GRUBER, Kurt (15 Rennershofstrasse, D-MANNHEIM, D-MANNHEIM, DE)
| Claims 1 ) Buckle with tongue, of the type comprising a frame (1 ) that incorporates the pivoting pin (2) of the tongue (3), the tip of which (4) surmounts said frame (1 ), characterized in that it also comprises an additional closing device using two members (5 and 6) that are snapped-in with male-female coupling, wherein the male member (5) is coupled with said pivoting pin (2) and situated on the internal side of the bucket (F). 2) Buckle as claimed in the above claim, characterized in that said member (5) is provided with connection means (5c, 5d) adapted to be elastically snapped into the seat of the female member (6). 3) Buckle as claimed in the above claim, characterized in that said male member (5) consists in a plate (5a) provided at one end with eyelet (5b) for fixing to the pivoting pin (2), whereas at the other end it ends with an elastically flexible wing (5c) with a protruding beak (5d) adapted to remain elastically snapped into the seat of the female member (6). 4) Buckle as claimed in the above claim, characterized in that said wing (5c) ends with a raised border (5d). 5) Buckle as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said female member (6) is made of a simple arch (6a) with means (6b) for stable fixing to the other end (B) of the belt (C), that is to say the end (B) without the series of holes (S) where the tip of the tongue (3) is inserted. 6) Buckle as claimed in the above claim, characterized in that said means (6b) consist in a stud (6b) adapted to be glued, nailed or fastened to said end (B). |
"Buckle with tongue provided with additional closing device".
The present patent application for industrial invention relates to a buckle with tongue, provided with additional closing device that uses two members that are snapped in with male-female coupling.
For convenience of illustration, reference is hereinafter made to a buckle for belts, it is however understood that the buckle of the invention may be applied on the most diverse leather or clothing articles, such as for example bags, rucksacks, shoes, jackets, etc.
As it is known, an ordinary buckle for belts comprises a frame with annular configuration, mostly made of a rectangular frame and provided with a hook, which is technically defined as "tongue", pivoted on one of its sides.
Said tongue is free to oscillate around its pivoting pin and has a suitable length so that its tip surmounts the other side of the annular frame, and more precisely the side in front of said tip, with transversal orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis of said hook.
One end of the belt is fixed on the side where the tongue is pivoted, whereas a series of regularly spaced holes is obtained on the other free end of the belt for insertion of said hook.
When using and tightening a similar belt, the user must insert the free end of the belt inside the annular frame, from the inside towards the outside, moving said hook away to prevent it from interfering with the free sliding of the free end inside the buckle.
To hook up the buckle to the free end of the belt, it is necessary to insert the tip of said hook inside one of the holes and let the tip surmount said frame and stop against it.
In other models of buckles the tongue is pivoted on a central pin, positioned between the two transversal sides of said annular frame; in these models of buckle the first end of the belt, that is to say the end without said regularly spaced series of holes, is fixed to the side of the frame situated in opposite position to the side where the tip of the hook is directed.
This model of buckles with intermediate pin allows for double insertion of the free end of the belt, the first insertion from the inside towards the outside of the buckle, and the second insertion astride said intermediate pin, from the outside towards the inside of the buckle.
In any case, the tightening or opening of the belt always requires an insertion or removal operation that is uncomfortable and not possible with simple, immediate movements.
Based on the critical observation of the latter drawback, alternative buckles of different types have been devised and used for a long time, which are based on the use of two members that are snapped-in with male-female coupling, such as the ones that are commonly used to close the pockets or shoulder straps of rucksacks or backpacks for leisure time.
As it is known, the closing operation of this second type of buckles is rather simple and quick, it being only necessary for the user to insert the male member in the female member until the retractile teeth of the male member are elastically snapped-in.
Likewise, the opening operation of this second type of buckles is rather easy and quick, it only being necessary for the user to release the male element from the female element after pressing said teeth in order to bring them in maximum retraction position.
