EP1330966A2

EP1330966A2 - Buckle

Info

Publication number: EP1330966A2
Application number: EP02004972A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wan-Ki Hong
Original assignee: Hong Jin Crown Corp Ltd
Current assignee: Hong Jin Crown Corp Ltd
Priority date: 2002-01-24
Filing date: 2002-03-05
Publication date: 2003-07-30
Also published as: EP1330966A3; KR100436094B1; KR20030063792A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a buckle for a helmet band in which a certain strength for a band of a helmet is obtained, the construction of the same is simple, and the fabrication and unlocking procedure are easy, and an operation trouble is decreased. The buckle includes a body casing, a pressing member which is inserted from the inner side to the outer side through the sliding hole of the body casing and includes a protrusion formed in both inner ends, a slanted shoulder portion in a center lower surface, and a pressurizing portion formed in a rear end, a fixed side engaging member which is assembled with the body casing wherein an extended portion having a band engaging hole is exposed to the outside, and a front end having a pair of hinge plates is embedded in the interior of the body casing for thereby being assembled, an engaging hook which is assembled to the hinge plate of the fixed side engaging member and includes a shaft member inserted into the shaft hole of the hinge plate, an engaging end portion and rotating end portion protruded from both sides of the shaft member, and a torsion spring which is wound onto the shaft member and rotates the same in a certain direction, and an inserted side engaging member which includes a tongue which is inserted through the insertion hole of the body casing and includes an inner diameter shoulder portion and a rear end extended portion having a band engaging hole in the opposite side.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a buckle for a helmet band, and in particular to a buckle for a helmet band in which a certain strength for a band of a helmet is obtained, the construction of the same is simple, and the fabrication and unlocking procedure are easy, and an operation trouble is decreased.

