FR2698526A1 - Briefcase closure fastener assembly - comprises male notched strap passing through female part with elastic retainer and push-button for release - Google Patents

Abstract

The moulded plastics fastener (4) comprises a male strap (8) having several transverse notches (11). There is a longitudinal slot passing through the thickness of the strap and a female part forming a passage for the strap (8) which passes through two openings (22,23). An elastic retainer (24) and an elastic push button (20) have a drive (32,38) passing through the slot in the strap (8). This allows the push button, when it is supported towards the rear side of the female, of deforming the retainer to disengage it from the transverse notches and the strap to be pushed and freely displaced in the passage. ADVANTAGE - Ease of adjustment of length of fasteners.

Description

 The invention relates to a fastening device between a first and a second element, which is made of molded plastic.

 It aims to provide such a device which is of adjustable length both in the direction of elongation and of narrowing, and whose manipulations to perform to change the length are simple and convenient.

To this end, it proposes a device for attaching between a first and a second element, characterized in that it comprises
a male fastening means of molded plastic material, intended to be fixed on the first element, comprising a strap extending from an insertion end, having on a first face a plurality of transverse notches, a longitudinal slot being formed through said strap; and
- A female attachment means of molded plastic, intended to be fixed to the second element, comprising
a passage for said strap, extending between a
first and second ports, said strap being
planned to be installed in a direction of growth
cement with said insertion end which penetrates
in said passage through said first orifice then pro
sticks towards the second orifice, said first face of
the strap being turned towards a rear side of said means
female fastener an elastic retaining means, arranged so that it is
opposite said first face of the strap, with
which it is adapted to spontaneously engage by
said transverse notches, when the strap is in
places in the female fastening means an elastic pusher arranged so that when the
strap is in place in the female element, the pusher
is opposite a second side of the strap, opposite
to said first face; and suitable drive means to pass through
said slit slot when in place in
the passage, to then allow the pusher, when
is pressed towards the rear side of the fastening means
female, to deform the retaining means so that it
disengages the transverse notches so that the strap
can then move freely in said passage.

 When the strap moves in the driving direction, the fastening device becomes shorter.

To lengthen it, move the strap in the opposite direction.

 The fact that the strap can be released by pressing a push button makes it particularly easy to maneuver the fastening device according to the invention, since it is much easier to push (a single finger is enough) than to pull (it must for example pinch the element to be pulled or engage the finger in a grip element provided on it, in order to be able to pull it).

 It will be observed that the measures proposed by the invention to make unlocking possible by pushing (elastic retaining means and push button located on either side of the strap, with a slot provided therein so that the supporting movement on the pusher is transmitted to the elastic retaining means) can be implemented in a particularly simple, convenient and economical manner, with a female attachment means which can be particularly space-saving.

According to preferred features of the invention
- Said male attachment means comprises a stop member at said insertion end; and
- Said female attachment means comprises a blocking member, adapted to be crossed elastically by said stop member of the strap when the latter is placed in the female element in said direction of insertion, and to be limited, screws with respect to the female attachment means, when the pusher is pressed towards said rear side, the travel of the strap in a direction of withdrawal, opposite to said direction of insertion, to a position of maximum length where said stop member is in support on said blocking member.

 Thus, once the stop member has crossed the blocking member, the male fastening means can no longer be withdrawn from the female fastening means, so that the fastening device - although of adjustable length - provides a permanent hold between the first and second elements.

 Preferably, for reasons of simplicity, convenience and economy during implementation: said elastic retaining means has a free end by which it engages with said transverse notches of the strap said locking member is a tongue narrow projecting from said free end of the retaining means, adapted to be housed in said slot when said free end is engaged with said transverse notches; said slit slot is closed at least on the insertion end side, where it therefore has an end at which said stop member is located; said elastic retaining means being adapted to deform during the positioning of the male element in the female element, under the effect of the advancement of the strap, to allow the insertion end not split to cross said tongue.

 Advantageously in terms of reliability, said stop member comprises a tooth disposed on the first face of the strap, with an inclined surface and a straight surface, the inclined surface meeting said narrow tongue before the straight surface when the strap is placement in the female attachment means, the straight surface being in abutment on said tongue in said position of maximum length of the attachment device.

 In fact, the fact that the stop member is not limited to the end wall of the slot, but has a tooth whose straight wall projects beyond this end wall, makes it possible to avoid the risks that the tongue is not driven by the pusher, towards the rear of the female attachment means, beyond the stop member, which it could then no longer retain.

