GB2538757A

GB2538757A - Improvement to fasteners and buckles

Info

Publication number: GB2538757A
Application number: GB1509085.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Catherine Campbell Mary
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-05-27
Filing date: 2015-05-27
Publication date: 2016-11-30
Also published as: GB201509085D0

Abstract

An improvement to fasteners and buckles where one or more sides of the fastener or buckle has a male plug component 1 and a receiving female socket component 2 and each of the male and female components has a strap or webbing attachment bar 3, 4. Between strap attachment and the plug and socket elements there is a swivel connector 6, comprising protruding part 11 and an insertion opening 12. The improvement allows a twisted strap to be adjusted without unclipping the buckle.

Description

Improvement to fasteners and buckles.

This invention relates to an improvement in existing types of fasteners and buckles.

Example of fasteners or buckles that can be improved by this technical novelty are: side release type buckles, front or centre release buckles, CAM buckles, lockable release buckles, body restraint buckles or any other buckle or fastener that has a strap or webbing and is pushed or fastened into a holder. Example applications for this innovative technical novelty can be but are not exclusive to: tool-belts, cycle helmets, harnesses, car seat restraints, pram or buggy restraints, leisure and sports wear, bags, belts, sports equipment and safety equipment.

When existing buckles or fasteners are in a connected state, with strap attachment bar and strap tension slider bar, they are connected in a fixed linear configuration. Incorrect fitting can mean that the fastening can be made with either one or more of the attached straps being connected together with a twist in the strap which can not be untwisted or corrected without the undoing and reattachment of the buckle or fastener.

When using or wearing an item that requires the connection or fasten of a buckle, the straps which are attached to each side of the buckle will lie flush or not depending on the level of detail given when the fastener sides are connected together. If the correct level of attention is not applied, or if there are no markers to identify the correct way to fit the sides of the fastener, then it is very likely and very common for the fastener or buckle to be connected with twisted straps on one or more sides.

As a result the twisted straps or webbing would not lie flush on the body and would cause discomfort. Twisted straps which do not sit flush cause additional stress and strains on the materials causing premature damage to the item or product. Twisted straps can be visually untidy and may detract from safe function and tidy appearance.

If a fastener or buckle is in use whilst carrying or restraining a weight load, such as a tool belt or a child in a buggy, and if the person using the fastener or buckle has connected it with a twisted strap, it will be difficult to release and fix the twist without the weight load pulling or possibly falling This problem has great potential for injury, discomfort and inconvenience.

To overcome this, this technical novelty proposes a buckle or fastener with a male plug part and a female socket part incorporating a strap attachment bar and a strap tension slider bar and a rotating swivel joint, the swivel joint enabling the correction of twisted straps without the need to unfasten and refasten the buckle. This innovative improvement combines fasteners or buckles with strap attachment bars, and, strap tension slider bars, and, a rotating joint on individual or multi-faceted fasteners or buckles The ability to untwist the straps or webbing which are attached to the fastener or buckle, without unfastening the connecting parts, is made possible by the addition of a 360 degree rotating swivel joint inserted between any part of the fastener and the section of the fastener which holds the strap or webbing.

The 360 degree rotating swivel joint can be made using material of the same composition as the fastener or buckle, or, using another material that can be fixed and connected to the fastener. The rotating swivel joint will be made so that both sides can move freely around the other and so, be able to swivel and rotate. Other means of creating a swivel function can be used.

The technical novelty of incorporating a rotating swivel joint into an existing fastener or buckle using a strap attachment bar and a strap tension slider bar will allow a strap to be untwisted without having to unfasten any of the buckle connectors yet still permit connection and easy tightening or slackening of the strap or webbing.

This technical novelty is advantageous as a quick, easy and safe way to untwist and adjust straps, saving time and effort. It will reduced stress and strain on attached materials so the item will have no detrimental wear and tear associated to the incorrect fastening of straps to a connector. When the fastener or buckle is retaining or supporting a weight load under stress the straps can be corrected and made flush and be held at the correct tension without the need to unfasten and refasten -thus removing the danger of falling loads or unrestrained loads. Reducing the instances of unfastening and refastening will reduce the possibility of the user catching their skin, hair or clothes whilst unfastening and refastening the buckle. It will allow straps to be corrected, made flush and held at correct tension with minimal physical contact on one person by another person, such as sport coaches or teachers correcting cycle helmets or backpacks on children or other vulnerable people.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows prior art and is an example of a standard type of fastener or buckle with strap attachment bar and strap tension slider bar.

Figure 2 shows prior art and is an example of a multi-way fastener or buckle with strap attachment bar and strap tension slider bar.

Figure 3 shows an innovative type of fastener or buckle including the technical novelty of rotating swivel joints with strap attachment bar and strap tension slider bar.