2. Description of the Background Art

Generally, a buckle is used for binding or locking something such as a hair band, safety belt, and various bands. The buckle includes a fixed side engaging member connected to an end of a band(stripe), an inserted side engaging member connected to the other end of the band(or stripe), a fixing unit for implementing a buckled state of the buckle, and a unlocking unit for unlocking the locked buckle.
The above described conventional buckle is disclosed in the Korean Utility Model No. 90-4361, the Korean Utility Model No. 92-7460, and the Korean Utility Model No. 98-33157.
However, the above conventional buckles have the following disadvantages for using as a buckle for a helmet band.
First, since the number of parts is large, the fabrication cost of the buckle is increased, and it is difficult to assemble the buckle. The productivity is decreased, and the fabrication cost is increased.
Second, since the size of the part is small, the part is very sensitive to operation, so that the buckle may be easily unlocked.
Third, a tension force(about 200kg/cm²) determined based on the safety standard is required for the use as a buckle of a helmet. In the conventional structure of the buckle, since the size of the part is small and sensitive to an external environment, the part may be easily broken.
In addition, since a synthetic resin material is used between the fixed side engaging member and the inserted side engaging member, the part may be easily broken.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a buckle which overcomes the problems encountered in the conventional art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a buckle in which a synthetic resin part is used for decreasing the weight and price of the parts, a metallic part is used for a portion which requires a strong intensive force for thereby preventing a certain breakage of a part. In addition, in the present invention, the required number of the parts for locking and unlocking the buckle is small, so that it is easy to fabricate the buckle, and the productivity is enhanced.
To achieve the above objects, there is provided a buckle which comprises a body casing which includes an insertion hole having a space portion having a sliding guide portion in the interior of the same and is formed in a lateral side thereby for communicating with the space portion, a sliding hole which communicates with the interior in the opposite side, and a cover which covers an opened lower surface of the space portion, a pressing member which is inserted from the inner side to the outer side through the sliding hole of the body casing and includes a protrusion formed in both inner ends, a slanted shoulder portion in a center lower surface, and a pressurizing portion formed in a rear end, a fixed side engaging member which is assembled with the body casing wherein an extended portion having a band engaging hole is exposed to the outside, and a front end having a pair of hinge plates is embedded in the interior of the body casing for thereby being assembled, an engaging hook which is assembled to the hinge plate of the fixed side engaging member and includes a shaft member inserted into the shaft hole of the hinge plate, an engaging end portion and rotating end portion protruded from both sides of the shaft member, and a torsion spring which is wound onto the shaft member and rotates the same in a certain direction, and an inserted side engaging member which includes a tongue which is inserted through the insertion hole of the body casing and includes an inner diameter shoulder portion and a rear end extended portion having a band engaging hole in the opposite side.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustration and thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein;
Figure 1 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating the entire construction of a buckle according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state before a buckle is locked according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state after a buckle is locked according to the present invention; and
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a locked state is being unlocked according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating the entire construction of a buckle according to the present invention, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state before a buckle is locked according to the present invention.
As shown therein, the buckle according to the present invention includes a body casing 1, a pressing member 2, a fixed side engaging member 3, an engaging hook 4, and an inserted side engaging member 5.
The body casing 1 is formed based on the molding of a synthetic resin material and includes a space portion 12 in which a sliding guide portion 11 is formed, an insertion hole 13 which is formed in a lateral side and communicates with the space portion 12, and a sliding hole 14 which communicates with the interior on the opposite side.
At this time, a cover 16 is installed for covering an opened lower surface of the space portion. The cover 16 includes four engaging rings 16a formed at four corner portions. An engaging groove 16b is formed in the body casing 1 at the portions corresponding to the position of the engaging ring for thereby implementing an easier assembling operation by simply pushing.
The pressing member 2 is inserted from the inner side to the outer side through the sliding hole 14 of the body casing 1 in such a manner that the pressing member 2 is not escaped based on the wider width of a protrusion 21 formed in both inner side. The above portion reciprocates in the horizontal direction along the sliding guide portion 11 of the body casing 1. A coil spring 17 is elastically inserted between the inner wall of the body casing 1. A slanted shoulder portion 22 is formed in the center portion of the bottom for thereby pushing a rotating end portion of the engaging hook which will be described later.
The fixed side engaging member 3 is assembled in such a manner that the front ends of a pair of hinge plates 31 are in the interior of the body casing 1, and an extended portion 32 having a band engaging hole 33 is exposed to the outside.
In the fixed side engaging member 3, an end surface of the same contacts with an inner wall of the space portion, and the hinge plate 31 is engaged by a mounting shoulder portion 15 formed in an inner wall of the body casing, so that the fixed side engaging member 3 is not escaped and is safely assembled without movement.
The engaging hook 4 must be assembled to the hinge plate 31 before the fixed side engaging member 3 is assembled to the body casing 1.
The engaging hook 4 includes a shaft member 41 inserted into a shaft hole 31a, and an engaging end portion 42 and a rotating end portion 43 which are protruded from both sides of the shaft member.
At this time, the rotating end portion 43 is upwardly bent at a certain angle with respect to the planes of the shaft member 41 and the engaging end portion 42. A torsion spring 44 is formed in a channel shape. When the coil portion is wound onto the shaft member and is assembled to the hinge plate 31, a force for pressing the engaging end portion 42 is generated.
The inserted side engaging member 5 includes a tongue 51 which is inserted through the insertion hole 13 of the body casing 1 and includes an inner diameter shoulder portion 51a and a rear end extended portion 52 which has a band engaging hole 53 in the opposite side.
In the drawings, reference numeral 6 represents a band.
The assembling procedure of the buckle according to the present invention will be explained as follows.
First, the pressing member 2 is inserted from the inner side to the outside through the sliding hole 41 of the body casing 1 in such a manner that a pressurizing portion 23 is exposed, and the coil spring 17 is elastically inserted between the pressing member 2 and the inner wall of the space portion 12.
As shown in Figure 1, in a state that the torsion spring 44 is assembled, the engaging hook 4 is rotatable by inserting the shaft member 41 into the shaft hole 31 a formed in the hinge plate 31 of the fixed side engaging member 3.
As shown in Figure 1, the fixed side engaging member 3 is assembled to the body casing 1, and the end portion of the same contacts with an inner wall of the space portion 12 of the body casing 1, and the hinge plate 31 is engaged to the mounting shoulder portion 15 formed in an inner wall of the body casing for thereby assembling the fixed side engaging member 3.
The engaging rings 16a of the cover 16 are inserted into the engaging grooves 16b of the body casing 1 for thereby finishing the assembling operation. The finished state is shown in Figure 2.
The operation of the buckle according to the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in Figure 2, the engaging end portion 42 of the engaging hook 4 assembled between the hinge plate 31 of the fixed side engaging member 3 is closely contacted with an inner surface of the fixed side engaging member 3 by the torsion spring 44.
In this state, the tongue 51 of the inserted side engaging member 5 is inserted through the insertion hole 13, and the end portion of the tongue 51 lifts the engaging end portion 42 of the engaging hook 4, and then the engaging end portion 42 of the engaging hook 4 is engaged by the inner diameter shoulder portion 51 a of the tongue 51.
As shown in Figure 3, in this state, the band connected with the fixed side engaging member 3 is connected with the band connected with the inserted side engaging member 5.
When unbinding the bands, as shown in Figure 4, the pressing member 2 exposed through the sliding hole 14 of the body casing 1 is pushed and is forwardly moved.
When the pressing member 2 is continuously inwardly moved, the pressing member 2 is moved along the sliding guide portion 11, and the slanted shoulder portion 22 formed in the lower surface pushes the rotating end portion 43 of the engaging hook 4, and the engaging hook 4 is rotated by overcoming the force of the torsion spring 44. When the engaging hook 4 is rotated, the engaging end portion 42 is escaped from the inner diameter shoulder portion 51a o the tongue 51, so that the inserted side engaging member 5 is backwardly moved.
When the tongue 51 is escaped from the interior of the body casing 1 in the above manner, the tongue 51 becomes the state of Figure 2.
As described above, a part of the fixed side engaging member is embedded in the interior of the body casing, and the tongue of the inserted side engaging member is engaged by the engaging end portion of the engaging hook assembled to the fixed side engaging member. Since the fixed side engaging member, the engaging hook and the inserted side engaging member to which a tension force is applied are formed of a metallic material, it is possible to receive the tension force of the same which is determined by the safety standard compared to the conventional buckle which is formed of the synthetic resin.
In addition, the body casing, the pressing member and the cover to which a certain force is not directly applied are formed of a synthetic resin, the fabrication of the buckle is easy, and the prices of the parts are low. Since the number of parts is small compared to the conventional buckle, the assembling and proructivity are excellent.
As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