 According to other advantageous characteristics of implementation - said drive means comprise said tongue; - Said drive means comprise on the pusher a narrow finger, projecting towards the rear side of the female attachment means, by which the pusher comes into contact with said tongue when it is pressed towards said rear side, said narrow finger being adapted to be housed in said slot of the strap without interfering with the movements of the latter in said passage.

 According to other preferred characteristics, said retaining means and said pusher are respectively a first and a second elastic blades generally parallel to a general orientation of said passage, said first blade connecting on the side of said first orifice and said second blade on the side of said second orifice.

 Thanks to this arrangement, the length of each elastic blade can be optimized, without having to worry about the length of the other blade.

 According to other preferred characteristics, said female attachment means comprises a support member transver sal arranged so that it is located between the elastic plunger and the strap when the latter is in place in said passage.

 The transverse support member makes it possible to limit the stroke of the pusher, which makes it possible for example to prevent the tongue provided on the retaining means from being pushed back so that it allows the passage of the stop means; this support member also now maintaining the strap in the passage, and preventing, for example, that it cannot, by deforming, escape from the elastic retaining means.

 According to other preferred characteristics, said retaining means and said transverse notches are adapted to cooperate so that the retaining means is elastically erased to allow said notches to pass when the strap is pushed into said passage in said driving direction, and so that the retaining means spontaneously retains a said notch when the strap tends to move in said passage in a direction of withdrawal, opposite to said direction of depression.

 It is thus possible to shorten the attachment device without having to press the push-button, that is to say by carrying out a simpler maneuver than that required to lengthen it.

 In a preferred embodiment for the same reasons as above, each said notch has an inclined surface and a straight surface, the inclined surface meeting a free end of the elastic retaining means before the straight surface when the strap is pushed into said next passage said driving direction, said free end having a wedge shape adapted to be housed between two consecutive notches.

 According to other preferred characteristics - said male attachment means comprises a second abutment member at an attachment end of the strap; and - said female fastening means comprises a second blocking member adapted to limit, with respect to the female fastening means, the travel of the strap in said driving direction, to a position of minimum length of the device fastener where said second stop member is supported on said second blocking member.

 By thus limiting the minimum length of the fastening device, it is avoided for example to create tensions between the first and the second elements due to an excessive shortening of the fastening device.

 According to other preferred characteristics, the female attachment means is a cage fixed to said second element by said rear side; and said cage comprises a first and a second external recesses for gripping opposite, and located respectively on one side and the other of said elastic pusher.

 With these latter characteristics, the fastening device according to the invention is particularly easy to handle, since it is enough with one hand to be able to press on the pusher, including in the case where the second element is mobile, this maneuver can be done by putting for example the index and middle fingers in a recess located at the top and then pressing the pusher with the thumb. The fact of providing two opposite recesses makes it possible to use either the female attachment means with the first orifice on the right or on the left.

 In a second aspect, the invention provides a case-holder comprising a cover provided internally with a bellows panel characterized in that it comprises between the cover and the bellows at least one attachment device as described above.

 Preferably, the case-attachment comprises two similar attachment devices, respectively to the right and to the left of the bellows panel, said male attachment means of each attachment device being fixed to the cover and said female attachment means to said panel. bellows.

The description of the invention will now be continued with the description of an exemplary embodiment, given below by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the appended drawings in which
FIG. 1 is a partial schematic perspective view of a case-holder according to the invention, the attachment device shown on the right having its male attachment means in place in the female attachment means, while for the left attachment device, installation has not yet taken place
- Figure 2 is a similar view, after this implementation has been carried out
- Figure 3 is a partial elevational view of the male attachment means of the device according to the invention;
- Figure 4 is a bottom view
- Figure 5 is a perspective view of the female attachment means of the device according to the invention
- Figure 6 is a sectional elevation taken along its longitudinal plane of symmetry
- Figure 7 is a perspective view of the elastic retaining means forming part of the female attachment means; and
FIG. 8 is a partial elevation view of the device according to the invention in a position of minimum length, the female attachment means being shown cut as in FIG. 6.

 The attaché-case 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a cover 2 provided internally with a bellows panel 3 which is conventionally articulated by its lower side to the cover 2 to which its vertical sides are each connected by a flexible side in accordion represented). In the upper part of the bellows 3, a fastening device 4 according to the invention is provided on each of the right and left sides. The devices 4 are identical and each comprise a male fastening means 5 fixed to the cover 2, and a female fastening means 6 fixed to the panel 3. The means 5 and 6 are made of molded plastic, for example polyacetal or polyamide.

