Combination of strap and buckle for diving fins

Details Combination of strap and buckle for diving fins Combination of strap and buckle for diving fins

2001-09-14

2002-06-04

Avila, Stephen (Department: 3617)

Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices

Swimming aid to increase stroke efficiency

Foot attached

Reexamination Certificate

active

06398604

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a combination of strap and buckle suitable for diving fins.
RELATED ART
In the accompanying drawings,
FIG. 5
is a perspective view showing one of diving fins
101
disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1989-38510B as partially broken away and
FIG. 6
is a sectional view taken along a line VI—VI in FIG.
5
. It should be understood here that, in
FIG. 6
, the buckle
106
made of hard plastic material is shown in a sectional view and a heel strap
103
made of soft rubber is shown in a side view. This buckle
106
serves to connect the strap
103
to a rear end of a foot pocket
102
and to tighten the strap
103
around a fin wearer's heel. The buckle
106
comprises a sheath-shaped first coupling member
104
and a second coupling member
105
wherein the first coupling member
104
is mounted on the rear end of the foot pocket
102
. The second coupling member
105
has a insert portion
114
releasably attached to the first coupling member
104
and a holding frame mechanism
115
serving to hold the strap
103
draped around a pin
119
provided in the holding frame mechanism
115
as its component. This holding frame mechanism
115
includes movable locking means
120
supported by a shaft
123
and biased by a spring
128
so as to be rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG.
6
. The second coupling member
105
is formed on its lower surface with a second locking tooth
124
. The strap
103
draped around the pin
119
of the holding frame mechanism
115
is formed on its one surface with a plurality of first locking teeth
121
arranged in longitudinal direction of the strap
103
so that one of these first locking teeth
121
may bear against the second locking tooth
124
in a direction indicated by an arrow
129
in FIG.
6
. The second locking tooth
124
is moved off upward from the first locking tooth
121
as the movable locking means
120
is rotated against the biasing effect of the spring
128
. Thereupon, the strap
103
may be pulled in the direction indicated by the arrow
129
to move the strap
103
in a direction in which the strap
103
is slackened. Each of the first locking teeth
121
has an inclined rear surface
121
A so that the rear surface
121
A causes the movable locking means
120
to float as the strap
103
is pulled in the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow
129
. In this way, the strap
103
can be moved in the direction in which the strap
103
is tightened.
In the convention combination of buckle
106
and strap
103
as shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, the rectilinear strap
103
is draped around the pin
119
so as to be forcibly flexed in U- or V-shape. The strap
103
normally tends to restore its initial rectilinear state, i.e., tends to move in a direction indicated by an arrow
140
in FIG.
6
. Consequently, one of the first locking teeth
121
bears against a rear end
115
A of the holding frame mechanism
115
from the right as viewed in
FIG. 6
as the strap
103
is pulled in the direction indicated by the arrow
129
and often prevents the strap
103
from smoothly moving in the direction indicated by the arrow
129
. Thus, operation of slackening the strap
103
would take much time.
It is an object of this invention to improve the conventional combination of buckle and strap so that the strap can be smoothly moved and slackened without taking much time and labor.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention, there is provided a combination of buckle and strap for diving fins adapted to couple a heel strap to a foot pocket and at the same time to adjustably tighten the strap around a diver's heel.
The strap is formed on its one surface a plurality of first locking teeth arranged intermittently in a longitudinal direction of the strap, each of the first locking teeth extending in a transverse direction of the strap so as to leave transversely opposite side edge portions of the strap free from any tooth. The buckle comprises a sheath-shaped first coupling member and a second coupling member releasably engaged with the first coupling member and having front and rear ends, wherein the second coupling member comprises an insert portion formed adjacent the front end so as to be releasably engaged with the first coupling member and a holding frame mechanism formed adjacent the rear end within which the strap is draped around so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the strap. The holding frame mechanism includes a movable locking piece pivotally supported by the holding frame mechanism. The movable locking piece has a second locking tooth normally biased by springs to bear against the first locking tooth and thereby to prevent the strap from moving in a direction in which the strap is slackened and pivotally moved upward away from the first locking tooth against the biasing effect of the springs, allowing the strap to move in a direction in which the strap is tightened, as the strap is pulled in the direction in which the strap is tightened. In the vicinity of the rear end, the holding frame mechanism presents an inverted U-shaped section defined by a top portion and a pair of lateral portions depending from transversely opposite side edges of the top portion wherein a pin around which the strap is draped extends between the pair of lateral portions below the top portion and a lower surface of the top portion has transversely opposite side edge portions bears against the strap disposed between the lower surface and the pin so that the transversely opposite side edge portions of the strap extending outside the first locking teeth may slidably move and transversely middle zone of the lower surface of the top portion is hollowed out upward by a dimension deeper than a height of the first locking teeth so that the first locking teeth can move in the longitudinal direction of the strap.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4795385 (1989-01-01), Matsuoka
patent: 5657493 (1997-08-01), Ferrero et al.
patent: 11-247012 (1999-09-01), None

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