US20080029089A1

US20080029089A1 - Device for rapidly attaching and suspending in an articulated manner the breather pipes on the strap of diving goggles

Info

Publication number: US20080029089A1
Application number: US11/828,768
Authority: US
Inventors: Christof Oelrich
Original assignee: Mares SpA
Current assignee: Mares SpA
Priority date: 2006-08-02
Filing date: 2007-07-26
Publication date: 2008-02-07
Also published as: ITGE20060079A1

Abstract

Device for rapidly attaching and suspending in an articulated manner breather pipes on the strap of diving goggles. Said device comprises a part able to be attached in the manner of a sleeve to the strap of the diving goggles and provided with a box-shaped lug having an end wall with a hole in the centre and an elastic split ring part with two slightly splayed ends which has, in the separation zone, two pins with a semi-circular cross-section and enlarged heads projecting radially outwards from said ring, so that when the elastic split ring is compressed they are united, forming a head which is able to pass through the hole of said lug, said pins being again spaced elastically after passing through, so as to prevent the head from coming out of the hole of the end wall of said box-shaped part.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for rapidly attaching the breather pipes to the strap of diving goggles.
2. Description of the Related Art
The known devices for attaching the breather pipes to the strap of the goggles essentially comprise two rings made of elastomer material, with a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the breather pipes, which are joined together by a straight section of elastomer material.
However, these known devices do not allow the breather pipe to be easily attached and released and even less do they allow it pivot with a certain freedom of movement, so that it may be placed in the most appropriate position.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention therefore relates to a device for attaching the breather pipes to the strap of diving goggles, which is able to overcome the drawbacks of the known devices.
In accordance with a characteristic feature of the device according to the invention, the latter comprises a part able to be attached in the manner of a sleeve to the strap of the diving goggles and provided with a box-shaped lug having an end wall with a hole in the centre and an elastic split ring part with two slightly splayed ends which has, in the separation zone, two pins with a semi-circular cross-section and enlarged heads projecting radially outwards from said ring, so that when the elastic split ring is compressed they are united, forming a head which is able to pass through the hole in said lug, said pins being again spaced elastically after passing through so to prevent said head from coming out of the hole of the end wall of said box-shaped part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristic features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof provided with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device according to the invention, with the breather pipe and with the device for attachment to the strap of the goggles shown in cross-section, during the step prior to attachment of the two parts supporting the breather pipe;

FIG. 2 shows the following step involving introduction of the breather pipe attachment part inside the seat of the box-shaped part for fixing the attachment device associated with the strap of the goggles;

FIG. 3 shows the final attachment step;

FIG. 4 shows a partial view of the breather pipe attached to the attachment device associated with the strap of diving goggles;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 and shows a second embodiment of the device according to the invention during the step prior to attachment of the two parts supporting the breather pipe; and

FIG. 6 shows the following step of engagement of the two parts according to FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the drawings, 1 denotes the breather pipe and 2 denotes the strap of diving goggles (not shown).
As shown more clearly in FIG. 4, the device for attachment to the strap 2 comprises a buckle-type sleeve 3 made of material which possesses a certain degree of elasticity, for example plastic, having a substantially U-shaped form, one of the arms of the U, denoted by 103, being provided with a lug 203 which extends until it makes contact with the other arm 303. By splaying the arm 303 elastically in the direction of the arrow F, it is possible to insert the strap 2 inside the sleeve 3, as shown.
A box-shaped part 4, comprising an end wall 104 which is substantially parallel to the wall 103 and two side walls 204 which connect the wall 104 to the wall 103, is integral with the arm 103.
The end wall 104 is provided centrally with a hole 304 for the purposes which will be described below.
The breather pipe 1 is surrounded by an annular part 5. Preferably the part 5 is not round, but has an elliptical profile, with the smaller diameter axis substantially equal to the outer diameter of the pipe 1. The part 5 is split along a pole situated on the smaller diameter axis and, from the two split ends, there extend radially outwards two matching parts 6, 106 with a semi-circular transverse profile terminating in two heads with a conical profile 6′, 106′ having a diameter greater than the diameter of the pins 6, 106. The two ends of the part 5 are splayed slightly elastically with respect to each other, as shown more clearly in FIG. 1.
The operating principle of the device described will be evident.
With the ring 5 in the position shown in FIG. 1, a pressure is exerted in the direction of the arrows F1, F2 on the opposite greater poles of said ring 5, so as to cause the pins 6, 106 to mate as shown in FIG. 2. At this point, the heads 6′,106′ of the pins 6,106 are made to penetrate completely through the hole 304 of the box-shaped part 4. When these heads have passed beyond the internal edge of the hole 304, the pins 6,106 separate again as a result of the elastic force, thus preventing the part 5 from being detached from the box-shaped part 4.
Obviously, in order to detach the pipe 1, the reverse series of operations is performed.
Obviously the present invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described, but comprises all those constructional modifications and variants falling within the scope of the accompanying claims.
Thus, for example in FIGS. 5 and 6, a constructional variant of the device according to the invention is illustrated. In accordance with this variant, the pins 6, 106 delimit inside them a circular through-hole 206 which, during engagement of the part 6, 106 inside the box-shaped part 3, engages with a pin 203 projecting radially from the arm 103. In this way, it is possible to keep the parts coaxial and favour the disengagement thereof, preventing the head 6′,106′ from sticking on one side or the other during this step.

Claims

1. Device for rapidly attaching and suspending in an articulated manner breather pipes on the strap of diving goggles, characterized in that it comprises a part able to be attached in the manner of a sleeve to the strap of the diving goggles and provided with a box-shaped lug having an end wall with a hole in the centre and an elastic split ring part with two slightly splayed ends which has, in the separation zone, two pins with a semi-circular cross-section and enlarged heads projecting radially outwards from said ring, so that when the elastic split ring is compressed they are united, forming a head which is able to pass through the hole of said lug, said pins being again spaced elastically after passing through, so as to prevent the head from coming out of the hole of the end wall of said box-shaped part.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said split ring has an elliptical cross-section and is split along a pole situated on the smaller axis of the ellipse.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said head of the pins has a frustoconical profile.

4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sleeve part is split at one end so as to be able to be mounted on the strap of the goggles.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said sleeve part is made of material which possesses a certain degree of elasticity and has a substantially U-shaped form, one of the arms of the U being provided with a lug which extends until it makes contact with the other arm so that, by splaying the arm elastically, it is possible to cause the strap to pass inside the sleeve.

6. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the said pins delimit inside them a circular through-hole which, during engagement of the said pins inside the said box-shaped sleeve part, engages with a pin projecting radially from one arm of the said U-shaped portion.