 The male attachment means 5 (see Figures 3 and 4) comprises two strips 7 and 8, respectively located on either side of a gripping base 9. The strap 7 extends from the gripping base 9 up to one end for fixing the male attachment means 5 to the cover 2, here by means of rivets. The location at which the means 5 are fixed to the cover 2 is chosen according to the circumstances, it is for example located on the bottom of the cover as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 for the device 4 which can be seen left, or on the belt of the cover as illustrated for the one we see on the right. It will be noted that it is to show these various possibilities that we have illustrated means 5 fixed differently on the cover 2 to the right and to the left , but in practice the two means 5 will be fixed at symmetrical locations.

 The strap 8 extends from an insertion end 10 of the means 5, opposite its fixing end, up to the gripping base 9. It has on the underside a plurality of transverse notches 11.

A longitudinal slot 12 closed at each end is formed there through its thickness. A tooth 13 is disposed on the underside of the strap 8, with an inclined surface 14 facing the insertion end 10 and a straight surface 15 facing the gripping base 9. The surface located at the end of the slot 12 side introduction end is roughly coplanar with surface 15. In a similar manner to tooth 13, each transverse notch 11 has an inclined surface 16 facing towards the introduction end 10, and a straight surface 17 facing towards the gripping base 9. Between the latter and its part comprising the notches 11, the strap 8 has on its lower face three round thickeners 18, which are about as much projecting as the notches 11. The strap 8 is attached to the base 9 approximately halfway up a front surface 19 thereof, this surface being perpendicular to the general orientation plane of the strap 8. The strips 7 and 8 are roughly the same width, and the base 9 is wider than these (see Figure 4).

 The female attachment means 6 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) is a hollow cage, which here has a generally parallelepiped shape, open on the rear side (side located at the bottom in FIGS. 5 to 8). it has in its front wall an elastic pusher 20 oriented longitudinally. Each longitudinal side wall forms, under the front wall, an external recess for gripping 21, and in each transverse side wall is formed an orifice, respectively 22 and 23. An elastic retaining means 24 (see also FIG. 7) extends longitudinally to inside the cage.

 The retaining means 24 is here an elastic blade whose width roughly corresponds to that of the strap 8, it extends between a connecting end 26, which is located at the outlet of the orifice 22, and a free end 27 which has a wedge shape adapted to be housed between two consecutive notches 11: the inclined surface 28 and the straight surface 29 of the free end 27 are then respectively against the inclined surface 16 of a notch 11 and against the straight surface 17 of the next notch. To facilitate its cooperation with the strap 8, the blade 24 has an inclined surface 30 between the attachment end 26 and a flat surface 31 to which the foot of the inclined surface 28 is connected. The thickness of the blade 24 increases to from the attachment end 26 and then remains constant in the parts whose upper face is formed by the surfaces 31 and 28.

 A narrow tongue 32 is arranged projecting from the free end 27. The tongue 32 essentially projects longitudinally beyond the surface 29, at the center of which it arises. The tongue 32 also projects slightly upwards (it extends above the surface 29), the flat surface 33 located on the top of the tongue 32 being connected to the surface 28 by a very inclined surface 34. The tongue 32 ends in a straight surface 35.

 The pusher 20 is also an elastic blade.

It extends from a connecting end 36, located on the side of the orifice 23, to a free end 37 located directly above the free end 27 of the retaining means 24. A narrow finger 38 is arranged under the free end 37 of the pusher 20, projecting towards the rear side of the female attachment means 6. The tongue 32 and the finger 38 have a width approximately equal to that of the slot 12 and are oriented longitudinally like this, so that the tongue 32 and the finger 38 can be housed in the slot 12, and that the latter can slide longitudinally without being hampered by the presence of this finger or this tongue in the slot 12.

 The female attachment means 6 is designed to be fixed by its rear side to the chosen element, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

 To set up the male attachment means 5 in the female attachment means 6, the insertion end 10 of the means 5 is presented in front of the orifice 22 of the means 6, with the underside (the one carrying the notches 11) facing the rear side of the means 6, then the strap 8 is pushed into the longitudinally oriented passage which extends between the orifices 22 and 23. The top face of the strap 8 will therefore be turned towards the pusher 20 , and its underside towards the elastic retaining means 24.