Figure 4 shows an innovative type of multi-way fastener or buckle including the technical novelty of rotating swivel joints and strap tension slider bars in multiple positions.

Figure 5 shows an innovative type of fastener or buckle including the technical novelty of a rotating swivel joint, in a central position, with strap tension slider bars.

Figure 6 shows an innovative type of fastener or buckle with strap attachment bar and strap tension slider bar and shows the buckle or fastener with a set of protruding legs that permits an internal connection acting as an internal rotating swivel joint.

Figure 7 shows the innovative type of fastener or buckle described in figure 6, now in a connected state, visualising the internal connection and internal rotating swivel joint.

In figure 1, a standard type of fastener or buckle, in this instance, a side release buckle which is recognised as prior art. It includes a male side of the fastener, the male plug 1 and a female side of the fastener, female socket 2. Each outer side of the fastener connects to a strap or webbing, one side connects to straps or webbing with a simple strap attachment bar 3 and the other side connects to the strap or webbing with a combination of gaps in the buckle that allows the strap or webbing to move and adjust when required and to stop and grip when required known as a strap tension slider bar 4.

In figure 2, a type of multi-way fastener or buckle, shown here as side release buckles with other connecting and strap holding points recognised as prior art. There are two male plugs 1, which connect and fasten into the female socket 2. The outer side of each male part of the fastener, connects to a strap or webbing with a combination of gaps in the buckle that allows the strap or webbing to move and adjust when required and to stop and grip when required using a strap tension slider bar 4. Other connecting and strap holding points are visible 5, and are used to connect more straps or webbing to a fixing point.

In figure 3, an innovative type of fastener or buckle, shown here as a side release type of buckle, where the male plug 1, is now linked to the outer side of the buckle or fastener -the strap tension slider bar 4, with a rotary swivel joint 6, and, where the female socket 2, is now linked to the outer side of the buckle or fastener -the strap attachment bar 3, with a rotary swivel joint 6.

The rotary swivel joint 6 is constructed by a protruding part 11 housed inside an insertion opening 12. The rotary swivel joint components 11,12 can be housed within a male plug 1 or a female socket 2 side of a fastener or buckle. The protruding part 11 and the insertion opening 12 can be attached to the head or the strap end of the fastener or buckle depending on manufacturing methods. The innovative step, to prior art, is the addition of a rotary swivel joint 6 within a buckle or fastener assembly, and, having strap attachment bar 3, and, a strap tension slider bar 4 thus allowing rotation whilst a buckle or fastener is connected, and, with strap attachment, and, with strap adjustment.

In figure 4, an innovative type of multi-way fastener or buckle, shown here as a multi-sided side release buckle, where multiple male plugs 1, are now linked to the outer side of the buckle or fastener -the strap tension slider bar 4, with a rotary swivel joint 6, and, where the female socket 2, is now linked to the outer side of the buckle or fastener -the strap tension slider bar 4, with a rotary swivel joint 6.

The rotary swivel joint 6 is constructed by a protruding part I I housed inside an insertion opening 12. The rotary swivel joint components 11,12 can be housed within a male plug 1 or a female socket 2 side of a fastener or buckle. The protruding part 11 and the insertion opening 12 can be attached to the head or the strap end of the fastener or buckle depending on manufacturing methods. Other strap holding points 5 are included in the drawing of this multi-sided side release buckle. If required, the strap holding points 5 could be replaced by a buckle or fastener assembly hosting a swivel joint 6 and strap tension slider bar 4 or a strap attachment bar 3, thus increasing the multiple connections of this prior art side release buckle.

The innovative step, to prior art, is the addition of a rotary swivel joint 6 within a buckle or fastener assembly, and, having strap holding points 5, and, strap tension slider bars 4 thus allowing rotation whilst a buckle or fastener is connected, and, strap attachment, and, strap adjustment.

Figure 5, an innovative type of fastener or buckle including the technical novelty of a rotating swivel joint, in a central position, with strap tension slider bars. Shown here as two prior art side release buckles connected centrally by a rotary swivel joint 6 which allows either or both sides of the fastener or buckle to swivel or rotate independently when both the male plug I are fastened and connected into the female socket 2, at the same time the strap or webbing can still be easily adjusted to fit with strap tension slider bar 4. Components of the rotary swivel joint 6 are shown as protruding part 11 and insertion opening U. The innovative step, to prior art, is the addition of a rotary swivel joint 6 within a buckle or fastener assembly, and, having strap tension slider bars 4 thus allowing rotation whilst a buckle or fastener is connected, and, with strap attachment, and, with strap adjustment.

