Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Having magnetic fastener
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-25
2004-10-19
Brittain, James R. (Department: 3677)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Having magnetic fastener
Reexamination Certificate
active
06804865
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a magnetic closure with mutual interlocking system for bags, rucksacks, items of clothing and the like.
It is known that snap-acting closures that are already currently commercially available are used for example in bags, rucksacks and the like and utilize, both for closure and for opening, the elasticity of materials that constitute arms of the male element, which enters a corresponding female seat with a snap action.
Other known mechanical solutions provide for spring-actuated operation for the mutual coupling of the two parts.
Magnetic closures are also known which are normally used to close bags and are substantially constituted by magnetic elements that couple to each other by way of their mutual magnetic action. However, these magnetic closure devices have enjoyed relatively limited use, since they do not allow optimum resistance to forces acting at right angles to the direction of the magnetic flux because the two components slide with respect to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,292,985 B1 discloses a magnetic closure that comprises a female element and a male element, each provided respectively with magnetic means, the female element having guiding means for accomodating the male element and engagement means to provide mutual engagement between the female element and the male element so as to contrast the sliding of the male element with respect to the female element.
Such magnetic closure allows to ensure considerable resistance even to forces acting at right angles to the directions of the magnetic flux.
However, such magnetic closure does not allow simple longitudinal, lateral and rotational centering of the male element and of the female element; these elements must be guided with respect to each other so as to achieve correct coupling between the male element and the female element.
Moreover, the male element and the female element must be provided according to two different structures, so that the two elements can be coupled to each other.
This of course entails significant production costs since it is necessary to provide two separate production lines, one for the male element and one for the female element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide a magnetic closure for bags, rucksacks, items of clothing and the like that allows automatic mutual longitudinal, lateral and rotational centering of the two elements that compose the closure without requiring the user to guide in any way one element of the magnetic closure with respect to the other.
Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic closure for bags, rucksacks, items of clothing and the like, in which the two elements that compose the magnetic closure are identical.
Another object of the invention is to provide a magnetic closure for bags, rucksacks, items of clothing and the like that is highly reliable, relatively simple to manufacture and at competitive costs.
This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a magnetic closure for bags, rucksacks, items of clothing and the like, comprising a first element and a second element that are suitable to couple to each other, each one of said first and second elements accommodating internally at least one permanent magnet, characterized in that each one of said first and second elements comprises a base provided with male engagement means and female engagement means, said male and female engagement means of said first element being able to mutually couple respectively to the female and male engagement means of said second element.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2615227 (1952-10-01), Hornik
patent: 3589341 (1971-06-01), Krebs
patent: 5450658 (1995-09-01), Hicks
patent: 6101688 (2000-08-01), Marchesi
patent: 6301754 (2001-10-01), Grunberger et al.
patent: 6481065 (2002-11-01), Cogdill
patent: 2003/0019084 (2003-01-01), Wong
patent: 923887 (1999-06-01), None
Grunberger Erico
Revel Franco
Brittain James R.
Josif Albert
Modiano Guido
O'Byrne Daniel
SAMA S.p.A.
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