent to the lens part from the rear side of the piece, and then passing the same free end of the strap through the outermost opening.
A swimming goggle generally includes a lens assembly
13
having two lens frames
18
each having a lens part
11
fixed therein, with a nose bridge
14
connecting the inner sides of the lens frames. Head strap
15
connects the outer sides of the lens assembly
13
. Each of the lens parts
11
generally has a silicon packing
12
provided on the wearer facing side thereof. Silicon packing
12
has a face engaging surface which is adapted to comfortably engage the wearer's face and compliantly follow the contour of the wearer's face due to its compressibility.
Accordingly, the wearer adjusts the length of the elastic strap by pulling one end
15
a
of the elastic strap
15
which is wrapped around strap-supporting portion
17
a
of the strap length adjusting piece
17
, usually before wearing the swimming goggle. Once worn, silicon packing
12
seals to the skin of the face so that water does not leak into the interior of each lens part. If the elastic strap is too tightly adjusted, silicon packing
12
presses excessively around the eyes, which may result in pain in the skin around the eyes. If elastic strap
15
is too loosely adjusted, water may leak into lens part
11
past the silicon packing
12
. For these reasons, adjustments to the length of the elastic strap
15
is required before a swimming goggle is put on to apply adequate pressure to the face.
In swimming goggles having the above-described buckle assembly, a wearer cannot adjust the length of the elastic strap
15
while wearing the swimming goggle on his head. The wearer must take off the swimming goggle from his head to adjust the length of the elastic strap. This adjusting operation is often repeated several times which may be extremely inconvenient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to overcome such problems with prior art buckle assemblies, and to provide a buckle assembly which makes tightening and loosening operations simpler, quicker and more convenient with a simple arrangement such that the operations may be accomplished with only one hand and ensures the highest functional reliability of the buckle assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a swimming goggle provided with such a buckle assembly which enables the wearer to perform the tightening and loosening operations while wearing the swimming goggle on his head.
The invention achieves the above objects by providing a buckle assembly for releasably fixing a strap and having a plurality of width-wise ridges, comprising a buckle body further comprising a strap-supporting portion around which the strap is wrapped; a slider, slidable between a first position and a second position with respect to the strap-supporting portion; the slider further comprising a strap-pressing piece which presses down the strap against the strap-supporting portion in its first position; and wherein, when the strap is pulled, one of the ridges engages with the strap-pressing piece to move the slider to the second position and, when the strap is released, another one of the ridges is engaged with the strap-pressing piece to move the slider to the first position.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptions of the various embodiments taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1374896 (1921-04-01), Arnold
patent: 1384776 (1921-07-01), Posternock
patent: 3300825 (1967-01-01), Andreasen
patent: 3349449 (1967-10-01), Hatfield
patent: 4527292 (1985-07-01), Kasama et al.
patent: 4607398 (1986-08-01), Faulconer
patent: 5181280 (1993-01-01), Zachry, Jr.
patent: 5410763 (1995-05-01), Bolle
patent: 5432984 (1995-07-01), Petzl
patent: 5471714 (1995-12-01), Olson
patent: 5657493 (1997-08-01), Ferrero et al.
patent: 5727259 (1998-03-01), Kawamata
patent: 5774947 (1998-07-01), Anscher
patent: 5956778 (1999-09-01), Godoy
patent: 6247187 (2001-06-01), Chiang
patent: 6317897 (2001-11-01), Chiang
Lindsey Rodney M.
Ohlandt Greeley Ruggiero & Perle L.L.P.
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