Figure 6, an innovative type of fastener or buckle, shows the male plug 1 with strap tension slider bar 4 and with chamfered shoulders 10 leading into a long central protruding leg 7, this leg has a long narrow linear spacing 13 and a rounded extended head 14. The female socket 2 with strap attachment bar 3 is shown with two symmetrically positioned side arms 9 on each side of the buckle and a shaped internal receptor 8.

This innovative fastener or buckle is connected when the male plug 1 is pushed inside the female socket 2, the rounding of the extended head 14 encourages the closing of the linear spacing 13 until the extended head protrudes from the end of the interior receptor 8. The protruding leg 7 and chamfered shoulders 10 sit within the shaped interior receptor 8 as a fastened buckle.

The innovative step is the internal rotary swivel system within a buckle or fastener, and, having a strap attachment bar 3, and, a strap tension slider bar 4 thus allowing rotation whilst a buckle or fastener is connected, and, with strap attachment, and, with strap adjustment.

Figure 7, an innovative type of fastener or buckle as described in figure 6, now in an inserted and connected position. The male plug 1 with strap tension slider bar 4 and with chamfered shoulders 10 leading into a long central protruding leg 7, this leg with a long narrow linear spacing 13 and a rounded extended head 14, is now inserted into the female socket 2 with strap attachment bar 3. The female socket 2 has two symmetrically positioned side arms 9 on each side of the buckle and a shaped internal receptor 8.

Connection of this innovative buckle or fastener is as described in figure 6, rotation of this fastener or buckle is as follows: the protruding leg 7 is manufactured to be longer than the internal receptor 8 thus by a small partial withdrawal of the male plug 1 from the female socket 2 the chamfered shoulders 10 can be rotated a full 360 degrees whilst still being retained in the internal receptor 8. A full release of the male plug 1 from the female socket 2 will occur when both side arms 9 are compressed inwards this compression will equally compress the extended head 14 and thus compress the linear spacing 13 to to the point where the protruding leg 7 will slide out of the internal receptor 8.

Claims

Claims 1 A fastener comprising: a female socket 2 and a male plug 1 in which the socket 2 and plug 1 are mutually connectable and releasable, the whole fastener comprising of one or more mutually connectable and releasable socket 2 and plug 1, said female socket 2 comprising a housing space to engage and retain and release legs of said plug 1 and comprise a strap attachment bar 3 and a rotary swivel joint 6 allowing a full 360 degree rotation between female socket 2 and strap attachment bar 3, said male plug 1 comprising a body with a protruding leg 7 and a strap tension slider bar 4 and a rotating swivel joint 6 allowing a full 360 degree rotation between male plug 1 and strap tension slider bar 4, thus allowing rotation of component parts whilst in connected or released state and enabling the correction of twisted straps without the need to unfasten and refasten the buckle.
2 The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the rotary swivel joint 6 is located at an intermediate position between the solid end of the female socket 2 housing space and the strap attachment bar 3.
3 The fastener according to claim 2, wherein the solid end of the female socket 2 housing space has a flat surface and comprises a protruding part 11 extending outwards to provide permanent engagement in an insertion opening 12 protruding from the strap attachment bar 3.
4. The fastener according to claim 2, wherein the afore mentioned strap attachment bar 3 comprises of a bar to attach a strap and an insertion opening 12 to house the protruding part 11 from the solid end of the female socket 2 housing space.
5. The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the rotary swivel joint 6 is located at an intermediate position between the solid end of the male plug 1 and the strap tension slider bar 4.

6 The fastener according to claim 5, wherein the solid end of the male plug 1 has a flat surface and comprises a protruding part 11 extending outwards to provide permanent engagement in an insertion opening 12 protruding from the strap tension slider bar 4.

7 The fastener according to claim 5, wherein the afore mentioned strap tension slider bar 4 comprises of a tension grip to tighten or release a strap and an insertion opening 12 to house the protruding part 11 from the solid end of the male plug 1.

