Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Strap-end-attaching devices – Buckle connected
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-03
2003-04-22
Miller, William (Department: 3677)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Strap-end-attaching devices
Buckle connected
C024S003300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06550110
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to strap clamping blocks for swimming goggles and more particularly to such strap clamping blocks adapted to converge upper and lower sections of a strap at appropriate locations thereof so that these sections extend in parallel to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,526 issued to Ann Huang on Jan. 13, 1998 discloses a pair of swimming goggles including a pair of strap clamping blocks adapted to converge upper and lower strap sections extending in parallel to each other from the associated outer end of a main frame body in the vicinity of said outer end so that said clamping blocks may prevent the straps of the goggles put on a wearer's head from applying pressure toward the wearer's ears.
Each of the known clamping blocks includes a bore extending longitudinally therethough and the upper and lower strap sections are guided together through the bore. Such an arrangement may often cause a problem. For example, when one tries to adjust a length of the strap so that the goggles may be properly put around the wearer's head by pulling one of the two sections longitudinally thereof, the one section may interfere with the other section of the strap and thereby obstruct the ability to make the desired adjustment. Usually, the upper and lower strap sections of the strap or straps are guided through a pair of strap clamping blocks provided adjacent the goggles extend rearward from the respective clamping blocks to the middle region between the pair of clamping blocks so that the upper and lower strap sections may be progressively separated up- and downward from each other. Such arrangement aims to ensure that the swimming goggles can be stabilized on the wearer's head. On the contrary, the known clamping block functions merely to converge the upper and lower strap sections in contact with each other. As a result, in the vicinity of the block, the two strap sections are forcibly bent against their elasticity so that they are spaced from each other, i.e., up- and downward, respectively. Necessarily, the upper and lower strap sections are biased to restore their initial positions and, during use of the swimming goggles, a space between the upper and lower strap sections may be excessively reduced to stabilize the swimming goggles on the wearer's head.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to improve the strap clamping blocks for the swimming goggles, each of the strap clamping blocks having longitudinally opposite ends, transversely opposite side edges, opposite flanks contoured by the ends and side edges, and a strap guiding bore extending therethrough longitudinally of the strap.
According to this invention, there is provided a strap clamping block for swimming goggles having longitudinally opposite ends, transversely opposite side edges, opposite flanks each contoured by the ends and side edges, and a pair of strap guiding channels extending therethrough in a longitudinal direction of a strap used by the swimming goggles, wherein: the pair of guiding channels extending in the longitudinal direction between the opposite side edges so as to present a first separator surface facing one of the opposite side edges and a second separator surface facing the other side edge, respectively, wherein the first and second separator surfaces are respectively defined by slopes curved to go away from each other progressively toward a rear end of the clamping block.
According to one embodiment of this invention, a space between the opposite side edges in the vicinity of the rear end of the clamping block is reduced progressively toward the rear end.
According to another embodiment of this invention, a thickness of the clamping block as measured between the opposite flanks is smaller than a width of the clamping block as measured between the opposite side edges.
According to still another embodiment of this invention, each of the strap guiding channels is dimensioned, in a cross-section thereof taken in a transverse direction of the clamping block, to have a length as measured in the transverse direction larger than a length as measured between the opposite flanks.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3397026 (1968-08-01), Spina
patent: 4313243 (1982-02-01), Childress et al.
patent: 4783164 (1988-11-01), Heiberger
patent: 4881803 (1989-11-01), Giles et al.
patent: 4912814 (1990-04-01), McKenzie
patent: 5454140 (1995-10-01), Murai
patent: 5541676 (1996-07-01), Pallat
patent: 5706526 (1998-01-01), Huang
patent: 5894639 (1999-04-01), Boden et al.
patent: 5915540 (1999-06-01), Chou
patent: 6029870 (2000-02-01), Giancona, III
patent: 0123456 (2000-01-01), None
Fukasawa Shunji
Kawashima Haruo
Long Butzel
Miller William
Rodriguez Ruth C.
Uni-Charm Corporation
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