U.S. patent application number 12/938635 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-03 for press release buckle.
Invention is credited to Tsung-Ming KUNG.
Application Number | 20120102689 12/938635 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45995061 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120102689 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KUNG; Tsung-Ming |
May 3, 2012 |
PRESS RELEASE BUCKLE
Abstract
A press release buckle includes a base member defining an
accommodation chamber, a front opening and a retaining gap defined
between the front opening and the accommodation chamber, a press
member supported on a conical compression spring in the
accommodation chamber and movable vertically between the top and
bottom sides of the accommodation chamber to close/open the
retaining gap, and a connection member having a coupling shaft
insertable into the accommodation chamber and then the retaining
gap, a mounting block for fastening to an external strap member and
a neck connected between the coupling shaft and the mounting block
and positionable in the front opening of the base member.
Inventors: |
KUNG; Tsung-Ming; (Kaohsiung
City, TW) |
Family ID: |
45995061 |
Appl. No.: |
12/938635 |
Filed: |
November 3, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
24/636 ;
24/633 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 24/45623 20150115;
Y10T 24/45639 20150115; A44B 11/263 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
24/636 ;
24/633 |
International
Class: |
A44B 11/26 20060101
A44B011/26 |
Claims
1. A press release buckle comprising: a base member, said base
member comprising an accommodation chamber, a front opening in
communication with said accommodation chamber and a retaining gap
defined between said front opening and said accommodation chamber;
a press member mounted in said accommodation chamber of said base
member and movable vertically relative to said base member between
top and bottom sides of said accommodation chamber to close/open
said retaining gap; an elastic member mounted in said accommodation
chamber and stopped between a bottom wall of said base member and
said press member to hold said press member in the top side of said
accommodation chamber; and a connection member detachably
connectable to said base member, said connection member comprising
a coupling shaft insertable into said accommodation chamber and
then said retaining gap when said press member is pressed by a
person and moved to the bottom side of said accommodation chamber,
a mounting block, and a neck connected between a middle part of
said coupling shaft and a middle part of said mounting block and
positionable in said front opening of said base member.
2. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
base member comprises an upright post vertically upwardly extended
from a bottom wall thereof and suspending in said accommodation
chamber; said press member comprises a bottom recess located on a
bottom side thereof; said elastic member is a conical compression
spring, having a relatively smaller bottom end sleeved onto said
upright post and stopped at the bottom wall of said base member and
a relatively larger top end positioned in the bottom recess of said
press member.
3. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
base member comprises a coupling structure disposed around said
accommodation chamber; said press member comprises a coupling
structure disposed around the periphery thereof and coupled to the
coupling structure of said base member to secured said press member
to said base member and to allow vertical sliding movement of said
press member relative to said base member between the top and
bottom sides of said accommodation chamber in opening/closing said
retaining gap.
4. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
coupling structure of said press member comprises a plurality of
coupling hooks; the coupling structure of said base member
comprises a plurality of vertical coupling grooves spaced around an
inside wall of said base member within said accommodation chamber
for receiving the coupling hooks of the coupling structure of said
press member and guiding movement of said press member up and down
between the top and bottom sides of said accommodation chamber and
a plurality of beveled guide faces located on the inside wall of
said base member above said vertical coupling grooves and adapted
for guiding the coupling hooks of the coupling structure of said
press member.
5. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
coupling structure of said base member comprises a plurality of
springy hooks spaced around said accommodation chamber; the
coupling structure of said press member comprises a plurality of
above said vertical coupling grooves and adapted for guiding the
coupling hooks of the coupling structure of said press member.
6. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
base member further comprises two pivot pins respectively
horizontally extended from the inside wall thereof at two opposite
lateral sides in said retaining gap between said accommodation
chamber and said front opening; said coupling shaft of said
connection member comprises two pivot holes respectively and
axially located on two distal ends thereof for receiving said pivot
pins, and two end notches respectively and radially located on the
two distal ends in communication with said pivot holes and facing
said mounting block for guiding the two pivot pins of said base
member into said pivot holes.
7. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
press member comprises a sloping surface portion located on a top
side thereof for pressing by said coupling shaft to lower said
press member in said accommodation chamber.
8. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
base member further comprises a narrow protruding block raised from
the bottom wall thereof in a bottom side in said retaining gap.
9. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
base member further comprises two horizontal stop flanges
bilaterally suspending above said retaining gap.
10. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising a mounting structure adapted for pivotally connecting
said base member to an external object, said base member further
comprising a bottom shank perpendicularly downwardly extended from
a flat bottom surface of the bottom wall thereof and a guide block
protruded from said flat bottom surface adjacent to said bottom
shank; said coupling structure comprising a first mounting plate
attached to one side of said external object, said first mounting
plate comprising a center through hole for the passing of said
bottom shank of said base member and an arched sliding groove
located on a top wall thereof and extending around the center
through hole and coupled to said guide block of said base member to
guide rotation of said base member relative to said mounting
structure within a predetermined angle, and a first fastening
member inserted through a through hole on said external object and
the center through hole of said mounting structure and driven into
the bottom shank of said base member to pivotally connect said base
member to said mounting structure and said external object.
11. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said
first mounting plate of said mounting structure further comprises
two bottom mounting posts perpendicularly downwardly extended from
a bottom wall thereof at two opposite sides relative to the center
through hole of said first mounting plate and respectively inserted
into one respective through hole on said external object; said
mounting structure further comprises a second mounting plate
attached to an opposite side of said external object opposite to
said first mounting plate, said second mounting plate comprising a
center through hole for the passing of said first fastening member
and two mounting holes disposed at two opposite sides relative to
the center through hole of said second mounting plate for receiving
said bottom mounting posts of said first mounting plate, and two
second fastening members respectively fastened to the mounting
holes of said second mounting plate and said bottom mounting posts
of said first mounting plate to affix said first mounting plate,
said external object and said second mounting plate together.
12. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
base member comprises a mounting flap extending around the
periphery of the bottom wall thereof in a flush manner for
fastening to an external object with stitches.
13. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
mounting block of said connection member comprises a mounting hole
for the mounting of an external strap member.
14. The press release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
connection member further comprises a mounting flap extending
around the periphery of a bottom wall of said mounting block in a
flush manner for fastening to an external strap member with
stitches.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to buckles and more
particularly, to a press release buckle, which allows the coupling
shaft of a connection member thereof to be pressed on a
spring-supported press member in an accommodation chamber of a base
member thereof and then forced into a retaining gap in the base
member and stopped in the retaining gap by the press member.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Many different types of buckles and snap hooks have been
created and are intensively used in shoes, backpacks, travel bags,
shoulder bags, etc., to join two parts together. Further, a snap
hook generally comprises a hook, a spring latch movable to
close/open the hook, and a mounting ring located on one end of the
hook for mounting. This design of snap hook is not satisfactory in
function. The spring latch may be opened from the hook accidentally
by an external force, causing disconnection of the hook from the
hooked object. Further, the mounting ring may be fixedly mounted on
or rotatably coupled to one end of the hook. Thus, the operational
flexibility of this design of snap hook is limited.
[0005] FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate a conventional snap hook
According to this design, the snap hook comprises a hook A, a
sliding block B and a mounting ring C. The hook A comprises a
hooked portion A1 at its one end, a stop flange A2 and a bearing
edge A3 spaced on the middle, a conical head A4 located on an
opposite end, a spring strip A5 curved from the conical head A4 and
terminating in a hooked tip in between the stop flange A2 and the
bearing edge A3, and two sliding rails A6 bilaterally disposed
between the stop flange A2 and the conical head A4. The mounting
ring C is mounted on one end of the hook A remote from the hooked
portion A1. The sliding block B is coupled to the two sliding rails
A6 of the hook A, comprising a top protrusion B1 located on its one
end, a raised portion B2 located on its other end, a recessed
portion B3 defined between the top protrusion B1 and the raised
portion B2. The bottom wall of the recessed portion B3 of the
sliding block B is supported on the spring strip A5 of the hook A.
The spring strip A5 imparts a pressure to the sliding block B,
forcing the top protrusion B1 into contact with the hooked portion
A1.
[0006] The aforesaid conventional snap hook is functional; however,
due to the structural design of the hooked portion A1 of the hook
A, the user must apply a pressure to the sliding block B to move
the top protrusion B1 apart from the hooked portion A1 when wishing
to disconnect the hook A from the hooked object. When pushing the
sliding block B in direction away from the hooked portion A1 of the
hook A, the applied force must overcome the spring force of the
spring strip A5. Further, because the spring strip A5 is formed
integral with a part of the hook A, applying an excessively high
pressure to the sliding block B against the spring strip A5 may
cause concentration of stress, deforming or damaging the connection
area between the spring strip A5 and the hook A. Thus, this design
of snap hook is not durable in use and its safety level is low.