Claims

A buckle, comprising:

a body casing which includes an insertion hole having a space portion having a sliding guide portion in the interior of the same and is formed in a lateral side thereby for communicating with the space portion, a sliding hole which communicates with the interior in the opposite side, and a cover which covers an opened lower surface of the space portion;

a pressing member which is inserted from the inner side to the outer side through the sliding hole of the body casing and includes a protrusion formed in both inner ends, a slanted shoulder portion in a center lower surface, and a pressurizing portion formed in a rear end;

a fixed side engaging member which is assembled with the body casing wherein an extended portion having a band engaging hole is exposed to the outside, and a front end having a pair of hinge plates is embedded in the interior of the body casing for thereby being assembled;

an engaging hook which is assembled to the hinge plate of the fixed side engaging member and includes a shaft member inserted into the shaft hole of the hinge plate, an engaging end portion and rotating end portion protruded from both sides of the shaft member, and a torsion spring which is wound onto the shaft member and rotates the same in a certain direction; and

an inserted side engaging member which includes a tongue which is inserted through the insertion hole of the body casing and includes an inner diameter shoulder portion and a rear end extended portion having a band engaging hole in the opposite side.
The buckle of claim 1, wherein in said buckle, the body casing, the pressing member and the cover are formed of a synthetic resin, and the fixed side engaging member, the engaging hook assembled to the hinge plate and the inserted side engaging member are formed of a metallic material.