U.S. patent application number 10/190487 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-02 for buckle with function of untwisting fastening straps.
Invention is credited to Kim, Jin-Kyu.
Application Number | 20030182777 10/190487 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32291588 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030182777 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Jin-Kyu |
October 2, 2003 |
Buckle with function of untwisting fastening straps
Abstract
Disclosed is a buckle with a function of untwisting fastening
straps, in which a male and a female member constituting the buckle
engage with each other in a one-touch manner and both members each
connected to fastening straps freely rotate along with a twisting
of the straps. The buckle consists of a male member connected to
one end of a strap, and a female member removably engaged with two
fitting clamps of the male member at a clamp insert opening
thereof. A rotary strap connector is connected to one end of
another strap and coupled to the female member in such a way that
the rotary strap connector is coupled to a connector holder of the
female member so as to freely rotate relative to the female member
without being undesirably separated from the female member. The
rotary strap connector is covered with a cover at each of upper and
lower open ends thereof through elastic fitting engagement.
Inventors: |
Kim, Jin-Kyu; (Seoul,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JACOBSON HOLMAN PLLC
400 SEVENTH STREET N.W.
SUITE 600
WASHINGTON
DC
20004
US
|
Family ID: |
32291588 |
Appl. No.: |
10/190487 |
Filed: |
July 9, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/615 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B 11/006 20130101;
A44B 11/266 20130101; Y10T 24/45529 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/615 |
International
Class: |
A44B 011/25 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 28, 2002 |
KR |
2002-09242 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps,
comprising: a male member connected to one end of a strap; a female
member removably engaged with fitting clamps of the male member at
a clamp insert opening thereof; and a rotary strap connector
connected to one end of another strap and coupled to the female
member in such a way that the rotary strap connector is coupled to
a connector holder of the female member so as to freely rotate
relative to the female member without being separated from said
female member, said rotary strap connector being covered with a
cover at each of upper and lower open ends thereof through fitting
engagement.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates, in general, to a buckle with
a function of untwisting fastening straps and, in particular, to a
buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps, in which a
male and a female member constituting the buckle engage with each
other in a one-touch manner and both members each connected to
fastening straps freely rotate along with a twisting of the
straps.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] A conventional buckle, which is used in a safety belt of an
automobile or a fastening strap of a sack, consists of two members
capable of engaging with each other in a one-touch manner. Each of
the two members is connected to a fastening strap or a strap of a
safety belt, and the separated fastening straps or the separated
straps of the safety belt are connected to or separated from each
other by properly manipulating a locking hook constituting one
member to engage the two members with each other or separate them
from each other.
[0005] However, the two members do not rotate but are fixed in
their positions when the members constituting the buckle engage
with each other, and so twisting of the fastening straps consisting
of leathers or clothes cannot be readily prevented.
[0006] Accordingly, a user usually feels uncomfortable due to the
twisted fastening straps in contact with his/her hands or shoulders
when the user holds the sack in his/her hand or shoulders the sack,
or when the user uses a safety belt of a baby carriage or of an
automobile.
[0007] Furthermore, the user using such a conventional buckle
suffers from disadvantages of an inconvenience of untwisting the
twisted straps and a poor appearance of the fastening straps owing
to wrinkling of the straps when the twisted strap is not untwisted
for a lengthy period of time. Additionally, the twisted portion of
the strap becomes thinner than a not twisted portion of the strap,
and so the fastening strap is readily snapped when a heavy load is
applied to the strap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to avoid
the above disadvantages, and to provide a buckle with a function of
untwisting fastening straps, in which a male and a female member
engage with each other in a one-touch manner and both members each
connected to fastening straps freely rotate along with a twisting
of the fastening strap. The buckle can be applied to a safety belt
of an automobile or fastening straps of a sack requiring a
convenience and durability, and the buckle of the present invention
satisfies the need.
[0009] Based on the present invention, the above objects can be
accomplished by a provision of a buckle with a function of
untwisting fastening straps, comprising a male member connected to
one end of a strap; a female member removably engaged with fitting
clamps of the male member at a clamp insert opening thereof; and a
rotary strap connector connected to one end of another strap and
coupled to the female member in such a way that the rotary strap
connector is coupled to a connector holder of the female member so
as to freely rotate relative to the female member without being
separated from the female member. The rotary strap connector is
covered with a cover at each of upper and lower open ends thereof
through elastic fitting engagement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The above and other objects, features and other advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a buckle with a function of
untwisting fastening straps according to the present invention, in
which a female member having a rotary strap connector engages with
a male member;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the buckle of FIG. 1, with
its rotary strap connector rotated at an angle of 90.degree. to be
vertically positioned;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the buckle with
the function of untwisting fastening straps according to the
present invention; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the buckle with
the function of untwisting fastening straps of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention will be given, below. Traditional fastening
straps each connected to a female member and a rotary strap
connector are not illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4.