Therefore, an improvement in this regard is necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to
provide a press release buckle, which comprises a base member
mountable on an external object and defining an accommodation
chamber, a front opening and a retaining gap defined between the
front opening and the accommodation chamber, a press member
supported on an elastic member in the accommodation chamber and
movable vertically between the top and bottom sides of the
accommodation chamber to close/open the retaining gap, and a
connection member having a coupling shaft insertable into the
accommodation chamber and then the retaining gap, a mounting block
for fastening to an external strap member and a neck connected
between the coupling shaft and the mounting block and positionable
in the front opening of the base member. Further, the elastic
member holds the press member normally in the upper limit position
to close the retaining gap, and allows the press member to be moved
between the top and bottom sides of the accommodation chamber in a
balanced status without tilting so that the coupling shaft of the
connection member can be smoothly inserted into the retaining gap
or removal of the coupling shaft of the connection member out of
the retaining gap.
[0008] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
press release buckle, wherein the base member comprises two pivot
pins respectively horizontally extended from the inside wall
thereof at two opposite lateral sides in the retaining gap between
the accommodation chamber and the front opening and two horizontal
stop flanges respectively suspending above the pivot pins; the
coupling shaft of the connection member comprises two pivot holes
respectively and axially located on the two distal ends thereof for
receiving the pivot pins and two end notches respectively and
radially located on the two distal ends in communication with the
pivot holes and facing the mounting block for guiding the two pivot
pins of the base member into the pivot holes in one particular
direction.
[0009] It is still another object of the present invention to
provide a press release buckle, which further comprises a mounting
structure adapted for pivotally connecting the base member to an
external object. The base member further comprises a bottom shank
perpendicularly downwardly extended from the flat bottom surface of
the bottom wall thereof and a guide block protruded from the flat
bottom surface adjacent to the bottom shank. The coupling structure
comprises a first mounting plate attached to one side of the
external object. The first mounting plate comprises a center
through hole for the passing of the bottom shank of the base member
and an arched sliding groove located on the top wall thereof and
extending around the center through hole and coupled to the guide
block of the base member to guide rotation of the base member
relative to the mounting structure within a predetermined angle,
for example, 45.degree. angle, and a fastening member inserted
through a through hole on the external object and the center
through hole of the mounting structure and driven into the bottom
shank of the base member to pivotally connect the base member to
the mounting structure and the external object.
[0010] It is still another object of the present invention to
provide a press release buckle, wherein the base member further
comprises an upright post suspending in the accommodation chamber;
the press member comprises a bottom recess located on the bottom
wall thereof; the elastic member is a conical compression spring
that has a relatively smaller bottom end sleeved onto the upright
post in the accommodation chamber of the base member and a
relatively larger top end positioned in the bottom recess of the
press member. Thus, the elastic member supports the press member
stably in the accommodation chamber and can return the press member
immediately and stably after said press member having been
pressed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a press release buckle in
accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the press release buckle in
accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 2 when viewed from another
angle.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional side view of the first
embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the installation
procedure of the press release buckle (I).
[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional side view of the first
embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the installation
procedure of the press release buckle (II).
[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional side view of the first
embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the installation
procedure of the press release buckle (III).
[0017] FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of the first embodiment of
the present invention, illustrating the base member and the
connection member biased in one direction relative to the mounting
structure.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of the first embodiment of
the present invention, illustrating the base member and the
connection member biased relative to the mounting structure in the
reversed direction.
[0019] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a press release buckle in
accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a sectional side view of a buckle according to
the prior art.
[0021] FIG. 11 illustrates an operation status of the buckle
according to the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a press release buckle in accordance
with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown
comprising a first buckle unit, which comprises a base member 1, a
press member 12 and an elastic member 14, and a second buckle unit,
which comprises a connection member 2.
[0023] The base member 1 defines an accommodation chamber 11 and a
front opening 111 in communication with the accommodation chamber
11. The press member 12 is mounted in the accommodation chamber 11
of the base member 1, defining with the base member 1 a retaining
gap 13 between the accommodation chamber 11 and the front opening
111. The elastic member 14 is mounted in the accommodation chamber
11 and stopped between the press member 12 and the bottom wall of
the base member 11.