The purpose of the present invention is to realize a new model of buckle that is characterized by the same elegance of an ordinary buckle with tongue, but at the same time allows for opening and closing the buckle with easy, fast operations, same as the second type of buckles as illustrated above.
Such a purpose has been achieved by the buckle of the invention, the main characteristics of which are disclosed in the first of the several claims attached hereto.
The inventive idea of the buckle of the invention is to apply an insert on an ordinary buckle with tongue, said insert being the male member of a pair of members that are snapped-in with male-female coupling. More precisely, said insert is attached to the same pivoting pin of the tongue of the buckle and concealed on the internal side of the buckle.
In view of the above, once the belt has been adjusted correctly, by selecting the correct hole for the tip of the tongue, the opening and closing of the belt can be realized without moving the free end of the belt, but simply releasing or inserting said male member with respect to the corresponding female member that is permanently fixed to one end of the belt.
For major clarity the description of the buckle of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for illustrative purposes only and not in a limiting sense, wherein the buckle of the invention is applied on an ordinary belt.
Fig. 1 is a view of the buckle of the invention in closing position.
Fig. 2 is basically the same as Fig. 1 except that the end of the belt is in overturned position, in order to show the tongue underneath for almost its entire length, as well as the pivoting pin, to which also the additional closing device, which uses two members that are snapped in with male-female coupling, is coupled.
Fig. 3 is a view of the two members for male-female coupling according to a preferred embodiment.
Referring to the aforesaid figures, the buckle (F) of the invention comprises a frame (1 ) with annular configuration, being a rectangular frame in this case. Said frame (1 ) incorporates the pivoting pin (2) of the tongue (3), the tip of which (4) surmounts said frame (1 ).
As mentioned above, the innovative peculiarity of the buckle (F) of the invention consists in the fact that it also comprises an additional closing device, which uses two members (5 and 6) that are snapped-in with male- female coupling.
More precisely, the male member (5) is coupled with said pivoting pin (2) and situated from the internal side of the buckle (F), in such a way to be completely concealed when the free end (BL) of the belt (C) is inserted through the buckle (F) and coupled with the tongue (3), as shown in Fig. 1. According to a preferred embodiment, said male member (5) consists in a metal plate (5a) provided at one end with eyelet (5b) for fixing to the pivoting pin (2), whereas at the other end it ends with an elastically flexible wing (5c) obtained by folding the end of the plate by almost 180°, as shown in Fig. 3. On said wing (5c) a protruding beak (5d) is obtained by means of semi- shearing and/or pressure folding, which is adapted to be elastically snapped- in inside the female member (6) that, in this case, is composed of a simple metal arch (6a) with means (6b) for stable fixing to the other end (B) of the belt (C), that is to say the end without the series of holes (S) where the tip of the tongue (3) is to be inserted.
According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, said means (6b) consist in a stud (6b) adapted to be glued, nailed or fastened to said end (B).
Said wing (5c) has a raised transversal border (5e) that acts as stop.
As mentioned above, once the belt (C) has been adjusted correctly, by selecting the correct hole (S) for the tip of the tongue (3), the opening and closing of the belt can be realized without releasing the free end (BL) from the tip of the tongue (3), but simply releasing a protruding beak (5d) from the snap-in seat represented by the arch (6a).
In order to do that, the user simply needs to raise the end (BL), as shown in Fig. 2, and then exert a force (FO) on the flexible wing (5c), so that said beak (5d) no longer interferes with the free uncoupling travel of the plate (5) from the arch (6a).
Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 1 , said force (FO) may be exerted on the end (BL), without overturning it, given the fact that the pressure exerted on the end (BL) would be transmitted unchanged on the flexible wing (5c) below. On the contrary, to couple the plate (5) with the arch (6a), the user simply needs to insert said wing (5c) under the arch (6a), so that said beak (5d) - interfering with said arch - forces the wing (5c) to progressively bend downwards, until the beak (5d) passes the arch (6a), with consequent elastic snap-in of the wing (3c) that can resume the raised idle position.
It is in this phase that the raised border (5e) becomes useful, acting as stop for insertion of the male member (5) into the female member (6).