[0016] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, illustrated is a buckle
with a function of untwisting fastening straps, in which a rotary
strap connector 30 connected to one end of a first strap (not
shown) is connected to a female member 20 removably engaging with a
male member 10 connected to one end of a second strap (not shown)
in such a way that the rotary strap connector 30 is capable of
rotating around a connector holder 23 of the female member 30.
Particularly, FIG. 2 illustrates the buckle with its rotary strap
connector 30 rotated at an angle of 90.degree. to be vertically
positioned.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 3, illustrated is the exploded buckle of
the present invention before the rotary strap connector 30
rotatably connected to the female member 20 through the agency of
the connector holder 23 of the female member 20 is covered with a
cover 31 at each of upper and lower open ends thereof through
elastic fitting engagement.
[0018] Turning now to FIG. 4, a sectional view of the buckle of
FIG. 1 is illustrated, in which the rotary strap connector 30 is
connected to the female member 20 through the agency of the
connector holder 23 of the female member 20.
[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the male member 10 constituting
the buckle of the present invention has a slot at one end thereof,
so the male member 10 is connected to one end of the second strap,
like a conventional buckle; and two fitting clamps 11 positioned at
the other end thereof so as to engage the male member 10 with the
female member 20 at a clamp insert opening 21 of the female member
20.
[0020] Furthermore, the female member 20 comprises locking hooks 22
for readily removing the male member 10 from the female member 20
by compressing the elastic locking hooks 22, and a connector holder
23 positioned at a center of one end of the female member 20 in
such a way that the connector holder 23 is protruded from the end
of the female member 20 so as to rotatably connect the rotary strap
connector 30 to the female member 20, different from a conventional
female member comprising a slot for connecting the female member to
one end of a fastening strap.
[0021] The connector holder 23 of the female member 20 has a stop
head 24 used as a stopper for preventing undesired separation of
the connector holder 23 from the female member 20. The stop head 24
is positioned at an end of the holder 23, and the rotary strap
connector 30 is rotatably connected to the female member 20 in such
a way that the connector holder 23 of the female member 20 is
penetrated through a portion of the rotary strap connector 30. The
rotary strap connector 30 is covered with a cover 31 at each of
upper and lower open ends thereof.
[0022] Each cover 31 is provided on its lower surface with a
bearing flange 33 at a center and two elastic lugs 32 at both side
ends thereof. The bearing flange 33 has a semicircular cutout at
its edge so as to rotatably support the connector holder 23 such
that the flange 33 does not obstruct a smooth rotation of the
connector 30 relative to the connector holder 23. The cover 31
firmly engages with the rotary strap connector 30 at each of the
upper and lower open ends of the rotary strap connector 30 by the
elastic lugs 32. In addition, the rotary strap connector 30 has a
slot at one end thereof so as to connect the rotary strap connector
30 to one end of the first strap, like the male member 10.
[0023] As described above, the buckle of the present invention
comprises the female member 20, the male member 10 removably
engaged with the female member 20, and the rotary strap connector
30 rotatably connected to the female member 20. Two fastening
straps are connected to the male member 10 and the rotary strap
connector 30, respectively, and two fitting clamps 11 of the male
member 10 engage with the female member 20 at the clamp insert
opening 21 of the female member 20 to connect the separated
fastening straps to each other.
[0024] Even if the male member 10 engages with the female member 20
while a strap is twisted, the rotary strap connector 30 rotatably
connected to the female member 20 rotates along with the twisting
of the strap and so the twist of the strap is structurally
restrained.
[0025] The two fitting clamps 11 of the male member 10 are easily
separated from the clamp insert opening 21 of the female member 20
by compressing the elastic locking hooks 22 positioned at both
sides of the female member 20.
[0026] Therefore, the buckle with a function of untwisting
fastening straps according to the present invention is advantageous
in that the rotary strap connector 30 freely rotates along with a
twisting of a fastening strap even if the fastening strap is
twisted, and so the twisted strap is untwisted, thereby preventing
a user from feeling discomfort due to the twisted strap in contact
with his/her hand or shoulder.
[0027] The buckle with the function of untwisting fastening straps
according to the present invention, which can be applied to a
safety belt of a baby carriage or of an automobile, and a fastening
strap of a trunk, has an effect of solving a disadvantage of
twisting of the safety belt or the fastening strap, as well as high
durability.
[0028] The present invention has been described in an illustrative
manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology used is
intended to be in the nature of description rather than of
limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore,
it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended
claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described.
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