[0024] The base member 1 further comprises an upright post 112
vertically upwardly extended from the bottom wall thereof and
suspending in the accommodation chamber 11. The elastic member 14
according to this embodiment is a conical compression spring,
having a relatively smaller bottom end 141 sleeved onto the upright
post 112 and a relatively larger top end 142 positioned in a bottom
recess 121 of the press member 12. The base member 1 further
comprises a coupling structure 113 for receiving the press member
12. The coupling structure 113 comprises a plurality of vertical
coupling grooves 1131 spaced around the inside wall of the base
member 1 within the accommodation chamber 11 and a plurality of
beveled guide faces 1132 located on the inside wall of the base
member 1 and respectively disposed above the vertical coupling
grooves 1131. The press member 12 further comprises a coupling
structure 122 for coupling to the coupling structure 113 of the
base member 1. The coupling structure 122 comprises a plurality of
coupling hooks 1221 respectively moved along the beveled guide
faces 1132 into the vertical coupling grooves 1131. After insertion
of the respective coupling hooks 1221 into the respective vertical
coupling grooves 1131, the press member 12 can be moved vertically
up and down in the accommodation chamber 11 (this will be described
further). The press member 12 further comprises a sloping surface
portion 123 located on the top side thereof. Further, the base
member 1 comprises pivot pins 131 respectively horizontally
extended from the inside wall thereof at two opposite lateral sides
in the retaining gap 13 between the accommodation chamber 11 and
the front opening 111, two horizontal stop flanges 132 respectively
suspending above the pivot pins 131, and a narrow protruding block
133 raised from the bottom wall thereof in the bottom side of the
retaining gap 13 and equally spaced between the two pivot pins 131
and abutted to the bottom side of the front opening 111.
[0025] The connection member 2 comprises a coupling shaft 21, a
mounting block 22 and a neck 23 connected between a middle part of
the coupling shaft 21 and a middle part of the mounting block 22.
The coupling shaft 21 comprises two pivot holes 211 respectively
and axially located on the two distal ends thereof, two end notches
2111 respectively and radially located on the two distal ends in
communication with the respective pivot holes 211 and facing the
mounting block 22, and two locating blocks 212 respectively
protruded from the periphery there near the two distal ends and
opposite to the end notches 2111. The mounting block 22 has a
mounting hole 221 for the mounting of a strap member.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 4-6 and FIGS. 1-3 again, during
installation of the press release buckle, insert the elastic member
(conical compression spring) 14 into the accommodation chamber 11
of the base member 1 and sleeve the relatively smaller bottom end
141 of the elastic member (conical compression spring) 14 onto the
upright post 112, and then insert the press member 12 into the
accommodation chamber 11 of the base member 1 by forcing the
coupling hooks 1221 of the coupling structure 122 along the beveled
guide faces 1132 of the coupling structure 113 of the base member 1
into the vertical coupling grooves 1131 respectively to have the
relatively larger top end 142 of the elastic member (conical
compression spring) 14 be positioned in the bottom recess 121 of
the press member 12. By means of arranging the elastic member
(conical compression spring) 14 in the accommodation chamber 11 of
the base member 1 in such a manner that the relatively smaller
bottom end 141 of the elastic member (conical compression spring)
14 is sleeved onto the upright post 112 and supported on the bottom
wall of the base member 1 inside the accommodation chamber 11 and
the relatively larger top end 142 of the elastic member (conical
compression spring) 14 is positioned in the bottom recess 121 of
the press member 12 to support the press member 12, the press
member 12 can be moved in the accommodation chamber 11 stably up
and down.
[0027] Thereafter, press the coupling shaft 21 of the connection
member 2 onto the press member 12 in the base member 1 to lower the
press member 12 and to compress the elastic member (conical
compression spring) 14 and then move the connection member 2 to
slide the coupling shaft 21 along the sloping surface portion 123
of the press member 12 into the retaining gap 13 and to have the
coupling shaft 21 be supported on the narrow protruding block 133,
and then pull the connection member 2 to move the coupling shaft 21
along the narrow protruding block 133 and to further let the two
pivot pins 131 be forced through the respective end notches 2111
into the respective pivot holes 211. At this time, the neck 23 of
the connection member 2 extends through the front opening 111 of
the base member 1, and the elastic member (conical compression
spring) 14 returns the press member 12 to its former position, i.e.
the upper limit position where the coupling hooks 1221 of the
coupling structure 122 of the press member 12 are respectively
stopped at the top ends of the vertical coupling grooves 1131, the
coupling shaft 21 and its locating blocks 212 are stopped by the
press member 12 and the stop flanges 132 of the base member 1 in
the retaining gap 13, and therefore the connection member 2 is kept
connected to the base member 1.