8 The fastener according to claim I, wherein the rotary swivel joint 6 is a rotating joint formed by the permanent engagement of the afore mentioned protruding part 11 with the insertion opening 12, wherein the protruding part 11 inserts into the insertion opening 12 to form a permanent engagement to enable manual rotation of said rotary swivel joint 6 9 The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the afore mentioned rotary swivel joint 6 can be housed between the solid end of the female socket 2 and the strap attachment bar 3, or, the solid end of the female socket 2 housing space and a strap tension slider bar 4, wherein either combination results in a rotating fastener assembly with a strap attachment bar 3 or a strap tension slider bar 4 and a rotary swivel joint
6.The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the afore mentioned rotary swivel joint 6 can be housed between the solid end of the male plug 1 and the strap attachment bar 3, or, the solid end of the male plug 1 and a strap tension slider bar 4, wherein either combination results in a rotating fastener assembly with a strap attachment bar 3 or a strap tension slider bar 4 and a rotary swivel joint 6.11 The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the afore mentioned rotary swivel joint 6 can be housed between any solid side of a male plug 1 or a female socket 2 and any side of a strap attachment bar 3, or a strap tension slider bar 4, thus providing a single rotary swivel joint or a plurality of rotary swivel joints 6 between prior knowledge fasteners.12 The fastener according to claim 1, wherein the afore mentioned rotary swivel joint 6 can be housed between the solid sides of two female sockets 2 or two male plugs 1, thus providing a single rotary swivel joint between two prior knowledge fasteners.13 The fastener according to claim 1 comprising a female socket 2 and a male plug 1 in which the female socket 2 and male plug 1 are mutually connectable and releasable, with said female socket 2 comprising an internal receptor 8 and two side arms 9 flanked on the side of female socket 2 to engage and retain and release protruding leg 7 of said plug 1 and further comprises a strap attachment bar 3, said male plug 1 comprising a body with protruding leg 7 formed on chamfered shoulders 10 and further comprising a strap tension slider bar 4, wherein the centrally mounted protruding leg 7 on chamfered shoulders 10 guides a single central engagement of male plug 1 into female socket 2 permitting the connected fastener to swivel to a full 360 degrees rotation of fastener component parts whilst in connected state 14 The fastener according to claim 13, wherein the male plug 1 comprises a central protruding leg 7, this protruding leg 7, is constructed with a linear spacing 13 from the top of the protruding leg 7 to the bottom end of the protruding leg 7 where it mounts onto the chamfered shoulders 10 of the male plug I. The fastener according to claim 14, wherein the protruding leg 7 has a construction at the top of the linear spacing 13 that is an extended head 14, this head being wider than the shaft of the protruding leg
7.16 The fastener according to claim 15, where in the extended head 14 and the protruding leg 7 can be compressed with effort, due to the linear spacing13, as it is inserted into the internal receptor 8 of the female socket 2.17 The fastener according to claim 13, wherein the male plug I comprises a central protruding leg 7 mounted on chamfered shoulders 10, the chamfer of the shoulders 10 is symmetrically extended from both sides of the base of the protruding leg 7 to the side parts of the male plug 1 18 The fastener according to claim 17, wherein the chamfered shoulders 10 are symmetrically extended from both sides of the base of the protruding leg 7 to the side parts of the male plug 1, the angle of the chamfer being proportional to the width of the male plug 1 and in proportion to the internal receptor 8 within the opening of the female socket 2.19 The fastener according to claim 13, wherein the female socket 2 comprising an internal receptor 8, two side arms 9 and a strap attachment bar 3, wherein the internal receptor 8 is accessed via the bottom end of the female socket 2 which engages with protruding leg 7 of the male plug 1.The fastener according to claim 19, wherein the internal receptor 8 has a tubular protrusion positioned centrally within the female socket 2, this tubular protrusion accommodates the extended head, under effort, and the shaft of the protruding leg 7, as the male plug 1 engages with the female socket 2 21. The fastener according to claim 20, wherein the internal receptor 8 has chamfered shoulders at the base of the tubular protrusion positioned to accommodate the chamfered shoulders 10 of the male plug 1 as it engages with the female socket 2.22 The fastener according to claim 13, wherein the female socket 2 is flanked on both sides by side arms 9, said side arms 9 are mounted symmetrically on either side of female socket 2, the base of each side arm 9 is attached to the body of the female socket 2 the head of each side arm 9 is free from the body of the female socket 2.23 The fastener according to claim 22, wherein the head of the side arm 9 is free from the body of the female socket 2 thus, under effort, allowing movement of the arm into the body of the female socket 2, the side arm 9 returning to original position when effort is removed.24 The fastener according to claim 13, wherein a female socket 2 and a male plug 1 are mutually connectable and releasable and that the full insertion of male plug 1 into female socket 2 permits the connector frame to swivel to a full 360 degrees rotation of fastener component parts whilst in connected state, wherein this rotation is enabled by means of partial withdrawal of male plug 1 and thus protruding leg 7 thus disengaging chamfered shoulders 10 from internal receptor 8 to a calculated point that offers least resistance to enable rotation of male plug 1, without the full removal of the male plug 1 from the female socket 2.The fastener according to claim 13, wherein a female socket 2 and a male plug 1 are mutually connectable and releasable, the releasing function being provided by the simultaneous compression of both side arms 9 onto the extended head 14 of the male plug 1 thus compressing the linear spacing 13 to a point which allows the protruding leg 7 to reduce in positional presence, thus with a pulling effort the protruding leg 7 will fit into, through and out of the internal receptor 8, thus releasing the connected buckle.