Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Separable-fastener or required component thereof – Each mating member having similarly shaped – sized – and...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-12
2004-03-16
Brittain, James R. (Department: 3677)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Separable-fastener or required component thereof
Each mating member having similarly shaped, sized, and...
C024S667000, C024SDIG009
Reexamination Certificate
active
06704977
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buckle for joining straps and, more particularly, to such a buckle that can smoothly and stably be set into the locking position and, does not hook clothes or any other external bodies accidentally.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of buckles are known for use to fasten two straps together.
FIGS. 7 and 8
show a buckle for this purpose according to the prior art. According to this design, the buckle B is comprised of a male buckle member B
1
and a female buckle member B
2
. The female buckle member B
2
has a front receiving open side B
21
, two retaining side holes B
22
, and a longitudinal guide track B
211
inside the front receiving open side B
21
. The male buckle member B
1
has a forwardly extended middle guide rod B
12
, two springy arms B
11
bilaterally arranged in parallel at two sides of the middle guide rod B
12
, two retaining blocks B
13
respectively formed integral with the remote end of each of the springy arms B
11
, and two stop edges B
14
respectively formed in between the springy arms B
11
and the retaining blocks B
13
at an outer side. When fastening the buckle B, insert the middle guide rod B
12
of the male buckle member B
1
into the longitudinal guide track B
211
of the female buckle member B
2
to force the retaining blocks B
13
and the springy arms B
11
into the front receiving open side B
21
of the female buckle member B
2
. When set into position, the retaining blocks B
13
are respectively bilaterally forced outwards by the springy power of the springy arms B
11
into the retaining side holes B
22
, keeping the stop edges B
14
of the male buckle member B
1
respectively stopped at the respective front side edges B
221
of the retaining side holes B
22
, and therefore the male buckle member B
1
is prohibited from backward movement relative to the female buckle member B
2
. This design of buckle is still not satisfactory in function for the drawbacks below:
1. This design of buckle is not suitable for use in a small article (shoe, wrist watch, body belt, etc.). Because the user must squeeze the retaining blocks B
13
inwards with the fingers to disengage the stop edges B
14
from the front side edges B
221
of the retaining side holes B
22
when unfastening the buckle B, the buckle members B
1
and B
2
must have certain dimensions convenient for operation with the fingers.
2. Because the middle guide rod B
12
protrudes from the front side of the male buckle member B
1
at a distance, it may hook or damage the clothes or other external bodies accidentally.
3. Because the male buckle member B
1
and the female buckle member B
2
must match each other precisely, the precision requirement is critical, resulting in high manufacturing cost.
4. When fastening the buckle B, the middle guide rod B
12
of the male buckle member B
1
must be carefully aimed at the longitudinal guide track B
211
of the female buckle member B
2
before inserting the male buckle member B
1
into the female buckle member B
2
. The user may set the male buckle member B
1
into the female buckle member B
2
in position after several attempts.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a buckle for joining two straps that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a buckle, which is easy to operate. It is another object of the present invention to provide a buckle, which does not hook the clothes or external bodies when unlocked. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a buckle, which can be closely attached to the surface of the article in which it is installed when locked. According to one aspect of the present invention, the male buckle member has a hook block at the front bottom side, and the female buckle member has an opening adapted to receive the hook block of the male buckle member and a springy support suspending in the opening and adapted to push the hook block forwards into engagement with a part of the female buckle member when the user released the female buckle member from the hand after the hook block had been inserted into the opening by force to push the springy support backwards. According to another aspect of the present invention, the female buckle member has a retaining groove provided in a front side within the opening, and the hook block of the male buckle member has a backwardly extended hooked portion adapted to engage the retaining groove of the female buckle member to positively secure the male buckle member to the female buckle member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4393556 (1983-07-01), Yuda et al.
patent: 4398324 (1983-08-01), Bakker et al.
patent: 4488336 (1984-12-01), Ambal
patent: 4949436 (1990-08-01), Anscher
patent: 5974639 (1999-11-01), Keller
patent: 6161265 (2000-12-01), Gallucci et al.
patent: 6353978 (2002-03-01), Kawahara et al.
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Brittain James R.
Taiwan Industrial Fastener Corporation
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