[0028] When wishing to disconnect the connection member 2 (second
buckle unit) from the base member 1 (first buckle unit), press the
press member 12 to compress the elastic member (conical compression
spring) 14 and to open the retaining gap 13, allowing the coupling
shaft 21 of the connection member 2 to be disengaged from the two
pivot pins 131 of the base member 1 and the moved out of the
retaining gap 13. After removal of the connection member 2 from the
base member 1, the elastic member (conical compression spring) 14
immediately returns the press member 12 to its former position.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 and FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 again, the
base member 1 further comprises a bottom shank 1141 perpendicularly
downwardly extended from the flat bottom surface 114 of the bottom
wall thereof and a guide block 1142 protruded from the flat bottom
surface 114 adjacent to the bottom shank 1141. The first buckle
unit of the press release buckle further comprises a mounting
structure 15 adapted for fastening the base member 1 to an object
3, which can be the body member of a bag (backpack, suitcase or
travel bag), box or any of a variety of consumer products. The
mounting structure 15 comprises a first mounting plate 151, a
second mounting plate 152 and a plurality of fastening members 153.
The first mounting plate 151 is attached to the flat bottom surface
114 of the base member 1, having a center through hole 1511 coupled
to the bottom shank 1141 of the base member 1, an arched sliding
groove 1512 located on the top wall thereof and extending around
the center through hole 1511 and coupled to the guide block 1142 of
the base member 1 and two bottom mounting posts 1513
perpendicularly downwardly extended from the bottom wall thereof at
two opposite sides relative to the center through hole 1511. The
second mounting plate 152 is coupled to the bottom mounting posts
1513 of the first mounting plate 151 and defining a clamping space
150 between the first mounting plate 151 and the second mounting
plate 152, having a center through hole 1521 corresponding to the
center through hole 1511 of the first mounting plate 151 and two
mounting holes 1522 corresponding to the bottom mounting posts 1513
of the first mounting plate 151.
[0030] During installation of the mounting structure 15, attach the
first mounting plate 151 and the second mounting plate 152 to the
top and bottom sides of the object 3 to have the bottom mounting
posts 1513 of the first mounting plate 151 be inserted through
respective through holes 31 on the object 3 into the mounting holes
1522 of the second mounting plate 152, and then fasten one
respective fastening member 153 to each of the bottom mounting
posts 1513 of the first mounting plate 151 to affix the first
mounting plate 15, the object 3 and the second mounting plate 152
together.
[0031] Thereafter, attach the first mounting plate 151 to the flat
bottom surface 114 of the base member 1 to couple the center
through hole 1511 and arched sliding groove 1512 of the first
mounting plate 151 to the bottom shank 1141 and guide block 1142 of
the base member 1, and then insert one fastening member 153 through
the center through hole 1521 of the second mounting plate 152 and
one corresponding through holes 31 on the object 3 and drive the
fastening member 153 into the base member 1 to pivotally connect
the mounting structure 15 and the object 3 to the base member 1,
allowing rotation of the base member 1 relative to the mounting
structure 15 and the object 3 within a predetermined angle (subject
to the extending angle of the arched sliding groove 1512 around the
center through hole 1511), for example, 45.degree. angle.
[0032] Further, the mounting hole 221 is located on the back side
of the mounting block 22 of the connection member 2 opposite to the
neck 23 and the coupling shaft 21 and extending to the bottom side
of the mounting block 22 for the mounting of a strap member 4 (or a
component part of a bag, box or any of a variety of consumer
products) positively. After fastening of the connection member 2 to
the strap member 4, the strap member 4 can be kept from sight.
[0033] FIG. 9 illustrates a press release buckle in accordance with
a second embodiment of the present invention. This second
embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first
embodiment with the exception of the coupling structure 113 of the
base member 1, the coupling structure 122 of the press member 12
and the mounting structure of the base member 1 and the mounting
structure of the connection member 2.
[0034] Further, according to this second embodiment, the coupling
structure 113 of the base member 1 comprises a plurality of springy
hooks 1133 spaced around the accommodation chamber 11; the coupling
structure 122 of the press member 12 comprises a plurality of
coupling grooves 1222 for receiving the springy hooks 1133 of the
coupling structure 113 of the base member 1. Further, the base
member 1 in accordance with this second embodiment eliminates the
aforesaid mounting structure 15. According to this second
embodiment, the base member 1 comprises a mounting flap 16
extending around the periphery of the bottom wall thereof in a
flush manner for fastening to a first object (for example, the
object 3 shown in FIG. 5) with stitches; the connection member 2
comprises a mounting flap 222 extending around the periphery of the
bottom wall of the mounting block 22 in a flush manner for
fastening to a second object (for example, the strap member 4 shown
in FIG. 5) with stitches.
[0035] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention
is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
* * * * *