 After the insertion end 10 has passed through the orifice 22, the tooth 13 will come into contact through its surface 14 successively with the surfaces 30, 31, 28, 34 and 33 of the means 24 and of the tongue 32, the means 24 deforming progressively by folding backwards (that is to say towards the bottom of the drawings), and when the surface 13 leaves the surface 33, then the means 24 can fold in the opposite direction, until the wedge 27 engages with the first notches 11, the tongue 32 then being partially housed in the slot 12. As well as the inclined surface 14 has made it possible to deform the means 24 to allow the insertion of the strap 8 in the means 6, the inclined surfaces 16 of the notches 11 make it possible to continue the insertion of the blade 8 into the passage between the orifices 22 and 23, the progression being able to continue until a position of minimum length of the device clip 4, shown in Figure 8.

 In this position, the surface 19 of the base 9 bears against the external surface 40 which borders the orifice 22.

The first two extra thicknesses 18 relate to the surface 31 of the retaining means 24.

 If the fastening device 4 then tends to elongate, that is to say if the strap 8 tends to withdraw from the passage located between the orifices 22 and 23, then one of the notches 11 will have its surface right 17 which will come to bear on the surface 29 of the means 24, and this withdrawal will not be possible. On the other hand, if the pusher 20 is pressed, then the finger 38 will come into contact with the tongue 32, the means 24 will deform by bending towards the rear side, so that the surface 29 will be lower as the surfaces 17, and we can then move the strap 8 in the direction of withdrawal. If the end of the slot 12 situated on the insertion end side reaches the tongue 32, then there would be at least the straight surface 15 of the tooth 13 which would come to bear on the surface 35 of the tongue 32, and the withdrawal movement could not continue beyond. We would then be in a position of maximum length of the fastening device 4.

 Note that a transverse support member 41 is arranged so that it is located between the elastic plunger 20 and the strap 8, when the latter is in place in the passage between the orifices 22 and 23. The member 41 serves to limit the deformation of the pusher 20 to prevent the retaining means 24 from being bent towards the rear side to the point that the tooth 13 can escape the tongue 32. The member 41 also serves as a support for the strap 8, to avoid that it cannot rise in the passage to the point that the surfaces 17 are not above the surface 29.

 To increase the length of the device 4, the index and middle fingers are placed in the recess 21 located at the top, the pusher 20 is pressed with the thumb and the strap 8 is pulled out of the female means 6. To decrease the length there it suffices to insert the strap 8 into the female attachment means 6, for example by taking the male attachment means 5 by the gripping base 9.

 It can be seen that the fastening device 4 is particularly easy to handle, including in the case where it is mounted on a bellows panel for a case-attaché as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. To open the bellows panel 3, c '' to say to move its upper part of the cover 2, we have the index and middle fingers of each hand respectively in the recess of the top of each female means, we press with the thumbs on the pushers 20, and the the panel 3 is pulled towards you which can then tilt, each of the attachment devices 4 then seeing its length increase. To close the bellows, we can proceed first with the left attachment device by taking the female means in the right hand and the male means in the left hand by the grip base 9, then pushing the strap 8 into the means 6; then proceeding in a similar manner with the right fastening device, but using the left hand to hold the female means and the right hand to push the male means.

 It will be recalled that the invention is not limited to the example described and shown.

Claims (17)

 1. Fastening device between a first and a second element characterized in that it comprises  - Male fastening means (5) made of molded plastic, intended to be fixed to the first element (2), comprising a strap (8) extending from an insertion end (10), having on a first face, a plurality of transverse notches (11), a longitudinal slot (12) being formed through said strap; and  - a female fastening means (6) of molded plastic, intended to be fixed to the second element (3), comprising  a passage for said strap (8), extending between a  first and second ports (22, 23), said strap  being intended to be placed there in a direction  driving with said insertion end (10)  which enters said passage through said first orifice  (22) then progresses towards the second orifice (23), said  first face of the strap (8) being turned to one side  rear of said female fastening means (6) an elastic retaining means (24), arranged so that it  is opposite said first face of the strap (8),  with which it is adapted to engage spontaneously by  said transverse notches (11), when the strap (8)  is in place in the female attachment means (6) an elastic plunger (20) arranged so that when the  strap is in place in the female element, the pusher  (20) is opposite a second face of the strap,  opposite to said first face; and drive means (32, 38) adapted to shift to  through said slit (12) of the strap when it is  in place in the passage, to then allow the pusher  (20), when pressed towards the rear side of the means  female attachment, deforming the retaining means (24)  so that it disengages from the transverse notches (11) so  that the strap (8) can then move freely in  said passage.  2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that  - Said male attachment means (5) comprises a stop member (13) at said insertion end; and  - Said female attachment means (6) comprises a blocking member (32), adapted to be crossed elastically by said stop member (13) of the strap when the latter is placed in the female element in said direction driving, and to limit, with respect to the female attachment means, when the pusher (20) is pressed towards said rear side, the travel of the strap (8) in a direction of withdrawal, opposite to said direction of depression, at a maximum length position where said stop member (13) is supported on said locking member (32).  3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that: said elastic retaining means (24) comprises a free end (27) by which it engages with said transverse notches (11) of the strap (8) said member of blocking is a narrow tongue (32) projecting from said free end (27) of the retaining means, adapted to be housed in said slot (12) when said free end (27) is engaged with said transverse notches (11); said slot (12) of the strap is closed at least on the insertion end side (10), where it therefore has an end at which said stop member (13) is located; said elastic retaining means (24) being adapted to deform during the positioning of the male element (5) in the female element (6), under the effect of the advancement of the strap (8) , to allow the insertion end (10) not split to cross said tongue (32).  4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said stop member comprises a tooth (13) disposed on the first face of the strap (8), with an inclined surface (14) and a straight surface (15), the inclined surface (14) meeting said narrow tongue (32) before the straight surface (15) when the strap (8) is put in place in the female fastening means (6), the straight surface (15) being supported on said tongue (32) in said position of maximum length of the fastening device.  5. Device according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that said drive means comprise said tongue (32).  6. Device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that said drive means comprise on the pusher (20) a narrow finger (38), projecting towards the rear side of the female attachment means ( 6), by which the pusher (20) comes into contact with said tongue (32) when it is pressed towards said rear side, said narrow finger (22) being adapted to be housed in said slot (12) of the strap without interfering with the movement thereof in said passage.  7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said retaining means and said pusher are respectively first and second elastic blades (24, 20) generally parallel to a general orientation of said passage, said first blade (24) adjoining the side of said first port (22) and said second blade (20) on the side of said second port (23).  8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said female attachment means (6) comprises a transverse support member (41) arranged so that it is located between the elastic pusher ( 20) and the strap (8) when the latter is in place in said passage.  9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said retaining means (24) and said transverse notches (11) are adapted to cooperate so that the retaining means is elastically erased to let said pass notches when the strap (8) is pushed into said passage in said driving direction, and so that the retaining means spontaneously retains a said notch (11) when the strap tends to move in said passage in a direction of withdrawal , reverse to said direction of penetration.  10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that each said notch (11) comprises an inclined surface (16) and a straight surface (17), the inclined surface (16) meeting a free end (27) of the retaining means elastic (24) before the straight surface (17) when the strap is pushed into said passage in said driving direction, said free end (27) having a wedge shape adapted to be housed between two consecutive notches (11).  11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that  - Said male attachment means (5) comprises a second stop member (9) at an attachment end of the strap (8); and  - Said female fastening means (6) comprises a second blocking member adapted to limit, with respect to the female fastening means, the travel of the strap in said driving direction, to a position of minimum length of the device attachment where said second stop member (9) is supported on said second locking member.  12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that said second stop member comprises a wall (19) of a gripping base (9) to which said strap (8) is attached, said second blocking member comprising an outer wall (40) of the female attachment means, which borders said first orifice (22).  13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the male attachment means (5) comprises a second strap (7) between the gripping base (9) and an end for fixing to the first element (2).  14. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the female attachment means (6) is a cage fixed to said second element (3) by said rear side.  15. Device according to claim 14, characterized in that said cage has first and second external gripping recesses (21) opposite, and located respectively on one side and the other of said elastic pusher (20).  16. Attaché case comprising a cover (2) provided internally with a bellows panel (3) characterized in that it comprises between the cover (2) and the bellows (3) at least one fastening device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 15.  17. Attaché case according to claim 16, characterized in that it comprises two similar attachment devices (4), respectively to the right and to the left of the bellows panel (3), said male attachment means (5) of each fastening device being fixed to the cover (2) and said female fastening means (6) to said bellows panel (3).